Barbaresco, a 100% Nebbiolo,produced from three communes east of Alba, is too often seen as the “little sister” to Barolo, another Piemontese red made solely from Nebbiolo, but it is a great wine in its own right. Medium-full with rich tannins, Barbaresco tends to be more a bit lighter on the palate than Barolo, making it more drinkable at an earlier age. This means that Barbaresco is often a value as compared to Barolo and is often 20%-30% less expensive, despite only one-third the total output of Barolo. All in all, this is a rich, multi-layered red wine that offers tremendous finesse and elegance; top examples age well for two or three decades.

Pair Barbaresco with beef, veal, pork, lighter game and aged cheeses.