La Gioia Riecine 2004 Tuscany, Italy

La Gioia Riecine 2004
Tuscany, Italy


A hard to get wine, nevertheless, a great smooth blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot.

This limited production made in both french and italian oak is rich and ripe in flavour and recommend if one can get a hold of it.

Its a bit pricey so its one to be saved for a special night.

Price U$ 75

Cum Laude Banfi 2006

I imagine lots of people would love this wine: a dark fruit forward, velvety full body, soft tannin quaffer... For me there is not enough specificity to this wine, as it often happens with Tuscan reds: it is an upper shelf generic product. Cab Sav, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah cuvee; Parker gave it 90 points, but I don't care...this wine is not more than an overpriced fun pizza wine.

50$ (restaurant in Brooklyn)
73 points

Less known Italian varieties...

Motta Giove Ciliegiolo 2008

Very seldom Ciliegiolo appears as a varietal wine. It's a Tuscan/Umbrian grape which was traditionally added to Chianti. This bottle comes from a small producer located on the south-east corner of Tuscany.
Young, medium body, fruity with a unique bitterness which makes the whole thing attractive. The nose is a puny sweet cherry... but the taste is pretty awesome: red currant, black sour cherry, cherry pit and a bit of tobacco in the finish. Nice vibrant red color with shades of purple. Gave me a minor headache in the morning, but it was worth it:)

$20 @ Union Square Wines NYC
79 points







Zongola Montefalco Sangrantino 2003

Not exactly rare if you are into Italian wines... but Sagrantino from Umbria is local and quite fantastic. I believe in a few years it will make it to the pantheon of great Italian wines along with Amarone, Brunello and Barolo. Thick, full bodied, very tannic, ripe dark fruit, dry and chalky, big chocolate and cinnamon finish. A perfect winter treat.

$32 @ Union Square Wines NYC
75 points









Agricola Punica Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi, 2007

This Sardinian cuvee was really tasty, mainly Carignano (60%) and the rest Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. Powerful, deep fruit, mainly plum and some anonymous berries, licorice, pretty long tannic finish. This wine scores over 90 points. The bottle was good, but for the price I would hope for a little more personality. A bit too generic...

34$ @ Italian Wine Merchants NYC
79 points