Cantine Guastaferro Taurasi “Primum” 2008

Ian d’Agatha: Best Italian full-bodied red wine of the year: As much as I love the three “B’s” of Italian wine (Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello) my vote goes to the 2010 Guastaferro Taurasi Primum, a heady mix of ripe red fruit, tar and licorice aromas and flavors with some age on them.

Wine Enthousiast: “From one of Taurasi’s rising stars, this gorgeous wine opens with enticing scents of underbrush, just-picked violet, dark berry and a whiff of cake spice. The balanced, full-bodied palate delivers layers of mature black cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, carob and cocoa while firm but refined tannins and fresh acidity provide an elegant, age-worthy structure. It’s already tempting but hold for more complexity.” 95/100