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與 Barolo 相比， Barbaresco 一直是 underdog ，此中原因大概是喝紅酒的人，都偏愛強勁有力的 Barolo ，但要表現 Nebbiolo 溫柔典雅的一面， Barolo 是絕對及不上 Barbaresco 的。
沒有人打得過市場，所以 Barbaresco 的酒農與 producers ，早已有不同的應變之道。
Angelo Gaja是箇中表表者，他 1961 年孤身上路，以法國的頂級葡萄酒為他的對手，到今天聽過 GAJA 的人很多，但知道 Gaja 的根是在 Barbaresco 的卻少之又少。
Bruno Giacosa的方法是兩條腿走路，有點像 Burgundy 的做法，他在 Barolo 與 Barbaresco 的好幾個上好葡萄園都有出品，但他的根其實在 Barbaresco 。他的基地位于Barbaresco 產區內一個名叫 Neive 的村子，而且他曾對 Kerin O’Keefe 說過 “Asili is the vineyard closest to my heart.”
但最簡單的方法是以不變應萬變。團結便是力量，由眾多酒農合成的合作社 Produttori del Barbaresco（意即 The Producers of Barbaresco ）超過半個世紀以來不但屹立不倒，而且越來越壯大。
要追究起來， Barbaresco 是由這個合作社發明的。
Produttori del Barbaresco 的前身是 1894 年成立的名叫 Cantine Sociali 的合作社（Social Wine Cellars 之意），發起人 Domizio Cavazza 第一次把原來稱為 “Nebbiolo di Barbaresco” 的葡萄酒正名為 “Barbaresco” 。合作社在 1920 年代墨索里尼的法西斯統治時代解體，到戰後 1958 年重新成立，創始會員有 19 個酒農，第一任總監是 Celestino Vacca ，他是當時唯一具有中學畢業學歷的一位。三十多年後，他的兒子 Aldo 大學釀酒系畢業後為 Gaja 幹了五年後回來當總監。今天合作社已有超過 50 個酒農會員，耕地與產量佔了整個 Barbaresco 產區的六份之一左右。Aldo 很謙卑的說﹕他的家族並不擁有合作社，而是合作社擁有他的家族。
圖片來源: www.learnitalianwines.com
Produttori del Barbaresco 的酒有什麼風格？ Aldo Vacca 在一個訪問裏一語道破﹕他說在 Gaja，他的老板是 Angelo ，但在 Produttori ，“I work for the land, the people, the area and the terroir”。「吾土吾民」，便是 Produttori 的風格。別人管他叫「傳統派」。
酒莊的網站﹕http://www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com/default_en.htm
打個比喻﹕如果 Angelo Gaja 是一家 Michelin 三星級的高檔餐館， Bruno Giacosa 是「只此一家」的私房菜，那麼 Produttori 便是遍布鄉間的小飯店，不講究排場，但每一家都那麼地道的土味。Produttori 的美，正是屬于農村的那種樸實無華的美。
首先看他們的包裝，三種酒，很土的設計，而且幾乎五十年不變。
最基本也是產量最大的酒是 Barbaresco ，是收集遍布 Barbaresco 的五十多個酒農達到起碼水平的 Nebbiolo 混成的，產量每年大概 200,000 瓶，這應該是最有代表性的 Barbaresco ，美國的零售價才 US$30 左右。
在比較好的年份，合作社會推出 9 瓶單一葡萄園的酒，每個葡萄園的產量約10,000 瓶。有趣的是，這些葡萄園在市場上的高下大概已有定見，但合作社的訂價是劃一的，在美國大概是 US$50-60 左右，這應該是最便宜、最可靠的 single cru Barbaresco 。
至于從比較年青的葡萄園而來的酒，則用低一級別的 Langhe 產區推出，只簡單叫 Nebbiolo ，售價低至 US$20 左右，年產量大概 100,000 瓶。
2008 Langhe Nebbiolo 花香撲鼻得竟有幾分像鄉村級的 Burgundy ，開瓶一小時果味已盡出，清新甜美，那麼可人的青春版 Nebbiolo 我還是頭一回踫到。 A perfect daily drinking wine!
Barbaresco 的水平出奇的好，更難得的是陳年能力很強。我們最近同時試了 1990 與 2006 ，都有很滿意的表現。
2006 要在瓶內透氣一天才比較開放。芳香、鮮甜的氣味、玫瑰等花香；中等的酒體，輕柔、典雅，有一點點果的甜味，但一切都還是處于預告的階
段。
1990 有典型的乾花、蘑菇及一點點醬油似的陳香。味道是帶玫瑰花的果甜味，dense and classically balanced ，現在才剛開始熟。
從網上看到有人最近開了一瓶 1971 Barbaresco ，飲者竟然說她的表現堪與 Bruno Giacosa 的至尊 1989 Santo Stefano 比擬！我懷疑這是誇張之詞，但足見這鄉間小店絕對不可輕視。我有一瓶 1971 的 single cru Rio Sordo 還等著開，讓我喝的時候閉上眼睛，靠想像力踏進 Giacosa 1971 Santo Stefano 的仙境！
見﹕http://dobianchi.com/2010/06/08/an-incredible-flight-with-the-philip-marlowe-of-wine/
9 瓶 single cru 我手邊都有，但至今只喝過 6 瓶，印象最好的是這兩瓶﹕
1996 Rio Sordo : deep, dark and complex;
2004 Asili : crisp and bright fruit, a beauty!
其他 4 瓶也各有特色﹕
1989 & 2001 Moccagatta: delicate and seductive, tends to the soft and feminine side;
2004 Paje: pure and lovely;
2001 & 2004 Montefico: fragrant and sweet, feminine;
2004 Pora: rustic and austere.
還有三瓶我們等待以後再試，分別是 Montestefano 、Rabaja 和 Ovello。
Produttori 的 single crus 就如 Barbaresco 的博物館一樣，九瓶全買也不過是 US$500 左右，相當于 Gaja 的single cru 一瓶半的價錢。如果 Warren Buffet 喝意大利酒，肯定非 Produttori 莫屬！
Excellent analogies. You are getting these wines at extreme value!
[版主回覆09/27/2010 18:43:00]Thanks. I think Produttori, Giacosa and Gaja together represent Italian wine from past to present. The Italian character if you like, something I wish I could understand more and write about some time.
Enjoyed this piece a lot. Still waiting for my 4 bottles of 2005 single-cru Produttori del Barbaresco riserva to arrive. I absolutely enjoyed the 2005 "basic" Barbaresco and want to compare the single cru to the Giacosa Barbaresco I bought as well. It was a 2000 Santo Stefano di Neive . For the time being, I just cracked open a bottle of 1989 Ch. Haut Marbuzet from St Estephe. Good vintage, great wine from a lesser known chateau, but it's a great value. Too bad that's my last bottle. I remember you also like St. Estephe wine, have you tried this before ?
[版主回覆10/06/2010 16:06:00]Sorry I was away for a week in mainland China and hence the delay in response. I haven't had Bordeaux for ages, but Montrose has always been my favorite, perhaps for the sentimental reason that I was inducted into Bordeaux through this door!
Try to give Giacosa's 2000 Santo Stefano some time to breathe in the bottle. It was a very feminine expression when I drank it a few years ago. Would love to hear how it has matured since then.
In Cansada the regular bottle is selling at around $35-30 USD. I tried once but was not too impressed. Perhaps drink at ht eright timing.
Lange Nebbiolo represents value for money. One from Luciano Sandrone used to my my house wine when they are selling at around $2xx.
[版主回覆10/09/2010 10:37:00]The basic Barbaresco is an entry level wine much like a village wine, with an annual production of something like 200K bottles. As such, it is a delightful wine displaying the youthful beauty of Nebbiolo. Their single crus are on a completely different level, but their prices are at a notch lower than other producers.
Thought I would share this article with you:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/dining/reviews/24wine.html?_r=2&ref=dining
Produttori has 3 wines in top 10. I got the 2005 Rabaja and Montestefano. On top of that, a 2005 Asili, 2000 Rabaja and Rio Sordo.
Do you think I should just sit on the 2005's for a couple years and drink the 2000's for now? For some reason, Produttori became a hot commodity and people are snatching them left and right. Price is going up as well…
BTW, have you tried other wines that article mentioned and what's your impression on them? Just curious.
[版主回覆11/25/2010 07:53:00]2000 is certainly more ready than 2005, but only in a relative sense, as maturation is a long process, and in the case of a good Barolo or Barbaresco in a good vintage, can take 20-30 years. I would suggest that you drink both 2000 and 2005, and discover for yourself the difference. 2000 is opulent, and 2005 is lean but vibrant.
Bearing in mind that both wines are too early in their maturation process, you'll have to hasten it up by giving it "the right amount of oxygen, for the right amount of time". I have touched upon this several times in previous blogs.
Let me suggest this simple method : open the bottle the night before, let it breathe in the bottle, and then 2-3 hours before drinking, decant 1/3 bottle. For the evening, drink from the 1/3 decanted bottle and another 1/3 from the original bottle. See the difference for yourself!!! Recork the remaining 1/3 bottle and put it in the fridge for the night, then take this out 6 hours before drinking the next day.
My experience with 2005 that has been sufficiently oxygenated has been wonderful. Fresh and sweet, and yes, tannic.
BTW, the list is interesting in offering some little known names. Why not buy a bottle of each and discover yourself? I had #2, #7 and #8 before, and #3 is on the way. But if you press me hard, nothing beats a Giacosa!
It was Thanksgiving this past Thursday. I cracked opened a 1994 (not a good vintage but that was the 1st year I came to the US) Sandrone Cannubi Boschis. I lucked out since I got it for the price of a bottle of single cru Produttori. Based on the way you suggested to serve a Barolo, I drank it over 3 nights. The 1st night (when first opened, I just poured a glass to try it out), each component was delightful, yet they are standing by itself. Grippy tannin, refreshing acidity and detectable sweet fruit. 2nd night, it was much more balanced and resemble the matured Barolo characteristic I knew. Each component still quite noticeable, yet blending together nicely. 3rd night (tonight) was the best thus far, very complex. Everything meshes together seamlessly and effortlessly. I absolutely enjoyed this wine. To bad I finished it off already. Another thing to be thankful for, I got a 2004 Ovello from a wine store on sale, and that was the last bottle…
[版主回覆11/28/2010 14:27:00]Sounds wonderful … that's the best way to approach a Barolo, and I'm glad you've furnished another proof. And so glad to know that a mediocre vintage like 1994 is so enjoyable … Sandrone is a "perfectionist" winemaker, and that shows. Good winemakers always deliver; I had a 1992 Le Pergole Torte from Montevertine several days ago, a vintage that is widely regarded as the worst in the last 30 or 40 years, even worse than 2002! It beat 3 Chiantis from Castello di Ama hands down, and these include the 2001 single vineyard Bellavista! And this is a consensus opinion from several drinkers!