Pio Cesare Barolo Nebbiolo with Italian Pasta

Pio Cesare Barolo Nebbiolo with Italian Pasta 

Following our dinner outing at Angeli’s Italian Restaurant, we enjoyed our pasta leftovers and opened a middle aged Italian Barolo wine for an Italian varietal / cuisine pairing. 

Pio Cesare Barolo 2018

Five generations of the Pio family have followed one another in succession producing Pio Cesare’s wines for 135 years in its ancient cellars in the center of the town of Alba.

Founded in 1881 by Cesare Pio, a successful entrepreneur he was inspired to produce a small and select quantity of wines from the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco for himself, his family, friends, and customers.

In 1940, Giuseppe Pio’s only child, Rosy, married Giuseppe Boffa, a young and well-known engineer from Alba, who managed a large company in Milan at the time. When Italy began to struggle during the Second World War, Giuseppe Boffa left his job in Milan to dedicate himself to the Pio Cesare winery.

Through his efforts, the Pio Cesare brand gained fame and prominence both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the most respected names among Italian wine producers, with a special focus on its renowned Barolo.

Rosy and Giuseppe Boffa named their youngest son Pio, in honor of his great-grandfather’s surname. Pio Boffa, the fourth generation, leads and directs the company today. In the early 1990’s Pio Boffa asked his cousin Augusto to join him in the company. 

In 2000, Pio’s sister’s son, Cesare Benvenuto, became the fifth generation, joined recently by Pio Boffa’s daughter, Federica Rosy, in working at Pio Cesare, representing the future of the Family.

Today, family members travel around the world, to more than 50 countries promoting Pio Cesare wines.

Pio Cesare own 170 acres of vineyards on prime hillside exposures located in multiple different communes of the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations.

As is customary with Barolo wines, this is 100% Nebbiolo, estate grown sourced from family-owned vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba (Ornato, La Serra and Briccolina), Grinzane Cavour (Gustava and Garretti), La Morra (Roncaglie), Novello (Ravera) and, since the 2015 vintage, their recently acquired vineyard in Monforte (Mosconi). 

The new selection 'Pio' from Pio Cesare is a blend of the different MGAs of the estate. This is the classic “formula” used by the ancient Barolo Families to produce a wines that embraces and combines each of the unique characteristics of the different vineyards and terroirs of the Barolo area.

The wine is aged in large French oak “botti” for about 30 months; and a small amount in barriques as well.

Distributor notes - A classic style Barolo. Excellent structure, harmony and elegance. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. Approachable, but with a very long ageing potential. Barolo is a great wine, which should not be described as a “basic” or “regular” Barolo, simply because it does not have any additional indication on the label.

Winemaker Notes - “A classic style Barolo. Excellent structure, harmony and elegance. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. Approachable, but with a very long ageing potential. Barolo is a great wine, which should not be described as a “basic” or “regular” Barolo, simply because it does not have any additional indication on the label.”

This was rated 94 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 91 points by Decanter and Wine Enthusiast. 

We found this a bit disappointing with the subdued fruit overtaken by non-fruit flavors, especially given its ultra-premium price. 

Dark garnet colored with a slight brownish/grey hue, medium bodied, spicy red cherry and plum fruits with notes of earthy tobacco and leather with hints creosote, truffle and camphor. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4217182

https://www.piocesare.it/en/vini/barolo/

BYOB Brunello Italian Wine and Dine at Angeli’s Italian Naperville

BYOB Brunello Italian Wine and Dine at Angeli’s Italian Naperville 

We dined with neighbors/friends Richard and Adessa at Angeli’s Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. I took from our cellar this middle-aged Brunello Di Montalcino, a Sangiovese that be become one of our favorite varietals, especially with tangy Italian faire. 

I ordered their signature comfort dish, Pasta and Peas - Ground Italian sausage simmered with sweet peas in a vodka cream sauce and tossed with rigatoni pasta. The ample portion provided a left over dinner the following night at which time this was even better! 

Linda order her favorite standby dish, Angeli’s Eggplant Parmigiana - Layers of lightly floured eggplant stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, baked in the oven, and topped with homemade marinara sauce (pictured below).

To accompany our meal, we brought BYOB from our home cellar this middle-aged Brunello di Montalcino. 

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2017  

I’ve written often in these pages about Brunello and what makes it so special. They are sourced from the Italian appellation of Brunello di Montalcino, regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. 

Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino appellation rules require 100% Sangiovese.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG has to be made 100% with Sangiovese grapes alone, and made only within the Montalcino municipality area. It can only be sold in the market from January 1 of its fifth year after harvest. Prior to that, the wine cannot legally be called Brunello di Montalcino (not even in the cellar): it is simply "red wine to become Brunello di Montalcino DOCG".

Montalcino is a picturesque, hill-top town that was not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until the 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine.

Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.

Altesino is located In the heart of southern Tuscany, forty kilometers south of the City of Siena amongst the north eastern hills of Montalcino. The 15th century Palazzo Altesi overlooks the estate. Built by the Tuscan family Tricerchi in 2002, Altesino has been owned by the Gnudi Angelini family with technical collaboration of Paolo Caciorgna, the company have involved the Brunello di Montalcino for forty years. 

They were a forerunner with the introduction of the “Cru” concept (Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli) concept in 1975, Altesino was the first winery to use barriques in 1979. In 1977, the first Grappa di Fattoria was created and produced by Altesino with the help of the master distiller Gioacchino Nannoni.

The Altesino estate covers 250 acres, half of which are planted vineyards consisting of six plots, each of which are distinguished and represented with single vineyard designated wines in their own right.

The six vineyards consisting of one parcel in the north – Altesino, one in the north east Macina, two in the north west - Cerbaia and Montosoli (first Cru in the history of Brunello di Montalcino and always famous for the production of wines of extreme elegance), one in the area of Sant’Angelo in colle – Pianezzine, and finally, one in Castelnuovo dell’Abate – Velona.

In addition to Sangiovese, which constitutes the majority of the plants (used for the production of Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino and Palazzo Altesi), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are cultivated (which in blend with Sangiovese give the Alte d’Altesi and the Rosso di Toscana), the Trebbiano and the Malvasia (for Vin Santo), the Vermentino, the Chardonnay and the Viognier destined for the production of Bianco di Altesino.

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling, 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Winemaker’s Notes - “Brunello di Montalcino is the ambassador of top quality Italian wines around the world, the first wine to receive the DOCG appellation. Brunello is a brilliant ruby red colour, tending towards garnet red with age. Its bouquet is intense, pure, pleasant and refined, reminiscent of sweet violet, tobacco, chocolate and pleasant hints of wild berries and vanilla. Its flavour fully confirms the above in a well-balanced, full-bodied wine with good tannins and a solid structure.’

For the 2017 vintage release - “Brilliant ruby-red color, this classic Rosso offers sumptuous aromas of ripened blackberries and dark cherries. On the palate, the wine is generously well-rounded and rich with fruit-forward notes complimented by hints of leather and mesquite.”

Tonight’s tasting of this label release was consistent with my earlier tasting note pasted last winter when I wrote: “Tasted from wine list at Italian Village Chicago for a fabulous, perfect food and wine pairing. Dark Ruby colored, medium-to full-bodied, full round balanced blackberry, black cherry and black currant fruits with savory baking and clove spices with hints of licorice, tobacco and leather with smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.”

RM 92 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2024/01/pour-boys-wine-dinner-at-italian.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4119676

http://www.altesino.it/en/altesino/

Angeli’s Eggplant Parmagana

Richard ordered another Angeli’s Signature dish, Shrimp Diavolo - Shrimp sautéed in a spicy red sauce with spinach and fresh tomatoes. 

Adessa had the Angeli’s Chicken Parmigiana -Breaded chicken breast smothered in marinara sauce, baked with mozzarella cheese, and served with pasta.

To accompany their shrimp and chicken entree’s, at my suggestion they ordered from the wine list this unique interesting Italian White Blend. This has become our go-to wine there, enjoyable, sophisticated great value, high QPR drinking - everyone loves it, as did Adessa and Richard. 

I’ve featured this wine many times in these pages, as excerpted below. 

Stemmari Dalila Sicilia Viognier Grillo DOC Blend 2020

This wine finds its way to the Angeli's winelist as a result of owner Tony Angeli having visited the Feudo Arancio Stemmari winery estate during his visit to the region a couple years ago.

This wine is from the historic Stemmari winery located in the town of Acate in the Ragusa province of Sicily located in south eastern Sicily. The winery has 1,700 acres in two estates along the south coast of Sicily, one in Sambuca di Sicilia in the Agrigento province and the other in Acate in the province of Ragusa.

The vast Stemmari brand has a broad portfolio of wines include single varietals like nero d’avola, chardonnay, pinot grigio, moscato, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and even a sparkling grillo. They offer a few blends including this Dalila wine.

This unique blend is comprised of the Sicilian varietal Grillo and the international Viognier, native to the French Rhone River valley. The local indigenous wine grape "Grillo" – which means "cricket" in Italian. This Sicilian white wine is composed of 80 percent Grillo and 20 percent Viognier.

The interesting branding of music as a metaphor for the harmonizing of the two elegant varietals in the Dalila blend with musical notes on the label and on the bottle foil. 

Tonight they were serving the 2020 vintage release label. This is the forth vintage they've served this wine. This continues to be a sensational and a very pleasant surprise discovery. Its available at a price point that provides great QPR - Quality Price Ratio. We enjoyed this discovery such that we went out and special ordered some from a local merchant to have in our cellar for enjoyable casual sipping.

This release was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Consistent with earlier releases and tastings. Golden straw colored, medium-full bodied, nicely balanced acidity and smooth mouthfeel with intense, bright vibrant, nicely integrated floral and tropical fruits with notes of pear and hints of peach, mango and citrus with hints of vanilla, floral and stone fruits with bight acidity on a character and profile of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

RM 91 points.

https://www.stemmari.it/en-us/products/selections/dalila

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3521489

https://www.feudoarancio.it

https://www.angeliscatering.com/

Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach

Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach

When we told a friend and neighbor that we were heading to Destin/Miramar Beach Florida to visit our Cove vacation home getaway, he mentioned his recently departed dear friend and former neighbor that moved there a while back and opened a restaurant. 

He credited his old friend Dominic Damiano with not only introducing him to his wife, but finding his eventual family home, and, talked about them playing polo together in the early days of our equestrian community here. 

The local Emerald Coast Magazine wrote that when “Dominic Damiano moved to the Emerald Coast in 2008, life was almost perfect except he couldn’t find good Italian food. His group of friends and family who had moved from different parts of Italy to Destin, also missed the flavors of home, so they decided to open their own restaurant, Fat Clemenza’s, and do what they do best — serve up recipes passed down for generations”. 

Fat Clemens’s Restaurant is named for the legendary chef/cook in the Godfather movie series, the restaurant was in many ways modeled after Tufano’s which he owned in an Italian neighborhood in Chicago. 

“It’s important to me to stay true to tradition and heritage, which is why we import a lot of ingredients,” said Damiano. “I want customers to experience these dishes as my family would, to feel like part of the family when here.” 

“The eggplant parmigiana.is made from Damiano’s grandmother’s recipe, the Fresh Fish special is caught locally.  The olive oils, pasta, tomatoes, flour and seasonings are imported from Italy. Twice a week, a shipment of sausage arrives from Chicago. All other ingredients, especially seafood, is sourced locally.” 

So, we made it a point to dine at the restaurant, almost walking distance, from our vacation home, certainly within biking distance as we rode past it earlier in the week on our way to the post office. 

The extensive menu features Italian fare, wood fired pizzas, calzones, a broad selection of two dozen pasta dishes, and a variety of traditional Italian meat dishes. Naturally, we ordered Italian Chef’s Specialties from the menu - Linda the Pasta Shells in Marinara Sauce, and I ordered a benchmark staple, Veal Parmiagana with Pasta. Both were delicious, served promptly, piping hot in ample portions. 

Stuffed Shells - Large shells stuffed with ricotta & served with choice of sauce.

Veal baked in a marinara sauce with mozzarella and parmesan served with Angel hair pasta.

For a wine accompaniment with our entrees, we ordered two wines by the glass - WBTG - from the modest, limited but carefully selected wine list featuring seventeen reds and a dozen whites, predominantly Italian.

When I inquired about whether they had a Brunello Di Montalcino our server came by with one select bottle. It was premium priced, beyond our basic moderate meal, so we opted for two glasses of Italian staples. 

From the wine selection, displayed on the counter adjacent the kitchen, separating the dining rooms, I had a glass of the Zingari Tuscan Blend. 

Petra Zingari Tuscan Red Wine 2019

Zingari Toscana Rosso is an ambitious project headed by the father and daughter team of Vittorio and Fancesca Moretti, through Gruppo Terra Moretti, the wine empire of the Lombard developer Vittorio Moretti, which extends over several vineyards, run by his daughter Francesca. 

Moretti is based at the southernmost tip of the province of Livorno in the hills of the Val di Cornia. In the vineyards, red varieties are cultivated on rich soils - among them the Tuscan flagship varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but also some Syrah and Alicante. The slopes of the Petra vineyard are also planted with white Malvasia, Trebbiano, Clarette and Vermentino varieties which are intended for sweet wines.

The Moretti's are known for producing some of Italy's best sparkling wines, but we are constantly drawn back to this Super Tuscan blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah and Petit Verdot from their vineyards in the Tuscan Coastal area of Val di Cornia.  The Petra estate has a special ecosystem, warm climate and soils in the green belt of the Colline Metallifere, near the Montioni Natural Park, with the Poggio Tre Cancelli Natural Reserve, up to the Sterpaia Coastal Park, looking over the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

The wine gets its name and traces its roots to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers who were travelling along the Aurelia Street, hence the name Zingari (Gipsies), that would seek refreshment by resting near its crystal clear waters

This label release is a uniqueTuscan blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Syrah. It was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator who also granted it #29 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019.

Winemaker Notes - “Highly concentrated ruby color, which introduces the Mediterranean aromatic notes of this wine. Soft and full-bodied in mouth, it has a fresh flavor with good acidity and a structure with balsamic and mineral notes that make Zingari pleasant and interesting.” 

Wine Spectator refers to “flavors of  tomato leaf, juniper and sanguine notes”. Danielle Callegari of Wine Enthusiast cites  “A reduced nose of freshly poured tar and sulfur meets a luxurious contrast of muddled raspberry and strawberry, before hints of top soil and tobacco emerge …. turns to fresher red fruit, mostly cherry, with soil and gravel,” and calls it “Linear but substantial tannins and a firm backbone of acid work well together.”

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, a bit disjointed cacophony of with somewhat obtuse bright forward black cherry and plum fruits with notes of bramble, cedar earthiness, tobacco and bright acid with modest gripping tannins. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4082308

To accompany Linda’s Ricotta cheese stuffed shells with Marinara Sauce, we ordered a glass of the Aziano Ruffino Chianti Classico Sangiovese. 

Aziano Ruffino Chianti Classico 2021

Vibrant and inviting. The Sangiovese based wines of the Chianti Classico regions are characterized by notes of sweet violet, red berries and wild cherries with slightly spicy undertones

Ruffino dates back to 1877 when cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, hailing from Tuscany, establishing a small winery in the town of Pontassieve near Florence, the region with a centuries-old tradition of growing exceptional wine grapes. 

The area is known for ideal terroir for producing wines -  mineral-laden soils, the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea, the dry summers that favor wine grapes, and sun-drenched hills. 

Ruffino became known for clean, balanced wines, adopting the motto “here we make ideal wine.” After the Second World War, Ruffino purchased the first of its Tuscan estates, the Villa di Montemasso in the Chianti Classico region. Ruffino continued to invest in new vineyards and became one of the first major wineries with vineyard estates in Italy's three most renowned wine-producing regions: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. 

Ruffino Chianti has become a benchmark for Tuscan wines around the world. When Chianti first became recognized as a DOCG wine in 1984, Ruffino Chianti DOCG was awarded the first warranty strip. 

Today, more than 140 years after its founding and more than 90 years after the release of Riserva Ducale, Ruffino is a global leading brand. Ruffino's approach to making wine is based on their top vineyard sites, carefully managed vines and yields to produce the best quality of fruit. 

This is the entry level every day wine of a broad portfolio that addresses every price point and provides tremendous QPR - Quality Price Ratio, perfectly paired to complement the tangy pasta dish. 

Winemaker’s Notes -  “Ruby red. Vibrant and inviting. The Sangiovese based wines of the Chianti Classico regions are characterised by notes of sweet violet, red berries and wild cherries with slightly spicy undertones. The finish reveals hints of aromatic herbs. Fruity and harmonious, the taste reveals velvety tannins and an elegant texture. A long and persistent aftertaste characterizes this wine.”

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, vibrant expressive, smooth and nicely balanced red berry fruits with tangy spice and hints of tobacco and sweet mocha chocolate. Very pleasant. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4675098

https://fatclemenzas.com/

https://www.fatclemenzasmenu.com/?utm_source=gbp

Caprili Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian

 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian, Naperville

Dining out with son’s Alec and Sean and their families allowed the grandkids/cousins to get together. On a gorgeous evening of the waning days of autumn, we dined outside on the patio for a delightful dinner at Angeli’s Italian Restaurant, Naperville (IL), our favorite neighborhood trattoria. 

The grand-daughers/cousins had a great time being together, a special bonding opportunity.

And, eldest grandaughter was along to entertain and enjoy the girls.

As always, such gatherings are a wonderful time for grandma to spend time with the grand-babies. 

For the occasion, I took BYOB from our cellar this recent vintage Brunello di Montalcino for an ideal pairing with the Italian cuisine. 

Caprili Brunello di Montalcino 2019

We love Sangiovese and find it perhaps our favorite go to varietal for hearty pasta dishes, the designated signature grape ideally matched to the unique terroir of Montalcino, with notes of red fruit, spice, and earth. A perfect pairing for hearty Italian cuisine.

I’ve written often in these pages about Brunello and what makes it so special. They are sourced from the Italian appellation of Brunello di Montalcino, regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino appellation rules require 100% Sangiovese.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG has to be made 100% with Sangiovese grapes alone, and made only within the Montalcino municipality area. It can only be sold in the market from January 1 of its fifth year after harvest. Prior to that, the wine cannot legally be called Brunello di Montalcino (not even in the cellar): it is simply "red wine to become Brunello di Montalcino DOCG".

Montalcino is a picturesque, hill-top town that was not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until the 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine.

Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.

Caprili was one of the earliest estates in Montalcino – founded when there were fewer than 20 estates (there are now well over 200). They are considered one of the old guard of Montalcino producers as they were established in 1965 when they split off from the famous Pieve Santa Restituta estate. The estate is extremely well located, next to Pieve Santa Restituta, immediately adjacent to Soldera, two of the iconic top producers of the region. It is located in the southwestern sector of the Montalcino appellation near the hamlet of Tavernelle, on hillside slopes along the Orcia and Ombrone Rivers, one of the warmer areas within the appellation.

The winery is run by the young and dynamic Giacomo Bartolommei, who still in his 20¹s ratcheted up the quality at this historic estate in recent years. He has been making the wine at his family’s property without an external consultant since 2016.  Given the wealth of vineyards that the family was able to purchase early on in Montalcino¹s young history, they are able to make on average about 35,000 bottles of Brunello and 4,000 bottles of the Brunello Riserva each year. Total production at the winery is about 60,000 which includes Brunello, and both Rosso and Moscadello di Montalcino, plus a few wines they make from a small Maremma property they purchased in 2003.

The Caprili estate, covers an area of 140 acres, planted with vines covering 60 acres, 55 of which are planted with Sangiovese Grosso, with the remainder planted to small amounts of Trebbiano Malvasia, Vermentino and a small section planted with Moscadello.

The vineyards mostly are adjacent to or surrounding the winery with an exposure to the south-southeast between 225-340 meters in elevation. The soil there has a bit more sand than in other parts of Montalcino giving the wines elegance and bright aromatics. It is also a sector that benefits from regular circulation of wind currents that come off the sea to the west. This air flow pattern greatly reduces disease pressure which in turn allows the winery to farm organically. It also provides a cooling effect in warmer years to help insure freshness and balance to the wines.

The heart of the winery is the Madre vineyard whose grapes make up the Brunello Riserva Ad Alberto (Alberto was the Great Grandfather of current generation winemaker, Giacomo Bartolommei). Those vines were planted in the 1960¹s, and their other vineyards which were planted subsequently all have used massale selection cuttings from the mother block. 

The 2019 Caprili Brunello was rated 96 Points by Kerin O’Keefe,www.kerinokeefe.com, and Wine Spectator, 95 Points by Eric Guido of Vinous and Wine Advocate, 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93 by James Suckling, and 92 by Decanter. 

Readers of these pages note that I most often reference the reviewers of wines and their ratings. I pay attention to this not only as a benchmark and calibration of the wine, but importantly, over time, one may determine or establish and affinity for one reviewer over the others, for a particular wine. This helps determine which pundit may be the most suitable or best fit to one’s own tastes when selecting such a wine. 

Wine scores and ratings also provide a benchmark relative to the price of the wine, determine the QPR - Quality Price Ratio, for such a selection - identifying wines with the greatest value for the score at the price point.  

The Caprili 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has deep ruby/magenta color, medium bodied, concentrated and complex yet nicely balanced, smooth, elegant and polished with bright vibrant berry and cherry fruits accented by floral and lavender aromas, notes of cocoa, tobacco and truffle with fresh acidity, firm round but smooth and polished tannins on a silky-textured long finish. 55,000 bottles were made.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4832099

https://www.caprili.it/en/

https://angeliscatering.com/

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian 

We dined at  Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria and I took this Brunello di Montalcino BYOB for the occasion.

Readers of these pages know we don't do a lot of Italian wines but we do keep a selection in our cellar for Italian cuisine and dining at Angelis Italian which we do fairly frequently.

Tonight, we took this new arrival Limited Production Brunello di Montalcino which I just picked up at Binny's, our beverage super store at the suggestion of the wine advisor there, based on its stellar 98 point rating, and was eager to try. While I didn't give it such stellar ratings, we enjoyed it a lot and I went back to pick up a few more bottles. It was a perfect pairing with Linda's eggplant and my cheese ravioli with bolognese sauce and meatballs.

We love Sangiovese and most of our Italian cellar selections are that varietal, which we love paired with Italian cuisine. The Brunello di Montalcino label is tightly regulated and can only be made from 100% Sangiovese grapes grown in the Montalcino region of Tuscany, Italy. 

Appellation regulations also limit the quantity of wine produced each year and mandate a Long Aging Process which stipulate Brunello must be aged for a minimum of four years, with at least two years spent in oak barrels. This lengthy aging process that ties up resources and increases production costs contributes to the higher price point of the label.

The rigorous production regulations set by the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium ensure that only the highest quality wines bear the Brunello label. This commitment to quality often requires additional investment in vineyard management, winemaking techniques, and quality control.

Brunello has gained a reputation as one of Italy's finest wines, prized for its complexity, depth, and ability to age gracefully. Its prestigious status and limited availability contribute to high demand and, consequently, higher prices.

This is from Cerbaia, a boutique winery that produces wines from some of the finest vineyards in Montalcino that are a true expression of a unique and distinctive place. 

The Cerbaia property has belonged to the Pellegrini family since the 1950s, with the family beginning to make wine in the 1970’s. The estate covers of a total of 35 acres of land, 11 of which are under the Brunello appellation controls, located on the highly regarded Montosoli Hill, known as the Grand Cru of Montosoli — some of the most coveted land in Tuscany.

In 2014, Elena Pellegrini gave up a promising career in corporate finance to devote herself to her family estate, striving to craft elegant, balanced wines in the traditional Montalcino style as her father Fabio did, applying minimal intervention and sustainable practices. She is advised by notable consulting enologist G.Gorelli, Italy’s first Master of Wine.

Their 2019 release was awarded 98-points by James Suckling who declared it “one of the best I have had from here” in his  review. Kerin O`Keefe of www.kerinokeefe.com gave it 94 Points.

The 2019 is emerging as an all-time great year in Montalcino: Vinous called it “the vintage we’ve all been waiting for.” Kerin O’Keefe, who wrote THE book on Brunello, said “I’ve never tasted so many drop-dead-gorgeous young Brunellos from a single vintage.” Wine Advocate called the vintage “uniformly easy” for vintners.

The release was aged three years in large oak casks ensured that it would be polished and beautiful from day one.

Winemaker Notes - Intense ruby red in color, garnet with aging. Rich and intense bouquet of violets, undergrowth, red fruits, eucalyptus, and blackberry. Very long persistence, fresh, and elegant but complex.

Bright ruby garnet colored, medium full bodied, vibrant blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of dusty rose, tobacco, dried herbs and leather with hints of truffle with bright acidity on a smooth polished tannin finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4577891

Old world vs new world wines BYOB at Piccolo Sogno Chicago

Old world vs new world wines BYOB at Picolo Sogno Chicago 

We met in the city with fellow Pour Boys Dan and Linda, and Lyle and Terry, for an impromptu Saturday night dinner. We dined at Piccolo Sogno in the trendy north west loop restaurant district in Chicago. 

 

The name Piccolo Sogno means “little dream,” in Italian, chosen by partners Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo to commemorate the culmination of their dream to open a restaurant of their own. 

 

The restaurant has very convenient on-site valet parking. There is a small bar, and three additional different dining rooms, a warm cozy room off the kitchen, another adjacent dining room that opens to a vast outdoor tent covered patio.

 

Piccolo Sogno features a menu of fresh, seasonal rustic Italian cuisine.

Their website notes - “The restaurant fits our personal goal to get to the heart of Italian wine and food,” says executive chef Priolo. “You go to Italy for simple food, prepared by hand with local ingredients and served with local wines. That’s why people love eating in Italy, and we wanted to bring that experience to Chicago.”

They offer an extensive all-Italian wine list featured of 400 labels, presented by Region - Northern, Central and Southern Italian - a dozen sparkling wines, forty whites, and a half dozen Rose'. The red list offers nearly a hundred labels across all the regions representing the major varietal types in all price ranges, mostly in the moderate price range.

Their website cotinues - ?Ciro Longobardo, an expert in Italian wines, has carefully chosen each of the 400+ wine selections and trained his staff to offer well-informed recommendations to customers. “We wanted to provide diners with an appreciation of the enormous variety of Italian wines without overwhelming them. That’s why we pay special attention to making sure our staff can help them select a wine that pairs perfectly with their meal.”'

 

Lyle and I each brought BYOB from our home cellars some Italian (varietal wines), an authentic old world, and a new world selection.The diverse Italian (varietal) wines were ideal pairings with our varied entree selections and provided a interesting comparison of styles of the grape.

 

For a starter I chose the Barbabietole mixed beet salad with citrus, greens, fennel, hazelnuts, and DOP certified gorgonzola. DOP refers to the Italian certification Denominazione d'Origine Protetta, a Protected Designation of Origin. The DOP label guarantees that the specified cheese, (or prosciutto or olive oil) is produced, processed, and packaged in a specific geographical zone and according to tradition. Each step, from production to packaging, is regulated. DOP. It was delicious.

 

For our entree selections, I chose the Rosticciana braised beef short ribs with local white corn polenta, sautéed greens, aromatic vegetables in a red wine reduction which was also delicisious. 

 

Dan ordered the Anatra Half Roasted Duck with fennel flavored sausage, soft polenta and Tuscan kale, rosemary reduction, which I tried and thought it was the best interpretation of that dish I have ever had!  

  

The rest of the group chose the Merluzzo wood-roasted,Branzino with stewed white beans and escarole, and manila clams with white wine and lemon. The whole fish was filet'd and split tableside for sharing.

 

Lyle has accumulated a respectable deep collection of Italian premium labels over recent years, partly based on wine and dine dinners at Italian Village. He brought from his cellar a highly rated super premium Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino.

 

I brought from our home cellar two bottles, a young new world Italian varietal Sangiovese, and a traditional old world, aged vintage Brunello. 

  

In the end, the group opted for the new world for a comparison tasting new young, versus old. 

 

Valdicava Brunello Di Montalcino 2010 

  

We tasted this same vintage release of this label during our 'Pour Boys' pre-OTBN weekend tasting at Kiawah Island two years ago - OTBN 22 Kick-off dinner at 48 Wine Bar - OTBN 2022 Gala Weekend Kick-offs of with tasting and dinner at Forty-Eight Wine Bar.  

 

It was that tasting that inspired Lyle to find and procure that label release for his cellar collection, which he brought and shared this evening. 

 

I wrote about that evening tasting, and this wine in particular in a blogpost at the time, excerpted here. 

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2010

What a treat to taste two 97+ point wines side by side. This label vintage release was also rated 99 and 96 points and was considered favorite and WOTN by Lyle, and some of the others.

This is from the Italian appellation of Brunello di Montalcino, regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino appellation rules require 100% Sangiovese.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG has to be made 100% with Sangiovese grapes alone, and made only within the Montalcino municipality area. It can only be sold in the market from January 1 of its fifth year after harvest. Prior to that, the wine cannot legally be called Brunello di Montalcino (not even in the cellar): it is simply "red wine to become Brunello di Montalcino DOCG".

Montalcino is a picturesque, hill-top town that was not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until the 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine.

Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.  

The Valdicava estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, dates to 1953 when Bramante Abbruzzese returned to the property in Montalcino where his ancestors were sharecroppers centuries before. In 1967 he founded the Consorzio di Brunello. today, the estate is owned and operated by his grandson, Vincenzo Abbruzzese who also serves as winemaker who has transformed Valdicava into one of Montalcino’s most collectible producers. The 300-acre estate has nearly 70 acres planted to vineyards, 100% planted to Sangiovese.

The estate’s flagship wine is the Brunello Riserva Madonna del Piano, and it also produces this Brunello Valdicava and a lesser Rosso di Montalcino. Total production is about 6,000 cases annually.

This 2010 vintage release is considered by connoisseurs as one of the best vintages so far for Brunello di Montalcino. Vincenzo Abruzzese, owner and winemaker of Valdicava, makes no exception, saying 2010 “the perfect vintage” for Montalcino - the vintage of the century and certainly the best one he has ever made.

Vincenzo believes that 2010 has become a reference point in the history of Brunello di Montalcino. The lack of any climatic excesses combined with an extended growing season resulted in a wine that, while packing power and opulence, is elegant with each of its elements – alcohol, sugar concentration and acidity – in perfect harmony. For Vincenzo, the combination of these different qualities makes it one of greatest Brunellos ever made.

This vintage release was awarded 99 points by James Suckling, 96 points and a "Collectable" by Wine Spectator, 94 points by Vinous, and 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

 

Winemaker Notes - Valdicava philosophy is to produce a Brunello that represents the best traditions in structure and aromatics with elegance, harmony and fruit. This wine offers intense aromatics, a silky mid-weight palate, and a complex layering of ripe fruit, fresh cut herbs and earthy notes.

Bright ruby colored, medium-full bodied, tangy vibrant blackberry, sweet black cherry and plum fruits are accented by notes of flowers, licorice, mushroom, tobacco and leather with layers of ultra-fine tannins and hints of tangy acidity with long big yet silky tannins. Robert Parker discribed the wine as 'gamy' and said, "Valdicava's Brunello will appeal to those who love earthy and leathery notes in their Brunello."

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1634731

http://www.valdicava.it/

 

Piazza Del Dotto Napa Valley Sangiovese 2015 

 

Linda and I discovered and acquired this wine during our culinary food and wine tasting at the Piazza Del Dotto estate chateau in Napa during our Napa Valley Wine Experience (2018) We enjoyed it as one of our go-to wines with Italian dishes and BYOB dining at our favorite Italian eateries. We quickly consumed the case and watched for it on the Del Dotto on-line site thereafter. Finally, recently, Del Dotto offered and extsensive collection of aged vintages and we quickly picked up several more bottles of each of the vintages offered to replenish our cellar. 

 

Tonight, this was an ideal pairing with our food, and an fascinating comparision between the old world style Brunello, and the new world style Sangiovese from Napa Valley. 

 

We featured this label in several blogposts and tasting notes dating back to acquirsition in 2018. In November 2018: "Consistent with previous tasting notes - My notes from previous tasting three months ago. "This was dark garnet colored; medium full bodied, this was delicious with sweet ripe raspberry fruits accented by notes of vanilla and almond with supple smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/11/del-dotto-sangiovese-for-family-lasagna.html

Earlier, that fall - "We tasted and acquired this wine during our Del Dotto Estate Winery Cave Tour and Tasting last year. This was dark garnet colored with a slight grayish hue that signaled caution but the wine was fine, we'll monitor the next bottle (s) with interest to see if this is an early warning of trouble ahead; medium full bodied, this was delicious with sweet ripe raspberry fruits accented by notes of vanilla and almond with supple smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/08/del-dotto-piazza-sangiovese-at-angelis.html

Fellow Pour Boy, wine buddy Bill C. posted: 91 Points - Medium garnet color. Medium tending toward full bodied. Bigger and more robust than I expected. Full of red raspberry, pepper and a hint of clay, strangely enough. Medium finish with a hint of oak. Better than I remembered and a great accompaniment to fresh, sausage ravioli. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2579868

https://www.piccolosognorestaurant.com/

 

https://twitter.com/PiccoloSogno

 

https://twitter.com/unwindwine 

Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva at Tuscany Bistro Destin

Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva at Tuscany Bistro Restaurant Destin/Sandestin

Visiting our favorite vacation destination The Cove, Destin, Florida vacation rental home, we're working through the long list of restaurant options in the Destin, Florida area. Tonight, we dined at Tuscany Bistro in Miramar Beach, Destin/Sandestin.

Chef and owner, Guglielmo Ianni, has been preparing authentic Northern Italian cuisine there since 1976, starting out in Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to the Emerald coast in 1991.

Guglielmo specializes in seafood and pasta dishes with one of his signature entrees the whole fish of the day; locally caught fresh red snapper.

Guglielmo Ianni says, “My mother, Adalgisa, gave me the inspiration to pursue culinary talents, which led me to study in Italy and compile Mama’s recipes. Now, I am passing my talents on to the third generation, my daughter Theresa, continuing the Ianni family traditions of preparing authentic Italian cuisine for you to enjoy. For all of our dishes, we only use the freshest ingredients, choice meats, fresh seafood, and garden vegetables. We are fine dining at its best, but we consider the restaurant to be casual, yet comfortable, with a quaint touch of Italy. We want you to feel like part of our family.”

 

From their classic Italian Menu supplemented by local seafood offerings, Linda ordered one of the house specialties, Lasagna Al Forno - Bolognese, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. It was delicious. 

 

I ordered the Vitello Parmesan, a benchmark dish that serves as a basis for comparison from one Italian eatery to the next. Guglielmo's preparation is better than average for this favorite offering.

 

From the somewhat limited but carefully selected winelist, I ordered a Sangiovese based Brunello di Montalcino, one of our favorite varietals for pairing with zesty Italian pasta cuisine. It proved to be a perfect complement accentuating the enjoyment of both the wine and the food for a delightful dining experience.

 

 https://tuscanybistrodestin.com/

Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Sangiovese 2016

This is from Tenuta Caparzo wine estate/producer in Tuscany in the Montalcino region known for its signature Brunello di Montalcino ‘Vigna La Casa’. 

The name Carpazo is taken from the Latin ‘Caput Arsum’, meaning ‘a place touched by sun’, and Caparzo, derived from “Ca’ Pazzo” as shown on some ancient maps of the area. 

Tenuta Caparzo was founded in the late 1960’s by a group of friends who bought an old ruin with vineyards in Montalcino and subsequently renovated and modernized the farm estate and replanted new vineyards. 

The recent history of Caparzo dates back to the dawning of Brunello di Montalcino at the end of the 1960s, when a group of friends with a fondness for Tuscany purchased an old ruin with vineyards at Montalcino. They set upon renovating and modernising the facilities and planted new vineyards and, not long after, Caparzo began to make a name for itself producing estate wines.

In 1998, Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, owner of the notable neighbor Altesino estate and brand purchased Tenuta Carpazo and integrated the property and operations with the help of her son Igino and daughter Alessandra elevating the estate to another level. Combining tradition with innovation, the Angelini family produce high-quality wines year on year, always with an emphasis on selecting the best fruit from the best plots.

Caparzo covers an overall surface area of nearly 500 acres with 220 covered by vineyards, distributed over different hillsides around the borough of Montalcino. The vineyards are at a heights ranging from 720 to 985 feet above sea level. The soils ranges between sandy-clay, shale-clay (marl), shale-renaceous rich in skeleton, and sandy-stony. The exposure of the vineyards, the nature of the lands and the microclimates of the areas give fullness, age-ability and character to the Caparzo wines.

Located southwest of Chianti, Montalcino came into its own in the late 1880s when local producer,Biondi-Santi, discovered a Sangiovese clone in his vineyard that was darker in colour than the rest. Its colour, however, was not its only attribute. It produced a wine with notable body, structure and length. He named it ‘brunello' meaning 'little dark one'. 

This grape's genetic properties along with Montalcino's relatively temperate climate combine to create a wine stylistically different to that of more northerly Chianti. They are usually released approximately 5 years after the vintage following 2 to 4 years ageing in wood. The designation of Riserva indicates a wine usually produced with more concentrated grapes than the traditional cuvée and requires a minimum of one additional year of ageing. Today, Montalcino wines have become one of the most sought after appellations in the Tuscan region. 

Caparzo's Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is only produced in the finest vintages and from grapes selected personally by winemaker Massimo Bracalente. It is a certified DOCG wine. It was first produced in 1980 and has shown to have the capacity to age for up to 40 years. 

This Caparzo Riservarelease was constructed combining fruit from the estate’s original vineyard in the far north of Montalcino, with La Casa on the Montosoli hill, as well as Il Cassero and La Caduta which are in the south to southwest of the denomination.

Winemaker Notes - Ruby, tending towards garnet with age. Penetrating on the nose with ample and very complex nose with echoes of wild berry fruit. Dry, warm, solid, harmonious, combining delicacy and austerity, and persistent. 

This label release was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Decanter and Wine Spectator, 93 points by Vinous, and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast.

2,000 cases were made, 500 cases imported. 

It showed dark inky purple color, medium full body with concentrated structured red currant and black berry fruits with notes of savory herbs and clove spice, ash, earth with hints of pepper with silky fine grained tannins on the tongue coated finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4199997

http://www.caparzo.com/index-eng.html# 

https://tuscanybistrodestin.com/

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

With my tech leadership team in town for a week closing out the year, and final planning for the year ahead and the next chapter in our strategic plan, we dined at our usual go-to eatery and enjoyed some of our favored go-to wines with dinner. 

Tonight was a repeat of several earlier such team dinners we've had at Italian Village.  I last wrote about this wine in a blogpost, Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago in November last year.

Team working dinner at Italian Village Chicago features Super Tuscan and Bolgheri Chianti Classico

I wrote then about my 'SPO' - Strategy, Products and Operations leadership team continues their planning sessions in the Chicago home office and gathered for another working dinner at nearby  Italian Village, Chicago. 

 

I've written in previous blogposts about our wine and dinners, about Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant in Chicago. 

 

As is our custom, tonight, we dined in one of the private tables/rooms in the Village, one of the three restaurants on the premises, a perfect setting for an intimate or business dinner.
 

Part of this ritual is hooking up with friend and wine-buddy IV Wine Director and buddy Jared Gelband and Gerry Castillo, IV Vivere restaurant 'floor manager', who has become our 'designated' server when we come in, all shown together below. 

 

From producer dinner, wine buddy Dr Dan,
Gerry, me and Jared.

With dinner, tonight I selected these two wines from the winelist, from the same producer, Baron Ricasoli, composed of the same varietal and vineyard sources.
 
This is a label I know well and have collected over the years, one of the small selection of Italians in my cellar collection, which tends to be French and American.

When I picked these two wines from the extensive, vast Italian Village winelist, I didn't realize we've enjoyed each of them before, but never together in a mini-vertical comparison tasting. I don't think I had realized the 'vertical' aspects of the two labels, being the varietal from the common  estate sources.

Jared shared with us how he visited the Baron Ricasoli estate and staying in the magnificent Brolio Castle located within the town of Gaiole during his last wine country producer tour, He talked about meeting the proprietors who represented the 32nd generation of the family to manage the estate, and and explained how the similarity between the two labels and how they used to blend Merlot in this earlier release. 

The 2000 vintage release was classic Chianti Classico native Sangiovese accented with a bit of Merlot, which has since been dropped in later releases to focus on and showcase the estate Merlot, as in the other label below.

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (Sangiovese) Toscana IGT 2000

We also had this label back in the early 2020 which I featured in a blogpost Ricasoli CasalFerro & Livio Fellugo Saso, at the time.  

 

This 2000 vintage release is a blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Merlot. It was aged in small french oak barrels for 18 months which along with the Merlot in the blend, softens the tannins. 

 

The grapes were sourced from estate vineyards set 350 – 400 meters above sea level, mainly from the vineyard of the same name with southwest exposure, with a predominance of calcareous sandstone and Alberese stone.

Today production of this label is 135,000 bottles in a prodigious vintage year.

Wine Spectator awarded this vintage release 90 points.

At twenty-one years, this was starting to show its age and is reaching the end of its drinking window. The fill level, foil and cork (shown left) were ideal for the age. 

While past its prime, this wine was an ideal pairing with our entree selections, my Butternut Squash with Fig puree and mushrooms, the Filet of Beef, and the Lamb Chops, a new Italian Village Chef Jose Specialty.

While this was initially a bit funky with some barnyard earthiness which burned off after decanting and aerating back and forth three times, it was better than our previous tasting, due likely to bottle variation over two decades of aging. 

This was dark garnet colored with a bit of browning on the rim, medium full bodied, powerful full and forward black fruits are starting to give way to notes of cedar, black tea, olive tapenade, leather and hints of creosote on the deep, full, lingering tannic finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17527

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2000/ 

@ricasoli_1141

We lasted tasted this other wine during a similar team dinner back in the fall of last year when I wrote about Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago.

Tonight, members of our group selected for our entrees the beefsteak, the lamb chops, and I chose the butternut squash with fig puree and mushrooms - all perfectly complemented by the combination of these two wines.  

Baron Ricasoli Cassalferro Castello di Brolio 2015

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area Italian wine region. The estate covers the 1,200 hectares of property include almost 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves covering rolling hills and picturesque valleys with thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.

Since taking over in 1993, Baron Francesco Ricasoli has been guiding this central Tuscan company according to the principles of his renowned ancestors, producing wines that showcase the distinctive terroir of the soil types, the climate and clonal selections of the Brolio Sangiovese. He has also totally renovated and completely mapped the vineyards.

This label, Casalferro,  was  first  produced  in  1993  when  Francesco  Ricasoli  became  president  of  the company. This is 100% Merlot produced only during the best years. Casalferro is sourced from the vineyard  of  the  same  name  located  at  400  meters  above  sea  level  and  facing  south.  

The  brown  clay  loam  soil  with  little  organic  content  contributes  to  the  exclusive  personality  of  this  great Chianti Merlot.

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate.  

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, expressive black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of leather, anise licorice and dark cocoa and herbs, medium plus acidity and medium plus tannins on a long finish. I agree with one review that wrote that this tastes more like a Sangiovese than a Merlot from the New World, or the Right Bank.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2869770

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2015/

https://twitter.com/ricasoli_1141 

@ricasoli_1141

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

@italianvlg

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

@jzgwine