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A unique wine with iodine, red seaweed, mineral and dried fruits with hints of figs. Baslamic. You can feel the warmth of the volcanic soil. Full body with soft and silky tannins. Stylish and characterful. Better in a year or two. You need to try this.James Suckling | 98 JSI hope one day to have another chance to taste a vertical of Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro because I have a strong feeling the 2010 will occupy a place among the very finest vintages produced on this tiny vineyard on the slopes of the Roccamonfina volcano. An exotic mélange of tar, smoke, graphite, blackberry jam and savory herbs explode from the glass. The 2010 is intense and full-bodied, yet also incredibly elegant. A big, breathtaking wine, the 2010 continues to build all the way through to a deeply resonant, expressive finish. I would choose to leave this uttterly beguiling Campanian red alone for the better part of a decade, but readers are going to have a very hard time excercising that patience. This is a fabulous effort from proprietors Arturo and Dora Celentano, and their long-time winemaker Riccardo Cotarella.Vinous Media | 97+ VMThe 2010 Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro shows all the qualities of an excellent vintage. This is a pure and balanced wine that opens in a slow and seductive manner. The expressive bouquet shows layers of balsam herb, licorice, dark fruit, earth and crushed mineral. In fact, those volcanic Roccamonfina nuances are most distinctive in this beautiful vintage. The 2010 vintage also offers a generous quality of full and round fruit that sets it apart. This is a wine of great intensity, beauty and balance. It has many more years ahead to complete its evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA dark, beefy red, with layers of game, underbrush and wild herb to the dark blackberry, cassis and plum skin notes. Full yet fine tannins add grip, as the fruit and hints of mocha and ash highlight the finish. Best from 2014 through 2025. 5,500 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis hearty blend of Aglianico and Piedirosso offers a compelling bouquet that is as savory and rich as it is elegant and composed. Dusty notes of crushed stone and dried fruit hold the wine together and give it momentum. The mouthfeel is bone dry, with loads of dark prune and tobacco flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

This is so complex, with lifting citrus and herb undertones to the blue and red berry fruit. Thyme, sage and lavender, with mocha and clove, too. Full-bodied, full of depth and intensity, with firm yet seamless tannins. Evolves to espresso. Balanced, powerful and very long. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSA special single-vineyard wine with origins in one of the more remote, wild and beautiful corners of Montalcino, this is one of the true treats of the appellation. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens to a medium-rich appearance and vibrant color saturation. Sangiovese can lose its color quickly, but it remains beautifully intact here. Sweet cherry, redcurrant, spice, blue flower, balsam herb and orange peel are neatly woven together to create this balanced wine. Fruit is sourced from across a 11.7-hectare vineyard with schistous galestro soils. Production is 37,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDark depths of crushed plums and black cherries are offset by notes of rosemary, spiced citrus peels and hints of cocoa as the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens in the glass. This is an especially racy style for Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, with cooling mineral tones and zesty acidity propelling its ripe berry fruit and hints of sour citrus across the palate. While structured, this finishes with tremendous energy and freshness, leaving the mouth watering with a lingering bitter hint of balsamic spice. The 2018 may not possess the power often associated with the Pianrosso, but it instead impresses with its lively and spicy character.Vinous Media | 94 VMA complex red, with dark, savory notes of licorice, eucalyptus and tobacco aligned with cherry and berry flavors. Succulent, showing light viscosity to the texture, with wild herb and iron elements creeping in on the long finish. Power meets grace. Best from 2026 through 2045. 3,083 cases made, 1,083 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBoth of Ciacci Piccolomini’s 2018s offer a ‘deliciousness’ of taste and a truly umami quality, however the Pianrosso selection delivers greater Brunello satisfaction. Not quite 12 hectares, this iron-rich marly vineyard soaked up just enough warmth to clearly demonstrate its southern origins. It has more shape, form and depth to lend endurance. Iron and salty minerals emerge from a backdrop of persimmon and hibiscus, finishing with Mediterranean herbs. Docile and yielding, the gentle sandy tannins give textural complexity as well as an immediate drinkability.Decanter | 92 DEC

This edition from the legendary Tenuta San Leonardo estate in Trentino is presented with an artist-signed label. The special release of 999 bottles features the surreal artwork of Simone Berti. From a cool vintage, the 2018 San Leonardo is incredibly fine and beautiful with a filigree of aromas that recalls wild blackberry, tobacco, pressed rosemary, cherry tartlet and orange marmalade. The wine’s elegance is extraordinary, and the mouthfeel is very fine and precise. This classic vintage will certainly appeal to San Leonardo purists. I recommend giving it a long runway to age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP‘In July, we finally saw a brilliant sun, whose welcome heat warmed a season that was quite wet up to that point and with below-average temperatures,’ said Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga of the 2018 vintage. The newest release of this standout northern Italian red offers complex scents of tobacco, spices, earth and rich, wood-imbued black berries. In the mouth it combines intense concentration with freshness in a vertical sensation of poise and sapidity. Dark, plummy, spicy hedgerow berries are perfectly balanced by bright, moreish acidity and ripe, grainy tannins, with spicy cedar, dried currants and a touch of balsam in depth. Still has so much to give.Decanter | 95 DECA mentholated freshness introduces the 2018 San Leonardo as it slowly blossoms in the glass. Swirling unlocks depths of dusty sage and violets, giving way to white pepper and black currants. This is elegant, lifted and potent. Sour citrus elevates ripe wild berries and savory spices. The 2018 doesn’t miss a beat, finishing long and lightly structured, with a framework of fine tannins that gently tug at the senses as blackberry and inner rose notes slowly fade. The 2018 is an understated and youthful beauty that will reward medium-term cellaring. That said, hands off for now because the best is yet to come.Vinous Media | 94 VMA graceful red, beginning quietly with a pure note of ripe black currant, with the palate slowly expanding to weave in flavors of bay leaf and cured tobacco, bitter cherry reduction, mineral, graphite and cigar box spices. The finely knit flavor range shows supple tannins, which emerge to define the elegant finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot. Drink now through 2033. 5,900 cases made, 1,300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSRoasted red chili pepper with tapenade, berries, cedar and tobacco leaves. Very juicy on the palate with plush, silky tannins and a long, fluid finish. Cool and gastronomic. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 vintage is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenère (a high percentage for any grower) and 10% Merlot. The wine opens with aromas of ripe plum mixed with tart blueberries, worn leather, sweet spices and dried flowers. The palate is expansive and rich, showing the 24 months of aging in French barriques, both new and used. Firm yet opulent, the wine will continue to develop and retain its mark as one of the best Bordeaux-style blends from Italy. Drink 2025–2040. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

So floral and fresh with rose stem, sandalwood and orange blossom. Cherries, too. Full-bodied yet reserved and held back with creamy fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Shows brightness and finesse. Silky texture. One of the best I have had from here. A Brunello that emphasizes purity of fruit. Give this three to four years more. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe Cerbaia 2019 Brunello is utterly delicious. It opens with heady aromas of blue flower, wild herb and camphor but really opens up on the smooth, savory palate, delivering juicy black cherry, blackberry, blood orange, truffle and tobacco alongside tightly woven, velvety tannins. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is earthy and savory in the best possible way with an almost rustic, yet not quite, blend of old cedar spice box and dried roses elevated by orange zest and bright cherries. This is wonderfully pure and silky, with a measured inner sweetness and masses of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl throughout. Juicy acidity maintains a lovely energy as the 2019 finishes long and staining. Fine-grained tannins saturate, and a resonance of tart cranberry puckers the cheeks. This energetic and sleek Brunello from Cerbaia will require minimal cellaring to show its best.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2019 straight Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is a beauty, starting with its heady scents of red berry, dog rose, spice and Mediterranean scrub. Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, the smooth palate delivers juicy red cherry, cracked peppercorn and licorice alongside tightly-woven, refined tannins. Juicy acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThere’s no mistaking this wine for anything but Brunello. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows beautiful continuity, crescendoing on the nose and palate in synchronicity. There are aromas of grilled watermelon, red cherry, garden herb and violet, and there is a charred note that recalls the toasted oak. The bouquet balances out beautifully, but you do get considerably more power on the palate thanks to the oomph of 15% alcohol and young tannins that get under your gums. Give this wine a few more years of bottle age. Production is 66,915 bottles in addition to 4,500 smaller formats.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSour cherries with stone and bark undertones to the aromas. Medium body, firm tannins and a long, linear finish that ends tight. But this will soften with some age. Subtle bark and dried mushroom character at the end. Drink after 2025, but already pretty.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is just superb, with layers of pure fruits and spices interwoven with vibrant cherry liqueur, candied roses, incense, and baking spice. Harmonious and balanced from the start, it offers ripe tannins, a seamless spine of fresh acidity, and fantastic length that leaves me wanting more. As it opens, it reveals more nuanced notes of apricot and saline earth. An outstanding medium to full-bodied red, this is one to cellar for a few years, as it has a ways to go before its full spectrum is revealed. Drink 2026-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDWith vines adjacent to forests on white chalky soils, the Elio Grasso 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a luminous and very beautiful wine. Vintner Gianluca Grasso called this "the helicopter vintage" because he actually rented a helicopter to fly over the vines for 45 minutes to dry them from rain right before harvest. As he tells it, this was a costly but good decision because 15 minutes after he finished harvesting on October 26, heavy rain came and lasted an entire week. Thanks to these dramatic measures, the grape skins were excellent, and maceration with submerged cap lasted 55 days. That’s how perfect the skins were. This balanced wine shows extreme precision and elegance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is classically austere and just gorgeous right out of the gate. Soaring aromatics and fine, sculpted fruit race out of the glass. Crushed rose petal, cinnamon, orange peel and mint are all beautifully delineated. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2019 is going to need years to be at its best, yet it has that embryonic inner sweetness that characterizes the very finest wines here. Superb.Vinous Media | 96 VMPerfumes of cinnamon, plums and dried flowers follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Hints of cedar and sandalwood. Crunchy and lightly chewy. Give this four or five years to soften. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 94 JS

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

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

he Lisini 2019 Brunello is compelling, starting with its captivating aromas of fragrant blue flower, hay, perfumed berry, dark exotic spice, new leather and aromatic herb. It’s also delicious, delivering a great depth of flavors including juicy Morello cherry, raspberry croissant, licorice and crushed mint before a blood orange close. A backbone of velvety tannins provides seamless support while fresh acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. What a gorgeous wine and the best Brunello I’ve had so far from this historic estate. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOMedicinal blackberries, sweet sage, stone dust and candied oranges define the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino. This is juicy and vibrant with violet and lavender-tinged wild berry fruits and chalky mineral tones that form a saturation of minerality toward the close. A web of fine-grained tannins resonates as the 2019 finishes long and staining yet feels only lightly structured. Salted licorice suggestions linger on. This is a classy southern Montalcino Brunello from Lisini.Vinous Media | 94 VMA sleek and structured red with black cherry, cedar and spice aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a chewy finish. Integrated and flexing. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe Lisini 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has a dark and spicy bouquet with prune, cardamom, asphalt and wet stone. The wine is quite developed, and for that reason, I wouldn’t suggest a very long drinking window. There is cola and dried rosemary sprig at the back. This is a dark Brunello with concentrated fruit to drink in the medium term. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Smooth and delicious, the 2019 Podere Le Ripi Cielo d’Ulisse has captivating aromas of violet, ripe plum, exotic spice, new leather and a whiff of truffle. Full-bodied and enveloping, the palate shows ripe black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, blood orange and tobacco alongside a backbone of tightly woven, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced while a salty note lingers on the close. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KODark and intense, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Cielo d’Ulisse entices with a burst of exotic spice, zests of tangerine, cedar shavings and rum-soaked cherries. This is cool-toned and racy in style, with crisp wild berry fruits enhanced by vibrant acidity. Violet inner florals arch across the palate. This maintains momentum even as crunchy tannins descend upon the senses, leaving a stain of tart cranberry and orange slowly fading. I expect that three to five years of cellaring will reveal a Brunello of boundless energy. The Cielo d’Ulisse is a single vineyard wine that hails from vineyards in the extreme southwest of Montalcino.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Alpine herb, pressed rose, new leather and black tea aromas lead the nose on the superb Montefico 2019 Riserva. Showing the impeccable class and intensity this cru is celebrated for, it’s youthfully austere but also incredibly savory. The firmly structured palate delivers ripe red cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, almond liqueur and saline mineral notes accompanied by a firm backbone of tightly-woven, close-grained tannins. Bright acidity gives it great aging potential. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is one of the most searingly tannic wines in the range. Readers will have to be patient with the 2019, as it is going to need time. As always, Montefico is a Barbaresco built on linear intensity more than size. In 2019, the qualities are quite accented. Time in the glass opens the bouquet nicely, but the 2019 remains quite closed.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

Combining power, intensity, class and great fruit, Produttori’s 2019 Montestefano Riserva is a phenomenal wine and a quintessential expression of this fantastic cru. It opens with heady aromas of new leather, Alpine herb, pressed rose, ripe dark-skinned berry and forest floor. It has the most Barolo-like structure of all the firm’s crus, delivering ripe Morello cherry, succulent raspberry, licorice and tobacco alongside a network of firm tannins that are more reminiscent of Serralunga than Barbaresco. A magnificent wine, with incredible aging potential. Drink 2031–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is perhaps the most complete of the 2019 Riservas at this stage. It offers fine depth, plenty of tannin and nascent emerging inner sweetness to tie it all together. A wine of stature and textural depth, the Montestefano is my early favorite in this lineup.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Pine forest, cedar, new leather and ripe red berry are just some of the intense aromas you’ll find on the fragrant 2019 Pajè Riserva from Produttori del Barbaresco. Youthfully austere and linear, the structured palate displays ripe Morello cherry, black raspberry, star anise and crushed mint alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity imparts fantastic energy and serious aging potential. What a fantastic expression of this site. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè is full of character. Strong mineral, savory and floral notes jump out of the glass, before veins of tannin make themselves felt on the palate. A powerful, young Barbaresco, the Pajè is going to need a number of years to come into its own. That said, all of its signatures are very much present.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Polished and loaded with finesse, the Produttori’s 2019 Rio Sordo Riserva is a dazzling wine. It opens with heady aromas of new leather, perfumed berry, cedar and spice. On the savory, elegant yet structured palate, a backbone of polished, silky tannins seamlessly supports ripe Morello cherry, white pepper, black tea and star anise. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced and intense. This needs a few more years to fully develop and promises great aging potential. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is quite deep in this vintage, with notable depth in its dark-toned fruit. This is an especially powerful Rio Sordo that is still coming together. Its intensity is palpable, even if I see less of the finesse that I associate with wines from this site. Today, all of the wine’s energy is directed inwards.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Black cherries, lavender, black mushrooms, lead pencil and violets on the nose. Full-bodied with a powerful and polished tannin structure that follows through to the very end. Pure, silky texture. Fascinating aftertaste of ripe fruit, yet it’s fresh and tense. Some orange peel, too. Glorious at the end. So well crafted and pointed. This needs another three to five years to integrate but already extremely impressive.James Suckling | 99 JSShowing an inky dark appearance and made with old-vine fruit, the Siro Pacenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne has a note of baked blackberry pie with the crust, raspberry preserves, barbecue smoke, cigar box and every other rather extreme aromatic description you could apply to a heavily barrique-aged red wine. It’s overblown for sure, especially at this young age, but experience teaches us that Siro Pacenti’s wines need time, lots of time, before all the elements fall into palace. The alcohol is registered at 15%, and there are jackhammer tannins to close. Some 22,000 bottles were made, and they should be put aside for another 10 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is intense, bursting from the glass with a blend of rosemary and spiced blood orange before evolving to show dried black cherries and hints of incense. This flows across the palate with velvety textures complicated by tactile mineral tones and zesty acidity as cool-toned red and black fruits slowly saturate. A web of fine-grained tannins envelops the senses as the 2019 finishes dramatically long and staining, leaving traces of cedary spice and inner rose to linger on and on. This is a formidable VecchieVigne that will pay dividends in the cellar.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Mesmerizing aromas of sandalwood, lavender, sage and currants. Mint and spearmint. Lead pencil shavings. Light coffee bean too. Medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins. It goes on for minutes. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, and 10% petit verdot. So approachable already, but this will age beautifully. Best after 2026 and beyond.James Suckling | 99 JS

Blackcurrants and black cherries with lovely flowers on the nose. Medium-bodied with ultra fine tannins that give focus and tension to the wine. Pretty and poised. A little shy now. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JS