2003 Sandrone Barbera d’Alba, Italy

A stunning Barbera from one of Barolo’s greatest producers. Barolo may be king in Piedmont, but Luciano Sandrone shows year after year that when Barbera d’Alba is treated as seriously as Nebbiolo, the once-humble, everyday grape can produce a very serious wine. Sandrone’s strength has always been the exquisite balance he achieves in his wines, and the 2003 Barbera is no exception: It’s a wonderful blend of power and finesse, voluptuous fruit and firm structure. The taste is dark berries and earth, the texture velvet.

Barbera is a terrific wine for Italian cold cuts and prosciutto, grilled sausages and pork chops, ribs and hearty pasta dishes.

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Quick swirl

Region: Piedmont

Price: About $29

Style: Voluptuous, yet firm

Food it goes with: Cold cuts and ham, grilled sausages and pork chops, pasta dishes

Where you find it: Mission Wines in South Pasadena, (626) 403-9463; Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants in Los Angeles, (310) 447-2020; and Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454 and (800) 76WINEX