The 2010 Torrette bursts from the glass with dark red fruits, grilled herbs, earthiness, tobacco and flowers. Expressive aromatics are woven throughout, giving the wine an attractive sense of lift. As always, the tannins are a bit rough around the edges, but at the end of the day, it is the intensity of the fruit and the wine’s overall personality that are most convincing. There will always be an element of wildness here, but that is part of the wine’s DNA. The Torrette is 70% Petit Rouge and 30% other indigenous varieties, and is aged exclusively in stainless steel. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. No one has done more to put the Valle d’Aosta on the map of consumers in this country than Les Cretes and proprietor Costantino Charrere. This is a strong set of new releases that highlight the unique qualities of the Valle d’Aosta’s many indigenous red and white varieties. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799