Barbera from One of Barbaresco’s Great Crus

Barbera from One of Barbaresco’s Great Crus

The key is the vineyard. Campass is a tiny single vineyard tucked inside the Serraboella cru in Neive, one of the great sites of Barbaresco. The southeast-facing parcel sits at about 350 meters, on clay soils, with vines averaging roughly 35 years old. This is not Barbera sourced from a collection of vineyards and blended together. This is a very specific piece of land, farmed to produce a very specific wine with a singular soul.

And there isn't much of it.

Cigliuti farms only 0.5 hectares of Campass, with annual production around 330 cases. For perspective, that's tiny even by the standards of a small Piedmontese estate. The 2023 vintage produced only about 4,000 bottles.

That scarcity would be interesting on its own. What makes the wine worth chasing is the quality.

The 2023 Campass has the concentration you expect from a serious vineyard but none of the heaviness you might associate with a powerful Barbera. It is packed with black and blue fruit, blackberry, cherry, violet, lavender, spice, and mineral notes, with Barbera's naturally high acidity providing the backbone. Eighteen months in French oak—only about 20% new—adds another layer of texture and spice without burying the fruit.

What we love most here is the value proposition. This is a tiny-production, single-vineyard wine from a serious cru in Barbaresco, made by a cult Piedmontese estate—and it is still wearing a Barbera d'Alba label.

You could spend considerably more on Nebbiolo from Serraboella and get a great wine. Or you can take the road less traveled and drink Campass, where the combination of old vines, clay soils, southeast exposure, meticulous farming, and tiny production turns Barbera into something far more serious than its price would suggest.

If you like Piedmont, this is a no-brainer. If you think you know Barbera, this is the bottle that might change your mind.

Buy this one by the case.

94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
"From 35-year-old vines on the southeast-facing side of the Serraboella vineyard, the 2023 Barbera D'Alba Campass was fermented in stainless steel and aged 18 months in 20% new 225-liter French oak barriques. The nose shows red and black berries, violets, saddle leather, sage, and cedar, framed by bright floral lift. On the palate, it™s medium to full-bodied with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity, and a focused, linear feel that carries herbal spice through the finish. 4,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2026-2036.")

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