What can I say about the estate’s 2005 Lagrein Riserva Taber? Simply put, it is superb. Boasting an opaque violet color, it explodes from the glass with a compelling array of dark, jammy fruit, spices, chocolate, black pepper and toasted oak in a full-throttle, concentrated expression of Lagrein and Gries terroir. It reveals a masterful use of oak, awesome purity and notable depth although another 6-12 months of bottle age will help the wine come together even more beautifully. It is one of Italy’s great, and all too often overlooked, wines. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015. The Cantina Produttori Bolzano is a large cooperative that was born in 2001 when the Santa Magdalena and the Kellerei Gries wineries joined forces. The wines are still labeled under the two separate labels, which is how I have listed them here. Oenologist Stephan Filippi oversees the estate’s large production. The highlights among current releases are without doubt the top reds, especially the Lagrein Taber which is a reference-point wine for the zone. If I could only have one Lagrein, it would without question be St. Magdalena’s Lagrein Riserva Taber.Importer: Summa Vitis, Inc. Sonoma, CA; tel (707) 933-0907