Many will know La Spinetta is one of Piedmont’s leading modernists. In addition to making one of, if not the, region’s best Moscato’s, it has carved out a reputation for producing high quality Barbera.
La Spinetta’s reputation with Barbera has been earned through the development of a house style, marked by ageing in new French oak barrels. ‘Ca’ di Pian’ Barbera d’Asti, from the excellent 2010 vintage, is La Spinetta to a tee. Deep crimson in appearance, it offers up intense aromas of black fruit married with smoky oak, reflected on the palate.
While the oak is to the fore here, it is undeniably high quality wood, and it sits comfortably with the dark, brambly fruit. Whether the result is authentic Barbera, is very much a question of debate and of personal preference. It is a good wine, very much of the modern idiom, regardless of personal bias.
2010 LA SPINETTA ‘CA’ DI PIAN’ BARBERA D’ASTI
Producer: La Spinetta
Variety: Barbera
Vintage: 2010
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 3 May 2015
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson verging on opaque. Brooding nose of tar, smoky oak, dark plum and blackberry. Dry, full bodied, voluptuous and silky texture. Intense black fruit married with assertive but well integrated smoky oak. Clearly plenty of work has gone into this wine – modern and polished. The raw materials are obviously very good, and the final product is very polished, but is it immediately recognisable as Barbera? It is certainly one interpretation of Barbera.
Score: 16.5+/20
La Spinetta’s reputation with Barbera has been earned through the development of a house style, marked by ageing in new French oak barrels. ‘Ca’ di Pian’ Barbera d’Asti, from the excellent 2010 vintage, is La Spinetta to a tee. Deep crimson in appearance, it offers up intense aromas of black fruit married with smoky oak, reflected on the palate.
While the oak is to the fore here, it is undeniably high quality wood, and it sits comfortably with the dark, brambly fruit. Whether the result is authentic Barbera, is very much a question of debate and of personal preference. It is a good wine, very much of the modern idiom, regardless of personal bias.
2010 LA SPINETTA ‘CA’ DI PIAN’ BARBERA D’ASTIProducer: La Spinetta
Variety: Barbera
Vintage: 2010
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 3 May 2015
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson verging on opaque. Brooding nose of tar, smoky oak, dark plum and blackberry. Dry, full bodied, voluptuous and silky texture. Intense black fruit married with assertive but well integrated smoky oak. Clearly plenty of work has gone into this wine – modern and polished. The raw materials are obviously very good, and the final product is very polished, but is it immediately recognisable as Barbera? It is certainly one interpretation of Barbera.
Score: 16.5+/20
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