Though not far from Poliziano's Le Caggiole, Asinone offers a more powerful Vino Nobile derived from the denser, clay-rich soils at south and southwest expositions. That dark power is accentuated in the warm 2017 vintage, with plenty of rich black-cherry flavors, layered with notes of licorice and baking spice, a profit that would find a warm welcome in a steakhouse. 

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.

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.

Forget baby Nebbiolo! This assertive wine from Vietti is a stylish Langhe with a sleek nose and bracing palate. Bright ruby in the glass, it has telltale Nebbiolo aromas of rosehip and orange peel. Strawberry fruit is accompanied by firm, polished tannins, crisp acidity, and an amazing rhubarb savouriness that carries the finish. It comes from a selection of grapes grown in both Barolo and Barbaresco, mostly on the classic combination of limestone and clay. The wine is than aged for two years in Slavonian oak casks.

Notes of grilled game and tobacco balance this wine’s rich flavors of baked cherry, molten chocolate and licorice. Dark spices offset those flavors, and lively acidity cools the finish.

THE 25 BEST ROSÉ WINES OF 2021

RANKED #3 Deeply flavorful with excellent concentration, this well-rounded rosé wowed our panel. Essences of licorice, basil, and red fruit make this wine stand out among the pack. Soft and creamy with a subtle dollop of sweetness. The wine is round on the palate, yet it's crisp and refreshing. It smells like honeysuckle and orange blossoms, with an affordable price point, it’s a great bottle to bring to summer gatherings large and small.

There’s incredible mineral presence here, from the nose right through to the finish. A aromatic mix of flint, tufo and wet-stone aromas, as well as heather and floral notes. Then, the palate finally introduces ripe peach and pineapple to this mineral carnival. Full-bodied, super-silky and almost syrupy texture with dense, ripe fruit and light phenolics. The long finish mixes stone-fruit and enough acidity to handle the same, huge bundle of rich, silky minerals. This is a special old-vine selection from the historic, volcanic Monte Foscarino vineyards. Quite unique in the Soave context, and showcasing one of the appellation’s top vineyard sites. Fermentation in a mix of barrel and oak cask. First vintage. Drink or hold.

Bosco di Gica opens with fresh floral scents that lead into flavors of Honeycrisp apple, yellow pear and white peach wrapped in a fine, satiny mousse and just enough sweetness (10 grams per liter) to amplify those juicy fruit tones. It’s an elegant wine and a terrific value, perfect for a high end by-the-glass program.