Although the prices for the best bottles are not exactly bargain basement, barbera remains a somewhat underrated varietal, shadowed as it is by the brilliance and finesse of the regional all-star, nebbiolo. Mind you, producers have been working hard (sometimes a bit too hard) to show that barbera is a serious grape.
Take Aldo Conterno’s Conca Tre Pile 2004 Barbera d’Alba, for instance. What strikes you first, when you smell it and taste it, is a well-defined set of flavors, dominated by cherry and red currant, quite typical of the varietal and concentrated. Yet the tannins (more…)
The OLD Wine Case 