With the red label, the La Spinetta 2020 Barbaresco Starderi Vürsù (with 14,500 bottles released) shows dark fruit, dried cherry and tarry smoke. There is a savory side to Starderi, and the wine delivers extra density and concentration to the finish. Like some of the other expressions from the warm 2020 growing season, this wine is more immediate overall, making it good for near and medium-term drinking. But it should also age nicely, should you decide to take that route.

A powerful red, yet well-defined too, with strawberry, cherry, floral, mineral and tobacco aromas and flavors aligned to a muscular structure. Feels balanced overall, yet will take a few years to fully integrate. Best from 2026 through 2045. 580 cases made, 45 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add

The La Spinetta 2019 Barbaresco Starderi Vürsù is perfumed and bright with dark rose and wild plum. The wine is solid and dense, with a pretty presentation of fruit that feels healthy and crunchy at the same time. The tannins are well integrated into this structured, full-bodied Barbaresco. The Starderi has shown a very consistent performance over the years. These releases from La Spinetta are all packaged in big, heavy glass bottles.

Another especially elegant expression from La Spinetta, the 2018 Barbaresco Starderi Vürsù demonstrates how well this winery worked in this slightly cooler growing season. All the wines across this portfolio appear bright and more ethereal, representing a subtle pivot for proprietor Giorgio Rivetti and his crew. Dried cassis, limestone and crushed flowers emerge from the bouquet, and the wine imparts a lasting and highly polished mouthfeel. Production is 14,500 bottles.