Wine and Food

Fontanabianca, Barbaresco, Sorì Burdin, 2005, Red wine from Italy

4,5 points

The label of this wine makes people want to buy it! It has a beautiful and very memorable graphic or symbol within a golden ring in the center of the label. As I’ve said a few times already, I would never underestimate the value of the bottle’s design. Many of us may not remember a wine without this visual bracket. If the wine is good enough to keep it in mind, someone has created a valuable symbiosis.

Fontanabianca’s Sorì Burdin of 2005 has notes of sweet red currant marmalade, is slightly sour and quite fruity for a Barbaresco – which is usually a good bit more dry. There is a flavor which reminds me of cookies made from sweet orange jelly and chocolate.  This is a very smooth wine, it has a very calm and tender harmony. but is – in my mind – lacking any special character. Usually a Barbaresco really needs to time to breathe, to open itself. This one is very present at the very beginning, which is appealing if you need some fast bang of fruity flavors framed by a Piedmont experience. There is the region’s typical tannin of course, but incomparably more modest than usual. For me, Piedmontese wines need to mature even longer than any blend from Bordeaux nowadays. And indeed most Piedmontese wines age for years in barrels. This wine hasn’t aged too long in wood, for sure, since there is incomparably less barrique. Even if it is has 14% alcohol, the wine seems relatively fresh and light. Perhaps this is the particularly special quality of this wine. The color of the wine is typically transparent dark red. The wine fits well with all kinds of red meat, although I would prefer probably lamb with it. I also can imagine it would fit well to crispy grilled chicken.

Sorì Burdin is a sub-brand and has been obviously a special selection – at least ten years ago – because if you visit Fortanabianca’s homepage (http://www.fontanabianca.it/) today you cannot find it for whatever reasons. Since I haven’t visited the vineyard, I also must rely on the information on their homepage. There isn’t too much detailed information from other sources – even though I do not mind really.

The winery is located in Neive which is in very close proximity to many other famous Piedmont villages. It is run by Aldo Pola and his family since 1969. It is a rather small and in particular independent production which is admirable. Really irritating for me is the disappearance of the golden ring and floral profile – do they really think the new brand is better? Or am I wrong?

Please also see my review of another Barbaresco: https://avdwineandfood.net/2015/04/11/alivio-barbaresco-risvera-1998-le-rocce-dei-barbari/