Mile High's Wine of the Week: January 26th
Franco Boasso Barbera d'Alba 2008
Regular Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Sale End: 1/29/2012
Boy do we have a treat for you this week! We came across this beautiful Barbera about 6 months ago during a lengthy tasting of Italian wines that were not being imported into the United States. All four of us who were standing at the tasting table at the time took one sip of Franco Boasso’s 2008 Barbera d’Alba and said, “Whoa!” We immediately began making plans to import some for you because we knew that it was simply too good to pass up. The nose was sultry and oh-so expressive with hints of wilted rose petals, damp earth, sweet tobacco, and dried blueberries. The palate had the sort of seamless texture that is typically reserved for only the finest Barolos and Barbarescos displaying wonderful notes of ripe plums, tart black currants, and ripe black cherries. The style was perfectly food friendly with sweet tannins and polished acidity. If you are a lover of classically styled Northern Italian reds then this one is going to make you very happy. But be warned, Franco only made 416 cases of his ’08 Barbera d’Alba and we managed to get our hands on about 25 of them so this one may sell out quickly. Please come by the store tonight to taste it for free. You’re going to want to stock up on this one!On to the Tasting Notes:
This is the genuine article; a small production, estate grown, single vineyard, artisan red. Franco Boasso’s family has been growing grapes in their 3 vineyards (the other 2 are designated for their higher end Barolos) in Serralunga d’Alba for more than 30 years now. Their property is treated with love and respect and I believe it shows in the wine. Franco only made a few more than 400 cases of this beautiful 2008 Barbera and I am so happy that we managed to get some to Colorado for you. I opened a bottle late in the afternoon as I was getting dinner ready to go on the grill. At first the nose was really earthy and rustic and the palate was a little bit tight. But it didn’t take long for it to come around. After an hour or so of cooking I returned to it to have a glass with my grilled chicken. The nose had really exploded. It was wonderful. Initially it gave up the delicate scent of wilted rose petals which quickly transitioned into notes of damp cedar, fresh espresso, kirsch liqueur, dried blueberries, freshly turned garden soil, and a touch of tobacco leaf. I felt like I could keep going back over and over again as new scents kept revealing themselves. The palate was absolutely seamless. Flavor exploded all over from the tip of the tongue to the sides and all the way to the back. There were dark flavors of plum and black currants as well as some bright notes of red cherries and macerated strawberries. The finish was humble and earthy without being the least bit rustic. It had a classy feel to it despite being an everyday style of wine. It also had just the right balance of sweet fruit, ripe tannins and clean acidity to make it a perfect companion for a wide range of foods.
I think that the ’08 Barbera is drinking very well as it sits today. It has plenty of sweet berry fruit and yet there is still room for the secondary character that you get in the best small production old vine reds to show through. That said, it’s so well balanced and generously structured that it wouldn’t surprise me to see it improve over the course of the next 3 or 4 years. It’s really a matter of personal preference though. If you like your Barbera ripe and fresh then drink this one over the next year or so. If you prefer a little more deep and earthy then give it a couple years to let some of the fruit fade. But whatever you do you’re going to want to call or come by the store soon because there is no way for us to get more of this beautiful wine any time soon.Food Pairing:
Barbera is among the most food friendly of all the Italian reds. It will make a great pairing for a hearty tomato sauce, for pizza, for grilled meats, and even for roast chicken. We served a bottle with an herb rubbed whole grilled chicken served with a side of blanched brussels sprouts tossed with crumbled bacon, good olive oil, a touch of tomato paste, some Aleppo pepper flakes and a bit of wine. I couldn’t have been happier with the pairing since it allowed the wine to be the star of the show.
You MUST mention this special or print it out to receive the price on the above wine.
This price expires 1/29/2012 at 6pm and is limited to in-store quantities.
No rain checks given. Call (303) 936-0272 to reserve bottles with a credit card.