Produtorri del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo, 2012

I'm always excited when I see a Nebbiolo on a restaurant wine list. But, then,Trattoria Stella in Traverse City, Michigan is special in many respects. At Stella, all of the wines that are offered by the glass can also be purchased in 500 ml carafes. That is a huge selling point for me. For a young Nebbiolo, slow to open, that gave me an opportunity to see the wine grow over the course of an exceptional lunch.

It's easy to identify this wine as Nebbiolo from the aromas. The black licorice elements are not very prominent, at least at this stage, but the dark cherry and floral aromas are intense and captivating. On the palate, the wine is firm from front to back. The tannins give the impression that the wine is very dry, even though there is plenty of ripe fruit lurking underneath. Very impressive.

The Produtorri, incidentally, is a cooperative--one of the best--and their Barbarescos always rank among the best of the appellation.