Bera Barbera d'Asti / 2023 / 750mL

The Bera Barbera d'Alba 2023 is a bright, juicy red from Piedmont that leads with fruit rather than tannin. Barbera's trademark high acidity and low tannin make it one of the most immediately drinkable reds in north-west Italy, and this bottling plays to that strength.

Dark cherry, plum skin and a little blackberry lift from the glass, with violets and a savoury, earthy edge underneath. There is a faint note of dried herb and crushed stone that keeps the fruit from feeling sweet.

The palate is medium-bodied and supple, with that signature Barbera acidity running right down the middle and keeping everything taut. Tannins are soft and fine-grained, so the wine feels smooth rather than grippy, and the finish is clean and sappy with a last flick of sour cherry.

This is a wine built for the table. Pour it with ragù, mushroom risotto, grilled sausages, a margherita pizza or a plate of salumi and aged cheese — the acidity cuts through richness and fat better than almost anything else from the region. It also takes a light chill well on a warm evening.

Drinking well now and through to around 2028, with the fruit at its most vibrant over the next two to three years.