Wine Spectator

Here, excellence of man and nature come together with perfect precision and harmony. Powerful cherry and blackberry notes are followed by crushed minerals, liquorice, smoke and lightly scented cedar. Spreads evenly across the palate and its flavour intensity, power and volume last for minutes. The exquisite 2015 Cerretalto is concentrated and rich, but never too heavy or dense. It is a highly compelling Italian icon with the truly exciting world of perceived unlimited possibilities still ahead of it. We can be more than excited ... SUPERIORE.DE

When Luca Roagna guides guests through his wines, he serves this one last. Not by chance, not for dramatic effect – but because nothing can come after the Pajè Vecchie Viti. The wine with the most pronounced tannic structure, he says, deserves the final say. The vines from which this Barbaresco is made are 80–90 years old. This is not a marketing term – the law does not recognise "Vecchie Viti" – but a simple truth. Over the decades, the roots have learnt to dig through countless layers of calcareous marl, drawing water and minerals from depths that remain inaccessible to younger vines. What they send upwards is more concentrated, more complex and utterly unique. Between 2,000 and 3,000 bottles are produced annually from this selection in the Pajè amphitheatre. The upper part of the vineyard, where the mineral character is most pronounced, goes into the Crichet Pajè – down here, the Vecchie Viti is made. It matures for five years in large wooden casks and concrete tanks before leaving the estate.

Some vineyards are bought. Some are inherited. This one was won at cards. In 1961, a 0.22-hectare plot in the heart of Asili changed hands – the previous owner, so the story goes, had been exceptionally unlucky at cards. Giovanni Roagna had the better hand. Or perhaps he had better luck. The Piedmontese called this site "Asei" in their dialect – one of the historic vineyards south of the village of Barbaresco. The plot lies exactly in the centre of the hill, where Luca Roagna identifies the "most classic" part of the cru. The soil is characterised by calcareous marl interspersed with reddish-yellow veins of sand. The vines, now at least 80 years old, are not tended – they are left to their own devices. Wild grasses cover the ground; Luca does not plough, and the permaculture remains untouched.

1937. Europe was on the brink of disaster, yet someone planted Nebbiolo. These vines still stand today – some on their original roots, protected by calcareous soils in which the phylloxera had never been able to take hold decades earlier. Others were propagated using an ancient technique: a shoot from the mother vine is bent underground, takes root and becomes a vine in its own right. Genetically identical, yet reborn. In this way, the vineyard rejuvenates itself without losing its identity. One and a half hectares within the Pira monopoly position are reserved for these 'veterans'. Antonio Galloni described the 2019 vintage as "one of the most moving, beautiful wines I have ever tasted here" – 99 points for something that is, in truth, beyond rating. For this Barolo is not about power, but about aroma and depth.

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

Back then, a dowry changed everything. In 1929, a triangular plot of land changed hands – not through purchase, but through marriage. Since then, Montefico has belonged to the Roagna family, longer than any other vineyard in their portfolio. Almost a century later, this quarter of a hectare remains the most intimate chapter in their history. In the Piedmontese dialect, this plot is known as "Mont der fi" – the hill over there, towards Neive. The small triangle lies exactly in the centre of the amphitheatre, at 230 metres, overlooking the neighbouring village. The soils, consisting of calcareous marl with a high proportion of active limestone, are among the oldest in Barbaresco – the result of seventy million years of marine sedimentation. The vines, all over 50 years old, are deeply rooted in this history. Of the family's four "Vecchie Viti", Montefico is the one with the most intense bouquet.

The grapes for the profound Le Vigne come from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba (for the power), Villero in Castiglione Falletto (for the precision), Vignane in Barolo (for the purity of the flavours) and Merli in Novello (for the fullness of the fruit). It opens wide with aromas of fresh red fruit and a delicate spicy note. Very intense on the palate, remarkably elegant, fine-grained tannins, extremely clear, structured and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Marco Bacci's Brunello Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 presents itself full and generous on the nose. Cascades of violet and black fruits wash over the senses with black cherry, blackberry jam and smoked tobacco. The opulent overall impression is completed with a hint of bitter almond and suptile notes of smoke and nuts. These give the wine a deep and dark character. Very well structured on the palate and built for a long life with its well-formed acidity-tannin framework. SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna Elena is a Ravera parcel of 1 hectare in size. Just 5,000 bottles of Cogno's famous Riserva come from here every year. The Vigna Elena 2019 has just the right balance between fruit and wood, which is often a real challenge in this category. The rather bright bouquet has red fruits and nuances of truffle, ash, dried citrus peel and pressed flowers. Elegant, brooding and powerful, as only a great Barolo can be, Vigna Elena possesses a wealth of nuances and dimensions from the very first sip. Exotic spice and orange peel notes, followed later by ripe raspberries, mocha and autumn leaves. The Vigna Elena 2019 is an absolute delight. SUPERIORE.DE

Ornellaia has always sought more. More depth in its red wine, more expression of the terroir, more precision in its selection. But at some point, the question arose: what if all this were translated into a white wine? A white wine from Bolgheri, that coastal region which taught the world that Tuscany is more than just Sangiovese? Ornellaia Bianco is the answer. "Italy's most ambitious white wine", according to the estate itself. Not a modest claim. Sauvignon Blanc, exclusively. Three small plots in Bellaria, north-facing – an unusual choice in a Mediterranean climate. The cool aspect protects the aromas, prolongs ripening and preserves the freshness that distinguishes a great white wine from a merely pleasant one. Sandy loam soils on limestone, 130 metres above sea level. 13 hectares of white wine in an estate that focuses on 80 hectares of red.

Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is a fabulous, incredibly complete wine that rises from the glass with an explosive structure and vertical lift. The tannins are very present, but also beautifully matched by the aromatic intensity and overall drive of the wine. Dark macerated cherry, spice, leather, liquorice, plum and mocha add darker nuances. All elements are impeccably balanced. It is quite simply a majestic wine of true greatness and absolute class, but it is not obvious. The true essence of Nebbiolo! SUPERIORE.DE

A monument of wine! Brilliant dark ruby colour. Fresh, silky, elegant - and majestic. Blackberry jam, violets, bittersweet chocolate, plus crushed rock and minerality. An opulent wine with fabulously polished tannins and considerable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

At the time, Marco Dal Forno initially held back his Amarone from the 2016 vintage – he released the 2017 vintage earlier because 2016 was not yet ready. At Dal Forno Romano, the wine determines the schedule. This is all the more true for the large formats: they are released three years after the 0.75-litre bottle – i.e. another three years later than an already later release. What this means for 2016 can be felt in the glass. Created under conditions that demand everything in the Val d'Illasi: three months of appassimento in the well-ventilated drying rooms of the Lodoletta, controlled fermentation in steel tanks with computer-controlled pump-overs, new barriques made from French and American wood, then the large format that requires hours of aeration – that needs hours of aeration before it begins to open.

Elegant and complex: Guado al Tasso with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as impressive 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 cardamom. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with a lot of sweet melting flavour, interwoven, dense tannins, supple and elegant, very long finish. An excellent wine that offers maximum drinking pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

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

When a winery like Siro Pacenti meets a vintage like 2016 – one of the style-defining vintages in the history of modern Brunello –then you can confidently ask yourself what this wine is not yet capable of. Cool nights in September, excellent tannin ripeness, a season that forced no compromises and still gave concentration: 2016 was a year of precision, not abundance. And precision is what Giancarlo Pacenti has stood for for decades. The one and a half hectares of the oldest vines in Pelagrilli – planted at the end of the 1960s, beginning of the 1970s, massively selected, never renewed – yielded grapes of exceptional density and balance in 2016. Double hand-picking, fermentation in steel, 24 months in barrique, then bottle ageing.

Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 2020 is a wine for the ages, which needs 10 to 15 years in the bottle to really mature. Sorì San Lorenzo is often a great, virile wine. The 2020 has a lot of power, but at the same time you also find refinement and certain nuances that Sorì San Lorenzo has rarely, if ever, shown. Black cherry, cloves, menthol, liquorice, gravel and incense are just some of the many aromas and flavours that meld together in this dramatic and dramatically beautiful Barbaresco from the Gaja family. Sorì San Lorenzo 2020 literally explodes on the finish with an abundance of mouth watering aromas, flavours and textures. An outrageously beautiful, vibrant wine with real gravitas and power. SUPERIORE.DE

Guado al Tasso is not only the name of the winery, but also the historical term for a ford in the torrent on the Marchesi Antinori estate. In the Middle Ages, this was the name given to the place where one encountered the "tasso" (badger) while travelling through the water on horse and cart. This poetic place name came to symbolise a wine that combines depth and movement: A Bolgheri Superiore with provenance, history and attitude. Despite the summer heat, the 2022 vintage produced an astonishingly balanced structure. Selective harvest in the best plots between the hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea, fermentation in stainless steel, followed by 18 months of ageing in new French barriques, followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing.

Poggio Antico's noble new addition to the portfolio makes its debut in the very first vintage with the typical class of the winery: precise and with great personality, it shows a lively fruit of outstanding quality, reminiscent of black plums, blackberries, pressed blueberries, plums, wild myrtle, milk chocolate, roasted hazelnuts and a light vanilla note. Citrus undertones and an elegant acid wire slim down the extract sweetness in the best possible way. Full-bodied on the palate, very well polished tannins and a solid, powerful finish that shows both muscle and relaxation. The grapes come from the small vineyard of the same name at over 550 metres above sea level. SUPERIORE.DE

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 plot-by-plot study that would ultimately result in the creation of Tenuta di Biserno. The terroir of these 40 hectares, situated at an altitude of 90 metres, is of exceptional complexity: mainly alluvial and clay-limestone soils, which create the ideal environment for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The varying exposures and the distance from the sea shape the varietal expression so strongly that the decision to create two production lines was inevitable: Biserno – the estate’s most prestigious and representative wine – and Il Pino di Biserno.

While the Barbaresco Costa Russi expresses itself more discreetly with purity and grace, the Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo struts in the front row. It has a firmer texture and is not as timid or restrained as the Costa Russi. The Sorì San Lorenzo site is closest to the warm air currents that flow down the Tanaro river valley, and this vineyard site is always the first to ripen and be harvested. A stronger mineral note can be found here, with iron rust, pencil shavings and potting soil mingling with the primary fruit, revealing an astonishing complexity and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Giovanni Allegrini used to describe his vineyard in a way that no Oenologist would ever use: "The morning sun, dispelling the shadows of the night, awakens nature and gently caresses the grapes." He was proud of this slope – “The wild mountain” – because its eastern exposure ensures that the first light of day hits the grapes before the heat arrives. A consistent ripening, subtle and patient, like everything that aims to be truly good. Fieramonte is the estate’s highest and most demanding vineyard. Corvina Veronese provides the structure and red fruit. Corvinone the body. Rondinella the freshness. And Oseleta – one of the rarest, oldest Veronese grape varieties – almost forgotten, preserved by Allegrini – adds a dark, tannic complexity that no other wine from the appellation possesses to the same degree.

Cerretalto wins in the exceptional 2016 vintage with beautiful, natural complexity and fine oak tones surrounded by cinnamon, clove, chocolate and exotic spices. On the palate, a dark, dense, ripe fruit and firm tannins. Incredibly long and deep with amazingly fresh acidity and fine salinity. For us, the perfect Riserva of this great vintage and made for decades! SUPERIORE.DE