If only more California Barbera could be like this. Opening with a pretty, yet rich fruit nose of dark cherry and plum, the structured wine has been tamed into a soft, chocolate-brushed finish with just the perfect amount of acidity. The vines have been in the ground since the 1880s. Winemaker Jim Moore adds just a thimble’s worth (3%) of Nebbiolo too, before letting it all age in oak.——V.B.(12/15/2011)—— 90