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The 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is quite possibly the single greatest wine I have tasted in more than twenty years I have been coming here, with the possible exception of the 1989s and 1990s. Deep and powerful, but not at all heavy, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. Dark cherry/plum fruit, menthol, lavender, licorice and mocha saturate the palate in a Barolo of extraordinary richness and intensity. The 2016 spent four years in 100% new oak, and yet there is no trace at all of wood. Magnificent!Vinous Media | 100 VMShows an initial impression of vanilla and spices, especially in the aromas, yet underneath is a solid line of cherry, raspberry, wild scrub and iron flavors. An elegant and intense red, with refined tannins and a lingering, nervy finish. Best from 2026 through 2045. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

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

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

The 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is a slightly tweaked blend compared to the 2016 and includes a splash of Viognier. The blend is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier, which is a combination you don’t see often, yet it makes sense, and the Viognier plays the role of Semillon seen in Bordeaux Blanc releases. Coming from a dry, hot year, it has a beautiful bouquet of Meyer lemons, honeysuckle, flowers, and hints of barrique. This carries to a seamless, full-bodied white that’s flawlessly balanced, has a bright core of acidity, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It’s one seriously classy white I’d be thrilled to drink any time over the coming 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA really beautiful, layered white with sliced lemons, limes, stones and hints of steel. Some lemon curd. Tight and solid with fine phenolics that give it structure and focus. Extremely poised and dignified. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe previous vintage of this wine was made soley with Sauvignon Blanc, but as expected, the Ornellaia 2017 Ornellaia Bianco sees a small percentage of Viognier added to the blend. The exact percentage of the two components is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier. If you are a fan of these grape varieties, as I am, this wine will appeal to all your basic pleasure points. Showing medium rich concentration and a creamy textural fiber, it reveals some of the weight that we associated with this hot and dry vintage. However, any trace of over-ripeness is mitigated by the cool soils that, in this case, consist of deep calcarious clay broken up by rocks at a breezy 80 to 100 meters above sea level. This consistency is perfect for locking in moisture even in drought vintages. The wine is fermented in oak, but no malolactic fermentation occurs, and the wine instead rests on the fine lees with frequent stirring. Orchard fruits and Cavaillon melon give the wine a sturdy center of gravity. Some 5,000 bottles were made, and this wine was released in April 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is impressive, especially within the context of the warm, dry year. Bright and focused, the Bianco shows the natural richness of the vintage - that is impossible to escape - but it also retains quite a bit of energy. Orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes are beautifully delineated throughout. Once again, the Bianco is a wine of real distinction.Vinous Media | 94 VMSubtle peach, passion fruit, elderflower and earth flavors converge in this white. There is a touch of oak adding a vanilla accent. Though lush in texture, this is also intense and long, with an echo of passion fruit and salty elements. Drink now through 2024. 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2017 Nizza LaCourt is soft, supple, rich and open but not at all heavy. Raspberry jam, mocha, spice, new leather all build as this succulent forward Nizza shows off its considerable appeal. The 2017 hits all the right notes. It is a terrific effort from the Chiarlo family.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDark-skinned fruit, cedar and scorched earth aromas lead the nose. The structured, balanced palate offers Marasca cherry, blackberry jam and licorice alongside polished tannins. Drink 2023–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe Michele Chiarlo 2017 Nizza Riserva La Court is a beautifully enriched and generous wine that gives ample volume and depth to the Barbera grape. This food-friendly option shows the dark fruit (blackberry and plum) to pair with most pasta or meat dishes. It also offers just enough acidity to cut through any recipe that is heavy on cheese or cream. This bottle is ready to drink now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBright blueberry and boysenberry aromas and flavors highlight this vibrant red, with flashes of earth and toasty oak spice. It’s very discreet in the end, where light oak tannins come into play. Drink now through 2024. 1,000 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

New leather, truffle and camphor aromas mingle with a whiff of wild berry on this earthy red. The ripe, accessible palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, culinary spice and game alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027. Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KONew leather, truffle and camphor aromas mingle with a whiff of wild berries on this earthy red. The ripe, accessible palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, culinary spice and game alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA mix of macerated cherry, plum and balsamic notes of mint, wild thyme and eucalyptus highlight this balanced red, with a light viscosity and fine length. Best from 2023 through 2036. 5,000 cases made, 3,760 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2017 Croatina delivers all the intensity this indigenous variety is known for. Dark cherry, blackberry, dried herbs, lavender, tobacco and licorice infuse the 2017 with richness and brooding power, all wrapped into a classic frame. I would give the 2017 a bit of time in bottle, although it is pretty compelling today. Bright acids and a good bit of tannin make it a fabulous wine for the dinner table, especially alongside hearty fare.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The 2017 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, inviting wine. Pliant fruit and soft contours give the 2017 so much immediacy and appeal. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry while spice, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco infuse the 2017 with tremendous character. The 2017 is such a beautiful and inviting wine. It was fermented in concrete and aged in oak for 18 months. Wow!Antonio Galloni | 93 AGRich cherries and berries on the nose with hints of fresh oak and sage-like herbs, following through to a fullish palate with plump fruit, quite firm tannins and a bright mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best after 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSLe Cinciole’s latest release, the 2017 offers tremendous freshness with beautiful restraint. After ageing for one year in 20hL French oak, this refines for a further 12 months in cement before bottling. It is slightly wilder and decidedly darker in its nuances than the 2016, with enticing lavender, black cherry, liquorice and a touch of leather. The palate is fairly dense, with appropriately grippy tannins lending support. It leaves the mouth clean, refreshed and satisfied. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DECMade with organically farmed Sangiovese, this opens with subtle aromas of black-skinned berry, scorched earth and cooking spice. The savory palate offers black cherry, clove and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Wonderful aromas of blueberries, black olives, dried meat, and dried flowers. Iodine and peppercorn. Full body, firm and chewy tannins, yet always polished and refined. Shows a compact and silky texture. Needs two or three years to come around.James Suckling | 98 JSThis is one of my happy wines from Italy. You take three things—Syrah, sunshine and Tuscany—and fit them magically together to create the 2017 Syrah Per Sempre. If I am happy with this wine, so is its creator Stefano Frascolla, who was downright giggly as he presented it to me. This vintage puts it all out there and misses nothing. There is dark, exuberant, rich black fruit followed by carefully measured concentration and velvety richness. Both the 2003 and 2009 vintages were similarly hot years, but those editions showed a hardness or roughness, especially within the first few years of their release. This wine is quite the opposite, showing seamless transitions with layers of spicy softness, velvety richness and supple fruit definition. This wine is a true beauty with a more immediate style that will reward those who chose to drink it in the medium term, or those who prefer to wait longer. This is also one of the highest scores I have awarded to any Italian wine from the 2017 vintage thus far. Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2017 Syrah Per Sempre is aromatically deep and so expressive. As always, what comes through is a heady wine that captures the personality of Syrah on the Tuscan coast, and yet the 2017 also possesses quite a bit of nuance. Black pepper, lavender, spice and chocolate wrap around a core of inky dark Syrah fruit.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGWell-marked by spicy, toasty oak, this red is opulent and powerful, with blackberry and boysenberry flavors that are submerged for now. Balanced, yet needs time to tame its youthful exuberance and absorb the oak. The long finish echoes vanilla and toast notes. Best from 2022 through 2032. 300 cases made, 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aromas of iris, ripe dark-skinned berries and truffle mingle with ground clove on this smooth, compelling red. On the delicious, full-bodied palate, firm, fine-grained tannins wrap around ripe Marasca cherry, blood orange and licorice while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2024–2032.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2017 Barbaresco Angelo is superb. The aromatics alone are simply beguiling. Rose petal, mint, lavender, pine, orange peel and sweet red cherry give the Angelo remarkable allure. Pliant and silky on the palate, with striking resonance, the Angelo impresses from the very first taste. Its overall balance is simply remarkable. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis is bright and bursting with cherry, raspberry, licorice and iron aromas and flavors, while savory elements of eucalyptus, wild thyme and cut hay add detail. Fine balance and length. Best from 2024 through 2038. 175 cases made, 30 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Roses and lavender with other flowers. Peaches. Glorious fruit of dark plums and ripe strawberries. This is dense and intense but there are layers of very fine tannins, like fine cashmere. Goes on for minutes. Opens in the mouth. Almost endless. Three years in cask and two years in bottle before January 2023 release. Give this at least five to six years.James Suckling | 98 JSThis year’s top-end release from Bruno Giacosa is the 2017 Barolo Riserva Falletto Vigna Le Rocche (in the red label). Bottled in 2019, the wine stands apart thanks to a hot and dry growing season that Bruna Giacosa is very excited about. In fact, she prefers 2017 to 2015, although the two vintages do share similarities. This wine is very open-knit, and it reveals dark concentration in the form of ripe blackberry, candied cherry and spice. The tannins show a loose, granular quality that adds considerably to the textural impact of this Riserva.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis supple red is elegant and powerful, driven by an underlying mineral element. Strawberry, cherry, rose, iron and wild thyme aromas and flavors persist, building to a long aftertaste, while dense, refined tannins lend support. Offers superb balance and length. Best from 2025 through 2045. 110 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

Wild juniper, thyme, blackberry, black currant, mineral and tar flavors are the themes in this red, along with a resinous note from the oak. Racy, concentrated, solidly built and in the end, complex, if on the unforgiving side today. Sangiovese. Best from 2024 through 2043. 257 cases made, 75 cases imported.Vinous Media | 97 VMWild juniper, thyme, blackberry, black currant, mineral and tar flavors are the themes in this red, along with a resinous note from the oak. Racy, concentrated, solidly built and in the end, complex, if on the unforgiving side today. Sangiovese. Best from 2024 through 2043. 257 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSome pleasant black-cherry and mineral aromas here. Medium-bodied with a fresh, lightly firm palate and a medium finish. Lacks the touch of individuality that this wine usually offers, though this is a decent effort in 2017. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

The freshness and the floral aromas with citrus fruit and berries are startling for a 2017. The palate is full and extremely refined with elegant tannins and vivid fruit and orange-peel undertones. Racy and bright at the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSHere’s a handsome bottle inside and out. The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Luce is an exuberant and flashy expression of Sangiovese. Just like the etched label design that features sunbeams, the wine radiates fresh fruit, cherry, spice, tar, licorice and grilled herb. The house style favors a contemporary and rich style of Sangiovese, and the wine’s velvety approach is measured against the ample texture and fruit weight presented here. This warm 2017 vintage is well interpreted by the folks at Tenuta Luce (even with that high 15% alcohol). Production is 30,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPGorgeous aromas on the nose, cola, cherries and exotic sweet spices. Lovely intensity straight away, piercing, finely detailed and driven. Wild strawberries, cherries and raspberries combined with dried scrubland mingling together to give both fruit and savoury aspects while the acidity keeps things lifted and bright. I love the freshness with the hit of sweet cherry and cola. Nuanced and giving. Still a touch of wood spice on the finish giving things a piquance and reminding you that this is a 14.5% alcohol wine and is one to be taken seriously. Excellent ageing potential.Decanter | 94 DECUnderbrush, violet and baked plum are some of the aromas you’ll find on this bold red. Big and savory, the warm palate is brawny but polished, offering fleshy black cherry, licorice and tobacco framed in velvety, enveloping tannins. It’s already almost accessible but also offers good midterm aging potential. Drink through 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA rich red, this boasts cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, bitter almond and herb flavors. Taut and dense, with brisk acidity and dusty tannins that truncate the finish for now. Traditional style. Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,500 cases made, 117 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is dreamy, wafting up with a remarkably fresh bouquet that features roses, violets, shavings of cedar, dusty cherry and sweet smoke. This is elegance personified, with ripe red and black fruits excited by vibrant acidity as confectionary spice emerges. Minerals add a more tactile feel toward the close. Balsam herbs and hints of mocha resonate as the 2017 finishes with a gentle tug of tannin and a slight bitter twang that punctuates the wine perfectly. This child of a warm vintage shows impressive balance and tremendous potential for the future. Bury your bottles deep.Vinous Media | 96 VMEnticing aromas of dried strawberries and raspberries, together with notes of heather-like herbs and dried citrus peel. Full-bodied with beautiful, silky tannins that embrace the fruit and add length. In fact this is very long, releasing more and more cedar and spicy dried peel for you to savor. An excellent 2017 from a top Amarone vineyard site. Enjoyable now and will age for many a year.James Suckling | 94 JSThis single-vineyard Amarone is high in the hills of the Valpantena Valley and opens with aromas of macerated black cherries steeped in anise and clove that then evolve into notes of forest floor and dried herbs. Finesse is driven with a balance between wild plums, savory and oolong tea notes that are guided by the elegant tannins and mouth-watering acidity on the end. A classic wine. Drink Now–2045. 94 points. Cellar Selection.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2017 Barolo Castelletto captures all of the savory and mineral complexity of this high-altitude site. Ethereal and gracious, the Castelletto has so much to offer. Pine, mint, blood orange, crushed raspberry and star anise are all finely sculpted throughout. This is one of the best Barolos I have ever tasted from Manzone. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 96 VMI love the dense, savory elements that thicken up the red fruit on the nose, speaking more of terroir than oak influence. Full-bodied with lots of fine-grained tannins that are already giving an easy ride to the juicy fruit, through to a long, only lightly firm finish. It’s very rare to give a drink-now recommendation to a young Barolo, This is irresistible right now. Yet, it should develop nicely in bottle, too. Drink or holdJames Suckling | 93 JS

The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli is intense, like cracking open an ashen stone to find a bevy of dried black cherries, cinnamon sticks, incense and dried herbs. This is deeply textural with a balanced inner sweetness elevated by vibrant acidity as depths of tart red fruit balance and slowly saturates the palate in primary concentration. The 2017 finishes structured and dramatically long, begging for further cellaring, as a bitter tinge of currants and clove fade. Maybe splitting hairs, but I didn’t believe that Tenuta Sant’Antonio could outdo their 2016 Campo dei Gigli, but over time the 2017 may be up to the task.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThick and rather syrupy dried black fruit faces a wall of black-peppery, toasted oak on the nose, then turning more licoricy on the palate. Any subtler, more complex character is for now waiting in the wings for the youthful fruit and oak to vacate the center-stage. And that may take some time. Nevertheless, it’s attractive to drink even now and will continue to give pleasure for many a year. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThis rich Amarone is all that it is supposed to be and more. The nose is loaded with blackberry and cassis with licorice and savory herbs layered atop the intense fruit aromas. The palate shows off the beauty of the vineyard with deep dark plum notes wrapped around sweet chocolate and baking spices with fine tannins and a long finish.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEFrom the estate’s oldest vineyard, a limestone site with some silt and sand located at 300m above sea level planted 40 years ago. It’s a blend of Corvina and Corvinone (70%), Rondinella (20%), Croatina (5%) and Oseleta (5%), fermented in stainless steel then matured in new 500l casks for 36 months. It has distinct aromas of chocolate wheat and spiced plum crumble. In the mouth, lurking austere black fruits and balsamic freshness with streaks of tangy red fruits and dusty spice are supported by fine, grainy tannins. Bold, sweet and succulent, it demonstrates some limestoney mid-palate tightness that lends desirable finesse to this ample wine.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2017 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi is a super classic wine from the Fantino brothers that melds together the richness of the year with traditional expression of Bussia structure. Bright red-toned fruit, kirsch, blood orange, mint and spice open over time, supported by beams of nervous tannin that lend energy. This is a terrific 2017 Barolo.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Camphor, star anise, tobacco and underbrush are just some of the aromas you’ll find on this stunning red. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the savory palate doles out ripe Marasca cherry, rasberry compote, baking spice and licorice set against youthfully assertive, noble tannins. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2027–2037. Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOCamphor, star anise, tobacco and underbrush are just some of the aromas you’ll find on this stunning red. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the savory palate doles out ripe Marasca cherry, rasberry compote, baking spice and licorice set against youthfully assertive, noble tannins. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2027–2037.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis has very pretty sweetness of fruit to it, with dried strawberries and cherries, as well as walnuts and light cocoa powder. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy tannins and a subtle finish. Better in three or four years. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSA release of about 5,000 bottles, the Brovia 2017 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione offers a very elegant take on a wild and hot vintage that was not always easy to tame. The wine’s aromatic profile can be described as ripe for sure because you get a generous dose of fragolino di bosco (wild strawberry), peach and orange blossom. Like the Villero, that ripeness is mitigated by the pretty mineral note that frames the bouquet. That dusty crushed limestone is more prominent in the case of the Rocche di Castiglione. However, the mouthfeel is a touch more compact and slenderer in the case of this wine. The tannins are silky and fine, but it would be nice to come back to this bottle in five years or more when the wine has had the chance to flesh out further.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2017 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is delicate and perfumed from the outset. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, cedar, mint and licorice all open in the glass. The 2017 is a classic Rocche - gracious, medium in body and super-finessed. The ripeness of the year comes through in the wine’s flavor profile, but all the elements are so well balanced. The only thing missing is a bit of depth, and that leaves the finish feeling just a bit dry.Vinous Media | 92 VM

This is one of those wines where your nose is in the glass for ages, enjoying the complex array of aromas that range from raspberries to dates, perfumed bark to polished wood, pressed flowers to fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied, dense and focused with fine, well-integrated tannins, plenty of fruit flavor and an endless finish. A joy to drink even now, but this will age gracefully for many a year.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Sergio Zenato is totally classic to the Zenato style, with macerated cherries, raisins, sweet herbs, cocoa, black pepper and shavings of cedar. This deeply textural with a dense wave of mineral-encased dark red fruits and balsamic spice carried across a core of stimulating acidity. Mocha and clove mix with black currant and olive as the 2017 finishes dramatically long and potent. There’s simply so much going on here, and more is guaranteed to come with maturation. Also of note is that the 2017 clocks in at only 3.3 grams of residual sugar. This is as serious as they comeVinous Media | 97 VM

Blackberry and spice character – white pepper to be precise. Full-bodied, layered and chewy with a dusty texture and a black-olive undertone. It’s rich and chewy. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSA blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot, the Tua Rita 2018 Lodano Rosso is another wine that I had tasted in a preview capacity at the beginning of this year. The wine is seamlessly integrated with dark fruit, blackberry and plum that is rounded off nicely by the smoke and tobacco from French oak and a smaller part of American oak. The Merlot is sourced from the estate’s celebrated old vines, and a theme of flashy or contemporary concentration and richness is found in this wine and throughout the estate portfolio. This vintage was cool and wet during the spring months but turned much warmer and drier toward the end of the growing season.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is one of the best expressions of Petit Verdot I have tasted in a long time. While always intriguing, the variety is often very linear and structural whereas here it has some richness, roundness and charm. It opens slowly to reveal dark fruits, gunsmoke and spice, with finely textured, silty tannins. Perhaps the old-vine Merlot helps coax this more edgy variety into showing its more sensual side. Drinking Window 2022 - 2028.Decanter | 94 DEC

Vibrant straw-green. Liquid minerals, jasmine, green apple and thyme on the enticing nose. Then rich and multilayered but also bright and fresh on the zingy mouthfeel. This outstanding, nuanced Müller-Thurgau finishes long, clean and mineral. Not likely to be the longest-lived Sass Rigais made by this estate, but will provide wonderful drinking over the next five years or so.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2018 Giorgio Primo represents a new level of finesse at La Massa. Powerful and dense in the glass, with tremendous structure, Giorgio Primo is a terrific example of how compelling international varieties are in Panzano’s Conca d’Oro district. Crème de cassis, spice, new leather, chocolate and sweet spice build into the textured, palate-staining finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Fattoria La Massa 2018 Giorgio Primo is a wine of richness, volume and texture. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and maceration times last 26 to 28 days to add the lovely depth and creaminess you taste here. Black fruit, crushed stone, truffle essence and toasted spice emerge from the bouquet. The wine’s full-bodied structure and its freshness promise a long cellar-aging future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of crushed stones and walnuts. Full body, firm and chewy tannins with blackberries and hints of chocolate and spice. Flavorful and intense at the end. Better after 2023, but better already very pretty.James Suckling | 95 JS

This edition from the legendary Tenuta San Leonardo estate in Trentino is presented with an artist-signed label. The special release of 999 bottles features the surreal artwork of Simone Berti. From a cool vintage, the 2018 San Leonardo is incredibly fine and beautiful with a filigree of aromas that recalls wild blackberry, tobacco, pressed rosemary, cherry tartlet and orange marmalade. The wine’s elegance is extraordinary, and the mouthfeel is very fine and precise. This classic vintage will certainly appeal to San Leonardo purists. I recommend giving it a long runway to age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP‘In July, we finally saw a brilliant sun, whose welcome heat warmed a season that was quite wet up to that point and with below-average temperatures,’ said Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga of the 2018 vintage. The newest release of this standout northern Italian red offers complex scents of tobacco, spices, earth and rich, wood-imbued black berries. In the mouth it combines intense concentration with freshness in a vertical sensation of poise and sapidity. Dark, plummy, spicy hedgerow berries are perfectly balanced by bright, moreish acidity and ripe, grainy tannins, with spicy cedar, dried currants and a touch of balsam in depth. Still has so much to give.Decanter | 95 DECA mentholated freshness introduces the 2018 San Leonardo as it slowly blossoms in the glass. Swirling unlocks depths of dusty sage and violets, giving way to white pepper and black currants. This is elegant, lifted and potent. Sour citrus elevates ripe wild berries and savory spices. The 2018 doesn’t miss a beat, finishing long and lightly structured, with a framework of fine tannins that gently tug at the senses as blackberry and inner rose notes slowly fade. The 2018 is an understated and youthful beauty that will reward medium-term cellaring. That said, hands off for now because the best is yet to come.Vinous Media | 94 VMA graceful red, beginning quietly with a pure note of ripe black currant, with the palate slowly expanding to weave in flavors of bay leaf and cured tobacco, bitter cherry reduction, mineral, graphite and cigar box spices. The finely knit flavor range shows supple tannins, which emerge to define the elegant finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot. Drink now through 2033. 5,900 cases made, 1,300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSRoasted red chili pepper with tapenade, berries, cedar and tobacco leaves. Very juicy on the palate with plush, silky tannins and a long, fluid finish. Cool and gastronomic. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 vintage is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenère (a high percentage for any grower) and 10% Merlot. The wine opens with aromas of ripe plum mixed with tart blueberries, worn leather, sweet spices and dried flowers. The palate is expansive and rich, showing the 24 months of aging in French barriques, both new and used. Firm yet opulent, the wine will continue to develop and retain its mark as one of the best Bordeaux-style blends from Italy. Drink 2025–2040. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2018 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric Del Fiasc has a very open nose, multi-layered with orange peel, wildflower, cigar box, and subtle spice aromas of nicely integrated oak. It is beautifully seductive and sensuous on the palate, hedonistic yet with a firm grip of tannins that have a fine crushed-chalk texture. It is a sensual yet assertive wine with a beautiful aromatic depth. Keep for one year drink to up to 25-30 years.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIWith aromas of earth, dried spice and crushed stone, the Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc holds its own in this vintage. Thanks to its wide shoulders, the wine gives emphasis to a core of dark fruit, licorice and grilled herb. This 9,000-bottle production uses fruit from the Fiasco vineyard in Castiglione Falletto.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA suave, spicy red hallmarked by cherry, chocolate and menthol aromas and flavors, with iron and tar notes chiming in as this develops on the palate. Shuts down in the end, yielding to firm yet well-mannered and integrated tannins. Complex and long overall. Best from 2026 through 2043. 700 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSForest floor, camphor, pipe tobacco and crushed mint aromas come together in the glass along with a whiff of violet. Combining power and finesse, the full-bodied palate features cherry marinated in spirits, licorice and mocha. Velvety tannins provide support while fresh acidity keeps it bright. Drink 2026–2033. Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOForest floor, camphor, pipe tobacco and crushed mint aromas come together in the glass along with a whiff of violet. Combining power and finesse, the full-bodied palate features cherry marinated in spirits, licorice and mocha. Velvety tannins provide support while fresh acidity keeps it bright. Drink 2026–2033. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELovely wild-strawberry, raspberry and red-cherry fruit on the nose, together with mineral tinges. Medium-bodied and fresh with good intensity, despite the lighter structure this year. The tannins provide enough support to keep it going. Fresh, balanced finish. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSNo written review provided. | 90 W&S