Italian Wine

Winemaker Description

Cusumano Nero d'Avola is a deep ruby red, with violet reflections. Fresh aromas of red and black berries. Fruit-forward with firm tannins and plummy spice flavors on the palate. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Danielle Callegari of the WIne Enthusiast writes 88 Points | Hot chili peppers burst off the nose of this Nero d'Avola, lifted by wood smoke, macerated blackberries and bitter chocolate. Spiciness carries over to the palate, with notes of black pepper and tomato-pepper jam, but also more berries and some tobacco leaf. Tannins are firm but polished.  

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 91 Points | A delicious, round and silky white with aromas of fresh lemons, white peaches and warm spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Supple, with a mineral undertone at the center and a succulent finish.

Winemaker Description 

Insolia grapes are manually selected in the Nordic microclimate of Ficuzza, Cusumano's largest vineyard, located in Northern Sicily. Light straw color with soft aromas of freshly-picked flowers and herbs. This Insolia opens the palate with refreshing flavors of apples and pears. Hints of citrus zest lingers throughout for a harmonious balance.

Pairs with lighter dishes such as salads or seafood.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description

Intense ruby color, tending to mauvish, full bodied flavors, slightly tannic with aromas of black currant, plum and morello cherry.

Pair with red meat and fresh cheeses.

Winemaker Description 

Fresh and aromatic with aromas and flavors of ripe red cherry, plum, and spice. The palate is medium-bodied with round tannins and a long finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Vinous 91 Points | The 2022 Rosso di Montepulciano is rosy and floral with a licorice tinge that complements its crushed raspberry fruits. Round and balanced with a pleasant inner sweetness and crisp red berry fruits, this washes easily across the palate, leaving a gentle tug of fine tannin in its wake. Hard candy and sweet sage notes stick around as the 2022 tapers off with fantastic length and youthful poise. Nicely done. Caterina Dei explained that Cantine Dei can’t produce enough of their Rosso to meet demand, and it’s easy to see why.

A warm and soothing perfume of balsam and mint, balanced with aromas of bitter oils, orange zest, and vanilla. Vermouth del Professore Rosso is full and soft on the palate with a pleasant balsamic character underlined by rhubarb and gentian which are balanced by subtle sweetness and a light tannin structure from time spent in barrel. Producer Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

James Suckling 91 Points | A focused, savory red that has aromas and flavors of mulberry, bay leaf, sage and black bean. It’s full-bodied, dark-fruited and balanced with medium-firm tannins. 85% montepulciano and 15% aglianico.

Winemaker Description 

Deep ruby-red in color, Ramitello offers aromas of plums, forest fruits, dark chocolate, leather, and licorice. On the palate, a rich and velvety body pushes flavors to continue over a long and intriguing finish. Pair this wine with grilled steaks, Port sauces, Scandinavian-style venison, and beef bourgignon. 85% Montepulciano, 15% Aglianico. 

Winemaker Description 

Bright red in color, aromas of violets and red berries complement undertones of leather and anise. On the palate, this wine is dry and mellow with smooth tannins that make for a crowdpleasing, easy-to-drink red wine.

This Falanghina is fresh, easy drinking with pleasant stone fruit flavors and a crisp, dry finish..

Enjoy with salads, grilled vegetables, light seafood dishes and pasta salads.

Debra, Italy White Wine Buyer

This old vine wine is made from Falanghina, a grapevine cultivated in Molise by the ancient Sannites, who considered it one of the best. The vineyard where the grapes are grown faces south, with a clay soil that gives it a particular minerality and balance between acidity and body. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Medium-bodied wine with aromas of juicy, red cherries, wildflowers, a hint of menthol, and spice. Well-balanced with fine-grained tannins. Food Pairings: Pairs well with grilled or braised meats. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 90 Points| An intense, fruity wine with ripe aromas of black cherries, blackberries and a savory touch. Light- to medium-bodied, it shows youthful style on the palate, with fruit, chalky tannins and a refreshing finish.

Winemaker's Description

With bright ruby red color with violet reflections, Sherazade 2023 presents a fruity bouquet with hints of raspberry and cherry, flanked by delicate spicy and balsamic notes. On the palate the fruity notes return smoothly, a red of great softness and excellent freshness. The caressing tannin completes this fragrant and pleasant wine.

A great match with fish soup, pizza or classic tomato spaghetti.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Vinous 92 Points | A whiff of sweet spice and dusty rose gives way to crushed cherries and cloves as the 2021 Etna Rosso Sul Vulcano blossoms in the glass. This displays textures of pure silk, sweeping across the palate with ripe red fruits guided by vibrant acidity as inner florals cascade throughout. Fine tannins and primary concentration saturate toward the close as the 2021 finishes long. Licorice traces fade through the close. This is a fantastic offering, especially at the price point.

James Suckling 91 Points | A soft and open red with plum and spice character as well as floral undertones. Some fresh herbs too. Medium body. Lightly chewy.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Appealing for its ripe core of black cherry and plum fruit, offering pretty accents of violet, anise and dried herbs. This red is light on its feet, with taut tannins trimming the minerally finish. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Drink now. 2,160 cases made, 450 cases imported.

Winemaker Description 

With a light ruby ??red colour, Sul Vulcano has a bouquet that stands out for its notes of Asian spices (cardamom and star anise), red fruit (strawberry and black cherry) accompanied by pleasant and fresh balsamic hints. On the palate it is pleasantly juicy, with silky tannins and an elegant finish.

Perfect with appetizers and Mediterranean dishes based on aubergines or mushrooms, ideal with roast or stewed meats. It is a versatile wine that can pair with roast fish as well as accompany dishes from different gastronomic traditions, from North American cuisine (such as chicken wings or hamburgers) to Asian cuisine as long as it is not too spicy. It can also go very well with fusion cuisine such as Tex-Mex, with meat and legume-based dishes.

Elena Spirits was born from a deep-seated desire. A drive to take the spirit of Piedmont far and wide, a passion for the Langhe, and a time-honored tradition of exceptional flavors to be savored. We poured energy, passion, and expertise into every bottle produced, striving to uphold what the history of local spirits has shaped over the years. Meticulously crafted recipes, refined through time and processes, are enriched with botanicals that we knew would impart a unique personality to the Gin and Vermouth under the Elena Spirits brand.

The challenge set by the Currado Vietti family was to use Barolo Lazzarito and one part Roero Arneis, blended with a selection of botanicals and natural herbs from Piedmont, according to an old family recipe, infused only once (“one-shot”).

Bouquet: vinous, elegant and refined with notes of bitter orange, gentian and nuances of vanilla. The very delicate spicy part presents hints of liquorice and cloves. The perception of artemisia is well defined in the finish.

Palate: vinous, tannic but decidedly harmonious. Red fruits, long, spicy persistence with a pleasantly sweet finish. Despite the use of traditional spices, the important vinous quota gathers momentum during the closing.

Our Professional Review 

Oscar Garcia Moncada of 67Wine.com | Typically, Saturday nights are a time to gather with family friends and avoid the chaos of crowded restaurants. As a seasoned New Yorker, I've found solace in hosting tapas-style dinner adventures at home. During a recent Saturday night, I selected the Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Alto Adige DOC to accompany a classic Chicken Waldorf Salad, elegantly served in delicate Bibb lettuce leaves. This salad recipe holds a special element of sentimentality, as I mastered the recipe during my culinary school days. 

The creamy texture and tangy acidity of the salad harmoniously blended with the refreshing green apple and pear flavors found in the Elena Walch Pinot Grigio. To my delight, there was also a subtle hint of stony minerality that added an unexpected layer of complexity to the pairing. 

The combination was an absolute success, as the simplicity of the salad beautifully complemented the well-structured aromas and flavors of the wine. It was an evening filled with delight and satisfaction, reminding me of the joy that can be found in the comfort of home.  

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Elegant, with an appealing, creamy nappe to the texture as it carries notes of ripe pear, peach skin, blood orange peel, green almond and orchard blossoms. A tangy streak of salinity and lively acidity focus and refresh the finely woven flavors and nicely spicy finish.

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | Opening with the fresh aromas of cut apple, pear and a hint of green fig skin, this Pinot Grigio reveals a round and satisfying palate. A touch of cheesiness adds an intriguing layer of depth and umami, balancing the fruit with a savory edge. The finish is rounded, with notes of bitter almond and a subtle green undertone that perks up the senses.

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description

Elvio Cogno showcases the Nascetta grape, highlighting its revival in Piedmont. This wine presents a complex array of white flowers, citrus, and mineral notes, balancing vibrant acidity with rich texture.

It underscores Elvio Cogno’s commitment to promoting indigenous varietals, offering a structured, expressive white that reflects the unique Novello terroir and the varietal’s aging potential.

Winemaker Description

Best enjoyed with a slight chill, this is a food friendly wine with notes of dark black fruits and ripe berries on the palate and a clean lingering finish.  A perfect sparkling medium-sweet wine with fruity fragrance and delightful finish.  

The quintessential red sparkling wine, Nicchia is named after the late 19th century countess of Castiglione whose picture is on the label. This Lambrusco has a touch of sweetness with notes of black plums, cherry and currants. Clocking in at a low 8.5% alcohol, it's a perfect afternoon sipper or aperitif. Pair with Prosciutto, Salami or BBQ. A sparkling, medium-sweet wine with a full, red-ruby color and fruity fragrance. In addition to dessert pairings, the Nicchia Lambrusco is the perfect accompaniment to stews cooked in the "agrodolce" style combining sweet and sour flavors.

Currently in its third generation, the Carafoli family is led by brothers Carlo, Paolo, and Mario who are dedicated to carrying on their family's legacy through their work. They use cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and machinery that has been meticulously restored to produce high-quality wines. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2019 

James Suckling 91 Points | Perfumed nose of cedar, spearmint, morello cherry, vanilla and lemon verbena. Medium-bodied with polished tannins. Spicy character with ambitious new wood. Mocha at the end.

Winemaker Description

Harvest is done by hand to select the best fruit. Only the most mature berries are chosen, it is followed by a secondary selection to avoid any compromise on quality. Wild yeasts (pied de cuve) that are naturally present on the skins of the berries are used to obtain exceptional wines that really reflect the terroir with complex flavors and texture. After resting with the skins for 30 days, the juice is fermented in Troncais barrels of French oak barrels for 12-15 days with frequent pump overs. The wine then ages 18 months in Slavonian oak barrels and at least an additional 6 months in the bottle.

The end result is a wine with garnet color with red fruit and cassis aromas
with licorice, smoke and caramel notes with silky tannins.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins 67Wine.com | A rich, savory Brunello di Montalcino that is already drinking perfectly. Powerful yet elegant with maraschino cherry and ripe black fruit flavors accented with roasted herbs, wild rose petals, leather sandalwood and earthy spice. The tannins are ripe and supple , with good depth of flavor and a robust finish.
Bart Hopkins.

Expert Review

94 Points Wine Enthusiast | The nose is primarily savory, with aromas of coffee, herbs and soil, but also has the fresh gleam of wild cherries. On the palate, an emergent orange-peel element bolsters the cherry note, at least until a bitter finish of dark chocolate and espresso. Spice blazes behind dense, grippy tannins. (2018).

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019 

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | Offering a clean and bright fruit profile, the Fattoria dei Barbi 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows plum, dark cherry and blackberry. The fruit presented in this vintage is fresh, velvety, nicely contoured and still tastes quite primary in nature. This bodes well for the wine's future bottle evolution. The tannins are slightly chalky but supported by rich texture...Great job here.

James Suckling 95 Points| Blueberry and orange peel with some cedar and nutmeg in the aromas and flavors. Medium to full body with firm and polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Polished and refined, yet structured. Solid wine.

Wine Spectator 92 Points| Fresh and lively, this light-bodied red offers flavors of cherry, strawberry, earth and herbs, with crisp tannins emerging on the finish. This is approachable now but should improve with a few more years of age. Drink now through 2038.

Vinous Media 91 Points|The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a mentholated freshness, blending savory herbs with wild strawberries and camphor hints. It’s softly textured and supple in feel, more lifted than expected. Crisp red berry fruits cascade throughout and are supported by brisk acidity. This finishes tannic and long, leaving a bitter tinge to linger as hints of licorice fade. I find myself craving a little more flesh on the bone. That said, with maturity should also come more fat that should help to balance the 2019.

Winemaker Description

A brilliant ruby red, on the nose it is intense and fruity with ripe red fruits, a perfect example of classic Montepulciano-wines from this region. Rich, full-bodied, warm, fresh, with soft tannins and a long finish, it is the perfect accompaniment to grilled red meat, but also great just by the glass all at a great price.

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2022

Antonio Galloni writes:  "Superb. Rich and deep yet also quite translucent, the 2022 is an archetype of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Black cherry, leather, spice, tobacco, menthol and dried herbs inform this potent, super-classic Chianti Classico. This is beautifully done, especially for the year."  - Vinous 91

Wine Enthusiast writes:  "Aromas of black cherry, pomegranate, fresh figs and top soil create a nose that's tangy, but with depth. Blackberries headline the palate, while undertones of dark chocolate and more earth provide balance. Tannins are firm yet flexible, and acid is vibrant."  - Wine Enthusiast 91

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 92 Points | The 2021 Chianti Classico Berardenga is boisterous and expressive right out of the glass. Dark fruit, earthiness, leather, spice and tobacco convey tons of Castelnuovo Berardenga character. The 2021 keeps getting better in the glass. It's a super-classic example of the house style and a wine readers should consider buying by the case. The Berardenga bottling can be a bit wild, but in 2021 has an added touch of sophistication that is undeniable. 

Notes of ripe mangoes and peaches with tangerine peel, beeswax, caramel and spices. Full and creamy with crisp, steady acidity cutting through, adding tension and freshness. Balanced, focused and well-made.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 93 Points |  Rich and waxy nose with notes of cooked peaches, dried pineapple, beeswax and caramel. Full-bodied, broad, succulent and nicely filled with tropical fruit and a lot of nutty and spicy nuances. Deep, intense and characterful, with a lingering finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous 91 Points | The 2022 Chardonnay I Sistri is a pretty, understated wine. Pear, white peach, flowers and a kiss of French oak all grace this layered, super-expressive white.

Winemaker Description 

Deep straw yellow, I Sistri has a classic ripe-fruit Chardonnay nose, with a blend of tropical fruit and vanilla and appealing notes of spice. It displays elegant structure with a fresh acidity and a superb finish.

Explore the refinement and elegance of the Chardonnay Toscana IGT "I Sistri" produced by the renowned Felsina winery, a true expression of the Tuscan terroir. This white wine stands out for its exclusive origin from vineyards located in the idyllic hills of Tuscany, where the Mediterranean climate and rich soil impart unique characteristics to the Chardonnay grape.

With fermentation in barriques followed by a maturation period on fine lees, "I Sistri" from Felsina presents a bright straw-yellow color that hints at its complexity. On the nose, it offers an intriguing bouquet of aromas: ripe fruits like peach and melon intertwine with nuances of vanilla and toast, deriving from the light passage in wood.

On the palate, it is rich and enveloping, maintaining excellent freshness thanks to vibrant acidity. The flavors of white-fleshed fruits blend with notes of butter and a light minerality that makes each sip pleasantly persistent.

Ideal as an aperitif, "I Sistri" from Felsina pairs beautifully with elaborate fish dishes, white meats, and medium-aged cheeses. It is also an excellent companion for risottos and pasta with seafood.

Serve this specimen at a temperature of about 10-12°C to enhance all its nuances. With an aging potential that makes it interesting even after a few years, Chardonnay Toscana IGT "I Sistri" is a testament to the Italian winemaking art capable of captivating discerning palates around the world.

Expert Reviews 

"I’m not sure any country drinks more sparkling wine than Italy. Ferrari’s wines, from the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy, are generally superb. This entry-level bottle, made entirely from chardonnay, is sleek and graceful, impeccably balanced and a great value." - Eric Asimov’s New York Times Article Dec. 21, 2023

Monica Larner writes:  An Italian classic and a terrific value, the Ferrari NV Trento Brut is all Chardonnay that opens to crystalline luminosity and brilliance. The bouquet is straightforward and confident, delivering a clear and precise message of good cheer and easy-drinking appeal. There are notes of citrus, white peach, breakfast pastry and drying notes of crushed mineral. This is the quintessential Italian aperitivo wine.  -  Robert Parker Wine Advocate 91

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | The 2020 Ferrari Corbelli Vino Nobile shows off this robustness with flair and plenty of muscle.Bright ruby in color with aromas of spiced plums and dried cherries leading the bouquet with earthy complexity. In the mouth the wine is full bodies and solidly built with rich fruit and supple, well rounded tannins. A perfect wine for healthy stews, roasts, wild game and strong cheeses.

Winemaker Description 

The village of Montepulciano, home of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, sits east of  Montalcino close to the Umbrian border in southern Tuscany. Here, the Sangiovese grape thrives under the name Prugnolo Gentile, showing a hearty, robust character much like its cousin, Sangiovese Grosso in Brunello di Montalcino. 

Winemaker Description 

The color is straw yellow that contains brilliant green reflections. The perfume is intense and persistent with sensations of delicate white flowers and fruit. The taste offers freshness and balance, with a clean finish.

Ideal as an aperitif, it can also accompany various types of appetizers, plates of simple fish and vegetables as well as fresh cheeses.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 90 Points | A fresh and pretty falanghina showing lemon, lime blossom and a touch of nutmeg on the nose. It’s medium-bodied and lightly creamy in texture.

\Winemaker Description

“Rina Russa” means “red sand” in Sicilian dialect. Rina Russa genuinely has its own unique style, as the Frappato grapes come from ancient clones developed on our own estate. It has a very beautiful light cherry color, with a fresh and vibrant bouquet, reminiscent of wild strawberries and a beautifully balanced palate, with silky smooth fruit, a real freshness running through it and a surprisingly long finish. 

Experts Review - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling - 90 Points "A very pretty, red-fruited wine that offers bitter cherries, peach skin, red flowers and a hint of pink peppercorns on the nose. Sleek and mellow on the palate, with a medium body and supple tannins. Very pleasant and seductive. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Sustainable. Drink now."