Wine Spectator 92: 'Black currant, violet and rosemary settle nicely into the succulent texture of this red. Firm and elegant, yet shows intensity and fine length. Nebbiolo, Merlot, Barbera and Dolcetto.'

Produced by a small Monferrato cooperative for specialist importer The Piedmont Guy; 30-50 year old vines; Ercole = Hercules. Dark ruby. A good and hearty Monferrato barbera as always. Full, barbera dark, and 2023 nice and sweet fruit. Smoky overtones. Defines the genre. Yes, one of the sweetest, fruitiest vintages of the series. Really great fruit acidity and flavor vigor.. and extract. Hefty, black fruited, and still a little tannic, though food would soak that up. Huge range of table apps. Deal! The beat goes on.. 91/100.

Proper light red orange. Fresh, sharp, penetrating, ideal. Then comes a fetching roundness. Yes, sharp acid assault followed by a smoother background. Cool it down for summer rosso pleasure. Antipasto wine. 91/100.

Mostly cortese, with chardonnay, sauvignon blanc. Strange bedfellows on paper. Cortese orchard fruit aromatics lead. Chardonnay filler and some sauvignon cut. So they work together pretty well. Similar coordination on the palate. Lays rightly balanced. Vintage fluidity. Quaffable; liter is right choice. 91/100.

Boy, that's a good and edgy and fresh and vigorous one. Maybe the best yet. Well, the acid is up to that of the 2021 in this cool vintage. This is good juice. 92/100.

A good take and in tune with the series. Not the pushy sort; just accurate. Good balance of acid and sweet fruit. Sits right; versatile at the table. Long, clinging finish. 91/100.

Among the saviors of arneis, Vietti still makes one of the best. Good vintage richness, varietal intensity, orchard fruit aura. Exceptional acidity and extract in 2024. Shows Vietti has some of the oldest arneis vines. Up to snuff. 92+/100.

Wine Enthusiast 94/100 - #18 TOP 100: 'Aromas of white peach, magnolia, sage and wild mint waft from the glass of this Moscato d'Asti. The palate is a study in balance, as the sweetness bends to the crisp acidity on the finish.'

Very, very bright, lifted, even soaring. Sweet and fresh. At a nice stage, yet a few more weeks in bottle will augment its aromatic profile. 92+/100.

20%. Old gold color. Definitely amaro and high strength on the nose. The cortese basis gives lighter body and sweetness than many an amaro. Plenty sweet on the palate, with that amaro bitter foil. So balanced. I have a spot on the shelf for this one. 93/100.

15 year old vines in Trentino. Brisk high altitude sauvignon. Gooseberry, cat pee. Yes, extreme cat pee, and all the better for it. Bargain in cool climate sauvignon. 91/100.

Aged 6 months on lees; 2023 recently tasted and enjoyed. Heavy Bottle Award. Substantial weight to the nose too; always is. Pinot bianco ample green fruits. Good acidity and flow of 2024, without sacrificing this wine's traditional amplitude. You get it both ways! I love a series like this. The wines vary slightly in style per vintage but never in quality. 92/100. An attendee favorite that became more aromatic with aeration, even showing some spice notes. 'Lovely nose.' 'Good structure, with intensity and fruit richness.' 'Textbook.'

The softness and sweetness that is Andriano versus Terlan. Augmented by the nature of the vintage. A very fruity grigio. Sweet and fruity palate too. People pleasing. Always agreeable. 92/100.

Est. 1928 by the proprietor's great uncle of the same name; from estate vineyards in the Cortina area of the Dolomites. Pungent and nostril penetrating take, as always here. Apple, peel, nut, wax. Tremendous at both body and cut. More wax and less cut on the palate. Full bodied and flavorful. Adequate acidity. This delivers, and that pleases me to no end. Won't quit either. 92/100. Attendees concurred. 'Lots of nose and flavor. A big wine. Mineral and long, with a slightly earthy aspect. Shows some pretty serious skin contact.' 'Great mineral and body.' 'A vanilla aspect but not from oak. Full. Mineral, vinosity, wax.'

Est. 1893; from the highest and steepest vineyards; 500-900 meters; 20-70% gradient; aged 6 months in tanks on lees; 1.7 RS. Classic apple blossom M-T aroma, plus sauvignon like gooseberry suggestions. The most expressive M-T I've nosed in years. Great source. Just about as flavorful as aromatic; same themes. Good acidity (especially for M-T) counters the modest RS. Thank high altitude. This ranks up there with Muller-Catoir's achievements with the variety. 93/100. Several attendees noted the sauvignon like aspect. 'Singular and thrilling.'

60% corvina, 40% rondinella; vines 15 - 50 years old. Admirably light red orange. Fresh, superbly fruity and lifted. Looks and smells like a chillable Bardolino all the way. Good and sweet fruit meets crisp fruit acidity. Flavorful and lingering. No tannin to speak of, so chillable indeed. 91/100.

75% corvina, 20% rondinella, 5% molinara. Aged 30 months, mainly in large Slavonian oak cooperage. Va, va, voom. Big time jump is power, concentration, raisin followng a ripasso. Consistently great. Sweet fruit, super power, moderate raisin, fine tannin. Well balanced, so sure to improve. Style between classic and modern. 95+/100.

Prosecco in all but title. Pleasing degree of fruit conveyed by the charmat (tank) rather than Champagne (bottle)-method second fermentation. Fresh and appley. Full apple-juice fruit flavor. High brut sweetness level admirably balanced by great acidity, which sweeps the palate clean at the finale. Serious bargain. 92/100.

Mainly glera, with verdiso and perera. That's not just a straight glera appley nose. The others chime in with intriguing floral and spicy overtones. One full bodied prosecco. Flavorful too, including all of the above aromatic notes. 91/100.

85% glera, 15% pinot noir. 9 g/l RS. Light red orange. Pleasing nose of glera apple and pink pinot strawberry. Serious dryness and acidity. Mouthwatering aperitif. Both flavor and texture follow through. 92/100.

Glera based amaro spritz. Full red orange color, naturally. Amaro like bitter orange and botanicals mark the nose and makes almost as strong a statement as amaro straight. Sweet, with a nice bitter foil. This is a big success and value. An Aperol Spritz knockoff. 93/100.

Est. 1936; by the noted Valpolicella winemaker; made from purchased grapes from growers with whom Cesari has had long term relationships. That's good clear, crisp NE Italy grigio, with classic apple and nuts aroma set. Wow, more textural spiel and flavor intensity than expected. Boy, this really fills the palate with exciting grigio offerings. Lots of mealtime applications. The nose is fine, the palate is exceptional. And the price! 91/100.

From Chianti Rufina. Rich red and black fruits. A modern, accessible style of sangioves. Soo alluring on to sniff!/ Oh, year, big time rich, fruity, spicy palate, with just the right balance of fruit sweetness and acidity. Best vintage yet of this consistent winner. 91/100.

Young appearance still at age five. And very fresh and black fruited. Some Bordeaux grapes involved? The 2019 had 10% merlot. Yes, sweetly fruity and forward but seemingly younger than its years. One of the best Puccinis I've tasted. Easy drinking now. 91/100.

Oh, boy, that has aroma, body, and texture. Real deal,/ Full, flavorful, textured. The tannins are pretty fine grained. Impressive example. 91+/100.

95% sangiovese, 5% colorino. That bright and dark fruited lift of Rufina sangiovese. Solid follow up to the popular 2022. Seems even more concentrated. Yes, more-ish by comparison. Darker, more fruitful, more intense. While pretty much devoid of tannin so drinking well now. Good acid for balance. Tasty tad. 91/100.

Straw wrapped fiasco. Blast from the past. Pizza wine.

All sangiovese; aged a year in seasoned tonneaux and barriques. The warmth, richness, and power of southern Classico. Nasal presence if not a lot of fruit development yet. Seems cooperage influenced as usual. All the elements are present, several nascent still. Wow, a mouthful. Usually is. Power, wood, tannin, acid, texture, body. Real Felsina oomph. Impressive future. 92+/100.

Wine Spectator 95 - TOP 100: 'The core of cherry, pomegranate and raspberry fruit is detailed with Tuscan scrub, iron, vanilla and tobacco notes as this intense red builds in power to the expansive conclusion, where its fruit, mineral and wild herb flavors converge. Shows fine balance and length; this just needs time to absorb the oak. Best from 2027 through 2043. $40.'

80% sangiovese, 10% each colorino, pugnitello. Sweet and dried cherry sangiovese fruit appeal. Spicy savors too, perhaps from oak. Very flavorful. Spiced cherry. Great acid. Light, fine grained tannin. Well proportioned even in youth; always is. 91+/100.

Wine Spectator 93 - TOP 100; 'Offers cherry and plum fruit framed by earth, mineral and wild herb flavors. Poised between elegance and power, this red is beautifully balanced. Dusty tannins support the fruit on the long finish. Best from 2026 through 2042.'

All trebbiano. Sweet, strong, woody, fruity. Palo cortado sherry like. Sweet and tawny, like a 10 year old white port. Large, powerful, sweet. At the same time rangy, complex, brightly acidic. Persistent fruit and texture. Everlasting. 97/100.

Est. 1984; 30 year old vines; no malo. Airy, breezy, lifted. Nice spring-water mineral edge. My kind of Verdicchio. More body and texture than the nose suggests. That's OK too. Presence without insistence. Remains a refreshing sort, while more bulked up on the palate to give it extra food options. I'm quite taken by this; seems to me the best vintage I've tasted to date. 92/100. Widely appreciated by attendees, who also enjoyed contemplating its many food options.

Sweet and engaging ripe monte fruit. Good flavor intensity. The acid is nice and tart for food. 91/100.

Aged 8 months in large oak casks. Deep violet appearance. Fresh and fruity 2022 at age three. These used to be labeled riserva, or at least presented as such. This one is definitely not a riserva in style. Yeah, it's forward, fruit driven. Modest acid of the vintage. Drying tannins on the finish. 91+/100.

Fully perfumed. Plenty peachy too. Surprisingly full bodied and well textured. The fruit wells up as it warms in the mouth. This really pumps out a lot of varietal character for the price. 92/100.

16 year old vines. Dark red violet. Really exceptionally concentrated for the vintage. Near essence of aglianico. Black and peppery varietal character with Campanian terroir. Just right. One of the densest vintages of this I've tasted. Thorough. Yes, fruity, spicy, peppery, vigorous, and always well priced. Great source. 92+/100. Very popular with attendees, as always; orders taken. 'Super lovely and rich nose and flavor. 'Very varietal and regional characters.' 'Rich, ripe, and warming.' Good acid, with requisite structure and proper tannins.' 'Delicious!'

From vineyards in the Capaccio-Paestrum area in the middle of Cilento National Park. Quite the aromatic complex: pear, peach, melon, sage, linden. Palate conveys the same flavor range and good intensity. Lovely intro to falanghina for the uninitiated. Adequate acidity for balance. Welcome flow and levity. 91+/100.

From vineyards in the Capaccio-Paestrum area in the middle of Cilento National Park. Pretty talkative fianco. Honey and flowers and stone fruits. Equally flavorful. Fresh and well balanced from a round vs crisp standpoint. Very inviting and mealworthy. Good finish that extends the balanced impression. 91/100.

The cool vintage gives this extra lift. It's relatively bracing and elegant as negroamaros go. I like it. Yes, and the vintage's juicy fruit acidity too. Delicious flavor, good textural flow. Ready for the table. 91/100.

Full, dark color for the variety. Dark fruited and quite powerful as this maker's wines are apt to be. Certainly generous too. There's a brightness to the fruit flavor in addition. A relation to zinfandel for sure. Sweet and juicy. Well balanced. Lasting. Bargain. Will stock. 92/100.

85% negroamaro, 15% malvasia nera; aged in French and American oak cooperage. Dark red black. Hearty, generous, and classic to the DOC. I like this source. Good and sweet fruit. Barrel time has its input. A superior version of Salice. Reminds me of the Cosmo Taurino Salices of yore. 92/100.

Wine Spectator 91 - Top 100 Wines of 2022: 'Compact and fresh, this medium? to full-bodied red reveals macerated black raspberry fruit accented by notes of dried sage, graphite, fig cake and mineral, with firm, dusty tannins. Let this open in the glass or decant ahead of time. Best from 2023 through 2029.' List price: $25.

Very attractive egg custard aroma with cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice enhancement. Palate confirms. They nailed this one. This egg-enhanced marsala concept was popular when I started in the wine business over 60 years ago. 94/100.

Real, pungent, penetrating. Full of varietal vitality, personality. Suave on the palate; gentler than the nose. Flavorful, with rightful ID and good acid ring on the finish. 91/100.

Medium yellow. Pungent, sharply focused. Defines the genre. Great verve and acidity on the palate. Very, very lively take. Love it. 92/100.

21-28 year old vines; aged 7 months in French oak barrels. Color, softness, and emerging bottle bouquet are all right for five years. Mellowness of the varietal in full display at this age. Additional barrel earned suppleness without barrel leachings. Seasoned barrels, no doubt. Good extract keeps it structured and balance. 91/100.

States varietal character in its dry, Chablis like calcaire quality. Still, it needs a few more weeks in bottle. The texture suggests minerality. The aromatics are yet to come. Promising. 90+/100.

Light pine highlights. More pine to the taste. Nice. Nothing pitchy about the flavor or feel. Just well defined pine aroma and flavor on a relatively neutral white wine base. Less rustic than it was decades back. 90/100.

Sweet and plummy. Again, plum to prune, fig, date. On point. 91/100.

This is good. This is clear fruited, clear headed. With that Chablis like minerality of the variety. Yeah, good acid structure and a tender core. The right stony flavor set. Lasting finish. 91/100.

Wine & Spirits 90: 'Stamatis Mylonas builds texture into his Retsina with three months of frequent lees stirring after fermentation in stainless steel. The effect is fruity and full-bodied, with the piney notes playing backup to ripe apple scents. A good choice for lighter fish dishes.'

That's fresh and full and fruity and balanced. Flavorful. Racy acidity. Still a trace of tannin to shed. 90+/100.

Lovely st. george black fruit freshness. Spot on! 12 months in cooperage. Barrel time shows in mellowness, not oak extracts. Yes, sweet and juicy. Attractive oak influence. Equally well evolved from both barrel and bottle age. Melted tannins. Flavorful, well textured. Great now. 92/100.

A gentle take on sauvignon. More flavor than aroma. Accurate, balanced, tasty, good acid. Lasting. Well priced. 91/100.

Correct, and well priced. More flavor than aroma. Good acid, balance, value. 91/100.

Same could be said. The price is right. Again, more to say on the palate. Floral and good. Nice moscho softness. 90/100.