“This has a darker, denser profile compared to Costa Russi's cool fragrance: scents of red and black cherry, pomegranate and raspberry accompany ripe, intense and fragrant dark cherry flavours, with some chocolate and wood notes. There's lovely freshness to provide balance, while the long, vibrant cherry finish is rounder and creamier than Costa Russi.”

“The closest of Gaja's three crus to the Tanaro river, the vineyard is more humid and temperatures in the summer are mild. ‘Nebbiolo loves humidity,’ asserted Gaia Gaja, who pointed out that the higher limestone content in the soils here results in thicker skins, giving better resistance to mildew and also resulting in more tannins in the wine. The textural tannins are immediately obvious in this 2020, supporting delicate, fragrant and sapid dark forest fruits, overlaid with scents of dried cherry and earth."

“Creamy in texture yet vibrant in racy acidity, this medium-bodied wine is balanced to a tee and ready to enjoy now or saved for the short term. Offers tangy lemon zest, crisp green apple and delicate lactic accents along with mild oak spices.”

“Serious, well-driven and succulent, with forest berries, dried herbs, crushed stone and baking spices. It’s medium-bodied with bright acidity. Intense and lively with plenty of verve and vitality. Sharp and focused with a long finish."

“Opulent but also elegant, this wine is relatively light in body yet creamy and ethereal in texture. Meyer lemons, meringue and vanilla bean flavors are layered lightly and lifted by energizing acidity. Very long and tasty in the finish.”

"A rich, vibrant sweetie that drapes the palate in a lush swathe of steeped Earl Grey tea leaf, mango lassi and baked peach flavors, with accents of pain d'épices, grilled Macadamia nut, candied ginger, white pepper and masala spices. Lip-smacking acidity reins in this rich explosion of flavor and texture, with a pinpoint, graceful precision to the balance. Long and expressive."

“Wow, hauntingly dark and earthy yet in the best possible way, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva La Storica entices with an array of mentholated herbs and earth tones, tobacco, steeped plums and exotic spice. This is elegance personified with cooling minerality and bright acidity that adds an abundance of energy as crisp red fruits flow across the palate with ease. It finishes remarkably fresh yet leaves a saturation of primary fruits as rosy inner florals and hints of blood orange fade."

“The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is gorgeous, floral and finessed, wafting up with a classic Sangiovese profile blending dried rose and black cherries, complicated by dusty earth, worn leather and hints of cedar spice. This shows a beautiful ripeness of fruit, pure and lifted yet potent, with masses of red, wild berries and inner florals that cascade across a core of zesty acidity. This finishes long and staining with regal tannins and a tart cranberry tinge that lingers on and on."

“Its ruby/plum hue is followed by a gorgeous nose of red and black fruits, smoked meat, bay leaf, herbes de Provence, camphor, and sandalwood-like nuances. I love its complexity, it's medium to full-bodied, and it has a seamless mouthfeel and ultra-fine tannins. It's another remarkable wine from this brilliant team that I wish every reader could taste. It's drinking perfectly today yet will evolve nicely over the coming decade.”

"Expressive and mouthwatering, with firm yuzu, mango and lime flavors that mingle well with herbal accents of lemon verbena, lemon thyme and fresh ginger root. Notes of green tea linger on the finish."

“The Brajkovich family's single-vineyard Chardonnays always overdeliver, but the Estate blend offers exceptional value and benchmark quality. The 2022 vintage is the current release, but seek out this 2021 – a lower-yielding year whose concentration, creamy texture and smoky lemon myrtle flavours, offset by preserved lemon acidity, set it apart. Perfect with crispy-skinned chicken – or just the roast veg.”

“A youthful ruby red color, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Spuntali is a little shy at first before coaxing open to notes of mocha, Amarena cherries, licorice, and crushed roses. A great, elegant wine, it’s medium to full-bodied and fills the palate with wonderful ripe, pure fruit, plush tannins, and linear acidity, coaxing the wine forward without any austerity."

“A darker garnet/red color, the 2010 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is classic to a T, with aromas of graphite, sanguine blood orange, dried cherries, espresso, and as it opens, it turns to more kirsch as well as dried roses and worn leather. Medium-bodied, but chiseled in structure, with ripe, refreshing tannins, a fantastic balanced structure, and notes of Mediterranean herbs, it floats on the palate for a long time with all its hallmark components intertwining. A gorgeous wine that’s just starting to show what it is capable of, this is a phenomenal benchmark wine for the ages.”

“The color is medium red/garnet, and the nose opens to fresh aromas of orange citrus peel, dusty earth, cranberry, spices, and juniper. Medium-bodied and more linear, it lifts through the palate with fine tannins and a refreshing, mouthwatering finish. It has a great saline feel and is a savory and fresh wine. This is a Brunello I’d love to drink over the next 10 years for its accessibility and refined texture, although I imagine it will also have some real potential for cellaring.”

“The medium red 2020 Rosso Di Montalcino is open aromatically already at this stage, revealing notes of ripe red cherries along with a very pretty floral perfume of fresh flowers and wild fresh herbs. Medium-bodied and rounded, with a very elegant feel, sweet, fine tannins, and a pleasing fresh ripeness, it’s a lovely wine with a lot of charm now. It has very clean fruit aromas and profile, with an open feel and a lovely sanguine mineral tone of the finish.”

"The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella is an elegant beauty, with cooling herbal tones and cloves embellishing baked cherries and hints of incense. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness, its ripe red and black fruits energized by vibrant acidity. Violet florals and suggestions of cocoa swirl throughout. The 2010 finishes long—still slightly tannic yet coming into its own, leaving a mentholated freshness and a tinge of cinnamon spice that lingers on."

"The 2016 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is intense, with a captivating bouquet that blends cedar shavings, savory herbs and balsamic spices with rum-soaked cherries, sweet lavender and dark chocolate. This sweeps across the palate with silken textures, delivering masses of tart red and black fruits along with hints of espresso bean. Crunchy mineral tones and zesty acidity add dramatic lift. The 2016 tapers off long and staining, sporting a pleasantly bitter tinge of cocoa as grippy tannins resonate. The 2016 is a well-muscled dancer yet still youthfully coiled."

"This rather distinctive version offers a fun burst of blood orange, damson plum and bitter cherry notes backed by singed clove, red tea and orange zest hints that skitter throughout. There's some youthful grip to shed on the taut, lively finish."

"Richly styled and round, with ripe melon, green plum and star fruit flavors. Mouthcoating, but not heavy, with citrus and floral notes cruising alongside a vein of minerality and bitter almond elements. Full-bodied and long, with a zesty finish."

“Dark color. Lots of black cherry, umami, pine resin, oyster shell, wild berry and iodine aromas. Unique and full-bodied with powdery tannins that get firm. Tees this up nicely. Most likely heritage clones. Drinkable but will age nicely.”