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The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is youthfully inward and darkly floral with an herbal tinge and hints of crushed ashen stone that give way to vivid black raspberry and exotic spice. This is juicy and spry, with racy cherry-berry fruit and stimulating acidity that creates a sensation of boundless energy, even as a saturation of primary concentration settles in toward the close. The 2019 finishes with incredible length and youthful tension, leaving balsamic spice, sage and licorice notes lingering over a bed of dusty tannins.Vinous Media | 97 VMBaricci shines with this stunning 2019, from the estate’s south- to southeast-facing plots at 300 metres on the Montosoli hill. It is still far too young, but everything is in place for a long and gratifying life. Preliminary cedar and vanillin nuances melt into sumptuous cherry, and there’s a pronounced stony, mineral edge along with juicy blood orange to impart further intricacy. Refined and graceful with layered substance, it has long, chalky, perfectly ‘al dente’ tannins and sappy, mouthwatering acidity.Decanter | 97 DECBaricci’s wines are some of the most distinctive and elegant in the appellation. Showing medium-rich concentration, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli delivers granite, slate, black cherry and dark currant in one very impactful dollop. The fruit condition is excellent, with a little under-ripeness that bodes well for the wine’s longevity. Montosoli has a bigger presence in the mouth compared to most, thanks to the pronounced mineral nuances, but the wine remains elegant throughout and especially on the mid-palate. Fruit for this wine comes from the estate’s oldest vines, aged 25 to 40 years old, in soils rich in marl, quartz, schist and marine fossils. Production is 16,560 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPRaised in 40 hl Slavonian oak barrels, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Montosoli was just recently botted and will need several months more before drinking. Medium ruby-colored, with notes of dark cherries and a sunny but pure feel, it also takes on notes of crushed rocks, and I like the mineral flourish here. Rounded and pure, with great freshness, a clean finish, and even acidity, it’s an inviting wine with a wide drinking window of 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Poggio Cerrino grumbles up from the glass with an earthy bouquet that blends crushed rocks with savory herbs, olive and clove. This displays textures of pure silk offset by cooling acidity as ripe red and black fruit slowly saturate. A bitter dark chocolate tinge develops through the close as the 2019 finishes youthfully tense and structured with fine tannins that frame the experience nicely.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Tiezzi Vigna Poggio Cerrino is glossier and more refined than the Vigna Soccorso, offering aromas of iris, lavender, wild berry and a whiff of new leather. Linear and polished, the savory palate features juicy Morello cherry, strawberry compote, star anise and crushed mint alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced and lifted. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

The beautiful 2019 Brunello Ugolforte from San Giorgio is elegantly structured and delicious. Showing the intensity of the vintage but also restraint, it delivers juicy raspberry, steeped cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside smooth, velvety tannins. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: N/A Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte opens with a minty freshness as flint stone and dusty rose give way to crushed cherries. Silky and pliant, this possesses an elegance not often seen, with violet and lavender tones accentuating its polished red and blue fruits. This tapers off with sweet tannins balanced by an orange hint. A structured yet mouth-watering sensation lingers on. What a beauty this is.Vinous Media | 94 VMFrom the sister property of Poggio di Sotto, San Giorgio Ugolforte’s 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino takes a youthful ruby hue and is a riper style of Brunello, with rounded aromas of black raspberries, candied violets, sweet cedar, and fresh Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with ripe tannins and retains good freshness through its long finish. A lovely Brunello with a more rounded and approachable feel, it’s going to show at its best over the coming 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCherry and berry aromas with hints of sandalwood follow through to a medium body with integrated tannins that are fine and focused. Silky texture. Delicious finish. Very elegant with nice structure. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 94 JSThere is deep black fruit and black plum on the San Giorgio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte. although it takes a little patience to get there. The wine is restrained or closed initially, and it’s hard to draw anything out for the first 15 minutes or so after the bottle is opened. Once it gets going, you are treated to sweet cherry, redwood, almond biscotti and dried rose potpourri. It ages in large Slavonian oak casks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPFrom 25-year-old vines on steep stony slopes in Montalcino’s southeast. As with its sister Brunello from Poggio di Sotto, San Giorgio sees a spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and long maceration. Aromas are dominated by oily herbs like winter mint, rosemary and sage at this early stage. Robust and broad, this emphasises vigour over finesse but is packed with personality. Spice and chocolate join balsamic nuances on a backdrop of glossy and concentrated dark red cherry. The tannic grip gives quite a tactile experience.Decanter | 91 DEC

The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli has medium-plus concentration and pretty aromas of cherry fruit, redcurrant, crushed mineral, watercolor paint and a generally riper bouquet, certainly when compared to the Passo del Lume Spento. These vines sit at 300 meters in elevation with mixed clay soils (and higher pH) next door to Baricci. It delivers more of a punch, and there is a savory component with leather or mild tobacco that changes with time, eventually transitioning to a point of sweetness. Structurally, this is a very beautiful wine (with 3,800 bottles released).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli tempts the imagination, blending savory herbs with fresh mint, dusty black cherry and camphor. This is pure elegance on the palate, silky-smooth and supple with cool-toned red fruits complicated by saline minerals as clove mingles with orange nuances toward the close. It finishes surprisingly fresh yet youthfully poised. Edgy tannins add a crunchy sensation, leaving subtle traces of rose petals and an air of worn leather. This harmonious beauty will provide decades of pleasurable drink, yet patience will be required.Vinous Media | 97 VMDisplaying a slightly darker ruby color than the Petroso, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli takes on more depth and opens to notes of wild raspberries, fresh roses, orange peel, and anise. Medium-bodied, it also takes on more structure, with elegant concentration, ripe tannins, and seamless acidity. Long on the palate, with notes of gravelly earth and Mirabelle plum on the finish, this gorgeous wine demands another year or two in cellar. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDFrom a prime, east-facing parcel on Montosoli’s limestone rich, slatey soil, Casanovina was planted in 1999 and acquired by Le Ragnaie in 2014. Innate breeding oozes from the 2019: gracious and becoming, if not overt. Lifted violet and lavender blossom scents slowly emerge before a trace of sweet damp earth lends a grounding character. This expands over the palate with a generosity of fruit hemmed in by powdery tannins. While imposing at first, they yield supplely. Finishes with succulent, stony minerals. Exciting.Decanter | 97 DEC

This wine kisses the sky with fruit from bush-trained vines planted in 2012 at the highest point of the appellation (above 600 meters in elevation). This is a wine to watch in the future, especially as these vines grow older. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento has a fine and direct bouquet with vibrant red fruit, cranberry, pressed rose and rosemary blossom. Fruit and floral components run very strong, and you don’t get as much of the earthiness that we find in the other wines. Instead, it feels mineral and salty. Crunchy fruit and powdery tannins fuel a very long and polished finish with a contained 13.5% alcohol content. This wine is fluid and more of a shape-shifter. Only 4,400 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTo close out the single vineyard wines, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Passo Del Lume Spento takes a youthful red/garnet-tinged color and, as with the rest of the wines of this vintage from Le Ragnaie, has a signature stamp of incredible perfume lifting from the glass out of the gate, with notes fresh Mediterranean herbs, ripe cherries, anise, and crushed rose petals. Ripe citrus-toned fruit fills the palate of this medium-bodied Brunello, which has great mouthwatering acidity that floats through the sides of the palate, angular tannins, and a mineral-toned finish. It’s packed with tension, though, and is deserving of another year or two of cellaring before drinking 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento opens with a mentholated freshness, as crushed stone and minty herbs complicate dusty dried strawberries. This is juicy in character and wickedly fresh, showing its minerality up front as a tart wave of wild berries descends upon the palate. It finishes with cheek-puckering tension, potent and primary, along with a coating of fine-grained tannins, all balanced by a bump of residual acidity. This is a spice bomb, yet it has the energy to balance. The Passo del Lume Spento hails from bush-trained vines planted in 2012 at 621 meters.Vinous Media | 94 VMCampinoti’s highest altitude single-vineyard bottling comes from a one-hectare plot planted in 2011 at a lofty 621 metres. The third release as a Brunello, it hits its stride with the 2019 vintage. While still reserved in aromas, this sings with inner mouth perfumes of white blossom and rose against a backdrop of sour red cherry and pomegranate. The mouth-cleansing tannins are linear, and brisk acidity whisks the wine across the palate. Slender but not bony, this has sufficient flesh to harmonise the structure. Really quite thrilling in its sinewy, chiselled personality.Decanter | 94 DEC

The character of this wine is more accessible and open-knit. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso is less ethereal but more grounded, with an obvious delivery of fruit (and more primary intensity) framed by caramel, light tobacco leaf, redcurrant, cherry and wild plum. An herbal element comes forward too with white pepper and something fun that recalls cashew celery root. The mouthfeel veers toward chalky, and there is a hint of minerality with wet limestone or rose quartz. It shows managed tannins over mid-weight texture for a very elegant finish. These qualities give this 3,000-bottle release reasonable runway to age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe fourth vintage for this single vineyard, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Petroso takes a medium red color and has a gorgeous aromatic profile in its perfume of jasmine, dried cranberries, tangerine, and thyme. Displaying a Burgundian aesthetic, this medium-bodied Brunello has refined tannins, even, fresh acidity, and a delicate stony texture. It’s a beautiful wine that gently floats off the palate. With a wide drinking window, this is going to be one that’s hard to hold onto, but it will be worth cellaring. Drink 2024-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso boasts a dark, rich, inviting blend of black raspberries, mint leaves and worn leather. Silky-smooth and elegant in feel, this easily flows across the palate, showcasing crisp red berry fruit enlivened by vibrant acidity. A wall of grippy tannins lingers as the 2019 tapers off primary and intense, promising many years of further development. I expect the Petroso to put on weight over time, which will complete this otherwise gorgeous wine. The potential here is incredibly high.Vinous Media | 95 VMFrom a 1 hectare, northwest facing plot, Petroso sits just below the Pietroso and Il Palazzone estates at an altitude of 500 metres. Surrounded by forests, it is a relatively cool site that was originally bottled as a cru Rosso. Compared to the cask sample I tried in 2022, the 2019 has shut down since bottling. The nose does show smoke, flint and pepper while the palate has just a suggestion of wild strawberry. With seemingly more structure than flesh at this point, tannins come across as slightly terse and austere. Another year or two in bottle will give a better indication of how it is resolving.Decanter | 92 DEC

This wine is a star of the vintage. It is made with fruit from vines planted in 1968 in ancient soils rich in quartz at a very high 600 meters in elevation. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V. V. (the initials stand for “vecchie vigne,” or "old vines") reveals a soulful personality with a very elegant set of aromas and compelling complexity. There is heritage rose, lilac and something earthy like tarragon or marjoram. Underripe cherry and redcurrant are found at the core; however, that ethereal herbal note continues to the palate where it meets a chalky mineral tone. Powdery tannins stick to the side of your mouth for a very long time. Only 4,400 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPA similar medium red color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Ragnaie V.V. is another showstopper, with stunning floral and layered aromas of licorice, ripe red cherries, blood orange, and clove. Mouthwatering and structured, this is a noble wine, and while it’s medium-bodied. It’s not for the faint of heart. With ripe, angular tannins that frame this wine, it propels through the palate with notes of saline and vibrant acidity. Long and tension-packed, it demands several years of proper cellaring and feels as though it will improve over the coming two decades at a glacial pace. Drink 2027-2047.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDOwner Riccardo Campinoti reports that the 2019 harvest was slightly early by the estate’s standards: he picked his 50-plus-year-old vines on 4 October, giving the must a long maceration of 45-50 days. After seven months in bottle, it demonstrates the same precision and minerality that were evident in cask. Currently somewhat stern, it’s intriguing in its reticence. Through iron and warm stone nuances, black raspberry pokes through. This will never be a big, rich wine, yet as the dense layers unfold and those chalky tannins relax their grip, its enveloping nature will provide much pleasure.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino VV is youthfully coy in the glass, lifting up with a nuanced blend of dried roses, licorice and clove, excited by hints of spiced oranges. This is cool-toned and saline in character, with silken textures contrasted by crisp red fruits and salty mineral tones that saturate the senses. The 2019 finishes long, primary and with crunchy tannins, yet there are depths of complexity here just waiting to unfold. This is quite forbidding today, yet in five to ten years, I expect a magical experience.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

A bright magenta/ruby color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is floral and expressive with aromas of wild roses, raspberry liqueur, blood orange, and fresh pine. Medium-bodied, it’s graceful throughout, with refined tannins, even, mouthwatering acidity, and a salty finish. It keeps you coming back for more and is going to benefit from at least another year in bottle. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

The Pieve Santa Restituta 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille reveals a finely chiseled quality, with direct and lifted fruit, that gives this wine an angular or delineated personality. This impression is reinforced by delicate mineral notes of crushed stone that fold into dark fruit, sweet plum, black cherry and earthy iris root. The wine is elegant, but it also shows lots of umami or textural deliciousness thanks to the natural ripeness and concentration of the fruit. Give this wine more time in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPExtremely perfumed and intense with lilacs, violets, purple fruits and black cherries. Full-bodied and very structured with punchy tannins that give this great length and intensity. This is a great one for the cellar. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille is dark and youthfully inward, forcing the taster to work with its brooding blend of blackberries, sage and crushed stone. This displays textures of pure silk, polished and refined, with a dense textural wave of tart red and black fruits underscored by saline minerals and exotic spice. Orange notes add contrast through the close as this finishes tannic and long, with a pleasantly chewy sensation and angular tannins that pinch the cheeks. The 2019 is a dark stallion of a Brunello, all muscle and meat, that will take many years of cellaring to show its best. That said, it will be worth the wait.Vinous Media | 96 VMBalsamic aromas of camphor mingle with new leather, cedar, blue flower and underbrush on the brooding 2019 Sugarille. Showing more structure than the Rennina but still endowed with the firm’s hallmark of elegance, it delivers ripe black cherry, blood orange licorice and tobacco framed in tightly-woven, close grained tannins that give it a velvety texture. Drink 2039–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOTo complete Angelo Gaja’s comparison with his Langhe wines, he likens Sugarille to Barolo (as opposed to the Rennina, which he equates with Barbaresco). Powerfully constructed, this will appeal to drinkers seeking a vigorous style of Brunello. Sweet oak spice and plum take on earthy forest undertones. It’s ample and expansive in fruit, yet austere and tight in structure: dark cherry and plum hang off steely, vertical grape tannins. Thicker wood tannins build through the core but crisp acidity offsets the dense structure, and medicinal herbs are tucked into its layers. This becomes increasingly firmer as it sits in the glass, and will need a whole lot of time.Decanter | 95 DEC

Blueberry, blackberry and chocolate aromas yet subtle and perfumed. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and lots of structure. Shows depth and has a purpose. Needs time to come together soon. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Caparzo 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa offers a balanced presentation of candied cherry, dried fruit and toasted spice. This is a lovely and joyous wine with velvety soft tannins and good inner energy that adds dimension and depth to the mouthfeel. Vigna La Casa is a contemporary expression from Montalcino with extra fruit concentration and structure, and the results are carefully balanced throughout. Some 14,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa hails from the Montosoli hillside, facing the town of Montalcino. It’s youthfully moody and dark in the glass, slowly evolving with violet florals, crushed wild berries and sweet spice. Silky and pliant, it sweeps across the palate with juicy textural waves of mineral-drenched red fruits as inner florals resonate and grippy tannins mount toward the close. The Vigna La Casa tapers off long, structured and classically dry, leaving a licorice twang and hints of tart orange that curl the tongue. The future is very bright, but the 2019 will require serious patience.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe and inviting, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna La Casa pours a deep ruby/red color and reveals intertwining notes of kirsch, fresh leather, dried roses, and sweet Mediterranean herbs. It’s elegant and full-bodied, with ripe tannins, a plush texture, and wonderful length that floats away gently. It’s a very attractive wine with a weightless feel and has an open window for enjoyment over the coming 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDOpening with aromas of raspberry compote, graphite, hay and botanical herb, the 2019 Caparzo La Casa is excellent. Focused and elegantly structured, the palate features pomegranate, cherry tart, licorice and mocha framed in taut, close-grained tannins. It’s balanced, with fresh acidity. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOCaparzo’s flagship Brunello, La Casa is crafted from a 5 hectare vineyard on the hill of Montosoli. It spends a year in barriques before being transferred to larger, 30 hectolitre oak casks. In contrast with the estate bottling, La Casa is restrained and introspective in its youth. Subtle mocha and crushed allspice emerge, then eventually wild, red woodland berries. The palate is more effusive exhibiting a generous core of pure luscious raspberries imbued with vanilla and liquorice. Gravelly textured tannins remain tightly fastened demanding time to loosen. An appetising stony finish.Decanter | 94 DEC

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

Sweet black cherries with some blackberries, as well as cherry blossom in both the nose and palate. Medium to full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish, but it will soften and come together nicely with bottle age. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a dark and brooding bouquet that mixes plum sauce with dark chocolate and espresso beans. This blends velvety textures with ripe red and black fruits all over a core of juicy acidity while maintaining a lifted and energetic feel. The 2019 finishes structured and long yet still relatively fresh. Orange-tinged blackberry and savory herbs linger. I am very impressed by the palate performance and tannin management of the 2019, yet I wish the winery would push for an equally fresh display on the nose. That said, fans of the Pian delle Vigne style will love the energy in this wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMA rich ruby color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is ripe and floral with aromas of sweet cherries, mocha, candied flowers, and mossy earth. Medium to full-bodied, it brings snappy fresh acidity along with ripe tannins, a clean finish, and a touch of smoky incense on the back palate. Its grip hangs on a bit, but it’s relatively approachable and will do well over the coming 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas recalling of underbrush, mocha and baked plum mingle with whiffs of violet. On the full-bodied, concentrated palate, tightly wound, close-grained tannins envelop liquor-soaked cherry, licorice and tobacco. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOProduced since 1995, when Antinori purchased this sprawling property in Montalcino’s southwest, Pian delle Vigne expresses the balmy, Mediterranean side of Montalcino. Ebullient in its aromas of cinnamon, mint and pepper, the 2019 offers instant appeal. The palate is soft and supple in raspberry fruit with plush velvety tannins to match. These sneak up but are ultimately kept in check. Citrussy acidity buoys, and a finale of peppermint and nutmeg enchants. While I don’t see this making old bones, it will provide plenty of pleasure over the next eight to 10 years.Decanter | 91 DEC

This is a classic beauty. The 2019 d’Alceo, made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, is dark and enriched, but magically, it is never heavy or bulky. It carries its weight with feather-like grace backed by dry tannins and lovely fruit layering. There is blackcurrant, kirsch, blackberry liqueur, exotic spice, black rose and crushed stone. That mineral note stands out like a filigree of shiny silver stitched through the wine’s rich, velvety texture. Production is 13,749 bottles and 200 magnums.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPRampolla’s 2019 D’Alceo is creamy and resonant in the glass. Inky dark fruit, lavender, blackberry and spice all meld together in a wine that combines power and elegance. Seamless tannins extend the finish effortlessly. In many vintages, D’Alceo is a powerhouse. The 2019 is sublime.Vinous Media | 97 VMBlackcurrants, fresh flowers, and blue berries with sandalwood. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine, focused and bright. Cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Best after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS

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

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

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

The 2019 Palafreno, 100% Merlot from Greve’s Ruffoli district, is stunning, not to mention one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted here. Silky, plush and exceptionally vivid in the glass, the Palafreno possesses breathtaking beauty that captivates all the senses. At this early stage, the 2019 is all primary dark fruit, but the layers will start to open with cellaring. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. It’s a real head turner.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is very polished and structured with a finesse to the tannins which spread across the palate. It’s full-bodied with fine fruit and a driven finish. It needs three or four years to soften and open. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS(Palafreno- Agricola Querciabella) Querciabella’s Super Tuscan bottling crafted solely from merlot is absolutely beautiful in the 2019 vintage. The wine is fairly ripe in this vintage, coming in at 14.5 percent octane, but shows off its signature purity and precision on both the nose and palate. The beautifully refined bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of sweet dark berries, black plums, tobacco leaf, violets, a gorgeous base of soil, a hint of Tuscan herb tones and a deft foundation of cedary new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a plush core of fruit, excellent mineral undertow, ripe tannins, tangy acids and excellent length and grip on the superbly balanced finish. Like every vintage of Palafreno I have been fortunate enough to taste, the 2019 is built for the long haul and will demand some cellaring to soften up its tannins. But, it will be exceptional once it is ready to drink. (Drink between 2032 - 2075)John Gilman | 95 JGRich and round, this red exudes black cherry, blackberry, wild rosemary and iron flavors. Reveals dense tannins on the finish, leaving a tight feel, yet this lingers. Drink now through 2029. 216 cases made, 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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

This is a tight and powerful Orma with solid tannins that beautifully frame the fruit in the wine. Full-bodied and focused with intense structure and fruit character. Perhaps the best Orma ever. Give this four or five years to open. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSA blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Orma opens to a soothing display of ripe fruit with blackberry, candied cherry, spice, white pepper and even a speck of red chili flake. The mouthfeel is round and soft with a pop of sour cherry. The vineyards are planted in soils rich in pebbles and clay with a little sand at 60 meters above sea level. Some 34,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPFrom 20-year-old vines located between Ornellaia and Sassicaia, Orma’s main wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. The fragranced aromas really stand out here, perfumed red and black fruits alongside spicy eucalyptus. Tannins are present and coat the mouth with dense blackcurrant flavours. There’s power and freshness here, and definitely an elegance to the overall feel of the wine, but this is tight and somewhat closed at the moment. One to hold on to for a few years.Decanter | 94 DEC

It’s hard to put the glass down while exploring the depths of raspberry compote, dried orange peels, roses, exotic spice and a dusting of cocoa that form the absolutely stunning bouquet of the 2019 Carmignano Riserva Piaggia. This is pure elegance. It’s silky and refined as liquid violet florals and ripe red and black fruits easily rush across the palate. Its vibrant acidity maintains exceptional finesse despite the massive primary concentration slowly taking hold. The 2019 finishes long with a coating of sweet tannins and balsamic-tinged cherry. The balance here is amazing, which might trick readers into finishing their bottles far too quickly, but trust me, the best is truly yet to come. This is Rock Star juice.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlackcurrants with crushed-stone and lavender undertones. Medium to full body, slightly chewy tannins and a clove and dried-flower aftertaste to the dark fruit. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

Aromas of ripe berries and fresh herbs with hints of wet earth and pine, too. Full-bodied with lots of ripe and round fruit. Lots of redcurrants in the palate. Soft and fine-textured. Slightly tight at the end. Dense. Better in two or three years, but already very attractive.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Il Pino di Biserno is gracious and elegant. The style is much fresher and understated than before. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and incense. Dark and vibrant in the glass, the 2019 is another winner from Lodovico Antinori.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis red delivers a mix of dark fruit and herbal flavors, with black currant, blackberry, rosemary and licorice notes. The finish is a touch compact now, yet this is complex and long overall. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This wine always stands out in my mind, and it’s worth dedicating a few words as to why. Poggio Valente offers us a rare opportunity to taste Sangiovese made according to the highest standards but from a territory—on the Tuscan Coast—that does not share a big legacy with monovarietal Sangiovese reds. The Fattoria le Pupille 2019 Poggio Valente was born in a happy vintage with a cool spring and a growing season that had plenty of underground water reserves to keep the vines hydrated well until the end of August. This is a full and generous wine with dark cherry and wild plum aromas that segue to tar, licorice and crushed slate. My sample (tasted a few weeks after bottling) was a little shy initially, but it quickly blossomed in the glass.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is very dense and structured with stone and blackberry character. Full-bodied and intense with chewy tannins that frame the wine. Flavorful finish. Smoky and lightly bitter, in a good way. Pure sangiovese. This needs time to soften. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Poggio Valente is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant in the glass with terrific energy, the Poggio Valente is a fine example of the style favored here these days. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, spice and orange zest complement a core of Sangiovese fruit. I especially like the vibrancy here. The 2019 is absolutely delicious. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA red with intensity on a weightless frame, leaving plenty of room for cherry, blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and white pepper flavors to shine. The tannins are present, yet uplifting rather than obtrusive. Sangiovese. Best from 2023 through 2032. 2,900 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and relatively stress-free conditions. This is an elegant and extremely polished wine made with mostly Sangiovese and smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Here too, the small blending element of Cabernet Franc has been slowly increasing in recent years. The 2019 vintage was born with a good amount of power and tannic structure, and maceration times were slightly reduced as a result. This less extractive approach shapes a polished and elegant wine with plenty of bright berry fruit, cherry, dried mint, blue flower, blood orange and rusty earth. The palate is more compact and streamlined. It shows beautiful grace. After this, the next vintage to watch is the highly anticipated 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA supple, elegant red highlighted by bright cherry, black currant, violet, tobacco, iron and oak spice aromas and flavors. Though fluid and seemingly approachable now, this is well-structured and shows the balance to age. Fine length. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2042. 25,800 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Tignanello is one of the most reserved, understated young wines I can remember tasting here. In so many vintages Tignanello is quite showy, but in 2019 the nervous energy and brightness of Sangiovese takes center stage. That’s intriguing, because the 2019 blend has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than normal, a decision made to compensate for some of the lighter qualities in the Sangiovese. With air the 2019 shows gorgeous depth and captivating inner perfume, even if it is clearly still coming together. The 2019 spent about 14 months in oak, with 50% new wood. Things are always in constant evolution at Antinori. This is the first vintage to incorporate some larger 500L barrels, an approach I think will work brilliantly.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGExtremely perfumed and vivid, with fresh mushrooms, cherry stones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are long and complete. Fresh acidity. Tangy and vibrant. Lovely is the word. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSNo written review provided | 94 W&S