Barberesco Gallina
2021
Region
Italy › Piedmont › Barbaresco DOCG
Type
red · still
Grapes
Nebbiolo
Alcohol
14.5%
Volume
750 mL
Tasting Notes
Beautiful, but Christ, this is loaded like a weapon. Wound tight as a spring, all that Gallina power coiled up and waiting. Sage and wild cherry wrestling with dried roses, everything vibrating with energy. The tannins are still green and granular - you can actually feel the individual grains on your palate, like the wine's been pixelated. Screaming acidity cuts through everything. This is Nebbiolo on steroids, flexing so hard it forgot how to relax. Needs years to unwind, but when it does? Nuclear? Who knows, I am not a forture teller. Right now it's all potential energy and violence. Impressive as hell, just not particularly interested in being friends yet.
About
This renowned 1.3-hectare site at 220-240 meters features Sant'Agata marls unusually rich in clay for Neive. The 40+ year old vines face southwest toward the Tanaro River in a notably windy microclimate. Fermentation occurs in wooden vats (1,000-2,500 litres) with 40-45 days submerged cap maceration, ageing two years in Slavonian oak. Interestingly, the 2019 vintage required 26 months of ageing due to exceptional concentration.
