Red

Langhe Merlot

By Barberis, Langhe, Piemonte, Italy

Barberis Langhe Merlot

Merlot from restored terraces beneath Cortemilia's castle tower, aged 12 months in oak. 14.5% vol. per the 2026 tech sheet.

Tasting notes

Light ruby red with garnet reflections. Opens on cherry, plum, blueberry and hazelnut, then evolves into black pepper, cardamom and cocoa. Elegant and soft with velvety tannins; a long, enveloping finish that keeps its freshness.

Pairs well with

Rich, savoury dishes from any region. In Piedmont: plin in roast-meat sauce, white truffle risotto, sautéed porcini. In Italy: tagliatelle with ragù, tuna in hazelnut crust, aged cheeses. Worldwide: Moroccan couscous, hamburger, BBQ ribs.

Technical details

Style
Red
Denomination
Langhe DOC Merlot
Grape
Merlot 100%
Production area
Cortemilia (CN), about 270 m above sea level; restored historic terraces inside the castle walls, under the Cortemilia tower
Soil
Sandy with a small percentage of marl
Exposure
South
Harvest
Second ten days of October, hand-picked
Vineyard planting
Guyot, 4,000 vines/ha; planted 2014 (per the web page)
Vinification
Soft destemming and crushing that leaves the berries whole; fermentation at controlled temperature; racking, clarification and 2-3 rackings; spontaneous malolactic fermentation in steel for 3-5 months. 8-9 months in steel with weekly bâtonnages, then 12 months on noble lees in regenerated barriques (90% French, 10% American oak), and 12-18 months in bottle before release.
Serving temperature
16-18 °C

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