($23, Divino International Wine and Spirit):  The name of the wine, “51,151”, refers to a cycling record that Francesco Moser set in Mexico City in 1984, according to their website.  This 100 percent Chardonnay base bubbly is, indeed, racy (pun intended), but the elegance imparted by that grape shows, making for a lovely balance. … Read more

($20):  Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, a large Tuscan-based cooperative, makes this delightful sparkling wine from the Pignoletto grape, not one that is widely known outside of central Italy.  Its inherently high acidity makes it a good choice for bubbly because growers can let it ripen, allowing its exuberant floral and fruity character to shine, without it becoming sappy or flabby. … Read more

($15, HB Wine Merchants):  Pinot Grigio spans the spectrum from innocuous or insipid to charming and noteworthy.  Peter Zemmer’s is definitely in the latter group.  An immediately captivating floral sensation predicts enjoyment.  It has remarkable depth and persistence for a category that is all too often fleeting and bland. … Read more

($14, Wilson Daniels):  Prosecco has become so popular that its name has become synonymous with sparkling wine, replacing “Champagne” as that moniker.  For example, on a recent flight when I requested a sparkling wine, I was offered a “Prosecco,” which turned out to be a Cava. … Read more

($23):  It seems that everyone wants to get in on the rosé craze.  Here we have a top Tuscan producer, well-known for their stunning Chianti Classico, making a bubbly from Sangiovese.   It works.  This bright and fresh rosé bubbly delivers delicate hints of strawberries.  … Read more

($50):  Consumers mistakenly believe that all bubbly coming from Italy is Prosecco.  Not so.  There’s fine sparkling wine from Franciacorta and this stunning one reminds us not to forget Trento.  A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the traditional grapes of Champagne, it has a fine bead of acidity that gives it a great spine.… Read more

($18):   Enter a different style of Nero d’Avola.  Assuli’s emphasizes the fruitier side of the grape.  At 14.5 percent stated alcohol, it is riper and more lush, with fewer savory notes than the Nero d’Avola from Barone Sergio (also reviewed this week). … Read more

($18, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): This is labeled Vino Frizzante Secco, which means slightly bubbly and dry.  But it’s not really dry.  It is aromatic, reminiscent of Moscato, but with more weight.  Great acidity keeps it fresh and lively, so it doesn’t come across as cloying despite the light sweetness. … Read more

($35):  Baldo Palermo, a representative of Donnafugata, described the island of Pantelleria as, “A volcanic rock jutting from the sea,” where the major activity is “listening to the wind.”  Hence it’s appropriate that this wine is called Ben Ryè, which means son of the wind. … Read more

($12, Kobrand Wine & Spirits):   Lambrusco is making a dramatic comeback, judging from restaurants in New York City and elsewhere.  Diligence and persistence by producers such as Medici Ermete has shown the world the joys of Lambrusco.  An equal blend of Lambrusco Marani and Lambrusco Salamino, i Quercioli is a faintly fizzy, dark, almost purple, red wine with a delicate sweetness and gripping acidity. … Read more

($20, Kobrand Wine & Spirits):   Medici Ermete takes Lambrusco seriously, and it shows with the quality of their wines.  This one, named Concerto, is the first single vineyard Lambrusco produced.  It’s made entirely from Lambrusco Salamino grown on their Rampata estate. … Read more

($18, Folio Fine Wine Partners): At first blush — no pun intended — you’d think this wine was a marketing genius, encompassing two very hot wine categories:  Pinot Grigio and Rosé.  But no, the pink — actually copper hue — of the wine comes from the light red color of the skins of the Pinot Grigio grape. … Read more

($19): This category of wine grabbed headlines in 1987, more because of surprise than stature, when it was awarded Italy’s first DOCG for a white wine.  Known then as Albana di Romagna, there was a collective bewilderment since many other white wine DOCs seemed more appropriate for elevation to Italy’s highest level of classification. … Read more

($23, Banfi Vintners): Fontana Candida’s Luna Mater will transform your image of Frascati, typically a light refreshing, but otherwise undistinguished, white wine.  Well, Luna Mater is certainly distinguished.  It’s not just more concentrated than the usual Frascati — though it is. … Read more

($65, Folio Fine Wines): Ornellaia’s white wines fly under the radar because their red wines are so outstanding.  That situation won’t last for long.  Poggio alle Gazze is an unconventional blend of roughly two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc with Vermentino, Verdicchio and Viognier. … Read more

($25): A steal.  Let me repeat — this wine is a steal.  Falchini is perhaps best known for their lovely Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Vigna a Solatio, which at $13, is another steal, but that’s another story. Their Paretaio, a Super Tuscan in everything but the price, could easily become their calling card. … Read more

($18): Allegrini, a leading Veneto producer, has adapted Amarone-like vinification to this wine, a blend of mostly Corvina and Rondinella, the grapes commonly used for Valpolicella.  A small proportion of grapes are dried and added to the fresh wine the following fall, which starts another fermentation, which adds extra oomph to the wine. … Read more

($140): Founded only in 1974, Querciabella has leapt to the top tier of Tuscan producers, making an exceptional range of both red and white wines.  Camartina, a blend of roughly 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1/3 Sangiovese, is their flagship red.  It’s always a majestic wine, but the 2010 is even more extraordinary than usual. … Read more

($20, Montcalm Wine Importers, Ltd): This clean and fresh Pinot Blanc conveys a lovely delicacy, but has sufficient weight — and a subtle creaminess — to complement a light pasta course.  Its floral and lacey character also makes it a perfect choice as either a stand-alone aperitif.… Read more

($20, Montcalm Wine Importers, Ltd): The name of the DOC — either Alto Adige or Südtirol — reflects the dual identity of this part of northern Italy, which abuts Austria.  But this is a singularly appealing wine.  Lagrein, not a well-known grape, should have more widespread popularity because it can produce a reasonably robust wine devoid of searing tannins and balanced by uplifting acidity. … Read more

($25, Opici Wines): Monteverro, a relatively new player in Bolgheri sweepstakes, is aiming to join the Ornellaia and Sassicaia Super Tuscan club with their red wine.  So it came as a great surprise to see the quality of this white.  Their 2014 Vermentino is crisp, with an enticing floral whiff. … Read more

($42, Palm Bay International): Ferrari is one of, if not the, top producer of sparkling wine in Trentino.   This splendid one, Perlé, is made entirely from Chardonnay grown in a single vineyard.  A firm backbone of acidity supports and balances its suave creaminess.  … Read more

($60, Opici Imports): Terra di Monteverro is the second wine of Monteverro.  Though it’s a similar blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the components have been selected because they are less structured and more accessible.  Since the blend is less dense, it also undergoes less oak aging. … Read more

($55, Artisans Wines, Inc.): Since Montenidoli is one of the star producers of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, their red wines, such as this IGT Toscana, are often overlooked.  That’s a mistake, since this one, labeled redundantly Sono Montenidoli for emphasis, is a sleeper of a Super Tuscan. … Read more

($22, Dalla Terra Direct): Tascante is the name of the Mount Etna project of Tasca d’Almerita, one of the locomotives that have brought Sicilian wines to the world’s attention.  (The name is an amalgamation of Tasca appended to Etna, spelled backwards.) … Read more

($20, Montcalm Wine Importers): Made from the Carignano del Sulcis grape, the local name for Carignan grown in the Sulcis region of southwestern Sardinia, Buio Buio is a name to remember.  For a vigorous and robust red, it has surprising finesse. … Read more

($16, Dalla Terra Winery Direct): Alois Lageder, one of the Alto Adige’s greatest producers, makes a host of stunning single vineyard wines.  They also make lower priced wines, like this one, from grapes grown in a broader area that still transmit the character of the variety and the region. … Read more

($25, Banville & Jones Wine Merchants): Terlano, the name of the co-op formed in 1860, is also the name of the town, which can lead to some confusion.  There’s nothing confusing about the wine, however.  This harmonious blend of Pinot Bianco (60%), Chardonnay (30%) and Sauvignon Blanc combines richness with vibrancy.  … Read more

($18, Folio Fine Wine Partners): Despite its copper hue, Attems’ Pinot Grigio is not a rosé. Indeed, it is among the few renditions of Pinot Grigio that have an ever-so-slightly rusty pink color to them because the grape itself is pink skinned. … Read more

($17, Folio Fine Wine Partners): This wine explains the popularity of Pinot Grigio.  Subtle floral quality and hint of peachiness all supported and amplified by a zingy backbone.  This is the real thing.  A versatile wine, it’s well suited as a stand-alone aperitif or, because of its depth, as an accompaniment to grilled striped bass or similar seafood.  … Read more

($12, San Felice, USA): San Felice, one of Tuscany’s great red wine producers, also makes this vibrant white from mostly (85%) Vermentino.  A touch of Sauvignon Blanc makes it even more energetic.  It’s a thoughtful blend because the combination of its lively character and depth make it an ideal accompaniment for simple summer seafood. … Read more

($37, Banfi Vintners): Castello Banfi, best known for its stunning Brunello di Montalcino, also produces an array of “Super Tuscan” wines, one of which is Cum Laude, an unconventional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah.  The 2010 Cum Laude may be their best ever. … Read more

($20): Mionetto, one of Prosecco’s leading producers, bottles a number of different ones.  This one, an Extra-Dry — which paradoxically means it’s not the driest — is delicate and lacey.  Slightly rounder than a Brut, it nonetheless has a refreshing crispness and green apple-like flavors. … Read more

 ($25, Banfi Imports): Castello Banfi, one of the leading producers Brunello di Montalcino, introduced Belnero a few years ago.  It is composed almost exclusively of Sangiovese, though small amounts of “international varieties” are included in the blend.  It has gotten better and better over the years. … Read more

($120, Vinifera Imports): Flaccianello is the flagship wine from Fontodi, a superb producer located in the Conca d’Oro (the golden shell) or heart of the Chianti Classico region.  This pure Sangiovese beauty comes from their best grapes.  Giovanni Manetti says they look for the smallest bunches, usually found on the vines at the top of their vineyards, that provide a better ratio of skin to juice. … Read more

($33, Banfi Imports): Castello Banfi, one of the top producers of Brunello di Montalcino, also makes excellent wines from outside of that revered DOCG zone.  This one, a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Syrah, clearly nods toward the “modern” style with lush red and black fruit flavors, but still has an complementary and intriguing Brunello-like dark, earthy, almost chocolaty component. … Read more