Tasting notes

Vinicola Arno is the brainchild of Micheal and Maria, he originally from Emilia Romagna, she from Portugal's Douro Valley. In 2017 they decided to acquire a vineyard and make their own winery in Mombercelli, a small town between Asti and Nizza Monferrato. Among the vineyards located in Castelnuovo Calcea and Asti, there are also 75-year-old vines that give rise to grape varieties such as Nascetta, Sauvignon and, of course, Barbera. 

It's full steam ahead for this Adro producer. The Franciacorta winery was founded by the late Marcello Monzio Compagnoni (who left us in December, 2021). He was a great lover of metodo classico, drawing on a long winemaking tradition at the family estate in nearby Valcalepio as well. The lineup of Franciacortas presented demonstrates a consistent level of quality across the board. This year our preferences lay with the Dosaggio Zero Blanc de Noir Riserva from the favorable 2012 vintage. It's a complex, multifaceted pinot nero, elegant in its balsamic whiffs, with a very delicate sparkle; aromatically it's clear, focused and precise, the finish accomplished. The Franciacorta Extra Brut '18 is also excellent, tense and spirited on the palate, refreshing in its aromas of citrus peel and mint. The Brut '18 is also worth noting, soft and juicy but endowed with just as much freshness and verve.

In the small firmament of Trentino wines we find stars such as Cesarini Sforza, an authoritative sparkling wine producer now controlled by Cavit, though the new ownership hasn't affected the producer's ability to make decisions autonomously. Their Trentodocs exhibit that undeniable boldness that comes with quality: precise in their craft, convincing during tastings. The winery draws on over half a century of 'in-house' experience and a new commercial girth brought by Cavit. Six versions were submitted for tasting, all charming and singular sparklers. Great performance for the Extra Brut '14: sophisticated and elegant on notes of aniseed, fresh and sapid—a wine of guaranteed elegance. The same tension characterizes the Brut Rosé '15, clear in its highlights, crunchy on the palate, a whirlwind of fruit flavors accompanies a truly long finish. The Aquila Reale also flies high by virtue of its citrus fruit flavors and plenty of dynamism. The others prove more immediate, with the quite creamy and persistent Noir Nature '17 standing out. The rest are best reserved for more carefree occasions.

The largest cooperative in the province today draws on collaborations with almost 600 families. Some 500 hectares are cultivated, from the lower vineyards around Lake Caldaro, at 200 meters elevation, to higher terrain in Pianizza, at 700 meters. Even if schiava makes up the lion's share, the large area covered allows the producer to devote attention to all the province's grapes, each of which is grown in the areas best suited to its cultivation. It's hard to choose the best from a lineup this good. The Lago di Caldaro Quintessenz once again proves to be exemplary of the type, making the most of an excellent 2021 for vibrant notes of medicinal herbs, cherries and spices, sensations that reemerge on a generous, enthralling palate. The Sauvignon Quintessenz '20 stands out for its superb fruity freshness, with notes of medicinal herbs brought fully to light on a racy, supple palate—classic Alto Adige.

The Prosecco Superiore production zone, a bit like Champagne, is mainly in the hands of small producers, while more established wineries often have only a few patches of land. In the case of Armando and Franco Adami, however, in addition to owning some splendid vineyards, the difference is the brothers' deep knowledge of the territory, which allows them to blend the grapes according to the territory of origin, giving rise to a range of sparklers that combine character with an innate pleasantness. There were two exceptions, the Col Credas and Giardino, two single-vineyards from Torri di Credazzo and Colbertaldo (respectively). The former is redolent of white fruit and flowers, revealing a crisp, slender profile that stretches in the mouth in the wake of a sapid, penetrating acidity. The latter captivates with its delicate aromas of fresh fruit and citrus fruits, sensations that reemerge on a broad, sapid palate in which acidity, bubbles and sweetness all blend perfectly.

The Bonomo family's winery is undoubtedly one of the most important in the wine-growing area that unfolds south of Lake Garda, in a territory where the Custoza and Bardolino appellations compete for the best positions. Over the last decade, their commitment in Valpolicella has grown significantly and today the producer manages to cover over 200 hectares of vineyards, allowing for a highly reliable range. Theirs are wines marked by an elegant style that aptly highlights the attributes of the terroirs. The Ca' del Magro '20 is a superb white, thrilling with the breadth of its aromas. Fruit meets flowery notes but leaves space for a subtle mineral nuance in the background. In the mouth its richness is perfectly managed by acidity and sapidity, making for harmony and extraordinary length. The generous, complex and deep Bonomo Sexaginta '18 also stood out, as did the Colombara '17, a mineral-rich and compelling monovarietal garganega.

Castello di Querceto is situated in the Greve in Chianti subzone, in the generally higher part overlooking the border with Arezzo. Here they make Chianti Classico with a vivid profile, as is the case with their two Gran Selezione wines (Querceto's flagship products): La Corte and Picchio. The former, which matures in large oak barrels, is more territorial, thanks in part to a greater presence of sangiovese in the blend. The latter exhibits a more modern style, by virtue of the presence of international varieties and the use of medium and small barrels. The Chianti Classico Gran Selezione La Corte '19 truly hits the mark. Its aromas are airy and refined, passing from small red fruits to a slight spiciness and notes of undergrowth on a light smoky base; in the mouth the wine exhibits a lovely balance and a juicy, fragrant progression led by a nicely-calibrated acidity that plays on fruity echoes. Both the Chianti Classico '20 and the Gran Selezione Il Picchio '19 are well crafted.

Artimino is situated between two appellations: Carmignano and Chianti Montalbano. Owned by the Olmo family for three generations now, it's a place of great beauty adorned by the "Medici Villa with 100 Chimneys" (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Mainly sangiovese is cultivated in Macigno del Chianti's trademark soils, while cabernet is grown where the soils are rich in marly limestone and syrah and merlot are reserved for the deeper, mixed soil types. For some years now the winery has been led by Annabella Pascale and Francesco Spotorno Olmo, who are supported by the enological expertise of Filippo Paoletti. An outstanding performance for the Riserva Grumarello, which even with a vintage as difficult as 2017 finds perfect balance, full of citrus freshness, well-crafted tannins and great complexity. A well-deserved Tre Bicchieri. The Chianti Montalbano once again proves delicious, juicy in its fruit and highly drinkable. A special note for the Barco Reale Ser Biagio '20 with its silky palate, an intriguing, central balsamic stroke and a peppery finish.

Stefano Antonucci's Santa Barbara is in excellent health: they've acquired new vineyards, completed their new, modern headquarters, and optimized the spaces in the cellar so as to work with greater ease. It's all reflected in an increasingly broad and complete range whose wines are characterized by brilliant aromatic profiles and an immediately expressive and pleasant appeal. Furthermore, experimentations haven't stopped: the latest addition is the Moss Blanc, select verdicchio grapes completely fermented and aged in barriques. This year saw the debut of the vintage 2019: it opens on vibrant sensations of citron, vanilla and smoky whiffs followed by a tasty, soft and quite deep palate that's bursting with flavor. The Verdicchio Stefano Antonucci '20 impressed even more—it's a full wine characterized by clear, focused citrus and a first-rate palate. The Tardivo Riserva '20 proves fruity and plush, the Le Vaglie '21 sapid and supple. Among the reds, the Mossone '20, a youthful and full-bodied merlot, stood out, while the Passito Lina '20 seduces with its flavors of orange jam on an alluring palate.

The Barba brothers' farm is one of the largest in Abruzzo: Giovanni, Domenico and Vincenzo are carrying on the work started by their father, Cavalier Luigi, in the 1950s. They tend almost 700 hectares (62 planted with vines), with vineyards situated between Colle Morino, Casal Thaulero and Vignafranca, in the Teramo hills that separate the Adriatic from the Gran Sasso mountain. In the modern cellar in Scerne di Pineto, the mostly native grapes are made into modern-style, but distinctive wines with an impressive varietal character. The two Montepulcianos tasted this year more than convinced. The Yang '20 features sensations of soot alongside crunchy black berries and sweet spices, all on a supple, racy palate whose tannins are never too assertive. Enticing freshness on the finish. The Old Vines '19 is fragrant in its notes of red cherry and blueberry, cinnamon and cocoa bean. On the palate it's substantive, centered in its tannic extraction, elegant and highly pleasant.

Carving centimeter upon centimeter of arable land out of the steep slopes of Furore seems to be the mission that Marisa Cuomo, her husband, Andrea Ferraioli, and their children Dora and Raffaele have set themselves. Supported by dry stone walls, the terraced vineyards (which can only be cultivated by hand, obviously) host the white grapes ripoli, fenile, ginestra, falanghina and biancolella along with reds piedirosso and aglianico. The range expresses the territory through an iodine profile, resulting in supremely charming flavors. As usual, the Fiorduva does the honors, but this year it seems even better than in past versions. Its richness, both aromatic and gustatory, seems to be kept under control in favor of a widespread elegance. Yellow fruit sensations, therefore, prove docile, combining with white pepper, lemon and orange leaves and faintly balsamic nuances. The palate is soft only on the attack, then lemon takes over, accompanying the wine towards a sapid, juicy finish.

The Montanaro family's farm is situated at about 200 meters of elevation in the heart of the Terre delle Gravine Regional Natural Park. Their 100 hectares of estate vineyards, alongside 1500 centuries-old olive trees (some reaching 800 years of age), are planted with typical local grapes, such as primitivo or malvasia, as well as international ones, like merlot or chardonnay. The wines submitted, inclusive of organic certification and screw caps, focus on freshness of fruit and a forthright varietal expression. The truly delicious Ondarosa '21 is one of the best rosés tasted this year. 100% aglianico, it features fruity aromas of cherry and red currant followed by a sapid palate, full of pluck and highly drinkable. The Onda del tempo '19, a blend of primitivo, aglianico, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, proves complex in its aromas of black fruits and Asian spices, juicy on the palate, with nice stuffing and volume. The rest of the range is also well made.

The winery run by Angelo Maci is the star of Salento winegrowing, in terms of both quantity and quality. On 2500 hectares of vineyards worked by 1200 grower members (40% cultivated with the alberello pugliese training system), they grow almost exclusively (about 90%) traditional red grape varieties. Their wide range of wines submitted exhibits a modern style, with technically well-made, Mediterranean wines, where the focus is on pleasantness and rich fruit. The 1943 del Presidente '20, a blend of primitivo and aglianico, unveils notes of aromatic herbs and black fruits on the nose, coming through rich and tight-knit on the palate, with a finish on sweet sensations nicely supported by tannins and acidity. But it's a sumptuous Selvarossa, the Riserva '19, that steals the show. Rich, deep, harmonious and complex, it takes home Tre Bicchieri. And for their 25 years of outstanding work in the territory, Due Palme is our Cooperative of the Year.

The Insalata family have been operating in the world of wine for four generations, even if the winery was only officially founded just over ten years ago. The estate vineyards are situated in Murge, mainly in the Gioia del Colle appellation and Valle d'Itria, but they also also rely on grapes sourced from growers with whom they collaborate year round. The range proposed is unabashedly modern, focused on pleasantness and richness of fruit. The Gioia del Colle Primitivo Fanova '20 offers up hints of ripe black fruits and wood tar adorned by nuances of rhubarb; a rich palate stands out for its stuffing and depth, but finishes pleasant on fresh, fruity sensations. Other well-made wines include the consistent and taut Telamone Nero di Troia '18, with its smoky aromas, hints of black fruit and long finish, and the Fanova Riserva '18, a broad and relaxed drink that plays on sensations of undergrowth.

The winery was founded by architect Giuseppe Muzzillo with his sons Eugenio and Francesca, professors at the University of Naples, respectively of Philosophy and Landscape Architecture. Its production has always been among the most interesting ones in a territory with viticulture potential such as Donnici. Among the recent novelties, longer macerations, and the old barriques replaced by new and larger barrels. Wines have benefited from it since the onset.