Methusalem | 6 Liters

Poggio Valente comes from a single vineyard of the same name at an altitude of about 300m. Opulent floral and small-fruited Sangiovese nose with optimally nuanced hints of tobacco, cedar and mint. Precise on the palate with lots of pressure and power, then towards the end the furious resolution of all the well-dosed components in a fine, silky texture and an unforgettable, long final. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Poggio Valente is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant in the glass with terrific energy, the Poggio Valente is a fine example of the style favored here these days. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, spice and orange zest complement a core of Sangiovese fruit. I especially like the vibrancy here. The 2019 is absolutely delicious. That's all there is to it. " Vinous

"A red with intensity on a weightless frame, leaving plenty of room for cherry, blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and white pepper flavors to shine. The tannins are present, yet uplifting rather than obtrusive." Wine Spectator

"This wine always stands out in my mind, and it's worth dedicating a few words as to why. Poggio Valente offers us a rare opportunity to taste Sangiovese made according to the highest standards but from a territory - on the Tuscan Coast - that does not share a big legacy with monovarietal Sangiovese reds. The Fattoria le Pupille 2019 Poggio Valente was born in a happy vintage with a cool spring and a growing season that had plenty of underground water reserves to keep the vines hydrated well until the end of August. This is a full and generous wine with dark cherry and wild plum aromas that segue to tar, licorice and crushed slate." Robert Parker

"This is very dense and structured with stone and blackberry character. Full-bodied and intense with chewy tannins that frame the wine. Flavorful finish. Smoky and lightly bitter, in a good way. Pure sangiovese. This needs time to soften." James Suckling

Querciabella's Riserva is a great blend from the three best Chianti locations in Greve, Radda and Gaiole. Pure elegance on all levels: Rich ruby, subtle aromas of cherry, aniseed and tobacco, followed by notes of jasmine and violet. On the palate pleasantly medium-weight, ripe black cherries and herbs, very typical for this terroir. Well-balanced fruit, the structure is dominated by obvious, well integrated tannins and a remarkably perfect acidity. Intense and persistent with sufficient extract for safe storage potential. Chapeau! SUPERIORE.DE

"Fleshy, dark ruby. Very appealing and open nose, lots of ripe raspberry and blackberry, behind this fine spicy notes. Juicy and clear at the beginning and the end, beautifully worked out fruit, unfolds in the rear with dense tannin, very long finish." Falstaff

"Beautiful, concentrated ruby. Quite closed and backward, but subtle and complex on the nose. Bags of concentrated fruit and yet super-elegant palate. Vibrant with perfectly built, long, fine tannins. Refreshing and complex." Jancis Robinson

"Energy and firmness showing in a medium-bodied package of currants and cherries, as well as cedar and flowers. Lightly chewy tannins and a linear, tight finish. Needs some time to soften, but already a beauty. From biodynamically grown grapes." James Suckling

"A big Chianti Classico, with vanilla and resin notes from new oak wrapped around cherry, strawberry, iron and earth flavors. This verges on racy despite the breadth, with a dense swath of tannins providing grip on the finish. The oak is up front and should be absorbed well over time. Best from 2022." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is an attractive wine built on aromatics and structure, with the fruit more in the background. It will be interesting to see if it fleshes out with more time in bottle. Sweet red cherry, lavender, rose petal, mint and spice gradually develop in the glass, but the 2016 remains quite reticent. It will be interesting to see if time in bottle brings out more depth. Today, the 2016 is decidedly shy. I very much like the energy here." Vinous

"Querciabella's 10,000 bottle annual production Riserva is a selection of superior lots. It blends fruit from Greve where their vineyards range from 350 to 550 metres, with grapes from Radda's high altitude stony sites and Gaiole's limestone rich soils. The 2016 is restrained but precise. Intriguing scents of spring blossoms, cranberry bush and potting soil are subtly laced with vanilla and smoke. Very polished and pure on palate with mouth-watering, tangy acidity and sinewy tannins. This sophisticated, buttoned-up Riserva could do with another year in the bottle." Decanter

Deep dark cherry red with a violet glow at the rim. Aromas of spices such as rosemary and thyme on the nose, plus fruity notes of blackcurrant and cherry. On the palate blackberry, cherry, fresh plum and cranberry, wonderful cassis note and dark chocolate on the long final. Modern Tuscan, stylistically rigorous according to the French model. SUPERIORE.DE

"Deep dark ruby red with garnet reflections. Fine aroma of ripe wild berries, roasted plums, fine mocha and dark chocolate, fine roasted aromas and mint in the aftertaste. Spans pleasantly over the palate, shows finely woven tannins, powerful approach, but stretches with polish into the length, good potential." Falstaff

"The oak is sweet and prominent but it is balanced by silky, plush red fruit. A touch of bresaola and cracked peppercorns, box leaf and tarragon. The fruit seems to deepen and darken to blackberries and blackcurrants as it unfolds through the palate, and then I'm tasting wild thyme, helichrysum, dried dill. Long, restrained and elegant, with every element held lightly but in total control, as if suspended on invisible wires." Jancis Robinson

"Aromas of blackberries, blueberries and light tar follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and very pretty. Racy and intense. Solid and beautiful. Drink after 2023." James Suckling

"A very classical year for Tuscany,' says enologist Matthieu of the 2018 vintage. Still full of aromatic youthful red fruits, cherry, spice and cedar, it is defined by a great balance of fresh acidity and already well integrated tannins. Although this needs more time in bottle, it has great potential." Decanter

Deep ruby red, intense aroma of dark fruit underlaid with delicate toasty aromas. At the palate complex and full-bodied, stoffig, with balsamic notes, perfectly integrated tannins and a finely balanced fruity-spicy finish. An intense wine, which also does not want to be a lightweight and which plays its strength perfectly. SUPERIORE.DE

"Sparkling, intense ruby with purple glints. Opens with notes of licorice and dried tomatoes, then lovely currant. Very good presence on the palate, showing tension and fresh fruit, fine-meshed tannin, lots of dark berry juice on the final." Falstaff

"This wine is built on solid foundations and shows a rich vinous footprint. The fruit is black and concentrated, as is to be expected of a wine of this ambition, and it sits with a dark and almost impenetrable appearance in the glass. Orma shows a careful balance between fruit and oak spice, and both are calibrated to achieve high sensorial impact and intensity. If you're looking for the classic Tuscan blended red with sunshine and power, this release is for you." Robert Parker

"Subtle currant, light sandalwood and some cherry aromas. Full-bodied, yet fine-tuned and polished with tannins that melt beautifully into the wine. Long and focused. Beauty and balance to this." James Suckling

Deep dark ruby violet. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrant and a powerful herbal spiciness with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed boulders. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full body. This wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and a seemingly endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Rich ruby red. Expressive and inviting nose of ripe strawberries and red currants, a hint of raspberry jam, carried by nuances of fine wood and cigar box. Very polished palate entry, opens in the mouth with delicate creaminess and velvety tannin, noble spice and fruit at the core, shows considerable juiciness at the back and thus draught, great length and elegance." Falstaff

"This vibrant red is saturated with black cherry, blackberry, iron and underbrush flavors. The tannins turn chewy on the finish, where a note of bitter almond lingers along with freshness." Wine Spectator

"The Tenuta Sette Ponti 2019 Oreno celebrates the wine's 20th anniversary (1999-2019) with a special label and a heavy glass bottle. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot is beautifully ripe and generous with impeccable fruit throughout. Its primary intensity is delivered with energy and character, showcasing broad brush aromas of black fruit, exotic spice, cured tobacco and new leather. The tannins are quite strong in this edition and do make for a brief moment of astringency on the close. This is a thickly extracted blended Tuscan red, and it makes sense that its fiber and structure is also more compact and concentrated in 2019." Robert Parker

"Wow. Fantastic aromas of blackberries, currants, minerals, violets and graphite. Full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that are incredibly polished and intense, yet ever so refined and integrated in the wine. It goes on for minutes. The is one of the best modern-day Orenos so far. Best in 2025 and onwards." James Suckling

Deep ruby red, intense aroma of dark fruit underpinned with delicate toasted aromas. Complex and full-bodied on the palate, with balsamic notes, perfectly integrated tannins and a finely balanced fruity-spicy finish. An intense wine that also doesn't want to be a lightweight and that plays off its power perfectly. SUPERIORE.DE

"Shiny, rich ruby-violet. Fresh and appealing nose, of juicy red and blue currants, dark cherry, tobacco in the background. Lining the palate richly, lots of fine-meshed tannin accompanies the wine throughout, very precise and elegant, firm pressure on the final." Falstaff

"A blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Orma opens to a soothing display of ripe fruit with blackberry, candied cherry, spice, white pepper and even a speck of red chili flake. The mouthfeel is round and soft with a pop of sour cherry. The vineyards are planted in soils rich in pebbles and clay with a little sand at 60 meters above sea level." Robert Parker

"This is a tight and powerful Orma with solid tannins that beautifully frame the fruit in the wine. Full-bodied and focused with intense structure and fruit character. Perhaps the best Orma ever. Give this four or five years to open. Try after 2025." James Suckling

Beguiling aroma of sweet, dark berries with hints of cassis, cedar and antique leather. Very balanced on the palate, of beautiful viscosity with an elegant melting. Fine-meshed tannin, restrained mineral tones and a wonderfully polished fruit accompany into a remarkable finish. With all its elegance, it shows pressure and power and promises a long life with the right dose of acidity. A great wine from a great vintage! SUPERIORE.DE

"Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2019 shines in its typical intense colour. Fresh aromas of ripe red berries unfold on the nose, accompanied by lively balsamic notes that recall the scent of cypress cones and eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine presents itself silky-soft and full-bodied, with an elegant tannic structure and a tasty, long-lasting final." OLGA FUSARI (KELLERMEISTERIN ORNELLAIA)

"Sparkling, rich ruby with violet. Fresh and appealing nose, opens with notes of tobacco, lots of blackberry and cassis. Round and supple in attack and course, showing plenty of polished, well-integrated tannin, lots of juicy berry fruit." Falstaff

"The 2019 Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is delicate, refined and exceptionally beautiful. Floral accents and mid-weight structure inform a Serre Nuove that is all finesse. Dark red berry fruit, licorice, incense, cedar, aromatic dark spice and leather all meld together in an understated, fabulous Serre Nuove that delivers the goods. The 2019 is especially aromatic for a Merlot-based wine from the Tuscan coast. Give it a few years to come together." Vinous

"A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia shows a greater degree of focus and detail compared to the previous vintage that I tasted at the same time. This wine reveals the sharp contours and etched character of the Cabernet Franc, especially with black licorice and black pepper. The results are linear and pure. Elegant fruit notes of blackberry and dark currant add to the thick layering of the wine." Robert Parker

"Currants, sweet tobacco, walnut husk and flowers on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied, it grows on the palate, with firm yet polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Very solid and well-crafted second wine from Ornellaia." James Suckling

 

 

Siepi is developing more and more into a cult wine that can easily keep up with the very big reds of Tuscany. The 2018 edition presents itself powerful and very nicely centred, here all elements fit together perfectly. Ripe dark berry fruit, forest floor and roasted almonds. Intense and powerful on the palate with complex and layered hints of plum, tobacco and forest floor. The tension of extract sweetness and polished tannins leads into a fresh, spicy finish with an interesting salty note. SUPERIORE.DE

"This is one of the 50 wines that changed Italian wine culture." Gambero Rosso

"Shiny, rich ruby with a fine violet shimmer. Very clear and memorable nose, full of cassis and blackberry, balsamic notes in the background. Very precise on the palate, showing lots of fresh fruit of black cherry, polished, finely meshed tannin, fine melting on the final." Falstaff

"A lush, polished version, this red is bursting with black cherry, plum and violet aromas and flavors. It's heady, showing a touch of heat on the lingering finish." Wine Spectator

"Mazzei 2018 Siepi is a dark and robust Tuscan red with a heavy center of gravity. This medium to full-bodied blend of Sangiovese and Merlot offers plenty of spice, plum, tobacco and blue flower. This wine offers beautiful intensity and richness with an especially smooth texture. It wraps thickly over the palate, imparting more dark fruit and savory spice along the way." Robert Parker

"There is a sweetness here that is enveloping and seductive with baked heart undertones set again rasperry, plum, black cherry and sandalwood. Soft and caressing tannins where the grace and aromatic power of Sangiovese is giving a satiny texture and enveloping mouthfeel by the Merlot. A brilliant wine that has an identity and a sense of place. First vintage 1992. Located in Chianti Classico, the Estate has a 600 ha forest that practices sustainable agro-forestry and is more than carbon neutral, in fact having a positive carbon balance where the Estate absorbs 5 times as much CO2 as it emits." Decanter

"Extremely perfumed and crystal-clear with violets, plums, raspberries, walnuts and black olives. It's medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins that are extremely polished and refined. The length is long and very precise. Chocolate and hazelnuts." James Suckling

"Siepi, Fonterutoli's Merlot/Sangiovese blend, is absolutely gorgeous in 2018. Rich, pliant and creamy, Siepi offers all of the seductiveness of Merlot with the bright acids and grip of Sangiovese. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs, spice, licorice and new leather meld together in an open-knit, inviting Tuscan red with no hard edges and tons of allure shaped by alberese soils with a good bit of clay. The 2018 is an undeniably sexy wine with so much immediacy. The 2018 is positively stellar and also one of the very best editions in recent memory. Don't miss it." Vinous

Beguiling aroma of sweet, dark berries with hints of cassis, cedar and antique leather. Very balanced on the palate, of beautiful viscosity with an elegant melting. Fine-meshed tannin, restrained mineral tones and a wonderfully polished fruit accompany into a remarkable finish. For all its elegance, it shows pressure and power and, with the right dose of acidity, promises a long life and almost reaches the level of its famous big brother. SUPERIORE.DE

"The intense ruby red Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2020 unabashedly reveals a clear and generous aromatic expression, marked by notes of ripe red fruits. On the palate, the wine is soft, round and enveloping, yet at the same time full-bodied and rich, with a good balance between structure, richness and elegance." Olga Fusari, Oenologist

"This muscular red is saturated with cherry, plum, vanilla and earth flavors. As solid and sinewy as the tannic structure is, the fruit matches it step by step on the long finish." Wine Spectator

"The Ornellaia 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia is a generous and darkly toned red blend that has the extra fruit fiber, sweetness and generous plumpness of a warm vintage. The fullness of the fruit is on full display, but in a very relaxed and natural manner. The wine never feels like too much. The tannins are yielding and velvety, and this purebred Tuscan red wraps thickly over the palate." Robert Parker

"This is one of the 50 wines that changed Italian wine culture." Gambero Rosso

Siepi 2020 already convinces at a young age with its volume, fruit and richness. It is made from equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese and both grapes bring their best qualities to the blend. The Sangiovese grape shows a distinct personality with area-specific notes of small berries and spices, and it also offers a wonderfully fresh acidity. The Merlot plays a strong role in the background, adding softness, richness and fullness. Siepi is an intense, punchy wine that has a terrificarc of tension, from its highly attractive extract sweetness to polished tannins into a fresh, spicy finish with an interesting salty note. SUPERIORE.DE

"Transparent crimson with a pale rim. Haunting, ripe aroma that's probably a Merlot effect but without too much sweetness. On the palate the tang and vibrancy of Sangiovese is evident. But those two elements already seem very nicely married with a light hint of tea. Long. Already a really very beautiful expression of the fruit of the Tuscan hills. Good balance between freshness and ripeness." Jancis Robinson

"The 2020 Siepi is classy, elegant and super-polished. Inky blue fruit, lavender, new leather, cloves and mocha all meld together effortlessly. There is a sense of precision in the 2020 that is incredibly inviting. Even so, the 2020 is very young and not fully expressing its potential. This just needs time to emerge, but all the elements are there." Vinous

"Dried herbs and sweet spices on the nose, forest notes with bramble fruits, concentrated and expressive. Such a smooth delivery on the palate, tannins glide across the tongue giving the sweet strawberry, raspberry and plum fruit time to expand in the mouth as the acidity gives a mouthwatering aspect. This is very much on the lively and vibrant fruit - shouting loudly about its energy. Feels extremely well made, clear definition, finesse and balance. Such a gorgeous fruit profile, the high-toned strawberry and cherry, bright and piercing, yet also round and generous with tobacco and wood nuances. Ample tannins are fine but present, giving support. All round an exceptionally beautiful wine. I love this. Giving such immediate and youthful enjoyment but this will continue to age well." Decanter

"Graphite and lead pencil is coming through, together with violets and blackberries. Some tar and asphalt, too. Full-bodied, yet creamy and crunchy, with agile liveliness that goes on for minutes. Fabulous length. Drinkable already, but will age gracefully for decades." James Suckling

Sangiovese in purezza. Wonderfully spicy aroma, dark forest berries and cherries, some graphite and cedar wood. On the palate, silky elegance, juicy, dark berry fruits, paired with an animating fruit-acid play that makes the wine really dance across the tongue. Percarlo has depth and length as well as potential for many years in the cellar. One of the great single-varietal Sangiovese of central Tuscany. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright ruby-garnet. Finely marked nose, reveals its full depth only with repeated re-smelling, some pickled cherries, blackberries and ripe plums, plus fine tobacco notes. On the palate lots of dense tannin, compact and gripping, dark fruit, dark chocolate on the final, still needs a lot of maturity, very good potential." Falstaff

"A dense, tightly wound red, with tar, olive and tobacco aromas giving way to dusty cherry and plum flavors. Vibrant and firms up on the mineral-laden finish. A bit angular now, yet with fine potential." Wine Spectator

"The 2018 Percarlo is another fabulous wine in this range from San Giusto. Ample and creamy, the 2018 dazzles with its total sense of finesse. In 2018, Percarlo is silky, gracious and super-refined. Time in the glass brings out attractive floral and spice overtones that lend brightness. It shows remarkably well for a wine that was bottled only recently." Vinous

One of the best single-varietal Sangiovese from vines that are in part over 60 years old. The labels change every year and were penned by the artist Amberto Manfredi. On the nose, violets, raspberries and a little cinnamon, on the palate, this red spoils with an opulent fruit and a typical acidity. An intense, warm drop that is never greasy or filling, but reveals a new subtle and almost silky facet of its strong personality with every sip. A great wine, highly appreciated worldwide, with great cult and ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Le Pergole Torte is all class and refinement. At the same time, the 2019 is quite reticent at this stage. In this tasting, the Pergole Torte comes across as more refined and aromatically expressive than the Montevertine, with lovely brightness driving the red berry fruit. Elegant and sophisticated, the 2019 is a wine to treasure for the next several decades. Time in the glass brings out the floral upper register and red Sangiovese fruit of Pergole Torte." Vinous