2022 Barbera d'Alba, Bruno Rocca

• Style: Fruit-driven modernist Barbera
• Taste: Ripe plum, dark cherry, toasted almond, pink peppercorn
• Food: Braised beef, game, mushroom dishes, roast dinners
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, date night
• Serve: 16–18°C, decant 20 mins, 14% ABV

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Ripe plum and dark cherry are backed by toasted almond and pink peppercorn, speaking to the variety's character as a high-acid, low-tannin grape. The palate is round and harmonious, finishing with savory restraint. This is fruit intensity married to the refinement the Langhe region is known for, with lively acidity that cuts through rich dishes without exhaustion.

The Winery — Bruno Rocca

Bruno took over the family estate in 1978 and established himself as one of Piedmont's finest producers by balancing contemporary winemaking with regional tradition. The grapes were hand-selected and destemmed before a 10–15 day stainless steel fermentation, then aged for a year in French oak — a treatment that adds structure without overwhelming the wine's natural brightness. The limestone and Blue Sant'Agata marl soils of Neive, combined with vines averaging 50 years old, give depth and mineral character. The 2022 vintage, shaped by early flowering and smaller berries in challenging conditions, delivered excellent phenolic ripeness for wines built to age gracefully. Bruno now runs the 15-hectare estate with daughter Luisa and son Francesco, producing around 65,000 bottles annually.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This Barbera is one of Italy's most food-friendly reds, pairing beautifully with braised beef, game and venison, mushroom and truffle dishes, roast dinners, or soft cheeses like fontina. Serve at 16–18°C; a 20-minute decant will open up the aromatics. At 14% ABV with bracing acidity, it's equally at home on a Sunday lunch table or a date night, and sits alongside the rest of our Piedmont range as a reminder of what happens when a committed producer works with character-rich fruit and respects regional identity.