Wine Spectator Smart Buy Barbera d'Alba - 90WS

Giovanni Viberti Barbera d'Alba La Gemella 2019

Wine Spectator Smart Buy Rated 90 Points

A Barbera made by specialists in Barolo, this wine is a serious yet drinkable version of Barbera d'Alba vintage after vintage. Most vineyards in Alba have been planted with Nebbiolo over the years, with wineries ripping out Barbera for the more expensive and profitable Nebbiolo vines. Grown on soil that produces some of the best and most sought after wines of the world, Barbera from Alba tends to be in a more masculine style than Barbera from Asti, with more intense fruit flavors, a fuller body and darker color. In fact, at Giovanni Viberti, a winery that has been in existence for about 100 years now, and family owned, it is the youngest son in the business, and newest family member to work at the winery, Claudio, who spearheads the newer projects and plantings of the Barbera grape. 

At Giovanni Viberti, the goal of Barbera is to have great concentration of fruit, balanced acidity, clear and intense fruit flavors, all coming together to create an intriguing and fascinating Barbera, and not the simple table wines that this grape was known for making in the past. In fact, in Piedmont, Barbera was considered a table wine for poorer families who couldn't afford the more expensive Nebbiolo-based wines. Today, Barbera can be serious and fun, easy drinking and a great food pairing match. I love it with pizza (try some on the grill, and give your Barbera a very slight chill!), any kind of barbeque, and of course for red sauce pasta night. Drink it on informal evenings while your Barolo rests in the cellar, just like they do in Piedmont. 

One of the very first of the 2019 vintage from Piedmont to be released, this wine is a taste of some great wines to come in what is consiered a classic and traditional vintage for the region. 

Rated 90 Points by the Wine Spectator & a Smart Buy - "Pure and supple, featuring black cherry, plum, tamarind and tar flavors. Firms up by the finish, remaining fresh and long. Drink now through 2025. 4,805 cases made, 3,800 cases imported."

Cheers!

Tracy Maxon

tracy@varmax.com