Italians with Muscles
@ Bin 604 Wine Sellers,

The White Wines:

1. Schiopetto Pinot Bianco 2002, Collio $28.99
Mario Schiopetto is the "uncrowned king of Collio" which is located in the northeast corner of Italy on the Swiss border. Having spent time in Germany and France, Schiopetto’s goal is to apply German technique and French finesse to Italian grapes. This wine is 100% Pinot Bianco fermented in stainless steel. It is pale yellow in color with aromas of bananas and apricots. It is clean and lively on the palate and nicely balanced by acidity.

2. Schiopetto Pinot Grigio 2002, Collio $39.99
Schiopetto’s Pinot Grigio, the finest made in Italy, is 100% varietal. The color is pale yellow with straw colored reflections. The aromatics are reminiscent of acacia flowers and almonds. On the palate there hints of linden and honey. It would be a splendid match with risotto dishes and grilled white meats.

The Red Wines:

3. Castello di Selvole Chianti Classico 2001, $24.99
Unfiltered Chianti Classico aged in French barriques for a minimum of one year. Deep ruby red in color, this Sangiovese displays richness backed by silky tannins. Full bodied with plenty of spice and a hint of tobacco, this wine has solid aging potential.

4. Le Volte (Ornellaia) 2001, Toscana IGT $23.99
This is the "every day" wine of Ornellaia, the renowned super-Tuscan located in Bolgheri right on the coast line. Unlike Ornellaia, the blend in Le Volte includes Sangiovese along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 2001 was a superb vintage in the region and Le Volte reflects those conditions.

5. Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 1999, $26.99
Carmignano is located 10 miles northwest of Florence in a relatively cool zone. It was the first DOC to permit Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Cappezzana’s wine is from the excellent 1999 vintage. It exhibits good color, red and blackcurrant aromas minigling with cherries, and good depth of fruit.

6. Nervi Gattinara "Vigneto Molsina" 1996, $19.99
Gattinara is the home of some of the best values in Nebbiolo capable of producing some of the most serious rivals to Barolo and Barbaresco, the most celebrated villages in Piedmont. Nervi’s single vineyard "Vigneto Molsino" has long been one of the standard bearers for Gattinara along with Travaglini. 1996 is generally recognized as a great vintage in Piedmont and this wine will be drinking well 20 years from now.

7. Sandrone Nebbiolo d’Alba "Valmaggiore" 2001, $44.99
This is another superb example of how good Nebbiolo can be even when it’s not from Barolo or Barbaresco. 2001 is another in a string of outstanding vintages and this wine will have a long life. Luciano Sandrone was one of the first growers in Piedmont to use small oak barrels and other non-traditional techniques. This wine might seem expensive but it’s one-third the price of his Barolos.

8. Giribaldi Barolo 1996, $37.99
We know nothing about this grower. However, the wine is genuine Barolo at a very fair price from a great vintage and it’s as good an introduction to the subject as any. It reveals Barolo’s typical tar and rose petal aromatics, its muscularity, and potential to improve in the bottle.

9. Sandrone "Pe Mol" 2001, Langhe Rosso $35.99
A blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Nebbiolo that has the best of both worlds; the complex rose and tar aromatics of Nebbiolo and the full-bodied, concentrated, licorice and cherry flavors of Barbera. The wine was raised in small oak and bottled without fining or filtration.

10. Antinori Tignanello 2000, Toscana $74.99
The pioneer super Tuscan from Antinori first produced in the early 1970s. The goal was to give more body, intensity, and longevity to Tuscan wines. The blend in Tignanello is predominantly Sangiovese (80%) with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. This 2000 may be the finest example in 15 years.

11. Castris "Donna Lisa" Salice Salentino Riserva 1998, $32.99
This sensational Salice Salentino, produced from 100% Negroamaro, was aged in barrel for one year and was the recipient of Gambero Rosso’s highest award of "three glasses". There are ample aromas of licorice and leather with a full-bodied palate with flavors of red berries, anise, and licorice. The wine has serious aging potential.

12. Zenato Amarone "Sergio" 1997, $56.99
Produced only in exceptional vintages from a blend of 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara. Amarone is the most famous of Italy’s dried grape wines raisined in special drying lodges where the grapes are spread on mats. After the drying process is finished, the grapes are pressed and fermented dry and placed in small casks. The wines are typically held five years prior to release. The wines are not unlike the best late-harvest Zinfandels and have a similar alcoholic strength.