Italy

95 Points! The 2021 Kaplja, a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Friulano and 30% Malvasia, is deeply alluring with its golden color and delicate bouquet of sliced nectarines, mint leaf and spice. It is beautifully balanced, lifted and finessed, with silken textures and a polished feel to the ripe pit fruits that swirl throughout. Gently structured and incredibly long, it finishes with admirable concentration and a cedary bitterness that keeps the mouth salivating for more. Cool-toned and classic, the 2021 is built for the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous

94 Points! The Damijan 2021 Collio Kaplja is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Malvasia Istriana and 30% Friulano that shows a mild golden color with faint amber tones. The bouquet offers candied almond, sweet fruit and baked apple with pie crust along with a hint of spiciness that recalls saffron, a character often associated with extended skin contact. Each grape contributes to the wine’s layered personality. The wine undergoes two to three months of skin maceration with spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentations in conical fermenters followed by three years of aging in botti grandi. The two hectares of vines are planted at 110 to 140 meters in elevation on Ponca soils with south and southwest exposures at a dense 8,000 vines per hectare. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! The Damijan 2021 Collio Ribolla Gialla shows a shiny golden color with deep orange hues and a bouquet shaped by extended skin contact, with orange peel, apricot marmalade and honey-coated almond. Ribolla Gialla, a historic Friulian variety known for its naturally high acidity and firm phenolic structure, lends itself especially well to maceration and gives the wine its grip and depth. This is one of those proverbial white wines that drinks like a red and could easily pair with roasted duck on the skin or even a glazed ham dotted with cloves, as the tannic bite in this full-bodied white cuts through richness and fat. The fruit undergoes two to three months of skin contact with spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentations in conical tanks followed by three years of aging in botti grandi. The three hectares of vines are planted at 140 to 180 meters in elevation on Ponca flysch soils with southern exposure at a dense 8,000 plants per hectare. - Monia Larner, robertparker.com

94+ Points! The 2021 Ribolla Gialla wafts up with minty freshness, as nuances of lemon oil and wildflowers are complicated by a whiff of crushed stone. It is juicy up front yet quickly gains in tension as a liquid floral concentration builds and crisp orchard fruits cascade across its crunchy mineral core. Exotic spices resonate over a citrusy saturation as the 2021 finishes youthfully compact. As good as this is today, the best is yet to come. - Eric Guido, Vinous

98 Points! The stunning Le Chiuse 2021 Brunello shows great intensity and structure as well as the elegant restraint the estate is known for. It opens with aromas of ripe plum, wild berry, forest floor, dark spice and blue flower as well as a camphor note. Vibrant, full-bodied and delicious, the palate delivers ripe Marasca cherry, crushed black raspberry, licorice and fine tobacco blend lifted by fresh acidity. Taut, well-integrated tannins provide polished support. - Kerin O'Keefe

97+ Points! The Le Chiuse 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is a lovely wine and one of my favorites from a vintage that is not always easy to read. It delivers its message clearly with dark fruit, blue flower, grilled herb and sweet cedar, showing a sense of fullness and aromatic completeness that is not always present in this year. Soft and silky on the palate, the wine offers gentle, powdery tannins supported by good underlying structure, achieving balance without force. Sourced as a special selection from eight hectares of organically farmed vineyards with cool exposures, this bottling demonstrates how site and restraint can successfully interpret variety and vintage. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95+ Points! A reflective, saturated ruby red color, the 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Pora opens with ripe aromas of raspberry, black cherry cordial, toasted cedar, and forest earth. Medium-bodied, it saturates the palate with plush fruit and an approachable texture while maintaining good length. It feels like one of the more immediate wines of the range in this noble vintage, although the oak will need time to fully integrate on the nose. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

95 Points! Offering a mix of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, floral and mineral aromas and flavors, this red starts out round and open before dense, chalky tannins emerge. This almost feels approachable now yet should develop well over time. The lasting impression is of ripe fruit. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Classic and intense yet fresh, showing sweet-violet and cherry-pit aromas, this is slightly mineral and savory with graceful balsamic depth. Medium-bodied and approachable with velvety tannins wrapped in dried flowers, tight yet interwoven in the very long finish. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is a fabulous introduction to the singlevineyard wines in this range. Pliant and resonant in the glass, the 2021 impresses with its solid core of fruit and exceptional balance. A wine of depth and structure, the Pora is compelling. Wild cherry fruit, spice, new leather and blood orange fill out the layers. This is an especially fine Pora. There is so much to look forward to. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

98 Points! Stunning depth on the nose of this complex red, showing dried violets and roses, intoxicating balsamic, strawberries, cherries and a distinctive leafy lightness with a whiff of mint. Elegant on the attack, with ripe, velvety and tightly knit tannins. Extracted and savory with refreshing acidity, showing stony minerality and licorice in the very persistent, multilayered finish. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Mint and menthol aromas mark this opulent red, whose black cherry and blackberry fruit permeates the fleshy texture. Augmented by tar, iron and wild thyme flavors, all backed by a line of dense tannins on the finish. Balanced yet will need time to integrate. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Pajé pours a jeweled red color and remains somewhat reserved at this early stage. Aromas of orange peel, powdery floral perfume, ripe pomegranate, and baked earth emerge gradually from the glass. Medium-bodied, it has focused acidity and a more linear feel, with fine-grained tannins and a balanced, floating finish that carries a noble elegance. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

96 Points! The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè is deep, dense wine. Strong spice and balsamic notes wrap around a core of dark-toned fruit. A brooding, packed powerhouse, the Pajè needs a number of years to be at its most expressive. This is classic Pajè all way, dialed up to eleven. Time in the glass brings out the wine's complex, dynamic personality and overall breadth. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

96 Points! Balsamic style jumps out of the glass, with herb, eucalyptus and potpourri aromas alongside watermelon and mint-filled chocolate. The graceful attack shows ripe, elegant tannins, larger-grained in the end, with long, refreshing acidity and a savory finish. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota pours a bright red color and offers stunning aromatic complexity in its notes of redcurrants, incense, suede, and potpourri. Medium-bodied, it has refined tannins and a haunting, almost weightless feel that lingers through the finish. It balances power with a cooling citrus lift and beautiful elegance. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

95 Points! Supple in texture and beautifully balanced, this red almost seems to defy gravity with its airy feel and bright flavors of strawberry, cherry, rose hip and mineral. Tightens up on the finish, where the red fruit notes mingle with chalky tannins. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Very refined texture and character with sliced berries, cherries, watermelon and oranges on a medium-bodied palate with integrated tannins. The fresh, crunchy finish shows hints of pumice and ash. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Wickedly fresh and floral, the 2023 Etna Rosso is bursting with violet and lavender tones, chalk dust and ripe wild strawberry fruit. It washes across the palate with juicy textures and crisp red berries as a stream of motivating acidity maintains marvelous energy. It leaves a subtle inner tension that pinches at the cheeks as tart cherry and hints of clove linger on. This sexy Etna Rosso will win a lot of hearts. - Eric Guido, Vinous

95 Points! Distinctive for its balsamic notes of green olive and juniper, with flavors of earth, plum, blackberry and iron. There’s breadth, and this red is balanced in a youthful way. Should knit together nicely in a few years. - Wine Spectator

94+ Points! The Cantina del Pino 2021 Barbaresco Albesani has an especially floral bouquet with dried rose petal and a savory touch of redwood or cedar. This wine carries a high 15% alcohol content, and although it remains relatively contained within the mid-weight fiber of the wine, it does stand out. It spends 24 months in botte grande and 18 months in bottle in order to capture the elegance of the fruit. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

97 Points! Earthy, meaty aromas and flavors lead off, with submerged notes of cherry and berry fruit. A dense matrix of tannins leaves a drying feel as this winds down on the white pepper–infused aftertaste. Still raw and unevolved, this is nonetheless long. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! This is the wine that best captures the spirit of Cantina del Pino. The 2021 Barbaresco Ovello draws its fruit from nearby the winery at 300 meters in elevation on limestone marl and silt. Aged in large oak casks for a long 24 months, it shows delicate fruit tones of cassis and dried cherry with blue flower and grilled herb. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! A pretty red, this exudes cherry, strawberry, pomegranate and rose flavors, plus a touch of earth. Open and harmonious, yet with a firm, vibrant structure that will allow this to age gracefully. Offers terrific length and a fruit-driven aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! The Cantina del Pino 2021 Barbaresco is perfumed and nuanced with pretty fruit tones of cassis and dried cherry and an equally important floral side with rose potpourri and iris root. The wine starts fermentation in both stainless steel and oak vats, and it matures in large oak casks for 24 months before going into bottle. It glides over the palate with polished tannins and a lean to mid-weight mouthfeel. I'd give this vintage a little more bottle age to allow it to flesh out further. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! The 2019 Tenuta Degli Dei is gorgeous. Cabernet aromas drive the balance in this beautifully vibrant, structured Panzano red. Mocha, dried leaves, tobacco, espresso and incense abound. I would give this a few years to soften, as the tannins are pretty imposing at this stage. The 2019 is a fine follow up to the 2018. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! This is the top-shelf wine from Tenuta degli Dei. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 35% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cavalli is a lovely Tuscan red with a rich and velvety texture that is never heavy or too dense. In fact, it offers an open-knit consistency with plenty of dark fruit, spice, grilled herb and wild rose. Oak tones of cedar and cinnamon frame that dark core...This wine is a joy to drink. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! A spicy wine with aromas of licorice, potpourri, meat, dried cherries and a hint of leather. Full-bodied with firm tannins and a tense and bony character. Still youthful and tight with a great polished finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Lots of blackberries, mushroom, bark, and a touch of pumice. Hints of smoke. Mussel shells. Blue fruits. It’s medium-bodied with fine and silky tannins that give tension and focus. Black fruit at the finish with hints of orange peel. Crunchy and fruity with structure. Drink now or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! Plenty of red currant, cedar, iron and terra cotta aromas follow through to a medium to full body with graphite, sandalwood, red currants and fresh Mediterranean herbs such as thyme and rosemary. The tannins are chewy but polished in texture. This is a Sassicaia that needs three or four years of bottle age to come together and soften. A structured wine for the cellar. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The wine is tightly coiled and concentrated. It feels almost cinched at the waist, with a fascinating tension between the weight of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry coulis fruit and the wine's verticality, as if it's trying to burst out. Lovely mid-palate sapidity is allied to fresh acidity and fine but dense tannins, making for a dark horse of a Sassicaia that isn't giving much away today but will greatly reward those who can cellar it for 12 years and more. ‘What is sure is that 2022 will need a lot of time, but will also have a long life,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta. A hot vintage, 2022 caused the team to work in the newly completed refrigerated warehouses in San Guido, even moving the sorting table inside. Shorter macerations and 23 rather than the more typical 24 or 25 months of ageing in wood helped to maximise the freshness. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! From a vineyard with old vines and schistic galestro soils, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Poggiarelli opens to a deep and unique sense of aromatic layering, starting with dark fruit, sweet tobacco leaf, flavored cigarette and spice. The wine is rich with dense fruit flavors and ripe tannins. You taste Sangiovese's skins with a hint of bitterness. However, the truly distinguishing factor of Poggiarelli is the etched mineral notes. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

98 Points! Coming from a steep, south-facing single vineyard, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Piaggione benefits from air and opens with wild raspberries, blackberries, flowers, orange peel, and sweet herbs. The palate is medium to full-bodied, linear, and tension-packed, with bright acidity, well-defined tannins, and a focused, driving finish that keeps building. It’s a more energetic, structured expression compared to the Sorgente and should age beautifully over the coming two decades. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points! This bursts with cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and rose flavors, offset by earth, iron and underbrush notes, all backed by dense, dusty tannins. Hangs together nicely, with freshness and a lasting impression of ripe fruit. - Wine Spectator

97 Points! A super-complex and spicy wine with aromas of licorice, smoky wood, dried roses and wild strawberries. Fruit sweetness on the palate, with a full body, crisp freshness, velvety tannins and a sleek, graceful and powerful finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

96+ Points! Castello Romitorio’s 2021 Brunello di Montalcino channels much of the estate’s fruit over seven plots, as no Riserva was produced, resulting in a wine of notable depth and cohesion. Whispered and delicate at first, the bouquet unfolds with white pepper, blue flowers and grilled herb before moving toward darker tones of sweet blackberry. The palate is open-knit yet powerful, showing juicy ripeness, layered complexity and a structured mid-palate that remains streamlined in classic Sangiovese fashion. Fermented in cement with maceration times tailored to the thickness of the skins from each plot, typically ranging from 18 to 24 days and extending up to 30 days when needed, the wine was aged for 24 months in oak, with 90% in large barrels and 10% in second- and third-passage tonneaux. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! The 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a bright red hue and has a beautifully chiseled, energetic profile that captures the vintage. The nose is expressive with redcurrants, preserved cherries, incense, chestnut, leather, anise, and sage. Medium to full-bodied, it is nimble and fresh on the palate, with polished tannins, brisk acidity, and a long finish marked by saline and sanguine accents. Drink this terrific wine over the coming 15-20 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! This is plush and features cherry, plum, wild herb, iron and spice flavors. Its tannins are well-integrated with the fleshy texture and resonant flavors, which gather steam by the lingering finish. Shows terrific balance and length overall. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! A precise, layered, very floral wine with aromas of fresh violets, pomegranates, red cherries and a lot of licorice. Bracing acidity, a full body, elegant velvety tannins, a tight-knit structure and a long, defined, savory aftertaste. Almost drinkable now due to its elegance, but best in two or three years. - JamesSuckling.com

90 Points! The 2021 Barolo is a terrific entry-level bottling from Revello. Aromatic, pliant and yet also light on its feet, the 2021 is all charm. Bright acids drive through a core of dark red-toned fruit in this gracious, appealing Barolo. This is a gorgeous wine in its peer group. Drink it over the next handful of years. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

95 Points! Black cherry and blackberry fruit occupy center stage in this dense, muscular red. Beefy tannins provide support, while vibrant acidity keeps this lively and long on the finish, where iron, tomato leaf and Tuscan scrub add detail. All of the components are there; this just needs time. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Herbal, showing red berries, lavender and stony austerity. Crunchy, linear and medium-bodied, with focused tannins. Wonderful precision and tension throughout. - JamesSuckling.com