Barbera Trinchero 2003

2003 Barbera d’Asti Superiore, AA Trinchero

It’s back and this time it’s more personable.

The Trinchero 02, alas, had gone the way of all corrupt flesh. It had lost its spikiness, its vim. It was, in brief, a Barb-error. These things happen, especially in questionable vintages. I was feeling a bit worried about the 03 - again not a year that had the Piemontese jumping for joy. The wine was initially shy, all stonefruit, graphite and herbs, but the “barbed” acidity was in place waiting to launch the bitter-toned fruit across the palate. Two wedges of meaty lasagne later the bottle was 2/3 empty. Barbera can be naughtily nice; this one has the requisite raunchiness and rasping red fruits of a rustic Asti wine, but it was also nicely self-contained. I polished it off the following night and it was still deliciously focused.