Perfumed nose of lavender, plums and currants. Some tobacco. It’s full-bodied, creamy and fruity, with slightly rough, grainy tannins, but remains pure and approachable. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

JAMES SUCKLING TOP 100 ITALY 2025 - #69

Lots of violets, cola and blueberries on the nose, complemented by a clay pot note. Fascinating aromatics. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with polished tannins. A cohesive and complete wine that’s angular and incisive, with subtlety, precision and elegance. Lots of personality in each detail. It needs at least four years to soften. But what a wine.

The 2024 Ciliegiolo is 100% Ciliegiolo presented in a clear, Burgundy-shaped bottle. It’s a fun, juicy red to drink over the warm summer months, ideally with a light chill. Don't look for anything fancy or deep. That said, the 2024 is a delight.

Choices, choices, choices... The Vietti 2021 Barolo Cerequio is another classic from this over-performing estate. This parcel was purchased in 2018 from the Chiarlo family (the Krause family acquired Vietti in 2016), and although the location is La Morra, the site behaves more like Sarmassa in Barolo, creating wines with a firm, tight entry and good structure. You could say that it has a nervous character now in its adolescence, and of course we expect it to smooth out and find harmony with time. Fruit was harvested on September 30th, and the wine sees 27 days of extended skin maceration. Compared to Brunate, which is always darker in character, the Cerequio is lighter and brighter with pretty primary fruit. Production is 4,890 bottles.

Verità is a true all-Italian vodka, distilled from Italian wheat and Alpine Mountain water. Exceptionally smooth and pure, in part due to its unique distillation process, Verità is distilled four times, with the final distillation taking place in an antique, wood-fired bain marie still.

A little more robust and richer on the finish, the Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Gaiun Martinenga offers aromas of cooked cherry and plum. This wine offers a darker fruit profile compared to the others, and it also shows greater structural support. There is a firm, mineral note of iron or rust that should dissolve beautifully as this wine continues its bottle aging. Production is 8,000 bottles.

The NV Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Bosco di Gica entices with a bouquet that’s more savory than sweet. A note of green apple mixes with mint leaf and wet stone hints. It impresses further with its mix of tension and elegance. Brisk acidity and tart orchard fruits contrast its creamy wave of fine bubbles. A saline tinge lingers on along with a Granny Smith resonance that keeps the senses salivating as this finishes with excellent length and freshness. This is a fantastic value.

A polished, spicy wine focused on restrained fruit with a leafy touch and spicy depth. Juicy on the palate, this has a ripe and smooth attack, velvety tannins and a slightly leafy finish. Well-balanced. Drink or hold.