2011 La Spinetta, Barbaresco, Starderi, Vurso, Piedmonte, Italy.
The ultra luxurious La Spinetta Starderi Cru Barbaresco is always a glorious treat to experience, it is without question one of my all time wines regardless of vintage, and this 2011 is a stunning wine that gets the heart racing and reveals the Grand Cru nature of this terroir driven Nebbiolo. Giorgio Rivetti over the years has fine tuned his set of Barbaresco and Barolo wines, using less overt oak with amazing effect, and these offerings are some of the noblest expressions of varietal and place you can find. The Starderi has a special meaning to me, some of my greatest wine experiences have been with this great Barbaresco, this Starderi Cru and Clos de la Roche Grand Cru in Burgundy might be my ultimate red wine weaknesses, both continue to haunt me and fascinate me, young or with age wines from these places speak to my soul. The 2011 La Spinetta Starderi starts a brilliant dark ruby hue, with a mix of rose petal, violet, wild herbs, baking spice and balsamic dipping red fruits leading to a remarkable light/medium bodied palate of earthy fruits with dusty plum, black cherry and red currants forming a core along with anise, mineral tones, loamy/forest notes, a whiff of vanilla, tar and flinty rock. The forward nature of the vintage is on display, but subtle tannin and lifting acidity add a bite of blood orange and hold things in a grip of velvet lined vitality and the finish is beautifully detailed and long with elements of cedar, mint and a replay of red fruits. This is sexy and seductive Nebbiolo that defines the La Spinetta style and re-enforces my love of this Cru, it’s complex hedonistic opulence and refinement with a background of sensual earthy charms is intoxicating, I admit I’m a huge fan of this wine going in, but it does not ever disappoint, even with my high expectations! Drink this Starderi Cru over the next 10 to 15 years, best from 2018 to 2028.
($147 Est.) 94+ Points, grapelive
