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

Time has also been kind to the 1995 Masseto. Still quite rich, deep and pliant, the 1995 offers up a compelling fabric of sweet dark cherry, plum, licorice and mocha. Now gently softened by the slow passage of the years, the 1995 is mature but also has enough depth to drink well for another decade or so.

-- Antonio Galloni 95 Antonio Galloni 2016 - 2026

I have always had a big crush on the 1999 Monfortino. Here it is the combination of sensual, virtually intoxicating perfume, focused fruit and structure that stands out most of all. The 1999 is naturally quite young, especially from magnum, but it is a head-turning beauty. I remember giving the 1999 a huge score when it was first released and going long on the wine. I am glad I did. In time, the 1999 will take its rightful place among the greatest Monfortinos ever made. Actually, it already has. Tasted from magnum.

Score: 100 Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, May 2014

Shows its class. Loaded with fruit. Rich yet balanced, with lots of jammy and plummy character. Full-bodied, with round tannins and a silky finish. Exotic. Sass made excellent wine again in a less than easy year. Best after 2006. 16,600 cases made.

Score: 93

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2006+15 October 2003

Rating

97

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2016 - 2028

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

29th Jan 2016

Source

Interim - January 2016, The Wine Advocate

The 2001 Paleo comes together with stunning intensity and balance. If you have a bottle, this wine is absolutely at its prime. This pure expression of Cabernet Franc ushers forth a steady release of black fruit, crushed granite, liquid smoke, licorice, cola and grilled herb. This is one of the first and most important expressions of the French grape made in Italy. Today, some 15 years after the release of this wine, Cabernet Franc is among the hottest varieties on coastal Tuscany--and it's all thanks to the success of Paleo. There is a profound level of complexity and elegance here that is contrasted perfectly against the wine's rich texture and opulence. The wine shows equal parts breed and brawn. Le Macchiole has created the precedent for world class Cabernet Franc from Tuscany.

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

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.

The wine that most delighted me at this historic tasting of Tuscany's most iconic wines was the 2006 Masseto. This is a wine of sheer power, bliss, opulence, infinity and sublime seduction. This Merlot-based masterpiece hits all your senses with the grace of a ballerina and the power of a heavyweight. It is steady on its proverbial feet, but it also glides over the palate with a profound sense of elegance, harmony and rhythm. Among the prized vintages of Masseto, including 2001, 2004 and 2007, this edition is my favorite. The wine delivers an extra sense of tightness or firmness at the back that serves to stitch together its fleshy richness and general sumptuousness. The personality is sunny, expansive, articulate and sophisticated. You'll remember that the 2006 vintage is celebrated for the elegance of its wines. In the coastal Bolgheri appellation, it is also remembered for the power of its wines. You get the best of both worlds with this stunning creation: elegance and power. These traits are particularly well suited to the versatile grape variety at the heart of this Tuscan all-rounder. This is a true Renaissance wine. 
 

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 immediate, voluptuous personality of the 2007 Masseto was on full display. Round, seamless and totally beautiful, the 2007 stood out for its balance and overall harmony.

Rating

95

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2017 - 2035

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

31st Oct 2013

Source

209, The Wine Advocate

To be released in early 2014, the 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella (with fruit sourced from the high density Monte Lodoletta vineyard) opens with immense darkness and the kind of midnight impenetrability you never see on any color wheel for fine wine. Its off the charts appearance is followed by similarly unique aromatic intensity and versatility that spans from blackberry syrup and candied prune to chewing tobacco, black peppercorn and rain-soaked asphalt. This is but a baby that will require loads of time in your cellar before it enters its prime drinking window. Because Dal Forno did not make Amarone in 2007, the wait will seem that much longer. Having said that, this wine is very different from the 2006 Amarone despite the fact 2006 and 2008 were relatively similar cool vintages overall. I distinctly remember the impossible tightness and astringency of the tannins in 2006 when tasted at the same young stage in the wine’s life. The 2008 Amarone, on the other hand, is much softer and a tad more approachable in contrast. Ultimately, this wine promises a graceful, steady and long evolution. Drink: 2017-2035.   

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

Bartolo Mascarello fans will want to stock up on the 2009 Barolo, a great choice for indulging in pure pleasure while vintages like 2006, 2008 and 2010 take their time to develop in bottle. Dried rose petals, fennel, anise, sweet tobacco and mint are all very much alive in the glass. The 2009 is ethereal, graceful and utterly beguiling from the very first taste. I expect the 2009 will mature relatively quickly by the estate's standards, but there is more positive to that than negative.

The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is a real knock-out. Rose petals, mint, sweet spices and flowers are some of the first notes that open up in the glass. Almost indescribably beautiful, the 2010 is a classic, austere Biondi Santi Brunello built to age. Although the 2010 is going to require considerable patience, its pedigree is quite apparent today. The 2010 constantly changes in the glass, revealing different shades of its multi-faceted personality, while the long, saline-infused finish is a thing of real beauty.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione De Marchi is magnificent. Violets, smoke, plums and cassis jump from the glass in a stunning wine. All I can say is the 2010 is incredible. Just bottled one month ago, the 2010 shows no hard edges, incredibly expressive aromatics and beautifully delineated fruit. The 2010 isn’t a huge wine, but rather one built on exceptional finesse and elegance. It is one of the great wines of what has turned out to be a great Tuscan vintage.