Rivetto Barbera d'Alba 2008 Zio Nando

type='html'>Rivetto Barbera d'Alba 2008 Zio Nando

FACTFILE - Rivetto Barbera d'Alba Zio Nando 2008
Name: Rivetto Barbera d'Alba Zio Nando
Grapes: 100% Barbera
Alcohol: 14.00%
Classification: Barbera d'Alba DOC (Sinio)

Style: Barbera is food wine. High acid, with a black cherry profile and at their best capable of ageing. This Barbera is very well made with a sense of place due to some interesting forest floor notes. Maybe that's the 08 rain showing up! 18 Months in oak, manual harvest, stalk removal, partial 1944 vines = quality, care & attention.

Vintage: 2008 started poorly in the Piedmont with rain and cool weather bringing rot to some areas; there was much work to be done in the vineyard during the first half of the vintage. Rain continued into the summer months although the final ripening of the grapes was accompanied by some more stable warm weather. The vintage suited Nebbiolo rather than Barbera, although Barbera is a hardy grape and with loving care some fine Barbera wines were crafted.

Food Pairing: Meat and Pasta - naturally! Though such an acidic grape makes a wonderful pairing for many dishes including veal, lasagne and cheeses. What you really want to know... will Zio Nando go with actual Nando's? Surely a challenge begging to be taken?

Uncle Nando would be pretty chuffed with this wine. A 90 point Barbera d'Alba without hesitation with his name on the bottle and a % of the grapes from the vines he planted in 1944. Brothers, Alessandro and Enrico Rivetto currently produce 12 different wines at their Langhe estate which has been run by the Rivetto family since 1939 although the family story in wine goes back even further than that. These wines are all of a fairly small production, this 08 Barbera runs to just 10,000 bottles, their other wines, to similar low figures.

Total Rivetto Production
4 Barolo
3 Barbera d'Alba
1 Barbaresco
1 Dolcetto d'Alba
1 Langhe Nebbiolo
1 Moscato d'Asti
1 Langhe Nascetta

I wonder if the Rivetto estate is visited by slightly more females wine enthusiasts than male?

Rivetto Barbera d'Alba Zio Nando 2008 - BUY - £25
Thick dark ruby red in the glass. The perfume of this wine is divine, with forest fruits coming through strongly as well as sweet vanilla and a touch of chocolate, reminds me of a Mon Cherie chocolate. Evolves on the palate with a gentle attack, fruit forward mid palate (cherries) and a strong acidity that is well balanced. The fruit continues throughout the experience. Really strong effort especially considering the strife of '08. 91 Points

Where can I buy this wine? - Everywine

This Rivetto Barbera d'Alba 2008 Zio Nando, together with the Rivetto 2007 Barolo Serralunga, was very kindly sent to me by Rita Barbero who is in charge of their wine blog and marketing.