Cigliuti’s 2009 Barbaresco Vie Erte captures the personality of the vintage in its round, soft personality. Sweet red berries, crushed flowers and tobacco are some of the notes that are woven together in this fleshy, attractive Barbaresco. The 2009 is already gorgeous, but unlike so many other wines in this vintage, there is plenty of freshness, acidity and vibrancy. Gorgeous floral notes add lift on the finish. This is a terrific showing. The 2009 is the first vintage labeled Vie Erte instead of Vigne Erte, a change required to meet the new naming conventions for Barbaresco. The Vie Erte is aged in cask. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2024. Cigliuti is one of the many small, family-run estates that embodies the finest of the artisan traditions of Piedmont. I found a lot to like in these current releases. The 2009 Barbareschi showed quite well, even though they had been bottled just prior to my visit. They are fresh, vibrant wines with lovely balance for the year. The 2010s are shaping up to be even better, but they are at least a year away from hitting the market. Claudia Cigliuti describes 2009 as a vintage with heavy snowfall in the winter and considerable rain during the spring. The summer was warmer than normal, which resulted in a slightly early harvest that started on September 8 and finished with the Nebbiolo being brought in between the 20th and 25th. Cigliuti makes two Barbareschi. The Vie Erte (formerly Vigne Erte) is aged in cask, while the Serraboella is aged 60% in cask and 40% in French oak. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021; David Vincent Selection, Union, NJ; tel. (908) 397-9117; Bianco Rosso Imports, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 781-0702