Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Quite light garnet , wide terracotta rim . Quite a lot of smoky sous bois, with some light red fruits, sweet dry spices , touch of hickory . On the palate this is pretty evolved and has started to dry out slightly , with some some sweet red currant , dried spices, salty acidity and resolved tannin . Ok , slate tinged finish . Drink now , and probably would have been better a few years ago . — 7 days ago

Brian S

9.3

Beautiful — a month ago

Jerry Dixon

9.1

We had this with Dewey and Dozieie at Erb Saint in New Orleans. Excellent. — 5 months ago

Aaron Tan

9.2

The 16’ Ultimi Raggi, though impressive, just had to bow out to the Vrana Petra. Both shared vibrant red fruit aromas and dried florals, but the Ultimi Raggi leaned into richer, plummy notes with chocolate, nutty warmth, and a balsamic edge. On the palate, both wines were similarly intense, yet the Vrana Petra’s mineral-driven elegance outpaced the Ultimi Raggi’s richness. Towards the end of the night, the Ultimi Raggi’s austere tannins became very pronounced, rendering it a bit more challenging to drink. Both excellent wines, but in it was the Vrana Petra that took the cake at this stage with its clarity and poise. I can’t say this wasn’t expected though, given the Ultimi Raggi’s late-harvest nature. If anything, it did provide excellent context for the “Barolo of Greece” claims attached to the Vrana Petra. — 6 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Amazingly tight for a 16-year old wine. The acids are smell-able on the nose, zinging along tart, macerated wild cherry fruit and glacier-crushed rock fragments. (OK, maybe I’m making up the part about how the crushed rocks were created.) In the mouth it’s deep but the acids rip this along on the palate like a whitewater canoe ride. Really really unique and good. — 12 days ago

with Angelo

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. — 2 months ago

with Deked1

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Beautiful, engaging nose. Full bloom, pink & red roses, cherry hard candy, layered, soft spice, dark cherries, strawberries, raspberries, light herbal notes, hint of bubble gum.

Pretty, ripe, juicy palate. Fruits are light; raspberries, cherries, strawberries and blackberries & black raspberry hues. Wet river stone, dry limestone powder, more pronounced dark, dry tannins, dry herbs, dark spice with some heat, light, dry tobacco notes, barrel dust, bright red & pink roses, magnificent acidity with a very pleasant elegant, polished finish that lands on spice and lasts 90 seconds.

Really good value and one to pick up. — 5 months ago

Fabio Franchella

9.2

Leichtfüssige, präzise, etwas komplexe hellrote frucht. Gewürze, zedernholz, leicht lakritz - einfach schön — 2 days ago

J. B. Rainsberger

9.0

Tart cherry and perhaps strawberry. Some deeper notes, but not too strong. Light color. More fruit on the nose than in the mouth. — 12 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium garnet , ruby , with medium wide garnet ruby rim . Quite aromatic with sweet red fruits , touch of rose , floral hints . A little alcohol showing . Quite rich and dense , with a touch of medicinal , dried summer fruits . Herbal hints and anise , dried spice . Slightly grippy tannin , less prominent acidity , and alcohol a little more noticable. This has a slightly shorter , less elegant finish than the other wines, but more forceful . Still showing well , this could be drunk now and over the next 5-8 years . — 2 months ago