Dipping down into my ew Aris arrivials, I tried last night:
1. Aeris Barbera CentennialMtnVnyd/MendoCnty/Calif (14.5%) RhysVnyds/Ukiah 2018: Very dark color; beautiful very spicy/Barbera/pizza spices/Italian sausage quite fragrant/floral/lilacs very aromatic slight arthy/graphite some complex nose; very tart/tangy/bit metallic pure Barbera fruit/very spicy/Italian dried herbs/Italian sausage fairly rich to balance the acidity bit graphite/pungent some complex flavor w/ some tangy tannins; very long/lingering pure Barbera/Italian sausage bracing acidity rich/structured finish w/ modest tangy tannins; a bracing acidity but a richness to carry it on the palate w/ beautiful aromatics; mthis is how Angelo Gaja would make Barbera in MendoCnty if he could; should go out 4-8 yrs; a world-class Barbera. $45.00
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2. Matteo Correggia Dd'OC: Barbera d'Alba (13.5%; GiulianaImprts/Boulder) MatteoCorreggia/Canale 2010: Med.dark color; slight funky/earthy rather dusty/OV some Barbera/spicy/dried Italian herbs some pencilly/toasty/oak/smokey fairly complex nose; some tart/tangy slight funky/pungent fairly rich some floral/lilacs/spicy/Barbera/driied herbs some toasty/pencilly oak bit modern-style flavor w/ light bit tangy tannins; very long bit funky/earthy some Barbera/spicy/pizza spices/floral/lilacs w/ modest tannins; showing a bit of funky character but not showing a lot of age; a modern-style of Barbera that's probably as good as it will ever get.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I was most impressed by the Aris Barbera. It had beautiful aromatics of Barbera and an acidity that speaks of Barbera & a richness that speaks of Calif. One of the most Piemontese Barberas from Calif I can recall. Kevin seems to really know what he's doing up there in Mendocino.
Tom