The 2004 Acininobili is a berry by berry selection of botrytised Vespaiola that is aged in new French oak. This layered, opulent sweet wine reveals tons of sweet, candied fruit, flowers, spices and toasted oak. This awesome, thrilling wine needs a few years in bottle to incorporate its oak, but the wine's potential is amply evident today. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019.This is another set of strong wines from one of Veneto's most inspired producers. Fausto Maculan is best known for his phenomenal dessert wines, but his dry reds merit serious consideration as well. 2005 was a cool, damp year which presented its greatest challenges to early-maturing varieties like Merlot, while the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon had time to recuperate.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2003 Acininobili is utterly mind-blowing in its expression of candied apricots, orange peel and cinnamon. Constantly changing in the glass, it reveals superb intensity and a stunningly gorgeous purity, with superb length and phenomenal poise. Acininobili is a selection made from botrytised Torcolato fruit. It is aged for two years in new French oak. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2017. From top to bottom the most impressive line-up I tasted from Veneto were the wines of Fausto Maculan. Readers will find no shortage of compelling wines at all price points. Maculan remains best known for his sweet wines, but readers will also want to check out some of his table wines from the superb 2004 vintage. Quite honestly I was not prepared for the stunning quality of his Bordeaux-inspired high-end reds.Importer :Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620