The 2002 Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice is one of the more restrained vintages of this wine I can remember tasting. There is plenty of the trademark textural richness that makes Avignonesi's Occhio di Pernice so compelling, but also quite a bit of acid that keeps the wine light on its feet. Succulent dark cherry, tobacco, leather, pine and Christmas cake spice notes inform this plush, super-inviting Vin Santo from Avignonesi. April 2018

This is a truly unique wine. It’s as thick as molasses and shows so much dried-raisin and toffee character. A hint of oxidation, too. Sort of like a Bual Madeira. Full-bodied, very sweet and thick. Do you serve it on toast or drink it? Still, it’s a great wine. Drink now. Sept 2018

You'd need a 110-point scale (rather than a 100-point scale) to do justice to this spectacular creation. The 2002 Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice (100 milliliters) is divine and delicious on all conceivable levels. The bouquet offers dried fruit, dark tar, honey, toasted chestnut and maple syrup in seamless succession. The mouthfeel is so thick and dense, you'd almost wonder if you could get a spoon to stand up straight in the glass. The finish is endlessly sweet and succulent. ML Dec 2017

Though concentrated and sweet, the cleansing acidity keeps this balanced and lifts the caramel, fig, prune and dried cherry flavors. As this becomes an essence of dried fruit and nuts on the finish, a mineral element emerges. Drink now through 2028. BS