Winemaker Notes
Ruby red, juicy, fruity, notes of dried mushrooms. Very approachable in its youth.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Macerated wild berries with clove and cinnamon combine with heady floral aromas on this plush Barbera. Ripe and round on the palate with blackberry compote, sour plums and crushed chalk finishing with classic bright Barbera acidity.
-
James Suckling
Ripe and mellow with cherries and mulberries as well as ground spices, blood orange and walnuts. Tense and juicy with medium body and velvety tannins. Ripe but crunchy with a flavorful finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Focused and supple, this red delivers black cherry, blackberry, violet and spice aromas and flavors backed by vivid acidity. Plays out languidly on the finish.
Friendly and approachable, Barbera produces wines in a wide range of styles, from youthful, fresh and fruity to serious, structured and age-worthy. Piedmont is the most famous source of Barbera; those from Asti and Alba garner the most praise. Barbera actually can adapt to many climates and enjoys success in some New World regions. Somm Secret—In the past it wasn’t common or even accepted to age Barbera in oak but today both styles—oaked and unoaked—abound and in fact most Piedmontese producers today produce both styles.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.