Wines

90 Points! Showing a darkish ruby hue, the Campogiovanni 2021 Rosso di Montalcino has bold fruit flavors and lots of dark cherry on immediate offer. This is a nicely saturated Sangiovese with enough texture on the mid-palate to match a hearty bean soup or roast pork. Fresh acidity seals the deal. This is a good value offer, with 9,000 bottles released. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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

Don't look for scores, much like other icon producers like Cappellano in Barolo, Cerbaiona does not send their wine out for reviews, preferring to let the juice speak. The Brunello is produced only in the best vintages... From the importer: There are now over 200 bottling producers of Brunello but when people speak of the top tier we are talking about an interchangeable 10 names depending one’s preference stylistically. Soldera, Biondi Santi, Salvioni, and Cerbaiona would be most people’s pick for top 5 Brunello producers (not necessarily in that order). What makes the Cerbaiona Brunello so unique is the conscious coupling of great terroir and minimalist intervention. What arrives is a clear representation of one of the greatest Brunello vineyards bottling wine today.

97 Points! Aromas of bark, dark cherries and flowers, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied with purity of fruit that runs the length of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Very fine tannins. From organically grown grapes. Needs three or four years to completely come together, but gorgeous. Drink after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! There's a fruity side to this red as well as a spicy side, with cherry, strawberry and black pepper flavors throughout. Floral, iron and underbrush accents add depth, yet it's the beam of pure cherry that prevails. Shows prodigious length on the finish. - Wine Spectator

97 Points! Notable for its pure cherry and kirsch aromas and flavors, this red is also stylish and graceful. Rose, wild thyme and stony mineral elements come into play as this develops on the palate. Beautifully integrated, fresh and firm, this glides to a long, resonant aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! This latest vintage of one of Italy's most important wines has an almost choreographed delivery with dramatic pause and high crescendos as it unfolds over the palate. The Montevertine 2020 Le Pergole Torte feels initially shy, but that is a fleeting impression because its all-around intensity builds beautifully upon dark cherry, blackcurrant, spice, iris root and warm earth. Those notes are followed by a delicate floral interlude, and the wine builds upward again with a very bright and lively mouthfeel fueled by fine tannins and lovely freshness. It is fleshy and rich. This is one of the best wines from this vintage in the region for sure. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! This latest vintage of one of Italy's most important wines has an almost choreographed delivery with dramatic pause and high crescendos as it unfolds over the palate. The Montevertine 2020 Le Pergole Torte feels initially shy, but that is a fleeting impression because its all-around intensity builds beautifully upon dark cherry, blackcurrant, spice, iris root and warm earth. Those notes are followed by a delicate floral interlude, and the wine builds upward again with a very bright and lively mouthfeel fueled by fine tannins and lovely freshness. It is fleshy and rich. This is one of the best wines from this vintage in the region for sure. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! A full-bodied red with plum and walnut aromas and flavors. Some meat and spice, too. Firm and silky. Flavorful. Real Chianti Classico. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2019 straight Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is a beauty, starting with its heady scents of red berry, dog rose, spice and Mediterranean scrub. Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, the smooth palate delivers juicy red cherry, cracked peppercorn and licorice alongside tightly-woven, refined tannins. Juicy acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. - Kerin O' Keefe

97 Points! Alessandro Mori's wines are easy to spot in a blind tasting thanks to the soaring intensity and vibrant Sangiovese aromas they display. They are truly one of a kind. A wine that sees a relatively short and hot fermentation the Il Marroneto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino respects local winemaking tradition and remains true in spirit. The steep verticality of the bouquet evokes almost-carbonic or lifted aromas of bright cherry strawberry shortcake lilac and heritage rose. You get straight to the heart of Sangiovese. The tannins are extremely fine and powdery and the freshness of the fruit is beautifully intact. This wine really pops in 2019. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

From the importer: Giuseppe Gorelli’s first Brunello vintage was in 1987 under his grandfather’s label, Due Portine-Gorelli. A decade later, his family sold the estate to Il Palazzone so that Giuseppe could start his own estate with his wife, Gigliola Gianetti, who left Biondi Santi so they could create Tenuta Le Potazzine, which over the following decades collected some of the highest praise awarded to any-classically-styled grower of Brunello di Montalcino.

Gianetti and Gorelli split a few years ago, with their daughters taking over the reins at Le Potazzine, and Giuseppe keeping 6 hectares of their old vines (5ha on the north side of the city of Montalcino, plus one south-facing hectare in Sant’Angelo in Colle) to continue farming himself. His unique situation on the North side of the hill of Montalcino, combined with an immacultate dedication to organic farming, gives a freshness and fine aromas to his wines. The new cellar he built for this final act is simple but spotless, and likewise, his style of winemaking is one of restraint and precision.

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

96 Points! Intense aromas of black cherries, lavender and spice, such as nutmeg. Some sandalwood and bark, too. Full-bodied with a solid core of fruit and tannins for the vintage. Rather chewy, suggesting that additional bottle age is needed. Try after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Depths of dark, balsamic-tinged black cherry, plum sauce and autumnal spice make the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino impossible to ignore. This is velvety to the core, nearly opulent in feel, with a dense wave of ripe red fruits complemented by nuances of sweet lavender and tobacco. It leaves the palate clenched with fine tannins and primary concentration, creating a classic sensation that transcends the vintage. Nearly a minute goes by, and hints of cocoa and sweet herbs continue to resonate. Wow! Production at the Pertimali estate was down by 20% due to the spring frost, and the decision was made to place all of the juice usually intended for the Riserva into the straight Brunello, the result being one of the top wines of the vintage. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

From the importer: The domaine’s top red wine is the cuvée Charles de Batz, which was the original name of d'Artignan. The wine is composed of 90% Tannat with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines that are between 50 and 100 years old. After being completely destemmed, the Cabernet and Tannat are fermented separately in cement tanks. During this time, a bit of micro-oxygenation or microboullage takes place. The wine then goes into oak (50% new) in an underground cellar where it also undergoes malolactic fermentation. After 12 months in wood, it is blended and bottled after a very light filtration.

Very ripe, rich Madiran that takes no prisoners. This wine succeeds in obtaining more fruit than tannin! The color is nearly opaque—wine doesn't get much darker than this. It displays notes of black fruit (blackcurrant and blackberry) along with just a hint of red fruit. There is a cedar-like creaminess to the oak which is extremely well-integrated. Tannins pick up on the finish but, let's face it, this is Madiran and that is to be expected. These tannins seem to dissolve when the wine is matched with richly flavored meats like leg of lamb, duck, goose or game.

95 Points! The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows delicate aromas of blue flower, redcurrant, cranberry and potting soils. It has all the basic components of a classic Sangiovese. Fruit is sourced from across the estate vineyard holdings ranging from 200 to 600 meters above sea level, or the ceiling of the appellation. Baking spice is delivered to the palate with silky, almost glossy tannins. The mouthfeel is extremely fine. This is a very Burgundian Brunello, with 38,500 bottles made. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com