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Carlone’s 2016 Boca Adele takes all the elements of the house style and kicks them up a few notches. Bold and dramatic in the glass, the Adele is a total stunner. It needs time to soften, but all the signatures of a truly great wine come through loud and clear. Red cherry, plum, lavender, dried herbs and pomegranate all open up. The 2016 is a young wine that needs cellaring for its aromatics to develop, but it is so impressive.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGForest floor, camphor, blue flower and new leather are just some of the aromas that you’ll find on this structured, vibrant red. Firm and austere, the vibrant, focused palate has youthful intensity, featuring mature Marasca cherry, blood orange, white pepper and licorice set against assertive, noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and precise, while an energizing mineral note suggesting flint caps off the finish. Drink 2028–2041.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WECarlone cultivates a few high-lying vineyards in Boca, although some of his grapes are sold to Le Piane. This is unusually deep in colour and has leafy, brooding raspberry aromas that are still reticent. Although sleek in texture, it’s concentrated and dense, with some black fruit and chocolate tones. It’s a Boca with unusual depth and power and has a long, grainy finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2032.Decanter | 91 DEC

Sweet berries and orange peel with flowers and cedar on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins and juicy texture. It’s long and focused. Walnut, mushroom and wet-leaf character to the dark fruit. Flavorful and tight. Give this at least three or four years to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSEnticing aromas of fragrant blue flower, ripe woodland berry, menthol and star anise are front and center on this full-bodied red. The firm palate features crushed raspberry, blood orange, underbrush and coffee bean while tightly wound, fine-grained tannins show up at the close and carry through the coffee-bean finish. Drink 2024–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Tenuta La Fuga is very pretty and sweetly spiced, showing wild strawberries with hints of mint and cedar. It soothes the palate with a mix of ripe cherry and blackberry, laced with orange citrus. Rounded tannins come through toward the close, yet the focus here remains on fruit and balanced sweetness. It’s a very pleasant and somewhat-immediate Brunello for the near term.Vinous Media | 91 VMFrom an estate situated in the south-west of the region in the village of Camigliano, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is classic with lifted, herbal aromatics of fresh mint and rose petal, oregano, and tart red cherry. Medium-bodied and vinous, the palate is savory with tangy red cherry fruit and salinity. Its more tertiary characteristics make this ready to drink now, while its vibrant structure will also welcome time in cellar. Enjoy over the next 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

This has enticing notes of ripe black cherries, mushrooms and truffle oil. A beautiful, full red with lots of silky tannins, concentrated flavors and delicious layers of cherries and licorice. The fruit really covers the intense tannins nicely. Best ever from here. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Tenuta Buon Tempo mixes wild strawberries with hints of plum, sweet herbs and flowery undergrowth. It’s soft and soothing at first, ushering in ripe red/black fruits with cooling acids and minerals, which creates a lifted and refined expression. This turns very floral and classically dry through the finale, with hints of sweet spice and licorice resonating above a coating of fine-grained tannins. The 2016 Tenuta Buon Tempo gains volume and depth the longer it sits in the glass, leading me to believe that the best is yet to come.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2016 has a fairly deep concentration of color, with aromas of blackberry, plum, violets, and tobacco. The palate is approachable and full-bodied, with fine-grained tannin. The aromas follow through to the palate, but with more freshness and lift, and this wine will be welcome drinking over the next 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAt the southeastern edge of the denomination, Buon Tempo was originally established in the early 1990s. The property has been owned by Swede Per Landin since 2012. Open-knit and friendly, this cheerful Brunello leads with cherry and blackberry. Charmingly accented by flint and pepper, the palate offers lots of crunchy, fresh acidity. Smooth overall, with just a touch of astringency showing up on the finish, it will make for delightful drinking over the next five to seven years. Drinking Window 2022 - 2028.Decanter | 90 DEC

Attractive aromas of cherry, dark mushroom, bark and walnut follow through to a full body with lots of ripe cherry and berry character in the center palate. Firm, chewy tannins draw you down the palate. Extremely long. From organically grown grapes. Better than the superb 2015? Drink after 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSMade with organically grown Sangiovese and fermented with wild yeasts, this fragrant, earthy red has intense aromas of rose petal, forest floor, new leather, woodland berry and balsamic whiffs of camphor. Full bodied and savory, the palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and tobacco alongside bright acidity and a backbone of noble tannins. It’s still youthfully austere, with great aging potential. Drink 2026–2046.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEWith an eye towards the Apennines, San Polino’s northerly vineyards are fully exposed to cool winter winds coming from Siberia. The vines are cropped a little heavier here than in the estate’s southeastern site, giving grapes with lots of juice. Yet there is no lack of concentration - it’s a linear, elegant package. Dried flowers, peppery spice and cherry sit atop dark, wet soil. Sinewy, chalky and powdery tannins wrap around a core of crunchy fruit, almost ready to unfurl, with mineral touches, tangy acidity, and a graceful flow.Drinking Window 2023 - 2037Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (made with organic fruit) opens to dark fruit, cherry and dried plum. Those fruit tones are ripe with extra sweetness, but they are neatly framed by tar, smoke and exotic spice that recalls mesquite or cedar wood. The dark ripe intensity of the fruit it tightly interwoven within those oak-driven flavors and the wine’s full-bodied fiber. This 10,000-bottle release has come along nicely over the years, showing a steady upward climb in quality and distinction.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a mix of woodland berries and herbs before adding further depths of flowery undergrowth and smoky nuance. It’s silky-smooth, complemented by polished red/black fruits, while savory spices and notes of sour citrus slowly penetrate. Hints of licorice and mint linger, along with a coating of fine tannins on the long and lightly structured finish. The 2016 San Polino should shine bright with only a few years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Fantastic intensity and tannin structure with loads of blackberry, cherry, dark mushroom, wet earth and bark. It’s full-bodied and very intense with a long, beautiful finish. Super structure for aging. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JS

This is a ripe and full red with complex aromas of cedar, cloves, tobacco and dried mushrooms. Distinct, earthy quality underneath ripe plums and licorice. Layers of chocolatey tannins. Black truffles, too. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Fornacina 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a darkly saturated appearance and toasted aromas of roasted nut backed by dark blackberry fruit. Made with organic fruit, this Brunello is fermented in stainless steel and aged in large oak casks in a traditional and straightforward manner. Production in this vintage is 10,000 bottles. There is lot of intensity here, and the wine draws its power not only from the fruit, but also in large part from the oak aging. Indeed, its fruit-driven aromas share equal billing with campfire ash and smoked cedar or mahogany.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Fornacina is a dark and earthy expression of Brunello di Montalcino. Ashen soils, crushed stone and animal musk dominate its bouquet, with hints of black cherry buried deeply beneath. It’s silky and pliant, casting an array of black fruits and exotic savory spices across a medium-bodied frame. Balance is well maintained, and there’s a blending of sour citrus and nervous tension here that keeps you coming back to the glass. The Fornacina is quite unique yet highly enjoyable, and it won’t require much time to come fully into focus.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A vibrant example of the region. Very attractive creamy texture, almost like milk chocolate, velvety and sweet. On the palate there is a wild, garrigue type character with oregano and spice, and a leathery, tobacco finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DEC

The Tenute Silvio Nardi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino makes a big impact in the glass thanks to its dark color saturation and the pretty intensity of its aromas that range from dark fruit and plum to soft potting soil and grilled herb. You get beautiful balance here, even more so when you allow the bottle to breathe for a few hours. A twofold delivery of freshness and tannic backbone gives the wine the DNA required to hold 10 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino has aromatics of savory dried herbs, black plum, cola, and stony earth. The palate is fruit forward and full of ripe cherry, balsamic, and iron rich minerality. There are silky tannins that emerge from its fruit, along with balanced acidity. Though it is open and generous now, there is lots of life for this to unfold over time. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA creamy and juicy Brunello with dried-berry, peach and dusty-earth character. It’s full-bodied, chewy and very intense. Lots of fruit, yet reserved and toned with tannins that stay with you throughout. Give it at least three of four years to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Silvio Nardi is dark and earthy with a bit of a rustic edge that I find quite attractive. Floral undergrowth and rich soil tones give way to crushed black cherries with hints of brown spice. There’s a combination of ripe primary fruit and zesty acids, which creates an appealing and juicy expression, even as grippy tannins slowly mount toward the close. Remnants of licorice, mocha and tobacco linger, along with the slightest hint of heat, which doesn’t get in the way. The 2016 Tenute Silvio Nardi won’t require more than a few years of cellaring to show its best.Vinous Media | 93 VMA mix of cherry, plum, leather, earth and iron flavors mark this red. Starts out rich and supple in texture, then the assertive tannins sweep in midpalate through the finish. Finds a good balance in the end and finishes long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 25,000 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe Silvio Nardi estate has released a solid trio of Brunelli from the 2016 vintage, starting with their foundational Brunello. Assembled from 54 lots from vineyards in Montalcino’s northwest and southeast, it captures the wildness of the former and warm generosity of the latter. Pretty pressed blue flowers meet dark cherry compote and some toasty oak notes. Ample and well-built with lots of structure, the tannins are fully ripe but a little rustic, providing a satisfying chewiness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 92 DECAromas of French oak, menthol and dark spice form the nose. Full bodied and linear, the palate features licorice, vanilla, cherries marinated in spirits and coffee bean alongside tightly wound, close-grained tannins that grip the lean finish. Drink 2024–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Very deep and dark, but also fragrant, this glides from dried blueberries, tar, brambleberry essence and cassis to cedar, tobacco and dried nutmeg. The palate is rich and concentrated with a ton of fine-grained tannins and a long, complex, dry finish. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSCabernet Sauvignon is not in the blend, but the aromas in the 2016 Terra di Lavoro are very similar to what you would get with that grape, with bright notes of green pepper corn with blackberry and exotic spice. The declared blend is 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso. This is a balanced vintage with lots of depth, precision and density. This is a beautifully made wine. For sure, I am not the first to say that the wine is more characteristic of a house style, a Bordeaux-inspired house style, rather than a territorial expression of Campania. In truth, I’d say that this wine has feet in both those words. I recommend waiting at least five more years before drinking this vintage. Some 30,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPGood full ruby-red. Pretty aromas of fresh raspberry, red cherry and crushed stone and a strong whiff of minty botanical herbs. The vibrant flavors of red fruits, herbs and flint show very good cut and thrust. Not hugely fleshy but boasts very good palate presence and noteworthy refinement. Finishes with polished tannins, outstanding length and perfumed lift. Totally different from the riper 2015 Terra di Lavoro but just as good.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis estate near Campania’s northern border makes just one wine from 25 acres of low-yielding vines planted on the slopes of a dormant volcano. A blend of aglianico softened by 20 percent piedirosso, the 2016 Terra di Lavoro offers flavors of plum and raspberry underscored by a black minerality. Notes of eucalyptus and mint brighten the flavors, and the structure feels lean and taut, bound by rigid tannins. Stow this in the cellar for at least five years.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a fruit-focused and high-energy effort, lifting up with a spicy and slightly exotic display, showing sour cherry, wild strawberry, savory herbs and hints of animal musk. It’s silky in texture with fleshy red berries further excited by juicy acids, giving way to salty minerals and pretty inner florals. Tannins saturate through the finish, yet this remains balanced throughout with a resonating note of black licorice. The 2016 Piancornello is very impressive. Well done!Vinous Media | 94 VMA firm, linear red with cherry, plum and hints of chocolate, as well as bark. Some fruit-tea leaves as well. It’s full-bodied and layered, chewy and intense. Fine tannins. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThe aromas recall dark-skinned fruit, underbrush and cooking spice. The concentrated palate offers dried black cherry, clove and licorice alongside dusty tannins. Drink 2023–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Very pretty ripe and dried fruit with blackberries and sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied with depth of fruit and creamy, polished tannins. Extremely compact and long. Pure fruit at the end. A gorgeous wine. Drinkable now, but better after 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino displays depths of rich blackberry and cherry sauce with mentholated herbal tones adding lift, while notes of cedar and clove develop in the glass. Its textures are like pure silk, draped slowly across the palate, showing admirable density and weight, balanced by bright acids and minerals. This is so tightly wound up in its youthful state, yet it’s packed full of potential with a core of dark primary fruit that isn’t quite ready to reveal its charms. A web of fine tannin makes itself known only at the very end, as the 2016 slowly tapers off to hints of tobacco. The 2016 will take some time for this to come fully into focus, but it will be well worth the wait.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is highly aromatic with black cherry, anise, dried herbs. Full-bodied and with vibrant acidity, the palate has crisp black fruit and red plum, and moves into more savory herbal tones of amaro and grippy tannin, with some austerity in its youth. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDElegant, tight and streamlined, the La Gerla 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a savory and slightly spicy bouquet. More than fruit, the first tones you get focus on tar, smoke, licorice and mixed herbs. This wine offers a very Mediterranean personality with elegant mineral notes that come out in a second wave. The wine goes through a relatively quick fermentation with about 15 days of skin contact followed by 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks. With more time in the glass, it opens to blue flower, lilac, dried berry and crème de cassis. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPUnderbrush, rose, leather and dark spice aromas lift out of the glass along with a whiff of camphor. The linear, elegantly structured palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, orange zest, star anise and crushed mint alongside tightly wound but refined tannins and bright acidity. It’s still young and nervous so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis red is round, with juicy cherry, plum and spice flavors. Shows hints of chocolate and loam, remaining harmonious and fresh through the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. 3,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Gently perfumed with lavender, cedar and ripe blackberries. It’s full-bodied and smooth with ripe tannins. Just the right amount of chewiness. Lovely chocolate and hazelnut notes on the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSMade with organically grown Sangiovese, this full-bodied red opens with aromas of red-skinned berry, leather and underbrush. The juicy palate offers raspberry jam, cinnamon and clove alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2023–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WECordella Maddalena’s 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is laced with a distinctive bouquet that mixes white smoke, cedar and pine with tobacco, sage and medicinal cherry. It’s velvety-smooth and pliant with polished dark fruits and cooling minerality. There’s a hint of wood spice here which seems a bit out of place yet acceptable, as this tapers off to classically dry tannins, hints of mocha and bitter black currant.Vinous Media | 90 VMThere are ripe aromas in the 2016 Brunello of preserved Amarena cherries, chewing tobacco, and sweet herbs. The palate has flavors of black tea, dried leaves, and dried cherry fruit. It is rather hollow on the mid-palate, but it does have structure and is welcome drinking over the 2022-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

A fascinating red with dried berries, cherries, smoked meat and dried flowers that follow through to a full body with a dense, layered fruit structure with ripe yet firm tannins. The wood comes through now, but it’s luscious and plush for the vintage. One of best ever from here. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is spicy and slightly exotic, showing dusty black cherries with cinnamon and clove, giving way to hints of incense. The depths of textural fruit here make for a highly pleasurable sip, balanced by vibrant acids with sweet herbal tones building toward the close. Although structured and slowly giving way to a dry and clenching finale, this somehow maintains a juicy persona right up until the very end where hints of licorice and cedar resonate. Although this needs a short stay in the cellar to show its best, it will be a great wine to enjoy while waiting for Vigna Montosoli to fully mature.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Aromas of rose, red berry and eucalyptus mingle with whiffs of exotic spice on the gorgeous, fragrant red. Loaded with finesse and tension, the elegant, structured palate delivers crushed raspberry, white pepper and star anise set against fresh acidity and taut, lithe tannins. It's already compelling, but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2022–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis is all about finesse with power. Such great length here with ever so refined tannins and precise strawberry, cedar, dried-rose and mineral character. Medium body. Fresh and vivid finish. Hard not to drink now, but wait until at least 2021.James Suckling | 96 JSI tasted this wine over two sittings, one at the winery and one at my home office a few weeks later. Although I can't claim any extraordinary differences between the two sessions, I noticed a few minimal shifts that are essential to understanding the wine's future aging ability. The 2016 Barbaresco starts off slow at first, showing a small margin of aromatic evolution in the glass. But come back two hours later, and you can almost hear the soft sounds of the symphony playing just below the surface. The 2016 vintage is characterized by the solid intensity and firmness of its aromas, which transcend fruit and veer toward balsamic herb, licorice, tar and smoke instead. The tannins offer a moment of sweetness and softness, before you are aware of their undeniable firmness. In all, there is a certain glossiness or satiny quality to the mouthfeel that underlines the wine's carefully crafted integration. I would describe this as a classic and also a somewhat austere Barbaresco that fully deserves extra cellar time to stretch those tight muscles and grow in volume. This wine will award those who wait.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGaja's 2016 Barbaresco is positively stellar. A wine of poise and grace, the 2016 has so much to offer. Expressive spice and floral notes open up first, but what really stands out is the wine's nuance and delineation. There is a sense of translucency to the 2016 that is impossible to miss. Sweet red cherry, mint, cinnamon and rose petal develop in the glass, adding further shades of nuance. Quite simply, the 2016 is one of the very finest Gaja Barbarescos in recent memory. This is such a gorgeous wine. Don't miss it.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe Gaja family calls 2016 one of the best vintages they have ever experienced, with a long, slow ripening period without heat stress or disease pressure. That balance comes through in this suave, elegant Barbaresco. It smells of soft rose petals and tastes of juicy cherries and spiced raspberries, the flavors gliding along smooth, ripe tannins. With air, the wine picks up energy and depth, moving into a long, vibrant finish.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SThis gorgeous red evokes rose, strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit, shaded by tobacco, tar and wild thyme notes. Pure, sleek and intense, with a firm base of tannins and vibrant acidity for support. This should evolve beautifully. Be patient. Best from 2022 through 2043. 1,800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2016 Barbaresco showed beautifully, with a classical yet seductive and sweetly fruited style that's going to evolve gracefully. Medium ruby-hued, with a core of sweet red fruits balanced by classic dried flowers, licorice, asphalt, and medicinal herbs, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness that carries impress sweet fruit as well as building tannins. Barbaresco doesn't get more classic, and while it has a sunny, sweetly fruited style, it also has ample underlying tannins and structure, so give bottles 4-5 years. It should deliver the goods for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe nose is poised, displaying very ripe raspberry and black berry aromas. The attack has intensity, partly thanks to its pungent acidity, but there's no rawness and the tannins are ripe. This is taut and structured and needs time. While concentrated, it's not excessively so, and the wine retains its delicacy through the very long finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DEC

Forest floor, red berry, leather and pipe tobacco aromas are front and center. The intense, full-bodied palate offers impressive structure and finesse, delivering succulent Marasca cherry, cinnamon, star anise and a hint of hazelnut alongside assertive but noble tannins and vibrant acidity. It already shows focus and depth, but give it time to fully bloom.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2016 Barbaresco Montestefano is simply magnificent. Bright floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit give the Montestefano a feeling of focus and explosive energy that is compelling. Hints of mocha, leather, smoke, lavender and a whole range of balsamic inflections open up in the glass, revealing a Barbaresco of power, structure and complexity. Ample in feel and yet wonderfully vibrant, the Montestefano is wonderfully complete. It is also one of the very best wines I have ever tasted from La Ca' Nova. The Montestefano is a bit more showy today than the Montefico, but both wines are remarkable.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2016 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is dark, dense, powerful and super expressive. Black cherry, mocha, leather, licorice and menthol are some of the many notes that take shape in a Barbaresco that is bursting with energy. Chalk, orange peel, dried flowers and mint add layers of nuance as the wine opens up in the glass. This brooding, potent Barbaresco needs time to be at its best, but it is clearly a great wine in the making.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

The 2016 Veneroso is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted from Ghizzano. Bright, effusive aromatics lift a core of red Sangiovese fruit, all framed by nervous tannins that give the wine its shape. Sweet tobacco, dried leaves, mint, cedar and incense develop later, adding further shades of nuance. The purity of the flavors is simply striking. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 97 VMBlueberry and raspberry aromas follow through to a medium body, lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs a year to soften. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 91 JS

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Aluigi Campo ai Peri is fabulous. Bright, vibrant and intensely aromatic, the 2016 is total seduction right out of the glass. Intense floral/spiced aromatics, red/purplish berry fruit, spice, tobacco and mocha all race out of the glass in a wine that brilliantly marries power with finesse. The Aluigi is a Gran Selezione for the first time in 2016. It’s quite simply one of the finest wines I have tasted from Le Cinciole.Vinous Media | 96 VMAt the northern limits of Panzano, Le Cinciole is Luca Orsini and Valeria Viganò: he a geologist from Rome, she an architect from Milan. They purchased the property in 1991 and were early adopters of organic viticulture. In support of the recent changes to the Gran Selezione regulations, specifying a higher minimum of Sangiovese (90%) and only indigenous grapes, the couple have upgraded this single vineyard bottling as of 2016. It hails from a limestone-rich, southeast site reaching 450m. Michaela Morris: Roasted notes, with plum and sweet earth aromas. A well-packed palate, with lots of fruit, quite chewy, robust tannins, and a leather finish. Sara Bachiorri: Dried herbs and mint. Good concentration of fruit (ripe red berries) with spices and a hint of coffee on the palate. Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW: Toasty notes with red fruit on both the nose and the palate. It has firm but fine tannins, and a persistent finish.Decanter | 95 DECDig deep for the aromas of ripe berries, violets, black truffles and flowers. Medium-to full-bodied with a very relaxing, fine-tannined texture on the palate and lots of creamy fruit flavor. From organically grown grapes. Delicious now, but will continue to improve.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMReleased after the 2017 vintage, because it was decided that this dense, concentrated vintage would benefit from more time in the bottle, the 2016 is fuller and broader in the shoulders compared to the 2017 Amarone. There’s more of everything – body, concentration, tannic presence, richness, spiciness...And while there’s a reductive note of petrichor, its aromatics still soar, carrying wafts of wild black fruits and balsam out of the glass. Enticing already, its future looks very bright indeed.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta takes wine intensity to almost unthinkable levels. That’s the magic of this estate, and without a doubt, this wine occupies a category that makes it totally unique on the Italian wine scale. Made with a traditional blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina and 10% Oseleta (aged in French and American new oak for two years), the wine feels even richer, bolder and more concentrated in this classic vintage. That general intensity is applied to the tightly wound and firm tannins as well. The alcohol reading is 16.5%. This Amarone hits the market in 2023, but you’d do well to age it for another decade at least. Black fruit, baked plum, tobacco, soy sauce, grilled herb and sweet spice are generously folded into the wine’s full-bodied texture. The 2016 vintage saw 17,000 bottles created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

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

Stunning, showing black cherry, blackberry, plum, leather, earth and iron aromas and flavors that work in tandem with the supple texture and dense structure. This has a good feel, between its level of ripe fruit and firm tannins, to age well. Excellent length. Best from 2026 through 2045. 1,220 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is very tight and linear and long. It shows so much black truffle, dark cherry and wet earth character with some bark. Full-bodied yet tight and polished with firm tannins that persistently drive the length of the palate. Great aging potential here. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Castello Banfi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio alle Mura pours from the bottle with an inky dark appearance and rich color concentration. The full-bodied Brunello takes the Banfi philosophy (based on research and mapping to understand the unique qualities of each growing site in this sprawling property on the southern side of the appellation) to heart. The fruit selected here aspires to extract, richness and all the other qualities associated with your quintessential Sangiovese Riserva. Careful work in the winery has helped to chisel out blackberry, spice, cherry, leather and baked clay. Ample doses of cola, licorice and tar appear on the very long and powerful finish in this 14,638-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe deep, rich 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio alle Mura wafts up with an air of crushed ashen stone and hints of graphite before giving way to black cherry, minty herbs and hints of shaved cedar. This is elegant yet savory in character, with velvety textures ushering in mineral-tinged black fruits and exotic spices. The finish is remarkably long and structured, yet the tannins are refined, and hints of sour citrus combine with a twang of tart red currants under an air of tobacco. This is an imposing and powerful Riserva Poggio alle Mura that’s just begging for a long stay in the cellar.Vinous Media | 93+ VMAromas of underbrush, toasted nut, violet and eucalyptus mingle with a whiff of tobacco. The tobacco note follows through to the full-bodied, velvety palate, along with prune, dried cherry and licorice. Taut, fine-grained tannins provide support. Drink 2024–2031. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Aromas of blackberries, flowers, spicy wood and black cherries. Sweet fruit. Full-bodied with round, refined tannins and gorgeous fruit. It’s really long and intense. Wonderful clarity and focus at the end of this. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSUnderbrush, ripe black-skinned fruit and camphor aromas mingle with whiffs of toasted nut and vanilla on this full-bodied red. Boasting concentrated flavors but also weightless finesse, the elegant, structured palate delivers delicious red berry, licorice, tobacco and the barest hint of game alongside noble tannins and fresh acidity. It’s already tempting but will also age beautifully for years. Drink 2023–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2016 Taurasi Coste is a showstopper, leading off with a dramatic mix of crushed blueberries and black cherries complemented by sweet exotic spices and shaved cedar. It’s seamlessly silky and plush, with a bolt of jolting acidity that motivates its tart wild berry fruits. Minty herbal tones mix with dark, dark chocolate toward the close. While structured and certainly in need of cellaring, the 2016 Coste maintains a wonderfully fresh persona as black currant and tobacco notes fade. From start to finish, this is a gorgeous young Taurasi, which may even deserve a higher score over time.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

Fabulous complexity on the nose with crushed blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and tar. Lots of dried flowers. Full body. Layered and creamy with superb tannin texture and length. Hints of stone. Half made in amphora and half in casks. Aged one year in old casks. Drink or hold. 3,500 bottles made.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Syrah is a dense, potent wine. Wild cherry, game, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and coffee are front and center. This is an especially rich style. Then, again we are in Maremma. The 2016 is a bit wild, but in the best sense of the term. It will offer its finest drinking alongside similarly hearty cuisine. It was fermented in a mix of terracotta and cocciopesto, then moved into oak for 2-3 months before going into bottle, where it spent more than two years before being released.Vinous Media | 95 VMI reviewed this wine last year but welcomed the opportunity to taste it again one year later. My score has not changed, but I have extended the drinking window by a few years. The Fattoria le Pupille 2016 Le Pupille is an ambitious expression of amphorae-fermented Syrah. It presents cherry and dark plum, with earthy tones followed by tarry spice and campfire smoke. The meaty intensity normally associated with the Syrah grape is replaced here by plump and rich dark fruit. Give the wine a little extra time in your cellar to evolve and unwind.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPOne of the newest projects at Fattoria Le Pupille is this Syrah (first vintage, 2015), a terracotta-and-tonneaux wine from Vigna del Palo and Pian di Fiora, using barrels previously used for Poggio Valente. Vinified in a combination of amphorae (known locally as ‘orci’) and tonneaux, the wine sits on its skins for an extended period of around five months, before ageing in 300l French oak tonneaux and a further 18 months in bottle. Gamey and leathery aromas are accompanied by herbal and floral fragrance. In the mouth it’s sapid, tight and meaty, with a sweet black fruit core surrounded by flecks of blue fruit, violet overtones and a touch of spice. It finishes long and savoury, with vibrant acidity. 4,600 bottles produced.Decanter | 93 DEC