75
Drink it now or cellar for up to 20 years. No need to decant, but best to open it half an hour before service. Located in Monforte d'Alba in the Langhe of Piedmont, the Giacomo Conterno winery was founded in 1920. Initially, production relied only on grapes purchased from the best vineyards in the area, but over time the estate acquired 17 hectares of vineyards where the company grows the two most representative varieties of Piedmont, Nebbiolo and Barbera. The grapes for Giacomo Conterno's Barbera Vigna Francia come from the homonymous Cru vineyard, located in Serralunga d'Alba. After manual harvesting and fermentation, the wine rests in oak for about 20 months. The result is an elegant wine with a refined character, an excellent example of the great potential of this sometimes underestimated native grape variety. The wine takes on a bright color with intense ruby tones and a vibrant aromatic profile with fragrant notes of red fruits such as raspberry and cherry and subtle ethereal hints. On the palate, it is lively, fresh, juicy, and perfectly balanced. It has a medium body, a refreshing acidic vein, and a very long finish that recalls mineral notes. It is excellent with fettuccine with ragu, beef tartare, and medium-aged cheeses.