Temper and Timber in Asti?

Received in an email solicitation this very afternoon:

Hilberg Barbera Superiore 2005 $38.50
Once considered to be a rather unexceptional, commonplace grape, Barbera's image began to undergo a significant change in the late 1970s. Now, several winemakers employ techniques that maximize the grape's virtues (such as aging in French barriques and sourcing grapes from premier sites). Piemonte producer Hilberg has maximized Barbera's makeover, fashioning a style that's been embraced by the cult market. Styled to be consumed young, this hard-to-find yet oh-so-easy-to-drink idol pairs well with a vast gastronomic line-up.
 
Yeah, that's all the problems in a nutshell. "maximize the grape's virtues," "French barriques," "sourcing grapes," "makeover," "fashioning," "cult market," "styled," "idol," and so forth. Ugh.

I should note that I haven't had the wine. Maybe it's The Good One.
 
When I was a kid, it was Mad Magazine, $.25, cheap.

Now it's Barbera, $38.50, cheap.

Which would a I rather have, 154 issues of Mad Magazine or one bottle of Barbera?
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
What the mainstream says:Received in an email solicitation this very afternoon:

Hilberg Barbera Superiore 2005 $38.50
Once considered to be a rather unexceptional, commonplace grape, Barbera's image began to undergo a significant change in the late 1970s. Now, several winemakers employ techniques that maximize the grape's virtues (such as aging in French barriques and sourcing grapes from premier sites). Piemonte producer Hilberg has maximized Barbera's makeover, fashioning a style that's been embraced by the cult market. Styled to be consumed young, this hard-to-find yet oh-so-easy-to-drink idol pairs well with a vast gastronomic line-up.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the lesson is not to buy Barbera with a German name.

I got yer vast gastronomic line-up right here, you wanker.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
What the mainstream says:Received in an email solicitation this very afternoon:

Hilberg Barbera Superiore 2005 $38.50
Once considered to be a rather unexceptional, commonplace grape, Barbera's image began to undergo a significant change in the late 1970s. Now, several winemakers employ techniques that maximize the grape's virtues (such as aging in French barriques and sourcing grapes from premier sites). Piemonte producer Hilberg has maximized Barbera's makeover, fashioning a style that's been embraced by the cult market. Styled to be consumed young, this hard-to-find yet oh-so-easy-to-drink idol pairs well with a vast gastronomic line-up.
Click to expand...

you could always visit this event, for which i received an invite about 10 minutes ago:

SPAINS WINE REVOLUTION: FASCINATING GRAPES, DAZZLING WINES

FRIDAY MARCH 19, 6:00-9:00 pm

New regions that have reached stardom like Priorat, Jumilla, Bierzo, Rias Baixas, etc., will be covered focusing on their varieties and the distinctive world-class wines that have flourished in every corner, enriching Spain wine landscape. This Wine Revolution has exerted the most profound transformation in the history of the wine industry of Spain, and has added great diversity to a landscape once identified with Tempranillo. Just a decade ago this transformation seemed unthinkable. Today the most prestigious critics have awarded wines from those areas scores in the 95-100 range.

12 wines will be tasted.

To register, call Instituto Cervantes at 212-308-7720, press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, and then exts. 109 or 110, or press 0 for operator and then ask for registration.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
here is an article about great, or 'important', wines that proves to me again that lettie teague is an enemy of wine.

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www.foodandwine.com
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That article made you think she was an enemy of wine? It seemed like a pretty straightforward QPR meditation. Not uncommon around here.
 
I found the article heartbreaking, though I think she got the end wrong.

I found the forum insufferable and stopped after the 50th post (of 333).
 
Apologies for returning to the original topic...

So here's some of the sort of confusion we dealt with. I'm not going to post links to all the notes for now, and they'll eventually find their way here anyway, for those who still care about such things, but I thought this might be of some interest to people here.
 
Thor,
really cool report on the senza solfiti barbera and on all of your exploits on your recent trip. I know i mentioned it somewhere in this thread but i was wondering if you have had any experience with either the wines or with the winemakers (or both) of Cascina Roera. I know they have run a small lot or two of zero sulfite barberas that i have talked to them about. They tend to use very small amounts of SO2s for their normal lots in gerneral though. In any case it is my personal belief that these two guys, guided by neighbor (and i think the true master of barbera) Lorenzo Corino are making some of the best barbera in piedmont. (In my opinion)These guys use concrete tanks, botti, ambient yeasts and get really great ripe fruit to express the best of Costiglione d'Asti and Monferrato's terrior. I have met them several times and it seems they really have little desire to make "international" style wines and are indeed doing what they are doing for a greater purpose (i think just simply great, natural wine making). You may have checked them out in our market before (Boston) but i was wondering if you got the chance to meet with them. If you have not i recommend to you and to all who like barbera to give these guy's wines a shot.
 
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