Cantina Tibaldi Barbera d'Alba DOC 2022
Winemaker: Monica & Daniela Tibaldi
Varietal: Barbera d'Alba
Region: Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Soil: Calcareous clay
Vineyard & Winemaking Information: vines are on average 30 years old 250m altitude low yield (55HL/ha) cold temperature skin contact with pump overs to extract aroma and color aged in stainless steel on lees for 7 months and 2 months in the bottle. Sulfur added at bottling only.
Tasting notes:
A bright and well-structured medium bodied red with a lively mouthfeel—think cherries and marionberries— balanced with subtle earthiness and spice. Lots of bright acidity on the finish, it’s a perfect bbq wine.
About Tibaldi:
Sisters Monica & Daniela come from a long line of Tibaldis, many of whom lie on the same road close to the village of Pocapaglia in the Roero. It was their great grandfather Stefano who began working the vines during the early 20th century, followed by his son Tunin when he wasn’t working in a factory, inspiring the girls to launch the family cantina/winery in 2014. They’re supported by their father Stefano, a gifted ironmonger who doubles up as a ‘trattorista’ (tractor driver) in his spare time, & by their mother Margherita, a cowgirl from Saluzzo. Daniela (& Monica) trained in accountancy, then as a sommelier, while her older sister Monica studied viticulture & enology at Turin University, followed by a further year in Asti & a Masters in Madrid!
They have close to 7ha in total, located in three distinct MGA zones: Mormoré & Bricco delle Passere in the commune of Pocapaglia & the Coste Anforiano vineyard in Santa Vittoria. In Pocapaglia the hilly soils are Miocenic marine sand (stone), rich with fossils in origin, ideal for their two key white grapes/wines: Favorita & Arneis. In 2012 they identified a perfect 0.7ha Nebbiolo vineyard for their Roero DOCG: Coste Anforiano, that lies on limestone white Marne Sant’Agata clay soils, looking across the Tanaro river valley at Verduno; their debut vintage was 2014. They also make some Barbera & Nebbiolo d’Alba.