In 2011, Wine Enthusiast's tasting panel reviewed more than 16,000 wines. We’ve recently published our Top 100 Best Buys (wines for $15 or less), our Top 100 Cellar Selections (cellar-worthy and highly rated collectibles) and our popular list of The Enthusiast 100 (weekend wines, restaurant purchases and special occasion wines) – now we’re releasing lists from the world’s most popular wine regions, including Italy, Spain and France.
As one of the oldest and largest wine producing regions in the world, Italian wines are diverse, complex, and can be confusing - especially to novice wine consumers. Our 2011 list aims to help clarify the situation, with in-depth reviews that cover each sub-region of this incredible country. For more on Italian wine, be sure to check out our country profile and our full list of Italian wine reviews here in the Buying Guide.
Ca' del Bosco 1998 Brut Sparkling (Franciacorta)
From the faraway 1998 vintage, this lovely sparkling blend from northern Italy delivers a suave, smooth personality with complex layers of toasted baguette, honey-roasted almond, candied orange and ripe peach. Great intensity and a bitter almond finish cap the enduring mouthfeel.
— M.L.
(12/31/2011)
Brigaldara 2007 Case Vecie Red (Amarone della Valpolicella)
- Cellar Selection
- $80
One of the standout Amarones from the lovely 2007 vintage, Case Vecie is opulent, rich and impressive in terms of intensity and complexity. It opens with dark, inky concentration and releases a long line of black cherry, spice and soft tobacco flavors. Drink after 2015.
— M.L.
(12/1/2011)
Bric Cenciurio 2007 Coste di Rose Nebbiolo (Barolo)
- $61
Barolo Coste di Rose is a darkly concentrated and rich wine with sweet spice overtones of clove, licorice and cinnamon over cherry fruit and raspberry. There’s a soft, chewy quality to the mouthfeel that is typical of wines from the 2007 vintage.
— M.L.
(9/1/2011)
Brezza 2007 Bricco Sarmassa Nebbiolo (Barolo)
Here’s a beautiful Barolo that exhibits a compact, streamlined style that would pair with lighter- colored meats such as pork or veal. There are pretty earthy notes of wild mushroom and dried fruit followed by ethereal tones of soy and cola. Drink after 2018.
— M.L.
(9/1/2011)
Biondi-Santi Tenuta Greppo 2006 Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello di Montalcino)
- Cellar Selection
This gorgeous wine from Biond-Santi represents one of the best Brunellos ever made by this storied Montalcino producer. The wine is clean, fresh and shows a slow, steady evolution in the glass. It is also more concentrated, rich and intense than recent vintages.
— M.L.
(4/1/2011)
Bertani 2004 Red (Amarone della Valpolicella Classico)
- $100
Aged in traditional oak casks for six long years, Bertani’s beautiful 2004 Amarone delivers the best of Valpolicella. It shows beautiful complexity and elegance that is articulated by tobacco, brown sugar, cassis and sweet tobacco flavors. There’s substance and length on the close with a delicately smoky aftertaste.
— M.L.
(12/1/2011)
Begali 2005 Monte Cà Bianca Red (Amarone della Valpolicella Classico)
- Online Exclusive
- $58
This is a knockout wine with amazing extraction and power that fuels a long, pleasurable experience. The wine opens with aromas of black cherry, chocolate fudge, exotic spice, mesquite and asphalt. It’s supple and dense with touches of sweet spice on the fade.
— M.L.
(2/1/2011)
Andriano 2007 Gant Riserva Merlot (Alto Adige)
- $45
This Riserva expression of Merlot from cool-climate Alto Adige delivers fantastic intensity and purity. The aromas of cherry, spice, leather and red rose are chiseled and crisp. The wine is soft and velvety in the mouth with a long parade of berry fruit flavors on the long finish. Serve this wine with sophisticated meat dishes or cellar age five to ten more years.
— M.L.
(5/1/2011)
Alois Lageder 2004 MMIV Merlot (Alto Adige)
- Online Exclusive
From the extraordinary Punggl vineyard cru south of the town of Magrè at an altitude of 790 feet above sea level, this rich, luscious and refined Merlot is simply gorgeous. The mouthfeel is soft, silky and rich and the high altitude has helped to shape aromatic brightness and overall intensity. Beautiful.
— M.L.
(6/1/2011)
Allegrini 2004 La Poja Corvina (Veronese)
- $90
This is a gorgeous wine with loads of intensity and personality derived from the native Corvina grape of Valpolicella, Italy. It’s amazingly rich and smooth with long-lasting flavors of maraschino cherry, Indian spice and cola.
— M.L.
(5/1/2011)
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