Franco Martinetti Barbera d'Asti Montruc, 2004

Locals in the Piedmont wine appellation love Barbera with tomato-based pasta, and that was our match tonight. Perfect. Tomatoes are high in acid and so is Barbera. This bottle from 2004 is holding up very well. Deep and dark. Powerful smells and flavors of black cherries, flowers and licorice. A much bigger wine than I expected. I think it has seen considerable time in new oak barriques. But the acid is even more powerful than the tannins. A slight herbal quality along with the acid on the finish. Probably will get better with a few more years in the bottle, but, alas, this is my only one.