Barbaresco Montubert, Icardi (75)

Barbaresco is another great Italian red wine, relatively unknown compared to all other major Italian wines and named after the town of Barbaresco in Piedmont. Too often overshadowed by its famous cousin, Barolo, because of their proximity - the two towns only a few miles away - and similarity in the wine making process, it deserves much more credit, not least for its value for money.

Barbaresco and Barolo come from Piedmont, are both made with Nebbiolo grapes and both have the DOCG status, with the only difference, except the provenance of the grapes, of the ageing, Barbaresco is aged for at least 2 years, Barolo 3.

This award winning, single vineyard Barbaresco, made from grapes obtained from an old vineyard, only produced in great vintages, is a very elegant, complex wine, with a refined nose, a lively and full palate with soft tannins, ready to be drunk now or keep in the cellar for a few more years, Barbaresco wines are proved to age for decades.

This wine, like all other big wines, is a wine that benefit from "breathing", using a decanter or similar, for a few hours before and is the perfect accompaniment for game dishes, stews and many more, check our recipe section for ideas, or just sipped over some mature cheese.

The Icardi winery, located in Piedmont, is run by brother and sister Claudio and Mariagrazia,they have taken over from their father, who founded the winery. Claudio is an oenologist and a firm believer in organic methods and as such, some of their vineyards are grown following biodynamic techniques. Mariagrazia, on the other hand, works in the winery and travels around the world to promote their wines and have vineyards in some of the best area of Piedmont, from Barolo to Barbaresco, from Asti, to Alba, including a small vineyard of Pinot Nero.