Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo 2007

Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo 2007

Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo 2007 is a real surprise. The gorgeous house of Fontanafredda has spent the last 10 years rapidly improving their entire range, their once iffy reputation now soundly banished. However, Barbera Briccotondo 2007 is not only excellent for Fontanafredda, it is an excellent Barbera in it's own right.

Fontanafredda is one the Piedmont's, and indeed one of Italy's, most famous wine producers. With a huge range of wines, Fontanafredda have been producing vino for over 100 years but their land has been used for wine production for much longer. One of the most beautiful estates in the world, Fontanafredda is a favourite on the wine tourism trail.

Bought from the Italian royal family by my bank, Monte dei Paschi Monte dei Paschi di Siena, this is one of the most professional outfits in the Piedmont with some of the best winemakers in Italy. This combination of money and skill turned Fontanafredda into one of the jewels in the Langhe crown. Historically and aesthetically perhaps Italys most fascinating estate.

As an Italian Wine Blogger I've come into contact with Fontanafredda many many times having sampled their Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Langhe and Gavi on numerous occasions. Their Barbera though stands out in terms of QPR. This wine is reliably now, vintage after vintage, a great bargain. Retailing for as little as £8-9 in many areas this really is a rock steady Barbera as well as a great example of the varietal.

Food Match: Pizza, Mushroom Risotto.

Best Wines from this Producer: Consistently excellent within their varietal.

Barolo Vigna La Rosa

Barolo Vigna Lazzarito

Barbaresco Coste Rubin

Barbera Briccotondo

Barbera d'Alba Papagena

Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba

Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo 2007 - BUY - £9

A thick, deep purple in the glass, the aromas from this wine took no time attacking my nose with gorgeous dark chocolate and sweet cherry. Mid bodied and with high acidity the wine is smooth and fruity with a supple engaging finish. Nothing complex here but simply delicious and typical Barbera. 87 Points - a perfect food wine.

Where can I buy this wine?

Europeans - Superiore - €8

Americans - Zachys - $10

Brits - Croque en Bouche - £9

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Fontanafredda is available everywhere so I'm sure some of you have had the pleasure of a Fontanafredda wine. Share your experiences of this or any recent Barbera tastings. :)

Chateau Haut-Bages Averous Pauillac 2001

Chateau Haut-Bages Averous Pauillac 2001

Since 1978 (2 years before I landed) the famous Chateau Lynch-Bages has been producing "Averous" as the second label of the property rolling out 10,000 cases annually. As a second label it gives the consumer a chance to sample a prestigious Cinquièmes Cru wine without breaking the bank. However, even with the second label (and sometimes third label) sharing a close location to the Cru class property and benefiting from the input of their famous winemakers these wines seldom live up to their lauded fathers names.

Not so with Averous, in certain vintages holding a red hot flaming candle to Lynch-Bages and certainly the 2001 vintage has all the class, colour, texture and nose you'd want from top class Pauillac.

In the case of the Chateau Haut-Bages Averous 2001, currently selling with Virgin Wines at £27 we have a wine from a very good Claret vintage at less than half the price of the Lynch-Bages and at a great point in its drinking curve.

Chateau Lynch-Bages itself is, due to the failings of the 1855 system, a 5th growth property but it's an undisputed fact in wine circles that this classification falls well short of the châteaux obvious pedigree.

So what should you expect of a wine from Pauillac? For those who don't know Pauillac is an area within Bordeaux famous for producing top quality claret. Home to three of the five Bordeaux first growths Mouton-Rothschild, Latour and Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac is considered the jewel in Bordeaux's red crown. Even within the appellation itself there is a great variance in the wine quality with "Pauillac" alone on the label no assurance of quality but certainly an assurance of price.

Just north of St Julien (whom frequent readers will know is my favourite area of Bordeaux) the best wines of Pauillac are in many ways similar to those of St Julien but true examples will carry clear notes of cigar-box, blackcurrent and pencil shavings. I'm sure the reader is aware of the prices currently attached to a 2001 first growth, but in case you haven't checked for a while or noticed the miserable fall of our pound then please have a brown paper bag ready before moving onto the next paragraph.

It's unusual for Wine90 to cover Bordeaux, but so impressed was I with this £27 2001 Chateau Haut-Bages Averous from the normally woefully dire range at Virgin Wines that I felt the need to tell any Virgin members that finally they have a top quality Bordeaux to buy for their subscription. Premier Cru Class Pauillac from Lafite in the 2001 vintage will set you back £365 a bottle. If I had the choice between 12 bottles of the Averous and 1 bottle of Lafite I would certainly choose Lafite but I'm a terrible snob. The smart money would be on Averous.

Chateau Haut-Bages Averous Pauillac 2001 - BUY - £27

Still somewhat dark in colour though a clear orange hue to the rim. On the nose this wine sings pure Pauillac and is as delightful a wine nose as I've had wafted my way in the last 6 months. Blackberries, cedar and super ripe. On the palate the wine was still quite tannic but firm with fruit continuing to a very full and fair length finish. A mid bodied wine that needs only 15 minutes out of the bottle. 89 Points

I haven't seen another wine writer rate this wine so highly so I'm out on a limb here but you gotta call 'em as you see 'em and I think the 2001 is reaching a peak. I highly recommend, any Brits (or anyone in fact!) reading this blog to please go out and try this wine and if you're not blown away, well, I'll send you a copy of Hugh Johnson's new book which the good people at Mitchell Beazley have sent me to review next week. So until next time, take care of yourself... and each other.

Where can I buy this Wine?

Europeans - Getraenkewelt-Weiser - €27.75

Americans - Sherry-Lehmann - $39.95

Brits - Virgin Wines - £27

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Recommend a wine for me to review! It's more fun when we get to interact! As long as it's available in the UK I'll try it. Any other comments about the blog or about this wine greatly received!