2016 Barolo Undicicomuni Arnaldo Rivera

Aromas of sweet berries with fresh, floral and forest-flower notes that turn to conifer and perfume.Medium-to full-bodied with racy tannins. I like the dried- fruit flavors with hints of mushrooms and dried meat. Better in 2022.

This wine takes the record for the most complicated blend made with the largest number of vineyard sites. The Arnaldo Rivera 2016 Barolo Undicicomuni draws its fruit from 10 vineyards spanning the appellation, and I know of no other winery that has attempted such an ambitious assembly of Nebbiolo. For the record, the blend (starting in 2013 until the 2017 vintage) is Serralunga d'Alba (San Rocco); Castiglione Falletto (Codana, Piantà and Villero); Diano d'Alba (two sites in Sorano); La Morra (Boiolo and two sites in Rocche dell'Annunziata); and Verduno (Campasso). From the 2018 vintage onward, the blend is made from a whopping 21 parcels. The watercolor design on the label depicts the shape of these vineyard sites. This super blend showcases the depth and the tannic firmness of the grape with bold fruit aromas backed by tar, licorice and earthy truffle. I'd dedicate a few more years of cellar aging in order to soften those tannins. An ample 50,000 bottles will be released in September 2020.

This opens with aromas of red-skinned berry, leather and incense. The juicy palate offers raspberry jam, cinnamon and star anise alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022-2028. Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. -K.O.

Though Terre di Barolo’s ArnaldoRivera label focuses on cru bottlings, Undicicomuni combines fruit from all 11 Barolo communes. Upfront cherry and cinnamon meet chocolate and hazelnut notes redolent of the Langhe’s landscape. The palate is supple and approachable yet youthful, with tannins piling up toward the finish. There is enough stuffing to balance and the finish is clean and bright. A polished, friendly ambassador for the region.

Meget frisk duft, let syrlige bær, lakrids, læder. Rank struktur, god fylde med en syre, der virkelig bider i eftersmagen sammen med ren frugt. Endnu alt - alt for ung.

Mørke bærnoter i duften. Moden umiddelbar frugt i smagen. Tanninerne er der men integrerede. Savner måske lidt elegance.

Sikke de kan! Terra del Barolo-kooperativet skal man på ingen måde gøre nar af. Specielt ikke Arnaldo Rivera-serien, hvor de vil spille bold med områdets mere prestigiøse producenter og spiller lige op med dem... og mere til i visse tilfælde. Her et blend af 10 mere eller mindre berømte barolo-MGA'er fra den tæt på perfekte årgang 2016. Tranebær og roser, tjære, hele perlerækken af lærebogsaromaer og en smag, der skriger kvali-barolo til himlen, markeret stærkt af sin stedtro tannin, gjort 'hård' af brysk syre. Eftersmagen er vedholdende. Prisen er imponerende lav. Barolo-elskere bør købe i hobetal. Navnet betyder '11 kommuner' og henviser til det faktum, at Terre del Barolo er den eneste producent, som laver vin fra samtlige 11 barolo-kommuner.