WTN: 2001 Piazzo "Mugiot" Barbera d'Alba

[Brad Ballinger]

2001 Piazzo "Mugiot" Barbera d'Alba. This is a single-vineyard Barbera that is aged in barrique less than a year. It's a powerful Barbera that shows a fair amount of complexity. The nose has bright bramble fruit with coffee, tobacco, and spice accents. Upon the first sip, I was introduced to a mouthful of ripe fruit. There was a good deal of acid in the wine, spreading the fruit to all parts of the mouth. The oak lended body, depth, and structure without any offputting vanilla or excessively wooden flavors. The alcohol (14%) was a bit detached and distracting, but I've experienced much worse. This wine was a good, solid, chewy Barbera. And, in this style, I found it much more enjoyable than other producers who try to take it over the top. And is was only $23 on half-price wine night at a Minneapolis neighborhood restaurant.