Skip to main content

Barbera d'Alba - On the Wine List


Barbera is a favorite varietal for nights that I cook Italian food at home and it has been a favorite wine with pizza this winter. This pairing was most recently enjoyed together at Coppa Osteria in Rice Village. A cold evening drove my husband and I to the inside of Coppa instead of enjoying the evening out on the patio as we typically do.

Coppa Osteria is one of my favorite restaurants for pizza and it is also a favorite gathering spot with my extended family. I am all about the traditional Naples-style, Neapolitan, Pizza Napoletana or however you prefer to refer to it and Coppa Osteria does it well. I rank it as one of my top 5 in Houston. We have consumed a variety of Italian wines over the years on our pizza nights there as Coppa Osteria has a well priced book of wines to pair with their cuisine.
 
Lately, it has been all about Barbera and this Elio Altare Barbera d’Alba 2019 was exactly as it should be, easy to enjoy with notes of black cherry and violet and a fresh, lingering finish, priced at $43. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

An Immersive Introduction into the World of Asolo Prosecco

Dinner Views at Osteria Alla Baracca. I was very excited to visit the Asolo DOCG Prosecco region at the end of May on a press trip as it is an Italian area that I have not previously traveled through. Asolo is located in the Province of Treviso at the foot of Monte Grappa in the high hills to the west of the Piave River with views of the Dolomites. The grapes are grown in 17 communes surrounding the town of Asolo. The days were very warm while I was there but I needed a sweater or light jacket on most evenings due to the diurnal swing that makes it a great area for grape growing. Wines from the Master Class Tasting. Asolo was elevated to the DOCG level in 2009. The majority of the Prosecco that I have found in Houston is Prosecco DOC which is mostly from very large producers. Asolo was separated from this category and the region was given this higher status because there are terroir elements that make it distinctive in the world of Prosecco. The Sant'Anna Vineyard. Many of the vin

Lust Zinfandel 2007

     My husband loves this wine so he purchased quite a few bottles at a recent Michael~David  dinner that we had attended. Last night, I decided to open a bottle to serve with dinner. I was making a roasted southwestern pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries (w/ chipolte ketchup) and a salad consisting of baby lettuce (fresh from my garden) with strawberries, red bell peppers, red onions and walnuts tossed with a white balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette.      This turned out to be a great pairing. It is a bold wine that really stood up to the strong chipolte seasoning while complementing the fruit flavors. I opened the bottle a 1/2 hour before I served it as I have found this wine to be more enjoyable when I do so.      The Lust Zinfandel by Michael~David 2007  was a dark purple color with a ruby rim. It has intense aromas of very ripe mixed berries and baking spices-both allspice and ginger with hints of cedar. It has flavors of creme de cassis, milk chocolate and also more of the baking

Effervescent Elegance

 In the December 2023 issue of Galveston Monthly , I explore the world of classic method sparkling wine. The holiday season is always an excellent time to enjoy some effervescent elegance in your glass!