Among the sandy and steep hills of the Roero, the cradle of great wines, is the winery which for three generations has witnessed the splendid production capacities of the territory.
The territory of the Langa and Roero is one of the most generous regions in the world for the quality and variety of wine production thanks to its particular geographical location.
The Roero is characterized by steep rocks and steep rock walls, by valleys and hills that create different microclimatic conditions and allow the grapes to express fine and intense aromas. The Langhe they are located in the southern part of Piedmont and the name refers to the hills arranged parallel to each other, to form deep and very narrow valleys.
The calcareous-clayey character of the lands of Langa means that the red wines are full-bodied and very structured, while the sandier and softer soils of the Roero they give the wines unique and unrepeatable aromas.
The area of the Monferrato and of the Asti area have variable characteristics: they range from sand to silt, to clayey soils and for this reason vines with different characteristics are cultivated. We find white grape varieties such as Cortese, red grape varieties such as Barbera d’Asti and aromatic grape varieties such as Moscato and Brachetto.
BARBARESCO DOCG 2016
Today we will taste a wine from a Piedmontese company located in one of the most worthy vineyards in the world, we are talking about Roero in the province of Cuneo, a predominantly hilly area, which takes its name from the historic family that for centuries held dominion over these lands and which today is a true point of reference in the world, for the production of high quality wines we are talking about has lived on this territory, which is one step away from the “Langhe”, for more than three generations … father to son, up to today with the grandson Michele, manager of the company, have managed to keep alive the traditions handed down by the family, despite having developed cutting-edge technology that facilitates them a lot in production, but in full respect of environment that surrounds them.
The Viano Michele company has always favored native vines, that is, those that could better represent the characteristics of the territory than others, and in fact in the production of the cellar, there is no shortage of Arneis, Barbera, Dolcetto and obviously Nebbiolo. And we will talk about Nebbiolo today, a 2016 Barbaresco DOCG in purity, with 14 and a half degrees of alcoholic strength, coming from ancient Guyot -trained vineyards in the Municipality of Barbaresco.
A strictly manual October harvest followed by a vinification in thermo-conditioned steel vats … and a maturation for a period of not less than 2 years in Slavonian or French oak barrels. … Subsequently it will be bottled in total absence of oxygen for refinement for a further 2 years.
A beautiful, bright and clear garnet red with the characteristic transparency of Barbaresco and an enviable consistency. On the nose it is a pleasure… a lot of energy, but fine and elegant, fruit in alcohol, raspberry, blackberry, violet, rose and a typical undergrowth.
In the mouth it is intense, with an important freshness and a nice minerality with tannins that are anything but compliant, accompanied by a velvety dryness and a warmth of all respect. A very persistent wine that confirms the olfactory scents to which is added an interesting toasting spiciness, vanilla, tobacco, even balsamic and with ethereal references. Excellent structure, followed by a pleasantly bitter long finish.
A wine that makes you think for its beautiful character and its longevity and for the surprises it can reserve for us even later 10, 15, 20 years of peaceful rest in the cellar, you can easily taste it collected in meditation, but also in company with important dishes, equally structured and refined. At a temperature of 16-18 degrees, but also a little more and with a cozy glass like this, and only after waiting a few minutes from opening to let it express at its best, we imagine it with elaborate first courses, roasted red meats, opulent vegetarian recipes or magnificent aged cheeses.
