2015 Pillastro Puglia, Italy, Puglia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B

This is made from Primitivo.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cherries and is a bit peppery.  On the palate, nice acidity.  Cherries.  Light tannins.  Medium bodied.  Better with food.  A nice food wine and should be under $15.  

2000 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

A blend of Cabernet and Sangiovese.  Bought on release and cellared by me.  Ruby red in color with purple swirls.  This is drinking quite well right now and at peak or just past.  The nose is great with dusty cherries, some cassis, a bit of dried fruit, and crushed dry tea leaves.  On the palate, this is layered and nice complex.  Not a huge wine but still plenty of cherry fruit layered with earth and forest floor.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  

2012 Giuseppe Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is an inexpensive Amarone that is at least true to its name.  So many of these are just glorified Valpolicella's it seems.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has dried cherries and black cherries with an herbal note and slight raisin.  On the palate this drinks well.  Dried cherries with an herbal note.  Dry.  Good acidity.  Nice with food.  Nothing amazing here but enjoyable and drinking very well for the price.  

 

2001 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Light ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, slight roses.  On the palate, there is plenty of cherry fruit here.  This was an incredibly warm vintage, but the wine is not roasted.  It, perhaps lacks the depth of some vintages, but it is drinking well and very tasty.  Slight tannins left.  Some acidity.  At 15 years from vintage, it won't get better, but has a decade left of life.  Food friendly.  

2016 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Ruby in color.  The nose is very nice with cherries, slight floral notes and tar.  On the palate, this has a nice complexity.  Layers of cherries, dried cherries and forest floor.  Good not great acidity.  Long finish.  This seemed to coming right along, so we left about 1/3 of the bottle, recorked and on the counter to follow.  On night 2, the nose of this was model airplane glue.  Very hard to get past.  It was fine on the palate, but the nose was terrible.  Not sure what that means about ageing but I wouldn't let this get a ton of air once its opened.  That said, on Night 1, it was outst

2010 Sassodisole Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with cherries and sour cherries.  Good acidity.  Very food friendly.  Went great with an "Impossible" Burger.  Tart cherries, layered with forest floor.  Good finish.  This is still young and has some upside in terms of development.  Plenty of fruit with light tannins right now.  

2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Chianti doesn't get the recognition it deserves.  Some of the best Chianti's (and this is one of them) are as good as most Brunello's or most other wines.  Factor in price, and these are some of the great red wine values of the world.  This was opened and allowed to breathe for an hour.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is very nice with dark cherries, some forest floor/tea leaves and a bit of tarragon.  On the palate, juicy acidity.  This went great with Grilled Polenta with a three pepper sauce.  Flavors of sour cherries, some black cherries with a bit of tea.  Nice finish.  This is just s

2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo, Italy, Piedmont - Wine Review

Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

This is remarkably approachable at this point.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and rose notes with a bit of dust and spice.  On the palate, there are silky tannins.  Nice cherry fruit layered with dry forest floor.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  It was decanted for a few hours and that seemed to do the trick.  No hurry on it, but with some air, it is ready to go.  

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