Cascina delle Rose, Barbera d'Alba, Donna Elena, 2016
Not one of my favorite grapes, but this Barbera is outstanding. The dust, worn leather and hints of herbs take me to places like the southern Rhone and southern France. The 15% ABV surprisingly doesn't wear down the palate. You sense the weight and the texture and you sip it slowly, but without a strain. But the alcohol is beyond the point. I just love it when a good wine breaks away from its initial impression and the expectations it created. The break point here is when the herbs and dust evolve to a truffly, earthy aroma that I find to be as true an expression of the great Barbaresco vineyards (where Cascina delle Rose hails from) as the Rabaja crus I tasted in Piedmont in October. It's plumper than a Nebbiolo based wine, otherwise it's a good ringer.