A vibrant white, with pleasing buoyancy to the fine frame of acidity as it boosts flavors of Canary melon, white peach, almond blossoms and grated ginger. Sleek and well-meshed on the lingering, saline-laced finish. Drink now through 2029.

The 2023 Valdobbiadene Vigneto Giardino Rive di Colbertaldo Asciutto is delicate yet remarkably pretty, wafting up with a cascade of floral perfumes and hints of sweet spice, peach sorbet and nectarine. It floods the palate with a creamy bead of fine bubbles and ripe orchard fruits, all guided by brilliant acidity as a nuance of candied citrus informs the close. Notes of green apple, melon and a sensation of liquid stone appear as the 2023 finishes with amazing length and complexity. This is fantastic.

A dense, solidly built version, whose core of cherry and raspberry fruit is accented by iron, wild herb and juniper notes. Focused by vibrant acidity and underlined with chalky tannins, this red is long and detailed on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2045.

The 2019 Orleto, 100% Cabernet Franc, is a new wine from Aia Vecchia. Dense and plush to the core, the 2019 is packed with blackberry, gravel, incense, licorice, espresso and sweet spice. There’s plenty of depth, that much is sure. It would be nice to see more varietal expression, as Franc can be magical on the Tuscan coast. In this tasting, the 2019 comes across as a bit hot.

The moment the cork is pulled you know you are in for a ride. Opening with aromas of lemon blossom, lemon peel and lemon curd, you might think this is all the wine has got but you are quickly taken down another path where aromas of hazelnut, roasted apples, magnolia and the first hint of smoke emerge. As the wine hits the palate you are thrust into the vineyard and feel power of the land. Flavors of white peach, mixed citrus, wild herbs and honey lead the way for an explosion of minerality that snaps you back to the glass. This is a wine that will shine against any other in the world. Drink now–2050. 

Complex aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, rose, wild herbs, stony mineral and autumn woods are the hallmarks of this elegant red, which is beginning to reveal all of its facets yet is still structured. Leaves a chalky feel of refined tannins on the long finish. Best from 2026 through 2045.

First released in 1980 and made only the best years, the Sangioveto from Badia a Coltibuono is a Tuscan icon. The delicious 2020 is fantastic, delivering enticing aromas of red fruit, blue flower and spice. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in barriques, only 10% new, the full-bodied, structured palate features succulent black plum, Marasca cherry, licorice and cake spice wrapped up in velvety tannins. Made entirely with Sangiovese, it’s smooth, fresh and enveloping, with weightless concentration and finesse. Drink through 2032.

You could argue that this is the wine with the fasting growing quality trajectory because this vineyard site is one of those rare places in the appellation that appears to improve despite (or more likely because of) a changing climate. Ravera enjoys an open panorama (at 400 to 440 meters in elevation) that extends to the snow-capped Alps and benefits from cooler air currents, coupled with an amazing quality of light that you notice with the naked eye. The 2021 Barolo Ravera saw its fruit harvested later than the other wines, on October 11th, and continued with a classic Vietti-style fermentation with 20-plus days of skin contact. Simply put, what Ravera offers is complexity (and strength) with hints of bergamot, citrus, herbs, mineral and salt over a tightly concentrated mouthfeel. The quality of the tannins and the freshness of this 2021 are impressive, and that citrusy note continues with tangerine skin and kumquat.  Production is 8,700 bottles.