The Wine Advocate

In 2001, the brothers Piero and Lodovico Antinori, together with their nephew Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi, recognised the extraordinary potential of the hills of Bibbona in the upper Maremma. Instinct, passion and centuries of family experience led to a parcel-by-parcel study that would eventually become the birth of Tenuta di Biserno. The terroir of these 40 hectares at an altitude of 90 metres is of extraordinary complexity: mainly alluvial and clay-limestone soils that create the ideal environment for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The different exposures and the distance from the sea characterise the varietal expression so strongly that the decision in favour of two production lines was obvious: Biserno – the most prestigious and representative wine of the estate – and Il Pino di Biserno.

"An expression of elegance in Serralunga", Luca Currado underlines at the tasting of Lazzarito, and we already agree with him on the nose. Gravel, pebbles, red fruits, rose petals, lavender and sage permeate this plastic and very lively Serralunga Barolo. Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. The balsamic symphony opens the doors to a sip that is undoubtedly powerful, but at the same time refreshing and rich in vitamins. With added aeration, Lazzarito delivers mint and balsamic herbs. Lazzarito sets the pace and never loses its rhythm, the great texture of the tannins flanks this palate spectacle in an ideal way and we will discover much more about this great Barolo in the years to come. SUPERIORE.DE

Luca Currado cultivates the Brunate Cru on the La Morra side of the vineyard (opposite the Barolo side) and this wine contains fruit from new plots. It convinces with an impressive aroma of red berries, cherries, wild herbs, mint, minerals and rose petals, rounded off by a hint of blood orange. On the palate we find a terrific softness and textural silkiness, this continues with hints of mint, liquorice and camphor ash for many minutes. Polished tannins round off this masterpiece into an extremely elegant Brunate. SUPERIORE.DE

The vines cover two hectares directly below the small chapel that gave the wine its name. This is the steepest, oldest part of the estate, where Alessandro Mori heard the bells over the vines as a child. If there is a wine that is to become his legacy, then it must come from here. Brunello Madonna delle Grazie does not appear every year. There was none in 2002 and 2014 – the grapes were not good enough. This decision costs money, but Alessandro Mori has never acted on it. What distinguishes the Madonna from all other Brunellos in the appellation – even from its own basic Brunello – is the vinification. While the classic Il Marroneto is born with fermentation temperatures of up to 40°C and intensive extraction, the Madonna follows the opposite path: two days of rest after the harvest, then cool fermentation at 28°C for three to four weeks. The extraction is gentle, almost tender – more of an infusion than a maceration, closer to Pinot Noir than to classic Sangiovese. Then matured for 40 months in neutral vats.

Vietti's Ravera is one of the great stars of Piedmont in its precision and structure. It uses fruit from Novello, from a site that looks out over the castle of the same name on the hill in the distance. This wine offers an impeccable balance between nose and mouth, showing immense purity and power in one package. Rose petals, chalk, pepper and a hint of pomegranate make this Barolo one of the most sought-after in the appellation every year. With some ageing, the powerful tannins give way to an elegant impression that does not deviate one millimetre from the coveted style of this great vineyard. A monument of Barolo, which only a few other winemakers in Piedmont besides Vietti and also Giacosa bottle with such consistency! SUPERIORE.DE

Three years after the Annata, Romano and his sons launch a small edition of the same vintage in large formats. Dark and dense, it reveals an intense bouquet with marmalade-like aromas of red and dark fruits, alongside which spices and wood, tobacco and chocolate echo. At the same time, the youthful, stormy taste is an overwhelming demonstration of power. SUPERIORE.DE

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family pursues no less a goal than to make the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from their own 50 years of research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione that is produced at an altitude of up to 350 m in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

There are moments in the life of a winemaker when past and present merge in a magical way. For Matteo Ascheri, Barolo Ascheri is such a moment – a wine that comes from the vineyard that not only bears his name, but is also the cradle of his family. It was here, in the Località Ascheri in La Morra, that the history of a winegrowing dynasty that is now one of the most respected in the whole of Piedmont began in the early 19th century. The MGA Ascheri is located on the gently sloping southern slopes of La Morra, at an altitude of 350 metres, where the fertile soils of clay, limestone marl and sand produce the exuberant fruitiness for which La Morra is famous. When Matteo vinified a separate Barolo from this two-hectare vineyard for the first time in 2010, it was more than just an oenological decision – it was a return to the roots, a tribute to the ancestors who once laid the foundations for the family heritage here.

Guado al Tasso presents itself with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as convincing as its harmonious structure. Deep, dark, rich ruby-purple colour. Very clear and intense nose, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, underpinned by fine, spicy notes with hints of white pepper and leather. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with plenty of sweet flavour, elegant tannins and a very long finish. A finesse-rich red that offers maximum drinking pleasure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

There are a handful of wines in Italy that make us nervous every year before the first tasting because the expectations are huge. Cerretalto is undoubtedly one of them. What's more, as in this case from an exceptional year like 2019, it didn't disappoint our expectations - how could it have been otherwise?

Tenuta Tignanello is situated in the heart of Chianti Classico, on the rolling hills between the valleys of the rivers Greve and Pesa, and covers 319 hectares of land, of which around 130 are planted with vines. The estate's vineyards include two jewels: Tignanello and Solaia, which lie on the same hill, on marl soils of marine origin from the Pliocene period, rich in limestone and slate, and which benefit from warm days and cool nights during the growing season. These vineyards produce two wines which, many years ago, were set to become the starting point for the renaissance of Italian wine. Nothing has changed in that regard to this day.

Barolo Prapò comes from Serralunga d'Alba and is, as expected, the most powerful and structured of the various single-vineyard wines from this ambitious estate. At the same time, it is also the most closed at the beginning and, with its introverted nature, is made for a long ageing period. This site is one of the last where the grapes ripen, giving them plenty of time to develop slowly and carefully each year.

Madonna del Piano is a top wine from a top vintage, what more could you want? We are deeply impressed by its energetic tension and complexity, plus a harmony only imagined in the wildest dreams. Focused and racy bouquet of dark cherries, herbs, smoke and mineral hints. Very animating in the drink, the acidity plays around the primary fruit, then the polished tannins set in and glide this beautiful red into its almost endless finish. An extremely characterful and polished wine that is already one of the most beautiful of its appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

In the early 1980s, André Tchelistcheff, the legendary Russian-American Oenologist, stood on a hill near Bolgheri and saw what others overlooked: blue clay. Argille blu – pressed to the surface millions of years ago by tectonic faults, so compact that the Tuscans call it masso, rock. Tchelistcheff recognised the potential for something unheard of in this soil: a Merlot that could rival Pétrus. In the middle of Italy, in the land of Sangiovese. People thought he was crazy. History proved him right. Today, Masseto has long been more than just a wine – it is a monument. Twelve perfect 100-point ratings since its debut in 1986, a name that is mentioned in the same breath as the greatest wines in the world. And a vineyard that is reluctant to reveal its secrets: seven hectares, divided into three parcels with completely different characters. Masseto Alto delivers structure and ripe fruit, Masseto Centrale – with the highest clay content, the "Grand Cru" of the vineyard – gives opulence and monumental tannins, while Masseto Junior with its younger vines contributes freshness and vibrancy. The mosaic only comes together to form the whole.

So much verve and purity, integration and harmony can be found in the Masseto 2021. Black raspberry, mulberry, a hint of toasted brioche. A beautiful natural sweetness, plus a delicacy and subtlety that is simply beautiful and tantalising. Black biros ink and more and more cedar wood with gentle aeration. Creamy. Essences of petals - with a little more lilac, lily and hyacinth than rose. Then graphite again. A wonderful texture on the finish, as soft and caressing as a million layers (milles feuilles plus!) of silk, but actually with a deeper and richer texture - so more cashmere perhaps than silk. Lively, flowing, dynamic and incredibly juicy. Radiant in its incredible dynamism and energy. Very special and above all endless on the finish. Wow! SUPERIORE.DE

The 50th harvest year of Sassicaia. It snowed in Bolgheri in February 2018. The last time this happened was in 1985 – the year that is considered the greatest Sassicaia in history. The Siberian "Burian" winter storm brought temperatures below zero for days, killed the pests on the vines and replenished the soil water reserves. A promising start. What followed was a cool, slow wine year: moderate spring, temperate summer, refreshing nights well into September. Tenuta San Guido began the harvest seven to eight days later than usual – and selected more rigorously than in most years: The vineyards in the lowlands were not included. The higher vineyards, Castiglioncello and Quercione, characterised the character.

The Riserva Le Lucére is not produced according to a calendar. It is created when the plot allows it – when Galestro and slate, eastern exposure and Sangiovese Grosso come together in a constellation that goes beyond the ordinary. 2018 was such a year, even if the world of Brunello observers initially doubted it. The elegance and finesse shown by the 2018 Annata is multiplied by the Riserva through time. More than two years in barrique and tonneau, then the large containers, then the bottle. Each stage is a dialogue between wood and fruit, between power and suppleness. What emerges is a wine with a complexity that is immediately recognisable and will last for years to come.

An impressive and unforgettable Merlot from the sun-drenched vineyards of the Bolgheri zone near the Mediterranean Sea. It has received lavish praise in the trade press from all over the world. The bouquet combines dark, very ripe fruit and tobacco. Velvety tannins, an ingratiatingly alcoholic character and tremendous persistence are part of its soft taste. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Lazzarito 2019, which obtains its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, is built like a pyramid. It stands on a thick base of robust fruit and power and rises in intensity thanks to its wonderfully elevated bouquet. It shows direct and solid lines with blackberries, plums, spices, tar, liquorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of flavours offers dark minerals, iron ore and rust. Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. With additional aeration, the Lazzarito, certified organic for the first time in this vintage, delivers mint and fine balsamic herbs and will fully inspire with further maturation in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

Masseto 2020 combines all the special features of the vintage. Its colour and aromas show optimal concentration both visually and olfactorily and are characterised by a constant liveliness in the glass that does not diminish over time. On the palate, the power of this wine is expressed with a beautiful length and balsamic notes. Its solid tannin structure reveals the ageing potential typical of Masseto. SUPERIORE.DE

After many years of identifying the best Merlot, Cabernet and Petit Verdot parcels within the boundaries of their Bolgheri vineyard with the help of the famous OenologistMichel Rolland, the Antinori family discovered in the early 2000s that there was an even more special microclimate and terroir in the middle of this microclimate, the results of which surpassed those of the larger area. Everyone involved immediately realised that this unique character had to be vinified and highlighted separately - this was the birth of today's cult wine Lodovico.

There are wines that define a region. Saffredi is one of them. When Elisabetta Geppetti, in 1987 – in her mid-twenties and driven by a vision to bring the sleepy Maremma to world fame – created this wine together with the legendary Giacomo Tachis, nobody could have imagined that a Super Tuscan was being born here, one that would rival Sassicaia and Tignanello. The name is a loving tribute to Fredi, Elisabetta's father-in-law Alfredo Gentili, who sparked her passion for wine and, in the 1980s, planted the five-hectare vineyard from which the grapes for Saffredi are still harvested today. The single-vineyard Saffredi near Pereta lies at an altitude of 250 metres, facing south-west for the old vines and south-east for the newer plantings. The soil is the result of millions of years of geological processes: of sandstone origin, rich in calcareous marl and iron minerals, low in organic matter, with clay layers only appearing at a depth of 30 centimetres. On clear days, the view from here sweeps across the hills to the Mediterranean, 25 kilometres away – a proximity to the coast that lends the wine its distinctive freshness and vibrancy.

"Sassicaia really was our house wine back then," says Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, daughter of the president of San Guido, Marquis Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta. "It was more of a wine experiment that was only tested within the family and among friends, until we went on the market for the first time with the 1968 vintage. Today, this wine is all about elegance and balance. We like this style, which is not so much about the body. Sassicaia is a good representative of what we want to convey as a style."

"Everything was slow, calm and beautiful." This is how cellar master Carlo Paoli described 2013. After an April frost that regulated the natural grape yield, a summer without extremes followed – no heat spike, no stressful events, just a gradual, even ripening that gave the Cabernet Sauvignon on the gravel marl soils of Tenuta San Guido exactly what it needed: Time. Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, granddaughter of the founder, called the result a record year for Sassicaia. The harvest began at the beginning of September with the Cabernet Franc, which was the first to reach phenological ripeness, and ended at the end of September in the high vineyards of Castiglioncello.