us

golden yellow coloring and deeply perfumed notes of dried flowers and stone fruits are enticing hints to this wine's extended skin contact during fermentation. but the palate of this dry, light-bodied riesling seems demure with pressed apple and pear flavors that struggle to penetrate through.

it

this concentrated wine offers aromas of tobacco leaf, stewed plum, grilled porcini mushroom and sage. the lush palate delivers blackberry extract layered with notes of chocolate and vanilla alongside velvety, embracing tannins.

us

with each new vintage of cuvée elena, the blend of grapes and vineyards grows more complex, the vines older, the flavors more compact and captivating. a sophisticated and penetrating mix of strawberry and raspberry preserves, highlights of herb and spice, a dash of clean earth, and a lingering and detailed finish make this a wine to savor immediately while tucking away a few bottles to watch it evolve.

au

you've got to like oak to appreciate this wine, which is presently dominated by scents of vanilla, mocha and toasted coconut. it's full bodied and velvety in texture, with hints of black cherry lurking in the background.

it

savory spice and candied fruit notes emerge on the bouquet of this sophisticated wine. it shows tight, silky tannins and delivers a brightly intense finish with notes of dried ginger, cedar and licorice.

it

serpico is a beautiful but also modern expression of aglianico (the grapes come from ancient vines in the taurasi area) that opens with dark notes of blackberry, crushed stone, chocolate, rum cake, licorice and cola. the mouthfeel is smooth, firm and very rich.

us

this 100% varietal wine displays aromas of herb, leaf, cocoa, barrel spice and currant. the flavors are light and fresh, showing restraint and a pleasing mouthfeel. the finish lingers.

at

adding cabernet sauvignon and merlot to blaufränkisch and zweigelt gives an intense wine that explodes with black fruits and intense, dark tannins. it is maybe less of a bomb than 2004, but that means it is more sophisticated, ripe but elegant, and finely structured.

us

delicious in briary blackberry jam, cherry pie, currant, milk chocolate, black pepper and anise flavors, with a touch of sweet oak, and the finish is totally dry. it's a little too soft in structure, but fine if you're in the mood for zinfandel.

hu

this golden-colored wine has enticing aromas of butterscotch, vanilla, caramel and pineapple upside-down cake. in the mouth, there are great flavors of dried apricot, mango, honeycomb and marzipan candies. it has elegant heft on the palate and balanced acidity in the finish. enjoy now or keep in your cellar for another decade or so.

it

underbrush, new leather, menthol, culinary spice, dark fruit and toast aromas take center stage in this wine. the elegantly structured and linear palate delivers red cherry, strawberry, cinnamon and white pepper flavors set against bright acidity and taut, fine-grained tannins. drink 2023–2033.

it

la fornace is a dark, savory expression of cabernet sauvignon that shows aged tertiary aromas of dark spice, cured meat and prune. it feels rich and dense, with a gritty quality to the tannins and long endnotes of bacon, black pepper and leather. drink now.

us

seared yellow apple, lemon rinds and pressed white flowers show on the nose of this bottling from the pioneering winery, which was recently acquired by the gallo family. the texture is quite steely with bountiful acidity, but the flavors are a little flat on the sip, where stone fruit and squeezed citrus show.

pt

tasting mature for a 10-year-old tawny, this ripe wine has lost fruit but gained in spirit, wood and acidity. balanced just right, it finishes dry and fragrant.

es

this 50-50 blend of monastrell and cabernet sauvignon is jammy and modest on the bouquet. in the mouth, it's plump but a bit wishy-washy, with generic dark-berry flavors. while it's easygoing on the finish, it falls off a bit and doesn't show much kick. drink now.

ar

roasted plum and tomato aromas are spicy but hard and gritty. that also describes the mouthfeel on this narrow, linear malbec with beaming acidity. plum and berry flavors finish direct, with no interference from heavy oak.

us

a reserve that is also a finesse wine. de ponte's regular 2006 pinot noir packs plenty of juicy power; what's added here is not more jam, but more detail. the wine is layered, the tight berry and currant fruit flavors threaded with mineral and chocolate, spice and coffee. delicious already, it should cellar well for another 8–10 years.

ar

big and woody to start, with heavily toasted blackberry and herbal aromas. the palate is thick, dense and tannic, but it doesn't punish. tastes of cassis, blackberry and herbs before transitioning to dry oak and roasted berry on the finish.

fr

bailly lapierre regards this full-bodied rich pinot noir as its signature wine. it has a cool, northern feel to it, but it also has powerful red-berry fruits, a firm structure, a final layer of acidity and a sense this is a wine as well as a crémant.

gr

this fresh version of a cabernet/merlot blend starts with a minerally, red berry and leather nose, followed by juicy flavors of berries. balanced and approachable, the wine has sturdy tannins and a lingering finish. elegant but ageable.