2020 Barbaresco Bordini

The Elvio Cogno 2020 Barbaresco Bordini (with 8,000 bottles made) shows extra power and heft in terms of its fruit delivery. This hot-vintage expression offers medium fruit texture with a classic presentation of cherry, redcurrant, licorice, blue flower and spice. It needs a few more years of bottle age, but we're not too far off from optimal drinking.

Pale ruby with light garnet, the 2020 Barbaresco Bordini is elegant with the perfume of red raspberry, fresh orange peel, and fresh red flowers. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, with super-fine, sweet, polished tannins, fresh strawberry, and a good finish. It is ready to drink now or over the coming 10-15 years. Elvio Cogno founded his eponymous estate in 1991, after working for 30 years in partnership with Marcarini with the labels of Cogno-Marcarini. Originally from Novello, he had an opportunity to purchase the winery farmhouse, Cascina Nuova, located in the commune of Novello, in the heart of the Ravera Cru (MGA). That same year, he put Ravera on the map by producing the first-ever bottling of Barolo labeled as Ravera. They currently operate and own 16 hectares of vines, 11 of which are within the Cru of Ravera, and the remaining 5 hectares are parcels around the Novello Comune. Today the estate is run by Elvio’s son-in-law, Valter Fissore, and his daughter Nadia, who took over in 1996. In the vineyards, they continue to push forward, working to improve vineyard health and implement organic farming practices while adapting to the region's changing climate conditions. The total annual production is approximately 120,000 bottles. Their key holdings include the pre-phylloxera Barbera sourced from Berri on the western edge of La Morra, from 130-year-old vines. They survive because of the sandier soils and the cooler microclimate, which sees more wind coming off the river to the west. Less than 2000 bottles are produced each year. The Barolo from Bricco Pernice is a warmer microclimate within Ravera, as it is sheltered from the winds coming off the mountains, with soils that are a higher proportion of limestone compared to the other plots within Ravera. Bricco Pernice is entirely composed of the Lampia clone of Nebbiolo. Also within Ravera, Elvio planted Vigna Elena in 1991, the same year Valter and Nadia’s daughter Elena was born. It is a triangle-shaped parcel, uniquely planted exclusively to the Rose clone of Nebbiolo, whereas the rest of their Nebbiolo vines are composed of Michet and Lampia clones. In 2005, they had the opportunity to work with Bordini in Neive to begin producing their Barbaresco. Each of the following wines was tasted at their tasting room with Valter Fissore in March of 2023. Across the range, the wines showed wonderful purity, with each wine having a unique and singular stamp, making them some of the most enjoyable and expressive wines from the area, and I highly recommend seeking them out.