Benevelli Barbera d'Alba "Bricco del Pilone"
Tonight, I marveled at the amazing color of Massimo Benevelli’s Barbera—a vivid, regal, dark purple. His wines often have an opacity uncommon in Piedmont that hints at the unique nature of the vineyard’s marl and limestone slopes, as well as Massimo’s light touch in the cellar. This Barbera tastes as good as it looks, too, with a mouthful of dark, balsamic-drizzled, berry fruit. The bottling has a bit of Barolo-like structure and grip, but there’s nothing Barolo-like about the price, so stock up.
—Dustin Soiseth