Tea leaves, prunes, burnt sugar, figs and spice cake are some of the nuances that emerge from Fontodi’s 2001 Vin Santo, a wine that walks a line between the fresher and more exotic expressions of this famous Tuscan dessert wine. The finish is long and creamy. There is gorgeous weight here, but the wine comes across as well balanced and not excessively heavy or ponderous. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016. My visit to Fontodi last year was fascinating, as I spent several hours with proprietor Giovanni Manetti and oenologist Franco Bernabei tasting through multiple barrels of all of the estate’s wines. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907

Tasty and sweet, with dried fruit peel, caramel and mineral on a full palate, with a clean citrus and salty mineral finish. Toffee and caramel on the finish. Nutty. Delicious. Drink now. 340 cases made, 80 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Select to Add