Lovers of Barbaresco know that we have a few “pet” producers when it comes to value: There’s Azienda Agricola Ronchi, for one; the legendary Produttori del Barbaresco for another; and today, the marvel that is Ca’del Baio. This estate has topped the value-for-dollar charts for as long as I can remember, and longtime proprietor Giulio Grasso really outdid himself when he launched his “Autinbej'' bottling in 2014. His stated mission with Autinbej (a word from Piedmontese dialect describing the sunniest spot in a vineyard) was to deliver real-deal Barbaresco at a price that would enable restaurants to pour it by the glass. Here we are with the ’21 vintage, and the wine is truer than ever to its original promise. Let’s say it loud for the folks in the back: This is a Barbaresco value that might well beat them all! On the one hand, it’s what you might call a gateway wine—a Barbaresco styled to draw you in, not scare you away—but it’s also sneakily serious, age-worthy wine at this price. Drink now, hold, or do both…the point is, you don’t let a wine like this pass you by!
It's not often that us wine plebes get to contemplate having Barbaresco as a “house” red, but here we are, courtesy of a family-run estate with deep roots in this historic region. 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 gray 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.
In the glass, this ’21 shines 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 super-fine 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—plush, even—especially with 30+ minutes of air in a decanter to loosen it up. It will also continue to improve over the next 5-7 years if kept well. Serve it in 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 a case. If you are a Nebbiolo lover, this is poised to be a workhorse in your rotation.
