STORY
Fratelli Antonio & Raimondo Piedmont, Italy Piemonte Barbera 2018 It’s no secret that, when it comes to Italian wine, Piedmont is our bread & butter. We are always on the hunt for exciting new producers across the region, and we’re excited to announce our newest–Fratelli Antonio & Raimondo. To celebrate, we’re pairing up their Barbera & Dolcetto for December’s Thirst club. The estate was founded in 1938 by two brothers–Antonio and Raimondo–who were passionate about making great Nebbiolo. Fast-forward to today and current proprietor Paolo Sartirano has managed to maintain the brothers’ commitment to Piedmontese quality all the while expanding their range to include Piedmont’s other varieties. We begin with Paolo’s lovely 2018 Piemonte Barbera.
TASTING
Intensely perfumed in the glass, this Barbera gives up enticing notes of wild blackberry, red plum, and baking spice. On the palate, it is full yet fresh, highlighting brambly black fruits, mountain herbs, and a hint of clove. The perfect wine for lovers of fuller-bodied reds, Try it with our recipe for Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Prosciutto and Broccoli Rabe.
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Unlike many value-driven Piedmontese wines, Paolo does everything right. Grapes are farmed without chemical fertilizers before being harvested by hand, being sure to harvest early enough so as to maximize freshness. As such, the wine is aged in steel exclusively. Barbera has historically played second fiddle to Nebbiolo over the years, with many producers even using their Barbera crop to soak up the oak flavor of their new barrels, however it is refreshing to find growers who treat their Barbera and Nebbiolo with the same reverence. The result is a seriously digestible yet also very complex expression of the grape.
