Gagliasso Barbera d'Alba Vigna Ciabot Rus 2013
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Refreshing acidity makes this very food friendly. It would work well with pasta topped with porcini mushrooms.
Azienda Agricola Mario Gagliasso is located in the town of La Morra, south of Piedmont, in the province of Cuneo, in the Langhe area. The winery offers one of the most beautiful views over the Langhe area. La Morra is located at 513 meters above sea-level (13 km from Alba), on the top of an imposing hill with the Alps and the Monviso as a background. The hill is planted with vines, forming huge waves and creating an amphitheater of rare beauty.
The Gagliasso company was founded as "Farm of Gagliasso Michele and Sons" in the 1960s. Mario Gagliasso worked in his father's company, and took over ownership in the 1980’s. He made technical improvements, increased plantings (and replanted) and implemented methods to ensure dedication to terroir for top quality production. The yields are low, and minimal chemicals are used.
Mario’s son Luca is now the oenlogist; also managing the cellars as well as their exports. Daughter Nicolette is also involved in winemaking, as well as the family restaurant "Il Torriglione" with their mother, Luciana.
Winemaking is traditional – pumping & punching are done by hand, and the only technology used is for temperature control during fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The fining takes place in French oak barrels for the aged wines, while stainless steel tanks store young and fresh wines.
The Gagliasso family produces around 5,000 cases: 40% Barolo, 30% Barbera, 20% Dolcetto and 10% Chardonnay. They have around 250 barriques and 6 large barrels.
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.