2016 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Gallina

Its Origins

The ex-director of Alba’s Royal Enological School, Domizio Cavazza, purchased this property in 1894, confounding locals by deciding against investing in the famous Barolo area. He had correctly identified the potential of the Nebbiolo grape here, on hills above an obscure village called Barbaresco, and it was on this property that he produced the very first wines under the now-famous Barbaresco appellation. Some years later it was purchased by the Vacca family, Renato Vacca being the current proprietor. With approximately equal range (40-70 years) in both the age of the vines and of that of the family workforce of aunts and uncles that look after them, the production of Cantina del Pino is the perfect balance of temperature-controlled modern winemaking with an authentic edge and local flavour. Antonio Galloni: “Humble, down-to-earth, yet intensely driven, Renato Vacca is making some of the most exciting wines in the region. Vacca’s holdings are concentrated in and around the Ovello vineyard, a site long noted for its combination of cooler microclimate and poor soils, which give structured, age-worthy Barbarescos. Not only were the wines from Cantina del Pino among the standouts of my tastings, they also happen to be among the best values in Barbaresco. In short, I can’t say enough good things about the wines of Renato Vacca. Readers owe it to themselves to check out this up-and-coming producer.”