Notes of candied dark berries, chocolate, toasted spices and burnt orange peel. Full-bodied and intense with a toasty, chocolaty character. The succulent fruit is carried on a bed of broad but soft tannins. Lingering finish. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Rosato Madamarosè is pungently spicy yet fresh, showing wild strawberries offset by mint leaf and crushed rocks. It’s silky in feel with a wonderful contrast of sour citrus and zesty acids against ripe orchard fruits. This lingers long, leaving the palate stained in concentration, as a salty flourish slowly fades. This 100% Syrah Rosato from Sicily keeps the energy high, and me, coming back to the glass for more.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Krafuss, from a vineyard in the hills above San Michele Appiano, is impossible to ignore, with a whiff of smokey crushed stone and flowery underbrush giving way to depths of wild strawberry and shaved cedar. It’s a model of purity, seamlessly silky and lifted, with white pepper-tinged red berries and mineral underpinnings that add a distinctly savory profile toward the close. The 2019 finishes long and spicy, also lightly tannic, yet with sour citrus nuances that keep me looking back to the glass for more. Some cellaring will be required to allow all of the components here to sing in unison. What a gorgeous rendition of Krafuss.

A very pure and beautiful red with cherry and strawberry. Subtle spice, such as nutmeg and cedar. Orange peel, too. Medium to full body. Firm, silky tannins melt nicely into the wine. Fresh and clean finish. A little tight at the end. A beautiful single-vineyard Chianti Rufina with structure. Drinkable now, but better after 2023, when it will have softened a little.

TOP 50 WINES OF 2022  #3 

Psst, here’s a secret. Friuli has some of the most expressive Sauvignon Blanc on the planet. The northeastern Italian DOC of Collio Goriziano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia has historically been known for Pinot Grigios and Friulanos (also known as Sauvignon Vert), but it has more recently received overdue recognition for its stellar Sauvignon Blanc wines. One sip of Russiz Superiore’s Sauvignon Collio, and you’ll understand why. Its earthy, slightly savory palate offers a nice alternative to the New Zealand-style, pyrazine-forward Savvy B Americans are familiar with, offering highly concentrated notes of bright tomato and aromatic basil. With a mineral-rich texture, it’s the perfect match for a caprese salad with lots of flaky sea salt. The palate is a study in balance with excellent acidity and just the right grip.

The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is stunning. What a wine. Rich, heady and explosive, the 2019 is a gorgeous, spherical Barolo that dazzles right out of the gate. Aromatically broad and expansive, the 2019 fleshes out beautifully in the glass. Bright red-toned fruit, orange zest, mint, spice and bright saline notes saturate the palate on the back end. The 2019 is a total stunner, even in this stage of youthful austerity. It comes across as a bit rustic compared to the 2018, but the final verdict on that won't be evident for at least a number of years. This is the first vintage that includes a second parcel in Monvigliero. In the cellar, one lot saw submerged cap maceration, the other did not.

Grown via the historic pergola method this unique vineyard produces a Soave with aromas of fleshy yellow peach, jasmine, white tea and crushed stones. The palate is structured and built to age with flavors of tart green apple, citrus and a mineral edge on the finish. Drink now-2035.

A racy red, with high-pitched aromas of tart cherry and rose hip signaling the bracing acidity. Intense, picking up wild herbs, mineral, leather and a smoky note on the palate. Shows excellent balance and length. Best from 2025 through 2042.