Tasting Scale

• Aroma Intensity: 7/10
  (Rich and aromatic with layers of red cherry, blackberry, plum, spices, and leather.)
• Flavor Complexity: 9/10
  (Full-bodied with a balance of fruit, spice, and oak, revealing red berries, dark chocolate, cedar, and tobacco.)
• Acidity: 8/10
  (Moderate to high acidity, providing freshness and vibrancy to the palate.)
• Tannin Structure: 6/10
  (Firm but refined tannins that are well-integrated, providing good structure and aging potential.)
• Finish: 8.5/10
  (Long and elegant finish with lingering notes of fruit and spice.)

Ok, Barbera fans. The latest vintage of this PRIMA favorite is a real barnburner and we want you to try it!  2021 was truly an outstanding harvest for Barbera (and everything else) in Piemonte producing some absolute classics! And the Odderos, as usual, have set new bars for quality.    In addition to their always-reliable Barbera d’Alba made from fruit they grow in the Langhe, the family has been producing a Barbera d’Asti DOC for many decades. But, because they made so little, and the family was always worried that American consumers would confuse their two Barberas, they avoided the confusion and, for the most part, kept the wine in Italy.  But, from within the greater Barbera d’Asti zone grew a second, higher-quality DOCG named after the regional town of Nizza and the Odderos’ Barbera vineyard was uniquely suited to take advantage of this new appellation.  The word ‘Nizza’ replaces the words ‘Barbera d’Asti’ on the label and means the wine must be 100% Barbera and grown only in one of the approved tiny subzones that comprise this closely demarcated area.  And each finished wine also has to be tasted and approved by a panel of growers, winemakers and experts before earning its DOCG neck strip.  In the Odderos’ case, their old, old Barbera vines are in the township of Vinchio d’Asti, in the heart of the Nizza zone on a hillside so treacherously steep they have to replace, manually (as the vines are so crammed together and the soil so fragile you can’t put a tractor in), all of the dirt that collapses in the erosion that occurs every winter.  Cristina Oddero calls it the definition of insanity because they keep doing it.  This hot, dry, very austere site produces really, really intense, mineral driven Barbera loaded with ferrous-y, bitter chocolate-tinged dusky red fruit, more like red currants or mulberry than the broader cherry-or plum-like fruit you’d find in their Barbera d’Alba.  Compact, very stylish and just a little bit rustic, it’s a classic, old school rendition of Barbera as seen through the lens of one of Piemonte’s most incisive and meticulous winemakers.  The Oddero Nizza is the absolutely perfect partner alongside richer pasta sauces, dry-cooked spare ribs (this wine loves pork!) and all kinds of harder cheeses.  Try it with a beautiful Castelmagno from Alta Langhe with some dried fruit and discover for yourself just how great a Barbera can be!  The shipping deal is limited to this Insider e-mail and won’t be available on-line.  Thanks for your support!