{"product_id":"ercole-barbera-del-monferrato-2024-1l","title":"Ercole Barbera del Monferrato 2024 1L","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe Land\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMonferrato is Barbera's home ground — documentary evidence traces the grape here to 13th-century cathedral records, making it one of the most historically rooted varieties in Piedmont. The zone rolls across clay-limestone hills southeast of the River Po, with vineyards planted at 150 to 400 meters elevation on south-facing slopes. Unlike the more concentrated, oak-aged Barberas of Asti and Alba, Barbera del Monferrato has historically aimed for freshness and drinkability — a style that suits the grape's naturally high acidity and relatively light tannin. Ercole draws from a cooperative of small family growers spread across those same hills, farming vines that average 30 to 50 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e100% Barbera, fermented in concrete tanks, aged briefly in stainless steel, bottled in a 1-liter format designed for the table rather than the cellar. The approach is clean and direct: dark cherry, black plum, raspberry, and a savory herb note, with Barbera's signature bright acidity and light tannin frame. No oak, no extraction beyond what the fermentation delivers naturally. This is not a wine you cellar — it's a wine you open on a Tuesday with whatever is on the stove. The liter format makes the decision easy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe People\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eErcole is a project created by The Piedmont Guy, a US importer with deep relationships among small Monferrato growers, in collaboration with a long-established local cooperative. The growers follow EU lotta integrata standards, with many certified organic, relying on copper and sulfur rather than systemic chemicals. The cooperative model supports small-scale farmers who might otherwise sell their fruit in bulk. The goal is honest, site-specific Barbera at a price that makes a second bottle the obvious choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePizza margherita, pasta with sausage and tomato, grilled pork chops with salsa verde, or a board of salumi and olives. Barbera's bright acidity handles tomato sauce like almost no other grape. A liter bottle and good company is the full recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harvest","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50138593427679,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P6170426.jpg?v=1781758399","url":"https:\/\/danverwinemerchant.com\/products\/ercole-barbera-del-monferrato-2024-1l","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}