Brovia, Barbera d’Alba, “Sori del Drago”

If you’ve ever walked some of Barolo’s greatest vineyards, you’ll notice something surprising: Nebbiolo is not planted alone. Hiding in plain sight is Barbera, a grape that has been overlooked in the market for far too long. But here’s some inside baseball: there’s a reason many of Piedmont’s most revered producers (Conterno, Roagna, Mascarello, Brovia, Braida) have long championed Barbera alongside their Nebbiolo. It’s a secret weapon—a wine that delivers both pleasure and seriousness without demanding a decade or more of cellaring to reveal its charm.

Yet Brovia takes it a step further, giving Barbera center stage and a microphone by aging it entirely in steel instead of oak. I've enjoyed no less than 10 vintages over the years, and  I can say this with confidence: if Brovia ever needed validation for its steel-aged approach, they found it in their 2023 Sori del Drago Barbera. This is as good as I’ve ever tasted it—vivid, pure, and irresistibly drinkable. Does it help that it’s priced at about half that of a comparable Barolo? Yes, yes it does.

Brovia is one of those estates that doesn’t shout for attention, but among Piedmont devotees, it commands deep respect. Founded in the 19th century and still family-run today, the estate has built its reputation on a quiet, uncompromising commitment to traditional farming and classical winemaking. While many producers have chased modern styles or expanded aggressively, Brovia’s philosophy is rooted in restraint: let the vineyards speak, avoid unnecessary manipulation, and trust that great sites will yield great wines. That ethos extends beyond Nebbiolo into their Barbera, which is treated not as an afterthought but as an essential expression of place. “Sori del Drago” has long been a benchmark for what Barbera can be when handled with this level of care and transparency. 

In 2023, the fruit for “Sori del Drago” came from two Barolo crus, Brea and Giannetto, and was rounded out with a newer parcel in Roddino. The Brea parcel, in particular, is noteworthy: it is the very same vineyard that Brovia bottles its highly coveted $140 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia, underscoring just how serious the sourcing is here. These vineyards sit on classic Piemonte soils, rich in calcareous marl, which lend both structure and lift to the naturally high-acid Barbera grape. What makes this wine so compelling, though, is how it’s made. In a region where many producers lean on oak aging to tame Barbera’s exuberance and heft—often under the rationale that “Barbera can take it”—Brovia takes a different path entirely. This wine is fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel, preserving the grape’s natural vivacity and luscious fruit. The result is a wine that feels transparent and alive, free from the gloss of oak. 

In the glass, the 2023 “Sori del Drago” is immediately captivating. Aromas unfold with ripe, layered waves of black cherry and crushed raspberry, followed by blood orange zest, rose petal, a dusting of baking spice, and an herbal lift of wild thyme. On the palate, the wine is fresh, full-bodied and intensely flavored, with a spine of electric acidity that drives everything forward. The texture is silky, juicy, broad and energetic, giving the impression of weightlessness despite the wine’s depth. It’s a masterclass in balance: nothing overdone, nothing out of place, just a beautifully rendered expression of Barbera at its most honest and compelling.