1995 Fattoria di Rodáno Chianti Classico Riserva Viacosta

Served With: Eggplant Parmesan

Five Things: saddle leather, berry, bramble, earthy, sweat

COO: Tuscany, Italy

Notes: Another cellar find, the Chianti Classico had slight bricking on the edges and took a few hours to open up, but again was so worth the wait. This Sangiovese blend was well-matched with a hearty tomato sauce and the unctuous melty eggplant.

Rating: Delicious

Tags: Fattoria di Rodáno, Chianti Classico, 1995, Italy, Sangiovese

Roagna Barbaresco 1995

Served With: Osso Bucco

Five Things: slight bricking, black cocoa, wood, dark berries, slow to open

COO: Piedmont, Italy

Notes: This was decanted for 2 hours in advance, and it still didn't want to open after 30 more minutes in the glass. I thought it was dead, so finally, I decided to run it through the aerator and... Wow! It awoke a slumbering beast of a wine. Mature, yet retaining some juicy acidity, dark cocoa and berries with integrated tannins. Paired with the Osso Bucco it was heavenly.

Website: Roagna

Rating: Delicious

Tags: 1995, Roagna, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo