98-99 Point Wines

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You could argue that this is the wine with the fasting growing quality trajectory because this vineyard site is one of those rare places in the appellation that appears to improve despite (or more likely because of) a changing climate. Ravera enjoys an open panorama (at 400 to 440 meters in elevation) that extends to the snow-capped Alps and benefits from cooler air currents, coupled with an amazing quality of light that you notice with the naked eye. The 2021 Barolo Ravera saw its fruit harvested later than the other wines, on October 11th, and continued with a classic Vietti-style fermentation with 20-plus days of skin contact. Simply put, what Ravera offers is complexity (and strength) with hints of bergamot, citrus, herbs, mineral and salt over a tightly concentrated mouthfeel. The quality of the tannins and the freshness of this 2021 are impressive, and that citrusy note continues with tangerine skin and kumquat. Production is 8,700 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2021 Barolo Ravera is one of the many standouts in this range from Vietti. Blood orange, chalk, mint, white pepper and slate all infuse the palate with notable persistence. Intensely saline and mineral, the Ravera is not an easy wine, as it is focused and taut rather than immediate. It’s a Barolo that demands a lot from the taster, but it pays that attention back in spades.Vinous Media | 98 VMLimpid and transparent, the 2021 allies vivacity with rigour. Hints of pepper lift red currant blossom and raspberry aromas. Sapid minerals tantalise the palate, which is awash with tangy sumac and succulent blood orange. The cool alpine air is palpable in the racy acidity and linear, chiselled tannins. Structure is still very much in control here but gracious enough to disclose future rewards. Vineyards in Ravera were purchased in 1995, when it was still considered too cold to reliably ripen Nebbiolo, but now this is consistently one of Vietti’s top bottlings.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECProtective and precise style here. Blood-orange and floral bouquet, restrained if not reductive, with cherry candy and chocolatey depth. Smooth attack to the palate with medium body, assertive acidity and refined tannins that turn dustier on the finish. Overall juicy and fresh, yet slightly stern. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JS

The Brovia 2021 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione takes us back to, again, one of my favorite sites in the appellation. I go crazy for wines from this MGA. This expression is extremely nuanced and delicate, especially at first. The wine builds intensity later. Finely stitched aromas of fruit, minerals and blue flower make for a classical Nebbiolo. It shows good power and structure at the back. You should age it longer than most. Fermentation starts off in cement, and the wine is racked into French and Slavonian oak casks (40 hectoliters) for aging. The Rocche di Castiglione vineyard is distinguished by its high presence of sand. This 1.6-hectare plot sits at 300 to 350 meters in elevation with southeastern exposures. The vineyard is extremely steep and, with the loose soils, is challenging to farm. Diano sandstone and Sant’Agata Fossili Marl put these soils on the "younger" side of the Barolo geological spectrum. This wine will be released in September 2025, with 5,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPFragrant and all about finesse, the radiant Brovia 2021 Rocche di Castiglione mesmerizes with its aromas of rose, perfumed berry, menthol and dark culinary spice. Full-bodied and showing elegant restraint, the savory, vibrant palate has a pristine quality, delivering crunchy red red, orange zest, star anise and black tea set against taut, refined tannins. It’s impeccably balanced, with bright acidity. What a beauty. Drink 2031–2046. Abv: 14.5%.Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2021 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a classic Brovia wine from this site. Aromatic, sculpted and vibrant in the glass, the 2021 has so much to offer. Crushed flowers, vibrant red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint and cinnamon are all beautifully lifted. There’s gorgeous inner sweetness that emerges over time. Silky, beautifully ripe tannins pull it all together on the closer. As always, Rocche is the most charming and sensual of the Barolos in this range. If I had to pick just one wine to encapsulate what Brovia is all about, the Rocche di Castiglione would be it. Superb.Vinous Media | 96 VMA saturated red hue, the 2021 Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione is complex and compelling on the nose and draws inward with notes of mocha, mint, cherry liqueur, fresh leather, and baked earth. The palate exhibits a focused energy and purity, complemented by refined tannins, refreshing acidity, and a ripe, medium-bodied frame. It’s a lovely wine that will only improve over the next 15 or more years. It feels the most complete of the wines presented by Brovia and takes the slight edge above the rest.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe estate’s first single-MGA bottling, Rocche di Castiglione has been produced since 1970. The steep, sandy southeast-facing site is gently warmed by the morning sun and is reputed to yield some of the denomination’s most refined examples. Indeed, Brovia’s 2021 is silky, elegant, even Pinot Noir-esque. It is surprisingly dainty for the vintage but not without substance. Beautiful perfumes of rose, lavender and lemon blossom echo on the raspberry-led palate. There’s a hint of wet soil and a delicious stony crunch, finely framed with velvety tannins. This may fill out a bit with time.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECDark aromas of violets, balsamic, eucalyptus, pomegranate juice and wild fruit. Smooth attack with a medium to full body, good concentration, refreshing acidity and thick, dusty yet ripe tannins. A classic Barolo that’s a bit old-fashioned in extraction, with a long, polished, fruity finish. Try from 2027, but it will be at its best from 2030.James Suckling | 95 JS

The gorgeous 2021 Villero from Brovia reels you in with its enticing fragrance of wild rose, cedar, pine forest and red berry. Elegantly structured and utterly delicious, the poised, precise palate features succulent red cherry, strawberry, star anise and white pepper before a salty finish. Firm, polished tannins provide seamless support while bright acidity keeps it wonderfully balanced and lends racy tension. This is a wine I would love to have in my cellar and follow its evolution over the years. Drink 2031–2046. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe Brovia 2021 Barolo Villero has that powdery or chalky element that I love so much from this site. It’s like crushed chalkboard, and it frames other more fragrant aromas of sambuca, aniseed, blueberry and lilac. This wine is beautifully complex, and it keeps going in the glass, unveiling new layers all the time. The same thing can be said of the long mouthfeel. Villero is 1.2 hectares at 230 to 350 meters above sea level with marl soils (a mix of silt and clay). The wine matures in 40-hectoliter French and Slavonian oak casks, and 5,000 bottles were created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2021 Barolo Villero is a tight, reticent wine, as Barolos from this site often are. Spice box, dried flowers, mint and plum begin to emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This firm, classically austere Barolo feels rather shut down following its bottling. The Villero is always the hardest wine at Brovia to taste young. Even so, it oozes classicism. All readers need is a measure of patience.Vinous Media | 95 VMA bright red color, the 2021 Barolo Villero is lifted on the nose with notes of minty herbs, fresh redcurrants, cinnamon, and cedar. The palate offers nervous tension, with finely coiled tannins, vibrant, ripe acidity, and a long, medium-framed feel with refreshing lift. It’s going to take time to unfurl, but I anticipate it improving over the coming 15-20 years.James Suckling | 95+ JSThis wine has bright fruitness, with aromas of red cherries, strawberries, violets and cherry stones. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, showing a tight-knit structure of firm yet ripe, precise, dusty tannins and refreshing acidity. Warming finish. Try from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2021 Percarlo is every bit as stunning from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and vivid in the glass, with striking complexity, the 2021 is a fine follow-up to the 2020. The 2021 is a bit tight relative to the 2020, but that is not a bad thing at all. If anything, I look forward to comparing these two monumental wines in a few years’ time. For now, the 2021 impresses with its purity of Sangiovese fruit and mind-blowing balance. Hints of kirsch, blood orange and pomegranate linger on the vivid, exceptionally polished finish. What a wine.Vinous Media | 99 VMThis fresh red evokes cherry, raspberry, iron, earth and tobacco flavors. There’s an impression of finesse driven by the lively acidity despite the firm tannins. As this builds on the palate, the cherry and raspberry flavors emerge, delivering a pure expression of red fruit. Balanced and long, but requires patience. Best from 2027 through 2045. 1,200 cases made, 220 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis is a complex and deep wine, an old-fashioned sangiovese. There are multifaceted aromas of red cherries, dried cherries, raspberries, camphor, earth and elegant dried flowers. Full-bodied and velvety, with a weighty mid-palate and integrated but tense acidity. Meaty and savory flavors coat the tannins, with a long, precise aftertaste. From organically grown grapes. Almost drinkable now, but great potential for the long haul.James Suckling | 97 JS

The compelling Conti Costanti 2021 Brunello captivates with pronounced aromas of fragrant purple flower, eucalyptus, Mediterranean brush and perfumed berry. All about class and extreme finesse, the elegant palate delivers succulent wild raspberry, crushed Marasca cherry, spiced orange zest and star anise set against a backbone of fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity lends balance and great intensity. Year after year Andrea Costanti turns out what are among the very best wines from Montalcino, and the 2021 is no exception, it’s an absolute stunner with great aging potential. Drink 2031–2046. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is darkly inward in its youthful state, brooding and tense with tobacco, minty herbs, cedary spice, plum and nuances of black cherry. Soft textures wash across the energetic palate as mineral-inflected red berry fruits saturate. Structured and incredibly long, the 2021 leaves the cheeks puckering amidst fine-grained tannins and a contrasting accent of sour citrus.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Lavender, dark spice, Mediterranean scrub, perfumed wild berry, pipe tobacco and new leather aromas come to the forefront on the gorgeous Argiano 2021 Brunello. Solidifying their role as one of the denomination’s top producers, this is focused, refined and loaded with intensity, delivering layers of black cherry compote, juniper berry, licorice, cocoa and blood orange accompanied by a backbone of fine-grained, well-integrated tannins. It’s still young but already beautifully balanced, with fresh acidity. Drink 2031–2039. Abv: % Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is dark and intense, with a smoldering bouquet of ashen stones, grilled herbs and dried black cherries. It is surprisingly energetic and lifted in feel, with racy red berry fruits and rosy inner florals that form a truly satisfying experience. The 2021 is pleasantly chewy and long, leaving a coating of fine-grained tannins and a nuance of tart blackberry.Vinous Media | 94+ VMA jeweled red/ruby color, the 2021 Rosso Di Montalcino needs air, opening with a bit of elevated volatile aromas before revealing notes of cherry candies, pressed roses, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it has ripe tannins and a nice primary profile, with an easygoing nature. It’s going to be a versatile wine for casual drinking over the next few years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is an understated beauty, mixing dusty rose and lavender with shavings of blood orange and black cherries. It is surprisingly juicy yet elegant and refined, as ripe wild berry fruits slowly drench the palate in primary concentration. Structured and dramatically long, the 2021 finishes spicy and intense with nuances of citrus, clove and licorice. The complexity here is off the charts and the energy is incredible.Vinous Media | 95 VMA soft and crunchy wine with plenty of red cherry, light chocolate and orange peel aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with creamy, open-grained tannins and a savory, juicy finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

The classic 2021 Brunello from Canalicchio di Sopra entices with its fragrance of lavender, eucalyptus, dark spice and red plum. Delicious and loaded with finesse, the smooth palate offers strawberry compote, red cherry, licorice and crushed mint accompanied by taut, refined tannins. Fresh acidity and a hint of orange zest elevate the finish. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOBeautifully balanced and polished, the Canalicchio di Sopra 2021 Brunello di Montalcino shows delicate mineral notes that frame cassis, blue flower and sweet Sangiovese aromatics. The wine is taut and energetic, driven by fine tension that carries through a mid-weight palate with length and silky, well-managed tannins, resulting in an elegant yet accessible expression. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks, the wine is sourced from fruit drawn across 10 hectares of vines over 10 years of age from the Canalicchio and Montosoli sites. Production totals 38,241 bottles, including larger formats.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is explosive in the glass, with waves of crushed rocks, savory herbs, nuances of split pine and dried strawberries. It communicates both juiciness and refinement, with crystalline mineral tones contrasting racy red and black fruits. The 2021 leaves the senses drenched in primary concentration as a sour twang of citrus mingles with fine tannins through the dramatically long finale. Despite having separated out the single-vineyard wines over the years, I am continually impressed with Canalicchio di Sopra’s Brunello.Vinous Media | 95 VMAromas of red cherries, pepper, meat and a hint of dark olives. Medium- to full-bodied, showing subtle fleshiness and precise tannins that bring focus and definition. There’s an ethereal quality, with pure, transparent red fruit and a clean, graceful finish. So approachable. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

Black cherry, black licorice, graphite, violet and lavender aromas follow through to a full body with a compact center palate and chewy yet very integrated tannins that give drive and great length. Muscular and agile in the finish. Try after 2029.James Suckling | 98 JSThe Siro Pacenti 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne offers greater concentration and oak spice, presenting a dark and richly layered profile with generous tannins well suited to the character of the warm vintage. Aged in barrique, the wine is built from an intriguing blend of fruit, with half drawn from mineral-rich rocky soils at 150 meters in elevation in the southern sector and half from clay-heavy northern vineyards at 330 meters in elevation, giving it both weight and dimension. This structured and deeply flavored Brunello is produced in 15,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPYouthfully backward in the glass, the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne requires some coaxing to unleash its array of dried black cherries, mentholated herbs, cinnamon sticks and crushed stone. It is seamlessly silky smooth and supple, with depths of chocolate-laced wild berry fruits contrasted by a tactile mineral core. Fresh acidity wins the day as the 2021 finishes with cheek-punching tension, structured yet not severe, while leaving a tart berry twang.Vinous Media | 95 VM

So perfumed and seductive on the nose, with black cherries, minerals and rose petals that follow through to a medium body with ultra-fine tannins. Its finesse and vision tell you why Brunello is great. Long, vivid and beautifully balanced. Already a joy to taste, but best after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSLavender, eucalyptus, dark spice, new leather and juniper berry aromas shape the beautiful nose on the 2021 Fuligni Brunello. All about class and finesse, the palate boasts great intensity, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, blood orange, star anise and rosemary alongside vibrant acidity. Taut, refined tannins lend support. While incredibly tempting, this is still young so give it time to reach its full potential. Drink 2031–2041. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe Fuligni 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is an elegant expression with layers of dark fruit and blackcurrant that give way to pressed rose, grilled herb and petrichor, recalling rocks bathed in hot sunlight. The wine is chiseled and refined, owing to the classic nature of the vintage and the restrained, non-extractive house style that distinguishes Fuligni, a historic estate based just outside the village of Montalcino on higher-elevation sites. The wine shows precision with fine tannic tension and a linear, poised finish, making it an ideal match for traditional Tuscan dishes such as pappardelle al cinghiale or grilled lamb with rosemary. The wine ages for three years in Slavonian oak casks and tonneaux, resulting in a production of 30,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino mixes crushed violets and roses with nuances of sour citrus and wild berries to form its alluring bouquet. A model of purity, it is surprisingly lifted yet silken in feel, with pretty red berry fruits swirling across a tactile mineral core. Sweet tannins and a staining of primary concentration remain, finishing long and balanced with a pleasantly chewy sensation that lingers. While already appealing, the 2021 will require cellaring to soften the blow.Vinous Media | 95 VMFragrant notes of red fruits, flowers and citrus announce an elegant, admirably balanced silhouette with authoritative stature. The wine’s textural compactness, measured personality and stylistic consistency are convincing. This noble family has cultivated vines in Montalcino for over 100 years. The 15 hectares of vineyards, mainly around the estate’s centre to the east of Montalcino, are 380-450 metres above sea level.Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Without taking anything away from owner Alessandro Mori, it seems that since his son Iacopo joined him in the cellar in 2019, Il Marroneto’s wines have achieved even greater precision. Perhaps it is the result of having another equally meticulous pair of hands. Whatever the reason, this 2021 could be the estate’s best classic Brunello so far – definitely on a par with the Madonna delle Grazie bottling. Perfumes of rose, peony, lavender and lilac unfold from a sweet, earthy backdrop. It floats effortlessly yet with ample depth of dark red cherry and raspberry flavour. Juicy orange rings from the core. Exquisitely refined, suede-like tannins are long and silky, though denser than usual, while piercing minerality prolongs the finish. Drinkability that is delectably within reach.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA dark and complex wine with aromas of black cherries, cherry pits, dried flowers, licorice and hints of leather and intoxicating violets. There is elegance as well as depth. Medium- to full-bodied with great density and concentration, sleek tannins of outstanding ripeness, graceful acidity and a super-polished finish. Licorice aftertaste. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with an exotic blend of crushed sour cherries and dried violets complemented by cedar spice box and nuances of incense. It is seamless and silken in feel, displaying notable weight while also coming across as graceful and refined, with a remarkably pretty blend of wild strawberries and a crunch of minerality. A raspberry sauce concentration and sour citrus twang remain as edgy tannins linger, offset by a bump of riveting acidity. This is a fantastic vintage for Il Marroneto’s Brunello, here taking on a level of complexity and concentration I usually associate with the Madonna delle Grazie.Vinous Media | 97 VMIl Marroneto’s 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is immediately captivating, showing lift and verticality that sets it clearly apart, with bright cherry fruit, grenadine and grilled watermelon underscored by an energetic, punchy edge. There is an appealing sweetness to the aromatics alongside hints of white peppercorn and pressed violet, with lifted tones that flirt with volatility yet remain controlled, carried by remarkably soft and polymerized tannins. The 2021 is distinctly austere and complex, etched with mineral precision and built with multiple layers stacked one atop another, gaining depth rather than breadth. Before fermentation is complete, the cap is soft and malic acid is not yet developed, and the wine is racked with residual sugar (from six to 10 grams per liter). The skins are pressed at 350 atmospheres in a vertical press, and the free-run juice is combined with the must to complete fermentation very slowly, over many months, bubbling happily along. It ages in oak botti for 42 months. This is a release of 22,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSpicy and floral, with a mineral graphitic tinge, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino offers a youthful look ahead to what is likely to shape up to be another fantastic vintage for Montalcino. It is plush, yet is pinned together with lifted acidity, and while there is significant baby fat at this stage, it offers a lot of immediate pleasure.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JD

The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is a dense, hulking wine. Powerful and dense to the core, the Montestefano is a big, broad-shouldered wine that is going to need a few years to be at its most expressive. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, spice, menthol are all amplified in this potent Barbaresco.Vinous Media | 97 VMYouthful on the nose, showing bright, lively aromas of red and dark fruits, leafy lightness, wild strawberries and black cherries with a whiff of blood oranges and earthy, chocolaty depth. The gorgeous full-bodied palate, structured and extracted, has firm, velvety tannins and tense acidity, leading to a balanced, endless, licorice finish. March 2026 release. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

There’s a purity and beauty to this that impresses you the minute you put your nose in the glass. So aromatic. Flowers, graphite, blackcurrants and hints of gunmetal. Medium- to full-bodied with tannins that coat your mouth but give a feeling of fine cashmere. The length and intensity is calm but rather endless. 45% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon,10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSOreno has transformed from a wine based on 50% Sangiovese in 2008 to a wine which completely omits the Tuscan varietal in favour of an international blend. In 2022, the percentage of Petit Verdot tops out at 15% – around 5% more than normal – because the hot and dry vintage resulted in very good quality berries of the minor Bordeaux variety. Is it better than the 2021? Tasting both together, the 2021 is richer and sturdier, while 2022 is more immediately accessible: pure, ripe and intense, it displays vibrant red and black berries along with a streak of balsamic herbs and tangy pomegranate. It has wonderful verticality, with a soft and fleshy core and super-fresh edges, supported by sweet, grippy tannins and some creamy wood. Aged in light- and medium-toast barriques, I’m told the proportion of new oak is being reduced.Decanter | 95 DECMade with 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, all organically farmed, the 2022 Oreno is a lovely red that boasts structure and finesse. It opens with enticing scents recalling red currant, lavender, eucalyptus and dark exotic spice. Elegantly structured and savory, the full-bodied palate delivers raspberry jam, cocoa, licorice and tobacco lifted by a note recalling spiced orange peel. Taut, fine-grained tannins provide seamless support. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe 2022 Oreno has come together nicely since I last tasted it a few months ago. Floral and medium in body, the 2022 comes across as somewhat restrained in feel, although the racy, ripe style of the year is evident in its red-toned fruit profile. Pomegranate, cinnamon and a kick of blood orange develop in the glass, adding freshness and dynamic energy.Vinous Media | 92 VMLush and fruity, offering a core of cherry, black currant and blackberry flavors shaded by spice and graphite accents. A firm version, with medium density and a long, fresh finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Plenty of red currant, cedar, iron and terra cotta aromas follow through to a medium to full body with graphite, sandalwood, red currants and fresh Mediterranean herbs such as thyme and rosemary. The tannins are chewy but polished in texture. This is a Sassicaia that needs three or four years of bottle age to come together and soften. A structured wine for the cellar. Try after 2029.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Sassicaia is simply brilliant in this vintage, showing a remarkable level of poise and freshness. It opens with a captivating bouquet of ripe blackberries, plum, florals and subtle herbs, underscored by a touch of spice, tobacco and minerals. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied and well-structured, with velvety tannins and a lively acidity that provides perfect balance. Rich flavors of red/dark fruits, tobacco and spices unfold beautifully, leading to a long, persistent finish that is both refined and elegant. A stunning example of Sassicaia’s pedigree and resilience to thrive year after year.International Wine Report | 98 IWRThe Tenuta San Guido 2022 Bolgheri Sassicaia reveals a beautiful fruit profile with fresh blackberry, tart cherry and Mediterranean tones of blue rosemary blooms and lavender sachet. I tasted this wine several times over the course of a few months, and it has already shown a happy evolution coming into slow focus like the faint colors that emerge from a Polaroid photograph. Indeed, the bouquet appeared more closed just a short while ago. The wine’s strongest suit is its elegantly streamlined mouthfeel and its contained 13.5% alcohol content. These qualities add to the silky cleanness of the mouthfeel and the accessible freshness of this vintage. I am confident that this bottle will improve with time. It requires patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe wine is tightly coiled and concentrated. It feels almost cinched at the waist, with a fascinating tension between the weight of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry coulis fruit and the wine’s verticality, as if it’s trying to burst out. Lovely mid-palate sapidity is allied to fresh acidity and fine but dense tannins, making for a dark horse of a Sassicaia that isn’t giving much away today but will greatly reward those who can cellar it for 12 years and more. ‘What is sure is that 2022 will need a lot of time, but will also have a long life,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta. A hot vintage, 2022 caused the team to work in the newly completed refrigerated warehouses in San Guido, even moving the sorting table inside. Shorter macerations and 23 rather than the more typical 24 or 25 months of ageing in wood helped to maximise the freshness.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECOpening with aromas of menthol, dark spice, blue flower and dark-skinned berry, the 2022 Sassicaia is impressive and defied my expectations. Hailing from what was a notoriously hot, dry year, the estate’s location, including its hillside vineyards, vicinity to the woods plus much-needed rain in August preserved freshness and aromas as did harvesting somewhat earlier than usual, shorter skin maceration and slightly less time in oak. Showing elegant restraint, it’s balanced and tense, delivering flavors of ripe blackberry, wild cherry, licorice and mint. It’s still quite tight and youthfully austere, with a backbone of firm, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Give it time to fully unwind. Drink 2030–2042. Abv: 13.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe 2022 Sassicaia is a very pretty, expressive wine. There’s a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon (and less Franc) in this year’s blend, and that really comes through in the wine’s flavor profile and slightly bruising tannins. Dark cherry, plum, leather, licorice, graphite and incense give the 2022 striking aromatic presence to match its rather brooding personality. There’s a bit of tension in the tannins that needs time to resolve. Yields were down about 20% because of intensely cold weather in spring, variable conditions during flowering and set, and then searing heat and drought throughout the summer.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The drought and heat of 2022 pushed vines in Tuscany to their limits, and the outcome in many cases are wines of density and concentration but with a vein of freshness – and that’s exactly what we see here in the 2022 Solaia. It opens with cool aromas of damp earth, woodland berries, red fruit coulis and a waft of balsamic herbs. In the mouth it is immediately very fleshy, almost voluptuous but holding its shape. Balsam-infused black cherry and dark berries are deepened by chocolatey wood, while succulent acidity brings out the top end and leads to a long, bright, energetic and fresh finish which is full of promise for the future.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECThe 2022 Solaia is dark, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Like Tignanello, it has gained notable depth and complexity, especially in the mid-palate. Black cherry, plum, graphite, mocha, lavender and dried herbs all take shape in the glass. Gorgeous savoury overtones build into the deep, resonant finish.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Solaia is dark, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Like Tignanello, it has gained notable depth and complexity, especially in the mid-palate. Black cherry, plum, graphite, mocha, lavender and dried herbs all take shape in the glass. Gorgeous savoury overtones build into the deep, resonant finish.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlueberry, black currant, eucalyptus and lavender aromas delicately waft out of the glass on the stunning 2022 Solaia along with whiffs dark spice. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignion, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Sangiovese, the structured, linear and savory palate delivers ripe black cherry, raspberry, red currant and layers of dark exotic spice accompanied by taut, close-grained that give the finish some grip. Drink 2027–2037. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOA deep well of blackberry, plum and blueberry flavors marks this dense, structured red. Though muscular, this offers refined tannins and overall is polished and harmonious. Cedar, iron, mineral and sweet spice elements emerge as this stays persistent on the long aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2043. 7,576 cases made, 600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

This vintage of the 2022 Masseto is 100% Merlot. The nose is pronounced, leading with its mineral aromas of crushed dark stones. It smells like dissolved minerals, delicate peppery accents, black plum, red apples, lavender perfume, and sage. The aromatics are quite profound in this vintage, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied and more structured, with ripe tannins and a good deal of depth and richness, with the minerality shining through. Long on the palate, it’s generous all the way through, and while it feels approachable upfront, more structure comes through on the finish. Allow it some time in cellar and drink 2028-2058.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe summer was so arid in 2022 that the vines shut down and ripening was halted until mid-August rains arrived. This helped to preserve acidity in the grapes, giving sensational freshness to balance the rich and finely structured palate. Masseto 2022, then, combines the best of both worlds: fruit ripeness and concentration, and freshness and poise. It’s not as immediately seductive as the 2021, but there is so much potential in this long-lived vintage. Scents of cool, damp earth, dark hedgerow berries, Mediterranean scrub, and cocoa and wood give a sense of what is to come once time has untangled everything. Zingy, crunchy acidity steals the show early on, segueing into a mouthful of succulent yet dense dark berries and spice imbued with plenty of energy. Then some balsamic herbs and floral notes lighten the palate, before a touch of salinity and some bitter herbs emerge on the finish, with a refrain of bright cherry. Something special.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA solid and structured red with blackcurrant, chocolate and walnut aromas and underlying toasted wood. Medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a chewy, savory finish. Hints of coconut and toasted oak. It’s muscular and toned. It needs time to soften. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSThis red is both well-structured and framed with new oak nuances of vanilla, toast and resin, setting the stage for plum, blackberry, fruitcake, mineral and tobacco flavors. There’s a salty element interwoven throughout, along with a fluid feel. Offers fine grip on the lingering finish, so give the dense tannins some time to integrate. Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2043. 410 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2022 Masseto is soft, open-knit and relatively easygoing. The mid-weight structure of the year is very much in evidence in a wine that speaks more to finesse than power. Dark red cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and incense gradually open over time, supported by fine, silky tannins that wrap it all together in style. Masseto is typically much more potent in the early going, in 2022 the more refined style that has begun to emerge here along with the style of the year yield a Masseto that is quite elegant. Its balance is beyond reproach, especially in the integration of something that usually requires at least a few years in bottle.Vinous Media | 95 VM