Italy

Rating

93

Release Price

$45

Drink Date

1997 - 2010

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Apr 1995

Source

98, The Wine Advocate

The 1990 Sammarco may prove to be a worthy rival to the glorious 1985. The saturated ruby/purple/garnet color is followed by an intense yet youthful fragrance of ripe black fruits, vanillin, and minerals. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully delineated and structured, it possesses considerable body, tannin, and extract. Although accessible, it is extremely young and ideally should have another 2-4 years of cellaring. It should age well for 15+ years. As I have said many times, Sammarco always reminds me of a top Graves, because of the tobacco/mineral component it often displays. This outstanding Tuscan producer has been exceptionally consistent over the last decade, so it is not surprising that the 1990s performed brilliantly. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; Tel. (212) 629-0200

Rating

87

Release Price

$65

Drink Date

1999 - 2010

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

30th Oct 1998

Source

119, The Wine Advocate

The dark ruby/purple-colored 1994 Sammarco, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Sangiovese, reveals aromas of lead pencil, charred leather, black cherries, and toasty oak. With moderately high tannin, and a more angular, austere personality than is generally found in Sammarco, this very good to excellent effort will benefit from 1-2 years of cellaring. It should keep for 12 or more years.  

Much the same can be said about the 2000 Solaia, another wine with plenty of near and medium-term appeal, but less potential for aging.

-- Antonio Galloni 91 Antonio Galloni 2013 - 2018 Not Available Dec 2013

Rating

90

Release Price

$110

Drink Date

2005 - 2018

Reviewed by

Daniel Thomases

Issue Date

26th Apr 2004

Source

152, The Wine Advocate

The 2000 Solaia, not unexpectedly, is the best wine of the series with expansive aromas of black currants, thyme, and sage, much eucalyptus and chocolate on the palate along with ripe, sweet fruit, and a sizeable finish. Drink: 2005-2018. Are we dealing with a half-full or a half-empty glass here? Hard to say, but the competition among the bigger houses is getting tougher in Tuscany, and Antinori may have to look at its quantities in less favorable vintages. It is not clear, for instance, that the right stuff for over one hundred thousand bottles of Guado al Tasso was available in 2000. 

The 2000 Sorì San Lorenzo is another of the standouts of the vintage. It remains quite youthful, with notable energy in its dark, brooding fruit and considerable tannin. Despite its sheer power, the 2000 isn't as explosive as it can be. Still, there is little doubt the 2000 Sorì San Lorenzo has the stuffing to age well for many years to come.

-- Antonio Galloni 96 Antonio Galloni 2015 - 2030 Not Available Jun 2011

Rating

87

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2017 - 2022

Reviewed by

 Monica Larner

Issue Date

28th Apr 2017

Source

230, The Wine Advocate

Compared to the 2002 vintage that seems serendipitously suspended in time, the 2001 Bolgheri Sassicaia is in a more significant downward decline. The 2002 vintage was widely-panned. Back in the day, the 2001 vintage was given a full five stars for excellence. Despite the accolades, this wine does not have much life to give. The bouquet shows aromas of cured meat, petrol, smoke, dried herb and dusty earth. The primary aromas have left the building. The mouthfeel is dry and quickly flat-lining.

The 2005 Sassicaia is another strong effort from Tenuta San Guido. Medium in body, it reveals an understated, delicate expression of smoke, herbs, tobacco and sweet dark fruit. The wine possesses compelling harmony and a gorgeous sense of inner perfume that flows from start to finish. This is an outstanding showing in a very challenging vintage. Sassicaia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.

Score: 93 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (177), June 2008

Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of currant, new oak and fresh herbs, with hints of spices. Full-bodied, with very chewy tannins and an outstanding concentration of fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Needs plenty of bottle age. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made.

Score: 94 James Suckling, Wine Spectator, October 2008

Rating

93

Release Price

$60

Drink Date

2012 - 2024

Reviewed by

Antonio Galloni

Issue Date

2nd May 2011

Source

194, The Wine Advocate

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous in this vintage. Waves of dark fruit caress the palate as this juicy, delicious wine reveals its considerable charms. The fruit shows lovely weight and richness while maintaining an essentially mid-weight personality. Sweet scents of French oak linger on the round, caressing, impeccable finish. This is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade-plus. The harvest took place from the 2nd to the 5th of October. The wine spent 24 days on the skins, after which it was racked into cask, where it spent 45 months prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.  

The 2006 Barbaresco Crichët Pajé is one of the most open, accessible vintages of this wine I can remember tasting. But it's still Roagna, which means the wine is powerful and structured, but less so than is typically the case. Iron, smoke, incense, tobacco, autumn leaves and a host of ferrous, savory notes are some of the signatures. As is sometimes the case here, extended time in barrel has dried out the fruit a bit. This is a style that personally gives me less pleasure, although, as the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

-- Antonio Galloni

The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva emerges with hints of smoke, underbrush, licorice, leather and wild cherries. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass as its sheer pedigree emerges over time. There is plenty of muscle to back up the delicate aromatics in a striking balance of elegance and power, all in an essentially classic, mid-weight style. The round, deeply satisfying finish makes it hard to put the glass down.

The 2009 Lupicaia (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Petit Verdot) bares the trademark aromas of eucalyptus thanks to the soaring trees that line the perimeter of the vineyard. Dried salvia, black fruit, crushed mineral and barbecue ash are part of the complex embroidery of this gorgeous wine. The 2009 vintage shows stunning elegance and balance and is not to be missed. A horse farm, a vineyard and a massive chunk of Tuscany territory (with a whopping 1,700 hectares of land), Castello del Terriccio is a piece of paradise. Owner Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana Serafini Ferri keeps a low profile but is nonetheless an eloquent and visionary protagonist of modern Italian wine. The Lupicaia is one of the best wines I tasted this year.

Score: 96

Monica Larner, robertparker.com Maturity: 2015-203529 August 2013

Beautifully resonant in the glass, the 2009 Lupicaia is a standout. Sweet red cherries, flowers, mint, anise, savory herbs and spices all ring out in a supple, gracious wine loaded with class. The 2009 needs a few years for some of the contours to soften, but it is a gorgeous wine with tons of personality. This is a decidedly round, sexy Lupicaia that is going to offer plenty of enjoyment over the course of the next fifteen years or so.

Score: 95

Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media.com Maturity: 2016-202901 August 2013

96+

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2018 - 2040

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

28th Jun 2013

Source

207, The Wine Advocate

Gaia Gaja uses the word “salty” to describe this next wine, and I see her point. The 2010 Sori Tildin shows a dry, firmly structured quality that enhances those extraordinary, breezy overtones of lead pencil and brimstone that so fittingly frame the Nebbiolo grape. The lingering end-notes of rose petal, ginger and cedar are striking. You immediately feel the tannic structure and power of the wine. The jump is very sharp next to the Costa Russi, and that’s why this is one of Gaja’s best cellar-agers. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.  

Rating

95

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2015 - 2025

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

29th Aug 2013

Source

208, The Wine Advocate

The 2010 Messorio will shed its baby fat and some of those pronounced oak tones as it unwinds in the cellar. This is an expertly crafted Merlot that offers so much in terms of charm, intensity and finesse. The opulence of its dark fruit and black cherry is offset against lingering tones of spice and leather. You'll need to wait a bit. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Cinzia Merli and her expert team (with consulting enologist Luca D'Attoma) have this extraordinary capacity of transmitting the poise and grace they possess as people to the wines they make. Unlike many others in the area, Le Macchiole reported excellent results in 2010 and started harvest in many blocks just a few days later than normal thanks to slow and steady fruit ripening at slightly cooler temperatures. The 2010 vintage, they inform me, may be their best yet this century. For my tastes, 2010 does indeed show exceptional balance but I wouldn't put it ahead of standout vintages like 2007 and 2004. 

Rating

99+

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2018 - 2045

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

4th Mar 2016

Source

223, The Wine Advocate

This is a towering achievement. It is delightful on every level. The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto is an expressive, exuberant and stunning wine that opens to a dark ruby color and rich consistency. The bouquet is never-ending with immediate intensity that is followed closely by finely-tuned aromas of black cherry, spice, grilled herb, clove, tobacco, wet earth and white truffle. A gorgeous display of elegant mineral tones rises from the bouquet with time. Later, those aromas turn to cola, licorice and tar. This wine showed an impressive evolution over the 24 hours I tasted it and delivered solid improvements each time. The mouthfeel is silky and smooth, and there's enough power here to move the wine over the palate in seamless fashion. This is a bottle for the back of your cellar.

Rating

94

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2017 - 2035

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

29th Jun 2015

Source

219, The Wine Advocate

The 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa is an irresistible wine with enormous depth, beauty and penetration. It sweeps over the palate in opulent waves with dark fruit, spice, leather and grilled herbs. It also shows a distinct balsam personality with cola and dried violets that give the wine a beautiful sense of aromatic lift and buoyancy. Langhe Conteisa is made with Nebbiolo (and a tiny part Barbera) from the Cerequio vineyard in La Morra. The 2011 vintage is slightly broader than past vintages, but this wine promises a long drinking evolution regardless.

Rating

94+

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2017 - 2035

Reviewed by

 Monica Larner

Issue Date

28th Apr 2017

Source

230, The Wine Advocate

The 2011 Bolgheri Sassicaia speaks to a broad, yet very distinct audience. I am absolutely charmed by this vintage. Soft cherry and blackberry confit emerge from the bouquet in thick, luscious waves. Leather, spice and tar play supporting roles. The wine offers a generous and expansive style. It also shows impressive balance and coherent inner integrity. This vintage certainly bears the hallmarks of a hot vintage, but it never feels overdone. It delivers volume, intensity and rich texture. This Sassicaia is a wine of enormous craftsmanship.