Tasted blind. Neive. Lustrous ruby. Oak and red fruit nose. Youthful and tannic palate with the right dose of vigorous acidity. Quite a bit of oak on this, but the whole is finely balanced, super-elegant, long and brooding. Modernist.
17+ points, Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com (April 2017)
Pretty cherry, floral, mineral and tobacco flavors line this racy red. There is an underlying density to the structure and a lingering aftertaste of fruit, iron, underbrush and tobacco.
93 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (December 2017)
Lots of flowers and perfumed character for the vintage. Medium to full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. One of the better 2014s.
92 points, James Suckling (October 2017)
The 2014 Barbaresco Cottà does not offer the acute high notes that you get with the other beautiful Barbarescos from Sottimano in this vintage. The intensity is broader and flatter, so to speak, but overall, the wine's intensity is just as bright and compelling as the others, albeit in a more subdued manner. Dark cherry and blackberry segue to spice, anise and cured leather. The wine feels soft and rich in texture as well. Some 10% of the wine is aged in new oak barrel.
93 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (April 2018)
This wine's iris, perfumed berry, truffle and baking spice aromas emerge in the glass as it opens, along with a whiff of crushed herb. The structured, elegant palate shows ripe Marasca cherry, vanilla and mocha flavors alongside fine-grained tannins and bright acidity.
93 points, Kerin O'Keefe, Wine Enthusiast (November 2017)
'I can’t say enough good things about the Sottimano family and the work they have done over the years to firmly establish themselves among Barbaresco’s top growers. This is one of the few places in Piedmont where every wine is consistently delicious. The only question is how delicious. In recent years, Andrea Sottimano has worked to give his Barbareschi extended time on the lees in a cold cellar, which also slows down the malos. This distinctly Burgundian approach stands in stark contrast to the way most French oak-aged wines are made in Piedmont, where malos typically follow right after the alcoholic fermentations.' Antonio Galloni, October 2012.