The venerable Giacomo Fenocchio estate was founded in 1864. Their Barbera d’Alba hails from hillside vineyards at 1,000 feet in Barolo’s Monforte d’Alba zone. Opaque black plum in the glass, Fenocchio’s Barbera Superiore casts a textbook nose of blackberries, violets, leather, mushrooms, dark tobacco, and almond skin. Fenocchio’s Barbera is brisk and zesty on the palate with deep impressions of blackberry and cassis fruit complemented by hints of tar, leather, tobacco, lavender, and button mushrooms. Driven by juicy acidity and a persistent limestone soil signature, the wine finishes with fine, buffered tannins and reprises of tobacco, lavender, and mushrooms. Pair this world-class Barbera now with grilled hanger steak, carne cruda, tagliatelle with a rich ragù or mushroom sauce, fritto misto, and vegetable and mushroom risottos. It will also reward seven to ten years aging in your cool cellar to allow its mushroomy, tertiary notes to blossom and its texture to develop and mellow.
A December 2020 newsletter selection
