Airy and crisply refreshing, the 2016 Zero wafts up with a bouquet of sweet smoke and pretty pear and sour melon nuances. It's elegant and soothing on the palate, with a burst of minerality up front that slowly gives way to green apple contrasting with candied ginger. Residual acids cleanse the senses while forcing them to water as this finishes long and nearly salty in character. The Zero does an excellent job of impressing with its savory character while urging the taster back to the glass for more. Well done.

Starting with the 2019 vintage, Vietti's Barolos and Barberas are all certified organic. The 2019 Barbera d'Asti La Crena (with 10,000 bottles made) is a darkly concentrated wine with abundant black fruit and dark spice. Fruit for La Crena comes from the heart of the Nizza region that is dedicated to the Barbera grape. In this case, old vines were planted between 1932 and 1935. The results are aged in both barrique and botte, and the wine is syrupy thick and powerful (with 15% alcohol) on the close.

The 2021 Barbera d'Alba Vigna Scarrone is dense, plush and explosive. A rush of dark red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, licorice, spice, rose petal and a kick of French oak all build in the glass. Potent and quite deep, the Scarrone is another lights-out Barbera from Vietti. In recent years, the Scarrone has come along very well. Then again, these vines were planted in 1989, so they are no longer ‘young', just younger than the Vigna Vecchia, where the oldest vines date to 1918.

Powerful and polished, the 2019 is another excellent Ghiaie della Furba.  With the same blend as the 2016, Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Syrah (35%) and Merlot, this youthful dynamo displays haunting peppery accents that balance the deep, plum-like black fruit nuances.  Finely honed firm tannins add to its appeal and impart balancing structure without astringency.  Fresh and lively, it has a graceful and persistent finish.  

If you are looking for a testament to vodka's global appeal, look no further. Verità Vodka is an Italian vodka crafted in the heart of the Italian Alps from 100% Italian wheat and mountain spring water. Made by an Italian family with a long history of distilling grappa, aperitive, and digestives, it undergoes a triple distillation to create a smooth sipper. Ideal on the rocks or straight, it perfectly spotlights the delicate beauty that a well-crafted vodka can deliver.

This Alta Langa opens with a mix of lemon and orange peel mixed with baked apples, yellow flowers and pastry dough. The palate is round with a vinous note highlighting the Pinot Noir character, giving cherry and flowers and finishing with a mineral edge.

A tense and mineral expression here with fine spices and pure red berries. This is transparent and understated on the palate with crumbled fine tannins that linger with the minerals and berries in a long, intense finish. Drink now.

Bricks and Bing cherries and an almost ethereal aroma of orange blossom on top of crushed rock and graphite are on the nose, with more savory notes of leather and spice developing on the palate, emphasized by the austerity of chalky tannins.