Collina-della-vedova

barbera-d-asti-nero

DENOMINAZIONE DI ORIGINE CONTROLLATA E GARANTITA

SUPERIORE

 

First label in 1985
collina-della-vedova

Characteristics of the vineyards

Variety: 100 % barbera
Average age of the plants: 65 years
Surface: 3 hectares
Density of vines per hectare: 7000
Growing system: Guyot
Pruning method: 1 shoot with 8 buds
Maximum height: 300 meters
Minimum height: 160 meters
Exposure: south, south-east, south-west
Composition of the soil: marl and sandstone with presence of clayish layers, tufa and chalk.

The work in the cellar

This wine is the innovative interpretation of Barbera d’Asti, the new style that has enabled Barbera to face the most prestigious Italian wines and to become popular on the international market. In this wine the traditional characteristics combine with the complexity of the oak enriching and refining its body without distorting the peculiarity of Barbera. Collina della Vedova (“The widow’s hill”) is the result of the assembly of one part of the wine from 4 crus, Cua Longa, More, Muntrivè and La Riva in percentages varying according to the vintage.
Fermentation with the skins: 12-15 days
Method of fermentation: traditional technique of submerged cap
Refinement in wooden barrels: 12-18 months in barriques, 70 % Allier and 30 % other mixed oak from the French Massif Central
Refinement in the bottle: 12-18 months
The oak releases a lot of substances enriching the organoleptic characteristics of Barbera: spicy flavours and vanilla notes, suppleness of polyphenols – elements sweetening the natural aggressiveness of Barbera. The wine is ready for delivery 4 years after the harvest and best appreciated 8-10 years after the harvest.
Medium production: 18000 bottles.

What wine guides say

barriques Coll.Vedova2006: Flavours of bilberries, ripe cherries, but also spices and flowers. Very fresh and juicy. (Duemilavini)
2005: Sweet notes of white tobacco, rosolio, violet caramels, cherries. The crisp acidity, the savoury substance and the finish characterized by apricot-stone all promise very well. (Duemilavini)
2004: Perfumed, direct, pure red fruit nose. Round ripe fruit palate with rich tannins, high acidity and a long harmonious length. (Decanter)
2003: Intense ruby red. Sour cherries, sweet tobacco and violets. Well-amalgamated scents of spices and fruit. Firm texture, high yet balanced acidity that makes the wine very pleasant to drink. Persistent, with fruity notes. (Duemilavini)
2001: The bouquet is of licorice and cherry, with a peppery, coffee nose and some spicy vanilla and game streaks. The taste is ripe, round and fairly rich, with smooth, light tannins and a bitter back taste of licorice, prunes and toasted almonds. Cherry, smoky coffee, vanilla, licorice and black pepper flavours, with good acidity and balance. (www.burrowsluongo.com)
2000: Leather and earth at first dominate the Collina della Vedova, a tri-variety blend, which then develops good estractive weight. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1999: Deep, clear ruby red colour. The alcoholic notes are perceived at first approach, then the nose perceives hints of red berries, cherry, spice and balsam given by the wood. On the palate, the wine is structured and warm, with clearly perceivable tannin and good balance. (Duemilavini)
1998: The more austere Collina della Vedova ’98 is dark in appearance and has an elegant blackcurrant, cherry and cocoa powder nose layered over characteristic earthy tones. The attack on the palate is powerful and the progression shows notable structure. The mint and fruit finish is long and vigorous. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1997: Its intense garnet is firm almost to the edge of the glass while the nose hints at bilberry, cherry and green leaves over subtle hints of rhubarb and pepper. The soft, concentrated palate is backed up by delicate tannins and there are notes of liquorice and cocoa in the lingering finish. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1996: Cedary nose and ripe palate. (Lynch, Decanter)
1995: Firm texture. The deep colour indicates a long life. Elegant and full-bodied. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1994: An extraordinarily elegant wine. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1993: A red wine of great fineness and balance, produced by a genuine Barbera-lover like Alfiero Boffa. Its colour proves good concentration, the scents of macerated black cherries combine with extremely pleasant vanilla notes, in the mouth the wine is fluid and satisfying, distributing all sensations of taste in the best way. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1991: Typical nose, smooth and full-bodied, firm texture. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1990: As for the 1990 Collina della Vedova, it exhibits a deeper color, and a more enticing bouquet of ripe fruit, floral scents, and new oak notes from aging in barrel. It also tastes riper, with sweeter fruit, and a longer, riper finish. It is a persuasive example of a rich, elegant wine for drinking now and over the next several years. (Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide)
1989: It shows an intense, wide nose, with scents of vanilla, leather and spices, and a good concentration in the mouth, where plums prevail in a rather long finish. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)
1987: Sumptuous elegance. (Vini d’Italia del Gambero Rosso)

 

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