Barbaresco

Barbaresco, Barolo, Brunello, Barbera.  What's with all the B wines in Italy?  It gets confusing.  For me it seems like one out of these four always gets lost in the shuffle.  I figure, if I can remember three out four that ain't bad, is it?  Unfortunately the one that tends to get overlooked in my mind's eye is Barbaresco.  Barolo is always memorable.  It's the greatest wine in all of Italy.  Barbera is a memorable best buy in everyday wine.  Brunello is the great wine of Tuscany.  So where does that leave Barbaresco?

Barbaresco does, in fact, have an identity problem that may stem from its pedigree.  Both Barolo and Barbaresco are from Piedmont in the northwest corner of Italy, where the best Italian wines come from.  Barolos are huge red wines often requiring ten to twenty years to develop.  If tasted too young, their tannins will absolutely take the enamel off your teeth.  Barbarescos are sourced from ten miles to the northeast of Barolo in a region a third of the size of Barolo.  So you get the picture - The great wine next door in the larger domaine dwarfs what you do in your smaller venue.

One of the great grapes of the world is Nebbiolo and that single varietal is all that is allowed in both wines but the difference in growing conditions couldn't be more pronounced.  Both appellations are located in the foothills of the Alps but because of the lay of the land, Barbaresco gets a more maritime climate.  It's warmer and drier so the grapes ripen earlier meaning fewer tannins yet the wine remains age worthy.  It is an aromatic, rich and spicy red with flavors of cherry, truffles and anise; yet softer, rounder and more elegant than Barolo.

If that description of Barbaresco sounds pretty good that's because you are in step with what the modern wine loving public loves - rich red wines with soft tannins.  So here's the irony - All this time that Barbaresco has gotten short shrift next to Barolo, it turns out it has the winning formula.  Using modern winemaking technology, Barolos are now being made into that more approachable style.