Produttori del Barbaresco is the cooperative of the village of Barbaresco and one of the most respected names in Piedmont. More than fifty grower families supply nothing but Nebbiolo, and the result is classic, traditionally made Barbaresco. Here you will find Langhe Nebbiolo, the house Barbaresco and the celebrated single-vineyard Riservas from Asili, Rabajà, Montestefano and the other crus.
Produttori del Barbaresco: the cooperative that held a village together
The story starts in 1894, when Domizio Cavazza gathered nine growers, founded the Cantina Sociale di Barbaresco and made wine in the cellars of the castle. It was the beginning of cooperative winemaking in Barbaresco. The cellar was closed under the Fascist regime in the 1920s, and many families later left the village for Turin and Alba.
In 1958 the parish priest, Don Fiorino Marengo, led a fresh start. He persuaded nineteen growers to stop selling their grapes and make wine together again, and Produttori del Barbaresco was born. Today more than fifty families are members, farming around 120 hectares between them, all planted with Nebbiolo. The cooperative has long been run by Aldo Vacca, and its members own plots in many of the finest sites in the village.
Traditional Barbaresco from Nebbiolo and large oak casks
The winemaking is deliberately classic. Fermentation on the skins lasts around three weeks, and the wines then age in large, old oak casks, known as botti, rather than in small new barriques. The result is transparent wine in which the red fruit, roses and tar of Nebbiolo take centre stage, carried by firm tannins and fresh acidity.
Every year, grapes from the members' vineyards are blended into a Barbaresco DOCG that shows the village as a whole. In great vintages, part of the fruit from nine individual vineyards is also kept apart, aged for an extra year and bottled as a separate Riserva. The first Riservas came with the 1967 vintage. In weaker years no Riserva is made, and everything goes into the standard Barbaresco.
The nine Barbaresco Riserva crus: Asili, Rabajà, Ovello and the rest
Tasting Riservas from the same vintage side by side is one of the best ways to understand the terroir of the Langhe. All nine vineyards lie within the commune of Barbaresco, yet the styles differ clearly:
- Asili, Rabajà and Pora sit on the south-facing slopes and are regarded as the village's three icons: elegant, perfumed and long.
- Ovello, Montefico and Montestefano lie to the north on soils with more clay. Their wines are fuller, earthier and firmer in youth.
- Rio Sordo lies below the three icons and gives a generous wine with dark cherry, while Pajè and Muncagota (the dialect name of the Moccagatta vineyard) combine intensity with finesse.
The range includes Riservas from Asili, Rabajà, Pora, Ovello, Montefico, Montestefano, Rio Sordo, Pajè and Muncagota, mainly from 2019, 2020 and 2021, with 2017 for a few crus. Several come in magnum. The Barbaresco DOCG is available from 2021 and 2022, the 2021 also in magnum and double magnum, and the Langhe Nebbiolo 2024 is the youngest way in. To compare another great take on the village, explore Gaja, or browse more wines from Piedmont.
Frequently asked questions about Produttori del Barbaresco
What is the difference between Produttori's Barbaresco and Riserva?
The Barbaresco DOCG is a blend from members' vineyards across the commune and is made every year. A Riserva comes from a single named vineyard, is made only in the best vintages and ages for an extra year before release.
What is Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo?
It is the youngest and most approachable wine of the house. It comes mostly from younger vines, spends a shorter time in large casks and drinks well just a few years after harvest, with the same clear Nebbiolo character as the Barbaresco.
How long can you cellar Barbaresco Riserva?
Riservas from good vintages happily develop for fifteen to twenty years and often longer. The Barbaresco opens up earlier but also benefits from a few years in the cellar.
What food goes with Barbaresco?
Truffles, mushroom risotto, roast veal, game and aged hard cheeses are classic matches.