Packaged in a petite 500-milliliter bottle, the Le Salette 2015 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Pergole Vece sits heavily in the glass with rich concentration and a visibly viscous appearance that is driven by the extract and the residual sugar found in this dessert wine. The bouquet is packed tight with dried cherry and plum, and there are plenty of sweet aromas like canned fruit and sticky blackberry confit. The finish is smooth and silky, but you absolutely feel the weight of all that dried fruit.

This shows a sweet-tart character that's not quite balanced, with steeped black cherry, candied orange zest, chocolate liqueur and medicinal herb flavors framed by overtly tangy acidity. Drink now. 208 cases made.??–AN??Region: Italy / Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Select to Add

The 2010 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Pergole Vece is only made in the best vintages and represents a special selection of fruit. Dark cherry and blackberry set the tone both in terms of appearance and sweetness. The wine offers great complexity that ranges from toasted nut, to Spanish cedar to moist chewing tobacco. Like most Reciotos, it wraps beautifully around the palate with a combination of tannic power and jammy fruit. Pair it with sharp blue cheese. Drink 2016-2025. Franco Scamperle’s Amarone Pergole Vece is one of the best Valpolicella wines on the market today. Only made in the best vintages from old vines, it sees a longer appassimento and oak regime to increase the wine’s distinctive intensity. Pergole Vece ranks high on my list of personal favorites, but unfortunately I have seen the wine’s retail price creep up suddenly the past few years. Importer: Vias Imports, www.viaswine.com

The 2007 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Pergole Vece bursts from the glass with sweet dark cherries, plums, spices, leather and licorice. Persistent veins of minerality support the fruit through to the juicy yet focused finish. This inviting, mid-weight Recioto can be enjoyed now and over the next decade or so. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. Readers will find much to admire in this set of new releases from Le Salette. This is an impressive showing from the Scamperle family. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200

The 2006 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Pergole Vece is gorgeous in the way it reconciles richness and structure. Clean mineral notes frame blackberries, blueberries, cloves, new leather and vanilla in this firm, polished Recioto. The Pergole Vece isn’t an obvious wine; rather it convinces for its superb elegance and well-balanced, harmonious personality. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Le Salette this year. This is a fabulous collection that deserves serious attention. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200