Smoky and slightly reduced, this shows licorice, strawberries and cherries. The fruit character is brilliant on the palate with juicy acidity and firm yet ripe tannins, medium body and a good, tight finish. Drink now.

Holy crap! Mixed berry compote nose, emphasis on raspberry. Wildly expressive already. From southwest facing vines in a specific block. Firm but forgiving, with all you can ask of Nebbiolo. If I stopped right at this point in the tasting, I’d still be tasting the finish of this wine in an hour. Crazy!

Made with fruit from the estate's oldest vines and aged in French barrique, the Siro Pacenti 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne has a spicy note with cardamom or cinnamon over a bold bouquet that is darkly enriched with all kinds of black and purple fruits. You get a hint of eucalyptus or rosemary that underlines a medicinal side to this wine. To the palate, this vintage is slightly more accessible for sure, but the house style prizes concentration and bold tannic structure that will give you runway for aging. There is a hint of dustiness or chalkiness on the tannins. This is a 16,000-bottle release.

Top notes of rose, strawberry and cherry are underscored by earth, menthol, iron and tobacco flavors in this elegant yet intense red. Fluid, with a texture that borders on viscous and excellent definition on the long, complex finish. Best from 2027 through 2045.

I spent a good amount of time huddled over this fantastic bottle over the course of a few days. This is another masterpiece in a long line of masterpieces from the Villero site in Castiglione Falletto that is definitely a personal MGA favorite. The Vietti 2016 Barolo Riserva Villero can be summed up in a single word: seamless. You immediately recognize the strong personalized style of the wine despite the Vietti ownership changes, although in truth this vintage was still under the guide of Luca and Elena Penna-Currado because the estate was sold in July 2016 and they stayed on to make wines for a few more years to follow. The smoothness of the wine represents a continuum across various chapters of dark fruit, roasted chestnut, iron ore, blood orange, aniseed and white truffle. It does not have the weightlessness of some of today's top Barolo; in fact, quite the opposite: this is a wine of depth, full-bodied texture and smooth transitions. Production is exactly 5,146 bottles, 330 magnums and 15 double magnums.

Complex aromas of cinnamon, spices, earth and strawberries with a leesy character. The attack is supple, with firm, ripe, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere and dusty on the mid-palate. Full-bodied and powerful but refreshing, with a long, minty aftertaste. Best after two to three years.

A playful fusion of sweet watermelon candy, tangy pickled rind, and lush raspberries greets the senses.  The palate bursts with juicy raspberries, invigorating the taste buds with each sip. The lively acidity and delicate tannins provide a refreshing backbone, leading to a zippy, energetic finish.

Made with equal amounts of nine organically farmed native grape varieties (Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Pugnitello, Mammolo, Sanforte, Colorino and Sangiovese), the delicious 2019 Montebello delivers great fruit flavors of ripe plum and black cherry accented with notes of dark spice, grilled rosemary, camphor, juniper and a dollop of vanilla. Each grape is fermented and aged separately for two years in barriques before the assembled wine is aged for six months in large casks, resulting in a full-bodied, savory wine with taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2025–2034.