Starts with an open feel, displaying cherry, peach, iron, tar and tobacco flavors before firming up. This lively red builds to the long aftertaste of red licorice, tobacco and earth. Best from 2027 through 2045.

Out of nearly 3,500 entries, Verità Vodka Italiana was crowned “Best-In-Class.” BEST VODKA! Awarded Double Gold & 97 points.

"Most importantly, this award serves as a testament to our commitment to collaborating with top-tier Italian spirits producers, who are producing some of the best craft spirits on the market today.” - Scott Ades

Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. Sweet, deep cherry nose with savoury spice touches. Supple, rich sweet-sour cherry fruit on the palate with clayey tannins. A big mouthful of juicy fruit that is nonetheless finely balanced. Ready now.

The Siro Pacenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva PS opens to an inky black appearance. The bouquet is very intense with baritone aromas of syrupy blackberry, barbecue spice, sweet cedar, toasted wood, baked fruit and savory tobacco. To the palate, it shows a rich, glossy finish with firm tannins and a tightly knit texture that should bode well for future cellaring. In fact, the mouthfeel is so intensely stitched together, it's to the point of feeling polished. I must hand it to vintner Giancarlo Pacenti for the elegance of the mouthfeel on this very, very bold Riserva (with only 2,000 bottles produced).

The dusty and floral 2023 Susumaniello Askos offers a refined bouquet of crushed blackberries, incense and exotic spice. Silky and round, its core of tactile minerals adds form toward the close. The 2023 finishes structured and long, leaving a coating of fine tannins and a lingering resonance of polished wild berry fruit. This could use some time in the cellar to come fully into focus, but it shows the complexity that Susumaniello can deliver.

Deep purple in hue, the 2023 Vecchia Modena Nero opens with a bouquet of crushed blackberries, sage and orange sorbet. It’s savory within yet full of energy as vibrant acidity motivates its tart wild berry fruits and violet inner florals toward the close. This leaves chalky mineral tones to linger through the perfumed finale, tapering off with cheek-puckering tension that begs the taster to take another sip.

This is a new submission from Tenuta Tascante. The 2022 Etna Bianco Contrada Sciaranuova reveals a tonic and fresh personality with a citrusy note that follows in step with bitter almond, crushed stone and dried ginger. These vineyards were planted in 2017 at 730 meters in elevation with northern and southern exposures on volcanic soils. The wine is fermented in Slavonian casks (with no malolactic fermentation) and aged in oak for 12 months.

The 2016 Barolo Riserva Villero is an elegant, polished Barolo. It offers up a beguiling mix of orange peel, cinnamon, dried flowers, cedar, leather and sweet pipe tobacco, all framed by a discreet touch of oak. Time in bottle has softened the tannins a touch. This is beautifully done.