2019 Ricossa Barolo Antica Casa, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$46.00USD

This is a more accessible style of Barolo.  Ruby in color with slight browning (normal even in a young Barolo).  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, anise, cranberries, and a very slight floral quality.  Medium to full bodied.  Very firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherries and slight rhubarb note with underlying char and slight anise.  Long finish.  This drinks easy for such a young Barolo, but this should continue to mature over the next five to seven years.  Either way, it should drink well of ten years.  Nice on its own, but this wine was made to go with food.  Pasta w

2021 Donnafugata Bell'Assai, Italy, Sicily, Vittoria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is a wine made from the Frappato grape in southeastern Sicily.  Donnafugata is one of the top wineries in Sicily.  13% abv.  Ruby in color with some purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, strawberries and floral notes.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is depth here but it takes some air/cellaring to bring it out.  Flavors of cherries and cranberries with a bit of salinity and slight underlying char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  It drinks well on its own, but is better with food.  This would be great with an Anchovy Pizza, but also Salmon.  It may

2019 Poderi' dal Nespoli Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva Il Nespoli

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a Sangiovese wine from Emilia Romagna in Italy.  What an impressive Sangiovese!  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, anise, tea leaves and slight ground coffee notes.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is young with some tannins.  Lots of cherries, black cherries and plums with underlying forest floor/earthiness.  Good finish.  There is some depth but this will take a few years to unwind.  While drinking well already, a few more years of cellaring would help.  If not, give it plenty of air before se

2006 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

From the excellent 2006 vintage, this seemed to be just about at peak.  Pop and pour.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely with dark cherries, slight plums, tea leaves, dust and spice.  Full bodied.  Tannins about resolved, maybe some wispy ones left.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries with some dried fruits.  Complex and layered with forest floor/tea leaves and spice.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This drinks well on its own, but would work better with food.  A nice match would be a Lasagna.  Drink over the next five to ten years. 

2017 Cantina di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Cantina di Montalcino is the only cooperative in the Brunello DOCG.  It has just under 100 members who are for the most part, small vineyard owners.  This is an excellent wine and don't be afraid of buying from a co-op.  The vintage, 2017, was hot and dry, and the wines produced were more generous and flashy than a more typical vintage.  The wine is purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, dried cherries, cigar tobacco, spice and slight char.  Full bodied with medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, cherries, black cherries with som

2016 Travaglini Gattinara Riserva, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$68.00USD

This is the wine that comes in an odd shaped bottle that almost looks like it melted and was disfigured.  Made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, this is the Riserva version which means the best parcels are harvested from Travaglini’s oldest vineyards (35-60 years).  The wine is aged for 4 years: 3 years in Slavonian oak casks of different sizes. The wine then rests in bottle for 12 months.

NV Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut, Italy, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

Silvery/gold in color.  A moderate mousse with medium sized bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a hint of green apples and slight peach notes.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has a soft, easy to drink texture.  Apples and peaches with good acidity.  Moderate finish.  This drinks well on its own, but should be better with food.  Very food friendly.  It would go well with pasta with a cream sauce.  Drink now.  

NV Ferghettina Franciacorta Brut, Italy, Lombardy, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$31.00USD

This is 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir from Italy.  Franciacorta is a great region for sparkling wines.  Light golden in color with a nice mousse of smaller bubbles.  The nose is big with cream soda and a bit of hazelnuts.  Full bodied.  On the palate, it seems to have just the slightest bit of residual sugar left.  Some citrus and plenty of minerality.  A bit shorter on the almond finish.  This is nice on its own and very food friendly.  It went great with assorted hard and soft cheeses.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2018 Strappelli Soprano Colli Aprutini IGT, Italy, Abruzzo, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is 100% Pecorino grapes from Abruzzo, Italy.  Golden in color clear and bright.  The nose has lemons, minerality/chalk and slight tropical fruits.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, some crisp green apple notes at the start with some tropical fruits on the finish.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This seems to be near the end of its fruit, but still providing enjoyment.  Younger vintages are likely to have more fruit.  Nice on its own, this worked better with a bit of cheese.  It would be nice with seafood.  Drink now.  Excellent value.

2011 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$99.00USD

Great showing for this Amarone at age 12.  This was served on board the Celebrity Millennium Cruise ship off the coast of Alaska.  It is 80% Corvina Veronese, and 20% Rondinella. Purple with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is powerful with cherries, slight raisins and some alcohol showing.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate cherries with slight char notes.  Complex and deep.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but would be better with a plate of pasta with truffles in a cream sauce.  Drink over the next ten years.  

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