Italy

100% Nebbiolo. When young, it features a fragrance which is wonderfully spontaneous and full of surprise: in its bouquet, colour, and generous, velvety body this Langhe Nebbiolo brings out all the typical qualities of the magnificent vineyards it is made from. Later in life its colour becomes garnet-red with strong orange shades, and its nose deepens, with traces of withered flowers, such as roses and, above-all, geraniums. Its warm, soft, well-bodied flavour is velvety and well-balanced, lingering in the mouth Red fruit, bright, spicy, perfumed, some new leather in the mix. Medium bodied, light rasp of tannin, fresh fruit, autumnal notes,...

Wine Spectator 91 points. The color is ruby red, with garnet reflexes. The bouquet is rich in berry fruit like cherry, blackberry, and plum, with clear hints of spices like cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Soft and sweet tannins blend in the mouth with an intense fruit sensation. The acidity, well balanced with tannins, gives feelings of freshness that make it long lasting.  

Wine Spectator 95 points. Rich and harmonious, despite the youthful exuberance of the tannins. Offers generous floral, cherry, strawberry, tar and mineral aromas and flavors, with the fruit matching the tannins step for step on the finish. Delivers excellent balance and length.

WA 92 The 2013 Barolo Serralunga d'Alba is a wine of heft and power. This is a site-specific expression that reflects the darker colors, aromatic intensity and firmer tannic structure that can be achieved specifically in this township. The wine impresses for its focus and finesse. A greater percentage of barrique is used because the fruit had the dense fiber and broad shoulders to support that extra oak. Serralunga d'Alba became its own Barolo sub zone in 1988. Like the many vintages made since then, this wine makes a bold statement on the unique qualities that define this celebrated Barolo sub zone.ML July 2017.  ...

Tasting notes The colour is ruby-red with violet highlights. Very intense, vinous fruity nose which is very nice and lingering. Its pleasantly dry, robust taste is well-balanced and velvety, with a marked almondy aftertaste. Pairings It is excellent served with hot starters, pasta dishes, vegetables and not over-elaborate meats.   "Proprieta in FF" 

Resulting from a small vineyard located in the heart of the municipality of Serralunga d’Alba, covering an area of 5646 square meters, the harvested grapes, once delivered to the cellars, underwent destemming, initiating the fermentation phase in temperature-controlled steel tanks. Shortly after the sugars were completely fermented, racking took place, and the wine was laid down in an oak barrel where it rested for a period of 30 months. Subsequently, the aging continued in the bottle for 8 months before commercialization. DOCTOR WINE 91 points. "Finally a bottle from this vintage that doesn’t disappoint me. Well, I’m...

Wine Enthusiast 90 points. There is power in this wine, with its tarry black-fruit aromas. Rich and dark, with solid, dry tannins, there are still generous fruit flavors that will make it accessible over the next five years.

James Suckling 95 points. "A gorgeous, sexy Barolo with chocolate, vanilla and dried fruits. Full body with soft, round tannins. This is voluptuous. Drink now." WA 91 The 2000 Barolo La Rosa presents the characteristic rose petal and dried roses nose of fine Nebbiolo along with some fragrant and elegant notes of incense and wild cherries. Richer and more powerful than La Villa, it is also more fully endowed with the tar and truffle flavors so typical of Barolo from Serralunga d’Alba.   "Proprieta in FF" 

WA 91 The 2005 Barolo La Rosa is a graceful, floral wine laced with perfumed red fruit, roses, sweet spices and minerals. The La Rosa possesses gorgeous textural richness in a soft, approachable style, with a long, refined finish that rounds things out. Today the wine comes across as quite primary, but with some additional time in bottle it should develop additional tertiary nuance. The tannins gain on the finish in this deceptively medium- bodied Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. AG Oct 2009.   "Proprieta in FF" 

WA 93. The Vigna la Rosa is located behind the gardens beyond the central cluster of buildings that make up the stunningly beautiful Fontanafredda estate. The 2013 Barolo Vigna la Rosa offers firm structure and elegance, that stylistically speaking pegs the wine closer to the more robust Serralunga d'Alba identity. This wine is aged in a combination of barrique and large oak casks. The bouquet is redolent of dark fruit and spice and there is a distant hint of roasted chestnut on the finish. It offers staying power and strength. ML Jul 2017.   "Proprieta in FF" 

Wine Advocate 91-93 points.   "The huge, 240-acre estate of Fontanafredda has suddenly won a new lease on life after lying almost dormant for several years. This is the second vintage produced under new management, and the style is open and accessible, but still powerful. There is pure ripe fruit on the nose, flavors of black figs and wild strawberries and dry tannins, which still do not dominate the fruit." -  90/100 ,  Wine Enthusiast.

Wine Advocate 91 points.   Producer Notes Barolo with a ruby red color, with garnet reflections. The scent is broad, gentle, but intense, with clear hints of dried rose, violet, tobacco, undergrowth and light vanilla. In the mouth the texture of tannins is dense and full: the entrance is soft, almost velvety and then explodes into a sensation of fruit well balanced by acid freshness. The aftertaste is very long and rich in flavor.    

Wine Enthusiast 95 points. "Floral aromas of rose and iris mingle with bright red berry and mint on this fragrant, elegantly structured red. All about finesse, the vibrant palate features red cherry, pomegranate, star anise and cinnamon alongside smooth, silky tannins. Bright acidity provides balance and energy. It's already showing beautifully but will age well for years. Drink 2023–2033. Kerin O’Keefe" -  95/100 ,  Wine Enthusiast."

Wine Enthusiast 94 points. Always one of the most elegant bottlings from Serralunga, thanks to the higher sand content in the vineyard's soil, this opens with enticing scents of pressed rose, fragrant blue flowers, pipe tobacco and a whiff of camphor. Linear, structured and loaded with finesse, the palate evokes sour cherry, cranberry compote, cinnamon and licorice while tightly knit but extremely refined tannins provide support. Drink 2022–2030. Wine Advocate 92 points The 2015 Barolo Fontanafredda Vigna la Rosa is one of the better Barolos from Fontanafredda, with a big, dark color and a soft and velvety entrance to the palate....

Wine Spectator 96 points. On the savory side, this red opens with freshly mowed grass, hay and eucalyptus aromas before revealing cherry, strawberry, rose and mineral flavors. Fleshy, with a matrix of dense tannins flexing their muscles on the finish. Shows excellent potential. Best from 2023 through 2042. Wine Enthusiast 95 points. The Vigna La Rosa Barolo is harmonious, well-rounded and elegant in taste; it’s very fine and delicate bouquet is reminiscent of faded roses and, with the ageing process, tends to acquire a pronounced earthy style but with a velvety sort of taste. Decanter World Wine awards, Platinum Medal/ 97 points.

Wine Advocate 92 points. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, this is the most structured and ultimately my favorite wine in this grouping from Fontanafredda. The 2017 Barolo Fontanafredda Vigna la Rosa shows a soft and glossy quality of fruit, with wild berry, cassis, tar, licorice and tarry smoke. You sense more power and concentration here, with mineral notes of iron and dusty earth. Give this wine a few more years to flesh out and take on additional volume. Some 12,000 bottles were made. ML Jun 2021.   "Proprieta in FF" 

WA 92. The 2001 Barolo Lazzarito was made in the same over, opulent style as the other 2001s, but now, after the passage of time, it is the vineyard’s distinct signature that has taken center stage. Black cherries, plums, licorice, tar and smoke are some of the many notes that flow from this huge, muscular 2001. If anything, the 2001 needs more is time. Subtle overtones of mint, flowers and spices add the final layers of complexity. This is another great showing. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2026. AG Apr 2012.   "Proprieta in FF" 

WA 93. The 2000 Barolo Lazzarito La Delizia, from one of the appellation’s most famous vineyards, is the most powerful, intense, and sustained wine of the series. The tar, truffles, and floral sensations are all present and all fully expressed in a dense, lengthy, and concentrated format. Slightly backward at the moment, it will provide much drinking pleasure from 2005 to 2020. DT Aug 2005.   "Proprieta in FF" 

3 Bicchieri Gambero Rosso. WA 92. The 2004 Barolo Lazzarito Vigna La Delizia offers up scents of tar, smoke, spices, plums, licorice and tobacco on a mid-weight frame. The wine offers plenty of length and complexity in a relatively accessible, harmonious style. With time in the glass pretty notes of roses emerge adding further complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022. AG Oct 2009.   "Proprieta in FF" 

This is also made using the Appassimento method, an ancient Italian tradition of naturally drying the bunches with the resultant raisined grapes producing a greater concentration of flavours and a rich, ripe and luscious wine exuding ripe dark blackberry, brighter blueberry as well as hints of licorice and cherry. This is a classic rendition of Salento Primitivo.98 Points by Luca Maroni; Annuario Dei Migliori Vini Italiani 2021 (Best Italian Wines Annual).  

James Suckling 96 points. "There’s a unique floral and herbal edge to this, in the form of peppercorns, aniseed, licorice and five spice; wait for this to open up in the glass (decanting suggested), and along comes a cohort of dark fruit in the form of dark plums, mulberries and blackcurrants. Dense and flavorful, yet wild and pretty tannins envelop the mouth, coating layers of dark fruit and painting them in colorful hues. It’s full-bodied and full-throttle, but its beauty is understated and the acidity and fruit are playful and subtle." JS The wine "Terra di Lavoro" takes its name from the province of the...

WINE ADVOCATE 95 POINTS - "Carlo Ferrini's Giodo 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is plush and softly layered, and the wine has plenty of fiber and cherry to absorb the power that comes naturally to this vintage. This is Carlo's seventh leaf (or vintage) of Brunello from his family-run estate, and it's nice to reflect on the consistency of style and quality achieved since this new venture emerged. Giodo has the advantage of coming onto the scene when international regard and understanding for Brunello was highest (think back to the excellent 2010 vintage). Carlo has not disappointed. He brings us a modern, forward-thinking wine...

This Rosso di Montepulciano from Il Conventino is able to best enhance the strong union between the Tuscan winemaking tradition and the modern winemaking methods of organic farming. Here the native grapes prove, once again, that they can give wines of the highest quality that speak of passion, belonging and innovation. Vinified in steel vats, aged first in Slavonian oak barrels and then for 3 months in the bottle, this full-bodied wine surprises for its very pleasant nose and marked freshness: you can appreciate every sip. Ruby red color. On the olfactory analysis the fruity scents of plum and blackberry predominate; then follow aromas of...

This is an intriguing experiment that places the estate benchmark wine (24 months  in large Slovenian barrels) into a stone amphora for a further 6 months of maturation. Try one side by side with the barrel aged version. There is a remarkable difference. Only 6000 bottles produced.

Wine Enthusiast 92 points. New leather, wild berry, camphor and dark spice aromas lead the nose along with a whiff of game. Made with 85% Sangiovese and 15% Canaiolo and Colorino, the linear, understatedly elegant palate shows Marasca cherry, licorice, dried sage and ground clove. Fine-grained tannins and bright acidity provide support. Kerin O’Keefe. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano de Il Coventino comes from vineyards rooted on clayey and tuffaceous soils at 400 meters above sea level, a peculiarity that inevitably marks this wine, making it memorable from the first sip. Vinified in steel tanks and then aged for 24 months in...

Wine Enthusiast 92 points. 2 Bicchieri Gambero Rosso. The Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva is an intense wine with a great structure; aged for 30 months in oak barrels and for another 6 in barrique, conquers the nose and palate. Complex in aromas and enveloping at the sip, it is a wine that does not hide its typicality and the strong link with the territory of origin. Surprising for its balance and pleasant freshness. Intense ruby ​​red color. The nose is dominated by hints of plum and cherry jam; followed by the delicate tones of violet and the more decisive ones of spices. Enveloping, soft, with a very pleasant freshness and great...

BEST VALUE ITALIAN RED, VERONELLI GUIDE 2019. (2017 and 2019 vintage) TOP 100 WINERIES OF THE WORLD, WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE.    James Suckling 93 points. This wine does not see appassimento, but like all Ripasso, the Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore I Progni is refermented on the air-dried skins left over from Amarone. Ripasso is an ancient wine making technique used for centuries in Valpolicella, the second fermentation is on the sweet, locally dried grapes. Made with grapes sourced from a single vineyard in Valpolicella Classica, called I Progni. The blend is 70% Corvina and Corvinone, with 30% Rondinella and...

TOP 100 WINERIES OF THE WORLD....WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE. Veronelli...."Always among the very best Amarone and red wines in Italy." Le Salette is a small, family owned producer in the Valpolicella region of Veneto. Their 20 hectares of vines are now producing some of the very best amarones in the market, and this quality runs through their whole range. Like their other wines, their main Amarone shows such layered intensity, creaminess, and elegance. Controlled, harmonious black currants, black berries, with remarkably well balanced power throughout. Luxurious from start to finish. Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Croatina and...

LA MAREGA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG  ​ La Marega is one of our best vineyards, located in Fumane (Valpolicella Classica) with a great sun exposure and change of temperatures between night and day.  La Marega is made with the natural and ancient drying process technique.  It’s an intense, powerful wine with an excellent minerality. Alcohol Content: 15,5%  Grape Varieties: 70% Corvina and Corvinone; 30% Rondinella, Oseleta and Dindarella  Vineyards: La Marega vineyard, located in Fumane, in the heart of Valpolicella Classica Wine Making: Careful selection of grapes...

WINERY NOTE: ​Le Traversagne is our dessert wine easy to pair with a variety of desserts. Perfect balance of sweetness and minerality. Alcohol Content: 13% Grape Varieties: 60% Corvina and Corvinone; 40% Rondinella,   Croatina and Oseleta Vineyards: Selection of the best grapes from or vineyards in Valpolicella Classica Wine Making: Selection of the best grapes during manual harvest, followed by natural drying process for approximately 5/6 months in wooden cases. Vine Training: Pergola Ageing: 24 months in cement tanks and 6 months in bottle. Could be enjoyed for over 15 years Pairing: Dry pastries, almond, hazelnut cake, cookies,...

This is just simply an extraordinary wine. Always one of the very best amarones, year after year. Awards (so far): LUCA MARONI, GUIDE TO ITALY'S BEST WINES 2021, 97 POINTS AND BEST RED. BIBENDA 2021 5 STARS (TOP AWARD) VINBUONI D'ITALIA GUIDE 2021, 4 CROWNS (TOP AWARD) AND TROPHY, CONSUMER TOP CHOICE. VERONELLI GUIDE 2021, 95 POINTS. FALSTAFF, 95 POINTS.

70% Corvina and Corvinone; 30% Rondinella, Croatina and Molinara. Light ruby in color, the nose has copious smoky mineral, a touch of fresh tobacco and cherry scent. Light medium in body, with a broad mouth feel and good acidity, fine tannins provide very good structure and focus. The flavours are slightly herbaceous and very savoury, with a great deal of saliva-inducing mineral. The finish is well balanced, firm and reserved, and has very good length.

Winemaker Notes Luce Brunello shows an intense ruby red color. The nose is complex and fragrant, with notes of ripe red fruit, supported by pleasant sensations of blond tobacco and exotic spices. In the mouth, the wine is harmonious, rich and highly structured, with silky tannins that together with freshness give a very long persistence. A sophisticated and powerful wine.  

James Suckling: 99 Points Sophisticated aromas of lead pencil, graphite and blackcurrant. Hints of black olives and herbs, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and deep, with super precision and intensity to the tannins. Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this. Give it time in the cellar. Better after 2027. 

James Suckling 97 points.   Winemaker Notes Intense ruby red in color, Luce 2020 stands out on the nose for its complexity and elegance, characterized by ripe black fruits, particularly blackberry and mulberry, which are joined by hints of cocoa and sweet spices. On the palate it is harmonious, lively, with excellent structure, balanced by vibrant acidity and soft, silky tannins that give an elegant finish with great persistence.

Wine Advocate 91 points.   The second wine from Tenuta Luce, a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese, is the result of a selection of the portions of the vineyard most suited to the production of a very pleasurable wine with a fruity profile. The wine is an intense and bright red color. The nose opens with intense fruity hints of blackberry, plum and currant, enriched by toasted and vanilla nuances. On the palate it is full and enveloping, soft and elegant, with a persistent finish that displays a pleasantly sweet and fruity aftertaste.

James Suckling: 96 Points The freshness and the floral aromas with citrus fruit and berries are startling for a 2017. The palate is full and extremely refined with elegant tannins and vivid fruit and orange-peel undertones. Racy and bright at the finish. Drink or hold. Decanter: 95 Points March 19th 2020 was the 25th anniversary of Luce, a relatively young project founded by the Mondavi and Frescobaldi families in Montalcino. Despite the obvious cancellation of the event, the 2017 vintage celebrates this birthday properly. Luce is one of the few Super Tuscans of Montalcino. Compared to Brunello it is blended with Merlot adding suppleness and...

This has a complex array of blackberries, black cherries, cocoa, dried herbs, slate, tobacco, olives and charred bark. Some dried roses and iodine, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm yet refined tannins. Powerful, in an understated way. Long. 73% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 20% sangiovese. Try in 2025. - James Suckling , 98 points. Love the depth and restrained power on display here. Made for leisurely drinking over a few hours. Cocoa powder, liqourice, blueberry, smoked herbs and raspberry fruits. Tannins have texture and grip, highlighting a lemongrass and slate roughness to the finish, all given definition by a fennel,...

James Suckling 90 points. Wine Enthusiast 90 points. Ripe cherries and plums on the nose and palate, together with enriching floral notes. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and a tight framework of light but firm tannin, giving a crisp feel to the finish. Drink now. JS.   WINERY NOTES: Barbera is a grape varietal indigenous to Piedmont and it’s one of the most important ones from this region. Valmorena is our most authentic and traditional interpretation of Barbera wine. Thanks to the vinification and maturation carried out in stainless steel vats and partially in oak casks, Valmorena preserves all the natural freshness and...

WINERY NOTES: Blend of Pinot Noir 60% and Barbera 40%, aged in neutral oak barrels for 8-12 months. Rollone is a blend of Barbera and Pinot Noir, grown in our vineyards in Rocchetta Tanaro. The idea of ​​this blend is to create a balanced and harmonious wine that combines the elegance and aromas of Pinot Noir with the structure and depth of Barbera. Rollone is an immediately pleasant wine, versatile in combinations and also perfect as an aperitif wine. Tasting notes Color: intense ruby ​​red. Aromatic Profile: fruity and floral, there are small red fruits, notes of jasmine and gardenia. Development of tertiary aromas with bottle...

James Suckling 92 points. Dallalto it is an excellent example of traditional Barolo aged in large oak casks. The Nebbiolo grapes used for this Barolo come from some of the most suitable areas around Alba (Serralunga, Verduno), carefully selected and vinified to produce a wine of great quality and personality. We chose a traditionally vinified Barolo (in large oak casks, with capacities ranging from 20 to 100 hl), therefore with a non-prevaricating use of wood and at the same time capable of structuring the wine with velvety tannins. Alcohol: 13.5-15% Tasting notes ​ Color: ruby ​​red, with typical garnet reflections. ​ Aromatic...

Wine Enthusiast 92 points. VALMORENA BARBERA D’ASTI DOCG ​ Made with Barbera grapes Barbera is a grape varietal indigenous to Piedmont and it’s one of the most important ones from this region. Valmorena is our most authentic and traditional interpretation of Barbera wine. Thanks to the vinification and maturation carried out in stainless steel vats and partially in oak casks, Valmorena preserves all the natural freshness and fruitiness of the varietal, showing at the same time great depth and persistence. Alcohol: 13-14.5% Tasting notes ​ Color: very intense ruby ​​red with purple reflections. ​ Aromatic Profile: very...

WINERY NOTES: The Colli di Conegliano terroir is a kaleidoscope of stunning panoramas. From the rolling hills to the more defined lines of the countryside via the rigid rows of vines and the Pre-Alps, this is a land of extraordinary beauty, defined by the presence of man, who has brought art and history to the area since Roman times. It is here that one of Masottina’s most prestigious wines is created: Montesco. The perfect fusion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a small percentage of the autochthonous Marzemino grape, Montesco is characterised by the complexity and richness of its bouquet, which invokes the scents of...

The luscious, rich and ripe Italian. Awarded 99 Points by Italian wine guru Luca Maroni, not once (2017), not twice (2018) but three in a row with the Masso Antico 2019.  Maroni publishes a much sought after Best Italian Wines Annual (Annuario Dei Migliori Vini Italiani).  Known in Australia and the US as Zinfandel, this Primitivo is at home in Puglia's warmth. This is made using dried, concentrated grapes, in the same way as Amarone. The resultant wine is rich, ripe, bright, luscious and laden with roasted plum, black cherries, vanilla and sweet spice. It will continue to develop over the next 5 to 6 years....

Jane Anson 97 points. 80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is savoury, dry in the best possible way, with a ton of red fruits, dried roses and herbs, and waves of fragrance. It’s a successful blend where the Sangiovese is dominant, conferring the wine with its warm personality but the Cabernet Sauvignon adds a touch of austerity to the tannins and a sense of quiet confidence. Turmeric and olive tapenade as it opens, alongside raspberry, red cherry and smoky oak, the whole thing both extremely delicate and intensely fragrant. Can drink now with a short carafe - there are tannins here but they are well defined and finely layered...

James Suckling 94 points. The Mazzei family has been making wine since 1435. The Concerto wine was first produced in 1981. It is a blend of 90% old vine sangiovese and !0% cabernet sauvignon, with the vines dating back to the 1930's. A splendid blend with perfect balance. Wine Advocate (93-95) points. I tasted this 80-20 blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon as a barrel sample. The Mazzei 2018 Concerto di Fonterutoli offers an authentic Tuscan character with the robust personality and fruit weight to pair with a classic T-bone bistecca alla Fiorentina. Concerto is fleshy and succulent with black cherry, plum, cardamom spice and...

96 points, jamessuckling.com, July 2022 An extremely aromatic red with currants, flowers and spices, following through to a full-bodied yet so crunchy and juicy palate with crushed blackberries and raspberries. Citrusy acidity. Bright and agile. Drink or hold. DC 95 Decanter, August 2022 This Toscana IGT from Chianti Classico stalwart Fonterutoli is a blend of 80% tonneaux-aged Sangiovese and 20% barrique-aged Cabernet Sauvignon, both matured for 18 months. Tobacco and cedar-laced black fruit aromas lead to a bright and concentrated palate full of focused red and black fruits, showing great balance and structure for long ageing. A finish of...

James Suckling 98 points. "This is a really racy and fine Siepi with currant, black-cherry and dark-chocolate character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with very long, intense tannins that are linear and fine-textured. Really builds on the palate. Super structure. Finesse with power." Castello di Fonterutoli owned by Mazzei family since 1435, has always been a model farm, still managed today with the same kind of respect. Siepi results of the foresight in the early 1980s to plant Merlot as the ideal grape to complement Sangiovese and to produce a wine which is perfectly balanced between elegance, power and complexity. The 2019...

DC 98 Decanter, July 2022 Dried herbs and sweet spices on the nose, forest notes with bramble fruits, concentrated and expressive. Such a smooth delivery on the palate, tannins glide across the tongue giving the sweet strawberry, raspberry and plum fruit time to expand in the mouth as the acidity gives a mouthwatering aspect. This is very much on the lively and vibrant fruit - shouting loudly about its energy. Feels extremely well made, clear definition, finesse and balance. Such a gorgeous fruit profile, the high-toned strawberry and cherry, bright and piercing, yet also round and generous with tobacco and wood nuances. Ample tannins are...