Vanessa

9.4

This is the 2013 Ar.Pe.Pe Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva ‘Nuova Regina’. It’s 100% Chiavennasca and aged 39 months in cask.

It is PALE ruby in color with pronounced aromas and flavors of red and black cherry, bright raspberry, mulberry, pomegranate, purple fig, stewed strawberry rhubarb, rose, potpourri, black licorice, black tea, anise seed, fennel, tri-colored peppercorns, peat, vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg, forest floor, and mushroom.

On the palate, this wine is dry, w/ medium (+) acidity, a medium body, medium alcohol (13% ABV), & medium (+) tannins that are smooth and velveteen; it has a lingering finish.

It’s an outstanding wine, incredibly fresh now with runway to age & gain complexity in the bottle. — 4 days ago

with Deked1

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Another big boi from this producer. Obviously uses at least a significant proportion of partially dried grapes. Fairly saturated color. Nose is rather subdued, reluctantly giving up scents of leather, underbrush, crushed rock, and dark cherry underneath all of that non-fruit stuff. In the mouth, it’s big, with initial slightly bitter, extracted notes. Tannic. Dissimilar from straight Valpos in its size and austerity. Dissimilar from Ripasso-style Valpos in that the fruit is not especially ripe or sweetish. It will go well with our stuffed shells in red sauce, but is a little challenging on its own. It occurs to me that this might fit in well in a tasting of 2017s from the left bank in Bordeaux. In other words, very atypical for a Valpo. Still, it’s pretty good, as long as you don’t harbor any expectations of typicity.

UPDATE: two nights later (using a vacuum closure), this has actually improved. Kind of amazing for a Valpo of this age. The fruit has moved closer to front-and-center, and it seem a bit more Calpo-like, though it’s still pretty large-framed. Upping score from 8.8 to 9.0. — a month ago

AEL

8.9

Shows the benefits of blending. Well balanced, ripe berry and wet bark notes, spicy and full on palate. A bit alcoholic. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Deeper more intense colour , narrow more terracotta rim . This is quite restrained with a meaty , herbal element at first . Touch of earthy tobacco and dried spice . Menthol and anise notes also . This has nice anise, liquorice hints on the palate with darker fruit, dark cherry , red plum , touch of earthy , iron notes with some spice and smoky hints . Black tea stained finish . Good acidity with refined tannin. Quite good intensity and persistence on the finish . Drink now and over the next 3-5 years — 10 days ago

joy horn

8.9

Bought at Pine Orchard 11/24 $14. Great value. Light and bright fruit flavors but with good tannins for balance. — a month ago

Joe DAscoli

9.4

First bottle had oxidation and was a touch towards vinegar.

2nd bottle was fresh and gorgeous. Great fruit flavors. Somewhat apricot and floral. Lovely. — 2 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

2/2025. Bold and flavorful. Good finish. Paired well with the Prime Rib at Hall’s Chophouse. — 7 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Surprisingly open, very expressive that is polished with licorice, spice, graphite, floral & tobacco notes — 25 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Deep Ruby with aromas of sweet dried berry fruits and pepper spice. On the palate ripe blackberry, currants and sweet black cherry with complex spice. Well balanced with acidity and alcohol, full-body with soft tannins on long finish. — a month ago

Alan Johnston

9.3

3.3. A very nice Valpolicella, with a very smooth taste and finish. The 2021 was on sale for $17.99, regularly $21.99. The 2019?now seems to be out of stock. It was excellent. — 2 months ago