Gianluigi Lano's Barbera d'Alba is a wonderful find in traditional and soulful Piemonte red wine. The fact that it has 6 years of age on it makes it even more intriguing....
The first words that should come out of your mouth after a sip of this are "how can this cost less than $25?" There's so much depth of flavor, such sense of place, and just an overriding deliciousness present here, and just 300 cases were produced in the 2019 vintage.
Located just 5 km from Alba, in the prized Barbaresco DOCG, Gianluigi Lano started bottling wines from his family's organic vineyards in 1993. Prior to that, the family sold their grapes to the local cooperative, but Gianluigi believed the family would be better off making their own wines. He was right, and today, he is one of the most meticulous growers and producers in the region.
The estate is now certified organic and moving towards biodynamic certified, the vines are 30-50-years-old, and all of the vineyard and cellar work are done by hand and in a very traditional manner. Their 2019 Barbera is fermented with native yeasts and brought up in huge, old, neutral oak casks. This minimalist approach in the vineyards and cellar, coupled with the longer aging, has yielded a gorgeous, complex, and satisfying Barbera.
Why age it for so long before bottling and releasing it? To tell you the truth, I don't know, but all I can say is that this has turned out beautifully. There's ripe and friendly Barbera fruit front and center, in the form of spicy plum, dark cherry, and dusty blueberry, but the wine also possesses the sublime and complex tertiary qualities that only come with traditional winemaking and extended bottle maturation.
We bought all 10 cases that made their way to Western North Carolina. Once those are gone, we'll be waiting on the next vintage to be released.
Josh Spurling
Owner/Operator/Wine Lover
Table Wine Asheville
