From: Piedmont, Italy
Varietal: Barbera
Critical Acclaim:
Wine Spectator, 90 Points "A linear style, exhibiting black cherry and blackberry fruit, shaded by earth and mineral notes. It's dense and taut, with a fresh, tactile finish. Drink now through 2025. 770 cases made."
Taste: On the nose, the wine displays a bouquet of ripe black cherry, and yes, those “iron-y, mineral, bitter chocolate-tinged red fruit, more like currants than the broader cherry-like fruit you’d find in Barbera d’Alba,” along with hints of vanilla, clove, and cedar from the oak aging. There is also a distinctly mineral and earthy note, reminiscent of damp earth over stony subsoil, which adds a layer of complexity to the aromas. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and rich, with a vibrant acidity that balances the ripe fruit flavors. The black currant and bing cherry flavors are once again prominent, accompanied by notes of blackcurrant, dried herbs, stony earth and a touch of leather. The palate is rustic and well-integrated, leading to a pleasant spiciness and a smooth, velvety texture. The tannins are firm but refined, providing structure and a long, persistent finish that lingers on the palate.
Pairing: This rich and complex wine sings at your dinner table and is an easy fit alongside many dishes. Here are some general pairings, regional pairings, and vegetarian options to consider, and if you want to skip ahead to the detailed pairing, we’re sharing a delicious recipe for Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms, recipe from Chris Jaeckle, adapted by Sam Sifton that combines a few of the elements mentioned in the list below.
General Pairings:
Roasted or grilled meats, such as beef, lamb, or pork
Hearty stews and casseroles
Mushroom dishes such as risotto, pasta, or grilled portobello mushrooms
Charcuterie boards with cured meats and olives
Regional Pairings:
Piedmontese dishes such as agnolotti, tajarin pasta with meat ragù, and bagna cauda
Braised beef with polenta, a classic dish from the Piedmont region
Cotechino sausage with lentils, a traditional dish served on New Year's Eve in the Piedmont region
Italian-style meatballs in tomato sauce
Wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil
Herb-roasted chicken with garlic and rosemary
Vegetarian Options:
Roasted vegetable lasagna with a tomato-based sauce and Parmesan cheese
Grilled eggplant or zucchini with a balsamic glaze
Lentil soup or stew with vegetables and herbs such as thyme and rosemary
Roasted butternut squash with sage and brown butter
Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms
Recipe from Chris Jaeckle
Adapted by Sam Sifton
About, from the supplier. When Maria-Cristina Oddero visited us in the fall of 2018, there was, of course, much anticipation regarding her fabulous single-vineyard and blended Barolos but the real showstopper and actual best-seller of the evening was a wine practically no one even knew she produced- an absolutely delectable Barbera from the Nizza sub-appellation of Asti.
The Odderos have been producing this wine for decades under the Barbera d’Asti DOC but, because they make so little and the family was always worried that American consumers would confuse their Barbera d’Asti with their very fine, more readily available Barbera d’Alba, they avoided the confusion and, for the most part, kept it in Italy.
I thought it would be a good wine to kick off our dinner, though, and I grabbed all there was in Northern California, not much actually. That night turned out to be the beginning of something really special. We wound up selling virtually all of California’s meager allocation ourselves and each subsequent delivery of the wine. It gained more and more momentum as you kept coming back for more!
And, suddenly, it was PRIMA’s 2020 Wine of the Year! And, just as suddenly, it was gone. You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of Nizza. It’s a small regional town in the broader Asti zone and has little to recommend it other than a few good restaurants and a nice little square. But, like its analog Dogliani on the other side of the Langhe, it’s ground zero for some of the most important vines in Piemonte. And like Dogliani for Dolcetto, Nizza has now become a so-called super appellation in Piemonte for the Barbera grape.
Nizza on the label means the wine must be 100% Barbera and grown in one of the approved tiny subzones that make up the appellation. It also has to be tasted and approved by a panel of growers, winemakers and experts. In the Odderos’ case, their old, old Barbera vines are in the township of Vinchio d’Asti, on a hillside so steep they have to replace, manually (as the vines are so crammed together and the soil so fragile you can’t put a tractor in), all of the dirt that collapses in its annual landslides.
This hot, dry, very austere site produces really, really intense, mineral driven Barbera loaded with iron-y, mineral, bitter chocolate-tinged red fruit, more like currants than the broader cherry-like fruit you’d find in Barbera d’Alba. Compact, stylish and just a little bit rustic, it’s a classic, old school rendition of Barbera and the absolutely perfect partner alongside richer pastas, dry-cooked spare ribs (this wine loves pork!) and all kinds of cheeses, this is really delicious wine! Those of you who have been enjoying it so much this past year will vouch for this. Come get it while the getting is good.