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

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

Castello Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 2012

1962 the First Chianti Classico Cru

Castello Monsanto Aldo Bianchi, a native of San Gimignano, left Tuscany before the Second World War to seek fortune in the North of Italy. In 1960, he came back to the area for a wedding and was enchanted by the view from the terrace of Castello di Monsanto: all the Vald'Elsa with the inimitable backdrop of the Towers of San Gimignano. It was love at first sight which made him buy the property within a few months. But if Aldo was bewitched by the landscape, Fabrizio, his son, immediately fell in love with the wines he found in the cellar. Thanks to a passion for wine handed down to him by his grandmother, who came from Piedmont, and to an innate entrepreneurial spirit, Fabrizio, together with the untiring help of his wife Giuliana, started to plant new vineyards and convert the numerous farmhouses....and an incredible story of love, passion and joy for wine and everything concerned with it, starts from here. In 1962, for the first time within the area of the Chianti Classico Denomination, Fabrizio vinified the grapes from the Il Poggio vineyard: the First Chianti Classico Cruwas born. 2012 marks the 50th  Harvest for Castello Monsanto

Castello Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 2012 Monsanto's 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva 50 Vendemmie is one of the most pedigreed wines of the year. Deep and resonant in the glass, but not at all heavy, the 2012 possesses magnificent complexity to match what I can only describe as a regal expression of Sangiovese. There is a level of purity and nuance to the 2012 that is hard to describe with words but that is very much front and center. Moreover, I can't think of too many wines from any region anywhere in the world that offer this level of quality for the money. Readers will not want to miss this stellar Riserva from Monsanto. Vinous 93 Points Drink: 2017-2032

La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Sangiovese Grosso

La Poderina La Poderina remains one of Montalcino's best kept secrets, perhaps because it gets lost within the umbrella of its parent company, SAI Agricola. At their best, the Poderina wines capture the breadth and generosity that are such signatures of the southern part of Montalcino.

La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 2010 La Poderina's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic wine from this southern edge of Montalcino. Dark red cherry, plum, smoke, spice and leather notes open up in a rich, resonant wine bursting at the seams with personality. The 2010 needs a few years to soften, but it is already striking and absolutely delicious. Vinous 94 Points Drink: 2017-2035