Barbaresco asili 2018 (Michele Chiarlo)

Drink now or cellar for up to 15 years. No need to decant before serving. Michele Chiarlo founded his namesake winery in 1956 with a vision of making exceptional traditional-style Piedmontese wines that could be enjoyed all over the world. Today his two sons, Alberto and Stefano, help run the estate, taking good care of their vineyards which include many of the most prized crus for Barolo and Barbaresco. They were certified in 2011 under the VIVA Sustainable Wine scheme, and wherever possible they pursue environmentally-friendly policies in the vineyard and winery. Asili is a prestigious Barbaresco cru which encircles the village of the same name. Here the superb calcareous and clay soils and excellent exposure help to create complex wines with a silky smooth texture and elegant structure. The Chiarlo’s 1 hectare vineyard is harvested by hand and fermented in 55 hectolitre oak vats. The wine then spends 18 months maturing in oak barrels followed żeby more ageing in the bottle before release. The result is a refined and balanced Barbaresco with enticing notes of bright red berries, dried herbs, and cigar box spice from the oak ageing. On the palate there’s a generous medium body, firm tannins, and a solid core of ripe fruit flavours which linger on the tongue. A great partner for red meat and game including a rack of lamb, roast pork, or rabbit.