In the two Barbaresco wines tasted today, side by side, different sensations emerged, all enveloped in the silence that this type of wine demands during tasting, evoking the great and captivating respect this denomination deserves.
Barbaresco, in its essence, is a wine of sophistication and culture. True devotees of this Italian treasure consider it the greatest of all. However, for most critics, it is the prince rather than the king. Yet, if we are speaking of nobility, today these two wines have confirmed and exalted their prestige and their unattainable, exclusive essence.
Piazzo is a winery that fully embodies the essence of the denomination. Starting the tasting with the Barbaresco Rizzi Vigneto Fratin, the personality of this historic Cru becomes immediately apparent. From its bright, intensely vibrant ruby color to the mature and expansive fruity aromas that reassure the palate, this wine reveals a solid structure and a decisive body in every sip.
The Barbaresco Rizzi Vigneto Fratin boasts well-structured tannins, with acidity that is discreet yet characterful. Its finish offers a delicate and intense persistence, reminiscent of the ruby nuance revealed as it is poured.
This is a radiant wine, delivering a warm sensation likely derived from the sunlit exposure of the hillside vineyards. A Barbaresco with remarkable depth and forward-looking character, modern in its approachable drinkability, which enhances its versatility in pairings. Yet, it remains a wine deserving of the respect that this noble appellation commands.
The Barbaresco Vigna Giaia originates from the Nervo cru, located in the heart of the denomination. The name “Giaia” comes from the local dialect and refers to the yellow color, a characteristic of the vine leaves that, thanks to their full southern exposure, take on a golden hue earlier than the surrounding vineyards, standing out in the landscape of the Treiso municipality.
This is a wine of proud character, fierce and with a stark attitude. Even in the wide glass, it demands patience—the same patience Piazzo exercised in bringing this Barbaresco Riserva to markets around the world.
This wine expresses itself on the nose showing a spectrum of perfumes and sensations that are a constant voyage through emotions. The noble notes of Eastern spices let perfumes of fruit in jam emerge to then go back to clear impressions of summer flowers well-dried.
The color of this wine tends to change in the oxygenation of the glass; the chromatic shades remind of the vivid color of the orange peel of mature fruit left until late on the plant to get the best intensity.
The Riserva Vigna Giaia is the perfect companion to a lavish and multifaceted banquet, harmoniously combining winter meats and vegetables, exquisite alpine cheeses, and premium cured meats. It gracefully concludes the evening with the final sip in the glass, as the guests bid farewell by the warmth of the winter fireplace.
Two distinctive expressions of the same noble lineage, with subtle differences in pedigree, these two Barbaresco wines conveyed to our tasting panel all the charm of a land that is untamed and proud of its history. Here, the roots of winemaking are deeply intertwined with steadfast principles and profound truths, as strong and solid as the certainty of its iconic grape, Nebbiolo.
Company Profile
A family business a few kilometers from Alba which has been among the pioneers of Nebbiolo for over 60 years. The Piazzo winery was Armando Piazzo and Gemma Veglia’s drea, who in the 1960s decided to stay and believe in their land, the Langhe of “La Malora” by Fenoglio. The far-sighted and counter-current idea of investing in the main grape variety, Nebbiolo, turns out to be a winning one. Today the company has 70 hectares of owned vineyards of which 60% is cultivated with Nebbiolo. The winery, led by daughter Marina together with her husband Franco and sons Simone and Marco, has a representative range of typical wines: modern classics, a refined tradition and increasingly attentive to environmental sustainability.
PIAZZO COMM. ARMANDO
Fraz. San Rocco Seno d’Elvio 31 – Alba, CN 12051 IT
+39 0173 286798 – apiazzo@piazzo.it
www.piazzo.it
