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. — 7 months ago

Taft Morgan

9.3

Blew me away, perfectly balanced with notes of dark fruit, underlying tones of some floral notes.  — 10 months ago

with Ginette

John W

9.6

Very good, consistent amarone. Review from 30 weeks ago is accurate. — 3 years ago

Mike Laba

9.2

Coming back to this wine a year and a half after I first rated it...still love it. Nice hints of fruit and exceptionally drinkable. Will continue to stock it as a house red — 6 years ago

Kenny Louks

9.5

Excellent!!! — 8 years ago

Selim Tlili

9.4

Smooth with notes of raisins. Wonderful bottle! — 10 years ago

Bettina Read

9.7

Lovely. Soft and drinkable. Almost finished the bottle in one sitting. — 7 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. — 9 months ago

Kate Parkerson

9.4

Very nice, slightly dry but smooth. Great with meatloaf. — 2 years ago

Nagib Nasr

8.9

First bottle was aged, second was good. It may have been the cork. — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Outstanding Italian White. Remarkable balance of minerality, acidity and fruit. Very pure. Apples and pears. Wine is bright and fully open right out of the bottle. Best white of the year so far. Nice!! — 6 years ago

with John

Erin Potter

9.3

Bold. Nice bold and so smooth. — 10 years ago

Peter L

9.1

Jammy. Great with a Antipasti. — 11 years ago

Jody Wycech

9.7

So tasty!!!! Boldly aromatic with lots of fruit like cherry, plum, loads or chocolate and tobacco. Full bodied with strong tannins balanced by a cleansing fruity acidity. Love this wine but getting to taste an older vintage is special. — 8 months ago

with Ethan, Peter and 1 other

Henry Fuseler

9.3

11/2024. Oh lord!! — 10 months ago

Mike Miller

9.2

Dark floral most certainly — 2 years ago

Meghan German

9.1

Dry fruit, peppery, purchased at Astor- we both like — 5 years ago

with Ryan

Ryan Vachon

9.0

Rich, sweet, over ripe cherries, jam, light amaretto, low in tannins, berry forward — 7 years ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Great amarone, and actually not overpowering or overpowered. Had with steak at Chicago cut. — 10 years ago

Paul Edmunds

9.6

Great with a roast dinner — 13 years ago