Mint, rose petals, sweet red berries and cinnamon are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2009 Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano. Unlike the Gallina, there isn’t a whole lot of early appeal here, rather the Valeirano is a wine built on a serious core of structure and linearity. With time in the glass, the wine’s exotic inner sweetness emerges somewhat, but the tannins are always present. Readers should give the 2009 at least another few years in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021; Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Good medium red. Exotic, rather Barolo-like perfume of truffle and marzipan. Plush, seamless and very rich, but less expressive today than the Starderi. For all their depth and sexy soil tones, these 2009 Barbarescos come across as fresher and more delineated than the corresponding 2007s. Quite closed on the back end, showing a note of menthol. Finishes with substantial toothdusting tannins.