La Spinetta has been one of my favorite producers of Italian wine for quite some time. They make some of the most delicious Nebbiolo based wines on the planet (especially their Barbaresco's), but they also make stunning wines from Barbera and Sangiovese. They actually own three different wineries' two in Piedmonte and one in Tuscany. This wine is produced at the original Castagnole Lanze winery located in Piedmonte. It's made from 100% Barbera and was aged for 12 months in French oak, and an additional 6 months in stainless steel before bottling.

I'd like to first suggest that before you consume this wine that it be properly decanted for a few hours before pouring it. I found it to be very much a wine that improves with being aerated at this particular stage in it's life. Once properly oxygenated the wine improves at least ten-fold.

On the nose I get aromas of dark chocolate covered cherry, black plum, meat, spicy oak, earth/soil, and some rustic and earthy blackberry notes. It's a very complex effort on the nose and one that I wouldn't mind smelling over and over as it unfolds.

On the palate I get some tart blackberry flavors that combine with secondary notes of dark chocolate, tar, and leather. It has a very tart mixed-berry complexity and is nice and dry on the finish. This is most definitely above-average Barbera, and one that I believe is a perfect value and a serious candidate for my everyday table wine of choice. 89+ points

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