The 2007 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli is a definite “wow” wine with the muscular build and brawn of a superstar. And like the true protagonist it is, the wine magically carries its weight with grace and poise. The bouquet has so much going on starting with dried cherry, spice, leather, pressed rose, root beer, resin and dark roadside tar. The integration is divine, and although you feel the texture and richness of the oak, any obviously toasted notes are tucked neatly in the back. The wine ends with a touch of sweet cherry liqueur and undeniable heat (the alcohol is 16%). I’d give this wine five more years to soften. Drink 2016-2028. The fantastic four Castagnedi brothers make some of my all-time favorite Amarone. This year, the big surprise is the 2011 Corvina Scaia. This exceptional value wine may well be the best deal in Italian wine today. Importer: Dalla Terra Winery Direct, www.dallaterra.com