Bullish on Barbera

I was debating in my mind what topic to write about in my next post; then last night I opened a bottle of wine that had been recommended to me by my colleague and fellow wine geek, Ian, and immediately I knew I had to report on this wine post-haste.  In my course on Piedmont wines a few years back, one of the wines I featured was a Barbera d'Alba, which has been a favorite of mine as a bright ruby red, fruity wine with tantalizing acidity usually available at very affordable price points. (Barbera is the grape varietal; the locale descriptor follows so that you will find a number of different Barberas from the Piedmont region.)  So when Ian mentioned a Barbera del Monferrato he'd picked up at a PA wine store, I knew I had to try it.  This particular Barbera comes from the Cantine Valpane winery and is imported by the highly esteemed wine merchant Kermit Lynch.  (More on him in a future post, but suffice it to say that you can hardly go wrong if you see his name on the wine label.) The family-owned wine estate is over 100 years old, was passed down over the generations and is currently run by Pietro Arditi, who employs natural techniques to produce his wines - no fining or filtration (so there will be some sediment in the bottle), indigenous yeasts, and sustainable farming practices.  The result is an exceptional wine at a moderate price bursting with fresh fruit aromas (cherry, blueberry with underlying earthy notes),  lively acidity, smooth, supple tannins and a luscious, round mouth-feel with a medium to long finish. At 14.5% alcohol, it's definitely on the more potent side, but the vibrancy and complexity balance out the high octane. This "Rosso Pietro" is aged in stainless steel and cement tanks only, so you get the full expression of the grape.  It is available for about $12 at the Girard Avenue Wine & Spirits shop (180 W. Girard Avenue) and also at the Franklin Mills location. Code: 000043193

 Cantine Valpane Barbera del Monferrato "Rosso Pietro" 2011







 



To read more about the winery's history and products, follow the link on Kermit Lynch's website:

http://kermitlynch.com/our_wines/cantine-valpane/