Barbera d'Alba 'Granera Alta' Cascina Chicco 2024
The Barbera d'Alba “Granera Alta” from Cascina Chicco is a powerful red from this historic winery in Roero, which today produces wines from all over Piemonte. It is an intense wine that expresses the full exuberance of a young wine, to be enjoyed a few years after bottling. On the nose, classic hints of sour cherry and red fruits are perceived, with pleasant notes of Asian spices on the finish. On the palate, it impresses with freshness, softness, and warmth; the sip is crunchy and meaty like ripe fruit.
With its generous and concentrated style, the Barbera d’Alba ‘Granera Alta’ by Cascina Chicco authentically expresses the qualities of the grape variety and the denomination. The vineyard ‘Granera Alta’, located in the municipality of Castellinaldo d’Alba, in the Roero area, takes its name from the “New Granera Farm”, a farmhouse belonging to the Malabaila counts of Canale. In turn, the farmhouse owes its name to the fact that it was once an ancient granary intended to collect the harvests, this before the Bricco was converted into a vineyard in the 18th century.
‘Granera Alta’ Cascina Chicco Barbera d’Alba is made exclusively from Barbera grapes grown within the Roero municipality of Castellinaldo d’Alba, on clayey and calcareous soils exposed to the south and southeast. The harvest takes place towards the end of September and is followed by the alcoholic fermentation of the must in stainless steel tanks in contact with the skins at a controlled temperature of 25-26 °C. Once the fermentation process is completed and after the necessary racking, the liquid is placed to mature in wooden barrels of different sizes and types for a few months until the final bottling.
In visual examination, the Barbera d’Alba ‘Granera Alta’ by Cascina Chicco reveals a consistent ruby red color with purple hues. From the glass, intense fruity perceptions of blueberry, sour cherry, and blackberry emerge, followed by suggestions of underbrush and oriental spices. Rich and full-bodied, the tasting is well supported by soft tannins and brilliant freshness, elements that come together in a juicy fruity finale. The same producer suggests serving the Barbera d’Alba ‘Granera Alta’ at a temperature of 18 °C paired with dishes based on various meats or assorted cheeses, not overly aged.