Spicy, perfumed and loaded with character, the 2019 Sauvignon lifts up with a mix of crushed green apples, geraniums and savory spice. The textures are silky and refined, with a pure display of ripe orchard fruits and zesty citrus that contrasts between sweet and sour. Pretty inner florals, notes of chamomile, kiwi and peach resonate throughout the wonderful long finale.

Best Buy! Roberto Stucchi Prinetti makes this wine with fruit from the estate's vineyards in Gaiole and Castenuova Berardenga, fermenting on naive yeast and aging the wine in a mix of French and Austrian oak casks. It opens with fresh scents of roses and violets evocative of the moderators 2018 growing season. Those appealing aromas lead into flavors of juicy red cherry and raspberry brightened by notes of orange zest. It's an excellent value and a mouthwatering wine for the dinner table. 

The 2019 Rosso is very easy to like with its vibrant display of citrus-tinged sweet wild berries and violets. It’s soft in feel with juicy acids that usher in a balancing mix of tart red and black fruits. Energy remains high as this tapers off spicy with a hint of lime and green apple, which may seem out of place in a Rosso yet works well here. This is a blend of 60% Carignano, 30% Cannonau and 10% Muristellu (Bovale Sardo).

Effusive nose of floral honey and summer meadows with a hint of vanilla. Ripe and open, yet bright and crisp with some positive tannins at the tantalizing finish. And it does all this with just 11.5% alcohol! From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink now.

What a beauty. The Tenuta di Capezzana 2012 Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva (packaged in a 375-milliliter bottle) inches forth from the tiny bottle slowly and ultimately reveals a spectacular color that is orange, copper and almost green at the same time. I tasted bottle number 962 of a precious 4,968 produced. This Vin Santo puts on a real show thanks to its rich viscosity that slides, shifts and glistens in the glass. There are many aromas to describe, and it is hard to do this wine justice given how quickly they shift and change. There is honey, brown sugar, dried herb, forest mushroom, caramel and tilled earth. I even got a hint of rubber boot. This is a work of art and a clear passion project. Assigning a numerical score to an aspirational wine like this somehow misses the point, but here goes nothing.

There’s incredible mineral presence here, from the nose right through to the finish. A aromatic mix of flint, tufo and wet-stone aromas, as well as heather and floral notes. Then, the palate finally introduces ripe peach and pineapple to this mineral carnival. Full-bodied, super-silky and almost syrupy texture with dense, ripe fruit and light phenolics. The long finish mixes stone-fruit and enough acidity to handle the same, huge bundle of rich, silky minerals. This is a special old-vine selection from the historic, volcanic Monte Foscarino vineyards. Quite unique in the Soave context, and showcasing one of the appellation’s top vineyard sites. Fermentation in a mix of barrel and oak cask. First vintage. Drink or hold.

Spicy, fresh and floral, the 2020 Vermentino di Gallura Limizzani lifts up effortlessly from the glass. This perfumed effort displays sour melon, ginger and honeysuckle. It’s silky and pliant, with a noticeable inner sweetness contrasted by salty minerals and tart orchard fruits. The cheeks pucker with residual tension as this tapers off fresh to a hint of tropical citrus.

THE 25 BEST ROSÉ WINES OF 2021

RANKED #3 Deeply flavorful with excellent concentration, this well-rounded rosé wowed our panel. Essences of licorice, basil, and red fruit make this wine stand out among the pack. Soft and creamy with a subtle dollop of sweetness. The wine is round on the palate, yet it's crisp and refreshing. It smells like honeysuckle and orange blossoms, with an affordable price point, it’s a great bottle to bring to summer gatherings large and small.