Barbera d'Alba Superiore 'Priorà' Fratelli Alessandria 2022
Exclusive wineryThe Barbera d'Alba Superiore “Prior” by Fratelli Alessandria is produced with a variety that typically expresses lighter wines in a land of great reds, but this version expresses austerity, character, and longevity. On the nose, it shows varietal characteristics of cherry and red flowers, along with intriguing spicy notes from aging. On the palate, it is intense, very fresh, and has an extremely smooth sip, but with remarkable structure. To be tried with a meat dish, such as braised beef or sausage in wine.
The Barbera d’Alba Superiore ‘Priorà’ by Fratelli Alessandria represents a full-bodied and rich expression of this popular Piedmontese variety. The Fratelli Alessandria winery is among the wine-growing excellences of the Langhe, a noble wine territory that the Alessandria family has been enhancing since 1870 through indigenous grape varieties such as Pelaverga, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Favorita. The Barbera ‘Priorà’, launched with the 2000 vintage, comes from a selection of grapes from particularly well-exposed vineyards located within the municipalities of Verduno and Monforte. The term in the Piedmontese dialect “priorà”, the name of this label, translates to “priorate”.
Fratelli Alessandria Barbera d’Alba Superiore ‘Priorà’ is a 100% Barbera from the Rocche dell’Olmo and Semolino vineyards, located in Verduno, and from the Gramolere parcel in Monforte. The vines, about 35 years old, rest on medium-textured calcareous soils rich in silt and sand, situated between 310 and 450 meters above
sea level. The grapes are hand-picked and then crushed in steel tanks for controlled temperature alcoholic fermentation, followed by aging for 12-14 months in small French oak barrels and in large French or Slavonian oak barrels. After an additional 4 months of refinement between steel and bottle, the wine is ready for release.‘Priorà’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore Fratelli Alessandria is a dark and concentrated ruby red color. The aromatic range expresses broad and vivid notes of marasca, violet, and berries, enriched by delicate spicy hints of cinnamon and pepper. Intense, round, and very fresh is the impact on the palate, with a fine and well-integrated tannic structure. The long finish insists on enveloping fruity and spicy sensations consistent with the nose.