Elvio Tintero, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2020

You may know Marco Tintero for his sprightly Moscato d’Asti, but the man is a master when it comes to all things Piedmont. Given the value and flat-out deliciousness packed into every one of his bottlings, he is Piemonte’s ultimate host, welcoming you to the region’s charms with a big smile and a glass of accessible — and accessibly priced — wine.

In addition to his popular Moscato, Marco makes small batches of a radically inexpensive Barbaresco. The fruit comes from the Balluri and Bricco di Neive crus, and Marco gives it the all-traditional treatment. Two years in large, neutral oak, no fining or filtration, preserving Barbaresco’s best attributes: delicate floral overtones, baked-asphalt minerality, and a caressing elegance on the palate from start to finish.

It can age for several years, but there is no need to wait. With its elegant frame, gentle tannins, and mouthwatering red-fruit core, this is young Barbaresco at its most pleasurable.