Barbaresco wine, an Italian wine made from Nebbiolo in Piedmont. (Photo credit: wikicommons/Jeff)
For years, the kosher wine world mostly knew Piedmont, Italy, as a source for sweet, low-alcohol Moscato in a blue bottle. Barolo, the region’s famous red wine, was rarely available in high-quality kosher options.
That has changed. Excellent kosher Barolos are now available, and Barbaresco has officially joined them. Cantina Traversa, a family winery founded in 1834 on the Canova hill in Neive, Italy, now produces two kosher Barbarescos from respected vineyard sites. According to Gabriel Geller of Royal Wine Corp., these are the first kosher Barbarescos ever made. Royal distributes the wines, sharing credit with wine expert Ralph Madeb, who collaborated with the winery to create these kosher runs. Madeb has in recent years worked with top Italian wineries to introduce new options to the kosher market, and these bottles live up to expectations.
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What Barbaresco Actually Is
Barbaresco is a high-grade Italian wine (DOCG) made entirely from the Nebbiolo grape. It is grown in three main villages — Barbaresco, Neive, and Treiso — as well as part of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio. The soil consists of calcareous marl, a mixture of limestone and clay. This soil drains well while holding enough water for the vines, forcing deep root growth and giving the wine its distinct structure and mineral flavor profile.
By law, Barbaresco must age for at least two years before release, with at least nine months spent in wooden barrels. A “riserva” designation requires four years of aging.
Barbaresco is often compared to Barolo because it uses the same Nebbiolo grape. However, Barbaresco grapes ripen earlier, undergo shorter fermentation, and soften faster, making the wine approachable sooner. You can see why some call it “Baby Barolo,” or “Barolo’s little brother.”
Both wines feature signature Nebbiolo flavors: aromas of rose, violet, cherry, licorice and earth, accompanied by high acidity and noticeable tannins that give the wine body without being overly harsh.
The current releases are from the 2021 vintage, made of 100 percent Nebbiolo, and contain 14.5 percent alcohol by volume. Retail prices range from $75 to $90 per bottle.
Traversa Barbaresco Starderi 2021. Wine critic David Raccah rated this bottle a 96 out of 100, describing it as powerful yet graceful. The winery notes aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, rose petal, and subtle spices like clove and eucalyptus. It is medium to full-bodied with strong acidity and firm tannins, meaning its flavors of red fruit, spice and tobacco will improve as it ages.
Critic Gabriel Geller rated it 94+, highlighting its smooth texture and clear fruit notes, including pomegranate, cherry and spice.
This wine needs time to age. Experts suggest letting it store for three to five years, with an ideal drinking window between 2030 and 2044. If opened now, it should be decanted for several hours to allow the flavors to open up.
Traversa Barbaresco Canova 2021. Rated 92+, this option is ready to drink sooner. Sourced from the Canova vineyard, it offers vibrant cherry and raspberry flavors with hints of herbal spice and mineral character. It is well-balanced with bright acidity and smooth tannins. While it can age further, it is already enjoyable today.
Young Nebbiolo wines benefit from air exposure, so pour the wine into a decanter before drinking. Serve slightly cool, around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (about 20 minutes in the refrigerator), and use glasses with a large bowl. For meat meals, pair these wines with rich, savory dishes like brisket, short ribs, rib roast or mushroom dishes. For dairy meals, firm, aged cheeses pair well.
At around $80 a bottle, these wines are an investment. If you want to try Nebbiolo or similar Italian reds at a lower price point, two entry-level options are available. Traversa’s Barbera d’Alba 2021 ($22-$35) offers an introduction to the producer’s style, while the Masseria Cascina Minot Langhe Nebbiolo 2021 (around $35) provides an easier-drinking version of the Nebbiolo grape.
I am waiting for my Barbaresco bottles to arrive, hopefully by Rosh Hashanah, when I intend to enjoy them alongside the Loew Vineyards Mechaya honey wine for guests who want something softer and more accessible. I have relied on the scoring from KosherWineDatabase (kosherwinedb.com), a phenomenal resource of reviews, scoring and articles by longtime experts David Raccah and Avi Davidowitz. There is an annual subscription fee, but it is very well worth the cost. Community wine ratings on CellarTracker (cellartracker.com) are free, and many kosher wines have reviews due to the diligence of Geller and a few other diligent critics.
Chag Sameach!
Jules Polonetsky is a Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 certified wine expert who edits a wine education website at kosher-wine.org. He is a former consumers affairs commissioner for New York City.
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