Fresh with plenty of croquant fruit; vibrant and fresh. Good complexity and elegant, fresh and attractive, clean and vibrant, good intensity. Nice direct acidity on the finish.

Paolo Monti, a young producer, is definitely of the modernist school, as his 2001 Barbera d’Alba demonstrates. The wine is dark ruby, very spicy on the nose with abundant vanilla, cedar, and cardamom to accompany the raspberry/blackberry fruit. Sweet and fresh in flavor, with an important contribution from the smoky, toasty oak, its ample volume and soft texture offer much immediate pleasure. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2008. With a bit less oak, this wine would show more varietal character and the overall balance would improve – these are good grapes, worth having confidence in.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

Cedar and leather combine with dried spices on the nose, only gradually giving way to a bit of cranberry fruit on the palate. It’s a big-boned wine, with plenty of size (alcohol), yet remains crisp thanks to good acidity.——J.C.(11/15/2004)—— 86

Deep in color and full of smoked-meat aromas. It’s got Rhone-like character and an odd Chinese spice element to it. Flavors of mushrooms, blackberries and cherries. It’s more big than elegant, more unyielding than open.——W.E.(4/1/2000)—— 85