Giacomo Conterno
Giacomo Conterno's Barbera comes from the Cascina Francia cru in Serralunga d'Alba, the calcareous, saline site behind Monfortino. About 20 months in large botti build a deep Barbera of dark cherry, violet and licorice over bright acidity.
Drinkers and the producer agree on the shape: dark blackberry and plum, red cherry, violet and licorice, with a leathery, mineral edge from the calcareous Cascina Francia soils and around 20 months in large oak. Vivino's 9,000-plus ratings average 4.3.
Violet and dried lavender open over dark blackberry and plum, with red cherry behind. Time in large Serralunga botti adds licorice, sweet spice and an ethereal, balsamic lift that Vivino drinkers flag as oaky and earthy.
Violet
Black cherry
Blackberry
Plum
Tobacco
Leather
Black pepper
LiquoriceFull and bold for Barbera, carried by the grape's high acidity and fine, soft tannins. Blackberry and plum meet leather, tobacco and a saline, mineral streak straight from the calcareous Francia soils, with real depth and grip.
Long and savoury, closing on mineral salinity, licorice and a dried-cherry tang that keeps it fresh.
One of Barbera's benchmark wines, from the same Cascina Francia cru as Conterno's Monfortino. Vivino's 9,000-plus drinkers rate it 4.3 and place recent vintages in the top 1% of all wines; built to drink now with rich meat or to cellar a decade.
Six active listings here span the 2018 to 2022 vintages across two UK merchants, from around 62 pounds a bottle for current releases to case-only older years. All are standard 750 ml.
Scored as a structured, age-worthy Barbera from a top Serralunga cru: a strong food and occasion wine, less of an everyday pour at this price.
High-acid, medium-tannin Barbera is among the most food-flexible Italian reds, cutting fat and matching savoury meat and cheese.
A benchmark wine from a legendary estate and the Monfortino cru, ideal for a serious occasion or a gift.
Around 20 months in large botti and firm Serralunga structure give 10 to 15 years of cellar potential, rare for Barbera.
A classic indigenous Barbera, but a structured, high-alcohol, premium cru bottling rather than an easy first taste of the grape.
Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our editorial methodology.
A compact view of what the Alba denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.
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Giacomo Conterno's Barbera shifts with the Serralunga growing season: the warm, dry 2022 reaches about 15.5% abv and ripe concentration, while cooler years like 2021 stay fresher and more classic.
A warm, dry Serralunga vintage that pushed the Francia to about 15.5% abv, giving a ripe, concentrated Barbera with dark fruit and firm structure for the cellar.
A cooler, more classic year on the Francia cru: fresher acidity and a tighter, savoury frame that rewards a few years in bottle. Vivino drinkers rate it 4.3.
A balanced, approachable vintage. Vivino's crowd rates the 2020 Francia 4.4, its strongest recent year, with supple dark fruit already drinking well.
A structured, classic Serralunga vintage: firm and long, rated 4.4 by Vivino drinkers and built for a decade in the cellar.
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
Cascina Francia is the Serralunga cru Giacomo Conterno bought in 1974 and farms for both this Barbera and Monfortino. The same calcareous, saline soils and large-botti ageing put it far above everyday Barbera.
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Alba is in the DOC tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
Alba falls within Piedmont , covering Piedmont.
100% Barbera from Conterno's owned 14 ha Serralunga cru, the source of Monfortino, commands cru pricing far above the roughly 15 pound Barbera d'Alba norm.
Roughly 20 months in large botti ties up cellar space and capital for nearly two years before release, well beyond entry-level Barbera.
Hand-picked fruit and a small production of about 18,000 bottles keep volumes low and per-bottle costs high.
One of the Langhe's most sought-after estates; scarcity and collector demand lift the 62 pound-plus UK shelf price.
UK still-wine duty (2.67 pounds per bottle at or below 15% abv, 2026 rates) plus 20% VAT add roughly 15 pounds to a 62 pound bottle before merchant margin.
As a Barbera rather than a Barolo, it sits below Conterno's Nebbiolo wines, holding it under 80 pounds while the estate's Barolo runs to several hundred.
Dishes that complement this wine
High acidity and a savoury, mineral core make this Barbera a foil for rich Piedmontese cooking. The producer points to red meat, aged cheeses and seasoned salumi.
Barbera's high acidity slices through tomato and rich, fatty ragu, refreshing the palate between bites. Its savoury, mineral core echoes slow-cooked meat sauces.
Try with: Tajarin al ragu · Agnolotti del plin · Lasagne · Pappardelle al cinghiale · Pasta al forno · More pairings →
High acidity and fine tannin cut the fat of Piedmontese braises and roasts, while the wine's depth matches their richness. The 14.5 to 15.5% structure stands up to long-cooked beef.
Try with: Brasato al Barolo · Roast beef · Stinco di maiale · Grilled lamb · Beef short ribs · More pairings →
The wine's body and acidity balance the salt and fat of aged cheese, a pairing the producer itself recommends. Mineral length keeps heavier cheeses from cloying.
Try with: Castelmagno · Aged Parmigiano · Pecorino stagionato · Toma piemontese · Grana · More pairings →
Salt and fat in cured meats soften the wine's tannin and lift its red-fruit, a match the producer lists among its classics. Acidity resets the palate between slices.
Try with: Salame · Bresaola · Prosciutto · Coppa · Speck · More pairings →
The Francia's earthy, leathery, mineral notes bridge to the umami of mushrooms and Alba truffle. Bright acidity keeps creamy, earthy plates from feeling heavy.
Try with: Tajarin al tartufo · Risotto ai funghi · Polenta e funghi · Mushroom ragu · More pairings →
High chilli heat magnifies the wine's tannin and 15% alcohol, turning it harsh and hot. Delicate raw seafood is flattened by its structure and savoury depth.
Skip with: Vindaloo · Sichuan hot pot · Aguachile · Oysters · Sushi · Pairing guide →
Unusually for Barbera, the Francia rewards patience: structured vintages hold and gain leather and dried-fruit complexity for 10 to 15 years. Vivino drinkers flag 2019 and 2020 as the strongest recent years.
Peak around 2030. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
Around 20 months in large botti and firm Serralunga structure give 10 to 15 years of cellar potential, rare for Barbera.
£61.76 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.
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Confidence · HighDrawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · MediumFrom the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · HighOur reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · MediumStyle guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · MediumIt comes from the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, the 14-hectare cru Giacomo Conterno bought in 1974 and also uses for its Monfortino Barolo. The calcareous, saline soils give the Barbera unusual depth and minerality.
Yes. It is made entirely from Barbera grown on the Francia cru, hand-harvested and aged around 20 months in large oak botti before release.
Expect dark blackberry and plum with red cherry, violet and licorice, plus a savoury, leathery, mineral edge from time in large oak. Bright Barbera acidity keeps it fresh and the finish is long and saline.
Its acidity and structure suit rich Piedmontese and Italian meat cooking: brasato al Barolo, tajarin with ragu, agnolotti del plin, aged cheeses such as Castelmagno, and seasoned salumi.
This is one of Barbera's most age-worthy wines. Recent vintages drink well from release but hold and improve for 10 to 15 years from harvest, gaining leather and dried-fruit complexity.
Listings here span the 2018 to 2022 vintages. The 2022 is a warm, ripe year at about 15.5% abv, while cooler years like 2021 lean fresher and more classic.
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