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The 2019 Barolo Gramolere (with 7,000 bottles made) shows a slightly sweeter and riper fruit profile. This wine comes from the village of Monforte d’Alba, which is known for more structured and powerful wines compared to Verduno (where this winery is based), which offers lighter, more floral wines instead. Gramolere shows dark fruit, plum and spice, but it also has a pretty mineral note of rust or iron. However, within this portfolio, this wine may well deliver the longest drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2019 Barolo Gramolere, tasted from barrel, is the most elegant wine Vittore Alessandria has made yet from his family’s holdings in Monforte. Medium in body and transparent, the 2019 offers up black cherry, lavender, spice, licorice, dried herbs and menthol are all laced together in a layered, mysterious wine that captures the essence of Nebbiolo in Barolo. The classically austere finish is a thing of beauty.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMMore concertation of fruit can be found in the 2019 Barolo Gramolere. with raspberry liqueur, spice box, and licorice. It is medium bodied but has a more expanded feel. with notes of dried apricot, grenadine, blood orange, and tobacco. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDCedar, violet, Asian spice and ripe black-skinned fruit aromas lift out of the glass along with balsamic whiffs of camphor. Juicy and full-bodied, the smooth palate doles out ripe black cherry, almond liqueur, licorice alongside velvety, enveloping tannins. Drink 2025–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KO

The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero shows a medium dark garnet appearance with an especially focused quality of fruit. There is wild cherry and Japanese plum, but the Monvigliero cru also delivers crushed rose, earthy iris root, candied orange peel with clove and dustings of black pepper. The wine is exceedingly silky and polished in texture, but its inherent complexity is never diminished. It should be interesting to revisit this bottle after the 10-year mark. This estate was the first to bottle a Monvigliero in 1978, and today 7,000 bottles are made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Barolo Monvigliero, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Silky and elegant, with tons of energy, the Monvigliero is showing beautifully today, even as a sample from tank with low SO2 typical of this stage pre-bottling. Even so, all the translucent finesse of Monvigliero comes through loud and clear. Crushed red berry fruit, chalk, blood orange, mint and white pepper lend brightness. The 2019 is shaping up to be a real beauty. It’s one of those young wines that is very hard to spit.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is layered with cinnamon, red cherry, white pepper, and apricot and is dry, elegant, and medium-bodied on the palate, with fine tannins and mouthwatering salinity. Revealing notes of orange pith, warming spice, and pomegranate seed, it is long on the palate with a linear approach. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFratelli Alessandria’s 2019 Monvigliero is full-bodied and delicious, delivering flavors of raspberry compote, blood orange, licorice and tobacco enveloped in velvety tannins. It’s bold but also possesses an almost weightless finesse, and thanks to the fruit richness, you’d never guess this has an abv of 15%. Drink 2026–2039. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOFirst produced in 1978, the vines on this 1.4ha plot are now 50 years old. Traditional winemaking with long maceration and ageing in botti grandi. Dense and ruby in colour, the nose is restrained: earthy, with dried mushroom, rose and violet, cinnamon, and fresh pomegranate. Vibrant, savoury and delicate yet chewy on the palate, its tannins are extracted but polished, and a bit rigid on the finish. Not really ready to drink; a structure that defies time.Decanter | 90 DEC

This vineyard delivers slightly more concentrated fruit and a medium-dark appearance from loamy calcareous soils. The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno delivers more oomph and power with ripe cherry, blackcurrant, dark spice and earthy aromas. Fratelli Alessandria makes some of the most harmonious wines in Verduno, and that quality comes through beautifully in this wine, despite the slightly more robust fruit weight delivered by San Lorenzo di Verduno. Only 5,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno, tasted from barrel, is another potent wine from Alessandria. Heady and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous energy and drive from start to finish. Dark red fruit, gravel, incense, scorched earth, rose petal, licorice and iron are some of the many notes that race out of the glass. The 2019 is wild and racy, sort of like a misbehaved child, but in the best sense! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThere is a fresh mineral character in the 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo Di Verduno with wet asphalt, red cherry, orange, and clove. It is medium-bodied but takes on more structure and concentration, with ripe, fine tannins, dusty earth,and cranberry cocktail, and long with citrus on the finish. A nervy wine, it will benefit from another couple of years in bottle and drink well 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCamphor, wild rose, ripe berry and new leather are just some of the aromas that you’ll find on Fratelli Alessandria’s fragrant 2019 San Lorenzo di Verduno. Full-bodied and buffed to a smooth sheen, the juicy, chewy palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed mint and licorice framed in tightly knit, velvety tannins. You’ll also detect the subtle warmth of alcohol on the finish, but the fruit richness easily supports it. Drink 2026–2034. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KO

Gaja’s 2019 Barbaresco was bottled only a few days before this tasting but it already has sweet roses and red fruits on the nose with very subtle, gentle spice notes. It has a great texture and flows gracefully across the palate. It feels very harmonious with plenty of refreshing acidity and finely integrated tannins. Sublimely elegant with a fine, silt-like texture to the tannins, it is poised, beautifully understated and charming. Keep for 2 years and drink for up to 20 plus.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIHeady aromas of rose, violet, forest berry and a whiff of oak-driven spice shape the nose. Smooth and full-bodied, the elegantly structured palate delivers crushed raspberry, licorice and coffee bean set against taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2025–2034.Kerin O’Keefe July 2022 | 96 KO(Gaja Barbaresco Red) Gaja’s 2019 Barbaresco is gorgeous. Bright and nervy, with fabulous balance, the 2019 captures all the best this tricky vintage had to offer. Gaja did not bottle any other Barbaresco crus, opting to use the best lots for this bottling. That decision paid off in a 2019 that sizzles with tension. The aromatics alone are captivating. Bright acids lend vibrancy to a core of beautifully delineated Nebbiolo fruit. I can’t wait to see how this ages. (Drink between 2025-2039)Antonio Galloni | 93+ AG

The 2019 Barolo Conteisa is a noble wine, with angular and drying tannins, as well as more mineral expression. Notes of medicinal herbs, crushed stones, and pure cherry lead to a wine that is more restrained right now but will be fantastic. Through the palate, it has compact but wonderful concentration and a driving structure and is more herbaceous, savory, and mineral than fruity and floral. It is outstanding. Drink the 2020s while waiting for the 2019s.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThe compelling Gaja 2019 Barolo Conteisa is radiant, austere and elegantly structured. It’s also fragrant, with enticing scents of rose, blue flower, wild herb and dark spice that give way to intense flavors of raspberry, cherry, star anise and menthol. Firm, refined tannins provide support while bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced. Drink 2029–2049. What a beauty. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOA powerful and tannic wine with mushroom, forest flower, bark, and black tea aromas and flavors. Full and chewy. This is a young nebbiolo that needs time to soften. Better after 2029.James Suckling | 94 JS

This is a gorgeous vintage that continues to flesh out beautifully. I added an extra point to my score since the last time I tasted the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda in order to underline the great potential of this vintage. This wine could legally be a Bolgheri Superiore, but Angelo Gaja prefers not to use qualifying wine terms such as Superiore, Classico or Riserva in his various wine projects spanning from Piedmont to Tuscany to Etna. Semantics aside, this is a gorgeous wine—one of the best made at Ca’ Marcanda for sure—with impressive intensity and balance. Dark fruit and blackberry are contrasted against spice, tobacco, grilled rosemary and Mediterranean bramble. The 2019 vintage saw favorable weather conditions and "just the right amount of rain," Gaja says.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPCa’ Marcanda is officially a Bolgheri DOC, not a Superiore, but it is handled as if it were the latter. The blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc (there has been no Merlot since 2015) - a small percentage whole-bunch - is aged in oak (10% new) for 18 months. Volume and vibrancy distinguishes this 2019. It’s super-floral on the nose, with a graceful violet aroma, restrained cassis, a smorgasbord of Mediterranean herbs, the leafy eucalyptus typical of Bolgheri, and savoury chocolate and tobacco. The attack is full, with refined crunchy tannins and brilliant acidity. An enticing wine worth waiting for. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 96 DECThis verges on thick yet remains balanced and vibrant, courtesy of the lively acidity. Boasts blackberry, dark plum and blueberry flavors framed by tar and toasty oak. The finish is both dense and clean, with a hint of licorice. Excellent length and potential. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,500 cases made, 225 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA very beautiful young red with blackcurrant, fresh herb and hints of cedar and smoke. It’s full-bodied yet very polished and refined with a lovely texture. Extremely long and graceful. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Camarcanda is a very good example of how much the wines have changed here. Medium in body with good depth, the 2019 Camarcanda is a tightly wound wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its best. Dark cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice build nicely, with pretty floral and mineral accents that liven up the finish. The 2019 is classy, elegant and polished. Give it a few years, as the tannins are pretty intense today, but this softens nicely with air.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AG

Cabernet franc makes up 60 per- cent of Magari, bolstering the blend’s structure and freshness (it no longer includes merlot). The wine’s flavors of blackcurrant and plum show a pleasant tangy edge, its earthy tannins firmly guiding the fruit tones without overwhelming them. Hints of licorice and graphite emerge with air, and the dark fruit mingles with iodine notes on the long, seamless finish.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SThe Ca’ Marcanda 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Magari offers a surprisingly subtle side to the three very powerful grapes that make up the blend. These are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The bouquet is generous and full, with an intricate embroidery of lavender flower, garden herb, black fruit, spice and tobacco. You might even detect a hint of black olive. Magari is structured and solid but never heavy, and it offers a good sense of fresh acidity that makes for a lively and bright finish. That more acidic vein is neatly folded into ample fruity sweetness and flavor.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is a firm yet velvety-textured red with blackberry, sage, pine-needle and dried-flower aromas and flavors. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a lovely mouth feel and a long finish. Drink after 2023, when everything will have come more together.James Suckling | 93 JSStarts out rich, yet underscored by vibrant acidity and a line of refined tannins, which provide the support for this red’s black currant, black cherry, wild herb and iron flavors. Finishes lean and firm. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2019 Gaia & Rey may be one of the finest vintages I have ever tasted of this white. Creamy, ample and expressive, the 2019 is a wonderfully, classy, polished wine. All the elements come together so effortlessly here. Bright and focused, the 2019 is fabulous and I say that as someone who is not especially fond of Italian Chardonnays.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

The 2019 Barolo Sperss is rich with dark mineral earth, black cherry, and Earl Grey tea. Long and mouthwatering, it has a powerful structure while retaining finesse. It is fantastically balanced, with gripping tannins, fresh acidity, and notes of forested earth and ripe red berries. A wine for the long haul, this is another great and noble wine to drink over the coming three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2019 Sperss is drop-dead gorgeous. Expressing the captivating combination of firm structure and understated finesse that defines the best Barolos from Serralunga, it opens with aromas of underbrush, forest berry, sun-warmed hay and botanical herb. Linear and focused, the vibrant, savory palate delivers red cherry, blood orange and licorice punctuated with saline mineral notes. It has incredible energy and will age beautifully. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOVery well integrated tannins that spread across the palate and give tension and form to the wine. Medium to full body. Chewy and juicy. Needs time to soften. Better after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2019 Barolo opens to good balance between tart berry fruit and secondary aromas of toasted spice. Spaced out nicely in between are floral tones, crushed stone and rusty nail. The wine shows rich concentration and lots of dark fruit, yet it also gives room for the more nuanced and fleeting side of Nebbiolo. There is a salty or mineral note that adds a feeling of dryness to the polished finish. Some 15,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAlessandria’s 2019 Barolo is gorgeous. Sweet dark cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, rose petal, mint and orange peel lead into a core of soft, open-knit fruit. Silky tannins and soft contours add to its overall appeal. The aromatics alone are beguiling, but it is the wine’s overall balance that is most impressive of all.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The gorgeous 2019 Brunello from Gianni Brunelli pulls you in, with its quintessential Brunello fragrance composed of underbrush, woodland berry, botanical herb and wild rose. Savory and all about finesse, the delicious palate shows elegant restraint and energy, delivering juicy red cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and crushed mint alongside polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced. Hats off to Laura Brunelli, this is an absolutely enthralling wine. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOJust below Biondi-Santi in southeast Montalcino, this is one of the most classic estates of the denomination. The 2019 has a deep nose of amazing fruit ranging from cherry to strawberry, soaked with fresh violet, liquorice and vibrant minerality. It’s loaded with racy acidity and firm, velvety, super-ripe tannins; lavish and polished. The wine is aged for 29 months in Slavonian oak, of which a third is renewed every year.Decanter | 98 DECThis wine offers lifted fruit with popping cherry, blackcurrant and sour crab apple. This level of fruit brightness is not easy to maintain in a wine that ages for five years before its commercial release. The folks at Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto do a fine job. The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino delivers balanced oak renderings with exotic spice and dried chili flake. The wine has a beautiful nose, but the palate definitely needs more time to flesh out and relax, considering the current tightness of the tannins. With 14,230 bottles made, it promises a long drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPHauntingly dark yet inviting, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino smolders up with a beguiling blend of grilled herbs and ashen stone lifted by white smoke that finally gives way to dried black cherries and cola. Sexy and suave, it floods the palate with velvety textures and supple ripe fruits, expertly balanced by a core of brisk acidity and salty mineral tones. Fine-grained tannins, along with a pleasantly bitter tinge, appear through the finale as the 2019 finishes long and full of tension, leaving the slightest trace of orange. The balance of richness and racy character within makes this a total standout.Vinous Media | 95 VMBerry, spice and hints of cedar in the nose. White pepper, too. Orange peel. Rose petal. Full-bodied with plenty of fruit but reserved and formed. Round and juicy tannins that show plenty of richness, but not over the top. A little tight at the end but shows promise. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JS

Tasting Giuseppe Mascarello’s magnificent 2019 Monprivato stopped me in my tracks with its impeccable class, seemingly infinite energy and great balance between fruit, depth and finesse. Both fragrant and utterly delicious, it captivates with mesmerizing aromas of new leather, iris, spice and citrus while the full-bodied, racy palate boasts crunchy red cherry, juicy strawberry, black tea, and white pepper before closing on notes of star anise and salty mineral. An absolute stunner, this has it all. Drink 2031–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 100 KOThis pure and stylish Barolo features rose, strawberry, cherry, mineral and underbrush aromas and flavors. Though silky in texture, this is well-structured, with integrated tannins and harmony. This is all about finesse and texture, with excellent length and a mineral aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2045. 1,541 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco (a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese) is a real beauty and shows very nicely today based on advancing vine age alone. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah vines show great results after seven years, whereas Merlot and Sangiovese vines need a few more years before they start to show that extra degree of complexity, the winemaking team tells me. This is a complete and beautifully balanced wine that shows soft extraction and especially sweet tannins. It fermented in truncated conical oak vats and finished in barrique for 18 months. 60,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPDense and smooth, featuring black cherry, blackberry, plum, iron, licorice and menthol aromas and flavors. Fresh and featuring a spine of tannins, this finishes on the compact side for now. Shows balance, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2040. 5,400 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBeautiful aromas of currants and blackberries follow through to a medium to full body with round, creamy tannins and a juicy finish. Lots of intensity and depth. Hints of fresh sage and bay leaf. From organically grown grapes. Wonderful to drink now, but even better in 2024.James Suckling | 95 JS

The 2019 Matarocchio, the estate’s pure Cabernet Franc, is off the charts. What a wine! A generally benign growing season with moderate rain and heat, plus a newfound emphasis on finesse, produced a silky, racy Matarocchio that reaches a new level of intensity and nuance, with less of the weight of early editions. Red fleshed fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and espresso all soar out of the glass. Aromatically intense and beautifully layered, the 2019 Matarocchio is a total stunner.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis iconic Guado al Tasso wine is now part of the Bolgheri Superiore appellation. The previous vintage was not produced and we now jump forward to the beautiful 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Matarocchio that should hit the market in 2023. This pure expression of Cabernet Franc paints the palate with black fruit, baker’s chocolate, pressed rose and fragrant mint. There is plenty of crushed stone and pencil shaving as well. Cabernet Franc is a comfortable protagonist, and the wine delivers power, intensity and depth over an elegant, full-bodied mouthfeel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSo much dried herb, grilled pepper and currant on the nose. Mocha, too. Full-bodied with firm, fine and chewy tannins. Delicious, with wonderful varietal character. Bright acidity. 100% cabernet franc. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JS

Alessandro Mori’s wines are easy to spot in a blind tasting thanks to the soaring intensity and vibrant Sangiovese aromas they display. They are truly one of a kind. A wine that sees a relatively short and hot fermentation, the Il Marroneto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino respects local winemaking tradition and remains true in spirit. The steep verticality of the bouquet evokes almost-carbonic or lifted aromas of bright cherry, strawberry shortcake, lilac and heritage rose. You get straight to the heart of Sangiovese. The tannins are extremely fine and powdery and the freshness of the fruit is beautifully intact. This wine really pops in 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThere is nothing shy about the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino at this initial tasting from the barrel, and it feels nearly complete at this youthful stage. It is generous and jumps from the glass with explosive fruit of blackberry, cassis, crushed violets, and smoky earth. Full-bodied, with a polished and rounded texture, it offers ripe, velvety tannins and is forward, with a sunny and ripe profile. At this point, it feels as if this wine will be more accessible early on, although with significant aging potential.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-97 JDIacopo Mori described the 2019 vintage as ‘perfect, no disease...lots of fantastic grapes,’ when he visited Decanter in December 2023. Indeed, 2019 is looking superb across the board. Il Marroneto’s Brunello di Montalcino 2019 has the most incredible scent; an enticing waft of aromatic cherry and fragrant violets. In the mouth it’s supremely precise, with a silky texture and sweet red fruits. Intense, chiselled and sapid, there’s a bewitching pureness and delicacy here. Delicious.Decanter | 97 DECA cascade of bright cherry, rose buds, lavender and cedary spice wafts up from the whimsically perfumed 2019 Brunello di Montalcino. This is surprisingly juicy yet quite complex, with hints of zesty orange and vibrant acidity that add tremendous energy as crisp clove-inflected red fruits drench the senses. It finishes with cheek-puckering tannins, yet they are sweet and round. The 2019 tapers off spicy and fresh, leaving lingering mint, violets and sweet herbal tea notes. Don’t be fooled by its energy and approachability; the 2019 holds a massive amount of power in reserve. This is a spell-binding Brunello from Il Marroneto.Vinous Media | 95 VM

It has a supremely enticing nose.. With the 2019 there is an added precision to the aromas, less heavy oak, and no greenness on the palate. It is concentrated with a rich velvety texture but without any heaviness and with a gentle unforced quality. The tannins are fine and very well integrated, in fact finer and better integrated than even the excellent 2016 vintage. It is of course very young now but it’s almost too delicious not to drink! Supremely graceful, it just gets better and better.TWI | 100 TWIThe 2019 Cepparello has closed down quite a bit since I tasted it last year, as if all of its energy is focused inward. That won’t be an issue in another few years’ time, but for now readers should resist any temptation to open bottles. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous Sangiovese fruit, along with hints of blood orange, spice, cedar, mint and tobacco, all wrapped together by plush, silky contours. The purity of the fruit is just striking. In 2019, Cepparello is more finesse than power. I expect it will age beautifully over the next several decades.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGSo much licorice and fennel seed with black cherry and a hint of tomato paste. Medium body, round texture and savory flavors. Pretty and fresh at the end, with subtle flavors. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

La Ca’ Nova 2019 Barbaresco will tempt readers with its effusive aromatics and compelling Nebbiolo fruit, but a few years in bottle are advisable to help the tannins soft. Medium in body and wonderfully translucent, the 2019 is such a great example of what Barbaresco should be. Bright red fruit, orange peel, white pepper, mint and crushed rocks lend striking energy throughout. Vibrant saline notes support the dry, bracing finish. Vineyard sites are Ovello, Cole and Loreto.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The 2019 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina races out of the glass. Chalk, white pepper, crushed rose petal, cinnamon and salt abound. For readers who want to understand what Montefico is all about, well, this is it. Over the last year, the Montefico has started to flesh out a bit. Perhaps one day it will catch the Montestefano. For now, the Montefico is a Barbaresco to admire for its vibrant, mineral-drenched personality.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

Delightful and juicy red fruit with lots of floral notes of rose petals, citrus blossoms and a touch of crunchy white peach. Medium-bodied with succulent, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Finishes with an appetizing, zesty aftertaste. Beautifully harmonious. Drinkable now, but give it another three to five years to show its best.James Suckling | 95 JSBalsamic aromas of eucalyptus and camphor mingle with lavender, perfumed berry, cedar and forest floor on this fragrant Brunello. Full-bodied and delicious, the smooth palate offers juicy baked cherry pie, star anise, blood orange and graphite alongside velvety, close-grained tannins. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe La Fortuna 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows earthy spice, toasted cumin seed and a leafy quality with some bay leaf or dried tarragon. There is a spot of sweetness on the mid-palate, but the wine is fleshed out, with velvety tannins and an open-knit approach. There is a hint of perfumed rose or lavender essence as well. I like the complexity on offer here, and although the wine tends toward oak flavors, it does balance out. Some 26,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is impossible to ignore. An array of rose petals and cloves gives way to cedar spice box and crushed blackberries. This is silky, verging on velvet, with cooling acidity and mineral tones that enliven its crisp red and black fruits. The 2019 leaves a web of fine tannins to linger and the mouth watering for more as hints of plum and licorice resonate. This is likely the most balanced and well-rounded Brunello I’ve ever tasted from La Fortuna. Bravo.Vinous Media | 92 VMWith vineyards in the northeast and southeast of the zone, La Fortuna brings the two together in the estate Brunello. Between the two, harvest lasted from 22 to 28 September in 2019. Following long ageing in Slavonian oak casks, it shows distinctly lifted floral scents of violet along with ripe garden herbs, tobacco and cocoa. The palate exudes ripeness with soft, yet succulent fruit. Tannins come across as gentle and enveloping at first then rebound with a surprising grip. Nevertheless, this will be approachable upon release.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2019 Brunello from La Gerla shows polish and intensity, offering aromas and flavors of ripe black cherry, blackberry, underbrush, camphor and licorice. Firm, close-grained tannins and vibrant acidity provide support and energy. It’s still brooding and needs time to fully develop. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe La Gerla 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has spicy, dried fruit with blackcurrant, pinecone, juniper berry and a hint of medicinal herb or camphor ash. The oak comes through clearly in the form of mulled spice or crushed clove. This Brunello is rather streamlined on the mid-palate, and although there is some mild chalkiness to the tannins, they are almost approachable now. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA lovely mix of floral and herbaceous aromas lift from the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino, which displays a ruby color and offers notes of wild raspberry, herbes de Provence, wet stones, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, it’s enticing on the palate, with crunchy fresh acidity, ripe tannins, and a long finish that closes with a quenching saline lift. This vintage offers such wonderful aromatics, and this wine is no exception, with a pure nature all throughout. Drink 2025-2035.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is wild, opening with a zesty burst of spiced orange and cloves before settling on black cherries and ashen stone. It’s creamy and seductive in feel, with a wave of rich red fruits that easily flow across the palate, guided by juicy acidity. Tension builds through the close as saline minerals mingle with angular tannins, leaving a pleasantly bitter sensation and the mouth watering for more. While some patience will be required, I expect the 2019 to over-deliver after only a few years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 93 VMLa Gerla’s estate Brunello brings together an even proportion of fruit from holdings in the cool northeastern area of Canalicchio with lots from warmer parcels in Montalcino’s southeast. Exhibiting the estate’s signature unami style, the 2019 is appealingly unpretentious yet complex. Restrained aromas of chestnut and grilled, smoky herbs lead to a wild berry compote laced with clove. It flows easily across the palate, carrying tantalising acidity. Fine powdery tannins build up and close off the finish for now. Give this another year in bottle.Decanter | 93 DECCompact and tense young red with lots of dark fruit and violets, as well as subtly spicy and toasty undertones. Creamy and rich on the palate with balanced acidity. Persistent length with dried-herb flavors at the end. Needs more time to soften. Drink after 2029.James Suckling | 93 JS

Expressive, lifted floral notes with lots of bright red fruit, followed by fresh rosemary and thyme. Medium-bodied with juicy, fine-grained tannins. Impressive purity and elegance. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold until 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino bursts from the glass with an intense array of black raspberries, lavender, sage, wet stone and crushed rocks. This is elegant and velvety on the palate. A rich wave of ripe red and black fruits soothe, lifted by vibrant acidity and hints of mint. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, leaving a tarry concentration and a coating of fine-grained tannins that saturate. This is a dark and radiant beauty that will require extended cellaring.Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe and seductive, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is lush with aromas of lavender, black raspberries, sweet Mediterranean herbs, and cola. It moves seamlessly to the palate in this full-bodied and supple Brunello, with sweet tannins, an approachable ripe nature throughout, and a clean finish. It is a very charming Brunello with a lot of immediate appeal. Drink 2024-2032.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBoasting one of Montalcino’s most spectacular vistas from its 500-metre perch, La Magia overlooks the Sant’Antimo abbey and village of Castelnuovo dell’Abate with a southeasterly gaze towards the Amiata mountain. The estate’s 2019 is still somewhat wrapped up in its tonneau ageing leading with cinnamon and balsam wood notes. Then a profusion of mint, truffle and forest flora takes hold. On the palate, fine-grained tannins are polished. These expand confidently without overshadowing the bounty of dark currant fruit they keep in check. Frisky acidity percolates throughout. This opens up nicely showing a smart balance of fruit and oak.Decanter | 93 DECThe organic La Magia 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has leather, spice and some of the sticky aromas of an old balsamic vinegar made in the traditional method. There is a second wave of candied cherry or throat lozenges that underline a medicinal quality found in this wine. It closes with dried autumnal leaf and forest floor. I came back to taste the wine a few hours later, and those cherry aromas really pop.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPAromas of new leather, cedar, forest floor and blue flower take shape in the glass along with a whiff of crushed mint. Linear and youthfully austere, the firm palate offers dried cherry, bitter orange and star anise alongside close-grained, drying tannins. Give it a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KO

The well-made La Poderina 2019 Brunello di Montalcino offers a wide-reaching bouquet with a little bit of everything you might expect of this celebrated Sangiovese-based appellation. There are elements of ripe fruit, blackberry, potting soil, graham cracker and sweet spice. All these various pieces get wrapped up in a nicely intense bouquet. This wine offers solid texture over a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. This is a 68,000-bottle production.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBlack-cherry, sour-cherry and rose-stem aromas follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a crisp finish. It’s transparent and clear with a real sense of its vineyards. Better after 2026, when the tannins and acid will have melted together.James Suckling | 94 JSSappy and resinous aromas lift from the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino, which dislays a bright red/orange color and offers notes of spiced cranberry, eucalyptus, tobacco, and oregano. Medium-bodied, it’s snappy with zest acidity and fine, dusty tannins. It’s more understated than the nose would suggest, but it’s appealing and quite refined. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas recalling sun warmed hay, forest floor, new leather and exotic brown spice form the nose along with whiffs of wild berry. The linear palate offers black cherry compote, espresso and vanilla alongside tightly knit, close-grained tannins that jump in and leave a firm, rather drying finish. Drink 2028–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a dark blend of medicinal blackberries, cloves and violet candies. This is juicy in character, with a liquid floral sensation and spicy red berry fruits that slowly saturate. It finishes with medium length and gently tannic while leaving a bitter licorice tinge lingering.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Aromas of bark, dark cherries and flowers, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied with purity of fruit that runs the length of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Very fine tannins. From organically grown grapes. Needs three or four years to completely come together, but gorgeous. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is darkly alluring, with an earthy blend of crushed rocks and flowery underbrush, giving way to steeped plums and violet florals. This sweeps across the palate with juicy textures as exotic spices and crisp red fruits slowly saturate. The 2019 finishes long and staining, with crunchy tannins that frame the experience well without slowly its momentum as an air of lavender fades over a staining of black licorice.Vinous Media | 93 VMAn under-the-radar estate, La Serena is located directly east of the town of Montalcino. The organically cultivated vineyards sit at 400 metres on calcareous-rich clay with a southeastern exposition. The classy 2019 wafts with fragrant balsam wood, pressed rose and allspice. Fully packed and energetic, the palate shows impressive purity of spicy dark cherry with pleasantly puckering acidity. Chalky textured tannins are on the right side of extraction, building in power as they coat the mouth. This needs some time to temper.Decanter | 93 DEC

This Messorio 2019 from Le Macchiole is a delightful wine. It has plenty of sweet oak spice aromas with vibrant cassis and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. The nose is shy at first and is not revealing much at the moment, but it is concentrated, and you can tell there is plenty to come. On the palate it is tangy, lively, and vibrant with a lovely texture and quality to the tannins. The 2019 is more concentrated that the 2018 and has huge potential to be really fine and age well for at least 15-20 years. This 100% Merlot comes from a 2.5-hectare plot and the typical production is 10000 bottles. Drink 2024 – 2047.Wine and Spirits | 98 W&SThis Messorio 2019 from Le Macchiole is a delightful wine. It has plenty of sweet oak spice aromas with vibrant cassis and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. The nose is shy at first and is not revealing much at the moment, but it is concentrated, and you can tell there is plenty to come. On the palate it is tangy, lively, and vibrant with a lovely texture and quality to the tannins. The 2019 is more concentrated that the 2018 and has huge potential to be really fine and age well for at least 15-20 years. This 100% Merlot comes from a 2.5-hectare plot and the typical production is 10000 bottles. Drink 2024 – 2047.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIThe stunning Le Macchiole 2019 Messorio is all Merlot from a special 2.5-hectare plot with a classic mix of Bolgheri soils featuring clay, silt, sandstone and limestone. The wine ferments in concrete and finishes in new barrique for 18 months. I spoke with proprietor Cinzia Merli about Merlot, and she concedes that this early-ripening grape suffers the most because of climate change. However, the winemaking team works extra hard for balance and elegance notwithstanding. This beautiful wine releases perfumes of cherry, blue flower, iris root, crushed stone and slate. Well-balanced oak tones add power and texture to the full-bodied close. 11,000 bottles were released.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 Messorio marries the natural opulence of Merlot on the Tuscan Coast with a feeling of finesse I don’t think I have ever seen here before. There is plenty of depth and resonance, but none of the heaviness that was so in vogue for many years. Dark cherry, plum, spice, mocha and lifted floral notes build into the racy, exotic finish. (Originally Published in March 2022)Vinous Media | 97 VMWell-marked by new oak at this stage, with vanilla and toasty spices wrapped around a core of plum, black cherry, earth and cedar. Graceful and balanced, turning firmer on the persistent finish. This is all about the purity of fruit, finesse and length. Decant now or age this 2-3 years. Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 920 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBlackberry, oyster shell, iodine and black olive. Some cumin and thyme, too. Full-bodied with a very tight palate of firm tannins and fresh, minerally blue fruit. Needs time to open and show its true potential. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSBright cassis, straw and graphite on the nose - these are all the more open-knit characters typical of Merlot in the solarity of Bolgheri. The concentration of fruit packs a punch on the dense and fleshy palate, with a tight oaky, slightly chalky, austere character alongside velvety tannins and a graceful cedar wood finish. Assertive yet integrated acidity keeps the alcohol in balance. Great ageing potential.Decanter | 95 DECLe Macchiole is always identifiable by its death-defying acts of balance and the Messorio is no exception. Cherries, cranberries, wild herbs and soil on the nose carry through onto the palate before pepper, charred meat and a juicy spiciness come out on the finish. Tannins that are unwinding with ease and a discernible heat keep things exciting; a delight right now but watching what happens next will be worth the wait. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Stunning from the first tilt of the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is impossible to ignore. This blends an array of dried flowers with autumnal spices, cedar-tinged cherries and clove hints in a way that I find wildly appealing. It sweeps across the palate with textures of pure silk guided by bright acidity as depths of wild berry fruits and mineral tones saturate toward the close. The 2019 lingers impossibly long, leaving a staining of primary concentration to mingle with grippy tannins and licorice nuances, yet an airy freshness remains through it all. The combination of house style and vintage character here is otherworldly. It will take much willpower to keep our hands off of the 2019 long enough to watch it properly mature. Spellbinding.Vinous Media | 98 VMProprietor Gigliola Giannetti confirms that 2019 is one of those rare vintages that the estate produced a Riserva as well - but we will have to wait a couple more years for its release. Harvested between 27 September and 5 October, Le Potazzine’s Brunello 2019 exhibits all the vintage’s signature fragrance. Heady cherry blossom, freesia and violet entice immediately while promising more to come. Pure and delineated, the palate offers almost a plushness of strawberry and red cherry, then long, suede-like tannins arrive in waves, never drowning out the fruit. Dense yet spacious with a sophisticated texture, this needs more time.Decanter | 97 DECShowing the estate’s hallmark of finesse and the intensity of the vintage, the 2019 Brunello from Le Potazzine has aromas of fragrant blue flower, crushed mint, new leather and wild berry. Full-bodied and savory, the savory palate has a weightless concentration, delivering raspberry tart, ripe Morello cherry, baking spice and star anise set against firm, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOLe Potazzine farms some of the highest vineyards in the appellation at 420 to 507 meters above sea level. As we know, high elevations are essential today for maintaining acidity and aromatic freshness, especially in the face of climate change. That has never been a problem for this estate, and the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino delivers all the goods. The bouquet opens to dried cranberry, redcurrant, rosemary flower and light spice. The palate is streamlined and elegant, concluding with powdery tannins. This is a 16,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBright and pure, featuring strawberry, cherry, rose, mineral and wild herb flavors. This straddles the line between delicate, elegant and electric, with vivid acidity and resonant tannins. Offers superb harmony and a lingering aftertaste of red fruit. Best from 2026 through 2043. 2,600 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSExpressive red-fruit and floral notes, followed by cloves and a touch of fresh mint leaves. Medium-bodied with firm and sturdy tannins. Precise and compact on the palate. Give it more time to soften. Hold until 2027.James Suckling | 93 JS