2005 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$290.00USD

Great showing for this wine.  Light ruby with slight orange/brown near the edges.  Mostly clear and bright.  The nose is classic with cherries, slight dried cherries, roses and slight tar.  Medium to full bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate, this is complex and delicious.  Cherries, dried cherries with underlying char.  Layers of flavors that unwind in the glass.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is close to peak at this point, but no hurry.  It should be at this level for ten or more years.  Better with food.  A perfect match for a mushroom or truffle dish.

2004 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This seemed to be at peak.  Ruby in color with a touch of bricking, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight black cherries, some dried cherries, slight sandalwood and tea leaves.  Medium bodied.  A good backbone of acidity.  On the palate, some depth and complexity.  Flavors of cherries, sandalwood and char.  Nice finish.  This needs food to really shine.  It would work great with pasta or pizza and I enjoyed it with Eggplant Rotini.  Drink up.  

2016 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Very nice showing for this wine if on the young side.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, anise, slight tea leaves, and a bit of char.  Medium tannins but smooth.  Full bodied.  Juicy acidity.  On the palate, ripe, black cherry fruit with some anise and smoke.  Long finish.  This is delicious.  Drinking well now and should continue for ten to fifteen more years.  It was excellent with Eggplant Rotini.  

2021 Mastroberardino Fiano di Avellino Radici, Italy, Campgna, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

I don't see this wine often, so it is always a treat to try.  Made from the Fiano grape.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pears, slight nutty note, "white" floral qualities, and just a bit of pineapple.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this took about twenty minutes to open and then was singing.  A lively wine with nice minerality.  Pineapples, some honeydew, and some citrus.  Long finish.  very nice on its own, but better with food.  It went well with a Veggie Flatbread but even better with a Carmelized Onion Flatbread.  Long finish.  Drink over

2009 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$200.00USD

What a great wine.  Unfortunately, the price has caught up to the quality on these, but it is still worth the occasional splurge.  I had originally tried this on release at the winery, it has really developed nicely since then.  I believe it is 100% Sangiovese, but could not verify that.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is big with black cherries, baking spice, some dark chocolate, and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Juicy acidity.  On the palate, black cherries with slight forest floor and plenty of char.  Wonderful texture.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is great on its

2016 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne Selezione, Italy, Abruzzo, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

One of the truly great white wines in the world IMO.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has granny smith apples, dried green apples, and ginger.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is deep.  Flavors of green apples with some spice.  Layers of depth.  Long finish.  This is a white wine that really grabs one's attention.  Long finish.  It should drink well for another ten years.  Great on its own, but better with food. It would be a great match with Spaghetti alla Chitarra.

2000 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, mostly opaque and flat.  The nose is classic older BDM.  Black cherries, cherries, dust, tea leaves and dirt.  Still firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black cherries with cigar/ash and some forest floor.  Very smooth texture.   Long finish.  At or just past peak but drinking quite well.  Drink over the next few years.  Great on its own, this would be better with food.  Pasta with a Bolognaise sauce would be good match.

2006 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$210.00USD

From one of the top producers in the Veneto (and most expensive), this Valpolicella drinks like a very good Amarone.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has raisins, cherries, tar, graphite, and anise.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Enough acidity.  This wine is dry but very high alcohol.  The palate shows the alcohol but plenty of cherries and prunes along with some underlying tar/asphalt.  Long finish.  At age 17, this is a big, high alcohol wine which may be off putting to some and wonderful to others.  It is great on its own but would work better with

2015 San Felice Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Poggio Rosso, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$71.00USD

Gran Selezione is the top level of Chianti wines.  This vintage, 2015, was an excellent vintage in Chianti.  And, this wine meets the high expectations those factors create.  Purple in color, with ruby swirls.  The nose is interesting with black cherries, cherries, saw dust and a strong streak of black olives.  Great acidity.  Firm tannins.  Nice texture.  On the palate, this is complex and deep while also delicious.  Black cherries, some cherries with slight tea leaves and char.  Long finish.  Still young, this should get better but drinking nicely now.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen

2021 Riva Leone Piemonte Barbera, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

Barbera is an interesting grape and the wines produced from it cover a wide range of styles and price points.  This is at the lower end of the price range, but  the wine easily has the quality of wines three or four times as expensive.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries and slight dust.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with great acidity.  Nice finish.  This wine demands food.  All of the classic "Italian Night" foods such as pizza, spaghetti, other pastas, etc.

Pages