Lovely perfumes of flowers and rose stems to subtle red fruits and oranges follow through to a medium to full body. Tight, focused fruit and tannins lead to a crisp finish. Drink now.

BEST BUY.  The nose is simultaneously weighty, fresh and elegant, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate, along with undertones of orange peel and stone. All of those notes reappear on a palate which is bitter, but friendly, as acid soars overhead.

Top notes of rose, strawberry and cherry are underscored by earth, menthol, iron and tobacco flavors in this elegant yet intense red. Fluid, with a texture that borders on viscous and excellent definition on the long, complex finish. Best from 2027 through 2045.

Produced in the Italian Alps using locally sourced wheat and alpine spring water, Verità’s profile is clear, sharp, and fresh. The nose carries a crisp mineral edge with hints of stone fruit, while the palate is clean and focused with a lingering, balanced finish. This is a well-crafted vodka with subtle complexity.

Fruit for this wine comes from a three-hectare parcel in Serralunga d'Alba near the village, with south and southwestern exposures in a small amphitheater. The soils in this area are older and thus more evolved, but they always create wines of strong character. The Vietti 2021 Barolo Lazzarito is easy to identify thanks to its salty mineral finish, which is almost metallic in taste, and its bright hints of sweet rosemary and wild herb. These delicate high notes form pretty framing to a dark core of elegant fruit. The estate counts five vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba, but Lazzarito is the only MGA bottling. Production is a bit larger here, with 10,363 bottles made this vintage.

Holy crap! Mixed berry compote nose, emphasis on raspberry. Wildly expressive already. From southwest facing vines in a specific block. Firm but forgiving, with all you can ask of Nebbiolo. If I stopped right at this point in the tasting, I’d still be tasting the finish of this wine in an hour. Crazy!

From a celebrated vineyard site in Castiglione di Sicilia, the Tenuta Tascante 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Rampante has a specific quality that starts off with wild cherry and then peels back to embrace crushed stone and fragrant rose. This wine offers firm depth and good length delivered with extra sharpness. This release of 5,500 bottles matures in large oak casks for 12 months. The vines in Contrada Rampante date back to 2000 and are perched at a cool and breezy 740 meters in elevation. The vineyards of Etna are all distinguished by different soil types that vary according to the date of the volcanic eruption (or layered eruptions) that created them. This site is located on a lava flow created 15,000 to 4,000 years ago. You can expect a certain amount of erosion and sand as a result of that long time frame. These soils contribute to the wine's focus, complexity and those salty flavors.

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.