The 2012 Barbera d’Alba delivers bright energy and liveliness with chewy, fleshy fruit and cooling freshness on the close. It’s delightfully unpretentious and solid. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. The estate was founded in 1971, when Giuseppe Cortese convinced his father to bottle wine instead of selling grapes. Today, it is run by the next generation of the family, Pier Carlo and Tiziana. They just finished enlarging their winery and the tasting room, with terraces that look out at the four hectares they own in the prestigious Rabaja cru. Importer: Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

A beam of pure cherry, with a hint of violet candy, marks this effusively fruity red. The lively acidity imparts freshness and the finish adds a bitter almond accent. Drink now. 420 cases made, 200 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbera d'Alba Select to Add