2012 Barbera d'Asti La Crena
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Barbera d'Asti La Crena is dark and rich, with a dusting of sweet minerals that I fondly associate with fruity childhood vitamins, giving way to spiced black cherry and crushed blackberry, offset by deepening notes of sage, rosemary and dried flowers. Fleshy textures are contrasted with tart cherry on the palate, where zesty acids and bitter herbs add tension; yet there's also an inner sweetness here that soothes, just as residual tannins begin to clench down, leaving notes of licorice and black tea on the finish. Wow. The 2012 La Crena is in no fear of decline; in fact, it has easily another five or more years of positive evolution.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Barbera d'Asti La Crena is racy, explosive and drop-dead gorgeous. There is an element of energy in the 2012 that is impossible to miss. The 2012 isn't a huge La Crena (although there is plenty of richness) but it is one of the more refined versions of this wine I can remember tasting. Bright veins of salinity and minerality support the hugely expressive finish. This is a fabulous vintage for La Crena.