The 2014 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Squarano shows more savory than sweet, displaying musky blackberries and plum sauce plus hints of brown spice and smoky mineral tones. This is silky with a polished feel to its red and black fruits, coasting across a medium-bodied frame, as hints of wild herbs and inner florals collect toward the close. The difficult vintage comes through in the clipped finish and the green streak found throughout.

A moderate, medium-bodied red, with light, creamy tannins and notes of kirsch, smoke and dried thyme. Drink now. 30,000 cases made, 295 cases imported.