Cantine Sant’Agata, Barbera d’Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) 2016

 This juicy mid-weight wine is an example of why Barbera d’Asti is so popular.  Lip-smacking, cherry-like acidity enlivens the briary, spicy character of the wine’s fruitiness.  Mild tannins make it perfect for current consumption.  This is not an “important” wine, but rather one you could open on the spur of the moment — it has a screw cap, so you don’t even need a corkscrew — when a take-out pizza arrives at your door.  A fabulous bargain!