What a food friendly wine.  When the red becomes soul partner to the dish, a complement to but never overshadowing, a magic happens; it’s like Frosty becoming alive.  Light but not weak.  Unusually restrained for a Barbera, or so we thought, with a delicate cigar leaf and black currant on the palate, finishing with a nuanced tinny note that subsides like ether.  Magic on the tongue.

I discovered Vajra in London (UK) where there is more to choose from without going whole hog Barolo, but I’m grateful that you can even find a wine like this in BC Liquor.  Stock up, if your wine budget allows, it’s a keeper.

Price: A rather steep $33 plus taxes at BC Liquor (even cheaper at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge!).  But, then, the Culmina Hypothesis will be released this year at a monumental $46; pass.

Market Liquidity: Hands down it trumps half of BC’s hearty reds without being particularly hearty.