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

Moscato d'Asti deserves more respect.  It can be an excellent dessert wine that offers up enjoyment and yes, some level of contemplation.  Slightly sparkling and sweet, and not expensive can be very good things if done well.  This one offers up all of those.  Pale yellow in color with just a bit of frizzante.  The nose has peaches, orange blossoms, and just a hint of fresh thyme.  Creamy texture.  On the palate, this is sweet but nowhere near cloying.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  And low alcohol to boot (6%).  It is made to consumed within the first year or two.  It is great on its own and

Really a great wine from an underappreciated region and winemaker (Elena Fucci).  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is deep and concentrated with black raspberries, floral notes, roasted herbs and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries with underlying smoke and spice.  Delicious.  Good balance.  Moderate but enough acidity.  Good finish.  This drinks great on its own but will work well with foods (especially fatty foods).  Roast brisket would be a nice choice.  It is still young but is drinking well especially with some air.  it should drink well f

This is a lovely Amarone that delivers a lot for its price point.  It is a blend of 85% Corvina and 15% Rondinella.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, plums, dried cherries, slight char and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of fresh and dried cherries with some underlying roasted herbs and spice.  Nice balance.

Classic Brunello from a stellar vintage.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose opens quickly showing cherries, cranberries, sandalwood, and slight tea leaves.  full bodied.  Strong backbone of acidity.  On the palate, cherries with slight black cherries.  Firm tannins.

Beautiful sparkling wine from the north center of Italy.  It is a blend of 75% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Bianco, and 15% Pinot Nero.  Light golden in color with a steady stream of tiny bubbles.  The nose has red apples, minerals and slight toast.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a slight oxidative note along with apples and slight toast.  A nice backbone of acidity.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own but will work well with a wide variety of food.  Everything from popcorn to fried, spicy chicken.  Long finish.  It will compete with everything in its price category from Champagne.

This is a very interesting and enjoyable white from northwest Italy.  Straw gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with pears, citrus, some peach, minerality, and slight almonds.  Light bodied. Lean and moderately piercing acidity.  On the palate, this is very tasty.  Notes of pears with minerality and slight herbal note.  Tasty.  Long finish. This really begs for food.  Lighter foods, seafoods or chicken salad would be a nice match.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

An excellent white from Sicily made from the Grillo grape. Pale yellow\gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with citrus, minerality and peach.  Great acidity.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is tasty and bold.  Citrus notes with nice minerality.  Persistent finish.  This work better with food.  Sea food is a natural.  Drink over the next five years.

This is a serious wine and in a great place right now.  By law, Taurasi Riserva's must be aged in wood for four years prior to release.  They are made from the Aglianico grape.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, char, pine and spice.  Firm tannins.  Lush texture.  This is delicious. On the palate, black raspberry fruit.  Deep.  Long finish.  It seems to be getting close to peak but not there yet.  This should improve a bit over the next five to ten years, and will drink well for fifteen to twenty after that.  No harm drinking today, but give it

This is a very interesting wine made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Barbera and aged in stainless steel from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with cherries, raspberries and char.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is a bit of sweetness on the attack.  Firm tannins.  Cassis, black cherries and slight mint notes.  Moderate finish.  This has some depth.  It needs a bit of air to open up.  This will work very well with pasta.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

This is a Nero d'Avola from Sicily made in the Appassimento (drying out  the grapes before pressing) style.  14% abv.  Ruby in color, partially opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, cough drops, wild thyme, and a hint of cocoa.  Medium bodied with a nice texture.  On the palate, there is some anise along with nice cherry fruit.  More cough drop fruit on the finish.  Dry.  Light tannins.  Very tasty wine.  This drinks nice on its own but will work better with food.   It would work nice with a lamb stew.  Drink over the next five years.