This is probably one of the main reasons I enjoy shopping at MOORE BROTHERS . I came in & knew what I wanted .. but .. had this wine " referred to me " ( by one of the helpful staff ) . If you like Italian wine(s), you really should try this . Soft on the palate , with a hint of berry ( I'm not an authority on berries , so I'm not sure which one it is ... but ... it's definitely a " berry " ) . I served this with an Italian chicken dish .. & , of course , pasta . Outstanding !! Definitely a 5 Star wine , in my opinion . My wife , who is a so-so admirer of Italian wines ... loved it . In fact , this was better than the wines I came in , originally , to buy .

A great wine for my mushroom risotto

Anyway, I liked this wine. It was definitely vibrant with nice blackberry and floral notes. The mineral was easily discernable, but it was a bit too tannic as to be annoying, so it was not a good sipping wine; it needs food. I understand the high rating with the mushroom risotto. It is not austere by any stretch, but it is a bit rustic. It has character and I would like to revisit it in 6-9 months. I may be in the minority here, but I think it will get better in a yr. I managed to get my hands on the 2003 vintage. It was beautiful. It was one of the 1st Italina wines that reeked of France (i.e. barnyard). At first, it was very tight and harsh especially on the back palate. It evolved into some very nice floral, mineral, fruit after 30 minutes. After 1 hr, it was perfection for a $15 Dolcetto. I think the 2004 (as noted in the original) needs 6 months in the bottle. A year would benefit it even more. I would get 3 or for and put them away until 2007. You will be rewarded.

Not any better than the Bardolino which costs less.

A bit young and too tannic for my taste.