The 2021 growing season in Barbaresco was nearly perfect. Warm days, cool nights, and a long, dry autumn that let Nebbiolo ripen slowly and evenly. Every producer in the region made great wine. The difference is what they charge for it.

Covalli, a négociant, sources fruit from established growers and makes wine the way it's been made for generations. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. Aging in large, neutral botti that don't mask the fruit. Traditional winemaking that lets the terroir speak for itself.

The result matches wines costing three times as much because the vintage was that good and the winemaking that clean. But here's the thing about négociants: they don't have estate overhead. No castello to maintain. No spoiled kid clubbing in Rome every summer to support. Just good fruit, honest winemaking without new oak, and realistic margins.

Change is coming, Nebbiolo-hounds. When new tariffs hit Italian wine, Barbaresco under $30 will become a thing of the past. 

Why You'll Love It

• The 2021 vintage was pitch-perfect. Antonio Galloni wrote “These are vivid, exceptionally beautiful wines that show the heights Nebbiolo can reach…The wines are aromatic, deep and structured. In other words, classic Barbaresco.”
  

• Score matches big names at less than half the price: At $23, You're buying the same quality as the famous names for 50% or less. When tariffs kick in, this wine jumps to $30-$40 overnight.
  

• Beautiful fruit: We love fruit-driven Nebbiolo. Raspberries, fresh strawberry, cranberries, and cherries are all out in force in a wine that would hold its own in a lineup with $30-$50 bottles.

How to Serve It

• Pull the cork two hours before dinner. Decant and let it breathe. Serve at 58°F in Burgundy glasses.
  

• Drink now through 2031. The 2021 vintage has the structure to age beautifully. Perfect with truffle risotto, braised short ribs, or aged Gorgonzola.