The Triacca 2016 Sforzato di Valtellina San Domenico boasts the power, intensity and 15% alcoholic content of a wine made with air-dried fruit. The bouquet opens to ripe aromas with dried cherry, blackberry, plum, tar and fruit preserves. Sforzato is a wine that pushes ("sforzare" in Italian) the ripeness of the fruit thanks to the appassimento process, or when fruit is left to dry into raisins before fermentation. This wine comes from a classic vintage, showing enough freshness and a slight tannic bite. Uncork this bottle with a steak au poivre and mashed potatoes.

Sforzato is made with air-dried Nebbiolo grapes, and you can expect a lot of extra intensity and ripeness as a result. The 2012 Sforzato di Valtellina San Domenico is from a hot vintage, and you get a double dose of ripe fruit intensity as a result. The alcohol is recorded at 15% and you feel it all. This wine offers dried cherry aromas with blackberry confit and dark spice. This hot vintage is a bit flat and heavy on the close.