2022 Langhe Freisa, Valle dei Salici, Luigi Giordano, Piedmont, Italy
About this WINE
Luigi Giordano
The winery was founded by Giovanni Giordano in the 1930s, when Barbaresco was all but unknown. After a period of growing and selling grapes, Giovanni’s son Luigi made the bold decision to vinify and bottle his own grapes in 1958. He was one of the few visionary producers confident in the quality of his wine and potential of his terroir. This a brave move helped Barbaresco move forward on a path of quality winemaking, and Luigi’s decision paved the way for many Barbaresco producers.
Today, Luigi Giordano lies a stone’s throw from Barbaresco’s small village centre, run by Luigi’s grandson Matteo Rocca. Young, talented, and ambitious, he respectfully continues the winery’s elegant and staunchly traditional style, with long macerations on skins and maturation in large oak botti. Since joining in 2011, he has invested maximum time in the vineyard. Every year, the wines gain greater definition and detail, better articulating their impressive sites.
Langhe
Langhe is an all-encompassing zone lying due south of Alba and the River Tanaro in the province of Cuneo. Barolo and Barbaresco both lie within its boundaries.
Langhe is also the name of a regional DOC zone, which is used to classify wines made outside of the traditional Piemontese varietal scheme (Nebbiollo, Barbera, Cortese etc). Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines from the region are, for example, classified as Langhe DOC.
Langhe Nebbiolo
Effectively the ‘second wine’ of Piedmont’s great Barolo and Barbarescos, the Langhe Nebbiolo DOC is the only way Langhe producers can declassify their Barolo or Barbaresco fruit or wines to make an early-drinking style.
Langhe Nebbiolo can be released onto the market as soon as practicably possible either as a fresh, fruity wine made solely in stainless-steel, or later on having been aged in oak. The Langhe Nebbiolo DOC was created in 1994 along with a plethora of other Langhe DOC wines (so diluting their significance).
Unlike Nebbiolo d’Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo can be cut with 15 percent other red indigenous varieties, such as Barbera or Dolcetto. Leading, quality producers of Barolo and Barbaresco are more inclined to use 100 percent Nebbiolo, recognising its role as a stepping stone, using the fruit from vines that are either too young or poorly situated.
Larger producers tend to use the Langhe Nebbiolo DOC as a valve, declassifying wines destined for Barolo or Barbaresco when the market is difficult. Confusingly Langhe Nebbiolo can also be the declassified wine of Nebbiolo d’Alba.
Recommended producers: Giovanni Rosso di Davide Rosso , Mario Fontana , Ferdinando Principiano
Barbera
Barbera is planted extensively in Piedmont and south-west Lombardy and accounts for over 50% of the wine produced in the region. The majority is sold simply as Barbera del Piemonte, but the best wines are the DOCs, Barbera d'Alba and Barbera d'Asti. It ripens late (after Dolcetto but before Nebbiolo).
The wines are usually ruby red in colour with notably low levels of tannins. They have a pronounced acidity that can be accentuated by overproduction. Barbera wines range from light, tart mouthwashers through to powerful, intensely flavoured wines that require extended cellaring.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Valle di Salici, the Valley of the Willows, is so named due to the branches from local willow trees originally being used as rope to tie the vines. The 2022 shows superb balance, offering pretty, floral perfume and vibrant red fruit, alongside more tannin than previous years, which gives increased ageing potential. Whilst tasting, Matteo recounts that when he moved away from the traditional, sparkling style of Freisa, his grandfather didn’t speak to him for three months. This is a beautiful, modern interpretation of Freisa that is a delight to drink.
Drink 2024 - 2032
Berry Bros. & Rudd
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