2018 Piero Busso Gallina Barbaresco Magnum 1.5L, Piedmont

Purchased in 1999, the domaine farms 1.3 hectares of possibly the best-known MGA of Neive (made famous by Bruno Giacosa). Sitting at 240 metres on a low, twisting ridge opposite the Albesani Cru, Busso’s vines are south-west exposed and face the river. It’s a windy microclimate despite not being particularly high. The soil here is the limestone-rich Sant’Agata marl with sandy and calcareous layers. In 2015, Piero began to separate his oldest vines here (planted in the 1950s) for a separate old-vine bottling (see below). The vines for this wine were planted between 25 and 50 years ago. Aging is the same as for the other Crus (two years in Slavonian oak casks), but the wine is kept an extra year in bottle before release.
 
This is clearly the most hedonistic Barbaresco in the line-up, with waves of plush fruit and very fine tannins. It offers deep, plummy characters, all kinds of spice (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, etc.) and a lingering, sappy close. An excellent 2018.  

Piero Busso Gallina Barbaresco is a poised and finely etched expression of one of Barbaresco’s most historic and sought-after crus. The Gallina vineyard, located in Neive, is known for producing Barbaresco that marries elegance with depth, and in the hands of Piero Busso and his son Pierguido, this site becomes a study in terroir purity and graceful structure.

The Busso family has been working organically for decades, and their Gallina bottling is a reflection of low-intervention winemaking paired with deep respect for the land. Vines in the Gallina cru sit on calcareous clay soils with good sun exposure, giving wines that are aromatic, textural and capable of long ageing. The fruit is hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in large Slavonian oak casks that preserve freshness while allowing the wine to evolve slowly and gently.

In the glass, the wine is fragrant with rose petals, red cherry, blood orange, and hints of anise and forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied but tightly structured, with silky tannins, bright acidity, and a refined mineral backbone. There is real detail and length here, and while approachable with time in the glass, it will improve beautifully over the next 10 to 15 years.

Pair it with truffle risotto, game birds, or slow-cooked veal with polenta. This is a serious yet graceful Barbaresco that speaks quietly but leaves a lasting impression.