Giovanni Rosso Donna Margherita Barbera d'Alba 2023

Named after winemaker Davide Rosso's great-aunt, this is Serralunga d'Alba's answer to an everyday red — from a family who usually reserves this level of care for Barolo.

Grape Varietals & Region: 100% Barbera from the Barbera d'Alba DOC, grown around Serralunga d'Alba — one of the most serious communes in the Langhe, home to crus like Cerretta and La Serra. The Rosso family has farmed here since the 1890s; founder Giovanni Rosso restructured the vineyards in the early 1980s specifically to chase better fruit, and Donna Margherita is the estate's easy-drinking, everyday face of that work.

Taste Profile: Deep ruby red with purple tints. The nose is intense — plum, raspberry, blueberry, with a delicate wisteria lift. On the palate it's dry, fleshy and juicy, vibrant acidity carrying a long fruity finish. Good with roast duck, grilled chicken wings, or a simple lasagne.

Winemaking Process: Fermentation runs 10–15 days with daily pump-overs (délestage at the halfway point) in stainless steel, then the wine rests in large 50hl oak casks for a few months before bottling.

Winemaker: Davide Rosso, Giovanni's son, took over vinification in 2001 at just 27, after studying oenology and working vintages in France. His guiding line: 'wine should be a perfect copy of its terroir.' He farms largely organically, without treating it as dogma.