Red Wines

wines

Polished, subtle, classy red. Offering complex aromas of leather, blackberries, tea and raspberries. Full-bodied, with extremely well-integrated tannins and a long, long caressing finish. Brancaia is a new star. Wine formerly bottled by Fonterutoli. Best after 2004. 3,325 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSInky ruby to the rim. Pure plum and berry fruit on the nose; jammy and sweet, with the oak completely absorbed. Plummy and tarry on the palate. Not the blockbuster that the nose suggests, but elegant and delineated, and sustained and silky on the finish. Already gives considerable pleasure. The wine is marketed by Fonterutoli, whose enologist, Carlo Ferrini, also oversees the winemaker here. Brancaia is much improved in recent years, thanks to the efforts of its dynamic Swiss owners.Vinous Media | 90 VM

1998 is most likely the best vintage ever for Ornellaia. Petit Verdot was not yet used in the blend. Evolved bramble fruits meld with forest floor, helichrysum and Mediterranean herb aromas. On the palate this wine dazzles with the vibrancy of the best Pomerol-like minerality, with a tight-knit structure of velvety yet lively tannins amongst the fruit, and delicate acidity pushing a slightly pyrazinic finish with long, dark notes of Marmite and cigar-box supported by some citrus notes. Drinking Window 2019 - 2030Decanter | 99 DECThis is just a baby with so much extract and density yet always polished and beautiful. Full body, velvety tannins with a dusty and gritty texture. Complex flavors of fruit, tar and smoked meat. Solid all around. Powerful still. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSA cool and sleek Tuscan red, with tarragon and fresh sage aromas, blackberry and cherry undertones. Full-bodied, with a wonderfully silky palate of fine tannins and a long, fruity finish. Very sophisticated and reserved. Best after 2004. 13,330 cases made, 3,165 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSOne of the highlights of the evening, the 1998 Ornellaia is not the most profound wine on the table, but it is among the most pleasing because it is in such a perfect place for current drinking. The aromatics are super-refined, but everything about the 1998 speaks to total polish. Hints of cedar, tobacco, licorice, mocha and savory herbs give the wine its nuanced personality. From magnum, the 1998 has another decade of fine drinking ahead of it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGMade in a relatively structured style for the normally succulent Ornellaia, the dense saturated ruby/purple-colored 1998 offers up aromas of pain grille, spice, smoke, black fruits, and graphite. Full-bodied, concentrated, exceptionally pure, and long, it will be at its finest between 2005-2018. Very impressive, but it requires patience.Robert Parker | 93 RP