Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.
Current releases from Piedmont offer a range of grape varieties and vintages, and today's well-chosen selection exemplifies this. You'll find Dolcetto from the hot, dry 2017 vintage, Barbera from the elegant, fresh 2016, a fruity Barbaresco from the warm and balanced 2015, and a 2014 Barolo, from a year that presented challenges that the top vintners overcame.
Better yet, these are all good values. Most of the wines here are less than $30; only the Barolo and Barbaresco cost more, but they are bargains for their categories. Given their high quality-to-price ratio, these reds provide an opportunity to explore Piedmont's bounty.
PRUNOTTO Barbaresco 2015
WS Review: Pretty, high-toned aromas of macerated cherry, strawberry, rose and earth mark this taut, elegant red. Compact now, but stretches out nicely on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2038. 1,200 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Under the ownership of the Antinori family since 1994, Prunotto is one of the wine company's few forays outside Tuscany. Winemaker Gianluca Torrengo started in 1999 and crafts reds that combine red fruit flavors with the traditional style of aging in large cask.
RENATO RATTI Nebbiolo Langhe Ochetti 2016
WS Review: Offering a mix of bright cherry, black currant, savory mineral and wild herb aromas and flavors, this is both lively and dense. Strikes a fine balance between all the elements, ending in a resonant aftertaste. Drink now through 2025. 3,245 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: This Nebbiolo from Renato Ratti comes from an estate vineyard in Roero, across the Tanaro River from Barolo, called Ochetti. It's aged for a year in 1-year-old barriques, is softer than Barolo and enjoyable on release.
PAOLO SCAVINO Vino da Tavola-Piedmont Red NV
WS Review: Black currant, violet and rosemary settle nicely into the succulent texture of this red. Firm and elegant, yet shows intensity and fine length. Nebbiolo, Merlot, Barbera and Dolcetto. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Enrico Scavino and his daughters Enrica and Elisa are making pure, elegant wines from their vineyards in the Castiglione Falletto commune. This red is unusual in its blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and Merlot. Each grape is vinified separately in stainless steel tanks and blended after malolactic fermentation. There is no wood aging.
BRAIDA DI GIACOMO BOLOGNA Barbera d'Asti Montebruna 2016
WS Review: A bright, succulent style, with vibrant acidity driving the black cherry, blackberry and spice flavors. Dense yet balanced, offering a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Giacomo Bologna helped revitalize Barbera in the region with his innovative, single-vineyard Bricco dell'Uccellone in the early 1980s. Montebruna is also a single-vineyard Barbera and a nice introduction to the Braida range.
FONTANAFREDDA Barolo 2014
WS Review: Floral, cherry, plum and spice aromas and flavors are allied to a tense structure. Light-bodied yet well-balanced, lingering nicely on the earthy finish. Best from 2021 through 2035. 3,750 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Co-owned by Eataly entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti and his business partner, Luca Baffigo Filangieri, Fontanafredda makes a wide range of wines, many of which are fine values. This Barolo is a perfect example, a blend of estate and purchased grapes, aged 2 years in large oak casks and 12 months in bottle.
GIOVANNI ROSSO Barbera d'Alba Donna Margherita 2016
WS Review: A polished, silky version, boasting black cherry, plum, warm loam and spice flavors. Suave and harmonious from the start to the long finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Davide Rosso recently ventured to Sicily's Mt. Etna to make wine, but Serralunga d'Alba is home base with his family's Giovanni Rosso winery. This Barbera comes from estate vineyards, and ages for about 6 months in large, neutral oak casks.
LUCIANO SANDRONE Dolcetto d'Alba 2017
WS Review: An intense nose of black cherry, blackberry and pomegranate notes marks this dense, concentrated red, which is well-structured but covered in fleshy fruit until the long finish. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: The Sandrone winery celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018. Founder Luciano Sandrone earned a reputation for his high-quality Barolos, yet the same exacting standards are applied to the entire range, including this Dolcetto d'Alba. The grapes come from 11 different parcels in the Monforte d'Alba and Novello communes, each fermented separately and the best lots blended together.