New Italy wines in the Flickinger Fine Wines inventory http://www.flickingerwines.com/wineregions/italian.asp http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PoggioAntico.aspWS 88 (2/2006): Plenty of cedar, blackberry and cigar box aromas and flavors here. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a licorice, berry and cherry aftertaste. A bit hard and tight. Slightly hollow midpalate. Give it some time. Best after 2006. 3,750 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/GiacomoBorgognoFigli.aspWA 91 (10/2007): The 2001 Barolo Classico Riserva is sweet and open on the nose, with suggestions of very ripe black cherries, violets and tar. Medium in body, it nevertheless packs plenty of power, with outstanding length and elegant tannins on the fresh, inviting finish. It is a remarkably elegant and accessible wine for this estate even if it closed down somewhat in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2026.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/GiacomoBorgognoFigli.aspWA 95 (10/2011): The 2007 Barolo Ornato is striking. It shows marvelous delineation in it aromatics, tremendous breadth on the palate and fabulous balance. As always, the Ornato is a plush Barolo, with tons of Serralunga character and muscle. Rose petals, crushed flowers and spices add complexity to the dark fruit, while the French oak is very well-integrated. This is one of the most polished wines I have ever tasted from Pio Cesare. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. IWC 94 (10/2011): Quite closed on the nose, with the oak element in the foreground. Then hugely rich and opulent in the mouth, with an utterly smooth texture that goes beyond the other 2007s here. The concentration of plummy red fruit is accentuated by the wine's energy. Explosively long finish saturates the entire mouth with rich tannins. WS 93 (12/2011): This modern-style red features aromas and flavors of sweet vanilla, coconut, blackberry and tar. The oak is a major component for now and needs time to yield to the underlying forces of the Nebbiolo and the terroir. Best from 2013 through 2030. 250 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PioCesare.aspWS 95 (7/2009): Strawberry pie and cream aromas lead to a full-bodied palate. Very thick and powerful, with big, velvety tannins and masses of fruit. A blockbuster style. Best after 2013. 750 cases made.WA 93 (4/2009): The estate’s 2005 Barolo Cicala is a transparent, mid-weight wine redolent of dark fruit, spices, minerals and licorice, all of which come together in the glass with superb elegance. Here the tannins are decidedly firmer and bigger than in the Colonello, even though the vineyards are just a few hundred meters apart! This powerful yet harmonious wine is simply radiant in its beauty. All that it needs is a little patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025. IWC 89-92 (12/2007): Full red-ruby. Sexy aromas of strawberry, rose petal, marzipan, truffle and licorice, along with balsamic and woodsy nuances. Suave and fine-grained, with good stuffing and verve. Sweet fruit flavors linger nicely on the finish, which features a light dusting of tannins.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AldoConterno.aspJS 96 (11/2010): This is stunning, with licorice, flowers and dark fruits all over. Full and super silky and sexy. I am in love with this wine already. It will age for decades, but it is so in harmony and beautiful now. Gorgeous. WA 94 (2/2011): The 2007 Barolo Cicala is every bit as compelling as the Colonello, although it is completely different in its personality. Here the poor soils yield a massively tannic Barolo infused with minerals, violets, menthol, tar and new leather. While the Colonello is a more overt, fruit-driven Barolo, the Cicala plays off its structural components to a far greater degree. The wine’s inner perfume and minerality dazzle from start to finish. This is another magnificent Barolo from Aldo Conterno. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AldoConterno.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Fuligni.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Fuligni.aspWA 97 (2/2010): The first thing I noticed about the 2006 Langhe Sperss is the finish, which literally lasts an eternity. It, too, is more overtly structured, powerful and less fruit-forward than the 2007, but its focus and drive are commendable. The wine seems to hover on the palate with an ethereal expression of dark fruit, smoke, licorice, tar and menthol, all of which are backed up with substantial heft and sheer muscle. This is a marvelous effort from Gaja and will appeal most to readers with a preference for sturdy, age-worthy wines. Anticipated maturity: 2021-2041. _x000D__x000D_IWC 95+ (12/2009): Deep red with ruby highlights. The nose shows distinctly blacker fruits than the Conteisa, along with medicinal licorice and marzipan notes. Extremely tight and primary in the mouth, suggesting terrific intensity of flavor and brooding power, then explodes with fruit on the long, firmly structured aftertaste. This wine, from compact marne and calcaire soil, has grip of steel and would appear to be built for a glorious evolution in bottle.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AngeloGaja.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BrunoGiacosa.aspWA 95 (2/2011): The 2005 Barolo is super-delicate and finessed. This is a decidedly restrained, feminine style of Barolo laced with roses, raspberries, jasmine and berries. It will be fascinating to see which direction the 2005 takes from here. At times the wine appears to be putting on additional weight, but it nevertheless retains an element of frailty that is actually quite attractive. I rate the 2005 just behind the 2004, 2006 and 2007, but it is a gorgeous wine, and easily one of the very finest wines of the vintage.WS 94 (12/2011): Intense eucalyptus, raspberry, strawberry and tar notes mark this vibrant red, which is perfumed, despite being lean and focused, with a long, mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2012 through 2030.IWC 93 (12/2009): Dark red. Much less expressive on the nose than the 2006, hinting at game, tobacco and underbrush. Distinctly wilder in the mouth, showing less energy and primary fruit character than the 2006 but a compelling silky texture. There's a lovely sweetness to the tobacco, earth and underbrush flavors and rather suave if slightly drying tannins, but this wine is nonetheless tight and in need of patience.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BartoloMascarello.aspWS 99 (2/2006): The nose is pure, freshly crushed berries and cherries with lilacs. Full-bodied and very, very concentrated, with big, ripe, powerful tannins, but it's all in harmony and length. Layers of fabulous fruit. It's just a baby. Wait and watch it grow up into something amazing. Best after 2012. 250 cases made.WA 93 (10/2006): In keeping with the style of the vintage the 2000 Rocche dell’Annunziata is not terribly expressive on the nose, although it offers plenty of fruit in a ripe to over-ripe style, with outstanding length and balance. As appealing as it is to drink today, a few years of cellaring will be beneficial. Like the other 2000s in this tasting, this wine was less expressive than it has been in the past. 93/Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.IWC 92 (12/2004): Full, deep red. Aromas of plum syrup, strawberry, mocha and mint; more decadent than the 2001 but still fresh. Thick and sweet on entry, then a bit less chewy and dense in the middle than the 2001, without that wine's mineral lift or black fruit character. Strong, plump wine if a bit unrefined. Finishes with more noticeable tannins than the 2001.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PaoloScavino.aspIWC 95+ (10/2011): Good deep red. Explosive nose offers scents of black cherry, currant, plum, herbal tea, menthol, tobacco, mocha and peach pit, with strong floral and spice elements. Big, lush and light on its feet, boasting terrific purity and vinosity. This contains all the major Barolo food groups. Finishes quite backward, with broad, firm tannins and outstanding echoing length. Elisa Scavino describes 2005 as "charming but with an edge to it."WA 95 (4/2009): Scavino’s 2005 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is another gem from one of the best-performing vineyards in this vintage. Sweet red cherries, flowers, spices and menthol all come together with stunning definition and purity in this refined, aristocratic Barolo. An eternal finish rounds out this superb Barolo, which is one of my early favorites in 2005. The wine won’t be released until 2011 so there is still some time for it to come together, but it is already pretty special. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PaoloScavino.asp