Drinking Reds Throughout Italy
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy – Drinking red wine throughout Italy is deeply woven into the country’s culinary traditions – even French wine.
Red wine should generally be consumed between 12°C and 18°C (55°F to 64°F) depending on the body and style.
The ideal range varies by the type of red wine:
Light-bodied reds: 12°C to 14°C (53°F to 57°F) for wines like Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Beaujolais.
Medium-bodied reds: 14°C to 16°C (57°F to 61°F) for wines like Grenache, Sangiovese, and Merlot.
Full-bodied reds: 16°C to 18°C (61°F to 64°F) for wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Malbec
Serving reds slightly below modern room temperature helps preserve the fruit flavors, balances tannins, and prevents the alcohol from overpowering the taste.
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy – Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux Grand Cru Cote de Nuits France
Vintage 2023
Rating 96
Average Cost in US$ 599
This was a very tactile experience.
Silky, subtle tannins, invisible, evident only slightly on the finish.
Mature complexity with great youthful sweetness.
It was difficult to isolate specific aromatics or specific flavors, clearly notes of dried cranberry, a touch of orange peel, cherry liqueur.
More of an experience in perfect texture and balance – sound structure, generosity of fruit.
Extremely enjoyable.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle Les Borniques Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru France
Vintage 2022
Rating 94
Average Cost in US$ 196
Domaine Amiot-Servelle is one of the finest producers in Chambolle-Musigny.
Today, Prune and Antoine Amiot-Servelle skillfully lead the estate, and for several years, we have both visited and witnessed the initiatives they have taken to improve an estate already known for its high quality.
Now, we have the opportunity to purchase the 2022 vintage directly from their cellar – a few bottles from an already highly limited production.
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy –Daniel Twardowski Ardoise Pinot Noix Mosel German
Vintage 2019
Rating 92
Average Cost in US$ 135
Deep and rooty nose, but also wonderful, fresh black-cherry fruit that expands as it opens up in the glass.
The abundant, fine tannins create an impressive structure that builds very well at the finish, providing a lot of power.
What an extraordinary combination of white pepper, dried flowers and chocolate at the long, pure finish.
Drinkable now, but best from 2023.
Palmento Costanzo Prefillossera Etna Rosso Sicily Italy
Vintage 2019
Rating 93
Average Cost in US$ 164
In the glass, it presents a luminous and deep ruby red.
The bouquet is rich and enveloping, with notes of red fruits, hints of graphite, touches of volcanic dust, and balsamic nuances.
On the palate, Palmento Costanzo Prefillossera 2019 shows volume and precision, with velvety tannins, good structure, and a long, harmonious progression.
The finish is pleasantly savory, a distinctive sign of its Etna origin and volcanic matrix.
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy – I Vigneri I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna ‘Saeculare’ Riserva Etna Rosso Sicily Italy
Vintage 2016
Rating 93
Average Cost in US$ 83
The ‘Saeculare’ from I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna is an uncompromising Etna Rosso Riserva, made from centuries-old vines located on the north side of the Sicilian volcano.
Lively, elegant, and long-lasting, it owes its complexity to the long aging process of 24 months in tonneaux, followed by another 24 months in the bottle.
Aromatically, it offers intense nuances of ripe red fruit, typical hints of tobacco, and spicy hints of black pepper.
Best enjoyed with a platter of well-aged cheeses or classic red meat.
Henri Magnien Les Cazetiers Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru France
Vintage 2023
Rating 94
Average Cost in US$ 147
Henri Magnien is a family domain with a modest outlook at the heart of the Côte de Nuits.
The wines crafted here are remarkable, and we recommend keeping them in the cellar for a few years.
This cuvée comes from the chalk- and marl-rich terroir in the premier cru Gevrey-Chambertin known as Les Cazetiers.
Its location and meticulous vinification make for a wine that is racy, complex, and dense.
Its ruby-red colour announces a varied aromatic bouquet. We find notes of red fruit (cherry, raspberry), black fruit (blackcurrant), cherry liqueur, gentle spice, musc, and mushroom.
Structured by persistent tannins, this cuvée deserves to be aged for around ten years and should be aerated a little before serving.
ou could savour it with a dish of slow-cooked meat, a squash soup, or a sweet potato gratin.
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy – Passopisciaro Contrada R Rampante Terre Siciliane IGT Sicily Italy
Vintage 2023
Rating 96
Average Cost in US$ 93
The Contrada Rampante is located on Mount Etna, at over 1000 meters above sea level.
Here the lava soil is of very ancient origin and the climatic conditions, which foresee a considerable difference in temperature between day and night, favor the development of very clean scents.
In this bottle we find, both on the nose and on the palate, fresh and crunchy fruit, at the perfect point of ripeness and a lot of minerality to define the profile of this fine and elegant wine.
SAS Rouget Pere & Fils Corton Le Rognet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune France
Vintage 2023
Rating 93
Average Cost in US$ 279
A grand cru with character, featuring a deep nose of ripe black fruit, enriched with spicy and slightly wild nuances typical of the terroir.
On the palate, it is structured and powerful, combining intensity and finesse, with evident tannins and a refined complexity that promises a harmonious cellar life.
A Corton of incredible finesse and complexity. It is precisely the rarity of its low yield that gives this incredible Burgundy wine its nobility.
For several generations, Domaine Arnoux Père et Fils has been located in the commune of Chorey-les-Beaune, in the Côte de Beaune.
The family perpetuates the art of vineyard and winemaking, combining traditional savoir-faire with new technologies
Drinking Reds Throughout Italy – Benanti Rovittello ‘Particella No. 341’ Etna Rosso Riserva Sicily Italy
Vintage 2017
Rating 93
Average Cost in US$ 120
This wine is made from the Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio varietals and originates from the Sicily region of Italy.
Sparkling ruby red with delicate orange highlights.
Very elegant nose, delicate fruity notes reminiscent of wild rose and pomegranate, followed by dried rose petals and a hint of nutmeg.
On the palate, structured and powerful, it opens with plenty of juice, a ripe tannic structure, vibrant acidity, and a long, spicy finish.
Rouget Pere & Fils Corton Le Rognet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune France
Vintage 2020
Rating 94
Average Cost in US$ 280
Corton Grand Cru “Le Rognet” 2020 is a pure Pinot Noir from the Le Rognet climate zone, located in the municipality of Ladoix-Serrigny in the Côte de Beaune.
The vineyards, planted between 1960 and 1970, are located on marly-limestone soils rich in iron oxides, at an altitude of 280 to 330 meters, with a southeast exposure.
The wine has a deep ruby color and offers notes of ripe red fruits, sweet spices, and a subtle minerality on the nose.
On the palate, it is structured, with silky tannins and a long finish, expressing elegance and complexity.
