The 2008 Sondraia flows across the palate with dark, fruit. It is a soft, caressing wine with good generosity, yet it lacks the definition and articulation of the best years. Sweet spices and mocha add complexity on the finish. The 2008 Sondraia is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The estate only bottled 50% of their normal production of Sondraia in 2008, but even that wasn’t enough to fully overcome the difficulties of the year. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. This is a mixed set of wines from Poggio al Tesoro. The 2008 reds aren’t quite at the level readers have become accustomed to in recent, stronger vintages. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Mature notes of ripe cherry and dark spice give this wine a dark, brooding personality with loads of intensity. There’s a full, generous quality here, emphasized by the wine’s inky concentration and firm tannins. ——M.L.(2/1/2012)—— 92