TN: The pleasures of barbera in a warm vintage (Burlotto '18)

WINE TALK
21

Don’t know nothing about some Barbara in Asti [snort.gif] but I certainly feel the average quality of Barbera d’Asti is higher than that of Barbera d’Alba!

22

Hey Otto. While you are snorting, perhaps focus on the reference to Nizza, its own DOCG in the Barbera d’Asti zone. Why are so many people who comment on wine so tiresome?

23

Welcome to the Boring Club. - YouTube

24

Ha! I agree. But with 6819 posts, you must have a higher tolerance for it.

25

I had the ‘15 Aves a couple of months back and found that it wasn’t wearing the 15% alcohol well - was noticeably hot. The ‘18 sounds more my style, will grab a bottle if I see it. Agreed on their Freisa and Pelaverga, too - subtle and delicious wines

26

Can someone enlighten me on Barbera?

I’ve had a few bottles now (G Rinaldi the main one)…and Barbera just seems to be a generic red wine with high acid. Fine on the table, but don’t find it to be any character worthy of much discussion or introspection. Kinda feel that it piggybacks on the reputation of Barolo/Barbaresco.

27

Using this thread for a post about an Italian Barbera . . .

Opened a 2014 Paitin Serra Barbera d’Alba with our pizza tonight. Poured the first glass more than an hour before eating to let it do some aerobics, and left the rest of the bottle uncorked, in case I wanted a second glass. The wine appears medium density, brick red in the glass. Slight orange tinge at the rim. It delivers aromas of forest edge briars and vined fruit. The taste is toned down dark fruit, spice and unobtrusive acid. Pretty tasty by itself before pizza, even more so with the pizza, and also after the pizza again by itself. Pleasantly surprised how enjoyable this was, as my expectations were that maybe the balance might be tilted towards the acid, but that was not the case.

I have to open more Italian Barbera (whether from Alba or from Asti ) [whistle.gif]

P.S. Barbera is not mentioned often on WB. It has been a rare wine for us too for a long time, but it was one of our early favorites when we first got into wine in the mid 70’s. Our Barbera in those days were exclusively from California. Here’s a shot of some of our wine labels from those days. Three are Barbera, including one from Italian Swiss Colony which was probably the biggest wine producer in California at the time, a Louis Martini, and a Rapazzini. Good times.
barbera.jpg

28

Since Paitin is in Barbaresco, where the weather was much kinder than in Barolo in 2014, I can imagine how this would turn out well.

Speaking of which, I came on a few more bottles of the Burlotto '18 two days ago in my basement. Now, if I just had some pizza!

Thanks for the note.

29

It’s a matter of taste. Sometimes the acid puts me off, but when you get a good one, it offers a different kind of pleasure, with a different flavor profile. It plays well of tomato dishes, probably because of the acid. And there’s a nice earthy quality to the good ones that’s entirely different from nebbiolo. Generally not a wine that calls for introspection, I agree. But sometimes I don’t want to be introspective. Sometimes I want a barbera, or dolcetto or Beaujolais, and not a Barolo.

I’ve never had one that measured up to good Barolo or Barberesco in complexity, but they can give real pleasure. Giacomo Conterno’s is really outstanding and can age a long time. Sadly it’s now $60 or so.

30

Does anyone have experience with Braida’s Barberas’? I happen to love Barbera even in warmer vintages, but have yet to try this producer, and have always heard great things. That being said alcohol levels are starting to creep up quickly (I believe the 2016 Bricco dell’Uccellone is at 16%). Though that’s kinda true for Barbera across the board though to some extent.

I’m particularly interested in hearing people’s thoughts on 2016 and 2017 vintages, and particularly interested in Bricco dell’Uccellone, but interested to hear thoughts on any of their Barberas’ in recent warmer vintages.

31

Agreed, John. Painting with a broad brush, I was not a fan of most regions in Europe during the oppressive 2003 vintage, but, overall, I thought Barbera fared the best to my tastes.

32

I haven’t had one in a couple of years. They are very ripe and very oaky. Sometimes I’m in the mood for that. If you haven’t had one, it’s worth trying, because it is good in that style. But they are defined more by the ripeness and oak than by the grape character.

33

Thanks for the note John! I wasn’t aware of that, and I’m very glad you mention that as I STRONGLY prefer traditionally crafted Barbera (where I can’t taste new oak, and something that isn’t over extracted).