“Bionzo” Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG 2021 (BIO)

La Spinetta / Giorgio Rivetti | Piedmont
La Spinetta s.s. | Via Annunziata 17 | IT 14054 Castagnole Lanze

05113621 · 0,75 l · 52,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

Bionzo is a hamlet near Costigliole d'Asti, around 15 kilometres south-east of Alba – not a famous name, not a long headline. But here, on five hectares of calcareous clay and marl soils with a southern exposure, 250 metres above sea level, are Barbera vines that have been rooting through the same soil for more than six decades. La Spinetta has been vinifying one of the most characterful representatives of this denomination since 1998. Giorgio Rivetta's conviction that 90 per cent of the quality comes from the vineyard is evident here: no herbicides, no artificial fertilisers, horses instead of tractors to keep the soil alive. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks for 14 to 15 days, malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing take place in French oak barrels – 20 per cent new, the rest second fermentation. Then bottle ageing. Certified organic.

Deep ruby red in the glass with violet reflections. The nose is dense and complex: blackberry, black cherry, liquorice and graphite, plus incense, dark spices and a hint of menthol. Broad and silky on the palate, with the concentration typical of Bionzo – the high Barbera acidity is there, but embedded, balanced, never shrill. The finish is long, savoury, with a mineral aftertaste reminiscent of the subsoil. Not an easy Barbera portrait. A wine that shows poise and rewards patience. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2021 Barbera d'Asti Superiore Bionzo smells of blackberries, pebbles, incense, liquorice, graphite and dark spices. As always, the Bionzo is a brooding Barbera from Asti, even if the wines are no longer as powerful as they were a few years ago." Vinous