Acclaim

No verbiage given with score

“Terrabianca’s 2011 Campaccio is nicely focused in the glass, with a real sense of direction and excellent energy for the year. A bit deeper and more pliant than the Riserva Croce, the Campaccio is going to need a few years in bottle to fully open up. Sweet dark cherry, plum, licorice, new leather and spice notes wrap around the seductive finish.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Jul 2015

“Terrabianca’s 2011 Campaccio is nicely focused in the glass, with a real sense of direction and excellent energy for the year. A bit deeper and more pliant than the Riserva Croce, the Campaccio is going to need a few years in bottle to fully open up. Sweet dark cherry, plum, licorice, new leather and spice notes wrap around the seductive finish.” -Antonio Galloni, VInous, Jul 2015

“The 2011 Chianti Classico Riserva Croce is beautifully translucent and weightless in the glass, with lovely detail and tons of personality. Black cherry, licorice, menthol and sweet tobacco add shades of nuance. This is a surprisingly mid-weight, polished wine for the year. The 2011 can be enjoyed now or cellared for up to a decade, perhaps longer.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Sept 2015

“Fragrant purple flower aromas, with red berry and vanilla lead the nose of this round, succulent wine. Notes of mocha, white pepper and aniseed accent the juicy black cherry core while chewy tannins provide the framework.” —Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast Sept. 1, 2015

“The 2011 Franciacorta Rosé Brut (100% Pinot Nero) is on the informal side of the Franciacorta sparkling wine spectrum, but it also delivers loads of delicious fruit freshness. This attractive rosé sparkler offers a food-friendly personality that would pair with seafood, grilled tuna or sushi. The wine is fresh, forthcoming and versatile. Crisp acidity and silky perlage appears on the close. This wine sees 36 months of sur lies aging.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Sept. 2015

“The 2013 Etna Bianco Archineri is a full package Italian white. This is a pure expression of Carricante from 125-year-old, pre-phylloxera vines planted at 850 meters in altitude on the eastern flank of Etna near Milo. All the intensity you feel here comes from the suburb quality of fruit from these precious, ancient vines. The bouquet shows citrusy freshness with white peach, honey and cantaloupe melon. The mouthfeel is creamy and crisp with streamlined precision and great sense of energy. This Etna white has the acidity and natural structure for moderate cellar aging. Pietradolce is my new Etna darling. This estate has always been on my radar, but the wines have never tasted as good as they do now. Michele Faro and his team (winemaker Carlo Ferrini is a consultant) have made impressive leaps and bounds in quality – from the stunning historic vineyards they own to the immaculately designed gravity winery that is coated with slabs of volcanic stone. Construction was almost done when I visited the estate this spring. Located in Solicchiata on the northern side of the volcano, Pietradolce boasts some of the most beautiful vineyards I have ever seen. I cannot exaggerate this point. The Vigna Barbagalli is located a steep 900 meters on the volcano’s flank. Once you climb up there, you are treated to a panorama of ancient, knotted pre-phylloxera vines hidden in a little amphitheater of volcanic rock.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Sept. 2015

“The 2012 Etna Rosso Archineri is one of the protagonists of the vintage. The Archineri vineyard is planted from 700 and 850 meters above sea level and the vines are from 40 to 80 years old. Similar to the spectacular singlevinyard red from the Barbagalli vineyard, Archineri offers uncompromising purity and intensity in terms of its fruit. This is a wine of improved precision and focus. It opens to a luminous, ruby appearance with tight berry nuances followed by grilled herb and volcanic ash. Archineri is very reflective of its volcanic territory. The mouthfeel is delicate and fine with feminine endnotes of dried rose and violets. Pietradolce is my new Etna darling. This estate has always been on my radar, but the wines have never tasted as good as they do now. Michele Faro and his team (winemaker Carlo Ferrini is a consultant) have made impressive leaps and bounds in quality – from the stunning historic vineyards they own to the immaculately designed gravity winery that is coated with slabs of volcanic stone. Construction was almost done when I visited the estate this spring. Located in Solicchiata on the northern side of the volcano, Pietradolce boasts some of the most beautiful vineyards I have ever seen. I cannot exaggerate this point. The Vigna Barbagalli is located a steep 900 meters on the volcano’s flank. Once you climb up there, you are treated to a panorama of ancient, knotted pre-phylloxera vines hidden in a little amphitheater of volcanic rock.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Sept. 2015

No verbiage given with score

“When grapevines die and go to heaven, they wake-up in Pietradolce’s Barbagalli vineyard. I have only ever seen a handful of vineyards as beautiful as this spectacular terrestrial handshake between man and volcano. The 2012 Etna Rosso Vigna Barbagalli faithfully reflects the esthetic grandeur of this amphitheater of pre-phylloxera vines planted 900 meters up Etna’s blackened slope. On average, these knotted plants are more than 100-years-old. The wine opens to amazing intensity and purity with an enormous sense of integrity and balance. Dark berry fruit segues slowly to spice, leather, balsam herb and crushed mineral as the wine evolves in the glass. The wine’s finish is long and determined. Vigna Barbagalli is a revelation if you are looking for a reason to fall in love with Etna. Pietradolce is my new Etna darling. This estate has always been on my radar, but the wines have never tasted as good as they do now. Michele Faro and his team (winemaker Carlo Ferrini is a consultant) have made impressive leaps and bounds in quality – from the stunning historic vineyards they own to the immaculately designed gravity winery that is coated with slabs of volcanic stone. Construction was almost done when I visited the estate this spring. Located in Solicchiata on the northern side of the volcano, Pietradolce boasts some of the most beautiful vineyards I have ever seen. I cannot exaggerate this point. The Vigna Barbagalli is located a steep 900 meters on the volcano’s flank. Once you climb up there, you are treated to a panorama of ancient, knotted pre-phylloxera vines hidden in a little amphitheater of volcanic rock.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Sept. 2015