More dark and brooding that I was expecting. Very much of the earth, with almost a volcanic soil element present, along with tar and pine needles. Good but perhaps an acquired taste.

My WOTN at Thanksgiving 2021. Rich and concentrated, fruity but not juicy, and smoother than your average zin. Flavors of blackberry and black raspberry with a sophisticated herbal layer on top.

This wine was smoking on open, really delicious with sweet cherry and spice. Over time it picked up more complex but subtle notes of tea leaves and sweet thyme. Another crowd favorite at Thanksgiving dinner.

A very interesting wine, with an amaro-like bitterness woven into the pinot noir red fruit. Like a great wine should, it evolves in the glass, changing from a lithe, sparkly pinot into something more brooding and sophisticated. That all being said, I might prefer a more straightforward expression of pinot.

Round and elegant. Cassis flavors melded with Mediterranean elements of olive and mushroom. Another smooth wine that paired well with turkey and fixings on Thanksgiving.

A bit of a polarizing wine since even after a lengthy decant it was still tough as nails with chalky tannins and ungiving fruit. But some of my guests loved it because it showed Bordeaux character and seriousness - cassis, iron ore, pencil shavings.

Delightful and sophisticated with interesting citrus and floral aromas and flavors of bitter lemon pith,orange peel, coriander.

Balanced with an elegant style, but didn't stand up too well to barolos and other hefty wines. Blackberry, currants and cedar characteristics for a wine that probably was uncorked a bit too soon. Hold and see.

Ripe plum and fruitcake aromas and flavors make for a nice Christmas wine. Good acidity in a fresh, lively and assertive Italian blend. These Tuscan wines are always winners with wine party guests.

A real knockout that offers something for all tasters. A ripe blueberry and violet bouquet impresses right off the bat along with the deep purple-ruby, brooding color. The palate is both delicious and glycerine smooth with more notes of ripe blueberry, along with crushed berry and spice cake. Balanced and not boozy although the ABV was probably on the high end. A favorite for just about every guest.

Didn't impress me as much as the 2010 Massolino we drank on Christmas Eve but maybe I like simpler village wines. Dark and structured, with dusty tannins and scents of balsamic, cherry and forest berries and a savory palate of cherry and baking spice.

Probably too young, but I had my hopes up for this after dipping into some outstanding 2018 Bourgogne Rouge in the past year. Black cherry flavors with notes of violet and tea and still chalky tannins, but overall it never really opened up for us.

This has not been a happy holiday season for me and Bordeaux and this was yet another bottle that seemed a tad closed or weathered or erring too far on the side of austerity. Savory, briary with chalk notes. Didn't open up too much in the decanter either.

A Christmas Eve treat, with pure berry flavors along with notes of sweet baking spices and brioche. Balanced with sophisticated tannins, firm acidity and a harmonious finish.

Refined and smooth, with velvety tannins, but also a succulent palate of wild strawberry and spice. An elegant nose of sandalwood and tobacco invites you to keep sipping away. Seems to be in a perfect drinking window and very impressive for an entry-level wine. Served alongside a brunello on Christmas Eve. Both of the B's performed well.

Ripe (and sweetish) with pineapple and applesauce flavors, but grounded with oak spice notes. Focused with a lingering finish. Stood up nicely to some reds served alongside it on Christmas Eve.

Too young and too fast ... had friends over who wanted to try the famous KB and this is the bottle we pulled. But it was a PNP situation which didn't allow it to shine and we had a bigger group so the bottle emptied quickly and couldn't develop over the course of the night. But in general it was smooth and nicely made, but too early to give a broader assessment.

Graceful but structured, with cherry and plum flavors, accented by black tea and dark spice. Served at a bigger party and was finished off before it was given enough time to open up.

A big hit and in a perfect drinking window. Wonderful nose of citrus, plums, and flowers, followed by a delicious palate with textbook Brunello flavors of smoky cherry, tobacco, and hints of balsamic.

A stylish wine from a label new to me, but which seems to be a top Greek producer. Pure flavors of red and black currants, with subtle notes of bay leaf and and herbed olive. Fine-grained tannins add some elegance to a wine that is both easy to drink but also gives something to ponder.

Creamier than the Platine I drank next to it, combining a nice spine of acidity with a textured mousse flavor and mouthfeel. Aromas and flavors of almond paste, pastry cream, and biscotti. New Year's Day lounging.

More citrus-driven than the Perseval Farge, this was a vibrant, almost bracing, bottle showing lime zest, kiwi fruit and graphite. A refreshing aperitif styled bottling. Opened on New Year's Eve as the starter bottle but became the main player.

Sophisticated and complex wine that showed a lot of earthy notes of underbrush, tobacco leaf and forest, but these flavors were accented by fruit notes of plum and currant, making the overall package quite attractive. Dense and concentrated but pleasant and easy to sip. Celebrating college application season!

A tangy wine that come across maybe more like sangiovese than amarone, but was nice to drink nevertheless. Showed elements of crushed raspberry, citrus peel and iron. Lacked the figgy sweetness I desire in Amarone and also was probably a bit light-bodied although this is an entry-level amarone and priced accordingly. Christmas Tree setup night wine.

Grainy tannins, deep flavors and an impressive finish. Mineral-tinged black and blue fruits and baking spices on the palate with more of the same along with woodsmoke on the nose. Outperforms its price point and is a bottle I will seek out in future vintages. Best vino consumed during Christmas Week ski trip to Killington.