TOO cold

N: Closed; Minerals, poss with undertones of lemons?

P: LM body; RNDISH, crish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by tangy acidity which transitions into a LONG, VERY slightly bitterish finish with notes of swtness. For now & probably through '19. 12%; My VG-/VG. [This vendor's $10.99 is likely VERY competitive!]

WAY too cold :( 12% ABV

N: Closed; Minerals with pears, poss flowers

P: LM, poss Med, body; VERY RNDISH entry with minimal, almost swtish "frt", acidity trying to balance. The finish is LONG, bitter, with OCCASIONAL hints of raisins. My guess: tired. :( [This vendor's $6.99 is $1 < anyone else on wine-searcher.]

TOO cold

N: Closed; Apples with notes of minerals & undertones of flowers

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by ALMOST puckerish astringency which definitely carries the mail into & through the LONG, bitterish finish with OCCASIONAL *hints* of swtness. MIGHT just need more time, though I doubt THAT will beat back the bitterness. 13% ABV. [This vendor's $12.99 is $4 < the only currently listed wine-searcher entry.]

WAY too cold

Typically, 100% Barbera fermented in s/s tanks, then aged in s/s tanks on the fine lees for 3 mos.

N: Closed; Earth, forest floor (verging upon barnyrd?)

P: LM body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt deftly balanced by an acidity that call the shots into & through the LONG, tangy/swt (75:25) finish with slight bitterness that, IMO, brings it down a bit. MIGHT improve (?) through '18, then drink through '20. 12.5% ABV; My VG/VG+ (the latter assuming it improves). [I didn't find other listings with which to compare this vendor's $14.99.]

N: Creamy vanilla with notes of cherries, poss spice

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by SOME puckerish astringency which pretty much maintains into & through a least the early part of the LONG, ult bitterSWT (35:65) choc finish with occasional notes of spice. Nicely done for now & probably through '20, + may improve a tad through the rest of '18. 13.5% ABV; My VG+, certainly EXC- *if* one is dialed into the QPR of this vendor's $7.99, which is as good as any of wine-searcher's currently limited entries.

Typically, Montepulciano 85% & Sangiovese 15% grown in limestone & clay/marl soils. "Traditional wine making with long maceration @ controlled temperature. Aged 6 mos in concrete tanks blended with 20% of FR barriques followed by 2 mos in bottle."

N: Meat-like aromas atop vanilla?

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with nice, almost swtish frt met by some dustily tannic astringency which only somewhat mitigates by the LONG, VERY slightly bitter finish with notes of swtness to the dusty tannins. For now with food, but deserves another 9-15 mos, then drinking for the ff 2-3 yrs. 14% ABV; My VG+, poss higher later? [This vendor's $9.99 is $2 < wine-searcher's only current U.S. listing.]

Typically, 85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, & 5% Colorino grown @ 250 m above sea level in soils that are a "medium mixture with remarkable skeleton presence." Aged "up to 3 mos, a part in Slavonian oak barrels, & a part in FR oak barriques," then aged up to 3 mos in bottle before release.

N: Interesting melding of forest floor with cherries, poss some smoke?

P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with nice frt met by puckerish astringency which defines the wine into & through the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitter, puckerish finish with the BAREST *hint* of swtness? MIGHT improve through Summer '19? Otherwise, STRICTLY a food wine for lovers of high acidity... only. 13.5% ABV; My VG, but *clearly* with potential for the "right" palate &/or IF cellaring proves beneficial. [This vendor's $12.99 is $2 < the lesser of wine-searcher's 2 current listings.]

"The name of this wine is an Italian version of the Latin name 'Montalcino,' meaning 'hill of the holm oaks.'" 100% Sangiovese from 15 yr old vines grown in oceanic sedimentary soils; "5,400 vines per hectare; Yield: 9 metric tons/hectare; 1 year of élevage in 30-hectoliter oak botti."

N: Slightly closed; Earth/minerals atop cherries

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE frt met by a puckerish astringency (yet without losing sight of the initial frt) which slowly transitions into a LONG, decently balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins with OCCASIONAL notes of bitterness that ADD to the experience. Reminiscent of a Cru Beaujolais, at least with respect to texture? For now & POSS into '21, + I can see it improving into EARLY Spring '19. 14% ABV; Solidly my VG+, probably EXC-. [This vendor's $19.99 is $7 < buying it directly from Kermit Lynch.]

92% Sangiovese, 8% Malvasia Nera and Colorino (vines 12-30 yrs old) from 50 different estate parcels with Alberese & Galestro (limestone) soils @ 722 - 1,804 ft above sea level; Fermented @ 26-28° C for 15-18 days, then aged 20 mos in small FR oak barrels (225 & 500 lt / 60% new); Bottled June 2016, released March 2017.

N: LM body; LOVELY frt met by a puckerish astringency that NEVER loses touch with the initial frt as it slowly, SEAMLESSLY morphs into a very LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL notes of bitterness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Needs/DESERVES through '19, then EASILY making its 10th & _ more. SUPERBLY done! 13.7% ABV; My EXC. 95 pts, Platinum, & Best Red Chianti @ '17 Decanter World Wine Awards, 95 pts WS, 94 WA, 92 Suckling, 91 ea Falstaff Magazine, WE, Vinous, & ErGentili, and 90 Luca Gardini! [This vendor's $39.99 is (uncharacteristically) in the bottom half of some fairly wide-ranging wine-searcher listings.]

Typically, "80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta & Croatina produced from the best grapes of the Costalunga estate, in S. Ambrogio. The grapes, after harvesting and careful selection, are left to rest in the fruit stand for a period ranging from 3-4 mos in crates, taking care of the spacing between bunches and bunches to favor the correct & best drying. The dried grapes are then crushed & macerated on the skins for 15-20 days at a temperature of 23-25​​° C. The new wine is aged in oak barrels for a minimum period of 36 mos." 12.500 cs made

N: CLOSED; Ripe, yet bright cherries? Some smoke? Intensity lurking?

P: MF, poss Full, body; Very RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (with a hint of blk olives?) firmed by a tangy astringency, the acidity of which drives the wine into & through the LONG, deftly balanced, dare I say elegant (?) finish with tangy/swtness & but the BAREST *hint* of bitterness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '20. 16.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC, certainly the higher (or more) IF one is into what (at least for me) is an atypically ELEGANT Amarone! 93 pts WS & 92+ Vinous. [This vendor's $47.99 puts it in the top 10% of a LARGE wine-searcher field!]