Italy
With its lofty sedimentary, calcareous and volcanic soils, noble autochthonous grapes bringing individual terroir to life, a peerless gastronomic culture and a rich viticultural heritage, Italy is at long last emerging from the shadow of neighbouring France to showcase its ancient and classic fine wines. The current crop of producers are placing a greater onus on authenticity to gently exalt the quality of the fruit and terroir.
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2009 Barolo, Serra, Giovanni Rosso, Piedmont, Italy
I recall picking La Serra in 2009 as if it were yesterday! The sun was just up, flooding the ESE facing, cliff-like face of the white La Serra with bursting orange light. Davide’s father Giovanni had had a bad night (he died the following January) so there had been a slight delay, even though their house lies close to the vineyard. They were one of the very last to harvest. The result: an uplifting, soaring wine, the emphasis on the high tone redcurrant notes, exhibiting both pulpy grasso and saline flavours. A joyful wine despite the sad circumstances.
David Berry Green2009 Barolo, Serra, Giovanni Rosso, Piedmont, Italy2009 Barolo, Serra, Giovanni Rosso, Piedmont, ItalyBottle Price 75 cl $140.00 -
2011 Brunello di Montalcino, Biondi-Santi, Tuscany, ItalyFollowing the 2010 will always be challenging, but I’m relieved that 2011 Biondi Santi was an absolute joy. The nose and palate are refined and pure, exhibiting a beautiful, airy red cherry interwoven with subtle oak characteristics.
This is wine evidently still growing into itself, almost like a great young Volnay; there is headroom for the palate to expand. Most impressive is the length; wonderful tannins taper and build exquisitely.
The 2010 will impress with its weight and power, but the 2011 will impress equally with its finesse and ethereal finish. -
2012 Barolo, Le Vigne, Sibi et Paucis, Luciano Sandrone, Piedmont, Italyhe expansive nose of red fruits, violets and pomegranate is followed by an expressive, delicate and balanced palate, with lovely ripe tannins and a surprisingly good freshness, given the heat of August 2012. The Barolo Le Vigne 2012 shows grace, volume and lift, with the steely acidity an unexpected and welcome trait from such a warm finish to the growing season.
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2014 Barolo, Mosconi, E. Pira di Chiara Boschis, Piedmont, ItalyBarolo. Tasted blind. Lustrous concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Firmer, more concentrated, and less finesse than the Cannubi of the same vintage. Compact fruit with muscular tannins that remind me a little of Serralunga. Long, cool raspberry fruit and firm structure which demands ageing.
Drink 2020 - 2030
Jancis Robinson MW, jancisrobinson.com (April 2018) -
2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Scopetone, Tuscany, Italy
From Scopetone’s original vineyards, this is a sleeping beauty. It’s matured in large oak casks for three years, followed by 12 months in cement, allowing the tannins to smooth out. The results are astonishing: the wine is composed and feels glossy, but has a lightness of touch. It combines the very best of Sangiovese: power, purity and perfume. Drink 2026-2038.
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2018 Rosso di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto, Tuscany, ItalyThis 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. -
2012 Barolo, Cannubi Boschis, Sibi et Paucis, Luciano Sandrone, Piedmont, ItalyThe late-season warmth of 2012 shows in the expansive and cleanly delineated fruit of the Cannubi Boschis Barolo which shines thru on the nose and palate.
The characteristic ripeness is evident in the red fruits, roses and berries on the nose and palate. While the wine is drinking well already, the wine will continue to benefit from a few more years of patience. The significant, silky and ripe tannins Ea hallmark of the Cannubi hillside Eare deliciously long and sweet, while the forward fruit of the vintage balances out the fresh acidity. -
2007 Barbaresco, Rio Sordo, Cascina CruciataCascina Bruciata, Barbaresco "Rio Sordo" DOCG -is elegant red wine from the Nebbiolo varieties of berries collected in the vineyards in the area Rio Sordo. This wine is characterized by a special harmony velvet tannins and a pleasant dry in taste.
Vinification made in a traditional Barbaresco style, the wine is dark ruby in colour with a nose and palate of dried fruit, cedar wood and tobacco.2007 Barbaresco, Rio Sordo, Cascina Cruciata2007 Barbaresco, Rio Sordo, Cascina CruciataBottle Price 75 cl $280.00 -
2016 Chianti Classico, Marchese Antinori, Riserva, Tignanello, Tuscany, ItalyAlluring aromas of cranberry, pomegranate and oak-driven spice shape the nose. The aromas follow through to the elegant, savory palate along with vanilla, star anise and a hint of coconut while bright acidity and supple tannins provide support and finesse.
Drink 2021 E028.
- Wine Enthusiast 92/100 -
2019 Barbera d'Alba, Scarrone, Vigna Vecchia, Vietti, Piedmont, Italy
Deep ruby purple color. Pronounced and intense aromas of ripe red and black cherries and blackberries, paired with notes of spices and a hint of tar. Full bodied, with intense fruit on the palate that is paired with refreshing acidity. The single vineyard Scarrone has finesse, excellent balance, great complexity and a long lingering aftertaste.
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2006 Barolo, Le Vigne, Luciano Sandrone, Piedmont, ItalySoaring aromatics make a strong first impression in Luciano Sandrone's 2006 Barolo Le Vigne (Library Release). Stunningly beautiful and vivid, the 2006 possesses tons of pedigree. Silky tannins, expressive floral notes and delineated, red-toned fruit set the stage for powerful, voluptuous Barolo that satisfies all the senses. Like the Cannubi Boschis, the 2006 Le Vigne is in a gorgeous spot to deliver phenomenal drinking pleasure now and over the next 10-15 years, perhaps longer.
- Vinous 97/100 -
2007 Barolo, Le Vigne, Luciano Sandrone, Piedmont, ItalyThe 2007 Barolo Le Vigne presented a beguiling combination of explosive, ripe fruit and finessed silky tannins, making it a thrilling wine to taste, even at this stage in its development. Small red berries, minerals, crushed flowers, vanillin and sweet spices are woven together in a fabric of indescribable elegance. The French oak has never been better balanced, while the vibrant, crystalline finish leaves a lasting impression.
The 2007 Le Vigne has all the potential to develop into a spectacular wine; it already is. This is a stunning bottle of Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. Luciano Sandrone’s wines have never been more elegant than they are today. The French oak is increasingly well balanced, and the at-times excessive heaviness of some prior vintages is long gone.
Simply put, Luciano Sandrone is at the top of his game.
Never one to be satisfied, this year Sandrone showed me several experimental wines, including a barrel sample of 2009 Barolo Le Vigne vinified with 100% stems, an approach that is virtually unheard of in Piedmont. Although this wine will ultimately be blended into the Barolo Le Vigne, the all-stems Barolo was huge, explosive, and compelling. Sandrone fans have much to look forward to, as the 2008s and 2009s appear promising at this early stage. As for the 2007s, they are off the charts.
Drink 2015 - 2027
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (February 2011) -
2010 Flaccianello della Pieve, Tenuta Fontodi, Tuscany, Italy
A rush of intense blue and black stone fruits, tobacco, smoke, licorice, spices and new leather hits the palate in the 2010 Flaccianello. A wine of considerable immediacy and intensity, the 2010 captivates all the senses with its magnificent richness and pure texture. There is so much to like here.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (May 2014)___
Dark, rich and powerful, the 2010 Flaccianello wraps around the palate with serious depth and density. The aromas and flavors are totally alive in the glass. Smoke, tobacco and savory herb notes add complexity over time. Initially quite muscular, the 2010 finds quite a bit of finesse with time in the glass. The 2010 Flaccianello is exceptional, but the competition is tough this year at Fontodi! Still, the sensation of tannin is virtually nonexistent in a Flaccianello that is all about elegance and pure refinement.
96+/100 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous (August 2013) -
2008 Flaccianello della Pieve, Tenuta Fontodi, Tuscany, ItalyHere's a vintage that came out of left field and knocked me flat with delight. The 2008 Flaccianello della Pieve is just my kind of Sangiovese with a gorgeous level of silkiness and smoothness, all followed by tangy menthol freshness and balsam herb that give so much momentum to the vertical lift and drive of the bouquet. The wine's complexity is enhanced by drying mineral notes with barbecue smoke and mesquite. There is a slight hint of ripeness here that you taste in the sweetness of the tannins and the satiny nature of the finish. I love the balance between the wine's natural acidity and the softer side of its fruit. This vintage is drinking beautifully at the moment. Don't miss this exciting window.
- Wine Advocate, 96+/100 -
2009 Flaccianello della Pieve, Tenuta Fontodi, Tuscany, Italy
The 2009 Flaccianello della Pieve is a bit of a shock to the palate after 20+ older vintages. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s striking purity and finesse. Today the 2009 is a bit of a brute, but it should mellow out over the next 5-7 years as the tannins start to soften. Firm tannins frame layers of ripe, juicy fruit in this young, extroverted Flaccianello.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - Issue#201 Jun 2012 -
2011 Flaccianello della Pieve, Tenuta Fontodi, Tuscany, Italy
The 2011 Flaccianello della Pieve is 100% Sangiovese aged 24 months in new French oak and two months in large oak cask. I’m not sure how Fontodi does it, but this edition of Flaccianello is simply beautiful. It is a seamless expression with lingering tones of red cherry, coffee, spice, truffle and red rose that flow harmoniously into unison. In the mouth, the wine shows great opulence and textural richness that is pushed forward by the stylistic softness of the tannins and the wine’s inner freshness. Pretty menthol tones appear on the finish. Drink: 2015-2030.
Following the glorious performance of Fontodi in 2010, I had lowered my expectations with regard to 2011. The 2010 Flaccianello della Pieve was one of my favorite wines tasted last year. Although the 2011 vintage does indeed result in softer, plusher wines, the Fontodi magic is delivered in droves nonetheless.
95/100 points Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014 -
1994 Masseto, Tuscany, Italy
The 1994 Masseto is not a wine I have had often, but it is so compelling tonight. The aromatics alone are totally beguiling. A whole range of floral, savory and spice notes are woven throughout a core of red-toned fruit. Delicate and nuanced, the 1994 is utterly beguiling. I absolutely loved it. Readers who own it should be thrilled. The growing season was marked by an early flowering but normal harvest time, which means the cycle was on the longer side. Maybe that explains why the 1994 is such a complete and alluring wine.
Drink 2018-2028
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2018)1994 Masseto, Tuscany, Italy1994 Masseto, Tuscany, ItalyBottle Price 75 cl $1,817.00 -
2012 Barolo, Francia, Giacomo Conterno, Piedmont, Italy
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.
Drink 2020 - 2050
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (June 2016) -
2018 Barbera d'Alba, Francia, Giacomo Conterno, Piedmont, ItalyThe 2018 Barbera d'Alba Vigna Francia is an explosion of floral, savory and mineral notes. Like the Cerretta, the Francia Barbera is quite delicate in this vintage. It has a bit darker fruit, stronger savory undertones and a touch more depth. It is a beguiling, beautifully layered wine that unfolds graciously over time.
Drink: 2023-2033.
- Vinous 94/100