PRODUTTORI del BARBARESCO
The Barbaresco
The areaThe DOCG Barbaresco district is in the wine-rich area of the Piedmont in Northwest Italy, a two hours drive from Milan and about an hour and half from the french border. The tiny Barbaresco district includes the three villages of Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso and 500 hectares (1,250 acres) of Nebbiolo grapes, which produce 2,5 millions bottles (208,000 cases) of Barbaresco every year.
Separated from the Barolo area by the town of Alba, Barbaresco is covered by wineyards of mainly three different varieties: Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera.
The Nebbiolo always get the best spots of land where the composition of the soil, exposure to the sun and the labor of men combine to create the magic of Barbaresco wine.
The Grapes
Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, grown in the DOCG Barbaresco's district. Nebbiolo, which has grown since the 13th century in the Piedmont region of Italy, is a late maturing grape, very sensitive to different soil and climate and with a complex and fascinating range of flavors. Nebbiolo is the grape of Barolo as well as Barbaresco.
The Soil
The grapes ore grown 200 to 400 meters above sea level (650-1300 feet), on very steep, «pre-alpine» hills in South Piedmont. The clay soil is rich in calcare; the different concentration in calcare (calcium) and a few sandy veins in the soil of each slope, give different characteristics to each different crop.
The Climate
The continental weather pattern of Barbaresco is hot summers, moderately warm springs and falls, and cold and snowy winters. Temperatures range from - 10°C to 35°C (15°F to 95°F). Exposure plays a crucial role in the quality of the crop, and Nebbiolo always get the best spots: South, South-West and South-East exposed slopes.
The Harvest
Depending on the summer weather, the Barbaresco harvest can be anytime from very late September to late October, slightly earlier than the Nebbiolo harvest in Barolo. All grapes are hand picked and, for the Produttori del Barbaresco, harvested in small baskets.
The Vinification
The must ferments at 28°C (80°F) in stainless steel vats for two to three weeks before it is racked and kept in vats until next September. The wine is then barrel aged for one to two years and rests in bottles for six months before release.
Tasting Notes
Barbaresco is a dry, elegant, full-bodied red wine, rich in tannin, with a very complex nose. At maturity, when it has fully developed for a few years, it reveals aromas of dry flowers, violets, white truffles, anise and more. In its youth it is closed in the mouth with nice, fruity aromas and a spicy, tannic finish. At maturity, the complexity of flavors opens up and the finish becomes smoother. Traditionally drunk with the game, meat, fowl, polenta, fonduta and white truffle dishes of the Piedmont, Barbaresco is a rich complement to many foods. The wine is long on the palate and, once opened, a bottle can be drunk for three, four days. The best serving temperature is around 18°C (65°F).