Winemaker Notes
Ruby red color. Fresh red fruits and spicy hints on the nose. On the mouth softness, fragrance and fresh acidity.
Barbera d’Alba goes well with cured meats, stuffed onions of the Piedmontese tradition, first courses with meat. Traveling in Europe in Spain with Valencian paella. In France Savoyard fondue, croque monsieur (sandwich of cheese and cooked ham). In Armenia, khorovadz (skewers of grilled meat with rice). In Greece the Moussaka (tasty dish of minced meat and aubergines). Going to Japan we can combine with meat and fish cooked according to the tataki method. In Thailand, on the other hand, pad thai (grilled pasta with eggs and spices).
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very pretty and intense barbera with crushed berries and lots of citrus character. It’s full and layered.
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.