Produttori del Barbaresco's Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' 2020 is the most approachable and early-drinking of Produttori del Barbaresco's nine single-vineyard crus, and the 2020 vintage balances a generous, supple texture with deep savoury complexity. It's a single-vineyard Nebbiolo from the Pora cru in Barbaresco, Piedmont, grown on clay and limestone soils in a warmer riverside spot. Ripe dark fruit and dried herbs sit over soft, supple tannin and a broad, savoury palate. It's the most open of Produttori del Barbaresco's nine single-vineyard Riservas, for someone who doesn't want to wait years to enjoy it.
In the glass it's generous and open, with a lifted balsamic edge of eucalyptus and menthol over the core fruit. The tannin is soft and rounded rather than gripping, and the palate stays broad and savoury through a warm, comforting finish.
This is Produttori del Barbaresco's most welcoming single-vineyard Riserva, built for drinking sooner rather than tucking away. It's the kind of Barbaresco we'd pour with a simple roast or braise, on a night when you don't want to wait for the tannin to soften.
Around 20,000 bottles of the Pora Riserva are made each vintage, from one of Produttori del Barbaresco's larger crus, bottled on its own since 1967 and steeped in local history.
What it tastes like
The nose is warm and inviting, with ripe cherry and plum, dried herbs and a balsamic lift of eucalyptus and menthol. It's one of the more open, forward-drinking wines in Produttori del Barbaresco's single-vineyard range, true to Pora's reputation as the gentlest of the crus.
The palate is medium to full-bodied, with soft, rounded tannin and a broad, savoury character. There's real depth of fruit without the firmness of some of the other Riservas, finishing warm and comforting.
It's a generous, easy-to-love Barbaresco, ready to enjoy sooner than most.
Style at a glance
- Body: Medium to full
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: Medium
- Tannin: Soft, rounded
- Oak: Large oak casks (botti); adds warmth without heavy structure
- Style: Generous, approachable and early-drinking
Food to enjoy this with
- Fresh egg pasta, such as tajarin with a light meat ragù
- Risotto, especially with mushroom or truffle
- Roast white meat, such as chicken or veal
- Grilled or roasted red meat
- Game birds
- Venison, a comfortable match for a softer-styled Barbaresco like this one
Who makes it
Produttori del Barbaresco is a growers' cooperative based in the village of Barbaresco, founded in 1958 by a parish priest who brought together 19 struggling local growers. It has grown to around 60 members, many of whom farm some of Barbaresco's best vineyard sites. Its everyday Barbaresco is regarded as one of Italy's great wine values, and in the best vintages it also bottles up to nine single-vineyard Riservas from its finest crus.
The Pora cru is one of Produttori del Barbaresco's larger sites, 10.7 hectares on a west and south-facing hill above the Tanaro River, on land once owned by Domizio Cavazza, who founded Barbaresco's first cooperative winery in 1894. Its clay and limestone soil, with veins of sand, and the warming influence of the river give the wine its soft tannin and open character.
Produttori del Barbaresco works with minimal intervention, aiming to let each cru speak for itself. Pora has been bottled as a single vineyard since 1967, and it remains one of nine crus that becomes a Riserva only in strong vintages.
For the 2020 vintage, the Pora grapes fermented at 30°C with 28 days on the skins, and malolactic fermentation finished before the wine went into large oak casks, where it aged for a minimum of 30 months before bottling in June.
About the vintage
The 2020 growing season in Barbaresco brought plenty of rain and warm, humid conditions through the year, with a real heat spike at the end of July and into August. The grapes still ripened evenly, and the tannins came in refined rather than harsh.
Decanter rated 2020 a very good vintage for Barbaresco, describing the best wines as round, generous and well balanced, after a run of trickier years: a dry 2017, a dilute 2018 and a hail-hit 2019. Production across the appellation rose too, from 4.9 million to 5.1 million bottles, as more growers came online.
When to drink it
Kerin O'Keefe suggests drinking this through 2030, so there's no need to wait long to enjoy it. That's the sort of wine you can open on a Tuesday rather than saving for a special occasion.
Technical details
| Producer: |
Produttori del Barbaresco |
| Wine: |
Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' |
| Vintage: |
2020 |
| Variety: |
100% Nebbiolo |
| Region: |
Barbaresco (Pora cru), Piedmont |
| Country: |
Italy |
| Alcohol: |
14.5% |
| Oak: |
Large oak casks (botti), minimum 30 months |
| Fermentation: |
Stainless steel, 28 days on skins |
| Cellaring: |
To 2030 |
Where to buy
The Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' 2020 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines. Around 20,000 bottles are made each vintage, so it doesn't stick around for long.
Questions we are often asked
What grape is Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' 2020 made from?
It's 100% Nebbiolo, grown in the Pora cru within the Barbaresco DOCG in Piedmont, Italy.
What food pairs well with this wine?
It suits roast meat, braises and game, as well as classic Piedmont dishes like fresh egg pasta and risotto.
How long will the Pora Riserva 2020 keep?
Critic Kerin O'Keefe suggests drinking it through 2030, so it's ready sooner than some of Produttori del Barbaresco's other Riservas.
Why is Pora considered the most approachable of Produttori del Barbaresco's Riservas?
Its warmer position above the Tanaro River and clay-limestone soil give the wine softer tannin and a more open character than some of the cooler, higher crus.
Who makes Produttori del Barbaresco wines?
Produttori del Barbaresco is a growers' cooperative in the village of Barbaresco, founded in 1958 and now made up of around 60 member growers.
Where can I buy Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' 2020?
The Winery sells Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva 'Pora' 2020 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
