Ottella Lugana Le Creete '05, Veneto, Italy

Flavorful and crisp, slightly fizzy mineral-driven white wine from the Veneto region.

Technical Data: 100% Turbiano grape which is a clone of the Trebbiano di Lugana grapes.

Description: Bright light golden color. Appealing nose with grapefruits, citrus and herbs aromas mingled together. This crisp medium-bodied wine displays exotic flavors such as grapefruit and honeysuckle laced together and tied by a long lasting finish with flintstone undertone.

Food Pairing & Service: Recommended with light seafood dishes, pasta or chicken, also well suited with Asian dishes.

Score: 9/10

Suggested Retail Price: $21.99

Strongly recommended for the coming Holiday's Season

Banfi Rosa Regale, Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG, Piedmont, Italy

A sweet red aromatic Sparkling from Italy. A perfect Sparkler for Valentine's Day!

Technical Data: 100% Brachetto d’Acqui grape which grows in Piedmont region.

Description: Light ruby red color with fine bubbles. Lively rose petal and fresh berry on the nose. Soft and elegant entrance on the palate, sweet red wine focused on strawberry, raspberry and rose petal. Long lasting soft and charming finish.

Food Pairing & Service: Ideally suited with desserts and specially with fresh berries and chocolate. It may also make a surprising Aperitif Sparkler.

Score: 9/10

Suggested Retail Price: $18.99

Fattoria di Lucignano, Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG'03, Tuscany, Italy

A smooth and fine Chianti not from the original area of production. This one is from one of the 7 other sub-areas allowed to produce Chianti, that's why it's not a called a Classico but a Colli Fiorentini from the name of its sub-area of production. Chianti Colli Fiorentini's area of production was first established in 1932.

Technical Data:Fattoria ( that mean Estate) di Lucignano's vineyard is surrounding the medieval town of Lucignano, located only a mile outside the western border of the Chianti Classico zone. The Chianti Colli Fiorentini from Lucignano Estate is considered one of the best if not the best of this Appellation! Made from 80% Sangiovese with addition of 10% Canaiolo Nero and 10% of other local varietals depending of the vintage. Traditional maceration on the skins for 12-18 days in cement vats, maturing in glazed cement vats for 12-18 months.

Description:Dark red color, distinctive Sangiovese characters on the nose with lots of red fruits aromas. Ripe cherries and berry flavors prevails on a velvety mouth with a touch of violets appearing on the mid-palate. Dry wine yet a very smooth finish showing soft tannins laced with woody notes in a long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Will go well with a wide range of food, my favourites will be mild cheeses and hearty pasta dishes.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$13.98

Chianti's different area of production?

Historically, the production of chianti was limited to the surrounding of San Gimignano city, but was after decades of production extended to a wider area of production.

In order to differenciate each sub-areas from the original area, they have been called differently, each after the exact name of the location where the new production take place, they are: Chianti Colli Aretini, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti colli Senesi, Chianti Coline Pisane, Chianti Montalbano, Chianti Montespertoli and Chianti Rufina.

All these sub-areas are located not so far away from the original one, so the borderline is sometimes hard to undestand.

Something interesting to mention, to ease the regnonition of Chianti Classico from the others type of Chianti, they have had on the neck of Chianti Classico's bottle a Black Rooster.

Cantina del Taburno Greco di Tufo DOC'03, Campania, Italy

A nice refreshing wine from Italy to enjoy with "wine-killers" like asparagus and artichokes.

Technical Data:100% Greco Bianco, aged in stainless steel tanks only, no oak. The vines are growing up nearby Naples on volcanic soil, more particularly on the slopes of the Vesuvio.

Description:Bright pale golden yellow color. Quite a nose! Typical nose of Greco wine concentrated on floral aromas with just a hint of apricot. Medium-bodied palate expressing candied apricot and citrus fruits flavors melted with acacia, honey and some fresh almond. Creamy style wine with a refreshing dry entrance, some sweetness on the mid-palate and a really earthy dry finish reminiscent from the place where the vine was growing up.

Food Pairing & Service:Will pair wonderfully with “wine-killers” like asparagus or artichokes! A nice accompaniment to "creme-brule" too. Serve chilled.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$17.98

Terrazze della Luna Pinot Grigio'03, DOC Trentino Pinot Grigio, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy

A refreshing Pinot grigio from Northern Italy.

Technical Data:100% Pinot Grigio aged in stainless steel tanks only.

Description:Straw yellow color. Clean Pinot Grigio showing equally fruity and floral nose with peachy and nutty aromas followed by acacia, honey and straw. Nice white fruity flavors exploding in the mouth with ripe pear, peach, nectarine, also a hint of honey and a lovely buttery character just at the end of the palate. The wine shows a silky and rich texture with a fresh acidity and a lingering finish.

Food Pairing & Service:This is a delightful wine to sip on its own, perfect for summer time to sip on the patio or pair with a wide range of food such as mild Asian dishes, fish, salads and shellfish. Serve chilled.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$10.99

Poliziano Asinone'00, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

Excellent Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from a Selected Vineyard in Tuscany produced only from the very best vintage, that mean not every year. Too bad than we can't find it yet on the shelf. If you cross this one on a wine list in a restaurant, you have to try it!

Technical Data:100% Sangiovese aged 16 – 18 months in new French oak-barrels with additional months of bottle fining prior release. Produce only from the very best vintage, that mean not every year.

Description:Dark ruby red color. Captivating aromas of berries laced with vanilla and cinnamon spice.. Full-bodied and elegant Sangiovese offering concentrated flavors of ripe plum, blackberry, chocolate and woody spice. Complex wine with excellent balance and a lot of depth. Rich texture, silky mouthfilling and supple tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well hearty pasta dishes, red meat and roasts. A wonderful one with chocolate. Open at least an hour before, this wine really need to breath a little bit before the consumption.

Ageing Potential:Ready to drink although could easily lay down 15 years.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$32.00 - $41.50

Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano'03, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Tuscany, Italy

A full-bodied but not aggressive red wine from Tuscany. Quite nice one, you'll enjoy it!

Technical Data:80% Prugnolo Gentile ( a clone of Sangiovese), 20% Merlot. Only the Merlot part is aged in American oak-barrels for 8 months, the rest of the wine remain on steel tanks prior blending and bottling.

Description:Purple red color. Red fruits aromas bouquet, the palate recalls its nose with lots of cherry and raspberry flavors laced with smoky oak flavors and very smooth tannins. Rich texture, velvety mouthfilling and long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well hearty pasta dishes with tomato based sauce and herbs. Also a good accompaniment with red meat.

Ageing Potential: 3 - 5 years.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$13.99 - $16.99

Donnafugata Mille e una Notte'00, Contessa Entellina DOC, Sicily, Italy

A very dry and smoky velvety red from Sicily.

Technical Data:90% Nero d’Avola, 10% other native varieties. Aged 15 – 18 months in new French oak-barrels depending of the vintage. Additional bottle fining of 12 months prior release.

Description:Inky ruby red color. Fragant bouquet exhaling dark fruits and notes of violets. Elegant and complex very dry wine, the palate shows equally fruity and flowery flavors recalling the nose, with additional flavors such as tobacco smoke and balsamic scents backboned by solid tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well red meat with sauces and herbs. Also a good pairing with lamb chops, roasted veal and matured cheeses.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$49.99 - $58.99

DonnaFugata Sedara'02, Sicila IGT, Sicily, Italy

Nice characterful red from Sicily made from 100% Nero d'Avola, the red main grape there.

You'll find this wine principally on restaurant's wine list. As far as I know, I have never seen this one on a shelf!

Technical Data:100% Nero D’Avola, the main red grape from Sicily. A small amount of the wine was aged 9 months in French oak-barrels. Additional bottle fining of 3 months prior release.

Description:Ruby red color. Cherry and blackberry on the nose. The palate is dry but soft showing lots o f ripe cherries and blackberry flavors enticed with tobacco smoke, cedary spice and subtle earthiness notes. Very smooth tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well red meats, introductory dishes with meat sauce and tomato, baked pasta dishes and also lightly cooked tuna and salmon. Serve at room temperature.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$12.00 - $16.00

Bertani Soave Classico Superiore DOC '02, Veneto, Italy

A nice full-bodied white made mainly from a not well-know grape called Garganega.

Technical Data:90% Garganega, 10% Trebbiano di Soave and Chardonnay . A part of the Garganega is “over-matured” and vinified in large wooden tanks; the rest is fermented in stainless steel containers of small dimension with automatic temperature control. Fermentation in French oak barriques for the Chardonnay. The wine is aged for about 5 months in stainless steel containers, previous to the final refinement in the bottle.

Description:The wine opens distinctly to the nose with a floral bouquet emanating the typical fragrances of Garganega, with traces of elderberry in particular. It then offers the sweeter aromas of fleshy and yellowish-pulp fruit such as peach. The mouth displays a full round taste and echoes the nose of the wine with on the enry once again lots of peach and elderberry flavors and finishes on even more savoury notes with a hint of oak.

Food Pairing & Service:Ideal as aperitif or with appetizers, creamy pasta dishes or fish.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$12.99

Bertani Secco Valpolicella DOC'02, Veneto, Italy

A lot of structure for this outstanding, smooth almost silky blended wine.

Technical Data:Corvina Veronese 70%, Rondinella 25%, Molinara 5%.The grapes underwent a traditional red vinification process. 75% of the wine ages in Slavonia oak casks, 25% in French oak barriques. Refining in the bottle for 90 days. an outstanding red wine that highlights the virtues of the ripasso winemaking technique.

Ripasso Winemaking Technique: Around the beginning of March, the wine was drawn from the vat and refermented on the pomaces of the Amarone, following the traditional Veronese technique called “ripasso”. Thanks to this procedure the wine acquires the vital humours that give it structure and long aging possibilities, and enriches it with typical notes of dried grapes.

Description:Wonderfully rich and mellow with a spicy, nutty aroma and taste. Very deep garnet color; delicate, typical bouquet, with hints of spices and walnut. Berry fruit flavors; dry, full, slightly bitterish and persistent.

Food Pairings & Service:It goes well with red meat and seasoned cheese.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$16.99

Bertani Duo Uve'02, IGT, Veneto, Italy

Fittingly named Duo Uve meaning"Two Grapes," this unique and innovative estate-bottled wine is a light blended wine perfect for summer time.

Technical Data:Blend of 50% Pinot Grigio and 50% Sauvignon Blanc. The two wines are combined only after vinification is complete. Aged in stainless steel vats until ready for bottling, which precedes its sale by about six months.

Description:Intense straw yellow color. Strongly aromatic with characteristic notes of ripened peach and citrus fruits against a background of white flowers typical of Sauvignon Blanc from Italy. The strongly textured, velvety taste of Pinot Grigio harmonizes with the aromatic component of Sauvignon.

Food Pairings & Service:Serve chilled as an accompaniment to fish, hors d’oeuvres, or soups


Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$14.99

Bertani Cattulo Rosso'01 IGT, Veneto, Italy

Technical Data:Made from a 50/50 blend of Corvina and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, which have been medium roasted, whereas the Corvina grapes spend the same amount of time in barrels of Slavonia oak. The two wines are combined several months before being bottled, where they remain for about six months.

Description:Intense ruby-red color with slightly violet touch. The nose express spicy woodsy notes with strong fruity qualities, such as sweet blackberries and blueberries. A full-bodied taste is balanced with the fruity flavors for a dense, concentrated wine.

Food Pairings & Service:Serve with red meats and full-flavoured cheeses. Ready to drink now but could also easily lay down for a while.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$15.99

Castello Banfi, Chianti Classico'03, Tuscany, Italy

A luscious full-bodied wine but yet with a very smooth finish.

Technical Data:Mainly made from Sangiovese grape as every Chainti, with a selection of traditional Chianti Classico varietals added. Aging in French oak barriques for 7 months.

Description:A deep dark color for an alluring bouquet of black fruit and violets; rich flavors of cherry and leather; supple tannins and good acidity for dining.

Food Pairings & Service:Perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of foods, including red-sauced pastas, grilled meats, and roasts.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$12.99

Castello Banfi, San Angelo Pinot Grigio'03, Tuscany, Italy

Technical Data:100% Pinot Grigio.

Description:An elegant light-bodied wine of pale-straw yellow color. Intense, fruity aromas showing pear, banana, peach, anise and honey notes. Its palate is echoing its nose. A clean wine with a rich mouthfeeling and a refreshing sweet finish.

Food Pairings & Service:This is a delightful complement to light fare, seafood and simple veal and poultry dishes. Above all, it is a superb aperitif and a good sipping wine for summer time.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$13.88

Bottega Vinaia Chardonnay'02, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy

An elegant Chardonnay full of character not overoaked.

Technical Data:100% Chardonnay. 70% of the wine ages in stainless steel, 30% in barriques. The wine is then blended and bottled after an additional four months in steel to stabilize the blend.

Description:Straw yellow color with golden highlights. Intense bouquet with fruity aromas such as tropical fruits and light vanilla notes. Dry, refreshing and flavorful palate with a firm structure leading into a long lasting finish. The palate is full of tropical fruits, spice with a hint of nutmeg, and a touch of toasty oak.

Food Pairing & Service:Serve at 48°-50° F. Pairs well with a wide range of dishes from the usual seafood and fish to white meats or light red meats dishes. Should be also prety good with a creamy pasta dish with an Alfredo sauce.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$14.99

Bottega Vinaia Lagrein'02, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy

A wonderful dry and smooth red, a good compromise for those who doesn't like too fruity Merlot and too spicy and full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from a grape called Lagrein growing up only in Italy and a little bit in the south of Austria. Tines to try an unusual grape, I promise you going to like this one!

Technical Data:100% Lagrein. The wine ages in barriques for about 12 months. It is then transferred into small oak casks to rest for six months until bottling.

Description:Intense ruby red color. Complex bouquet, with strong scents of vanilla, violets and wild berries, tending to musk and burnt wood with aging. Well-structured and balanced, with an harmony between tannins and acidity that renders it soft with a persistent finish.A very velvety texture on the tongue for a quite nice wine.

Food Pairing & Service:Serve with roasted red meats and other robust entrées.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$16.99

Tiziano'01 Chianti Riserva DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

Nice and smooth!

Technical Data:100% Sangiovese, aged for 12 months in big casks then few additional months in bottle refinement.

Description:Intense ruby-red color. The aroma is sweet, full and fruity with an elegant light notes of spice. The flavor is smooth and lingering with a fruit finish.

Food Pairing & Service:It best accompanies pasta and red sauce, or any grilled meats.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$11.99

Tiziano Gold'01 Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

Medium-bodied Chianti Classico.

Technical Data:95% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is aged in small French barriques for 12 months with an additional period in bottle refinement.

Description:Intense ruby-red color. Medium- bodied wine with a spicy bouquet and classic hints of violets. The flavor is full of ripe fruits, leathery notes with a velvety texture.

Food Pairing & Service:It best accompanies game, roasted or grilled red meat such as beef and lamb as well as strong cheeses.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$15.99