Wine review: 2012 Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba

This Barbera from one of Piedmont’s oldest wineries is a lovely surprise: full and deep in flavor, with notes of plum, spice and chocolate. It shows elegance and balance. The wine, vivid and food-friendly, is aged in a combination of large oak casks and, for the last few months, smaller French oak barrels.

Barbera’s bright acidity means it works well with salumi and sausages. It’s a great pasta wine too, and wouldn’t say no to a roast chicken or some grilled pork chops.

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Price: About $20

Style: Bright and chiseled.

What it goes with: Salumi, braised beef, pasta with meat sauce, hearty soups, mushroom dishes

Where to find it: Duck Blind Fine Wines, Beers and Spirits in Santa Monica, (310) 394-6705, www.duckblindfinewines.com; Gelson’s markets at various locations; Mission Wine & Spirits in Pasadena, (626) 794-7026, and Glendale, (818) 242-0683, www.missionwineandspirits.com; Westridge Midtown Market in Ojai, (805) 646-4082.

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