2011 Flavio Roddolo, Barbera d'Alba Superiore, Bricco Appiani

Flavio Roddolo has become one of our most treasured sources of wine from Piedmont. Roddolo manages a tiny estate, and brings a staggering amount of skill and devotion to his six hectares of vines located in the hills outside Monforte. His wines are stirring, soulful, and singular, the product of a master in harmony with his surroundings. As is often the case, they are also made in rather small quantities.

Roddolo’s wines do not bowl you over with bravado or charm. They speak frankly and clearly of their place, and draw you in gradually, with strength and conviction, but never with force. Once they have your attention, Roddolo’s wines are often impossible to forget. If you’re a lover of traditional Piemontese wines, you’ll find it’s simply a matter of time before your admiration for these wines becomes obsession.

Flavio chooses to bottle his wines on his own timeframe, and in keeping with the theme of his property, patience is king.

The Barbera d'Alba Bricco Appiani has all the bright acidity that you'd associate with the variety, but there is a power and depth to the wine that’s almost unparalleled in the Barbera category; the wine has a richness that fills the palate with vivid fruit but veers away from imbalance. The Bricco Appiani ferments for 15 days in stainless steel before being aged 14 months in used oak, and is bottled unfined and unclarified for maximum purity.