Did you know that Barbera is not only a Piedmontese grape? No, no one attempted to experiment and plant vines of this type in the Sannio; we are simply faced with a case of homonymy!
Certainly less known than its cousin, this grape bears very little resemblance to it!
Penalized by its prestigious name – as sometimes happens with the children (and generally the relatives) of famous figures – the story of Barbera del Sannio is truly mysterious and grows richer with new versions year after year.
This particular variety is, inextricably, linked to the name of Michele Pacelli who, after the Second World War, experimented with cultivating this difficult variety now found almost exclusively in the area of Castelvenere.
Limited yields, difficulties in vinification, and a delicate berry have driven growers away over the years.
The Pacelli family is one of those who believed in it! Defying what others were doing, saying, or advising, today they produce this Sannio Barbera as a single-variety wine.
In the glass it presents a sparkling ruby red colour; on the nose it is much fruitier than its Piedmontese namesake, sweet and round – the aromas of red fruits emerge in a sinuous yet intense way. Even before bringing it to the palate, it appears a cheerful and fresh wine. On the palate it is elegant, slender, fresh, endowed with a marked acidity and a persistence I did not expect.
I believe the name Barbera penalizes it greatly, much like the Fiano Minutolo we have already written about; these weighty cases of homonymy that often generate confusion in the consumer ought to be resolved.
I paired it with chicken thighs cooked simply with garlic and rosemary; it was very satisfying.
A wine I would buy again and again, belonging to the family of those elegant reds that in the south are often overshadowed by their more robust siblings.
I enjoyed it.
What do you think?
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