Giacosa Fratelli Barbera d'Alba Bussia 2019
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Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
Intense ruby red. A subtle oak ageing enhances complexity while maintaining the fruity aromas of black currant and berries, notes of spices and tobacco which mingle well in this elegant red. Balanced and expressive, with characteristic Barbera acidity which will ensure enjoyment for several years.
Pair with a variety of dishes such as cold cuts, pasta, legume soups, roasted or braised meat, pork, stuffed poultry, and spicy cheeses.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Giacosa Fratelli 2019 Barbera d'Alba Bussia Canavere opens to plump cherry and black currant. The wine is simple and focused mostly on primary fruit aromas, although some delicate spice, tar and tobacco-like tones do emerge at the back. These serve to flesh out and enrich the bouquet and give the wine more intensity in terms of mouthfeel.
Giacosa Fratelli is located in Neive, just a few miles from Alba, in southern Piedmont. The winery was founded by Giuseppe Giacosa, who gave up the traditional work in the fields (his father was a sharecropper) to become a merchant, initially of grapes and later of wine.
After WWII, Giuseppe's son Leone expanded the business started by his father, devoting all his time to improving the vinification and aging techniques of Alba's typical wines: Barbera and Dolcetto. Those years of difficult and intense work laid the foundation for the future of the winery's activity.
In the 1990’s, Valerio’s son Maurizio and Renzo’s son Paolo took over the helm of the business and set their sights on increasing the vineyards owned in areas where the noblest wines of the Langhe region are produced. A fine family tradition, therefore, continued by Maurizio’s sons Alessandro and Mauro, and Paolo’s children Lorenzo and Anna.
Generation after generation, those at the helm of the business had two very clear reference points: naturalness and quality, leading principles at the basis of the company’s philosophy, found at every transformation stage of the grape, from the vineyard to the winecellar.
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.