The 2005 Valpolicella Superiore blossoms onto the palate with layers of sweet, perfumed fruit, showing notable clarity and plenty of style. The wine's beguiling aromatics and soft-textured personality make for a highly pleasing glass of wine. The Valpolicella is made from 40% fresh grapes (aged in cask) and 60% grapes that are given 15 days or so of drying prior to vinification and subsequently aged in French oak. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. This set of wines from Roccolo Grassi was one of the strongest I tasted this year in Veneto. Proprietor Marco Sartori is on a roll. Readers should do whatever they can to get their hands on these gorgeous wines. The house style favors elegance and detail over sheer power, qualities these offerings all have in spades. Importers: Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Artisan Wine, Norwalk, CT; tel. (203) 866-4552