Italy

93 Points! Bright and fruity, offering cherry, strawberry, rose and Mediterranean scrub flavors. Shows no shortage of structure, remaining balanced and long. Reveals tobacco and mineral elements on the finish. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! Reverting to a spicy and savory taste profile, the 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Grigio shows a dark, mid-weight texture with extra heft that comes in the form of baked plum, candied cherry and spice. This is another good value wine from one of the most beautiful properties (and luxury hotels) in Italy. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! This is very flinty, with white pepper and cantaloup and other melon aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and steely at the same time. It’s very flavorful and focused at the finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Tasted about three weeks after bottling, the Pecchenino 2019 Barolo Bussia opens to a beautiful ruby color that shines from inside the glass. There is a subtle note of candied cherry or fragrant rose, but once that lifts, the wine reverts to characteristic Nebbiolo aromas of tar, licorice and blood orange. Bussia delivers a classic progression of aromas that are elegantly reinforced by the extra intensity and concentration of the 2019 vintage. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! A fresh, juicy red highlighted by cherry, plum, tar, grass and eucalyptus flavors. Gains support from vibrant acidity and pliable tannins as this cruises to a long aftertaste of fruit, vegetal and mineral notes. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! The Duemani 2021 Cabernet Franc CiFRA is an entry-level wine that punches above its weight class (and its price point). This organic and biodynamic wine reveals dark, purplish fruit with a soft texture and velvety quality. It is layered with fresh blackberry, plum and tobacco, but the energy of the primary fruit is what stands out in this classic vintage. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! Intense nose of fresh and dried red berries, together with dried leaves and dark, clove-like spice. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a concentrated bead of bright fruit and minerals. The tannins pull hard on the finish for now, so wait for this one. It’s structured and layered and definitely built to last. Hold until 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! This is very complex on the nose with incense, Indian spices, blackberries and blueberries. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, velvety tannins that lead you down the palate. Solid at the end. Shows poise and tension. Give it time to soften. Try after 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2019 Le Redini is another fabulous wine in this lineup. A blend of Merlot and Alicante, Le Redini impresses with its energy and vibrancy. Plum, mocha, gravel, spice and licorice are all beautifully delineated. In 2019, Le Redini has an extra kick of energy that is just compelling. It's a wine of extreme pleasure. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! Pure and focused, offering violet, cherry, raspberry and mineral aromas and flavors. Shaped by vibrant acidity, this red persists with a lingering, resonant aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! Starts out rich, with a touch of glycerol in the texture, before civilized tannins take over on the finish. Offers plum, cherry, earth, tobacco and iron notes that prevail, with a firm grip of tannins on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2043. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A lovely mix of red berries, bright orange peel and spicy cedar on the nose, following through to a full, round and silky palate with very fine tannins that are well integrated into the texture. Lots of flavor and good length. Hard not to settle down to a glass or two of this. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2021 Le Cupole (a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot) is the well-priced entry-level red from one of the most prolific and creative wine estates in Tuscany. Le Cupole is velvety and full-bodied with dark fruit, dried cherry and sweet earth or terracotta. This is an incredible value. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, and the wine is matured in neutral barrique and cement. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! A round, fleshy red introduced by a blast of pure blackberry and black cherry fruit. Gains depth from mineral, earth and spice notes, with a base of refined tannins adding support. Long and balanced. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. - Wine Spectator

From the importer: Fabio’s Coste della Sesia Nebbiolo grapes are entirely grown within the Lessona appellation, but due to an archaic technicality, it’s not labeled as such because the winery it’s made in sits only fifteen feet over the border of Lessona and primarily in Coste della Sesia appellation, so it can only be labeled as a Costa della Sesia; it’s obvious that a wine should be labeled by the origin of their grapes, not the location of the cellar it was crafted in. (I apologize for the repetition of this paragraph if you've read Fabio's profile as well.)

The details: Fermentation in stainless steel for over three weeks, followed by aging in old 225 liter barrels for thirteen months. Fermentation is spontaneous and the use of sulfites is kept to a minimum—only 30ppm at bottling, which is near half the average for handcrafted, boutique fine wine. The vines are a mix of young and old, with the average close to twenty-five years.

93 Points! The supremely elegant 2022 Lambrusco di Sorbara Radice is a pretty pink with orange hues. It opens with a blend of orange zests, tangerine and cracked slate. This enters the palate with a silken bead of bubbles contrasted by a sour burst of citrus as exotic inner florals and candied ginger nuances swirl throughout. A subtle grapefruit hint emerges through the crisply refreshing finale as the 2022 slowly tapers off. This is a blockbuster Radice. Enjoy it chilled for immediate satisfaction, or let it slowly warm up in a large bowled glass. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

93 Points! Here's a fun new wine from Elena Fucci named "sceg," after the local dialect word for pomegranate. The 2021 Aglianico del Vulture Sceg is made with fruit from old vines in the village of Barile, perched on the steep slopes of the extinct Vulture volcano. This wine sends an important message for Aglianico because it aspires to a more contemporary profile with bright fruit flavors and an accessible drinking style. We're still talking about the mighty Aglianico grape, so you can expect ample tannic structure and texture; however, this wine does indeed break down in terms of bouquet with tart berry, cranberry jelly from a can and Amarena cherry. And, yes, there is plenty of pomegranate berry too. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

92 Points! Camphor complicates grilled herb and red plum aromas as the 2021 Aglianico del Vulture SCEG opens in the glass. This is an especially rich and supple rendition of SCEG, with sour citrus enlivening masses of dark red fruits and perfumed inner florals that resonate throughout. Juicy acidity maintains an energetic feel as grippy tannins come forward through the close, as the 2021 finishes long and staining with a youthful tension that puckers the cheeks. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2020 Sor Ugo is packed with blackberry, cloves, leather, menthol, licorice and chocolate. Rich and resonant in the glass, with tons of energy, Sor Ugo has plenty to offer. The substantial, expansive finish is especially of note. I would prefer to drink this over the next decade or so. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! Engaging sliced apple with acacia followed by lifted seashells and a touch of turnip. Textured and round-bodied with vivid acidity. A wine with beautiful minerality and freshness. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! This red combines cherry, plum, tar, iron, licorice and eucalyptus aromas and flavors, backed by a firm, refreshing profile. Dense and tight for now; however, the long, resonant finish and lingering fruit and white pepper accents show its potential. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! The 2019 Chianti Classico is an elegant, nuanced wine. Sweet tobacco, cherry, cinnamon and subtle earthy notes all run through the 2019. Even with its recent bottling, the 2019 is aromatically expressive, nuanced and so expressive. It's a terrific effort from Le Fonti in Panzano. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2021 Chianti Classico is exceptional. A burst of ripe red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and tobacco are all dialed up in this racy, layered Chianti Classico. The 2021 was aged in 20% in cement and 80% in 20-25hL casks. It’s a serious wine that will benefit from cellaring. The Chianti Classico points to a potentially superb vintage here for the top bottlings. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! Abutting the Albola estate, which it was once part of, Poggerino counts 12.5 hectares within the UGA of Radda. While the wines exhibit the elegance and succulence of the zone, they have a denser, darker expression than some of their peers. The 2021 clearly demonstrates this concentration while remaining pure and fresh. It is replete with spicy wild woodland berries hemmed in by terracotta-like tannins. Textured and layered with substance and structure, it merits a few years in the cellar. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! The picture of harmony, elegance and purity, this red features black cherry, blackberry, violet and mineral aromas and flavors. Starts out supple, with vibrant acidity and firm tannins emerging on the finish. - Wine Spectator