The 2006 Valpolicella Superiore is a superb wine boasting tons of richness and concentration in its dark fruit, tar, smoke and spices. This round, harmonious and utterly pure wine offers exceptional balance and a generous finish, with plenty of personality. This is a first-class, rock-star Valpolicella from Marco Sartori that readers will absolutely not want to miss! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. Roccolo Grassi is one of Veneto’s most exciting young estates. Proprietor Marco Sartori makes elegant, perfumed wines that are easily enjoyed with minimum cellaring. Sartori favors a shorter period of drying for his Amarone fruit than is the custom at many of the region’s other estates. He is also among the producers who decided not to bottle his 2005 Amarone. The 2006 Amarone, tasted from barrel, is highly promising at this stage. Along with Stefano Campedelli of Marion, Marco Sartori is one of the most talented and inspired young producers in Valpolicella, with seemingly no ceiling as to where his passion and drive will ultimately take him. Simply put, I can’t recommend these wines highly enough. Importers: Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Artisan Wine, Norwalk, CT; tel. (203) 866-4552