Acclaim

The Torraccia del Piantavigna 2009 Ghemme (made from a blend of 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Vespolina) shows softly aged qualities with spice, tar and leather over dried berries and black currants. The results are linear and elegant, with plenty of attractive licorice, tar, spice and crushed stone on the close. This is a pretty wine that has aged with grace. -Monica Larner

Dusty young peach and mango combines with white smoke and a spritz of lime to form an inviting and wonderfully fresh display on the 2018 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore. It perfectly balances soft textures with salty minerals and acid-driven tension, leaving notes of saline-infused green apple and a hint of grapefruit which begs you to take another sip. The fruit comes from a mix of Bucci estate vineyards, while the wine is aged in old, large 50-75 hectoliter barrels for four months. It’s an amazing value for Verdicchio at this level.  Drinking window: 2020 -2026

The 2016 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva Classico Villa Bucci is intense from the get-go, showing almond paste and exotic spice, evolving into notes of honeysuckle and ripe yellow apple. It’s silky, with an amazing density of ripe fruit and a hint of vanilla bean, almost leaning toward the tropical spectrum yet reeled in with just enough acidity and salty minerality to maintain balance. This is a big wine, as is usually the case, yet the Bucci style carries it well. The Villa Bucci is a selection made from the estate’s oldest parcels. It spends 14 months in Slavonian oak casks prior to bottling. Lose a few bottles in the cellar for three to five years, and reap the rewards.   Drinking window: 2024 -2032

The 2016 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva Classico Villa Bucci is intense from the get-go, showing almond paste and exotic spice, evolving into notes of honeysuckle and ripe yellow apple. It’s silky, with an amazing density of ripe fruit and a hint of vanilla bean, almost leaning toward the tropical spectrum yet reeled in with just enough acidity and salty minerality to maintain balance. This is a big wine, as is usually the case, yet the Bucci style carries it well. The Villa Bucci is a selection made from the estate’s oldest parcels. It spends 14 months in Slavonian oak casks prior to bottling. Lose a few bottles in the cellar for three to five years, and reap the rewards.  Drinking window: 2024 -2032