Italy

• Abruzzo
• Alto Adige
• Apulia
• Basilicata
• Calabria
• Campagna
• Emilia-Romagna
• Friuli-Venezia Giulia
• Liguria
• Lombardia
  • Franciacorta
• Marche
• Molise
• Piedmont (Piemonte)
• Sicily
  • Mt. Etna
• Trentino-Alto Adige
• Tuscany
  • Brunello di Montalcino
  • Chianti
• Umbria
• Valle d'Aosta
• Veneto
  • Prosecco
  • Soave
• Sardinia

The idea of a Super Tuscan wine has been around for decades, but they tend to be a higher price point. So in 1993 Carpineto launch they value version, Dogajolo. This wine offers good tannic structure and acidity. This leads to notes of blackberry, black cherry, light blueberry with soft strawberry, pomegranate and huckleberry. These fruits are muted though, not overt and jammy - the fruit is balanced with the oak, acids and tannins so the wine is ideal for food.

This is a white wine made from Catarratto Extra Lucido grapes in Sicily.  Silvery/gold in color with slight green swirls, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of salinity, some smoke, lemon rind and slight granny smith apple notes.  Full bodied.  Very well balanced.  Slightly viscous texture.  On the palate, limes, slight grapefruits, loads of minerality and slight underlying char.  Long finish.  This is very interesting as well as delicious.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would be classic with trout or other fish dishes.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

This is made from the Nero Mascalese grape grown on old vines in Sicily on Mt.

This Prosecco is made from 85% Glera and 15% Chardonnay grapes.  Silvery gold in color with a nice mousse of medium sized bubbles.  The nose has a pleasant yeasty quality to it along with golden apples, and slight ginger notes.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, there is a hint of sweetness as this comes across as off-dry.  Apples with a touch of honey and slight ginger.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own and worked with with fried appetizers.  Drink over the next few years.  

Aglianico can be a diverse grape, but the ones made in Vulture (the arch of the boot), tend to be excellent values.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with plums, black cherries, cocoa powder, and spice.  Full bodied.   Firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is young but drinking well.  Plenty of black cherries and plums with some underlying char.  Good finish.  Very nice on its own, this will go well with the right foods.  Think bigger meat or fowl dishes and it can handle some spice.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  Plenty

A very nice, moderately priced (on release) Barolo.  With 13 years from vintage, this one is in a great place.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has hot tar, cherries, spice and char.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit with some complexity.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This will work better with food.  Pasta with a mushroom cream sauce was perfect.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

A blend of 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella.  Deep garnet in color.  Slightly flat.  The nose is nice with stewed fruits, figs, cherries and spices.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, prunes, cherries and spice.  Depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now.  It is dry but with a feeling of sweetness.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well with Eggplant Parmesan.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

This is a Sauvignon Blanc from the northeast corner of Italy.  It is a very distinctive wine.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has a lot of white grapefruit with some grassiness.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is very much like one of those small cans of grapefruit juice served on airplanes.  Tart.  Long finish.  It is enjoyable on its own but will be better with food.  It worked well with a goat cheese salad.  Drink now.  

Bought on release and cellared.  This was decanted for about 45 minutes prior to serving.  Purple in color (darker than expected), mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, dust and tar.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  On the palate, this is still drinking young.  Vibrant fruit.  It s deep but a bit monolithic at age 19.  Black cherries with a "chalkiness".  Also some anise on the finish.  It is delicious and went great with pasta.  Drink over the next twelve years.  

This is made from the Aglianico grape in Basilicata (the arch of the boot), Italy.  15% abv.  Purple in color with garnet swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, anise, smoke and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, black cherries, cherry liqueur, slight bitter cherry note and spice.  Long finish.  At age 6, this still seems young as it improved greatly when tasting it on day 2.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with food.  A nice wine with a hearty Lasagna.  Drink over the next ten years.