Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Albesani 2021 extra-brut-selection melon rind and prickly pear

melon rind and prickly pear all ride a wave of tremendous acidity through the exceedingly long finish

Expect meaty

Turns out the man knows how to grow grapes

Expect supple

Cannonnau (old Catalan Grenache grown in Sardinia)

Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Albesani 2021 extra-brut-selection melon rind and prickly pearIf the classico is Cantina del Pino's graceful side, Albesani is its powerhouse. This single cru sits across the valley in Neive, on the storied Santo Stefano hill, where a warm southern exposure and clay rich soils push the Nebbiolo toward something fuller, riper and more muscular. The Vacca family works it the old way, with long maceration, two years in large oak, and no filtration, from a parcel that yields only about 3,000 bottles a year. It's a