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The prodigious 1997 Amarone Vigneto Alto TB is reminiscent of Henri Bonneau’s 1990 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins. The lofty 16% alcohol is barely noticeable. Yields were a minuscule 20 hectoliters per hectare. Sadly, there are only 300 cases of this extraordinary Amarone. It boasts notes of smoke, truffle oil, blackberries, plums, and earthy, concentrated black currant jam. Layered, thick, full-bodied, and dry, with extraordinary purity as well as definition, it is an amazing achievement. While not for everybody, this is a singular, impeccably balanced wine. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.Robert Parker | 96 RP

Gaja's 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style.Vinous Media | 96 VMIncredible amount of fruit and character in this wine, with mint, mineral, blackberry and plum aromas turning to tobacco and tar. Full-bodied, with an iron-cast core of fruit and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Incredibly tight and powerful. Give this a decade. From Gaja's 30-acre vineyard in the Barolo-producing zone of Serralunga. Best after 2013. 2,800 cases made, 580 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSGaja’s 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.Angelo Gaja’s 2000s are a bit of a mystery. The wines were absolutely beautiful upon release and equally impressive when I tasted them a few years later for the 7th edition of Parker’s Wine Buyers Guide. The 2000s were far less convincing when I tasted them in November 2010. All of the wines were initially very reticent and closed. After an hour or two in the glass they opened for about 30 minutes before closing back down again. Gaja thinks the wines are passing through a stage of inaccessibility. If anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it is Gaja. I can’t remember the last older wine from this cellar that was a disappointment or that hadn’t aged well, and I have been privileged to taste the vast majority of wines that have been made here under Angelo Gaja’s tenure. Time will ultimately tell where these wines are headed, but this was not an especially flattering showing for Gaja’s 2000s. That said, most producers would be thrilled to have wines like these in their cellars. In some ways, Gaja is a victim of his own success. He sets such a high bar with his finest vintages; it is only natural to expect greatness all the time. The 2000s fall a bit short of that mark but are quite strong in the context of the year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Bold and structured red. Dark color; black licorice, raspberry and mineral character and hints of dried flowers; full-bodied, with spicy fruit and undertones of black pepper. Chewy finish. This is fantastic. Best after 2007. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2001 Serpico is another wine that appears to need more bottle age. Today it is in an in-between stage where the fruit is no longer primary but the tertiary notes aren’t fully developed either. The 2001 is a powerful Serpico with impressive tannic clout that will require further cellaring to soften. With time, hints of wild cherries, herbs, chocolate and leather emerge but only with great reluctance. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Feudi di San Gregorio is one the leading estates in Campania and Italy. Enzo Ercolino spared no expenses in snapping up vineyards and building a state of the art facility that cranks out more than 4 million bottles per year. Along the way Feudi garnered considerable accolades from the press, perhaps too much attention for a winery that was just getting started. Today Feudi is owned and run by the Capaldo family. The estate makes a wide range of whites and reds, but the most consistently outstanding wines are the two Aglianicos; Serpico and the Taurasi Piano di Montevergine. From the outset Serpico was conceived as a more approachable interpretation of Aglianico than Taurasi. The softness of some early vintages suggests other grapes may have been used to help smooth the trademark Aglianico rusticity. The Taurasi di Montevergine was initially made from a number of different parcels although today it is a true single-vineyard wine made from a late-ripening plot that sits at 700 meters above sea level. Over the years, this site has proven to be exceptional in yielding structured Taurasis that at their best capture the full breadth of Aglianico. Consulting oenologist Luigi Moio, who had just returned from a stint in France, made the wines from 1995 through 1998, although he did not see all the wines through to their bottling as he left Feudi in 1999. Moio is one of the key figures in the development of the wines of the south. His consulting projects include Caggiano and Cantina del Notaio, in addition to the superb wines he is making at his own estate, Quintodecimo. At Feudi Moio favored lengthy fermentations often reaching more than 25 days (Moio has since adopted a shorter approach to fermentations with his own wines at Quintodecimo). Malolactic fermentation was done in steel. Moio used 100% new oak for Serpico and 60% new oak for the Piano di Montevergine. Oenologist Riccardo Cotarella made the wines between 1999 and 2006. Cotarella is another seminal figure in Campania, as he pioneered Montevetrano and Terra di Lavoro - two wines that were groundbreaking when they were conceived and that continue to set a high bar for the region - as well as Feudi’s 100% luxury Merlot cuvee, Patrimo. Cotarella preferred shortish macerations. After the alcoholic fermentation was completed, the wines were racked into oak until spring, when they were moved into steel for the malolactic fermentations. The wines were then moved back into oak, where they completed their aging. Cotarella favored 100% new oak for both Serpico and Piano di Montevergine. Since 2006 Feudi has moved most of its winemaking in house and relied less on outside consultants.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2001 Serpico is another wine that appears to need more bottle age. Today it is in an in-between stage where the fruit is no longer primary but the tertiary notes aren’t fully developed either. The 2001 is a powerful Serpico with impressive tannic clout that will require further cellaring to soften. With time, hints of wild cherries, herbs, chocolate and leather emerge but only with great reluctance.Antonio Galloni | 92+ AG

The 2004 Barolo Vigna Croera reveals pretty aromatics and notes of smoke, tar, roses, herbs and the small red fruits that are characteristic of the wines of La Morra. Made in a medium-bodied, delicate style it possesses a graceful, feminine personality and finessed tannins. Even though the wine continued to gain weight in the glass I noted that it was less expressive than when I tasted it from barrel in April 2007. The Croera is made from a high altitude plot in the Serradenari district of La Morra. This site has never been particularly well regarded for Nebbiolo. Long-time oenologist Dante Scaglione told me he expects the vines to only yield top-flight Barolo in truly great vintages. There will be no 2005 or 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.Bruno Giacosa’s profound 2004s, which I first wrote about in Issue 173, continue with these superb Barolos, all of which merit close attention. I also had a chance to re-taste the 2004 Barbarescos and they were as impressive as they have been on previous occasions.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPBruno Giacosa’s 2004 Barolo Croera is an excellent choice for drinking over the next decade or so. A pretty, understated wine, the Croera offers lovely balance in a feminine style that is typical of La Morra. Rose petal, mint, sage, crushed raspberries and anise shape the aromatic, mid-weight finish. If opened today, the 2004 needs a bit of air to soften the tannins a touch. The Croera is the one and only Barolo Bruno Giacosa made from La Morra. Giacosa eventually sold this parcel after a series of wines that did not meet his exacting standards and were never released. This bottle showed quite a bit better than the bottle I tasted for my recent 2004 Barolo retrospective. As it turns out, both bottles were from the same case I purchased upon release.Antonio Galloni | 90 AGAromas of plum, coffee and dried flowers follow through to a medium body, with silky tannins and a soft, refined finish. A delicate young Barolo. This is a new single-vineyard wine from Giacosa. Best after 2011. 600 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Far more captivating, the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino appears to have barely budged since it was released a few years back. Stylistically, the 2004 remains one of the more mid-weight vintages at Salvioni, yet it is so finessed. Remarkably fresh and nuanced, the 2004 has all the qualities that made it so appealing when it was a young wine. Everything is simply in the right place. What a gorgeous wine this is.Vinous Media | 97 VMSalvioni’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is made in a style that brilliantly reconciles a modern approach in the vineyards (tiny yields, full phenolic ripeness) with a traditional approach to winemaking (long macerations, cask aging). An explosive, super-ripe wine, this Brunello flows from the glass with mesmerizing richness and stunning balance. The gorgeous red fruit carries through all the way to the finish, where flowers, tobacco and spices add further complexity. In many ways, Salvioni’s Brunello di Montalcino is the region’s equivalent to Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Cascina Francia, a wine with which it shares many attributes. Simply put, this is a gem from Giulio Salvioni, and it is not to missed! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPShows aromas of clove, vanilla, blueberry and cherry. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a fruity, chewy tannin finish. Needs some bottle age to mellow a little. Best after 2011. 725 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2005 Rosso del Bepi is made with the same blend of grapes found in the Valpolicella Superiore. Only in the case of this wine, the entire mass of fruit sees a four-month appassimento cycle. The wine is aged in large oak casks for eight years. A severe hail storm in 2005 reduced yields. The fruit was good in that vintage, but not good enough to become Amarone. All that potential got locked into this wine instead. Despite its age, the Rosso del Bepi offers surprising freshness and crispness with delineated tones of dried cherry and pressed rose. This wine has more decades of cellar aging locked within.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Smoke, tar, earthiness and licorice add gorgeous dimensions of complexity in the 2010 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia. Here, too, the flavors are remarkably bright and focused. The dark, brooding notes of Serralunga are very much present, but the 2010 impresses for its pure balance, harmony and class. Dried rose petals, spices, licorice and game add complexity on a huge finish supported by big, incisive tannins. This is another utterly vivid, dazzling Barolo from Brovia. Here, too, readers will note a slight name change.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis structured, vibrant wine opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of red cherry, leather, clove, spice and balsamic notes. The savory palate doles out red and black berry reined in by mint, licorice and black pepper alongside brisk acidity and tightly woven tannins. It will blossom into a beauty. Drink after 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WERaspberry coulis and mint nose. Succulent cherry fruit, very concentrated with massive but not tough tannins. A mighty wine with good acidity, considerable finesse and excellent length. Drinking Window 2015 - 2030.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2010 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia hails from the eight-hectare Brea vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba. Nebbiolo vines are almost 60 years old, but the site is also planted to Barbera, Dolcetto and Moscato for Moscato d’Asti. I love the exotic personality of this wine. The bouquet shows dark fruit and thick layers with cinnamon, cumin and cardamom at the back. There are dried herbs and rosemary sprig as well. This wine is especially characterized by its tannins that are extra firm and etched. The wine will require extra aging time in order to find balance and harmony.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLots of tar, rose petal and dark-fruit character. Full body, chewy tannins and a juicy aftertaste. Lots of character. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 92 JS

It started in 1993, with 3ha of vineyards; now Buglioni has 54ha. This riserva is made only in the best vintages, with the best hand-picked grapes. Aged for 30 months in tonneaux, it has tertiary notes of balsam, dry leaves, sweet tobacco and jam. Bramble fruits and summer-fruit pudding surround the taste buds. Intense, elegant and poised, with great length and huge structure. Try it with bitter chocolate or enjoy it on its own. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DECInviting aromas of ripe dark-skinned berry, new leather, cocoa and forest floor emerge from the glass. The concentrated palate doles out black currant jam, licorice, black pepper and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2019–2027.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WESome 3,570 bottles were made and each one is numbered. In some parts of the Valpolicella, 2010 was considered a difficult vintage, but not here. The 2010 Amarene della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Teste Dure is extracted, inky and soft. The wine is showing some maturity and evolution, with licorice and tar behind primary notes of dried blackberry, plum and raisin. I would suggest a slightly reduced drinking window as a result, maybe pairing it alongside lamb with balsamic reduction. The next time this Riserva was made was 2015, and the folks at Buglioni have been experimenting with whole-cluster fermentations and amphorae aging too. So far, they are happy with the results, so we will surely see these methods used in upcoming releases.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPIntense soy-sauce and cooked-plum nose that won’t be for everyone, but on the palate this is rich and silky. Good length. Drink now with mature hard cheeses.James Suckling | 91 JS

This is a very sexy, soft Barbaresco with chocolate, earth and pure fruit, from strawberries to cherries. Medium -o full-bodied with elegant tannins that give form to this wine. It’s fine and lovely in the mouth. Exciting. A fine, granular-textured red. Drinkable now, but better in 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSI tasted this wine next to the 2017 vintage, and the differences between the two growing seasons are remarkable. The 2017 expression is open, more accessible and singing from the glass. However, the Bruno Giacosa 2016 Barbaresco Rabajà is certainly more reserved and timid if tasted now. The wine opens to beautiful richness, saturation and concentration. There is plenty of dark fruit and bright cherry with ample textural richness that is followed by sweet tannins and an attractively tight or firm structure. Saline or mineral notes give the wine sharpness and added dimension. It has all its cards in place for long aging, and the wine most certainly needs more time in the bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPElegant and graceful, this offers cherry, strawberry, rose, tobacco, iron and spice flavors on a linear frame. The steely structure and tension deliver plenty of grip. Balanced in the end, with a chalky feel on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2045. 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2016 Barbaresco Rabajà is very nicely done. It offers up an enticing mélange of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, licorice, sage, tobacco and menthol, all in a relatively mid-weight, light style for this site. The 2016 won’t make Giacosa fans forget about the 2001 or 2004, but it is certainly very nicely balanced. Overall, the 2016 is a bit light for Rabajà, but attractive if taken on its own terms. It should drink well for another decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

This is a phenomenal Barolo from a benchmark vintage. It’s so powerful and structured with toned and muscular tannins that run the length of the wine. Classic structure. Full-bodied but tight and intense. Flavors of forest floor, fresh mushroom, truffle, and cedar. Dried flowers, too. It goes on for minutes. This needs at least eight years to soften. Leave in the cellar! One of the greatest Cannubis ever. From the original parcel of the vineyard. Aged five years in cask and two years in bottle. Try after 2030.James Suckling | 100 JSFresh, harmonious and long, with cherry, plum, toast, sandalwood and forest aromas and flavors, this red is mellowing, with hints of mushroom and leather seeping in, along with tobacco and mint. Best from 2025 through 2045. 500 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSOnly released in the best vintages, the Damilano 2016 Barolo Riserva Cannubi 1752 (with 6,000 bottles made) starts off a bit slow like some of the other wines in this portfolio and requires a little extra time to open. That shy beginning slowly embraces dark fruit, blackcurrant, peat moss and crushed stone. This Riserva offers an extra layer of density and power (with a 15% alcohol content). It would benefit from clarity on the bouquet, and surely this will come with time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAromas recalling purple flower, baked plum, tobacco and cake spice form the nose. On the full-bodied palate, tightly knit, velvety tannins seamlessly support dried cherry, licorice and mocha before closing on notes of blood orange and a hint of saline. Drink 2026–2031. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

Predominantly from within the cru of Cerequio on the border between Barolo and La Morra, Conteisa has been produced since 1996. The 2017 Barolo Conteisa has ripe aromas of red cherry, cinnamon, and licorice. The palate is forward and gushing with raspberry leather, iron-rich earth, and tobacco leaf. This is the most generous and giving of the three wines in this tasting, yet at the same time remains noble. Drink 2022-2042.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDFabulous aromas of ripe strawberry and raspberry with hazelnut and citrus follow through to a medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins and a racy and refined finish. It’s so fresh for the vintage and goes on for minutes. A classy and great wine. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2017 Barolo Conteisa is rich, ample and inviting. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar and dried flowers lend captivating aromatic presence to the Gaja family’s La Morra Barolo. Even so, the 2017 is quite closed today, which is rather unusual for a wine that is typically far more open in the early going. That’s probably a good sign for the future, though. Time in the glass brings out the classic Conteisa red-toned fruit profile. More than anything else, I am so impressed with how the 2017 gets better and better with air. This is a terrific showing. Sadly, production is down by about 50% because of severe selection.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe Gaja 2017 Barolo Conteisa opes to an immediate sense of dimension and textural width that distinguishes this hot growing season. In this case, that additional volume and power are expertly contained and refined in this wine with fruit from the Cerequio vineyard of Barolo. Cerequio saw hail damage in 2016 and was more fortunate this year; however, the site generally remains quite protected from extreme weather conditions (compared to its adjacent vineyards). This wine excels most noticeably in terms of mouthfeel. The finish is silky and long and those more astringent 2017 tannins are gracefully absent here.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPGaja manages two different plots in Cerequio, from where most of the grapes for Conteisa come. Both exposures - southeast and east - mark the character of this wine. If Sperss is the Yin, Conteisa would be the Yang: It’s dark fruited with black cherry and plum complemented by graceful wild herbs and mint, and a bloody, olive-like savouriness. Full-bodied and crisp, the tannins are firm, thick and dusty yet evolved. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECExpressing balsamic aromas and flavors of soy, eucalyptus, wild thyme and tobacco, this Barolo also delivers ripe plum and cherry midpalate, with earth and tar accents rounding out the profile. Gruff tannins mark the finish, so be patient. Best from 2025 through 2045. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAromas of French oak and roasted coffee bean lead the nose along with whiffs of pressed rose petal, eucalyptus and the barest hint of berry. The firm, full-bodied palate offers licorice, coconut, vanilla and dried cherry alongside assertive, close-grained tannins. You’ll also feel the warmth of alcohol on the close. Drink 2025–2032.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2017 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is flat out stunning. All the purest essence of Rionda comes through in a captivating Barolo that dazzles. Sweet red cherry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, licorice and blood orange are some of the many aromas and flavors that lift from the glass. Exotic and racy, the 2017 is a flat-out stunner. Now, for the million dollar question. Is it better than the 2016? Right now, I give an edge to the 2017 for its greater finesse and total sense of exotic beauty. But time will be the judge. I do look forward to tasting the 2016 and 2017 side by side!Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is a gorgeous wine, and although it could stand more years of aging, you’re not wrong to enjoy it in the near or medium term either. The 2017 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is packed tight with dark fruit, but it also shows a delicately savory edge with black licorice and rusty metal. The wine’s intensity and the mouthfeel are sublime. Aging sees it go into botte for 36 months followed by another 36 months in bottle before its release. Production is 12,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA traditional style with long fermentation and maceration in oak vats at a temperature of around 30°C, then aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for up to 42 months, followed by a further 24 months in the bottle. The nose is impressively fresh and vibrant, with a mix of white pepper, watermelon, wild strawberry and mint leaf. Less restrained than usual, on the palate the attack is firm, still young, and chewy, with brilliant long acidity and a cherry kernel finish. It deserves time to develop more complexity.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2017 Massolino Vigna Rionda Barolo Riserva has a super-bright clarity and intensity to its ruby color. On the nose, sweet red fruits combine with just-ripe cherry, wild rose and gentle cream notes but everything is beautifully restrained and elegant. On the palate it has a very lovely, silky and fine texture with flavors similar to the aromas. The tannins are super-refined but with plenty of chalky density - this vineyard is in Serralunga after all - a commune famous for its tannins! The finish is mouth-wateringly fresh. What a super-pure, bright and vivacious wine! Keep three to four years, but it will drink well for probably 35 to 40.The Wine Independent | 96 TWINotes of wild strawberries and sour cherries with dried flowers and chocolate orange undertones. Medium- to full-bodied, very polished and fine-grained, showcasing subtle notes of red fruit with a mineral backbone. Even and balanced with a textural finish. Great to drink after 2025 but will age further.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2017 Vigna Rionda from Massolino impresses with aromas of forest floor, leather, camphor, wild berry and a whiff of blue flower. It’s brooding and firm, featuring dried cherry, crushed mint, cake spice and tangy mineral framed in tightly-knit, fine-grained tannins. Surprisingly fresh acidity keeps it lifted.It’s a phenomenal showing for what was such a dry, scorching vintage. Drink 2029–2037. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KO

Dried strawberry with some cherry, nutmeg and spice. Some dried meat, too. Full-bodied, chewy and rich with integration and focus. The tannins are really put together beautifully. Long and intense. Tight at the end. This needs at least four or five years to open. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2017 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata is a pleasant, easygoing Barolo from Roberto Voerzio. Lifted, perfumed Rocche aromatics meld into a core of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, blood orange and spice. The 2017 is a bit more nervy than most vintages, but the brisk tannins help convey a measure of freshness that is quite welcome in this vintage. The 2017 is a solid wine, but far from inspiring.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2018 Bruno Giacosa Barolo is very rich and hedonistic, with ripe strawberries and rose hip and notes of incense, lilies and violets. It is a lovely nose, persistent, intense and enticing and on the palate it is like falling into a soft velvety bed of rose petals. It already has such beautiful harmony and poise. It has a lush, sensual texture of crushed velvet, and is full-bodied without feeling heavy. There are plenty of dense, savory tannins extending the very long finish, creating a combination of seductive charm and power. This is something special, a great achievement in this vintage. Wait 2-3 years at least but I would not want to miss that young fragrance.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIA fine and pretty Barolo with plenty of strawberry and mushroom character. White truffle, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied and creamy with medium, round tannins. Delicious now and will improve nicely.James Suckling | 94 JS

Poggio di Sotto hits it out the ballpark once again with an extremely elegant interpretation that shows the incredible depth and nuance Sangiovese can achieve, even in an uneven vintage such as this. The certified organic 2018 Brunello di Montalcino reveals a dark ruby hue and mid-weight concentration. Indeed, the wine is lighter and brighter than most, despite Brunello’s mandatory five years of aging before its commercial release. The tannins are silky and melt over the palate. Along the way, the wine offers high notes of red cherry, cassis and blue flower. This 38,000-bottle release carries a very high price tag, but your high expectations will be met.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPBeautifully detailed, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino delivers pure layers of ripe cherry, raspberry, incense, stony earth, roses, and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied and silky in texture, with ultra-fine tannins, it has a gorgeous energy without edges, with a long arch of ripe raspberry, wild strawberry, herbes de Provence, wet stone, and fresh rose petal. It is incredibly long on the palate, and it almost feels as if the wine never ends. This will be a stunning wine to drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe Poggio di Sotto estate lies in the beautiful south-eastern zone of the DOCG in Castelnuovo dell’Abate facing towards Mont Amiata, a sacred mountain to the Etruscans. This 2018 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino has a beautifully precise and bright, spicy, red fruit quality on the nose. On the palate it is tightly wrought and a little closed and reserved right now. It is medium-bodied and lighter in concentration than usual but nothing feels heavy, over extracted or forced about this wine. There is a graceful harmony on the palate although the vintage was cooler and more classic. Poggio di Sotto have made a fresh, lively wine that has beautiful balance and flow.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIIn southern Montalcino, near the town of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, Poggio di Sotto captures the lightness of the vintage with aplomb, and long maturation in 30hl Slavonian oak casks has not compromised its vitality. With pretty and precise aromas of cherry and raspberry it’s redolent of summer, yet fragrant wet leaves and woodsy rosehip speak of autumn. The palate is finessed and fluid, moving with grace. Chalky tannins cling discreetly yet persistently. An underlying luscious ripeness is positively moreish.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino captivates, opening slowly with an exotic array of sweet spices, cedar shavings, ashen stone, mint and hints of sage. It’s luxuriously soft in texture, silky and refined, with depths of balsamic-tinged cherries accelerated by vibrant acidity and a hint of sour citrus that adds contrast. This finishes with impressive structure for the vintage, still lively yet classically dry, leaving nuances of tart berries offset by a burst of inner sweetness that punctuates quite well. This was a very difficult vintage with a massive amount of rain in August that made vineyard work very difficult, but also extremely important. That said, the team at Poggio did a fantastic job finding balance. Do make sure to give the 2018 a good amount of time, as I followed this for three days, through which it only got better and better.Vinous Media | 94 VMAttractive nose of salted plums, sour cherries, dried roses and rosemary stems. Firm yet sleek with a medium to full body and layers of fresh fruit with delicious herb undertones. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

So perfumed and complex, with tangerines, jasmine, cedar, black truffle and iron. Full-bodied and very structured. Fantastic structure for the vintage. Very Barolo-like in structure. Available in 2023. Give this at least four or five years to soften.James Suckling | 98 JS