Cantine Giacomo Ascheri Barbera D'Alba Fonteanelle
Pairs with: Traditional veal cutlet alla Milanese, Piedmontese agnolotti del plin tossed in sage and rich meat reduction, slow-roasted pork chops with rosemary, classic eggplant Parmesan, or a casual platter of savory salumi and mild Italian cheeses like Fontina or young Taleggio.
Good for: Introducing a French Pinot Noir or Cru Beaujolais enthusiast to Northern Italy's ultimate everyday hero; securing a beautifully polished, single-vineyard Piedmontese red that punches way above its price tag; or elevating a cozy weekend pasta night with a wine that pairs lush, juicy dark fruit with a thrilling, food-friendly acidity.
Grape: 100% Barbera.
I am from: Barbera d'Alba DOC, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (Sourced from the estate's highly prized, sun-soaked "Fontanelle" vineyard blocks straddling the rolling hillsides of La Morra and Verduno).
The Story: Carrying a legendary legacy that stretches straight back to the early 19th century in the rolling hills of La Morra, Cantine Giacomo Ascheri operates with a strict, non-interventionist philosophy that rejects commercialized "recipe" winemaking to capture the pure, unadorned voice of their historic estate plots. For their prized "Fontanelle" bottling, the family treats Piedmont’s true populist Barbera grape with the single-vineyard prestige typically reserved for top-tier Barolos, cultivating the fruit across the hillsides of La Morra and Verduno where the vines tunnel into ancient silty-marly soils laced with calcareous sand that naturally checks growth and concentrates varietal flavor. In the cellar, winemaker Matteo Ascheri oversees a patient 10-day fermentation before tucking the juice away to mature for nine months in traditional Slavonian oak casks (75% old, 25% new) followed by four months of bottle rest. This large-cask program is an absolute masterstroke, gently breathing oxygen into the wine to melt down the grape’s naturally aggressive, tongue-snapping acidity and tight tannins without ever smothering its vibrant, raw fruit core under heavy layers of sweet vanilla or wood extract.
Why You'll Love Me: It is an absolute masterclass in harmony and structural refinement—a medium-to-full-bodied, remarkably classy red that effortlessly bridges opulent dark fruit richness with a sleek, athletic, and lively freshness. In the glass, it pours a deep, intense ruby-red highlighted by youthful, electric-violet reflections dancing around the rim. The nose is a beautifully expressive and atmospheric playground, instantly welcoming you with a fragrant, complex bouquet of ripe blackberries, black cherries, and sweet plum jam, seamlessly layered with sophisticated top notes of crushed violet petals, juniper, graphite, and a comforting whisper of cedarwood and dark baking spices. On the palate, it delivers a gorgeous, texturally supple ride, hitting the tongue with a broad, velvety density packed with dark plum skin and mocha before a driving, vibrant beam of signature Barbera acidity cuts right through the rich fruit weight to make your mouth water for food. The tannins are beautifully polished, fine-grained, and pliant, providing a seamless architectural frame that carries the wine into a long, balanced, and remarkably classy finish highlighted by a trailing touch of cocoa powder, dried kitchen herbs, and a clean, savory mineral snap.
