Red Wines

wines

As with the 2017, the 2016 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles comes from vines inside the village. It’s noticeably deeper in color than the La Gille and gives up a huge bouquet of blueberries, violets, smoked duck, and crushed rocks. Deep, full-bodied, concentrated, and multi-dimensional, it has building tannin and a huge finish. It needs time, but wow, what a wine. Hats off to the Perrin family for this utterly sensational wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAged entirely in foudres, the 2016 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles is an amazing effort that may equal Beaucastel’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape this vintage. You taste all the components—raspberries, cherries, tree bark, blueberries and spice—but they also merge together seamlessly into a wine that’s full-bodied, rich and long yet weightless and supremely agile. Yes, there’s early-drinking appeal, but it should age easily through 2035 or so.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSaturated ruby. Intensely perfumed, smoke- and mineral-accented black raspberry, cherry pie, blueberry exotic spice and candied lavender aromas show sharp delineation and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively red/dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors and hints of licorice and musky rhubarb. The extremely long, energetic finish shows vibrant mineral cut, an echo of sappy red fruit and velvety tannins that sneak in late.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Very deep and dark, but also fragrant, this glides from dried blueberries, tar, brambleberry essence and cassis to cedar, tobacco and dried nutmeg. The palate is rich and concentrated with a ton of fine-grained tannins and a long, complex, dry finish. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSCabernet Sauvignon is not in the blend, but the aromas in the 2016 Terra di Lavoro are very similar to what you would get with that grape, with bright notes of green pepper corn with blackberry and exotic spice. The declared blend is 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso. This is a balanced vintage with lots of depth, precision and density. This is a beautifully made wine. For sure, I am not the first to say that the wine is more characteristic of a house style, a Bordeaux-inspired house style, rather than a territorial expression of Campania. In truth, I’d say that this wine has feet in both those words. I recommend waiting at least five more years before drinking this vintage. Some 30,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPGood full ruby-red. Pretty aromas of fresh raspberry, red cherry and crushed stone and a strong whiff of minty botanical herbs. The vibrant flavors of red fruits, herbs and flint show very good cut and thrust. Not hugely fleshy but boasts very good palate presence and noteworthy refinement. Finishes with polished tannins, outstanding length and perfumed lift. Totally different from the riper 2015 Terra di Lavoro but just as good.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis estate near Campania’s northern border makes just one wine from 25 acres of low-yielding vines planted on the slopes of a dormant volcano. A blend of aglianico softened by 20 percent piedirosso, the 2016 Terra di Lavoro offers flavors of plum and raspberry underscored by a black minerality. Notes of eucalyptus and mint brighten the flavors, and the structure feels lean and taut, bound by rigid tannins. Stow this in the cellar for at least five years.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard (84% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot) spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. It has a more mineral-laced style as well as dark currants and cassis-like fruits, notes of smoked herbs and graphite, full body, building tannins, and a great finish. There’s a touch of this liqueur of rock like minerality that comes out with air and it’s a powerful, structured wine that reminds me of what Leoville Las Cases would make from Napa. Hide bottle for 4-5 years and drink it over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard is a dark, brooding wine. A terrific example of Sonoma Cabernet, the 2016 possesses superb textural richness and intensity to match its dark, somber profile. An infusion of inky dark fruit, gravel, smoke, iron, game, dark spice, leather and licorice runs through this super expressive, rugged Cabernet Sauvignon from the Fisher family’s Spring Mountain estate.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA tight, chewy red with blackberry and dark-chocolate aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, layered and rich. Flavorful finish. Shows mountain firmness. Drink in 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep ruby-purple, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard opens with gregarious crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, graphite, leather and spice box with notes of thyme, turned earth and eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with intense, youthfully wound fruit, framed by grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. This is vibrant and intense and will require another 3-5 years of bottle age. 952 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with an expressive nose of ripe, soft red and black fruits—dark cherry, blackberry and juicy plum skin—with subtle spice tones and floral notes underneath. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, the wine turns slightly tart, with a balanced structure and buttressing acidity. It ends with a focused, long finish demonstrating precision every step of the way. It’s a well-made wine that I will be putting into my cellar. Only 1,493 cases made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPMedium ruby-red. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark raspberry, espresso, bitter chocolate and graphite. Silky and plush but also vinous on entry, then densely packed, seamless and deep in the middle, with savory red and blacker fruit flavors complicated by subtle brown spices and minerals. Conveys excellent inner-mouth peppery lift and vinosity without coming across as green. This wine struck me as quite similar to its 2015 predecessor, suggesting that owner/winemaker Greg Harrington was especially successful in avoiding obvious signs of the very hot 2015 growing season. This savory, classically dry, energetic Cabernet Sauvignon finishes with firm, suave tannins and slowly mounting persistence.Vinous Media | 92 VMOffering up a Margaux-like perfume of cassis, spring flowers, sandalwood, and cedar pencil, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is medium-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate. It’s a beautiful, textured wine that’s going to evolve gracefully for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDPleasing aromas of cocoa, thyme, dark coffee, graphite and cherry lead to elegant, lip-smacking flavors that still carry a sense of richness. Refined, subtle tannins back it up. Coffee notes linger on the finish. The balance is spot on, and it brings an unabashed sense of deliciousness. Antonio Galloni | 92 WEQuiet at first, this has a compelling spice note that emerges with air. The flavors of plums and black cherries are framed by elegant but evident oak, the wine well-built, needing time in the cellar before decanting for a lamb shank.Wine and Spirits Mag | 91 W&S

The current 2016 Jesús Yllera is floral and perfumed and is evolving nicely and absorbing the oak, coming through as both elegant and powerful, with fully developed flavors and a polished palate. It’s sleek and balanced. 145,000 bottles were filled in July of 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2016 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is dark, dense, powerful and super expressive. Black cherry, mocha, leather, licorice and menthol are some of the many notes that take shape in a Barbaresco that is bursting with energy. Chalk, orange peel, dried flowers and mint add layers of nuance as the wine opens up in the glass. This brooding, potent Barbaresco needs time to be at its best, but it is clearly a great wine in the making.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

Forest floor, red berry, leather and pipe tobacco aromas are front and center. The intense, full-bodied palate offers impressive structure and finesse, delivering succulent Marasca cherry, cinnamon, star anise and a hint of hazelnut alongside assertive but noble tannins and vibrant acidity. It already shows focus and depth, but give it time to fully bloom.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2016 Barbaresco Montestefano is simply magnificent. Bright floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit give the Montestefano a feeling of focus and explosive energy that is compelling. Hints of mocha, leather, smoke, lavender and a whole range of balsamic inflections open up in the glass, revealing a Barbaresco of power, structure and complexity. Ample in feel and yet wonderfully vibrant, the Montestefano is wonderfully complete. It is also one of the very best wines I have ever tasted from La Ca' Nova. The Montestefano is a bit more showy today than the Montefico, but both wines are remarkable.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

Enticing aromas of menthol, ripe dark-skinned fruit, new leather and sandalwood lead the way. Boasting a heady combination of power and finesse, the full-bodied palate doles out ripe black cherry, raspberry jam, licorice and tobacco framed in firm, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity keeps the richness in check. Drink 2024–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe La Fiorita 2016 Brunello di Montalcino unfolds to dark fruit, cherry, tobacco and sweet spice. This wine shows very nicely, thanks to the balance of its fruit, and is characterized by a delicate sweet note that recalls cassis and wild raspberry. The wine is open and accessible from the start, and that bodes well for those who don’t care to wait and age their Brunello too long. Indeed, I could see this wine matched up nicely to a wood-oven flatbread with shaved truffles layered generously on top. This wine draws its fruit from two sites, Poggio al Sole and Pian Bossolino, and ages in Slavonian oak casks for 24 months. Production is 21,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThis is a full-bodied, juicy red with ripe plums, dried cherries, cedar and a touch of milk chocolate. Dried roses and leather. Silky tannins and a long, focused finish. Some tile undertones. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSDark fruit flavors of plum and blackberry highlight this angular red, shaded by earth, tobacco and underbrush notes. Leans toward a tar element as it winds down, ending with assertive, yet nervous tannins. Best from 2024 through 2040. 2,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe elegant 2016 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a beautiful blend of pure fruits and perfumed aromatics. A dusty mix of wild strawberries, cherries, sage and cedar makes for an understated yet pretty display. It’s medium in body, and the textures are creamy in feel, with a polished display of red and black fruits offset by a twang of sour citrus, as inner florals build toward the close. The tannins here are sweet and nuanced, even as they create a classically dry expression; yet there’s plenty of residual energy to make this a knockout Brunello to enjoy over the medium term.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2016 Brunello was aged for two years in large Slavonian oak before resting in bottle. It is noted by soft floral aromas of black plum, lavender, and sweet licorice. The palate is full and approachable, with ripe cherry fruit, cocoa powder, and dried herbs as well as velvety tannins. Enjoy 2021-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDWith nine hectares of vineyards spread over four distinct vineyards, owner Natalie Oliveros started converting the estate to organics in 2011. Full certification was achieved in 2019, the same year the new gravity-fed winery was completed. Lively red cherry and wild strawberry express cheerfully out of the gate backed up by allspice and rose. The fruit is sweet and sun-drenched but not overripe. Velvety and fluid with ample brightness and fine, powdery tannins, this is ready to go. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029.Decanter | 91 DEC

This is a ripe and full red with complex aromas of cedar, cloves, tobacco and dried mushrooms. Distinct, earthy quality underneath ripe plums and licorice. Layers of chocolatey tannins. Black truffles, too. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Fornacina 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a darkly saturated appearance and toasted aromas of roasted nut backed by dark blackberry fruit. Made with organic fruit, this Brunello is fermented in stainless steel and aged in large oak casks in a traditional and straightforward manner. Production in this vintage is 10,000 bottles. There is lot of intensity here, and the wine draws its power not only from the fruit, but also in large part from the oak aging. Indeed, its fruit-driven aromas share equal billing with campfire ash and smoked cedar or mahogany.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Fornacina is a dark and earthy expression of Brunello di Montalcino. Ashen soils, crushed stone and animal musk dominate its bouquet, with hints of black cherry buried deeply beneath. It’s silky and pliant, casting an array of black fruits and exotic savory spices across a medium-bodied frame. Balance is well maintained, and there’s a blending of sour citrus and nervous tension here that keeps you coming back to the glass. The Fornacina is quite unique yet highly enjoyable, and it won’t require much time to come fully into focus.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Very pretty ripe and dried fruit with blackberries and sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied with depth of fruit and creamy, polished tannins. Extremely compact and long. Pure fruit at the end. A gorgeous wine. Drinkable now, but better after 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino displays depths of rich blackberry and cherry sauce with mentholated herbal tones adding lift, while notes of cedar and clove develop in the glass. Its textures are like pure silk, draped slowly across the palate, showing admirable density and weight, balanced by bright acids and minerals. This is so tightly wound up in its youthful state, yet it’s packed full of potential with a core of dark primary fruit that isn’t quite ready to reveal its charms. A web of fine tannin makes itself known only at the very end, as the 2016 slowly tapers off to hints of tobacco. The 2016 will take some time for this to come fully into focus, but it will be well worth the wait.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is highly aromatic with black cherry, anise, dried herbs. Full-bodied and with vibrant acidity, the palate has crisp black fruit and red plum, and moves into more savory herbal tones of amaro and grippy tannin, with some austerity in its youth. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDElegant, tight and streamlined, the La Gerla 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a savory and slightly spicy bouquet. More than fruit, the first tones you get focus on tar, smoke, licorice and mixed herbs. This wine offers a very Mediterranean personality with elegant mineral notes that come out in a second wave. The wine goes through a relatively quick fermentation with about 15 days of skin contact followed by 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks. With more time in the glass, it opens to blue flower, lilac, dried berry and crème de cassis. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPUnderbrush, rose, leather and dark spice aromas lift out of the glass along with a whiff of camphor. The linear, elegantly structured palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, orange zest, star anise and crushed mint alongside tightly wound but refined tannins and bright acidity. It’s still young and nervous so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis red is round, with juicy cherry, plum and spice flavors. Shows hints of chocolate and loam, remaining harmonious and fresh through the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. 3,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Aluigi Campo ai Peri is fabulous. Bright, vibrant and intensely aromatic, the 2016 is total seduction right out of the glass. Intense floral/spiced aromatics, red/purplish berry fruit, spice, tobacco and mocha all race out of the glass in a wine that brilliantly marries power with finesse. The Aluigi is a Gran Selezione for the first time in 2016. It’s quite simply one of the finest wines I have tasted from Le Cinciole.Vinous Media | 96 VMAt the northern limits of Panzano, Le Cinciole is Luca Orsini and Valeria Viganò: he a geologist from Rome, she an architect from Milan. They purchased the property in 1991 and were early adopters of organic viticulture. In support of the recent changes to the Gran Selezione regulations, specifying a higher minimum of Sangiovese (90%) and only indigenous grapes, the couple have upgraded this single vineyard bottling as of 2016. It hails from a limestone-rich, southeast site reaching 450m. Michaela Morris: Roasted notes, with plum and sweet earth aromas. A well-packed palate, with lots of fruit, quite chewy, robust tannins, and a leather finish. Sara Bachiorri: Dried herbs and mint. Good concentration of fruit (ripe red berries) with spices and a hint of coffee on the palate. Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW: Toasty notes with red fruit on both the nose and the palate. It has firm but fine tannins, and a persistent finish.Decanter | 95 DECDig deep for the aromas of ripe berries, violets, black truffles and flowers. Medium-to full-bodied with a very relaxing, fine-tannined texture on the palate and lots of creamy fruit flavor. From organically grown grapes. Delicious now, but will continue to improve.James Suckling | 93 JS

A fascinating red with dried berries, cherries, smoked meat and dried flowers that follow through to a full body with a dense, layered fruit structure with ripe yet firm tannins. The wood comes through now, but it’s luscious and plush for the vintage. One of best ever from here. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is spicy and slightly exotic, showing dusty black cherries with cinnamon and clove, giving way to hints of incense. The depths of textural fruit here make for a highly pleasurable sip, balanced by vibrant acids with sweet herbal tones building toward the close. Although structured and slowly giving way to a dry and clenching finale, this somehow maintains a juicy persona right up until the very end where hints of licorice and cedar resonate. Although this needs a short stay in the cellar to show its best, it will be a great wine to enjoy while waiting for Vigna Montosoli to fully mature.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Forest floor, new leather, camphor and rose aromas mingle with a toasted note. Linear and racy, the precise, elegantly structured palate offers dried cherry, espresso, orange peel and licorice alongside firm, close-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink 2024–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is a superb nose that shows pressed violets, blueberry compote, hibiscus, tangerines and orange blossom. Medium-bodied with delightful polish to the deft tannins and acidity that cuts through the blue fruit like butter. A refined, floral style of unmistakable beauty. Drink from 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSThis wine truly underlines the differences between the single vineyards of Barbaresco. The Faset vineyard is located only about 300 meters from Asili, yet the wines made from these respective sites are completely different. The 2016 Barbaresco Faset shows more heft and fiber with brooding dark fruit. This wine shows a whole different level of intensity. Pair it with Piedmont’s plin ravioli.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2016 Barbaresco Faset is a bold, punchy wine. Spice, leather, cedar, dried flowers, mint and a touch of new oak all give the Faset a super-distinctive aromatic profile. The flavors are really popping in the Faset today. I especially like the wine’s energy.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Complex aromas of cherry, mint, camphor, leather, vetiver, iron and cigar box draw you in, while the flavors repeat these themes. Firmly structured, with a dense matrix of tannins and lively acidity for support. Best from 2025 through 2050. 4,166 cases made, 1,350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe Mocali 2016 Brunello di Montalcino offers good value in a great vintage. I don’t think you’ll find this level of Brunello quality at this price from any other producer in the appellation. This expression shows soft and dark fruit with plum, black cherry, balsam herb and dried lavender flower. The vines are harvested from a site with Galestro and gravel soils, and you get plenty of Sangiovese purity in this wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis is a full-bodied red with juicy red plums, chocolate and bark. Some intriguing ginger and white-pepper notes, too. Lots of fine tannin. Slightly austere at the finish. Tarry undertones. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a pretty and fruit-forward expression of the vintage. Ripe strawberry and cherry waft up from the glass, complemented by notes of mint and a hint of pine. It’s soft and focused on purity with a charming inner sweetness, cooling acids and minerals. Although nuanced and feminine, and finishing quite fresh, there’s still enough underlying tannin to carry the 2016 Mocali through medium-term cellaring.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The Tenute Silvio Nardi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino makes a big impact in the glass thanks to its dark color saturation and the pretty intensity of its aromas that range from dark fruit and plum to soft potting soil and grilled herb. You get beautiful balance here, even more so when you allow the bottle to breathe for a few hours. A twofold delivery of freshness and tannic backbone gives the wine the DNA required to hold 10 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino has aromatics of savory dried herbs, black plum, cola, and stony earth. The palate is fruit forward and full of ripe cherry, balsamic, and iron rich minerality. There are silky tannins that emerge from its fruit, along with balanced acidity. Though it is open and generous now, there is lots of life for this to unfold over time. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA creamy and juicy Brunello with dried-berry, peach and dusty-earth character. It’s full-bodied, chewy and very intense. Lots of fruit, yet reserved and toned with tannins that stay with you throughout. Give it at least three of four years to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Silvio Nardi is dark and earthy with a bit of a rustic edge that I find quite attractive. Floral undergrowth and rich soil tones give way to crushed black cherries with hints of brown spice. There’s a combination of ripe primary fruit and zesty acids, which creates an appealing and juicy expression, even as grippy tannins slowly mount toward the close. Remnants of licorice, mocha and tobacco linger, along with the slightest hint of heat, which doesn’t get in the way. The 2016 Tenute Silvio Nardi won’t require more than a few years of cellaring to show its best.Vinous Media | 93 VMA mix of cherry, plum, leather, earth and iron flavors mark this red. Starts out rich and supple in texture, then the assertive tannins sweep in midpalate through the finish. Finds a good balance in the end and finishes long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 25,000 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe Silvio Nardi estate has released a solid trio of Brunelli from the 2016 vintage, starting with their foundational Brunello. Assembled from 54 lots from vineyards in Montalcino’s northwest and southeast, it captures the wildness of the former and warm generosity of the latter. Pretty pressed blue flowers meet dark cherry compote and some toasty oak notes. Ample and well-built with lots of structure, the tannins are fully ripe but a little rustic, providing a satisfying chewiness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 92 DECAromas of French oak, menthol and dark spice form the nose. Full bodied and linear, the palate features licorice, vanilla, cherries marinated in spirits and coffee bean alongside tightly wound, close-grained tannins that grip the lean finish. Drink 2024–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a fruit-focused and high-energy effort, lifting up with a spicy and slightly exotic display, showing sour cherry, wild strawberry, savory herbs and hints of animal musk. It’s silky in texture with fleshy red berries further excited by juicy acids, giving way to salty minerals and pretty inner florals. Tannins saturate through the finish, yet this remains balanced throughout with a resonating note of black licorice. The 2016 Piancornello is very impressive. Well done!Vinous Media | 94 VMA firm, linear red with cherry, plum and hints of chocolate, as well as bark. Some fruit-tea leaves as well. It’s full-bodied and layered, chewy and intense. Fine tannins. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThe aromas recall dark-skinned fruit, underbrush and cooking spice. The concentrated palate offers dried black cherry, clove and licorice alongside dusty tannins. Drink 2023–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Morandina is dark and youthfully understated in the glass, as crushed rose petals and stone dust give way to red currants. This is silky-smooth, nearly velvety in feel, with masses of mineral-tinged black cherry and spice contrasted by a twang of sour citrus. The 2016 finishes with outstanding length and depth yet is also remarkably fresh, leaving hints of hard red candy and the slightest touch of bitter cocoa. The Amarone of Prà is always so unique but in the best possible way. The 2016 is a total gem but needs cellaring to come fully into focus.Vinous Media | 96+ VMA savory and complex expression of Amarone with some dried cherries, red dates, stewed herbs, orange peel, tobacco and white pepper. Some bold green peppercorn, too. A svelte delivery of Amarone with a medium body, showing tobacco, cedar and chocolate on the palate. Long, cedary finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSInspired by Dal Forno, renowned Soave producer Graziano Prà purchased 13 hectares high up in eastern Valpolicella’s Mezzane Valley in 2001. The previously unplanted parcel is protected by forest and has been farmed organically from the start. A relatively restrained nose shows dried garden herbs with plum and floral nuances. On the palate, fig and prune flavours are laced with cigar smoke. Velvety, malleable tannins enfold the easy to please package and the finish is bright with a pleasantly bitter edge.Decanter | 93 DECThis elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with creamy tannins providing a fine frame for flavors of brambly red currant and blackberry fruit, pine, orange peel and crushed pink peppercorn. A subtle, savory overtone of cured tobacco and smoky bacon fat echoes on the fresh finish. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. Drink now through 2030. 833 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is a ripe and fruity yet strucutred wine that has amazing aging potential. It offers a strongly floral element that contrasts with the tense, mineral texture and dense tannins. It is an immensely concentrated wine that will not be ready until 2029. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2016 Quinta do Noval Naçional Vintage Port comes (of course) from the famous parcel of ungrafted vines. Comparing it side by side, the Naçional does not have the immediacy of the regular Noval. It is darker, more introspective, more complex and beguiling, the black fruit complemented by subtle desiccated orange and marmalade aromas. What strikes first on the palate is the fineness of the tannins. This is utterly harmonious, silky in terms of texture, and extraordinarily cohesive. You don’t know whether to drink this or stroke it. It is an understated Naçional that almost deceives you into thinking that there is not power, but that crashes across the senses in the final third and on the aftertaste. It is a Naçional with a latent effect, its virtues becoming apparent not during but after imbibing. It is a quite profound Port, even though at this juncture you are just reading the first couple of pages of a very long and engrossing novel. Drinking Window 2034 - 2080Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers. Best from 2035 through 2055.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy. Better in 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood. It comes in with 82 grams of residual sugar. This was in bottle for only about seven weeks when seen, but I made sure at least some of it had a lot of air. It looks super, with plenty of room to grow in the cellar. Christian Seely likes to say that this regular Noval and the Nacional are not better than one another, just different. In fact, I usually prefer Nacional, but in this vintage I make a case for equality and endorse that view.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The 2016 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza was surprising, spectacular, elegant, clean and fresh like few vintages before. It was a superb year, with quality, quantity and freshness. It’s quite the opposite from the previous 2015, which was a much warmer and riper year. The 2016s have moderate alcohol and especially the perception of less ripeness (even though the alcohol is very similar). It feels very young, still quite primary. Mercedes explained, "Cubillas, a 24-hectare plot, is a vineyard that could produce Gran Reserva wines. It’s a very good vineyard, but we would miss the Crianza in our range". In fact, the comment was that this vintage is even a challenge for the Viña Tondonia red "because of its price." It is indeed a bargain. "But it doesn’t have the finesse of Tondonia," concluded María José. Anyway, it’s super tasty. 92,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Attractive aromas of cherry, dark mushroom, bark and walnut follow through to a full body with lots of ripe cherry and berry character in the center palate. Firm, chewy tannins draw you down the palate. Extremely long. From organically grown grapes. Better than the superb 2015? Drink after 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSMade with organically grown Sangiovese and fermented with wild yeasts, this fragrant, earthy red has intense aromas of rose petal, forest floor, new leather, woodland berry and balsamic whiffs of camphor. Full bodied and savory, the palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and tobacco alongside bright acidity and a backbone of noble tannins. It’s still youthfully austere, with great aging potential. Drink 2026–2046.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEWith an eye towards the Apennines, San Polino’s northerly vineyards are fully exposed to cool winter winds coming from Siberia. The vines are cropped a little heavier here than in the estate’s southeastern site, giving grapes with lots of juice. Yet there is no lack of concentration - it’s a linear, elegant package. Dried flowers, peppery spice and cherry sit atop dark, wet soil. Sinewy, chalky and powdery tannins wrap around a core of crunchy fruit, almost ready to unfurl, with mineral touches, tangy acidity, and a graceful flow.Drinking Window 2023 - 2037Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (made with organic fruit) opens to dark fruit, cherry and dried plum. Those fruit tones are ripe with extra sweetness, but they are neatly framed by tar, smoke and exotic spice that recalls mesquite or cedar wood. The dark ripe intensity of the fruit it tightly interwoven within those oak-driven flavors and the wine’s full-bodied fiber. This 10,000-bottle release has come along nicely over the years, showing a steady upward climb in quality and distinction.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a mix of woodland berries and herbs before adding further depths of flowery undergrowth and smoky nuance. It’s silky-smooth, complemented by polished red/black fruits, while savory spices and notes of sour citrus slowly penetrate. Hints of licorice and mint linger, along with a coating of fine tannins on the long and lightly structured finish. The 2016 San Polino should shine bright with only a few years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Fluid cherry, currant and raspberry flavors are matched to dense, dusty tannins in this taut red, which shows wild herb, tobacco and mineral elements that peek through as everything plays out on the lingering, tactile finish. Best from 2025 through 2043. 550 cases made, 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis is very traditional, with aromas of cedar, mushrooms, walnuts and dark cherries that follow through to a full-bodied yet tight and very tailored palate with intense tannins that are polished and very long. Please give this at least three or four years to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSA mix of mentholated herbs, sweet smoke, sour cherries, and cedar spice box creates a dazzling, lifted bouquet as the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Pian di Conte blossoms in the glass. It’s polished and elegant, communicating prestige through its seamless textures, as mineral-tinged red and black fruits wash across the palate, leaving nuances of sour citrus and balsam herbs. There’s simply so much going on that you hardly notice the fine-grained tannins taking hold, clenching the expression with youthful grip. This tapers off like a black hole of structural depth, leaving hints of currant and violet inner florals to carry on. The Riserva of Talenti is a barrel selection that refines in a combination of 25- and 20-hectoliter oak barrels, along with a small amount in tonneaux, for 36 months. To be frank, it’s not always my favorite wine from this estate, but that said, the 2016 takes things to another level.Vinous Media | 95 VMProduced from the estate’s oldest vineyards – predominantly southeast-facing plots at 400 metres – Talenti’s 2016 Riserva is all very charmingly animated on the nose. Vanilla and cinnamon accents play well with sweet herb nuances of mint and basil. The palate demonstrates its darker side with cedar-tinged plum and black cherry fashioning a dense core. This is firmly cinched yet still pliable, displaying precision throughout although the heat rises on the finish. Aged in a combination of large Slavonian oak casks and 500-Litre French oak tonneaux for a total of 6,600 bottles.Decanter | 95 DECThe Talenti 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Pian di Conte is a classic, stately wine with lots of dark fruit, dried blackberry, spice, tobacco and balsam herb. The wine registers 15% alcohol, which puts a lot of extra muscle mass on these otherwise elegant fruit tones, thus subtracting from some of the grace of the vintage. Production sees 6,600 bottles and some larger formats as well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPCamphor, French oak, underbrush and blue flower aromas shape the nose along with leather notes. Bold and brawny, the enveloping, concentrated palate features mature plum, spiced blueberry, licorice and espresso set against close-grained, velvety tannins. Drink 2024–2029Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2016 Veneroso is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted from Ghizzano. Bright, effusive aromatics lift a core of red Sangiovese fruit, all framed by nervous tannins that give the wine its shape. Sweet tobacco, dried leaves, mint, cedar and incense develop later, adding further shades of nuance. The purity of the flavors is simply striking. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 97 VMBlueberry and raspberry aromas follow through to a medium body, lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs a year to soften. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 91 JS

This special steak wine bears the signature of company founder Giovanni Folonari on the front label. The Folonari family is a historic presence in modern Tuscan wine. Their 2016 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Gran Selezione comes from a classic vintage that is known for the balance and power displayed in its elegant wines. This bottle opens to dark cherry and blackberry with rich nuances of spice and dried flowers at the back. This is a terrific effort from a winery with a big presence across the region.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPWhat immediately strikes you about this wine is its richness and density, showing lots of cherry, chocolate and bark character. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful. Lots of fruit. One for the cellar, but delicious now.James Suckling | 93 JSDeveloped nose showing mushroomy notes, oak nuances, and crushed rocks. Smooth and full on the palate, savoury finish.Drinking Window 2022 - 2030Decanter | 91 DEC

Sweet berries and orange peel with flowers and cedar on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins and juicy texture. It’s long and focused. Walnut, mushroom and wet-leaf character to the dark fruit. Flavorful and tight. Give this at least three or four years to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSEnticing aromas of fragrant blue flower, ripe woodland berry, menthol and star anise are front and center on this full-bodied red. The firm palate features crushed raspberry, blood orange, underbrush and coffee bean while tightly wound, fine-grained tannins show up at the close and carry through the coffee-bean finish. Drink 2024–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Tenuta La Fuga is very pretty and sweetly spiced, showing wild strawberries with hints of mint and cedar. It soothes the palate with a mix of ripe cherry and blackberry, laced with orange citrus. Rounded tannins come through toward the close, yet the focus here remains on fruit and balanced sweetness. It’s a very pleasant and somewhat-immediate Brunello for the near term.Vinous Media | 91 VMFrom an estate situated in the south-west of the region in the village of Camigliano, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is classic with lifted, herbal aromatics of fresh mint and rose petal, oregano, and tart red cherry. Medium-bodied and vinous, the palate is savory with tangy red cherry fruit and salinity. Its more tertiary characteristics make this ready to drink now, while its vibrant structure will also welcome time in cellar. Enjoy over the next 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD