2021 Taliano Michele - Barbera d'Alba Laboriosa Superiore (750ml)

The 2021 Taliano Michele Barbera d’Alba Laboriosa Superiore (750ml) delivers the structural rigor and aromatic depth characteristic of Piedmont’s highest-tier Barbera bottlings, engineered for both immediate dining and multi-year cellaring. Cultivated across the estate’s Langhe hillside plots, the 2021 vintage captured ideal seasonal balance—a long, dry maturation period concentrated fruit sugars while preserving the grape’s naturally high malic acid. Extended resting in large-format oak vessels rounds the youthful edges, yielding a deep garnet core with purple reflections. The aromatic profile layers stewed black cherry, wild blueberry, crushed violet, and sun-dried herbs, gradually opening to cedar, cocoa, and dried tobacco.

On the palate, ripe dark fruit sits firmly atop a fine-tannin skeleton, supported by brisk acidity and a subtle saline minerality that maintains length. Its inherent lift cuts through richness cleanly, making it a dependable partner for slow-braised meats, wild mushroom risotto, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and herb-roasted poultry. Drink now after a twenty-minute pour, or age between five and eight years to track toward forest floor, leather, and cured-meat complexity. Keep bottles stored horizontally in a stable 55°F environment until ready to open.