When a wine like today’s lands on the table, it’s often accompanied by an awed hush. And it’s always special when just reverence is justified: this finessed, long-aged riserva from Paitin is everything you’d expect from one of the region's most historic producers. First established in 1796 and equipped with a 15th-century cellar, Paitin is a living Piedmont fossil—having bottled ‘Barbaresco’ wines since 1893, they’re also a trailblazer in this famous appellation.
Antonio Galloni’s Vinous exclaimed that Paitin’s 2011 Riserva, their current release, was “just as stunning as it has always been,” and we wholeheartedly agree. It has evolved into a silky melding of concentrated fruit and savory earth, but there is so much more to this wine than its fascinatingly complex palate. Only produced in top vintages, this wine is Paitin’s crown jewel: Not only does it hail from the hall-of-fame “Serraboella” vineyard, it also comes from Paitin’s old-vine (
vecchie vigne), one-hectare parcel within it. And let’s not overlook the ‘Riserva’ designation on the label, which translates into months of skin contact during fermentation, three years of barrel aging, and several more years in bottle before release. Ultimately, Paitin’s flagship is packed with extraordinary specs and flavors that are typically reserved for wines that fetch hundreds. This old-vine masterpiece is coming to us in extremely limited quantities, so act quickly if you want to experience a true classic.
Page one of Paitin’s history book started in 1796 when Benedetto Elia purchased a small amount of Nebbiolo and Barbera vines (from the Pelisseros, another famous Piemontese surname) in a hillside hamlet near Neive. At the time, however, Benedetto didn’t have the wherewithal to purchase a house/cellar—that came a few decades later. The wine was sold off in barrel for decades until the early 1890s, when there was a unanimous decision to bottle their very first Barbaresco. At long last, a wine legacy was born.
It wasn’t until the years following World War II, under the ownership of Secondo Pasquero-Elia, that today’s label found its origins. Secondo put in years of backbreaking work, in order to replant and revitalize his pest- and war-ravaged vineyards. One site in particular, “Sorì Paitin” was planted in 1953—the exclusive source for their Vecchie Vigne Riserva. Currently, Secondo’s sons, Giovanni and Silvano, are in charge of the operations, although you’ll still spot Secondo actively involved in the cellar!
Winemaking at Paitin is all about preserving tradition while implementing modern yet environmentally friendly technologies. Both Giovanni and Silvano are enologists, as well as firm believers in integrating their vines and wine with nature. They adhere to organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyards, while relying on solar energy to assist them in their cellar. As mentioned, their Riserva is sourced from a 66-year-old, .09-hectare plot they refer to as “Sorì Paitin” (sorì is a dialect word describing the best part of a vineyard, typically one that is most exposed to the sun). In the winery, the grapes undergo an astounding 50-day fermentation and maceration in elongated stainless steel tanks. Afterward, the wine is transferred into neutral Austrian botti (larger casks) for 36 months; throughout this extended period, the wine not only matures but naturally settles. After bottling, it rests in Paitin’s cellars until deemed ready.
Vinous goes on to say that today’s 2011 is “a wine of extraordinary purity...laced with rose petals, spices, mint, sweet red berries. The balance of fruit, acidity, and tannin is simply magnificent.” Again, we couldn’t agree more. It pours a deep ruby color with Nebbiolo’s signature pale rim and reveals a heady bouquet that closely mirrors Barbaresco’s kingly neighbor, Barolo. High-toned perfumes erupt with black cherry, dried strawberries, currants, spiced plum, dried rose petal, orange peel, cracked earth, and an array of baking spice. These wonderful expressions of red-black fruits seamlessly translate onto the full palate without any trace of extraction or heaviness. It’s a stunning Barbaresco Riserva that retains each intricacy with grace and lift. Years of effortless aging have sanded down once-fierce tannins into a soft-shouldered beauty, and a lively burst of acidity lends the berry fruit and spice and additional kick on the finish. It’s just a sensational wine all around—and it has so much aging left to do! You can enjoy this now after a 60-minute decant, but don’t deplete your stock! This won’t hit its sweet spot until 2025 and when that happens, it’ll keep chugging along until 2030 and beyond. Pair with a succulent red-wine braised pheasant for the main course. Salute!
