Wine Varietals

wines

Cloves, sandalwood, dried mushrooms, currants and spearmint on the nose. It’s polished with firm, fine tannins and a full body. Creamy, savory finish with some ashy minerality. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSExotic and spicy from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a bouquet of sweet herbal tones, woodland berries and wet stones. It’s round and supple in feel, as ripe strawberry and red plum are complemented by hints of autumnal spice. This finishes only lightly structured, almost transparent in feel, pinching at the cheeks with silty tannins, as nuances of clove and dried black cherries slowly fade. The 2018, an incredibly pretty yet delicate Brunello from Caprilli, is sure to win a lot of hearts.Vinous Media | 92 VMNoting average temperatures 5°C less than in 2017, Giacomo Bartolomei says he was able to wait until mid-September to start harvesting the 2018. His Brunello is a slimmer, trimmer version compared to the last three vintages but still captures the essence of Tavernelle, where Caprili’s south-facing vineyards look towards the sea. It speaks softly of spiced red plum and potpourri. Somewhere between mid-weight and full, it remains light on its feet while its clayey tannins expand and build across the palate, bringing the wine to a saline finish.Decanter | 92 DEC

This is so complex, with lifting citrus and herb undertones to the blue and red berry fruit. Thyme, sage and lavender, with mocha and clove, too. Full-bodied, full of depth and intensity, with firm yet seamless tannins. Evolves to espresso. Balanced, powerful and very long. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSA special single-vineyard wine with origins in one of the more remote, wild and beautiful corners of Montalcino, this is one of the true treats of the appellation. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens to a medium-rich appearance and vibrant color saturation. Sangiovese can lose its color quickly, but it remains beautifully intact here. Sweet cherry, redcurrant, spice, blue flower, balsam herb and orange peel are neatly woven together to create this balanced wine. Fruit is sourced from across a 11.7-hectare vineyard with schistous galestro soils. Production is 37,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDark depths of crushed plums and black cherries are offset by notes of rosemary, spiced citrus peels and hints of cocoa as the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens in the glass. This is an especially racy style for Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, with cooling mineral tones and zesty acidity propelling its ripe berry fruit and hints of sour citrus across the palate. While structured, this finishes with tremendous energy and freshness, leaving the mouth watering with a lingering bitter hint of balsamic spice. The 2018 may not possess the power often associated with the Pianrosso, but it instead impresses with its lively and spicy character.Vinous Media | 94 VMA complex red, with dark, savory notes of licorice, eucalyptus and tobacco aligned with cherry and berry flavors. Succulent, showing light viscosity to the texture, with wild herb and iron elements creeping in on the long finish. Power meets grace. Best from 2026 through 2045. 3,083 cases made, 1,083 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBoth of Ciacci Piccolomini’s 2018s offer a ‘deliciousness’ of taste and a truly umami quality, however the Pianrosso selection delivers greater Brunello satisfaction. Not quite 12 hectares, this iron-rich marly vineyard soaked up just enough warmth to clearly demonstrate its southern origins. It has more shape, form and depth to lend endurance. Iron and salty minerals emerge from a backdrop of persimmon and hibiscus, finishing with Mediterranean herbs. Docile and yielding, the gentle sandy tannins give textural complexity as well as an immediate drinkability.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard is a standout bottling that was aged entirely in neutral large-format oak and saw more than 50% stem inclusion. The stony tones on the nose really entice as orange zest, teaberry, saline-drenched red cherry and charcuterie tones all come together marvelously. The palate is seamless and elegant, with impeccable texture and beautiful length. Obviously a bit richer than other vintages, this shows crazy good finesse and offers one-of-a-kind terroir.Vinous Media | 97 VMNotes of blackberry, plum, licorice and spice on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Smoky and layered on the palate with juicy character and a ink-like feel. Herbal, racy finish with beautiful length. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSLuscious and boldly expressive yet refined, with raspberry, bacon fat, garrigue and river stone accents that sail on the long finish toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2032. 335 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFrom the same site, the 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as a sappy, fresh bouquet of wild strawberries, blackberries, sappy flowers, pepper, orange blossom, and rose petals. Made in a medium-bodied, ethereal, elegant style, it has terrific purity of fruit, ripe yet crunchy tannins, and a beautiful finish. Some smoky, meaty notes emerge with time in the glass, and it has enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age and will impress for over a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOne sniff and there is no question where this wine comes from. The aromas dazzle, with notes of potpourri, smoked meat, mountain strawberry, wet stone, black olive juice, tapenade and orange peel. The palate is broad and full, showing more overt richness than recent vintages. A savory, flower-filled finish caps it off. It wins on grace.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPossessing a perfumed nose, the 2018 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard offers up notions of stems, rose hip, baked earth, red pepper skin, juicy cherries and red spiced tea in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays an elegant nature with succulent tannins that grip the gumline and will remain food-friendly for more than a decade. The wine concludes with a subtly spiced, red-fruited essence with a lingering mineral-laced focus. Just over 4,000 bottles were filled with this delicious Grenache that could easily sell at nearly double the price. No new oak was used in the creation of this wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2018 Sandrone Barolo Aleste comes from grapes from the Cannubi Boschis vineyard but is called ’Aleste’ as a combination of the names of Luciano Sandrone’s grandchildren - Alessia and Stefano. These wines are very Burgundy-like in their weight, texture and finesse but with the added depth and grip of Nebbiolo. This 2018 has a delicacy on the nose with bright red cherry and very subtle spice notes. It has a largesse and generosity of texture, with rounded, sandy-textured tannins and a slightly more clipped, assertive note. It just flows with ease and charm across the palate. Very beautiful, with a forceful personality. Wait maybe two years and drink for 20 plus.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIMade with fruit from Cannubi Boschis, the Luciano Sandrone 2018 Barolo Aleste is plump and ripe, but this wine also shows a more delicate character that is its ace card. The aromas are filigreed and fine with dark fruit, spice and licorice. The effect is integrated, and the wine shows a lovely, softer personality to balance out this mildly concentrated expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2018 Barolo Aleste is gorgeous, but also very quite today. There’s terrific purity to the dark red/purplish fruit and a good bit of volume too, but readers will have to be patient. Bright acids and firm tannins lend energy. I admire the presence and texture here. The Aleste, from Cannubi Boschis, benefits from a site that can handle moisture. This is nicely done.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn open-knit Barolo highlighted by plum, cherry, leather and tar flavors. Supple in texture before firming up, with dusty, refined tannins lingering on the finish. This should evolve nicely with some bottle age. Best from 2025 through 2043. 800 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDried red berries and dried flowers, almost tobacco on the nose. Citrus and minty notes add character. Medium-to full-bodied, elegant and silky palate that thickens out with fine, creamy tannins as it progresses. Super texture to this, gently coating the palate. Rather firmer just at the end for now. Really refined and elegant. Best from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSFragrant purple flower, woodland berry and menthol aromas form the nose along with whiffs of spice. The elegant, medium-bodied palate offers juicy pomegranate, red currant and oak-driven spice set against an acidic backbone. Taut, fine-grained tannins leave a drying close. Drink 2025–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2018 Gandona is superb. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice, chocolate, menthol and licorice infuse the 2018 with striking layers of complexity, all with firm mountain tannins that give the wine shape, energy and drive. The 2018 is a real powerhouse. I can’t remember tasting a wine from this property with so much structure and tannin. Readers should plan on giving the 2018 plenty of air. I found the 2018 really only blossomed a number of hours after opening.Vinous Media | 97 VMBased on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 21 months in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Gandona is a sexy, powerful red offering lots of chocolatey dark fruits, notes of scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite, full-bodied richness, and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. There are only 400 cases produced, but it’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 21 months in French oak, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, ripe black cherries and blackcurrant cordial with hints of mocha, bay leaves and black licorice plus a waft of cedar. Big, concentrated, full-bodied and jam-packed with black fruit flavors, it has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered. 400 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Next up, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is a slightly broader, more expansive wine with textbook notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, Asian spices, loamy soil, camphor, and chocolate. Offering full-bodied richness, a beautiful weightlessness on the palate, and building tannins, this is another gorgeous, seamless, singular wine from this estate that will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2018 Carbone Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright, effusive wine. Sweet red berry fruit, mocha and a whole range of floral/savory aromatics burst from the glass. Medium in body and inviting, the 2018 drinks well now, but it also has the vibrancy to develop nicely in bottle. Carbone is the second wine of Favia.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino offers a full and generous personality with layers of dark fruit, cola, rosemary and balsam herb. This is a medium to full-bodied Sangiovese with lots of ripe fruit, soft tannins and rich texture. Like many of the Brunellos from this vintage, this wine offers an accessible side that makes it easy to drink without waiting too much longer. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA darkly floral bouquet of musky red currants and hints of savory spice wafts up from the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s silky and pliant, with herbal-tinged red and black fruits that flow across a core of saline-minerality. The 2018 finishes long and staining to the senses, with a web of fine tannins offset by hints of citrus-tinged blackberry. There’s an underlying power here seldom seen in the 2018 vintage, but patience will be required.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is modest and elegantly styled, with raspberry liqueur, fresh herbs, and rose hip. Medium-bodied and driven by orange citrus pith, strawberry, cloves, and dusty tannins, it is a finessed and cooling example from the vintage. Drink 2024-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDPorcini mushrooms, cherry stones, iodine and some beetroot here. Savory and chewy, with a medium body and firm tannins. A little tight and austere at the finish. Should soften. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

I loved the 2018 Red Blend Pollard Vineyard from Robin Pollard, and this might be the finest wine I’ve tasted from this vineyard. A blend of 40% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a pretty, perfumed bouquet of red and blue fruits, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and spring flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, elegant red with polished, fine-grained tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. All about finesse and elegance, it will evolve for 10-15 years if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDMade from a blend of 40% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Cabernet Franc, the fleshy and approachable 2018 Pollard Vineyard Red Wine offers aromas of crème de cassis with blackberry skin. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is delicious without being overly complicated by oak and displays complex layers of savory herbs that sway with a delightful expression of sweet red fruit before concluding with a persistent finish. The wine rested in 20% new French oak barrels. Only 555 cases were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPMedium red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and menthol are carrying a full load of dark-chocolatey oak; less green than the Merlot. Tightly wound, fine-grained and bracing but also shows subtle sweetness to its intense black cherry, dark berry and spice flavors. There’s an intriguing floral element here but the wine needs time to unwind. Finishes with firm-edged tannins and sneaky persistence. Even higher-pitched than the Merlot, and ultimately less sweet. These wines have not yet been released.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

The Gavarini Chiniera vineyard is shaped like an amphitheater with thick forests at the back (which protects from cold air currents) and sandy chalk soil at 380 meters in elevation. This is a special site, and the Elio Grasso 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is always one of Grasso’s most easily recognized wines. This vintage is exceptionally bright and vibrant with lifted tones of cherry, plum, blue flower and sweet blood orange. Those primary notes are framed by sensations of dusty white mineral. This mid-weight wine exhibits the deep elegance that was achieved in this vintage. Production is 12,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDried-cherry, strawberry and tar aromas follow through to a full body with intense, chewy tannins that frame the wine nicely. Flavorful finish. Juicy. Not a big wine, but shows structure and class for the vintage. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSA bright, cherry-laced red, with a fruity core framed by tobacco, earth, eucalyptus and iron flavors. Firm and dense on the finish, yet this remains elegant and vibrant through the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2042. 1,000 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera has shut down massively since I tasted it last year, which is probably a very good thing for its medium and longer term prospects. Time in the glass releases some of its inner sweetness, but this classically austere, young Barolo is going to need time. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Characterful, luscious and deftly balanced, this terrific, unfiltered LBV – ’the little brother of Vintage Port,’ says Dirk Niepoort – is irresistible now but will age brilliantly. Black pepper, esteva, bitter chocolate and spicy gingerbread bring lift and layer to the velvety sweet plum, cherry frangipane and kirsch palate. Ruffled tannins make for a long, controlled finish. Bottled with a driven cork after four- to six-years in large wooden vats.Decanter | 97 DEC

Under the leadership of Maria Flora Fuligni since 1971, along with her long-time right-hand Dr Daniela Perino - now the estate’s CEO - Fuligni is one of the denomination’s most consistent performers. The 2018 does not disappoint: it epitomises the elegance of the vintage. A captivating synthesis of florals and earth, the nose radiates pressed violet, lavender and rose with truffle and tobacco accents. It expands in the mouth with flavour rather than weight or brawn. Red currants and orange are amplified by piercing acidity, and well-formed, magnificently textured tannins are chalky and adequately padded, giving layers and profundity. Not pushed beyond its capacity, this will drink beautifully over the next decade.Decanter | 96 DECA fine Brunello with black cherry, hazelnut and chocolate aromas and flavors. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with a pretty texture and delicious finish. Lovely fine tannins. Not the most structured red but will improve with age while delivering wonderful pleasure now. Drinkable but better after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSIt takes a good amount of time for the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino to open in the glass, as a cloud of white smoke gives way to a sweetly scented mix of dried roses, sugar-dusted cherries and hints of exotic spice. This is a round and supple 2018, communicating elegance through its velvety textures, polished ripe red fruits and cascading inner violet florals. There’s opulence here, yet also the acidity to balance, as the 2018 tapers off long with classically refined tannins, yet leaves the palate perfectly reset for another sip. Frankly, it’s hard to put this glass down. There will be no Riserva produced in 2018, and so all of that juice was used to bolster this open-knit and seductive Brunello.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Forest berry, spice, hay and menthol aromas mingle with whiffs of new leather on this stunning, fragrant Brunello. A top-scorer vintage after vintage, the 2018 combines elegance and a full body, delivering dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and ground clove alongside firm but refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized while a saline mineral note adds depth to the finish. Drink 2026–2038. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KORoasted herbs, walnuts, olives, dried cherries and balsamic on the nose with a touch of leather and sage. It’s full-bodied with firm, finely-knit tannins. Creamy and so well integrated with depth and class. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThis 2018 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate zone in the southeast of the appellation produces wines that combine power and elegance. The 2018 is medium ruby colored with plenty of sweet oak-spice and bright, red cherry fruit here and there. There’s lots of charm on the palate and it is a wine that is very gracefully melded together. There is a beautifully refined quality to the tannins. The finish is lingering, creamy and elegant. This wine has so much charm and drinkability. It is not huge wine but it accurately reflects the vintage and it is very appealing.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino turns out beautiful results if you choose to drink the wine now, or if you opt to age it a little longer. It offers immediate intensity and complexity with a prelude of red and purple berry fruits that follow to tarry spice, campfire ash, licorice and rusty nail. Those savoy tones are well measured against the wine’s elegant, mid-weight finish. And the tannins are integrated seamlessly. The winemaking team has worked well in a challenging vintage. This is a large production of 80,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDense and brooding, revealing plum, cherry, earth, menthol and tobacco flavors. On the austere side today, with buried fruit and dominant tannins, yet this has fine equilibrium and extended length. Best from 2026 through 2043. 4,833 cases made, 2,383 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSSweet cherry, vanilla bean and orange zest are on the nose, which slowly opens to reveal quieter aromas of cured meat and graphite. The palate emphasizes the savory with more sanguine notes pointed up by crisp fruit flavors of red apple skin and Bing cherry, emphasized by well-articulated tannins. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is dark and brooding, taking its time to blow off a whiff of mocha before opening up with a mix of dried red fruits, cloves and rosemary. This is surprisingly pure and lifted in style while maintaining elegance, as ripe red and black fruits cascade across a core of vibrant acidity. The 2018 leaves the palate buzzing with residual tension, as fine-grained tannins penetrate deeply, and hints of tart wild berry and a dusting of cocoa slowly fade.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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

A unique blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique 11 has a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, cassis, acacia flowers, white chocolate, and graphite. With fabulous purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and loads of floral and sappy herb aromas and flavors, this is gorgeous Saint-Emilion and the finest I’ve tasted from this address. It needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDComposed of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Todeschini is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up broody notions of new leather, crushed stones and tar with a core of baked red and black cherries, mulberries and warm plums plus wafts of garrigue and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, firm and grainy in the mouth, it has loads of muscular fruit and a lively line, finishing perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2018 Distique 11 is laced with inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mint. Pliant and supple, this inviting, mid-weight Saint-Émilion has a lot to offer. The racy style is undeniably appealing. The 2018 is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon taken from select parcels on the estate and aged in amphora. It is an undeniably intriguing wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMA balanced, pretty wine with firm, sleek tannins that are polished and refined. Blackberry, bark and chocolate undertones. Medium body. Delicious finish. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JS

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

This structured and concentrated wine is spot on for the vintage. It’s very dense in color and aroma, saturated with ultra dark chocolate, graphite and blueberries on a firm texture of taut tannins that will need time to evolve. Aged in 85 to 90 percent new American oak barrels, the wine should be approachable by 2028 and best from 2033.James Suckling | 97 JSThe lovely ruby red colour is translucent, revealing a heady wine of blackberry, liquorice, vanillin, spicebush, and dried floral notes with savoury, toasty oak spices. This 2018 offers one of the more restrained and pretty bouquets of Silver Oak’s Napa Cabernet in my memory. Very elegant on the entry, revealing a medium-bodied red wine with lovely cranberry fruit, plums, and currants, with a real depth to those fruit qualities framed by sculpted tannins that affix themselves onto the palate before giving way and resolving. Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant with trace amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Aged in 85% new American Oak from The Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri, the Duncans have owned it outright since 2015. The other 15% are second-use American oak barrels. They’ve been using the same cooperage for decades. The barrels imbue the Silver Oak wines with a classic vanillin quality, a nuance they always want to retain, even as they experiment with various toasts to produce smoother tannins in the toasting process.Decanter | 95 DEC

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

More structured than the Brunello Annata and exhibiting the firm’s trademark of mesmerizing finesse, this captivating stunner has lovely aromas of blue flower, rose, wild herb and a whiff of fine tobacco blend. The luminous, youthfully austere but already delicious palate has irresistible precision and a pristine quality, delivering ripe raspberry, baking spice and black tea alongside tight, refined tannins. It’s young but already beautifully balanced, with bright acidity. Spoiler alert: this is only for fans of extremely refined, exhilarating and terroir-driven wines. Drink 2028–2048. 14.5% abv.Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOTaking things up a notch, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie pours a bit richer ruby hue, with a concentrated perfume of incense, leather, blackberry, and lavender oil. It is full-bodied and well-structured, with ripe yet present tannins, and acidity that drives along the sides of the palate and keeps things from being weighted down. It is rich with port-like fruit and will benefit from several years of cellaring before drinking over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDIl Marroneto’s 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna della Grazia single vineyard Brunello is densely fragrant and has this wonderful nose of crushed roses, dark cherries and wild flowers with a little etched detail of green herb, adding intrigue and interest. On the palate it has a rich, silky texture yet with a gentle, weightless quality and lots of fine, silty tannins. This 2018 has plenty of depth of flavor and concentration to match the beautiful structure but I love the harmony of this wine the most. Madonna della Grazie is approximate 1.5 hectare at 420 meters above sea level is on the northern boundary of Montalcino town. The vineyard sits just below the chapel it takes its name from and it has a mainly sandy soil rich in minerals. This Madonna della Grazie 2018 Brunello is a breathtakingly beautiful wine. I even prefer it to the stunning 2016 version of this wine at this point because the 2018 has even more finesse and harmony.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIThe Il Marroneto 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie reveals elegance and power all in one go. The fruit quality is crisp and tonic, yet the wine supports mid-weight concentration and a more elaborate style. This vintage from Il Marroneto has two personalities. On the one hand, you get a wine that is packed with beautiful primary fruit but that is slightly more immediate; on the other, you get a wine that promises good aging thanks to its freshness and the silky tannins that melt onto the palate. It is young but also aged. It is racy but also complex. Fruit comes from the vineyard under the Madonna delle Grazie chapel, and the wine ages in special oak casks for 41 months. This is a production of 8,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie takes its time opening in the glass, complex and darkly alluring with its musky red currants and savory spices, yet with swirling pretty rose tones. A hint of sweet smoke comes forward to add lovely contrast. Its textures are like liquid velvet, with a chalky mineral staining that comes on quickly, which is perfectly balanced by a massive wave of dark red berries; yet through it all, balance is expertly maintained by streamlined acidity that creates a sense of total inner harmony. The 2018 leaves a structured sensation, yet its tannins are silky and fine, coupled with a violet pastille and lavender resonance that I find wildly attractive. Of note, I’ve tasted this wine over the last two years and followed this recent bottle over the course of 48 hours; at which point it never faltered and only increased in depth and complexity. Il Marroneto’s 2018 Madonna delle Grazie is unquestionably one of the top three wines of the vintage. My hat is off to Alessandro Mori, and his team.Vinous Media | 97 VMIl Marroneto’s single-vineyard bottling is a selection of small loose bunches, manifested in the density of fruit and assuredness of structure. Next to the estate’s ‘classic’ Brunello, it often leads with an earthier, more autumnal countenance. The 2018 corresponds with fragrances of chestnut and forest undergrowth juxtaposed with the vintage’s fruit sweetness. Layers of long suede-like tannins wrap around fleshy black cherry. As it opens, subtle traces of pepper, leather and incense pledge more to come. Above all, Madonna delle Grazie embodies the most positive attributes of the vintage as it flows with agility and grace.Decanter | 96 DECThis has an array of red and dark fruits with coffee, dark chocolate, sweet spices and overturned earth. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a pronounced dark berry character on the palate. A little tight and structured, with a firm and long-lasting finish that leaves you with notes of nut shell and crushed stones. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2018 La Ricolma is a wine of incredible finesse. To be sure, the 2018 doesn’t quite haver the explosive depth or intensity of either the 2015 or 2016, but it makes up for that with its persistence and nuance. Dark cherry jam, licorice, spice, menthol and sage all meld together effortlessly as the 2018 starts to open up with a bit of aeration. The 2018 spent 22 months in French oak, about 35% new.Vinous Media | 99 VMBlueberries and black olives with so many flowers, such as violets and honeysuckle. Licorice, too. This is full and very tight with lots of back-end tannins that build through the finish. A tight, muscular and curated young wine that lasts for minutes. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe San Giusto a Rentennano 2018 La Ricolma is an absolute stunner. This iconic expression of Merlot opens to rich and velvety concentration with lots of black intensity. Italians might call it "una bomba," or a veritable bomb of fruity bounty and beauty. The organic grapes are fermented in steel over 18 days and aged in French barrique for up to 22 months. This rather straightforward winemaking methodology results in profound fruit purity and persistence. The tannins are still tight and grippy, and this is a more controversial point that I discovered across many of the wines I tasted from 2018. You’ll need to give this wine more time to evolve and soften. Production is 5,994 bottles, 315 magnums and 33 double magnums.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is dense and sinewy, with dusty tannins embracing the black cherry, plum, earth and spice flavors, showing a contrast between the supple texture and firm structure. On the austere side now, with fine intensity and length. Drink now through 2030. 400 cases made, 70 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The very deep, purple-black colored 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It takes a fair amount of swirling to unlock an incredibly intense nose of dark chocolate, warm cassis, baked plums and Morello cherries plus touches of red roses, violets, pencil shavings, cinnamon stick and dusty soil with a hint of iron ore. The full-bodied palate is so exquisitely elegant, charged with electric black and red fruits and a firm frame of super-ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and very perfumed. This is pure energy in a glass!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP(Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Red, United States) Blackberry, dried-blueberry, bitter-chocolate and some volcanic-ash and burnt-orange aromas. Crushed stone and subtle vanilla notes, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins framing a deep core of dark fruit. Dense, muscular and firmly structured. So long. Goes on for minutes. Elegance with power. Really love the beautiful refinement and integrity to this. Captures the essence of the vintage. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSA benchmark for the vintage, thanks to its gorgeous display of warm cassis, mulled plum and macerated blackberry fruit stitched with subtle loam, juniper and bay leaf accents, in a reserved style. Warm earth tones reverberate through the lengthy finish, dovetailing perfectly with the suave fruit. A real beauty. Best from 2023 through 2040. 1,790 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

All desert island wines by any measure, it’s hard to go wrong with any of these 2018s from Brad Grimes. The 2018 Las Posadas offers a monster bouquet of ripe black fruits, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth and is dense, full-bodied, and insanely concentrated on the palate. It’s a big, monster of a wine yet, the purity of fruit is extraordinary, and it has loads of tannins, perfect balance, and a great finish. I finished my notes with "awesome."Jeb Dunnuck | 99+ JDFrom a slightly cooler vintage, the 2018 Las Posadas Proprietary Red comes across as slightly fresher than the 2017, with notes of sage and bay leaf accenting its blueberry and cassis fruit. But while it’s fresher, it appears just as concentrated, with ample richness on the full-bodied palate and a long, velvety textured and tannic finish. Give it a few years—or two decades—in the cellar, depending how mature you like your wines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThis has a lot going on, with a deep well of warmed black currant preserves, licorice root, menthol, sweet bay leaf, road tar and roasted apple wood. There’s burly grip running underneath, which winds up providing laser-sharp focus for everything as this carries on through the finish. An extreme mountain Cabernet for deep cellaring. For tannin lovers only. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 162 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2018 Las Posadas is inky, powerful and deep. It also comes across as quite closed in this tasting. Then again, this is Howell Mountain. Time in the glass brings out all the aromas and flavors that make Howell Mountain Cabernets so appealing. There’s plenty of lavender, spice, menthol and licorice to play off the dark blue/purplish-hued fruit. All the 2018 needs is a few years in bottle.Vinous Media | 96+ VM

The most Vosne-Romanée-like of the Nuits-St-Georges Premiers Crus according to Etienne Grivot, with a character that he identifies as ’a little wild’, Aux Boudots often produces on my favourite wines at the domaine. It’s plush, smooth and glossy all right, with a sheen of aromatic 30% new wood, fine tannins and some underlying bounce and vitality.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECA well of black currant and blueberry mark this sappy, yet beefy red. It’s a tannic Titanic, with a dense, compact finish that echoes the dark fruit, spice and iron notes. The aftertaste is saturated with fruit. Impressive, yet will require time to resolve the tannins. Best from 2025 through 2047. 53 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSHalf the vines were ripped out 5 years ago and will come back into play in 2020 maybe. Bouncing concentrated dark red fruit, not too exuberant on the palate though, an excellent fine-grained tannic structure behind, and exceptional length. This has been picked at optimum ripeness. Tasted Nov 2019.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru comes from the old part of the vineyard, half of which was replanted in spring 2017 (these young vines may reenter this cru next year, or more likely the Bourgogne Rouge until they reach maturity). The crisp, fresh, well-defined bouquet is probably the best among Grivot’s Nuits Saint-Georges this year, reflecting the pedigree of this vineyard. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive mineralité and tension, quite "strict" in style but boasting so much coiled-up energy on the finish that you could easily drink it now. This is a superb offering that should age with grace and style over many years.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThis too is quite firmly reduced to the point that it’s unreadable today. Otherwise the less concentrated but finer middle weight flavors exude evident minerality on the tautly muscular bitter cherry-inflected finish that is a bit leaner and less complex. The younger vines are in evidence though to be fair, and clear, this is still a very pretty effort.Burghound | 89-92 BH

This has been such an exciting addition to the Luciano Sandrone portfolio. The 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a bigger-styled Barolo with dark fruit, ample oak shadings and generous concentration. Overall, it is a wine of considerable fruit weight, and that richness is reflected in the grippy nature of the young tannins and the very plump and primary nature of the fruit. There is a note of dried Mediterranean herb, or something like a dried chili husk. You need time to tame that bossy tannin. Production is limited to 2,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a sexy, opulent Barolo. Although the 2018 does not quite have the pedigree of the best years, it comes pretty close. Succulent dark fruit, clove, gravel, mocha and incense are all front and center. This dense yet mid-weight Barolo will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 96 VMA rich style for the vintage, this dense red exhibits cherry, raspberry, earth, leather and wild herb aromas and flavors. Ripe and spicy, with a vibrant structure and a wide swath of tannins on the energetic finish. Still needs time. Best from 2026 through 2043. 208 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSForest floor, new leather, blue flower and exotic brown spice aromas come to the forefront on the deeply-hued 2018 Vite Talin along with whiffs of crushed mint. Full-bodied and firmly structured, the still rather austere palate offers layers of dried cherry, prune, bitter orange, licorice and tobacco before closing on a note recalling almond liqueur. A backbone of tightly knit, fine-grained tannins provides support. Drink 2028–2038. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOGrown on the top of the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, this wine bowls out of the glass with aromas of black cherry, crushed raspberries, black tea and a melange of spices. Driven, polished and well-crafted, the palate is firm yet the generous fruit shines through as savory herbs and compelling hints of earth peek through, giving insight into how the wine will age. Drink now through 2045.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe aromas of dark fruit, mushrooms, tar and and asphalt come through clearly. It’s medium-bodied with integrated and polished tannins and a savory and juicy finish. Already open and very drinkable, but it will age nicely. Better from 2026 and onward.James Suckling | 94 JS

Love the floral character to the aromas of dark fruit, such as blueberries and black cherries. Red and black licorice, too. The full-bodied palate starts slowly and then expands with super polished, searing tannins that lead you up the palate into a place of grandeur. Lightly chewy at the end. Such great purity and presence here. 6% cabernet sauvignon in the blend with franc and merlot. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 3.75 pH and 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling and air to releases fragrant notes of stewed plums, juicy black cherries and ripe blackberries with underlying suggestions of damp soil, black truffles, rose oil and cardamom with wafts of underbrush and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks. Thirty-three plots contributed to this wine, out of the forty-three in production. Of the rest, five went into Petit Cheval and five into bulk. It will need a good 6-7 years at least to really start to strut its stuff and should cellar for a further 30 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2018 Cheval Blanc is magnificent. In a vintage in which so many wines are opulent and dense, Cheval Blanc maintains striking translucence while conveying the natural radiance of the year. Silky, perfumed and exceptionally vivid, the 2018 pulses with energy from start to finish. Sage, mint, lavender and mocha all meld together on the sumptuous finish. Cabernet Franc, such a Cheval signature, has probably never been so ripe. In a word: dazzling.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGShowing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2018 Château Cheval Blanc is a final blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a pure, classic Cheval Blanc in that it relies more on complexity and elegance than power, offering a beautiful perfume of red and blackcurrants, spring flowers, spice, forest floor, incense, and tobacco. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Cheval Blanc offering wonderful purity of fruit, a seamless, layered texture, incredible tannins, and a lengthy, focused finish. It shows less of the sunny style of the vintage now than it did from barrel, and it’s a wonderfully complete wine that delivers awesome freshness in its aromatics, plenty of ripe, sweet fruit, and the tannins and structure that seem to come from a long, cooler season. Reminding me slightly of the 2016, with a touch of the 2001, give this gorgeous wine 5-7 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe first thing that strikes about this wine is its massive density. The second is the richness of the structured Cabernet Franc that is such an important element in the blend. Weight is balanced by the intense fruits and amazing freshness of a wine that has such concentration. This wine will age for years. Don’t touch it before 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis has the vintage’s profile, with a sleek and slightly austere frame holding a core of cassis, bitter cherry and raspberry coulis notes tightly together while flashes of bay, dried anise and savory add range and detail. Has a late tug of warm earth along with a very perfumy echo through the finish. A beauty. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,208 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLovely ripeness on the nose, full of dense Morello cherries and milk chocolate notes, this feels round and just very complete. It has a density on the palate immediately, voluminous with chalky, gentle gripping tannins, almost chewy on the second taste, that fill the mouth. Generous and expansive. Voluptuous fruit with a capitvating and satisfying texture, it’s really the mouthfeel that’s in focus, big and wide - coating the mouth. Flavours are concentrated around blackcurrant and black cherry with some sweet strawberry and soft chalkiness as well as a touch of sweet liquorice too. Clear depth and power though still youthful and somewhat shy. An excellent Cheval. (Drink between 2028-2055)Decanter | 96 DEC