The colour is a vivid ruby with purple nuances. The aroma is fresh, with fruity notes reminiscent of blackberry and red berries jam, and spicy scents of vanilla and roasted hazelnuts. The taste is full and enveloping, with a very slight acid note. The woody notes merge well with the other flavours.

88 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

Barbera d'Alba is the most traditional of the Piedmont wines.

The grapes grow in vineyards composed of predominantly clay and limestone soils, alternated with layers of whitish marls, that give excellent structure and a vigorous but balanced character to the wine.

Product specifications allow to make Barbera d’Alba as a blend with a small percentage of nebbiolo d’Alba (up to 15%), to increase its refinement and elegance. The Marchesi di Barolo winery has taken up this opportunity, which – together with a careful choice of the location of the vineyards and a particular attention to the perfect ripening of the grapes – allows to produce a softer, more structured but less acidic wine.

Pairing Suggestions: Barbera is a wine to accompany a meal from start to end, complete in every occasion. It is excellent with tasty starters, first courses with hearty sauces and second courses such as roasts or boiled meats, but it greatly enhances traditional minestrone (thick soup with vegetables), too. It is ideal for sipping alongside cold cuts and hard cheeses.

Maturation: Partial ageing in traditional Slavonian oak barrels that makes the wine harmonious and enhance the elegance of the bouquet. Its sweetness is essentially due to the moderate acidity and to its delicate tannins. Barbera d'Alba matures 2 years after harvest and reaches its peak between 2 and 6 years of age.