Collector Wines

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This is a Masseto that is its own now with balance and harmony. It shows delicate chocolate and berry character with hints of hazelnut. Medium to full body. Long silky finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSTasted next to the 2002, the 2005 Masseto is perhaps a bit edgier, with an extra kick of tannic intensity that gives the wine its sense of direction and a good kick of energy too. I very much admire the tension in the 2005, a wine built on freshness, aromatic depth and mid-weight structure. Cool, rainy weather towards the end of the season resulted in a late harvest that took place between September 14 and 30.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGFruit was picked later than normal and the Masseto Merlot does indeed show mature aromas of black cherry, ripe blackberry, earthy iron and polished stone. The intensity and purity are amazing and the wine is sophisticated, soft and very rich on the finish. It is already showing beautiful evolution in the glass.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2005 Masseto (Merlot) is simply gorgeous. A wine of extraordinary class and personality, it remains very primary in its dark fruit, licorice, cassis and toasted oak. It offers notable concentration and well-integrated tannins, all of which convey an impression of awesome harmony, finesse and balance. The tricky growing season seems to have been less of an issue for the Merlot, particularly in the old-vine Masseto Centrale vineyard. The 2005 Masseto has been superb every time I have tasted it thus far. As is often the case, the wine requires at least a few years of bottle age before it becomes approachable. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAn exotic bouquet reveals floral, spice, cherry compote and truffle elements. A Masseto that’s all about elegance, with a silky texture, wild berry fruit, firm tannins and bright acidity. This still has some tannins to give, but is delicious now. Fine length. Merlot.—Non-blind Masseto vertical (October 2017). Drink now through 2033. 2,660 cases made, 550 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Rampolla’s 2010 d’Alceo is utterly spellbinding today. Even better than it was last year, the 2010 impresses for its exceptional balance and pure finesse. Everything is simply in the right place. Silky, layered and unbelievably expressive, the 2010 d’Alceo is a thrill from the very first taste. Over the decades the Di Napoli family has made so many breathtaking wines, but the 2010 d’Alceo is something more than breathtaking, and that something more is hard to express with words. Readers lucky enough to taste the 2010, however, will know it right away. What a magnificent wine this is.Vinous Media | 100 VMPlenty of currant, herb and mineral character. Bright and lifted with so much complexity. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Layered and beautiful. From organically grown grapes. Cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 95 JSA mix of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, tobacco and spice flavors runs up against dense, muscular tannins in this tight, linear red. Juicy and vibrant, with plenty of fruit, this just needs time to harmonize. Terrific length. Best from 2018 through 2028. 1,250 cases made. — BSWine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2010 Vigna d’Alceo Vino da Tavola is Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot folded so deep within one another, it’s difficult to hear the varietal voice of the wine. Dried cherries and blackberry appear as primary tones, but the wine also offers a good dose of spice, black olive, rosemary twig and dried plum. The wine takes its time to open in the glass and will probably require much patience in terms of cellar aging as well.Robert Parker | 94 RP

The 2017 Toscana Sangiovese is the last wine I tasted with Gianfranco Soldera before he passed away in 2019. I had a visit scheduled for late August that year, but an unusually early harvest required Soldera to push back my tasting by a few days. By the time I arrived at Case Basse in early September, all the grapes had been picked, and our tasting started with those young musts. Today, the 2017 is sensual and racy, showing all the open-knit, seductive character of this dry, warm vintage. Soft contours wrap around a core of red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petals, mint and cinnamon. This will be a gorgeous wine to follow over the next two decades or more, but cellaring is not at all essential.Vinous Media | 97 VM

Owner Stefano Frascolla describes 2019 as ’a dream vintage’ and describes how the vines ’underwent all the stages of their phenolic development at the optimum times.’ For me, the 2019 Redigaffi is a wine of sublime harmony and balance and it reminds me very much of the 2016. It is absolutely brimming with ripe black cherry, cream and blackcurrant flavours encased in compact, super-fine tannins that are firm yet so elegant and refined. Energetic and vivacious in character, it is still not completely formed but has all the ingredients for a great future. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2047DECANTER | 100 DECGorgeous nose of praline, plums, chocolate orange, muscovado sugar and truffles. Full-bodied, polished and seductive, with a playful balance of ripe and fresh fruit and spice. Supple, firm tannins. 100% merlot. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSStefano Frascolla describes this as "a dream vintage with a mild spring and a sunny summer with a few rain showers sprinkled throughout." Those rains served to refresh the vines and moderate phenolic ripening. The Tua Rita 2019 Redigaffi is a true beauty and is the perfect vintage to conclude this historic retrospective. The wine is generous and full with deep layers of black fruit, leather, tar and spice. This is the vintage on the market now, and it’s absolutely one of the most age-worthy editions in this tasting.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP