Barbera "Vigna del Noce", Ezio Trinchero DOCG 2012

Ezio Trinchero, Agliano Terme, Asti & Monferrato Piemonte 

The flagship wine is their Barbera d’Asti “Vigna del Noce”, which was planted in the hills of Asti in 1929. The old vines, coupled with short pruning produce only thirty-five hectoliters per hectare in the vineyard, and the resulting wine is as fine and example of Barbera as one will find. The wine is treated like a top Barolo, as it is given a forty-five day maceration during the fermentation, and then aged at least 3-4 years in large, old oak botti prior to bottling. Ezio holds the wine back in bottle at least another six months prior to its release, and it is capable of aging very well for twenty to twenty-five years after its release. A recently tasted bottle of the 1985 Vigna del Noce clearly demonstrated just how long-lived this wine can be, as it was fresh, young and succulent, with impressive complexity and the depth and palate presence more typical of a Barbera of a Barbera of 10-12 years! It is clearly amongst the finest examples of Barbera made in Italy today.

Tobacco, worn-in leather and dried flower notes are all present. The 2012 has a ton of power and intensity but is also quite austere. Blood iron, game, worn-in leather, licorice and smoke punctuate the huge finish. This is a very particular, idiosyncratic style that takes some warming up to.

Grape: 100% Barbera

Organic