The Barbera grapes for this red wine come from a small vineyard near the town of Alba in Piedmont. This vineyard, which boasts a considerable age of thirty years, is classified as Superiore and, according to Paolo Manzone, produces truly beautiful, full bunches. This is largely due to the climate in which these bunches grow. The Barbera d'Alba vineyard, called Fiorenza, is situated at an altitude of four hundred meters. At this altitude, the necessary coolness is more than sufficient. This coolness comes from the wind and the sharp drop in nighttime temperatures, which causes the grapes to ripen very slowly. Slow growth results in very full bunches with many powerful flavors. When the entire harvest is ripe, all the Barbera bunches are harvested by hand, which takes place early in the morning.
After pressing, this red wine is aged in wood for a full twelve months. Paolo Manzone selects French oak barrels, approximately twenty percent of which are new and unused. This makes this Fiorenza Barbera d'Alba fuller and more powerful. This is also clearly noticeable in the aroma of this red wine. We noted impressions of fresh berries and cherries, along with spices and a hint of the oak. On the palate, a very refined wine with plenty of depth, ripe flavors of cherries and plums on the palate, which later develop into spices. On the sides and against the cheeks, there are lovely hints of blackcurrant fruit, accompanied by some cedar and toast. Everything about this Barbera d'Alba is complete.
