Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore 2020

Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore Catullo is made from 70% Corvina Veronese, 20% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella.  Valpolicella Classica, Tenuta Novare Estate in Arbizzano di Negrar.

Wine of medium structure with elegant spicy notes of vanilla and chocolate accompanied by typical notes of cherry, sour cherry and white pepper. The palate offers the easy drinkability typical of Valpolicella and, at the same time, silky tannic structure and intense, prolonged aromatic persistence. The finish is fresh, soft and savory. A wine in the classic style, elegant, balanced, harmonious.

Review:

If I was forced to choose a number of wines that can steer the anachronistic Ripasso category into a brighter future, this would be among a very few. A mid-weighted, streamlined expression with just enough fruit on the bones. Think strawberries, lilacs, Asian plums, cloves and a hint of licorice. A noble, almost alpine bitterness lifts the finish. Brilliant. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Cantina di Verona Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Vallis Dei is made from 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, 5% Molinara

Color: intense red ruby
Nose: winey, fruity with hints of oak. Some spice and vanilla.
Mouth: It is well balanced with round tannins.

Yield: 10000 kg of grapes per hectar – after which the grapes are dried “appassimento”

Familia Zuccardi 'Finca Piedra Infinita' Gravascal is made from 100 Malbec.

WINE DATA:

Grape Composition: 100% Malbec

Appellation: Finca Piedra Infinita, IG Paraje Altamira,Valle de Uco, Mendoze

Vinification: Manually selected grapes, filling of tanks by gravity. Fermentation with native yeasts in concrete vessels without epoxy. Aging in concrete vessels. The 2020 was a very particular vintage, characterized by limited yields and a high speed of maturity, which made it one of the fastest and most challenging on record.

In the search for the purest expression of the identity of Finca Piedra Infinita vineyard, we reached this small plot of 0.73 hectares. Located on its north-east side, it shows the typical facet of Paraje Altamira soil, with large gravels and granite stones covered with calcareous material at a depth of 50 cm.

Altitude: 3,609 feet above sea level

Soil Type: Short alluvial soil covered with calcareous materials

Alcohol: 14% Total Acidity: 5.6g/l

TASTING NOTES:

Color: Bright ruby color

Aroma: Dark berries, black olive tapenade, and iron

Flavor: Rich on the palate, with firm tanins

Review:

Just short of perfection in 2020, but this is still a world class wine from the brilliant Sebastián Zuccardi, sourced from a 0.74-hectare parcel on gravel and limestone soils within the Piedra Infinita estate. Scented, ethereal and energetic, this is a detailed, complex, unwooded Malbec with blood orange and blackberry flavours and some underlying grip and backbone. The essence of the new Argentina, it’s a wine that inspires and delights

-Tim Akin 99 Points

Mandolin Pinot Noir Monterey is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

With its maritime influence, California's Monterey region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance. Mandolin Pinot Noir has spice, ripe cherry, and savory tones on the nose. It is medium-bodied with polished tannins, showing strawberry and mineral notes.

Rinaldi Celle Piemonte Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Intense red color with purple reflections. The characteristic aroma is pleasant and dominated by notes of blackberry, plum and black currant. A short passage in wood gives it elegance and complexity.

Montebuena Blanco is made from 80% Viura and 20% Tempranillo Blanco.

What truly sets Montebuena apart is its unique position where the Ebro river is closest to the Sierra Cantabria mountains, creating a blend of Mediterranean and Continental climates that prevents an excess of rain and extreme cold. In addition, the shallow, calcareous soil limits the yield of the harvest and the size of the grapes while increasing the volume of the skins, resulting in deeper color and a greater concentration of flavor.

Montebuena Blanco is straw yellow colored, translucent with greyish hues at the edges. Dominant white fruit aromas of apple and ripe banana on the nose with citrus notes in the background. Fresh and intense on the palate, although the acidity gradually smoothes out as the wine passes through the mouth and gives way to sweetness combined with a slightly bitter note and silky feel that balances the first sensation.

Fresh salads and vegetables, grilled fish, young cheeses, seafood and shellfish.