2001 Amarone della Valpolicella Fabiano -$299.99 cs/6

2006 Argiolas Costera (cannonau) Sardinia - $249.99 cs/12($19.99) - Parker 91pts."This powerhouse red represents Sardinia's version of Chateauneuf du Pape. It boasts sweet black cherry fruit interwoven with notes of pepper, Provencal herbs, spice box, and licorice. This full-bodied beauty possesses superb texture and depth."

Business Week 91pts.""This powerhouse red represents Sardinia's version of Châteauneuf du Pape. It is composed of 90% cannonau (a local grape believed to be a derivative of grenache) and 5% each of carignano and bovale sardo. It boasts sweet black cherry interwoven with notes of pepper, Provençal herbs, spice box, and licorice as well as superb texture and depth."

2001 Barbera BRAIDA Bricco dell Uccellone - $699.99 cs/12 - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award &  Parker 91pts. "seductive nose of spicy, grilled bread, infused with expresso, roasted meats, black cherries, and raspberries. Dense, full-bodied, luxurious texture, super intense, plush, to enjoy over next 8 yrs."

1999 Barolo Brunate  Vietti - $625.00 cs/6 - Parker 92-95pts. "It shows the balsamic nose typical of this great vineyard, along with toasted oak, smoke, mineral and tar aromas with excellent concentration in its sweet dark fruit, as well as notable expansiveness and depth of expression. This bottling often appears out of balance when young as the new oak requires a few years to integrate fully into the wine, but patience will be amply rewarded. It should drink well to age 20. 92/drink after 2007, An enveloping, seamless wine, it perfectly captures the sepia-toned nuances of the Brunate vineyard. Smoke, tar, licorice, plums, prunes, and chocolate emerge from this powerful, weighty Barolo. Balsamic overtones develop in the glass, adding further complexity and elegance as this sweet, perfumed wine continues to open. It is another gorgeous offering from Vietti."

2000 Barolo Parusso Piccole Vigne - $59.99*bot. - WS 92pts."Aromas of raspberries, foie gras, with a hint of barnyard which turns to lillacs. In the mouth, full-bodied yet super soft tannins, with ripe exotic fruits, cherries, and jam like finish. Best after 2008."(JS).

2003 Brunello Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nouva - $450.00 cs/6

2000 Brunello Castelgiocondo by Frescobaldi - $699.99 cs/12(58.34) - Gambero Rosso 3 Cups - WS 92pts. - "Intense aromas of blackberry and light vanilla. Full-bodied, with velvety fruit and a long, caressing finish. Pretty, ultramodern and very good quality for the vintage. Best after 2006"

1999 Brunello Valdicava - $140.00 bottle - SALE $1,199.99 cs/12(99.99) - Parker 93pts. "those looking for the finest... might want to consider this wine, the best yet."  also Wine Spectator 94pts. Dark-colored, with intense aromas of ripe fruit, coffee and toasted oak. Full-bodied, with a depth of ripe fruit and delicious black licorice flavors and silky tannins. Beauty. This equals the quality of the excellent 1994. Best after 2006. 1,600 cases made. -JS

2002 Cabernet Sassicaia - $225.00*bot. - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award "Those who lie in wait, pens dipped in poison ink, for each new vintage of this legendary red, simply to criticize its most insignificant details will have their work cut out for them.. The '99 is as great as ever. What is so awesomely admirable is this wines stylistic consistency ... elegance without dilution, delicate tannins that still manage to present a close-knit weave, and supreme drink ability..." Parker 88+? "Aromas of smoke, vanilla, red & black currants. Medium body, high tannin, and excellent purity; elegant, restrained, moderately concentrated needs 2-3 yrs. 2006-216.(He questioned the huge tannins).

2004 Chianti Classico Fontodi - $300.00 cs/12(25.00) - Magnums available

2003 Falesco Montiano - $49.95*bot. - Parker 94pts."sumptous perfume of graphite, blackberries, currants, licorice, and subtle grilled bread. Great depth, full body, sweet tannin, and a long, layered elegant finish. 2005-2020."

2001 Flaccianello Fontodi Super Tuscan 3 liter - $595.00 each - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award - Wine Spectator 97pts.

2005 Flaccianello Fontodi Super Tuscan - Parker 93pts. (Galloni) "Manetti's 2004 Flaccianello della Pieve (100% Sangiovese aged in 100% new oak) is simply stunning. Fresh and vibrant, it offers compelling aromatics and endless layers of fruit that develop in the glass, with superb length on the palate and gorgeous overall balance. Although it is still holding back much today, make no mistake about it, Flaccianello is one of Italy?s blue-chip wines and the 2004 is a profound vintage for this wine. In order to enjoy its full range of expression readers will have to wait at least another five years after which it will provide memorable drinking to age 25, perhaps longer. A recent bottle of the 1982 was still full of life when tasted a few months ago. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029." (Galloni tasted 371 wines, only 5 earned 96pts., 1 earned 97pts., but at 3x the price of Flaccianello)

2004 Flaccianello Fontodi 3 liters - $550.00 each NET

2004 Flaccianello Fontodi 6 liters - $995.00 each NET

2001 Fontoloro Super Tuscan Felsina - NWW SALE $399.99 cs/12 ($33.34) - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award & Parker/Thomases 93pts."The 2001 vies with the ledendary 1985 for the beat in this estates distinguished histroy. Packed and powerful with riper and sweeter fruit, rich sensations of dark chocolate, licorice, and tar. Dense expanding finish, promises over a 12 years of high class drinking ahead."

2002 Fucci Titolo - $250.00 cs/6(41.67) - Gambero Rosso 3 glass award "An amazing 2002, almost black hue. It has an elegant complex nose of black and red berry fruits. Delicate nuances of balsam and oak toast that integrate perfectly into the fruit. On the palate it is very firm but with uncommon elegance and finesse, finishing long with delightful sensations of ripe cherry. In short, it is a powerful, long lived red of grat class, and one that brings distinction ta a small producer who is now ESTATE rather than GARAGSITE in scale."

2001 Galatrona Fattoria Petrolo Toscana - $475.00 cs/6($79.17) - Wine Spectator 96pts. "A perfectly formed bodybuilder. Gorgeous aromas of crushed flowers and ripe red fruits, with hints of minerals. Very perfumed. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, delicious finish. Very refined indeed."   Parker 92pts."confirms its status as one of Tuscany's better Merlot bottlings with its dark ruby color, ripe, warm plum and black cherry fruit, and spicy, dense flavors, broad and long, with a swelling volume on the finish."

2004 Gaja Barbaresco D.O.C.G. - $999.99 cs/6 ($166.67) - "There's an excellent balance of fruit and tannins, with vanilla, flowers and berries throughout, along with tar. Full and racy, with a long finish. It's all here. Best after 2010." Wine Spectator 95pts. Drink 2010. Parker 93pts. "The 2004 Barbaresco reveals fresh, perfumed aromatics that lead to layers of crushed flowers, spices and sweet raspberries. This is a wine of rare class, elegance and pure breed. It offers outstanding length and silky, elegant tannins to round out the inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024. Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja's wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja's Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja's 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past. Readers fortunate enough to possess the means to acquire these wines won?t want to miss them! The 2003s from the Barolo zones of La Morra and Serralunga are also strong efforts considering the vintage. " Historically in Piedmont there has been an inverse relationship between quality and quantity. Great vintages like 1961 and 1989 were characterized by low yields," says Gaja. ?2004 is one of those rare vintages like 1964 and 1990 where quality is high even though yields were generous as well. I think 2004 is a very elegant vintage. It is much easier to achieve opulence in the wines, but finesse is always much more elusive."  Tanzer 92pts."Good medium-deep red. Perfumed aromas of raspberry, truffle, flowers and earth, a whiff of Burgundian funk. Silky, elegant, a seamless texture to its red fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes long and suave, with fine-grained tannins. Lovely Barbaresco."

2004 Gaja Sori San Lorenzo & Sori Tildin - $2,350.00 assorted case of 6 - Parker 98pts. & 97pts."The 2004 Sori San Lorenzo is a drop-dead gorgeous wine. It presents awesome balance, especially in the way it marries power with elegance. This is a remarkably refined and understated Sori San Lorenzo, with never-ending layers of dark raspberries, licorice, grilled herbs and tar that flow from its sumptuous frame. A dark, brooding beauty, it will require several additional years of bottle at a minimum, but those with the patience to wait will be amply rewarded. In most vintages I prefer the Sori Tildin, but in 2004 Sori San Lorenzo has a very slight edge over its sibling. It may very well be the finest Sori San Lorenzo since the legendary 1971. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja's wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja's Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja's 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past. Readers fortunate enough to possess the means to acquire these wines won't want to miss them! The 2003s from the Barolo zones of La Morra and Serralunga are also strong efforts considering the vintage. "Historically in Piedmont there has been an inverse relationship between quality and quantity. Great vintages like 1961 and 1989 were characterized by low yields," says Gaja. "2004 is one of those rare vintages like 1964 and 1990 where quality is high even though yields were generous as well. I think 2004 is a very elegant vintage. It is much easier to achieve opulence in the wines, but finesse is always much more elusive."

2000 Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi - $395.00* bottle - Parker 92pts."penetrating, intense, and spicy with notes of saddle leather and chocolate, is ripe, round, and fresh in flavor with the customary elegance and satin of tannins which have long distinguished it. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2017."

2000 Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin - $395.00* bottle - Parker 93pts."notably more powerful on the nose and more complex as well, with balsamic and resin sensations to accompany the mocha and vanilla. Rounder and ampler than Costa Russi, it is concentrated, sumptuous, and sensual as well as long and fresh on the development and finish. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018."

2000 Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo -$395.00*bottle - Parker 94pts."the darkest of its three siblings, is the most potent of all, with a big, alcoholic push which drives the tar, roses, plums, and toasted oak. It has sizeable structure and important intensity, the richness and depth of extract and the balance of power and finesse are those of outstanding grapes and winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020."

2000 Gaja Barolo Sperss - $395.00*bottle - Parker 94pts."from Serralunga d'Alba, is logically more backward than the Conteisa, a blast of tar, licorice, and chocolate on the nose, opulent, dense, very firm and structured on the palate, mouthfilling and chewy in texture, and in need of time. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025."

2000 Gaja Barolo Conteisa - $395.00*bottle - Parker 94pts."the Cerequio vineyard in La Morra, rivals the superb 1998 made here. Very ample in aroma, with abundant anisette, asphalt, and mocha, it is solid, deep, concentrated but very round, superior in length and continuity, and with all the famed polish of its cru. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2022.

2000 Gaja Cabernet Darmagi - $395.00* bottle -Parker 91pts."The wine press seems to have lost interest in Gaja's Cabernet Sauvignon, but the 1999 Darmagi is the finest since the duo made in 1988 and 1989. A deep, inky ruby with black berry fruit, light herbs, and sweet oak, it is currently slightly closed up and austere, but with a brooding authority which promises well for the future. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025."

2005 Il Nero di Casanova La Spinetta Tuscan - $199.99 cs/12(16.67) - "Sangiovese and Colorino make up the Il Nero di Casanova blend. The name means "the black one" and refers not only to the deep dark color of the wine, but also to how old-timers in Tuscany call their red wine. The wine is brooding in color, with bing cherry that comes through on the nose and palate. Chewy, ripe, rich and beautifully balanced, it has tremendous texture and a very long finish. A superb vintage for Tuscany classic w/tons of fruit, perfect balance of tannic structure and acidity."

2002 Nino Negre Valtellina Sfursat 5 Star - $399.99 cs/6(66.67) - Gambero Rosso 3 glass award and red Wine of the Year "rare elegance, intense garnet color, aromas of plums preserved in alcohol and dense notes of blackberries and black cherries. On the palate it is beefy, continuous and pervasive with ..." Sfursat, or Sforzato, is made from a selection of the best grapes of the Valtellina. It owes its name to the classic practice of Forzatura - already noted in Roman times - which consists of drying the bunches to concentrate the juice of the grapes and to increase the sugar content. The resulting wine is particularly robust but it is produced only in the best years in limited quantities. The bunches, sorted from the healthiest and ripest available in only the best years, are picked by hand into small boxes of six kilos each and are then left to dry naturally for three months so that the grape sugar is concentrated through dehydration. The dried grapes are pressed in January and vinified by the traditional red wine method; the must, very rich in sugar, ferments slowly and produces an exceptionally powerful wine (1,5 kilos of grapes are needed to render 750 cl bottle of Sfursat). The wine is aged one year in vats of Slavonian oak; the wine then rests another threes months in the bottle. Intense garnet colour, with brick red hues and a heady, very distinctive, complex bouquet, with strong spicy notes (cloves, cinnamon, pepper) and hints of plum preserve, raisins and tar. Dry, warm, savoury flavours have produced a balanced and firm wine with an elegant lingering aftertaste of toasted hazelnuts and liquorice.

2004 Ornellaia Super Tuscan $999.99 cs/6 - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award, plus

Parker 95pts."The gorgeous 2004 Ornellaia is a great way to start this tasting. A lively dark ruby, it is a vibrant effort bursting with expressive aromatics and layered, well-delineated fruit, showing much purity on the palate and closing with a long, finessed finish. Readers hoping to catch this wine's full array of nuances will have to wait at least another few years as the wine remains quite primary today. This exquisite effort is not to be missed. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. 95/Anticipated maturity: 2011-2019. Tenuta dell'Ornellaia is without question one of Italy's blue-chip properties. The gorgeous, sprawling estate is located in Bolgheri in Tuscany's Maremma. On a recent visit I had the opportunity to taste a number of the estate's wines with General Manager/Agronomist Leonardo Raspini and Oenologist Axel Heinz, including verticals of the estate's top bottlings Ornellaia and Masseto. Ornellaia is a Bordeaux-inspired blend consisting principally of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. In 2003 a small percentage of Petit Verdot was introduced. The use of several varietals gives the winemaking team the luxury of being able to tailor the exact proportion of the blend to the specific strengths of a given vintage. Because the blend tends to vary from year to year in a vertical tasting Ornellaia shows many different facets of its personality. After harvest the varietals are vinified separately. Fermentation and maceration lasts between 25-30 days after which the wines are moved into French oak barrels where they age for 12 months. The wines are then racked and assembled into the final blend, which spends an additional six months in barrel prior to being bottled. The percentage of new oak has risen from 50%, which was used for vintages 1997 and 1998, to 60% used in 1999, to the 70% the estate has employed since 2000."  and WS 97pts."Dark ruby-purple in color, with complex aromas of dark chocolate, cola, vanilla, cedar and currant. Full-bodied yet ultrarefined, with dense, seamless, caressing tannins. Everything is in the right proportion. Superb. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2009. #7 on Wine Spectator's 2007 Top 100 list."

2004 Poggio al Tesoro Sondraia - $250.00 cs/6 - Parker 90pts."Bordeaux Super Tuscan blend with ripe dark fruit, chocolate, mint, eucalyptus , and toasty oak."

2005 Rosso di Montalcino Valdicava - $399.99 cs/12(33.34) "a splendid example of what can be expected from this vintage. It's dark ruby/red color is accompanied by a black cherry, spicy, tobacco, mineral, earth, and underbrush-scented nose, and glycerin-imbued, sweet, Jammy, fleshy fruit. Drink this dense, fat, luscious wine over the next 5-8 years!

2004 Santadi Carignano Grotta Rossa - $149.99 cs/12 ($12.50) - "Sardinia still is a relatively unknown wine area outside of Italy. Carignano. Known as Carignan in France, the grape is often found in the same places where Grenache is grown - and used most notably in Languedoc-Roussillon in blends with Grenache and also Cinsault. In Italy, Carignano is rare - hardly found anywhere other than in Sardinia. However, it is in the Sardinian soil - particularly in the southwestern district known as Sulcis - that the grape reaches perhaps its greatest heights. A great example of this grape from the Sulcis area is Santadi Grotta Rossa Carignano del Sulcis. If my quick brief on Sardegna didn't interest you, maybe this will: this wine was created by the man who oversees the Santadi winery - Giacomo Tachis, better known as the winemaker from Sassicaia. The nose of this wine shows ripe blackberry, black cherry, earth, alcohol. In the mouth, you enjoy a very smooth texture, ripe black raspberry, sweet boysenberry, and black cherry flavors upfront. Some black pepper, a touch of vanilla spice, and earthy, herbal elements appear in the midpalate and stay through the finish. Mild acidity, medium tannins. Finishes with dry black fruit, sweet tobacco, drying tannins - and lasts a lot longer than you might expect from a wine in this price range. This is a nice, round, warm red with good tannins that will match well with hard cheeses, turkey burgers, poultry, and meatier fish, such as catfish and salmon. The acidity is acceptable but too low to stand up to some foods; keep it away from tomato-based dishes and fatty meats."

2004 Sella & Mosca Cannonau Riserva - $129.99 cs/12 - Wine maker notes"In the most outstanding vintage years, Sella & Mosca produces a Riserva version of its Cannonau, made from grapes picked in selected portions of its Cannonau vineyards. Aged three years in oak prior to release, this aristocratic red will sustain a decade or more of aging. Sardinia's premier wine estate, Sella & Mosca, is known on the Italian mainland and elsewhere in Europe for its remarkably fine and distinctive wines. Sella & Mosca ranks among Europe's most progressive wine estates and comprises the second largest contiguous vineyard in Italy."

2003 Serpico Fuide San Grigorio - $425.00 cs/6(70.84) - Parker 98pts Impenetrable inky, staggeringly rich in aroma and flavor, offers ultra-ripe perfectly fresh berry fruit, cloves, cinnamon, chocolate. Mouth-coating, deep-pile tactile sensations which combine iron power enveloping, voluptuous texture, infinitely deep and long. I would be amazed if this wine DID NOT last 30yrs." I QUESS HE REALLY LIKES IT !

2001 Solaia  Super Tuscan Antinori - $795.00 cs/6(132.50) - Wine Spectator 95pts. "Fantastic aromas of crushed blackberry, licorice and strawberry. Full-bodied, with rich, velvety tannins and a long, fruity finish. Fruit-forward and exciting. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best after 2008."  Also Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award (Top 2% of all Italian wines) " one of the classics among Super Tuscans, always 80-20 Cabernet-Sangiovese.

2004 Sondraia Poggio al Tesoro Allegrini - $250.00 cs/12(41.67) Parker 90pts."Bordeaux (Cabernet/Mrlot) Super Tuscan blend with ripe dark fruit, chocolate, mint, eucalyptus , and toasty oak flavors."

2002 Tasca D'Alimerita Sclafani Bagni Sicilian Cabernet Sauvignon - $299.99 cs/6(49.99) -Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award "Luigi Guzzo & Carlo Ferrini made a splendid deep, dense ruby colored cabernet with a broad nose which is intense and complex, ranging from herbaceousness to cedar and new oak toast. There are no quibbles about it's 3 glass award."

2003 Tasca Lamuri Nero d'Avola - $99.99 cs/6(16.67) - Parker 87pts. "One of my favorite Sicilian wineries, Tasca d'Almerita produces expensive as well as impressive value-priced wines. The 2003 Lamuri (100% Nero d'Avola) is an unwooded red displaying a dense ruby/purple color as well as abundant aromas and flavors of black cherries, blackberries, tobacco leaf, and licorice. It's a medium-bodied, velvety-textured, tasty effort to consume over the next 1-2 years."

2003 Terra di Lavoro Galardi - $750.00 cs/6(125.00) - Gambero Rosso 2006 Tre bicchiere "deep purple in color with a smoky, earthy nose that shows tobacco and mineral character. Black cherry fruit, tobacco and leather come through on the palate of this big, full-bodied wine. Firm tannins insure that this wine will last."

2001 Taurasi Piano di Montevergine Riserva - $350.00 cs/6 - Parker 94pts."Off the charts! Dense wine exudes the essence of jammy blueberries, blackberries, tar and smoke. Still incredibly primary and loaded with fruit. It appears to be destined for a very long life. Tannins are well integrated and it has phenomenal balance to allow it to improve with more bottle aging (written 2/08). Maturity 2010-2026. Gambero Rosso 2 Glasses.

2003 Tolaini Due Santi Super Tuscan - $125.00 cs/6 - Gambero Rosso 2 Glass Award (Top 20%) "Michel Rolland consulting, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc blend with a dense melange of chocolate, toasty oak and blackcurrent preserves, some subtle balsam which opens to a spacious palate of tight textured mouthfeel and a good marriage of tannin & alcohol which achieves a smooth well leisured finish."

WS 91pts."Aromas of blackberry, currant and toasted oak follow through to a full-bodied palate, with layers of ripe fruit and velvety tannins. Long, raspberry and toasted oak aftertaste. Full-throttle red. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best after 2007. 2,500 cases made." -JS

2004 Vitiano by Falesco - Retail $11.99 -  $119.99 cs/12(9.99) - Parker 89pts."Consistently one of the finest in the marketplace. Spent 3 months in oak casks, its deep ruby color is accompanied by aromas of dried roses, strawberries, cherries, currants, and spice box. Good density, loads of fruit, medium body, and an elegant, clean finish. It is a character-filled Italian red to consume over the next 1-2 years. 2004-2006"

2004 "W" Dedicato Poggio al Tesoro - $425.00 cs/6 - Parker 92pts. "a drop-dead gorgeous effort. A dark glossy ruby, it presents an exotic array of toasted oak, mint, spice, chocolate, coffee bean and sweet dark fruit notes. Plump and expressive on the palate, it offers superb length as well as exquisite overall balance and a resonating note of warmth on the finish. Ideally a few years of cellaring are warranted although this wine is drinking very well today. Made from a vineyard once leased by nearby Tenuta dell'Ornellaia and aged in 100% new oak for 18 months, it is one of the most exciting new wines I tasted. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. Poggio al Tesoro is a new winery in Bolgheri co-owned by importer Leonardo LoCascio and the Allegrini family. Winemaking is overseen by consulting oenologist Alberto Antonini and these are its first releases. The estate works with densely planted vineyards and low yields to produce deeply flavored wines. In particular, readers who enjoy Cabernet Franc will not want to miss the superb 2004 Dedicato. Poggio al Tesoro will be a fascinating property to watch as the wines acquire age"

2005 Zisola Nero d'Avola Sicily - Retail $25.00 - NWW SALE $99.99 cs/6 ($16.67) - The Mazzei family, historic owners of Tuscany's renowned Fonterutoli Estate, present Zisola, an elegant Sicilian red wine of great complexity, concentration and aging potential. Made from Sicily's indigenous Nero d' Avola grape, Zisola is bursting with rich flavours of blackberry and dark cherry, accented by notes of violet, pepper and exotic spice."

Misc. Countries and Regions:

2003 Alion Vega Sicilia -  $195.00 Magnum NET - Parker 96pts."The good news is that the 2003 Alion is even better than the 2002. It has a similar personality but with more depth and concentration as well as structure. The ripe tannins suggest much more will be revealed with another 6-8 years in the bottle. It will drink well for 15+ years thereafter." 

2003 Allende Rioja - $299.99 s/12(25.00) - Parker 88pts."Unfiltered Tempranillo which exhibits a chunky, muscular, straightforward style with good depth and chewiness. Drink over next 4-5 years."

2003 Alvaro PALACIOS Las Terrasses - $349.99 cs/12(29.17) - Parker 90pts."A great introduction to Palacios' style, is the 2003 Les Terrasses, a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Carignan, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A beautiful wine aged 12 months in primarily French, and some American oak, it is a supple-textured, sexy, seductive, deep ruby/purple-tinged offering exhibiting ripe notes of black cherries, currants, licorice, and minerals. Opulent, round, juicy, and alluring, it will drink well for 4-6 years."

2005 Bodegas El Nido Clio Mourvedre - $280.00 cs/6 - "from Australian winemaker Chris Ringland, is an intriguing bottle. Its deep purple color opens to aromas of creme de cassis and opulent flavors of tart, black cherries, licorice, roasted espresso, chocolate, and toasted oak."

2001 Bodegas Julian Gran Feudo Reserva - $199.99 cs/12.

1999 Bodegas Mauro in MAGNUM - $75.00* each - Parker 91pts."Impressive Spanish reds emerge from this up and coming star of Castilla y Leon, a region just outside Ribera del Duero. The sweet, concentrated 1999 Mauro possesses abundant quantities of blue and blackberry fruit, graphite, smoke, earth, and wood. This big, rich fruit bomb will drink well for a decade."

2003 Ernie Els Stellenbosch Cabernet - $450.00 cs/6 - SALE $399.99 cs/6 - Stephen Tanzer 89+pts."Bordeaux varieties blended with 20% shiraz. Good full ruby-red. High-toned aromas of raspberry, cassis, licorice, menthol, tobacco, eucalyptus and resin oak. Creamy-sweet and fine-grained, with rather cool flavors of licorice, menthol and violet pastille. From grapes harvested late, in a cool growing season. Finishes with firm, serious, building tannins and an emerging note of bitter chocolate. The Ernie Els property is located closer to the sea and at higher altitude than Rust en Verde, the vineyards are distinctly cooler and more exposed to wind."

2004 Pesquera Tinto - $359.99 cs/12 - Parker 92pts."an excellent bouquet of cedar, tobacco, spice box, and blackberry. On the palate it offers layers of ripe black fruits, mineral notes, outstanding depth, and a lengthy finish. It will evolve for several years and be at its best from 2012 to 2025."

1997 Port Dows Vintage Portugal - $66.00 bottle

1997 Port Fonseca Vintage Portugal - $95.00 bottle

2000 Port Fonseca Vintage Portugal - $95.00 bottle - Parker 95+pts.

2001 REMIREZ de GANUZA a modern Rioja - Retail $75.00 -SALE $375.00 cs/6(62.50) or $699.99 cs/12(58.34) - Parker 94 "This single vineyard, estate-bottled, unfiltered Rioja is given an unusual upbringing of one year in tank followed by two years in French and American oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Its dense ruby/purple hue is accompanied by sweet aromas of cherries, currants, licorice, and smoky oak. A supple texture is somewhat deceiving as there is plenty of tannin beneath the wine's full-bodied richness and intensity. Beautiful purity and overall harmony suggest a balanced and long life. Anticipated maturity: now-2015."

1995 Vega Sicilia Unico - $1,750.00 cs/6 - Parker 97pts."a worthy successor to the profound 1994 (awarded a score of 98+ in Issue #159). Opaque purple in color, it has aromatic complexity which nearly defies words. There are notes of earth, licorice, hard wood charcoal, and black currants. Full-bodied, and powerful, the wine has beautiful balance with a multi-dimensional character and the structure to last for 25-40 years. The 1960 and the 1965, drunk within the last several months, appear to have many more years ahead.

1998 Vega Sicilia Unico - $2,500.00 cs/6 - Parker (Jay Miller) 98pts."is purple-colored with a complex bouquet of wood smoke, violets, Asian spices, mineral, blueberry, and assorted black fruits. This is followed by a full-bodied, dense, loaded wine with gobs of sweet fruit, great concentration, and layers of flavor. It will continue to evolve for another 5-7 years and drink well through 2040+."

* Deduct 5% on assorted 12 bottle purchases.

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