'Every collector needs one': Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello Riserva

These wines are hard to beat in terms of value-for-money, says Michaela Morris, who tastes eight vintages of Produttori's Ovello Barbaresco Riserva and gives her view on which years to look for.

‘We didn’t have weeks this hot in June when I was a kid,’ recalls Aldo Vacca, managing director of Barbaresco cooperative, Produttori del Barbaresco.

‘This is doing something to the wine.’ Temperatures when I visit are well into the 30s and it feels more like late July than mid-June.

Inside Produttori’s headquarters, the air-conditioned tasting room offers some reprieve. It looks out toward the western side of the Ovello cru – the crux of my visit.

At almost 80ha, this is the largest Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA) within the commune of Barbaresco, encompassing different exposures from west to east. The calcareous soil is uniformly rich in clay, a high proportion which ‘always gives tannins that are aggressive in their youth,’ explains Vacca.

Scroll down to see Michaela’s tasting notes & scores

Tasting Ovello Riserva:

Produttori del Barbaresco: Factfile

Founded 1958
Number of members 54
Total ha controlled 105ha (Barbaresco total 751ha)
Average number of bottles/year 600,000
Total ha Ovello controlled 20ha (Ovello total 78.44ha)
Average number of bottles/year Ovello 17,160 & 1,420 magnums
First year of Ovello 1967
Altitude 160-275 msl