The 2006 Carignano del Sulcis Superiore Terre Brune is an explosive, ripe wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark fruit. It possesses considerable aromatic complexity as well as firm yet well-balanced tannins, both of which add considerable pedigree. Dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and sweet herbs are some of the nuances that are woven into the vivid, textured finish. This is a brilliant effort from Santadi. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. From top to bottom this is an impressive set of wines from Shardana. One of the developments here in recent years has been an increasing reliance in cement over stainless steel for the whites Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

Terre Brune is an icon wine of Sardinia in the same way Sassicaia is an icon of coastal Tuscany. Helping to shine the quality spotlight on this beautiful Mediterranean island, this plush red wine boasts rich berry density and sophisticated background tones of smoke and spice.——M.L.(12/15/2011)—— 93