The 2007 Barbera d’Alba Vigna del Cuculo is a pretty, refined wine laced with sweet red cherries, dried flowers and spices. Now that it has been in bottle for a few years, some of the overt juiciness has dropped out, resulting in a silky, restrained Barbera with plenty of richness, but no heaviness. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. It’s nice to see Cavallotto finally getting some serious recognition. This small, family-run property has been making stellar wines for years, but for some reason the outside world has only caught on relatively recently.A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; (415) 492-9411, Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville IL; (630) 422-1119

The 2006 Barbera d-Alba Bricco Boschis Vigna del Cuculo is a pretty, mid-weight offering laced with raspberries, crushed flowers, sweet spices, smoke and new oak. This is a relatively lithe, feminine 2006 Barbera, but like all of the estate's best wines, its sense of harmony and proportion are never in question. A sense of vibrancy and freshness adds to the wine's polish. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014. It's tough to go wrong with pretty much anything from Cavallotto these days. The estate's entry-level wines offer nearly as much pleasure as the higher-end wines, but at far more soothing prices.A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; (415) 492-9411, Giuliana Imports, Boulder CO; (303) 547-6343, Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville IL; (630) 422-1119