Barale Fratelli Castlé Barbera d’Alba 2019

This is a fascinating Barbera and quite different from the usual style thanks to its fun, perfumed fruits. It’s almost like a Cru Beaujolais with a crisp acid kick. There are pretty and fragrant aromas of dark cherry, truffle, dried herbs and old oak with an almost floral lift to it. It’s then followed by a bright, juicy and even silky mid-weight palate. It’s a classic bistro red but also has some quite serious complexity with dark cherry and roasted meat flavours supported by slinky tannins that lead to a tarry, lingering finish. It’s barbera all right, but not as you might know it, and makes a great introduction to what is often a highly underrated grape variety.