Vintages Release: January 21, 2012

Fontanafredda Barolo ‘Riserva’ 2005
DOCG Barolo, Italy $49.95 (967141) 13.5% alcohol
Spice, earthiness and lovely lilac aromas provide introduction to this beautifully sculpted, complex and layered red. The palate’s bathed with a stream of tangy, racy red currant and sour cherry that fleshes out to a broad wash of layered blueberry and ripe mulberry flavours. It’s medium bodied with good texture and long, complex finish underpinned by ripe sweet tannin. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: March 31, 2012

Tedeschi ‘Monte Olmi’ Amarone delle Valpolicella Classico 2007
DOC Amarone delle Valpolicella $69.95 (964403) 16.0% alcohol
This flagship, single-vineyard gem tops out at16% alcohol with all the accessories to pull it off—excellent balance, good weight, generous texture and a gusher of palate-coating flavour that brims with charm and elegance. It’s heady on the nose and palate with rich, complex flavours of fig, raisin and plum compote while the lengthy luxurious aftertaste layers on warm spice and coffee notes—as good as Amarone gets. (Vic Harradine)