Score: 91/100
Malgrà winery (azienda vinicola) is located in Mombaruzzo in the heart of the Monferrato near Asti in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy.
Together with Tenuta Carretta, located in Piobesi d’Alba in the heart of the Roero, and Edoardo Miroglio Wine Cellar of Elenovo, located in Tracia, Bulgaria, Malgrà is part of the Terre Miroglio Family Estates, a group that unites all winemaking properties of the Miroglio family.
The “Mora di Sassi” vineyard the grapes for this wine are sourced from is located in the township of Nizza Monferrato, in the heart of Nizza DOCG territory at about 200m (650 ft) above sea level, facing to the South. Its limestone and clay soils host 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) of vineyard. “Mora di Sassi” represents an important expression of the Barbera grape, an iconic variety for Piedmontese viticulture.
After fermentation, Mora di Sassi wine was aged for 12 months in oak barrels and matured at least 24 in the bottle before release.
Tasting Notes
This wine comes in a pretty dark and intense red color for the style, intensely red, nearly black to the core, bright red with purple hues to the rim. Looking youthful and vibrant!
The nose on this Barbera is quite stunning, from being so positively unusual. There is such a wealth of citrus aromas to the profile, lime peel and bergamot. It smells juicy and rich, almost like a home-made lemonade in some regards.
Of course, there is some clear vinosity (it smells like wine), as well as plentiful spices, white pepper and clove. Touches of vegetal character, like laurel leaves, and a hint of earthiness.
Quite complex to smell, some depth, but more importantly an outstanding vibrancy from the unique lime characters.
The wine doesn’t disappoint from there on the palate. The wealth of citrus flavors is there, tasty, somewhat like a lime-peel-infused tea. But being wine not tea, it brings much more depth to the taste too.
Juicy redberry and licorice give a sweet/sour feel, although this is a dry wine. Mid-body with a good oily texture, a vibrant acidity, and velvety tannins yet with a grippy edge providing a touch of savory bitterness to the finish.
Layers of spices, caramel and coffee, blackberry and hints of vanilla. There’s a whole spectrum of tastes packed in here.
Overall
Despite the obvious concentration in play, the wine lets itself enjoy remarkably light-heartedly, combining serious layers of complexity, with a juicy and charming approach.
A very unique Barbera wine, balanced and overall smooth and approachable, packed-full of intense flavors of spices and juicy fruitiness. It stuns from its uniquely pungent citrus notes for a red wine.
A wine to experience then it is…
Enjoy 🙂
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