Phil Your Glass: Award-winning Barbera D’Asti Superiore is an easy drinker that's very food friendly
I walked into the carryout area of Vaccaro’s Trattoria a few weeks back. One of my grape mentors, Raphael Vaccaro, handed me a bottle of Vite Colte’s La Luna E I Falo Barbera D’Asti Superiore. “This is what I’m excited about right now,” said Vaccaro.
Barbera is the third-most-planted red grape in Italy after sangiovese and Montepulciano. It’s widely planted in the Piedmont region but gets overshadowed by the mighty nebbiolo grape, which is used to make the king of all Italian wine, Barolo.
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I’ve had my fair share of barberas, and was floored by the Luxardo cherry flavors of this wine. It’s an easy drinker and very food friendly with a finish you can time with a sundial. The perfect wine for bocce night with friends. I can see why this $17.99 bottle was given a Tre Bicchieri award, one of Italy’s most prestigious, by Gambero Rosso.
Grana padano and mimolette cheeses were exceptional with this Italian red, as was grilled Alesci’s sausage from Heinen's, grilled eggplant, and Alessi’s mushroom risotto mix from Acme.
"This is a really big wine," said Vaccaro who recommends pairing truffles, steak or a rich charcuterie with the wine. Jeff Bruno, my other wine guru from Papa Joe’s, suggested a bottle with their chicken Parmesan.
Buy this wine at both Mustard Seed Market locations, Beau’s Market in Copley, Krieger’s Market, Papa Joe’s, Vaccaro’s Trattoria, Wise Guys Lounge & Grill, Miles Market in Solon, Top Shelf of Ohio in Jackson Township; and HomeBuys, Avenue Wine Shop and Grapes in a Glass in Canton.
Email me at philyourglass@gmail.com with any wine questions and follow me on Instagram @pmasturzo_philyourglass.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Vite Colte’s barbera is award-winning, food-friendly wine
