Whoops. The Amarone is SOLD OUT - note to self, source more Amarone!

Meanwhile, per Vinous, here is a tiny bit more of “one of Tuscany’s small, family-owned reference points.”

Tua Rita is a reference point in the Tuscan wine scene. A cult Italian estate that produced the first Italian wine ever to receive 100 Points from Robert Parker. Their Giusto di Notri pays homage to Left Bank style Bordeaux and itself seems to earn 94-98 points every vintage, without fail. This one clocks in at 97 POINTS, and at our price today it’s a must have.

For those not intimately familiar with cult Super Tuscans, they are the makers of Redigaffi, Per Sempre, and Giusto di Notri. In other words, the Le Pin, La Chapelle, and Mouton Rothschild of Italy, for the lack of a better comparison, but all made by the same genius.

That genius would be Luca d’Attoma who, after putting similar Tuscan superstars Fattoria Le Pupille and Le Macchiole on the map, still makes Tua Rita along with consulting a myriad of top and rising wineries around the globe. Full list here.

Let’s refer to Decanter for the history of how Tua Rita got to the top: “Tua Rita makes some of Italy’s most exciting and collectible red wines. Its story began in 1984, when Virgilio Bisti and his wife Rita Tua purchased a small two-hectare property in Suvereto in the Alta Maremma, with just half a hectare of Sangiovese. In the beginning, their dream was simply to have a more rural life close to the land, but soon a passion for wine took over. In 1988 two more hectares were added, planted – against the local trend – with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon which they felt suited the site and some of which found their way into nearby Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia. In 1992, Virgilio and Rita took on one of Italy’s best consultant oenologists, Luca D’Attoma, and started bottling their own wine, the first of which they called Giusto di Notri.”

What can one add, to this beauty in our glasses? It sure is youthfully intense and wound up, but that’s quite expected from a 50+ year wine. Only rated by James Suckling so far, advising it will begin to peak in 2026, and other massive scores are soon to follow. They always do. There are those ‘iron fist in velvet glove’ tannins standing between the hedonistic fruit and a vibrant backbone of acidity. Through the rich and austere midpalate emerges a finish that echoes endlessly with beautiful berries, herbs, and a bazaar of exotic spices. Grab what you can afford, extend your line of credit it need be, and be sure to save some to open between 2050-2070, and you will thank us.

Best price ANYWHERE. What did you expect as an Operative, eh? Very little to go around though.

97 Points – James Suckling

“Lots of incense to the aromas with sandalwood and lavender. Currants, blackberries. and fresh herbs, too. Full-bodied and very rich, with a powerful, structured mid-palate and a long, long finish. A wine for the future. Needs four to five years to soften. Best after 2026.”