The 2006 Calvari is a towering wine of epic proportions. Dark, hulking and muscular, it emerges from the glass with masses of blackberry and blueberry jam, spices, new leather espresso and grilled herbs. Graphite and licorice follow, adding further layers of complexity that lead to the marvelously explosive, palate staining finish. The Calvari possesses dazzling power, class and intensity, all in a style that elevates Refosco to a level this rustic, indigenous grape has never aspired to. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Enzo Pontoni is simply on another planet. In the best years his wines frankly have no peers in Italy. The textural richness and depth Pontoni coaxes from his old-vine parcels is a marvel. The 2009 whites show an extra dimension of ripeness from a heat wave in August of that year that gave the wines more body than is often the case but without the excess of truly torrid vintages. Quite simply, I was blown away by what I tasted. For what it’s worth, I bought as much of these wines as I could afford. As usual, the wines are aged in French oak (roughly 40% new) and the malolactic fermentations are typically blocked. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

The 2004 Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Calvari is a stunner. The wine flows from the glass with an array of exotic black cherries, spices, sweet herbs, minerals, coffee beans, ginger and toasted oak. This sumptuous, full-bodied red offers superb density and volume on the palate with tons of style. As tempting as it is to taste this wine now, it remains a powerful, structured Refosco in need of serious bottle age. Still its class and sheer pedigree are amply evident even at this early stage. Miani’s Refosco is one of the finest wines being made in Italy today. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. This is another set of gorgeous wines from proprietor Enzo Pontoni. Sadly the wines remain nearly impossible to find, even in Italy. I remember visiting the estate a few years back and trying (without any luck) to purchase a few bottles. Pontoni showed me his allocations. I assumed we were looking at case allocations, but the numbers turned out to be bottles! For those lucky enough to find them, these remain some of Italy’s finest wines. 2007 was a challenging vintage for whites, yet Pontoni rose to the challenge and made some wonderful wines that capture the essence of his vineyards. Unfortunately Pontoni wasn’t happy with his 2005 Merlots (from another difficult vintage) and he decided not to bottle the wines. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

Miani’s 2003 Calvari is a thrilling wine from the first smell. Deeply colored to the core, it reveals captivating aromatics and layers of cassis, graphite, grilled herbs, coffee beans, jammy dark fruit and earthiness as it magically unfolds on the palate with profound concentration and elegance. Words can’t possibly do justice to this extraordinary wine which captures the essence of Refosco in a highly singular style that offers unreal detail and delineation for such a big wine. Constantly changing in the glass, it is a remarkable wine in every way. It is almost impossible to contemplate what the 2004, from a superior vintage, will be like. For the time being, readers who are fortunate enough to secure one of the 900 bottles of this wine are in for a treat. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018. It took me several years to get an appointment at Miani. Proprietor Enzo Pontoni literally lives in his vineyards, stopping home only for lunch and dinner. Pontoni represents the finest of the artisanal approach to winemaking and his meticulous, some would say fanatical, devotion to his old-vine plots is legendary. Once the wines are in the cellar a strict barrel selection takes place prior to bottling, meaning that the estate releases a total of roughly 8,000 bottles. Pontoni's 2006 whites have come together nicely since I first tasted them in barrel in December 2006. Readers fortunate enough to find this producer's superb 2004 whites should not hesitate to do so as they are terrific. His 2005s, from a much weaker vintage, are less satisfying. Pontoni's reds are equally breathtaking, as these 2003s and 2004s attest. The only problem will be finding them as quantities are minuscule. Pontoni told me that as he has gotten older he has moved away from the purely massive style that characterized some of his earlier wines (like the legendary 1997 Calvari) towards a more finessed, elegant approach. I can't think of too many wines I would rather have on my dinner table than those of Enzo Pontoni and Miani. These are among the finest wines being made anywhere. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle,WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

Miani’s 2003 Calvari is a thrilling wine from the first smell. Deeply colored to the core, it reveals captivating aromatics and layers of cassis, graphite, grilled herbs, coffee beans, jammy dark fruit and earthiness as it magically unfolds on the palate with profound concentration and elegance. Words can’t possibly do justice to this extraordinary wine which captures the essence of Refosco in a highly singular style that offers unreal detail and delineation for such a big wine. Constantly changing in the glass, it is a remarkable wine in every way. It is almost impossible to contemplate what the 2004, from a superior vintage, will be like. For the time being, readers who are fortunate enough to secure one of the 900 bottles of this wine are in for a treat. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018. It took me several years to get an appointment at Miani. Proprietor Enzo Pontoni literally lives in his vineyards, stopping home only for lunch and dinner. Pontoni represents the finest of the artisanal approach to winemaking and his meticulous, some would say fanatical, devotion to his old-vine plots is legendary. Once the wines are in the cellar a strict barrel selection takes place prior to bottling, meaning that the estate releases a total of roughly 8,000 bottles. Pontoni's 2006 whites have come together nicely since I first tasted them in barrel in December 2006. Readers fortunate enough to find this producer's superb 2004 whites should not hesitate to do so as they are terrific. His 2005s, from a much weaker vintage, are less satisfying. Pontoni's reds are equally breathtaking, as these 2003s and 2004s attest. The only problem will be finding them as quantities are minuscule. Pontoni told me that as he has gotten older he has moved away from the purely massive style that characterized some of his earlier wines (like the legendary 1997 Calvari) towards a more finessed, elegant approach. I can't think of too many wines I would rather have on my dinner table than those of Enzo Pontoni and Miani. These are among the finest wines being made anywhere. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle,WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

The unctuously thick, black/purple-colored 1997 Ronco Calvari is astonishing. It displays Syrah-like characteristics (creme de cassis, blackberries, and melted road tar), as well as a thick, unctuous texture, and a blockbuster finish. This remarkable effort will be at its finest between 2001-2020. Kudo's to both Miani and his consulting oenologist, Roberto Cipresso. Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, Europvin USA, Watertown, MA; tel. (617) 924-7620