Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva 2015 (750ML)

97 WE / 95 WA / 93 VM

Rose, red berry and star anise aromas align with earthy whiffs of forest floor and new leather. The full-bodied, delicious palate doles out succulent Morello cherry, black raspberry, licorice and chopped mint set against a backbone of firm but refined tannins. It's already gorgeous but will be even better with just a few more years of bottle age. Drink 2022–2030. -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast

The Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota shows beautifully in this sunny and warm vintage, producing intense and compelling primary fruit with wild cherry, plum and black currant. Compared to the other Riservas, the fruit profile of Muncagota is darker and richer. More significant is the role the tannins play in this wine. They contribute to a long and firm spinal cord that gives structure and muscle mass. This Barbaresco Riserva shows an affinity to shaved truffles over egg pasta, or gamey fowl such as duck or pigeon. Some 16,666 bottles were made. Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate 

I've written this many times before, but it bears repeating: Produttori del Barbaresco is one of Italy's ultimate values for your money. This truly exceptional set of new releases is a case in point. The cooperative's best wines cap out at an almost unreal $68 in United States retail. Starting from the most delicate and ending with the most powerful wine, this is the order of my tasting:

1. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pora

2. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè

3. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello

4. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo

5. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Asili

6. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà

7. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota

8. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico

9. 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano

Just as it did over the summer, the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota continues to impress. Bold and ample on the palate, with terrific fruit density, the 2015 offers a heady concoction of dark cherry, plum, licorice, smoke, spice and leather that flesh out in the glass. This is a terrific showing for the Muncagota, usually one of the less complex wines in the Produttori's range of nine Riservas.-- Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media