Peiragal Barbera d'Alba Superiore (2022)

About this wine

Peiragal is Marchesi di Barolo’s Barbera d’Alba Superiore from a steep hillside site in the Barolo area, where compact clay and limestone soils push vines to root deep and naturally concentrate flavor. The nose comes out swinging with blackcurrant, blackberry, and ripe cherry, then drifts into cinnamon, toasted hazelnut, and vanilla. On the palate it is plush and energetic at the same time, with Barbera’s signature lift keeping the fruit bright and the finish mouthwatering. Tannins feel smooth and rounded, giving structure without turning the wine heavy or drying. The overall vibe is bold, clean, and very Piedmont, the kind of red that feels both generous and tightly put together. This label also nods to local dialect, “Peiragal” refers to the steepness of the hillsides that growers have prized for generations.

About the grape

Barbera is a historic Piedmontese red grape first documented in the 13th century and long prized for its high acidity and ability to produce reliable yields across the region. The variety is naturally vigorous and late ripening, it gives bright fruit and acid backbone which winemakers tame through canopy management and yield control, and in Peiragal Marchesi di Barolo use Guyot training to encourage deep rooting and lower yields. For this bottling the fruit comes from the Peiragal hillside with Sant Agata marl rich in clay and limestone at about 325 to 365 meters, soils that force deep roots and produce sparse, structured bunches. The winery ages the Barbera in small French oak and larger vessels to add structure while preserving the grape natural acidity and sweet, never aggressive tannins.

Quick facts

• 🪨 Peiragal is a local Piedmontese dialect word meaning a steep, stony hill, and the wine’s name celebrates vines that root deeply in compact calcareous clay for intensely flavored grapes.
• 🌄 This Barbera is made from vineyards located in the heart of the Barolo zone, an uncommon and prestigious home for a Barbera that gives it an aristocratic terroir pedigree.
• 🪵 Unlike many Barberas aged in large casks, Peiragal spends about 12 months in small French barriques, which adds toasted, pastry-like notes unusual for the variety.
• 🏰 Peiragal is produced by Marchesi di Barolo, a historic family estate run by the Abbona line across generations, so the wine carries a long-standing Barolo-house tradition even though it’s Barbera.
• 🔥 The 2022 bottling is notably powerful for Barbera with around 15% alcohol and concentrated fruit, making it a bolder, Superiore-style expression rather than a light everyday Barbera.

Palate profile

Producer

Marchesi di Barolo, located in the town of Barolo, Italy, is renowned for its pivotal role in transforming Barolo wine from a sweet, sparkling beverage into the dry, robust red wine celebrated today. In the early 19th century, Marchesa Giulia Falletti di Barolo, originally Juliette Colbert from France, recognized the potential of the Nebbiolo grape and introduced innovative winemaking techniques, including fermentation in large casks within temperature-controlled cellars, to produce a stable, full-bodied wine. This transformation earned Barolo the moniker "The King of Wines, the Wine of Kings," as it became a favorite among European nobility. After the Falletti lineage ended without heirs, the estate was acquired in 1929 by Pietro Abbona, whose family continues to uphold the winery's legacy, now spanning six generations. Today, Marchesi di Barolo manages approximately 120 hectares of vineyards, producing wines that honor both tradition and innovation.