Produttori del Barbaresco

Prior to 1894, Nebbiolo grapes were sold to make Barolo wine or simply labelled 'Nebbiolo di Barbaresco'. In 1894, Domizio Cavazza, headmaster of the Royal Enological School of Alba and a Barbaresco resident, created the first cooperative, the 'Cantine Sociali'. He gathered nine Barbaresco vineyard owners to make wine in the local castle that he owned. Cavazza understood that Nebbiolo from Barbaresco differed from Barolo and, for the first time, noted this on the wine label. The 'Cantine Sociali' was forced to close in the 1920s due to fascist economic rule. In 1958, the priest of the village of Barbaresco, recognizing that the only way the small properties could survive was by joining their efforts, gathered together nineteen small growers and founded the Produttori del Barbaresco. The first three vintages were made in the church basement, and then in the winery built across the square from where the Produttori is still located. United once again, the small growers continued the work started by Domizio Cavazza, producing only Barbaresco wine and enhancing both the reputation of the wine and the village. The Produttori del Barbaresco now has 50 members and 100 hectares (250 acres) of Nebbiolo vineyards in the Barbaresco appellation, which amounts to almost a sixth of the vineyards of the area.

My first eureka moment with Produttori was a tremendous straight Barbaresco 1974. The 2008 range was also a great success as were the 2016s.