2009 Barbera d'Alba Pian Romualdo

Prunotto has captured all of the best qualities of vineyard and site in the 2009 Barbera d’Alba Pian Romualdo. Quite surprisingly, this is an especially taut, focused vintage for the Pian Romualdo, but that should serve the wine well as it ages. Firm veins of underlying minerality frame layers of expressive dark red fruit in this hugely delicious wine. Today, the 2009 comes across as very young and in need of time to fully meld together. Readers won’t find much of the approachability of the year, instead this is a rare 2009 Barbera that needs bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. This is a terrific set of new releases from Prunotto. In particular, this year I was impressed with the quality and consistency of the entry-level offerings. Importer: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA, tel. (425) 415-3738

(done in large barrels and two- and three-year-old barriques ): Good deep ruby-red. Very dark aromas of black cherry, blackberry, licorice and violet. Then lush, rich and suave in the mouth, with terrific dark fruit intensity perked up by a floral element. Finishes very long and pure, with a fine dusting of tannins and palate-saturating minerality. A superb vintage for this bottling.