2009 Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva Produttori del Barbaresco

This used to be called Moccagata but the name was changed in 2007. Lots of ripe fruit on the nose with hints of dried strawberry. Full body, very chewy and intense. Powerful palate. Lots of fruit and ripe tannins. Needs to soften: Better in 2017.

One of the more beautiful and complete wines in the range, 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota impresses for its balance of aromatics, fruit and structure. Dark red cherry and plum notes flesh out in a juicy, expressive Barbaresco backed up by plenty of tannin and enough acidity to drink well for a number of years. Here it is the wine's harmony that is most impressive. I imagine the Muncagota will offer a wide window of rewarding drinking.

The 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota opens to a pretty garnet color and soft layers of cherry fruit, wild berry and blue flower. The wine presents a ready, immediate quality that makes it appropriate for near-term consumption. The Muncagota vineyard gets the morning sun with its southeast exposures. Its compact soils contribute to the heft and concentration of the mouthfeel. In cooler years, this vineyard offers pretty balsam and menthol characteristics. The site is slightly cooler than Rabajà. You only get a distant hint of those herbal characteristics in the 2009 vintage.

Rich, smoky cherry and raspberry nose, with floral tones. Rich and full-bodied, mouthfilling, with power but not excessive extraction. Lively acidity and fine-grained tannins give finesse, and the length is impressive.

A fruity version, this starts out soft, with firm tannins emerging on the finish. In between this shows an array of cherry, strawberry, iron, tea and tobacco flavors. Finds equilibrium and lingers. Best from 2017 through 2029. 1,083 cases made. -BS