Red Wines

wines

Planted in 1996, La Lucére distinguishes itself from San Filippo’s other sites with its full eastern exposure and silty, sandstone soil. The 2019 harvest saw multiple passages from the end of September through to the first week of October. It takes its time to unravel, progressing from exotic and integrated oak spice and cedar forest to intense cherry and currants with hints of fennel, pressed flowers and dark chocolate. Glossy wood adds weight and breadth to a mouthful of stones and cherry pit. The tannins are smooth and tightly woven while fresh, steely acidity cuts vertically giving magnificent vibrancy. It lingers quite tenaciously, with juxtaposing bitter coffee and vanilla cherry.Decanter | 96 DECBlack cherry, cedar and dried flowers on the nose follow through to a medium to full body with chewy tannins and a savory finish. Lots of structure. Muscular and wholesome yet there’s a softness and beauty. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino le Lucére is a darkly concentrated wine with black fruit and a very creamy side. There are aromas of coconut butter and vanilla that meet bakery aromas of croissant or pie crust. The oak renderings are significant, but I give it good cellar potential, as it fleshes out, especially because there is plenty of dark primary fruit to give it aging momentum.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPRich, round and juicy, this satiny and harmonious red sports cherry, plum, blackberry and chocolate flavors. Even the tannins are civilized and well-integrated, providing an overall charm. Expansive on the finish, with notes of mint, dusty mineral and spices. Best from 2026 through 2042. 800 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The beautiful 2019 Brunello Ugolforte from San Giorgio is elegantly structured and delicious. Showing the intensity of the vintage but also restraint, it delivers juicy raspberry, steeped cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside smooth, velvety tannins. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: N/A Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte opens with a minty freshness as flint stone and dusty rose give way to crushed cherries. Silky and pliant, this possesses an elegance not often seen, with violet and lavender tones accentuating its polished red and blue fruits. This tapers off with sweet tannins balanced by an orange hint. A structured yet mouth-watering sensation lingers on. What a beauty this is.Vinous Media | 94 VMFrom the sister property of Poggio di Sotto, San Giorgio Ugolforte’s 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino takes a youthful ruby hue and is a riper style of Brunello, with rounded aromas of black raspberries, candied violets, sweet cedar, and fresh Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with ripe tannins and retains good freshness through its long finish. A lovely Brunello with a more rounded and approachable feel, it’s going to show at its best over the coming 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCherry and berry aromas with hints of sandalwood follow through to a medium body with integrated tannins that are fine and focused. Silky texture. Delicious finish. Very elegant with nice structure. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 94 JSThere is deep black fruit and black plum on the San Giorgio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte. although it takes a little patience to get there. The wine is restrained or closed initially, and it’s hard to draw anything out for the first 15 minutes or so after the bottle is opened. Once it gets going, you are treated to sweet cherry, redwood, almond biscotti and dried rose potpourri. It ages in large Slavonian oak casks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPFrom 25-year-old vines on steep stony slopes in Montalcino’s southeast. As with its sister Brunello from Poggio di Sotto, San Giorgio sees a spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and long maceration. Aromas are dominated by oily herbs like winter mint, rosemary and sage at this early stage. Robust and broad, this emphasises vigour over finesse but is packed with personality. Spice and chocolate join balsamic nuances on a backdrop of glossy and concentrated dark red cherry. The tannic grip gives quite a tactile experience.Decanter | 91 DEC

The iconic San Giusto a Rentennano 2019 La Ricolma remains one of the most important Merlot-based wines made in Italy—and the world, for that matter. This vintage reveals rich texture and tightly knit concentration that is layered with black cherry, earth, spice and sweet oak. These various elements are beautifully balanced against one another. This is a massively beautiful, full-bodied wine released with just 3,790 bottles. Like the other releases from this estate, it is certified organic.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 La Ricolma is a dark, sumptuous wine. Black cherry, plum, licorice, cloves and incense power through. Ricolma, like the other 2019s, needs time to open, as it is quite compact and tannic at this early stage. There’s good depth in the glass, if not quite the finesse of recent years. The 2019 spent 22 months in French oak, 20-25% new.Vinous Media | 96 VMA supple red, packed with bright, pure flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plum and oak spices. Reveals an interwoven mineral streak, with a long, focused finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. 200 cases made, 35 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2019 Percarlo is a wine of reserve. There’s terrific purity to the fruit and fine tannins for the year, but also a bit of firmness that needs time to resolve. Bright red-toned fruit, cedar, tobacco, licorice, blood orange and spice open nicely to play off those vibrant tannins. I imagine the 2019 will need a number of years to be at its best. The 2019 spent 22 months in a combination of 30HL casks and 500L in tonneau. Production is down about 25%.Vinous Media | 97 VMTaking a similarly dark ruby hue, the 2019 Percarlo is a little slower initially to reveal its aromas of candied raspberry, fresh leather, sweet earth, and polished cedar. Although it’s medium-bodied, it penetrates and saturates the palate with pure concentration of fruit, ripe tannins, and a fantastically long and elegant finish, with a hint of warmth and orange peel citrus. Even all the way through, this is another remarkable wine from the team at San Giusto di Rentennano that has the potential for serious longevity over the coming 15 to 20 years, so readers should be in no rush to open it.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDOne of the most celebrated expression of Sangiovese on the market today is the San Giusto a Rentennano 2019 Percarlo. This organic wine has a hint of extra ripeness or richness that transcends the bouquet. You feel as if you can bite into the fruit, and indeed the 2019 vintage is recognized by its unique power and density (with a 15% alcohol content). It’s a lot to take in, and there is enough lasting fiber and fruit power to fuel a long drinking window. This is one of the bigger and more opulent editions of Percarlo I have tasted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA vibrant, finely knit red, featuring black cherry, blackberry and plum fruit accented by iron, wild herbs and spices. Taut and linear, with a silky texture, lingering finish and resonant tannins. Shows terrific energy that builds from the beginning to the long, complex aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,375 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Intense aromas of black cherries, black truffle, orange peel and Indian spices. The palate is full yet reserved, with very fine tannins that fly linear and deep in the wine. Caressing texture. Reserved at the end. A real beauty. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSBalsamic aromas of camphor and pine forest mingle with truffle and plum cake on the fragrant 2019 Brunello fro San Polino. It’s also delicious, with flavors of raspberry tart, plum cake, cinnamon and nutmeg accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins that lend seamless support. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOFrom San Polino’s holdings in the northeast on loamy clay soil. Exuberantly youthful and becoming, the 2019 rings out with violet and oily balsamic herbs. It gives a midweight impression – yet is packed with brambly fruit. An orange peel flourish is heightened by zesty acidity. And as this opens, savoury iron depths are revealed. Promising but needs to come together. Solid, clayey tannins clamp down on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a dusty blend of dried flowers and strawberries enhanced by lemon oil touches. This is racy and sleek with cooling acidity and vividly ripe wild berry fruits lifted by orange and cedary spice. Its acidity wins the day, maintaining amazing freshness despite the grippy tannins that resonate throughout. The 2019 finishes long and staining with a pretty air of inner violet flowers that linger. San Polino continues to raise the bar; this is lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Lots of bark, forest flowers, black cherries, blackberries and baking spices in the nose. Full-bodied with layers of gorgeous tannins that coat the mouth and give an enticing silky texture that is irresistible. Juicy finish. From organically grown grapes. So beautifully already, but even better in two or three years and beyond.James Suckling | 97 JSThe compelling San Polino 2019 Helichrysum shows even more depth than the straight Brunello and more complex aromas including new leather, blue flower, cured meat, cedar, wild herb, exotic brown spice and hazelnut. Made from the estate’s highest vineyards, it’s focused and full-bodied, featuring dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and saline mineral notes. Firm, tightly-woven tannins provide the backbone while bright acidity provides energy and balance. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOA cooling, mentholated freshness introduces the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Helichrysum as black cherry, clove and dusty rose aromas evolve in the glass. This is a model of both purity and elegance, with textures of pure silk and depths of ripe wild berry fruits that are carried by a wave of vibrant acidity. The 2019 finishes incredibly long, structured and classically dry, yet still fresh, leaving a saturation of red plum and licorice under an inner floral air. The depth and concentration here are off the charts, as the Helichrysum holds its power in reserve. Be patient with this one. In a word, fantastic.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits as well as lots of violet and floral notions emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThis smooth, indulgent wine layers milk chocolate, blueberries, cocoa and blackberries over soft tannins and soft acidity for a sweet-tasting palate and lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Sourced from specific blocks of estate-grown fruit, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is another highly successful vintage. All Cabernet Sauvignon aged 32 months in 100% new French oak, it boasts intense aromas of pencil shavings, dark loam, cassis and plum on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, super-ripe, rich, dense and concentrated—a truly impressive California vin de garde. Tannic but ripe, it finishes long and firm on the finish, adding a hint of mocha. To be released in September 2023, it’s a strong showing and hopefully an indication that quality will remain high under the new ownership.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted at Shafer. Effusive aromatics and silky tannins are immediately captivating. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, mint, spice, lavender and licorice are all finely knit. We will see, but the 2019 may very well represent a new direction for Hillside Select, one of Napa Valley’s most iconic Cabernets.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is another magical vintage for this cuvée. All Cabernet Sauvignon from hillside vineyards on the eastern side of Stags Leap, it offers a vivid purple hue as well as extraordinary notes of cassis, black raspberries, violets, camphor, and spring flowers, with perfectly integrated background oak. Full-bodied but not massive, it’s flawlessly balanced on the palate and has ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It’s another 30- to 40-year wine from this incredible team that readers will absolutely love.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA beautiful nose of pitted cherries, redcurrants, fresh herbs and violets. Full-bodied with fine, structured tannins. More gravelly, mineral and dark than the nose lets on. Savory almost. Terrific depth and concentration that keeps the palate flavorful through the generous finish. Chocolate, sage, rosemary, bark and moss. Layered. Superb wine. Needs time to come together. Best after 2024 and onward.James Suckling | 98 JSA ripe, exuberant style, with generous plum cake, blackberry compote and açaí berry notes mixed with melted black licorice and a nicely polished, singed mesquite–accented finish. Hard to resist now (if you like the power style), but also has the energy to take some cellaring. Drink now through 2039. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 2,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2019 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet shows a deep, ruby colour. It is a beautifully compact wine that delivers complex and nuanced aromas of Bing cherry and black raspberry with tobacco, currant leaf, and cedarwood laced with dried sage. Focused and linear on the medium to full-bodied palate, showing expressive dark berry character and exotic oak spices with a firm backbone of fine-grained structured tannins. Cool raspberry, cherry, and blackberry fruit are perfectly represented, and the lengthy finish is crisp, lively, and energetic. No doubt, this is one to cellar. Exhaustive oak seasoning experiments led by winemaker Nate Weis resulted in the discovery that the American oak they age Silver Oak in when seasoned for 24 months and toasted for 90 minutes, marks the point at which the oak imparts more vanillin character and delivers better tannin integration. By contrast, the 2018 vintage was aged in American oak, seasoned for 16 months and toasted for 60 minutes. Weis explains that their experiments showed that underseasoned American oak imparts a dill character, while overseasoning results in coconutty notes, but finding a sweet spot delivers that vanillian quality winemakers look for in French oak. Taste the 2018 and 2019s side by side if you can, and note the subtle differences and shift to a more savoury profile in the 2019 vintage, with a very precise integration of oak tannin. It will be exciting to follow their progression in the cellar and see how subsequent vintages shape up in healthy and challenging harvest years.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECSo elegant, supple and silky, this vintage is a dream to drink now, but should also have plenty of life ahead of it. Aromas of blueberries and dark chocolate meld with luxe black fruit, mint and cocoa on the palate. A blend of 77% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot and dashes of cabernet franc and petit verdot. Drink or hold through at least 2030.James Suckling | 95 JS

Aromas of pine, plum and redcurrant. Medium-bodied with fresh, mineral character and silky tannins. Bright and cool on the palate. Balanced and juicy. So approachable and delicious that its hard to put down. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSHere’s a temperate merlot that’s not mimicking cabernet. It’s a tight wine from the cool reaches of Coombsville, with just enough greenness to push back on the lush, blue-fruited ripeness. A sapid, clean red for beef Wellington. —J.G. (3,000 cases)Wine & Spirits Magazine | 93 W&S

Packed with vivid black cherry, black currant and plum fruit, as well as iron, sanguine and tobacco accents, this red shows some power and tension, but also grace and balance. The lingering aftertaste features bright, ripe fruit and wild herbs. Best from 2027 through 2043. 2,000 cases made, 680 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBeautiful fresh fruit with crushed cherries, orange peel and flowers. Pure. Full-bodied with round and juicy fruit and a long, creamy finish. Flamboyant and beautiful with velvety and creamy tannins that provide a wonderful texture. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Siro Pacenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli is heavily marked by an oak tone that sits front and center with whiffs of campfire ash or freshly split firewood. The wine shows rock-solid concentration and a level of phenolic extraction that you don’t easily find in Montalcino, unless you make it your mission. The tannins are bitter and grippy, and the oak tannins overshadow the fruit tannins at this very young stage in the wine’s life. The alcohol content is a very high 15.5%. Having said all that, 2019 does offer an excellent core of dark fruit, and it has the elements, and the freshness, for long aging. If you love the wines of Siro Pacenti, then you know these wines need more bottle age. Production is 24,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPA beguiling blend of mint, cedar and spiced orange slowly gives way to dried strawberries as the spicy and seductive 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli blossoms in the glass. Silky and round, it flows across the palate with a dense wave of ripe red and black fruits complicated by a bitter bite of clove and dark chocolate. It finishes long and inward, structured with sweet tannins as echoes of violet and lavender fade. I can really feel the heavy clay soils in this rendition of Pelagrilli, as they add a weight and plush feeling, yet still, the energy of the vintage shines through.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2019 Barbaresco Currà is another stellar wine in this range from Sottimano. Deep and authoritative, the 2019 possesses tremendous depth and textural intensity. Incisive Currà tannins are present, but they are pretty much buried by the sheer richness of the fruit.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Pine forest, new leather, violet and underbrush form the enticing nose on the intriguing 2019 Brunello from Talenti. Smooth and full-bodied, the palate is already delicious but will be even better in a few years, featuring ripe plum, spiced blueberry, licorice and crushed mint accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Give it a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2027–2037. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOIn the bottle with the black label, the Talenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (with 35,000 bottles produced) is a wine of above average intensity, and it shows a steady delivery of dark aromas with blackcurrant, pitted plum, potting soil and a pungent fragrance that recalls black baccara rose. This is a rich and open-knit Brunello with velvety tannins and a full-bodied mouthfeel. This is your proverbial meat-and-potatoes Brunello to serve on a winter evening (a few years from now).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly with a blend of savory herbs, worn leather, dried roses and cinnamon-dusted currants. This flows across the palate with textures of pure silk, racy yet refined, with a seamless wave of ripe red fruits that slowly saturate toward the close. It finishes long and staining yet harmonious. Crunchy tannins frame the experience without slowing its momentum as licorice and orange notes gradually fade. This fantastic, high-energy rendition of Talenti’s Brunello will thrive over ten to fifteen years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe, sweet cherry, raspberry and iron flavors highlight this firm, succulent red, which is big on personality, with a broad swath of tannins matched by vibrant acidity and persistent fruit. This is balanced overall, with a long, resonant aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2043. 2,582 cases made, 466 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDisplaying a youthful red/magenta color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is sunny and inviting with aromas of sweet berries and some blue fruit coming through on the nose, along with violets, cola, and pine. Approachable and open, it has a medium to full-bodied frame, plush tannins, and a rounded mid-palate. It displays good length and is a great offering that can be enjoyed now or over the next 10-15 years. This is a super solid value, and I would gladly enjoy it on my table.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDPerfumed, with red berries, cherries and a hint of rose stem in the nose. Medium-bodied with lots of wood and richness. Chewy and slightly austere, but it should soften with age and come together. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSWildly fragrant on the nose, smells expressive with plenty of red fruit and floral scents with touches of coffee liqueur, tobacco and sweet leather. Clean and pure, a little tightly wound right now not giving too much expansion on the palate, the oak feels a little intrusive perhaps just shutting down some of the more forward fruit flavours. Narrow tight frame, tapers and just loses some propulsion. It’s clean with precision and there’s some juiciness with chalky grippy tannins.Decanter | 92 DEC

Sophisticated aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with fresh herbs, such as fresh sage and rosemary. Graceful and complex. Full-bodied with very fine, driven tannins that are sleek and polished. The palate goes on for minutes. 32% cabernet franc, 32% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 6% petit verdot. Already beautiful, but in two or four years it will be poetry. Drink or hold. | 98 JSShowing inky dark concentration, the flagship Tenuta di Biserno 2019 Biserno is a rich, beautiful and brooding wine. There is so much life and intensity in this vintage that is packed tight with black fruit, spice, tar and sweet tobacco. The aromas are presented with seamless transitions, and the finish is exceptionally long. This wine shows ripeness, but it also offers elegance, and that’s not an easy overlap to make.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Biserno is a gorgeous, elegant wine that captures the essence of the house style today. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and incense are all laced together. The 2019 is deep and fleshy yet also retains mid-weight structure and terrific energy. It’s one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA linear, even racy, style, this red evokes black currant, blackberry, plum, tobacco and rosemary flavors. Firms up, with grainy tannins on the spicy finish, yet is well-balanced and intense overall. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2035. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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

This has intense spice and and floral character, with violets, bell peppers, morello cherries, cloves and tomato leaves on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with sleek tannins. Dense and compact palate. Some walnut notes at the end. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSRepresenting a big production of 280,000 bottles, the Tenuta di Nozzole 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva Nozzole hits the mark. The wine’s attractiveness is enhanced by its value price tag as well as its genuine aromas of dark fruit, earth and lavender bud. It reveals a mid-weight texture and plenty of nice freshness. Sure, the flavor profile is pretty standard for the appellation, but it’s a sure bet with grilled meat or pasta.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Redcurrants and wild strawberries followed by intense herbal and green notes of tomato leaves and thyme. Creamy and round-textured followed by firm and structured tannins. Excellent length of finish with a hint of citrus blossom in the aftertaste. Pure and crunchy. Better after 2029.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a wine of medium-rich texture and lovely red and purple fruit aromas with elderberry and something much softer like Morello cherry. Those ripe and concentrated flavors give depth and volume to this wine, yet it also shows the heightened acidic freshness that Sangiovese delivers so well, and some chalky minimality. The tannins are yielding and not quite approachable, but they’re almost there. This wine sees 30 months in Slavonian oak, and 50,000 bottles will hit the market in January 2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is floral and perfumed with dusty rose, lavender tones and crushed blackberries. It’s silky in texture yet lifted in feel with violet-laced wild berry fruits and vibrant acidity, maintaining a lovely energy throughout. This tapers off with medium length and gently tannic, leaving a bitter licorice tinge that makes for a pleasant punctuation.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of dark-skinned fruit, baking spice, forest floor and tobacco shape the nose on the elegantly structured 2019 Brunello from Tenuta di Sesta. Full-bodied and refined, the smooth palate offers ripe Morello cherry, baked plum, licorice and a dollop of mocha alongside velvety tannins. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

Warm, savory aromas of car tire, tar and coffee headline the nose, while undertones of fennel, orange peel and black cherry add freshness, texture and just enough sweetness. The palate stays warm, but sweetens with notes of cherry, strawberry and more citrus that create a sunny, light feel that contrasts with highly textured tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WELots of dark-fruit notes of brambles and blueberries, followed by dried fennel, vanilla bean and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and savory herb aftertaste. Back in form with this vintage. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSThe red/garnet 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is generous on opening with ripe notes of crushed blackberries, fresh leather, forest floor, and balsamic herbs. Full-bodied without being heavy, it’s juicy and open-knit on the palate, with ripe tannins and a very nice touch of tea leaf on the finish. It’s a very pleasing wine to enjoy over the next 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is intense, with a rich and savory bouquet that blends plum sauce and dried black cherries with brown spice and dried flowers. It’s silky smooth and more energetic than expected, with a seductive core of ripe red and blue fruits accentuated by sweet spice and violet pastille. This finishes edgy, nervy and long, leaving a lingering tension, silty tannins and a fading licorice note.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Very attractive cherry and dark berry aromas follow through to a medium body with medium round tannins, fresh acidity and a clean, fruity finish. The second wine of Sassicaia. So delicious now, but can age.James Suckling | 92 JSMade with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herb. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink through 2025. Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KOMade with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herbs. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink through 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Poggio Cerrino grumbles up from the glass with an earthy bouquet that blends crushed rocks with savory herbs, olive and clove. This displays textures of pure silk offset by cooling acidity as ripe red and black fruit slowly saturate. A bitter dark chocolate tinge develops through the close as the 2019 finishes youthfully tense and structured with fine tannins that frame the experience nicely.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Tiezzi Vigna Poggio Cerrino is glossier and more refined than the Vigna Soccorso, offering aromas of iris, lavender, wild berry and a whiff of new leather. Linear and polished, the savory palate features juicy Morello cherry, strawberry compote, star anise and crushed mint alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced and lifted. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

Has any Bordeaux château realized a more wholesale stylistic revolution in so short a time than Troplong Mondot? Since Aymeric de Gironde arrived at the estate in late 2017, the ultra powerful "shock and awe" style of the 2000s is out, and a new refinement is in. Of course, the deep clays that define the core vineyards around the château itself are never likely to produce light or ephemeral wines, but de Gironde has astutely understood that (to develop an analogy), when driving down hill, one can ease off on the accelerator. The 2019 Troplong Mondot is a ringing endorsement of the new direction, wafting from the glass with complex aromas of wild berries, violets, coniferous forest floor, licorice, raw cocoa and subtle spices, followed by a full-bodied, velvety and layered palate that’s seamless and perfumed, its enveloping core of succulent fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins and lively acids. Harmonious and penetrating, I never thought I’d taste a wine like this from Troplong Mondot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe purity of fruit is pretty phenomenal here with blackcurrants, cherries and crushed-stone undertones. Floral notes of roses and violets, too. Full-bodied, yet this is a linear style with super fine tannins and great length and beauty. You really want to drink it. It grows on the palate and shows real power, with breadth and depth. Remains fresh throughout. Really something. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Troplong Mondot is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2019 dazzles with its magnificent balance. Inky red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, dried flowers and lavender open with a bit of time, but Troplong is not a wine for the here and now, but rather a wine for readers who can be patient. The 2019 is all class and refinement. Those qualities become increasingly apparent over time, once some of the initial power and density subsides with air. This is the first time the Grand Vin was blended before the malolactic fermentation. Antonio Galloni | 97 AG96–98. Barrel Sample. With its rich tannins and serious, concentrated structure, the wine is obviously set for a great future. The Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend offers structure as well as the fine line of blackberry flavors. Filled out with ripe Merlot, the wine shows richness with everything in balance.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

A ripe red color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is expressive of its place, with warming notes of licorice, black cherries, anise, cedar, and dark soil lifting from the glass. As it opens, it becomes purer in its fruit profile, shining through beautifully. Full-bodied, with ripe tannins and a savory slanting profile, notes of espresso and mocha float across the palate, filling it with purity of fruit and lovely concentration through its long finish. It’s a fantastic Brunello with a warming richness that can stand up to hearty winter foods and will be best enjoyed over the next 15 years. Drink 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe Uccelliera 2019 Brunello di Montalcino offers ripe fruit, a note of cooked blackberry and pomegranate juice. Along with oak spice and dried bay leaf, there is a spot of creaminess on the mid-palate that recalls cheese rind or aged chèvre with a crust of black pepper and thyme. That note blows off, however, and the wine returns to dried cherry with a medicinal or herbal twist. There’s a lot going on. The wine needs more time in bottle to address the fine, chalky tannins. It is elegant now but poised to improve. Production is 36,000 bottles plus larger formats.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPBrooding yet intense, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino bursts from the glass with a wave of autumnal spices, crushed cherries, cedar shavings and steeped plums lifted by pine hints. This is deeply textural, elegant and refined, with a dense wave of ripe wild berry fruits, all guided by vibrant acidity, offset by oranges and balsam herbs. It finishes grippy and extended with a black hole of tension and a sweet and sour sensation that lingers on and on as crunchy tannins resonate throughout. The 2019 is youthfully backward today, yet there’s a balance that can’t be denied, especially as I watched it open up over twenty-four hours. This is a total pleasure to taste. Bury the 2019 deep in the cellar.Vinous Media | 95 VMAromas of scorched earth and truffle mingle with blue flower, leather and pipe tobacco on the bold 2019 Brunello from Uccelliera. It’s full-bodied and concentrated but also has great energy, delivering fleshy raspberry, black cherry extract, dried mint and licorice before a nutty close. Tightly wound, close-grained tannins provide firm support while bright acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOPerfumed and attractive with black-cherry and berry aromas, as well as lavender and rosemary flowers. Medium body with firm tannins and a juicy finish. Needs bottle age to soften. Best after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSHaving tasted its component parts from barrel in 2021, I was fascinated to see how Uccelliera’s Brunello came together. Andrea Cortonesi assembles this from a handful of plots all located in the denomination’s southeastern corner. It opens with fragrances redolent of cedar and pine forest, undergrowth and leather. Full and vigorous, the palate is foursquare rather than round. A compact core of dark cherry is surrounded by chewy, generously extracted tannins. A touch of dryness from wood pokes through. Nevertheless, this feels very genuine and underlying acidity gives a lightening effect.Decanter | 93 DEC

The local bad boy of Bordeaux, Jean-Luc Thunevin, continues to fashion truly brilliant wines, and his 2019 is no exception. Based largely on Merlot with small amount of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Château Valandraud is a deep purple-hued beauty offering up a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of black and blue fruits, scorched earth, chocolate, gravelly earth, spicy oak, and sappy flowers. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and wonderfully concentrated, it has insane purity of fruit, brilliant tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and just has everything in the right places. It’s up with the top wines of the vintage and a tour de force that readers should snatch up. It shows a very different style than the sexier 2018, but it’s every bit as good. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is a dense and luscious wine, the best yet from this estate. Its great structure and tannins show a style that is powerful but all within. This is a magnificent vintage from this Premier Grand Cru Classé estate, and fully deserves to be aged for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEVivid and focused with brightness and clarity of fruit. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with layers of fine, soft tannins that spread across the palate and show class and refinement. It goes on for minutes. A beautiful bottle. Try after 2027, but so attractive already.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Valandraud is sensational. Stunning in its delineation and with sheer energy, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. Dark red/purplish berry fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and lavender all come alive in the glass. In 2019, Valandraud is a towering, statuesque wine that captures all the best the vintage had to offer. I tasted the 2019 three times and it was magnificent on all three occasions. It is a tremendous effort from Jean-Luc Thunevin and his Murielle Andraud. What a wine!Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGHighly charged and high toned on the nose, smells abundant and seriously expressive. Lovely intensity here, tannins are mouth coating and super persistent but this has excellent depth with such concentrated fruit flavours that are balanced so well with acidity and the soft wood spicing around the edges. A bold wine for sure, with tons of flavour and personality, and excellent freshness throughout with minerality and wet stone nuances. One to age, but delivering excellent clarity and confidence. A top buy. (Drink between 2025-2047)Decanter | 97 DECRich and dramatic, the 2019 Valandraud bursts with aromas of berry fruit, plums and licorice, framed by a lavish but far from exaggerated application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, fleshy and sensual, it’s broad and enveloping, its lavish core of fruit framed by ripe, polished tannins and succulent balancing acids. Seamless and integrated despite its ripe, hedonistic style, this has turned out beautifully and has the balance to perform well for at least two decades, even if there’s no youthful asperity to preclude near-term enjoyment.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPRichly textured, featuring cashmere-like waves of dark plum, cassis and blackberry compote flavors that glide through and are laced with light violet, anise and black tea notes. The rumble of tannins can be heard on the finish, but for the vintage, this is extremely suave in the end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS