Il Monte

Castello di Amorosa

Il Barone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Deep purple in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, light vanilla, licorice, chocolates, black pepper and herbs.

Full-bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and very fruity with blackberries, black currants, plums, cherries, cedar, light vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, herbs and licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Rich, extracted and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel, complex and engaging.

This 8 year old Cabernet is starting to drink at its peak now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Showing good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

Chewy, and a great sipping wine, that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in all new French oak barrels for 12 months.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$145.
— 13 days ago

Doug, Brian and 10 others liked this

Tenuta Il Poggione

Riserva Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2012

Solid Bru. Cedar, leather and tobacco. — 19 days ago

Cantina Zaccagnini

Il Vino Dal Tralcetto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2022

Absolutely fantastic with ratatouille with thyme. Cuts through everything and melds beautifully. Need another bottle to form more thoughts. — 2 months ago

Tim Schroeder
with Tim
Carolyn liked this

La Spinetta

Il Nero di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese 2020

Dark ruby color with a slight brick rim. Aromas of cherry, bramble berries, leather, orange zest and dusty earth. Flavors of black cherry/berry/raspberry/plum fruit, blueberries, tobacco and savory spices. Intense earthy quality on the long finish. Mouth watering acidity and very silky tannins. Medium-plus body. A bit of heft and intensity. Solid weeknight option. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister, Daniel and 4 others liked this

Monte Xanic

Gran Ricardo Valle de Guadalupe Red Blend 2022

Hugo’s menu, GM recommended. Soft, delicate. Light on the tongue, hints of tart fruit. — 5 months ago

Arianna Occhipinti

Terre Siciliane Il Frappato 2023

As good as ever. As good as always. — 6 months ago

Speri

Monte Sant'Urbano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Corvina Blend 2020

Sant’Urbano, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Produced by Speri in the historic hills of Valpolicella Classico, the Sant’Urbano Amarone is one of the estate’s flagship wines and a benchmark expression of the style. Crafted from the traditional Amarone blend, primarily Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, the grapes undergo the classic appassimento drying process for several months before fermentation, concentrating flavors and structure. The 2020 vintage shows remarkable balance between richness and freshness, delivering depth while maintaining precision and lift.

Aromas & Flavors
Subtle yet expressive layers of dried raisin, marmalade, and dark fruit compote emerge alongside notes of ripe cherry, fig, and delicate spice. The aromatic profile reveals the classic Amarone character without becoming overly heavy, allowing fruit purity and complexity to remain in focus.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet remarkably lively, the wine moves across the palate with impressive energy. Structured tannins and vibrant acidity provide a firm backbone, giving the wine lift and elegance. The texture is rich but polished, and the finish is long, layered, and persistent, suggesting a wine that will continue to evolve and climb with further aging.

Food Pairings
This Amarone pairs beautifully with slow-braised meats, roasted lamb, venison, and rich game dishes where its concentration and acidity complement savory depth. It also shines alongside aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino, where the wine’s structure and lingering finish enhance the richness of the pairing.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced Amarone that combines power with finesse. Structured, energetic, and elegant, it delivers both immediate pleasure and strong aging potential.

Did You Know?
The Sant’Urbano vineyard from which this wine takes its name is one of Speri’s historic crus in Valpolicella Classico and is considered among the estate’s most important sites for producing Amarone with both structure and longevity.

🍷 Personal Pick
An Amarone that truly danced across the palate, rich yet vibrant, with subtle dried fruit, marmalade, and compote supported by strong structure and acidity. Delicious now, but clearly a wine that still has room to climb.
— 7 months ago

Tom, Bob and 3 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

John Howard
9.4

Not as good as expected. A little tired. Nice tho. Day 3, so good! Time and air made this insane. Love, — 12 days ago

Ray, Dave and 12 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

A little young for being tired? May be bottle variation?
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

@Pinotman /// Andreas two days later, much much better! this one is really changed my mind on wines that need to be aged or need air or time, etc. rating is gonna go up a lot. So good!
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

@Pinotman /// Andreas oh and I thought it might have been a storage problem… nope!

Podere Poggio Scalette

Il Carbonaione Alta Valle della Greve IGT Sangiovese 2021

AEL
9.0

This is a serious wine - understated, tannic, alot going on. Agree w other reviewers that this vintage may be a bit young to crack open - didn't feel fully integrated yet. — a month ago

Louis M. Martini

Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Deep Ruby color with intense black fruit aromas of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, violet, vanilla, cedar and crushed stone minerality. Light eucalyptus, forest floor, cigar box and graphite. Well balanced tannin and acidity though the wine feels a bit over-extracted. Delicious but a little heavy. Lots of room for development. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister, Paul and 2 others liked this

Suavia

Monte Carbonare Garganega 2023

Peach citrus upfront with a nice mineral finish — 4 months ago

Castello di Monsanto

Il Poggio Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2000

Vintage 2000 | Cellaring rewarded the wine :-) bottled elegance, light footed sangiovese with good structure, dances in the glass — 6 months ago

Jay, Dave and 12 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Dave same. I have access…but I ridiculous prices, especially when you consider how great the Riserva is.
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

Wow 😳 2000!!!

Il Borro

Toscana Red Blend 2019

Rich, black cherry. Great. Bought at Enoteca for ¥6,800. — 3 days ago

Dave liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — a month ago

Juan, Jeroen and 11 others liked this

Tenuta Il Poggione

Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2016

Pours a medium, slightly faded garnet rim, opening with an intense and highly expressive nose showing advanced tertiary evolution. On the palate, it exhibits a firm, full-bodied structure driven by ripe, integrated tannins and a distinctly mature, savory depth. The texture remains smooth, carrying through to a finish with harmonious spices—a fully evolved bottle to be consumed in the very near future. — a month ago

Dave, "Odedi" and 4 others liked this

Mauro Vannucci

Il Sasso Carmignano Sangiovese Blend 2022

2022 vintage. Strong acidity, Raspberry, red fruit, cocoa, leather, and spices. Freshness and terroir on display. Good stuff. Good value. — 4 months ago

Poderi Aldo Conterno

Il Favot Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

One of the best langhe nebbiolos I’ve had recently, especially for a relatively reasonable price on the list at Leon’s. And a great pairing with pork braciole as well. Lots of fruit, but still quite refined, with great texture and acid. Quite pretty and delicious. — 6 months ago

Dave, Tom and 7 others liked this