Italy |
1985 |
Solaia |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£225£190 |
The 1985 Solaia kicks off a flight of Early Classics. I have had the 1985 twice recently and it has always been impressive. It is also very much a wine of its era, which is to say if anything, it is too polished. This was an era in which wines were squeaky-clean. Well-stored bottles still have plenty of fruit although further upside appears to be limited.
-- Antonio Galloni94Antonio Galloni2013 - 2023Not AvailableDec 2013
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
1990 |
Biondi Santi, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Greppo |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£650 |
|
|
|
Italy |
1996 |
Gaja Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon |
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,800 |
Rating
(90 - 91)
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2008 - 2025
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
27th Aug 1999
Source
124, The Wine Advocate
The outstanding 1996 Darmaggi Cabernet Sauvignon is a structured, dense, black/purple-colored wine with excellent cassis fruit, and an unevolved, but promising personality. There are copious quantities of tannin, a massive mid-palate, and a sweet, long finish. However, it will require considerable patience. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
Tasting Notes |
|
91 |
Italy |
1997 |
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Sugarille |
4 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£100 |
A well-structured, big red. Lots of spice, cinnamon and ripe fruit. Full-bodied and very silky, with lots of raisin, spice and berry character and toasted oak. Needs time to mellow. Best after 2003. 1,000 cases made.
Score: 93 James Suckling, Wine Spectator, June 2002
Mature ruby with brickstone rim. Cough-syrup herb liqueur, fine dried-fruit notes and quite balsamic oak notes. Fully open on the nose. Quite sweet fruit with a good dollop of tannin but not without depth. Very intense and sweet on the finish and perhaps could be a little fresher. 2005 - 2022
Score: 16.5 Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com, April 2013
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
1998 |
Roberto Voerzio Brunate, Barolo |
6 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£145 |
Rating
(91 - 92)
Release Price
$150
Drink Date
2003 - 2016
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Oct 2001
Source
137, The Wine Advocate
Dense, masculine, and muscular, the 1998 Barolo Brunate displays abundant quantities of blackberry and cherry liqueur aromas intertwined with vanilla, licorice, tobacco, and rose petals. The new oak is brilliantly absorbed by this medium to full-bodied, sweet, expansively-flavored Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2016.
Tasting Notes |
|
92 |
Italy |
1998 |
Dal Forno Romana Amarone della Valpolicella |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£325 |
|
|
|
Italy |
1999 |
Tua Rita Redigaffi |
5 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£240 |
Rating
99
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Oct 2001
Source
137, The Wine Advocate
The 250-case cuvee of 100% Merlot, the 1999 Redigaffi has an astonishing 36 grams per liter of dry extract, which exceeds most top Pomerols in a great vintage! Unfined and unfiltered, it is as close to perfection as a wine can get. The color is a deep saturated blue/purple. The powerful, pure nose offers smoke, licorice, black cherry, and blackberries. It boasts awesome concentration, a fabulously dense, viscous mid-section, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. This is riveting juice.
Tasting Notes |
|
99 |
Italy |
1999 |
Tua Rita Redigaffi |
1 |
Case |
3 |
75cl |
£720 |
Rating 99
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Oct 2001
Source
137, The Wine Advocate
The 250-case cuvee of 100% Merlot, the 1999 Redigaffi has an astonishing 36 grams per liter of dry extract, which exceeds most top Pomerols in a great vintage! Unfined and unfiltered, it is as close to perfection as a wine can get. The color is a deep saturated blue/purple. The powerful, pure nose offers smoke, licorice, black cherry, and blackberries. It boasts awesome concentration, a fabulously dense, viscous mid-section, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. This is riveting juice.
Tasting Notes |
|
99 |
Italy |
1999 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin |
1 |
Case |
3 |
150cl |
£1,200 |
The 1999 Sorì Tildìn is a pretty wine, even if many of the site-specific notes aren't quite as evident in this vintage. This decidedly mid-weight Sorì Tildìn is notable for its balance and harmony, but otherwise today it is a bit flat and lacking the excitement of the very best vintages. I have seen Sorì Tildìn blossom in bottle though, so I am inclined to think I found the 1999 at a particularly closed stage of its life. (Magnum tasted Drink 2014-2024)
Score: 93+ Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, August 2012
The 1999 Sori Tildin, is notably more powerful on the nose and more complex as well, with balsamic and resin sensations to accompany the mocha and vanilla. Rounder and ampler than Costa Russi, it is concentrated, sumptuous, and sensual as well as long and fresh on the development and finish. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018.
Score: 93 Daniel Thomases, Wine Advocate (149), October 2003
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2000 |
Castello dei Rampolla Vigna d'Alceo |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£115 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2001 |
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Sugarille |
7 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£90 |
Rating
94
Release Price
$142
Drink Date
2009 - 2021
Reviewed by
Antonio Galloni
Issue Date
26th Dec 2006
Source
168, The Wine Advocate
The 2001 Brunellos show the pedigree of the superior vintage. Gaja’s 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille is the more potent of the Brunellos. It displays a darker color along with notes of tar, smoke, spices, toasted oak and dark fruit on a full-bodied frame with terrific expansiveness and length on the palate. A lingering note of licorice frames the finish of this beautiful, deeply expressive Brunello. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2021.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2001 |
Bibi Graetz Testamatta |
2 |
Bottle |
|
300cl |
£480 |
Rating 93
Reviewed by Daniel Thomases
Issue Date 26th Apr 2004
Source 152, The Wine Advocate
The 2001 Testamatta, a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino, is a very full and firm ruby, and its expansive nose of red currant and plum fruit, underbrush, Mediterranean herbs, and sweet oak, is matched by rich, round flavors of ripe red fruit, vanilla, and seared oak. Already quite approachable, it has the stuffing to last for another decade and a half.
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2001 |
Barolo Riserva Rocche del Falletto |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£520 |
The 2001 vintage in Piedmont has long been a favorite of mine. Bruno Giacosa’s 2001 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is explosive and decadently rich from the very first taste. The 2001 is arguably the last truly classic vintage for the Rocche Red Label. To be sure, the 2004, 2005 and 2007 are all compelling, but the 2001 has more in common stylistically with vintages like 1996 and 1999. Dense, perfumed and wonderfully intense, the 2001 is phenomenally great. Wow.
Score: 98 Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, March 2018
The 2001 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is unbelievably reticent, which is hardly surprising considering how massive the wine was when it was relased. Readers will have to be especially patient here. The 2001 is best forgotten about for a number of years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.
Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (200), April 2012
Darker and more backward than the Falletto in both its aromas and flavors, Giacosa’s staggering 2001 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto offers an explosive nose of spices, menthol, minerals, smoke and scorched earth followed by waves of sweet fruit that coat the palate in a potent mix of finesse and sheer power, with fine tannins, and a lingering balsamic note on the finish. This complex, multi-dimensional wine will require considerable patience and will age gracefully for several decades. Made from the oldest vines at Falletto, the 2001 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is another towering achievement from Bruno Giacosa. An Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa bottling. To be released in 2007.
Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (167), October 2006
Tasting Notes |
|
98 |
Italy |
2001 |
Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto Vigna Le Rocche (Red Label) |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£575 |
|
|
97 |
Italy |
2003 |
Pira & Figli Barolo Cannubi Chiara Boschis - |
5 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£65£60 |
|
|
93 |
Italy |
2003 |
Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore |
3 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£130 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2005 |
Cappellano Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£960 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2006 |
Casanova di Neri Cerretalto Brunello di Montalcino |
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£215 |
Rating
99
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2040
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
28th Feb 2018
Source
235, The Wine Advocate
Holy gorgeousness! The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto is a knock-out beauty. This wine far surpassed my expectations and the memory I have of it from when I first tasted it on release six years back. This vintage has gained in precision, length and focus. It has shed a lot of its baby fat to reveal a muscular and beautifully balanced body. Its core is composed of wild berry, spice, leather and balsam herb—that latter aroma is something of a signature touch for Casanova di Neri. Despite all that enormous complexity and depth, this 2006 vintage still tastes young and tonic. The tannins are youthful, and this wine still has more potential for a slow-aging evolution ahead.
Tasting Notes |
|
99 |
Italy |
2006 |
Tua Rita Syrah |
1 |
Case |
3 |
75cl |
£295 |
I was blown away by the 2006 Syrah. This fresh, vibrant wine possesses endless layers of perfumed dark fruit, mint, minerals and sweet toasted oak. Despite its extroverted personality, the wine reveals superb clarity and detail in a rich, massive style. The tannins build mightily on the finish, suggesting a minimum of a few years of cellaring is warranted. It is impossible not to admire this wine's exceptional pedigree.
Tasting Notes |
|
97 |
Italy |
2006 |
Casanova di Neri Cerretalto Brunello di Montalcino |
2 |
Case |
3 |
75cl |
£650 |
Rating
99
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2040
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
28th Feb 2018
Source
235, The Wine Advocate
Holy gorgeousness! The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto is a knock-out beauty. This wine far surpassed my expectations and the memory I have of it from when I first tasted it on release six years back. This vintage has gained in precision, length and focus. It has shed a lot of its baby fat to reveal a muscular and beautifully balanced body. Its core is composed of wild berry, spice, leather and balsam herb—that latter aroma is something of a signature touch for Casanova di Neri. Despite all that enormous complexity and depth, this 2006 vintage still tastes young and tonic. The tannins are youthful, and this wine still has more potential for a slow-aging evolution ahead.
Tasting Notes |
|
99 |
Italy |
2006 |
Roagna Barbaresco Crichet Paje |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£3,600 |
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
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2007 |
Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£225 |
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.
Tasting Notes |
|
91 |
Italy |
2007 |
Lodovico Tenuta di Biserno |
2 |
Case |
3 |
150cl |
£675 |
The estate's 2007 Lodovico is maturing at a faster pace than I had originally envisioned. White truffles, dark red stone fruits, spices leather and the first signs of tertiary complexity all flesh out in the glass. There is plenty of detail and nuance, but I don't see things improving too much from here.
-- Antonio Galloni 92 Antonio Galloni 2014 - 2022 $280.00 Sep 2014
Tasting Notes |
|
92 |
Italy |
2007 |
Lodovico Tenuta di Biserno |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£675 |
The estate's 2007 Lodovico is maturing at a faster pace than I had originally envisioned. White truffles, dark red stone fruits, spices leather and the first signs of tertiary complexity all flesh out in the glass. There is plenty of detail and nuance, but I don't see things improving too much from here.
-- Antonio Galloni 92 Antonio Galloni 2014 - 2022 $280.00 Sep 2014
Tasting Notes |
|
92 |
Italy |
2008 |
Guidalberto San Guido |
2 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£30 |
Wine Advocate
90
Tenuta San Guido’s 2008 Guidalberto is a very pretty wine laced with mineral-infused dark fruit. This is a decidedly smaller scaled, lithe Guidalberto that impresses for its overall balance and finesse. The structure of the 2006 and the exuberance of the 2007 are missing, but the 2008 offers superb drinkability and pleasure today and over the next few years. Dried flowers, licorice and new leather add the final nuances of complexity on the finish. The 2008 Guidalberto is Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Most of the fruit comes from vineyards that are separate from those used for Sassicaia, although Guidalberto always includes some barrels that don’t make it into the top wine. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2015. (Antonio Galloni)
Tasting Notes |
|
90 |
Italy |
2008 |
Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£395 |
Rating
94
Release Price
$440
Drink Date
2016 - 2028
Reviewed by
Antonio Galloni
Issue Date
31st Oct 2011
Source
197, The Wine Advocate
The 2008 Costa Russi is absolutely gorgeous. Sweet dark cherries, tar, licorice and new leather are some of the aromas and flavors that take shape in the glass. The 2008 is a firm Costa Russi, with less of the seductiveness of most years, but equally fine balance. Ideally it needs a few more years in bottle, but it is striking. The finish shows terrific intensity. The typical juiciness of the site is framed by the firm tannins of the year. Everything that makes Costa Russi such an engaging wine is here, but in a slightly smaller-scaled package than in the very finest years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. This is a stunning set of wines from Angelo Gaja and his team in Barbaresco. Those who think 2008 is a truly great year for Nebbiolo must have tasted these wines. In a vintage that is inconsistent across the villages of Barbaresco, Gaja has produced not one but four stellar wines. As fabulous as these wines are, they aren’t especially true to type, as I explain in these notes. The 2008s I tasted in the US showed far better than the bottles I tasted in Barbaresco during the summer. Perhaps the onset of the cool fall weather gave these wines a little more spine than they had during the sweltering heat of August. Readers who want to learn more about the 2011 harvest at Gaja may want to take a look at my video interview with Gaia Gaja and vineyard manager Giorgio Culasso.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2008 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£395 |
Gaja's 2008 Sori San Lorenzo is impeccable from start to finish. The 2008 is a round, seamless San Lorenzo with seemingly no hard edges and terrific overall balance. The signature aromas and flavors are there, as is the wine's typical gravitas, yet the 2008 has an extra level of sweetness, its size notwithstanding. The wine possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. The sheer excitement of the very finest years isn't quite there, but this is a fine bottle just the same. An explosive, juicy finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.
Score: 95
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2008 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£420 |
The 2008 Sori Tildin is impressive. I confess I wasn't quite prepared for the assault of fruit and tannins here. Sori Tildin is so often a graceful, elegant wine, but that is not the case in 2008. That's not to say elegance is missing, but this is a big, big wine with tons of intensity and richness, all woven together beautifully. It's tough to find a comparison with a previous vintage, as this is a singular Tildin. The flavors are familiar if a touch on the dark side, but the structure is closer than that of Sori San Lorenzo. Flowers, tar, leather and licorice wrap around the palate. This is a fabulous showing and a great wine in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.
Score: 96
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2008 |
Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella |
1 |
Bottle |
|
300cl |
£880 |
Rating 96
Drink Date 2019 - 2040
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 19th Sep 2019
Source September 2019 Week 3, The Wine Advocate
Production was skipped over in 2007 due to extreme hail damage. The fruit that would normally be destined to Amarone went to the lower tier Valpolicella Superiore instead. The 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta marks a return to a slightly cooler vintage with a longer growing season slowed down during the summer's moderate temperatures. Indeed, harvest was wrapped up during the first days of November. The blend is mostly Corvina, at about 60%, with smaller parts Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta. The new Dal Forno winery was finished in 2008, complete with the unique vacuum-sealed fermentation tasks that help to avoid any intrusive oxygen during winemaking. Indeed, this wine is balanced and elegant with fruit that is still crunchy and very much alive. The tannins are firm and nicely integrated into the wine's thick, fleshy consistency. This vintage is characterized by a very elegant and graceful approach, which must be taken into context given the enormity of a wine of this caliber. Happily, there is no doubt that this vintage should still evolve steadily over time.
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2008 |
Isole e Olena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Collezione |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£240 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2010 |
Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato |
3 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£130 |
Mascarello's 2010 Barolo Monprivato shows good depth and volume in the glass, but the flavors are also a touch forward, which is a bit unusual for the year. Sweet red cherry, raspberry, mint, white pepper and orange peel linger on the delicate finish, all supported by silky, polished tannins. The 2010 is a bit more fully formed than it was a few months ago, but I don't find the pedigree of the best years, and I say that after having had the 1989, 2004 and 2008 in the days leading up to this visit.
Tasting Notes |
|
89 |
Italy |
2010 |
Chiara Boschis (Pira) Barolo Cannubi |
3 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£180 |
Rating
96
Release Price
$103
Drink Date
2017 - 2030
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
26th Jun 2014
Source
213, The Wine Advocate
The 2010 Barolo Cannubi is the “timid” wine of the bunch with subtle mint tones backed by flowers, licorice stick and a touch of distant cinnamon. It shows distinct mineral nuances from the silky, sandy soils that characterize the highest part of the single vineyard. It has southern exposures, but thanks to underground water supplies, older vines with deep root systems never suffer from heat stress. The finish is silky and clean with a touch of dried mint that is a trademark characteristic of this cru. Drink: 2017-2030.
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2010 |
Barolo Cerretta Giacomo Conterno |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£395 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2010 |
Pian Orino Brunello di Montalcino Bassolino Sopra |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£625 |
Rating
100
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2018 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
4th Mar 2016
Source
223, The Wine Advocate
The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Bassolino di Sopra is the equivalent of the estate's Riserva. Only 3,000 bottles were made and the wine was not produced in 2009 or 2008. Nor will it be made in 2011 or 2013. Future editions are 2012 and 2015. Bassolino di Sopra is silky and smooth, but it also has a fine textural fabric that gives the wine an enormous sense of tactile intensity in terms of mouthfeel. This is a magnificent achievement with an extreme sense of purity and freshness that is elegant and streamlined. The bouquet reveals slight and miniature shifts in its evolution that keep your curiosity as you contemplate the wine in the glass. Wild berry is followed by a steady stream of balsam herb, cola, crushed oyster shell and delicate floral tones. The vineyards are located between 330 and 370 meters above sea level with limestone deposits and red soils. Farming is biodynamic.
Tasting Notes |
|
100 |
Italy |
2010 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin |
1 |
Bottle |
|
300cl |
£1,150 |
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.
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2010 |
Orma Toscana |
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£410 |
Antonio Moretti's Orma seems to keep getting better with each passing vintage, and the 2010 is no exception to that recent trend. Beautifully delineated and alive in the glass, the 2010 impresses for its fabulous overall balance and class. Mocha, graphite, smoke, plums and grilled herbs emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. The tannins are fine, silky and exceptionally polished in this impeccable, deceptively medium-bodied wine. Orma is a Cabernet Franc/Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
Score: 96Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, August 2013
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2010 |
Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,200 |
Rating
95
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2018 - 2035
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
19th Sep 2019
Source
September 2019 Week 3, The Wine Advocate
This was an excellent vintage in much of Italy, but unfortunately the weather was not as pleasant in this specific area of the Valpolicella. The season saw a lot of rain, and a good amount of fruit was cut and left on the ground because it could not be used. Considering these difficulties, Michele Dal Forno tells me he is "more than happy with the results." I tasted the 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta next to the 2009 vintage, and having these two wines side by side reinforces just how different they are. The 2010 vintages is sharper, more pointed and direct in comparison, and there is a tiny point of sourness on the close. This wine does not reach the same threshold for fullness, density or richness. It does come close. The wine's residual sugar measures between 5 and 6 grams per liter, which is normal for this wine, and the bouquet is redolent of familiar black fruit, raisin and spice. However, the wine feels a bit stuck in its tracks at the moment and is evidently experiencing a shy phase in its evolution. It has retreated.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2010 |
Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato Riserva |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£3,150 |
Rating
98
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2050
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Jun 2018
Source
237, The Wine Advocate
The 2010 Barolo Riserva Monprivato Cà d'Morissio is one of the defining wines of this iconic vintage. This important wine was not made in 2009 or 2011. There will be releases in 2012 and 2013. However, the Mascarello family is not yet sure about 2014. If they do release the wine in that vintage, bottle production will be very small. Generally speaking, 4,000 bottles is the normal production target. This wine should be released more or less as this report is published in late spring 2018. There is a lot to say here, starting with the bouquet that is precisely defined and layered. You get tones of forest fruit, crushed mineral, wild sage and balsam herb. There are renderings of iodine, anise seed and licorice as well. What stands out most is the wine's seamless integration. The tannins are firm and dry, with just enough latitude to offer future development. This wine ages in bottle for two and a half years before its commercial release. It should not be touched for at least 5 more years, or preferably more.
Tasting Notes |
|
98 |
Italy |
2011 |
Montevertine Pergole Torte |
3 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£235 |
Rating 94
Release Price NA
Drink Date 2019 - 2029
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 29th Mar 2018
Source Interim End of March 2018, The Wine Advocate
The 2011 Le Pergole Torte was born in a hot vintage, borderline too hot. On the one hand, you could deduce that the wine's performance is less nuanced and profound as a result. You might also want to consider a shorter drinking window. On the other hand, however, this warm-vintage expression of Sangiovese, from the cooler Radda in Chianti subzone, possesses gorgeous intensity and a super attractive, fruit-driven flavor profile. You get so much more exuberance and texture here. The bouquet offers dark fruit aromas backed by scorched earth, cured tobacco and a touch of savory black truffle. It's simply delicious right now.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2011 |
Masseto |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£1,150 |
JAMES SUCKLING: 100
MONICA LARNER: 95
ANTONIO GALLONI: 94
Wow. Fabulous aromas of currants, rosemary, mint and orange peel. Perfect nose. Full body with perfectly integrated tannins. It's long and incredible with tangerine, toasted-oak, berry, terracotta and chocolate flavors. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This needs at least five years to soften but so spellbinding now. Oct 2014, www.jamessuckling.com
Tasting Notes |
|
100 |
Italy |
2011 |
Salicutti Brunello di Montalcino |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£215 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2011 |
Biserno Tenuta di Biserno |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£425 |
Biserno
Fully saturated ruby. Dark red and black fruits, smoke, grilled herbs and tar on the nose and in the mouth. Richer and more concentrated than the Pino but not necessarily better, this larger-scaled wine clearly reflects the heat of 2011 via its youthfully chewy tannins. Will need time in the cellar.
-- Ian D'Agata 91+? Ian D'Agata Not Available Dec 2014
Tasting Notes |
|
91 |
Italy |
2011 |
Giacosa Barolo Falleto |
1 |
Case |
3 |
150cl |
£600 |
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 Barolo Falletto is a beautifully balanced and determined wine. It spends 30 months in oak and this warm vintage is already showing a quick bottle evolution. This was an early vintage: Fruit was harvested on September 23, which is ten days before average. It shows soft, luscious lines and ripe fruit favors that are both generous and opulent. Yet, there is a healthy crunchiness and crackle in the mouth that makes for a long aging future ahead. Barolo Falletto closes with pretty aromas of dark fruit, spice and shaved truffle.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2012 |
Isole e Olena Cepparello |
2 |
Bottle |
|
300cl |
£250 |
The 2012 Cepparello is just as compelling as it has always been. Sweet, ample and generous from the outset, the 2012 shows all of its pedigree, even at this early stage. Radiant fruit and exquisite aromatics make a strong opening statement as the wine fleshes out in the glass. Ample, creamy and super-expressive, the 2012 is shaping up to be a superb Cepparello. The only thing the 2012 needs is time. An up and down year with hot temperatures in July and early August, followed by rain in September forced DeMarchi to be especially selective and bottle only the best lots. Production is down to 30,000 bottles from 36,000 in 2013 and 32,400 in 2011.
Tasting Notes |
|
97 |
Italy |
2012 |
Isole e Olena Chardonnay Privata |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£195 |
Rating 89
Drink Date 2015 - 2022
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 30th Oct 2015
Source 221, The Wine Advocate
The 2012 Chardonnay Collezione Privata was slightly reduced when I first tasted it, so I asked Paolo De Marchi if I could take the open bottle back to my hotel to taste it a few hours later. When I did, I found that the wine had opened considerably and those flinty, volcanic tones had blown off. The bouquet shows apricot, cantaloupe melon and white almond paste. There is a natural creaminess to the wine that makes it very attractive once it gets revved up. Make sure you give this wine ample time to breathe.
There is no way not to be totally overwhelmed by the stunning beauty of the tiny twin hamlets of Isole and Olena that straddle either side of this historic property. Paolo De Marchi's enthusiastic and engaging personality defines the landmark set of wines before you.
Tasting Notes |
|
89 |
Italy |
2012 |
Molinari Brunello di Montalcino, Cerbaiona |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£565 |
Cerbaiona's 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a nuanced and delicate wine that offers ample power, intensity and length. What the wine does best is paint a portrait of the grape in its most pure and naked state. It offers crisp outlines with loads of wild berry, blue flower and moist earth on the inside. That balanced ensemble of flavors adds to the long and polished persistence you feel in the mouth. Give this wine another 10 years of aging to best appreciate its slow evolution and budding complexity.
Score: 95Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (235), February 2018
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2013 |
Gaja Barolo Langhe Conteisa |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£320 |
Rating
95
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2019 - 2035
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
30th Jun 2017
Source
231, The Wine Advocate
The 2013 Barolo Conteisa is now officially a DOCG wine following years as a Langhe Nebbiolo or IGT wine. The first vintage was 1996 and fruit is sourced from the Cerequio cru in La Morra. This is a classic and coherent expression that is characterized by crunchy fruit flavors and sweet tannins. Fruit came into the winery at very low temperatures and saw slow fermentations. Generally speaking, the 2013 vintage is characterized by slow ripening and a long growing season (unlike 2012 that saw more concentrated heat). This is a balanced and homogenous wine with a softly caressing nature. It offers aromas of citrus, summer fruit and even a touch of watermelon pulp. This wine is usually considered the more immediate of Gaja's two new Barolo wines, yet this vintage surely needs extra time to evolve.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2013 |
Gaja Barolo Sperss |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£330 |
Rating
96
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2019 - 2040
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
30th Jun 2017
Source
231, The Wine Advocate
This wine shows the quintessential attributes of the Serralunga d'Alba appellation with dark fruit flavors and powerful intensity. The 2013 Barolo Sperss paints a very authentic picture of its unique territory with rich layers of black fruit, wet earth, black truffle, licorice and spice. The wine's tannic structure is firm and lasting. It shows broad shoulders and rich texture overall. This beautiful Barolo boasts a dark color and thick concentration with the aromatic elegance obtained in the 2013 vintage. This important wine is now part of the Barolo DOCG family.
Tasting Notes |
|
96 |
Italy |
2013 |
Tua Rita Redigaffi 7 (Single Vineyard) |
3 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£1,250 |
Rating 99 - There's a lot to say here, so let me start at the beginning. The 2013 Redigaffi 7 Magnum is a special-release wine, produced only in magnum to celebrate the 20th anniversary (which was in 2013) of this iconic expression of Tuscan Merlot. A precious few 420 magnums were produced, and the price tag is nothing to sneeze at. I will also say that I struggled to score this wine, and I nursed my magnum, my single sample, for as long as I could, tasting the wine blind, in a flight of peers, in different glasses and at various intervals after the bottle was open. I spent a lot of time contemplating my thoughts and impressions, and ultimately, that in itself is what convinced me to give it a two-digit score rather than a three-digit one. Awarding the perfect score is often an illumination that requires very little thought at all and if you think about it too long, you nurture a doubt, the original sin of wine tasting. However, if the next critic went with a 100-point score for this wine, I would be in absolute agreement on every intellectual level. I also want to address the hefty price tag here, because in my almost 20 years covering Italian wine, I have never seen a new release hit the market at such an ambitious price point. To this, I say congratulations to Stefano Frascolla and his family. Very few Italian icon wines know their own worth, and I am often shocked by the value you can get from an Italian benchmark compared to one from Bordeaux or Napa. I find myself in agreement with these politics, even though it sadly means only a handful of people will have access to a wine of this magnitude. This special Redigaffi comes from a single plot (that measures under one hectare) planted in 1988. This was Tua Rita's original Merlot vineyard and is where fruit was sourced to make the most successful editions of the wine (including the 100-point 2000 vintage). This wine ages in oak for three years (longer than the 750-milliliter Redigaffi), and the wood sees a higher level of toast. That extra spice and oak astringency is noted. The first commercial vintage of this wine was 1994, but Tua Rita is celebrating the 20th anniversary now because an experimental wine was also produced more than 20 years ago in 1993. My tasting notes are obviously very similar to my review of the 2013 regular Redigaffi, and I am impressed by the wine's generosity and its infinite complexity. The bouquet is packed tight with black fruit, spice, tar and grilled herb. There is also an imperfect point of greenness or tightness buried deep within that adds to the firmness of the tannins, both the fruit and the oak tannins. However, this magnum bottling has a long, long way to go in terms of its evolution, and I am quite sure that its aging trajectory will take it through untold waves of ups and downs. If there is one lesson I came away with as I tasted this wine over and over again, it is this: There is a lifeline here. This is a living, breathing, evolving wine of beauty and potential.
This is a year of birthdays for Tua Rita. The iconic Redigaffi is celebrating its 20th anniversary (1993-2013) with a special magnum release, the 2013 Redigaffi 7 Magnum. A mere 420 magnums were produced, and the wine is hitting the market at an ambitious $1,600 retail. The 2017 Guisto di Notri is also distinguished by a special label to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Auguri, or congratulations, Tua Rita.
Source Issue 244 End of August 2019, The Wine Advocate
Tasting Notes |
|
99 |
Italy |
2013 |
Querciabella 'Batar' (Chardonnay/Pinot Bianco) |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£320 |
|
|
|
Italy |
2013 |
Giacosa Barolo Falleto Vigna Le Rocche |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£620 |
Rating 95
Drink Date 2020 - 2030
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 30th Jun 2017
Source 231, The Wine Advocate
The recent evolution of this wine is a bit confusing. After the 2009 Barolo le Rocche del Falletto was released, the wine was not made in 2010 or 2011. The following year, we got the 2012 Barolo Falletto that I scored last year. We now return to the series with the 2013 Barolo Falleto Vigna Le Rocche—which is, of course, the white label wine. The wine shows extremely elegant and fine characteristics with a dry and streamlined approach. Fruit tones on offer are delicate and nuanced. White truffle, balsam herb, violet and licorice are folded within. The wine was a little reticent when I tasted it and it definitely needs more time to flesh out in the bottle.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2013 |
Giacosa Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche |
4 |
Case |
3 |
150cl |
£625 |
Rating 95
Drink Date 2020 - 2030
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 30th Jun 2017
Source 231, The Wine Advocate
The recent evolution of this wine is a bit confusing. After the 2009 Barolo le Rocche del Falletto was released, the wine was not made in 2010 or 2011. The following year, we got the 2012 Barolo Falletto that I scored last year. We now return to the series with the 2013 Barolo Falleto Vigna Le Rocche—which is, of course, the white label wine. The wine shows extremely elegant and fine characteristics with a dry and streamlined approach. Fruit tones on offer are delicate and nuanced. White truffle, balsam herb, violet and licorice are folded within. The wine was a little reticent when I tasted it and it definitely needs more time to flesh out in the bottle.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2013 |
Gaja Barolo Langhe Conteisa |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£720 |
Rating
95
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2019 - 2035
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
30th Jun 2017
Source
231, The Wine Advocate
The 2013 Barolo Conteisa is now officially a DOCG wine following years as a Langhe Nebbiolo or IGT wine. The first vintage was 1996 and fruit is sourced from the Cerequio cru in La Morra. This is a classic and coherent expression that is characterized by crunchy fruit flavors and sweet tannins. Fruit came into the winery at very low temperatures and saw slow fermentations. Generally speaking, the 2013 vintage is characterized by slow ripening and a long growing season (unlike 2012 that saw more concentrated heat). This is a balanced and homogenous wine with a softly caressing nature. It offers aromas of citrus, summer fruit and even a touch of watermelon pulp. This wine is usually considered the more immediate of Gaja's two new Barolo wines, yet this vintage surely needs extra time to evolve.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2013 |
Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,290 |
The 2013 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a real head-turner. Crystalline and utterly vivid in its expression of Nebbiolo, the 2013 is all class. Stylistically, the Costa Russi is closest to the straight Barbaresco, but it has a little more mid-palate sweetness and density. Bright floral and minty notes add lift on the chiseled, expressive finish. The Costa Russi is the star of the show this year, considering it is the least pedigreed of Gaja's three single-vineyard sites. The 2013 has been stunningly beautiful on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.
Score: 98 Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, October 2016
Tasting Notes |
|
98 |
Italy |
2014 |
Gaja Barolo Langhe Conteisa |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£815 |
Rating
95
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Jun 2018
Source
237, The Wine Advocate
The 2014 Barolo Conteisa is an impressive wine that defies the odds of the vintage. Although the Cerequio vineyard did not suffer hail in 2014 (it did in 2016), grape production was reduced by half anyway. The remaining grapes delivered their best with intense flavors and crisp contours. Gaia Gaja tells me that the clusters harvested were perfect in appearance. This is a perfumed wine that offers defined aromas of wild cherry that rise to the top with intensity. The wine's tonality is dark and thick, and the tannins are full and structured.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2014 |
Gaja Barolo Sperss |
4 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£850 |
Rating
94
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Jun 2018
Source
237, The Wine Advocate
This is a slightly more subdued vintage of this legendary wine, albeit just as sophisticated as past editions. The 2014 Barolo Sperss opens to gorgeous aromas of dark fruit, wet earth and white truffle. The vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba produced much less fruit than average and suffered from bouts of downy mildew during the rainy seasons. But Serralunga d'Alba fruit is also harvested late, and that extra time was important for achieving grape ripeness targets. The wine presents depth and complexity within the context of a thinner vintage. Having said that, the bouquet is spectacular.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2014 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,450 |
Rating
94
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Dec 2017
Source
234, The Wine Advocate
This is a wine of profound elegance and grace. The 2014 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is fine and deeply finessed, with long and polished berry notes that are enhanced by mild spice and smoky mineral notes. The wine starts off slowly and subtly. You can follow its evident progression as it opens and evolves quickly in the glass. In fact, of Gaja's three single-vineyard expressions, this wine is the most fluid and changing. The tannins are fine and nicely integrated to give the wine power, grace and staying power.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2014 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,490 |
Rating
95
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Dec 2017
Source
234, The Wine Advocate
Gaja's 2014 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is clearly at the beginning of a long and promising aging trajectory. At it's core, it shows a pinch of nervous energy and inner tightness that will surely unravel and soften as this beautiful wine continues along its magical journey in time. Angelo Gaja and his family present spectacular results in this controversial 2014 vintage. They have risen far above most of their peers and have shown a keen ability to understand their site and the versatility of their cherished Nebbiolo grape. The variety sings with a loud and exuberant voice, first offering plenty of primary fruit like blackberry and dried cherry. It then follows up with savory earth and spice. This is a bright and youthful wine that is set steady for a long aging future.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2014 |
Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,550 |
Rating
94
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Dec 2017
Source
234, The Wine Advocate
This is a wine of profound elegance and grace. The 2014 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is fine and deeply finessed, with long and polished berry notes that are enhanced by mild spice and smoky mineral notes. The wine starts off slowly and subtly. You can follow its evident progression as it opens and evolves quickly in the glass. In fact, of Gaja's three single-vineyard expressions, this wine is the most fluid and changing. The tannins are fine and nicely integrated to give the wine power, grace and staying power.
Tasting Notes |
|
94 |
Italy |
2015 |
Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Rennina |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£585 |
The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is dark and powerful in the glass, slowly opening with a display of crushed stone, cedar, mint, and a dusting of cumin, as its dark red fruits begin to unfurl in a captivating display. On the palate, silky textures offset tart cherry and blackberry fruits, balanced by a core of rounded tannins and lifting acidity, a hints of licorice and sweet herbal tones develope. The finish is medium in length and poised, showing fine-grain tannins beneath a sheen of polished red and black fruits, with hints of lavender lingering on. The 2015 Rennina is a classy wine that’s just begging for a few years in the cellar to fully blossom.
Eric Guido, Vinous April 2020
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2015 |
Giacosa Barolo Falletto |
3 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£675 |
Superb aromas of ripe fruit such as plums and berries with peaches and tar. Very intense. Full body, great depth and density. Incredible richness and power with superb length and persistence. One of the most dense and vertical Falletos I have tasted. Try in 2025.
Score: 98James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2019
Tasting Notes |
|
98 |
Italy |
2015 |
Ornellaia |
2 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£750 |
Rating
93?
Release Price
$255
Drink Date
2019 - 2029
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
6th Sep 2018
Source
Mid-September New Releases, The Wine Advocate
The 2015 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is a dark, exuberant and opulent wine that is teeming with flavor, ripeness and extract. That said, there is also a note of impurity that I only really locked in on when I went back to taste the wine at different time intervals later in the day and the next. To be clear, it was there upon first examination, but then it blew off. And then it came back. That game of hide and seek proved distracting and puzzling. I wondered if it was cork or barrel, although it did not behave like any of those things, and my doubt is recorded by the question mark next to my score. Once you get past that little blemish, you are instantly aware of the beauty and depth of the vintage. The wine is savory in terms of aromas and sweet in terms of tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon flavors of dried blackberry, toasted espresso and cured tobacco play leading roles.
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2015 |
Lodovico Tenuta di Biserno |
1 |
Case |
3 |
75cl |
£1,050 |
Rating
97
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2045
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
31st Aug 2018
Source
238, The Wine Advocate
This wine will be released in 2019. The spectacular 2015 Lodovico is shaping up to be wine of stratospheric intensity, depth and succulence. Lodovico is a six-hectare parcel found within the greater Bellaria vineyard (that makes the Biserno wine) at this important estate in Bibbona, Coastal Tuscany. The entire site is planted to Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This vintage delivers power and momentum that drives this wine smoothly over the palate. The bouquet is seamless with dark fruit tones that segue to spice, tar, smoke and cured leather. This is the sixth vintage to be produced. All the previous editions (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013) are included in this report.
Tasting Notes |
|
97 |
Italy |
2015 |
Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,740 |
Rating
93
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2040
Reviewed by
Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Jun 2018
Source
237, The Wine Advocate
The 2015 Barbaresco Costa Russi was about to be bottled before I tasted it. Like the other wines from this warm vintage, you are treated to extra plushness and roundness with dark berry fruit intensity. This wine also offers unexpected mineral tones that come off as crushed oyster shell and talc powder. These add to the drying, almost nervous, tension you feel in the mouth.
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2015 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,900 |
Rating 95
Release Price NA
Drink Date 2022 - 2045
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date
29th Jun 2018
Source
237, The Wine Advocate
This celebrated vineyard site has more magnesium in its soils and that may be why you get such a strong mineral note. The 2015 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo offers a complex bouquet with dark fruit, crushed mineral and grilled herb. This wine is very robust in terms of structure and therefore needs extra time in the bottle before it finds its proverbial sweet spot. You need patience to reap those excellent benefits. Drink after 2022.
Tasting Notes |
|
95 |
Italy |
2015 |
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£1,900 |
Rating 93
Drink Date 2020 - 2040
Reviewed by Monica Larner
Issue Date 29th Jun 2018
Source 237, The Wine Advocate
The 2015 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is dense and compact with smoky layers of black fruit, crushed mineral and black truffle. This growing site always produces robust and opulent wines, but these characteristics are hammered home even more so in the hot 2015 vintage. The wine graciously offers enough acidity to achieve balance and remind you of its pedigree. Barbaresco usually opens and evolves faster than Barolo. I think you can count on this wine to reach the start of its drinking window within the next decade.
Tasting Notes |
|
93 |
Italy |
2017 |
Gaja Barbaresco |
5 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£795 |
“The 2017 Barbaresco is a gorgeous example of the year. Sweet, perfumed and light on its feet, the 2017 offers an intriguing mélange of cedar, pipe tobacco, dried cherry, mint and incense nuances, with terrific freshness and the slightly nervous edge that runs through all of these wines.....”
92-94 | Antonio Galloni February 2020
Tasting Notes |
|
92 |