Barolo and Barbaresco wines were not traditionally thought of as “approachable,” either in style or price. There’s always been lots of evidence to the contrary, but conventional wisdom is tough to buck. That said, today’s Barbaresco from Ca’del Baio bucks like a bronco, offering more pedigree and “collectability” at this price than many would think possible in this prestige growing zone.
Ca’del Baio’s Giulio Grasso created this vineyard-designate bottling, “Autinbej,” in 2014; his mission was to deliver real-deal Barbaresco at a price that would enable restaurants to pour it by the glass (G.D. Vajra in Barolo did something similar with their “Albe” bottling). It’s what you might call a gateway wine—a Barbaresco styled to draw you in, not scare you away—and it succeeds on every level. Fine-grained tannins, complex aromatics, and just the right mix of fruit and earth make this one of the very best Nebbiolo bargains you’ll see all year. And while it is the perfect wine to pour for a Barbaresco neophyte, it’s also sneakily serious wine at this price—a stellar addition to any smartly curated cellar.
Headquartered in the village of Treiso, one of the Barbaresco appellation’s three key villages (the others being Neive and Barbaresco), Ca’del Baio farms 25 hectares of vines. Giulio Grasso represents the fourth generation at the estate, whose holdings include pieces of top-tier ‘cru’ parcels such as “Pora” and “Asili” in Barbaresco and “Marcarini” and “Vallegrande” in Treiso. The grapes for “Autinbej” are sourced from younger vines in Marcarini, an east-facing site, and “Ferrere,” which faces west. Soils are the classic Barbaresco mix of grey marl, limestone, and sand.
In the interest of approachability, “Autinbej” is subjected to a relatively short maceration on its skins during primary fermentation—nine to 15 days—to keep tannins and extract manageable. The wine is then aged for two years in large Slavonian oak botti followed by a short (four-month) period of bottle aging before release.
This 2014 is, as noted above, the first release of this wine, and it’s an impressive addition to what is already a diverse and critically acclaimed lineup of wines from Ca’del Baio (Grasso was named “Viticulturist of the Year” in 2011 by the Gambero Rosso Italian wine guide). In the glass it’s a deep garnet red moving to crimson and pink at the rim, with an expressive nose of brandy-soaked black cherries, raspberry, blood orange peel, underbrush, leather, tobacco, and turned earth. Medium-plus in body, with fine but firm tannins and mouthwatering acidity, this has finesse but also power—something you really must experience to confirm that such a combination is possible! It is approachable now, especially with 30+ minutes of air in a decanter to loosen it up, but as I also said above, this is sneakily structured and capable of 5-10 more years in the cellar, maybe more. Serve it in large Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees with something gamey and a little fatty—put its tannins/acid to work—and try to find some space in your cellar for many more. If you are a Nebbiolo lover, this has the potential to be a workhorse in your rotation.
