ARGIOLAS COSTERA 2005 Stock: 63434 This overachieving Sardinian producer keep turning out truly amazing values that make a mockery of wines selling for three times more. Not long ago, we've opened a bottle of 1983 Costera (blind) and it was not only fresh as a daisy, but shockingly good. "The brilliant 2005 Costera IGT is composed of 90% Cannonau (a local grape believed to be a derivative of Grenache), 5% Carignano, and 5% Bovale Sardo. This powerhouse red represents Sardinia’s version of Chateauneuf du Pape. It boasts sweet black cherry fruit interwoven with notes of pepper, Provencal herbs, spice box, and licorice. This full-bodied beauty possesses superb texture and depth. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. One of my favorite estates from Sardinia, Argiolas, located just north of Cagliari, has long promoted the island’s indigenous varietals, including Nuragus and Vermentino for their whites, and such red grapes as Cannonau, Monica, Carignano, and Bovale Sardo. I strongly urge readers to check out these fabulous wine values as they are every bit as good as these enthusiastic notes suggest. Just one caveat: Drink the whites within a year of release, and the reds within several." 91 points Robert Parker n/a