I had a glass of the new vintage of Borgo Moncalvo's Barbera last night, and I'm certain that this is the best version of this wine that brothers Andrea and Luca Elegir have ever made.
From the excellent 2021 vintage, one of the best Piemonte vintages of the 21st century, their La Pajassa Barbera d'Asti balances old vine richness with bright energy to create a pleasure-bent and joyful drinking experience. What a value it is too!
The Elegirs own some of the oldest plots of Barbera in the region, with most of their vines planted in the 1950s. Their La Pajassa vineyard is steep and remote, requiring what Andrea refers to as "heroic viticulture." The grapes are hauled basket-by-basket out of a dizzying hillside with steps cut into the stone cliff face to make this labor even possible. Truly HEROIC!
The estate's 2021 Barbera d'Asti La Pajassa is fermented with native yeasts and spends a year in small oak barrels before bottling. Most of that oak is neutral, and I'm glad the Elegirs chose this regimen, as it allows these old, low-yielding vines to express their majestic character and purity of fruit.
The finished wine is truly stunning. Deeply colored, the bouquet and palate offer very complete aromas and flavors of ripe dark cherry, plum, and wild blackberry, layered with nuances of violet, warm spice, and a touch of damp earth. With supple tannins and bright acidity, it's one of those wines that keeps you coming back for sip after sip.
Just 150 cases of this were produced in 2021, as that's all this old vineyard can yield. We managed to snag 84 bottles, and I highly advise you to act fast on this one. It would be great with a thick burger or mushroom risotto; Barbera's natural acidity makes it a great "food wine," but like I said, it goes down easy.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
