Score: 89/100
Musso is a famous winery located in the village of Barbaresco in the Piedmont wine region of Italy.
Their iconic wines include a series of single vineyard Barbaresco wines made from the Nebbiolo grape, but they also produce a variety of more affordable beverages showcasing the diversity Piedmont has to offer: Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto d’Alba, Roero Arneis, Langhe Chardonnay to name but a few, or Barbera wine with Musso’s Barbera d’Alba.
The Rio Sordo Barbaresco reviewed here, is one of two single vineyard Barbaresco wines produced by Musso.
Vineyard Characteristics
Rio Sordo’s origin is a 1 hectare vineyard located in the historical cru it is named after, around the village of Barbaresco, where the soil is very clayey and calcareous.
The predominance of limestone and solid proportion of clay in the soil generally results in giving the wine a firm structure and age-worthiness.
The site has a south-west exposure receiving plenty of sunshine.
Winemaking
It all starts with a manual harvest. Then after crushing and destemming, the must is fermented in stainless steel tanks with a long maceration (18-20 days).
Maturation first takes place for 12 months in 5000-L Slavonian oak vats, followed by 6 months into smaller 2000-L vats.
So how is this 2013 Musso Rio Sordo Barbaresco ?
Tasting Notes
This Nebbiolo comes in a medium-to-light red color, with significant orange hues. Rather on the light and evolved side of things considering the recent vintage.
The aromatic profile on the nose is quite intense.
Burst of ripe plum and cherry liqueur notes, together with the distinctive and typical tar smell of Nebbiolo. Add a touch of vanilla, some forest floor and sweet spices to get the complete picture of a charming lifted smell.
The overall feel of the nose is one of a bitter fruit liqueur lifted with spices.
On the palate, flavors are layered and complex, wrapped in an elegant mid-body.
Good acidity is balanced by the ripeness of the fruit character and a touch of ripe fruit sweetness.
Discrete tannins with a slightly granulous texture give just enough drying feel to the finish.
Talking about the finish, it is rather long yet not overly intense, more on a subtle development of spices, fruit, and many aged oak scents.
Overall
A Barbaresco that captivates by the authenticity of its expression. Pure fruit and the elegance of subtle winemaking and maturation process; one feels, even talking as a winemaker, the grapes used to make this wine have been treated with respect to deliver a real feel for the place they come from in a glass.
A pure expression of mid-to-light bodied, spicy and tarry Nebbiolo grape provided to you by Musso here.
Enjoy 🙂
Please let me know your thoughts