A vertiginous tight-rope walk between savory and sweet on the nose, from white tea leaf to tart blackberries to bing cherries to damp earth and gunpowder on the nose somersaults into ripe blackberries, black cherries...

95+ The 2021 I Sodi di San Niccolò is a powerhouse. Many recent vintages have been showier, but not the 2021. It's a wine that is going to require many years to shed its baby fat. Dark fruit, lavender, rose petal, menthol...

The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is entirely Sangiovese from Radda and was raised for two years in oak casks. It opens to a polished yet pure profile with aromas of lavender, grenadine, sweet sage, and fresh leather. It...

Very ripe and perfumed on the nose, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is a dark red/ruby color and offers notes of baked berries, candied flowers, sappy herbs, and candied cherries. Full-bodied, it's ripe without...

Full of savory, umami flavors, this red evokes earth, leather, sweet spice, cherry, plum and Szechuan peppercorn notes. Firm and dry, with broad tannins and a lingering kernel of cherry. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and...

This wine displays depth and polish, revealing freshness and focus with a core of vivid red and dark fruits layered with wild herbs, violets, spices and hints of cedar and graphite. It’s firm and crunchy yet bright and...

The 2021 Barolo Bussia is a gorgeous wine from Aldo Conterno. Deep, layered and super expressive, the Bussia conveys depth and authority from the first taste. Macerated black cherry, incense, gravel, dark spice, leather...

The aromas of black currants, graphite, lavender and violets are gorgeous. Black olives and walnuts, too. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins, a racy texture and small black berry-like flavors. Iron undertones as well...

Rich and supple, evoking cherry, blackberry, graphite and tobacco aromas and flavors. The dense, dusty tannins emerge as this builds to the long, lively finish, where a light astringency lingers. A bit rustic. Best from...

The pedigree and purity of this red are evident immediately from its black currant, blackberry, pomegranate, violet and wild herb aromas. Saturated with red and black fruit and picking up licorice and mineral elements...

Blueberry, blackberry and chocolate aromas yet subtle and perfumed. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and lots of structure. Shows depth and has a purpose. Needs time to come together soon. Try after 2027.

Four distinct voices from Baudana (Serralunga d'Alba), Villero (Castiglione Falletto), Vignane (Barolo), and Merli (Novello) create something extraordinary together. This is Barolo's warm handshake, an invitation to...

New leather, car tire and number 2 pencil mark a savory nose, with violets and crushed rocks. Sweet dark berries and dark chocolate give sweetness to a palate that's still earthy, meaty and savory, with toothsome tannins...

The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum...

Lush and powerful, yet with lively underlying acidity, this red evokes black cherry, blackberry, mineral and wild herb flavors, all wrapped in an embrace of vanilla and toasty oak. Shuts down on the finish, where the...

Macerated cherry, blackberry and black currant fruit is shaded by mint, iron and spicy oak in this dense, linear red. Quickly takes on the character of its chewy tannins, yet the ripe fruit lingers. Though balanced and...

The nose presents aromas of bing cherries, strawberries, wild fennel and wild mint above a foundation of damp earth. Raspberries join more cherries and strawberries on a juicy, warm palate, but chalky, chewy tannins...

The Massolino 2021 Barbaresco (in the bottle with the white label for the non-cru selections) has a lovely bouquet that admittedly leans toward the riper side of the Nebbiolo spectrum with mineral notes, redcurrant and...

A beam of acidity cuts through this scintillating red, lending energy and driving its cherry, strawberry, mineral and spice flavors. Both ripe and supple, this firms up while playing out on the long and lively finish. All...

Production was greatly reduced in this vintage, down to about 53,000 bottles. The Bibi Graetz 2020 Testamatta is brilliant and vertical with a terrific sense of purity. The bouquet opens to tart cherry and cassis. The...

This is supple and juicy, bursting with cherry, strawberry, mineral and wild herb flavors. Vibrant and backed by dense, refined tannins that leave a firm grip on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2043...

The Tenuta degli Dei 2021 Cavalli is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 35% Petit Verdot aged in both barrique and tonneaux for 18 months, followed by a brief time in cement. This is an inky dark...

There's a burst of cherry and plum flavors in this effusive red, along with eucalyptus, wild herb and earth accents. Exuberant and all knees and elbows today, but all of the components are there for aging over the short...

Packed with ripe, juicy cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and floral aromas and flavors, this red is supple and beautifully integrated. Earth, iron and tobacco accents add detail as this winds down on the lazy, resonant...

Though on the quiet side today, this Barolo features aromas and flavors of cherry, black currant, violet, mineral and wild herbs. Perfectly in balance with the bright acidity and refined tannins, leaving a long, detailed...

The organic and biodynamic Caiarossa 2021 Caiarossa is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Grenache, in descending order of importance. It shows a velvety and darkly...

Made with Merlot and a tiny part Alicante, the Tenuta degli Dei 2022 Le Redini shows a dry delivery that is reinforced by dusty tannins and desiccated fruit tones of currant and Fig Newtons. The effect is soft and...

This wine is made with special vacuum technology that prevents contact with oxygen. The Dal Forno Romano 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta has developed nicely over the years to show savory smoky notes and a...

The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella is an elegant beauty, with cooling herbal tones and cloves embellishing baked cherries and hints of incense. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness, its ripe red and black fruits...