Focused and intense, this red reveals cherry, strawberry, orange peel, earth, iron and eucalyptus flavors. This firm, lean version persists with salty, savory notes on the sinewy finish. Drink now through 2033. 300 cases made, 120 cases imported.

BEST BUY.  The nose is simultaneously weighty, fresh and elegant, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate, along with undertones of orange peel and stone. All of those notes reappear on a palate which is bitter, but friendly, as acid soars overhead.

JAMES SUCKLING TOP 100 ITALY 2025 - #13

This is an excellent Vin Santo with stunning, vibrant complexity and freshness. The nose shows lifted aromas of prunes, apricots and dates, dried figs and nuts, orange marmalade and a whiff of celery. Full-bodied and dense, oily and mellow, balanced by zesty acidity that keeps the palate polished and drives the very long and bright hazelnut finish. Drink or hold.

The dusty and floral 2023 Susumaniello Askos offers a refined bouquet of crushed blackberries, incense and exotic spice. Silky and round, its core of tactile minerals adds form toward the close. The 2023 finishes structured and long, leaving a coating of fine tannins and a lingering resonance of polished wild berry fruit. This could use some time in the cellar to come fully into focus, but it shows the complexity that Susumaniello can deliver.

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.

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 2010 Alta Langa Riserva Zero 140 Pas Dosé is airy and fresh with a bouquet of white flowers, crushed almonds, incense and vanilla-laced peaches. It’s elegant in feel, with a silken wave of fine bubbles and ripe orchard fruits that swirl across a stream of brilliant acidity. The 2010 remains remarkably fresh despite its age, leaving hints of tropical citrus and sweet inner florals to linger over a saline mineral saturation. Wow.

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.