The 2008 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore Bricco Battista is a big, bold Barbera bursting with dark red fruit, leather, spices, grilled herbs and tar. The wine turns a bit more feminine on the mid-palate and finish, but without losing the extroverted quality that makes it so appealing. Mint, crushed flowers and spices linger in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015. This is a fabulous lineup from Accornero replete with a number of wines that deliver superb value.Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414-4898

Accornero’s 2007 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore Bricco Battista is a fairly bold, full-bodied red graced with notable depth in its dark cherries and plums. Ripe, silky tannins support the fruit nicely all the way through to the finish, where scents of tar, smoke, French oak and licorice add further layers of complexity. The Bricco Battista could use more time to come together fully, but it is already pretty tasty. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414-4898

Readers looking for a fine Barbera should consider the 2006 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore Bricco Battista. Still fresh and vibrant, the wine offers up gorgeous notes of ripe dark fruit intermingled with sweet scents of toasted oak and minerals. The Bricco Battista possesses outstanding length and remarkable purity in its long, minerally close. The wine continued to improve in the glass, suggesting it should drink beautifully over the next few years. This is a wonderful effort from Accornero. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016. Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414-4898