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2021 Barbera d’Alba “Bricco del Pilone”
Piero Benevelli
Tonight, I marveled at the amazing color of Massimo Benevelli’s Barbera—a vivid, regal, dark purple. His wines often have an opacity uncommon in Piedmont that hints at the unique nature of the vineyard’s marl and limestone slopes, as well as Massimo’s light touch in the cellar. This Barbera tastes as good as it looks, too, with a mouthful of dark, balsamic-drizzled, berry fruit. The bottling has a bit of Barolo-like structure and grip, but there’s nothing Barolo-like about the price, so stock up.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Barbera |
Appellation: | Barbera d’Alba |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Piedmont |
Producer: | Benevelli Piero |
Winemaker: | Massimo Benevelli |
Vineyard: | 25 years, 1.5 ha |
Soil: | Grey marl and bluish limestone |
Aging: | Ages 6 months in old barrels, then 6 more months in large Slovenian oak barrels |
Farming: | Traditional |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
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About The Producer
Benevelli Piero
About The Region
Piedmont
Kermit’s love affair with the great reds of Piemonte dates back to the early days of his career: the very first container he imported from Italy, in fact, featured legendary 1971 and 1974 Barolos from Vietti and Aldo Conterno. Regular visits since then have seen our portfolio grow to now twelve Piemontesi estates, with a strong focus on the rolling hills of the Langhe.
Nebbiolo rules these majestic, vine-covered marl slopes, giving Italy’s most mystifyingly complex, nuanced, and age-worthy reds. When crafted via traditional production methods—long macerations and extensive aging in enormous oak botti—the powerful, yet incredibly refined Barolos and Barbarescos provide haunting aromatics of tar, raspberry, incense, tea, roses, and more. At times austere in their youth but well worth the wait, they pair beautifully with the hearty local cuisine starring veal in many forms, braised beef, pastas like tajarin and agnolotti, and of course, Alba’s famous white truffles.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Piemonte’s climate is continental, with baking hot summers and cold winters. Nebbiolo is only part of the story here: juicy, fruity Barberas and Dolcettos represent the bread and butter throughout the region, and other native grapes like Freisa, Croatina, and the white Arneis are also noteworthy. Value abounds in the Monferrato, while Alto Piemonte also has its share of thrills to provide.
Every corner of Piemonte is rich with tradition, especially when wine is concerned. It’s no wonder we have been singing the region’s praises for over forty years.
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236