Nizza 2015 Chiarlo, the “super Barbera”, at the top of the Top 100 Wines of 2018 of Wine Enthusiast

Nizza, the super Barbera, on the top of the world thanks to Michele Chiarlo, one of its pioneers: His Nizza 2015 Cipressi reaches the first position of the “Top 100 Wines of 2018” of “Wine Enthusiast”, the ranking of the best wine tastings of the American magazine, after conquering the palate of its Italian editor, Kerin O'Keefe. He explains: “A recognition for an excellent wine, and also for the fundamental role of Michele Chiarlo in the enhancement of the Barbera grape and in the creation of the Nizza denomination”.
Alongside the Barolo label, the USA also climbs the podium, with the 2011 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut Sparkling of the Anderson Valley, and Chile, with the Santa Carolina 2015 Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon of the Maipo Valley, while for the Belpaese, in the top 10, also the Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Ca' dei Zago 2015 Dosaggio Zero Metodo Classico. As usual, the voice of the owner is the USA, with 31 labels in the ranking, followed by France and Italy, on equal terms, with 17 labels each, then Portugal and Spain at 6, followed by Austria at 5, Germany, Australia and Argentina at 3, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Greece at 2 and Israel at 1.
“This is an unexpected recognition, we usually see wines of different values at the top of the rankings - says, to WineNews, Michele Chiarlo, head of the Barolo and Nizza brands - certainly not a Barbera, for decades a hardly considered variety. This is, instead, the demonstration that even the less important natives, if evaluated in the right way, can give exceptional results. Sixty years ago, when we decided with a group of other Monferrato winemakers to focus on Barbera, it had a very low image, linked to a low level of quality.
It took literally decades - Chiarlo reminds - to get to the point where we are today, with Nizza which has become the final act of Barbera, a DOC born from a long process of rapprochement, and which has been able to put limits, from the production area to the yields (lower than Barolo, at 70 quintals per hectare), from the exposure of the vineyards to the minimum aging of 18 months. The result is a denomination that counts about 50 producers and guarantees a very high average quality, that is the reason why I dedicate this result to them.
The aim - adds Michele Chiarlo - is to become the third most prestigious denomination in Piedmont, alongside Barolo and Barbaresco. After all, the fact that Monferrato is no longer a Serie B territory is demonstrated by the investments made by the Barolo producers, and this is a good thing because it brings Nizza to the menus of the great restaurants together with Barolo, and Barbera. The potential - concludes the producer of the “super Barbera” - is there for millions of bottles, I am sure that the younger generations have enormous possibilities ahead of them, just do not be in a hurry and grow step by step.
The chart shows that for Italy, Tuscany, Piedmont, and Sicily, are permanently on the podium of the top wine regions according to “Wine Enthusiast”, which however offers a broad horizon of viticulture in the Belpaese, including Veneto, Abruzzo, Friuli Venezia Giulia and, above all, Lombardy, with two labels. Therefore, at position no. 18 we find the Contrada R Nerello Mascalese 2016 of Passopisciaro (Franchetti), at no. 20 the Lambrusco of Sorbara L'Eclisse 2017 of Paltrinieri, at no. 23 the Etna Rosso 2016 Outis of Biondi and at no. 26 the Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse of Arpepepe. Two different expressions of the prince variety of Tuscany, Sangiovese, with the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2013 San Lorenzo del Castello di Ama at n. 31 and Brunello di Montalcino 2013 di Castelgiocondo at n. 35.
At position no. 42 there is the Friulian Collio Superiore 2016 by Russiz, at no. 47 the Franciacorta Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro 2013 by Ca’ del Bosco, at no. 68 again Sicily, with what, for years, is one of the most representative sweet wines of Italy, the Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé 2015 by Donnafugata. And again, at position no. 72 Abruzzo, with Pecorino Don Carlino 2016 by De Fermo, followed at no. 76 by another white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2016 by La Lastra, with Palazzo della Torre 2014 by Allegrini at position no. 78. To close the Italian presence, the Bramaterra Cascina Cottignano 2014 by Colombera & Garella at no. 82 and the Morellino di Scansano 2013 by Terenzi at no. 94.