Morra Gabriele Barbaresco DOCG Riserva 2019

This Barbaresco Riserva comes from the Morra Gabriele cantina, located on strada Ovello in Barbaresco, in the heart of Piedmont's Langhe. Gabriele Testa and Stefano Campaniello, partners since 2013, have revived the family cellar founded by Gabriele's grandfather. Their Nebbiolo comes from old vines in the communes of Barbaresco and Neive, farmed without chemical treatments. The Riserva is produced only in the best vintages, from a selection of the finest grapes from the best exposures.

The Nebbiolo grapes, harvested at full ripeness, ferment spontaneously with native yeasts for about four weeks in concrete tanks. Maceration continues for some sixty days with a submerged cap, to gently extract colour, tannins and aromas. The wine is then aged for thirty-six months in large 500-litre wooden casks, followed by long bottle ageing before release. This rare cuvée is produced only in very small quantities.

This wine reveals notes of morello cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, wild strawberry, dried rose, tobacco, liquorice and tar. The deep nose blends ripe black fruit with the first tertiary nuances. The palate is broad and powerful, carried by ripe, assertive tannins with a fine streak of elegance. The wine evolves a great deal in the glass and stretches into a very long finish, promising fine ageing potential.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!