2011 Barbaresco Sori Paolin

With fruit sourced from 40-year-old vines, the 2011 Barbaresco Paolin shows the vintage nicely with moderate power and medium body. The wine opens to a pretty garnet-ruby color with light tones of red cherry, currant, white almond and shaved licorice at the back. The 2011 vintage does not have the same immediate intensity and generosity of the stunning 2010 vintage. Drink: 2016-2025. Founded in 1913, Cascina Luisin has been doing impressive work under current owner Roberto Minuto. The estate counts eight hectares of vine with headquarters in the Rabaja single vineyard subzones of Barbaresco. Importer: A. I. Selections, www.aiselections.com MALGRA 2011 BARBARESCO MONCIRALDO MOMBARUZZO ($29.00) RED 86 The 2011 Barbaresco Monciraldo is a simple, value wine with a bright quality of fruit and a good dose of oak spice at the back. The bouquet is redolent of one-dimensional aromas of dried cherry and creme de cassis followed by crushed granite and sweet licorice root. It is aged in new and neutral barrique. The mouthfeel is thin and moderately short. Drink: 2015-2020. Importer: Specialty Cellars, www.specialtycellars.com

Neive. Just mid ruby with orange rim. Reductive, cedary nose. Sweet, almost overripe fruit impression on the palate, followed by quite a lot of acidity. Perhaps this just needs age? (WS)