wUst Fine Wine Imports
wines U should try!
Tre Fattori
Tre Fattori literally means "three factors" but "fattore" also means "farm manager" in Italian. As all of our producers are great farmers first, the great Nebbiolo fruit grown by the three families who jointly make the "Tre Fattori" wines then results in exquisite and fully flavored Barolos and Barbarescos. The three families also have long-term contracts with some very prominent Barolo and Barbaresco producers but I suspect that the families keep their best fruit for their own wines before selling the rest of their grapes to the more "famous" producers.
The Tre Fattori Barolo vineyards are also located in the very highly regarded Cerequio MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) below La Morra. As grape growers love to discuss and debate the various characteristics of their growing sites, such discussions ultimately evolve into "classifications" such as in Bordeaux and the naming of Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites in Burgundy and Chablis.
The first classification of such sites in Barolo was by Lorenzo Fantini in 1880 and Cerequio was listed as the only "first growth" in Barolo as contrasted with the original Bordeaux classification in 1855 which list four "first growths", Over a hundred years later in the 1960s as more and more MGAs were defined (there are now over 100), Cerequio was still considered as being in the top five vineyard sites.
Barbaresco Vineyards
Barolo Vineyards
The Wines
Barolo 2012
This is a really "big" wine. Most of the Barolos that I have personally are on the "elegant" and "refined" side of Barolos but, as I've described on other pages, I'm looking to provide different styles and flavor profiles for my clients.
The 2012 vintage of this wine opens with aromas of violets and roses along with hints of cherries, licorice, and leather. Flavors of cassis and cherry almost seem secondary, however, to the overall rich deep mouthfeel that is
balanced across the palate. The full saturation of refreshing minerals from the Cerequio site extends to fairly rare perceptions of the wine's full flavors throughout the upper palate during the finish. Food pairings would include Roast Beef, NY Steak, Rib Eye, Lamb, Duck, grilled sausages, and this is also a great complement to dessert courses including cheeses and chocolate.
As mentioned above, the wine is produced from grapes grown in the Cerequio MGA classified Cru which slopes up the hill to the town of La Morra. Vinification uses only carefully selected grapes which are pressed and fermented on the skins for 15 days at a controlled temperature of 27 C. The wine is then aged for a minimum of two years in large oak or chestnut barrels and one year in bottle before being released. Ageing potential is at least ten to 12 years.
Barbaresco 2013
This is an elegant and refined Barbaresco but with some interesting minerality that reminded me a bit of a Vosne-Romanee. Initial aromas of cherries, violets, and tobacco are then augmented by the wine's sweet tannins along with hints of vanilla and cola. There is an elegantly balanced medium mouthfeel but with a much richer finish which extends throughout the upper palate.
Food pairings would include New York Steak, Lamb, Veal Chops, other veal dishes such as with Bolognese or Piccata sauces, short ribs, grilled tuna or swordfish, grilled sausages, and a wide variety of Italian cheeses.
The grapes were harvested during the first two weeks of October. Clusters were destemmed and fermented in large tanks with the grape skins at a controlled temperature of 25°C. The wine was then racked three times between November and March to promote natural decantation from the skins and then racked twice a year (in spring and in fall) until bottling. The ageing process included at least two years in large oak barrels and then refinement in small barrels. Ageing potential is at least eight to ten years.
