Barbaresco: in the heart of the Langhe district with superb wines and ancient towers

The wine known as Nebbiolo reflects its history: the grapes used in its production are picked in late October, as the fog starts to roll in (“nebbia” in Italian). Thus, knowing the origin of the name, you can almost see the fog that rises up along the vines as you taste the wine, enveloping the grapes and rarefying the atmosphere. Even more evocative is the name Prima Nebbia (literally “first fog”), which is the name the Le Rocche dei Barbari wine cellar has given to its Nebbiolo, as its grapes are picked as the autumn weather turns foggy.

The wine cellar is found in the heart of Barbaresco, a small town in the Langhe district famous for the wine of the same name, of which Le Rocche dei Barbari produces three different variations, differentiated by the aging.

The 2006 Barbaresco has an aftertaste with hints of the cherry wood of the barrels in which it is aged. 2003 was a particularly good year, with very dry conditions, the benefits of which are reflected in the flavor of that year’s wine, and the 1998 is the most multi-faceted in its taste, due to its longer aging in the winery’s special barrels, designed to allow air to flow through. If you become overwhelmed by the options, don’t worry. The solicitous owners will be happy to offer you a pleasant wine tasting experience, starting with a Prima Nebbia and moving on to the Barabaresco wines. The wine tasting is accompanied by various cheeses, the perfect accompaniment to these wines, because it brings out every nuance of flavor, without overwhelming them, as more complex accompaniments would do.

Once you have enjoyed the wine cellar’s offerings, you must take a stroll along the streets of the town, including a visit to the Tower, built at the end of the 11th century. Even at the foot of the tower, the view is breathtaking: stretching out beyond the fragrant lavender bushes, there are grape vines are far as the eye can see, perfect in their symmetry, through which the winding and tranquil Tanaro River flows.

Due to its excellent position and the soil’s fertility, the Barbaresco area has been inhabited since pre-historical times. Its name comes from the Roman term Barbarica Silva, for the tribe that were living in the region when the Romans arrived.

Just as the tribe had dedicated the area to Martiningen, the Celtic god of strength, the Romans dedicated it to Mars, the god of war.

Le Rocche dei Barbari
via Torino 62 – Barbaresco
Telephone: +39 173 635138
E-mail: info@le-rocche-dei-barbari.com