Italy

This exemplary Pinot Grigio from the Veneto is made for us by Monte del Frà. Modern in style, it is crisp and fresh. Delicate aromas of white flowers complement attractive peach and nectarine fruit. The palate is focused, lively and unoaked, allowing the generously layered, sunny fruit to shine through, with a refreshing, lemon-rind-scented finish.

{***}{region}Veneto{region}
{color} White{color}                                                              

 {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2019{vintage}{***}

Our Chianti Classico is made by the Stucchi Prinetti family of Badia a Coltibuono, a legendary estate whose history stretches back over 1,000 years. This 2018 is classical and charming: it’s full of sour cherries and raspberries, with white pepper and dried roses. The palate has cherry stone notes and crunchy berry brightness, framed by fine and firm tannins. It’s a great match for tomato-based pasta dishes or grilled meats with fresh rosemary.

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2018{vintage}{***}

{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{***}

Located in Prosecco’s Conegliano region of the Veneto lie the 60 hectares of Masottina’s vineyards. Owned by the Dal Bianco family since 1946, they switched from being a négociant to vineyard owner in the 1960s. They produce a classic expression of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco. With fine, persistent bubbles, this is pale straw yellow with greenish highlights. The nose is intense, fruity with the rich scent of apple, lemon and grapefruit. It has a pronounced aroma of wisteria in bloom and acacia flowers. The palate has a pleasant acidity and fresh flavour. Full-bodied, and lingering, a soft finish rounds off this crowd-pleasing Prosecco.

A deliciously dry style. Masottina Prosecco Brut was judged No.1 Sparkling Wine from over 600 entries from 20 countries at the 16th annual Effervescents Du Monde 2018 held in Dijon, France. This comes on top of a 96 point Gold Medal score at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 so we're obviously well and truly into the seriously good territory here.

{***}{region}Veneto{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}{***}

The 2004 Guado al Tasso reveals a layered, nuanced texture filled out by the generous warmth of Bolgheri. Full-bodied and ample on the palate, it offers plenty of sweet dark fruit, licorice, Tuscan herbs and chocolate, with outstanding persistence as well as balance, which is especially evident in a mature use of oak. The 2004 is an opulent and beautifully poised Guado al Tasso that will offer much pleasure over the next decade. 

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2004{vintage}

{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 92/100

{ratings}

   {***}

Now firmly amongst the greats of the Italian wine scene, Tignanello’s origins lie in a single vineyard Chianti Classico Riserva ‘Vigneto Tignanello‘ made for the 1970 vintage. Even at this point it broke new ground by being the first Sangiovese aged in small oak barrels, and the die was cast from the 1971 vintage, when it became a Vino da Tavola della Toscana and was named Tignanello after the vineyard from where the fruit originates. Over the following eleven years Tignanello gradually evolved into the wine we recognise today – a wine that no longer follows the rules laid down by Chianti Classico Disciplinare.

This is a Tignanello vintage with wonderful purity of fruit on the nose first and foremost. Pure, unadulterated bramble, hedgerow fruit – exquisite! Behind that initial and impressive wave of fruit there are complex layers of nutmeg, black tea and Asian spices. This continues apace on the palate, and also where the Sangiovese really comes into play. The taut structure and fine tannins build neatly through the midpalate where more layers of hoi sin, dark coffee and subtle meatiness. The finish is textbook Tignanello, refined yet focussed and wonderfully long. Drinking from 2018 onto 2030.

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}

{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 93/100

{ratings}

   {***}

The 2007 Tignanello is ripe with promise for the future. The wine has just started its evolutionary track with aromas of blackcurrant, dried blackberry and cherry. This was a warm but balanced vintage that shows beautiful results today and exceeds my already high expectations. There is a steady thickness and determination to the wine that carries it forward. This was the last vintage made in the Tignanello winery before the structure saw a major overhaul. Given the staying power of this historic wine, I feel that this vintage will hold easily for another 20 years or more.

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}

{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}

   {***}

The 2001 Flaccianello della Pieve marks a turning point, as it is the first Flaccianello to be made as a selection of the estate’s best fruit across a number of parcels rather than as a single-vineyard wine. Black cherries, plums, smoke, licorice and tobacco are some of the notes that burst from the glass in this virile, massive Flaccianello. A hint of sweet toasted oak reminiscent of the 1990 lingers on the finish. This is a great showing, but readers will have to be patient. 
Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                        

   {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2001{vintage}

{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 95/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 98/100

 [] Jancis Robinson:: 18/20      

{ratings}

{***}

The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is downright gorgeous. The wine is inward-looking at the very beginning, but it quickly revs up to deliver soaring intensity and profound elegance. It goes from first to sixth gear in seconds and grabs all your attention and admiration in the process. The bouquet reads like a textbook Sangiovese, with wild berry, rose hip, pressed violets, cola, balsam herb, licorice and cigar ash. The bouquet underlines the wine's enormous finesse and pedigree, but the mouthfeel is all about frankness, directness and power. This is a naked and pure Brunello that glows bright with confidence and pride.

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]The Wine Advocate:: 97/100
{ratings}         {***}

Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. Still a little progress, but finer on the nose than the 2012. Subtle cherry and a hint of tea leaves. Proper Burgundian in style, think Marroneto but with added ripeness. Spectacular balance and ends on austere tannins. This just needs more time but is already exciting.
- Jancis Robinson 2016

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

    {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]Jancis Robinson :: 17.5+/20
{ratings}         {***}

Sweet, ripe strawberry and cherry fruit melds seamlessly with the dense, refined structure of this red. Saline, licorice and spice accents add complexity as this lingers gracefully on the finish. Terrific harmony and expression. Best from 2021 through 2037. - Wine Spectator

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]The Wine Advocate:: 97/100

[]James Suckling:: 98/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 96/100

[]Vinous:: 95/100

{ratings} {***}

The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is a direct and powerful wine from a hot vintage. Dark fruit aromas segue to candied cherry, moist pipe tobacco, balsam herb and dark granite stone. In the mouth, this is a compact and hard-bodied wine that still needs time to flesh out and relax. Like all of Casanova di Neri's wine, this Brunello offers a unique level of volume and fullness that you don't easily find in the other wines of Montalcino.  - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]The Wine Advocate:: 95/100

[]James Suckling:: 94/100

[]Vinous:: 93/100

{ratings} {***}

The 2008 Brunello di Montalcino is a terrific example of the year. Medium in body, and graceful, the 2008 is laced with an attractive mosaic of dark red cherries, savory herbs, licorice, flowers in tobacco. Naturally, the 2008 doesn't deliver the explosiveness or head-spinning appeal of the 2006 or 2007, but it will give Salvioni fans a fix while those iconic vintages age. An expressive, layered finish rounds things out nicely. - Antonia Galloni

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                         

                                                       {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2008{vintage}{ratings}         

[]Vinous:: 91/100
{ratings}         {***}

Upon release, Biondi-Santi’s ’97 Brunello radiated purity and elegance, but its massive tannins required extensive aging before true approachability--two decades later, this silky, nuanced wine is firing on all cylinders. Juicy red and blue fruits dance against a backdrop of balsamic herbs, warm cigar wrapper, worn leather, white truffles, dried violet petals, and touches of smoky minerals. Ethereal in the mouth, a sturdy acidic core powers this Brunello as it glides on the palate; fine-grained tannins stud the finish that resonates and lingers. Known for its nose and intense age-worthiness, a Biondi-Santi Brunello's trademark aromatics and acidity are attributable to the vineyard's altitude that ranges between 1,300-1,600 feet above sea level. Biondi-Santi's Brunello Annata, or normale bottling, undergoes fermentation in traditional Slavonian oak for about 18 days, followed by aging in large oak casks of 800 to 7,000 liters for a period of two to three years, setting the standard for traditional Brunello.

{***}{region}Italy {region}
{color} Red {color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}1997{vintage}{***}

The 2016 Barbera d'Alba Scudetto is full of cherry, full of dark chocolate and just full in general. The Mascarello family timidly discusses this vintage during my visit to the winery the way parents of doctors and lawyers talk about their other son, the struggling actor. This dark and thick Barbera may not have the finesse or complexity of other vintages, but those who like their reds big, bold and fruity certainly will appreciate it.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                             

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}

{ratings}
[] Wine Advocate:: 92/100{ratings} 

{***}

The 2001 Sori San Lorenzo is the richest and deepest of these 2001s. It remains cool, inward and totally implosive. Dark fruit, leather, goudron and licorice are some of the notes that begin to emerge over time. The 2001 is dazzling, but it is also very much on the muscular side and needs time to soften. I imagine it will drink beautifully for another 20 years, and that is likely to be conservative in light of the glacial pace with which the San Lorenzo ages. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034.
Antonio Galloni - 26/04/2012

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                        

   {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2001{vintage}

{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 96/100        
{ratings} 

{***}

The 2014 Barolo Bussia Cicala comes from a 3.2-hectare parcel, and only 5,400 bottles are made despite the fact that there is the potential for higher volumes. Both the Cicala and the Romirasco sites are relatively steep and therefore enjoy longer sunlight hours each day of summer for ripe and concentrated fruit. Of these new single-vineyard releases from Poderi Aldo Conterno, Cicala is my top choice in 2014. The wine shows a pure and enduring mouthfeel with salty or saline minerality that makes it such a pleasure to drink. The wine boasts a direct and vertical delivery of aromas, with cassis and dried raspberry that burst to the top with brightness. Cicala is a more direct and focused expression next to Colonnello, which tends to be more broad and horizontal instead. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 94/100    

[] James Suckling:: 95/100

[] Decanter:: 93/100  

[] Jancis Robinson:: 17.5/20

{ratings}

{***}

Perfumed and radiant, this beguiling Barolo opens with heady scents of cranberry, crushed rose petal and wild herbs. Boasting extreme elegance and energy, the almost ethereal palate delivers succulent strawberry, red cherry, star anise and orange zest set against polished tannins and racy acidity. A mineral note on the finish lends tension and depth. This is all about finesse and complexity and is a wonderful expression of the vintage. It shows more aging potential than many 2014s. Drink 2022–2034.
-Wine Enthusiast

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}

{ratings}

[] Wine Enthusiast:: 96/100

{ratings}

{***}

Complex, soft and seductive nose, with concentrated aromas of wild strawberry, crushed rose petal and eucalyptus. Very juicy and expansive on the palate, with a beautiful purity of fruit, great energy and precision, elegant tannins and a lingering saline finish. Outstanding.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{ratings}          
[]Antonio Galloni:: 92/100
{ratings}  {***}

Red fruits belie the innate concentration that this Barolo offers; raspberries and subtle florals sit alongside crisp acidity and fine tannins underpinned dry stony minerality. Long and scented on the finish. Drink from 2023+.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 96+/100    

{ratings}

{***}

This is a darkly saturated and rich expression of Nebbiolo with bright aromas of dark cherry, dried blackberry, spice, leather and toasted hazelnut. The wine stands out for the singular elegance it possesses, especially in terms of mouthfeel. - Robert Parker

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 95/100    

[] Wine Spectator :: 95/100  

[] James Suckling:: 95/100   

 {ratings}

{***}

The 2013 Barolo Cerretta shows that exuberant fruit that is so prominent in this vintage. Fruit was harvested two weeks later than average towards the end of October. This gave the Nebbiolo grape ample time to develop its aromatic nuance and intensity. The Cerretta vineyard is higher than average at 400 meters above sea level and that altitude has further helped to prolong the growing season (something the Nebbiolo grape loves). The site has more clay in the soils and vines are up to 20years old. 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2012 Barolo Lazzarito impresses for its precision and class, two qualities that aren’t easy to find in wines from this Serralunga site. Iron, smoke and white pepper lift from the glass in a vertical, structured Barolo endowed with real pedigree. A rush of pomegranate, red cherry jam, wild flowers and blood orange meld into the huge, bright finish. In 2012, the Lazzarito reconciles power and finesse like few vintages in the past. For the last few years, the Lazzarito has been knocking on the door of the big boys in this lineup, the Rocche and Ravera. Today, the Lazzarito makes a strong statement that it has arrived. (Vinous – Antonio Galloni – March 2016)

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}{***}

Raspberry, kirsch and notes of blueberry are supported by notes of fennel, candied orange peel and sandalwood in this wine. Picking was carried out a little later than 2011, and as a result the profile is much more red-fruit orientated for this vintage. Tannins are firm and there is a refreshing acidity that provides a savoury core on the palate.

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

   {***}

Luciano Sandrone's 2011 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is shaping up to be one of the protagonists of the vintage. I say shaping up because the wine is still in a youthful stage and has yet to open up fully. Tight and firm, it shows the potential for enormous depth and dimension with dark fruit, spice, licorice and white truffle. If you taste through Sandrone's older vintages, it is apparent that they perform exceptionally well in warm years like 2011. It promises a rewarding evolution ahead but I would suggest waiting five more years before popping the cork.

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}

   {***}

Sandrone’s 2005 Barolo Cannubi Boschis offers up pretty notes of mint, flowers, spices and dark red berries, with sweet notes of French oak that linger on the finish. This is a decidedly slender Cannubi Boschis that lacks some of the sheer pedigree and explosiveness of the best vintages. The tannins need some time to soften, but this is a wine that has continued to grow in bottle. It could very well turn out to be one of the vintage’s surprises. In 2005 the harvest took place at the end of September and the wine was aged in 500-liter barrels (one-third new). - Wine Advocate #182, Apr 29, 2009

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2005{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}

   {***}

The 2010 Barolo Vigna del Gris is beautiful, layered and expressive. Sweet tobacco, mint, licorice, crushed flowers and plums meld together in a supple, gracious wine for the year. Sweet rose petals and mint add an attractive upper register of trademark aromatics and perfume as the wine opens up in the glass. The 2010 remains dense and compact, but it is impossible to miss that the tannins here are more refined than has typically been the case with the Gris in the past, which is probably the result of vines getting older. The 2010 needs time to unwind, but it is quite pretty and full of potential. Conterno-Fantino gave the 2010 a year in 100% new French oak, followed by a year in a combination of equal parts barrique and cask. - Vinous

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                              

 {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2010{vintage}

{ratings} [] Vinous:: 94/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 93/100

[] James Suckling:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2001 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is huge and seamless from start to finish. The wine totally envelops the palate with masses of dark red fruit, roses, spices, and mint, all supported by nearly imperceptible tannins. The volume and shape of the 2001 is simply breathtaking. This is Scavino’s most vibrant 2001. It is also his most polished, refined Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2001{vintage}

{ratings}[] The Wine Advocate:: 97/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 97/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2012 Barolo Sorì Ginestra is one of the more understated wines I have tasted here in some time. Silky, pliant and expressive, the 2012 boasts considerable aromatic presence to match its overall weight and intensity on the palate. A host of lavender, smoke, mint, plum, spice and savory herb overtones add the closing shades of nuance. - Vinous 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}           {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] James Suckling:: 93/100

[] Vinous:: 93/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 90/100

{ratings} {***}

Since the 2010 vintage, this wine is named Francia (not Cascina Francia) to keep with the new Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (or official cru naming) in Barolo and Barbaresco. The 2012 Barolo Francia is a seductive and silky expression that flows gracefully over the palate with power and determination. The nose is expressive, and decidedly more articulate than many of the more muted wines made by neighboring estates in this warm vintage. The quality of the mouthfeel is of special interest. This beautiful Barolo already shows stunning texture, richness and integrity, despite this very early preview tasting. I tasted this wine in barrel shortly before bottling.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}           {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 95/100{ratings}        {***}

Dark cherry, plum, smoke, menthol and spices meld together in the 2011 Barolo Brunate. Restrained and elegant in the glass, yet with fabulous depth, the 2011 Brunate is exceptionally beautiful. The rich, layered finish provides a glimpse of what the future holds. Today, the Brunate is a real showstopper - Vinous, Antonio Galloni 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 96/100

[] Vinous:: 95/100

[] James Suckling:: 92/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2011 Barolo Lazzarito is a landmark wine and one of the best expressions made region-wide in this challenging vintage. The bouquet is gorgeous thanks to the never-ending aromas of dark fruit, licorice and balsam herb that peel off the top. The Lazzarito vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba is characterized by thick soils and deep shifts between daytime and nighttime temperatures. These are important factors that lead to quality fruit despite the summer heat.  - 96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 96/100

[] Vinous:: 95/100

[] James Suckling:: 92/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

2006 vintage produced Nebbiolo wines of great breed, intensity and longevity. None more so than the mighty 'Ca d'Morissio', whose forthright, uncompromising character and brilliance mirrors that of Mauro Mascarello, owner and winemaker at this top flight wine cantina. The fruit is sourced from the last plot of smaller bunched Michet clone Nebbiolo along the Monprivato 'bench', that's been macerated and aged for longer to give achingly intense, compact, red berry, seared meat and licorice, with stupendo sapid focus, whose energy is tightly coiled, the palate profoundly tannic and intricately woven as to be impenetrable. Whereas the rest of the Mascarello stable swoon with charm, this wine, their flagship, is defiant and in a league of its own. 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                             

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}

{ratings}
{ratings} 

{***}

From the Treiso township, the 2014 Barbaresco Valeirano Vürsù represents a stylistic marriage of the elegant Gallina and the more powerful Starderi crus (both in the Neive township). This is a compact and fine Nebbiolo with a mid-weight style and slightly sweet tannins. In terms of its flavor profile, the wine shows savory spice and barbecue smoke followed by blackberry and dried cherry. In a sense, this wine borrows the best attributes of the other two Barbaresco expressions also reviewed in this report. - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                   

            {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 94/100    

[] James Suckling:: 92/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 91/100  

{ratings}

{***}

Underbrush, dried rose, aromatic herb and a balsamic note of menthol slowly take shape. The full-bodied palate offers French oak, licorice, espresso, raspberry jam and mint alongside aggressive, somewhat grainy, tannins that leave a bracing finish. Drink 2019–2028. - Wine Enthusiast

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                   

            {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] Wine Enthusiast:: 90/100    

[] James Suckling:: 92/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 91/100  

{ratings}

{***}

The 2013 Barbaresco Starderi Vürsù is an elegant and polished wine with a deep sense of persistence and length. The wine delivers a tight embroidery of aromas that span from dark fruit to spice, to ethereal notes of balsam herb and cola. It runs the full spectrum. That feeling of wholeness and balance is also evident in the mouth. This Barbaresco reaches impeccable balance between its solid fruit flavors, its acidity and the determined firmness of its structure. - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                   

            {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 94/100    

[] James Suckling:: 94/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 94/100  

{ratings}

{***}

Subtle aromas of rose and blackberry follow through to a full body, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Unfolds on the palate. Layered and beautiful. Refined yet structured.
Wine Spectator 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}           {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2005{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 94/100{ratings}        {***}

The 2000 Barbaresco is beginning to show early tertiary qualities. Smoke, tobacco, cedar and dried cherries are some of the notes that emerge from the glass. Over time the Barbaresco gains a measure of freshness, with pretty floral aromas that weave into the finish. The tannins remain quite firm, and are likely to outlast the fruit.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}           {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2000{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 93/100

[] Wine Spectator:: 95/100

{ratings} {***}

I have had great luck with Roagna’s Barbaresco Paje recently and the 1999 is simply a magical wine. It displays a dark translucent ruby color along with expressive notes of super-ripe fruit, cough syrup, minerals, menthol, tar, licorice and violets that gradually appear on a structured, vibrant frame of notable depth and purity. One can only wonder if the selections will be even better. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}           {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1999{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 92/100

{ratings} {***}

The 2012 Langhe Giàrborina is a reincarnation of the wine previously known as Langhe Arborina. Because a Langhe appellation wine cannot be named by its vineyard name (like Barolo can), Elio Altare was told to remove the name Arborina. In a clever twist, he renamed it ""giàrborina"" that is loosely translated as ""formally Arborina."" This is a pure expression of Nebbiolo that is graceful and elegant with bright berries and pressed flowers. It is streamlined and tight in the mouth with lingering flavors of licorice, spice and toasted nut. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}

{ratings} [] Vinous:: 94/100

[] Wine Advocate:: 93/100

{ratings}

{***}

From the Vigna Cossut this Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso wine was born for the first vintage. 20 year old vineyard and aged in barrels for about two years. Less than 10 thousand bottles come out of this small company in Buttrio every year and obviously the focus is on quality and not on quantity, so much so as to be able to reach very high levels also and above all with Refosco and Merlot as well as with Friulano, Sauvignon, Ribolla and the Chardonnay in spite of an Italian wine culture that would like Friuli as a land of excellence only of whites.

{***}{region}Fruili{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                              

 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

Enzo Pontoni of Miani has a penchant for perfectionism. He works quietly and tirelessly in his tiny plots of vineyards in the Colli Orientali DOC and is recognised as one of Italy’s premier cult winemakers. This muscular wine is made from 100% Refosco and combines great fruit purity, strong currant, wild berry and plum flavours with graphite-mineral depth and a long, sumptuous finish.

{***}{region}Fruili{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                              

 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

The 2018 Rosso di Montalcino Ignaccio is flat-out delicious with a woodland and almost-autumnal profile. Wild strawberries, blueberries, lavender and sage mix with hints of cinnamon and flowery undergrowth. It’s silky-smooth, almost velvety in feel yet perfectly balanced and full of life, displaying ripe wild berry fruit and inner violet florals. There’s enough structure here to carry the 2018 for a number of years in the cellar, but who can keep their hands off of it today? Alessandro Mori selects his Rosso from the same barrels he uses to make Brunello, yet after only a year of aging. - Vinous

{***}
{region}Tuscany{region}
{color} Red{color}                

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2018{vintage}

{ratings} [] Vinous:: 93/100

{***}

Garnet red with purplish highlights. Fruity aroma of ripe grapes, vinous, intense, varietal. Taste is dry, round, well-bodied, tannic. Pair with red meats in general, cheeses in general, main courses.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

A star on the vast stage that is the Antinori wine empire, the 2010 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is a seamless and stunning wine. Its one of those rare wines that inspires praise and excited conversation from the very second you raise the glass to your nose. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Baritone aromas of black cherry, black currant, cured meat, sweet spice, Spanish cedar, mocha and wild Mediterranean herbs come together in graceful unity. In the mouth, the wine is exceedingly smooth and decadent with a long velvety trail that softly coats the palate. This is one for the cellar. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2010{vintage}

{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 97/100

{ratings}

   {***}

The Cerretta vineyard is located behind the family winery in the hamlet of Baudana. Here, compared to that of the Serra vineyard beyond the castello, the soil is darker, richer in organic matter and iron, akin to the soils of Castiglione Falletto across the valley. Consequently Giovanni Rosso's Cerretta is fuller, fleshier, broader and more generous (than Serra), while its DNA is definitely that of Serralunga – with cranberry-focus and a hint of sandalwood. The palate is a stunning wrap of gleaming cranberry, Pinot-like fruit, with zip, pace, presence; uplifting, edge-of-yourseat material. I reckon it's Davide’s best Cerretta yet, and will be good for a decade at least.

Since first bottling his family’s Serralunga d’Alba fruit in the late 1990s, Davide has rightly gained a reputation as one of the region’s finest (Nebbiolo) winemakers. He may not have the name or history of some of his famous neighbours but perhaps as a result he’s further incited to prove himself. That he is surely doing with a range of peerless Serralunga Baroli, traditionally and expertly made using stainless steel, cement and French oak botti. Fortune came his and his mother Ester’s way in 2011, as they inherited a hectare of Vigna Rionda — one of Serralunga’s top vineyards — completing the range perfectly.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}lready-improve{maturity} 

{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

Blush strawberry in colour, this is cool, calculating, quite juicy, with a round fruit character, darker, blackberry fruit and spice, but with great purity. Made in a vin de garde style, this is a bit more forward than the Cannubi.

E.Pira was one of Barolo’s most historical producers until the Boschis family bought it in 1980, transforming it overnight into one of its most modern. Chiara Boschis is at the helm, producing fruit-forward wines that give you more of everything: more extract, colour, acidity, alcohol and oak. She mollycoddles her organic vineyards as if they’re her children. Recently joined by her brother, Giorgio, the estate has now grown to 8.5 hectares.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} 

{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 93/100

{ratings}

{***}

Here is a beautifully extracted and voluptuous Barolo from the Cannubi cru that would pair with tender veal shank, slow cooked until falling off the bone. Black cherry, spice, root beer and fragrant earthy tones all appear on the nose and the wine closes with tight, firm structure. 

E.Pira was one of Barolo’s most historical producers until the Boschis family bought it in 1980, transforming it overnight into one of its most modern. Chiara Boschis is at the helm, producing fruit-forward wines that give you more of everything: more extract, colour, acidity, alcohol and oak. She mollycoddles her organic vineyards as if they’re her children. Recently joined by her brother, Giorgio, the estate has now grown to 8.5 hectares.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} 

{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Enthusiast:: 93/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2005 Cannubi of Chiara Boschis, measures up to the reputation of the appellation and great vintage. Complex and strong, this wine takes us through a sensory journey. This intense red coloured with brick-red highlights 2005 Cannubi releases intense tertiary aromas and Morello cherry, prune, tobacco or even leather notes. On the palate, it offers good volume, velvety tannins and a finish that leaves vanilla and violet hints on the taste buds. 

E.Pira was one of Barolo’s most historical producers until the Boschis family bought it in 1980, transforming it overnight into one of its most modern. Chiara Boschis is at the helm, producing fruit-forward wines that give you more of everything: more extract, colour, acidity, alcohol and oak. She mollycoddles her organic vineyards as if they’re her children. Recently joined by her brother, Giorgio, the estate has now grown to 8.5 hectares.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} 

{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2005{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Enthusiast:: 93/100

{ratings}

{***}

Pale cherry-red, the nose swoons with delicate notes of camphor and fresh, wild Amarena cherry, along with a fragrant rose-water character. To taste, this glides: it’s so pretty, so effortless with gentle redcurrant fruit and tannins so finely curated that they’re invisible.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

{***}

Pale cherry-red, the nose swoons with delicate notes of camphor and fresh, wild Amarena cherry, along with a fragrant rose-water character. To taste, this glides: it’s so pretty, so effortless with gentle redcurrant fruit and tannins so finely curated that they’re invisible.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

{***}

 The 2005 Barolo Cannubi S. Lorenzo-Ravera is one of the most searingly tannic, austere wines of the vintage. Bright, incisive and tightly wound, the 2005 is going to need another decade or so to soften, even then I am not sure it will be an especially pleasurable wine, as the spiking acidity and intense tannins both are overpowering. Readers who want to understand what old-school Barolo is all about should check out the 2005, a wine that serves as a poignant reminder as to how much things have changed over the last decade. Revisited after twelve hours, the 2005 has become civilized, as the fruit fills out the frame to balance the tannins. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2005 or on opening it far in advance. - Vinous

E.Pira was one of Barolo’s most historical producers until the Boschis family bought it in 1980, transforming it overnight into one of its most modern. Chiara Boschis is at the helm, producing fruit-forward wines that give you more of everything: more extract, colour, acidity, alcohol and oak. She mollycoddles her organic vineyards as if they’re her children. Recently joined by her brother, Giorgio, the estate has now grown to 8.5 hectares.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} 

{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2005{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Enthusiast:: 93/100

[] Vinous:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

The 2016 Barolo Castiglione is a dazzling wine that will show readers just how compelling this vintage is, even among entry-level wines from top producers. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous richness and resonance from the very first taste. Bright red cherry and red plum fruit, wild flowers, mint, blood orange and spice build as this sumptuous, dramatic Barolo shows all it's got. As always, the Castiglione is built on a core of fruit from Ravera. In 2016, the Castiglione benefits from the inclusion of several new sites, including Ginestra, Mosconi, Bricco Ravera (in Monforte), Le Coste, Costabelle, Meriame, Briccolina and Codana. All I can say is: What a wine!
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (November 2019)

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 94+/100

[] Vinous:: 94/100

{ratings}

{***}

Our Barolo reaches new heights with this magnificent 2016. This is a traditional blend of three communes: Castiglione Falletto fills the nose with morello cherry and roses; Barolo itself lends power and depth of fruit; and the ancient white soils of Serralunga d’Alba give it an unmistakable mineral grip. Articulate and expressive, this is of the highest class and elegance. Drink now to 2036.

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

Gavi is the quintessential Northern Italian white wine, famed for its delicacy and finesse. This benchmark example, grown on a hilltop vineyard rich in white tufo soils, offers aromas of white flowers and pear. The palate is focused and energetic, with succulent layers of green apple, white peach and lemon peel, with a long, mineral finish. It is perfect to drink on its own, or with white fish and fresh green vegetables. 

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} White{color}                                                              

 {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2020{vintage}{***}

The 2006 Tignanello is especially opulent in this vintage. Masses of dark red fruit, scorched earth and sweet oak emerge as this richly-textured Tignanello flows from the glass. The wine possesses superb density; all it needs is another few years to come together. Today it is remarkably vibrant and primary. Tignanello is 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate  184 -Aug 2009

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}

{ratings}

{ratings}

   {***}

The 2018 Langhe Nebbiolo emerges from a parcel in Sinio. Dark fruit, spice, earthy notes and a good bit of tannin give the Vajra's Langhe Nebbiolo a decidedly brooding, powerful feel and quite a bit more seriousness than is typical at this level. Sweet red berry fruit, mint and spice add freshness alongside bright acidity as the 2018 opens up in the glass. This is such a pretty and expressive wine.

Drink 2020 - 2033

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2018{vintage}

{ratings} [] Vinous:: 90/100

[] Wine Advocate:: 89/100

{ratings}

{***}

This was grown as Brunello, with tiny yields from fossil-filled vineyards. It was spontaneously fermented in botti before spending two years in smaller casks. This is bright, pretty and vivacious, with incredible aromatics. The palate is elegant and complex, superior to many Brunellos. This is a work of the highest craft: Brunello intensity meets Burgundian finesse. Drink now to 2032.

{***}
{region}Tuscany{region}
{color} Red{color}                

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2018{vintage}

{ratings} 

{***}

Compared to the expression from the Cerretta vineyard, the 2017 Barbera d'Alba Vigna Francia is even darker in color with more austerity and muscle power at the back. The alcohol reading of the two wines is the same (15.5%), but this expression offers less obvious fruit and more dark mineral instead. The soils in the Francia vineyard see a mix of limestone sand and clay, and this is true of where both the Barbera and the Nebbiolo vines are located. You sense an increased mineral presence in the Francia with iron, salt and scorched earth. This full-throttle Barbera is penetrating and deep. This is a fine expression of the grape, offering exacting detail and precision. 2020-2038. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                             

{maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

[] Vinous:: 92-95/100

{ratings}

{***}

From a hot and dry vintage that saw dusty winds blowing up through the Mediterranean and spreading particles of sand from Africa, this wine shows open-knit appeal with loose texture and lots of dark fruit intensity. The Luciano Sandrone 2011 Barolo Le Vigne Sibi et Paucis pours from the bottle with rich and velvety intensity, followed by dried cherry, blackberry, spice, leather and tar. I tasted the 2009 vintage before this and am now focused on the 2011, so I wonder if perhaps the 2010 vintage is being held back even longer at the winery in their special cellar built for these precious late-release wines. Drink from 2021-2040. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Italy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}

   {***}

Humming with energy and life from the very moment you put your nose in the glass, Marchesi Antinoris 2010 Tignanello shows magnificent aromatic layering and an enormous capacity to peel back and reveal itself in beautiful slow motion. This is an articulate wine with a long story to tell about the quality of its profound 2010 fruit. This Tignanello has the elegance of 2004 and the structure of 2007. A brief note on the structure: The mouthfeel here is not broad and big. Instead, it shows a sharp and elegantly streamlined feel with impressive persistency. Compared to 2009, the Sangiovese component is slightly higher with 80% of the noble Tuscan variety followed by 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.

{***}{region}Tuscany{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                         

{maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2010{vintage}

{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

   {***}