The 2007 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Codana is stunning. If there were such a thing as grand cru Barbera, this would be one of the wines on that list. The Codana is a complete wine that brings together aromatics, fruit and structure in a totally compelling Barbera of the highest level. Clean, saline notes support a radiant core of sweet perfumed dark fruit. Dried flowers, herbs and tar are some of the notes that add complexity through to the finish. This is a jewel of a wine from Mauro Mascarello. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. This is a stellar showing from Mauro and Giuseppe Mascarello. The 2007 Baroli are stunning now that they are in bottle, but the Barberas are equally worthy of attention. As always, the style is very traditional, but in 2007 the steady warmth of the vintage has given the wines an extra dimension of fleshiness. The 2007 Monprivato in particular is shaping up to be another legendary Barolo from Mascarello. Importers: Doug Polaner, Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

The 2007 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Codana is a rich, deep wine endowed with tons of fruit wrapped around a sensual, dark core of structure. The Codana is a serious, intense Barbera that captures the best qualities of this great Barbera harvest. Tar, smoke, licorice and a host of aromas and flavors develop in the glass, lending an air of mystery and introspection to this fabulous Barbera. Though not the bargain it was during my student days when it served as a Barolo substitute for my meager bank account, Mascarello’s Codana remains a benchmark wine well worth seeking out. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. Proprietor Mauro Mascarello is best known for his Baroli, but his entry-level wines also merit considerable attention. The wines are always released on the late side, so finding the time to review them can be a challenge, hence their inclusion in this issue. I also had a chance to taste Mascarello’s 2007 Baroli from cask and they are living up to the immense promise I sensed when I first sampled them a few years ago.Importers: Doug Polaner, Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484