1996 Elvio Pertinace, Barbaresco ‘Vigneto Nervo’

The Elvio Pertinace cooperative has long been one of Barbaresco’s quiet treasures, bringing together growers committed to expressing the distinctive character of the Langhe through traditional Nebbiolo. Vigneto Nervo comes from a prized site in Treiso, where calcareous soils and the vineyard’s elevated position lend Nebbiolo both perfume and structure. The 1996 vintage is particularly compelling today, offering the beautiful tertiary complexity that only decades of bottle age can bring—dried cherry, rose petal, tobacco, leather, earth, and subtle spice, framed by wonderfully resolved tannins. Elegant, savory, and deeply layered, this is a mature Barbaresco that rewards patience in the glass and offers a rare glimpse into the character of Piedmont from a great vintage.