Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

I have seldom seen a transformation as dramatic as what has taken place at Lodali over the last few years. In the 1990s, Walter Lodali made dark, potent, heavily extracted wines that were not particularly distinguished for the time. Ten years ago, tired of wines made by consultants, Lodali decided to focus solely on wine. "At the time, I ran two restaurants, and I made wine, all of which I did poorly," Lodali says. His first decision was to delegate operations of his outside businesses to others in order to devote all his attention to the vineyards and cellar. Changes started in earnest in 2017 and then developed gradually over time. The results are nothing short of stunning. Today's wines embody the essence of finesse.