The 2009 Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza La Crena is pretty at first, but then loses quite a bit of persistence on the mid-palate. Tar, licorice, smoke, plums, incense and French oak come together nicely in this mid-weight, vibrant Barbera. The 2009 could use another year or so to gain complexity, but here too, I see a very good, but not great, vintage of La Crena. The short, attenuated finish is out of character with the best La Crenas. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. The biggest news at Vietti is the recent acquisition of new parcels in Brunate and Lazzarito. Finding high quality plots in Piemonte’s grand crus and then financing their purchase is a massive endeavor and a huge accomplishment. Luca Currado is quite open in his view that 2008 was a challenging year in the vineyards, where the constantly changing weather required a nimble, flexible approach. Currado did quite a bit of bleeding to bring his wines into balance. I also tasted all of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Baroli. Of those vintages, the 2010s are shaping up to be heroic wines. Among the new releases I am less enthusiastic about the 2009 Barbere, wines that are very good, but not as exceptional as they so often are. Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405