Looking back on my year in Italy, one thing I find myself craving time and time again is a luscious glass of Barbera. Barbera is one of the three main grape varietals from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, and can generally be enjoyed fairly young, unlike its Nebbiolo counterparts. With fairly high acidity and lower tannins, Barbera is vivid, but also light-bodied – a wine for which I find no comparison.
When I shared a bottle of Rivetto Barbera Loirano Soprano with my family at Christmas dinner this year, I was excited to garner their feedback on the wine. We concluded together that the wine has a pleasant nose reminiscent of prune and currants, which matched perfectly with the deep purple color in the glass. To my surprise, my family considered the burst of acid to be a “bite to the tongue, almost spicy,” yet perfectly round at the end and superb with the filet and creamy pasta with which we had paired it. While this wine is definitely acceptable for aging, it is equally enjoyable young.
For more on Barbera, please read my piece on winepassitaly.com: http://www.winepassitaly.it/index.php/en/learn/piedmont-wines-and-grapes/item/846-mini-guide-barbera-wines