Cigliuti Campass Barbera d’Alba 2022

Cigliuti is a Langhe grower in Piedmont, now run by Claudia and Silvia Cigliuti under their father Renato. The Campass bottling comes from Barbera planted on the calcareous marl soils typical of the hills around Neive, where the pale, water-retentive clay tempers the vine and pushes ripeness while holding onto the natural acidity that defines Barbera. Warm days and cool nights over the growing season slow the sugars enough to keep the fruit fresh at picking. Yields are kept low and cellar handling is minimal, with the wine spending 18 months in French oak barrels. That long elevage rounds the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and folds in vanilla and a savoury spice, while the acidity keeps the palate lively at 15 percent alcohol. The colour is deep ruby. The nose is ripe cherry and plum over black pepper and liquorice, with a scent of oak in support. The palate is full and concentrated, the fruit carried by that bright acid line into a long, warm finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted an hour ahead. It suits braised beef and hard mountain cheese.