Domenico Clerico Trevigne Barbera d'Alba 2015
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I am especially pleased with the 2015 Barbera d'Alba Trevigne. This wine is absolutely rich and plump. It reveals lingering softness that caresses the palate. The winemaking team at Domenico Clerico has embarked on an approach that relies on less oak (this trend started some years ago under Domenico's watchful eyes). You taste that stylistic shift very clearly here. Indeed, this wine sees a larger percentage in large oak casks (up to 70% of the total) and less in barrique. Before it was all barrique, much of which was new oak. Fruit is sourced from three sites: Mosconi gives the wine its luscious softness, Ginestra adds the freshness and San Pietro contributes to the wine's textural richness and its darkly saturated color. Those are the three vineyards used in Trevigne.
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Farming Practices: No systemic plant protection products (products which act by systemic transport – through the sap of the plant) are used. Sulfur- and copper-based products are the most prevalent. No herbicides are used (the soil is tilled). When needed, only organic fertilizer (manure) is used. There is little use of fertilizers in order to keep the grape production per vine low. Very careful use of SO2 in the wines.
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.