Score: 88/100
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.
Fornace di Cerreto wine is obtained from 100% Barbera grapes cultivated in the vineyard called, expectedly “Fornace di Cerreto” located in Nizza Monferrato along the right bank of the Belbo river, at 160 m above sea level. The area is recognized as producing high-quality wines for the appellation. The name of the vineyard, which means “Oven of Cerreto,” comes from an ancient brick oven that was once located here. The soil is made of limestone and clay. “Fornace di Cerreto” is a wine with a good body and intense aromas, characteristically spiced.
Tasting Notes
This Piemontese Barbera wine comes in a pretty dark red color, bright red to the rim, with hints of orange, dark red to the core.
The first bottle I tried of it, at first pouring, the wine felt quite tight and feeling reductive. It definitely needed some air, a good decanting like I did is necessary to allow it to open up. Then, let the wine breathe for a good half hour before sniffing and sipping!
I popped a second cork of the same wine, and the wine felt much different, bright and vibrant red berry fruit aromas came through much more lively.
Once open and settled in its decanter, the wine feels deep, spicy and richly fruity. Intense aromas of sweet licorice dominate the aromatic profile, with clove and other sweet spices, while the fruity side is covered by ripe plum and prune notes, as well as dark berry jam, blackberry. Add hints of wood smoke for the complete nose’s picture.
Medium-bodied palate, with crisp acidity and rather dense and velvety tannins for a Barbera wine. It’s round bodied and relatively smooth, although the acidity combined with edgy tannins make it feel a little biting, but that’s to be expected from a Barbera, and is probably good thing, a varietal touch.
The wine feels juicy and salivating, with a salty finish and savory edge suggesting it is a wine to pair with generous and tasty foods. Plenty of flavor concentration, with dark spices, cocoa and coffee, and the plum/prune notes again.
Medium-length finish of ripe strawberry and a few layers of sweet spices, with a touch of herbal character.
Overall
A good fruity yet relatively complex Barbera wine, featuring plenty of character and a complex personality. Juicy red berry fruit, a mineral acidity marry good body and velvety tannins with a grippy edge.
The wine feels young a still quite tight. Give it a few years to round up and open up further. Drink within 3 to 10 years.
Enjoy 🙂
Suggested Glassware & Decanter for this Wine
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