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 one of those wines that when you read the label, expectations are raised.  Though I had not heard to the producer, a Barolo, in a great vintage for $40, should be a great wine.  This is not.  It is a fine, drinkable wine but not more.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has some black cherries.  On the palate, this has firm tannins.  The black cherries carry thru.  Moderate finish.  Some, not a lot of, acidity.  A nice pizza wine (if the price works for you).  

This is one of the great wines of the world.  This is a Bordeaux blend made in Tuscany.  2015 was an excellent if quite ripe vintage.  All of that ends with a wine that is no where close to being ready to drink.  It doesn't matter how young you like your wines, this needs time.  If I had to drink a bottle now, i would decant it for a week.  It is tight, brooding and a monster.  That said, it will eventually be a tremendous wine.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, cassis, coffee, spice and slight tobacco.  On the palate, there was a fierce wall of tannins.  Juicy black cherry fr

A friend of mine is from Molise.  A few years ago he mentioned the Tintilia grape to me.  Since then I have really been impressed.  This is one of the pricier ones I have tried so far.  It retails for around $35 which is a lot for a wine from Molise but not for this quality.  If I had to compare it, it seems like a mythical cross between Merlot and Aglianico.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has lots of cherries and dark cherries with some smoke/char.  Also kust a bit of dry earth.  On the palate, this has good acidity.  Lots of cherry and black cherry fruit with some under

This is a really interesting wine that sells for $15.  It is 80% Montepulciano and 20% Aglianico.  The 2012 is what seems to be in the stores in the US right now and it is drinking great.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose has black cherries, smoke and plums.  On the palate, there is a nice underlying minerality with nice black cherry fruit.  Good acidity.  This worked well with pasta but drinks fine on its own, the acidity is not as much as many Italian wines.  Good finish.  Probably has another 3 to 5 years left.  Maybe more.  

This is the best that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has to offer.  At age 15, it is still young and really needed some air time to open up.  Better than most Chianti's and many Brunellos.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is great with cherries, tea leaves and spice.  On the palate, a great backbone of acidity.  Lots of juicy cherry fruit layered tightly with forest floor notes.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This really needs some food to soothe both the tannins and the acidity.  Pasta or Pizza would be great but it can stand up to meat dishes as well.  

We had been warned that this bottle might be tight and too tannic and not ready to open.  In retrospect, it seemed to be drinking fine.  Ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with cherries and slight rose, both fresh and dry.  There is also a bit of volatile acidity on the nose.  On the palate, this is young-ish.  It certainly has a long life left but is getting close to adulthood.  Medium tannins.  Strong acidity.  layers of cherry fruit and forest floor.  Nice finish.  Like most Italian wines, this begs for food.  Like most Italian wine, match the wines of  a region to the food of that region

This is a blend of 90% Negro Amaro and 10% Malvasia from Puglia, Italy.  It sells for $12 which is a great value.  Ruby in color although deeper purple at the core.  The nose has black cherries, with a nice earthy merde quality to it.  On the palate, this is cleaner with nice black cherry fruit.  Slightly bitter on the finish, this really needs some food.  Medium tannins.  It should be good for another few years at least.  Tasty wine that will be good for summer barbecues and casual evenings.  

This is a Riserva (the 2013 regular version is reviewed separately).  Frankly, this was not as good as the regular and cost $10 more.  Now, that may be a vintage thing and I don't have a lot of experience with this grape (Tintilia) or region (Molise).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has boysenberries and smoke.  On the palate, this has some boysenberries but not a lot.  A slight bitter note on the finish.  Some acidity.  Its a fine wine that is drinking well right now but not the value the regular bottling is.  Perhaps it is just in an awkward phase and needs time.  

Every year I get invited to a St. Joseph's day celebration by a friend who is originally from Molise.  It's a BYO event at a local hall with hundreds of people, tons of homemade food and a lot of fun.  I try to bring appropriate wines.  There are not a lot of wines made in Molisse and available here in the US.  This one retails for about $20 and is really good and a bit different.  Tintilia is the name of the grape.  I liked this vintage slightly more than a 2011 I had a couple  of years ago.  Purple in color.

This is an Italian white from Kevin Harvey.  If that name sounds familiar, he is the owner of Rhys in Santa Cruz, California and a maker of wonderful Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.  This is his first vintage and is made from the Carricante grape, a white grape indigenous to Sicily.  The wine itself is delicious.  Light golden in color.  The nose is reminiscent of a Hermitage Blanc.  It is very waxy with lemon curd.  There is also a slightly smokiness to it.  On the palate, this has great acidity.  The wine is fresh with lots of energy.  The lemon curd carries thru but there is also a nice und