Barbera d'Alba (2018)

About this wine

This is 100 percent Barbera from the Alba area of Piedmont, grown by the Marchisio family on sites around Castellinaldo and Roero. The nose shows clear ripe cherry, wild blueberry and a hint of black plum with a touch of dried herbs. On the palate the wine is medium bodied with crisp acidity, juicy red fruit and a clean mineral thread that keeps the finish focused. Tannins are present but fine and give the wine a slightly chewy texture without heaviness. According to producer and regional notes this wine is made with native fermentations in stainless steel and sees rest in a mix of stainless and large format wooden vessels which preserves fruit clarity and adds gentle structure. The 2018 vintage brings early roundness while retaining the freshness typical of Barbera d'Alba, making the wine approachable now with some capacity to age for a few more years.

About the grape

Barbera is an ancient Piedmontese grape that likely originated in the hills of Monferrato and has been cultivated in the region for many centuries, prized for its bright acidity and ability to give deeply colored must. In the Marchisio Family Barbera d Alba the variety is grown on Castellinaldo hills at about 280 metres above sea level on calcareous marl and sandy alluvial soils, with vines trained using the Guyot system and managed under organic and biodynamic principles. Winemakers in this area traditionally select lower yielding, older vines and specific clonal material to concentrate fruit, and Marchisio follows a long maturation process including time in wood and amphora to express the grape’s structure. Barbera’s late ripening and natural acidity make it well suited to the Alba hills where it is often planted alongside Nebbiolo and tailored through vineyard choices and yield control to the character of this bottling.

Quick facts

• 🏡 Made by the Marchisio family at their Organic Estate in Castellinaldo, in the Roero hills near Alba
• 🧑‍🌾 The Marchisio family has tended these vineyards since the early 1900s, giving the wine a long family story
• 🌱 The estate markets itself as an organic estate, so this Barbera comes from organically farmed vines
• 🍒 Tasting notes from Italian press describe Marchisio Barberas as especially round and gluttonous, with ripe red cherry charm
• 🎉 This Barbera d'Alba comes from the Castellinaldo area which has been highlighted recently at regional showcases, putting Marchisio on the local spotlight

Palate profile

Producer

Famiglia Marchisio is a family owned estate based in Castellinaldo d Alba in the Roero, with family records on the land dating back to the late 1800s. Across generations the Marchisio family moved from producing bulk wine after the war to bottling quality Piedmontese wines, and Sergio Marchisio introduced experimental sparkling wines and early plantings of Arneis in the area. The estate today cultivates around twenty hectares under organic and biodynamic principles, and it uses underground cellars, amphorae and photovoltaic energy to pursue a low impact approach to winemaking. The property also expanded into the historic Valmaggiore cru in Vezza d Alba, while keeping a strong focus on Arneis, Barbera and Nebbiolo production.