This wine opens to a fragile appearance with garnet and amber hues at the rim. The 2010 Barbaresco Pora is feather light in terms of texture and has fleeting and momentary aromas of wild berry, ash and balsam herb. Despite the wine's ethereal initial approach, it actually shows silky power and good momentum in the mouth.

The unfiltered 2009 Barbaresco Pora opens with seductively dark and mysterious demeanor. It’s a wine with a long story to tell those who want to listen – sweet cherry, tar, cola, prune, leather and black licorice emerge slowly from the bouquet. It shows an already soft and generous quality in the mouth. You can either drink it immediately or cellar it a few more years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. Giulio Grasso’s family entered the wine business “l(fā)ate,” as he tells it, because his male ancestors were soldiers in the various World Wars. Only after the turmoil in Europe settled, in the mid 1950s, did the family start to bottle wine. The estate’s most precious vineyard, the three hectares they own in the Asili cru, was a wedding dowry from Giulio’s grandmother (from Barbaresco) to his grandfather (from Treiso). Today, the family owns 25 hectares including the Valgrande and Marcarini crus in Treiso and the Asili and Pora crus in Barbaresco. Giulio’s father, Ernesto, farms the vineyards today at age 91.The Ca’ del Baio line-up is extremely impressive and delightful. These are some of the best wines from Barbaresco. Importer: Casa Bruno, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429; Bertin Henri Selections; tel. (305) 343-4054

A host of dark aromas and flavors emerge effortlessly from the 2008 Barbaresco Pora. Black cherries, plums, iron, scorched earth, licorice, tar and smoke burst from the glass as this powerful Barbaresco imposes its personality. The deep, muscular finish leaves a lasting impression. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2023. I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Ca’del Baio this year. As always, the house style favors a juicy, fruit-forward expression of Nebbiolo. These supple, delicious Barbareschi will be ready to drink pretty much upon release. Various American importers, including Casa Bruno, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429; Caroline Debbane’ Selection, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (323) 472-5242; Bertin Henri Selections; tel. (305) 343-4054

The 2007 Barbaresco Pora is big, bold and beautiful, very much in the style of the year. It shows fabulous balance of aromatics, generous fruit and fine, silky tannins. The round, seamless finish makes it difficult to resist a second taste. The Pora is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. Various American importers, including: Casa Bruno, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429, Caroline Debbane’ Selection, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (323) 472-5242

The 2006 Barbaresco Pora impresses for its crystalline purity and inner perfume. This is a rather potent Pora loaded with dark cherries, minerals and French oak that shows surprising richness and intensity for the vintage, most likely owing to the warm microclimate in this site. The Pora is one of the finest wines in what has turned out to be an irregular vintage in Barbaresco. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. Ca’ del Baio is an excellent source for juicy Barbarescos that can be enjoyed with a minimum of cellaring. Various American importers: Jan D’Amore Wines, Brooklyn, NY; tel. (917) 257-7994; Casa Bruno LLC, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429; Dolce e Dani LLC, Avon, CO.