Rizzi
Barbaresco Rizzi Riserva “Boito” – 2015
Region: italy - piedmont
Rizzi
Nestled at the very top of the impressively steep, vine-clad hills of the Treiso zone of Barbaresco, the winery’s vineyards were planted as early as the 1960’s in the white marl, calcareous soil typical of this area. An impressive selection of cru Barbaresci is punctuated by the spectacular Vigna Boito located at the peak of the Rizzi cru. The estate is managed entirely by the Dellapiana family with son Enrico as winemaker and viticulturist. Rizzi Winery participates in “The Green Experience” project which mandates guidelines for environmentally sustainable production.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Vigna Boito is located on the upper part, a “saddle,” of the Rizzi Cru, in soils that are geologically younger than the surrounding areas: more clayey and deeper.
- Altitude: 240 – 310 meters
- Exposure: South, SouthWest
- Soils: White marl, clayey-calcareous
- Vines Planted: 1972 – 1995
- Vine Training System: Guyot
Harvest Notes
- Hand harvested into small crates the first 10 days of October
- Fermented in stainless steel tanks at < 30º C for 4 weeks
- Wine is racked, then malolactic fermentation for about a month
- Aged 21 months in large Slavonian oak barrels
- Bottle aged until 50 months after harvest
Winemaker's Notes
The result is a classic and muscular wine with a great aging potential. To the nose one can detect notes of violet, ripe plum, liquorice and leather. For this wine Enrico Dellapiana “used both hands” to create: the first to make it and the other one to paint the label (each vintage has a different painting).
Wine Summary
100% Nebbiolo; alcohol: 14.5%; grown in the upper “saddle” of the Rizzi Cru, on geologically younger soils, more clayey-calcareous and deeper; hand harvested October 1 – 10; fermented in stainless steel tanks < 30º C for 3 – 4 weeks; 1 month malolactic fermentation; aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for 21 months; aged in bottle until 50 months after harvest; each vintage label designed and hand painted by Enrico Dellapiana.
Technical Information
- 100% Nebbiolo
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Total Acidity: 5.76 g/l
- pH: 3.38
- Residual Sugar: 1.34 g/l
- Extract: 27.9 g/l
Reviews
96 Points
CELLAR SELECTION
Camphor, pipe tobacco, iris and mature black-skinned fruit aromas shape the nose on this full-bodied red. Delicious and structured, the firm palate delivers succulent black cherry, raspberry and licorice framed in firm, tightly knit but noble tannins. Drink 2023–2030.
Wine Enthusiast, October, 2020
94+ Points
Deep red. Ripe red berries, cocoa and flowers along with a suggestion of crystallized fruits on the nose. Dense, silky and suave on entry, then a bit inexpressive in the middle finishing with chewy but noble tannins and outstanding length. Needs time. Drinking window: 2026-2040
Terroir Sense - Ian D'Agata, March, 2021
94 Points
As I mentioned last year in my note on the 2013 Vigna Boito, this is the bottling from the two hectare filet section of the Rizzi Cru, with this parcel sitting up at the top of the ridge and facing south and southwest. The elevage of the Vigna Boito is a full two years in older Botti, as opposed to one year in Botti and eight months in cement vats, which all the other Crus here age in at Cantina Rizzi. The 2015 Vigna Boito Riserva is an outstanding example of the vintage, coming in at 14.5 percent alcohol and offering up a deep, soil-driven and sappy nose of red and black cherries, gorgeous spice tones, a bit of smoked meat, bonfire, dark soil tones, licorice, a hint of road tar, cedar and a topnote of red curry. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, ripe and sappy at the core, with excellent soil signature, ripe, chewy tannins, excellent focus and grip and a long, complex and very well-balanced finish. I do not have any information on how old the Botti are that this bottling is raised in, but I get the sense that they are not all that old, as the wine shows a bit of oak influence on both the nose and palate, despite the large size of the vessels that the Vigna Boito is aged in. This is a young wine that needs plenty of bottle age, but it should be outstanding once it is ready to drink. 2035 – 2085
View From The Cellar, August, 2021
94 Points
The Rizzi 2015 Barbaresco Rizzi Riserva Vigna Boito features the artwork of proprietor Enrico Dellapiana on the front label. With only 3,176 bottles produced, the wine reveals broad shoulders, width and impressive depth. This vintage offers a complete picture of the Nebbiolo grape and of the distinctive elegance of Treiso, one of the cornerstones of the Barbaresco appellation. This Riserva offers a solid center of gravity with ample fruit rendering and framing. The vintage achieves a richer, more concentrated style that suits the wine very nicely. 2022 – 2035
© Wine Advocate, July, 2020
94 Points
Enrico Dellapiana’s Riserva always comes from this hilltop site above the Rizzi vineyard. The soil is mostly clay, which gives the wine impressive structure. The nose is super-ripe, with opulent, seductive cherry aromas, but there’s no jamminess. Full-bodied and succulent, this is velvety yet supported by firm, fine-grained tannins. Chocolatey, forceful and very long. 2021 – 2038
Decanter, March, 2020
17++ Points
Mid garnet. Quite a dense and intense weighty nose. Leather and currant and really firm unrelenting tannins at the moment. There is a lightness of touch behind the firm framework. Young and tightly wound. 2022 – 2030
JancisRobinson.com, October, 2019
General Info
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Piedmont |
| Appellation(s) | Treiso, Neive, Neviglie |
| Proprietors | Enrico Dellapiana |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Winemaker | Enrico Dellapiana |
| Annual Production | Between 7,500 to 9,000 9L cases |
