Tasting notes

A forward nose of creamy black and red raspberries jumps from the glass, with notes of cherries, minerals and black plums for complexity. The supporting graphite and wood notes flesh out and frame the perfumes.

Very intense deep purple color typical of Barbera. The palate is very smooth and demonstrates a high degree of polish, with deep black fruits and good freshness, though it seems a bit less heavy and concentrated than previous vintages.

The structure is medium-bodied with hints of tannins from the barrel ageing.

The finish shows intensity with good persistence and freshness that keeps the wine light on its feet; the overall effect is of a Barbera of elegance and completeness. 

Ratings for the vintage 2023
James Suckling 93 points 
Vinous 90 points 

 

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Evolution of the year 2023

The 2023 winter was cool and dry, with only a few precipitation events. As spring began, the dry weather continued thru the bud break, but in May significant rain fell over the course of the month, allowing the ground to soak up the moisture without much runoff or waste. This allowed the vegetative development a more typical course over the next few months. 

The summer, from June onwards, was characterized by alternating events of great heat followed by intense storms and cooler periods. This complicated the vineyard work tremendously, as the team struggled to care for the plants thru the extremes of weather. The end of July and August brought back the high heat and extreme dryness which continued thru the middle of September. We performed significantly less of green harvest in 2023, which helped result in wines of lower alcohol than would be expected in such a hot vintage. After years of accumulated experience, the vineyards team led by Luca knows how to manage each vineyard for maximum quality.

For Barbera, the conditions were close to perfect as this grape thrives in hot weather. In the Langa in 2023, maintaining the proper balance between leaf surface and fruit load was paramount for the excellence we expect of our wine in the glass. The necessarily high workload was rewarded by a harvest where the fruit had an excellent balance of acid, sugar and ripeness. Though the slightly later than expected harvest has its risks, we believe that the result shows very positively in the glass.

The harvest took place from September 29^th until October 4^th.