Wine Spectator (95)

A rich, cherry- and floral-scented red, effusive in aroma, with the core of cherry prevailing on the palate. Though fleshy, this gives way to firm tannins that line the lingering aftertaste. Inviting and full of energy, so decant now or wait.

Wine Advocate (94)

Following the suggestion of Produttori del Barbaresco General Manager Renato Vacca, I am starting off this series of nine Riservas with the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pora. This wine is usually the most delicate, slender and ephemeral of this set. However, I can immediately confirm that this is not necessarily the case with this exuberant 2015 vintage. The sunny heat of the growing season has successfully drawn out more fruit weight and intensity in this edition of Pora. The wine overdelivers in terms of aromas, but its streamlined and polished personality follows through to the palate. Those divergent intensity levels will smooth out with more bottle age. Some 16,666 bottles were released.

Vinous (98)

The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is brooding in its intensity. Swaths of tannin, acid and mineral notes infuse the 2016 with striking gravitas. A wine of staggering proportion and breathtaking beauty, the Rabajà is the sort of wine I wish every Vinous reader could taste because it captures the essence of place and vintage with so much pedigree and so much class. Black cherry, sage, crushed rocks, menthol and lavender are some of the many nuances that linger on the eternal finish.

Wine Advocate (96)

The Rio Sordo cru is known for medium-bodied wines that show elegance and finesse. The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is my favorite wine among this set of new Riserva releases. This gorgeous wine is seamless in approach with balanced aromatic intensity that bridges dark fruit aromas against ethereal notes of cola, tar and licorice. There is an irresistible dash of white truffle buried deep within. The wine is powerful and firmly constructed, but the quality of the tannins is silky and polished.

Wine Advocate (96+)

This wine usually falls somewhere in the middle of the Riserva continuum (starting with the most lithe and elegant wine and ending with the most powerful) presented by Produttori del Barbaresco in this knockout series of nine single-vineyard expressions. The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is another personal favorite. This group of Ovello, Rio Sordo, Asili and Rabajà (that sweet spot of neighboring vineyard sites in Barbaresco) is especially profound in 2015, striking a careful balance between elegance against power. The Rio Sordo offers tight and sharp fruit complete with a little tannic pinch or crunch on the close. Production is 13,333 bottles.

Vinous (94)

The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is a serious, somber wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol show off the darker side of Nebbiolo to great effect. In most vintages, Rio Sordo is an easygoing wine, but not in 2016. Readers will find a potent, brooding yet mid-weight Barbaresco that screams with character. What a way to start this tasting!

Kerin O'Keefe (100)

The drop-dead gorgeous Barbaresco 2019 Asili Riserva from the Produttori del Barbaresco stuns with its extreme finesse and heady scents of wild rose, red berry, camphor, leather and brown spice. Full-bodied and vibrant, the elegant, linear palate delivers red cherry, blood orange, star anise and ground clove alongside youthfully tight but extremely refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced and energized, lending great tension. It’s a superb expression of this celebrated site and the fantastic vintage. An absolute stunner.

Greg Sherwood MW (93)

Produttori del Barbaresco makes its Langhe Nebbiolo with declassified Barbaresco fruit (often from parcels on lower slopes) so production volumes are notably reduced in the better vintages when more of the prime fruit finds its way into the delicious village Barbaresco DOCG or indeed one of the classy nine Cru Riservas. This young Nebbiolo is utterly seductive with intricate perfume that wafts out the glass in waves of wild strawberry, red cherry, violets and pink blossom and an underlying hint of garrigue, vermouth botanicals, blood orange and dry roasted nuts. Very classy and quite individual with exceptional quality year in, year out, the 2019 palate is sleek, silky and wonderfully fresh with a mouth watering acidity, youthful chalky tannins and a real melange of cranberry, red cherry, vermouth bitters and subtle liquorice nuances on the finish. Fabulously elegant and energetic, this vintage is ripe and characterful with impressive fruit concentration but also a supple, elegant texture. Another cracking vintage that should drink well over 6 to 8+ years.

Greg Sherwood MW (92+)

Produttori del Barbaresco makes its Langhe Nebbiolo with declassified Barbaresco fruit (often from parcels on lower slopes) so production volumes are notably reduced in the better vintages when more of the prime fruit finds its way into their delicious village Barbaresco DOCG or indeed one of the classy nine Cru Riservas. This young 2020 Nebbiolo certainly shows great promise with an immediately attractive array of aromatics that boast dark cherry, damson plum, sweet herbs, blood orange and a slight menthol top note. Always wonderfully intense and potent, the palate displays a medium bodied weight of red and black berry fruits, macerated strawberries and sweet cherries with an underlying cool, suave elegance and a fresh acid vitality. The finish is creamy and plush with soft plump tannins, subtle piquant black liquorice notes and a pure, weightless length. Delightfully streamlined and accessible, this 2020 continues a fine run of vintages for Produttori del Barbaresco. Drink from release and over 5 to 8 years.

Greg Sherwood MW (93+)

An impressively substantial wine yet again from Aldo Vacca and this world famous red wine Co-operative. The wine has a real presence showing complex aromatic layers of wild herbs, dried blood orange, botanicals, vermouth spices over pink musk, red cherry and candied red berry fruits. The palate is sumptuously muscular, plump and fleshy, but beautifully mellow and harmonious with a massive red and black berry fruit concentration, spicy herby tannins and an incredibly bold, vibrant acidity that once again underpins the fabulous depth of fruit and fleshy opulence. This is the real deal, a substantial Nebbiolo that simply sings in the glass. Bravo Aldo! I don’t know how you do it, year in and year out, but the Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2021 is an absolute winner. Drink on release and over 10 to 12 plus years.

The collection case contains of one bottle each of:

1. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pora

2. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè

3. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello

4. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo

5. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Asili

6. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà

7. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota

8. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico

9. 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano

The case contains one bottle of each:

Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Asili 2019 - 94 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montefico 2019 - 93+ Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 2019 – 95 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota 2019 – 93+ Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 2019 – 94 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pajè 2019 – 93 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora 2019 – 92 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2019 – 94 Vinous
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo 2019 – 93 Vinous

Produttori del Carema Riserva 2016 is a world-class red wine, originating from Carema, a small region in Piedmont, Italy. The wine's complexity and elegance are credited to the Neive soil, famous for its mineral content that adds to the wine's unique character. Typifying the workmanship of Produttori del Carema, a cooperative renowned for its consistent high-quality wine production, its Riserva edition 2016 reveals the exceptional vintage.

Produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, it delivers an elegant bouquet of roses, tar, and ripe red fruits. The taste, while full and harmonious, hints at vanilla, leather and spices. Aged for 36 months in Slavonian oak barrels, this adds to the wine’s deep complexity. Using traditional winemaking techniques, the hand-harvested grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks, preserving the wine's authenticity.

Produttori del Carema Riserva 2016 offers a distinctive, mature and pleasant palate experience, proving itself a deserving addition to any connoisseur's collection.

James Suckling (100)

This is incredibly complex and complete with white and black-truffle aromas, as well as wet earth and blackcurrants. Then, it changes to tobacco, cedar and wild forest fruit. Dazzling complexity in both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, yet tight and harmonious. The tannins melt into the wine. Drinkable now, but one for the cellar. This estate could one day rival Harlan, which shares its ownership.

Wine Advocate (99)

The best wine so far (although I suspect the 2015 may ultimately enter the picture as well) is the nearly perfect 2013 Promontory Estate. It is simply richer and fuller, with greater integration of tannin, and tastes spectacular. With an opaque, dense purple color and notes of graphite, wet rocks, blackberry and blueberry fruit, some charcoal, and again, loads of spice and loamy soil nuances, the wine has great intensity, a full-bodied texture, and finely grained, sweet tannin. This is a stunner and again, accessible, but its best days are probably a good decade away, as this could very well turn out to be a 40- to 50-year wine.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2014 Promontory has aged impeccably. Dark cherry, plum, leather and lavender are all pushed forward. A wine of density and power, the 2014 shows the richer, more overt style that was in place here ten years ago. I loved this wine on release, and it is still both very special and incredibly young. The 2014 represents a point of transition. It was aged 70% in cask and 30% in small French oak barrels. Today, Promontory is aged exclusively in large-format oak.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2014 Promontory has aged impeccably. Dark cherry, plum, leather and lavender are all pushed forward. A wine of density and power, the 2014 shows the richer, more overt style that was in place here ten years ago. I loved this wine on release, and it is still both very special and incredibly young. The 2014 represents a point of transition. It was aged 70% in cask and 30% in small French oak barrels. Today, Promontory is aged exclusively in large-format oak.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)

The 2015 Promontory is just as magnificent as it has always been. Tasted next to current releases, the 2015 shows the riper style of the year, and also a bit more oak influence from the new casks the estate was moving to during this era. Dark-hued fruit, graphite, leather, dried herbs, lavender and a touch of oak open with a bit of coaxing. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the quality of the tannins, by far the biggest challenge the Harlan family faced in the early days of making wines from this rugged hillside site. If I think back to the 2008, the first vintage here, and wines I tasted prior to release, the progress made at Promontory in under a decade is nothing short of remarkable.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep purple-black colored, the nose of the 2016 Promontory starts a little sluggish and broody before positively erupting with powerful scents of plum preserves and crème de cassis, followed by exotic hints of cardamom, Indian spices, and sandalwood, plus wafts of fertile loam and crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich, and velvety, intertwining opulence and minerality with wonderful vibrancy and gravitas, finishing with an epically long-lasting array of earthy sparks. Now starting to shut down as it heads into a slumber, give it a good 4-5 more years in the cellar before broaching, then drink it over the next 30+ years.

James Suckling (98)

Blackcurrant, tar, lead pencil and dark fruit. Full-bodied with resin, dark-berry and redwood undertones and firm, fine tannins. Salty. Leaner than some, but so long and bright. Vertical elegance here. Needs three to four years to soften and open.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Packed full of vivid (there really doesn't seem any other word for it) cassis and blueberry fruits, floral, textural and nuanced. Cabernet Sauvignon signature mix of crushed rocks, mint, crayon and slate, just a brilliant wine and a reflection of its exceptional site. This is elegant and precise while still delivering muscular, powerful flavours. I first tasted it at the property last November, and it's reassuring to see it make exactly the same impression when retasted back in Bordeaux, away from the awe-inspiring landscape. Harvest September 10 through to October 23. David Cilli winemaker, director Will Harlan.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Promontory has a deep garnet-purple color. It is quite closed at the moment, needing a little swirling to reveal notes of crushed rocks, garrigue, iron ore, and lavender, leading to a core of black cherries, redcurrant jelly, and fresh blackcurrants, with a hint of mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is so tightly wound, delivering multi-layered black and red berries with mineral and earthy sparks, supported by fine-grained tannins, finishing long and fragrant.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The 2022 Cuvée Aux Antipodes Blanc is a magnificent triumph of yields. Where previously this 1.8-hectare plot produced anywhere from six to eight barrels of wine, the 2022 produced 23 barrels of wine—very exciting for followers of this cuvée. On the nose, the wine is showing its youth, but far from being inchoate, it is long and polished through the very long finish. It's got lashings of stone fruit and preserved citrus, white pepper, star anise, shaved fennel, juniper and cold buttered toast. This is a wonderful wine of potential and kaleidoscopic complexity, although it is far tighter and more compact than previous years. Searingly good. This was an unlabeled bottle pre-release. 13% alcohol, sealed under Diam.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2021 Cuvee aux Antipodes Pinot Noir is scheduled for release in 2025 (although, should you be able to get your hands on some now and wish to drink it, it is already looking so good). On the nose, the wine is fresh and so detailed, with spiced cherry, tapenade, dried herbs, hints of alpine mint, red apple skins and black tea. In the mouth, the wine is balanced and exciting, herbal and fresh, with layers of texture and flavor that are difficult to separate. This is first rate, a thrilling wine, powerful and long but nuanced. Sealed under Diam.