Barbera d'Asti

Look out your window.  Is it foggy?  Raining?  Snowing?  If so, perhaps you're in the mood for a "brooding" wine.  I refer to wines as "brooding" when they have deep colors, full scents and a somewhat complex character..  These sorts of wines make me want to slip into a velvet smoking jacket, pour the wine into a giant glass, swirl it around and pretend to be sophisticated.

I was suprised that Ca' Bianca Barbera d'Asti (2001) fits this bill.  It's from the Piedmont of Northwestern Italy.  The grape variety is Barbera (grown near the town of Asti; click on map, at right).

The Skinny
Ca' Bianca Barbera d'Asti '01 ($13)
Deep maroon in color
Full scents of cherry, redcurrant, blueberry and cedar-wood
Moderate body, with noticeable acidity and light tannins
***.5 (3.5 stars out of 5)