Acclaim

“Basilicata, the mountainous, largely isolated instep of the Italian boot, has been named Europe’s cultural capital for 2019. Don’t expect too may tourists. It’s difficult to get to Basilicata. There are no airports or high speed train lines, just narrow roads that climb up and twist down mountains. Despite centuries of conquests, the people here cherish their independence. They also love their idiosyncratic red wine, made with Aglianico grapes grown on the side of a volcano, Mount Vulture. Unlike Aglianico from Campania, it offers no pretense of elegance or sophistication. Instead, it is hearty and rugged, a wine to pair with wintry stews and pastas, and definitely not a wine for the faint of heart or palate. This example, at a very reasonable price, provides a delicious introduction if you don’t know it already.” -Paul Lukacs, Wine Review Online, Dec. 7, 2018

“Muted at first, this wine opens up after a few minutes in the glass, with floral scents of fresh red cherries and dried peaches. Bright acidity draws out the flavors as notes of sage and fresh tobacco appear, and firm, mineral tannins allow the wine to gain savor over the course of several days open. Appealing now for its sheer vibrancy, this wine promises many years of pleasure.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Vigna Pressenda is a lively, buoyant Barolo with bright fruit tones and soaring aromatics. Scents of rosemary and juniper leap out at once, followed by notes of dark spice and florals. Flavors of fleshy plum and ripe berries mingle with sweet tomato notes, chalky tannins heightening the wine’s bright personality.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Fruit for Sorì Ginestra comes from some of Conterno Fantino’s oldest vines, some up to 40 years of age, and those vines performed beautifully in the cool, wet 2014 vintage. The wine leads off with scents of green cardamom, mint and anise that follow through into cool herbal flavors. Notes of dark berries and sweet plums unfold as the wine opens, the fruit held taut by zippy acidity and vigorous tannins that need time to soften.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“This wine’s flavors of red cherry and strawberry are impressively ripe for the vintage, vibrant with cool acidity that makes those fruit flavors pop. Notes of cayenne pepper and Mexican chocolate add to the wine’s lively personality.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Mosconi is the darkest in tone of Conterno Fantino’s 2014 Barolos, its flavors of black raspberry and plum deepened by notes of licorice and unsweetened cocoa. Hints of graphite add a cool mineral tone, and a whiff of mint brightens the finish.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“This wine’s firm, ferrous tannins and saturated flavors showcase the concentrated character of fruit harvested from vines planted in 1937. Velvety tannins envelop the vibrant, fleshy cherry and plum flavors, as notes of cracked pepper, cocoa and licorice emerge with air.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Boschi di Berri is lively and red-fruited in the 2016 vintage, its ripe cherry and strawberry flavors brightened by notes of thyme, marjoram and a spray of orange zest. The fruit comes from ungrafted vines planted in sandy soils more than a century ago.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Marcarini’s 2016 Fontanazza feels perfectly ripe, expressed in cedar-accented flavors of juicy raspberry, blackberry and cherry that take on notes of leafy tobacco and bright orange zest. It’s fruity and uncomplicated, with taut tannins that make it food friendly.” -Wine & Spirits, Dec. 1, 2018

“Truffle, ripe berry, rose, cocoa and Mediterranean brush aromas shape the nose. The firmly structured palate is a bit on the lean side, offering French oak, sour cherry, powdered sage and star anise set against bright acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins that leave a drying finish.” -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, Dec. 1, 2018