Barbaresco Wine Tour Travel Guide - Where to Eat Sleep & Drink

by: Amanda

Tips from a local; the insider guide to Barbaresco wine area.

Barbaresco one of the major wine making areas in the Langhe region, in Piedmont, Italy. Here you have the more elegant side to the Nebbiolo grape. Barbaresco is made up of 4 villages and is a much smaller region than the neighbor you know who, to the west. 

In Barbaresco the altitude is much lower but the hillsides are much steeper and the views, well the views are just even more breathtaking. In Barbaresco we are lucky as they are 4 little sleepy towns just waiting to be waken up. Here is my guide of each town in Barbaresco wine area.

The Barbaresco Guide:

The Barbaresco village itself is touching the river Tanaro which divides the Langhe from the Roero. If you are into hiking, a walk along the river Tanaro is very nice and throughout the vineyards of Barbaresco to Neive there are many very nice paths. Talk to your hotel for the local walking maps. 

Barbaresco Village Wine Lover’s guide:

Where to sleep: Agriturismo Cascina delle Rose

Here you will be welcomed like family by Giovanna and her sons. Located in the heart of Rio Sordo, considered one of Barbaresco Grand Cru, you are in a perfect position to reach easily activities all throughout the Langhe and Roero area. See also if you can get a tasting with Riccardo, the wine are amazing too!

Where to eat: Tastè 

As the name implies, Taste, at this restaurant the idea of dining is quite fun as everything is meant to be served in share plates or small portions. So you can embark on a culinary journey to taste your way through the whole menu. This is a great place for larger parties of 4 or more.

Where to drink: La Barrique 

On your way into the city center of Barbaresco, you can find this little caffe, wine bar looking out over the Tanaro river. Here you can grab a nice bite to eat or simply just sit outside enjoying the view, sipping on a nice glass of Barbaresco wine, while watching the people walk by. 

Winery visit: Bruno Rocca 

This small family run winery is making some amazing long lived Barbaresco in the area. A visit to this winery is a must, as they will first hand walk you through the Barbaresco production area, how the wines are made and give you a very interesting and stellar tasting. A reservation is a must. 

Because one is never enough! Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy 

The history of the family who has owned this estate since 1797, gives you a tour with lots of  history of the Barbaresco area, and its wines. Being the only monopol in the Barbaresco area, to taste the Martinenga cru, especially at the source is something quite wonderful. 

Treiso Village Wine Lover’s guide:

Where to sleep: Villa Incanto 

A cute little place to stay that is right next to the restaurant Tornavento is Villa Incanto.  Here they have a wonderful view of the Langhe, equipped with a swimming pool and located in a quiet part of the town Treiso.

Where to eat: La Ciau di Tornavento 

In Treiso there is a very important 1 Michelin starred restaurant called La Ciau di Tornavento. You might have heard this name before because they are placed in many magazines for their incredible wine cellar.

Because one is never enough

I must mention Osteria dell’Unione. A small family run Osteria making some great examples of the typical Piemontese cuisine. Please note that this place does not accept credit cards. 

Winery visit: Giuseppe Nada

Located on the main road heading up the hill to the town of Neive, you can catch a glimpse of all of the Barbaresco vineyards from here. The wines of Giuseppe Nada are elegant examples of Nebbiolo and Barbaresco at its finest. A visit here you are welcomed with warmth from the whole family.

The Neive Village Wine Lover’s Guide:

Where to sleep: Borgese 

If you are looking for an architecturally stimulating place to stay, look no further than here. This small hotel was once one of the historic homes of Neive now beautifully renovated for guests to stay in comfort. 

Because one is never enough: Al Palazzo Rosso 

A very cosy and hip boutique bed and breakfast, here they have restored an old home in the city center that only has 4 rooms to rent. If you rent the suite, then you get access to the rooftop balcony!

Where to eat: L’Aromatario

This place I recommend getting a reservation as they tend to always be booked. The wine list is very hip with a good selection, but the handmade pasta is TOP.

Where to drink: Al Nido della Cinciallegra 

This place is my watering hole, as many evenings before dinner I will stop by here to have a chat with friends and a glass of wine. If you are in the mood to taste some more Barbaresco, you can ask to do a Barbaresco tasting, where they will pour for you several examples to taste. 

Winery visit: Ressia 

Fabrizio is very proud and passionate about the wines he is making and has every right to be.  He makes a very interesting dry Moscato as well as a wonderful Barbera d’Alba and Barbaresco.  A small family farm they work only 5 hectare of land and the winery welcome could not be warmer. Ask about his Barbaresco Riserva Gold Label.

The San Rocco Seno d’Elvio fraction of Alba Village, Wine Lover’s Guide

Where to sleep: Mia Clara 

This family run hotel is nestled in the vineyards of Barbaresco area. What once was an old farmhouse has been beautifully restored into a small Relais. Here if you are looking for peace and quiet and a place away from the crowds this is it. 

Winery visit: Adriano 

A small family run winery who are very much in-tune with the area of both Barbaresco and Alta Langa. They not only make some wonderful examples of Barbaresco, but they also have hazelnut groves, and make their own Cugna (a Piemontese chutney that typically pairs with cheese). A visit to this wonderful cellar is a must. 

Other articles you might enjoy:

Wine Tasting In Langhe, Walk-in Tasting Rooms

The Ultimate Barolo Wine Tour Guide: Where to Eat | Drink | Sleep

Wine Tasting in Langhe, Walk-in Tasting Rooms

by: Amanda

Don’t like making appointments to visit your favorite wineries here is my quick list to wineries that have a walk-in tasting room.

In order to make the most out of your time wine touring around the Langhe, I do highly recommend getting in contact with the wineries beforehand to organize a tour and tasting, but lucky for us there are some wineries who do not require a call or email ahead of time.

Here is my quick list to the wineries who will accommodate to these pop-in tastings:

Wine Tasting in Barbaresco:

Neive Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Castello di Neive:

Town Neive

Day of Closure: Tuesday

Opening times: 10:30 till 6:30 pm

Located in the Castle in the town of Neive, this cellar has been producing wine since the 1800’s. If you catch them at the right time you can also visit the cellar which is a beautiful historic cellar with many artifacts dating back to the 18th century. In the tasting room they offer an array of different types of wines and have a list of choices per each wine.

Massimo Rivetti at Porta san Rocco:

Town Neive (conveniently located across the small piazza from Castello di Neive)

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:30 till 8:30 pm (nice place to have an aperitivo as well)

This location is a second location for the winery, the actual farm is located in the Neive hills and typically to visit the winery requires a reservation ahead of time. But Porta San Rocco Wine Shop is a great place to meet the family and taste their wonderful wines. They even have videos to bring you as close as possible to life in the vineyards and winery as they can. A very relaxed atmosphere and a great place to spend a lazy afternoon enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace. They also offer an E-Bike service if you would like to add some sport activity to your vacation.

Wine Tasting in Barbaresco:

Barbaresco Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Produttori del Barbaresco:

Town Barbaresco

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: Monday through Friday 9:00 till 1:00pm then again from 2:00 till 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday they don’t close for lunch break so they work straight through from 10:00 am till 6:00 pm

This winery is very important as the last working cooperative in the Langhe.  Started in the late 1800’s it was Domizio Cavazza who was working as a professor at the time in the Enology school in Alba. It was his idea in the beginning to call the wine after the town of Barbaresco, actually as story goes he wanted to expand the Barolo region over to the Barbaresco area not to have any confusion with the two geographic zones. This didn’t happen, but he did manage to help the farmers out in the area of Barbaresco with experiments and new technologies in wine making that had helped to put Barbaresco on the map.

When he founded this cooperative there were the initial 3 rules:

1) One Grape Nebbiolo, that’s it!

2) The farmers who plan to work with the cooperative must not have their own winery or sell their Nebbiolo grapes to anyone else.

3) Quality comes first, the better the grapes, the higher the quality, the more the farmers get paid.

Wine Tasting in Barolo & Barbaresco:

Alba Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Ceretto:

Town Alba Fraction San Cassiano

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:00 till 5:00 pm

The Ceretto winery is a great visit, one of the few wineries in this area that understood how to take art, architecture, and wine and put them together in such a wonderful way. The tasting room at their Alba location has a wonderful room like a plastic bubble that was designed to look like a grape and if you see some photos on their website it does look just like that. The wonderful thing is from there you get a wonderful view of the rolling hills in the Langhe and also get a glimpse of some of their vineyards. The tasting options that they have are a good range and on the spot you can choose which type of tasting you would like to participate in. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable.

And if after you are hungry you can try and score a spot at Ceretto’s 3 Michelin starred restaurant Piazza Duomo, the only one of 3 stars in Piedmont.

Wine Tasting in Barolo:

Serralunga d’Alba Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Fontanafredda:

Town Serralunga d’Alba

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 9:30 till 6:30 pm

This is a winery with a whole lot of history, in order to actually have a winery tour you must make a reservation ahead of time, but for just a tasting room visit you can walk in at anytime in between the hours listed above. Fontanafredda is the largest working winery in the Barolo area and from this they have two wonderful restaurants on site. You can grab a quick bite at the Osteria or if you would like something absolutely magnificent you can make a reservation to enjoy a meal at their Michelin starred restaurant Guido.

Wine Tasting in Barolo:

Barolo Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Borgogno:

Town Barolo

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:00 till 1:00 pm then again at 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm

If you fancy a stroll around the Barolo village you can certainly take a pit stop at the Borgogno tasting room. Be warned because here in the village of Barolo the locations tend to be much smaller and thus this tasting room attracts a lot of attention and will most likely be jam packed. If you stop by there on a Thursday in the late spring/summer they will open up the terrace on the top of the building tower where you can go to enjoy a glass or bottle of wine and enjoy the vineyard view.

Damilano:

Town Barolo

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:30 until 6:30 pm

Please note that they also have a winery down the street but the tasting room shop is located in the center of Barolo where it is more convent to walk around and explore the small village. The friendly staff at this tasting room are very knowledgeable and will be able to help you find the perfect tasting package to help you get to know and understand the wonderful Nebbiolo grape.

Other posts you might like

Barbaresco Wine Tour Guide

Barolo Wine Tour Guide

In love with farmers market - "I Mercati" not to miss

by: Amanda

I love going to the weekly farmers market, to see the seasonal fresh produce and to watch the little old nonni bartering with the vendors about the things they are planning to buy for lunch that day. Here is a list of some of my favorite mercati in the area.

Monday -

Mango - Piazza XX Settembre - Via G. Marconi - Mango is a quaint little medieval town and this market is quite limited in things it offers but has all the basics. Situated in the Piazza where the castle is located, if you are here in the season when the Moscato d’Asti Enoteca is open I recommend stopping in for a nice refreshing glass of Moscato d’Asti.

La Morra - Piazza Vittorio Emanuele - A great Monday market with just the basics to get you started in the week.

Monforte d’Alba - Piazza Mons. Dallorto - A well curated smaller market with just the basics to get you started in the week.

Tuesday -

Alba - Piazza Cagnasso - Here is a smaller version of the market on Saturday. It is located under the covered parking area and is a bit limited on things that is offered but is good if you are in a pinch.

Canale - Via Roma - Piazza Italia - Via Gravier - Piazza Martiri L. - Via Malabaila - Piazza Vittoria - Piazza Castello -  This market is here everyday in the mornings it is open only for the restaurants in the area and after 4pm it is open to the public. On Tuesday all day it is open to the public.

Canelli  - Piazza Gancia - Piazza Zoppa - This is a very versatile market, great produce and many things to choose from. Great cheese, fish, and poultry stands.

Wednesday -

Bra - Piazza XX Settembre - Corso Garibaldi - A nice market to visit, typically has many different vendors for local products and great produce.

Neive - Piazza Garibaldi - A smaller market with many produce vendors, great cheese vendors, and if you have a craving for rotisserie chicken this market has got you covered.

Thursday -

Alba - Piazza Cagnasso - Here is a smaller version of the market on Saturday. It is located under the covered parking area and is a bit limited on things that is offered but is good if you are in a pinch.

Castagnole delle Lanze - Piazza S. Bartolomeo - Via Roma - Via Casetta - A great market and if you are in love with seafood they have a great fresh fish stand that offers the daily catch. The gentleman working the stand will gladly clean the fish for you too!

Friday -

Bra - Piazza XX Settembre - Corso Garibaldi - Piazza Carlo Alberto - A nice market to visit, typically has many different vendors for local products and great produce. Another plus is this market is very close to the most wonderful cheese store Giolito. Located on Via Montegrappa 6, and they have cheese courses and cheese tastings!

Murazzano - Piazza Cerrina - Piazza Umberto I - A small local market, and being in the heart of the Alta Langa cheese protection area, here there are some wonderful Murazzano D.O.P. cheese vendors.

Canelli - Piazza Gancia - Piazza Zoppa - Viale Indipendenza - Great market with lots of things to choose from. They have fresh seasonal vegetables, cheese, poultry, fresh seafood, clothing and other miscellaneous things that could be interesting.

Saturday -

Alba - Centro Storico - This market is great because you can get just about anything. They also have a great little area called “Mercato di Terra” in Piazza San Giovanni, which sells all local, organic, specialty products all grown and produced from a very short distance from Alba.

Asti - Piazza Alfieri - Piazza Campo Palio - Piazza Libertà - Another great market to visit and this one is very large that is is held in 3 Piazze. At this market it is not uncommon to find antiques and other random things for sale.

Mondovì - Piazza Ellero - Another great assortment of fresh produce, locally made salame, cheese, and oven baked bread. A large and vast market to visit.

Saluzzo - Concentrico e Via Don Soleri - Saluzzo could be one of my favorite towns to visit that is located at the foot of the Alps. A historical town with plenty of great restaurants, wine shops, and lots of shopping. But with the addition of the market you now get an array of fresh produce, cheese, honey, bread, everything to make your home cooked meal even better.

*photos courtesy of Letizia Cigliutti

Barbaresco Master Class

by: Amanda

Let’s dive into the rules, regulations, and some myths and tales about Barbaresco wine growing area. Barbaresco is a smaller appellation to it’s bigger brother Barolo, and even bigger neighbor to the north Roero. Barbaresco appellation is made up of 3 villages and a fraction of Alba calle San Rocco Seno d’Elvio. The 3 other villages that make up a part of this winemaking area; are Barbaresco, Treiso, and Neive. From these three areas Neive is the largest land area in all of Barbaresco but Barbaresco has them beat with the most amount of Nebbiolo planted in the area. This makes much sense because the quality level of the growing area in Barbaresco is much greater and greater quality to the other regions.

In Barbaresco alone you have the most amount of what we could compare to the French Grand Cru vineyards. In Barbaresco the Grand Cru vineyards would be considered Asili, Pora, Bricco, and Montestefano. Followed by Ovello, Rabajà, Riosordo, Martinega, Roncalini, Roncaglietta, and Trifolera, then Bernino, Vincenziana, Moccagatto, Ronchi, and Faset. The Barbaresco area is the closest to the river Tanaro, it is practically touching the river bed and thus this is very helpful in case of a storm coming from the north area Roero, before the storm will reach Barbaresco it will have been taken up the river by its current.  The soil in Barbaresco village belongs to the Tortonian period, where a bluish marl - clay that is very compact, which is defined as Sant’Agata Fossils.  Barbaresco here is sharing the same soil structure as the neighbors in Barolo villages Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. Here, because the soil is more compact and more difficult for vine growth we are left with a product more rich in tannin and with more complexity. Which could be why there are the most amount of growing areas of Grand Cru quality.

Neive my home and I cannot tell you how much I love to live here, and you must come to visit! Like me you might not want to go home. Neive is a bit more north east respect Barbaresco and Treiso and the soil structures vary quite a bit.  The more southern part of Neive where you have more Moscato, towards the area Mango you will have more Tortonian-Serravallian with veins of Lequio formations, here you will find more of a grey marl mixed with sand. The vineyards that are on the boarder of Barbaresco share the same Tortonian bluish marl and thus are more complex than the latter. Towards the northern bit you have more sandy soils, better for younger drinking wines. There are only 2 Grand Crus in Neive and that would be Gallina and Cottà with Bordini, Chirrà, Gaja, Balluri.

Treiso shares a lot in common with Barolo, towards the south western part of Treiso you will find wines that have a lot of the same complexity as Barolo. With this said you will find a lot of the same soils as you will in the Barolo area. Tortonian and Tortonian-Serravallian, lots of clay, grey marl, and iron rich soils with little or no sand. There are less grand crus in Treiso but some vineyards to keep an eye out for are Rombone, and Gresy. Also Montarsino, Varaldi, Castellissano, followed by Rizzi, Bongiovanni, Marcarino, and Stella. Treiso and San Rocco Seno d’Elvio are a lot of the same vineyards, for instance Rizzi, Montersino, and Meruzzano.

Interesting story about San Rocco seno d’Elvio is this fraction of Alba is where an Emperor of Italy was born. Elvio Pertinace and you will find his coin on the bottles of Produttori del Barbaresco labels as an ode to the Emperor who represented this area. Pretty cool?

In the area of Barbaresco there is not only Nebbiolo grapes, it is a major part of this wine making area but not the only one.  There is even more of a history with the grape varieties of Dolcetto, Barbera, and also Moscato in these areas.  Historically these other grapes were the wines that were consumed most. More as table wines for everyday consumption, and while Nebbiolo would have been the more affordable wine to drink, the people at that time paid a little bit more to have Dolcetto and Barbera. It is funny because today we talk about Dolcectto and Barbera like sports teams, not many people like both varietals. This is because Dolcetto starts of fruity and floral and then has a finish with a little bit of tannins and some almond skins, this flavor gives a bitter aftertaste. Most people don’t get along with this aftertaste but in terms of pairing with food it is very important and thus Dolcetto pairs well with most types of food.  Barbera on the other hand has no tannins at all has lots of red fruits and a bit of iron flavors, and is famous for its bright acidity that cleans the mouth. This wine is then paired with fattier foods, meat dishes, and cheeses.  Then we have Moscato which in the two towns of Neive and Treiso can make Moscato d’Asti, a lightly fizzy sweet wine that pairs well with Panatone, and with fresh fruit like strawberries and peaches, or just on its own as a pick me up in the late afternoon. We will talk more about Moscato in a later blog post as I would like to explain all the hard work and sleepless nights that goes into every bottle of Moscato d’Asti.

After all of this talk about the areas and what makes them so special lets take a minute to talk about the rules and regulations of Barbaresco area. To make a Barbaresco starts at the slope in the vineyard where you can grow Nebbiolo grapes on an East, South, or Western facing slope and you cannot growthe Nebbiolo higher than 550 meters above sea level. This excludes all together the North facing as when the DOCG was put into place the reasoning was that the late ripening variety Nebbiolo would not finish its phenolic ripening process. The maximum amount of grapes that can be harvested per hectare is 8 tons and the alcohol must be higher than 12%, and the vine training must be Guyot. After all of these specifications once the grapes have been brought into the cellar the fermentation and maceration depends on the grower, but the wine can be released on the 3rd year after the harvest and 9 of those months in cellar must be in wooden barrels. From there you can keep the wine in barrel longer and in bottle longer and can release when you would like but the basis is 9 months in wood. The wines when they are finished will need to go through a series of exams, one is a chemical analysis and the second is a sensory analysis where many wine makers who are part of the Consorzio will attend a blind tasting to make sure these wines are meeting the necessary standards.

Once all of this has taken place the government will issue banderols to place on each bottle of wine as proof of its legality. Now the wine is ready to drink! Just kidding, one question I get asked a lot is when should you open a bottle of Barbaresco to maximize its full potential in this wine. Like taste, this answer is not so simple, also there might be many winemakers who have a different idea I would like very much for them to share their experiences. I cannot answer for everyone but I hope to make a diplomatic approach to my answer. Once upon a time Barbaresco and Barolo were wines that were to dink with at least 20 years of age. Because of climate change, and new technologies in the cellar I feel as though these Nebbiolo based wines can be enjoyed at a much younger age. As much fun as it is to save a bottle in your cellar for the next twenty years to one day take it out to share with your friends and loved ones I am of the type that I just can’t wait.  To many things can happen to this bottle of wine from today to the next 20 years and I am not wanting to take a risk.  So I say to many people that the best time to enjoy a Nebbiolo wine like Barbaresco and Barolo is after the first 5 years the wine is in the bottle. Here is the tricky part, how do you know when the wine was in the bottle? Well the safe way to go about it, is unless it is a Riserva you can be safe to say that the wine was bottled near the year it was released, but unless you talk to the winery it is hard really to know. So here is my cheat sheet! About 10 years from the vintage in the bottle is the best time to start to drink your Barbaresco or Barolo. It is not a rule of thumb but it is pretty close to getting you to optimal drinking potential. The first 5 years the wine is growing developing, then after this period the wine starts to age, just like people. Some of us get better while others of us just get a bit worse. Thus my fear of not wanting to wait to long. With this said there are plenty of wines that age amazingly and have a longevity that could out live all of us.

A one man Barbaresco band - Ugo Lequio

by Amanda

Barbaresco is a celebrated Italian wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. The wine is made from the Nebbiolo grape, which is grown in the hills of the Langhe region. This area is home to some of the most famous wines in the world, such as Barolo, and Barbaresco.

Barbaresco is an elegant wine that displays aromas of ripe cherries, violets, and spices. On the palate, it has a light body with bright acidity, firm tannins, and a long, lingering finish. It pairs well with a wide variety of dishes, including red meats, game, and aged cheeses.

Barbaresco has been produced in the Langhe region for centuries, and today it is a DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wine, meaning that it is subject to strict rules and regulations regarding its production. The wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes that are grown in the communes of Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso, and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.

Ugo was raised in Neive to a wine making family in the town of Neive, right up the road from where his today's winery is located. He grew up in a family who not only made Barbaresco wine but also some of the other favorites of the Langhe, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Moscato. Because Ugo was the younger son, in a time when you had heiracy within the birth pattern of the children, Ugo was not an heir to take over the family's estate. Thus having to move himself down the street and adjusting his home into also a winery, where he would then be able to practice his art. Ugo has been making wine in his large and comfy home "garage" for the past 40+ years. I guess we can call him one of the first Barbaresco Garagista's.

Today Ugo with the help of his Golden Retriever puppy Joy, he oversees 5 hecare of vineyards in the town of Neive, located inside of one of Barbareso's important geographic mentions Gallina. Many sommelier from all over world who have had the chance to taste his wines would consider Ugo's expression of Barbaresco Gallina one of the purest. He also makes a Langhe Nebbiolo and Barbera d'Alba all coming from his Gallina Vineyard. He is one I highly recommend to keep an eye out for.

Ressia - the beginning of a Classic!

Fabrizio is humble and passionate Barbaresco producer, and anyone who has the chance to meet him in his winery walks away with an unforgettable experience. Working only 5 hectars in the vineyard Canova located in the village of Neive, he grows Moscato, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo. Ressia has owned and farmed their land for 3 generations since 1913 and it was when Fabrizio’s time to take over he decided to build a winery and start to make wine. Little by little Fabrizio started to buy equipment, and expand the family’s farmhouse for the winery. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BFYxvKqIdWZ/?taken-by=amandaswineadventures[/embed]

2015 Evien Bianco: a white wine from Moscato that undergoes a maceration of 2 days before fermentation starts, then 70% is aged in Austrian acacia while the rest remains in steel. Fresh, floral, aromatic, light body and great acidity.

2013 Evien Serie Oro: This wine is Moscato taken from a special selection in the vineyard that will then be aged in barrel for 2 years. Much bigger on the pallet, orange peel, floral, tropical fruits. Has the potential to age.

2013 Barbera d’Alba Superiore: 2 years in Botticella (the staves are French oak, and the heads are Slavonian oak). The Slavonian oak helps the fruit, more cherry notes raspberry, where the French helps to make the wine more round.

2012 Barbera d’Alba Superiore: round, sweet, red fruits, floral

2010 Barbera d’Albal Superiore: complex, red fruits, full on the pallet a really beautiful wine

2008 Barbera d’Alba Superiore: black fruit, vanilla, very smooth, rich

2004 Barbera d’Alba Canova: this wine is only aged in stainless steel. Typically when made this way the fruit and acidity is bright and lively. Typically a wine not for aging too long. Here the wine showed notes of cocoa, chestnut honey, bright acidity and a long finish. I am always impressed to see a Barbera of this style age so wonderfully.

2013 Barbaresco Canova: for Ressia’s Barbaresco will stay 26 months in Botticelle before it will be bottled. Fresh fruit, elegant, floral, Strawberries, smooth elegant tannins, rich and velvety.

2012 Barbaresco Canova: classic Nebbiolo, cherries, dried rose, fennel, and currants

2010 Barbareco Canova: red fruits, wild sage, herbs, and absolutely beautiful, long finish with silky tannins.

2009 Barbaresco Canova: great example of 2009, nervous tannins.

2008 Barbaresco Canova: classic fruit, fresh, sweeter tannin

2006 Barbaresco Canova: cherry Jell-o, chocolate, tannins are still hard

2005 Barbersco Canova Riserva Oro: this was the first vintage a Riserva for this house was made. Tobacco, chocolate, tea, blackberries, a full mouth feel, wonderful long finish.

I am very happy that I had the opportunity to taste through this wonderful lineup of great wines. I feel that Ressia has a wonderful representation of the fruit, the vineyard and the vintage. The wines are clean and expressive and have shown wonderfully a decade of wonderful wines. Since they make a very small amount of bottles you will not find Ressia everywhere so it is my suggestion the next time you are in Piemonte to stop by for a tasting.

If you would like other things to do while in the area of Barbaresco you can visit my blog here.