Musso Rio Sordo Barbaresco DOCG 2015 Red Wine

Musso Barbaresco "Rio Sordo" DOCG 2015 

Piedmont, Italy

93 pts. Wine Enthusiast: "This opens with a potpourri of red berry, rose, menthol and exotic spice aromas. Juicy and elegantly structured, the smooth palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, ripe strawberry, white pepper and star anise. Taut but polished tannins provide the framework. Drink 2021 - 2030." - K.O.

93 pts. Decanter: “This comes from a property founded in 1929 who today cultivate 10 hectares, mostly in Barbaresco. Their holding in Rio Sordo is about 1ha. The nose is rich and succulent, with vibrant raspberry and cherry aromas as well as a whiff of violets. Its rich and weighty for Barbaresco, very concentrated and with bold, ripe tannins. Spicy and vigorous, it has nuance and complexity despite its solidity. Fine potential and length. (Drink between 2021-2035)”

The Musso Rio Sordo is absolutely delicious, year after year! If you've never had a Musso Barbaresco, or any Barbaresco for that matter, you MUST try this one! You'll fall in love with Barbarescos like we did!

Winemaker's Notes:

Barbaresco is a small area: made up of 3 small hillside villages (Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive) and the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d’ Elvio, part of the city of Alba. Among all, Barbaresco is definitely the place where the Nebbiolo grape has the most ancient history, where the tradition of the vineyard and the winery has the deepest roots and where the characteristics of the wines are solid and compelling.
In the case of this Barbaresco, its origin is a 1 hectare vineyard located in the historical cru “Rio Sordo” where the soil is very clayey and calcareous and the beautiful south-west exposure makes the difference.

Soil: here the soil is compact, with a predominance of limestone and good presence of clay. The result is thus a land that contributes strongly to the characterization of the wine, which is of firm structure and strong ability to withstand the perils of time.

Exposition:South-west

Altitude: between 250 and 300 meters above sea level

Vinification: The grape harvest is done manually and with careful selection of the grapes. After crushing and removal of the stems, the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks with a long maceration (18-20 days): In the mass there is a immersed cap that is enhanced by periodic pumpovers to improve and stabilize the color of the wine and extract a width of olfactory scents and characteristics. The fermentation temperature remains below 28-30° C.

Maturation: at the end of the tumultuous fermentation, the racking is done. Thus, the new wine begins its maturation process, spending the first 12 months in Slavonian oak barrels from 50 hectoliters and the next 6 into smaller containers of wood, 20 hectoliters.

Bottling: after almost two years of wine making, in the summer of the second year after harvest, Barbaresco “Rio Sordo” is bottled. The darkness, the silence and the almost constant temperature of the cellar helps the wine to mature gracefully in the bottle and develop the first traits of refinement: it remains at least 7-8 months in the cellar before heading to the market.

Tasting Notes: the land, the vine, the skillful work of man and the fortune of one to have in their mind a gift and patience to make a great wine that is expressed by its special characteristics: a garnet color with beautiful intensity and delicate hues that remind one of rubies: ample and intense scents of exotic fruit (apricot), dried flowers and jam of red fruits and elegant spicy notes like pink peppercorns, cinnamon and tobacco. The taste is dry, full, warm and persistent, with a decisive note of harmony and velvet.

Food Pairings: for a great and precious wine we want the company of an elegant table. So, Barbaresco “Rio Sordo” shares the company of meat dishes, especially roasts, game and even farm animals. Equally suitable are the red meat cuts that are suitable for long braising and stewing in wine. Without neglecting even the meat filled pasta dishes and mature aged cheese. With the passage of time and the best refining, Barbaresco can also give up the gastronomic company and becomes a beautiful meditation wine.