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

This is made from the Nero d'Avola grape in south-western Sicily.  Ruby in color, clear and shimmering bright.  The nose has cherries, black licorice and slight balsamic notes.  Great texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cherries and sour cherries.  Some warmth on the finish.  Long finish.  This is mostly about red fruit but a bit bigger and brighter.  It drinks well on its own and will go great with pasta or pizza.  A nice value.  Drink over the next four to six years.  

This is 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling from the north slopes of Mt. Etna just outside the DOC boundaries.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has asparagus, smoke, minerals and white flowers.  A lovely velvety texture that is slightly  oily.  Light tannins.  A very interesting palate with tarragon, lime and saline.  Moderate finish with some green apple notes.  This is complex and interesting but also a very nice wine for food.  While it works on its own, this would be great with sardines or even salmon.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

This is made from 100% Insolia (also known as Ansonica) grapes in Sicily.  Silvery/light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lanolin, limes, whites pepper and cantaloupe.  Medium bodied.  Lightly oily in texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is the barest perception of sweetness on the attack with melons and light minerality in the mid-palate.  A lingering finish.  This is very tasty.  It drinks well on its own and worked well with Spanakopita.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is 100% Grillo from Sicily grown at an altitude of 830 meters (2,700 feet).  A beautiful wine.  Golden in color with a slight copper hue, clear and bright.  The nose has acacia flowers, tangerines and sea air.  Medium bodied.  Very slight oily texture.  On the palate, this is more about minerality with a bit of tangerine and slight smoke.  Good acidity.  Plenty of depth.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and is better with food.  It will work with salads, sea food and lighter poultry or pork dishes.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is one of those wines that remind me that wine doesn't always need to be serious.  This is a fun wine that is quite tasty.  It is "frizzante" or lightly sparkling and it is also sweet.  The grapes come from the Piedmont in northern Italy and include Moscato Bianco and Brachetto.  At 5.5%abv, this is easy drinking and refreshing.  Pale pink in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose has cranberries and cherries.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Lightly carbonated.  Nice strawberry notes with a refreshing finish.  Just plain fun and ea

This is an interesting blend in an Italian sparkling wine.  It is 75% Nerello Mascalese from Sicily and 25% Glera from the Veneto.  The packaging is quite fun and bright.  Light salmon pink in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with air shows nice raspberry fruit with a light rhubarb note.  The wine has 10 g/l of residual sugar but it comes off as dry.  11.5% abv.  On the palate, cherries with a sort of tree bark note underneath.  Very interesting and very food friendly.  It drinks well on its own and would work well with pork chops and many

Produced in northwest Italky and made from organic grapes, this is a very nice value in a dry Prosecco.  The label is a bit different utilizing a white (instead of yellow) label.  Gold/silver in color with a lot of smaller bubbles.  The nose has lots of minerality with apple and pear notes.  Medium bodied.  Dry.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru.  Some apples.  Clean finish.  This is very food friendly and will work with just about anything from sushi to pizza.  Drink over the next year.  

This is the basic Brunello in Altesino's line-up.  Drinking well right now.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose takes some time to open, then shows cherries, tobacco, some forest floor and slight chocolate and spice.  Medium bodied.  A nicer backbone of acidity.  On the palate, there is some depth here with vibrant cherries and underlying dust and fresh tobacco.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well with just a bit of air.  Moderate tannins.  It works better with food and past with Bolognaise sauce would be great.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  $75 purchased at a tren

A nice, Chianti, this is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, forest floor and some anise.  Medium bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for the next five to eight years.  It works better with food, pasta with meatballs or mushrooms would be a nice choice.  

Beautiful showing for this wine albeit young.  A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, sandalwood, and slight anise.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cherries, black cherries and spice with underlying char and slight tea.  With air, a bit of tobacco.  Layers of flavors, deep and complex.  This should continue to improve for the next five to eight years.  It will drink well over the next ten to fifteen.