2004 Barbera d'Asti La Crena

Readers won't want to m iss the stunning 2004 Barbera d'Asti La Crena. It is a rich, sumptuous wine packed with layers of vibrant dark fruit, graphite, tar, minerals and smoke. Still somewhat reticent and tightly wound, this powerful Barbera is easily one of the top wines of this great Barbera vintage. The 2004 La Crena still has much to say and it will be a fascinating wine to follow.

Readers won't want to miss the stunning 2004 Barbera d-Asti La Crena. It is a rich, sumptuous wine packed with layers of vibrant dark fruit, graphite, tar, minerals and smoke. Still somewhat reticent and tightly wound, this powerful Barbera is easily one of the top wines of this great Barbera vintage. The 2004 La Crena still has much to say and it will be a fascinating wine to follow. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2014. After a period of soul-searching in the 1990s in which the estate's wines lacked a clear sense of direction Vietti has come back with a vengeance. Today the wines show greater consistency as well as a distinct house style that is more defined than it has ever been under the direction of brothers-in-law Mario Cordero and Luca Currado. Vietti produced one of the finest 2003 Barbarescos with its Masseria, so it is no surprise that the 2003 Barolos are just as outstanding. The 2004 Barolos are the best wines this historic estate has ever made, and the 2005s aren't too far behind. I continue to be impressed with the Barberas, which offer something for every palate and budget. Vietti's success across a large number of wines from diverse terroirs places it solidly within the top tier of Piedmont producers. "I am using less small oak for my Barolos than in the past," says Luca Currado, who oversees the winemaking. "We producers used to tell ourselves that the new oak would 'integrate' into the wines with time, but when I taste my wines and those of my colleagues, I realize that those super-oaked Barolos have never become integrated and never will." As if his considerable responsibilities at Vietti were not enough, Currado has embarked on a new project that is taking him to Tuscany - Cortona to be exact. The 2007 vintage is the first where he is working as a consultant for D'Alessandro, which has embarked on a project to make a more classic style of Syrah. It will be interesting to see what Currado does in Tuscany, but I know I am not alone in hoping it won't be accomplished at the expense of his Piedmont wines. Importer: Remy Cointreau USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 424-2204