Tuscany Wines

wines

A vibrant example of the region. Very attractive creamy texture, almost like milk chocolate, velvety and sweet. On the palate there is a wild, garrigue type character with oregano and spice, and a leathery, tobacco finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DEC

The Podere Brizio 2019 Brunello is utterly delicious. Made with organically grown grapes, it opens with aromas of new leather, violet and forest berry while the smooth, elegant palate delivers ripe black cherry, spiced blue berry, cinnamon and licorice before a wintergreen finish. Tightly woven, velvety tannins provide enveloping support. It’s already almost accessible and will offer years of pleasure. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOBlack cherry, blackberry, plum, violet and mineral flavors are the hallmarks of this pure, dense and robust red, which is squarely in the fruity camp, yet bumps up against pointed tannins on the finish. The lasting impression is both fruit and tannins, so this should work itself out in a few years. Best from 2027 through 2043. 3,000 cases made, 1,600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe organic Podere Brizio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (in a heavy glass bottle) shows pretty aromas of crushed stone, dried raspberry, redcurrant, cherry cola and blue flower. The elegance and finer qualities of this wine are what stand out most, and you get pretty definition and sharpness along the way. The finish is lean, tonic, lifted and bright. Some 38,000 bottles were made. Great job.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPDark magenta/ruby, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino has a great nose, with concentrated power and purity in its aromas of cedar, fresh black raspberries, lavender, and baking spice. Full-bodied, although it remains linear with an even spine of acidity and refined tannins, it has great mouthwatering lift and a clean, long finish. It’s an impressive offering with a wide drinking window over the next 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCrunchy and blooming red wine, displaying vibrant black cherries, redcurrants and violets, together with fascinating, savory spice notes of cloves and licorice. Medium-bodied and round on the palate with mouthwatering acidity. Chewy yet fine-grained tannins. Lively and flavorful. From organically grown grapes. This will develop nicely with age. Hold until 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a sweet burst of spice and dusty dried flowers. This is racy and sleek with cooling acidity and crisp wild berry fruits. It finishes with medium length while pleasantly chewy sensations and edgy tannins mingle with hints of licorice.Vinous Media | 90 VM

You’ll discover inviting aromas of ripe plum, cake spice, new leather and blue flower on the compelling 2019 Brunello from Molino di Sant’Antimo. Combing richness and finesse, the delicious palate features ripe Morello cherry, black raspberry, star anise and crushed mint set against a backbone of firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it nicely balanced. What a fantastic wine. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KO

The gorgeous 2019 La Gerla Brunello La Pieve opens with balsamic aromas of eucalyptus that mingle with lavender, new leather, tobacco and ripe dark-skinned berry. Smooth to the point of being creamy, it’s also full-bodied and delicious, delivering ripe black plum, raspberry, licorice and nutmeg alongside a backbone of velvety tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it lifted and balanced. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe deep ruby/red 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino La Pieve is generous in its perfume of raspberry coulis, candied roses, sweet Mediterranean herbs, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, it has good concentration, with angular, snappy acidity, ripe tannins, and a long finish. It’s an impressive wine that deserves time in the cellar. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDPlanted in 1997, La Pieve is a single vineyard in Montalcino’s southeast. The estate waited until the vines were a mature 20 years old before releasing this separate bottling, the first release being the 2017 vintage. This 2019 is the finest thus far. As it emerges from its shell, orange, cedar and liquorice bark rise from the glass. Mellowed and understated in its brambly fruit, it focuses its expression on savoury forest and exotic tea nuances. Full, yet nimbly poised and structured with commanding tannins, the finish is elevated by a salty mineral tang.Decanter | 95 DECIn the bottle with the black label, the La Gerla 2019 Brunello di Montalcino La Pieve reveals a 360-degree bouquet with generous fruit, dark currant, petrichor, wet slate and a mix of rosemary and grilled herb. This wine presents a classic Brunello bouquet that dovetails into medium fruit weight and very fine, grippy tannins. Production is limited to 6,320 bottles this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino La Pieve opens with a mentholated freshness, blending dust rose with crushed stones and dried cherries. This displays silky textures contrasted by cooling acidity and minerals as tart red fruits slowly saturate. The 2019 leaves the palate caked in edgy tannins as it takes on a balsamic tinge and traces of clove slowly fade. La Pieve displays a classic feel yet also a hulking structural core. Bury your bottles deep.Vinous Media | 94 VMWith intensity to the cherry, strawberry and raspberry fruit, this red is shaded with elements of tobacco, earth and wild herbs. Dusty tannins and lively acidity provide support, while a mineral component gathers steam on the salty, lingering finish. Best from 2026 through 2043. 1,167 cases made, 740 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAromas of cherries, mushrooms and bark with some nutmeg. The palate shows plum, peach skin and citrus with some cedar. Medium body. Medium finish. Drink in a year or two.James Suckling | 91 JS

The certified organic Col d’Orcia 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows ripe fruit, blackberry, earthy notes, licorice and, generally speaking, a much bigger and riper fruit profile compared to its peers. It offers full-bodied Brunello opulence to enjoy over the near or medium term, and the wine delivers dried fruit flavors of prune and fig to close. The tannins are velvety and add to the richness of the rather upfront and immediate mouthfeel. An ample 250,000 bottles were created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis tightly packed version is resonant and persistent, with fine integration of all its components, despite being compact and austere today, revealing cherry, raspberry, rose, earth and mineral flavors. Give this the benefit of the doubt. Best from 2026 through 2042. 20,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The Salicutti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione shows macerated aromas of cherry skin with a punchy, almost carbonic-adjacent quality that gives vibrancy and energy to the bouquet. Fruit comes from a site with lots of rocks and rich limestone soils. The bouquet starts off with tart pomegranate or rainier cherry, delivered with pinpoint directness, and then opens to embrace softer tones of underbrush, toasted fennel seed and cumin. The oak is almost invisible, although you do feel the enriched texture and the wine’s powdery tannins. The wine ends on a glossy note, but ultimately those tannins do stick around and you feel them for a long while.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPAlso expressive, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Piaggione is ruby with a magenta tinge and offers notes of raspberry liqueur, violets, and polished wood spices. Refined with fine tannins and a very balanced texture, it’s velvety and has a long finish. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDCamphor, dark culinary spice, fragrant purple flower and a whiff of forest floor greet the nose on the compelling 2019 Salicutti Piaggione. It’s full-bodied and loaded with finesse, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, licorice, almond liqueur and blood orange before an almost salty finish. Polished tannins keep it smooth. A fantastic wine. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThe Piaggione vineyard is characteristic of southeast Montalcino. Rising steeply from 380 to 450 metres, it is bathed in the morning sun and caressed by winds from Monte Amiata. As it tends to give the estate’s most muscular wines, it was typically bottled as a Riserva before the estate changed hands. This 2019 is deceptively easygoing at first, with very lifted lavender and violet aromas that echo on the sweet-fruited palate. With time in the glass, however, its serious side is revealed as balsamic herbs and earthy undertones join the floral top notes. The palate tightens up as brisk acidity accentuates the dense, chewy tannins, and stony minerals build through the dark cherry core.Decanter | 95 DECPeppery roses and lavender slowly give way to crushed wild berries and tangerine as the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione dazzles the senses. This is a model of purity, with racy acidity and cool-toned minerality setting the stage for its crisp red and blue fruits. A web of fine-grained tannins slowly saturates the palate. The 2019 finishes classically dry and firm while leaving tart raspberry and licorice to linger. There’s an exoticism to the 2019 Piaggione that I find wildly attractive.Vinous Media | 94 VMAl-dente fruit comes through on the nose, with fresh cherries and flowers, following through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins. Tight and focused with spices, stones and berries at the end. A little reductive. Built for aging. From organically grown grapes. Needs three or four years to open and come around. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JS

This is a gorgeous vintage that continues to flesh out beautifully. I added an extra point to my score since the last time I tasted the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda in order to underline the great potential of this vintage. This wine could legally be a Bolgheri Superiore, but Angelo Gaja prefers not to use qualifying wine terms such as Superiore, Classico or Riserva in his various wine projects spanning from Piedmont to Tuscany to Etna. Semantics aside, this is a gorgeous wine—one of the best made at Ca’ Marcanda for sure—with impressive intensity and balance. Dark fruit and blackberry are contrasted against spice, tobacco, grilled rosemary and Mediterranean bramble. The 2019 vintage saw favorable weather conditions and "just the right amount of rain," Gaja says.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPCa’ Marcanda is officially a Bolgheri DOC, not a Superiore, but it is handled as if it were the latter. The blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc (there has been no Merlot since 2015) - a small percentage whole-bunch - is aged in oak (10% new) for 18 months. Volume and vibrancy distinguishes this 2019. It’s super-floral on the nose, with a graceful violet aroma, restrained cassis, a smorgasbord of Mediterranean herbs, the leafy eucalyptus typical of Bolgheri, and savoury chocolate and tobacco. The attack is full, with refined crunchy tannins and brilliant acidity. An enticing wine worth waiting for. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 96 DECThis verges on thick yet remains balanced and vibrant, courtesy of the lively acidity. Boasts blackberry, dark plum and blueberry flavors framed by tar and toasty oak. The finish is both dense and clean, with a hint of licorice. Excellent length and potential. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,500 cases made, 225 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA very beautiful young red with blackcurrant, fresh herb and hints of cedar and smoke. It’s full-bodied yet very polished and refined with a lovely texture. Extremely long and graceful. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Camarcanda is a very good example of how much the wines have changed here. Medium in body with good depth, the 2019 Camarcanda is a tightly wound wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its best. Dark cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice build nicely, with pretty floral and mineral accents that liven up the finish. The 2019 is classy, elegant and polished. Give it a few years, as the tannins are pretty intense today, but this softens nicely with air.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AG

A stellar wine, the 2020 Grattamacco is dark, vibrant and nuanced to the core. Black fruit, lavender, spice, leather, menthol and dried herbs infuse the 2020 with tons of character and complexity. Deep yet also wonderfully translucent, the 2020 is one of the most finessed Grattamaccos I can remember tasting. There’s incredible depth and resonance here, not to mention tons of personality.Vinous Media | 97 VMNext up is the 2020 Grattamacco, which really takes things up a notch. A deep ruby red, it offers decadent and harmoniously layered aromas of pristine oak spice, fresh leather, mossy earth, tobacco, and kirsch. Full-bodied and refined, it has a velvety texture, plush tannins, even acidity, and a long finish. This demands to be cellared and will continue to improve if adequately stored over the next two decades and likely beyond. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD‘This vintage gifted generous fruit with excellent, crisp acidities, alongside clean-edged balsam and pungent Mediterranean scrub,’ said winemaker, Luca Marrone. The grapes are hand-harvested in vineyards with an average age of 25 years. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in 7hl oak vats with a frequent and gentle manual pigeage, enabling long macerations and slow release of only fully ripe and noble tannins. This wine was aged for 18 months in oak barrels and bottled in August 2022. Restrained cassis and Mediterranean herb scents are allied to fresher red fruits and a floral touch. It’s very well composed, demonstrating an elegant and juicy style with great integration of oak and youthful, chewy fruit. A Bolgheri to wait for – this is intended for the long haul.Decanter | 96 DECA nose that is luxuriously fruity also has undertones of salt, flint and herbs providing balance. The palate runs wild with fruit but simultaneously offers notes of dark chocolate and a subtle spiciness to keep things lively. Tannins are chalky and resilient, and persistent acidity holds up a long finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEAromatic nose of blackcurrants, berries and cherries, together with hints of flowers and smooth oak. Full-bodied with a super-clean and intense bead of fruit running through the lightly firm tannins to give a long, only lightly abrasive finish. From organically grown grapes. A classy, well-structured blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis 2021 Grattamacco Bolgheri Rosso has a natural harmony and balance that is hard to beat. There is more of a range of delicate aromas on the nose, not just simply fruit or oak spice but little floral notes that come and go, a little hint of crushed rose petal or wild iris as well as bright cherry aromas and a very gentle background spice of oak. The nose is persistent and reveals layers of flowers and fruit, becoming more interesting in the glass. On the palate there is such a beautiful texture and weight and a real silkiness but without heaviness. The tannins are beautifully refined and harmonized within the wine and there is a cleansing sweep of refreshing acidity on the finish. This wine has a beautiful harmony to it. Supremely refined but with a strong sense of identity.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIElegant and linear in profile, this red boasts cherry, black currant, mineral, earth and Mediterranean scrub aromas and flavors. There’s fine tension and freshness, with a long, resonant aftertaste. Needs time. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2042. 5,400 cases made, 430 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSMouthwatering acidity and taut, grippy tannins provide an appealing structure for this wine’s juicy blackberry and blackcurrant flavors. Scents of lavender and notes of tobacco and black pepper add complexity to the lively purple fruit tones. Beautifully balanced and energetic, this wine is a versatile partner at the table and an excellent introduction to the wines of Bolgheri.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 92 W&S

The 2021 Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso, Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato wine takes a while to open but when it does it is redolent with a range of aromas from a sun-dried fruit, buttered popcorn, blackberry, nuts and vanilla. On the palate the fruit and oak are well matched and combine to produce a smooth, creamy and well-integrated feel. It is well balanced with a lovely, juicy freshness on the finish and a knot of fine-textured, savory tannins. On standing the aromas become more bitter cherry combined with very ripe dried cranberry.The Wine Independent | 92 TWIThis is bursting with black currant, cherry and blueberry fruit, showing graphite, licorice and tobacco accents. Fresh and balanced, this lingers on the firm finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Drink now through 2028. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

An opaque purple blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, the 2022 Il Bruciato is luxurious with notes of blackberry liqueur and some blue fruit coming through along with notes of violets, olive, and black licorice. Full-bodied, with a weightless and seamless feel, it has no harsh edges and offers ripe tannins with a supple texture, fresh acidity, and clean ripeness through a rather long finish. This gorgeous wine checks a lot of boxes and is drinking beautifully now. It offers a lot of finesse as well as a wide drinking window. Drink 2024-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe popular Marchesi Antinori 2022 Bolgheri Rosso Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that offers generous black fruit, prune, black plum, spice and light toast. The wine tapers down to mid-weight texture on the palate, and this little pause in intensity happily serves to elevate its food-friendly appeal. This hot vintage reveals ripe fruit characteristics with soft tannins and an accessible style available over an ample 750,000-bottle production.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP