2016 La Spinetta Ca' di Pian Barbera d'Asti

We are still on our quest to taste and understand Barbera, so my husband bought this 2016 La Spinetta Ca' di Pian Barbera d'Asti for us to try.
We recently had this wine paired with meatballs and spaghetti. I thought that this wine was a heavy body Barbera, it could stand up to steak. Traditionally, Barbera was not made in oak but in stainless steel. However now, both styles can be found. We detected a bit of oak on this Barbera.
I was interested in learning more about the wine so I went to the La Spinetta site. Giuseppe and Lydia Rivetti were dedicated farmers in Piedmonte that began the business in 1960. La Spinetta means top of the hill, and is located in Castagnole Lanze. Their children Carlo, Bruno, Giorgio, and Giovanna took over the business with the blessing of their parents. They first made a single vineyard Moscato and then in 1985 produced their Barbera Ca' di Pian.
And what is it with the rhinoceros on their label? The pencil drawing by German artist Albrecht Dürer records the arrival of an Indian rhinoceros in Lisbon, Portugal in 1515. It was the first animal of its kind to be seen in Europe. The choice of the rhinoceros on the label was due to Giorgio Rivetti’s admiration for Albrecht Dürer. Giorgio credits Gabriele Cionini, a close family friend and an expert in the world of wine and art, who introduced Dürer’s works to the family.
Giorgio's respect for art is carried over to his wine. No chemicals or pesticides are used at the family-owned winery. Rivetti personally plows fields with horses and directs a “green harvest” each July when vines are thinned of grape bunches to keep yields low and to maximize the fruit’s healthy development. “We respect the land and it returns beautiful fruit. That’s what we want to get into each bottle – the character of the land – not the winemaker’s hand.”²
This philosophy is one that we also adhere to, although we haven't gone as far as the Rivetti's, we also respect the land and try to express it in the wines we make.
References:
1. La Spinetta
2. Jim Campanini, Grapefully Yours, Giorgio Rivetti’s art is in La Spinetta’s gorgeous wines.