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The 2018 Barolo Perno is a wild, exotic wine. The bouquet alone is captivating. Leather, orange peel, sage, mint, dried flowers and mulling spices all soar out of the glass. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2018 packs a serious punch. Sinewy tannins play off a core of inner sweetness and bright saline notes. This heady, racy Barolo is an exotic beauty. The volatile acidity is on the higher side, but it works within the context of this very old-school style.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Perfumed and fresh with cherries, cedar and hints of dried flowers. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a long, direct finish. Really lively and fresh. Very typical for a top Chianti Classico. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is endowed with so much class. In 2018, the Classico is a bit more restrained than it can be. That mid-weight sense of structure, though, gives the wine quite a bit of early appeal. Even so, I would cellar the 2018 for a few years, as all the elements haven’t fully come together just yet. Dark cherry, game, smoke, licorice and earthy notes are a reminder we are in Castelnuovo Berardenga, even if the 2018 has less weight and overt power than Fèlsina fans are used to seeing.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGNew leather, camphor and blue flower are some of the aromas you’ll find on this bright, fragrant red. On the medium-bodied palate, vibrant acidity and taut tannins surround cassis, Marasca cherry and tobacco notes. Drink 2022–2028.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a toned and delicate expression of 100% Sangiovese from a vintage that produced beautifully subtle and understated wines. It shows good momentum driven by dark fruit, blackberry and summer cherry. The intensity of these aromas is downplayed and rendered less pronounced, adding elegance and fragility. Pretty background notes of spice and balsam herb add an extra layer of complexity. An ample 280,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPIn Chianti Classico’s southeastern corner of Castelnuovo Berardenga, Fèlsina’s south-facing Rancia vineyard evokes a dusty, dry, sunbaked landscape. As always, it is aged in new French oak barriques but at this stage the wood comes across as more pronounced than usual. A jumble of macerated cherry, roasted coffee and grilled Mediterranean herbs gushes from the glass. On the palate, concentrated currants are swathed in dry, powdery tannins. There’s a sour-cherry tug, and slightly bitter finish. I recommend waiting a couple of years to let it sort itself out. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028.Decanter | 90 DEC

The Fontanabianca 2018 Barbaresco is taut and elegant, showing the kind of bright primary fruit that should accompany this wine as it begins and completes its aging trajectory. The wine is very silky and fine, and it shows a nuanced texture that gives this bottle its competitive edge. Fruit comes from a 4.5-hectare site with south and southeast exposures and calcareous clay soils. Production is an ample 30,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSourced from three vineyards within Neive, the 2018 Barbaresco was aged for 20-22 months in a combination of large barrels and barriques. The 2018 leads with medicinal herbs of Amaro, sour cherry, barnyard, and apricot. Fresh with tangy pomegranate pulp on the palate, orange peel, and turned earth, with building tannins on the finish, there is a natural feel and sensibility to the wine that is full of energy. Drink 2021-2032.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDRed cherries with hints of cassis and earth, against a background of solid, spicy oak. Medium-bodied with firm oak and fruit tannins and a rather chewy finish. Give this two or three of years to even out. Best from 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSPacked with plum, cherry, earth, tobacco and iron flavors, this red is as savory as it is fruity. Firms up on the finish, with mouthcoating tannins leaving their mark on the finish. Eucalyptus and rosemary accents linger. Best from 2025 through 2045. 2,800 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAromas of camphor, red berries and dark spice lead the way along with a whiff of toasted nut. Racy and rather austere, the linear palate offers sour cherry, blood orange and raw coffee bean framed in taut, close-grained tannins that leave a firm finish. Give it a few more years to fully integrate. Drink 2024–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Under the leadership of Maria Flora Fuligni since 1971, along with her long-time right-hand Dr Daniela Perino - now the estate’s CEO - Fuligni is one of the denomination’s most consistent performers. The 2018 does not disappoint: it epitomises the elegance of the vintage. A captivating synthesis of florals and earth, the nose radiates pressed violet, lavender and rose with truffle and tobacco accents. It expands in the mouth with flavour rather than weight or brawn. Red currants and orange are amplified by piercing acidity, and well-formed, magnificently textured tannins are chalky and adequately padded, giving layers and profundity. Not pushed beyond its capacity, this will drink beautifully over the next decade.Decanter | 96 DECA fine Brunello with black cherry, hazelnut and chocolate aromas and flavors. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with a pretty texture and delicious finish. Lovely fine tannins. Not the most structured red but will improve with age while delivering wonderful pleasure now. Drinkable but better after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSIt takes a good amount of time for the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino to open in the glass, as a cloud of white smoke gives way to a sweetly scented mix of dried roses, sugar-dusted cherries and hints of exotic spice. This is a round and supple 2018, communicating elegance through its velvety textures, polished ripe red fruits and cascading inner violet florals. There’s opulence here, yet also the acidity to balance, as the 2018 tapers off long with classically refined tannins, yet leaves the palate perfectly reset for another sip. Frankly, it’s hard to put this glass down. There will be no Riserva produced in 2018, and so all of that juice was used to bolster this open-knit and seductive Brunello.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is a total knock-out. Bright, aromatic and silky, the 2018 is pure class. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, licorice, tobacco and incense are some of the notes that grace this exquisite Chianti Classico. When I taste the best wines here, I often wonder why more producers aren’t capable of this level of quality. Stellar.Vinous Media | 93 VMPreviously bottled as an annata, Palazzino’s Argenina has now been elevated to Gran Selezione, meaning the estate’s entire Chianti Classico production now falls into this category. It comes from a vineyard in the southern reaches of Gaiole on limestone-rich, fluvial terraces. An autumnal whiff of chestnut is followed by fetching heather and cinnamon stick. Elegant and fine framed, it presents as midweight and linear at first, then fleshes out across the palate. Tangy acidity persists throughout, and there’s a subtle yet confident grip of tannins on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is herbaceous with pine, damp soil, and dried cherry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins, a soft stony texture, and notes of plum pit and tea leaf., it is a pleasantly savory wine to drink over the next 5-7 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Forest floor, cedar, new leather and camphor aromas take shape in the glass on this compelling, earthy red. Showing a Barolo-like structure, the full-bodied, savory palate has an alluring wildness and energy to it, delivering dried cherry, blood orange, black olive and licorice framed against a backbone of tightly knit tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced. It’s still youthfully austere and needs a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2026–2038.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2018 Barbaresco Montestefano is brisk and engaging. This is an especially strict reading of Montestefano that seems to have more of Montefico-like sense of vibrancy and tension. Rosewater, orange peel, white pepper and bright red-toned fruit are all finely cut. The 2018 comes across as a touch severe today. I would cellar it for a few years and see what happens.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Intense aromas of black cherries, lavender and spice, such as nutmeg. Some sandalwood and bark, too. Full-bodied with a solid core of fruit and tannins for the vintage. Rather chewy, suggesting that additional bottle age is needed. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSDepths of dark, balsamic-tinged black cherry, plum sauce and autumnal spice make the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino impossible to ignore. This is velvety to the core, nearly opulent in feel, with a dense wave of ripe red fruits complemented by nuances of sweet lavender and tobacco. It leaves the palate clenched with fine tannins and primary concentration, creating a classic sensation that transcends the vintage. Nearly a minute goes by, and hints of cocoa and sweet herbs continue to resonate. Wow! Production at the Pertimali estate was down by 20% due to the spring frost, and the decision was made to place all of the juice usually intended for the Riserva into the straight Brunello, the result being one of the top wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 95 VMDepths of dark, balsamic-tinged black cherry, plum sauce and autumnal spice make the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino impossible to ignore. This is velvety to the core, nearly opulent in feel, with a dense wave of ripe red fruits complemented by nuances of sweet lavender and tobacco. It leaves the palate clenched with fine tannins and primary concentration, creating a classic sensation that transcends the vintage. Nearly a minute goes by, and hints of cocoa and sweet herbs continue to resonate. Wow! Production at the Pertimali estate was down by 20% due to the spring frost, and the decision was made to place all of the juice usually intended for the Riserva into the straight Brunello, the result being one of the top wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 95 VMRich with compact and velvety layers, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino offers fleshy aromas of fig, black licorice, mocha, and roasted sage. It is full-bodied and displays more freshness and transparency on the palate, although it remains fully ripe, with black cherry, plum, turned soil, and macerated violets. It has full and present ripe tannins, a hint of crushed rock, and a saline, savory finish. With its liqueur-like richness throughout, this is a fantastic expression, but it needs a couple of years in the cellar before drinking over the following 10.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDRich with compact and velvety layers, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino offers fleshy aromas of fig, black licorice, mocha, and roasted sage. It is full-bodied and displays more freshness and transparency on the palate, although it remains fully ripe, with black cherry, plum, turned soil, and macerated violets. It has full and present ripe tannins, a hint of crushed rock, and a saline, savory finish. With its liqueur-like richness throughout, this is a fantastic expression, but it needs a couple of years in the cellar before drinking over the following 10.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDWith vineyards on the edge of the Montosoli hill in Montalcino’s north, the Sassetti family waited until 7 Oct to harvest. Thin-skinned grapes demanded a significant selection and just a brief maceration. The resulting wine is reticent rather than flamboyant and highlights a rigid character to the vintage. Aromas evoke cranberry, brushwood and rooibos tea. An angular silhouette emphasises rugged tannins and tangy, tart acidity. Predominantly sour cherry flavours make way for subtle iron and cinnamon on the finish. Despite its rigour, this will be best in the near-term.Decanter | 90 DECWith vineyards on the edge of the Montosoli hill in Montalcino’s north, the Sassetti family waited until 7 Oct to harvest. Thin-skinned grapes demanded a significant selection and just a brief maceration. The resulting wine is reticent rather than flamboyant and highlights a rigid character to the vintage. Aromas evoke cranberry, brushwood and rooibos tea. An angular silhouette emphasises rugged tannins and tangy, tart acidity. Predominantly sour cherry flavours make way for subtle iron and cinnamon on the finish. Despite its rigour, this will be best in the near-term.Decanter | 90 DEC

A beautiful, pure syrah with dark-cherry and lavender aromas that follow through to a full body with round, polished tannins that are tight and compact. Flavorful and racy finish. Black-licorice and tar flavors. Slightly chewy at the end. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSRich dark fruits, spiced cookie, smoky plums and black cherries define the 2018 Syrah Bramasole. This is cool-toned, pliant and pleasantly sweet, with a fresh display of inner violets, minerals and bright acids that keep the mouth watering. Nuanced tannins and sweet spice linger as this high-energy Cortona Syrah tapers off with blue and purple-toned florals. The 2018 Bramasole is stunning and so easy to like.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2018 Barolo Le Coste di Monforte is a dark, brooding wine. A blast of dark cherry, menthol, licorice, dried herbs, incense, tobacco and gravel hits the palate, conveying all of the virile intensity this site is so well-known for. There’s good depth and a fair amount of brawny tannins to wrap it all together. The 2018 is very nicely done.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2018 Geremia is stellar. A wine of energy and delineation, Geremia is all about persistence more than volume in 2018. Blueberry, blackberry, lavender, licorice and scorched earth abound. In 2018, Geremia is a wine of tension and reserve. It’s best days are far off in the future. I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.Vinous Media | 96 VMComposed of 82% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Geremia is deep ruby, with a sweet perfume of graphite, fresh violets, and kirsch. It is full bodied but weightless, with refined tannins, and is refreshing on the finish. Mouthwatering with salinity and full, with notes of licorice, black cherry, and black raspberry, this is a stunner of a wine. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis has a savory array of thyme, sour cherries, lemon leaves and currants on the nose, with black olives too. It’s full-bodied with firm, nicely integrated tannins and a tangy acidic kick. Merlot and cabernet sauvignon. From organically grown grapes. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino offers a full and generous personality with layers of dark fruit, cola, rosemary and balsam herb. This is a medium to full-bodied Sangiovese with lots of ripe fruit, soft tannins and rich texture. Like many of the Brunellos from this vintage, this wine offers an accessible side that makes it easy to drink without waiting too much longer. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA darkly floral bouquet of musky red currants and hints of savory spice wafts up from the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s silky and pliant, with herbal-tinged red and black fruits that flow across a core of saline-minerality. The 2018 finishes long and staining to the senses, with a web of fine tannins offset by hints of citrus-tinged blackberry. There’s an underlying power here seldom seen in the 2018 vintage, but patience will be required.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is modest and elegantly styled, with raspberry liqueur, fresh herbs, and rose hip. Medium-bodied and driven by orange citrus pith, strawberry, cloves, and dusty tannins, it is a finessed and cooling example from the vintage. Drink 2024-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDPorcini mushrooms, cherry stones, iodine and some beetroot here. Savory and chewy, with a medium body and firm tannins. A little tight and austere at the finish. Should soften. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

This elegant, juicy red packs a core of pure cherry shaded by accents of wild herbs, licorice and earth. Charming and harmonious, with the fruit echoing on the lingering aftertaste, revealing a mineral element at the very end. Best from 2025 through 2042. 1,080 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe Val di Suga 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Granchio (with 10,000 bottles made) opens to a pretty dark appearance and a much brighter quality of fruit (compared to Vigna del Lago) with plump cherry, black-currant and dark plum. Fruit comes from a higher elevation site at 450 meters above sea level, and this might make the difference. The wine is rather lean in terms of mouthfeel, with dusty tannins and chalky mineral sensations. Its structure is soft, generally speaking, and the wine is ready to go straight out of the gate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2019 Barbaresco Ronchi is a deep, potent wine. In this tasting, the Ronchi impresses with its stature, aromatic presence and textural intensity. Dark red cherry, red plum, cinnamon, rose petal and dried flowers emerge with a bit of coaxing, but the Ronchi is one of the least giving wines in the range today. I would cellar it for at least a few years. It is another wine where elegance and power meld together.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGFloral aromas of rose and violet align with Morello cherry and aromatic herb on this fragrant red. Precise and savory, the palate is still youthfully tense, delivering red cherry, pomegranate and licorice alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2029–2039. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe Albino Rocca 2019 Barbaresco Ronchi is concise and tight with precise aromas of blackcurrant, aniseed, crushed stone and blue flower. Ronchi fruit often shows this more angular and linear quality, and these traits come through with special sharpness in this vintage. Additionally, there is an earthy, crushed limestone quality that also seems specific to this expression. The tannins are hard and firm, setting this wine up for a longer drinking window. Production is 8,200 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPRound and fruity, featuring cherry, raspberry, earth, tar and white pepper aromas and flavors. Reveals a floral hint, too, as this plays out with grace and finesse. Well-structured and silky. Best from 2025 through 2040. 650 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFresh strawberry with hints of cherry, as well as orange peel. Medium to full body with chewy tannins and a savory finish. Give this two or three years to soften and come together. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JS

The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a beautiful level of dark fruit that folds into the wine’s velvety texture. Blackberry and plum envelop the palate, adding elegant full-bodied volume and fine tannins along the way. The wine is aged in traditional Slavonian casks, and production reaches 110,000 bottles annually (which is very ambitious considering this level of quality).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA dark ruby color in the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a beguiling blend of dusty earth, crushed rocks, savory herbs and dried roses. This is racy and sleek, with vividly ripe wild berry fruits elevated by orange and sage, all guided by vibrant acidity. Grippy tannins take control through the finish, yet the mouth is left watering for more as a bitter licorice tinge and dark chocolate adds a crunchy sensation.Vinous Media | 94 VMA medium-bodied red with pretty plum and berry aromas and flavors. Fine tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine and focused. Not the most structured but this is all about finesse and polish. Drinkable but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 93 JSPlum, fragrant blue flower, exotic brown spice and crushed mint are just some of the aromas you’ll find on the polished and perfumed 2019 Brunello from Altesino. Full-bodied and enveloping, the palate features ripe black cherry, blood orange and licorice before closing on a hint of almond liqueur. Velvety tannins and fresh acidity provide seamless support. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

From a beautiful site that must be seen to be believed, the Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is redolent with dark fruit, blackcurrant and crushed slate. The mineral element of Montosoli and its schistic galestro-rich soils comes through beautifully in this vintage to add a linear sense of immediacy and verticality to the bouquet. The mouthfeel is especially elegant, and the wine’s acidity is delivered expertly to showcase freshness but more importantly to highlight the quality of the fruit. The effect is very tonic and bright, and you get hints of baked brioche or oven-baked Italian focaccia bread, thanks to careful aging in Slavonian oak. This is a 12,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPAn enticing blend of steeped plums, blood orange, sage and sweet smoke makes the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli a total pleasure on the nose. Elegant and soothing, it flows across the palate with a silken wave of ripe red fruits and spices as saline minerals slowly saturate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 is seamless and harmonious, leaving a coating of edgy tannins to contend with a bump of refreshing acidity as suggestions of tart cranberry and a bitter tinge of clove slowly taper off. This is Montosoli terroir at its very best, and even at this early stage, it’s impossible to resist pouring another glass.Vinous Media | 97 VMPerfumed and beautiful with raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Purity like a mountain stream. Medium to full body with ultra-refined tannins that are so polished and beautiful. Goes on for minutes. Lovely and real. Drinkable but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Altesino 2019 Vigna Montosoli is gorgeous. It opens with enticing scents of violet, baked plum and new leather while the delicious palate delivers raspberry compote, cherry marinated in spirits, licorice and mocha framed in taut, close-grained tannins. A hint of tobacco lingers on the close. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOAltesino was the first producer in Montosoli, helping to elevate the fame of this cru. Montosoli undergoes extended ageing of 28 months in large 60hl French and Slavonian oak casks. Very classic, here the typical smoky woodland aroma mingles with cherry and strawberry fruit; fresh and elegant. Liquorice, leather and tobacco lend a dark profile to the wine. The broad palate has fierce acidity and velvety tannins, with a long, stern finish.Decanter | 95 DEC

After excellent showings from the 2018 vintage, Canalicchio di Sopra follows up with an impressive trio of 2019s. There is also a highly promising Riserva waiting in the wings... In the meantime, the current releases kick off with the estate Brunello, which is assembled from vines that are at least a decade old. It’s a model of freshness and energy, backed by substance and staying power. Aromas of mint, lavender and tobacco lead to a radiant core of warm stone and red currants. The tannins are direct and linear, giving a firm grip to the dense fruit. Bitter citrus to finish.Decanter | 95 DECWith a hint of candied cherry, grenadine or Shirley Temple, the Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino reveals purple blossom, dried flower, cough drop and balsam herb. The wine is very nicely stitched together with integrated oak that comes through in a structural way but not too much on the bouquet. The tannins do feel dry on the mid-palate, but they remain fine and tight. The alcohol is a bit high in this vintage at 15%. Production is 47,321 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBlack cherry, black berry, and lead pencil on the nose. Some fresh bark too. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Linear tannins. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSNew leather, camphor, forest floor and exotic brown spice aromas lead the nose on the robust, savory 2019 Brunello from Canalicchio. This is a big, bold red, delivering liquor-soaked prune, succulent black cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside a backbone of firm, tightly woven tannins. You’ll also feel the warmth of alcohol on the close. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, earthy, dusty and floral, showing a savory blend of wild herbs and black cherries. This is surprisingly energetic on the palate, with silk textures and a juicy core of wild berry fruit complemented by violet inner florals toward the close. A saturation of fine tannins clamps down hard through the finish as the 2019 tapers off dry and with admirable length, leaving a tactile mineral crunch to fade. Extensive cellaring will be required.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Silky, elegant and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 Gattinara Il Putto is seriously impressive. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Soaring aromatics meld into a core of bright, red-toned fruit. Medium in body, yet deep and resonant, this classically built Gattinara is fabulous. I especially admire the energy and purity here.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Pretty pure fruit to this with black cherry, black berry and light chocolate aromas. The palate is full and focused with very polished tannins and a long, long finish. Best after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JSThe Caparzo 2019 Brunello di Montalcino offers lively aromas of cherry cola, forest berry and dried cranberry that really pop on the bouquet. The dimension and latitude of the wine is impressive, especially in terms of mouthfeel, and with this bottle you’re set for near and medium-term drinking. However, what works best in my opinion is the wine’s balanced and much-needed freshness. You get great quality over an ambitious release of 160,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, yet it is worth the wait as a dusty blend of dried flowers, cedar shavings, wild strawberries, and spice emerges over time. It’s silky and enveloping with fresh acidity and pretty wild berry fruits that gain in sweetness as they travel across the palate. It finishes long and staining yet still lively and spry, leaving a coating of fine tannins and licorice hints that resonate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 is a lovely interpretation of northern Montalcino fruit.Vinous Media | 93 VMDelicate aromas suggesting graphite, crushed mint and iris take shape on the 2019 Brunello from Caparzo. Smooth and sleek, the linear palate features juicy Morello cherry, raspberry, star anise and the same graphite nose as the nose. Polished tannins offer lithe support. It’s already surprisingly accessible but will also offer another decade of pleasure. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

Black cherries, black bark, blackberries and lavender. Medium- to full-bodied with juicy and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Needs four or five years to open and come together. Best after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino pulls the taster close to take in its understated bouquet of dried roses, cedar shavings and incense. It’s soft and supple with depths of tart wild berry fruit guided by brisk acidity as hints of orange form along with a coating of fine tannins toward the close. This finishes classically dry and with admirable length, as grippy tannins pinch at the cheeks and a licorice tinge slowly fades. I’m happy to say I’m finding more energy and liveliness in the 2019 versus past vintages.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2019 Castelgiocondo Brunello has balsamic aromas of camphor that mingle with leather, forest floor, spice and hazelnut. Full-bodied and linear, the palate features coconut, roasted coffee bean, licorice and a hint of blood orange but it’s shy on fruit richness. Tightly woven, close-grained tannins provide the backbone and a drying finish. Drink 2028–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 90 KO

Darkly alluring and spicy, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino emanates from the glass with an earthy blend of crushed rocks, savory herbs, spiced blood orange and dried cherries. This soothes the palate with its soft textures and depths of wild berry fruit. Brisk acidity and mineral tones add lift but also depth. The 2019 finishes dramatically long and structured, turning youthfully inward on itself as orange and rosy inner florals resonate. The house style is on full display here, elevated by the radiant fruits of the 2019 vintage.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens to dried cassis and cranberry, and there is a hint of something floral and fragile, like crushed red rose petals or potpourri. However, the wine also shows growing momentum, especially as it opens in the glass and you start to recognize dark spice, clove, bay leaf and thyme. There is a point of sweetness on the mid-palate, even some dried raspberry, rendering an overall more accessible wine. Compared to the brilliant fruit in the Filo di Seta, this village wine has drier notes with hints of daisy greens and dried currant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPolished and refined wine with aromas of wild strawberries, dark cherries and violets.Rich and full-bodied with balanced, soft acidity. Firm and fine-grained tannins. Energetic. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 93 JS

A really focused and rounded Brunello with lovely velvety tannins that give this length and grandeur. It’s medium- to full-bodied with a lovely intensity and texture. Lasts for minutes. A beautiful young Brunello. Better than the excellent 2016. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSA youthful red/ruby color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Poggiotondo is ripe and expressive with aromas of cherry pie, baking spices, cedar, and mossy earth. Medium to full-bodied, it builds in structure, with ripe tannins, fresh acidity, and a mouthwatering finish. It’s a charming wine with grippy structure to drink over the next 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDNew leather, underbrush and eucalyptus aromas form the nose along with whiffs of lavender. Firm and linear, the palate features dried cherry, orange zest, licorice and mocha alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 90 KO

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

Made with organically farmed grapes, the Collosorbo 2019 Brunello has inviting aromas of plum, new leather, lavender and Mediterranean scrub. On the concentrated, velvety palate, tightly knit, close-grained tannins envelop black cherry extract, liquor soaked prune, licorice and tobacco before a mocha finish. It’s delicious but also rather one-dimensional. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a bouquet that blends savory herbs and worn leather with crushed wild berries. It’s softly textured and round, with a pretty inner sweetness and juicy red fruits cascading under rosy inner florals. The 2019 tapers off long and gently tannic, as a bump of residual acidity maintains an energetic feel.Vinous Media | 92 VM