Good morning one and all,
 
Simon’s Wine of the Week is Barbera D’Asti Il Cascinone Crocera 
 
This week we’re heading to Piemonte in Northern Italy, a hilly region that is certainly well named as it roughly translates as ‘The Foot of the Mountains’. Piemonte is one of the world’s greatest wine growing regions and makes some of Italy’s most famed wines. Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gavi are its most famous, but it also makes some lesser known but fantastic Dolcetto, Arneis and Muscat based wines. It’s even home to Asti Spumante to those who have a bit of a sweet tooth.
 
Today I’ve chosen a wine made with the Barbera grape as my Wine of the Week. It always amazes me that Barbera isn’t better known; it makes delicious wines with medium to full body, lots of lovely red fruit, low tannin and decent acidity, that pair superbly with a large range of food. It’s also always good value compared to the better-known wines of this part of Italy.

 
The very best Barbera comes from a large swathe of vineyards in the hills around the city of Asti, an area which is considered to be Barbera’s ‘heartland’. Since the mid-eighties it has become common to age in some oak, that adds a spicy touch and softens the fruit.
 
The Crocera Barbera D’Asti comes from the Il Cascinone estate which underwent extensive replanting in the early 2000s. The grapes are sourced from the most prized vineyards of the estate where exposure to more sun ripens the grapes to perfection. The bright and vibrant fruit is a product of these young vines that have then been softened and seasoned by a year in French oak (of which around 15% was new).
 
On pouring it has a lovely bright ruby colour in the glass. The nose is super-fruity with damson, cherry and wild strawberry notes with only the merest whiff of spice from the oak. It is medium-bodied and super vibrant in the mouth where there’s more lovely red fruit to the fore, a smoothness from the low tannins, and a brightness from the acidity. If you like your red wines not too full-bodied and like a bit of freshness, then I would highly recommend this.
 
Food wise it is very versatile. Whilst you would expect it not to be very meat-friendly due to its low tannin, there’s enough fruit there to go with a huge range of dishes. I’m a big fan of it with Italian sausages in lentils, but it would match with a range of pork dishes, mushroom risotto, or spaghetti and meatballs.
 
Have a great week all,
 
Simon