The most impressive aspect of the Castello della Sala ethos is its ability to reinvent itself. This latest edition of Umbria's headline white is a true delight. Renzo Cotarella and his team have created an Italian...

Shows good varietal character, with saturated blackberry, violet, ink and smoked bacon aromas and flavors. Well-structured yet harmonious and really sings on the lingering aftertaste. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc...

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the Tenuta degli Dei 2022 Cavalli is a rich and pleasurable expression with velvety intensity and plenty of black fruit. This richly textured...

The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the...

The nose has primarily umami notes of leather, graphite and dark chocolate, but macerated black cherries and blackberries create a plush, succulent undertone. That undertone grows on the palate before the dark chocolate...

The 2023 Clio was produced with 70% Monastrell from very old vines and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1986. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and matured in new French and American oak barrels for 23...

Syrah and Petit Verdot shape the 2022 Romitorio, a dark, polished Toscana Rosso with generous aromas of lavender, blackberry, fresh plum, olive, and crushed herbs. The palate is full-bodied and supple, with silky tannins...

The 2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Il Bugiardo displays an inviting mix of blackberries, sage, roses, chalk dust and hints of camphor. This is full-bodied with depths of silky textures and a dense core of...

The 2021 Le Petit Clos is composed of 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak. It features black and red fruit with a distinct floral bouquet, contrasting with the more...

A spiced and savory red with chalky tannins and vibrant fruit character. Smooth and dusty on the dry, medium-bodied palate, with red berry, citrus peel and dried herb nuances. I like the zesty and minerally complexity...

This appealing red shows good focus and fine structure without excessive weight. Flavors of crushed black raspberry, cassis and mountain herbs, plus lots of black pepper, anise and sandalwood accents, expand on the creamy...

The Domaine de Baron'arques demonstrates that Limoux, the region that gave birth to sparkling wine makes a fine Merlot-based wine as well. A velvety wine of plush red and blue, berry fruit aromas accented by clove and...

This wine displays depth and polish, revealing freshness and focus with a core of vivid red and dark fruits layered with wild herbs, violets, spices and hints of cedar and graphite. It’s firm and crunchy yet bright and...

Expressive and detailed, with multilayered red currant and cherry flavors taking on rose petal, dusty sage and black tea accents that build tension toward medium-grained tannins. Merlot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet...

The nose is bright and crunchy with berry aromas of wild cherry, wild strawberry, potting soil, terracotta, orange zest and tea leaf. Sweet strawberries and raspberries headline the palate alongside red plums and more...

The Tenuta San Guido 2023 Guidalberto comes from a challenging vintage, shaped by heat and rain that brought pressure from downy mildew, particularly affecting early-ripening Merlot. Big efforts were made during...

This is full-bodied yet carries a racy edge, with juicy acidity driving licorice and cherry dusted with spices. Chalky mineral notes bring an earthy depth and firmness to the succulent, salty finish, which shows a waft of...

This finely detailed Champagne teases the palate with pinprick-sized bubbles and lightly mouthwatering acidity, a harmonious frame for flavors of patisserie pear and cherry fruit, pickled ginger, almond biscotti and spun...

The 2023 Volpolo di Sapaio, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 15% Petit Verdot, pours a deep purple hue and is immediately appealing, with aromas of blackberry, fresh plum, lavender, and Mediterranean...

A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 21% Malbec, the 2020 Nicolas Catena Zapata is deep garnet-purple in color. It rolls out with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, cassis, and baked plums, leading...

The 2023 Saffredi is an elegant, polished wine. Macerated cherry, mocha, dried herbs, menthol, licorice, blackberry and tobacco fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2023 is not quite as explosive as some recent vintages...

I tasted again the 2019 Terrers, a blend of 57% Xarel·lo, 25% Macabeu, 17% Parellada and 1% Monastrell from close to 60 different vineyards, all organic and biodynamic. It was cropped from a very good vintage, with...

The 2018 Tenuta Degli Dei is dense, juicy and wonderfully inviting. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather. In the glass, the 2018 is intensely aromatic and...

This quinta is in the Rio Torto Valley in the heart of the Port vineyards. The wine is rich, sweet fruited, ripe with jammy blackberries and great perfumes. Open, already drinkable in a fruity way, it is likely to age...

The Masi Serego Alighieri 2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore MontePiazzo (packaged in a heavy glass bottle) is aged in Slavonian oak and cherrywood. The blend of grapes is 70% Covina, 20% Rondinella and 10% Molinara (a...

A beguiling blend of dusty violets, crushed stone, musky black currants and grilled herbs makes the 2020 Estate Cuvée impossible to ignore. Racy yet supple, this soothes with its ripe red and black fruits while also...

Coming from Argentina and based on 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Château Poesia is still youthfully purple-hued and has a gorgeous perfume of blue fruits, leafy tobacco, underbrush, and a hint of...

The 2021 Pedra de Guix blends one-third Pedro Ximenez, one-third Macabeo and one-third Garnatxa Blanca from Priorat. Fermented in concrete with whole clusters, this golden wine presents a vermouth-like aroma with notes of...