Barbaresco Nervo, Cantina Rizzi 2020

Enticingly fragrant, the 2020 Nervo from Rizzi opens with heady aromas of crushed berry, Alpine herb, pressed rose and whiffs of new leather and spice. Elegantly structured and savory, the full-bodied palate features ripe raspberry, juicy cherry, star anise, hints of baking spice and blood orange. Taut refined tannins and fresh acidity keep it well balanced. Drink 2026–2035.

The Rizzi 2020 Barbaresco Nervo (with just 5,000 bottles made) reveals a lean and luminous appearance with a deep ruby shine. The bouquet is unexpected with crushed flower, cassis and a hint of cola or lavender essence. I also get a lot of tar, licorice and campfire ash. Nervo hits good balance between complexity and intensity, and although this vintage is accessible overall, it offers all the basic pleasures of Nebbiolo. Drink 2024-2038.

Enrico Dellapiana’s Cru bottling of Nervo is treated a bit differently in the cellars than many of his classically-inclined neighbors’ wines, as he ages it for one year in Slavonian oak botti and nine months in cement tanks prior to bottling. Nervo is situated in the village of Treiso, with the vines here having been planted between 1967 and 2004. The wine is lovely in 2020, offering up a beautiful young bouquet of cherries, bonfire, anise, a touch of fresh oregano, a gorgeous foundation of chalky soil tones, pigeon and a touch of road tar. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and very elegant in profile out of the blocks, with excellent depth at the core, finegrained tannins, lovely focus and balance and a long, complex and very promising finish. I love the backend lift of this wine! Fine, fine juice. Drink 2035-2085

Treiso. Lustrous mid ruby. Firm, aromatic cherry nose of real concentration – something this vintage is regularly short of. Great purity of fruit and with a long, juicy, perfumed fruit finish with crunchy tannins.