Dettori’s 2006 Tenores, Cannonau from 81 year-old vines is richer and deeper than the Tuderi. Here the fruit takes on more of a baritone-like sense of gravitas in its dark cherries, plums, wild herbs, spices, licorice and leather. Mint and dried flowers add complexity on the finish. Though delicious today, the Tenores has more than enough stuffing to drink well for many years. Production is a tiny 6,000 bottles from three hectares of vineyards. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2026. Alessandro Dettori makes some of the most unique and compelling wines in Sardinia. Minuscule yields from old vineyards, biodynamic farming and a non-interventionalist approach in the cellar form the backbone of Dettori’s philosophy. The wines are made with natural yeasts and are neither fined nor filtered prior to bottling. At their best, these are profound wines, but they are also totally natural. At times the alcohol levels are high and the wines, which contain very low sulfites, can be fragile. Still, readers seeking to discover the heights of Sardinian oenology owe it to themselves to experience the wines of Alessandro Dettori. This is an excellent set of new releases, although 2006 looks to be an uneven vintage. Dettori will not release the flagship Dettori Rosso, and the overall level of the top bottlings seems a notch or two lower than has been the case in the recent past.Importers: Free Run Llc, Seattle, WA; Vitis Import, Inglewood, CA; tel. (310) 674-1112

The 2005 Tenores (Cannonau), from 80 year-old vines, explodes with sumptuous layers of ripe dark fruits, new leather, licorice and spices. This soft-textured red reveals superb density and power, all of which has been reached while also achieving incredible balance. This is a remarkable wine from Dettori. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016. This is another set of head-spinning wines from Alessandro Dettori. I admit I was surprised and frankly extremely disappointed to see Dettori nearly double his prices with these new releases, particularly given the current economic climate. Abandoning the faithful consumers who have steadfastly supported one’s wines over the years strikes me as a very dangerous and foolhardy business strategy. That said, it is impossible to fault these offerings for their quality. They remain among the most fascinating wines being made in Italy today.Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200