Fletcher Barbaresco Faset 2021

Product Information:

The Faset Barbaresco is the closest wine in David’s bottlings to Barolo in style. 2019 was the first year David has bottled Faset as a single Cru. David describes Faset as having an ‘unparalleled richness’, a trait shared due to the similar soils with Asili, Rabaja and Rio Sordo; "Faset has the densest biggest structure of the Cru’s I make, more Barolo than Barbaresco.”

In the review tasting of the three wines this Cru definitely has the most fruit and density to the wine, highly aromatic, so much classic tar and roses in this wine. Faset is on the same soil as Roncaglie but is just slightly cooler, and usually picked later than Roncaglie.

This wine is 100% destemmed. Open ferment. Pressed to barrel. Elevage in old oak, over 10 years old, 300ltr barrels. Barbaresco can only be released on the 3rd January following harvest, giving the wine approx. 27 months total aging. David ages his wines for 24 months in barrel (legally it only needs be 12 as a minimum) then 3 months in bottle.

The 2021 vintage is one that will likely go down as better in Barbaresco. It was overall a very drought but not hot vintage; and while it was rainy in France and Germany, in Piedmont’s Langa it was actually less rainy but colder than usual. Otherwise, the 2021 vintage was a year of good production as opposed to 2019 (very classic wines), and 2020 (wines with more fruit but less acidity than those of 2021). Fletcher asserts his 2021 wines have more structure than his 2020s, but all are equally fresh. The best of both worlds.

Maker:

Many feel the wine road inevitably leads to Burgundy, and for many it does, but for some, the final stop is the Langhe hills of Piemonte. It is here that Nebbiolo is the torchbearer of quality delivering a transcendent experience as high as any to be found in food and wine.

David Fletcher's self professed obsession with the Nebbiolo, so much so he resides in Barbaresco where he is completely surrounded by it. David's an Australian by birth and that means he started as an outsider amongst the hills of the Langhe, but he's feeling a little more at home now. My addiction to Nebbiolo has taken him on a ride beyond his imagination. David started making wine from the day he left school, and even though he didn't inherit a winery or watch predecessors work the vines, it's been an uncontrollable passion for as early as he can remember. To cut a long story short, he was first introduced to Nebbiolo back in 2004.... 10 years later, he's living amongst the vines in Italy, making wine in the old train station of Barbaresco, and enjoying the positive feedback from my customers that keeps him striving to aim higher.

In recent years the production has somewhat diverted from only Nebbiolo, and what started with just Barolo and Barbaresco has now grown into 10 wines that are produced from 12 different vineyard sites. Staying in touch with his roots David still makes one wine in Australia too, which is a unique expression of Australian Nebbiolo. ​Overall, the production is compact, with no more than 25,000 bottles that are mostly allocated, making highly sought.

Philosophy:

David works with certified organic vineyards and sites that are under conversion. He is a big proponent for organic farming, always striving for better health and lower impact for the vines and their surroundings. Cognisant of the increasing mono-culture in the Langhe, David offsets the land used for grape production with ownership of the equivalent area in Forest, swamp and grasslands rich in biodiversity.  

With regards to winemaking, David considers himself lucky to be making wines in the Langhe and even luckier he has no legacy to follow. Giving him the freedom to play and deconstruct tradition, all in an attempt to start afresh without any boundaries. He's on a constant search for great vineyards, and always trying to make wines that give a sense of passion and place. Wines are derived from spontaneous ferments with a 'pied de cuve' method. Use old wood with a minimum age of 10 years and in the form of Barriques not Botte...preferring to work in small batches rather than bulking wines up early and each barrique has its own personality which adds to the complexity of the wines. No filtering or fining takes place. Not all the wines will be produced each year, as nature dictates most of what can be produced. So if you see one you like it's always a good idea to snap it up.

Nose - Perfumed, Sweet red-fruit, Minerals
Perfumed, sweet red-fruit nose with an undertow of minerals

Palate - Strawberry Fruit, Mineral, Elegant Palate Weight
Minerally note over strawberry fruit. Still a little closed on the palate but the fruit is concentrated and it has a super-elegant palate weight.

Finish - Nervy long Acid, Chewy Lingering Tannins, Classical  
Nervy long acidity and beautiful chewy tannins that last and last.

(2020) Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Firm, perfumed, sweet red-fruit nose with an undertow of minerals. Finely tuned fruit on the palate with a layer of super-fine, deep, crunchy tannins. Still needs to unfurl but has a great future. - Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com

(2019) Barbaresco. 'Faset has the same soil composition as Asili, but is less famous because it lacks well-known producers. I knew it had potential and Ceretto used to make it, so I was able to taste older bottles which clearly showed it has pedigree'. A shade deeper than Starderi and a little richer on the nose with a clear, minerally note over strawberry fruit. Still a little closed on the palate but the fruit is concentrated and it has a super-elegant palate weight. Nervy long acidity and beautiful chewy tannins that last and last.  - Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal -  Nebbiolo
Country - Italy
Region - Barbaresco
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14%