Description
Lovely, fruity, organic Barbera from an ancient estate in Asti, Piedmont, north west Italy. It’s a great food wine, unoaked, youthful, fresh and easy to enjoy.
TASTING NOTE: A dark cherry red colour, with a tiny hint of pink around the edge of the glass, confirming it’s a young wine. On the nose: There’s cherry fruit, some spice, herb and graphite (pencil lead) aromas. On the palate: A juicy red with berry and cherry flavours, fresh acidity and medium-full body, with balanced tannins. A young wine that was bottled recently, you may taste a hint of spritz, from the carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation. This goes as the wine ages. Lovely and fresh with a sour cherry note on the finish.
FOOD PAIRING, STORING AND SERVICE: For local matches, the estate suggest trying it with vitello tonnato (a veal dish with a creamy sauce, tuna, capers and anchovies), or tagliatelle with Robiola di Roccaverano (a soft cheese, usually from goat’s milk). But Gianni says, for a simpler match, try with a ‘salami sandwich, a pizza or nice plate of tajarin with meat sauce’ (tajarin is the name for the Piedmontese egg pasta, which is absolutely delicious!). Essentially, Barbera is a versatile grape and is perfect for a meat/cheese/ vegetable platter or pizza. You can’t go wrong!
ABOUT: The Bertolino family have presided over Tenuta Olim Bauda, an estate in Piedmont, near the town of Asti, since 1961. However, the estate itself dates back at least till the 1200s, and has a fascinating history, including functioning as a hospital for wounded soldiers in World War Two. Currently, it’s in the hands of Dino, Diana and Gianni Bertolino, who make lovely wines from Barbera, Cortese (for their Gavi wine) and Grignolino grape varieties, all of which were certified Organic from 2022.
