Wine Producing Countries

wines

The 2018 D’Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGLots of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Lots of black licorice, aniseed and light asphalt. Lead pencil, too. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

Starting off an incredible lineup of 2018s, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a purple/blue hue as well as a powerful bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, smoked tobacco, and new leather, with a kiss of background graphite. Full-bodied, utterly seamless, and flawlessly balanced, it’s impossible to resist today yet will cruise for 20-25 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSituated toward the base of Howell Mountain, too low to be included in that AVA, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard boasts ample complexity in its scents of pine needles, blueberries and cassis, all framed by vanilla and cedar. Did I mention lots of vanilla? It’s a full-bodied wine, silky-plush and almost too easy to drink, with a long, menthol-tinged finish. There’s a certain coolness, an aloofness to this wine, which one might more charitably call restraint but which left this taster only majorly impressed, not completely wowed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

Aromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThis is not the legendary Côte de Bouguerots bottling, but the regular Bougros – which still stood out alongside its peers. The fruit shows grand cru weight and the sunshine quality of the vintage, juicy but well balanced, while the crystalline purity of the finish sets this wine apart.Jasper Morris | 94 JMAromas of crisp green orchard fruit, clear honey, peach, mint and buttery pastry introduce the 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, a full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that’s one of the more textural, dramatic wines in the range. Unusually deep and concentrated, its immediate, charming profile belies considerable aging potential this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPVibrant, this white combines green apple and citrus flavors with an iodide element. This is lean and intense, with a lingering citrus and mineral aftertaste. Drink now through 2027. 70 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA ripe and beautifully layered nose consists of notes of green fruit, citrus, iodine and mineral reduction. The powerful, rich and voluminous big-bodied flavors possess fine mid-palate density that coats the palate with sap before concluding in an austere, long and vaguely rustic finale. This is an imposing Bougros that should age effortlessly over the next decade plus.Burghound | 92-94 BH

The 2019 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has an exquisite bouquet of beautifully defined citrus fruit, apple blossom and light flinty notes; a bit of peach skin emerges with aeration. The harmonious palate is very well balanced, delivering admirable depth, well-judged acidity, and flavors of white peach and a touch of quince toward the linear finish. Classy.Vinous Media | 93 VMA more elegant and slightly riper nose also offers plenty of classic Chablis character on the markedly floral-suffused white orchard fruit scents. The more voluminous though a bit less mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors culminate in an energetic, delicious and lingering if slightly awkward finale. This may well come together, and it does have a very good track record, but I prefer not to guess.Burghound | 90-92 BH

The Piero Benevelli 2019 Barolo Ravera di Monforte has just a little more ripeness compared to the Le Coste di Monforte, and this wine is more open-knit and ready to drink as a result. You get the same combination of dried fruit tones and redcurrants that come with a healthy dose of rusty mineral and iron-like sensations. This is a 4,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Barolo Ravera di Monforte is a powerful, searing wine. Red cherry fruit, leather, cedar, mint, iron, white pepper and dried flowers build in a mid-weight, tannic Barolo that is going to need time to be at its best. There is good tension and energy, but my impression is that the 2019 is recovering from its bottling, as it is very tight and sinewy in feel today.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The 2019 Echo De Lynch-Bages is the second wine of Château Lynch-Bages and it’s beautifully done, with a more floral, perfumed, pretty style compared to the Grand Vin, yet it still brings plenty of structure. Red and black currants, sappy flowers, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth all define the bouquet, and it’s medium-bodied, has integrated acidity, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. It’s beautifully balanced and already accessible, yet will nevertheless benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe second wine of Lynch-Bages shows all the power of this estate. The difference lies in the tannins and the ripe flavors of the wine. It has power without the tannins that demand long-term aging. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WELifted floral aromas, smells pretty and inviting, with a sweet note to the black fruit. Tannins are a little present, they’re not dry or austere, more on the smooth and chalky side but are just covering the fruit right now, although the blackcurrant and plum notes come back through. Chewy, ripe, fresh. This is lovely if just a bit shy at the moment. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Echo de Lynch-Bages, matured in one-year-old barrels for 12 months, has a crisp blackberry, briar and cedar bouquet with touches of mint, quite vibrant and lively. The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins and mulberry and black plum flavors intermingling with black truffle and white pepper. Maybe just a little abrupt on the finish at the moment, but that will fill out in time.Vinous Media | 90 VMJuicy, featuring racy-edged plum and black currant fruit flavors that show nice purity, with lively anise and apple wood accents filtering in through the finish, where a subtle note of charcoal chimes. Modest in scale but nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty rich, bombastic wine, especially for Mayacamas. A blast of dark fruit, incense, tobacco, licorice, spice and mocha hits the palate. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in bottle to settle down, as it is quite the powerhouse today. This is an unusually flamboyant wine with plenty of richness and a bit less in the way of subtlety. The opulence of the vintage comes through loud and clear.Vinous Media | 97 VMLoaded with character and energy, this version reveals heavy notes of zesty sweet bay leaf and sassafras that infuse a core of steeped red currant and mulberry fruit, all carried by bright acidity and iron-laced tannins. The long finish pulls everything together, with the fruit, savory and mineral elements in harmony. Showing an old-school touch, this has a long life ahead. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon remains true to the winery’s historic style, offering complex notes of dried herbs and mixed berries, carried across the palate by a wine that’s medium-bodied, crisp and somewhat lean by modern Napa standards. It finishes long and dusty, promising well for the future.Robert Parker Wine Advocte | 94 RP

The 2019 Fuligni Brunello Riserva is drop-dead gorgeous. Made with the oldest estate vines, it opens with enticing scents of pine forest, violet, eucalyptus, juniper, new leather and dark exotic spice. Boasting intensity and finesse, the delicious, radiant palate delivers succulent Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, black tea and baking spice set against enveloping, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity provides balance and the promise of great longevity. An absolutely thrilling wine. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 100 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a seductress, containing an array of cinnamon, clove, allspice, black cherry and hints of bay. It sweeps across the palate with a radiant and classic feel, with vividly ripe red fruits and sweet spices perfectly guided by a core of brilliant acidity. Its minerality comes through in the finish, tactile and saline in form. A web of fine-grained tannins wrap the senses with youthful poise, nuances of cedar and inner rose. The 2019 is spellbinding and built for the cellar. What a beauty.Vinous Media | 97 VMFuligni’s last Riserva was the 2016 vintage, and this 2019 absolutely lives up to the estate’s rigorous standards for bottling only in the best years. Gorgeous aromatics of cherry, florals, wood and some sottobosco emphasise its depth but also its vitality. The vibrant cherry and dark berry flavours are energetic and accomplished, and the intense, bright and long palate favours poise over muscularity. Superb.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECDried-berry, orange-peel and flower aromas follow through to a medium body with ultrafine tannins that blend nicely into the wine, delivering energy and length. Lovely ripe fruit with a juicy and flavorful finish. A classic and wonderfully proportioned young Brunello. Drinkable but better after 2026 and beyond.James Suckling | 97 JSFuligni’s 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals a sultry and savory side with medium-grained tannins and extra textural buffering that surrounds a core of dark blackberry fruit. The alcohol content is high at 15%, but this full-bodied vintage does a very good job of covering up those excesses. This Riserva closes with hints of root beer and sauna wood.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe core of sweet, ripe black cherry, blackberry, tamarind, earth and tar aromas and flavors is swallowed up by a wall of tannins in this wild, muscular red. Will require time to find its balance; however, even at this stage, everything converges on the long, complex finish. Best from 2029 through 2047.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The Pinino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows medium-dark concentration and classic Sangiovese aromas of blackcurrant, cigar ash and grilled herb. There is a floral element with pressed violet or wild rose that comes though nicely in this vintage. The oak tannins feel dry, and the wine shows mid-weight concentration to close. Exactly 8,610 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens in the glass with a delicate blend of dried flowers, orange zest and raspberries. It’s cool-toned and pliant with silken waves of ripe red fruits and savory herbal tones that resonate, all guided by brisk activity. This finishes classically dry with silty tannins and a bitter twang of salted licorice.Vinous Media | 91 VMAromas of mulberries, violets, walnuts, and cloves with underlying roasted savory herb characters. Full-bodied. Chewy and sturdy tannins, yet this is a tensioned young red. Needs a little more in the center palate but still outstanding. Better after 2028.James Suckling | 91 JS

An airy nose freely offers up notes of pepper and white flowers along with plenty of pear, apple and quinine hints. There is fine richness to the very round middle weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the saline, focused and mildly austere finale. This is not especially complex, but it is indisputably Chablis-like and is a wine that may well develop more depth in time.Burghound | 89-92 BH

The 2020 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru is far more successful than the Les Clos. It has much more energy and vitality on the nose for a start with fresh green apples, crushed stone, flecks of blood orange and struck flint. Over the course of an hour, you can see it just gain more intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sharpened acidity, quite vibrant and tensile with oyster shell and light spicy notes percolating through on the finish. This is definitely worth seeking out.Vinous Media | 93 VMMore moderate though hardly invisible oak is present on the cooler and more elegant aromas of white flower, spice and mineral reduction. There is a much more refined, if less powerful, mouthfeel to the punchy and almost delicate flavors that culminate in a citrus, sneaky long and bone-dry finale that is youthfully austere. This also appears to have a much better chance at absorbing its wood.Burghound | 91-94 BH

Aromas of dried lemons, grapefruit, beeswax, seaweed and pears. Excellent focus, with a compact, driven and mineral palate. Biscuity touches, evolving to hints of pie crust, too, on a long finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSLike the Preuses, the wood treatment is agreeably subtle and easily allows the restrained aromas of citrus rind, oyster shell and quinine to be appreciated. The refined, pure and borderline painfully intense larger-scaled flavors exude ample minerality on the saliva-inducing, chiseled and impressively lengthy finish. Promising.Burghound | 92-94 BH

The 2020 I Sodi di San Niccolò is fabulous. It is a rare wine that offers power, finesse and translucent energy at once. All the elements are in perfect balance. I can’t remember a Sodi like this one, a wine that is so complete and alluring right out of the gate. Rose petal, lavender, spice, orange peel and sage open first. What impresses me most about the 2020 is the finesse of its tannin, something I have very rarely seen in Sodi at this early stage. Magical. This is remarkable in every way.Vinous Media | 97+ VMPacked with ripe, juicy cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and floral aromas and flavors, this red is supple and beautifully integrated. Earth, iron and tobacco accents add detail as this winds down on the lazy, resonant aftertaste, showing terrific energy. Sangioveto and Malvasia Nera. Best from 2026 through 2043. 5,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA delicate combination of aniseed and exotic spices with fragrant floral scents and ripe red berry fruit. Smells really quite individual, a touch of vanilla and caramel about this too. Clean, supple and alive, this has character from the get go, juicy and precise, thrilling acidity joins massy but fine tannins that give this a buzzy, lifted but filling expression from the get go. Everything is at the fore, and carries the intensity to a long finish. Upfront and so intense, but refined and purposeful. It feels effortless as much as it does intense which is quite a feat. Joyful and with complexity. Too young now but give this a few years at least. I love the graphite and wet stone chalkiness on the finish too.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECDeep and dark aromas of Mediterranean herbs, restrained black cherries and stern, earthy complexity. Firm on the palate, with a full body, velvety tannins. crisp acidity and a chalky finish. Long, toasted graphite aftertaste. Sangiovese and malvasia nera. A wine intended for the long haul, yet ready to drink in a year or two.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru has a straightforward bouquet: orchard fruit and Granny Smith apples with just a touch of petrichor. It’s not complex, but it has more typicité than some of its brethren (even if it needs to shake off some reduction that actually becomes more evident with aeration). The palate is well-balanced with plenty of concentration, real weight and heft in the mouth, citrus peel mixed with lanolin and a hint of fennel. Spicy towards the finish, this lingers long in the mouth. Power and tenderness combined. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMFresh in colour, a lifted perfumed floral nose, on the sharper side. Then some bacon fat as well as lemon balm. Not quite sure what to make of this. No faulting the intensity, but it is not quite harmonious today. Drink from 2025-2030. Tasted May 2024.Jasper Morris | 92 JM

With 3.65ha spread over eight plots, Fèvre is the largest owner in Vaulorent. Didier Seguier says marl soil gives the density, while Kimmeridgian supplies the minerality. Great complexity on both the nose and palate, this has the richness and structure of the grand cru. Absolutely no need to rush drinking this. Stunning.Decanter | 96 DECOne of the finest wines in the portfolio this year is the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent, a taut, youthfully reserved bottling of immense promise. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, beeswax, crisp white peach, white flowers, freshly baked bread and oyster shell, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, with terrific tensioning intensity in a tightly wound format. It’s warmly recommended, though patience will be required.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP(Chablis “Vaulorent”- Domaine William Fèvre) I am always impressed that Didier Séguier chooses to only bottle the finest parcels of old vines in Vaulorent under that label, with the remainder of the domaine’s holdings being bottled under a Fourchaume label. But, when one tastes this hard on the heels of the very fine Fourchaume domaine wine, one can see that these old vines are a step up in quality. The bouquet of the 2020 Vaulorent jumps from the glass in a stunning blend of pear, apple, tart orange, lemon zesty, a kaleidoscopic base of limestone minerality, a touch of anise and a floral topnote redolent of white lilies. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and great balance on the long and zesty finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2027 - 2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe restrained and layered nose makes clear that this could be from nowhere else but Chablis with its aromas of algae, iodine, oyster shell and spiced pear. The texture of the medium-weight flavors is also sleek and intense with slightly better density if a bit less refinement to the youthfully austere bitter lemon-suffused finish. Lovely and while qualitatively equal to the MdT, it offers a markedly different expression.Burghound | 93 BH

A wine from a selection of sites over 3.9ha in Butteaux, Forêts and Montmains. Butteaux is very cold and mineral, while Forêts is elegant and floral. Great precision and focus here, allied with crystalline citrus fruits on the palate. Shows density, but is also very fresh, with lovely mineral characters on the finish. A highly successful Montmains.Decanter | 93 DECConsisting of roughly equal parts Montmains, Butteaux and Forêts (the three sous-climats of Montmains), the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains offers up aromas of crisp green apple, white flowers, bee pollen and oyster shell. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated, it’s taut and precise, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP(Chablis “Montmains”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2020 Montmains here is also lovely, with perhaps just a bit more definition and complexity than in the Beauroy. The nose is pure and bright, offering up scents of apple, tart orange, wet stone minerality, citrus peel, dried flowers and a nice shading of oyster shell. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and racy in personality, with fine focus and grip, a lovely core and a long, minerally and beautifully balanced finish. A lovely example. (Drink between 2026 - 2055)John Gilman | 92+ JG(Chablis Montmains 1er Cru, Domaine William Fèvre, White) From all three sections of the vineyard as usual. Racy lemon colour. Pure crystalline nose, very little reduction, very classical left bank Chablis, very intense but neither heavy nor exotic. The kimmeridgian is speaking underneath a graceful layer of flesh. Fruit and stones both keep coming back at the finish.Jasper Morris | 92-95Here too the nose is elegant, pure and layered but with more floral and spice nuances adding breadth to the cooler and more restrained aromas. There is both excellent intensity and density to the mineral-driven flavors that terminate in a bone-dry, sneaky long and balanced finale. This too is really very good.Burghound | 91-93 BHThe 2020 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru comes from 3.8 hectares of vines over 12 parcels and offers pressed white flower scents and a touch of crushed rock. The well-defined palate features red apple mixed with subtle spicy notes that dovetail into a generous, leesy finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

(Chablis “les Preuses”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2020 les Preuses from Domaine Fèvre was one of the finest white wines I tasted from the entire vintage during my trip in November and December. The perfect ripeness of the vintage, coupled to such great acidity are the hallmarks of the best wines of 2020 and these attributes are on full display in this stunning young wine. The nose soars from the glass in a mineral bath of les Preuses Kimmeridgian limestone terroir, carrying notes of apple, pear, fresh lime, straw, oyster shell, white flowers and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is pure, precise, snappy and very, very complex, with great depth at the core, stunning mineral definition, laser-like focus and stunning length and grip on the simply beautiful young finish. All this great wine needs is time in the cellar to blossom. (Drink between 2031 - 2080)John Gilman | 97 JGThe 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses is, if anything, even more electric than the formidable Valmur, wafting from the glass with notions of citrus oil, freshly baked bread, oyster jus and wet stones. Full-bodied, satiny and chiseled, it’s racy and intense, with a bright spine of acidity and a long, intensely saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPFrom 1.5ha on soils that are high in clay content above Bougros, together with 1ha just above Bouguerots. Distinct precision here, not a blockbuster but intense and focused. Lovely crystalline fruit and will age beautifully.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of quinine, essence of wet stone and seashore add breadth to the nose of pear, apple and anise. Once again there is fine density and intensity to the mouthcoating medium-weight flavors that flash outstanding length on the bracingly saline-suffused finale. This has already developed very good depth and more will almost surely follow. This is potentially outstanding.Burghound | 95 BHThe 2020 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru comes from 2.5 hectares of vines in two locations, one east-facing and one southwest-facing. It has quite a deep, intense nose featuring lemon zest, crushed stone, linden and touches of citrus peel. The cohesive palate is smooth and harmonious with fine salinity, if maybe not quite building on its initial promise, as the finish pulls up just a little short compared to the Bougros. Still, this should age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Fèvre’s largest grand cru, with 4ha located higher up in Les Clos, meaning this is cooler climate and with much more chalk than Kimmeridgian. 50% of the vines were planted by William Fèvre’s father in the 1940s. Perfect balance between precision, concentration, acidity and ripe fruits, with oak that’s not at all apparent. A fresh, glorious wine.Decanter | 97 DECChoosing a favorite among the last three grand crus in the Domaine Fèvre lineup is simply impossible in 2020. The les Clos is yet another stunning young wine, offering up a refined and complex bouquet of pear, tart orange, fresh lime, flinty, chalky minerality, citrus peel, dried flowers and a nice touch of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and seamlessly balanced, with a beautiful harness of acidity, a great core of fruit and a very long, very minerally and oh, so complex young finish. A great wine by any measure! (Drink between 2032 - 2080)John Gilman | 97 JGThe 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is another brilliant effort from Fèvre’s immensely able winemaker, Didier Seguier, and his team. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of confit citrus, fresh bread, oyster shell, orange zest and crisp orchard fruit, it’s full-bodied, satiny and muscular, with a concentrated, tensile profile and a long, intensely saline finish. It’s the broadest and most powerful wine in the range, while remaining quintessentially Chablisien.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA cool, restrained and airy nose grudgingly divulges its combination of lemon rind, green apple, quinine and acacia blossom scents that are also trimmed in discreet wood. There is again excellent volume and concentration to the powerful and muscular flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract on the impressively complex and hugely long finish. This is classic Les Clos in that it manages to be at once big and overtly powerful while remaining refined and classy. This is, in a word, stunning.Burghound | 96 BHThis lemon- and green apple–infused white stays lean, racy and long, combining power and intensity. On the austere side today, with a mineral underpinning and chalky finish. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2020 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru comes from 10 parcels scattered mainly over the top of the hill. It has a well-defined, crisp and (for the vintage) quite austere nose due to the location higher up the slope. The fresh palate is nicely detailed with lime and lemon thyme and good salinity. Quite strict on the mineral-driven finish. Good potential, but it will need time.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2020 Percarlo is a wine of nearly indescribable finesse and nuance. All the elements are so well balanced. In 2020, Percarlo is wonderfully understated, with mind-blowing balance and barely no perception of tannin. I don’t remember ever tasting a Percarlo with this much linear energy, tension and focus. The clean, mineral-drenched finish is unforgettable. The 2020 is, quite simply, spectacular.Vinous Media | 100 VMThe organic San Giusto a Rentennano 2020 Percarlo is born in a vintage of power, concentration and dark fruit flavors. All of these elements are delivered here, and as always, the wine shows impeccable Sangiovese balance with a spotlight on primary fruit, integrated tannins and bright acidity. The alcohol is high at 15%. In fact, the wine tastes young, and that’s not something you can say of most of the other releases from the 2020 vintage. This expression, however, still holds back just a bit and consequently promises an excellent cellar-aging evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

Racy and focused. I like the aromas of lavender, violet and white roses alongside strawberry, cranberry and stone. Medium body, with firm and fine tannins that are long and succulent. It’s fine and polished. Vegan. Needs three to four years to come together.James Suckling | 94 JSAlways a popular choice, the Vietti 2020 Barolo Castiglione (made with a blend of fruit from multiple MGA sites) has a voluptuous approach with dark fruit, cola, wild berry coulis and smoky tar. The wine wears a hot vintage well, with accessible and powdery tannins for near or medium-term drinking. In terms of texture, the Castiglione has a little more brawn and body compared to your standard Barolo. This is an ample release of 70,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFragrant, polished and vibrant right out of the gate, the 2020 Barolo Castiglione displays beautifully-lifted notes of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, white pepper and orange peel. This classically built, mid-weight Barolo is classy to the core. Like all the 2020s here, it will benefit from time in bottle or a good decantVinous Media | 93 VMFloral, fruity, and appealing, the 2020 Barolo Castiglione is the calling card of the estate for the entry to the Barolo range. Emblematic of the vintage, it’s appealing upfront, with aromas of cherry candies, crushed flowers, apricots, and dusty earth. On the palate, it offers sweet tannins, fresh acidity, and a clean finish, with nothing heavy. It is a lovely and easy-drinking wine already, but it doesn’t lack Nebbiolo character. This will be a wine to snap up on restaurant lists for its value and approachability. Drink 2024-2034. 50,000 bottles.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA lean, tightly wound red, with cranberry, sour cherry, licorice, eucalyptus and earth flavors. Fresh and stitched with burly tannins, this leaves a juicy, savory finish. Best from 2027 through 2040. 10,330 cases made, 1,800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Coming from the Montosoli hill, an essential of the typology. Olfaction with cypress and black peppercorns, then red blackberry and valdostan mint. At the sip is savoury and juicy, dense, with memories of Taggiasca olive and vigorous spice on the way out.Luca Gardini | 100 LGAromas of ripe and racy red berry fruit with touches of white pepper, hazelnuts and graphite. Very pure and structured. There’s brightness from lovely acidity and verticality from its tannins, giving it a slightly austere edge. Long, tight finish. This will be better in two to three years.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is dusty and floral, with an inviting bouquet of dried roses, cedar shavings and crushed black cherries. It is deeply textural, silken and round, with depths of ripe wild berry fruits offset by crunchy mineral tones and brisk acidity. The finish is dramatic, with youthful tension, mixing hints of sour citrus with edgy tannins and a chewy resonance of primary concentration.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a brooding blend of crushed black cherries, ash, mentholated herbs and autumnal spice. Soft textures are quickly offset by a saturation of tart red and black fruits while firming tannins add further tension toward the close. It’s long and structured with a liquid-stone minerality and a bitter tinge of clove.Vinous Media | 94 VMAged for six months in Slavonian casks, the lovely 2021 Rosso from Tricerchi opens with aromas of dog rose, strawberry jam and oak-driven spice. On the polished, savory palate, lithe tannins and fresh acidity accompany ripe Morello cherry, raspberry compote and licorice. Drink through 2026. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KO

Savory herbs mix with brined olives, flowery underbrush and dried blueberries as the sultry 2021 Brunello di Montalcino comes to life in the glass. Silken textures and mineral-inflected red berry fruits envelop the palate as edgy tannins pinch at the cheeks. The wine tapers off long and structured, leaving a lingering tension and saturation of tart blackberry to fade slowly.Vinous Media | 93 VMCinnamon, red berries, orange rind and smoke. Medium-bodied, with chalky, chewy tannins that reveal a sense of delicate fruit toward the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is deeply complex and spicy, with a wild bouquet that blends orange shavings, sour cherries, rosemary and nuances of split pine. It possesses an impenetrable core of crunchy red berry fruits and mineral tones, with hints of clove adding a bitter bite under an air of violet inner florals. Youthfully dense yet refined, there is simply so much going on here, as tart cranberry blends with a saturation of fine tannins and inner rose tones swirl throughout. Nearly a minute goes by, and the 2021 can still be sensed through a tinge of licorice and lavender. This is a drop-dead gorgeous and radiant effort for Salvioni, with a bright future in store for patient collectors.Vinous Media | 97 VMAlso tasted from barrel, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino La Cerbaiola takes on notes of blood orange, dark berries, and dark earth. Offering a noble structure with good acidity and a more angular feel, it has a good deal of tension up front and a long finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JD