Notify me
2021 Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Santa Caterina”
Guido Porro
Porro’s Barbera straddles the line between an everyday pizza wine and a more substantial red that expresses nuance and can even improve with age. For a Wednesday night pasta dinner, it checks all the boxes: ripe berry fruit with cleansing acidity; richness contrasted by vivaciousness. However, if you have a cellar, don’t hesitate to lay down a few bottles: in a balanced vintage, this wine has serious potential. The 2003, for example, still drinks superbly. After all, these Barbera vines sit in a privileged Barolo site, so there is no shortage of pedigree.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Barbera |
Appellation: | Barbera d’Alba |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Piedmont |
Producer: | Guido Porro |
Winemaker: | Guido Porro |
Vineyard: | 25 - 30 years, 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | 4-6 months in botti then about 6 months in stainless steel before bottling |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 15% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Dolcetto d’Alba “V. Pari”
Italy | Piedmont
Prime placement in a great vineyard site provides exquisite balance, gentle tannin, and notes of brambly fruit.

2023 Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Santa Caterina”
Italy | Piedmont
These Barbera vines sit in a privileged Barolo site, so there is no shortage of pedigree.

2024 Moscato d’Asti “Sorì Gramella”
Italy | Piedmont
Who could resist such a heavenly ambrosia, with its scent of kaleidoscopic spring wildflowers, fragrant citrus blossoms, and succulently ripe grapes?

2020 Barolo “Ravera di Monforte”
Italy | Piedmont
Beautiful, classic Barolo nose. Intense depth. Fresh and complex.

2018 Barolo “Vigna Rionda”
Italy | Piedmont
Already elegant, this Barolo shows astonishing poise and a different mesmerizing feature of its kaleidoscopic personality every time you take a sip.

2015 Barolo Riserva “Cascina Dardi - Bussia”
Italy | Piedmont
The Fantino brothers’ Riservas are as good as Barolo gets.

2022 Monferrato Rosso
Italy | Piedmont
A quintessential house wine from Piemonte’s less-traveled side.

2020 Barolo “Le Coste di Monforte”
Italy | Piedmont
While charming now, Le Coste di Monforte will reward you for many years to come.

2020 Barolo “Mosconi”
Italy | Piedmont
One of the most prestigious vineyard sites in his village of Monforte d’Alba, if not all of Barolo.

2022 Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore “Prünent Vigna Fornace”
Italy | Piedmont
Garrones’ first vintage from the historic site of La Fornace shows plenty of age-worthy structure, density, and ripe notes of cherry, plum, and leather.
About The Producer
Guido Porro
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.
More from Piedmont or Italy
2020 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2023 Vino Rosso “Il Goccetto”
Tenuta La Pergola Italy | Piedmont
2021 Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore “Prünent”
Cantine Garrone Italy | Piedmont
2023 Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Santa Caterina”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barolo Bussia “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2023 Roero Arneis
Tenuta La Pergola Italy | Piedmont
2022 Dolcetto d’Alba “V. Pari”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barolo “La Tartufaia”
Giulia Negri Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barolo “Marassio”
Giulia Negri Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barbaresco “Vicenziana” MAGNUM
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2022 Dolcetto d‘Alba “La Costa” MAGNUM
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2017 Laboro Disobedient
A. & G. Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2023 Vino Rosso “Il Goccetto”
Tenuta La Pergola Italy | Piedmont
2021 Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore “Prünent”
Cantine Garrone Italy | Piedmont
2023 Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Santa Caterina”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barolo Bussia “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2023 Roero Arneis
Tenuta La Pergola Italy | Piedmont
2022 Dolcetto d’Alba “V. Pari”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barolo “La Tartufaia”
Giulia Negri Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barolo “Marassio”
Giulia Negri Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barbaresco “Vicenziana” MAGNUM
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2022 Dolcetto d‘Alba “La Costa” MAGNUM
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2017 Laboro Disobedient
A. & G. Fantino Italy | Piedmont
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171