Notes from the bottle: From grapes on our Tuscan estate in the hills of Cortona. Aged 12 months in small french oak barrels to ensure smootheness and early drinkability. Excellent with antipasto and pasta, and with red or white meats.

Producer: Baracchi Winery. The Baracchi winery is located on the Cortonese hillside and adjoins the Relais. Riccardo Baracchi strongly desired to continue the family tradition of growing grapes and producing wine since 1860 giving it now a modern character and great quality with renowned wine maker, Stefano Chioccioli

Grape composition: 100% Sangiovese

My notes: Absolutely perfect itallian for a rather cold rainy summer evening. I am not a big fan of Sangiovese's but this one is quite remarakable, ruby red. I think cherries... very concentrated cherries....very yummy! Very smooth, very elegant, very cherries and just yummy.

Buy Factor: Good and Giftable.

Cost: $24.99 a bottle.

Notes from Menotomy: The Orvieto Classico is an ancient wine, known in antiquity as a favorite among popes and princes, and is obtained from a combination of 40% Procanico, 40% Grechetto, 15% Verdello and 5% each Drupeggio & Malvasia. The straw yellow coloring of this wine gives way to a delicate bouquet that reveals an intense body, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Antinori has produced Orvieto since 1922, and Orvieto Classico since 1932

Grape composition: 40% Procanico, 40% Grechetto, 15% Verdello and 5% each Drupeggio & Malvasia.

My notes: This wine simply shines! Yes, that is correct, very pale yellow, brilliant and almost tranluscent. Perfect summer wine! Limes and pears, with a little nutty flavor, clean finish. Incredible, cannot wait to pair this on a hot summer day with cold tomato-basil-mozzerella salad with olive oil.

Buy Factor: Was (and am) quite impressed with this one.

Cost: $14.99 a bottle.

Notes from Bermans: Most successful in Italy's Piedmont region, where it makes such wines as Barbera d'Asti, Barbera di Monferato and Barbera di Alba. Its wines are characterized by a high level of acidity (meaning brightness and crispness), deep ruby color and full body, with low tannin levels; flavors are berrylike. However, plantings have declined sharply in the United States. A few wineries still produce it as a varietal wine, but those numbers too are dwindling. Its main attribute as a blending wine is its ability to maintain a naturally high acidity even in hot climates. The wine has more potential than is currently realized and may stage a modest comeback as Italian-style wines gain popularity. Additional descriptions: "Lovely blackberry and raspberry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with good acidity and a plum, lemon and chocolate aftertaste"

Grape/Varietal composition: 100% Barbera.

My notes: It was beautiful ruby red color, quite grapey with hints of mixed berries. But, on the whole a very table wine, quite non-memorable. Although, at the wine tasting there were couple of fans.

Buy Factor: I don't think I was too impressed with this one. Nah! Wasn't too jazzed with it.

Cost: $17.99 a bottle.

Region: Friuli-Venezia Giuli is a mountainous area tucked away in the northeast corner Italy, bordering on Austria and Slovenia. Grape varieties such as Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnary and Sauvignon Blanc. Amongst reds Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are widely grown

Grape/Varietal composition: 100% Pinot Griogio or as the rest of the world says Pinot Gris.

My notes: I had the opportunity to drink this wine, and it turns out to be quite crisp, citrusy (melony), and could go with almost anything. This paired well with seafood and chips.

Buy Factor: It makes a good gift at around $20/bottle for almost any occassion that you pick off the shelf.

Cost: $20.00

Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
[Abruzzo  Italy]

Few weeks back we had a department offsite meeting, and the lunch menu was Italian. Since I was going to bring some wine for the lunch, it had to be Italian. I know very little (if any) about Italian wines. So, wandered over to my favorite store and aimlessly read about the Italian wines. I don't remember why I picked this one, was it recommended? was it described on store recommendation? was it the nice twig tied on the bottle? Dunno, but I am happy to have picked it up.

It is a strong and dry red wine, with a lovely ruby red coloring. With a little airing, it bloomed into a robust wine, full bodied and very velvety. I loved it. Perhaps it was a tad heavy for an afternoon lunch, but it would be a perfect dinner wine with italian food.

Most of these wines (so I read) are made from the grape with the same name Montepulciano and perhaps blended with 10% or less of authorized red grape grown in the Abruzzo region. The top of the line in these wines are usually brilliant ruby red color, dry, pungent and slightly tannic. It is recommended to look for wines bearing the name "Colline Teramane", which is wines made from hilly land in Termano. In the official classification of Italian wines, these are in the sixth place after Chianti, Asti, Oltrepo Pavese, Soave, and Valpolicella.

Buy Factor: Perfect dry red wine, goes great with Chicken Parm or Prosciutto-Mozzarella Focaccia. At around $15 I have another sitting at home.

I did not want to buy this one. I was on a roll buying the D'Escurac and wanted two other French wines (stay tuned for those reviews). My wine merchant however recommended I try this one. He mentioned it to be a deep red, full bodied and smooth easy drinking. For me to spend a additional $15 for this bottle, I requested a price break (which he happily gave) on D'Escurac. This sure orked out well!

It turned out to be very good wine colored a ruby red with tinge garnet. It was fruity and had hints of blueberry and cherries. It was very comforting to open it and drink. Interestingly though, I opened and had it one evening and then replaced the cork and put in the fridge. The next day it was even better. I should have decanted and aired it at least an hour before drinking on the first day. The third day it was the wine stayed beautiful and quite warm in the mouth with excellent balance and strong finish.

Recommended to drink this wine throughout the meal and especially pairs well with cheeses.

Buy Factor: For $15, it is definitely worth it.