Italy is the world’s second largest wine producing country falling behind France. Italian wine is governed by DOC and DOCG laws. Much like France’s AOC laws, they control what grape types can be planted in each region. Some of Italy’s more famous wines are the Barolo in the Piedmont region, often referred to as the king of wine, and its queen, Barbaresco. Perhaps the most famous of all the regions is Tuscany, not only for its beauty, but the amazing Chianti and Brunello’s that are produced in this region. Both are made from the Sangiovese grape. In the Veneto region you will find Italian wines created from the Corvina grape, made in the ancient Amarone style.
Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot Toscana IGT is made from Merlot.
Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot has an explosive olfactory impact. The wide aromatic bouquet ranges from cherry and plum jam to notes of black tea, rhubarb and graphite, with small final notes of fermented tobacco. The entrance is bursting. The palate is invested by the imposing and typical structure of Tuscan Merlot, enveloping and warm. Tastefully in symbiosis with the olfactory notes, the dense and linear tannin accompanies hints of coconut and black pepper in retrolfaction.
Review:
James Suckling 94 Points
This wine is characterized by grace and elegance. The bouquet is full and ethereal of ripe fruit and cherries in alcohol accompanied by typical nuances of the Mediterranean scrub such as lavender, thyme and wild mint. On the palate it has a very large and sweet opening. The silky tannin spreads a dense texture accompanied by a warm and lively body where notes of fresh coconut and sweet spices such as cinnamon persist.
The yellow area highlighted on the label indicates where precisely the grapes came from for this vintage.
Review:
-James Suckling 94 Points
Ruby red with soft purplish reflections. Rich and complex on the nose, very reminiscent of small fruits of brambles, black cherry and a very delicate hint of softwood. On the palate it is decisive, complex and extraordinarily persistent.
Review:
Complex aromas of ripe fruit, toffee, cedar and smoke. Medium body, round and creamy tannins and a fresh, juicy finish.
-James Suckling 94 Points
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
Bindella Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from 85% Sangiovese, 15% Colorino del Valdarno, Canaiolo nero and Mammolo.
Elegant, with typical hints of iris, rose and red berries together with balsamic notes after several years of ageing in the bottle. Balanced, pleasantly tannic and well-bodied on the palate.
A wine of great authenticity to accompany pasta with elaborate sauces, red meat, truffles and soft or mature cheeses.
Intense ruby red color. Hints of spices, fruit and flowers, a bouquet that reflects the soil on which it is born, rich in Alberese. In the mouth it is soft, with a pleasant acidity that makes the wine fresh and lively. Sweet and ripe tannins give the wine a pleasant persistence. Riserva dei Colli is an excellent expression of the Estate's Sangiovese, so much so that it bears its name.
Review:
Bordering on opulent, this red features blackberry, black currant, plum, iron and spice aromas and flavors, matched to a velvety texture. Firms up as the resonant tannins emerge, yet remains harmonious and long. Drink now through 2032. 1,700 cases made, 570 cases imported.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
DAOU Vineyards Soul of a Lion is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot .
The 2020 vintage presents an alluring profusion of black cherry, mulberry and Oregon blackberry aromas with notes of leather, cigar box and dark chocolate. Hints of desert sage and crème de menthe accent the rich fruit. The palate is silky and voluptuous, delivering loads of currant, cassis, black raspberry and ripe cherry. Notes of fig and baking spice are underscored by earthy tones of dates and truffle. Mature, ripe tannins yield a weighty, velvety texture integrated with a limestone minerality and subtle oak. A lengthy finish leaves lingering impressions of blackberry, plum and espresso with a touch of white pepper. A wine of immense staying power that will evolve favorably for many years to come.
Review:
Impressively dark in the glass, this bottling pairs intense purple fruit and flower on this nose with more roasted, umami-laden aromas. The elegant palate is a master class in tannin management, proving firm in structure yet soft in mouthfeel. Flavors of blackberry jam, cocoa, walnut and cracked pepper ride a lingering acidity into the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
ER2 is characterized by the intensity that is the signature of the grand crus of the Côte des Blancs and by the complexity of its perpetual reserve. A delicate, slightly coppery, pink.
The wine is aged on lees in the dark in our cellars for three years.
Chardonnay 75% – Pinot Noir 25%. This edition has been made from a base of the 2017 vintage. Disgorged in April 2021. Dosage: 4.5 G/L.
This second edition made up of 75% of Chardonnays of different ages benefits from the richness of the 2012 vintage and the perfect balance of the 2014 vintage that occupy a large place in the heart of an intensified perpetual reserve.
The remaining 25% of young Pinot Noirs from the terroir of Vertus energize the delicate mineral, saline and iodized expression of the Chardonnay and heighten the wine’s aromatic expression.
Review:
"This graceful rosé Champagne layers a rich base of roasted almond, toast and smoke accents with nectarine and pureed raspberry fruit, oyster shell, blood orange zest and chalk notes. Fresh and fluid on the palate, with a creamy mousse consisting of fine, pinprick-sized bubbles. Long, rich finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2030." Wine Spectator 95 Points