Barbaresco Asij Ceretto 1997

Ceretto Asij Barbaresco 1997 is a mature-vintage, full-bodied red wine produced from Nebbiolo grapes in the Barbaresco appellation of Piedmont, northern Italy. Vinified at the Monsordo Bernardina estate, Asij Barbaresco is produced in so-called `lesser` vintages when Ceretto`s Bricco Asili Barbaresco wines are not produced – the grapes for the latter wines being blended together to produce the Asij cuvée. "In this world of increasingly pumped-up reds, this is a throwback, but with a lot of purity due to the great vintage. Leather, hard spices and an earthy-rubbery note carry the bouquet; excellent gripping tannins frame the impressive cherry fruit. It`s a dead-on Nebbiolo and already rewarding, but give it three years to evolve further." Wine Enthusiast, 2000