Scarpa I Bricchi Barbera d'Asti 2014

Cellar for up to 3 years. No need to decant before serving.

This striking single vineyard Barbera d’Asti is the work of the venerable Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa which has been producing excellent Piemontese wines in the Monferrato hills since 1854. Scarpa specialises in using a traditional approach to winemaking and chooses to age its Barbera in large casks for several years just as Nebbiolo is traditionally made.

The grapes for this Barbera d’Asti are all sourced from the Poderi Bricchi vineyard in Castel Rocchero which is planted on clay, helping to give a powerful structure and flavour profile to the wine. The grape must is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then the new wine is transferred to 2000 to 10,000 litre casks for two years. The wine is then bottled and matured for a further year before it is deemed ready for release.

This lengthy maturation period produces a remarkably complex Barbera which will continue to develop and evolve over the next five or so years. On the nose there are intricate aromas of red cherries, spice and dried violets, while the palate offers a vibrant freshness, medium body, soft tannins and attractive hints of earth and tobacco.