Starting in 1919, four consecutive generations of the Nada family have spent the last century earning a reputation for exceptional, top-tier Barbaresco. With a small trove of pristine, organically farmed ancient vines in top Barbaresco “crus,” the Nada family’s top wines sing with seductive floral/truffle aromatics and sonorous dark fruit that make Piedmont (and Burgundy) enthusiasts weak in the knees.
The only problem, of course, is finding the wines. I occasionally see these bottles on top restaurant lists, but rarely at retail. Culled from the family’s oldest vines—the latest ripening site—and aged for 7+ years prior to release, there’s no denying that today’s “Cichin” is the family’s top wine. This 2012 vintage (one of my favorite years for classically styled Barolo and Barbaresco in the last decade) is a masterpiece. But with less than 200 cases produced, and only a fraction thereof destined for SommSelect’s warehouse, you’ll have to move quickly. Trust me, it’s worth the effort!
[*NOTE: This wine is only available as a pre-offer and will be shipping from our warehouse the week of May 6th.]
The Nada estate was established by Carlo Nada in 1919 in the village of Treiso—one of the three key towns that comprise the Barbaresco wine appellation. Today, the property is controlled by Anna Lisa Nada (daughter of brand namesake Ada) and her husband, Elvio. Ana Lisa and Elvio have been working the vines and producing wine since 2001. During that time, the property has gradually expanded from a mere three hectares to its current nine hectares of vines. All fruit sources are located in Treiso and principally within the two “cru” vineyards of Valeirano and Rombone. All farming is organic, average vine age is 40 years, fruit is harvested exclusively by hand, and the family produces somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,700 cases, total, of Barbaresco per year. Upon release, most are gobbled up immediately by collectors and top restaurants, but no one wine is as fiercely pursued as the family’s Barbaresco Riserva “Cichin.”
The Nada family’s “Cichin” originates from a five-century-old, south/southwest-facing site in Barbaresco’s revered Rombone subzone. Maceration on skins lasts in excess of two weeks and, after alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in large Slavonian oak botti for 20-24 months. Upon reaching maturity, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration, then aged for another year-plus before release. The end result is a wine of enormous concentration, depth, and detail. It’s an epic riserva from a great vintage, only now starting to approach its peak drinking window. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, there are less than 200 cases on the planet so the one and only complaint I can lodge is regarding the significant effort and time one must devote to acquiring this wine!
In the glass, Nada’s 2012 Barbaresco Rombone Riserva “Cichin” is a devout, uncompromising declaration of traditionalism. There is not one whiff of new oak, no sappily modern ripeness, and no inky hue in the wine’s appearance. This is old-school Barbaresco! The dark currant/cherry/plum fruit arrives in waves—first taut and restrained, then overwhelming and seductive as the wine sees more oxygen. The story is similar with its exotic palette of dried roses, violets, pipe tobacco, truffle, and white stone aromatics: at first it’s subtle, but once the skies open up, the thunder and lightning only grow louder and more intense for hours on end. Despite the considerable expressiveness and vividness of aroma, this wine reached an entirely new level when paired with food. I strongly recommend serving it alongside a pan-seared, oven-finished medium-rare bone-in ribeye “cowboy” steak, with gorgonzola polenta and arugula wilted in the pan juices. Other recipes may offer greater Instagram appeal, but I question whether you could engineer a more flavorful and ideal pairing. So, please, either decant for one hour and serve in large Burgundy stems at 60 degrees, or feel free to reserve an armful of these bottles to enjoy over the next decade. This wine’s perfect “sweet spot” ripeness and balancing freshness will ensure a long, flattering life in your cellar. Cin-cin to the Barbaresco “Cichin!”
