Wine Varietals

wines

The expressive 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with an array of crushed violet and lavender tones before giving way to citrus-laced blackberries and cherries. Cool-toned and wickedly fresh, it possesses a solid core of mineral-infused wild berry fruits and blue and purple inner florals that arch throughout. Sweet tannins frame the finish beautifully as hints of balsamic spice and pomegranate linger incredibly long. The 2021 is a radiant beast in need of taming. It’s hard to put this glass down.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe Lisini 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with pretty fruit, led by a touch of candied cherry that sits front and center, followed by lifted aromas of wild plum, sweet earth and pressed blue flower. I like the aromatic intensity and snappy, fruit-forward personality of this wine, which immediately draws you in. While the attack is generous and expressive, there is clear power and structure on the back end that give the wine depth and shape. This is a production of 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis offers very pure and delicious aromas of red cherries, dried orange peel, dried flowers and crushed rocks. A touch of iodine, too. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and compact tannins that are nicely integrated. Transparent and well balanced, with a lingering finish. Better from 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Lisini opens with enticing aromas of lavender, Mediterranean scrub, forest berry and dark spice. Full-bodied and savory, the palate features wild raspberry, Marasca cherry, star anise and bitter orange alongside smooth, enveloping tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it bright. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: % Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KO

Ripe woodland berry, blue flower, botanical herb and eucalyptus aromas lift out of the glass on the classy La Gerla 2021 Brunello. Linear, structured and loaded with finesse, the palate offers succulent red cherry, wild strawberry, star anise and crushed thyme alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced. Be patient and give it time to fully develop. Drink 2031–2041. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOBalancing aromatic brightness with medium textural concentration, the La Gerla 2021 Brunello di Montalcino delivers lively notes of tart cherry and grenadine followed by light spice and grilled herbs. A classical Sangiovese profile anchors the wine, carried by bright acidity and a mineral thread that adds focus. Vineyards are located in various spots across the northeast and southeast quadrants of the appellation, contributing both freshness and structural balance. Production totals 30,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a medium red/garnet color and unfolds with aromas of orange peel, cranberries, redcurrants, rhubarb, dried earth, and fresh Mediterranean herbs. The palate is bright and medium-bodied, with zesty acidity, well-defined tannins, and salty mouthwatering accents. It’s got a good deal of youthful tension and will drink well over the next 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with mentholated freshness, as minty herbs mix with a whiff of white pepper, olive brine and wild strawberries. It is soft and soothing on the palate, with a subtle citrus infusion to its ripe wild berry fruits, as rosy inner florals cascade throughout. The hulking structure is revealed on the finish, as nuances of dark chocolate mix with spiced orange and clove over a bed of fine-grained tannins.Vinous Media | 93 VMSmoky and toasty wine, full of spices, restrained black cherries, earl-grey and bark. Medium-bodied, it’s almost sour and chewy on the palate, due to the brilliant acidity and firm, velvety tannins. Tight finish. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 93 JS

Pouring a reflective red/garnet hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is floral and detailed on the nose, with preserved cranberries, cherries, anise, fresh roses, and polished leather. The palate is medium-bodied, structured, and bright, with chalky, angular tannins, refreshing acidity, and fabulous fruit purity that carries through a long finish. It’s exceptional and crisp, and it should easily hold up for 20 years. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA spicy and classic Brunello with vibrant aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, violets, smoky wood and licorice. Full-bodied, it shows balanced extraction, tamed velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and a super-savory, minerally finish. Juicy and long. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSMinty herbs mix with shavings of pine, dried strawberries and dusty earth as the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino blossoms in the glass. It displays exceptional finesse and grace, with silken waves of ripe red and blue fruits elevated by fresh acidity. Inner rose tones and a tactile mineral crunch add form toward the close. The 2021 leaves a pleasantly chewy sensation and a tart blackberry twang, tapering off with excellent length and a totally classic feel.Vinous Media | 95 VMBold and beautiful, the Uccelliera 2021 opens with aromas of dark exotic spice, Mediterranean scrub, lavender and eucalyptus. On the full-bodied, enveloping palate, notes of vanilla, licorice and oak accent a black cherry core. It’s young but balanced, with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2031–2041. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe Uccelliera 2021 Brunello di Montalcino, produced in 34,733 bottles plus 900 magnums, shows a deep core of dark fruit and black cherry while remaining gracefully vertical and bright. Notes of spice, forest floor and sweet earth weave through the fruit, creating balance and a steady sense of richness that carries seamlessly across the palate. Grapes are harvested with the use of dry ice and fermented in stainless steel on indigenous yeasts, followed by 36 months of aging in oak vessels of varying sizes. All of this locks in aromas. The fruit comes from Castelnuovo dell’Abate at elevations ranging from 150 to 350 meters on mineral-rich, rocky soils, and this bottling once again underscores Andrea Cortonesi’s ability to translate terroir with precision and consistency.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThere are no single-vineyard bottlings at Uccelliera. Instead, owner Andrea Cortonesi brings together a diversity of plots from various altitudes, exposures, soils, vine age and clones for one complex sum. The 2021 divulges its balmy, southeastern origins with all the robustness and vigour one would expect, while managing to remain surprisingly poised. Nevertheless, this veers more to power than grace. A youthful wood imprint is absorbed by the fleshy, dark-toned fruit. Eucalypt, nutmeg and tarragon infuse. The bold and grainy tannins need more time to resolve.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

A restrained wine with a graceful nose of subtle red cherries, wild strawberries, sweet violets and complex earth and tamarind. Full-bodied with licorice flavors, a dense mid-palate and velvety tannins that are powerful yet ripe. Slightly lifted acidity and a long,chewy finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with heavenly perfumes as geraniums, bergamot and rose petals mix with lavender and exotic spice. It is lifted and sleek with cool-toned acidity and tart red and blue fruits flowing beneath an air of violet inner florals. The finish has saturating tension, mixing fine-grained tannins with graphite mineral tones and citrus, while hints of sour cherry pinch at the cheeks.Vinous Media | 94 VMPackaged with a gold label, the Pieve Santa Restituta 2021 Brunello di Montalcino marks the return of a wine I personally have not seen in years. In truth, this wine has been produced since 2005, the year the Gaja family acquired a vineyard in the Torrenieri area in the northern part of the appellation where clay-rich soils with high water retention create powerful wines with softer acidity. Fruit from that vineyard was blended with grapes from the Rennina and Sugarille vineyards. However, this wine has recently seen the inclusion of fruit from two new plots, Bolsignano and Villa a Tolli, that bring acidity freshness and mineral tension. The wine presents a medium- to full-bodied texture with notes of dried fruit, cassis, tarry smoke and savory leather. It is lean on the mid-palate yet long and polished. Tight-edged tannins suggest the need for additional bottle aging, a profile consistent with a traditionally structured Brunello. This is a release of 90,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Massetino is considered the second wine of Masseto, but I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that it’s far more than that. It represents around one-third of the production of Masseto, and judging by the quality of this 2022, next year’s release of the grand vin could be absolutely phenomenal. Massetino has always incorporated a portion Cabernet Franc since its first vintage, 2017 – 10% in 2022. A cool and dry spring led to a slightly late budbreak, followed by 75 days of drought and high temperatures. Summer storms eventually came along to restore balance, and the cool September evenings were perfect for the grapes reach full ripeness. Each parcel was vinified separately and spontaneously in concrete tanks before undergoing malolactic fermentation in barriques, 50% new. After 12 months, the final blend was made and the wine spent a further three months in concrete before bottling. Bright and stony, there’s so much energy here. Zingy and sapid, it combines fresh Mediterranean herbs and poised fruit, with more verticality than Masseto 2021 and just as much concentration. Incredible precision and beautiful freshness, especially considering the vintage.Decanter | 97 DECThis is refined and fresh with hints of sandalwood to the beautiful blue fruits. It’s medium-bodied with creamy and polished tannins that frame the blue fruit and hints of crushed stone. Succulent and juicy with a crunchy personality. You want a sip right away. Second wine of the highest quality from Masseto. So drinkable and wonderful. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is opulent, with a lush texture enveloping black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors. Flashes of tar, iron and wild herbs add detail as this red builds to the long finish. Balanced and fresh, with sweet, lingering oak spice notes. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 160 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

There’s extraordinary energy in this wine. It displays a dark nose of black cherries, bramble fruit, violets, forest, licorice, bark, carob and leather. Density and tension dominate the full-bodied palate, with firm, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere in the finish at the moment, yet it’s crunchy and full of potential. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSTignanello is one of Tuscany’s most iconic wines and the 2022 doesn’t disappoint, starting with its captivating aromas of fragrant purple flower, cake spice, camphor and ripe plum. A blend of mainly Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the smooth, utterly delicious and elegantly structured palate delivers succulent black cherry, cassis, vanilla, mocha and graphite alongside well-integrated, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KODelightfully approachable on the nose right away, with warm mocha notes and cool graphite aromas against bing and black cherries, and a palate that’s equally outrageously delicious and easy to love even in its unbridled youth, with more cherries, blackberries, raspberries and chocolate inside a framework of tannins made to measure and acid built like an invisible force field.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2022 Tignanello is all class and refinement. Crushed flowers, mint, white pepper, blood orange and cinnamon all grace a Tignanello defined by a decidedly sophisticated personality. The 2022 has started to flesh out nicely, especially in the mid-palate, but it remains very much on the understated side of things relative to most vintages.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe rich texture wraps around plum, cherry, graphite, tobacco and earth flavors, with a line of dusty tannins underneath. Fresh, elegant and long, ending with a pleasant astringency. Give this a year or two to integrate. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2040. 12,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A juicy and savory red with aromas of blackcurrants, fresh sage and rosemary. It’s medium- to full-bodied with creamy tannins and a long and beautiful finish. Shows finesse and polish. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Needs two or three years to soften, but is already very pretty. Sustainable. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2023 Giusto di Notri is one of the more refined wines of the vintage at Tua Rita. A burst of dark red/purplish fruit, new leather, rose petal, cedar and mocha makes a strong first impression. Silky tannins wrap it all together in style.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

‘The idea of Massetino is to create a more approachable wine,’ states winemaker, Gaia Cinnirella. And combined with the plump juiciness and aromatic appeal of 2023, this is incredibly enticing. Ripe dark berry scents mingle with damp earth, Mediterranean scrub and chocolatey nuances. It has a steely energy, coiled and bright, its vertical structure padded out by generous juicy, creamy red and black berries, and supported by fine-grained tannins. It’s a bold expression this year, with a slightly drying woody finish that should resolve with time in the bottles, but it’s countered by freshness and a really lovely line of acidity which runs through the body. Delicious!Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA dark, super-intense, rich and complex wine. On the nose it shows restrained bramble fruit, vanilla, cloves, eucalyptus and leather. Lots of graphite on the palate, with firm, velvety tannins, chocolate flavors, refreshing acidity and a chalky, oaky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSLush and well-marked by toasty oak, this red displays plum, blackberry, leather, vanilla and salt flavors. A dense matrix of tannins lends support as this extends on the lightly chewy finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2033.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Massetino is an attractive and expressive wine. Medium in body, the 2023 offers up an attractive mix of dark plum, mocha, new leather, cedar and espresso. Time in the glass brings out pretty floral and spice top notes. The oak and extraction feel just a bit pushed for the wine’s mid-weight structure. The 2023 was done in a period of transition with technical teams and winemakers, and that is evident in this particular vintage.Vinous Media | 90 VM

As you pour this pale pink treasure, delightful aromas of fresh citrus and wild berries dance before you, inviting you to indulge in its tantalizing embrace. Each sip reveals an elegant and balanced flavor, seamlessly blending the fruit-forward characteristics of Sangiovese with the silky tannins of Pinot Nero. With the most pleasant acidity and subtle minerality, every moment is a delightful experience with Colle É Rosé.Colle Bereto | 95 SP