# Lavignone Barbera d'Asti (2022)

- **Producer:** Pico Maccario
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Barbera
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €12
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, raspberry, violet, cream, leather, forest floor

## About this wine

Pico Maccario is a premier estate located in Mombaruzzo, in the heart of Piedmont's Barbera d'Asti DOCG. Founded in 1997 by brothers Pico and Vitaliano Maccario, the winery is famous for its modern approach to winemaking and its extensive, contiguous vineyard holdings. The estate is symbolized by its colorful, decorative pencils used as vine posts, reflecting their vibrant and precise approach to viticulture. Lavignone, named after an ancient farmhouse on the property, is the estate's signature Barbera, representing a classic, unoaked expression of the region's most famous grape.

## Interesting facts

- The Pico Maccario estate is famous for using giant, brightly colored pencils as vineyard row markers instead of traditional wooden posts.
- Lavignone is named after an 18th-century farmhouse located on the historic estate grounds.
- The winery manages one of the largest contiguous vineyard blocks in the Piedmont region, spanning over 100 hectares.

## Food pairing

Barbera's high natural acidity and moderate tannins make it incredibly food-friendly. It cuts beautifully through rich, fatty meats and pairs exceptionally well with tomato-based sauces, which would clash with more tannic wines. The bright red fruit profile complements earthy flavors like mushrooms and herbs.

## Wine making process

The grapes for Lavignone are carefully selected and harvested from estate vineyards. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with skin contact lasting approximately 10 to 12 days. To preserve the bright, primary fruit characteristics and natural acidity of the Barbera grape, the wine is aged entirely in stainless steel tanks for about 9 months, followed by refinement in the bottle before release. No oak aging is used, ensuring a pure expression of the terroir.