The 2010 Barbaresco Vie Erte opens to bright, perfumed intensity with pretty layers of red rose, pressed violets, exotic spice, cola and sweet almond that together present a united front. The 2010 vintage shows particular fullness and the wine offers good value for this high quality of fruit. Its tight Nebbiolo structure is somewhat softened here by subtle oak plushness. Drink: 2016-2024. Various American Importers, including: David Vincent Selection, www.davidvincentselection.com

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

The 2008 Barbaresco Vigne Erte is rich, sweet and perfumed from the very first taste. This highly appealing, supple Barbaresco is one of the most delicious wines of the year at this stage. In a way, it is atypically accessible, but I can’t imagine that will pose too much of a problem for consumers. Hints of spices, tobacco and anise linger on the textured, perfumed finish. The Vigne Erte was aged in cask. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. 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

The 2007 Barbaresco Vigne Erte Bricco di Neive is a big, powerful wine loaded with racy, super-ripe fruit. Initially the fruit is candied to the point of being nearly excessively sweet, but with considerable time in the glass the wine settles down and finds its inner balance. This remains a somewhat quirky wine that will require a bit of patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. 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

Cigliuti’s 2005 Barbaresco Vigna Erte is beautiful in this vintage. The wine shows its trademark aromatics, but has more richness in its fruit and greater finesse in its tannins than has been the case in the past. The once-young vines are acquiring age, and this bottling finally seems to be coming into its own. This is the best Vigna Erte yet. The wine was aged 20-hectoliter casks. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020. Cigliuti is an estate that doesn’t seem to get much attention these days. To be sure, these are not flashy, obvious wines, yet for the most part they deliver plenty of enjoyment and pleasure. 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