Giacomo Vico, Canale, Roero - http://www.giacomovico.it/english/e_home.htm
I met these wines for the first time at Rob’s tasting, where they were ably presented by one of the brothers, and particularly liked the basic Barbera and the Roero d’Armeis and bought some bottles of the former.
I opened this last night.
Barbera d’Alba 2010 – Alc.12.5% - (€11). I had developed a Barbera thirst after several tastings of over ambitious spoofulated examples. This one, however, was exactly the food friendly sort which I used to drink and have been looking for, vainly recently. It had exhilarating aromas of robust red fruit laced with grilled meat, on the palate its body was medium full with more robust red fruit, crisp mouth-watering acidity, chocolate as well as meat hints and enough firmness on the finish with a friendly rustic touch which completes what I look for in Barbera; 16/20.
Other of their wines on show were as follows –
There was an amiable Langhe Favorita 2010 (W) – (€11) but the Roero Arneis 2011 – (€12) was much more to my taste with a markedly mineral character behind its gently flowery aromas and nobly bitter touches.
Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2009 – (€18) sees barrique ageing (1/3 new) and, as the presenter admitted, was more international in character. There was some attractive fruit, more silky than in the basic, and the wood only showed itself in mild malt touches on the finish which I guess will integrate fully in a year or two.
Barolo 2007 – (€31) was far from ready and aromatically quite closed with still marked tannins and acidity and some yet undigested wood aromas (foudres used) but the substance was impressive and the crescendoing shape on the palate IMO presages a fine Barolo in a few years. I’m no longer in the market for 10 year+ wines but, if I were, I’d give this one a whirl at its quite attractive price for Barolo.