Oddero Barbera d'Alba 2007
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Winemaker Notes
Intense ruby-red color with purple tinges, a bouquet of fully ripe fruit, with an excellent dash of freshness. Tannins are prominent in the mouth, maintaining the classic Barbera backbone, thanks to its pleasant acidity.
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Wine Spectator
A firmly structured, powerful Barbera, with oak providing the tannic base and acidity the lift for the pure cherry, blackberry, black pepper and mineral flavors. This tight red still needs time, yet is impressive and long. Best from 2012 through 2016. 1,600 cases imported.
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Wine Enthusiast
There’s a very beautiful quality to the nose of this fresh Barbera d’Alba that opens with bright aromas of blue flower, red cherry, almond skin and cola. In the mouth, the wine shows bright acidity followed by a smooth, silky texture.
This winery was founded in 1878, in the area of Santa Maria, a hamlet of La Morra. It is one of the oldest producers of Barolo, a family that has kept the distinctive traditional style of winemaking for over a century. Over the generations, the Oddero family has gradually expanded its vineyards to today's impressive 60 hectares, many of which lie in the illustrious Barolo vineyards of Brunate, Rocche di Castiglione, Villero and Mondoca di Bussia. Since 2001, with the help of young and talented winemaker Luca Vaglio, Oddero winery has become one of the leading producers in Barolo.
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.