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.

Equal parts fruity and balsamic, this red reveals cherry, cranberry and rose hip notes alongside eucalyptus, juniper and cedar flavors. Taut and well-marked by a line of dusty tannins gracing the finish. Classy and long. Best from 2028 through 2045.

Deep purple in hue, the 2023 Vecchia Modena Nero opens with a bouquet of crushed blackberries, sage and orange sorbet. It’s savory within yet full of energy as vibrant acidity motivates its tart wild berry fruits and violet inner florals toward the close. This leaves chalky mineral tones to linger through the perfumed finale, tapering off with cheek-puckering tension that begs the taster to take another sip.

Out of nearly 3,500 entries, Verità Vodka Italiana was crowned “Best-In-Class.” BEST VODKA! Awarded Double Gold & 97 points.

"Most importantly, this award serves as a testament to our commitment to collaborating with top-tier Italian spirits producers, who are producing some of the best craft spirits on the market today.” - Scott Ades

Intense and almost intoxicating nose of peonies, Parma violets, bright cinnamon, earth, strawberries and touches of blood oranges and chocolate. Full-bodied and full of fruit concentration, it shows dense and velvety tannins and a lot of freshness and lifted acidity in the finish. Leesy, savory aftertaste. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.

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.

The 2020 Brut Alta Langa Oudeis opens in the glass with an herbal tinge that gives way to notes of crushed stone and yellow apples. It possesses an inner sweetness and creamy bead of bubbles contrasted by crisp mineral tones and tart orchard fruits. This displays a lovely balance, finishing fresh with hints of almond custard and zests of lime that fade slowly.

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.