1996 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

Get this affordable Barolo from a famous producer while you can because you’ll never see it again at anything comparable to this price.

This is a village wine in the sense that it’s not from any single vineyard. And yet it is very much a high-class Barolo. Its perfume carries the classic hint of cedar and sweet Asian spices. In the mouth, it’s soft with medium body and dusty ripe tannins.

Ready to drink now, and like most Barolos, it’s a great food wine.

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Region: Piedmont, Italy

Price: About $25

Style: Soft and lustrous

Food it goes with: Anything braised -- osso buco, oxtail, short ribs, beef.

Where you find it: Vintage Wines Limited in San Diego, (858) 549-2112; Wine Bank in San Diego, (858) 234-7487; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454; and the Wine House in Los Angeles (310) 479-3731.