2019 Diego Conterno Ferrione Barbera d'Alba Piedmont 750 ml

Any time the name Conterno is mentioned, wine lovers tend to make two assumptions: The wines are going to be spectacular, and they’re going to be fairly pricey.

Not this one. The 2019 Diego Conterno Ferrione Barbera d’Alba Piedmont offers a unique opportunity to taste the famous Conterno magic for a song. This single-vineyard Barbera is magnificent, the nose perfumed with classic Piemontese notes of juicy black cherries and plum, while the mouthwatering palate is lively with blackberries, raspberries, cedar, and spice. Simply put, this is a stunner.

Diego Conterno, of the family that produced the critically beloved Conterno-Fantino wines, struck out on his own in 2000 and quickly made a name for himself as a vintner of particularly serious ambition—and the talent to match it. His Barolos are among the best in the region, and he gives the same intense attention to this Barbera as well.

It’s grown on a tiny, southwest-facing hillside plot in Monforte d’Alba. Farmed organically, the wine is aged for 10 months in large 500-liter oak barrels to soften its texture while still allowing its vivid acidity to shine through.

New World Pinot Noir collectors will fall for its generous berry fruit and soft tannins. Grenache lovers, and fans of the Southern Rhône in particular, will adore its luscious dark-cherry flavors.

A single-vineyard Barbera d’Alba from one of Piedmont’s greatest wine-producing families is reason enough to make Italian-wine lovers sing.