RKS 2024 Wine: You Hear “Barbera” Think Piedmont

Posted byRobert K Stephen (CSW)Posted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , , , , ,

As Italian wine goes hear “Barbera” think Piedmont with the best Barbera wine being produced near the towns of Asti and Alba. Barbera is Piedmont’s most widely planted variety and technically takes third place in prestige to Barolo and Barbaresco. Often prestige and palate are incompatible.

We try a Barbera D’Asti from Michele Chiarlo.

Aroma: Fig, blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and black plum.

Palate: On the tart side. Acidity in many red wines is off-putting unless the right accompanying food is served There is well integrated acidity in this wine and by that I mean it does not overpower the palate. Black cherry and blueberry battles “harmoniously” with the acidy. Short finish.

Personality: I am straight to the point and will admit I am built for food with some acidity in it. Don’t waste me drinking me at some corporate “team building” cocktail party.

Food Match: Livorno style baked cod.

Cellarbility: With its acidity I feel like “The Lost in Space” robot in a 1960’s television manner wildly waving its arms in distress shouting, “Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning” i.e. best drink now.

Price: $ 16.95 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 88/100. Wine Align and Wine Enthusiast 92.

(Le Orme Barbera D’Asti 2021, DOCG Michele Chiarlo, Calamandrana, Italy, 750, 14%).

Published by Robert K Stephen (CSW)

Robert K Stephen writes about food ,drink, travel, film, and lifestyle issues. He also has published serialized novels "Life at Megacorp", "Virus # 26, "Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog" and "The Penniless Pensioner" Robert was the first associate member of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada. He also holds a Mindfulness Certification from the University of Leiden and the University of Toronto. Be it Spanish cured meat, dried fruit, BBQ, or recycled bamboo place mats, Robert endeavours to escape the mundane, which is why he has established this publication. His motto is, "Have Story, Will Write."

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