Fattoria del Cerro Rosso di Montepulciano 2013

Fattoria del Cerro Acquired in 1978 by Saiagricola, the Fattoria del Cerro estate was already an established part of the Montepulciano winemaking community and under the Baiocchi family, who founded the estate in 1922.  This long-standing tradition allowed Fattoria del Cerro to play a major role in the renaissance this area experienced with the creation of the DOCG appellations in 1980.  Fattoria del Cerro emerged from this transitional period as one of the foremost producers of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Today, the estate is comprised of 1,485 acres of land.  In addition to olive groves, wooded areas and fields, there are 230 acres of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano vineyards, 90 acres of Rosso di Montepulciano vineyards, 50 acres of Chianti Colli Senesi vineyards and 52 acres of other ­varietal vineyards.  The state-of-the-art winery produces 850,000 bottles of wine every year.

Fattoria del Cerro Rosso di Montepulciano 2013 "A red with plum, chocolate and hints of cedar. Nutty too. Medium to full body. Hazelnut undertones. Savory finish. Excellent value here. Drink Now" 90 POINTS James Suckling James Suckling.com

Fattoria Sardi Colline Lucchesi Vermentino 2015

"My goal is to always make the land that my family for generations have safeguarded more and more sustainable. Hence the decision to offer our consumers the terroir wines produced with organic and certified biodynamic grapes." Matteo Terroir for us means producing wines where the soil, the climate and traditions are recognizable by the consumer. For this reason we need to create a connection between the vineyards and the surrounding environment.  Hence the decision to produce wines respecting the times and harmony of nature.

Fattoria Sardi Colline Lucchesi Vermentino 2015 Certified organic Vermentino grapes. Pale yellow with light green hues. The nose is complex with hints of white flowers, fresh pears, summer peach, and ripe grapefruit. Medium-bodied wine, fresh, with nuances of citrus fruits, summer peach, finishing with an essence of Mediterranean sage & mint and light spice This authentic Vermentino is truly versatile, ideal with appetizers of all styles, seafood, pasta and light meat dishes. The complex flavors in this wine make an excellent complement to spicy fare. Cheers Costas

Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso 2013

Cantina Argiano

At Argiano there is a word that we use more than every other to describe the philosophy that unites us: respect. Respect for nature, which has given us a treasure of inestimable value, towhich we dedicate every care and attention: this is why we apply the most effective and modern working methods, while remembering that every technique has to have the least possible impact on health and on the surrounding environment. Respect for tradition, five centuries of history which have made Argiano great, a wealth of wisdom and experience that we proudly boast today and which we want to protect and hand down to those who succeed us. It is only by respecting nature and tradition in our everyday work that our wine can fully interpret this wonderful land.

Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso 2013   Argiano's 2013 Non Confunditur is Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Sangiovese. The wine opens to a dark ruby color and a rich, velvety appearance. This is a very attractive blended red from Tuscany because it doesn't show the cloying heaviness or dense extraction you get with many of the other protagonists in the super Tuscan category. In fact, No Confunditur is approachable and fresh with a good level of crisp acidity that would pair next to lasagna or pici pasta with wild boar sauce.    91 Points eRobertParker #223

Travaglini Gattinara 2010

La Famiglia Travaglini Gattinara

Travaglini Located in the heart of Gattinara, Travaglini was established in the 1920s by Clemente Travaglini. In 1958 Arturo Travaglini followed in his father's footsteps and took over the helm at the winery. The family's passion and commitment to winemaking has not diminished through the generations; Cinzia Travaglini, great-granddaughter of Clemente, manages day-to-day operations at winery. Her husband Massimo Collauto is the chief winemaker, a role he inherited from his late father-in-law and beloved mentor, Giancarlo Travaglini. Throughout the years, Travaglini has established itself in Gattinara as the most esteemed producer of traditional, limited-production wines from the Nebbiolo grape. Travaglini wines illustrate the full range of expressions Nebbiolo can achieve. "Gattinara DOCG" has great structure and longevity, while "Nebbiolo DOC Coste delleSesia" is young, fruity and easy to drink.   The Bottle An exceptional wine deserves an exceptional bottle. It was with that in mind that in 1958, Giancarlo Travaglini set out to create a bottle that was also a work of art. This special bottle, exclusive to Travaglini, was designed to grace the most prestigious tables in the world. The shape of this bottle naturally catches sediment during pouring, allowing the wine to be served directly from bottle to the glass without decanting. The dark-colored glass prevents light from passing through and impacting the quality of the wine. This elegant bottle was perfectly designed for storage and aging in the cellar.

Travaglini Gattinara 2010   The 2010 Gattinara is a firm, classically austere wine with persistent tannins and a slightly compact personality. It will be interesting to see if the 2010 puts on weight in bottle, or if the tannins soften, as today, the wine is very much shut down. Sweet dried cherries, tobacco, crushed herbs and dried flowers add shades of nuance through the middle and finish. I have seen Travaglini wines blossom with age before, although I don't really see that happening here. 90 Points Vinous

Damilano Barolo Cannubi 1752 Riserva 2008

Damilano  Barolo Cannubi "1752" Reserve started with the harvest of 2008, when the family finally achieved its goal to diversify the Cru. "1752" is the result of the passion and the conviction that its vineyard represents the essence of Cannubi. For this reason the idea of "1752" being a Reserve dates back to its harvesting and the company has waited 7 years to open the first bottle. Its story starts with the family's decision to appraise the historic core of the Cannubi vineyard, located in the northern-central part of the hill. It is a small portion, planted with Nebbiolo vines which are 40-50 years old. The thinning is even harsher here and the yield is of only 4 tons. The grapes from these vines are fermented for 20 days and then stay with the peel for 30 more days.  To follow, the wine is left 60 months in a barrel of 50 hl and finishes off by resting 24 more months is a bottle. The result is only 6000 bottles, presented in fine "vintage" packaging, to highlight the culture, the tradition, and the knowledge of a land that the world envies of the Langhe: Cannubi.

Damilano Barolo Cannubi 1752 Riserva 2008   Shows an amazing amount of dried roses, cedar and subtle fruits on the nose. Full body with fine tannins that touch every part of your palate. It's long and wonderful with such polish and finesse. So right now. This is the first year of Damilano Cannubi Riserva. Only 5,000 bottles made. Phenomenal. This is the greatest wine ever from here. Glorious.. 98 Points James Suckling

La Poderina Rosso di Montalcino 2013

Harvest at La Poderina

La Poderina Winery Founded in 1988, La Poderina is located in the Castelnuovo dell'Abate zone of Montalcino, an area noted for the elegance and balance of its grapes.  The estate resides southeast of ­Montalcino's historic town center and consists of consists of 120 acres. Especialized in the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso, La Poderina has 25 acres of vineyards dedicated to the ­production of Brunello, 11 acres of vineyards dedicated to the production of Rosso di ­Montalcino and 11 acres of vineyards dedicated to the production of Sangiovese.   La Poderina has an integrated philosophy that incorporates innovative techniques in order to further Montalcino's traditional wines.  To this end, La Poderina ages its wines in both French barriques and larger botti, giving the final wines restrained oak notes that still showcase unique characteristics of this region's Sangiovese.  Yield levels arecareful monitored in order to ­cultivate concentrated flavor profiles.  Each vine produces yields far below the guidelines set out by the appellation.

La Poderina Rosso di Montalcino 2013   A striking, captivating wine, the 2013 Rosso DI Montalcino jumps from the glass with cherry compote, rose petals, crushed rocks and mint.  The flavors are bold yet crystalline, with remarkable purity and palpable sense of urgency that is compelling. There is so much to like in this distinguished Rosso from La Poderina. 91 Points Vinous

Famed distiller Fratelli Branca marks its 170th anniversary

Fernet Branca Vintage Poster

Fratelli Branca "Novare serbando" is the leitmotiv that has guided Fratelli Branca throughout its history. And it is not a short history at all. Founded by Bernardino Branca in 1845 in Milan, over 170 years ago, the business has always been controlled by the Branca family, who has worked through the years to make Fernet Branca one of the most famous bitter liqueurs in the world. The company, a pioneer in the creation of a bitter liqueur made from herbs and roots from all over the world, has always based its work on innovation, whilst respecting traditions and quality.

Carpano Antica Formula 1000ML.    Vanilla, prune, candied cherries, orange zest, dates and raisins; Christmas pudding with a bitter-sweetedge; a magnificent product - perhaps the best sweet vermouth in the world.  Certainly makes the best Negroni ever. The Tasting Panel Magazine .

Carpano Dry Vermouth 1000ML.    This classically structure vermouth is crystal clear with a medium-weight, velvety textured body and an enticing bouquet laced with spice, lemon zest and tart green apples. Its aromatics signature alone makes this vermouth an impressive achievement. The entry is initially semisweet and gentle as it's bathes the palate with flavors of succulent pears, tropical fruit and fresh citrus. The lingering finish is fruity and slightly bitter. The Tasting Panel Magazine .

Punt e Mes 750ML    The venerable vermouth brand has a deep, reddish brown color, around, voluptuous body and a wafting bouquet of herbs, anise, cloves, sarsaparilla and zesty orange. It's bittersweet aromas are perfectly intriguing. On the palate, Punt e Mes initially presents the semisweet side of its persona with citrus, red fruit, caramel, vanilla, anise and spice flavors. Its finish is dry, remarkably long and singularly bitter. The Tasting Panel Magazine .

Fernet Branca 750ML    It has a satiny, aloe-enhanced body and a generous bouquet laced with spicy, floral and herbaceous aromas. The cool entry quickly expands filling the mouth with a mélange of flavor, a dry expansive offering. It's a distinct pleasure from start to lingering finish. The Tasting Panel Magazine .