New Italian Masterpiece

In the same way that the night before Thanksgiving is a pizza-filled distraction from turkey, we're taking a break from our Thanksgiving-related topics to talk about another Italian delicacy.

Earthshaker wines come to us from the same team that brought us 90+ Cellars. Earthshaker is a collection of wines that focus on place more than points, and stories more than scores. Today, we're featuring their L'Amis Barbaresco.

Barbaresco is comprised of the rolling hills on the southern bank of the Tamaro River, northeast of the city of Alba in Italy’s Piedmont. The clay soils in these hills are a key ingredient in the famous white truffles of Alba. Like its neighbor Barolo, the wines are elegantly scented and powerful reds made from the Nebbiolo grape. The warmth derived from the proximity to the river, along with shorter aging requirements, allows these wines to express themselves at a younger age. While Barolo is a baritone, Barbaresco trends toward a tenor. For some time it was considered a "junior" to Barolo, but over the years Barbaresco has clearly revealed its own unique essence.

The grapes are hand harvested from hillside vineyards in the communes of Barbaresco and Neive. In the commune of Barbaresco, the vineyards are planted on southwestern facing slopes of marl and limestone spliced through by a rich vein of clay. Here, the deeper soil gives the wine muscles, depth, and texture. Vineyards within the township of Neive are composed of white clay marl and limestone with a bit of sand. These thinner, more loosely composed soils bring elegance and finesse to the wine.

Grape bunches are hand harvested and hand selected before a soft crushing. Selected yeasts are introduced to the must, and the wine ferments for two to three weeks in stainless steel. The finished wines are blended and aged between 16-24 months in Slavonian oak.

The wine has an intense garnet color with orange highlights. Its aroma is a dense core of blackberry and cherry fruit with overtones of withered rose petals and spices. These flavors persist after your first sip, the freshness of fruit melting into a floral and savory finish. It has a lofty elegance while maintaining its approachability, making it a wine you can have fun with now, or cellar away for years to come.

Earthshaker L'Amis Barbaresco is $19.96 in the Bottle Club®.