“ There is nothing more inside of wine if not the sunlight mixed with the liquid of vine “
( Galileo Galilei )
My first encounter with wines from company Di Barrò was happened in summer when I had visited the event Wines in Vineyards in Aymavilles.But, in reality, I was already curious before to taste the wine Torrette Superior of the estate, but after tasted that I wanted to visit the winery even more.
The name – Di Barrò – in local dialect literally means “ in barrels “ and refers to the small wooden barrels of characteristic form according to the traditions of Valle d’Aosta.
The place where the estate is situated is very nice, in Saint-Pierre, in the locality Château Feuillet, and vineyards are located mostly at Saint-Pierre, but also in neighbouring villages Villeneuve, Sarre at Aymavilles.
The one of my most powerful simpressions from visiting the estate was a big collection of historic bottles from the old vintages labeled with very interesting historical etiquettes of the estate.
The other pleasant discovery- there is a cultivation of autochthonous varieties occurs, as Mayolet, Vuillermin etc-and yes, I know, I shouldn’t repeat again, but I will – I am passionate about rare autochthonous varieties from Valle d’Aosta.
But most power impression of all was the visit of vineyard, together with Matteo, son of Elvira Di Barrò, the Cru of estate. It was at a midday during one of the day at August . It was hot as an oven, when we talk about the temperature at the vineyard,similar to the hell. The best adapted place for a cultivation of vines , rocks accumulate the heat for a day and emanate it at night. And after that the pendency!
It seems to me be a pure adrenaline, to drive a car here, on the goat path.Thanks God , it wasn’t me who was driving, I was only keeping the door with my full power.
Also walking through the vineyards is not so easy, without a sport shoes wouldn’t be possible to get it. Especially work in the vineyard situated here isn’t so easy. Without an experience passage between rocks and vineyards here you wouldn’t understand what does it mean to work in such conditions, and keep in mind that winemaker should move to the next place probably distant to keep working at the distant vineyard.
I am really grateful to Matteo for a bringing me at this beautiful place, a Cru vineyard, Torrette, so high situated, aprox 800 m at the sea level, with a view to the river Dora Baltea, savage and beautiful, to the castle Aymavilles, to the opposite vineyards at Villeneuve, and after that to the Mont Blanc, distant, but so glittering towards the blue sky under the sun.
But let’s go back to the degustation.
Pinot Gris, 2018 . Cuvée of two different vineyards, one of those is located at the level 100 meters a.s.l. in Villeneuve, the second one at 850 meters a.s.l., Condemine, Saint-Pierre, the historical vineyards, founded at 1999.
Petite Arvine, 2019. The bouquet is floral and citrusy. The wine is fresh, sapid, mineral, persistent. The vineyard Pertusat, Sarre , 700 meters above sea level.
Petit Rouge, la vigna Boné in Saint-Pierre, 800 meters a.s.l. Olfaction very fruity, raspberries, cherries, the small red fruits, ageing 12 months in inox steel vats. Wine very pleasant, fresh, slightly acidic with integrated tannins, medium body. The wine is very interesting and drinkable.
Mayolet in purity, Mayolet Vigne di Toule , Saint-Pierre, very floral wine, more aromatic, spicy, floral,blueberry, blackcurrant, white pepper notes. The colour ruby-red with garnet reflections. The wine of medium body, smooth. It’s pity that total production is cca 700 bottles.
Torrette Clos de Château Feuillet and Torrette Superieur Clos de Château Feuillet , cuvée of grapes Petit Rouge, 10% mixture of autochthonous varieties, both of them.
The wine is more structured, more body, the bouquet more fruity, aroma of blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, forest fruits, spicy at finish, white pepper notes. Medium body wine, harmonious, velvet tannins, sufficiently persistent.
Let’s move forward with Syrah, Vigne Le Conze, Saint-Pierre, 800 meters a.s.l. Colour ruby-red. Olfactory spicy, black pepper, fruity, blackberry, mint. The wine is fresh, velvet tannins. Very pleasant wine.
Fantastic Fumin, 2017. Vineyard is situated again in Villeneuve, 800 meters a.s.l. Very rich olfactory, small forest fruits, carobs, the slight touch of tobacco. The wine of medium body, smooth, harmonious, equilibrate. Unfortunately in 2017 hails has destroyed more than 70 % of grapes. So pity, I like this wine so much.
And finally Torrette Superieur, Ostro, the wine which impressed me so much. Vintage 2015. The late harvest, after that grapes are selected and dried for four weeks.
The bouquet is very evaluated, complex, rich, scents of blackberry,blackcurrant, fruits of the forest, thanks of over-ripening touch of leather and tobacco. The obtained wine appears elegant, harmonious, smooth.
The last tasted wine was passito, the wine from over ripped grapes, Lo Flapī. Cuvée from 60 % of Pinot Gris, 30 % Muscat grapes dried for 4 months. The colour golden yellow. The bouquet offers scents of dried fruits, herbs. The mouthfeel is floral, fresh, at the finish slightly bitter aftertaste. One of passito with a character. Very interesting and nice.
