A One Day Tour to the Three Communes of Barbaresco

The Grapes of Barbaresco

Today we visited wineries in Barbaresco’s three communes. Our first winery visit was to the Ca Del Baio winery in Treiso. Treiso is our home base for this segment of our Italian wine adventure. Our second stop was to the Produttori del Barbaresco in the commune of Barbaresco. This stop included a tasting room visit and a leisurely stroll through the village. We planned lunch but, instead, noshed on breadsticks and cheese throughout the day. Our final stops were in the commune of Neive, at the Catina Del Glycine and the Casetta Del Castello di Neive. As you can see from the Google map below, it is very easy to visit all 3 communes in Barbaresco in one day.

Treiso

Ca Del Baio, a very nice family winery founded in 1921, is easy to find. Paola Grasso, a fourth generation member of this wine family, guided us through a lovely tasting. It began with their Langhe Chardonnay Sermine and a Langhe Riesling, which is highly unusual as it is difficult to grow the Riesling grape in this climate. The next wine was a “naked Nebbiolo”, so named because it sees no oak and apparently is a favorite of NYC BTG lists. We finished with three of their single vineyards Barbarescos from the Asili, Pora, and Vallegrande MeGAs, each with distinctly different characteristics. A visit to Ca Del Baio is highly recommended.

Barbaresco

The commune of Barbaresco is a short, scenic, 9 minute drive from Treiso. Near the end of the cobblestoned Main Street lies the Produttori del Barbaresco. The Produttori is a co-op of small producers from the region who band together to bottle their wine under the co-op’s label. A nice vertical flight awaits those who make the journey. The commune is also home to the Entoteca Regionale del Barbaresco, which is housed in the old church at the head of the Main Street, as well as a couple of lovely wine bars and artisanal producers. Oh, the well-known Gaja is located there as well, but that is irrelevant, since the winery doesn’t accept non-trade visits and doesn’t have a tasting room.

Neive

Neive is the largest of the three communes of Barbaresco, home to approximately 4,000 full time residents. Its quaint streets are also home to many small producers and offer a pleasant alternative to many of the crowded medieval streets found in Italy’s larger cities. The cellar at Catina del Glicine dates back to 1582. According to the website, “it is built with engineering bricks, vaulted ceilings and stone floor”, which extends under the house and the garden. There is even a working basket press. The Catina del Glacine wines are enjoyable and a good value. A short stroll up a narrow street takes one to the Casetta Del Castello di Neive. This tasting room is extremely comfortable, and features an extensive wine list and a very friendly staff. They offer a la carte tastings including one each of Spumante, Arneis, Riesling and Grignolino. They have two Dolcetto D’Alba, four Barbera D’Alba, an unusual Albatross, a Pinot Nero and an unoaked Langhe Nebbiolo. They also offer four Barbarescos, including a Santo Stefano Riserva, a Moscato D’Asti and an Arneis Vino Passito dessert wine. If you try them all, you will get a quick education on the grapes and terriors of the Piemonte region.

A Simply Lovely Wine Region

The Barbaresco wine region is simply a lovely spot, containing both picturesque scenery and reliable, tasty and affordable wines. It’s well worth the effort to travel here for a visit. It is unlikely you will regret your decision!

Address Information

Ca Del Baio
via ferrere sottano 33
12050 Treiso CN
Tel. +39 0173 638219
wwww.cadelbaio.com
By Appointment

Produttori del Barbaresco
Via Torino, 54
12050 Barbaresco CN
Tel. +39 0173 635139
produttoridelbarbaresco.com
9am – 1pm
2pm – 6pm

Catina del Glycine
Via Giulio Cesare, 1
12052 Neive CN
Tel. +39 0173 67215
www.cantinadelglicine.it
By Appointment

Casetta Del Castello di Neive
Piazzetta Paolina DeMaria, 1
12052 Neive CN
Tel. +39 329 212 5171
www.castellodineive.it
10:30am – 6pm

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