The 2011 Barbaresco Nervo is a wine that always shows a particularly bright quality of fruit and the 2011 vintage is no exception. In fact, the cherry and blackberry tones here feel ripe and mature with some distant shades of jammy fruit and sweet raspberry. The mouthfeel is plush and velvety with a good sense of tannic firmness at the back. Drink: 2016-2023. From a dynamic father and son team, Ernesto and Enrico Rizzi make wines with a wide drinking window. Most times they are ready to drink before other nearby expressions of Barbaresco, but they are also engineered to last long in the cellar. The 2011 Barbaresco Rizzi and the 2011 Barbaresco Pajore have not been bottled yet and reviews of those two wines have not been included here. Importer: Vin de Garde, www.vdgwines.com

The 2009 Barbaresco Nervo Fondetta shows broad shoulders to support Indian spice, tobacco, leather, dried berry, dried mint and licorice. The wine is firm and sharp with cooling acidity and rock-hard structure. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2019. As always, Enrico Rizzi delivers classic, even-handed expressions of Nebbiolo from his family estate that is perched along the backbone of a vine-covered ridge in Treiso. I have always admired the work achieved here with cement vats. Importer: David Bowler Wine, New York, NY; tel. (212) 807-1680

Cherry, licorice, sandalwood and tea notes mark this tight and sinewy red. A bit stingy on flavor, but persistent and lingering on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2022. 250 cases made, 80 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add

The 2008 Barbaresco Nervo Fondetta is an attractive wine with good up-front fruit. Expressive floral and spice notes add complexity to the fruit in this mid-weight, graceful Barbaresco. The finish is long, understated and delicate in character. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. Rizzi is a beautiful property high in the hills of Treiso. While I tend to feel the estate could be doing more with their vineyards, it is hard to argue with the generally favorable pricing of these wines. These are generally forward Barbareschi that can be enjoyed with a minimum of cellaring. Various American importers, including: Opici Wines , www.opiciwines.com

Rizzi’s Barbaresco Nervo Fondetta opens with playful touches of cola and sweet spice that help create a sense of aromatic immediacy. Thanks to that pretty vertical lift, the wine shows long sensations of dryness and flavor on the elegant finish. ——M.L.(9/1/2011)—— 90