Have a juicy, fruity good time with this beauty of a Barbera from Marchesi di Barolo, the Maraia Barbera del Monferrato. Available at Costco.
100% Barbera from Maranzana, Piedmont, Italy. The wine is aged for one year in Slavonian oak barrels and has 2.1 g/L of residual sugar.
The Maraia Barbera del Monferrato is available for around $10-$12, including at many Costco locations, where we found our bottle. It is imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons.
"Maraia" refers to a group of rowdy kids, or "little rascals", in Piedmontese dialect, referring to the lively nature of this wine.
This 100% Barbera is sourced from calcareous-clay soils that are rich in quartz sand, lending the wine a strong, but balanced character and an open bouquet. Handpicked grapes are brought to the cellar in perfect condition where they get softly pressed and de-stalked before vinification. Aromas go from fresh berries to preserves and vanilla notes. Its lively acidity makes it a great companion with a variety of dishes, from antipasti to pasta with red sauce and light meats.
Bottled in Italy by Marchesi di Barolo
13% Alcohol
Barbera is, unfortunately, an often-overlooked Italian grape, but it's one of our favorite varieties to pair with pizza. Today's example comes from the Barbera del Monferrato appellation in the northwestern part of the Piedmont region. It's the biggest of the 3 Barbera zones in Piedmont (Alba and Asti are the other two) but also probably the least well known.
The 2019 Maraia Barbera del Monferrato from Marchesi di Barolo opens with a lovely, enticing aroma loaded with dark berries, plum, a little spice and a bit of an earthy, nutty note.
The nicely balanced wine is extremely easy to drink and tastes of Sweet Tart fruit (although this is not a sweet wine) with nice touches of spice and earthiness wrapped up in a soft, almost comforting mouthfeel. Medium to full-bodied and with good acidity, this is a juicy, fruity good time!
It ends fresh, dry and delicious with good length, lingering juicy fruit and elegant touches of spice.
2019 Maraia Barbera del Monferrato
You can also find more of our favorite Italian wines here.
And here's our previous review of the 2016 vintage:
The 2016 Maraia Barbera del Monferrato from Marchesi di Barolo opens with a lovely, enticing aroma loaded with dark berries, plenty of spice and a little vanilla. The nicely balanced wine is extremely easy to drink and tastes of Sweet Tart fruit (although this is not a sweet wine) with nice touches of spice and a soft, almost comforting mouthfeel. Medium to full-bodied and with good acidity, this is a juicy, fruity good time! It ends fresh, dry and delicious with good length, lingering sweet fruit and elegant touches of spice.
