We'd like to offer an axiom in wine tasting that should be emblazoned on every enthusiast's cork screw: every assumption you make needs confirmation every year. Not all Bordeaux ages well, not all expensive wines are worth their price, and not every wine needs decanting.

And - our new mantra - not all barbera is thin and overly acidic.

We rediscovered this underrated Italian grape variety when looking for a new theme for a neighborhood wine tasting party. We weren't particularly enthused about retasting a grape variety that hadn't earned a place in our cellars, but opinions soon changed after the first few rounds. This is a grape that has grown some pedigree in recent years.

Barbera is a workhorse grape native to Italy's Piedmont region. Sandwiched between that region's hearty nebbiolo and its simple dolcetto, barbera generally produces a wine low in tannin but high in acidity and alcohol. As a result, it doesn't need cellaring but still has the body to marry well with food - particularly beef and tomato-based pasta dishes.

When Italian immigrants established California's wine trade in the 19th century, barbera was one of many grapes that dominated the vineyards. Today, a few producers are still making barbera in the modern tradition, but the grape is often blended in jug wines to give softer fruit more backbone. Don't judge the real barbera by California versions.

The improvements are a result of planting barbera in choicer areas that allow the grapes to ripen more and introducing oak to the winemaking process. French oak rounds off the wine and gives it the tannin barbera lacks naturally. What we tasted recently was more complex, rounder, and deeper in color than what we remember.

Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba are the two major appellations.

Here are some of the favorites of our tasting:

Elio Altare Barbera d'Alba 2004 ($30). Aromatic, ripe black- berry fruit with a touch of smoke and tobacco. A very well structured wine with a lingering finish and medium body.

Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Le Orme 2004 ($13). Ripe plum flavors, earthy feel with a tart cherry finish, good acidity and smooth texture. Light body makes it more of a sipper or a wine to match with pasta.

Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti La Court 2003 ($40). More extracted, jammy plum fruit with a floral aroma and sweet vanillin oak. Good depth with plenty of tannin to make it ageworthy. A beautiful wine with a silky, seductive finish.

Elio Altare Barbera d'Alba 2005 ($25). Dark red fruit, ripe, firm tannins and long finish. Let the wine breathe for 30 minutes. La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti 2004 ($30). Blackberries, licorice, and nicely textured with chocolate notes and full firm tannins.

Az Ag Icardi Tabarin Barbera d'Asti 2004 ($18). Dense, purple color, sweet black cherry fruit and a little zest make it a fun wine for hedonistic pleasure.

Clerico Trevigne Barbera d'Alba 2003 ($32). Ripe black berry fruit, velvet texture and rich flavors. Not sure it's worth the price, but I would drink it along side hearty pasta without any further aging.

Wine of the week

Meridian California Merlot 2004 ($10). This is a simple but delicious wine for those of you who love your merlot. Plum and violet aromas with blackberry and spice flavors.