d'Alba

Suculé Barbera d'Alba 2007 (£9.99, Majestic; 14% abv) – a vintage year for the grape – has the signature violet scent, with prunes and black cherries on the palate and a keen, acidic bite.

Wine: You can count on barbera Anthony Quinn 2010

The reds were even more uniformly successful and included several of my favorite Barberas and Dolcettos from Piedmont (the 2008 Eraldo Viberti Barbera d'Alba was a piquant charmer), as well as a few Lagreins from the Alto Adige region (the 2010 Hofstatter was a juicy delight) and Frappatos from Sicily (the 2010 Valle dell'Acate was a bright, lively star and a great deal at $14 a bottle).

The World's Best Food Wines Lettie Teague 2011

The waiter suggested the 2007 Abbona Nebbiolo d'Alba ($16) and the 2006 Croze de Pys Cahors Malbec ($10).

Drinking With: Nanette Lepore Lettie Teague 2011

Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal 2007 Marziano Abbona Bricco Barone Nebbiolo d'Alba, $20 Unlike some basic Nebbiolos from Piedmont, which can be lean and one-dimensional, this medium to full-bodied wine is full of lush red and black fruit with a good balancing acidity and fairly soft tannins.

Drinking With: Nanette Lepore Lettie Teague 2011

I recently drank a Giuseppe Cortese Barbera d'Alba from 2003 – a very warm year – and still found it wonderfully fresh.

Wine: You can count on barbera Anthony Quinn 2010

Write it down while it is still chattering, like the wrinkled signores '"Bene! bene!" in the town square at Monforte d'Alba.

French Word-A-Day: 2008

Write it down while it is still chattering, like the wrinkled signores '"Bene! bene!" in the town square at Monforte d'Alba.

poesie - French Word-A-Day 2008

Write it down while it is still chattering, like the wrinkled signores '"Bene! bene!" in the town square at Monforte d'Alba.

French Word-A-Day: 2008

Write it down while it is still chattering, like the wrinkled signores '"Bene! bene!" in the town square at Monforte d'Alba.

brouillard - French Word-A-Day 2008

Write it down while it is still chattering, like the wrinkled signores '"Bene! bene!" in the town square at Monforte d'Alba.

French Word-A-Day: 2008