The 2006 Colli di Rimini Noi is a spicy, full-bodied red to enjoy over the next few years. The wine reveals good up-front fruit but the tannins clamp down hard on the mid-palate. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011. These are three pretty wines from San Patrignano, one of the more unique wineries in Italy. San Patrignano was founded as a center to help young people recover from substance abuse dependencies by offering them arange of opportunities to study and work within the large, sprawling estate. San Patrignano makes a wide range of agricultural products, including cheeses, meats, olive oils and, of course, wines. I remain very impressed with the quality the estate is able to achieve from its vineyards near Rimini, a region that is not exactly known for yielding top-flight reds.Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

This is an oak-driven blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Central Italy that delivers rich tones of exotic spice, clove and crushed black pepper. The fruit element resembles blackberry and plum and the wine is polished, rich and very smooth on the finish.——M.L.(9/1/2009)—— 90