Musso Barbaresco Pora Riserva DOCG 2016 Red Wine

Musso Barbaresco Pora Riserva DOCG 2016

Piedmont, Italy

97 pts. Ian d'Agata for Terroir Sense:

"Medium-red colour. Captivating aromas and flavours of very pure red cherry, raspberry ice, minerals, peach, and roses, complicated by hints of menthol and tobacco. At once dense and juicy, with a stony undertone and lively acidity that nicely extend the pure flavours on the very long, precise back end. Made with the oldest grapes in Musso’s Pora holdings and planted on the highest part of the slope, this is a majestic Barbaresco that will improve and live for decades to come."

93 pts. Wine Advocate:

“From a classic vintage with only 2500 bottles made, the 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Pora brings all that Nebbiolo intensity home. The wine plays with its complexity, straddling a point in which there is plenty of primary fruit but also revealing evolved tones of resin, smoke and black licorice. Those contrasting sides give this wine a unique personality, but ultimately, I feel as if the wine pulls a bit stronger toward the more evolved and aged side of the Nebbiolo spectrum.” – Monica Larner  (6/2021)

FROM THE WINERY

The Nebbiolo grape has been present in Barbaresco since ancient times, although its organized production dates back just to the second XIX. These hills of the Langhe have been able to select the most suitable areas, where the soil is more hospitable and exposure promotes better ripening of the grapes.

The grapes for this Nebbiolo destined to be Barbaresco are produced in the estate vineyards of Musso in the historical cru of Pora, once known as Citadel Pora. Here, soil reproduces the characteristic mixture of limestone and clay that produces a wine full of character and ability to withstand time.

Soil: this is an historical vineyard, about 2 and a half hectares, with mainly limestone and frequent intersections of clay. For this the soil is complete and compact and particularly suitable for the cultivation of Nebbiolo.

Altitude: between 240 and 280 meters above sea level.

Exposition: from west to south-west.

Vinification: hand harvested, the grapes are crushed and de-stemmed at the cellar. Then, the vinification follows a traditional method in steel containers. The maceration lasts about 20 days and has an immersed cap with periodic pumpovers. The fermentation temperatures oscillate between 28 and 30° C.

Maturation: after the fermentation, there is the maceration with submerged cap for about 60 days. Following this period the racking is done. The new wine matures in oak barrels of 50 hectoliters for 12 months and then for other 18 months in barrels of 25 hectoliters.

Bottling: after this period of evolution, Barbaresco "Pora" is bottled in the summer of the second year after harvest. The bottled wine is stored in the winery for about 12 months. Then, finally, it is ready for the market and consumption.

Tasting notes: Barbaresco “Pora” is a very expressive and grand wine: starting with the color, a red garnet decidedly intact and pure without wavering; the scent is ethereal, very rich in fragrant scents such as cherries, raspberries and wild strawberries along with hints of dried flowers. The next flavors to arrive are spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. The flavor is consistent: full bodied, intense, enveloping and with fine mature tannins.

Food Pairings: an important wine wanted to be accompanied by important dishes. For this, Barbaresco "Pora" is a classic wine red meat. Traditionally it was approached with a preference for game meat, today its complexity and fullness do well with all red meat cooked in various ways, from roasts, stews and braised local cuisine as well as international dishes. With the passage of time and the maturation of the wine, Barbaresco does not always need a gastronomic pairing, but can be enjoyed by itself that articulates thoughts and emotions. A wine of meditation.