‘o4 Castelvero Cortese—this pretty, green-tinged white from Piemonte was a delight! The honeyed white flower, lime and melon aromas were bright and engaging, and the progression to palate was a perfect echo of those aromas. The fruit was fresh, the scale moderate, and finished with a surprising touch of mandarin orange. This was a well done wine, ideal for aperitivo duty, or lighter salads and fish. $10.95 retail.

‘03 Astibarbera Barbera d’Asti “Claudius”—medium garnet color, and a mid-powered nose showing mostly cherry and light wood. On the palate, it’s midweight but balanced, showing ripe black cherry fruit and uplifting raciness. Classically styled, it shows the refinement of cask aging without sacrificing livliness. I liked this a lot. From Piedmont. $12.90

‘03 Cataldi Madonna Montepulciano d’Abruzzo— very dark reflective purple, and a nosefilling aromatic profile that reminds of braised meat and licorice root. The entry is supple, and it’s quite full on the palate, but the absence of fruit is striking. There’s a slightly astringent berry tone, but it stays singular, right through to the finely tannic, mildly bitter finish. Disappointing, though the texture is wonderful. $19

‘99 Shardana—this comes from Sardegna (carries appellation Valle di Porto Pino), from the Santadi co-op. It is carignano, and brings a big, richly oaky nose to the game. The palate is intense with dried fruit, leather, black pepper, and licorice, and it runs deep. The amplitude is impressive and the structure is there for many more years to come. Thickly textured, this delivers right through to an herb (tarragon?) tinged red berry and prune finish. It’s ripe and quite fruity, but has power and heat enough to be taken seriously. Very good wine, with a rustic demeanor. $27

‘01 Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino— very dark, the crushed berry aromas and alcohol come easy to nose. The entry is midweight, surprisingly round, and graceful, and the fruit swings between grapey and berry, giving the wine a bramble character. Then, suddenly, the flavors make a dog-leg turn on the finish, going momentarily bitter, an effect that never quite disappears and ruins this good thing. Was on track to be solid, but the finish is a stopper. Too bad. $25