Italy

94+ Points! This is one of the celebrated white wines that put Sicily on the world wine map. The organic Planeta 2023 Sicilia Menfi Cometa (made with 100% Fiano) is a full-bodied and creamy expression of a grape that is otherwise known for crisp and lightly textured wines. Not here. This wine is all about richness, texture and depth. It starts off in stainless steel and matures in tonneaux and 36-hectoliter Allier oak casks. The fruit comes from Dispensa at 75 meters above sea level and Gurra at a lower 35 meters in elevation. Despite the hardships of the vintage, this wine delivers nothing but pleasure. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! The straight 2022 Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco is fragrant and refined, with aromas of blue flower, red berry, citrus and a balsamic whiff of eucalyptus. Surprisingly fresh and juicy for the hot, extremely dry vintage, it boasts flavors of tart red cherry, orange zest and star anise alongside taut, refined tannins that leave some grip on the finish. - Kerin O'Keefe

94 Points! The Produttori del Barbaresco 2022 Barbaresco records a relatively high 15% alcohol content, yet the wine remains happily elegant and poised throughout. Small berry aromas of cassis and wild cherry are framed by expressive floral notes of lilac and earthy iris root, which feel especially vivid in this youthful Nebbiolo. The wine delivers immediate depth and finesse, balancing the natural richness of the warm vintage with the precision and freshness that define the cooperative's style. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in large oak botti, this release shows impressive harmony and varietal purity... - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! Bright and overtly fruity, this is full of intoxicating violets, cinnamon, blood oranges and black cherries, expressing mint and balsamic depth. Full-bodied with a soft, smooth attack, dusty yet velvety tannins and brilliant acidity. The chocolaty finish shows licorice and a mouth-coating texture. Delicious and balanced. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 Barbaresco is a pretty rich, heady wine. Dark cherry/plum fruit, cloves, licorice and mocha build as the 2022 shows off its considerable depth. This is one of the few 2022s that is quite resonant texturally. The aromatics could be more lifted and the tannins could use a bit more polish, but those qualities were next to impossible to come by in 2022. The inclusion of some juice from Riserva lots is a great help. All things considered, this is a stellar showing. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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

94 Points! A red that is extremely polished and refined with blackberry and cherry character. Hints of cedar and dried flowers. Medium body. Juicy fruit. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2013 Mix 36 is a clever mono-varietal expression of Sangiovese made from 36 distinct biotypes of the grape, 18 of which are exclusive to the Fonterutoli estate. The vines are 11 years old and harvest started on October 10th this vintage. The fruit is balanced and linear with red cherry, spice, dried blueberry and tobacco. It shows medium density and impressive persistence. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! A precisely crafted, elegant white, beautifully balanced, showcasing ripe stone fruit, quince, wildflowers and a hint of beeswax. Medium-bodied and textured, with an elegant line of acidity and a savory, lingering finish. Firm and vertical. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The fresh and floral nature of this wine is more than evident, with black cherry and orange undertones. The palate is medium-bodied and refined, with silky tannins and mineral highlights. Tangy and crisp at the end. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! A leesy, mineral wine with sophisticated apricot fruit wrapped in lemon peel and umami depth. Light- to medium-bodied. Crisp and chewy on the palate with refreshing style and a lavish, fruity finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The Graci 2024 Etna Bianco (made with 90% Carricante and 10% Catarratto) is a vibrant and fresh white wine with unripe peach, honey and a hint of saffron and a terrific sense of depth. It remains approachable, all the while giving the wine a cheerful near-term drinking window. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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

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

94 Points! Full of character and savory depth, offering iodine, tangerine peel and ripe berry aromas. The medium- to full-bodied palate is bright and fleshy, framed by velvety but focused tannins. Long, layered and spicy at the end. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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

94 Points! The 2021 Barolo Gattera is one of the more restrained wines from Fratelli Revello. Bright acids and beams of supporting tannin confer elements of classicism that play off a core of forward La Morra fruit. White pepper, mint, chalk and slate add an attractive upper register of aromatic presence. This is impeccably done. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! Very floral, showcasing aromas of roses along with a touch of lavender, cranberries, orange rind and a hint of pomegranate. It is polished and refined, featuring luminous yet discreet fruit, complemented by firm tannins that resolve into a linear, focused finish. Best ever from here. - JamesSuckling.com

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

95 Points! Very attractive aromas of red cherries, mushrooms and flowers follow through to a medium body with firm and integrated tannins and a vivid, subtle, fruity finish. A lovely young Brunello that you can enjoy now or age for many years to come. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Black cherry and black currant flavors are the main themes in this intense red, with iron and wild herbs adding complexity. Balanced and vibrant, with resonant tannins guarding the long aftertaste. This feels more modern in style, with an emphasis on bright fruit. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo bursts from the glass with a vivid blend of crushed raspberries and cherries, a whiff of allspice and candied rose. It is elegant in feel, silken and smooth with tantalizing acidity and a dominating core of ripe red fruits that adds impact. The finish is grippy and long, potent with fine-grained tannins and a slight citrus tinge that pinches at the cheeks. This classy Brunello is built for the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous 

94 Points! Evolved, complex wine full of depth, with aromas of forest floor, prunes and blackberry jam, plus subtle spice and smoky wood. The overall elegance is confirmed on the palate with medium body, integrated, refreshing acidity and savory, long, layered finish. One of the best Ripassos tasted this year. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2021 Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore entices with a beguiling bouquet of sweet herbs, wet stones, crushed blueberries and hints of spice. It is silken and round, with weighty textures offset by cooling acidity as masses of ripe red and blue fruits swirl throughout. The finish has grippy tannins balanced by a bump of fresh acidity as hints of plums fade slowly. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! The 2021 Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore entices with a beguiling bouquet of sweet herbs, wet stones, crushed blueberries and hints of spice. It is silken and round, with weighty textures offset by cooling acidity as masses of ripe red and blue fruits swirl throughout. The finish has grippy tannins balanced by a bump of fresh acidity as hints of plums fade slowly. - Wine Spectator

94 Points!  The 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a bright red hue and opens with citrus-tinged aromatics of tangerine, red cherries, dried herbs, and pressed flowers. Medium-bodied, it has a focused, linear feel on the palate, with well-defined tannins, brisk acidity, and a salty, mouthwatering finish. Drink this vibrant, classic effort over the coming 15 years. Drink 2026-2041. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! A lively Brunello with aromas of plums, ripe cherries, cedar and teak that follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a crisp finish. Crunchy and linear. Lovely energy at the end. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! A deep and complex wine with aromas of raspberries, bay leaves, leather, black pepper and smoke. The full-bodied palate shows velvety tannins, zesty acidity, a savory character and umami length. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com