2019 Barbera d'Asti, La Crena, Vietti, Piedmont, Italy

Vietti

The Vietti family has been producing wine for four generations in Castiglione Falletto, at the heart of the Barolo area. Carlo Vietti founded the winery in the 1800s and his son Mario and the next generations carried on his legacy, focusing on improving the production.

Then, in 1952, Alfredo Currado (Luciana Vietti’s husband) was one of the first to select and vinify grapes from single vineyards (such as Brunate, Rocche and Villero). This was a radical concept at the time, but today virtually every vintner making Barolo and Barbaresco wines offers “single vineyard” or “cru-designated” wines.

Today, the winery is in the hands of Luca Currado Vietti and is considered to be one of the very best Piedmont producers. Their wines are highly sought-after, with beautifully designed labels as well as wonderful wine. In 1970, Alfredo and Luciana decided to support to some local artists and have selected labels turned into artworks. Artists such as Gianni Gallo, Eso Peluzzi, Pietro Cascella, Mino Maccari, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Claudio Bonichi, Valerio Miroglio, Pierflavio Gallina, Gioxe de Micheli, have had their works displayed to a much wider audience via the bottles of Vietti wines. In 1996 the most recent artist series label came from American realist Janet Fish on Vietti’s 1990 Barolo “Villero.” The whole collection of artist labels was shown at the Museum of Modern Art of New York

Barbera d'Asti

Barbera is a red wine grape variety native to the Piedmont region of Italy, particularly prominent in the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. It is one of Italy's most widely planted grape varieties, prized for its high yields, adaptability to various soil types, and ability to retain acidity even in warm climates. The Barbera grape typically produces wines with bright acidity, moderate tannins, and deep color, making it a versatile choice for winemakers.

In terms of flavour profile, Barbera wines often showcase a spectrum of red and black fruit flavors, such as cherry, raspberry, plum, and blackberry, along with hints of spice, licorice, and sometimes floral notes. The acidity in Barbera wines provides freshness and structure, balancing the fruitiness and contributing to their food-friendly nature.

Barbera is known for its approachability and versatility, as it can be crafted into a range of styles, from light and fruity wines for immediate enjoyment to more complex and age-worthy expressions. While Barbera wines are commonly enjoyed young for their vibrant fruitiness, some producers also age them in oak barrels to impart additional layers of complexity and texture.

Overall, Barbera is cherished by wine enthusiasts for its reliable quality, food-pairing versatility, and the wide array of expressions it offers, ranging from easy-drinking everyday wines to more profound and cellar-worthy bottlings.

Timorasso

Timorasso is one of the most exciting Italian autochthonous grape varieties to surface in recent years, from the Colli Tortonesi wine region in south east Piemonte, not far from Gavi in fact.

This ancient variety was brought from the brink of extinction during the '70/80s by the march of multinationals and their preference for facile Chardonnay, Merlot & Barbera. Local boy Walter Massa led the fight to revive this distinguished grape variety during the '80s/90s.

The style of Timorasso white wines resemble a mix of Chablis & Savennieres on account of high acidity, rich extract and propensity to develop noble rot, all grounded by calcareous soil.

Timorasso doesn' t benefit from oak ageing, as its purity, freshness and power emerge perfectly without it. Apricots, peaches, lime, and with age a touch of honey and a whisper of nuttiness all contribute to its aromatic profile, while its natural acidity and extract allow it to be drunk young or cellared for up to a decade.

Neighbouring estates such as La Colombera have also seen the light and are now focusing their efforts more & more on this fine variety.