Wizard

Pojer e Sandri Vigneti delle Dolomiti “Merlino” (Trentino) – Fortified lagrein. Intriguing. More high-toned and powdery than most fortified reds, which could well be a function of latitude, and whirling a bit under a heady sensation of crushed purple flowers. Good, mostly, but it doesn’t quite achieve the spicy richness of its more southerly brethren. Not that I’d expect it to. (12/09)

Cammi Granato

Foradori 2002 “Granato” Vigneti delle Dolomiti (Trentino) – Good but slightly spiky acidity, strawberry seeds, and clean. Nicely balanced. Short, but with a classic feel. Still, I can’t help but think there should be more here. (2/07)

Eternal Salvaneltion

Castel Noarna 2005 Vigneti delle Dolomiti “Salvanel” (Trentino) – One of those rare blends where it’s immediately obvious that there’s more than one grape at work; there’s a spicy (slightly oak-infused, but in a very pleasant way) fatness, a frothy, wintry whiteness, an elegant mélange of flowers, and a fine core of zingy white fruit, all of which seem to be brought to the mix by the component grapes (which are: chardonnay, riesling, traminer, sauvignon blanc, and nosiola). (1/08)