Minty herbs, wild strawberries and spice waft up from the 2023 Rosato Kómaros. Soothingly round and with a pretty inner sweetness, this builds in zesty tension through a mix of tart orchard fruits and brisk acidity. Chalky minerality defines the finish, as the 2023 tapers off with medium length and is remarkably fresh.

The 2020 Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Colbertaldo Vigneto Giardino Dry is another classic wine from the charismatic Franco Adami. This festive bottle shows aromas of honeysuckle, candied lemon, crushed stone and Golden Delicious apple. Franco writes "Asciutto" in Italian instead of the English "Dry," and there's a lot to read into that. Is this a protest against the fact that the word Dry is confusing to the consumer? Production is 40,200 bottles.

Delicately floral and finessed, the 2020 Soave Classico I Palchi Foscarino Grande Cuvée slowly blossoms in the glass. Coaxing adds volume and depth as hints of lemon oil and white smoke give way to flowery underbrush and sweet spice. This washes across the palate with pure elegance, silky and refined, with an attractive sweetness and juicy acidity that perfectly contrasts its mineral-tinged orchard fruits. Pretty inner florals mingle with a twang of lime and liquid rock as the 2020 finishes remarkably long and perfumed; what a beauty. This vintage of Foscarino Grande Cuvée was matured all in thirty-five-hectoliter casks.

The 2016 Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva is an understated beauty, opening slowly. It entices with a whiff of saw dust and crushed toasted almond, giving way to dried apricot, nectarine and finally a dusting of cocoa. The Riserva flows across the palate more like nectar than wine, with a mix of sweet autumnal spice and peach preserves, all held together perfectly by brisk acidity. The 2016 is amazingly long, balanced and complex, leaving a staining of ground ginger and burnt sugar. Through it all, the mouth is left watering as nearly a minute goes by and hints of brown butter and sweet cinnamon carry on. Simply stated, this is among the absolute best Vin Santos I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

BEST BUY!  This 100% Corvina highlights the beauty and depth of this grape. The wine opens with a balanced mix of dried herbs, savory spices and wild red fruits. The wine is medium in body with tart cherry, bay leaf and tobacco flavors darting in and out on the palate. The wine finishes with a vibrant and refreshing level of acidity, giving it lift at the end of each glass  

A burst of crushed stone minerality combines with lime zest and freshly snipped mint as the 2019 Brut Rosé Oudeis blossoms in the glass. This is sharply focused and chiseled in feel, with savory spices and tart orchard fruits forming a crunchy sensation. The 2019 finishes with a salty flourish and slowly fading young peach notes. The 2019 takes Oudeis to a much spicier and savory place. Also of note is that this is listed as 100% Pinot Noir, whereas past vintages included a 20% dose of Chardonnay.

In the bottle with the white label, the Selvapiana 2020 Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale is nicely balanced with lots of fresh fruit, tart cherry, candied watermelon and crushed rose. The effect is pretty and balanced in this 100% Sangiovese. This is one of the nicest expressions to be found from Chianti Rufina in this vintage. The tannins are dry and powdery over a mid-weight mouthfeel.

A medium red hue, the 2020 Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione offers more complexity and is more nuanced in the glass, with notes of dried raspberries, tangerine, roses, dried herbs, and cedar. Medium-bodied, it is crunchy with an elegant feel but has balanced structure and retains a somewhat more chiseled feel that’s true to the vintage. It has a lot to enjoy now and also has a wide drinking window. Drink 2025-2050.