This Barolo comes from the Ravera Cru, a top site in Novello, sourced from six parcels at a high elevation of around 1300 feet. The nose is intensely smoky, with raspberry and strawberry aromas. The calcareous white soils produce beautiful fruit aromatics, whilst the due-south sun-facing aspect add considerable depth to the fruit and ripeness to the firm tannins. Directness of fruit is also brought forward by a degree less oak than their other Cru wines, with some smaller format wood -- but none of it new. It's sleek and stylish, a lifted wine that's taut and spicy with fine-grained tannins. There's tension and persistence here, with a long and elegant finish. A long and profound Barolo to approach now or cellar a good while, the Ravera is a classic.
Vinification: fermentation on the skins in stainless steel for 13 days at a controlled temperature of between 20 and 30 C. Malolactic fermentation: Spontaneous in wood.
Ageing: 32 months in French oak, 50% in used tonneaux of 500 - 700 lts and 50% in 25 Hl. casks. It follows about a year of bottle before sale. Barolo laws require a five years total ageing before the sale to the market.
Country of Origin:
Italy
Region / Appelation / Cru:
Piedmont / Barolo / Ravera
Certification:
DOCG
Grape Varieties:
100% Nebbiolo
Vintage:
2016
Alcohol:
14%
Producer:
Terre del Barolo
Ratings:
Decanter (92pts): ArnaldoRivera is a new line of cru-designate Barolo from the large Terre del Barolo cooperative. The Ravera bottling hails from six different plots within this Novello subzone, all of which are south-facing at an average altitude of 400 metres. It leads with some toasty oak nuances that make way for mint, pepper and strawberry. The palate is silky and elegant with tight, emphatic tannins that will need another year or so. Nice depth, tension and a mouth-cleansing quality.
James Suckling (94pts): A juicy and tannic Barolo, yet the tannins are soft and rounded with plenty of ripe strawberry and cherry character. It's full-bodied with lots of richness and length. Meat and walnuts to the dried fruit.
Robert Parker (93pts): The Arnaldo Rivera 2016 Barolo Ravera is actually a blend of fruit from six vineyards located within the cru, planted at various stages from 1963 to 1968, 1970, 1991, 1992, 1997 and 1999 to 2002. The winemaking approach is the same as the other singlevineyard wines in this series, which see 32 months of aging in tonneaux and botte grande. The bouquet offers dark fruit and savory spice with tilled earth and cardamom pod. The Ravera also shows a meaty tone with bresaola or cured ham, but this is only a very light accent. The mouthfeel is tight and linear, with dusty tannins on the close.