Tom Casagrande

9.3

Amazingly tight for a 16-year old wine. The acids are smell-able on the nose, zinging along tart, macerated wild cherry fruit and glacier-crushed rock fragments. (OK, maybe I’m making up the part about how the crushed rocks were created.) In the mouth it’s deep but the acids rip this along on the palate like a whitewater canoe ride. Really really unique and good. — 25 days ago

with Angelo

Alyssa Hague

9.0

Sicilian red from Bad Roman. Medium bodied. Sharp at first, but good once it had time to breathe. — 7 months ago

Mario Medina

9.2

Quite good, bought on a whim, surprised by its bouquet. Dry but hints of fruit — 10 months ago

Laura Vaughn Arellano

9.0

This was my birthday wine from Total Wine. One of the staff recommended it. It tastes like a small batch, old recipe. Smooth, dry, with just a tad of sweet berry finish. Will definitely purchase again! — 2 months ago

Samuel Tyndall

9.2

Think it’s a little young?? Idk, very good. Think it could enrich in time. Coal, oak, smoky, but a little too red fruity on after taste. However after a glass that acidity is very nice. Maybe it just needed to open up. — 5 months ago

Eddie Korando

9.1

Had this wine at an Italian steakhouse. It was very flavorful but not overly dry. Would definitely order again — 8 months ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.4

The 2004 Barolo (magnum) is soft and silky, but it is also more forward than I expect, or want, to be honest. Dried flowers, leather, spice, game and dark-fleshed fruit fill out the layers. Vertical tastings serve, among other things, to shine a bright light on a single wine over many vintages. In this context, the 2004 does not live up to my original enthusiasm. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, July 2023) — 2 years ago

Angelo Casagrande

8.9

Little funk on the nose. Sour cherry, some minerals and a bit of smoke. Little lighter than I expected, some healthy tannin on the back end. Really fine wine for $20 or so. Nice to see Vallana’s around again. — 4 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Old-school hint of barnyard funk in the nose. Not enough for any concern, and it plays nicely with tangy, zingy macerated cherry and spice. A bit of crushed stone. Rapier-like acids propel the fruit along. Tannins are very soft. (Thanks to my brother @Angelo Casagrande for the gift!) — 5 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Pretty deep ruby with medium wide pink rim . Quite closed and mineral focused nose , with grafite , wet stone , dark cherry , blackberry and touch of toast . On the palate quite elegant dark fruits , with dark cherry , blackberry , grafite and cacao . Medium bodied with very fresh quite intense acidity and gritty , quite dry tannins . Medium length crushed rock and grafite tinged finish. This needs more time , better in 3-4 years and will last well a further 5-8 — 9 months ago