Forget the Barberas of yesteryear. Good wines to accompany dinners in trattorias but certainly not suitable for the most refined and demanding palates. Today's Barberas are wines of great pleasure. Reds to be served on evenings with friends and when traditional Piedmontese dishes are on the table. Ellena offers this interesting Barbera d'Alba Superiore DOC Alferi, produced with grapes from a single vineyard, Alferi, and aged in wood for about 24 months followed by at least another 6 months in the bottle. Dark but brilliant ruby red colour with violet reflections, the nose reveals enveloping scents, with spicy and fruity notes of raspberry, strawberry and ripe cherry. On the finish, then, it is easy to perceive even delicate notes of vanilla, due to the maturation in wood. In the mouth, however, the wine reveals great structure. Fresh and with excellent acidity, it is an extremely well-balanced Barbera, characterised by its enveloping tannic texture. Fabulous in combination with a dish of agnolotti in broth or with the classic Sunday roast.