The most successful of these 2009s, the Barbaresco San Stunet S. Stefanetto is quite striking in this vintage. Juicy dark cherries flowers, mint and licorice burst from the glass as this delineated, textured Barbaresco shows off its inviting personality. The supple fruit is nicely supported by good acidity and plenty of tannin. It is the freshest and most vibrant of the three 2009 Barbareschi I tasted. This is a lovely showing from Piero and Emanuela Busso. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Importer: A.I. Selections, Astoria, NY; tel. (718) 777-2243; Grape Vine of North Carolina, Concord, NC; tel. (704) 786-6406; Bond Street?Imports, Charlotte,?NC; tel. (704) 521-1353

The 2004 Barbaresco S. Stefanetto (from vines in Treiso) is a firm, yet generous wine endowed with notable purity and depth in its dark, sensual fruit. Truffles, worn-in leather, spices and menthol round out this harmonious, beautifully balanced Barbaresco. Though undeniably attractive today, the wine will benefit from another year or two in bottle to help soften the tannins, but it is already delicious. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022. Piero Busso, a small grower in Neive, makes wines in an approachable, fruit-driven style. Importers: J.A.O. Wine Imports, Mc Lean, VA; tel. (703) 628-9615

Balsamic and spiced on the nose, the 2001 Barbaresco S. Stefanetto is a deeply-colored and structured wine, showing super-rich dark fruit with suggestions of sweet prunes, plums and minerals wrapped around a tight core that will need another year or two to become fully expressive. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2015. No known American importer.

The 2000 Barbaresco Santo Stefanetto, dark in color and intense in aroma, suffers from an excessive oakiness in this phase of its development, and the oak tannins give a slight hardness to the texture, though there is more extract and concentration than in Bricco Mondino. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2014. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200 and JAO Wine Imports (703) 628-9615