Winemaker Notes
A uniquely flavored Barbera, made from grapes grown in several different windswept vineyards on hilltops in Monforte d’Alba. Vignota ages in second-use barrique for ten months, followed by two more months in bottle.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Barbera d'Alba Vignota exhibits a dark ruby color with lively and healthy color intensity. The bouquet shows similar vitality with honest aromas that navigate the realms of wild cherry, Japanese plum and pressed rose. To the palate, this wine delivers solid fruit that is crisp and almost crunchy in texture. That more angular or sculpted quality to the fruit is the wine's most interesting characteristic in my opinion. Sample it with blue cheese or Gorgonzola on crackers.
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Wine Spectator
Packed with juicy black cherry, black currant and violet flavors, this Barbera is silky and vibrant, converging nicely on the finish with a tangy, mineral impression.
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.