Marco and Elena Fay run their family’s estate, which is one of the smaller properties in Lombardia’s Valtellina zone. Fay’s 2003 Sforzato Ronco del Picchio is a unique, intriguing wine. It offers raisins, super-ripe red cherries, truffles, tar, smoke, menthol, coffee beans and licorice, with aromatics and an intensity of flavor that recall an Amarone, but with the weightless texture that is so typical of Nebbiolo. This Sforzato possesses excellent length and finessed tannins to round out the finish. With air, it continued to put on weight, yet it is a wine that will only show its finest at the dinner table. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2013. Importer: Vitis Import, Inglewood, CA; tel. (310) 674-1112