Wine Ratings

wines

Lots of blackberry and other dark-berry character in addition to stones and currants. Full, tight and focused with chewy tannins and a long and linear finish. Needs three to four years of bottle age to soften. Powerful.James Suckling | 97 JSThe best vintages of Solaia are 1990, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and now 2013. Marchesi Antinori’s 2013 Solaia is a profound and meaningful wine that is based mostly on Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc in supporting roles. It sports a dark and thick texture with plump fruit and spice, grilled herb and black pepper. The bouquet is intense and layered with the kind of complexity that is best admired as the wine shifts and evolves in the glass. The textual impact is also impressive—you feel the inherent power and the structure, but these elements are never overdone. The best is yet to come; this Solaia is built for long cellar aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2013 Solaia from magnum is a special wine. I spent a month in Tuscany that year, so my memories of the growing season are many. In the glass, the 2013 is exquisitely perfumed, vibrant and wonderfully nuanced. I wouldn’t plan on opening bottles anytime soon, but it’s great to see that the 2013 is living up to its potential.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGLike the Tignanello of the same vintage, the 2013 Solaia is restrained in character. It resembles a young Bordeaux, with top notes of cassis, hints of smoke and scents of plum blossom. The palate is quite complete, with pure dark fruit layering and coating the solid frame while fresh garden mint lingers on the finish. Ripe without being sweet, this classy wine has all the elements to suggest a long life. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038.Decanter | 95 DECOffers weight and presence, with black currant, plum and black cherry aromas and flavors. The structure is vibrant and harmonious. Herb, earth and spice accents complete the profile, with a lingering, savory finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2033. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc opens with intense aromas of black-skinned fruit, purple flower, oak and exotic spice. The taut, elegant palate offers black currant, black cherry, chopped mint and white pepper alongside bright acidity and polished, fine-grained tannins. It’s still youthfully austere, so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2020–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE Antinori’s 2013 Solaia feels poised and balanced. It’s focused on cabernet sauvignon (75 percent of the blend), with flavors of plum and blackberry edged in earthy tones of damp leaves, black tea and tobacco. The wine rested for 18 months in new French oak barriques, gaining notes of vanilla and sweet spice and developing finely polished tannins. The flavors gain energy and expression as the wine sits in the glass, indicating that this has good ageing potential.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S

This is amazing on the nose with blackberries, black truffle, dried cherries and hints of tobacco. It’s so complex on the nose that you almost don’t need to taste it. Full body, soft and velvety tannins and a persistent, fabulous finish. The mouthfeel is magic. 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2013 Tignanello represents the beginning of a new chapter for Italy’s ultimate game-changer wine. The blend remains 80% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc but Renzo Cotarella tells me "stylistically-speaking, this is what we wanted to achieve." The winemaking formula remains the same, but one of the major differences and benefits to this wine is vineyard age. The celebrated Tignanello single vineyard is now reaching 15 years old. In other words, it is in its production prime. This is a harmonious and beautifully integrated wine that reveals black fruit and baking spice. I’m told the 2014 Tignanello will have a greater percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 vintage will have more Sangiovese.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2013 Tignanello is a real knock-out. Rich and intense, but also linear in style, the 2013 is endowed with superb energy from start to finish. In this vintage, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc character is especially evident, especially in the aromatics. Today, the 2013 is tightly wound and not ready to show all of its cards. Readers will have to be patient with the 2013, but the wine has plenty to say. Above all else, this is a remarkable level of quality for a wine with Bordeaux First Growth production (but not price) often in excess of 25,000 cases.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGDefined by licorice and black currant aromas and flavors, this is intense and harmonious. A crisp, vibrant feel pervades as this winds down, showing excellent length and a minerally element.—Non-blind Tignanello vertical (October 2019). Best from 2023 through 2043. 2,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSWinemaker Renzo Cotarella declared the 2013 to be one of the most vibrant Tignanellos Antinori has ever made. It recalls 2010 but is a slightly less powerful package. The Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly evident at the moment, with well-defined nuances of blackberry bush. Notes of fresh dark earth, red cherry and minerality lurk underneath. The tannins are long and refined but not quite ready to relax their grip. Currently austere rather than generous, this needs time to knit together. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DECVibrant and loaded with finesse, this blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc opens with enticing scents of red woodland berry, new leather, Asian spice and a touch of menthol. The youthful palate delivers red currant, wild cherry, star anise and clove alongside a backbone of firm acidity and polished, tightly wound tannins. It will age majestically; drink 2020–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFlavors of black currant and tobacco bring the influence of Cabernet Sauvignon (15 percent) and Cabernet Franc (5 percent) to the fore in this Sangiovese-based blend. Ample alcohol lends a Bourbon-like edge to the wine’s oak-derived accents of vanilla and coconut, but Sangiovese’s firm, raspy tannins guide the wine back toward red cherry flavors and into a long, smoky finish.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

Inky plum in colour, you can see this is rich and textured even before going anywhere near the nose, which then displays ripe fruit. Gorgeous quality, a wine that is packed full of graphite, pencil lead, waves of violet, cassis, liqourice, and chewy but well defined tannins. Leaps out of the glass and is clear proof that, when it gets it right, the 2014 vintage equals the 2015 in this northern sector of the Médoc. Good value also compared to the 2015 and 2016 - a must buy for me. 70% new oak,..Jane Anson | 97 JAAromas of currants, blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of chocolate and spices. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Juicy and muscular wine. Needs three or four years to open. Beautiful.James Suckling | 96 JSFragrant and perfumed, this wine is the epitome of great Cabernet Sauvignon. It is fruity, juicy yet with serious concentrated tannins. There is spice from the wood aging along with a dash of pepper, all the while just bringing out the beautiful black-currant flavors. Drink this wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2014 Lynch-Bages is just as powerful and dense from bottle as it was from barrel. Deep, powerful and bold, it possesses remarkable richness in all of its dimensions. Ripe red cherry, spice, leather, tobacco and rose petal all develop in the glass, but it is the wine’s sheer amplitude today that is quite remarkable. It will need quite a bit of cellaring to be at its best, and is clearly built to age. This is a terrific showing from the Cazes family. The blend is 69 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Petit Verdot.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGThis has beguiling hints of plum cake and melted licorice peeking out, while a core of cassis and blackberry confiture waits in reserve. There’s ample grip, but this remains very polished and integrated, with lovely echoes of anise and fruitcake showing through the very lengthy finish. Will be hard to keep your hands off this while it ages. Best from 2019 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2014 Lynch Bages was actually similar to the 2014 Pichon Baron on the nose: tight and surly at first, demanding a lot of coaxing from the glass. It eventually opens up with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and tobacco, gaining more harmony and intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite linear and focused at the moment, precise if just needing a little more body and depth to evolve on the straight-laced finish. Give this Pauillac 4-5 years in bottle and it is likely to repay you.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMVery well-expressed natural concentration of fruit, very ripe tannins and lots of complexity to come. A richly textured, firmly structured wine with the Lynch-Bages hallmarks for the future. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DEC

(Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) This is also relatively restrained with its more deeply pitched and gorgeously complex mélange of liqueur-like dark currant, newly turned earth, game, sandalwood and violet aromas. There is excellent mid-palate concentration present on the muscular and powerful big-bodied flavors that possess impressive focus and persistence on the hugely long, robust and very firmly structured finale. This breathtakingly good effort will also require extended cellaring to resolve the prominent tannic spine. (Drink starting 2035).Burghound | 96 BHDomaine Dujac's 2015 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is wonderful, one of the stars of the range this year, wafting from the glass with a kaleidoscopically complex bouquet of blackberry, cassis, cinnamon, dried rose, orange peel and pencil lead. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and complete, with a deep core, fine-grained tannins and perfect balance, its finish long and sapid. While this is concentrated—even powerful—it is also beautifully elegant, avoiding the overt muscularity of which this grand cru is capable.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Clos de la Roche- Domaine Dujac) The 2015 Dujac Clos de la Roche is another marvelous synthesis of elegant, sappy fruit and classic soil signature. The gorgeous bouquet soars from the glass in a blaze of red and black plums, cocoa, pigeon, a complex and classy base of soil, woodsmoke, a touch of nutskin and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, sappy at the core and very, very pure and soil-driven at the same time, with seamless, ripe tannins and a very long, nascently complex and refined finish. There is a touch more reserve here than in the 2015 Echézeaux and this will need just a bit more time in the cellar to reach its apogee. (Drink between 2027-2075).John Gilman | 95+ JGVery rich cherry nose but not overblown. Firm attack, very concentrated, taut and rather inexpressive now because of the density and weight of fruit. It has grandeur as well as finesse, and is definitely a wine for the long haul. A classic style, initially severe but with a great deal in reserve. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 95 DECBright, dark red. Deeper-pitched on the nose than the Echézeaux, offering scents of black raspberry, clove, mocha and dark chocolate. Similarly more soil-driven in the mouth than the 2016 version, but with its thick flavors of earth, spices and saline minerality conveying a light touch for 2015. Finishes sappy, vibrant and long, with thoroughly ripe tannins and echoing minerality.Vinous Media | 94 VM

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

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

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

Pale lemon-gold colored, the 2016 Climens is a little youthfully mute, revealing notions of ripe peaches, mango and musk melon with touches of cedar chest, orange blossoms, candied ginger and baking bread. Bursting in the mouth with vibrant, energetic stone fruit and tropical layers, it is framed by fantastic freshness, finishing long and creamy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPMy favourite sweet wine at the tasting (including Yquem). Already glorious, this will live decades. Burnished gold hue, botrytis notes on the nose, some leafy, spicy, lemongrass hints and a palate with just the right balance between lusciousness and freshness. Extremely subtle oak. A wonderful Barsac to drink between now and 2060.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Climens has a wonderful bouquet similar to my last bottle, more expressive now with orange pith, wild honey and quince. Like before it opens wonderfully in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine definition, fresh and vibrant with a creamy honeyed texture, praline and apricot, on the seductive finish. Superb. Tasted at the Climens vertical at the château in April 2022.Vinous Media | 94 VMExpressive, with peach, mirabelle plum, mango and pear fruit flavors running along in unison, lacing with light bitter almond and orange notes and a flash of honeysuckle. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aromas of cassis, menthol, blue flower and pipe tobacco shape the nose on this gorgeous red. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the delicious, elegantly structured palate delivers dried black cherry, ripe blackberry, licorice and vanilla framed in taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2023–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA dense, really pinpointed red with plums and hazelnuts. Full-bodied and very polished with fine, creamy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Shows real finesse for the vintage. Better after 2023, but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Marchesi Antinori 2017 Tignanello (made with Sangiovese and smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) is a dark, exuberant and inviting wine. I tasted my sample after a double decanting and was pleased by the profound nature of the wine and the immediate openness of the aromas. There is a symphony of dark fruit with black cherry, plum, spice and sweet tobacco. I am particularly attracted by a distant hint of medicinal or menthol herb that I also discovered in other wines with fruit from the Tignanello estate in 2017. There's a drying mineral note of crushed chalk as well. The heat and dryness of the vintage has added to the aromatic intensity of the wine (yields were reduced by a third), but the mouthfeel is carefully crafted to maintain its softness and smoothness. Fruit comes from a 57-hectare section of the Tenuta Tignanello from a vineyard that is located 390 meters above sea level with Alberese limestone rock and soils of marine origin. The wine is fermented in conical oak tanks and is aged up to 16 months in a combination of mostly French and some Hungarian oak, both new and neutral. Some 300,000 bottles were released in April 2020 after one year of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPLast year I wrote that the 2017 Tignanello would drink well early. Unless that happens within the next two years or so, that will not turn out to be the case. Right after bottling, the 2017 was so generous, but since then it has really gone into a shell. That won't be an issue over time, but today Tignanello, which so often is such a showy in its youth, is incredibly tight. Bright red berry fruit, mint, chalk and lifted floral notes give the 2017 a good bit of energy. There is a purity to the Sangiovese that works so well with the wine's grippy tannins, but patience is key.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGForward plum and cherry aromas are accompanied by black pepper, clove and the typical floral notes of the Chianti Classico area like orris and violet. Darker on the palate, it displays chocolate notes with a balsamic character - peppermint in depth - and a delicate coconut finish. Full and powerful, it has firm acidity and compact tannins, finding great balance due to its amazing concentration of fruit. Of the 50% new wood used in 2017, a small proportion of oak was sourced from Hungary, helping the wine to open up a little bit according to Antinori CEO, Renzo Cotarella. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 95 DECA bit shy in aroma today, this red features plum, black cherry, earth, sanguine and toasty oak flavors. Muscular and dense, firming up on the finish. Well-proportioned and long. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035. 5,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2018 Gattinara Riserva Borgofranco is superb. Black cherry, leather, spice, menthol, licorice, mocha and dried herbs are beautifully amplified. Layered and expansive on the palate, with striking textural resonance, the 2018 is seriously impressive. It is another exceptional wine in this range from Cantina Delsignore.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is darkly alluring and brooding in the glass, with a dusting of confectionary spice and dried violets complementing wild blueberries and a lifting whiff of fresh mint. Soothingly round and surprisingly juicy in feel, this shows its minerality up front, as depths of tart wild berry fruits meet vibrant acidity, and an array of exotic spices emerges toward the close. It finishes tannic yet fresh and incredibly long, leaving a bitter blackberry crunch, violet inner florals and chalky concentration that boggles the mind. Bury the 2018 deep in your cellar, this is a long-distance runner.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2018 Aubert Pinot Noirs were bottled at the beginning of July 2019. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard rolls out of the glass with intense notes of Morello cherries, rhubarb, raspberry pie, bouquet garni and lilacs with suggestions of Marmite toast, fungi, fragrant soil and forest floor. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with crunchy red berries plus loads of earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a wonderfully spicy kick. Delicious now, this should age incredibly well, generously rewarding those with enough patience to defer their gratification.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPPowerful and structured, with minerally richness to the fine-edged red fruit and savory spice flavors. The sleek finish offers impressive purity and clarity to the notes of hot stone, flint and underbrush. Best from 2021 through 2026. 993 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSVery fruity with cherry and dried-strawberry aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, tannic and chewy, yet polished and tight. It needs time to open. Available fall 2020. Better after 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is the darkest and richest of the three Pinots in Mark Aubert’s lineup. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and herbs are all broad and ample in the glass. The UV is a Pinot of gravitas, power and textural intensity. Ideally, readers should give it a few years in bottle, as the tannins are pretty imposing at this stage, just a few months after bottling.Vinous Media | 93 VM

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

In my mind, this is the wine that best represents the Casanova di Neri house style. With 30 months of aging in tonneaux, it shows enormous richness and texture, and the stellar fruit quality appears with more primary elegance compared to the more expensive Cerretalto that is released with an extra year of aging. That dynamic is especially pronounced in a comparison of the 2019 and 2018 vintages. The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova has a dark vein of toasted spice, black fruit, ink, blackberry compote, licorice and star anise. Dark as night, it is exceptionally well crafted with a robust delivery of concentrated fruit and solid tannic structure. You can count on excellent cellar potential, or at a minimum, serve it with a classic steak. Production is exactly 69,696 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPBlack cherries with violets and other flowers on the nose. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Needs time to soften. Give it three to five years of bottle age. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

Pretty pure fruit to this with black cherry, black berry and light chocolate aromas. The palate is full and focused with very polished tannins and a long, long finish. Best after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JSThe Caparzo 2019 Brunello di Montalcino offers lively aromas of cherry cola, forest berry and dried cranberry that really pop on the bouquet. The dimension and latitude of the wine is impressive, especially in terms of mouthfeel, and with this bottle you’re set for near and medium-term drinking. However, what works best in my opinion is the wine’s balanced and much-needed freshness. You get great quality over an ambitious release of 160,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, yet it is worth the wait as a dusty blend of dried flowers, cedar shavings, wild strawberries, and spice emerges over time. It’s silky and enveloping with fresh acidity and pretty wild berry fruits that gain in sweetness as they travel across the palate. It finishes long and staining yet still lively and spry, leaving a coating of fine tannins and licorice hints that resonate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 is a lovely interpretation of northern Montalcino fruit.Vinous Media | 93 VMDelicate aromas suggesting graphite, crushed mint and iris take shape on the 2019 Brunello from Caparzo. Smooth and sleek, the linear palate features juicy Morello cherry, raspberry, star anise and the same graphite nose as the nose. Polished tannins offer lithe support. It’s already surprisingly accessible but will also offer another decade of pleasure. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

After excellent showings from the 2018 vintage, Canalicchio di Sopra follows up with an impressive trio of 2019s. There is also a highly promising Riserva waiting in the wings... In the meantime, the current releases kick off with the estate Brunello, which is assembled from vines that are at least a decade old. It’s a model of freshness and energy, backed by substance and staying power. Aromas of mint, lavender and tobacco lead to a radiant core of warm stone and red currants. The tannins are direct and linear, giving a firm grip to the dense fruit. Bitter citrus to finish.Decanter | 95 DECWith a hint of candied cherry, grenadine or Shirley Temple, the Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino reveals purple blossom, dried flower, cough drop and balsam herb. The wine is very nicely stitched together with integrated oak that comes through in a structural way but not too much on the bouquet. The tannins do feel dry on the mid-palate, but they remain fine and tight. The alcohol is a bit high in this vintage at 15%. Production is 47,321 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBlack cherry, black berry, and lead pencil on the nose. Some fresh bark too. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Linear tannins. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSNew leather, camphor, forest floor and exotic brown spice aromas lead the nose on the robust, savory 2019 Brunello from Canalicchio. This is a big, bold red, delivering liquor-soaked prune, succulent black cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside a backbone of firm, tightly woven tannins. You’ll also feel the warmth of alcohol on the close. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, earthy, dusty and floral, showing a savory blend of wild herbs and black cherries. This is surprisingly energetic on the palate, with silk textures and a juicy core of wild berry fruit complemented by violet inner florals toward the close. A saturation of fine tannins clamps down hard through the finish as the 2019 tapers off dry and with admirable length, leaving a tactile mineral crunch to fade. Extensive cellaring will be required.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Silky, elegant and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 Gattinara Il Putto is seriously impressive. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Soaring aromatics meld into a core of bright, red-toned fruit. Medium in body, yet deep and resonant, this classically built Gattinara is fabulous. I especially admire the energy and purity here.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Intense aromas of black cherries, black truffle, orange peel and Indian spices. The palate is full yet reserved, with very fine tannins that fly linear and deep in the wine. Caressing texture. Reserved at the end. A real beauty. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSBalsamic aromas of camphor and pine forest mingle with truffle and plum cake on the fragrant 2019 Brunello fro San Polino. It’s also delicious, with flavors of raspberry tart, plum cake, cinnamon and nutmeg accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins that lend seamless support. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOFrom San Polino’s holdings in the northeast on loamy clay soil. Exuberantly youthful and becoming, the 2019 rings out with violet and oily balsamic herbs. It gives a midweight impression – yet is packed with brambly fruit. An orange peel flourish is heightened by zesty acidity. And as this opens, savoury iron depths are revealed. Promising but needs to come together. Solid, clayey tannins clamp down on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a dusty blend of dried flowers and strawberries enhanced by lemon oil touches. This is racy and sleek with cooling acidity and vividly ripe wild berry fruits lifted by orange and cedary spice. Its acidity wins the day, maintaining amazing freshness despite the grippy tannins that resonate throughout. The 2019 finishes long and staining with a pretty air of inner violet flowers that linger. San Polino continues to raise the bar; this is lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Made with grapes from the estate’s Sorgente, Piaggione and Teatro vineyards, the Salicutti 2019 Brunello is intensely fragrant, with alluring aromas of perfumed berry, iris, menthol and dark spice. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the delicious palate delivers crushed raspberry, black cherry, cake spice and crushed mint. It’s also bright and beautifully balanced, with vibrant acidity. What a beauty. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOShowing a lifted note of cherry cough drop or vapor rub, the Salicutti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino starts on a high note but then slides smoothly into aromas of purple fruit and wild blackcurrant. Those initial balsamic notes transition to leafy forest, bramble and underbrush that give this wine a very pure, almost botanical personality. Earthy and floral elements also appear, with a hint of sweet lilac, over a mid-weight mouthfeel with bright acidity and fine tannins. The wine flirts with ripeness but ultimately maintains a place of restrained elegance and near under-ripeness that bodes well for its future evolution. Fermentation in cement lasts up to 30 days, and the wine sees 40 months in oak casks. I have not seen a straight village bottling from Salicutti in a number of years, and this is a welcome addition.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAromas of black cherries, peaches, orange peel and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied with firm, racy tannins and hints of tar and graphite. Fresh and firm. From organically grown grapes. Better in three or four years. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is earthy to the core, with a whiff of savory herbs and animal musk that blows off to reveal depths of dried black cherries and cloves. This is surprisingly energetic, nearly juicy in personality, with tart wild berry fruits that are enlivened by vibrant acidity as violet inner florals form toward the close. It finishes structured and long, yet its tannins are crunchy and sweet. The 2019 leaves traces of licorice and exotic spice to fade gradually. As youthful as this is, it’s almost impossible to put down. Salicutti has made a solid come-back in recent vintages.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe bright ruby 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is punchy, open, and medium-bodied, with spritely notes of red cherry and hints of tangy bright orange peel and clove.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDWhile Felix and Sabine Eichbauer purchased Salicutti in 2015, the 2019 vintage was the first made without the collaboration of former owner, Francesco Leanza. They have tweaked the Brunello making it a blend from all three vineyards surrounding the estate – Teatro, Piaggione and Sorgente. It is a bit imprecise and gamey to start, but with coaxing fragrant forest herbs emerge. It’s prettier on the palate, where youthful red berries and soft tannins coalesce. It might benefit from another year in bottle however, the structure doesn’t lend itself to long ageing.Decanter | 91 DEC

he 2019 Ovello Riserva is succulent and enveloping, offering scents of dark-skinned berry, forest floor, violet and new leather. Full-bodied with impressive structure and fruit, it boasts ripe raspberry, black cherry and licorice supported by firm, close-grained tannins that provide the backbone. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is powerful, savory and intensely linear, in classico Ovello style, and yet it appears to have enough fruit behind its imposing tannins to develop well over the coming years. In this tasting, the Ovello feels pretty closed post bottling, but its inherent balance and qualities are there. Clean saline notes extend the finish in promising fashion.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Balsamic aromas of camphor mingle with pressed rose, wild berry, new leather and dark spice. Showing intensity and structure, the full-bodied, delicious palate boasts a weightless concentration, delivering fleshy raspberry, blood orange, almond liqueur and licorice alongside tightly woven, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors and provides great balance. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is redolent of dark fruit, crushed rocks, graphite, sage, menthol and lavender all race across the palate, supported by bracing, young Rabajà tannins that make themselves felt. This mid-weight, powerhouse Barbaresco packs quite a punch.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The Salicutti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione shows macerated aromas of cherry skin with a punchy, almost carbonic-adjacent quality that gives vibrancy and energy to the bouquet. Fruit comes from a site with lots of rocks and rich limestone soils. The bouquet starts off with tart pomegranate or rainier cherry, delivered with pinpoint directness, and then opens to embrace softer tones of underbrush, toasted fennel seed and cumin. The oak is almost invisible, although you do feel the enriched texture and the wine’s powdery tannins. The wine ends on a glossy note, but ultimately those tannins do stick around and you feel them for a long while.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPAlso expressive, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Piaggione is ruby with a magenta tinge and offers notes of raspberry liqueur, violets, and polished wood spices. Refined with fine tannins and a very balanced texture, it’s velvety and has a long finish. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDCamphor, dark culinary spice, fragrant purple flower and a whiff of forest floor greet the nose on the compelling 2019 Salicutti Piaggione. It’s full-bodied and loaded with finesse, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, licorice, almond liqueur and blood orange before an almost salty finish. Polished tannins keep it smooth. A fantastic wine. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThe Piaggione vineyard is characteristic of southeast Montalcino. Rising steeply from 380 to 450 metres, it is bathed in the morning sun and caressed by winds from Monte Amiata. As it tends to give the estate’s most muscular wines, it was typically bottled as a Riserva before the estate changed hands. This 2019 is deceptively easygoing at first, with very lifted lavender and violet aromas that echo on the sweet-fruited palate. With time in the glass, however, its serious side is revealed as balsamic herbs and earthy undertones join the floral top notes. The palate tightens up as brisk acidity accentuates the dense, chewy tannins, and stony minerals build through the dark cherry core.Decanter | 95 DECPeppery roses and lavender slowly give way to crushed wild berries and tangerine as the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione dazzles the senses. This is a model of purity, with racy acidity and cool-toned minerality setting the stage for its crisp red and blue fruits. A web of fine-grained tannins slowly saturates the palate. The 2019 finishes classically dry and firm while leaving tart raspberry and licorice to linger. There’s an exoticism to the 2019 Piaggione that I find wildly attractive.Vinous Media | 94 VMAl-dente fruit comes through on the nose, with fresh cherries and flowers, following through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins. Tight and focused with spices, stones and berries at the end. A little reductive. Built for aging. From organically grown grapes. Needs three or four years to open and come around. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows delicate aromas of blue flower, redcurrant, cranberry and potting soils. It has all the basic components of a classic Sangiovese. Fruit is sourced from across the estate vineyard holdings ranging from 200 to 600 meters above sea level, or the ceiling of the appellation. Baking spice is delivered to the palate with silky, almost glossy tannins. The mouthfeel is extremely fine. This is a very Burgundian Brunello, with 38,500 bottles made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA beautiful cologne lifts from the glass of the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino, which pours a red/orange-tinged color. Aromas of wild cherries, truffles, bittersweet chocolate, and dried orange peel are followed by a medium to full-bodied red with fine, coiled tannins, a linear feel, and refreshing lift all the way through the finish. I love the tertiary notes that come through, and this wine will only improve and gain in complexity over time. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, dusty and floral, with depths of dark red fruit and exotic spice. This is silky smooth with medium-bodied textures and vibrant acidity that propels its tart wild berry fruits and mineral tones as rosy inner florals race across the palate. It tapers off with admirable length and concentration. Crunchy tannins frame the experience without slowing its momentum. The 2019 is a gorgeous blend of vintage and house style. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 93 VMRiccardo Campinoti’s estate Brunello is as much a panorama of the Montalcino zone as it is a demonstration of his approach. The sum of fruit from diverse plots in both cooler and warmer corners, it sports Le Ragnaie’s signature tautness. Delicately fragrant, the nose hints at game meat then transitions to brushwood, rosehip and alpine blossoms. Decidedly midweight, the cranberry and redcurrant core is all cinched in. Bright acidity and firm, crisp tannins provide a solid framework. This needs another year in bottle to reveal its depths.Decanter | 92 DEC