Vietti Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza "La Crena" DOCG 2022
(Piedmont, Italy) - [WA 94] [VM 94] [JD 94]

About the Winery:
The Vietti winery, now managed by the family’s fifth generation, is based in the small medieval village of Castiglione Falletto, the heart of Piedmont’s famous “Langhe” wine region. Here the Currado family carefully and patiently handcrafts lauded wines that are the result of a unique combination of sun and soil. Although the family has made wine for two centuries, the first Vietti-labeled wines were produced by third-generation Mario, who transformed the family’s farm into a grape growing winery. In 1952  Luciana Vietti married winemaker and art connoisseur Alfredo Currado, whose intuitions – from the production of one of the first Barolo crus (Rocche di Castiglione – 1965), through the single-varietal vinification of Arneis (1967) to the invention of Artist Labels (1974) – made him both symbol and architect of some of the most significant revolutions of the time.

In 1970 the Viettis began working with artists on an ongoing, original artwork label program, featuring Pier Paolo Pasolini and Janet Fish among others, which received an exhibition at New York’s MOMA in 1996. In 1990 Alfredo and Luciana’s son Luca joined the family business as winemaker after working at California's Simi Winery, Opus One, Long Vineyards and Bordeaux's Mouton-Rothschild. His innovative winemaking utilizes a unique combination of the modern and traditional. Luca's focus on terroir is reflected in his careful cultivation and organic farming of more than 25 single vineyards. The estate has gradually grown over the course of time, and today the vineyards include some of the most highly-prized terroirs within the Barolo winegrowing area.

In 2016 the historic winery was acquired by Krause Holdings, enabling Luca and Elena, always at the head of Vietti brand, to add a number of prized crus to the estate’s holdings, and be able as a result to look to a future with new, stimulating prospects, all while maintaining the family approach for which the cellar has always been known.

About the Wine:
The Crena vineyard is located near the village of Agliano Terme, in a south-facing exposure. The grapevines are planted, using the Guyot trellis system, at an average density of 4,800 plants. The oldest part was planted in 1932 on a limestone- and clay-rich soil.

Winemaking:
Alcoholic fermentation takes place in open stainless steel tanks for about 2 weeks, with mechanical punching downs, délestage and many open-air pumping overs. After this, the wine macerates on its skins and is then racked and transferred into barriques for malolactic fermentation.

Ageing:
Barriques, big oak vats and steel tanks for approximately 18 months.

Tasting Notes:
Ruby red color with aroma of intense and ripe red raspberry and cherry fruit, combined with spicy notes. Enveloping and full-bodied on the palate, with a strong acidity in the finish, that gives verticality and elegance to the wine.

Food Pairings: Hearty stews, seasoned pasta and poultry with rich sauces, game, roasted red meats and hearty cheeses.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"This vineyard site has grown from the six original hectares of vines to 10 hectares today thanks to the recent acquisition of a neighboring parcel. With full southern exposures, the vines were planted in three installments, with the oldest planted in 1932.” The Vietti 2022 Barbera d'Asti La Crena offers earthy notes, dark fruit, bitter chocolate and spicy notes that are typical of the Asti area. The Alba area tends to be produce more sweet fruit-driven wines, whereas this wine is savory and root-driven. The vines are planted in loose, sandy soils with little water retention. Because the plants suffer more, you get more structural heft and darkness as a result. It works for me." - Monica Larner (Jan 2025)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Barbera d'Asti La Crena is a heady, opulent wine. White truffle, chocolate, menthol, licorice, plum, blackberry and incense give the 2022 an exotic quality that is impossible to miss. Soft, succulent tannins wrap it all together. This is beautifully pushed to the maximum." - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2025)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2022 Barbera D'Asti La Crena is a dark red/purple-toned color and offers more dark fruit and more intensity on the nose, leaping from the glass with floral and fruity notes of blueberries, black plum, and candied purple flowers. Full-bodied, it expands on the palate, though here again it has impressive freshness and underlying acidity. The structure is well-balanced with ripe tannins and ripe acidity. Though they worked to pick very early, the wines are ripe without being heavy and don’t have greenness of acidity. Drink 2025-2037." – Audrey Frick (May 2025)