I am struck by how light on its feet the 2010 Redigaffi is for such a big wine. Dark red cherries, tobacco, licorice, smoke and anise all flesh out as this layered wine opens up in the glass. Over time, the wine's intense salinity emerges, adding energy, drive and polish. Hints of dark cherry, plum and smoke reappear on the vibrant finish. Readers will find much to admire in the superb 2010. To be sure, the 2010 is less outwardly opulent than is often the case with Redigaffi, but there is no denying the wine's absolute beauty.

A very harmonious Redigaffi. Blueberry with chili powder on the nose. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful palate. It's a wonderfully balanced and crafted young wine.

The 2010 Redigaffi is even more impressive with seamless integration of ripe fruit and oak spice that meet each other perfectly in the middle. It soars to new heights of elegance and power, imparting beautiful tones of black fruit, polished river stone, bacon fat and black pepper as it makes its steady ascent. The mouthfeel is fleshy and generous and there is plenty of backbone here to carry the wine forward throughout the years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2038. Monica Larner Aug 2013

This is the year of many transformational changes at Tua Rita. The most important of which is the death of Tua Rita founder Virgilio Bisti (Rita Tua's husband and Stefano Frascolla's father-in-law). It is also the last year that Stefano Chioccioli worked as the consulting winemaker before Luca D'Attoma would return to the post he occupied previously. (As a side note, it is the first vintage I reviewed for Robert Parker Wine Advocate after joining the publication. From this point forward, I am rescoring wines against my own scores.) I remember falling in love with the 2010 Redigaffi when I first tasted it those many years ago. Today, I find an elegant wine that is a little closed on the nose. A hailstorm on August 17th broke up a classic growing season. This wine shows freshness and some herbal overtones, but it also feels slightly more evolved and tertiary.

2010 was the last year that Stefano Chioccioli was consultant winemaker for Tua Rita. Luca D'Attoma, who had been the consultant in the first few years, returned to that role again in 2011. The 2010 Redigaffi is held back and closed at first but becomes headily fragrant, with wild flower aromas, lavender and a hint of polish. The palate is full of dark, chewy black plum and liquorice held in by robust tannins; firm and tenacious but a little austere.

100% Merlot. Deep, lustrous ruby. Super-sleek, international, dark- and red-fruit and oak nose. Concentrated yet not too heavy. Well made and it certainly has class. It still has plenty of freshness. International polish, though. (WS)