Cascina Ballarin, Giuli, Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont, 2010

Tasting: Barbera d’Alba

Elegant sweet cherry and violets nose. Intense sour cherry palate followed by gripping tannins. Rustic texture with hints of balsamic. Meaty and full bodied. Touch of bitterness on the finish.

Tasting: Barbera d’Alba

Opaque red. Rather blunt plummy nose, with a touch of oak. Medium-bodied, supple, easy-going, not much concentration, but fluid and forward, with ample fresh acidity. An unpretentious style, but balanced and enjoyable. Medium length.

Tasting: Barbera d’Alba

Bright ruby-red. Oaky nuances complement red cherry tobacco and herbs on the nose. Then fresh and juicy but with chewy tannins keeping the fruit under wraps and giving this a drying mouthfeel. Well made, but lacks fruit and there’s too much oak.