Savory earth, cedar and pencil shavings accent a juicy midpalate of black cherry, mocha and black current, with supple, silky tannins wrapping around the palate and adding structure.

Deep garnet-purple in color with scents of plum pudding, spice cake and fresh figs with baked black currants, blackberry pie and tilled soil plus a hint of dried sage. The palate is full-bodied, firm and grainy with well played freshness and a mineral edge to the finish.

This packs in serious juicy plum, blackberry and black currant paste flavors, laced with lively sassafras and sage notes. A singed wood spice accent adds texture and range to the finish. A touch of cellaring will allow this to unwind fully.

A hearty, iron-rich and red-fruited estate wine from the high-elevation mountain, delivers this wine with bold, beautiful layers of complex flavor and texture. Dusty, crushed rock components add to its earthy core. Virginie

Graphite, plum, smoke, crushed rocks, menthol and licorice meld together in a Cabernet that deftly balances super-ripe fruit with layers of Diamond Mountain savoriness. I especially like the energy here... It is a beguiling Cabernet to enjoy over the next 10-15 years, maybe more.

Sweet berry, cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with round tannins and a juicy finish. Nice purity throughout.

Glistening ruby-red. Highly perfumed aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, candied lavender and exotic spices are complemented by a smoky mineral overtone. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors that slowly put on weight and turn spicier through the midpalate. The floral and mineral qualities repeat emphatically on the gently tannic finish, which clings with serious tenacity and persistent spiciness.

Vivid ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of red and dark berry liqueur, cherry cola, pipe tobacco, toasty oak and vanilla, along with a building floral topnote. Smooth, broad, appealingly sweet black currant, cherry-vanilla and spicecakeflavors show outstanding depth and energy; a vibrant mineral note drives the midpalate. The mineral and floral notes resonate on a strikingly long, chewy, focused finish that features fine-grained tannins and intense dark fruit character.

Inky ruby. Assertive, mineral- and spice-accented cherry and cassis scents are complemented by hints of cedary oak, succulent herbs and candied flowers. Concentrated bitter cherry, dark berry and chewing tobacco flavors are sweetened by hints of mocha and vanilla that build in the background. Shows very good depth as well as energy and finishes long and smooth, with fine-grained tannins adding shape and final grip.

Glass-staining violet. A pungent, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh cherry, boysenberry and licorice, along with a suave floral overtone and a hint of smokiness. Sappy and expansive on the palate, offering intense red and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors and an emerging exotic spice note. The impressively long, mineral- and floral-tinged finish is shaped by finegrained tannins that slowly fade away.

Glistening ruby. Spice-and mineral-accented blueberry and cherry on the expansive nose; licorice and floral qualities emerge with aeration. Shows very good depth as well as energy, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors that take a sweeter turn on the back half. The mineral note comes back strong on a long, penetrating finish that features chewy tannins and lingering floral and spice cake notes.

Limpid gold. Vibrant, mineral-and oak-tinged citrus and orchard fruit aromas take on a floral nuance with air. Powerful yet lithe in the mouth, offering juicy pear, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle flavors that show a touch of smokiness. Finishes very long and chewy, with a resonating mineral note and firm, spicy cut.

Pale yellow. Fresh Meyer lemon, pear nectar and toasted brioche on the deeply perfumed, mineral-tinged nose. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed citrus and orchard fruit and sweet butter flavors plus an exotic touch of mango. Shows sharp clarity and mineral cut on the persistent finish, which features a building floral quality and a hint of tarragon.

Dark violet. Aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry pit, licorice candy and smoky minerals; a floral overtone builds with air. Juicy and penetrating in the mouth, offering concentrated bitter cherry and blackberry flavors and hints of licorice and candied violet. Shows fine definition and power on the impressively long finish, which is framed by slow-mounting tannins

This is a delightfully open and accessible value red that could pair with a simple chicken dinner. From an organic farm, the Volpaia 2018 Chianti Classico is a smooth, silky and fruit-driven expression that delivers on the basic promises of elegance and freshness that are associated specifically with Sangiovese from Radda in Chianti.

A real beauty, the 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Coltassala (made with organic fruit) shows medium-rich textural fiber with plenty of dark fruit, cherry, spice and leather. The important thing to mention here is how light and elegantly fragrant this wine remains despite the considerable heat and dryness of the growing season. In fact, all those fruit tones emerge with terrific purity and focus, backed by acidity and integrated structure, that invite an evening-long sampling with some medium-aged pecorino.

If you have a platter of fatty porchetta and are looking for a worthy Tuscan wine for that party, look no further. Packaged in a black label, the Volpaia 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia (made with organic fruit) does a great job of showing purity and freshness in what was a challenging vintage for sure. This Riserva reveals delineated tones of cherry and dark berry with crushed limestone, blue flowers and some of the wild herbs and bramble that I often recognize in wines from this corner of Tuscany. I happily recommend it to all Sangiovese enthusiasts.

The Volpaia 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Casanova Il Puro is profound, mature and ready to drink. It is made with organic fruit and packaged with lengths of twine that are affixed to the front of the bottle with an elegant red wax seal. From a classic vintage, this wine opens to evolved and spicy aromas of dried fruit, prune, leather and dark licorice root. The presentation is more oxidative that I would expect for a 2016, but yet the wine is open and ready to drink.

Quite toasty and full-bodied, with yeast roll, lemon verbena, fresh ginger and baked Asian pear flavors

This elegant Prosecco is lightly mouthwatering, offering a fine, lively mousse, with a pretty range of baked melon, candied ginger and almond biscotti flavors, backed by citrus peel acidity.