San Michele Barbera d'Alba Cascina Sciulun Superiore 2013
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The institute was founded in 1874 when the regional Tyrolean Diet at Innsbruck elected to open an agrarian school together with an experiment station at San Michele for the revival of agriculture in Tyrol. The philosophy of the institute’s first director, Edmund Mach, has had an indelible influence on the direction of the institute and continues to be the drive behind its mission even today. Mach believed that a good wine must take into consideration several elements that cannot be separated from one another: the quality of the vineyard, the technical skill of the cellar and the character of the men who live this creation. This integrated approach is at the heart of the school’s curriculm and is a hallmark of all the native varietal wines produced here.
Today, under the guidance of renowned winemaker and professor, Enrico Paternoster, this integration of tradition and scientific knowledge has expanded to include how to protect the patrimony of this unique appellation, researching biological techniques that have a small environmental impact the on delicate balance of these lands. Paternoster oversees each vintage of the institute’s indigenous wines, which includes Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Müller Thurgau, Riesling, Nosiola, Lagrein and the unique Incrocio Manzoni.
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.