In the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy, the Nebbiolo grape stands high above the rest. It has two personalities—the dark, brutish wines of Barolo and the elegant, striking wines of Barbaresco.
These Barbaresco wines are often light in color but filled with tart berry flavors mixed with flavors of dry earth, spices, and potpourri.
The Nebbiolo grape produces powerful wines. The wines from Barbaresco are it’s most feminine and elegant, but they can be as exciting and exhilarating as their neighboring Barolo wines.
These wines have high acidity and tannin, so they are best after a couple of years of aging. Once they get a few years in bottle, they reveal invigorating aromas of tart cranberries and cherries, cardamom, potpourri, and dry earth. They are generally a lighter reddish-orange in color, but they are not light on flavor.
If you ever wished that Pinot Noir had the punch of Cab, this might be the wine for you!