The 2010 Barbaresco offers near-term enjoyment with tones of dried cherry, cassis, licorice and cola that make it attractive right out of the bottle. It would be interesting to see where this wine goes even two or three years from now. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Importer: Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2007 Barbaresco is another of the entry-level wines that shows an unusual level of finesse and balance in this vintage. This mid-weight, feminine Barbaresco flows with the essence of berries, crushed flowers, minerals and spices in a delicate, feminine style. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass, but without abandoning what is a very classic, firm style. Beautifully fragrant throughout, Castello di Neive's 2007 Barbaresco captures many of the qualities that make Nebbiolo so alluring. A clean, refreshing finish rounds things out nicely. This is fabulous juice. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. Castello di Neive, one of the historic producers in Barbaresco, seems to fly under the radar, but the best of the wines are well worth discovering and offer terrific quality for the money.Importers: Bacchanal Wine Imports, Inc., New York, NY; tel. (646) 207-0115; Grassroots Wine Wholesalers, LLC; Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 250-9060; Vintage Selections, Cape Canaveral, FL; tel. (321) 783-2700; West Park Imports, Sharon Hill PA; tel. (610) 532-3039; Castello di Neive MHW Ltd, Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170

The 2006 Barbaresco is a rather firm, mid-weight offering. The high-toned, floral aromatics are promising, but the wine remains unyielding on the palate, where the tannins abruptly shut down the finish. If the wine softens it might merit a higher score, although judging by how past vintages have aged, that doesn’t seem too likely. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2018. Proprietor Italo Stupino continues to ratchet up quality at Castello di Neive. This year I tasted through the entire range and came away most impressed with the Barberas and Barbarescos. The other wines, while certainly correct, weren’t especially exciting. The only real disappointment was the 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano, which falls short of the level of recent vintages.Importers: Bacchanal Wine Imports, Inc., New York, NY; tel. (646) 207-0115; Grassroots Wine Wholesalers, LLC; Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 250-9060; Vintage Selections, Cape Canaveral, FL; tel. (321) 783-2700; West Park Imports, Sharon Hill PA; tel. (610) 532-3039; Castello di Neive MHW Ltd, Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170