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

Chianti doesn't get enough credit.  The better producers consistently make wines that are great values especially in the great vintages.  And, 2016 is a great vintage.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries, with wet tea leaves and dust.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit layered with some forest floor qualities.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is a perfect wine to pair with pizza or pasta.  It should be drunk in the next five to seven years, but it will probably still make good drinking in ten years.  A great value at around $10!

This is drinking well if still not yet at peak.  A nice, more modern styled BdM.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, dust and tea leaves.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  Black cherry fruit over a forest floor.  Good acidity.  Depth and tight layers.  Nice finish.  Give this wine another 4 to six years and it should be closing in on peak.  It should be good for ten to fifteen years after that.  It will work with a wide variety of foods from pasta to fowl and roasts. 

This is an affordably priced Barolo ($30 on release) that is reasonably modern in style.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight floral nose and baking spice.  On the palate, this is accessible if not at peak.  It has nice cherry fruit.  There is a fair amount of oak showing and medium firm tannins which suggests another three to five years would be beneficial (and what one should expect for a Barolo in this class).  It is food friendly with a nice bit of acidity.  Pasta in a cream sauce would work well.  This should be good for the next ten to fifte

This is drinking quite well at the moment.  Seemingly at peak, no reason to wait.  Deep ruby in color, a bit lighter at the rim.  The nose has cherries, dried cherries, forest floor and slight hay.  On the palate, this has layers of cherries, dried cherries and a damp forest floor.  Really lively acidity.  Nice texture.  Good finish.  This will work well with meat, fowl or pasta dishes.  It is better with food.  Still should have five to seven more years and then slowly fade.  

Deep ruby in color, a bit of browning at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries, dust, some earthiness and tea leaves.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries over a bi of char and forest floor.  This has a nice complexity.  At prime or possible slightly past.  Worked quite well with a mushroom risotto.  No hurry, but these should be consumed over the next five to ten years.  

Sadly, my last bottle of this was corked.  Below is a review from 2015 of this wine.  

No way, blind, did I think this was 16 years old. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is black cherries, spice and slightly dusty. Juicy acidity on the palate. Lots of ripe black cherry fruit. Medium tannins. delicious.

This was outstanding if not at the single vineyard level either.  Medium ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with cherries, tar and smoke.  On the palate, this has cherries, sour cherries and some underlying forest floor.  Medium tannins.  Some complexity.  It was served pop and pour and really improved after an hour.  Nice acidity.  It worked well with a spicy eggplant but also ravioli in a lemon butter sauce.  It seems to be about as good as it is going to get but no hurry.  I would probably recommend giving it a couple/few hours in a decanter prior to serving.  

Erbaluce is a grape that was new to me.  It has a history in the Piedmont region dating back to 1606.  It is a very pretty wine with a deep golden color.  The nose has hay, white raisins, and a hint of lemon.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  The white raisin quality carries thru.  Almost like a dry dessert wine.  Maybe some oxidized apples as well.  It's enjoyable but more interesting than great.  It's not expensive.  No idea how long it ages but given that it is already five years, it's probably best to drink sooner than later.  Will work well with cheeses or even vegetarian pasta dis

Silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has chalk and slight peach note.  On the palate, this is oily which is good.  Plenty of minerals with some bitters.  Also a slight peach note.  Good acidity.  Long finish. This is a basic wine that provides great value.  It should be drunk in the first year or so to enjoy it's freshness.  It will go well with salads, seafood and lighter foods.  

This is still young but a very nice showing.  It might still get a bit better but for the most part is close to peak.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, tar, slight dried roses.  Also a bit of tea.  On the palate, there are fresh and dried cherries over a bit of forest floor.  Good acidity.  Layers unwind in the glass.  Long finish.  Pretty much everything one could want from this wine at 15 years from vintage.  It will work well with past and meat dished but even light fol or salads.