Bottled by: Vietti
100% Barbera grapes
Asti, Piedmont, Italy
14.5% abv
The wine is moved from stainless steel tanks to French oak or Slavonian oak casks for 12 months and then back to stainless steel before bottling.
First taster-glass poured after opening:
Aroma: mixed berries with the focus on red
Flavors: a mix of dark berries and some red berries peeking through, black licorice,
Mouthfeel: smooth, on the light side of medium, lingering berries
Decanted Wine: (20 minutes)
Appearance: deep purple with a ruby edge.
Aroma: black berry like with a tart cherry, a slight inky and dark soil tone.
After a good walk around the block with the dogs I comeback to a change on the nose. I am not picking up that tart cherry and slight inky tone. Wow, I liked it before now, it is just yummy to smell. It is like smelling a bowl full of blackberries and dark currants mixed with some red currants, red cherries, and a few raspberries; to me there is a delicate earthy minerality with a nice touch of oak.
Flavors: the taste is following the nose; tasty dark berries and red cherries and that slight inky note has followed as well. I like the black licorice that is swirling around the other notes.
After that walk with the dogs the flavors are even better. Decant this wine for a good hour is what I take from this adventure. That slight inky note is gone; the dark berries are juicy with blackberry and black currant leading the way, a touch of tart red cherry is adding some character, and there are some sweet red berries that are spinning lightly underneath. I think the vanilla-oak is now coming through after some real good breathing time.
Mouthfeel: smooth, silky like, moderately coats the palate with berries, a firm medium body style. While the aftertaste is moderate it is berry-tasty. The tannins and acidity are well under control at this time.
To the Point: a great time to drink this wine; remember decant for 45 minutes to an hour. I wish I had more of this wine.
I had this wine with dinner later in the day and the inky and tart style stood out with the meal.
My Strength Rating: 5.5 – medium body
