Synopsis, Our Opinion: One of our favorite Barberas that’s a great value.
Producer/Winery: Giovanni Rava, his wife Elena, daughter Margherita; La Casaccia; Cella Monte, Italy.
Grape Variety: Barbera.
Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: Barbera Del Monferrato; Piedmont, Italy.
Vintage: 2016
Price: $16.20 (with a 10% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Chicken in roasted tomato sauce; pasta with olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese; and a garden salad.
Tasting:
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Opened one hour before drinking. Opaque, garnet color with a light purple/red rim. Strong cherry and plum aromas, but with whiffs of raspberry and a background of wet wood; there were also hints of alcohol on the first pour. Powerful, rustic, medium body and a 150-grit texture. Dominating cherry along with plum and dusty dark chocolate flavors. Bright acidity, supple tannins and a long peppery and licorice tasting finish. WOW, VERY aromatic, VERY well balanced acidity and a PERFECT PAIRING with the roasted tomato sauce chicken. One of our favorite Barberas that’s a great value. And, do note, it’s still the same price as the 2012 vintage we bought four years ago!!!
Photo from Piedmont Wine Imports.
Footnote: We first had this Barbera at a tasting in July 2014 (see our review of La Casaccia Giuanin Barbera del Monferrato 2012). We thought this 2016 vintage was different enough (from the 2012 vintage) that we should review it again; however, we made a comment about single varietal tastings back in 2014 that we feel even stronger about today. Here’s our comment from July 2014 Barbera tasting where we first had this wine: “…We had this and four other Barbera wines at The Caviste Wine Shop in Winston-Salem yesterday and I’ll have to say tasting one grape variety (and in this case wines from the same local area) is so much more rewarding than tasting several different grape varieties. Although all of the five were similar, by tasting them side-by-side we were able to pick out the subtle differences that made each wine unique, and which best matched our taste. We have done many of these one grape variety tastings at the Caviste Wine Shop (see our review of a beaujolais tasting we did last year). If your ever in the Winston-Salem area (Central North Carolina) we strongly recommend you attend one of these very special tastings. Check the Event Calander on The Caviste Wine Shop web site www.thecavistews.com for their tasting events schedule. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!!!”.
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Closure: Reconstructed cork.
UPC Code: 8 58162 00417 2
Imported by: Piedmont Wine Imports; Durham, North Carolina.