Barbaresco, Paje, 2015

The key feature of the season was a July and early August heatwave, followed by a rainy week in mid-August and ensuing cooler temperatures which remained for the rest of the month through to harvest in October. In order to get the best from the hot summer season, Luca adopted various measures: anticipating the harvest (picking began during the first week of October, a week earlier than normal); including a small proportion of whole bunches during fermentations (5%) and also reducing the amount of time the wines spent in wood (three and a half years) in favour of cement vats. He has succeeded in producing aromatic, charming and beautifully-weighted 2015s.

Fruit flavours are smooth and seductive, tannins melt in the mouth and alcohols are measured (being ever so slightly up on the previous year to, 14.3% from 14%.) A hint of spice accompanies the warming, glossy fruit and, most crucially of all, the wines project with great clarity the differences between each of the vineyards. In short, it is a vintage we love and one we anticipate being enjoyable early as well as offering potential to age well into the medium and earlier long term – 10 years plus! The only negative is that the hot early summer conditions and strict vineyard selections have, unfortunately, resulted in yields being down by 20% on average.