Cavallotto Barbera d'Alba Vigna del Cuculo Superiore 2019
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Robert
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Vigne del Cuculo is a beautiful middling garnet color, showing expressive black and red berry flavors in aroma and flavor, bright acidity and great length. A classy expression of Barbera.
Fresh acidity makes this a great food wine, pairable with everything from salmon to lamb chops. Drinks beautifully on release, but would also be delicious with 5-10 years of age.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The organic Cavallotto 2019 Barbera d'Alba Superiore Vigna Cuculo is ripe and opulent with thick layers of dark fruit and blackberry. There is attractive softness here, contrasted against bright acidity. The wine's strongest cards have to do with texture, plumpness and the irresistible drinking style that a cheerful and informal wine like this can bring to the table. Production is 6,720 bottles.
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Wine Spectator
A succulent red, with cherry and blackberry flavors aligned with tart acidity and light tannins. Packs plenty of concentrated fruit, ending with dusty grip. Old-school Barbera. Drink now.
The Cavallotto family were one of the first small bottlers in the Barolo zone, starting in 1948. In the last twenty years or so the Barolo appellation has seen a surge in popularity, going from being a niche wine to being one of the world's best-known fine wine areas, and at the same time undergoing a giant zig-zag in winemaking style between the two poles of 'traditional' and 'modern'. The Cavallotto family hasn't changed at all in this time; their wines were made by traditional methods 50 years ago, and they are still. Alfio, his brother Giuseppe, and their sister Laura are maintaining the quality set by their grandfather, father, and uncle, and also maintaining the long-standing practice of natural farming, in which they were a pioneer in their appellation. This is one of the finest estates in the Langa.
Friendly and approachable, Barbera produces wines in a wide range of styles, from youthful, fresh and fruity to serious, structured and age-worthy. Piedmont is the most famous source of Barbera; those from Asti and Alba garner the most praise. Barbera actually can adapt to many climates and enjoys success in some New World regions. Somm Secret—In the past it wasn’t common or even accepted to age Barbera in oak but today both styles—oaked and unoaked—abound and in fact most Piedmontese producers today produce both styles.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.