Produttori del Barbaresco continues to be a terrific source for well-priced wines. It will be a few years before the 2004 Riservas are released. In the meantime, readers will find the Barbaresco normale on store shelves. Incidentally, I have already gone through several bottles of the 2003 Barbaresco, a wine which offers much promise and half a case of the 2001 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja. Every bottle of the Rabaja has been a stunner. The estate’s 2004 Barbaresco is very sweet and pretty, with spiced, floral aromas that are delicately woven into a fabric of ripe fruit. With air herbal and balsamic overtones emerge, adding further complexity. The wine offers outstanding length, silky tannins and a fresh, inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200

Displays glorious fruit on the nose, with raspberry, blackberry and flowers. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicate finish. Best after 2011. 15,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add