NYC Tastings This Week & Next: Italy, Barolo & Japanese Spirits

Based in Los Angeles, this tasting is hosted by our very own Italian Wine Buyer Orazio Campoli—a VIA Certified Italian Wine Ambassador and Educator with a background in fine-dining institutions such as Del Posto and Per Se—featuring a personally curated selection of Italian wines. His New York visit brings a focused lineup that includes alpine whites from Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige, volcanic expressions from Graci on Mount Etna, and benchmark bottlings such as Pieropan's Soave Classico and Mastroberardino's long-aged Taurasi, alongside a library-release Nebbiolo from Vallana sourced from historic Alto Piemonte vineyards. The selection traces a throughline of regional identity—spanning volcanic soils, alpine climates, and traditional aging practices—offering a cross-section of Italian wine shaped by place, history, and continuity.

High Road Spirits focuses on importing small-scale Japanese producers whose work is tied closely to regional ingredients and traditional methods, offering a lens into categories often defined by large-scale production. Scarlet Aperitivo is built on a sake-based foundation by Iseya Shuzo, incorporating botanicals and citrus in a process that reflects Japan's long history of fermentation, while Komasa Jyozo's Satsuma Gin draws on Kagoshima-grown ingredients such as green tea and local citrus distilled in small batches. At Kanosuke Distillery, the “Hioki” Pot Still Whisky is made using unmalted and malted barley fermented with koji and distilled on pot stills, linking whisky production to techniques more commonly associated with shochu. Together, these spirits illustrate how localized ingredients and cross-disciplinary fermentation methods continue to shape Japan's evolving distillation landscape.

At Boroli, a family estate established in the 1990s in Castiglione Falletto, vineyard holdings are concentrated in some of Barolo's most historically documented crus, with winemaking that emphasizes site expression through careful parcel selection and measured aging in both barrique and large cask. The 2021 releases highlight three distinct hillside origins: Cerequio, known for its amphitheater-like exposure and calcareous soils; Villero, where compact clay and marl contribute structure and depth; and Brunella, the estate's monopole, offering a more sheltered microclimate that shapes a different aromatic and textural profile. Taken together, these wines reflect how subtle shifts in soil composition, elevation, and exposure within a small geographic area can produce markedly different expressions of Nebbiolo.

Founded in 1962 in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ridge Vineyards is a pioneer of “pre-industrial” winemaking, prioritizing site-specific expression and minimal intervention. This lineup includes the 2025 Heringer Vineyard Chenin Blanc, which utilizes 12 hours of skin contact and native fermentation in stainless steel to preserve its tropical Delta character. The 2025 Lytton Estate Rosé is a sophisticated, Grenache-dominant Rhône-style blend from Dry Creek Valley, notable for its full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The red portfolio features the 2023 Three Valleys, an accessible Sonoma blend, alongside the legendary estate field blends: Lytton Springs (Dry Creek Valley) and Geyserville (Alexander Valley). Both are fermented with native yeasts and matured for 16 months in air-dried American oak. Completing the set, the 2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon showcases mountain-grown structure from the Monte Bello estate. Together, these wines illustrate Ridge's mastery in applying consistent, traditional techniques to diverse California terroirs.

Formed in 1997 through the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness, Diageo oversees a portfolio of historic Scotch distilleries including Oban (est. 1794), Talisker (est. 1830), and Lagavulin (est. 1816). This coastal lineup features the Oban 14 Year Old, matured in refill American oak hogsheads to maintain its delicate balance of Highland fruit and sea salt. The Talisker 10 Year Old, the stalwart of the Isle of Skye, is double-distilled and aged in American oak to emphasize its signature peppery smoke. Completing the trio, Lagavulin 16 Year Old is defined by Islay's slowest distillation and long fermentation, matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks for a deeply peated, complex character. Together, these whiskies illustrate how maritime geography and traditional craft intersect to define the rugged spirit of the Scottish coast.