The 2018 Barbera d'Alba Bricco dei Merli (with 10,000 bottles made) delivers that signature balance and harmony that we see in the other wines from Elvio Cogno. Barbera can sometimes take on overblown aromas, but this wine remains steady, sweet and mildly concentrated throughout. It delivers dark fruit intensity without ever feeling heavy or too rich. From a cooler vintage, this expression of Barbera shows vibrant freshness and energy.