The Yankees called Lou Gehrig the “Iron Horse” because of his durability and consistency as a player. De Forville is our “Iron Horse of Barbaresco.” 

The De Forville family started making wine when Garibaldi was still unifying Italy. Through two World Wars, countless harvests, and five generations of winemakers, they've never wavered from their mission: make the most soulful, fruit-driven Barbaresco they can.

The current chapter features brothers Valter and Paolo Anfosso, who inherited not just 11 hectares of prime Barbaresco vineyards, but also 150 years of accumulated wisdom. They’re next door to Gaja on the Via Torino, and like Gaja, their sites are some of the best in town—including fruit from the legendary Rabajà and Pozzo crus, where 40-year-old vines dig deep into the calcareous-clay soils that sustained them in this hot vintage.

Here's what hasn't changed since great-great-grandfather Gioachino's time: hand-harvesting, natural fermentation, and 18 months aging in massive Slavonian oak botti that add structure without masking the fruit. 

The 2022 vintage was one for the ages in Piedmont. A very warm, very dry summer made for an early harvest, yielding bold, fruity Barbareschi that will give immense pleasure in the near term.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

• Chronic Over-deliverer. We call this our “Iron Horse” because it is a knockout value, year in and year out. With grapes from Rabajà and Pozzo in the blend, you're getting Grand Cru complexity well under $40. What sounds better? A CASE of this wine, or 1.3 bottles of Gaja Barbaresco?
  

• Approachable and Fruity. De Forville was one of legendary importer Neal Rosenthal’s first partners, still going strong since 1978. The value and juicy drinkability in this bottling has made it a staple in New York restaurants.
  

• 40-Year Old Vines. While others replant for higher yields, De Forville's old vines produce concentrated fruit that translates to wines with genuine depth. You can taste the difference in every bottle.
  

• Ready Now, Better Later: Unlike many Barbarescos that demand a decade in the cellar, this shows beautifully with just 30 minutes of air. But lay some down—by its 10th birthday, it'll still be singing.

HOW TO SERVE IT

• Decant for 30 minutes minimum. Serve at 58-62°F in Burgundy stems to capture all those haunting, addictive aromatics.
  

• Drink now through 2030. 2022 is a pleasure-laden, early-drinking vintage.
  

• Perfect with Piedmontese classics: risotto milanese, brasato al Barolo, or fresh tajarin with butter and truffles.