It’s been wa-ay too long since we’ve had the Odderos’ juicy, phenomenal-drinking Barbera d’Alba around, and we’re extremely pleased to see the newly arrived 2019 gracing our shelves. Not to be confused with their earthier, more mineral-driven Nizza Barbera d’Asti (the new vintage of which has also just arrived), the Odderos fashion this ultra-pleasing, very savory red from two vineyards aged between 20 and 35 years, one in La Morra and the other in Castiglione Falletto. Winemakers Mariacristina Oddero and Luca Veglio ferment the juice in stainless steel tanks and age it for a year in beautiful 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels, producing all of a 1000 cases from a given vintage.  The 2019 was a great harvest for Barbera and a classic example of why we love this grape so much.  Dark as pitch and packed with dark, dusky fruit, this is everything one could ask for in a food-flexible, absolutely-delicious-with-anything-and-anyone red!  The compact, nicely articulated fruit is cool- like blackberry- with a hint of desiccated blueberry, black plum and hints of licorice, freshly shoveled earth and flinty mineral.  With all of the great acidity this grape is known for, it’s remarkably well balanced and just perfect for dishes like meaty, earthy tomato-based pastas, mushroom pizzas, pork ribs, and smoked meats.  But if there’s one thing we learned while pouring previous vintages by the glass here at PRIMA, this wine drinks extraordinarily well all on its own!  And, at still around $20 a bottle, it’s still one of the best deals out there!