Cantina del Pino – 2017s Arriving Friday!

Though Cantina del Pino has only been producing since 1997, the Vacca family and their estate vineyard have been a part of Italian winemaking for over 100 years. Domizio Cavazzo established the vineyard in 1894, becoming one of the first winemakers to produce Nebbiolo under the name Barbaresco. Keep in mind this was 72 years before the creation of the official appellation in 1966. An advocate for Langhe farmers, Cavazzo’s vineyard was well known, recognizable by the large Mediterranean pine tree he planted on the day his first son was born. In 1912, the Vacca family took over the estate and have worked the land for four generations, becoming known for world class wines from the historic vineyard. They use the pine tree as inspiration for their label, giving the vineyard the name Cantina Del Pino, or ‘winery of the pine’. Like Wine Advocate will tell you, year after year “Cantina del Pino is a great source for top-notch wines from Barbaresco.” 2016 is no different, with critics and growers alike both waxing poetically at length about the vintage’s perfection. 

Marked by a perfect confluence of timely rain, consistently low humidity, and no heat spikes, this is a vintage for the history books on its meteorological factors alone. When one considers the exacting practices in both the vineyard and cellar, this is a staple for anyone’s cellar. The most standout feature of this wine is the exceptionally developed fruit character, which ordinarily plays second fiddle to the tannins (especially when young). Serving heaps of black and sour cherries, black and red raspberries that finish with a beautifully long finish implicative of Piedmontese black truffle. The tannins are subtle and ambrosial in how they gently balance and emphasize the fruit while still making their presence known.

Cantina del Pino Wines Arriving Friday, December 17th:

Cantina del Pino Ovello, Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ points “Considering the untimely passing of Renato Vacca in March of 2020, there is a lot of emotion coming back to this wine: It has always been an expression of Barbaresco nostalgia and romanticism, even when its creator was alive and well, working in these vines located directly under his family house. The Cantina del Pino 2017 Barbaresco Ovello bears his winemaking imprint with balance and elegance that never misses a beat. This vintage offers more density and concentration for sure, and the positioning of the Ovello cru overlooking the Tanaro River Valley sets the wine up for open-knit characteristics and suave softness. Those impressions are amplified in this vintage but are not overblown.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $64

Cantina del Pino Albesani, Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($69.95) $55 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Fruit from Albesani shows nice sharpness and a compact or complete profile that is typical of Nebbiolo. This site has fared well in this hot and dry vintage with intact aromas of wild berry, mineral and blue violets. The Cantina del Pino 2017 Barbaresco Albesani turns in a strong showing in terms of aromas but tapers out a bit in the palate. In this release of 3,000 bottles, the wine is driven largely by the textural and structural power of the vintage, and the fruit is a bit leaner on the finish right now. It will likely flesh out with time.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $60