Mellow and mature at four years. Varietally accurate. Fully mature on the palate. Good acid, balance for food. Enjoy the special price. 91/100.

A year in French barriques. The mellowness, breadth, and depth of barrel/bottle earned bouquet. Complex and compatible. Palate expresses exactly the same impressions. A little fruit/oak tannin to shed. It will only get better. Upscale. 93+/100.

Full rose color. It conveys st george character at a rose degree of intensity. Very appealing and accurate. Bravo. Good levels of flavor and acidity. Dry. This works. 91/100.

Est. 1974; oldest private winery of Nemea; all assyrtiko. Still some ferment banana and apple blossom. The stony varietal character is evident in the background. Palate confirms ferment elements and mineral foundation. This will turn out well in a few weeks. Always does. 91+/100. Tasted 5/16/24.

Good full yellow color of the varietal. Nose-ful too. Straw and yellow fruits. Talks the talk. Wow. Full of both flavor and texture. Ideal. Must stock .93/100.

Impressive texture, body, and aroma. This is good!/ All over again. Great example. Worth the premium. May be the best on the market. The innate sweetness is balanced by acid and peels extracts. 92/100.

Pale rose color; lots of skin soak evident/ Yes, the inherent peels extracts are here. Not an orange wine though. Just a different take on this variety. The extract gives good textural spiel. The flavor is a little brassy, which is correct for the style, and less perfumed than the traditional, white wine take. Experiment and price justified. 92/100.

Wine & Spirits 95: 'Stamatis Mylonas has been plumbing the possibilities of savatiano since he took over the family winery in 2006. This is his skin-contact version, from a high-altitude vineyard in Keratea, in southeastern Attika, where the hills climb high enough to catch some of the breeze off the Aegean. Keeping the grapes cool, he destems them and lets the juice ferment with ambient yeasts, leaving it on the skins for 15 days. It stays another six months on the lees, with frequent stirring, before he bottles it, unfined and unfiltered. Light gold, the wine is wildly herbal, with scents of crushed chamomile, thyme, tarragon and za'atar. All that spice surrounds a juicy center of apple flavor, a bit of skin tannins adding texture and the structure to help this last for days after opening. And it does all of this with an open-armed ease, welcoming in its nakedness.'

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.'

Bright, jolly color. Fresh and vibrant. Brilliant even. Full of fruit. Again, full of fruit expression, fruit delivery. Appropriately medium bodied. Though there's light tannin and astringency in the background, I still think one could serve this cool. 91/100.

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.'

Ruddy red brown color. Has dashes of B'co and 2019 elegance and forward nature. Medium bodied, accurate, pretty flavorful already. A nice, price worthy intro to B'co. 91+/100.

Full, dark color. Alba power, body, extract, pepper. 2019 open on the palate and less tannic than expected. Say, this is a proper Alba barbera and a good price, and the palate says you can take it to the table. No big time tannin issues. 91/100.

Produced by a small Monferrato cooperative for specialist importer The Piedmont Guy; 30-50 year old vines; Ercole = Hercules. Full red violet. Ample, up front Monferrato barbera style. Tells the tale. Cherry and peppercorn. Good acid for vintage. Flattering barbera rusticity. Tannins are not obtrusive; just add texture. Long and flavorful. Deal 91/100.

Barbera. Medium rose pink. Oh, this is beautiful. Cherry pink barbera, logical and forthcoming. What lovely fruit and berry highlights. Delicious flow. Full refreshment. Paves the way for rose as a barbera option. 92/100.

Est. 1878; 10-25 year old vines in marl, clay, chalk; estate bottled. Impressively full bodied. Stretches the nostrils. Shows its marly background. The sense of fullness carries over to the palate. Unusually weighty in its class. The aromatics are correct, yet it is the sheer presence that justifies the price. As well as balance and length. 91+/100. Aromatics spread out and intensified with aeration. Well liked by attendees. Orders taken. 'White peach. Super rich and lovely flavors, with balance.'

Mostly cortese, with chardonnay, sauvignon blanc. The nose is cooling and honeydew melon like. Never had a cortese quite like this. I guess the aromatics are tweaked by the Gallic varieties. Kinda neat. Pleasing flavor intensity. Lithe and inviting. Well balanced. Not the pushy sort. So really rangy at the table. A definite value in liter. 91/100. Very popular with attendees, who widely detected a peachy aspect that reminded them of riesling. Admired for fruit freshness, aromatic lift, and sense of peels extract.

Oldest timorasso vineyard; cuttings from here in the 1980s rescued the variety from extinction; aged a year on lees. More race than richness in youth. I like its poise. I think it will fill out further over the coming year. Yes, less buxom than several we've had lately. But well balanced so worthy of mid term cellaring. Long, clinging finish. This has class. May become more aromatically expressive after a couple hours' aeration. 91+/100. Indeed it was, and that pleased attendees. 'Typical and huge nose and palate.'

Very bright, fresh, even incisive. Not a bit of stickiness to the nose. Fresh cut peach flavor supported by apricot sweetness. Enough acid for balance and refreshment. Well crafted, well priced. 92/100.

Wine Enthusiast 94: '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.'

Est. 1858 in Trentino; 15 year old vines. Extreme cat pee. Wow. A bit much for the average sauvignon lover. I can tolerate it though. Great with a kitty litter casserole. Moves to the milder gooseberry sauvignon character on the palate. Nice and searing acidity. A lot of sauvignon character for the money, if you appreciate this face of sauvignon. 91/100. Attendees too found this pretty extreme, for better or worse. The attendee who took it home found the cat pee abated by the next day, and the gooseberry welled up. Considered a good value.

Produced since 1956; Winkl is on sand and porphyric gravel; lees aged 6 months. Soaring lime peel and mango aromatics. Persistent, penetrating., cool. What give!/ Lime, tangelo, and mango. Proper level of acidity for balance and refreshment. What a taste treat! Flavors go on and on. No other sauvignon quite like it. Very popular with the tasting panel. 95/100.

Oh, boy, that's a full scale noseful that, even in this series, takes pinot bianco to eleven. Relative softness of vintage and varietal, but the dry extract concentration leaves the overall impression balanced and satisfying. Mr. Big of AA pinot biancos. 92/100.

Pungent, peppery, peelsy grigio with 2023 combo of richness and snap. Grigio plumpness meets acid cut. An excellent value, rangy at the dinner table. 91/100.

Flashy, lemony , upbeat. Sweet-tart appeal. Could be very popular. 91/100.

Relatively full color of grigio. And full character. Upholds the stellar successes of the series. Good body, viscosity, peels extract, varietal apple-wax-nut definition. Winner once again. 92/100.

Est. 1893; red porphyry soil. Brassy cast. Wow, that's stouter, deeper, more powerful than the mainstream renditions. One large and serious grigio. Penetrating. Yes, and a mouthful too. Alcohol and glycerol roundness countered by adequate acidity. Always a big league player. 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.'

Mainly pinot bianco, with chardonnay and 10% sauvignon blanc. An attractive set. I suppose the chardonnay adds body. Definite sauvignon citrusy intrusion. Roundness, balance, flavor. A success. 92/100.

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.

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.

Rose color. Very pretty strawberry and raspberry aromas. Sweet smelling. Aromas echo on the palate. Add in a wonderful cranberry tartness. Perfect pitch. 92/100.

First we've seen the non riserva in the market; from estate grown and purchased grapes. Like the riserva, plenty of give and dark Rufina take on sangiovese. Rich squared. This guy's got it down. Balanced, flavorful, and ultra giving. Deal. 91/100. Well liked by attendees; orders taken. 'Straight up sangiovese; good substance; delivers entertainment beyond its price; great everyday selection.'

95% sangiovese, 5% colorino; aged 18 months in French barriques, 12 months in bottle. The nose is intense and enveloping. Spicy, oaky, fully concentrated in fruit. Dark, dense, latent. Not harshly tannic, and there a glycerol smoothness. Medium body of 2021. As impressive a vintage as I've tasted here. Power too. 92+/100.

Wine Spectator 94: 'A solidly built red introduced by aromas of mint, lavender and wild rosemary. Shows cherry, raspberry, earth, iron, sanguine and tobacco flavors allied to an almost viscous texture as this cruises to the long finish. Impressive now, yet will be better in three to five years. Best from 2026 through 2045. $40.'

From Capaccio-Paestum area vineyards in the middle of Cilento National Park. Oh, what a big burst of varietal aroma, lifted by cool vintage acidity. Most forthcoming in the series. Black fruit and pepper flavors. Cool and flowing. The alcohol is ventilating too. Medium bodied. Great acid. 91+/100.

From vineyards in the Capaccio-Paestrum area in the middle of Cilento National Park. Pretty talkative fiano. Honey and flowers and stone fruits. 2021 brightness. 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. Praised by all commentators, one suggesting it will improve another year or two.

Est 1921; barrique aged a year in French and American oak. Heavy Bottle Award. By the nose, this is negroamaro dominated. Black fruit, full structure, and amazing youthfulness nearing age 7. Barrel augmentation adds complexity. Yes, sweet, black negroamaro character. The tannins are largely melted. Real volume, smoothness, generosity. Deal! 92+/100.

Est. 1921; barrique aged a year in French and American oak. Heavy Bottle Award. Dark red black with some color evolution after eight years. Sweet and hearty 2015 style. The alcohol is welcome and actually somewhat cooling. Palate even sweeter, close to literally. Suavity earned, vitality preserved. Excellent with pulled pork and beef brisket BBQ. No doubt discounted for age. Win-win for the buyer. 91/100.

Latest release; negroamaro; DOC in Salento, Puglia. Cork paleness and spread suggest recent bottling. Richly burnished bouquet indicative of a long stay in cooperage. The ripeness of the vintage is very flattering to this. Perhaps the fruitiest of the series on the palate thanks to 2015 character and less cask age than the last few releases. No problems of prosperity though. Flavorful, well balanced, nicely matured for current drinking. No tannin issues. Steady fans will be pleased. 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.

Subtle, crisp, clean, dry 2021. Good year for this. Not my favorite grape variety; still, this one pleases me. Yes, understated varietal character and delightful 2021 lift. Well priced too. 90/100.

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.'

It's syrah dark, and it does have a suggestion of black raspberry varietal character. And the flavors are more northern than I anticipated. High altitude? Say, this is a pleasing surprise. 91/100.

80% pinot noir, 20% chardonnay. 42 months en tirage. A fine northern Italy methode champenoise sparkler sporting classic Champagne varietal characters and lots of yeast autolysis doughiness. What distinguishes it from mainstream champagne is austere dryness, a style I understand is favored by the home market. Great, lemony chardonnay flavor and acid. Pinot red fruit bulk. Not as austerely dry as the nose suggests. First class all around. 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 glera fruit flavor. High brut sweetness level admirably balanced by great acidity, which sweeps the palate clean at the finale. Serious bargain. 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.