One of our fastest selling offers of last year focused on the 2010 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata from Renato Corino. The wine was featured in our November Great Italian Tasting and impressed a great many of those who attended. With so many favourable comments, it came as no surprise that our allocation was quickly exhausted shortly after the offer went out.
However, aside from his Cru Barolo of Rocche dell’Annunziata and Arborina, Renato also owns some vineyards producing Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo d’Alba. In certain vintages these can be well worth a look. I recently tasted the 2013 Nebbiolo d’Alba which comes from a hectare of vines to the south in an area called Vezza d’Alba and frankly, it is a gem of a wine – particularly at £115 per 12 in bond (equating to £13.96 per bottle duty-paid including VAT).
So often Nebbiolo d’Alba can seem a bit non-descript, lacking in fruit and body…not so with Corino’s 2013. Produced from a mature, sandy-based vineyard where the vines are on average 40 years of age, this is a wine destined for early consumption yet it does not lack concentration.
I have included my note below.
2013 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Renato Corino
£115 per 12 in bond
The aromas reveal the lightly-scented characters of Nebbiolo allied to notes of rip cherry. A bright and focused Nebbiolo, there is a lovely sense of harmony here, the fruit just generous enough, the acidity sufficient to freshen. What impresses me most is the texture, it has an attractive soft, even seamless texture that belies its humble standing. Really persistent with a minty, floral overlay to its dark red fruit. A smart, smart buy. Drinking 2015 to 2018. - Simon Larkin MW
I have access to just 30 cases, which by quality and value for money, should be exhausted equally as quickly as our previous Renato Corino offer.