Wine Spectator | 95–100 Points

When an estate like San Filippo produces its Riserva in a vintage like 2019, the result is something for which wine language is barely sufficient. 2019 shone in Montalcino. No critic who tasted it spent long searching for words. For Le Lucére, this meant: an east-facing vineyard that utilises the late morning sun to allow Sangiovese Grosso to ripen slowly, evenly and without stress until October. Harvest between 28 September and 7 October – not a moment too early, not a moment too late. Then: more than a year in barrique and tonneau, almost two and a half years in large oak casks, a further year in the bottle. An ageing process that is not rushed because it cannot afford to be.

Giuseppe Massolino fell in love with a vineyard in 1956 and put all his eggs in one basket. In order to acquire a small part of the Vigna Rionda, he swapped a plot twice as large. Madness, people said. A stroke of luck, as it turned out. Because Giuseppe knew that Vigna Rionda was no ordinary vineyard. Since 1879, the name has been listed in Giovanni Gagna's book on viticulture in the Langhe – as one of the few places that produces exceptional wines. Before 1340, the land belonged to the Marquis of Saluzzo, then for centuries to the Falletti family. History knows many names for this hill: Vignarionda, Arionda, Rotonda – because of its round shape. But they all mean the same thing: the epitome of Serralunga.

In the heart of the Valdarno Superiore, where the ancient Via dei Setteponti inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create his immortal landscape studies, lies Tenuta Sette Ponti – named after the seven bridges that have linked Arezzo and Florence since Etruscan times. Here, on 300 hectares where history meets modernity, Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri realised a visionary idea in 1999: to create a Tuscan Bordeaux-style wine that combines international elegance with the soul of Tuscany. Oreno – named after the small river that flows through the estate in that clay-rich area where the Merlot vines put down their deepest roots – was born out of a passion for Bordeaux finesse. Fascinated by his travels to Bordeaux, Moretti Cuseri had existing vineyards grafted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Whilst the Merlot thrives in the clay-rich soils, the Cabernet vines find their home on gravelly terraces that offer perfect drainage and natural temperature regulation. The Petit Verdot rounds off the cuvée with spicy notes and intense flavour.

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2019 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

At the centre of the Via Bolgherese, that legendary wine route where the Tuscan dream and the Bordeaux vision merge into an indelible myth, lies a small kingdom of just 5.5 hectares. Here, nestled between the giants Ornellaia to the right and Sassicaia to the left, Antonio Moretti Cuseri and his sons Alberto and Amedeo tell a story of unbridled passion, a story called Orma. Orma means footprint. And this 2021 truly leaves one in the soul of the taster. The purest expression of an exceptional vintage, this organically certified Bordeaux blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc unfolds like a symphony in purple and garnet. The Mediterranean sun of Bolgheri, tempered by the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea, gave the grapes that unique ripeness that only a few terroirs in the world are capable of producing.

Barolo Ravera comes from a single vineyard with vines that are almost 50 years old. In the glass, it impresses with a strong, aromatic opening flavour. Bright, precise and finely chiselled, the Ravera captures everything good that the vintage has to offer. Cherry, sweet mint, candy and expressive floral notes are given an extra kick of inner sweetness by Ravera's natural energy. There is so much to look forward to as the wine develops over the next few years! SUPERIORE.DE

There are moments in the history of Italian viticulture that shine like beacons through time. 1962 was one such moment when Fabrizio Bianchi, driven by a vision and surrounded by the scepticism of his contemporaries, made a decision that would change Chianti Classico forever. He dared to vinify the grapes from a single vineyard separately: Il Poggio. What began as an experiment became a revolution – the first cru of Chianti Classico was born. Il Poggio – "the hill" – lies in the heart of Monsanto like a natural amphitheatre, surrounded by wild cypresses, juniper bushes and strawberry trees. Here, on the characteristic Galestro soils between 280 and 320 metres above sea level, the Sangiovese vines have driven their roots deep into the slate-like rock over the decades. These soils – a gift of geological history – give the wine the mineral depth and structural complexity that have made Il Poggio a living legend.

Eugenio Campolmi loved Syrah. Not as an assemblage component, not as a flavouring for other grape varieties – but in its pure form, without compromise. In 1994, when hardly anyone in Bolgheri was seriously considering 100% Syrah, he started Scrio. The name comes from the Tuscan – a dialect word normally used for people: scrio, whoever it is, is pure, sincere, undivided. Eugenio Campolmi has transferred this word to a wine. It fits. Scrio is made from a rigorous selection of the best Syrah grapes from the Puntone and Vignone vineyards – hand-picked, 800 grams per vine. The vineyard does not yield more than this, and it does not want more. Never more than 5,000 bottles. Fermentation and maceration for 20 days in stainless steel, then 13 months in new tonneaux and conical wooden containers, a small proportion in ceramics – ageing that gives the wine texture without masking it.

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It boasts a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

The Ravera vineyard on the Novello side, where steep hills descend from a castle perched on a beautiful panorama, is one of the best cru sites in the Barolo DOCG. From this vantage point, you can see Novello and the Elvio Cogno winery, which is located halfway up the slope. Valter Fissore's Ravera from the great 2021 vintage benefits from this special location and shows terrific versatility and depth every year.

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.

Colonnello. The name recalls a French colonel from Napoleon's time who settled up here, directly above the large Bussia amphitheatre. Only three producers own plots in this single vineyard: Aldo Conterno, Prunotto and Bussia Soprana. One hectare of exclusive terrain, where 35 to 45-year-old vines at an altitude of up to 400 metres face west and south-west. The microclimate is cooler than down in the Bussia. And the soil? Predominantly sand, magnesium, clay – similar to La Morra. The result: wines with a brisker, more floral, more playful character than the powerful Bussia from lower vineyards. Fermentation in steel tanks with wild yeasts, then 30 months in 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, followed by almost a year in steel for natural clarification. Unfiltered bottling – the Conterno method for generations.

The name Scrio comes from a Tuscan expression for "pure, sincere, unadulterated" – qualities that Eugenio Campolmi's (†2002) favourite Syrah has embodied since 1994. The 2019 vintage tells of a year of slow ripening without extreme heat. A dry winter with a late cold snap at the end of March was followed by a cool, rainy May, which slowed down the vegetation. The intensive foliage work in summer finally led to a late but excellent harvest between the second and third week of September. The glass reveals a deep black Syrah with a Mediterranean richness that clearly stands out from its French counterparts. 25 days of maceration in steel and concrete, followed by 18 months in tonneau and conical wooden barrels with a proportion of ceramic vessels, result in a wine of exceptional purity and depth. A rare treasure from only a few thousand bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

1172 – the year in which Volpaia is first mentioned in documents. A small, fortified borgo on a hill north of Radda in Chianti, built as a border fortress between Florence and Siena. Today it is a jewel of peace and beauty and one of the most historic wine villages in Tuscany. Here, where soldiers once stood guard, the Stianti-Mascheroni families now press their grapes within the medieval walls. The bottles mature in the vaults of old churches and almost every cellar contains a tank of organic wine. An entire village dedicated to viticulture. So complete that it becomes poetic again. The Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese from vineyards between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. One of the highest wineries in the region. Up here, where the air is thin and the nights are cool, Sangiovese develops the elegance and minerality that makes Volpaia so distinctive. Sandstone, clay and sandy-loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Manual harvest in the second half of September, temperature-controlled vinification, then 24 months in French and Slovenian oak barrels.

When Paolo Panerai realised his vision of a great Tuscan red wine made exclusively from indigenous grape varieties at the end of the 1970s, hardly anyone suspected that this wine would make history. As early as 1988, the Wine Spectator catapulted it into the international wine elite with sixth place in its first Top 100 – a triumph for a Supertuscan that deliberately eschewed Cabernet and Merlot in favour of the genetic purity of Tuscan vines. The name itself tells of the terroir: "Sodi" is what Tuscan winegrowers call those hard, stony soils that were too heavy for teams of oxen and had to be laboriously worked by hand. Here, on calcareous Galestro soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, around the medieval church of San Niccolò, the vines fight for every drop of water – 85 per cent Sangioveto, the original, small-berried form of Sangiovese, and 15 per cent Malvasia Nera, an almost forgotten grape variety – an almost forgotten grape variety that was abandoned in many places due to its low yields – result in a cuvée of unnerving power and unmistakable race. The 2021 vintage perfectly embodies this philosophy: After 18 to 25 days of maceration in steel tanks, the wine matures for up to 30 months in barriques, two thirds of which in new wood, before resting for a further twelve months in the bottle.

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.

Schiena d'Asino is a small vineyard from which this fabulous Brunello is produced exclusively in excellent years. Schiena captivates with its richness and overall intensity and is endowed with a lot of energy and varietal purity. Sage, rosemary and a host of Mediterranean herbs open up first, followed by graphite, smoke, incense, dark spices and black stone fruits. Wild, intensely mineral notes underpin the fruit and capture the essence of the great site. For an exceptional wine, this Brunello remains remarkably light on its feet, yet it is an introspective, brooding wine that will need at least a few years to show all it has to offer. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Barolo DOCG Parafada is perfect for long ageing and surprising development. Elegant, refined, austere. Vinified in vats, matured in large barrels. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parafada in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

What does a name mean? In the Piedmontese dialect, "Pajè" once simply referred to the various vineyard parcels – an everyday word for everyday things. The fact that this name now stands for one of the most legendary crus of Barbaresco is one of the beautiful ironies of wine history. The Roagna family has been cultivating 1.83 hectares here in the heart of the municipality since 1953, and anyone who asks Luca Roagna about the core of his work will inevitably end up here. The vineyard is a natural amphitheatre: gently sloping to the south and south-west, protected from the wind by hills and open to the Tanaro valley. The soil tells of 70 million years of – marine sediments from the Tertiary period, interspersed with active limestone in a concentration that is exceptional even for the Langhe. The vines, on average over 50 years old, are deeply rooted in this history. After the harvest, the must ferments with its own yeasts and macerates for up to two months with a submerged cap. Five years in large wooden barrels and concrete complete the maturation process.

Scrio is Tuscan and means: pure, sincere, whole. Since 1994, this wine has been Cinzia Merli's vision of a single-varietal Syrah that is neither French nor Californian, but Mediterranean and Tuscan at the same time. Produced in minimal quantities, this wine quickly became the reference in Bolgheri for a grape variety that is not actually native to the region. The 2021 marks a turning point: 50% of the grapes now come from new hillside vineyards, which gives the wine an elegance and delicacy that is almost reminiscent of Pinot Noir. After 20 days of fermentation and maceration in concrete tanks and earthenware amphorae, the Scrio matures for 14 months in neutral French oak, clayvers and earthenware amphorae – an ageing process that emphasises the lively fruit.

Geologists speak of erosion. Winegrowers speak of fate. Over millions of years, the rocks above Castiglione Falletto weathered and formed the soil on which Pira now thrives. When Luca Roagna acquired half a hectare on these very Rocche in 2016, a circle was completed: the mother rock returned to the child. The parcel is located in the historic heart of the site, at the top of the hill at three hundred metres, with a pure southern exposure. Calcareous clay soils, interspersed with white rock and sand, nourish Nebbiolo vines from the 1960s and 70s – planted with vines from ancient stocks. Situated right next to the new winery, this vineyard is Roagna's most intimate property: just 0.48 hectares, from which a Barolo is created that Antonio Galloni simply calls "pure sensuality".

A handful of fresh cherries. Bite into them. Juice running down your fingers. Tasting Gallina 2020 is an immediate, sensual, irresistible experience. Among the Roagna-Barbareschi, it is the seducer, the wine that does not impress with its austere grandeur, but captivates with its open charm. The family has been cultivating a plot in Neive's most famous MGA since 2014. The calcareous clay soil with a high proportion of sand gives the Nebbiolo here the silky finesse that distinguishes Gallina from its more austere neighbours. Antonio Galloni calls the site "the source of the roundest and most accessible Barbareschi in the municipality". Wines that can be drunk early and yet mature for decades.