Wine cooperatives emerged in Europe during the 1950s when small-scale grape growers banded together to process and market their produce collectively. However, the focus of many of these cooperatives was on producing large quantities of table wines rather than high-quality, artisanal wine. This emphasis on volume over quality led to the production of wines that were generally of reasonable, but not exceptional, quality.

Well, Produttori del Barbaresco is the exception that proves the rule. While its brand name may not be the most creative (literally, Producers of Barbaresco), its wines are said to be so good, they give the fanciest labels a run for their money. This cooperative has carved a niche for itself by consistently producing top-notch Barbaresco wines that offer value for money. Wine enthusiasts often rave about Produttori's wines, describing them as the most affordable, age-worthy wines on the market, capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of Italy’s greatest vintages. It's a testament to their dedication that no other cooperative has managed to achieve this level of recognition or produce wines of such calibre.

So, how did this remarkable cooperative come to be? Let's rewind the clock back to 1958, when a group of 19 growers in the region banded together to form Produttori del Barbaresco. From the outset, their focus was razor-sharp: produce great Nebbiolo wines, particularly Barbaresco, with stringent quality control measures. These growers are required to deliver their entire Nebbiolo harvest to the cooperative, and there are even incentives in place to reward those who produce the highest quality grapes. It's a win-win situation that ensures only the best fruit makes it into the bottle. At the helm of this operation today is managing director Aldo Vacca, himself the grandson of growers and a legend in the Barbaresco wine scene.

But the story of Produttori del Barbaresco goes back even further, to the pioneering work of Domizio Cavazza who is now known as “the father of Barbaresco”. Cavazza was a man ahead of his time. He purchased the village's castle and immersed himself in the local community, becoming deeply involved in wine production and recognising the potential of the region. In 1894, Cavazza established Barbaresco's very first cooperative, the Cantine Sociali. This was a groundbreaking moment because back in the late 1800s, there was no official Barbaresco appellation, and grapes from the area were often labelled as Barolo. The establishment of Cantine Sociali marked the birth of Barbaresco as a standalone wine.

Cantine Sociali became the first to recognise that Nebbiolo grapes from Barbaresco were distinct from those grown in Barolo, and it even acknowledged this on the wine label. While both wines are rich and heavy bodied, Barolo is often more tannic and robust, with a more powerful structure, while Barbaresco tends to be lighter, more elegant and brighter due to its slightly milder tannin profile.

And so Cavazza founded his winery with nine landowners, including Aldo Vacca's grandfather, the village bishop, and even generals from the royal army. These nine pioneers delivered their grapes to the winery, where they were transformed into wine under the banner of Cantine Sociali. Cavazza passed away in 1913 just as the dark clouds of World War I cast a shadow over Europe. The war, followed by post-war fascism and economic depression in Italy, took its toll on the region. In 1920, the Cantine Sociali was forced to close its doors due to fascist rule, and Barbaresco was left without a cooperative. The first half of the 20th century was a challenging time for Barbaresco, with growers struggling to make ends meet by selling their grapes on the open market.

But hope was on the horizon. In the late 1950s, a young priest named Don Fiorino Marengo was assigned to the village Parish in Barbaresco. Inspired by the tales of Cavazza's achievements, Don Fiorino rallied 19 farmers to revive the idea of a Barbaresco cooperative. These determined individuals purchased a plot of land opposite the church in Barbaresco's main square and built their first winery. Among these 19 members was Aldo's father, Celestino Vacca, the only one with a high school diploma. His education made him the natural choice to manage the business side of things.

Cantine Sociali's legacy as a Barbaresco cooperative lives on. Cavazza had previously commissioned a striking poster featuring a nobleman proudly holding up a bottle of Barbaresco wine. This became an image that Produttori del Barbaresco still uses for certain wine expressions.

In the early days, running the cooperative was a part-time gig. Wine sales weren't exactly booming, so it didn't warrant full-time dedication. Aldo's father would visit the village twice a week: once to tackle the bookkeeping and once to try and sell some wine. For the first decade, Produttori del Barbaresco produced just one wine. It wasn't until 1967 that they released their single-vineyard wines, showcasing the unique terroir of five different vineyards. In 1975, they added another string to their bow with the Langhe Nebbiolo bottling. This wine underwent a bit of a name change later when Barolo and Barbaresco were granted DOCG status, and Langhe Nebbiolo became a DOC wine.

Fast forward to today, and Produttori del Barbaresco is thriving. The cooperative now boasts 54 members, representing 54 families and 54 shareholders, and they produce a range of 11 wines. Aldo Vacca is quick to point out that these families don't work for him; he works for them. That said, when it comes to working with Nebbiolo, few people possess the same level of knowledge and expertise as Aldo.

Now, let's delve into the inner workings of Produttori del Barbaresco. How does this cooperative actually operate? Well, it's a bit like a student council. The cooperative is overseen by a board of 9 farmers, elected by the other 54 farmers every 3 years. Once the board is in place, they vote amongst themselves to select a chairman. The board is responsible for making the big commercial decisions for the cooperative.

Aldo Vacca, plays a crucial role too as the Managing Director who is responsible for day-to-day operations. He meets with the cooperative's winemakers once a month, and together, they make collaborative decisions on all sorts of critical matters, like when to release the wines, bottling schedules, purchasing equipment, and other business-related stuff. It's a truly democratic process, with everyone having a say. A great example of this democratic decision-making in action happened during the cooperative's 50th anniversary. Aldo had proposed adding a tenth single-vineyard wine to their portfolio. However, the board turned him down and simply decided to stick with their existing lineup of 9 single-vineyard wines. This just goes to show that no single person has absolute authority within the cooperative. This system of checks and balances has allowed the cooperative to perform well as it grows in size, quality and reputation over the years.

Now, let's talk winemaking. First things first, it’s all Nebbiolo. They're laser-focused on producing high-quality Nebbiolo wines, and they're the only winery in the region working exclusively with Nebbiolo on a massive scale. After harvest, fermentation happens in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. This helps to reduce the risk of stuck fermentation, ensuring a smooth and successful process. As production has increased, they've also started using concrete tanks for fermenting their Langhe Nebbiolo wines. These wines spend around 20 days on the skins, with pumpovers happening 2 to 3 times a day during the first week of fermentation when things are really bubbling away.

Interestingly, they opt for immediate fermentation and don't bother with cold soak. It's just not their style. Once fermentation is mostly complete, they submerge the cap and let the wine ferment until it's bone dry. The goal here is to extract more tannins, even if it means the wine needs a few more years in the bottle to soften up. Aldo Vacca is confident in the quality of Barbaresco's terroir and the cooperative's grapes, so he's happy to prioritize full extraction of flavours, even if it means sacrificing a bit of early drinkability.

Back in the 1990s, they also upgraded their grape press to a pneumatic crusher-destemmer. This fancy piece of kit uses air pressure to gently press the grapes, resulting in a gentler extraction and fewer bitter tannins from the stems. It leaves the skins nice and damp after pressing, which translates to a smoother, more balanced wine.

When it comes to ageing, they use a combination of French and Slavonian oak barrels sourced from Italian coopers. These barrels are on the larger side, typically 25, 50, and 75hl, and they get used for several batches of wine for a whopping 25-30 years. The use of refill barrels mean that the oak have a minimal impact on the wine, even with extended ageing. Of course, barrels used for that long can be prone to spoilage, so they've been steadily replacing all their oldest barrels over the past 20 years. It's an expensive undertaking, but it's essential for maintaining the purity and cleanliness of their Nebbiolo wines.

More recently, the winemaking team at Produttori has also had to adapt to the changing climate and its impact on grape ripeness. In the past, vintages often fell into two categories: unripe or just ripe. This meant wines from cooler years tended to have higher acidity and less fruit concentration. But ironically thanks to climate change and improved vineyard practices, most vintages these days are either ripe or super-ripe, leading to wines with richer, more intense fruit flavours.

To keep up with these changes, vineyard management at Produttori has evolved. They're paying even closer attention to pruning, canopy management, and harvest timing to ensure the grapes reach optimal flavour development without becoming overripe. The standards for vineyard management are higher than ever, and the growers understand the importance of meeting these stricter requirements to uphold the quality associated with the Produttori del Barbaresco name, regardless of what Mother Nature throws their way.

As the market value of Barolo and Barbaresco has soared, many producers are hesitant to use their precious Barbaresco grapes for Langhe Nebbiolo, a more affordable wine. To cut costs, some even plant vines outside the Barbaresco DOCG zone to make Langhe Nebbiolo from locations with fewer regulations. But Produttori del Barbaresco refuses to play that game. They're committed to using only grapes from within the Barbaresco DOCG, even for their Langhe Nebbiolo.

According to Produttori, even in stellar vintages when the grapes are picture-perfect and could easily qualify for Barbaresco, they still allocate some of that high-quality fruit to Langhe Nebbiolo. It's a testament to their dedication to maintaining control over their grape sourcing and upholding the integrity of the Barbaresco region. And while DOCG rules allow up to 15% Barbera grapes in Langhe Nebbiolo, Produttori sticks to 100% Nebbiolo, ensuring a pure expression of the grape, even in their more affordable wines.

Finally, there's one more interesting quirk to their winemaking philosophy. If a specific vineyard site isn't up to snuff for bottling as a single vineyard in a particular vintage, they won't bottle any of the single vineyards that year. It might seem drastic, but it's all about keeping the farmers happy and avoiding any potential conflicts if one farmer's vineyard underperforms while others shine. At the end of the day, their primary goal is to always bottle an outstanding Barbaresco, which accounts for a whopping 50% of their total production. Single vineyards are only bottled when they can guarantee that the Barbaresco remains exceptional. It's a bold move, but it's one that speaks volumes about their commitment to quality.

I have with me a bottle of Produttori del Barbaresco’s vintage 2019 Barbaresco DOCG wine tasted at Angra Wine & Spirits’s portfolio tasting.

Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco DOCG 2019 – Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: Thick, complex, syrupy and inviting. Rich and satisfying red fruits dominate—cranberries and cherries, softened with a touch of plum. There's an earthy undertone, like damp tobacco leaves, and a whisper of barnyard funk. Light spices emerge, with a hint of pepper and aniseed adding a subtle tingle.

Palate: Clean and surprisingly easy to drink despite its complexity. A firm acidic backbone provides structure, while luscious fresh red fruit sweetness fills the mouth. The tannins are beautifully integrated, adding a balanced austerity that stops it from being overly sweet. Spices softly build on the palate.

Finish: Medium in length, with a lingering sweetness of liquorice and red fruits. The tobacco notes reappear, leaving a slightly earthy herbaceous farewell.

My Thoughts:

A lovely, luscious Barbaresco that strikes a great balance between complexity and approachability. It's a classic example of the style. Firm tannins but with a fairly clean, bright profile that makes it very refreshing compared to a heavy Barolo or Shiraz.

It’s also a versatile wine—easy-drinking enough for casual enjoyment and everyday sipping, yet also sufficiently complex to make it a solid choice for a fancy dinner and special occasions.

My Rating: 85/100

@CharsiuCharlie