# Ugo Lequio Barbera d’Alba (2022)

- **Producer:** Ugo Lequio
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Barbera
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** violet, cherry, plum, blueberry, pastry, chocolate

## About this wine

Founded by Ugo Lequio in 1981, this estate is situated in Neive within the Langhe region of Piedmont. The winery centers its production on the revered Gallina hill, a site renowned for producing exceptional wines with remarkable longevity. Since 2020, management of the estate has transitioned to Ugo's daughter, Serena Lequio, alongside her husband Andrea, with ongoing enological collaboration from Gianfranco Cordero and Mattia Malabaila. The estate adheres to traditional viticultural practices, allowing the unique terroir of Neive to express itself clearly.

## Interesting facts

- The grapes are grown on the Gallina hill, a historic cru primarily famous for world-class Barbaresco.
- The estate's Barbera vines were planted back in 1975, providing deep roots and low natural yields.
- Boutique annual production is limited to roughly 3,600 bottles per year.

## Food pairing

Barbera's naturally high acidity makes it an outstanding partner for rich, fatty meats and dense tomato- or meat-based pasta sauces, slicing through heavy dishes to cleanse the palate. Because its tannins are fine and moderate, it does not overpower tender game or aged cheeses, maintaining a balanced harmony between food and wine.

## Wine making process

Sourced from Barbera vines planted in 1975 on Tortonian calcareous marl soils with sandy inclusions. The hand-harvested grapes undergo temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 25 °C with 8 to 12 days of skin maceration. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for 6 months in 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks before bottling. Production is strictly limited to ensure quality, yielding approximately 3,600 bottles per vintage.