Italy

From a Magnum.  This is a very nice wine and a crowd pleaser.  Not to big and fruity but enough of everything to please everyone.  It does not, however, resemble an Amarone.  Basically, a Valpolicella in an Amarone bottle?  Is that a problem?  Only depending on price and what one is looking for.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries and canned cherries with a bit of minerality.  On the palate, a nice backbone of acidity.  Good cherry fruit.  Fresh and bright.  Light tannins.  Nice finish.  This is food friendly and would work with a wide variety of foods.  Nice finish.  

This is painfully young.  Great stuffing but really needs at least five more years and probably more.  For all the talk about modern styles of Barolo's and making them more accessible, even the average ones still need a decade or more.  This is ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is dusty with cherries, macerated cherries and dried roses.  On the palate, this has firm tannins.  Sour cherry fruit.  A very nice finish.  Plenty of upside on this wine and it is probably still out in the marketplace.  I am told it retails for around $50 which is a great price for a Barolo of this quality.

Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, this is slightly bitter with bracing acidity.  Some cherry fruit.  slight to medium tannins.  Finishes with sour cherries.  This wine really demands food but should work with a wide variety.  At $20, it is fairly priced.  

Green/gold in color (not the typical copper notes).  The nose is nice with minerals and limes.  Slightly oily texture.  This is all about minerals on the palate.  Slightly sour lime note.  There is a bit of warmth but only 12.5% Alc.  Very food friendly with all but the heartiest of foods.  At $10, this is a great value.  Drink now.  

This was an off bottle.  It had been purchased via Acker-Merrill auction and probably at some point in its life, exposed to excessive heat.  Nevertheless, it was still enjoyable as a wine, even if not what it should have been.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, brown sugar, dried cherries and raisins.  On the palate, this is a bit disjointed but has some nice cherry flavors.  Still has some light tannins.  Some alcohol showing.  Finishes with dried cherries.  Another example why provenance is so important.  No score is assigned.  

Ruby in color, purple swirls.  The nose is dusty with dried roses, some tar and cherries.  Classic and very nice.  On the palate, this is deep, complex and layered.  Layers of cherries, dried cherries, forest floor and tar.  It explodes ans it unwinds in the glass.  Still youthful as it closes in on maturity.  Long finish.  Great with a creamy pasta dish, and probably almost every other food as well.  This is one of the top Barolos out there and great in almost every vintage, but this vintage is right there again!

One  of the best from Chianti.  This is a great wine.  It retails for under $50 which is expensive for Chianti but a great value for the quality offered.  Purple in color, ruby swirls.  The nose is great with cherries, tobacco, tea leaves, and a slight pine note.  With air, some cedar and earth emerge.  On the palate, this has firm tannins still.  Lots of dark cherry fruit layered with wet tea leaves (or maybe tobacco) and spice.  Deep and complex.  A strong backbone of acidity.  Long finish.  This is quite food friendly but especially meats and pasta.  Still young, this has at least 5 more

From Magnum.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight dried cherries, some tar and roses.  Pretty classic actually.  On the palate, this has nice acidity.  Cherries, dried cherries tar and forest floor in tight layers that unwind in the glass.  Some mild tannins.  It was drinking just fine at this point and just to the younger side of mature.  Worked with with food.  No hurry but this does seem to be ageing a bit quicker than expected.  Of course, it is 11 years from vintage so not too quickly.  

Kirkland is the in house brand for Costco.  They contract out a wide variety of wines and many of them including this one are very good and great values.  This sells for $7.Silvery green and gold in color.  A modicum of medium sized bubbles.  The nose is reticent but with minerals and limes/green apples.  It opens with a bit of air but is never strong.  It is better and stronger on the palate.  Clean.  Just a hint of sweetness, just barely.  Good acidity.  Good finish.  This is food friendly and easy to drink.  Made for immediate consumption, for $7, this is a no brainer for parties and coo

Gavi's a nice refreshing white wines from the north of Italy.  They are meant to be drunk young and this one is pushing it but still drinking well for immediate consumption.  Light golden in color.  The nose is nice with a steely minerality and some melon.  On the palate, it turns more citrus (grapefruits?) and still minerals.  Good acidity.  This is very food friendly and works with a wide variety of foods.  Long finish.