A very pretty, perfumed, young Etna rosso with plenty of fresh flowers, focus and finesse. Medium-bodied, it has fine tannins and a long, bright finish. Best ever? Drink now or hold.

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.

Showing an especially bold bouquet and rich concentration, the Siro Pacenti 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli is a big expression of Sangiovese by all means, but the wine is also balanced. The intensity is played up with aromas of baked fruit, toasted spice, sweet herb and grilled rosemary, and there is a hint of redwood and cedar or barbecue smoke. To the palate, the wine is very round and fleshed out. It covers all corners of the mouth. This is a big-boned wine with powdery young tannins and a velvety finish. Aging takes place in French barrique, which has always been the stylistic choice favored by this estate. Production is 26,000 bottles.  

This has impressive aromas of blue fruit, earth, red plums and some dried herbs. Firm and chewy, with refined fruit, a precise, racy profile and a chewy finish. Well crafted and sophisticated, with an imposing structure that requires three to five years of cellaring. An outstanding wine.

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.

The moment the cork is pulled you know you are in for a ride. Opening with aromas of lemon blossom, lemon peel and lemon curd, you might think this is all the wine has got but you are quickly taken down another path where aromas of hazelnut, roasted apples, magnolia and the first hint of smoke emerge. As the wine hits the palate you are thrust into the vineyard and feel power of the land. Flavors of white peach, mixed citrus, wild herbs and honey lead the way for an explosion of minerality that snaps you back to the glass. This is a wine that will shine against any other in the world. Drink now–2050. 

Complex aromas of cinnamon, spices, earth and strawberries with a leesy character. The attack is supple, with firm, ripe, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere and dusty on the mid-palate. Full-bodied and powerful but refreshing, with a long, minty aftertaste. Best after two to three years.

Bright with strawberry, cherry, rose, wild rosemary and iron aromas and flavors, this red is expressive but also firmly structured, harmonious and elegant, lingering with a complex aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2028 through 2047. 165 cases made, 25 cases imported.