Barbaresco, Albesani, Vecchie Viti, Riserva, 2020

Exotically perfumed and floral, the VV is incredibly stylish and fluid, offering sweeter fruit notes of blueberries, rose, citrus and balsamic – woven together seamlessly. Beautiful fine-grained tannins enhance the ripe, purity of fruit, through to a neat and cleansing finish. When Pierguido took over winemaking in 2010 the first wine he introduced was this small, 70–90-year-old 0.2ha plot bottling in his grandfather’s honour. The tiny area means that production is contingent on there being enough perfect grapes to fill a single cask. Typically, it requires a classic harvest at the end of October, with healthy and thick enough skins to permit a long maceration of 90 days with submerged cap. Aged for three years in cask and three years in bottle before release. Total production is 900 bottles.