Also Recommended
Picture
Product Name
Vintage
Price
Varietal
Country
Region
Appellation
Size
Additional Discount
Original Item
2012
$19.74
Barbera
Italy
Piedmont
Alba
750ml
N/A
Better Price
2021
$15.92
Barbera
Italy
Piedmont
Alba
750ml
12B / $15.83
Similar Price
2019
$19.94
Barbera
Italy
Piedmont
Alba
750ml
12B / $19.54
Similar Price, Better Score
2022
$19.94
Barbera
Italy
Piedmont
Alba
750ml
12B / $19.54
Better Price, Better Score
2022
$13.85
Barbera
Italy
Piedmont
Alba
750ml
More wines available from Renato Ratti
Pre-Arrival
Renato Ratti Barolo Conca 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$128.58
The 2018 Barolo Conca is tight and beautifully intense with cassis, sour cherry, wild rose and blue lilac. The wine's...
Pre-Arrival
Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$59.39
This is a classic wine proudly made with consistency over the years by the Ratti family. The 2018 Barolo Marcenasco...
750ml
Bottle:
$60.84
$67.60
The 2019 Barolo Marcenasco is spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, fresh leather, red cherry, and clove. It is...
Pre-Arrival
Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche Dell'annunziata 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$71.78
Such subtlety and refinement to this young Barolo with dried strawberries, fine tannins and a citrus undertone....
Pre-Arrival
Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche Dell'annunziata 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$157.79
The Renato Ratti 2018 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata (with 5,500 bottles produced) is the estate's headline wine with...
More Details
Winery
Renato Ratti
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Barbera
The red Barbera grapes have been grown for centuries in Italy, with many ancient vineyards still in use for the cultivation of this particular varietal. In recent decades, many other countries have also begun to experiment with this fine varietal, to great effect. It isn't difficult to understand why their popularity has endured at home and abroad with vintners, as Barbera grapes are a vigorous strain that grows well in hot climates, where their high acidity can balance with their light tannins, and work wonderfully with the intense and aromatic nature of the fruit. Blueberries, raspberries, dried fruits and other hedgerow flavors are most commonly associated with Barbera, and whether drank young or aged for complexity in oak barrels, these grapes consistently produce excellent wines ideal for drinking alone or paired with many different foods.
Region: Piedmont
For hundreds of years, the beautiful alpine region of Piedmont in north-west Italy has been producing excellent quality red wines, and some of the most characterful sparkling white wines to have ever come out of the Old World. The region is dominated by the mighty Alps which form the border between Italy, France and Switzerland, and the Moscato grapes that are grown in the foothills of this mountain range carry much of the Alps' flavors in their fruit, and are fed by crystal clear mountain waters. However, it is the Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera grapes which are the real stars of this region, and the highly respected wineries which cover much of Piedmont have generations of experience when it comes to processing and aging these grape varietals to produce the superb wines which come out of appellations such as Barolo and Barberesco.
Country: Italy
It isn't difficult to understand why Italy is famed not just for the quality of its wines, but also for the vast variety and range of characteristics found in the wines there. The terrain of the country varies wildly, from the lush rolling green hills and valley of Tuscany, to the sun drenched rocky coasts of Sicily, the mountainous and alpine regions of the north, and the marshy lowlands of the east. Italy really does have a little bit of everything. Combine this huge range of landscapes with an almost perfect climate for grape cultivation, and you have a country seemingly designed for viticultural excellence. The results speak for themselves, and it is clear to see that wine has become an inseparable part of Italian culture as a result of its abundance and brilliance. Each village, city and region has a local wine perfectly matched with the cuisine of the area, and not an evening passes without the vast majority of Italian families raising a glass of locally sourced wine with pride and pleasure.