The 2007 Noi is a seriously delicious bottle of wine. Rich and expansive on the palate, the Noi offers up grilled herbs, wild cherries, spices and tobacco, showing notable length and fatness. Clean mineral notes balance the opulent fruit nicely. This is the best vintage of Noi I can recall tasting. Noi is 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2017. I was quite frankly blown away by the wines I tasted from San Patrignano this year. San Patrignano is a community built with a mission to help young people recovering from alcohol and drug dependencies return to productive lives. Given the estate’s noble goals, I am particularly happy to see that the wines are so strong this year. The biggest news at San Patrignano, though, is for the future. The estate is gradually moving away from the overtly commercial style of its first vintages. Beginning in 2009 the approach for the top wines is much more based on a non-interventionalist approach to the vineyards and cellar. San Patrignano has enlisted the services of no less than Gianfranco Soldera to lend a hand, so needless to say it will be fascinating to see what develops here. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

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

The 2005 Noi (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) is a richly-flavored offering loaded with plump fruit, leather, licorice and spices. This medium-bodied, accessible wine is sure to provide much pleasure over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010. San Patrignano is a fascinating property. The estate was founded by the Muccioli family in the late 1970s as a rehabilitation center for young people with drug and alcohol dependencies. San Patrignano makes a wide variety of agricultural products as part of its programs to offer professional training designed to help those in need re-enter society in a more productive and healthy state. The wines, made with the assistance of oenologist Riccardo Cotarella, are often outstanding. For more on San Patrignano readers may want to check out my article on Best Buys from Italy available at www.erobertparker.com.Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

Noi means “us” in Italian and refers to the community of recovering drug addicts that produces this wine. With the help of consulting enologist Riccardo Cotarella, this is a delicious deep and concentrated wine that boasts a gorgeous nose of blackberry, plum, pressed violets and toasted notes: Sophisticated and succulent in the mouth. ——M.L.(2/1/2007)—— 87