The Wine Advocate

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

This is certainly unique: one annual production. One barrel. Thirty hectolitres of Slavonian oak – and in it the entire Brunello Annata ambition of the Spina family. No second barrel as a reserve. No possibility to correct, top up or stretch. What matures in this container is the annual production of the Annata: the 2.5 hectares of Brunello vineyard at 380 metres near Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the limestone marl, the manual labour of four decades, the decisions of each year. Sesta di Sopra produces around 4,000 bottles of vintage Brunello – which is less than some estates tacitly allow to disappear into the assemblage. 2021 was the year of transparency in Montalcino. Cool nights and warm days gave the Sangiovese that nervous tension that critics describe with the term "vertical" – energy instead of mass, precision instead of fullness. In the one barrel in which Sesta di Sopra matured its grapes, this vintage could only convince!

"Fragrante, definite e verticale." This is how some Masters of Wine describe the 2021 Brunello vintage – fragrant, precise, vertical. Rarely does an official assessment so accurately capture the essence of a wine. Yet 2021 was not an easy year. An unusually late frost in April decimated the quantities, delayed growth and – and quietly did the wine some good. No extreme heatwaves afterwards. No drought stress to panic the vines. Instead: an even summer, dry ripening, a relaxed harvest from the end of September. The soils on the eastern slopes of Montalcino, a mixture of red clay, limestone and slate, came into their own in 2021. San Filippo's organic certification pays off particularly well in years like these: living soils that retain water and deliver precision.

Eneo is supposed to be the "Grand Vin" of Montepeloso, the Italian answer to the globalisation of wines. And Eneo can do it. The blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon unmistakably expresses its terroir and is recognised worldwide. Aromas of blackcurrant and cherry with fresh flowers and orange peel are followed by a medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that are wonderfully integrated into the wine and leave a bright, concentrated impression. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino is a hill. To be more precise: a single large cone of limestone, marl, slate and sand that rises above the Val d'Orcia – exposed to the north, south-east and south-west, characterised by three completely different climates. Most of the producers in the appellation have access to one of these slopes. Val di Suga has all three. Vigna del Lago in the north-west, Poggio al Granchio in the south-east, Vigna Spuntali in the south-west. Three soils, three microclimates, three characters – and a single winery that unites them all under one roof. The basic Brunello is the result of this unique position: a cuvée from all three sites that does not aim for simplification, but for synthesis. Fermentation takes eight to twelve days at a controlled temperature, with maceration lasting a further two to three weeks. Maturation in traditional 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months, followed by six months in concrete and then the bottle. The 2021 vintage brought a late frost in April – the harvest was reduced, the quality concentrated. A dry summer without extreme heat, a long, even autumn. The Consorzio and a jury of eight Masters of Wine agreed on three words to characterise the vintage: fragrant, precise, vertical.

Chianti Classico by Giovanni Manetti offers a profound, densely woven and still very youthful bouquet of dark and red berries and fine spicy notes. The dry, cherry flavour with long-lasting impressions, well-extracted tannins and the acidity typical of Sangiovese show a clearly recognisable terroir character. Very clear, straightforward, long, always fresh and juicy, with excellent strength and balance. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino in November 2008. Gianni Brunelli's thread broke – as Laura herself put it (he passed away). Anyone familiar with the elegance with which the winery has been run since then will understand that this was not the beginning of an end, but rather a different kind of continuity: quieter, more focussed, perhaps even more resolute. Laura Brunelli, biologist, Sardinian, soul of two institutions for decades – osteria Le Logge in Siena and the wineries on the slopes of Montalcino – has not replaced Gianni. She has carried on. And that's a difference you can feel in the glass.

Prètto. A word from the Tuscan dialect – true, sincere, schietto. Carlo Ferrini could not have chosen a more fitting name for a wine that is exactly that: no gesture, no staging, but Sangiovese in its most direct form. The Prètto is a joint effort – born from the dialogue between father and daughter, between three decades of experience and a young generation that sees Montalcino with new eyes. Bianca Ferrini, born in 1990, has given the Giodo project a very special voice with this wine. Four hectares of Sangiovese in Sant'Angelo in Colle, south-west Montalcino, at 360 metres in south-eastern exposure. Medium-heavy, skeleton-rich soil, 6,600 plants per hectare – a density that creates stress and forces concentration. Hand-picked, 20 days of maceration in steel and cement, délestage halfway through fermentation. Then around 30 months of ageing in 500, 700 and 2,500 Literswooden barrels – medium to large containers that give the wine structure without wood characterisation. Then six months in cement, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle. 12,000 bottles were produced.

Normally, the Sangiovese grapes from the 14-hectare single vineyard are mainly harvested in Ama and San Lorenzo. Since the 2018 harvest, Lorenza and Marco have decided to vinify a small quantity separately. Deep, dark ruby red colour with violet reflections. Extroverted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant, with notes of crushed gravel, tobacco and traces of young leather. Very powerful and beautifully textured on the palate, the various layers of primary fruit only gradually unfold, the wood pleasantly receding into the background. Finely granulated tannins and a well-integrated acidity flank this very harmonious red on an elegant, long final. There is a lot to like here, for us it is once again a typical Ama wine: racy, powerful and elegant! SUPERIORE.DE

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

Coming from one of the most historic vineyards in Neive, Albesani is a Barbaresco with a classic character and great precision. The south-western slope with calcareous and clayey soils gives the Nebbiolo here a powerful structure without masking its delicate flavour. Thanks to balanced temperatures and a long growing season, the 2021 vintage produced grapes with optimal phenolic ripeness.

Since the exceptional 2019 harvest, Luca Sanjust has taken another step towards "quality without compromise" with his Boggina C. The yields per plant have been reduced even further and the selection of grapes from the identified parcel has been made even stricter. This led to a reduction in the number of bottles available to around 3,000. The same meticulousness was also applied in the cellar by selecting the most suitable 7 hectolitre barrels for ageing "sur lie". Great attention was paid to their wood grain and toasting in order to achieve the harmony and flavour that a pure Grand Cru Sangiovese should have.

Every year, Barolo Via Nuova proves anew why the blending of several vineyards was the favoured method of Barolo producers until the 1960s, when the fascination with single-vineyard wines began. Its grapes come from the Liste, Terlo, Baudana, Gabutti, Ravera di Monforte and Mosconi cru sites.

Bright garnet red with a copper-coloured rim. Fine olfactory cinema of red fruits and sea buckthorn. In addition, forest earth paired with a hint of tobacco and bitter almond. In the glass still young, initially loud tannins, with some air then softer tones and a powerful, lasting final. An elegant, aristocratic wine that leaves a lasting impression not only on the first glass. SUPERIORE.DE

La Villa needs time to fully develop. The interplay of the 40% Barbera fruit with the flavours and structure of the 60% Nebbiolo once again proves to be seductive. Sweet floral notes merge with cedar wood, aniseed and bright red fruit. On the palate, La Villa is simply beguilingly silky, yet energetic and always full of freshness as it progresses. Despite its well-dosed opulence, it always remains elegant and once it has unfolded, it is irresistibly good. SUPERIORE.DE

Do you know the small vineyard Basarin near Neive? A bright ruby garnet awaits you and a wine from a particularly beautiful vintage: on the nose, a cornucopia of aromas of wild sour cherry, herbs, some liquorice and tobacco. Firm and very clearly structured on the palate, muscular and yet with an elegance that never loses control due to its power. Basarin is a highly energetic and precise Nebbiolo that reveals its complexity only with some patience and aeration. The neighbouring terroir Neive shows itself with distinguished elegance and marries harmoniously with the volume and weight typical of the site - and in a depth that only vines over 50 years old can produce. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

Radici (the roots) is the epitome of Taurasi and has been a stylistic benchmark for Aglianico from Irpinia since its introduction in 1986. The grapes come from high-altitude, south to south-west-facing vineyards around Montemarano, whose clay and limestone soils of volcanic origin provide depth, structure and longevity. 2018 was a year in Irpinia with a cool spring, warm summer and a long, dry ripening period until the late harvest in November – a classic progression that favoured elegant tannins and precise fruit. Dense ruby red in the glass with a garnet-red rim. The nose reveals Aglianico in all its complexity: black cherry, plum, violet, sweet tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate and a fine note of tar and graphite.

Pacentis Brunello Vecchie Vigne radiates with attractive aromas of black berries, dark cherries and coffee. Extremely delicious and very elegant in flavour with silky tannins and considerable length. Siro Pacenti is one of the most historic houses in the region and it is precisely with this solid expression that Vecchie Vigne enchants the senses. SUPERIORE.DE

Sondraie, from which the wine takes its name, is a large plateau from Aurelia to Bellaria in the north of the appellation and one of the best sites for Cabernet in Bolgheri. The Oenologist Luca d'Attoma is considered one of the best interpreters of Cabernet Franc in Italy and his wines are always a clear buy. Bright violet colour. The nose is leafy, with dark chocolate and a characteristic aroma of coffee powder, plus blueberry, raspberry, black cherry and undergrowth. On the palate, melted cloves and cassis in perfect balance. Smooth and ripe, with a hint of chalk thanks to the oak tannins on the finish. Amazingly fresh and endlessly long, simply superb! SUPERIORE.DE

The sandy soils north of Monforte d'Alba give this Barolo its immense power and structure. The bouquet is very open and appealing with dark cherries and raspberries, as well as notes of mint, cedar wood, rose petals and sage. Very lively and expressive on the palate, with deep beauty, seamlessly contoured and spectacular resonance. A fabulous wine from a very good vintage, classic and exotic at the same time. SUPERIORE.DE

Franco and Roberto Massolino dreamed of this moment for years. A Barbaresco – was missing from their portfolio. But it had to be the right vineyard, the perfect location. Then, at the end of 2018, they struck lucky: Bernardino Gastaldi, an ambitious winemaker from Neive with plots in three of the best MGAs in Barbaresco, offered them a collaboration. Starderi, Serraboella, Albesani – three names that are making history. The first harvest in 2019 and it was clear from the outset that Albesani would be vinified separately. What this hill told was too extraordinary. Two hectares at 230 metres, south-west facing, calcareous-marly clay soils with the characteristic Marna di Sant'Agata Fossili, the fossil rock formation that also forms the foundation of Barolo. Fifty-year-old vines with deep roots. Albesani is recognised by connoisseurs as one of the most beautiful vineyards in Italy – and anyone who has tasted the wine will understand why. Even during fermentation, the brothers realised that this is an exceptional wine. The perfect combination of exposure, altitude and age of the vines produces grapes of a purity and elegance that astonishes even experienced Oenologist.

As intended by the Altare family, this great wine is always a little richer and more concentrated than its colleagues in the Langhe Nebbiolo category. Smells of black fruits, wild plums, tarry smoke and liquorice. Giarborina is not only another stunning wine from Altare, but is actually a Barolo, just released a year earlier and therefore more open and approachable. SUPERIORE.DE

Monforte d'Alba – the name stands for depth, warmth and at the same time a taut, cool vein in the wines. The legendary Cru Ginestra lies in the centre of this high plateau, and at its heart is the single vineyard Vigna del Gris – a gently sloping plot with a south-easterly exposure at an altitude of 300 to 320 metres. The soils, a complex mixture of sand, silt and clay, provide the perfect stage for Nebbiolo, planted here in two stages: 1978 and 2000. Today, these vines produce a grape quality that is characterised by both concentration and finesse. The 2021 vintage is considered almost ideal in Barolo: a cool spring, followed by a warm, stable summer with no periods of extreme heat and a long, even ripening period into golden October. For Conterno Fantino, the manual harvest began in mid-October – the berries reached a flawless phenolic ripeness. After 12 to 15 days of fermentation and maceration in stainless steel, the wine is aged for two years in French oak, partly in barriques and partly in larger barrels. This combination gives the wine structure and complexity without masking the unmistakable signature of the vineyard.