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I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a large foudre. The 2016 vintage was truly magical for the region, and this Cuvée Da Capo is unquestionably one of the finest vintages for this cuvée ever made, in the same league as, if not surpassing, the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2010. Sensational notes of cured meats, crème de cassis, crushed violets, ground pepper, tapenade, truffle, and sweet herbes de Provence all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied style that stays seamless, weightless, and as pure as they come. Traditional, classic Châteauneuf Du Pape doesn’t get better. I hate to be the guy who throws out the “best to date” line very often, but this is truly magical stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDAs impressive as the Cuvée Réservée is, the 2016 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée da Capo brings an extra level of intensity. Turn that volume up to 11 or even 12. Waves of black cherries, plums and chocolate wash across the full-bodied, velvety palate, lingering nearly forever on the finish. As big and bold as it is, it remains breathtakingly elegant and fine. It should evolve gracefully through at least 2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPBlack-cherry and plum flavors are ripe but pertly balanced in this Grenache blend. It’s spicy and intensely aromatic, wafting of cloves, allspice and caramel, yet revitalizing and mineral too. The finish is endlessly long, fringed by fine, taut tannins. It’s stunning now but should improve through 2036 and hold further still.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEVivid ruby. Intensely perfumed dark berry, cherry preserve and licorice aromas are complemented by hints of game, exotic spices and candied lavender. Deep, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed raspberry, cola and floral pastille flavors and a strong suggestion of spicecake. Shows superb clarity and power on a ridiculously long, sappy finish that eventually leaves behind cherry liqueur and bitter chocolate notes.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is richly fruited, with succulent plum, boysenberry and fig preserve flavors that are seamlessly layered and laced with warm anise, black tea and smoldering tobacco notes. The long finish features well-embedded chalky grip that gives this cut to match the lush fruit. A beauty. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2021 through 2040. 833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSAll 13 varieties have been used from lieux-dits La Crau, Les Escondudes and Mont Pertuis, with no destemming. There’s some complexity and interest on the nose already, with aromas of violets, blueberries, raspberries and a touch of tobacco leaf. The wine is medium to full-bodied, but without any heaviness, with sublime freshness and piercing acidity. This has real life, and a lightness of touch which delivers real drinkability. Very fine, abundant ripe tannins work like a lattice through the fruit. The fairly raised levels of alcohol don’t give a sense of imbalance in the wine, and it finishes on a lifted note. The best Da Capo in a long time. Real elegance. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036Decanter | 97 DECThis is the second year in a row that the Férauds have bottled this rare cuvée, made only in exceptional vintages. The 2016 is even more intense than the 2015, with a bright energy that makes it inviting despite its size. A blend of all 13 red-wine varieties permitted in the appellation, fermented in whole bunches with ambient yeasts in tank, it uses stemmy herbal notes to lift the masses of dark, figgy fruit, taking it into higher, fresher registers of roses and seedy strawberries, cracked peppercorns and garrigue. The tannins and alcohol are not harsh, but intense enough to suggest this is best left untouched in the cellar for five years, or even 15.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SAn impressive wine for the concentration and punchy fruit impact. Pears, melons and assertive lemon citrus weighs in on the palate. The length and purity is stunning. A gently savory, pastry-like edge to the finish. Will age superbly. Try from 2020.James Suckling | 93 JS

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

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve hits the ground running with the most stunning perfume of crushed black cherries, violets, dark chocolate, licorice and blueberry pie, going on to reveal subtle nuances of cinnamon toast, hoisin, menthol and fragrant underbrush. Full-bodied and oh-so-generously fruited in the mouth, the rich, decadent palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness and powered by super ripe, silt-like tannins, finishing with layer upon layer of long-lingering floral, spice and vibrant berry notes. If "Plumpjack awesome" isn’t a phrase to describe the ultimate in deliciousness, it should be.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPBottled under screw cap, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is certainly a worthy follow-up to the monumental 2015. As pure, seamless, and classy as it gets, with heavenly notes of crème de cassis, white flowers, lead pencil shavings, graphite, and damp rock-like minerality, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, no hard edges, and spectacular length. This is another monumental wine from this team that needs to be tasted to be believed.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is expressive and sensual to the core. The Reserve possesses tons of textural richness and resonance in every dimension. Inky dark fruit, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, new leather and licorice are pushed forward. The 2016 is seamless, creamy and exotic, all of which add to its tremendous immediacy and overall appeal.Vinous Media | 97 VM

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Lupi e Sirene emerges from the bottle with lots of pretty aromatic intensity and purity. The bouquet is laced with bold cherry, sweet raspberry, red rose, earth, balsam herb and sweet almond. It boasts a beautiful appearance in the glass with a dark, shiny ruby color. On the palate, it produces a silky, glossy texture that lasts long and is fueled by the fresh acidity you always get with Sangiovese.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAn enticing mix of exotic spice, crushed violets, medicinal black cherries and sweet mint wafts up from the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Lupi e Sirene. Its textures are silky and rich, nicely matched by depths of ripe red and blue berries, plus an enriching hint of almond paste. This stops just short of decadence, as salty minerals and bright acidity add a more savory twang, and fine-grained tannins slowly take hold. While structured, the long, dramatic finale is packed full of dark primary fruits, savory herbs and hints of mocha. I expect the 2016 Riserva Lupi e Sirene to be firing on all cylinders after only a short stay in the cellar. There will be no 2017 due to the drastic loss of fruit in that extremely dry and warm vintage.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Morandina is dark and youthfully understated in the glass, as crushed rose petals and stone dust give way to red currants. This is silky-smooth, nearly velvety in feel, with masses of mineral-tinged black cherry and spice contrasted by a twang of sour citrus. The 2016 finishes with outstanding length and depth yet is also remarkably fresh, leaving hints of hard red candy and the slightest touch of bitter cocoa. The Amarone of Prà is always so unique but in the best possible way. The 2016 is a total gem but needs cellaring to come fully into focus.Vinous Media | 96+ VMA savory and complex expression of Amarone with some dried cherries, red dates, stewed herbs, orange peel, tobacco and white pepper. Some bold green peppercorn, too. A svelte delivery of Amarone with a medium body, showing tobacco, cedar and chocolate on the palate. Long, cedary finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSInspired by Dal Forno, renowned Soave producer Graziano Prà purchased 13 hectares high up in eastern Valpolicella’s Mezzane Valley in 2001. The previously unplanted parcel is protected by forest and has been farmed organically from the start. A relatively restrained nose shows dried garden herbs with plum and floral nuances. On the palate, fig and prune flavours are laced with cigar smoke. Velvety, malleable tannins enfold the easy to please package and the finish is bright with a pleasantly bitter edge.Decanter | 93 DECThis elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with creamy tannins providing a fine frame for flavors of brambly red currant and blackberry fruit, pine, orange peel and crushed pink peppercorn. A subtle, savory overtone of cured tobacco and smoky bacon fat echoes on the fresh finish. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. Drink now through 2030. 833 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2016 Prieuré-Lichine is all class. Floral, silky and nuanced to the core, the 2016 is a wine of pure and total seduction. Freshly cut flowers, vibrant red fruit and creamy tannins all add to the wine’s undeniable allure. In 2016, Prieuré-Lichine is all class, not to mention one of the sleepers of the vintage. Don’t miss it! Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDark fruit notes are more evident here than in the 2015 vintage, with spice moving from cinnamon to black pepper, alongside damson and lots of pure cassis notes. The oak, 45% new, is extremely well integrated with grilled almond notes. This is another vintage that showcases the energy and generosity of Prieuré-Lichine in recent years, capturing the generosity of the fruit without sacrificing the elegance of Margaux. Drinking Window 2026 - 2046.Decanter | 95 DECWith vineyards in the southern Margaux village of Cantenac, this estate has produced a deliciously juicy wine. The structure follows a straight line between the tannins and the intense fruit and acidity. The wine should age well, ready to drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA very suave, polished Margaux that delivers iodine and dark-stone aromas and a wealth of ripe, plush dark fruit that follows through to the palate in attractive, fleshy and juicy mode. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Prieure-Lichine has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and a bold, intensely scented nose of warm blackcurrants, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of cedar chest, tobacco, dried herbs and iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate has bags of class with lovely, vibrant black berries flavors and earthy sparks framed by ripe grainy tannins, finishing long and refreshing.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA restrained style, with a beam of cherry, cassis, lilac and sandalwood flavors, revealing a good fleshy feel and solid depth throughout. Light perfume and tobacco hints give the finish some added range. No fireworks here, just balance and focus. Best from 2021 through 2032. 19,167 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is a ripe and fruity yet strucutred wine that has amazing aging potential. It offers a strongly floral element that contrasts with the tense, mineral texture and dense tannins. It is an immensely concentrated wine that will not be ready until 2029. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2016 Quinta do Noval Naçional Vintage Port comes (of course) from the famous parcel of ungrafted vines. Comparing it side by side, the Naçional does not have the immediacy of the regular Noval. It is darker, more introspective, more complex and beguiling, the black fruit complemented by subtle desiccated orange and marmalade aromas. What strikes first on the palate is the fineness of the tannins. This is utterly harmonious, silky in terms of texture, and extraordinarily cohesive. You don’t know whether to drink this or stroke it. It is an understated Naçional that almost deceives you into thinking that there is not power, but that crashes across the senses in the final third and on the aftertaste. It is a Naçional with a latent effect, its virtues becoming apparent not during but after imbibing. It is a quite profound Port, even though at this juncture you are just reading the first couple of pages of a very long and engrossing novel. Drinking Window 2034 - 2080Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers. Best from 2035 through 2055.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy. Better in 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood. It comes in with 82 grams of residual sugar. This was in bottle for only about seven weeks when seen, but I made sure at least some of it had a lot of air. It looks super, with plenty of room to grow in the cellar. Christian Seely likes to say that this regular Noval and the Nacional are not better than one another, just different. In fact, I usually prefer Nacional, but in this vintage I make a case for equality and endorse that view.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The 2016 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza was surprising, spectacular, elegant, clean and fresh like few vintages before. It was a superb year, with quality, quantity and freshness. It’s quite the opposite from the previous 2015, which was a much warmer and riper year. The 2016s have moderate alcohol and especially the perception of less ripeness (even though the alcohol is very similar). It feels very young, still quite primary. Mercedes explained, "Cubillas, a 24-hectare plot, is a vineyard that could produce Gran Reserva wines. It’s a very good vineyard, but we would miss the Crianza in our range". In fact, the comment was that this vintage is even a challenge for the Viña Tondonia red "because of its price." It is indeed a bargain. "But it doesn’t have the finesse of Tondonia," concluded María José. Anyway, it’s super tasty. 92,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

From the second I tilted the glass, I knew that the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella was a total knockout. Macerated cherries are contrasted by a whiff of tangerine that gives way to vibrant rose tones and autumnal spice. This soothes with glycerol waves of spicy red fruits complemented by cinnamon, clove and dark, dark chocolate tones. There’s tremendous balance here with bright acids and a totally sexy and exotic style. This just goes on and on and finishes structured and firm yet incredibly fresh, leaving the palate stained in concentration as violet floral tones fade. For all of its heady depth and concentration, there are only two grams per liter of residual sugar. You don’t need to save this riveting Amarone for the dessert course.Vinous Media | 97 VMOwner Marco Sartori has slowly modified his winemaking over the years. He dries the grapes for less time these days, especially in hot years, and ferments at cooler temperatures for a more gentle extraction. And, as of 2016, a portion of the wine ages in large Slavonian oak casks (instead of 100% barriques) for less oxidation of the fruit. The 2016 is deeply coloured and youthful with wood spice and smoke dominating the nose. Compact, concentrated fruit is wrapped up in dense tannins, and hints of blackberry and anise emerge on the palpably dry palate. This definitely needs time to unfurl. Release date: January 2021. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DEC

An enticing mix of incense, black tea, cracked pepper and red wild berries emanate from the 2016 Valpolicella Superiore. This is undeniably elegant, with its silky textures that seem to coat the entire palate in a seductive layer of violet-tinged fruits and suave lavender and chocolate notes. That said, this is not sweet nor overly rich; in fact, the 2016 is truly harmonious and poised, boasting tremendous concentration that‘s lifted by saline-infused acids. It leaves the palate completely saturated with cloves and allspice, as it tapers off structured and long. This is next-level Valpolicella Superiore, and it may even one day warrant a higher score. Marco Sartori uses 30% appassimento grapes in his Valpolicella, which are dried for twenty days. The wine is refined in a 50% - 50% mix of large oak cask and barrique, of which only about 20% are new.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe oak-aged Roccolo Grassi 2016 Valpolicella Superiore is a sharp and tight red wine with candied aromas of cherry and plum. The wine is dark and rich at its core with big fruit weight that wraps over the palate. Mild tannins and balanced acidity give the wine immediate drinking appeal. There is some dusty spice on the close. Production is 33,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPEarthy and peppery nose with very ripe red and black cherry nuances. Cedary on the palate, soft, with a crisp acidity.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2016 Percarlo captures all of the beauty it has always shown in the cellar. Pliant, silky and exceptionally polished, the 2016 simply has it all. Freshly cut flowers, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange add striking aromatic nuance to a core of brilliant Sangiovese fruit. Powerful and ample, with superb aromatic lift, the 2016 Percarlo is exceptionally beautiful and moving from the very first taste. A whole range of floral and mineral notes extend the finish effortless. The tannins need time to soften, so readers should plan on at least a few years of cellaring. In a word: compelling.Vinous Media | 99 VMThe iconic San Giusto a Rentennano 2016 Percarlo is a gorgeous expression, opening slowly to reveal black fruit, blue flowers, lilac, honey, potting soil and a touch of fragrant porcino mushroom. These are stunning results, with a soft and contoured mouthfeel followed by elegant tannins, balanced acidity and a long finish that wraps over the palate with silky intensity. Keep the wine in your cellar for a few more years, allowing it to take on extra complexity and volume. In a sense, Percarlo transcends Sangiovese. Not only does it deliver the classic characteristics of the variety, it does so with a touch of magic, transforming the grape into an ethereal and soulful expression of Tuscany.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPA light kiss of oak adds a resinous element and extra tannins to this red, featuring black cherry, blackberry, tar and wild herb flavors. The pure fruit core, vibrant structure and fine length reveal potential, while a violet note supplies grace. Needs time to integrate the tannins. Best from 2022 through 2042. 1,250 cases made, 375 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Scheduled to be released in March of this year, the deep ruby-colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon would give the 2015 Château Margaux (that’s what leaped into my head as I tasted this) a run for its money and is an utterly perfect bottle of wine that does everything right. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from very old, dry farmed vines in what was previously known as the J.J. Cohn Vineyard, its deep purple color is followed by a heavenly perfume of blueberries, spring flowers, lead pencil, exotic spices, and graphite. Slightly more focused and poised than the M. Etain release, with full body, ultra-fine tannins, and no hard edges, it’s a wine of incredible elegance paired with remarkable intensity, and it’s rare to find a wine that marries both so effortlessly. As with the vast majority of truly great Cabernet Sauvignons, it’s great today and will be great in 30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDScarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from two acres of old vines planted in 1945 by John Daniel and dry farmed. Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes sashaying out of the glass with tantalizing notions of violets, lavender, Black Forest cake, mulberries, tobacco leaf and fragrant earth with a core of warm cassis, kirsch, Chinese five spice, rose hip tea and cedar chest. The palate is full-bodied and super concentrated yet possesses great energy with vibrant red and black fruits and loads of mineral accents, framed by very ripe, super fine-grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long with the most incredible perfume. Hedonistically, undeniably and deliciously perfect. 2,000 cases are to be made, to be released in the spring of 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPScarecrow’s story is as fascinating as it is improbable. The vineyard was founded in 1945 by Joseph J. Cohn who was born in Harlem, New York, in 1895, to Russian immigrants. Cohn, penniless as a child, rose to become the head of Hollywood’s famous studio MGM. Among the classic movies Cohn produced was The Wizard of Oz. Years later Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez named the wine Scarecrow after the movie’s beloved character. Made by Celia Welch, it’s a stunning wine with dazzling flavours that flash open like a peacock’s tail. The texture is nothing short of sublime.Drinking Window 2019 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Scarecrow is another positively riveting wine from this benchmark estate and longtime winemaker Celia Welch. Powerful and explosive on the palate, with tremendous energy, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of graphite, smoke, leather and tobacco builds as this beautifully layered, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon shows why Scarecrow is one of Napa Valley’s very finest vineyard sites. Just bottled a few weeks before this tasting, the 2016 is shaping up to be a real jewel of a wine. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 98 VMA frankly ripe style, with creamed plum, blackberry and dark cherry sauce flavors gliding through. A singed alder note provides frame and spine, while warm earth, tobacco and sassafras accents run through the finish. Solidly built despite the slightly heady fruit. Best from 2021 through 2034. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Complex aromas of fresh flowers and cherries follow through to a full body, firm and very silky tannins and a long, long finish. Driven and fine. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is all about purity, finesse and energy. A line of cherry and raspberry flavors runs through this red, with grace notes of leather, tobacco, graphite and underbrush. Reined-in and firm, yet balanced, with a lingering aftertaste of cherry, mineral and spice. Best from 2021 through 2045. 5,000 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA pure expression of Sangiovese, the Tenuta Sette Ponti 2016 Valdarno di Sopra Vigna dell’Impero opens to brambly notes of forest floor and wild cherry, followed by crushed flowers and scorched earth. There is a warm-climate element to this wine that is specific to Tuscany, and that is presented with extra ripeness and spice. The wine finishes with some bitter almond and grilled rosemary. I tasted bottle 3,490 of the 9,767 bottles produced in this vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

In years past, I have commented on the pretty mineral nuances laced into the bouquet of this single-vineyard wine. The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara delivers those tones with extreme clarity and precision, giving this vintage a distinctive personality and identity. Equally impressive, however, is the structure and fiber of the wine that is clearly more robust, concentrated and well-balanced overall. This quality comes from both the fruit and the oak, and these two forces play against each other with nice contrasts. It is no exaggeration to say that this vintage delivers "more Brunello" on all fronts compared to recent past vintages. This is a standout wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is really beautiful with black cherries, porcini mushrooms, black walnuts and dried flowers on the nose. It’s full-bodied, yet very toned and tight with class and precision. Wonderful length and focus. Goes on for minutes. What a wine from here. Best ever? Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara is fruit-forward and seductive. It’s exotic, showing spiced black cherries, hints of tangerine, sweet herbs and mocha. The textures are velvety, weighty yet pure, energized by vibrant acidity, as tart red and black berries saturate all that they touch, leaving a coating of fine tannins in their wake. The expression becomes dry and youthfully structured; yet intensity remains high throughout the finale, as this tapers off to dried fruits, baker’s chocolate and hints of licorice. The Vigneto Manachiara is made from a site on the eastern side of Montalcino at around 300 meters. The wine spends eighteen months in French barrique, followed by another twelve months in Slavonian oak barrels. While the oak comes through in the finished wine, it does so with impeccable style. That said, the 2016 will take some time to soften and reveal all of its charms.Vinous Media | 96 VMTruly the loveliest Manachiara I have tried and among my favourite wines of the vintage. Produced since 1995, it is crafted from Nardi’s vineyards near Castelnuovo dell’Abate in a warm yet breezy spot with cool nights and morning sun exposure. The nose is sun-soaked with plum, baked herbs and exotic florals, while the palate brings in flavours of nectarine, leather and a saline edge. Plush, fleshy and full, it is enveloped in a velvety texture that builds artfully to a powdery, tactile grip. This will give heaps of enjoyment for many years to come.Decanter | 96 DECVanilla and toasty oak aromas and flavors are wrapped around a core of cherry, plum and tobacco in this stylish red. With air, the oak recedes and a mineral element emerges. Shows fine balance and a lingering finish. Best from 2024 through 2042. 830 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe nose is rather shy but eventually reveals new leather, forest floor, cedar and rose. The concentrated palate is still primary, featuring dried cherry, licorice and coffee bean framed in tightly knit, close-grained tannins. You’ll also detect the heat of evident alcohol on the close. Drink 2024-2031. Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KOThe nose is rather shy but eventually reveals new leather, forest floor, cedar and rose. The concentrated palate is still primary, featuring dried cherry, licorice and coffee bean framed in tightly knit, close-grained tannins. You’ll also detect the heat of evident alcohol on the close. Drink 2024–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Compared to the broad shoulders and rich concentration you get in the Vigneto Manachiara, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Poggio Doria is slightly more ethereal and finessed in character. Even its color is a shade more ruby (by the slightest margin), and the aromas veer toward the red fruit side of the spectrum, instead of the black fruit. The bouquet yields quite a bit of varietal purity with raspberry, wild cherry and a lingering rosemary essence. Dark mineral and campfire ash also appear. The tannins are a bit drier and tighter here, compared to the relatively softer and richer texture seen in the Manachiara, and my recommendation is to hold this wine a bit longer in your cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Poggio Doria is dark, brooding and savory from the start through its almost-salty finish. Crushed violets and roses mingle amidst an air of earthy minerals and undergrowth, with hints of pine and tart woodland berries adding freshness. Its textures are silky and polished, with a dense core of black fruits and spice carried over a medium-bodied frame by brisk acids. Tannins come in late in the game; yet they quickly firm up the expression, adding youthful tension as echoes of purple florals and cheek-puckering blackberry linger. This is painfully young and will require some time to come around, but I hope to enjoy another bottle when it does. The Poggio Doria cru is located in the north-west of Montalcino. The wine spends eighteen months in a combination of new and used tonneaux, followed by another twelve months in Slavonian oak barrels prior to bottling.Vinous Media | 94 VMPoggio Doria comes from a five-hectare plot in the wooded and densely shrubbed area of Casale del Bosco. Harvested slightly later than the Manachiara, in the first week of October, the 2016 is immediately expressive and precise in its aromas of medicinal herbs, fragrant forest, gingerbread and spice. The most linear and least generously fruited of Nardi’s three Brunello, it will need some time to unfurl and for the wood to integrate but there is much promise. Immensely juicy on the finish.Decanter | 94 DECImpressive black cherries with black mushrooms, mahogany and black earth. Full-bodied with chewy yet fine-textured tannins. It goes on and on in the palate. Muscular, yet very toned and fine-grained. Hints of steel at the end. A beauty. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSAromas of red berry, blue flower and star anise form the nose along with whiffs of wild herb. Structured and elegant, the taut, savory palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry compote and licorice alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. It’s still young so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2024–2036. Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOAromas of red berry, blue flower and star anise form the nose along with whiffs of wild herb. Structured and elegant, the taut, savory palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry compote and licorice alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. It’s still young so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2024–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAn impressive red, this adds a light touch of new oak to its cherry, strawberry, iron, tobacco and pine flavors. Vanilla and resinous accents linger, along with dusty tannins that should meld with the fruit in a year or two. Best from 2023 through 2038. 165 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Such wonderful opulence and beauty. The nose shows dried flowers and minerals with blackberries and black cherries. Purity is the word. Full-bodied with incredible depth and structure and polished, silky tannins that envelop your palate. The length is really impressive. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Vecchie Vigne Brunello is introspective and complex on the nose, with tobacco, baked earth, dried black plum, cedar, and lavender. The palate is concentrated and brooding, with cola, balsamic black fruit, and tea leaf, and the wine is full-bodied, with chiseled structure, powerful tannin, and balanced acidity. Spending two years in French oak of 225 liters, the oak influence is present but has finesse and is well-integrated for the style. This wine warrants time in the cellar and will be fantastic drinking for those who gravitate to a more polished, modern style. 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne from Siro Pacenti is dark and youthfully folded in upon itself. This pulls you closer to the glass, as it slowly reveals a nuanced display of olive-tinged blackberry and plum, with hints of mocha, balsamic spice and tanned leather. It’s deeply textural, with velvety waves of ripe black fruits laced with tactile minerals, propelled by vibrant acids which carry its medium-bodied weight with ease. Youthfully dense, poised and geared for the long term, the 2016 Vecchie Vigne will require a good amount of cellaring to show all of its charms. Hints of licorice and violet florals echo throughout the long and structured finale.Vinous Media | 95 VMMenthol, new leather, French oak and spiced blueberry aromas come to the forefront. Full bodied and concentrated, the firmly structured palate delivers dried cherry, grilled Porcini, vanilla and licorice set against assertive, close-grained tannins before closing on a coconut note. Give it time to flesh out in the bottle. Drink 2026–2036.Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOMenthol, new leather, French oak and spiced blueberry aromas come to the forefront. Full-bodied and concentrated, the firmly structured palate delivers dried cherry, grilled Porcini, vanilla and licorice set against assertive, close-grained tannins before closing on a coconut note. Give it time to flesh out in the bottle. Drink 2026–2036. Wine Enthusist | 95 WEI tasted this wine from barrel a few years back, and it’s great to follow up on its evolution. Looking back at my notes, I remarked on the generosity, depth and fruit-driven bounty of the Siro Pacenti 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne. Those are the same words I would use to describe the wine today. Indeed, they could sum up the house style that underlines concentration, careful berry selection and an elaborate oak regimen with new French barrique. Fruit from old vines represents a blend of two sites, one with rocky soils to the south and another with clay soils to the north. This wine opens to a nicely saturated appearance with dark berry, spice and tobacco. The wine is structured and firm, owning its tannins to both the fruit and the barrique. I do find the tannins to be astringent at this young stage, so I would hold off from opening this 25,000-bottle release for a long while. Like many of the other producers in Montalcino, Giancarlo Pacenti has captured the linearity and focus of the vintage, but his house style ultimately leaves a bigger mark on the fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBroad and dense, this red reveals power behind the plum, cherry, earth, leather and underbrush flavors. Will need time to shed its beefy tannins, but the fruit keeps pace on the long finish. Best from 2025 through 2047. 1,800 cases made, 700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLike the Pelagrilli, the Vecchie Vigne - a selection from vines older than 35 years - blends fruit from the estate’s two sites: one just northeast of the town of Montalcino, and the other near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Generous new oak is still at the fore but not completely domineering. Star anise, clove and chocolate share the spotlight with forest floor and cedar. Ample in ripe fruit, power and extract, this is surprisingly supple, though dry tannins definitely stick to the edges of the mouth. It retreats into its shell as it sits in the glass.Decanter | 92 DEC

Speechless here. I thought the 2015 was already perfect but this is perfect, too. But in a different way. It is so structured and multidimensional. Full-bodied, powerful and intense with incredible tannin backbone and depth. The dark-berry, wet-earth, oyster-shell and mushroom flavors are phenomenal. 20% less production than 2015. Give it four or five years to come together. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JSI fussed over scoring this wine more than I'd like to admit—tasting through three samples under different conditions at various intervals and testing my impressions blind against wines in its peer group. Most importantly, I tasted this 2016 vintage against the 2015 vintage over and over again. I confess to a few nights of restless sleep as a result. Ultimately, my decision to award 100 points to the 2016 Solaia came on impulse and with the most natural sense of purpose. I had also given the 2015 vintage a perfect score, and intellectually, it seemed impossible not to pick a favorite among these two stunning expressions. I will also state, outright, that the wines are very different, principally because the 2015 vintage shows more overall opulence and sweetness that extends to the pronounced textural richness of the mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage, on the other hand, is more chiseled and sharp with mineral shadings of campfire ash and graphite at the rim of its dark fruit. The mouthfeel is more streamlined and tight at its core, suggesting that the wine will unfold and soften beautifully with time. I feel like 2015 is the Dolce & Gabbana of the situation and the 2016 is the Armani Privé. The personalities of the two wines are distinct, yet my admiration for each is identical.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPLike Tignanello, the 2016 Solaia is a wine of extraordinary nuance and finesse. Super-ripe blackberry, plum jam, espresso, menthol, licorice and sweet spice build as the sublime 2016 shows off its personality and breeding. The 2016 somehow manages to be incredibly deep and also light on its feet. Sweet floral and spice notes add the closing shades of nuance to an exotic, beguilingly beautiful Solaia endowed with an eternal finish and mind-blowing beauty. The 2016 is an epic Solaia. That's all there is to it.Vinous Media | 99 VMThe summer of 2016 at Marchesi Antinori’s Tignanello estate featured warm but even temperatures, without the heat spikes of 2015. The result is one of the most expressive and nuanced vintages of Solaia we have ever tasted. High-toned scents of lavender, menthol and bay leaf leap from the glass and continue on the palate, enlivening flavors of crunchy plum, blackcurrant and licorice. The tannins feel refined and silky, and the wine emanates a brightness and energy that propels the flavors outward, creating a three-dimensional impression. If the 2015 Solaia was a powerhouse, this wine is sheer elegance, its precise flavors and lifted aromas creating a thrill factor that is impossible to resist.Wine & Spirits | 99 W&SThis red leads off with a slight oaky edge, featuring vanilla and resin accents that meld with the black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors on the palate. This is all about purity and finesse, featuring a vibrant structure that fits harmoniously with the flavors. Cedar, iron, tobacco and fruit elements converge on the finish, which is very long, fresh and satisfying. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2040. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSAromas of cassis, warm spice and camphor form the nose. Made with 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 7% Cabernet Franc, the vibrant, linear palate shows great finesse, offering cranberry, blueberry and crushed mint alongside white pepper. It's smooth and balanced, with bright acidity and polished tannins. The best is yet to come, so hold for more complexity. Drink 2023–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEFirst produced in 1978, Solaia comes from a 20-hectare south- to southeast-facing plot at Antinori's prized Tignanello estate. The stony, well-drained soil is a mix of galestro and alberese. Coconut, black tea and ripe blackberry are interlaced with a fragrant herbal and earthy undertow. It is a bit austere at the moment but the acidity is positively racy. Velvety-smooth tannins are seamlessly integrated and the finish is jam-packed. This will need a few years to come around. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 95 DEC

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

This special steak wine bears the signature of company founder Giovanni Folonari on the front label. The Folonari family is a historic presence in modern Tuscan wine. Their 2016 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Gran Selezione comes from a classic vintage that is known for the balance and power displayed in its elegant wines. This bottle opens to dark cherry and blackberry with rich nuances of spice and dried flowers at the back. This is a terrific effort from a winery with a big presence across the region.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPWhat immediately strikes you about this wine is its richness and density, showing lots of cherry, chocolate and bark character. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful. Lots of fruit. One for the cellar, but delicious now.James Suckling | 93 JSDeveloped nose showing mushroomy notes, oak nuances, and crushed rocks. Smooth and full on the palate, savoury finish.Drinking Window 2022 - 2030Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2016 Trinoro is one of the most extraordinary wines I have ever tasted from Trinoro and proprietor Andrea Franchetti. Deep and yet also silky, with exceptionally refined tannins and exquisite balance, the 2016 has so much to recommend it. Dark raspberry jam, white chocolate, mint and rose petal notes are all finely knit in this sublime, exquisitely beautiful wine. The finish alone boasts mind-bending intensity and persistence.Vinous Media | 100 VMThe 2016 Tenuta di Trinoro is a truly gorgeous creation. The flagship wine from Tenuta di Trinoro is 48% Cabernet Franc and 52% Merlot (fermented in steel like the other top-shelf wines from this estate, followed by eight months in new barrique and 11 months in cement). The alcohol here clocks in at 15.5%, and you do feel it. This powerful Tuscan blend offers nice, ripe intensity and bold movements. It is rich and beautiful, layering out tranches of fruit, cinnamon and spice in perfect harmony. It is a full-bodied wine with some sweet cinnamon spice on the close. Some 6,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPPure, ripe flavors of plum, blackberry and fruitcake are wrapped in toasty oak. This is dense, picking up earth and tobacco notes as the spice elements echo on the firm finish. The lasting impression is of saturated fruit. Everything is in proportion for a long life ahead. Best from 2022 through 2035. 500 cases made, 55 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe highest percentage of Merlot in Tenuta di Trinoro (with the exception of 2019), thanks to a cool summer – and even some hail in early July. From this vintage, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon have been dropped from the flagship wine due to the increasing quality of the Cab Franc and Merlot. A green harvest was carried out, along with trimming the canopy. The Merlot was picked over the course of several days, commencing on 24 September, and – as Andrea reported – on 10 October ‘the moon was rising fast and the [Cabernet Franc] grapes thrust forward into maturity.’ Picking of the Cabernet Franc was completed on 13 October. Vibrant and bold, the 2016 has a rich Merlot nose with dried fruits, potpourri and damp earth. In the mouth, ripe red and black berries mingle with black cherry and raspberry coulis hints. Plentiful grippy, chalky tannins and a stony mid-palate give shape and structure. Spicy and fresh. 6,000 bottles made.Decanter | 95 DECPlum, underbrush, exotic spice and French oak aromas jump out of the glass on this concentrated Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend. The bold, dense palate offers blackberry jam, licorice, vanilla and tobacco framed in firm, velvety tannins. It closes on the warmth of alcohol. Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOPlum, underbrush, exotic spice and French oak aromas jump out of the glass on this concentrated Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend. The bold dense palate offers blackberry jam, licorice, vanilla and tobacco framed in firm velvety tannins. It closes on the warmth of alcohol.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE