Community Tasting Note
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bevetroppo Likes this wine: 91 points
May 3, 2023 - I opened this and was surprised by a somewhat meh initial impression. It took no more than 10 minutes of air to completely blow open the doors of perception. This is a terrific barbera that perfectly straddles the line between sheer drinkability (at 13.5%) and serious contemplation. Better yet, it gets more complex by the minute and rivals a lot of more exalted Piedmont appellations (yeah, I mean you nebbiolo) in the process.
Translucent ruby robe. Within a half hour and with a bit of swirling it's positively "intoxicating" on the nose. Sour cherry, deep raspberry bordering on liqueur that casts a haunting net of sweetness, hints of graphite minerality, a bit of baking spice. Spreads beautifully across the palate, more velvet than is usual in often spikily acid barbera, not that it lacks in that department, with softly concluding tannins.
There's a sense of completeness and harmony that is simply not common in barbera and leaves me with an internal struggle over whether to belt it down with tonight's homemade perciatelli in simple marinara sauce (have you tried the incredible Phillips pasta maker?) or lay about like an opium eater and savor it. Either way you can't lose.
Don't read the following unless you truly have nothing better to do. Those long-time followers of my tasting notes (all 3 of them) know that I often pepper them with cultural references, ranging from Romantic poetry to execrable puns. I've got one so bad and so obscure it's even making me squirm. "Putney says the barbera '16 grape has got to have soul." And this one does. Ok, you were warned.1 person found this helpful 976 views
1 Comment
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JohnMcIlwain commented:
5/8/23, 7:50 PM - A Putney Swope reference. Well done!