Rizzi Barbaresco Nervo 2021 (750ml) *
Product price
$78.99
Description
Nebbiolo grown in the Nervo cru, a four-hectare site in Treiso at the southern edge of Barbaresco, gives this bottling from Rizzi. The 2021 ferments in stainless steel before moving to Slavonian oak and then cement ahead of bottling, a route that favors clarity and lift over heavy oak influence. This is Nebbiolo in its Barbaresco register, perfumed and structured rather than broad.
Ruby in the glass, it opens on raspberry and rose, with a savory note of sweet tea leaf and a mineral, wet-stone edge. Medium-bodied and bright, it runs tangy across the palate with ripe tannins holding shape into a long, chalky finish. There are darker touches too, purple berry, pressed flowers, a whiff of campfire ash. A wine with the acidity and grip to reward a few years in the cellar.
Expert Reviews
Ruby red in color, the 2021 Barbaresco Nervo is fruity on opening, with aromas of raspberries, roses, sweet tea leaf, and wet stones. Medium-bodied, it’s tangy and bright on the palate, with ripe tannins and good ripeness through the rather long, chalky finish. It’s another very well-styled Barbaresco that will be best enjoyed between 2026 and 2036. (Jeb Dunnuck, May 2024)
The Rizzi 2021 Barbaresco Nervo does not have the nerve or the backbone that we've seen in past vintages. I am surprised by this, given how epic this vintage was across northern Italy. There are purple berries, pressed flowers and toasted notes of campfire ash. After fermentation in stainless steel, this wine ages in Slavonian oak, then in cement and then it goes into bottle. Production is 3,900 bottles. This is the estate's diamond cru, located in Treiso and measuring four hectares. (Wine Advocate, January 2025)