Readers looking for a dazzling value, should check out the 1999 Barbera d'Alba Suri di Mu. Aged one year in barrique, this 3,000 case cuvee is dynamite. Opaque purple-colored and full-bodied, with a gorgeous perfume of strawberry, cherry, and blackberry jam aromas mixed with charcoal, graphite, and new oak, this is a succulent, hedonistic, Barbera fruit bomb to drink over the next 3-5 years. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907

Aromas of sliced plums, with hints of flowers. Medium-bodied, with a stemmy raisin flavor and a slightly rough finish. Give it time. Best after 2001. 3,000 cases made.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbera d'Alba Select to Add