Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.
Red Wine
Bolla Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2019, Veneto D.O.C., Italy: Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella Classico from Veneto opens with intoxicating aromas of black cherry preserves, dried fig, dark chocolate, and sweet spice with hints of tobacco and toasted cedar. Dry and full-bodied with velvety tannins, it flows across the palate with opulent dried fruit character and closes with a long, persistent finish of cocoa and warm spices. Serve it slightly below room temperature or cellar it into the early 2030s. Christian Scrinzi, Director of Oenology at Gruppo Italiano Vini since 2001, crafts this wine using the traditional appassimento technique where grapes are dried for several months before fermentation to concentrate sugars and flavors, continuing a winemaking legacy that began in 1953 when the Bolla family became the first to commercially bottle Amarone, presenting the inaugural vintage to founder Alberto Bolla for his 80th birthday and revolutionizing the category. Pair this sumptuous red with slow-braised short ribs where the wine's rich fruit complements the tender, wine-braised meat, or enjoy it with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and dark chocolate as the wine's intensity stands up beautifully to bold flavors. Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico food pairings: slow-braised short ribs, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano with dark chocolate, osso buco. Drink: 2026 - 2030 491852 15.5% XD 750 mL $39.95 Score: 92/100. January 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
White Wine
Collemassari Melacce Organic Vermentino 2024, Montecucco, Veneto D.O.C., Italy: Collemassari's Melacce Vermentino from Montecucco, Tuscany is a zesty, light to medium-bodied white wine offering notes of grapefruit, fresh lemon, sage and mint. This dry, organically grown wine displays tight, polished texture and vibrant acidity that make it wonderfully refreshing. Serve it well chilled with grilled shrimp scampi over pasta as the wine's citrus character complements the garlic and lemon, or pair it with fish tacos where the wine's leafy notes enhance the fresh cilantro and lime. Winemaker Lucia Gorelli crafts this fragrant Vermentino from organic vineyards in southern Tuscany's Montecucco region, where Mediterranean influences and mineral-rich soils create wines with distinctive aromatic intensity and food-friendly balance. Collemassari has been committed to organic viticulture since its founding in 1998, demonstrating that sustainable farming produces wines of exceptional quality and purity. This fresh, savoury wine represents excellent value and will drink beautifully through 2027 and beyond. Vermentino food pairings: pesto pasta topped with grilled shrimp scampi, seafood chowder, fish tacos. Drink: 2026 - 2028 33416 14% XD 750 mL $19.95 Score: 92/100. January 2026. Best Value White Wine Full Review Add to Shopping Cart