Icardi Barbera d’Asti 2004

Importer: Vinifera

One of my favorite red wines for food is Barbera — specifically from Italy, and usually from the areas of Asiti, Alba, or Monferrato in Piedmont / Piemonte. The tricky thing about Barbera, though, is the wide range of styles and price points. On the one end of the spectrum, there are Barberas that cost upward of $40-50+ that require cellaring; on the lower end, you have ideal pizza partners for around ten bucks — and all types in between.

My very general rule of thumb is to look for a Barbera in the $10-$17 range for everyday drinking with simple Italian fare. Once in a while I’ll find a remarkable value under ten bucks, and there are rare occasions that my alligator arm reaches down for a thirty-dollar bottle.

In this case, I was able to purchase a very food-friendly Barbera for right in my “safe zone” — about $14.

Tasting Notes – Icardi Barbera

More like a Chianti than a Barbera, with dry cherry aromas and flavors and a good dose of mouthwatering acidity. Nose of ripe black cherry, cola, and hints of earth. Flavors were similar — black cherry, cranberry, raspberry, mild tobacco, and tar. Acidity is high, in line with the ample fruit and ideal for food matching. Tannins are mild to medium. Finishes fairly quickly, but with good balance and harmony. Drink this with red-sauce pasta dishes, lean meats, sausage, pizza, sloppy joes.

a-7 t-7 b-7 fc-9 v-8 ~ 88 Points

Find this wine at a local retailer using Vinquire, WineZap, or Wine-Searcher