95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The estate's 2010 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin is stunningly beautiful. Layers of fruit blossom in a large-scaled, dramatic Barbaresco endowed with tremendous depth and pure structure. Balsamic-inflected plums, tobacco, leather, spices and licorice meld together in the glass. The 2010 Sorì Paitin is huge, powerful and drop-dead gorgeous. Sweet menthol, pine and wild flowers adds finesse on a finish that is all about power. The structure of the vintage comes through in spades. The 2010 spent 24 months in cask."

"I am just as excited about Paitin's new releases as I was last year. The devil is in the details, and nowhere is that more apparent than at this venerable, family-run estate in the Bricco di Neive frazione of Neive proper. Consulting oenologist Dante Scaglione's contributions have been really more fine-tuning, yet it is remarkable to see how much those small changes can impact quality. A little more attention to sorting and greater attention in choosing oak and casks are just some of the developments that have taken place here over the last few years. Today the casks are switched out with greater frequency, with newer casks being used for the top wines and older, more neutral oak being employed for the simpler wines in the range. The 2010s have turned out as I had expected, but the 2011s are also hugely promising. Giovanni and Silvano Pasquero Elia told me 2011 looked a lot like 2009 right after the fermentations, but has since taken a completely different path. Tasting the 2011s, they seem sweet, polished and absolutely impeccable, partly because the estate is taking more care in how seeds are removed during the fermentations. These are going to be joyous wines to follow."