Master Somm Selection: "Ciao, Vino Italiano"
From the alpine foothills of Alto Piemonte to the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, Italy offers a staggering diversity of terroirs and indigenous grape varieties. This six-bottle journey opens with two volcanic-soil whites from opposite ends of the country, travels north into the rare, glacier-cooled world of Alto Piemonte Nebbiolo, swings back through a classic single-vineyard Barolo, and finishes with a benchmark Super Tuscan powerhouse. Six regions, six distinct expressions of Nebbiolo, Nerello, and beyond — a definitive tour of Italy's range from delicate to commanding.
Murgo, Etna Bianco, Sicily
"The Volcanic Aperitivo"
The Scammacca del Murgo family has farmed Mt. Etna's slopes for over a century, surviving eruptions that have buried vineyards and even the family home in ash. This Etna Bianco is a 70/30 blend of Carricante and Catarratto from 30-40 year-old vines planted between 1,400 and 2,000 feet on decomposed volcanic soil — high enough that harvest lands a full month behind the rest of Sicily. The result is ripe apricot and citrus, jasmine and yellow flowers, with a palate that's plush yet vibrant, carried by lively acid and real volcanic minerality.
Pair with: Fritto misto, grilled ocean fish with lemon, or a warm afternoon on the patio.
I Favati, Greco di Tufo "Terrantica Etichetta Bianca", Campania
"The Irpinia Standard-Bearer"
Rosanna Petrozziello and Giancarlo Favati built this modern Irpinia estate from inherited family land and generations of local know-how, farming Campania's classic white varieties in volcanic, altitude-gifted vineyards. Vinous awarded this Greco di Tufo 93 points, calling it “luxuriously round, soothing and ripe.” Expect ripe orchard fruit balanced by real mineral tension, in a creamy, medium-bodied texture that finishes with freshness and grip.
Pair with: Shellfish, grilled fish, or savory vegetable dishes.
Tiziano Mazzoni, "Ghemme dei Mazzoni", Alto Piemonte
"Nebbiolo's Gentler Face"
Ghemme was the commercial engine of Piedmontese wine long before Barolo and Barbaresco existed, and in this cool, glacially-influenced corner along the Sesia River, Nebbiolo (locally “Spanna”) takes on a more finely etched personality. Tiziano Mazzoni returned to his family's abandoned vineyards in 1999 and now farms just 4.5 organic hectares, aging this single-vineyard bottling nearly two years in large French oak casks before an unfined, unfiltered bottling. Expect deep garnet color, red cherry, plum, rose petal, and blood orange — medium-bodied and tightly structured, Nebbiolo built for finesse rather than force.
Pair with: Truffle-stuffed roast chicken, game birds, or mushroom pasta.
Tenute Sella, "I Porfidi" Bramaterra, Alto Piemonte
"The Insider's Grand Cru"
From a 350-year-old estate that stands as the historical benchmark of Northern Piedmont, "I Porfidi" is sourced from the estate's oldest vines — now over 80 years old — planted in the porphyritic, iron-rich volcanic sands unique to Bramaterra and neighboring Gattinara. Nebbiolo forms the aristocratic backbone, rounded out by the indigenous Croatina and Vespolina. Production is so small the family doesn't bother submitting it for critical review, but the wine speaks for itself: dried rose petal, wild red cherry, and blood orange, with extraordinarily fine, lace-like tannins and a finish that goes on and on.
Pair with: Braised game, aged hard cheeses, or anything that calls for quiet confidence.
Collina San Ponzio, "Fossati" Barolo, Piedmont
"The Undervalued Barolo"
The Balocco family has farmed this cru — straddling the Barolo and La Morra townships, bordering vineyards that fetch double the price — since 1878. Sourced from 60-year-old vines, this SommSelect U.S. exclusive is one of the only Fossati-designate Barolos available under $50. Tasting.com awarded it 96 points, describing candied rose, red cherry, leather, and Italian herb garden aromatics with a satiny, lively body and a long, warming finish of rose petal, anise, and fennel.
Pair with: Porcini and fontina lasagna, or rack of lamb marinated in Nebbiolo, garlic, and rosemary.
Rocca di Montegrossi, "Geremia" Toscana IGT, Tuscany
"The Powerhouse Anchor"
A Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend from a family whose Chianti winemaking roots stretch back 37 generations, the 2020 Geremia earned matching 97-point scores from both Vinous and Jeb Dunnuck, with Antonio Galloni calling it “the best Geremia yet made.” Deep and saturated in the glass, it opens with cassis, black plum, and wild Tuscan herbs, framed by crushed-rock minerality and polished tannins — full-bodied, built to impress tonight or cellar for two decades.
Pair with: Grilled ribeye, braised short rib, or aged pecorino.
