Allison

9.0

2019. Good with fish. — 9 days ago

Daniel M

9.0

Riondo Valpolicella Ripasso 2016

Crushed rocks, a dark juicy cherry and caramel and raisins notes on the nose. This is good. The palate is well designed. Strong acid backbone, blooming dark cherry all along. There is as well these raisins notes and that mineral thing which was very much front and center on the nose. Soft tannins kick off a very long finish with the same cherry and raisins notes with a pinch of caramel. This is a very good Ripasso. — 10 days ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

This is a massive wine. Lots of sweet humus and wet earth, rich berry ooze, and sandalwood. Large bodied, with peppery alcoholic heat peaking through, but good acidity nonetheless. It’s 15%, and if it were a degree less, it would’ve been outstanding. As is, it was a fine accompaniment to a rich pasta sauce and braised pork braccioles. — 15 days ago

with Angelo

Allison Hinson

8.9

Grew in complexity and character over its 1.5 hour decant. Light compared to its peers, this was all dried raisins and apricots and a little bit of cedar. Cerebral sipper.
— 3 days ago

Chris A

8.9

Fantastic Italian red - came recommend to me today at Total Wine. Does not disappoint with a light body approach but a well developed raisin/heavy mature red fruit remnant on the backend. Paired well with bolognese spaghetti dinner, but I think it will do fine by itself or with a nice hard cheese. Excellent on the nose as well to set up the time of this experience...great glass! — 3 days ago

Adam Beasley

9.1

Love this. Creamy lemon and lime, Granny Smith apple, white flowers,fresh herbs, and a sea salt-y finish. Beautiful palate cleansing acid... perfect match for cast iron blackened halibut. — 2 days ago

David Kaplan

9.6

This Soave Classico Vigneto Sengialta Balestri Valda 2017 comes from a single hillside parcel of black basaltic soil planted to Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave. The grapes are hand-harvested, fermented separately, and matured in neutral 2000-liter botti for twelve months. In the glass, the wine has a saturated, deep yellow-gold color, with flashes of green-gold just at the edge. Aromas of sun-warmed yellow peaches, crystallized honey, marzipan, and acacia blossoms emerge at first, then alternate with fleeting suggestions of beeswax, grated nutmeg, and sage, as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, the wine honeyed and opulent, with a round, juicy core of sweet stone fruit and honey that echoes the nose, along with plenty of dry extract, deep saline minerality, and ripe tartaric acidity. The layered sweet core of honeyed melon and almond paste is seasoned with delicate bitterness, and the long elegant finish is punctuated with fine mineral grip. Drink now – 2030 (yes, the wine is irresistible today, but according to Laura Rizzotto, a bottle that hid unnoticed for fifteen or more years in a good cellar would be a treasure). — Moore Brothers, Brooklyn — 9 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

This is extremely youthful as a 1967 gets. Yet, it shows its elegant bottle age.

The nose reveals classic Valpolicella. Sour dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, raisins, stew plums, raspberries, poached/baked strawberries, rhubarb, bright fruit liqueur, Kirsch cherries, licorice/cola notes, cognac/brandy hues, touch of V/A-bandaid, dark, rich earth sandstone, fresh tobacco leaf, tomatoes with leaf, hints of sage, eucalyptus/mint notes, dry top soils, crushed rock powder, with fresh & withering; red, dark, blue and purple florals.

The body is; lush, rich, round & juicy. Excellent viscosity. Sour dark cherries dry raisins, dates, blackberries, black raspberries, stew plums, raspberries, poached/baked strawberries, rhubarb, bright fruit liqueur, Kirsch cherries, licorice/cola notes, cognac/brandy hues, touch of V/A-bandaid, dark, rich earth sandstone, river stone, fresh tobacco leaf, tomatoes with leaf, hints of sage, eucalyptus/mint notes, dry top soils, crushed rock powder, with bright, fresh & withering; red, dark, blue and purple florals. The acidity is flat out sick. The tension, structure, balance & length are a stunning rare treat with a wine of this age. The long, beautiful finish is; well knitted, polished and extremely elegant. It is true wire to wire

For the most part, the older Valpolicella gets the better it is!

Photos of; their barrel room, hillside vineyard, library & aging cellar & our Allen Brother’s Ribcap with Christina’s Potato Wedges & cooked carrots. — 17 days ago

Eric Urbani

9.0

Fine elegant example of garganega from Soave. Vines planted at 300 m in volcanic soils between 1967 and 1980. Racked by hand, natural production. Indigenous yeast, malo fermentation in steel. — 9 days ago

Allison Hinson

9.2

Didn’t even need a decant, this babe was ready to go the second I popped the cork. This was all dried blackberries and dark plum with sturdy tannins begging for a rack of lamb. — 3 days ago