92-94 Point Wines

wines

This brilliant wine is one of the best new breed Tuscan reds I have tasted. The color is a sensational black/purple and the nose offers gorgeously intense aromas of black plums, cassis, licorice, and spicy new oak. In the mouth, there is extraordinary opulence and richness, enough acidity to provide grip, and plenty of tannin lurking behind the cascade of fruit. The explosive finish goes on and on. Approachable, even delicious now, this splendid wine promises to get even better over the next 4-6 years and possibly last through the first decade of the next century. Impressive!Robert Parker | 93 RPA solid wine, with wonderful structure for aging, but still closed and not giving much at this stage. Dark-ruby color, with smoke, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Loads of velvety tannins, full body and a long finish. Great, soft texture. Wait until at least 1997.--Super Tuscan retrospective. — JSWine Spectator | 93 WSThe 1988 Ornellaia (magnum) shows a touch more complexity and delineation than the 1985 in its layers of dark fruit, herbs, licorice, minerals and spices, with a surprising level of freshness and firmness. It is a beautiful Ornellaia with several years of fine drinking ahead. The 1988 Ornellaia is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc that spent 11 months in French oak, 40% new.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The nose is practically humming, hovering close to perfection, the burnished Tuscan sun on full display. This is the most perfect level of ripeness, warmth, beauty and juiciness; the main quality here is drinkability. This still has the bite of tannins, their teeth are still on display but exerting a languorous hold, nothing fierce or menacing at this point. Roasted wild strawberries, grilled over sarments, elongated tannins with nothing to prove.Decanter | 96 DECThe 1990 Sassicaia appears to be the finest wine made at this estate since the nearly perfect 1985. It boasts a saturated purple, almost bluish color, and a sensational yet unevolved and youthful aromatic profile of sweet, nearly over-ripe blackcurrants, cedar, tobacco, and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, with staggering concentration and extract levels, this tannic, super-pure, well-defined Cabernet possesses low enough acidity and sweet enough tannin to make it accessible to those readers unable to defer their gratification, but do not expect this wine to attain its plateau of maturity before the end of the century. It will last through the first decade of the 21st century.Robert Parker | 94 RPPerhaps not up to the glory of the '88 or '85 but the '90 Sassicaia will be remembered for its great harmony. It's a rich wine with an excellent combination of new wood and ripe fruit, full body and silky tannins, adding a crisp finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Polished, subtle, classy red. Offering complex aromas of leather, blackberries, tea and raspberries. Full-bodied, with extremely well-integrated tannins and a long, long caressing finish. Brancaia is a new star. Wine formerly bottled by Fonterutoli. Best after 2004. 3,325 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSInky ruby to the rim. Pure plum and berry fruit on the nose; jammy and sweet, with the oak completely absorbed. Plummy and tarry on the palate. Not the blockbuster that the nose suggests, but elegant and delineated, and sustained and silky on the finish. Already gives considerable pleasure. The wine is marketed by Fonterutoli, whose enologist, Carlo Ferrini, also oversees the winemaker here. Brancaia is much improved in recent years, thanks to the efforts of its dynamic Swiss owners.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2000 Lupicaia Is rich with balsamic, fig, Mediterranean herbs, and espresso. Full bodied and much rounder than the 2005, it offers a cooling lift on the palate, with eucalyptus, black cherry, and fresh soil. Rich with liqueur, it is more rounded in its structure and softer in its tannic profile. Drink 2022-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

The lovely 2001 San Leonardo is a wine in its adolescence phase. Its pedigree is cemented, but its future is still open to chance. This was an excellent vintage that saw pre-harvest rains and warm, dry weather once the fruit had reached optimal ripeness. With this vintage, you begin to get some of the younger aromas that distinguish this great red wine from the far north of Italy. Red cherry and blackberry are followed by chocolate, spice and moist leather. The wine is more immediate, modern and "international" with soft tannins and thick extraction. It opens with a bang and follows through to the end of the palate with the same generous intensity. I’d suggest parking this wine in your cellar for up to ten years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2001 San Leonardo is showing depths of ripe black cherry and plum with rich brown spice, offset by hints of sage, smoky minerals and dried florals. The silkiest of textures give way to a gorgeous set of polished red and black fruits, riding a core of balanced acids. Fine tannins slowly mount toward the long and structured close with a tart tug of sour berries and savory spice. The 2001 is a total classic, following a number of warm and dry years. Still showing quite youthful today, the 2001 reveals only early signs of maturity maintaining so much potential. I love it. I tasted this bottle over the course of two days and got better the longer it was open.Vinous Media | 93 VMRich blackcurrant nose with enough cut to resemble a St Julien; assertive but with no greenness, Moderate tannins, but zesty and lively too, perky yet harmonious and well balanced. Still youthful, energetic and long.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a gorgeous and linear wine that boasts beautiful layers of black currant, tar, asphalt, drying mineral, green spice, curry powder and licorice. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this wine has aged well over the years and promises additional longevity thanks to its bright acidity and the integrity of its fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA fresh cabernet with beautiful chocolate, berry and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a crisp finish. Delicious all around. Still drinking beautifully.James Suckling | 91 JSA Bordeaux-style blend, with subtle berry and vanilla character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Soft and caressing. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot. Best after 2009. 7,915 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2002 Rosso del Bepi flows with tons of elegance in its dark red fruit, cocoa, spices, sage, and crushed flowers. This is a beautifully rich, concentrated red with gorgeous length, finessed tannins and superb overall balance. Rosso del Bepi is the label Quintarelli uses for wines that don’t meet his exacting standards for Amarone. While the 2002 Rosso del Bepi doesn’t quite have the requisite richness to be an Amarone, it is a totally compelling, harmonious wine all the same. It is a superb bottle for the dinner table, where its mineral-infused brightness will pair well with food. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2002 Rosso del Bepi shows all the Quintarelli signatures, but in miniature, as is the case when the estate declassifies its Amarone juice into this bottling. Juicy dark cherries, flowers and spices all blossom in the glass in a perfumed, mid-weight wine endowed with lovely balance. The 2002 boasts gorgeous inner perfume, but logically not the body or richness of the Quintarelli Amarones. Still, it is a very pretty wine, especially if taken on its own terms.Vinous Media | 91 VMA ripe and intense wine, Rosso del Bepi (named after Valpolicella founding father Giuseppe Quintarelli) shows aromas of tobacco, cherry liqueur, root beer and soy sauce. It delivers a sweet, chewy close with a touch of dried hay at the end.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Rose petal and ripe fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a citrus undertone. Lemon rind texture. Juicy and delicious. Give it a year or two to soften. 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, aged 15 months in French barrels.James Suckling | 90 JS

Fresh grapes only. It’s hard to believe this is their first vintage from rented vines high up at San Giorgio. Magnificent aromas of woodsmoke, aniseed, clove and black pepper and intense, juicy red fruit flavours. Drinking Window 2019 - 2027.Decanter | 94 DEC

Subtle and flavorful with spice, white-pepper and dark-berry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Firm tannins. Polished and delicious. Why wait? Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSModerately saturated bright red. Herbs, red fruit and minerals on the refined nose. Then also quite elegant in the mouth, where floral nuances lift the red and blue fruit flavors. Finishes long with herbal notes that add complexity.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Packaged in a heavy glass bottle, the Tenuta Sant’Antonio 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi is a beautifully full and generous wine. If offers a full load of fruit weight and manages to do so without losing freshness or crispness. The bouquet delivers elements of dark cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry preserves, and those dark tones transition to sweet tones of spice, licorice and tar. This is a full-bodied and thoroughly contemporary expression that translates to the palate with lively energy and lots of Amarone power. Fruit comes from a hillside vineyard with sandy limestone soils and white calcareous rocks at a breezy 300 meters in elevation. The traditional blend used by this estate is 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta. The wine ages in oak for two long years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi balances dark ripe fruits, sweet spices and rich mocha with savory herbs and violet florals. It’s a silky and energetic effort with cooling acids and minerals, coloring within the lines of refinement while still satiating the senses with masses of ripe black cherries. A bit of heat pokes out through on the finish, yet this is forgivable in my book, as the Antonio Castagnedi tapers off fresh to inner violet florals and a bitter twang of wild berries.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review providedNotes of grilled game and tobacco balance this wine’s rich flavors of baked cherry, molten chocolate and licorice. Dark spices offset those flavors, and lively acidity cools the finish.Dalla Terra, Napa, CA Wine and Spirits Mag | 91 W&S

The 2016 Boca captures the purest essence of the appellation so well. Medium in body, with striking precision and tons of energy, the 2016 is just fabulous today. Blood orange, mint, spice and sweet red cherry, they all meld together in a wine of remarkable elegance and finesse. All the elements are so well balanced. Don’t let the wine’s weightless feel fool you, there is plenty of depth. The 2016 is exceptional. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA fragrant blend of Nebbiolo and 15% Vespolina, this linear, focused red has aromas of rose petal, alpine herb, new leather and underbrush. On the racy, medium-bodied palate, notes of white pepper and star anise accent ripe Morello cherry before a savory saline finish. Tightly wound fine-grained tannins and a backbone of firm acidity provide the ageworthy framework. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Bright straw. Lemon ice, orange peel, balsamic oils and herbs on the complex nose and in the mouth. Savory but juicy, with a very clean, sneakily concentrated mouthfeel and lots of density on the long, juicy finish. Another knockout from this estate in 2018.Vinous Media | 92 VMVery perfumed and quite intense pears and baked apples with some bright fragrance, too. The palate has a very smooth, supple texture and some bright, punchy pear and apple flavor. Smooth-honed and balanced. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSThe Köfererhof 2018 Alto Adige Valle Isarco Sylvaner shows some extra plushness and softness in this vintage, with summer peach, lemon blossom, honey and cantaloupe melon. Whereas most of the white varieties in the Köfererhof portfolio present lifted and vertical aromas with many flinty mineral nuances, this Sylvaner offers a tad more opulence and fruity richness. That extra texture opens this wine to spicy exotic foods like Singapore chili crab.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Aromas of ripe berries and fresh herbs with hints of wet earth and pine, too. Full-bodied with lots of ripe and round fruit. Lots of redcurrants in the palate. Soft and fine-textured. Slightly tight at the end. Dense. Better in two or three years, but already very attractive.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Il Pino di Biserno is gracious and elegant. The style is much fresher and understated than before. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and incense. Dark and vibrant in the glass, the 2019 is another winner from Lodovico Antinori.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis red delivers a mix of dark fruit and herbal flavors, with black currant, blackberry, rosemary and licorice notes. The finish is a touch compact now, yet this is complex and long overall. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Cabernet franc makes up 60 per- cent of Magari, bolstering the blend’s structure and freshness (it no longer includes merlot). The wine’s flavors of blackcurrant and plum show a pleasant tangy edge, its earthy tannins firmly guiding the fruit tones without overwhelming them. Hints of licorice and graphite emerge with air, and the dark fruit mingles with iodine notes on the long, seamless finish.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SThe Ca’ Marcanda 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Magari offers a surprisingly subtle side to the three very powerful grapes that make up the blend. These are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The bouquet is generous and full, with an intricate embroidery of lavender flower, garden herb, black fruit, spice and tobacco. You might even detect a hint of black olive. Magari is structured and solid but never heavy, and it offers a good sense of fresh acidity that makes for a lively and bright finish. That more acidic vein is neatly folded into ample fruity sweetness and flavor.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is a firm yet velvety-textured red with blackberry, sage, pine-needle and dried-flower aromas and flavors. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a lovely mouth feel and a long finish. Drink after 2023, when everything will have come more together.James Suckling | 93 JSStarts out rich, yet underscored by vibrant acidity and a line of refined tannins, which provide the support for this red’s black currant, black cherry, wild herb and iron flavors. Finishes lean and firm. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Enticing fruit-cocktail nose with a lemony twist, as well as some honey and meadow flowers. Medium-bodied with intense, super clean fruit flavors and a delicious finish. So well balanced. Enjoy now.James Suckling | 93 JSA blend of equal parts fiano and greco, this wine offers flavors of cool citrus in a round, creamy texture. Scented with apple blossom, chamomile and bee pollen, the wine gains richness with air, yet remains high-toned and refreshingWine & Spirits Magazine | 91 W&SA creamy white, with juicy yellow apple and pear fruit laced with hints of vanilla, verbena, anise and toast. Reveals a subtle, pleasing plumpness that’s refreshed and balanced by citrusy acidity and a tang of salinity. Fiano and Greco. Drink now. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Dark and almost smoky in the glass, the 2020 Valpolicella Superiore Classico Ripasso smolders up with a mix of musky red currants and savory herbs lifted by a hint of menthol. Silky smooth and with a pleasant inner sweetness, this soothes with ripe red fruits and saline-infused acidity. Licorice and lavender nuances are left to linger as this finishes only lightly structured and with finesseVinous Media | 92 VMA fragrant red with notes of dried raspberries, strawberries, earth and dried flowers. Medium body with silky tannins and fresh acidity. Crunchy, with plenty of redcurrants in the finish. Not quite complex, but tasty, laid-back and easy to drink. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

A soft and caressing red with a full body and plush, finely woven tannins. Plenty of dark cherry, mulberry, chocolate and some bark. Citrus zest and dried flowers, too. Lightly chewy at the end. 95% sangiovese and 5% merlot. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSAt 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot, this is a sculpted, perfumed second-vintage red with cranberry as well as cherry fruit and well-integrated oak. What makes this a winner, especially with food, is that the crystalline, racy fruit far outshadows the oak. It’s not old-school, but you’d still have to call it a traditional Tuscan wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WENew to the Place de Bordeaux this year, the second wine to the flagship Oreno. This is darkly scented with a floral-touched nose, blackcurrants, violet potpourri and liquorice. So juicy and seductive on the palate, this has a depth which is beguiling, layering the dark fruit, herbal and salty flavours on the tongue - a sweet, sticky almost liquorice blackcurrant added to by a black pepper and minty aftertaste giving some minerality to the palate. Nicely structured and round. This is ample and fresh - easy to drink with lots to like. Ageing for 12-14 months in tonneaux and barriques.Decanter | 91 DECA firm red, featuring cherry and blackberry flavors, with mineral and tobacco accents. Shows depth and balance, with a solid layer of tannins lining the finish. Sangiovese and Merlot. Drink now through 2025. 12,500 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2021 Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso, Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato wine takes a while to open but when it does it is redolent with a range of aromas from a sun-dried fruit, buttered popcorn, blackberry, nuts and vanilla. On the palate the fruit and oak are well matched and combine to produce a smooth, creamy and well-integrated feel. It is well balanced with a lovely, juicy freshness on the finish and a knot of fine-textured, savory tannins. On standing the aromas become more bitter cherry combined with very ripe dried cranberry.The Wine Independent | 92 TWIThis is bursting with black currant, cherry and blueberry fruit, showing graphite, licorice and tobacco accents. Fresh and balanced, this lingers on the firm finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Drink now through 2028. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

The 2022 Vino Bianco Leukò bursts from the glass with a wild aromatic display of ground ginger, incense, dried peaches and sour melon. It’s soft and enveloping with a pleasant inner sweetness up front and zesty acidity as floral-laced white pit fruits and candied citrus tones cascade throughout. The palate is left reeling, watering for more, as a perfumed floral air dissipates over tropical kiwi hints. This is Leukò on steroids. It’s a blend of 70% Greco Bianco and 30% Gaglioppo, vinified white.Vinous Media | 92 VM

An opaque purple blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, the 2022 Il Bruciato is luxurious with notes of blackberry liqueur and some blue fruit coming through along with notes of violets, olive, and black licorice. Full-bodied, with a weightless and seamless feel, it has no harsh edges and offers ripe tannins with a supple texture, fresh acidity, and clean ripeness through a rather long finish. This gorgeous wine checks a lot of boxes and is drinking beautifully now. It offers a lot of finesse as well as a wide drinking window. Drink 2024-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe popular Marchesi Antinori 2022 Bolgheri Rosso Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that offers generous black fruit, prune, black plum, spice and light toast. The wine tapers down to mid-weight texture on the palate, and this little pause in intensity happily serves to elevate its food-friendly appeal. This hot vintage reveals ripe fruit characteristics with soft tannins and an accessible style available over an ample 750,000-bottle production.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

This is Marchesi Antinori’s top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. The Castello della Sala 2022 Cervaro della Sala is based on Chardonnay and has a small part of the local grape Grechetto in the blend. The nose opens to a reductive note of flint or matchstick, but it lifts quickly to reveal soft orchard fruit, white peach and minty apple. There are delicately applied toasted notes with a hint of pecan or macadamia nut. To finish, you also get salty mineral notes that underline the extremely vertical or lifted personality of the bouquet. Renzo Cotarella tells me that tweaks to winemaking in recent years have attempted "to slim down the wine and not make it any bigger." This was a hot vintage, but Cervaro della Sala remains true to its leaner and meaner blueprint. However, given its accessible personality, we could expect a shorter drinking window for the 2022s.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP