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What We Say 2008 'Soliter' Barbera d'Asti DOCG
EXCLUSIVE LIMITED ALLOCATION:
We have a very limited allocation of today’s featured wine. It is an exclusive allocation just in from Italy.
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Mission Codename: Exclusive Endeavors
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Acquire a limited allocation of a exclusive Barbera d’Asti
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Azienda Agricola Pescaja
Wine Subject: 2008 ‘Soliter’ Barbera d’Asti DOCG
Winemaker: Beppe Pescaja
Backgrounder:
Barbera, the third most planted varietal (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano) in Italy finds its most classic expression in the Piedmont and specifically in Asti and Alba. The finest Barbera is grown in specific single vineyard crus surrounding those communes. Italian Barbera comes in two basic forms, the tradizione, a more rustic old-world style and newer more fruit forward styles similar to the Barbera that is grown in California. Sadly, Barbera is often passed up as a lesser varietal but when done well, these wines show their classic Italian heritage and character.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark and deep garnet with a slightly thicker surface tension than expected. Ruby red reflections shine through its clear core. Along the edges the color lightens through garnet to ruby and when swirled, clusters of slow fat legs ring the side of the glass.
Smell – Medium in intensity with aromas of fresh ripe red and black berries, specifically red cherry and raspberry along with subtle, non oaky, sweet vanilla bean. Hints of flower blossoms emerges at the end.
Feel – This full-bodied wine is dry and smooth with rich and supple medium tannins (surprising, considering this wine is relatively youthful). Balanced acidity and subtle sweet spice keeps things interesting.
Taste – Generous ripe and fresh red and black cherry, tart wild raspberry and blackberry with subtle vanilla notes (not oaky though). Sweet dark spices and a tiny hint of smoke round out the very pure fruit on the palate.
Finish – Medium in length with lingering black fruit. As this wine lingers on the palate, it leaves just a touch of chewiness, almost reminiscent of its pure fleshy fruit.
Conclusion – The 2008 Pescaja ‘Soliter’ Barbera d’Asti DOCG is surprising well developed for a young Barbera. New world in style with gorgeous fresh and pure fruit. Not overly complex in its character, but its fresh fruit and supple texture makes this wine very approachable and extremely easy to drink.
Mission Report:
Just back form an extended mission in Europe and surprisingly, I had found balance in my consumption of adult beverages. Plenty of beer, cider and whiskey made things interesting. But it was good to be home.
As I walked through my front door and started to sort through the pile of mail and parcels I noticed a box marked urgent. Dead tired, I didn’t even bother to finish the task at hand and instead lied down.
Being abruptly woken from a deep sleep is disturbing enough, but after 20 hours of travel and being woken at 5AM is criminal. It was Agent Free Run on the other end of the line.
“Did you get the package?, yell asked enthusiastically…”
“huh, who’s this? uh, Free Run… No… I was sleeping…”
“I’ll give you 30 minutes to get organized before I go public on this, and call me on my secure line…”
Stumbling to my feet, it occurred to me that the parcel marked urgent was what he was talking about. I opened the box and inspected the contents.
“Free Run, White here…”
“You’ve got the first few cases on this… A special allocation, just in from the Piedmont. I think your operatives will enjoy it. You’ve got a few days before we go public on this one. No get to work, the wine world needs you!” and the line went dead…
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Azienda Agricola Pescaja in Cisterna d’Asti can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Az. Agr. Pescaja
“As the dream and the waking mixes together, as the caress of a warm sunlight, that’s how Sun and Earth meet”
About This Wine:
Full and sweet as a well mature fruit. It expresses the harmony of smoothly running summer days, the scent of a spring rich of fresh red fruits and spices.
VARIETY ORIGIN: Hill countryside surrounding Nizza Monferrato. South oriented vineyard, calcareous loam rocks. No cold valley draughts.
VISION: is the main principle of the soil, the expression of a face to face dialogue between the vineyard and the terroir without any man intervention.
PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE: skins maceration and consequent traditional fermentation. Ageing in iron tanks with small percentage in wooden casks.
About The Winery:
The production philosophy of Pescaja deals with the creative principle called “S.C.A.”.
Such principle is contained in the central part of the word Pescaja. Sca, in fact are (in Italian language) the beginning letters of the words Sun, Heart and Soul.
The care for the nature and simplicity is our foundation. That’s why the “Sun” is important for us: it’s synonymous of “Terroir”, the microclimate conditions, the country. “Heart”, instead, is the propeller energy of every new enterprise and it’s the creative idea that takes body day by day, the everyday life that carried by the passion for the improvement, becomes “Savoir faire”. These are the premises needed to obtain products with a “Soul” rich of personalities, unique and strong of their own style.
The years go by, everything runs as Eraclitus stated, the ideas change and the rules of the nature and its main principles let Pescaja wines never be the same, never repeat themselves. The search for a higher equilibrium maintain the “S.C.A.” principle as its own unique rule. That’s because wine is a concept devoted to history and it is rich of symbols that take root from the principles of “Ecclesia”, convivial, friendship, tolerance, peace and even from pleasure.
Pescaja attempt is not only to produce good hand made wine but also to endorse a new concept of human being, a thought, a lifestyle…
