E. Pira e Figli Barbera d'Alba 2017
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Winemaker Notes
The Barbera is ruby red in color with hints of violet. In the bouquet, it is intense and complete with scents of plum and blueberries. The palate is full with sensations of fleshy, fresh fruit and lively bright acidity.
Pair with cured pork meats, stuffed pasta, grilled meats.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Shows style and punch. Concentrated fruit flavors of blackberry and black currant are well-defined due to the succulent acidity, while light tannins on the finish tie all the elements together. Drink now through 2024.
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2012-
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The winery vinifies only the grapes provided by the estate vineyards, about 2 1/2 hectates, situated in some of best zones of the Barolo area: 2 hectares in locality Cannubi and Cannubi San Lorenzo, the rest in locality Via Nuova (Collina Terlo); the zone most known per the grape Nebbiolo that becomes Barolo.
As a top producer, Chiara Boschis, is always seeking to produce high quality and innovative wines that are elegantly balanced wines along with traditional structure and austerity. To further this effort she started to vinify separately the vineyards, Cannubi and Vian Nuova, to best show their individual characteristics.
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.