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

I love Chianti.  My favorite winery there is Felsina.  This is their top Chianti.  it is rare and expensive.  It is 100% Sangiovese from the Rancia vineyard's highest growing vines.  The wine is quite concentrated and complex.  Deep ruby in color.  On opening, this was tight but with a couple hours of air, it opened beautifully.  Lots of cherries and black cherries on the nose along with some char and a bit of a pine forest.  On the palate, this is bold with firm tannins.  Lots of cherry fruit.

A definite step up from the 2014 and back up to their usual standards.  This is usually an easy choice for a go to value in Chianti and wine in general.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, slight anise, slight forest floor.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Very smooth texture.  Nice juicy cherry fruit with some underlying damp earth.  Nice acidity.  Well rounded.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and will continue for at least a decade, probably more.  A great match with pizza or pasta for sure.  

One of my go to Chianti's.  Truly a consistently great value.  2016 is another  great vintage in Chianti in general and for this wine.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has cherries, slight black cherries, tea leaves and just a bit of fennel.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  A nice backbone of acidity.  Concentration and depth that will undoubtedly unwind into layers as it ages.  Right now lots of cherries on the palate.  This drinks well on its own but really is better with food.  Of course, pizza and pasta with tomato sauce but almost any meat or fowl or vegetable dish will work.  D

Purple in color, ruby at the core.  The nose is dusty with light cherries.  On the palate, this is simple.  Sweet ripe cherries.  Soft texture.  Enough acidity.  Easy finish.  This is good but not what makes Barolo special.  It seems to be at peak now.  It probably should be consumed in the next five or so years.  A nice wine with pizza or pasta.  

My first time trying this wine.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is very tight at first.  With air some dried cherries emerge.  On the palate, this is soft.  It has a nice complexity to it.  At peak.  Layers of cherries, dried cherries and dried roses.  Good acidity.  Some depth.  Solid finish.  This should be drunk in the  next three to five years.  It needs food.  Casseroles would be good.  

Purple in color.  The nose is clean with black cherry fruit. Dusty.  On the palate, black cherries with some dark chocolate.  Very modern in style.  Delicious.  Light tannins.  I think this is about as good as it gets but no hurry.  It should have ten to twelve years at peak drinking.  This will go well with pasta in mushroom or cream sauce.  

This was an off bottle.  It clung to the last vestiges of life.  Oxidized with dried flowers and fruit.  A bit better on the palate.  I would certainly drink a glass but not two.  I am not sure if this was an original release or not.  

Looking back over old notes, I see I had this bottle in 2010.  It is nice to revisit.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with cherries and slight mint. On the palate, this has a voluptuous texture.  Plenty of cherry fruit with slight underlying forest floor.  Still persistent tannins.  At age 20, there is still some development probable.  It has aged slowly and stubbornly but is still an outstanding bottle of wine.  Given where it is, it should easily have another decade.  More, for well stored bottles.  This will go well with Osso Buco.  

A great showing for this wine.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is dusty with cherries.  On the palate, medium tannins.  Cherries and tart cherries.  Some complexity.  Good finish.  This is closing in on peak but still has a bit to go.  Still, it is drinking quite well.  It is a more feminine take on a Barolo but that is not to say light or weak.  It will easily go another ten to twelve years.  This will work well with roasted fowl.  

This is always a great value in Barolo.  Of course, this is still quite young, but this is drinking well.  Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries and anise.  With air, a bit of rose comes out.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  Plenty of cherry fruit.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This will surely continue to develop for five to ten more years but I am not sure if it gets better.  It will work well with cassoulets and roasts.