Piccolo Goccio Barbera d'Asti 2024

Piccolo Goccio—meaning "little sip" in Italian—is a curated collection of everyday Italian wines sourced from producers across multiple regions. The project assembles bottles designed for daily drinking and food pairing, representing the kind of straightforward, authentic wines one might encounter at a neighborhood café in Italy.

The range draws exclusively from indigenous Italian grape varieties rather than international plantings. Each wine comes from a different region, selected to showcase local character through clean, transparent winemaking. The portfolio currently includes a Barbera from the Asti area of Piedmont, a Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige in the Dolomite foothills, a Sangiovese from Tuscany near Montalcino, Trebbiano and Montepulciano from Abruzzo's Adriatic coast near Chieti, and a sparkling Glera from the Prosecco zone north of Venice.

The winemaking approach across the Piccolo Goccio range emphasizes freshness over complexity. Most wines ferment and age entirely in stainless steel tanks, avoiding oak influence to preserve primary fruit character and bright acidity. This technique produces wines with immediate appeal—accessible upon release without requiring cellaring.

The Abruzzo wines come from a cooperative winery near Chieti, while the Piedmont Barbera originates from a producer in Barbera's home territory around Asti. The Alto Adige Pinot Grigio represents the cooler alpine climate of Italy's northeastern corner, and the Tuscan Sangiovese comes from vineyards in the Montalcino area, though bottled for early drinking rather than extended aging.

Piccolo Goccio fills a specific role: reliable wine options for weeknight dinners, casual gatherings, and everyday meals. The focus remains on value and versatility rather than single-vineyard prestige, offering entry points to Italy's diverse wine regions through approachable, food-friendly bottles.

Piedmont (Piemonte) is a wine region located in northwestern Italy. The name derives from the Italian phrase meaning "foot of the mountains." The region is bordered by the Alps to the north and west, and the Apennine mountains to the south. The Po River traverses the central area. Piedmont shares borders with France, Switzerland, Valle d'Aosta, Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria.

The region comprises eight provinces: Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin (the capital), Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, and Vercelli. French influence has affected the region's viticultural practices, technology, and language. Piedmont was formerly part of Savoie, and French remains spoken in certain areas.

Piedmont contains more DOC and DOCG appellations than any other Italian region. Wine production in the area dates back several thousand years. The region divides into five primary winemaking zones: Canavese, Colline Novaresi, Coste della Sesia, Langhe, and Monferrato. Soil types include white-yellow marl, calcium-rich clay, sand, calcareous stone, and limestone.

Premium vineyard sites are typically positioned on southern-facing hillsides, referred to as "bricco" in local dialect. Diurnal temperature variation between warm days and cool nights affects grape development. The Alps provide protection from excessive rainfall through rain shadow effects. Fog formation occurs regularly due to temperature differentials between the mountains and valleys.

White Grape Varieties

Moscato Bianco produces Moscato d'Asti DOCG and Asti Spumante. These wines undergo secondary fermentation using the Charmat method and display peach and orange blossom aromatics.

Cortese cultivation centers around Gavi, where the grape produces wines with lime aromatics, bright acidity, and flavors of honeydew, apple, and peach.

Arneis is grown within the Roero DOCG boundaries and produces mineral-driven white wines.

Erbaluce produces wines under the Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG designation in dry, passito, and spumante styles.

Red Grape Varieties

Nebbiolo produces wines with tar, rose, truffle, and sour cherry characteristics. The grape is used for multiple appellations, each with distinct characteristics.

Barolo DOCG originates from vineyards near the Tanaro River in the Langhe hills. The limestone-rich soils produce grapes with higher acidity levels. Appellation regulations require three years of aging in wood barrels before release. Typical aromatic profiles include tar, violets, roses, and wild cherries.

Barbaresco DOCG produces wines from Nebbiolo grown on lime and clay soils with higher nutrient content than Barolo sites. Regulations mandate two years of aging in wooden casks. Aromatic characteristics include carnation flowers, violets, and raspberries.

Barbera represents Piedmont's most widely planted red variety. The grape produces wines with minimal tannins, high acidity, and black and red fruit flavors. Barbera thrives on calcareous and clay soils. Major appellations include Barbera d'Alba, Barbera del Monferrato, Barbera d'Asti, and Nizza DOCG.

Dolcetto produces medium to full-bodied wines with low acidity and low tannin levels. The variety grows on limestone and clay soils in the Langhe area and Cuneo province. DOCG appellations include Dolcetto di Dogliani, Dolcetto di Ovada, and Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba.

Regional Cuisine

Piedmont produces white truffles from Alba. Traditional preparations include bagna cauda, a warm sauce containing anchovies, garlic, olive oil, walnuts, butter, and cream, served as a dipping sauce for bread and vegetables.

Agnolotti is a stuffed pasta preparation made with eggs, flour, and water, filled with roasted meat. The pasta pairs with Barbera and Dolcetto wines.

Brasato al Barolo consists of beef slow-braised in Barolo wine, typically served with polenta. The dish pairs with Barolo, Barbaresco, or other structured red wines.

Gianduiotto is a chocolate confection produced in Turin since 1865, made with sugar, cocoa, hazelnut, and cocoa butter.