Villa Cafaggio 2010 Chianti Classico
The winery dates back as far as the 14th Century. It was labeled the “Cahago,” the Tuscan term for a walled field. It was bought by the Farkas family in the …
Italy
Villa Mora 2007 Sagrantino di Montefalco
A wine drinker may want to know a little more about its history with a grape as rare and wonderful as Sagrantino. It’s been growing in the corner of Umbria for …
Petra 2010 “Ebo” Val di Cornia Suvereto
I reviewed the Petra 2008 Ebo a few months ago and came away very impressed. The Ebo is an underdog in the Super Tuscan category but outperforms many wines that are two …
Petra 2008 “Ebo” Val di Cornia Suvereto Rosso
The Tuscan coast has become a hotbed of luxury wines in the past decade. This is the motherland of the so-called Super Tuscans that have captured the American imagination. Petra is …
Contadi Castaldi 2007 “Brut Satèn” Franciacorta
Sparkling wine is one of the great pleasures in life. Sadly, there are only a few wine regions that really truly do a spectacular bubbly. In Italy, Franciacorta is such a …
Michele Chiarlo 2007 “Tortoniano” Barolo
Barolo is a luxury that no one should do without. In the world of wine, it is like royalty. When a bottle of Barolo is priced under $40, it’s often worth …
Altadonna 2010 Nero d’Avola
Altadonna is a project by the well-known father & son winemaking team of Stefano and Niccoló Chioccioli. Their portfolio is a line of pan-Italian wines sourced from northern to southern Italy. While such …
Tenute Sella & Mosca 2006 Alghero “Tanca Farra”
Sardinian wine reviewA serious wine from one of the most under-recognized wine regions in Italy. The 2006 Tanca Farra is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cannonau and aged for three …
Tenuta La Marchesa 2011 “Gold Label” Gavi
Northeastern Italy wine review The wine region of Gavi has had its ups and downs. Quality hit a significant low in the nineteen-nineties with the push toward mass production. We are now …
Maculan 2010 Brentino, Veneto
A Veneto wine review A Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend from Northeastern Italy with a great deal of style. On the nose, classic notes of tobacco and graphite interplay with fresh …
Mastroberardino 2011 Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso
Italian Wine Review Piedrosso is one of my secret weapons. It’s an unknown wine from an obscure wine region in a largely ignored province in Italy. It’s also a delightful wine …
Barone Ricasoli 2010 “Brolio” Chianti Classico
The Castello di Brolio (the castle of Brolio) has been in the Ricasoli family since the 12th Century. Two of the family’s top wines (they produce 11) are labeled as Brolio. The top …
Michele Satta 2005 Cavaliere (Super Tuscan)
A voluptuous Sangiovese with a slight salinity that veers to black olive but pulls back into a beautiful layered expression of chocolate. A glass-staining beauty with plump blackberry and kirsch notes …
Passitivo 2010 Primitivo, Puglia
Judging wines isn’t a linear job. It’s not really about grading all wines as a spectrum of quality. We don’t judge a Red Zinfandel from Russian River next to a bottle …
Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 Companaro
Since its origins in the ’80s, Feudi di San Gregorio has been one of the leaders in quality in southern Italy. Over the past few years, they have been ramping up the quantity, and …
Castello di Fonterutoli “Ser Lapo” 2008 Chianti Classico Reserva
The Mazzei family has a very long history in Chianti and has considerably expanded their winemaking operations over the past few years, including forays into Sicily and the Tuscan coast. However, …