De Forville : Barbera d'Alba 2017

A Barbera d'Alba with Dark Fruit Flavors

The story of the DeForville estate begins in 1860, when the DeForville family emigrated from Belgium to Piedmont and settled in the village of Barbaresco. Gioachino de Forville quickly began cultivating Nebbiolo grapes and was succeeded by his son, followed by three other generations in the family. The estate bottled its first wine in 1940. Today the winery is managed by the fifrth generation, Valtor and Paolo Anfosso. The estate expands over almost 11 hectares in the villages of Barbaresco and Castagnole Lanze, cultivating Nebbolio, Dolcetto and Barbera grapes. The De Forville Barbera d'Alba 2017 is a blend of Barbera grapes harvested from 30-year-old vines in three communes: Barbera, Neive and Alba, with the majority of the grapes coming from the Ga'Grosso cru of Barbaresco. The grapes are crushed and fermented in stainless steel for almost 2 weeks. They are then racked into oak barrels and larger "botti," where they spend one year maturing before they are bottled.

The Barbera d'Alba 2017 from the De Forville estate displays a deep plum ruby color in the glass. On the nose, this Piedmont red wine displays elegant and concentrated dark fruit aromas, including black cherries, with a touch of licorice and spice. On the palate, the flavors are quite consistent with the nose, offering dark cherry juice, as well as hints of dark chocolate, cloves and vanilla. A full-bodied wine, which is nevertheless not too heavy on the palate, with beautifully integrated tannins lasting through to a silky smooth finish. This wine will pair very nicely to a wide range of dishes, including the grilled meats and charred vegetables of a summer barbecue.