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As Baricci lies north of the Montalcino subzone, it receives limited exposure to both the Mediterranean influence of Montalcino and the cooling breezes that the latter's high altitude affords, resulting in wines that display impressive ripeness and structure.
- Country: Italy
- Region: Toscana
- Sub Region: Siena
- Commune/Village: Montosoli
Nothing makes a wine more attractive than its inability to be procured, though sometimes the hype is unwarranted. Baricci certainly merits the attention and to say that it is hard to attain is rather an understatement, as IWM is the sole purveyor of Baricci in the United States. That said, it is residing in the zone where its captive audience is small and fairly quiet (by virtue of the fact that the winemaker, Nello Baricci, sells the majority of the production in Italy). While the Baricci following may not be prominent, it is nevertheless fervent, and Sergio has been part of this earnest group since discovering Baricci in the late 1990s.
Until 2006, however, Sergio was unable to receive Baricci wines in sufficient quantity to sell (his personal collection wasn't even enough, as he would parse out bottles, taking care to stow away a small stash). Why all the fuss? Well, let's go back to the start….Baricci first caught Sergio's palate during a dinner in Toscana at Albergo al Brunello di Montalcino. Sergio and three wine buyers were drinking the likes of Soldera, Biondi-Santi, and Il Poggione, when the owner of the hotel/restaurant presented an unidentified wine for their assessment. Sergio was impressed with its formidable presence on the palate, craftsmanship, and purity, and, given these qualities, amazed to learn that it was a Rosso di Montalcino (the Rosso served was ten years old, though Rossos are generally intended to be drunk young, while their Brunello superiors age). Moreover, it was the work of a producer that neither he nor his colleagues had heard of-thus began Sergio's membership in a coterie of fervent devotees.
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