Italy

Rating

94

Release Price

$50

Drink Date

2000 - 2015

Reviewed by

 Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Aug 2000

Source

130, The Wine Advocate

Cotarella's flagship wine, his 100% Merlot called Montiano, is aged in 100% new oak casks for 12 months, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. The terrific opaque purple-colored 1998 Montiano exhibits a spectacular bouquet of black cherry liqueur, licorice, and toasty vanillin. The wine explodes on the palate, offering copious quantities of glycerin, cassis, black cherries, and blackberries. As it sits in the glass, aromas and flavors of melted chocolate and toasty oak emerge. The finish lasts for 40+ seconds. This 1998 should drink well for 10-15 years. Bravo!  

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

96

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2017 - 2035

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

28th Apr 2017

Source

230, The Wine Advocate

The Tenuta San Guido 2006 Bolgheri Sassicaia is a timeless classic. This might just be the vintage to photograph in an encyclopedia entry for Sassicaia. This is especially true at this exact moment in its long and promising drinking window. The wine shows less volume compared to some of the more opulent vintages, but it absolutely excels in terms of length and finish. It offers amazing drive and momentum that are fueled by the extremely fine nature of the wine's texture and the seamless unity of its flavors. It treads in light and delicate footsteps that will carry it far into the future. As they say in Italian: "Piano piano si va lontano" (slowly slowly you go far)

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

Rating 95

Drink Date

2019 - 2034

Reviewed by

Antonio Galloni

Issue Date

30th Jun 2012

Source

201, The Wine Advocate

The 2009 Cepparello is gorgeous. It brings together the radiance and ripeness of a warmer year with the medium-bodied structure of a cooler vintage. Today the 2009 is a bit reticent and appears headed for a period of dormancy. From time to time hints of its ultimate potential come through in attractive layers of dark red fruit. The rich, textured finish bodes well for the future. Paolo De Marchi describes 2009 as a year with a cold spring and a hot summer that also brought hail in early August. The 2009 Cepparello is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi has left an indelible and highly personal stamp on Isole e Olena, and all of Chianti Classico for that matter. Originally of Piedmontese descent, De Marchi stands apart from many of his colleagues for his vocal opinions and intense dedication to the vineyard above all else. Since taking over his family’s estate in the late 1970s, De Marchi has transformed Isole e Olena into a powerhouse. The flagship Cepparello is 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels. This nearly complete vertical charts the history of one of Tuscany’s most compelling wines. The first Cepparellos were vinified in cement. The cellar was heated to induce malolactic fermentation and the wines were subsequently aged roughly equal parts Slavonian oak casks and smaller French oak barriques, with a dollop of chestnut barrels thrown into the mix. It was a time of enormous sacrifice, given that green harvesting was viewed as throwing money out of the window, and every purchase of new French oak barrels was accompanied by a stern reprimand from De Marchi’s father to pay attention to costs. But De Marchi persevered. The fruits of his hard labor and pricing are amply captured in these magnificent wines.Over the years Cepparello has acquired a level of finesse it rarely had at the outset. Some of the refinements include giving the wines more air in vinification and an increase in the period of elevage in oak from 12-14 months to 18-20 months, which is the norm today. De Marchi says he started getting better quality oak around 1993, but it is the increased age of the vineyards themselves that have given Cepparello its finesse. Isole e Olena Cepparello Key Points: 1. 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels 2. The top selection of the estate’s best fruits from their vineyards in Barberino Val d’Elsa, in the northern part of Chianti Classico 3. A style that emphasizes finesse over power, especially with bottle age 4. Aging potential: 20+ years

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 94

Drink Date

2016 - 2030

Reviewed by

 Monica Larner

Issue Date

31st Oct 2014

Source

215, The Wine Advocate

The 2011 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia lives up to the legacy of this important wine, thanks to its extreme intensity and its skillfully crafted bouquet. The excellent quality of fruit stands clear, despite the heat of the vintage, with pristine notes of dark cherry, exotic spice and chocolate. This expression of Ornellaia is composed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. The results are nothing short of exuberant and this vintage will reward both those who decided to drink it early, as well as those who have the patience to wait. The only slight ruffle in this otherwise gorgeous presentation is the 2011 tannin that feels a touch aggressive. For that reason, its probably better to put the wine aside in your cellar.

Rating

95

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2018 - 2035

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

29th Jun 2015

Source

219, The Wine Advocate

With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the 2011 Langhe Sperss is a wine of profound beauty. This is a velvety and caressing expression with dark fruit layers followed by kirsch, cassis, leather, balsam herb and white truffle. The Gaja family decided to move their bottling date forward in order to preserve the integrity and freshness of fruit in this warm vintage. This move has helped to avoid overripe sensations. In fact, Langhe Sperss seems fresh and tonic. This bodes exceptionally well for its aging potential.

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.

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.

95

The excellent 2012 Saffredi is one of the best wines I have tasted from Fattoria le Pupille. This is an exuberant and expressive blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a smaller part Petit Verdot from the gorgeous hills of Maremma near Grosseto, Tuscany. The wine is rich and penetrating with a stunning sense of balance and inner poise. Dark cherry, blackberry, spice, leather, tobacco and grilled herb flow freely from the bouquet. The wine is softly textured with full body appeal. This fabulous Saffredi should age forward ten years or more. The Cabernet component of the wine shows perfect ripeness. (Monica Larner)

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