We just love the superb Barolos of Paolo Scavino here at Sunfish Cellars and Osteria I Nonni and our Zoom conversation with Elisa Scavino last year was one of the highlights of our program of virtual tastings. They own 30 hectares entirely in the Barolo area and work on 20 Barolo historical crus located in Castiglione Falletto, Barolo, La Morra, Novello, Serralunga d’Alba, Verduno, Roddi, and Monforte d’Alba. The Scavino family has distinguished itself from the beginning with their scrupulous care of the vineyards and passion for terroir. Their core belief is the supremacy of viticulture above oenology. The focus...

It is easy when thinking of Italian red wine to focus on Piedmont and Tuscany because of the many special wines made there. But there is more to Italian wine and it is unfortunate to forget about the wines of other parts of the Italian "boot". Basilicata is nestled between Puglia and Campania in southern Italy. Aglianico is the most important grape there and the finest wines are made from grapes grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano called Vulture. We are pleased to offer the 2016 Elena Fucci Aglianico del Vulture "Titolo" which is a rich, dark, thrilling...

Importer Eric Solomon is an extremely reliable source for top value wines from Spain and the 2016 Bodegas Castano Alcaria Old Vines is an excellent illustration of that fact at only $9.99. A blend of Grenache, Mourvedre (Monastrell is the Spanish name for Mourvedre), and Syrah from Yecla, it is delicious and showing beautifully at 5 years of age. Jeb Dunnuck, a very dependable source for Spanish wines, agrees me, rating it 91 points: " A custom cuvée made for importer Eric Solomon with Jean-Marc Lafage, the 2016 Alcaria is a blend of 50% Monastrell, 25% Syrah, and the balance...

Peter Sisseck, the owner/winemaker at Pingus in Ribera del Duero, Spain, is unquestionably one of Spain's (and the world's) most acclaimed winemakers. His "Grand Vin", Pingus "Pingus" has received five 100 point ratings from The Wine Advocate since the inaugural vintage in 1995. His PSI bottling (named for the picture of an old Tempranillo wine on the label which resembles the Greek letter Psi), is made from coop fruit rather than estate fruit resulting in a much more affordable wine (the 2018 Pingus Pingus is $1,399.99 per bottle - and by the way, we have some for sale). The 2018...

Angelo Gaja is unquestionably the most influential Italian winemaker of his generation and perhaps the most influential and respected of all. His Piedmont reds are sought after by lovers of Italian wines everywhere. But his Tuscan reds are also benchmarks for their respective regions, as illustrated by this very special wine. The 2017 Gaja Ca' Marcanda Bolgheri Rosso Magari beautifully illustrates what a master winemaker Angelo Gaja is. 2017 was one of the hottest Tuscan vintages of recent times which could have resulted in over-ripe grapes, elevated sugars, and out-of-balance wines, but none of those flaws exist in this wonderful...