Exploring Flavor: My Review of 2016 Cantina Di Casteggio Barbera

2016 Cantina Di Casteggio Oltrepo Pavese Barbera DOC

Price: $18

Type: Dry red wine

ABV (Alcohol by volume): 13%

Varietal: Barbera

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

What I saw

The Cantina Di Casteggio Barbera is a ruby red color with a hint of purple. When swirled, it has medium tearing on the side of the glass.

What I smelled

In this particular Barbera, I first smelled intense alcohol. Thinking deeper, I got notes of blueberry and raisin as well as some mineral flavors which I also tasted. This Barbera has sort of an oaky finish.

What I tasted

I would say that this Barbera had medium tannin and low acidity making it taste great with food. I mostly tasted black pepper and stone, but I also got flavors of black fruit. This wine had a medium body and medium finish and to me, it had an overall medium complexity.

What would I pair this wine with?

I had this wine paired with gnocchi and tomato sauce and it was absolutely wonderful. Any pasta dishes with tomato/meat sauce with this wine is an excellent choice. Since fatty meats would also taste amazing with this Barbera, I would pair it with a some kind of lamb dish.

Why this wine is good

I think it was fantastic with food. With every bite, I took a sip of this wine and it was really enjoyable. I do highly recommend drinking this wine with a hearty meal.

Why this wine is bad

In my opinion, this Barbera isn’t drinkable on its own; meaning that I wouldn’t pour a glass of it and have myself a bath without also having some kind of food on the side.

Is this wine worth the money?

For $18, this Barbera was not worth the money. Fortunately, mine was from BevMo during the buy one, get one for 5 cents sale. When I think of something that is worth the money, it also has to be drinkable on its own; however, if you wanted to bring this to a dinner party with friends and needed a wine that would pair well with pasta, this would be an excellent choice.