While I was having this wonderful wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan. It was a pleasure hearing our moderator asking The Wine Raconteur Jr.’s Bride her opinion on the wines as we were going.  I find it always fascinating to hear discussions about wines from others.  All the while the shop was slowly filling up for the next hour’s tasters. 

The next grouping began with La Bioca “Zabalda” Barbera d’Alba DOC 2022.  La Bioca is a small vineyard estate comprised of nine hectares located in the hills of Langhe, in the municipalities of Monforte d’Alba, Novello, La Morra and Barbaresco.  Zabalda is named after the prior owner of the vineyard and is pure Barbera.  Barbera is usually thought of after Barolo and Barbaresco and is thought of as an alternative to the other two.  All around Alba are rolling hills and Barbera vines thrive on the chalky, limestone-rich clay soils, and the best vineyards are sites closest to Barolo.  This wine is pure Barbera, the fruit is manually harvested, destemmed and cool fermented in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks for about eight days and then an additional maturation for six months. A reddish-purple wine that offered notes of cherries, raspberries, and blueberries with additional notes of lavender and roses.  On the palate this dry, medium-bodied wine displayed tones of the fruits, juicy acidity with fine tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and spices.

We then had Azienda Agricola Tintero Langhe Nebbiolo 2021 in Piedmont.  Elvio Tintero Piedmont estate is in the steep hills of Mango in the province of Cuneo, and it is now represented by the second and third generation.  The vineyards are planted in the optimal position of south and southwest on the hills.  Langhe Nebbiolo is considered as a “junior” version of Barolo and Barbaresco and does not have the same stringent requirements as those designations.  The wine is pure Nebbiolo, and the maceration and fermentation occur in Stainless-Steel tanks and then is aged in Slavonian Oak for six months.  The deep garnet colored wine offered notes of dark cherry and plum, scented with violets and roses and a wisp of graphite.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine had tones of dark fruit blended with soft tannins, fresh acidity and a medium-count finish of fruit.

We followed up with Vite Colte “La Casa in Collina” Barbaresco DOCG 2021 from Azienda Agricola Terra da Vino.  In 2010, a new cellar complex was built, that is temperature and humidity controlled and can hold up to two-thousand barrels, and also large oak barrels for Barolo wines, as well as accommodating temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks.   Barbaresco was awarded the DOCG classification in 1980. Barbaresco wines must be aged for a minimum of twenty-six months, of which a minimum of nine months must be spent aging in oak barrels.   This wine is pure Nebbiolo.  Historical production techniques are used, blending batches from plots in different areas and microclimates.  Initial Fermentation lasts for about twenty days, followed by Malolactic Fermentation while aging in large oak barrels, for about one year.  This garnet red wine offered notes of black cherry, strawberry, and plums, along with violets, coffee, tobacco, herbs and spices, and sous-bois.  On the palate this full-bodied and well-balanced wine displayed tones of black and red fruits, blending with firm and taut tannins with great secondary tones of herbs and spices, bitter orange and hazelnuts; finally ending with a long-count finish of black cherry, vanilla, cinnamon and sous-bois.