Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera d'Asti 2024 delivers quintessential Piedmont character with vibrant cherry, plum and red berry notes in a dry red expression.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
This Barbera d'Asti presents a profound ruby hue with brilliant clarity, characteristic of the variety's youthful vibrancy and the meticulous vineyard management practised across Pico Maccario's 85-hectare estate in Mombaruzzo.
Aroma
The nose exhibits aromatic complexity dominated by ripe cherry and plum, complemented by vibrant red berry characteristics. Subtle hints of spice emerge, reflecting the wine's ageing in steel and large barrels that preserve the fruit's original features whilst adding structural depth.
Palate
On the palate, this Barbera d'Asti delivers medium body with refreshing acidity typical of the variety. The cherry and plum notes continue seamlessly from the nose, supported by fine-grained tannins and a clean, persistent finish. The clayey, medium-textured soils of the Mombaruzzo hills contribute to the wine's balanced, modern style.
Pairs With
This versatile Barbera d'Asti complements pasta with rich tomato-based sauces, grilled Italian sausages, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mushroom risotto, making it an excellent choice for both casual dining and more refined Italian cuisine.
The Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera d'Asti 2024 was crafted using modern techniques that honour traditional Piedmontese winemaking principles. Fruit was hand-selected at optimum maturation from the estate's 60 hectares of Barbera vines planted in the clayey, medium-textured soils of Mombaruzzo. Following a gentle crush, the must underwent controlled maceration for 10–12 days to extract optimal colour, flavour and tannin structure whilst preserving the variety's characteristic bright fruit profile. Ageing took place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and large oak barrels, a deliberate choice to maintain the wine's fresh, vibrant character and respect the original features of the fruit. This approach reflects the Maccario brothers' commitment to technological innovation balanced with terroir expression, resulting in a modern, versatile style that showcases the purity of Barbera.
Vintage Conditions
The 2024 vintage in Piedmont's Asti region presented favourable growing conditions that allowed Barbera to reach ideal phenolic ripeness whilst retaining its signature acidity. A mild winter was followed by a temperate spring that encouraged even budbreak across Pico Maccario's meticulously managed vineyards, where 4,500 rose plants serve as both aesthetic markers and early-warning systems for vine health. The summer months provided consistent warmth without excessive heat stress, allowing the grapes to develop concentrated cherry and plum flavours whilst maintaining freshness. Harvest timing proved crucial, with fruit picked at the precise moment of balance between sugar accumulation and acid retention. The result is a vintage that exemplifies Barbera d'Asti's ability to deliver both immediate approachability and structured complexity, perfectly suited to the estate's modern winemaking philosophy.
