2017 Fratelli Alessandria ‘Priòra’ Barbera

WSI94+ WA92 This wine is marked by Superiore status, although I don’t believe it was until this vintage. The 2016 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Priòra is a well-contained and very elegant expression of this popular red grape from Piedmont. You feel the richness and the fullness that comes naturally to this variety, but the wine is never excessively heavy or too rich. In fact, it walks a steady line that reminds you of the inner elegance that can be achieved with Barbera when placed in the right hands.
East Notes: Aromas of red and black cherries, plum, mocha, baking spices. Deep, ripe flavors, silky tannins; very long.  Hand-harvested in October. Destemmed and fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Aged for 12 to 14 months in 500L French oak casks and 20-40HL Slavonian oak casks. Aged further in tank for two months and in bottle for two months. VINEYARDS: A selection of older-vine fruit from estate holdings in ‘Rocche dell’Olmo’ (east-facing, at 930-1,080 feet) and ‘Semolino’ (west-facing, at 960-1,050 feet) in Verduno, and ‘Gramolere’ (southeast-facing, 1,200-1,350 feet) in Monforte d’Alba. AGE OF VINES: 35 years, on average