Seventy wines from pure Barbera grapes ready to be released on the market during 2025, blind tasted by a hundred or so associated producers and oenologists. It is the traditional event dedicated to the evaluation of the Nizza DOCG vintage, organized by the Nizza Producers Association which was held at the Foro Boario in Nizza Monferrato, in the province of Asti.
The event was born in 2002 – together with the Association itself – with the aim of offering an opportunity for growth and cohesion among members and raising the quality standards of the denomination year after year.
The guest of the event was the first Master of Wine in Italy, Gabriele Gorelli , who accompanied the participants to the tasting and concluded the day by discussing with the producers present the common challenges on the international markets, the prospects of Nizza DOCG and obviously the wines being tasted.
According to Gorelli, “Nizza DOCG is one of the few Italian denominations that has deeply understood its own identity, codifying it in an exemplary way and placing the territory above the variety. Nizza has its own uniqueness that lies not only in its territory, but above all in its style. It stands out for its ability to be outside the standards of Piedmontese – and sometimes even Italian – recognition thanks to a more persuasive tannin, a smooth body and the ability to be refreshing and spicy, without being austere and monolithic. It is an extremely pleasant wine, which can be appreciated from the first day it is released on the market”.
The Association also announced the +5% increase in sales of Nizza DOCG recorded in 2024 compared to the previous year, for a total of 1,093,892 bottles and 30 million euros in turnover. A constant growth since the establishment of the DOCG in 2014, which shows a countertrend compared to the main Italian red wines with denomination.
The tasting focused in particular on the 2022 Nizza , a surprisingly balanced vintage in the face of a very hot and dry year that put winemakers to the test. The grape variety demonstrated its great adaptability to climate change, giving life to colorful, rich, savory and structured reds, with the peculiar acidity that gives it freshness, in the face of medium-high sugar levels.
“The 2022 harvest is tangible proof of Barbera’s extraordinary ability to adapt to difficult climate conditions that are a challenge for winemakers,” said Stefano Chiarlo , President of the Nizza Producers Association. “The 2022 Nizza combines opulence and balance in the glass, without ever being overpowering, thanks to careful work in the vineyard and cellar.”
The Nizza Riserva 2021 has also attracted considerable interest and appreciation, confirming itself, even in the Riserva version, as one of the most exceptional vintages ever produced in the denomination. Its significant structure and balanced acidity are counterbalanced by a rich and complex bouquet that reflects the terroir of origin, reaching excellent and generalized quality standards.
“Every year, with our blind tasting – concluded Chiarlo – we put ourselves on the line without prejudice, aware that only through an open dialogue can we grow, not only as producers, but as a community. This path allows us to increasingly refine our identity and build the future of Nizza DOCG, with commitment, awareness and an eye always turned to the future”.
Since 2002, the Nizza Producers Association has protected and promoted Nizza DOCG , an excellent expression of Barbera produced in an area of 18 municipalities in the heart of Monferrato. Today, the Association has 92 members and works to increase and consolidate the identity of the wine and its territory, with the aim of attesting it, in Italy and abroad, on a par with the great Italian denominations.