Let’s just get something straight right up front – Domenico Clerico makes absolutely ridiculous Barolo.  We had the chance to taste their $80-$100 bottles of Pajana and Ciabot Mentin Ginestra from 2007 and either one of those could have been on our list of top wines of the year.  But somehow, what stuck out in a line-up full of amazing wines, was the “simple” barbera from Domenico Clerico for around $20.

It doesn’t have the layers of complexity that the nebbiolo-based Barolo wines have, but it has lush fruit aromas and flavors, a firm presence in the mouth and a lingering finish of raspberry.  There is also something very fresh about the wine, allowing it to be enjoyed with lighter dishes like roast chicken or fish.  According to the winery, the 2007 is lighter body though so not sure if other vintages would be quite as forgiving with delicate food pairings.

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