Paitin – Summer 2023 ReviewsThe impressive wines of the family owned and operated Paitin winery continue to impress me in many ways. After a short stint embracing more modern vinification and aging techniques, they returned to traditional methods with the 2010 vintage, and today practice the most traditional of Piedmontese methods. Today the delicate skin contact and color extraction is remarkable, revealing a mostly pale ruby garnet hue, a character that defies the sheer power behind the Nebbiolo’s. Their wines have remained a relative bargain in the market, making them one of my go-to producers. Their wines are not to be missed!
Their Nebbiolo is all managed in a similar fashion, with the variable being the length of cask aging. Following pressing and destemming the wines are fermented and macerated from 3-to-6 weeks in stainless steel, then finishing the maceration utilizing the traditional submerged cap method. Aging is then done in oak casks varying from as little as 1½ – 2 years for the Serraboella Barbaresco, to as much as 3 years for the Vecchie Vigne Riserva. Casks vary between 25-to-50 hectoliters and are crafted from untoasted Slavonian and Austrian oak with an age of 15 years.
2020 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Serraboella (RT93) Sourced from grapes grown on the east facing side of the Serraboella ridge, 10,000 bottles of this younger vine Barbaresco were produced. The is the palest of the Barbaresco’s, leaning toward a rose petal hue, yet delivers impressive heft and power. Captivating notes of mentholated red cherry, spiced red plum, cranberry, hints of dried herbs and chalk dust dominate the bouquet. The palate delivers fresh, tasty fruit, perfectly ripe and precisely articulated, bright fresh acidity and lovely, yet defining tannins. The structure of this bottling is still emerging. The winemaking demonstrates superb attention to detail, even in this youngest vine Barbaresco in their line-up. This Barby is very well priced and on par with Produttori’s Classico Barbaresco (aka Torre). I would put it up any day of the week against that wine, one which is produced in a monstrous scale (250,000+ bottles/vintage) and lacks the attention to detail found here. Drink 2026-2040+
2019 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Faset (RT95) 3,792 bottles produced, this is a small production wine, meaning buy it while you can. Aged for 2 years in cask prior to bottling. Showing a slightly deeper ruby garnet hue, yet still surprisingly light, the bouquet reveals ripe, deep notes of Morello cherry, sappy raspberry, soaring balsam sap and a distinct minerality. Utterly attractive and enticing, a thing of youthful beauty, tall, slender and every detail clearly defined. The palate is generously fruited yet maintains excellent delineation, the acidity shoots out a laser beam of freshness while the tannins are suave and sweet. This inaugural vintage for Faset from their newly acquired parcel in that vineyard, brings great optimism to the future. Stay focused on this beauty! Drink 2027-2049+
2020 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Faset (RT94) While similar in hue to the 2019 Faset, here the bouquet shows a richer, riper expression of Nebbiolo. Notes of dark red cherry, damson plum, hints of crisp forest floor and umami punctuated with a decided minerality lead the charge. The palate is rich with layers of ripe fruit, a mouth enveloping texture and delicious, food friendly acidity and a soft, seductive finish. I prefer the 2019 Faset, but it may just be the mood the wine is in currently. Cellar evolution can be a deceptive game. 3034 bottles produced, another wine to watch over the coming years. Drink 2028-2045+
2019 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Basarin (RT93+) This is the second vintage of this wine, sourced from a small parcel acquired a few years ago. Similar in scale to their more recent Faset parcel, 3,125 were produced in this vintage, making it a wine to pursue with focus. Medium light ruby garnet this reveals deeply ripe, red cherry compote, cranberry, hints of dried raspberry, soft cinnamon spice and hints of cedar that lead to a focused aromatic feel. Initially the palate is full and generous, but with time in the glass reveals a bit of a hollow mid-palate, which is shorter than the previous vintage. Still, this is a plenty delicious wine with slightly candied fruit buttressed by delicious acidity and sweet tannins. Drink 2027-2049+
2020 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Basarin (RT95+) A total of 3,032 bottles were produced of this small production wine. Showing a medium garnet hue, the aromatics burst from the glass as fine-tuned and properly aimed notes of deeply brooding dark cherry, ripe raspberry, hints of anise and sweet Christmas spice create an aura of magnificence. Notes of wet stones and chalk dust round out what is a very complete aromatic profile. The palate is equally satisfying and delicious, as it coasts the mouth with waves of ripe fruit. This is really beautiful offering generous cellaring opportunities for a relative song in today’s spiraling priced market. Drink 2027-2050+
2019 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Sori Paitin (RT96) This was bottle #2,183 of 13,293 total bottles produced, and this is Paitin’s largest production Barbaresco and the long-term benchmark wine of this historical winery. Medium ruby garnet, the power and thrust of the best section of the Serraboella vineyard comes shining through as notes of black cherry, dark ripe plum, rose petals and crushed gravel deliver an impressive display of aromatics. The mesmerizing bouquet draws you back repeatedly exuding an aromatic gravitational pull! The palate is where this wine takes things to the next level as decadently rich, full bodied fruit coats the mouth with its outstanding fruit, full bodied acidity and amazingly ripe suave tannins. An outstanding vintage of the wonderful wine, not to be missed for cellar hounds! Drink 2027-2049+
020 Paitin, Barbaresco DOCG, Sori Paitin (RT96+) Bottle #11,392 of 11,794 produced. The total production of this wine was down a couple thousand bottles from the 2019, but the quality is equally impressive. Aged 30 months in cask, the extra time in oak is worth it. Showing a similar ruby garnet hue to the previous vintage, the bouquet of this beautiful wine shows an even deeper, darker and riper character, with big, thumping bass notes of black cherry, super ripe spiced plums, layers of lifted balsam and cedar, alluring winter spices and a streak of minerality. This shows an utterly magnificent aromatic profile! The palate is superbly balanced with a gorgeous fruit core that is ripe and mouth-coating, refreshing and uplifting acidity, and wonderful, ripe tannins. Very complete in every vinous measure, this is a wine for both short term enjoyment and long term cellaring. Drink 2028-2050+
2021 Paitin, Langhe Freisa, Bonina (RT88) This is light and highly translucent, showing a ruby cast with a purplish tinge is recommended to be served with a slight chill and is a perfect summer sipper to keep the hot temps at bay. The 2021 Bonina shows a light fruity freshness with notes of red raspberry, soaring white florals and hints of ripe strawberries. The palate is fresh, but don’t let this get too warm, or it will lose its quaffing appeal. Perfect with light summer fare, seafood pasta dishes, and hard cheeses. Drink now-2026
2020 Paitin, Barbera d’Alba DOP, Serra (RT 91+) Showing a medium ruby shade with a fragrant bouquet of dusty red cherry, wild strawberry, hints of herbs, a swath of new leather and a hit of mineral dust. The fruitiness is dominant of the palate where it shows delicious ripe fruit, gob smacking acidity and a nice, soft tannin period to wrap things up. This is a lovely, food friendly Barbera at a pocketbook friendly price. Aged for a year in traditional, neutral Slavonian botti ranging from 10-25 HL. Drink now-2028+
2020 Paitin, Barbera d’Alba Superiore DOP, Campolive (RT 93+) The bouquet of the 2020 Campolive takes on far more serious, terroir-driven notes as black cherry, sous bois, old saddle leather, porcino mushroom and damp forest floor emerge from the glass. Seriously captivating on all aromatic fronts, the palate is equally delicious with caressing ripe fruit, soft acidity, and suave, ripe tannins. This is an impressive, outstanding Barbera that should age beautifully for midterm cellaring. Crafted from old vine Barbera planted in 1970, it is organically produced in a practical sense using only modest amounts of sulfur and copper in the vineyards and only when needed. Drink 2024-2034+
2021 Paitin, Nebbiolo Langhe DOP, Starda (RT 91) Like all of Paitin’s Nebbiolo’s and Barbaresco’s, this too is light in its shade, showing a pale cranberry hue and even a notch lighter than the others. But do not mistake its color with its aromatic and palate projections. The bouquet is an exercise in fresh red raspberry, strawberry, and hints of sweet, honied white flowers while the palate shows pleasing, sumptuous fruit, soft fresh acidity and sublime tannins. This wine’s consistent style is perfectly conveyed here as an easy-drinking Nebbiolo and it delivers that aspect in spades, yet it is so utterly delicious to savor. This is another excellent vintage for Starda, it is delicious, affordable, and even a bit on the playful side. One to enjoy with family and friends! Drink 2024-2028+
2020 Paitin, Nebbiolo d’Alba DOP, Ca Veja (RT 92+) With a deeper hue than its Nebbiolo brethren, the fruit here conveys a more serious side of Nebbiolo d’Alba with a bouquet of dark red cherry, red currants, deep thumping balsam and a whisp of wild herbs. The palate echoes the bouquet as dark cherry fruit offset by sweet acidity and ripe succulent tannins creates a character that keeps you returning to your glass for sip after sip. A lovely Nebbiolo that conveys great harmony, its named after a small hamlet in the Rivoli region of South Alba and here a combination of older vines and ageing for 18 months in neutral cask months creates a wine of enormous character. Perfect for mid-term cellaring, give it a little time to come together and demonstrate its true potential. Drink 2024-2032
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