Over the next few days I’ll be posting my notes for my top wines of the year.  I figure to get things started we’ll begin with my favorite wines from my favorite wine and food country- Italy.  The criteria for this list is simple:  the wine must be from Italy: any vintage, any region.  I have tasted more than 3000 wines this year, with more than half being from Italy- you could only imagine the difficulty in narrowing this list down to 10.  The list is heavy in Brunello and Barolo, with the top wine standing out the most because of the potential I see in the bottle.  For what it’s worth, I have more bottles of numbers 10, 9, 8, 5, 3, and 1…so it’s likely a few of these will re-appear on future lists!  (Image is of me with the vines of Fuligni who made number 5 on this list!)

Without further ado:

10.  1985 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino:  A Brunello at its peak.  Opened for 1 hour, poured from bottle.  Gorgeous nose of red and dark fruits, spice, leather, cedar and a touch of sweetness.  On the palate a good amount of fruit remains- baked cherry and plum, with velvety tannins and a soft finish.  Very pretty wine- drinking great now and should last another couple years.  My rating: 94 pts

9.  1998 Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra:  Popped and tasted. Then a decant and drinking over 2+ hours. Beautiful nose of dried prunes, sour cherry, slight tobacco, flowers and earth. Great structure and impeccable balance- tons of dark fruit, complex flavors of earth and spice, medium tannins and a pretty finish. This wine has years until it peaks but is very enjoyable now.  Rating: 95 pts

8.  1997 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva:  A big, dark, structured Brunello from an outstanding vintage.  Dark cherry, black fruits, tobacco, earth, chocolate, earth all wrapped up in the most elegant and complex packaging with an endless finish.  I’ll hold off a few more years on the bottles I have left as this adolescent has 2-4 years until it nears peak.  Powerful, elegant, mysterious- a great wine.  My rating: 95 pts.

7. 2001 Dal Forno Amarone:  Someone please pinch me…holy richness. Amazing depth and concentration with dried fruits, raisins, plum, cassis, sweetness on the tannins. This wine could define “layers and layers of complex flavors” as it’s incredibly structured and very exciting. Young? Yes. Enjoyable now? Yes!!! My rating: 96 pts

6.  1997 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva:  Aromatic and enticing this ‘97 is still a youngster. Layers of dark fruit, tar, wet soil, and twigs dance on the palate with medium to large tannins and good length on the finish. Very elegant example of Brunello. I’d give this 2-3 more years in the cellar as it has some time until everything comes together. My rating: 96 pts

5.  1997 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva:  Dark color with a very expressive nose of dark cherry, forest floor, earth and some subtle spice.  On the palate the wine is rich and delicious, with layers of ripe fruit and earth, perfect balance, soft tannins and an endless finish.  My rating: 96 pts

4.  1978 Gaja Barbaresco:  The cork came out in one piece, decanted for sediment and immediately poured. The nose on this wine was beautiful and complex. Herbs and spice notes with mushroom, minerals, raspberry and cherry, and other red fruits. Each sniff gave the impression of something new and exciting. On the palate the wine a real delight. Flavors of tobacco, leather, cherry, bay leaf, spice, earth came in waves giving way to a touch of acidity and elegant and refined tannins. The finish was unique with new flavors showing up long after the decanter was dry! A great wine experience.  My rating: 96 pts

3.  1977 Mastroberadino Taurasi Riserva:  Opened for 15 minutes prior to pouring.  Poured very carefully from the bottle.  On the nose, this is one of the most amazing wines I have ever experienced.  Dark, rich fruits, vanilla, flowers, spice, caramel, and anouther 100 things that are up to personal interpretation.  Amazingly complex and youthful on the nose.  On the palate, the wine shows its age but is just past its peak.  Rich flavors, fully integrated tannins, long finish.  Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful…  My rating: 95 pts

2.  1998 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia:  Decanted for 3 hours. This is a young, big, in your face wine with outstanding richness, complexity and concentration. Ripe dark fruits, sweet cedar, spice, and dozens of other flavors that are up to personal interpretation! The finish is endless. I would love to revisit this in 5 or more years. My rating: 96 pts

1.  2000 Aldo Conterno Gran Bussia: Wow, a real treat. This wine is produced from the best vineyards in the best vintages and is no joke. The nose is amazingly floral and elegant with truffle, plum, and dark berry. On the palate the wine is complex and alive with tobacco, licorice, spice, red fruits with impeccable balance and finesse and a long, thought provoking finish. Did I mention, wow?  My rating: 96 pts