Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 2006 (Piemonte)

Another terrific wine from Bruno Giacosa. The small area of Roero, located north of Barolo and Barbaresco in Piemonte, was awarded a DOCG denomination just a few years ago. This designation, the highest available in the official Italian system, replaced the DOC that was previously applied to Roero wines. This delightful pure varietal white wine is the product of the indigenous grape of the same name, which was practically extinct until Alfredo Currado of the Vietti estate revived it in the late 1960’s. Giacosa's Roero Arneis is medium-bodied wine with characteristic verdant and floral notes. Made from 100% Arneis, this wine is fermented entirely in stainless steel tanks, and aged for three additional months prior to bottling. In the local dialect, “Arneis” means difficult or stubborn; this grape’s delicate skin makes this one of the toughest varietals to grow in Piedmont. Giacosa's Arneis offers subtle, elegant aromas of apples, pears and peaches. A very refreshing white.

Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto d' Alba 2006 (Piemonte)

A wonderful, affordable introduction to one of Italy’s finest winemakers, Bruno Giacosa’s 2006 Dolcetto shines as an outstanding food-friendly, approachable wine. (Could I have used more comma's? I think not.) The Giacosa family has been making wine in the Langhe region of Piedmont for three generations. Bruno Giacosa credits his winery’s success to his respect for traditional winemaking methods which enhance the characteristics of Piedmont's varietals. The wine is medium-bodied, with well-integrated tannins, lots of fruit and a fresh, smooth finish. Nice, soft use of oak. Sampling a Piedmontese superstars Dolcetto’s and Barbera’s is a great way to enjoy the winemakers skill without spending a $100 and waiting 10 years or more for their Barolo’s and Barbaresco’s to come into their own. (A total of seven comma's for those keeping score.)

Giacomo Conterno Barbera d' Alba Cascina Francia 2004 (Piemonte)

A fantasic Barbera from one of the giants of Piemonte. The estates celebrated traditional winemaking skills are evident in Giacomo's great-grandson Roberto's version of this affordable, "common" wine. A profound example of its varietal and underlying terroir, this Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia is a terrific effort. Its silky aromas meld seamlessly onto the palate, where vibrant layers of dark fruit come to life. As it sits in the glass, licorice, tar, smoke and mineral notes become more prominent, adding further complexity to this velety wine. Long, sweet and pure, its essence grows further with food. Enjoyed with Mario Batali's "Weeds with Sausage". Of course; an Albeisa bottle.

Pio Cesare Barbera d' Alba 2004 (Piemonte)

A straight-forward Barbera from a 4th generation family winery. Pio Cesare, known for their outstanding single vineyard Barolo's, Barbaresco's and Barbera's, don't let their winemaking skills wane with their multi-vineyard varietals. The grapes for their Barbera come from selected vineyards in the villages of Monforte and Castiglione Falletto and from grapes in Pio’s vineyards in the villages of Serralunga and Treiso. Aged for 2 years in French and Slovenian Oak, their Barbera has an intense ruby color with garnet reflections. The nose is full with fresh, ripe fruit, and the finish is long and smooth.

Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2001 (Piemonte)

A wonderful, accessible, and affordable Barolo from Vietti, a 4th generation Piemontese family winemaker. The 2001 Castiglione is made from nebbiolo grapes grown on "both sides" of the Barolo border from vineyards located in Castiglione Falletto, Monfote, Morra, and Novello, thus possessing both a bold richness as well as easy drinkablity at a young age. This brick-hued wine has a powerful bouquet, and a plush, smooth finish. I enjoyed this youthful wine on New Years Eve with Beef with Barolo. Albeisa bottle.

Giuseppe Quintarelli Primofiore 2002 (Veneto)

Known as "the Master of the Veneto," Giuseppe Quintarelli makes some of the world’s most sought-after wines. While waiting to afford one of his classic Amarones, I enjoyed his "Primofiore" here meaning first press, which receives treatment from the fresh Amarone to provide rich flavors of cherry, spices, and oak. This beautiful wine includes all of the varietals Quintarelli grows including: Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, which are partially dried before fermentation, then a touch of lees from the fresh Amarone (or in the case of 2002, his Rosso del Bepi, since in this less than stellar vintage, no Amarone was produced) to add depth, structure and body. This contemplative wine is fresh and vibrant, with outstanding violet and floral aromas, and showcases Quintarelli's great skill. Wonderful.

Giuseppe Mascarello Scudetto Barbera 2003 (Piemonte)

The estate of Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio has a long and illustrious history in Piemonte, dating back to the mid 1800's. This traditionally-styled winery is now run by Mauro Mascarello, who is the fourth generation of the family to head the domaine. The Scudetto Vineyard is located in Perno, in the hamlet of Monforte d'Alba, and has been owned by the Mascarello family since 1991. This value-priced barbera exhibits a good, full red-ruby color. Its complex nose smolders of crushed blackberry and spices, while its bright acidity finishes with a firm spine and noteworthy tang. Houston, we don't have a problem. Albeisa bottle. The wine was opened and enjoyed with sausage and mushroom pizza one day, and finished with fettucine alfredo the next.

Gaja Sito Moresco 2004 (Piemonte)

A fine "Super-Piedmont" blend of 35% Nebbiolo, 35% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Italian master Angelo Gaja. The wine is named after the former owner of the vineyard, a 25 acre plot in Barbaresco. The wine has a beautiful nose and a fruity, elegant taste. The wine exhibits good balance in the mouth and a fresh dark berry fruit finish with very fine, silky tannins. I enjoyed this wine on Christmas Eve with a delicious beef tenderloin with a parsley pesto crust.

Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2005 (Sicilia)

From the Dispensa vinyards, located in the town of Menfi in eastern Sicily, Planeta's La Segreta Bianco is a blend of 50% Grecanico, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Viognier, and 10% Fiano. The wine is straw yellow in color with light greenish hue. Touched only by stainless steel, it has a broad, fresh and lively bouquet. Its nose has a slight mineral scent followed by classic amomas of green citrus fruits, lime and peach. The wine exhibits a good balance between acidity, suppleness and fullness. Smooth, clean finish. An inexpensive delight.

Castelcosa Cuvee Tai di Castelcosa 2005 (Friuli)

A delicious Tocai blend from Castelcosa, whose estate is located in the small village of Cosa, in the geographical center of Friuli. The Cuvée Tai di Castelcosa, a fragrant white wine of remarkable character, is their “flagship” wine. In the Friulano language, tai is the word for “wine glass” but also for “cuvée,” or the final blend of a fine wine. Tai's blend reflects the changing character of each vintage year, but it always contain Tocai Friulano. An intense straw-yellow, Tai offers a rich nose with green pepper and ripe peach, along with hints of rose. It has a crisp-edged, full-bodied richness in the mouth, and finishes with an attractive hint of bitter-almond. Each component wine is vinified individually in stainless steel, and is then blended the following spring. A wonderful white.