Supertuscan

Second wine would be a clear understatement for this great wine. Dark ruby, some smoke, butter and herbs in the nose. A full-bodied and relatively dense red, which does not hide its origins any more than it hides the status of a small supertuscan. Soft mouthfeel, at the end a mineral spice; its structure provides a nice acidity with well integrated tannins for a long and lively finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Strong ruby red. Clearly defined bouquet with beautiful herbal spice. In the glass then a deep dark fruit and a very round body, fine acid play and polished tannin. A classic representative of the noble Bolgheri appellation with an extremely harmonious overall impression. Absolutely ventilate. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Orma 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Passi di Orma opens to dark and rich fruit with blackberry, plum and sweet prune. Those layers of robust and succulent fruit are followed by generous layers of smoke, tar and campfire ash from the oak. This captures a flashy and more contemporary side of the Bolgheri wine identity, showing enough power, intensity and opulence to match up with your favorite cut of steak." Robert Parker

"Yum. A rich, dense red with currant, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied and tannic, yet polished. Direct finish. This needs time to soften. Second wine of Orma. Better after 2022." James Suckling

Rapace - a great blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet - exudes a spicy fragrance of dark red berries. Hearty and rich taste, with a fine balance of soft tannins and a pleasant acid wire. SUPERIORE.DE

"A fresh and clean red with cherry, strawberry and light vanilla character. Medium body. Crisp finish." James Suckling

Vigorello was already created in 1968 at the beginning of the Super Tuscan movement. It is a beautiful and extremely elegant wine that storms out of the glass with genuine tones of black fruits, liquorice, rose and dried lavender, Mediterranean herbs and a sweet hint of vanilla. The balance and complexity are outstanding and both point to the high level of 2015. It will develop even more complexity over time. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dark, rich ruby. Intense and clear nose, of blackberries and dark currants. Powerful on the palate, dense tannins." Falstaff

"This is spicy, showing black pepper, saturated black cherry, plum, earth, iron and tobacco flavors. Dense and opaque, with a long aftertaste of dark fruit." Wine Spectator

"San Felice's 2015 Vigorello, a blend of the indigenous Pugnitello with Bordeaux varieties, is dark, unctuous and inviting. An infusion of crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, licorice, menthol and leather give Vigorello tons of character as well as personality. This is such a distinctive wine." Vinous

"Beautiful aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of lavender. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins and a slightly austere finish. This will turn out beautifully with a few years of bottle age." James Suckling

"A blend of 35% Pugnitello, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Vigorello seems to have the concept of vigor and strength at its very core. The wine opens to an inky dark appearance, with thick layers of dark fruit, spice, cured leather, camphor and campfire ash. You feel the sweet ripeness of the warm vintage in the soft and succulent quality of the background structure." Robert Parker

Lemartine, a striking blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, shines in a stunningly beautiful red. Dark fruity aromas, pomegranate and cinnamon emanate from its dense, expressive bouquet and continue on the palate. Refined opulence and a Supertoscan in pure culture! SUPERIORE.DE

"A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Petit Verdot, the Poggio Antico 2017 Lemartine achieves one important goal. It delivers loads of Tuscan charm packaged neatly into one very approachable and forthcoming wine. You get generous purple and black fruit flavors. The hot growing season has no doubt contributed to the immediately soft and fruity character of the blend. Perhaps this hot vintage expression lacks more meaningful depth or width, however the wine drinks beautifully straight out of the gate and would pair with a classic Tuscan dish of pappardelle with wild boar ragù."

"Dark plums, cedar, tobacco and dried spices. Medium body, ripe and round tannins and a medium-chewy finish. Shows good intensity and focus." James Suckling

Piastraia fully corresponds to the classic image of a great Bolgheri Rosso Superiore. Made from a quarter each of Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, it fills the glass with its intense scent of fruit and a hint of leather aromas. Powerful, concentrated and pure taste. SUPERIORE.DE

"Very coherent wine of Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese; multi-faceted bouquet of wild berries, licorice and dried flowers; grippy attack, the fine-grained tannins in perfect balance with the acidity, the finish long and linear. Also very successful in this warm vintage." Vinum

"Rich garnet. Very spicy nose, underpinned with green pepper and light leather, lush cherry fruit, some plum, then chalky tones and ripe cassis again, layered and rich. Equally full-bodied on the palate, albeit with a fine drinking flow, compact, tightly woven tannin gives support, still young, very good foresight." Falstaff

"The Michele Satta 2017 Bolgheri Superiore Piastraia offers intensity and bold fruit with plenty of rich blackberry, dried cherry and toasted spice. The is a full and generous wine from a hot vintage that does not hold back in term of fruit density or intensity. It would welcome some pork-filled ravioli. The soft tannins add to the wine's balanced full-bodied approach." Robert Parker

"A full, rich red with beautiful softness and balance. It’s impressively tight and focused with polish and beauty. Layered and bright. Give this some time to come together, but very well done for the vintage. Better after 2022." James Suckling

Guidalberto has not been in the shadow of his "super-father" Sassicaia for a long time. Since he is vinified from his own vineyards, most of which also grow in the monopollage Sassicaia DOC, he has grown beyond himself. Spicy and earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance, which becomes even more refined with the years of bottle maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

"Playful spicy-fruity flower; pithy on the palate with firm tannins, the reverberation of rich notes of black cherries and bitter almonds. A refined second wine from the Sassicaia producer." Vinum

"Deep black-purple. Opulent, plum, cassis and some fresh earth. Clove, cinnamon and some toasted almond oak. Much fuller-bodied than the Le Difese, with ripe plum and cassis fruit. Plenty of polish here, though pretty embryonic in form. Very fine-grained tannins, though not the greatest density of them. The fruit slips away quite quickly, but there’s a long line of spice and savouriness that does come through. Perhaps once bottled, the fruit will hold through as far too." Jancis Robinson

"The 2017 Guidalberto is a stellar wine. Rich, ample and resonant, the 2017 possesses superb depth and textural richness, both signatures of this warm, dry vintage. I suppose in the most technical sense, the 2017 is not the last word on complexity. But it is supremely delicious, it is that kind of wine opened and finished quickly - and of course, the ultimate goal of a wine is to deliver pleasure. The 2017 Guidalberto hits it out of the park on that level." VINOUS

"A youthful, sinewy red, with plum, black cherry, cedar and spice flavors wrapped in a thick texture and mouthcoating tannins. Stays vivid and long on the finish, where the sweet, ripe fruit prevails." Wine Spectator

"A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2017 Guidalberto appeals to the more informal side of sophisticated drinking. By that I mean it makes a great choice at lunch or for family dinners. Despite the accessibility and dense concentration of the fruit, especially evident in a warm vintage such as this, the wine's pedigree is evident in terms of the careful management of the structure and acidity. My samples were a little closed at first and needed some extra coaxing. Once open, the wine shows the dark fruit and exuberance of this hot vintage in Tuscany." Robert Parker

"Subtle aromas of cedar, cassis, tobacco and a whiff of camphor slowly take shape in the glass. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, the tightly knit, elegant palate delivers dried black cherry, red currant, blood orange and licorice while fine-grained tannins provide tight support. It closes on a coffee-bean note." Wine Enthusiast

"Fresh herbs, cedar, black raspberries, orange peel and citrus. Very balanced and focused on the palate, thanks to cutting acidity, but with firm, chewy tannins that envelop a plethora of red fruit." James Suckling

Since Guidalberto has been produced from its own vineyards, most of which also grow in the monopoly position Sassicaia DOC, San Guido's "second wine" has grown beyond itself. Spicy and earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance, which becomes even more refined with the years of bottle maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

"There is so much Tuscan tang to this wine that I wouldn't be remotely surprised if someone told me it contained a little of Tuscany's signature grape Sangiovese. This is appetising rather than luscious. Nicely balanced and much more accessible now than the current 2017 vintage of Sassicaia. No more than medium bodied. Clean and neat." Jancis Robinson

"Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, this smooth red opens with aromas of cassis, vanilla, violet and a whiff of bell pepper. Racy and delicious, the linear palate doles out juicy red currant, black cherry and vanilla set against lithe tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and fresh." Wine Enthusiast

"The 2018 Guidalberto, tasted from an approximate blend from barrel, is positively stellar. I can only hope that the bottled wine is as fresh, vibrant and nuanced as this sample. A rush of black cherry, plum, spice, leather and licorice graces the 2018 with striking depth and nuance. Light on its feet and deep, the 2018 has a lot to offer. In many years, Guidalberto can be a rather rich wine, but in 2018 it is very closely aligned with the house style." Vinous

Intense fragrance of blackcurrant and black cherry, leather, spices and liquorice. On the palate it is opulent and flowing, all elements merge into a great, distinctive wine. Great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

"Cuvée of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in French oak: Spicy-fruity cassis aroma, also notes of pepper and chocolate; smooth, velvety tannin, the acidity revitalizing, the final powerful and long. Can mature." Vinum

"Extremely dense, sparkling ruby. Very intense, fleshy nose, a lot of dark currant, some elderberries overlaid with fine notes of cocoa and tobacco. Has great tension, lots of dense tannin, tightly woven, lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, very full-bodied." Falstaff

"Impenetrable, deep ruby. peppery, lifted dark fruit and sour cherry with hints of oak. Beautiful depth that reveals itself only after plenty of aeration in the glass. Elegant, almost racy dark fruit and raspberry palate with finely chiselled tannins. Concentrated and poised at the same time and light years away from the boring Supertuscans of yore. Stunning." Jancis Robinson

"The Geremia, Rocca di Montegrossi's Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is outrageously beautiful in 2015. Racy and pliant, with soft curves, Geremia captures all of the radiant beauty of the vintage. Sweet red cherry, plum, mint, mocha and sweet spice are all fused together. At the moment, there is a touch of new oak that still needs to integrate, but a few more years in bottle should do the trick. Time in the glass brings out attractive floral notes and red-toned fruit character that lend freshness and lift to play off the wine’s more extroverted leanings. The 2015 is a gorgeous Geremia." Vinous

"A rich, luscious 2015 with crushed blackberries, blackcurrants, black chocolate and some violet and minerals. It’s medium-to full-bodied with very polished, sleek tannins and a long, chewy finish. Polished and focused. Merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2022." James Suckling

Deep dark cherry red with a violet glow at the edge. In the nose aromas of spices like rosemary and thyme, in addition fruit notes of black currant and cherry. On the palate blackberry, cherry, fresh plum and cranberry, wonderful cassis note and dark chocolate in the long final. Modern Tuscan, stylistically rigorous according to the French pattern. SUPERIORE.DE

"Intense, dark ruby red with a delicate purple and brightening edge. In the nose first clearly of violet and blood orange, then rich cherry and blackberry, delicately graphite. Dense in the drink with a dark fruity play, spreads out beautifully, slightly grippy tannin, compact in the beginning and course." Falstaff

"This is showing a plethora of primary fruit at the moment, such as elderberries and brambleberries. But there’s some real complexity beneath, featuring roasted herbs and nettles. Full-bodied with impressive fruit, but firm tannins to back it up." James Suckling

Intense fragrance of blackcurrant and black cherry, leather, spices and liquorice. On the palate it is opulent and flowing, all elements merge into a great, distinctive wine. Great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2016 Geremia is a total knock-out. An exotic mélange of sweet dark cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol races out of the glass. The 2016 is deep, dense and full of character. It is also easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon work so well here in the way they express richness and structure, all with a real sense of Tuscan raw power." Vinous