Rare Italians

wines

The 2018 Bruno Giacosa Barolo is very rich and hedonistic, with ripe strawberries and rose hip and notes of incense, lilies and violets. It is a lovely nose, persistent, intense and enticing and on the palate it is like falling into a soft velvety bed of rose petals. It already has such beautiful harmony and poise. It has a lush, sensual texture of crushed velvet, and is full-bodied without feeling heavy. There are plenty of dense, savory tannins extending the very long finish, creating a combination of seductive charm and power. This is something special, a great achievement in this vintage. Wait 2-3 years at least but I would not want to miss that young fragrance.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIA fine and pretty Barolo with plenty of strawberry and mushroom character. White truffle, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied and creamy with medium, round tannins. Delicious now and will improve nicely.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2018 D’Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGLots of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Lots of black licorice, aniseed and light asphalt. Lead pencil, too. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2018 Barolo Sperss is a gorgeous, gorgeous wine. The aromatics alone are beguiling. Then again, that’s one of the things that makes Barolo such a totally seductive wine. Sweet black cherry, lavender, spice and leather give this unusually translucent Barolo striking layers of dimension. Potent Serralunga tannins are present, but they are beautifully woven into the wine’s fabric. Sadly, production is around 11,000 bottles, down sharply from the 18,000 or so that is more typical.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGLots of rose-petal aromas here, together with some stems and sandalwood, as well plums and berries. Medium-bodied with a tight palate and very fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Linear and focused. Hints of nutmeg and pie crust highlight the palate. Approachable. now, but needs at last three or four years to open. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JS

More structured than the Brunello Annata and exhibiting the firm’s trademark of mesmerizing finesse, this captivating stunner has lovely aromas of blue flower, rose, wild herb and a whiff of fine tobacco blend. The luminous, youthfully austere but already delicious palate has irresistible precision and a pristine quality, delivering ripe raspberry, baking spice and black tea alongside tight, refined tannins. It’s young but already beautifully balanced, with bright acidity. Spoiler alert: this is only for fans of extremely refined, exhilarating and terroir-driven wines. Drink 2028–2048. 14.5% abv.Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOTaking things up a notch, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie pours a bit richer ruby hue, with a concentrated perfume of incense, leather, blackberry, and lavender oil. It is full-bodied and well-structured, with ripe yet present tannins, and acidity that drives along the sides of the palate and keeps things from being weighted down. It is rich with port-like fruit and will benefit from several years of cellaring before drinking over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDIl Marroneto’s 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna della Grazia single vineyard Brunello is densely fragrant and has this wonderful nose of crushed roses, dark cherries and wild flowers with a little etched detail of green herb, adding intrigue and interest. On the palate it has a rich, silky texture yet with a gentle, weightless quality and lots of fine, silty tannins. This 2018 has plenty of depth of flavor and concentration to match the beautiful structure but I love the harmony of this wine the most. Madonna della Grazie is approximate 1.5 hectare at 420 meters above sea level is on the northern boundary of Montalcino town. The vineyard sits just below the chapel it takes its name from and it has a mainly sandy soil rich in minerals. This Madonna della Grazie 2018 Brunello is a breathtakingly beautiful wine. I even prefer it to the stunning 2016 version of this wine at this point because the 2018 has even more finesse and harmony.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIThe Il Marroneto 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie reveals elegance and power all in one go. The fruit quality is crisp and tonic, yet the wine supports mid-weight concentration and a more elaborate style. This vintage from Il Marroneto has two personalities. On the one hand, you get a wine that is packed with beautiful primary fruit but that is slightly more immediate; on the other, you get a wine that promises good aging thanks to its freshness and the silky tannins that melt onto the palate. It is young but also aged. It is racy but also complex. Fruit comes from the vineyard under the Madonna delle Grazie chapel, and the wine ages in special oak casks for 41 months. This is a production of 8,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie takes its time opening in the glass, complex and darkly alluring with its musky red currants and savory spices, yet with swirling pretty rose tones. A hint of sweet smoke comes forward to add lovely contrast. Its textures are like liquid velvet, with a chalky mineral staining that comes on quickly, which is perfectly balanced by a massive wave of dark red berries; yet through it all, balance is expertly maintained by streamlined acidity that creates a sense of total inner harmony. The 2018 leaves a structured sensation, yet its tannins are silky and fine, coupled with a violet pastille and lavender resonance that I find wildly attractive. Of note, I’ve tasted this wine over the last two years and followed this recent bottle over the course of 48 hours; at which point it never faltered and only increased in depth and complexity. Il Marroneto’s 2018 Madonna delle Grazie is unquestionably one of the top three wines of the vintage. My hat is off to Alessandro Mori, and his team.Vinous Media | 97 VMIl Marroneto’s single-vineyard bottling is a selection of small loose bunches, manifested in the density of fruit and assuredness of structure. Next to the estate’s ‘classic’ Brunello, it often leads with an earthier, more autumnal countenance. The 2018 corresponds with fragrances of chestnut and forest undergrowth juxtaposed with the vintage’s fruit sweetness. Layers of long suede-like tannins wrap around fleshy black cherry. As it opens, subtle traces of pepper, leather and incense pledge more to come. Above all, Madonna delle Grazie embodies the most positive attributes of the vintage as it flows with agility and grace.Decanter | 96 DECThis has an array of red and dark fruits with coffee, dark chocolate, sweet spices and overturned earth. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a pronounced dark berry character on the palate. A little tight and structured, with a firm and long-lasting finish that leaves you with notes of nut shell and crushed stones. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2018 La Ricolma is a wine of incredible finesse. To be sure, the 2018 doesn’t quite haver the explosive depth or intensity of either the 2015 or 2016, but it makes up for that with its persistence and nuance. Dark cherry jam, licorice, spice, menthol and sage all meld together effortlessly as the 2018 starts to open up with a bit of aeration. The 2018 spent 22 months in French oak, about 35% new.Vinous Media | 99 VMBlueberries and black olives with so many flowers, such as violets and honeysuckle. Licorice, too. This is full and very tight with lots of back-end tannins that build through the finish. A tight, muscular and curated young wine that lasts for minutes. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe San Giusto a Rentennano 2018 La Ricolma is an absolute stunner. This iconic expression of Merlot opens to rich and velvety concentration with lots of black intensity. Italians might call it "una bomba," or a veritable bomb of fruity bounty and beauty. The organic grapes are fermented in steel over 18 days and aged in French barrique for up to 22 months. This rather straightforward winemaking methodology results in profound fruit purity and persistence. The tannins are still tight and grippy, and this is a more controversial point that I discovered across many of the wines I tasted from 2018. You’ll need to give this wine more time to evolve and soften. Production is 5,994 bottles, 315 magnums and 33 double magnums.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is dense and sinewy, with dusty tannins embracing the black cherry, plum, earth and spice flavors, showing a contrast between the supple texture and firm structure. On the austere side now, with fine intensity and length. Drink now through 2030. 400 cases made, 70 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aromas of walnuts and bark with some toasted oak and red fruit. Tapenade and violets, too. Changes all the time. This is full-bodied with lots of richness and concentration. Impressive weight and density. Takes no prisoners, but maintains freshness. Best after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThis Redigaffi reflects beautifully the 2018 vintage with its cool spring, mild summer and slower, well-balanced, late ripening season. It’s a lithe and lively wine, perhaps less concentrated than some other vintages but very bright, vivid and accessible. On the nose it is sweetly fragrant with digestive biscuit, light toast and intense blackberry aromas. The palate is smooth, medium-full and delightfully creamy, with espresso coffee notes wrapped caressingly around blackberry fruit. Another great example of a beautifully managed vintage, with no greenness and almost invisible ripe tannins. Incredibly harmonious.Decanter | 97 DECA beautiful Tuscan Merlot, the 2018 Redigaffi strikes me as an especially rich and balanced expression. This is something I alluded to in my original review of this vintage. The wine is still very young with dark fruit, dried cherry, soft spice and toasted oak. It is dark and concentrated in appearance and texture, and it also has enough freshness and tart fruit flavors to assure a long aging trajectory ahead.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIntense aromas and flavors of black currant, blackberry, violet and resinous oak highlight this fluid yet firmly structured red, which is long, with a vanilla- and toast-tinged aftertaste. Shows fine balance, with a youthful freshness. Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,100 cases made, 80 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The Tua Rita 2018 Syrah Per Sempre is another monumental achievement from this iconic Tuscan estate. Stefano Frascolla and his team have slouched into a very cozy and comfortable relationship with the Syrah grape, and this wine registers marked exuberance, generosity and quality with each vintage that I taste. I had previewed a sample of this 3,500-bottle release earlier in the year but did not give the wine a definitive score. Now on the market, Per Sempre boasts solid footing, rich density, ample fruitiness and pretty notes of spice and charred meat, thanks to 17 months in new French oak. The tannins are especially well managed, soft and integrated.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 Per Sempre is one of the best examples of this wine I have tasted. The combination of freshness and elegance of the 2018 vintage combined with the powerful expression of Tua Rita’s Syrah has created something magical: it has a dense, complex nose with liquorice, blackberry, flint, smoke and roasted meat notes. Big, bold flavours of blackberries, wood smoke and liquorice lead to a juicy, bright, savoury finish. It’s concentrated but still manages to be light on its feet.Decanter | 97 DECAromas of blue fruit, white pepper, dried flowers and stone. It’s full-bodied and grows on the palate, showing blue fruit, black tea leaves and chocolate. Bitter orange at the end. This is a baby. Solid and tight. Needs two or three years to come together.James Suckling | 95 JS

This has been such an exciting addition to the Luciano Sandrone portfolio. The 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a bigger-styled Barolo with dark fruit, ample oak shadings and generous concentration. Overall, it is a wine of considerable fruit weight, and that richness is reflected in the grippy nature of the young tannins and the very plump and primary nature of the fruit. There is a note of dried Mediterranean herb, or something like a dried chili husk. You need time to tame that bossy tannin. Production is limited to 2,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a sexy, opulent Barolo. Although the 2018 does not quite have the pedigree of the best years, it comes pretty close. Succulent dark fruit, clove, gravel, mocha and incense are all front and center. This dense yet mid-weight Barolo will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 96 VMA rich style for the vintage, this dense red exhibits cherry, raspberry, earth, leather and wild herb aromas and flavors. Ripe and spicy, with a vibrant structure and a wide swath of tannins on the energetic finish. Still needs time. Best from 2026 through 2043. 208 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSForest floor, new leather, blue flower and exotic brown spice aromas come to the forefront on the deeply-hued 2018 Vite Talin along with whiffs of crushed mint. Full-bodied and firmly structured, the still rather austere palate offers layers of dried cherry, prune, bitter orange, licorice and tobacco before closing on a note recalling almond liqueur. A backbone of tightly knit, fine-grained tannins provides support. Drink 2028–2038. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOGrown on the top of the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, this wine bowls out of the glass with aromas of black cherry, crushed raspberries, black tea and a melange of spices. Driven, polished and well-crafted, the palate is firm yet the generous fruit shines through as savory herbs and compelling hints of earth peek through, giving insight into how the wine will age. Drink now through 2045.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe aromas of dark fruit, mushrooms, tar and and asphalt come through clearly. It’s medium-bodied with integrated and polished tannins and a savory and juicy finish. Already open and very drinkable, but it will age nicely. Better from 2026 and onward.James Suckling | 94 JS