The 2005 Colli di Rimini Montepirolo (Cabernet) offers up violets, sweet spices, menthol, sweet herbs and black cherries in a vibrant, fresh style. The wine shows lovely clarity and precision, not to mention commendable overall balance. This is a terrific effort from San Patrignano. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2013. These are three pretty wines from San Patrignano, one of the more unique wineries in Italy. San Patrignano was founded as a center to help young people recover from substance abuse dependencies by offering them arange of opportunities to study and work within the large, sprawling estate. San Patrignano makes a wide range of agricultural products, including cheeses, meats, olive oils and, of course, wines. I remain very impressed with the quality the estate is able to achieve from its vineyards near Rimini, a region that is not exactly known for yielding top-flight reds. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

Here’s a wine from Central Italy (the Adriatic flank of the peninsula) that rivals the intensity and sophistication of Bordeaux. There are deep and luscious layers here of spice, black fruit, espresso and leather. What will really surprise and delight you is the focused and sharp clarity of this wine.——M.L.(9/1/2009)—— 92