One of the more beautiful and complete wines in the range, 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota impresses for its balance of aromatics, fruit and structure. Dark red cherry and plum notes flesh out in a juicy, expressive Barbaresco backed up by plenty of tannin and enough acidity to drink well for a number of years. Here it is the wine's harmony that is most impressive. I imagine the Muncagota will offer a wide window of rewarding drinking.

The 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota opens to a pretty garnet color and soft layers of cherry fruit, wild berry and blue flower. The wine presents a ready, immediate quality that makes it appropriate for near-term consumption. The Muncagota vineyard gets the morning sun with its southeast exposures. Its compact soils contribute to the heft and concentration of the mouthfeel. In cooler years, this vineyard offers pretty balsam and menthol characteristics. The site is slightly cooler than Rabajà. You only get a distant hint of those herbal characteristics in the 2009 vintage.