Winemaker Notes
Dark cherry and violets on the nose. This has a very smooth texture and elegance.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A deep and meaty barbera with a lot of vibrancy. On the nose it shows complex leather, graphite, plums and black cherries. Sweet fruit on the palate, with density, a full body, zesty acidity and ripe, velvety tannins. Long, savory aftertaste. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe fruit flavors of blackberry and black plum are augmented by licorice and sweet spices in this dense, complex Barbera, which unfolds leisurely on the finish.
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Decanter
Giuseppe (‘Beppe’) Caviola is best known as a consulting oenologist for top wineries (for example, he worked with Vietti for many years). His own project includes 2ha in the cool, breezy MGA of Sottocastello di Novello. He has introduced 40% whole clusters to bring out floral and balsamic nuances as well as build tannins. It is a distinct expression with pungent sage, eucalyptus and dark chocolate aromas. Robustly built, the palate is equally intense with dark spicy berries and dense forest growth. The tannins are crisp and biting at the moment, and it needs time to tame its vigour.
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Wine Enthusiast
Spiced cherries soaking in vanilla extract while someone bakes the holiday cookies. The palate brings that same kitchen energy, tart fruits and chewy texture creating the kind of wine that makes weeknight pasta feel more ambitious, this wine levels your meal up.
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.