The 2007 Barbera d’Alba Bricco dei Merli is a wonderful Barbera laced with dark fruit. Made in a seamless, opulent style, the wine reveals gorgeous balance and finessed, silky tannins. This is a Barbera of uncommon elegance and harmony. The Bricco dei Merli was aged in a combination of cask and smaller French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2013. This is an outstanding set of new releases from Cogno, one of Piedmont’s under the radar stars. Proprietors Walter Fissore and Nadia Cogno are doing great work at their small, family-run property. From top to bottom, all of these wines merit your attention. The Barolos in particular are special. Fermentation is done with the traditional submerged cap method and the wines stay in contact with the skins for an additional two weeks or so, taking the total time of fermentation/maceration to roughly 30 days, a bit longer than had been the case in the recent past. Like many estates in Piedmont, Cogno has increased the amount of large, neutral oak used for the Barolos and is relying less on small French oak barrels. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200

There's serious intensity of blueberry and milk chocolate on the nose of this full-bodied red, which has lots of fruit and fresh acidity, with hints of mineral and spices. Soft and velvety. Drink now. 850 cases made, 150 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbera d'Alba Select to Add

Here’s a rich and thickly extracted Barbera d’Alba with purplish hues to its ruby color and bright aromas of cherry, black currants and cassis. Like many of the wines from the Alba area, we notice quite a lot of toast here that comes forth as cinnamon, vanilla and exotic spice.——M.L.(9/1/2010)—— 89