Nizza is Barbera

On Saturday 9th and Sunday, 10th May, tastings and street food in Nizza Monferrato (At)

Preview: "A vineyard, a wine", on Friday 8th in the gardens of Palazzo Crova



A proven program, 50 producers and the idea of enhancing and believing in the cru of the "red". Confirmations and novelties for the 2015 edition of "Nizza is Barbera" (Nizza è Barbera), the event dedicated to Barbera d’Asti DOCG, the new DOCG Nizza and lively Barbera del Monferrato DOC: at the weekend from 8th to 10th May Nizza Monferrato (Asti) offers a full immersion in the world of Barbera, which in these hills offers its best, organized by the Municipality of Nizza Monferrato and Enoteca Regionale of Nizza, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Asti, the Barbera d’Asti and Monferrato Wines Consortium and the Astesana Wine Route.

Fifty producers present their labels, on Saturday night the city comes alive with the White Night (music and open shops) and on Sunday throughout the day there will be the "Streetfood Village" in the ancient Piazza XX Settembre, which regularly hosts the market of vegetables of the local gardeners.

Among the curiosities of this year, a special preview (Friday, 8th May, from 6:30 p.m., to the Gardens of the Crova Palace, seat of Enoteca Regionale) not surprisingly called "A vineyard, a wine – the Cru of Barbera d’Asti", as a tribute to the hard work of the wine growers and the most prestigious cru. For tasting, six Barbera d’Asti produced in six vineyards, in wine/food combination conceived by Sara Chiriotti of the "I Caffi" Restaurant of Acqui Terme – One Michelin Star. The evening will be hosted by sommelier Pier Ottavio Daniele and Giancarlo Nebiolo with the participation of Jonathan Gebser of Slow Wine, at the initiative of the Councillor for Agriculture of the Municipality of Nizza Monferrato in collaboration with Enoteca Regionale of Nizza and Astesana Wine Route. «We want to show the world that revolves around the glass – Daniel explains – talking not only about technical aspects and combinations, but offering the audience the opportunity to take a trip in which you use all your senses». (Limited seats. Participation fee 20 Euro. Reservations required: 329/2284049).

Before tastings, at 6:00 p.m., the Tullio Mussa Prize will be awarded, in memory of the unforgettable innkeeper from Nizza who launched the "La Signora in Rosso" Wine Store. In the gold register of the award, also Angelo Sonvico, from Milan, adopted in Nizza, who died a few days ago. He believed in Barbera and was a great friend of Tullio.

«Wine and hospitality are at the center of initiatives throughout the year – Flavio Pesce, mayor of Nizza Monferrato, says – «"Nizza is Barbera" is one of the most important moments, but knowing how to welcome tourists is becoming the everyday life in our territory with its UNESCO beauties and its great wines».

Many are the young people at work behind the scenes of the event. Among them, the new Chairman of Enoteca Regionale of Barbera, Mauro Damerio: «By the summer – he anticipates – the restaurant will reopen and all the activities of the Enoteca will start again. Ideas that are part of a more ambitious project to revitalize the city of Nizza Monferrato and Palazzo Crova, so in the coming months there will be a complete redesign".

Also new, the wine–guest: the great Moscato d’Asti DOCG Canelli designation will be presented by Enoteca Regionale of Canelli and Astesana and by the Moscato di Canelli Producers Association, a group formed by ten winemakers of the hills that surround the capital of the Italian sparkling wine: they will offer tastings and tell the enchanted world of sweet and natural bubbles, the result of a complex vinification to leave intact the aromas of Moscato grapes.

We must remember that the two areas of production (in the heart of Valle Belbo in the South Asti, in a handful of kilometers) are "core zones" protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and visitors can enjoy a scenic tour through the hills.



Here is the full program of Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

FRIDAY 8th MAY. At 6:00 p.m. in the gardens of Palazzo Crova: delivery of the Tullio Mussa Prize. To follow: "A vineyard, a wine – the Cru of Barbera d’Asti", a tasting of excellence dedicated to the value of the vineyard. 6 Barbera d’Asti Cru produced from 6 vineyards, in wine/food combination – "aperibarbera" with finger food by Sara Chiriotti of the "I Caffi" Restaurant of Acqui Terme – One Michelin Star – and First Testimonial of Barbera d’Asti. An initiative coordinated by Pier Ottavio Daniele with Giancarlo Nebiolo – Sommelier, with the participation of Jonathan Gebser of Slow Wine. Initiative of the Department for Agriculture of the Municipality of Nizza Monferrato in collaboration with Enoteca Regionale of Nizza and Astesana Wine Route. Limited places. Participation fee Euro 20. Reservations required: 329 2284049. From 6:00 p.m. to 00:00 in Piazza XX Settembre the Streetfood Village opens: food and street food.

SATURDAY 9th MAY. From 11:00 a.m. to 00:00 in Piazza XX Settembre the Streetfood Village, food and street food, continues. From 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in the Foro Boario of Piazza Garibaldi, 50 producers are presenting the labels of Nizza DOCG, Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Barbera del Monferrato DOC. Tasting of Grappa and Vermouth, tastings of the wine–host, Moscato d’Asti DOCG by Enoteca Regionale of Canelli and Astesana and Moscato Canelli Producers Association. From 7:00 p.m. to 00:00, in the streets and squares of the old town of Nizza, tasting points of Barbera with tastings of traditional dishes, "Barbera Party", a white night in music with open shops.

SUNDAY, 10th MAY. From 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the Foro Boario of Piazza Garibaldi, the program of the previous day is repeated, and from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Piazza XX Settembre the Streetfood Village continues: food and street food, and in the streets of the center you can taste Barbera with typical dishes. Arrosticini, Arancini, Piedmont style mixed fried, Piada, Lampredotto, Porchetta, Ascolane stuffed olives, fried pizza and Bombette. You can shop at the Little Market of locally sourced agricultural products.

PRO LOCO OF NIZZA. The active volunteers of the Pro Loco, chaired by Bruno Verri, will offer two local dishes: Agnolotti and Belecauda, the typical of Nizza Monferrato porridge. Belecauda has always been the street food of Nizza, proving that trade with Liguria was very lively in the past. Well–famous is the character of Tantì, who until a few decades ago was selling with his equipped bicycle steaming slices of porridge in the streets of the town. The cooks of the Pro Loco hand down the recipe.

PALIO COMMITTEE. The Palio Commettee is always ready to work at parties and events, too: at "Nizza is Barbera" it offers visitors beef tartare. Nizza is famous throughout Northern Italy for its prestigious butcher shops where they sell exclusively Piedmont meat reared in the stables of Vallebelbo.

MOSCATO DI CANELLI. Guests of the 2015 edition, the Moscato di Canelli Producers Association (Chairman Giuseppe Bocchino) and the Enoteca Regionale of Canelli and Astesana (Chairman Andrea Ghignone), careful guardians of the hills and the Moscato Bianco di Canelli, which produce Moscato d’Asti DOCG Canelli. Info: www.moscatocanelli.it.

TO SEE. For many visitors the elegant garden of the baronial mansion in the old town of Nizza will be a pleasant discovery, as also the Palace of taste in the rooms upstairs, which tells the history and stories of people, wine, territory. A walk through the squares and monuments in the town, on which the 33 meters high medieval bell tower of the municipality, the "Campanon", stands, which offers a splendid view from the hills to the Alps. Another jewel of the city, the Trinità Church, with the valuable Erca art gallery.



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