The NV Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Bosco di Gica punches well above its price point, boasting an intensely smoky and mineral expression on the nose that pulls you close to the glass. Beneath, I’m finding notes of pear and sweet herbal tones. It’s soothing and creamy yet balanced by brisk acids, as ripe orchard fruits satiate the senses, leaving a salty twang that resonates through the finale. Wow. This is a pleasure to taste. This was bottled in September of 2020.

A release of 8,760 bottles, the Vietti 2017 Barolo Lazzarito draws its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba and reveals a luminous garnet color. Compared to some of the others in this portfolio, the wine takes a little longer to open and express itself. It does, however, unfold to dark cherry, redcurrant, grilled herb, iron ore and candied orange peel. You need to give your glass a few extra vigorous swirls. Those rusty mineral notes build in intensity and drive the wine's medium-long finish.

What a beauty. The Tenuta di Capezzana 2012 Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva (packaged in a 375-milliliter bottle) inches forth from the tiny bottle slowly and ultimately reveals a spectacular color that is orange, copper and almost green at the same time. I tasted bottle number 962 of a precious 4,968 produced. This Vin Santo puts on a real show thanks to its rich viscosity that slides, shifts and glistens in the glass. There are many aromas to describe, and it is hard to do this wine justice given how quickly they shift and change. There is honey, brown sugar, dried herb, forest mushroom, caramel and tilled earth. I even got a hint of rubber boot. This is a work of art and a clear passion project. Assigning a numerical score to an aspirational wine like this somehow misses the point, but here goes nothing.

The 2019 Cannonau di Sardegna Naracu is incredibly pretty and perfumed, aromas of crushed stone giving way to violet pastille, blueberries and a dusting of confectioner’s spice. It’s silky and round, leading off with depths of ripe blackberry fruit, yet gaining in tension as a coating of minerals and fine tannin collects toward the close. This tapers off youthfully structured with echoes of licorice and lavender lingering long. The Naracu is so pretty and an excellent value as well.

The 2018 Vermentino di Gallura Superiore Sciala pulls you close with a bouquet that mixes ripe apple and pear with earthy minerals and hints of savory spice. It’s deeply textural yet spry, contrasting zesty acids and citrus notes with ripe orchard fruits. This is wonderfully balanced yet youthfully dense as it slowly melts away from the senses, leaving a coating of crunchy saline-minerality.

This is one of my sweetheart wines from Montalcino. The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova offers a long list of aromas on an ever-shifting and fluid bouquet. You get bright cherry, rose potpourri, black truffle, caramel, butterscotch, sandalwood, road pavement and chalky mineral. In fact, each time I come back to this wine, that mineral element seemed to grow in intensity and scope. The wine offers a grounded fruit side that is contrasted nicely against a grounded oak component. The mouthfeel is creamy and long, and the wine shows terrific tannic integration. When you come back hours later, you might find black olive, bresaola and licorice.

The 2020 Rosato Negroamaro Primerose lifts up with a delightfully spicy and perfumed bouquet. Rich textural depths are nicely offset by a mix of brisk acids, young strawberry fruits and chalky mineral tones. Inner rose blends with peach herbal tea as the Primerose finishes with refreshing persistence. If you’ve never experienced a Negroamaro Rose, this would be a great place to start.

The 2019 Rosso is very easy to like with its vibrant display of citrus-tinged sweet wild berries and violets. It’s soft in feel with juicy acids that usher in a balancing mix of tart red and black fruits. Energy remains high as this tapers off spicy with a hint of lime and green apple, which may seem out of place in a Rosso yet works well here. This is a blend of 60% Carignano, 30% Cannonau and 10% Muristellu (Bovale Sardo).