The 2009 Barbera d’Alba Gallina is rich, powerful and direct. I am surprised by the wine’s huge structure, as I expected a softer Barbera given the vintage and site. Plums, mocha, licorice and grilled herbs all flesh out in the powerful, incisive Barbera. With time in the glass, the wine turns increasingly floral and delicate, yet never loses its essential depth. Readers will need to be patient, but there is no denying the 2009 is shaping up to be a wonderful bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021; Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

This red is intense and saturated, with boysenberry, black currant, violet and balsamic aromas and flavors. Firmly structured, featuring fruit and mineral notes that linger on the aftertaste. Drink now through 2018. 830 cases made.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbera d'Alba Select to Add