Italian Wine with 90 points

The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia shows a dark but busy quality of fruit that speaks more to the power of this hot vintage than it does the nuanced side of Nebbiolo. In this respect, the wine is quite typical of the... Read More

Located at the top of Altesino's vineyards is the prestigious Montosoli vineyard where ancient limestone soils with the 360 degree exposure combine to yield a Brunello of exceptional style and elegance. This small vineyard... Read More

I've been tracking the increasing percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend of this iconic Tuscan wine. The 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is made with 25% Cabernet Franc, with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.... Read More

The 2013 Tignanello represents the beginning of a new chapter for Italy's ultimate game-changer wine. The blend remains 80% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc but Renzo Cotarella tells me stylistically-speaking,... Read More

First made in 1971, this legendary Italian wine now celebrates its 50th birthday. Happy Birthday, Tignanello! The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Tignanello (made with 79% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc) pulls... Read More

The 2001 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is a great choice for readers who can be patient. Freshly cut flowers, mint, spices and violets are some of the many notes that flow from this structured, powerful Barolo.... Read More

Laced with black cherry, black currant and violet aromas and flavors, this red is immediately appealing for its lush fruit. Balanced, fresh and long, with iron, wild herb and tobacco details. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.... Read More

Pajana represents the lower end of the same site that produces fruit for the Barolo Ciabot Mentin. The soils are a bit looser here and the temperatures are just a few fractions higher at this site. Winemaking for the 2013 Barolo... Read More

The Elvio Cogno 2015 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice delivers the depth, richness and concentration that are a hallmark of this pretty vintage. This wine is a pure expression of the productive Lampia clone of Nebbiolo. Generous layers... Read More

The 2015 Barolo Ravera shows a deep concentration and dark fruit intensity. This warm-vintage Barolo opens with a ripe and soft bouquet that brings out some nice cherry notes with creamy black fruit at the back. The finish is... Read More

The 2015 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena (with 4,000 bottles made) is coming along beautifully with lots of dark fruit packed tight within and a well-developed savory side, with leather, tar and cured tobacco. Now, with the... Read More

Made with whole-cluster fermentation, the Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2016 Barolo Monvigliero opens to distinctive intensity with floral notes backed by forest berry and bramble. Including the grape stems in fermentation imparts a slightly... Read More

The last wine poured at my tasting at the winery is the G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Bricco delle Viole. With its high vantage point in the hills west of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is a world apart in terms of soils (with Sant'Agata... Read More

Along the Tuscan seaboard extending south from Livorno lies the Maremma. For centuries a marshland, it has established itself over the last quarter century as one of Italy’s most prestigious wine regions. The area boasts... Read More

Conterno's 1999 Cascina Francia graces the palate with extraordinary depth and resonance. Sweet floral notes wrap around a core of super-expressive red stone fruits as the wine opens up in the glass. Over the last few years... Read More

Monfortino was not produced in 2016 nor was it made in 2017. The jury is out on whether will see it in 2018 (but I do know that Roberto Conterno is super excited about the 2019 vintage in Barolo, speaking generally). That means... Read More

The 2004 Barolo Cascina Francia boasts staggering depth and explosive intensity from the very first taste. One of the most broading, backward 2004s, the Cascina Francia is one of the only wines in this vintage that I am slightly... Read More

Gianni Brunelli, a man of many interests, established “Osteria Le Logge” in Siena (which has become one of the top restaurants of the city). In 1987 he returned to Montalcino and purchased Le Chiuse di Sotto, an estate... Read More

The Il Poggione 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a medium dark appearance with pretty Sangiovese shine and a little ruby sparkle. This vintage shows a slightly untamed or wild side with a dense and heavier fruit profile. The... Read More

There is more purple and black fruit in the 2015 Barolo Aleste compared to past vintages from Luciano Sandrone and also fewer of those floral accents that characterize the Cannubi Boschis where this fruit comes from. All the same,... Read More

Luciano Sandrone is one of the leading producers in Barolo. Since their first harvest in 1978, Luciano and his brother Luca have devoted tremendous effort toward cultivating the finest fruit in their vineyards in the best parts... Read More

Massolino's top-shelf wine is the 2015 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda. This expression comes roaring out of the bottle with beautiful intensity and richness that is played forward with abundant black cherry, tarry spice, clay... Read More

The Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo (with Enrico Scavino's signature on the front label) was a little slow to open and showed some reductive qualities when I tasted it. Give it more time to develop. Reading between the lines, you... Read More

Made with fruit from Rocche di Castiglione, Cannubi and Bric dël Fiasc, the Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Carobric needs a few moments to open before the aromas come into full view. Sweet cherry, earth, licorice and rusty nail... Read More

This wine gives us our first taste of the epic 2021 vintage from a producer as prolific as Produttori del Barbaresco. Bottled in April 2024, this vintage shows the immense power and complexity that likens it to 2016, another year... Read More