The Wine Gift Shop

Red Wine by La Valentina from Tuscany, Italy. The color is deep ruby and violet; the perfumes are clean and intense, persistent with notes of red fruit, blackberry and black cherry. On the palate the wine is fresh and pleasantly full-bodied and deep, with a finish of red fruits, licorice and tobacco. The tannins are evident but subtle with an excellent balance between alcohol and acidity. The wine reflects a style that combines tradition with modern tastes. It is able to combine early drikability with solid concentration.

Red Wine by Le Volte from Tuscany, Italy. Blend: 50% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon Elegant and enjoyable, the 2005 vintage is characterized by ample fruity, slightly spicy notes. Produced following closely the Tenuta dell'Ornellaia's philosophy, Le Volte is the result of the research and selection of the best Mediterranean terroirs in Tuscany. It matures for about 10 months in 2-4 year old barriques which have been previously used for the aging of Masseto and Ornellaia. The Mediterranean expression of Sangiovese gives the wine opulence and warmth while structure and complexity are provided by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The result is a harmonious, balanced, well-structured wine with an enjoyable finish.

Red Wine by Luce from Tuscany, Italy. Tuscany's 1999 vintage is acclaimed for red wines of long aging potential. The intense sun of the summer months encouraged early maturation of the berries, leading to Sangiovese and Merlot grapes of superior soft tannins and lower levels of acidity. The heavy rains of October did not compromise fruit quality, since the sunshine and constant breeze that shortly followed dried off any excess moisture. The grapes for Luce were brought to the winery in excellent condition with fully developed flavors and an ideal balance of sugar concentration and acidity. Luce, the signature wine of the Frescobaldi family of Tuscany and the Robert Mondavi family of Napa Valley, captures the unique terroir expression of a beautiful hillside vineyard in the famous region of Montalcino. Powerful, yet elegant, the 1999 Luce reflects the expertise of the two renowned winegrowing families with rich, complex layers of ripe fruit. The intense bouquet offers enticing aromas of raspberries and black currants layered with nuances of vanilla and cloves. On the palate, this wine shows its great consistency, perfectly integrated tannins and just the right touch of acidity. The vibrant flavors of blackberry and blueberry weave into a long, warm finish.

Red Wine by Luce from Tuscany, Italy. Blend: 50 % Merlot and 50 % Sangiovese Luce 2004 appears deep ruby with lovely purple highlights. Subtle suggestions of toasty oak appear first on the nose, over fragrant notes of blueberry and blackberry that seem to infuse the background; next to emerge is a complex of floral and mint nuances, followed by smooth impressions of vanilla and cinnamon. The palate is smooth and mouthfilling, with velvety tannins and a warm alcohol beautifully complemented by a crisp acidity. The finish is expansive and dynamic.

Red Wine by Luce from Tuscany, Italy. Blend: 50% Merlot, 35% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon A powerful, dense ruby, flecked with purple, announces Lucente, followed by a seductively elegant and measured suite of aromatics. Notes of smooth vanilla are first to emerge, enlivened by crisp balsamic essences. Then, evolved impressions of raw and tanned leather build complexity, which finally yield to rich notes of dark cherry and fruit preserves. In the mouth, Lucente's sheer volume is noteworthy, building steadily on the palate, and brilliantly supported by a core of tannins that are dense and fine-grained, but at the same time lively and expressive. The finale is velvety, delicious, and appealing.

Red Wine by Monte Antico from Tuscany, Italy. A classic Super-Tuscan blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Savignon and 5% Merlot. The 2004 vintage is aged 1 year in oak & 6 months in bottle. 30% of the wine is aged in new French barriques. Delicious fruit, velvety, extract-fraught texture, full body, beautiful finish and superb balance. Dark ruby in color, its bouquet of leather, earth, herbs, black cherries, licorice and plums is confirmed on the medium to full-bodied palate - round, spicy, elegant, excellent cellar life (8-10 years). - Franco Bernabei, Winemaker

Red Wine by Ornellaia from Tuscany, Italy. Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 12% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petit Verdot The use of several varietals gives the winemaking team the luxury of being able to tailor the exact proportion of the blend to the specific strengths of a given vintage. 2004 can be considered as one of the major expressions of Ornellaia and represents an excellent example of a classic vintage in Bolgheri. The ideal conditions during the growing season lead to a perfect combination of ripeness, flavor complexity and finesse. The velvety opulence of the Merlot is balanced out by the racy and elegant tannic structure of the Cabernets, which are further amplified by the small addition of Petit Verdot. The gorgeous 2004 Ornellaia is...a lively dark ruby, it is a vibrant effort bursting with expressive aromatics and layered, well-delineated fruit, showing much purity on the palate and closing with a long, finessed finish. Readers hoping to catch this wine's full array of nuances will have to wait at least another few years as the wine remains quite primary today. This exquisite effort is not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2019. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 95 Points

Red Wine by Ruffino from Tuscany, Italy. Grape varieties: 60% Colorino, 40% Merlot Deep ruby red in color, with violet hues. Intense and complex, Romitorio de Santedame displays a voluptuous nose of black currant, cranberries and raspberries, highlighted by notes of clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. This impressive bouquet is echoed on the palate, where strong but velvety tannins complement the intense fruit character. Beautifully structured, the tannins, alcohol, acidity, and fruit find an ideal balance, leading to the lingering, smooth finish of coffee, hazelnuts, and mint chocolate. Romitorio di Santedame deserves a meal worthy of its richness and complexity. Enjoy it with veal or pork pate, Beef Wellington, a crown rack of lamb, moussaka, or roasted goose.

Red Wine by Ruffino from Tuscany, Italy. Blend: 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot Ruby red in color with garnet hues. Well-structured, this wine's characteristics exemplify the perfect union of the three varieties that make up the Modus blend. Hints of tobacco and spice lead to inviting aromas of cherries, blackberries and plums. This full-bodied wine is rich with refined, silky tannins and a long finish of vanilla and red berry essence. Modus is delicious with versatile meat dishes such as Bistecca alla Fiorentina, sausage with escarole and fagioli beans, marinated flank steak, and pairs equally well with grilled stuffed Portobello mushrooms and aged hard cheeses.

Red Wine by Tenuta San Guido from Tuscany, Italy. By the same producers of the famed Sassicaia, the grapes are grown in a vineyard on lands adjacent to the Sassicaia vineyard. The grape varieties are approximately 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvingnon and 10% Sangiovese. The grapes are vinified in a new cellar created especially by the Tenuta San Guido in the locality known as 'Vecchio Frantoio (Old Olive Press) not far from the town of Bolgheri. The 2005 vintage was fermented in steel vats at controlled temperatures with a maceration period of 15 days for the the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon and 12 days for the Sangiovese. The wine was then aged in French and American oak barriques for 14 months, one-third of the barriques being new ones. Wonderful aromas of crushed blackberry and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long finish. Needs time to develop in the bottle, but hard not to drink now. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Best after 2009. -Wine Spectator

Red Wine by Tenuta Sette Ponti from Tuscany, Italy. Tenuta Sette Ponti's first release was the 1998 vintage Crognolo, named after a wild bush, Cornus, which grows on the estate. The blend of Sangiovese and Merlot from vines of an average age of 25 to 35 years yields a refined, elegantly stylish wine of fruit forward lushness. The wine's dense color suggests a concentration confirmed on the palate along with sweet ripe flavors of wild cherries, black fruit, leather and vanilla also evident in the aromas. The wine is firmly structured yet elegant, with good tannic support and well-integrated oak notes, leaving an overall impression of harmony, balance and length.

Red Wine by Tenuto Arceno from Tuscany, Italy. Inviting aromas of chocolate, ripe cherries and exotic spices lead into subtle floral notes of lavender and dusty rose. On the palate, lush fruit reminiscent of cherry pie fills the mouth, giving way to an endless finish of licorice, black pepper and cedar. Food pairings: Sausage with spicy green beans, pasta Bolognese, game hens with pomegranates Decant one hour before serving.

Red Wine by Terrabianca from Tuscany, Italy. The 2004 Campaccio (70% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals layers of ripe fruit with notable vitality on the palate and enough concentration to stand up to the oak treatment. It offers outstanding length and fine overall balance in a big, bold style that will require a few years to come together in the bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 91 Points

Red Wine by tuttobene from Tuscany, Italy. tuttobene is a very pleasant wine with great structure and balance. The nose and palate display ripe fruit, red berries and subtle herbal notes. It is medium to full-bodied with remarkable tannins, yet is also silky with a smooth acidity and a rich, fruity finish. Serve with light dishes, pasta and pizza. tuttobene can also be enjoyed as aperitif. Blend: 50% Merlot, 30% Canaiolo, 20% Sangiovese

Red Wine by tuttobene from Tuscany, Italy. tuttobene is a balanced wine with the structure of Sangiovese and the roundness and fruitiness of Merlot. The nose and palate display ripe fruit, red berries and subtle herbal notes. It is medium to full-bodied with soft tannins, smooth acidity and a rich, fruity finish. Serve with light dishes, pasta and pizza. tuttobene can also be enjoyed as an aperitif.