tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395790518595308276.post7403148259703418964..comments2010-03-08T10:59:30.805-08:00Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194752605118852057noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395790518595308276.post-55163256760439048802010-03-08T10:59:30.794-08:002010-03-08T10:59:30.794-08:00Just got some Vietti Nebbiolo--Perbacco and Castiglione, the lowest levels of their bottlings. Probably would have got the Barbera, too, but it was sold out.<br /><br />If you try the Palmina Barbera, go for the &#39;07 Santa Barbara County version. I think it would be closer to what you like. The listed ABV is pretty high, but at least for me it didn&#39;t come across as hot. Their other Barberas are more obviously polished, modern and ripe. And they cost more, too.CabFrancoPhilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395790518595308276.post-91403534333457408732010-03-08T10:38:51.743-08:002010-03-08T10:38:51.743-08:00They actually had Palmina on the list. I should have ordered that. Barbera is interesting stuff. It was one of the first &quot;value&quot; wines that I really started to drink. They&#39;re obviously meant to go with food. The thing to watch out for is the more modern styled ones...this one is more modern, but hasn&#39;t lost what a Barbera should be. Way back when, Barbera was something that wasn&#39;t grown on good land--it was cheap stuff. And then Bricco dell&#39;Uccellone came along...and people went wild with the oak. Another Barbera that I&#39;ve had that is pretty modern, but generally pretty good (or at least three vintages in a row of it) is Fontanafredda. Now that I think about it, Vietti makes a kick ass Barbera d&#39;Alba too, but I haven&#39;t had that in a while. Actually, I haven&#39;t had a whole lot of Barbera since I started this blog. I need to start drinking more of it. Too much wine, too little time, too little money, and too little capacity (meaning 2-3 three drinks a day maximum; many days none at all), right?Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194752605118852057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395790518595308276.post-74748574390472798562010-03-08T10:07:36.830-08:002010-03-08T10:07:36.830-08:00I&#39;m getting interested in Barbera after tasting a few really good ones from Palmina recently. There was varietal character that matched theoretical descriptions--dark, acidic, lively fruit, feral. The others I&#39;d tasted were dull, bland and anonymous. Reminded me a bit of Chinon in some way, and I suspect the good Piedmont versions will be even more complex.CabFrancoPhilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.com