The Wine Advocate
94 Points
One of three single-vineyard expressions from Val di Suga, the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Granchio opens to a nicely saturated color and beautifully intense aromas. Fruit is sourced from a site located in the southeast quadrant of Montalcino where steep diurnal shifts help to sharpen and maximize those pretty fruit aromas...
The Wine Advocate
92 Points
Made with easy-ripening fruit from the sunny southwest quadrant of the appellation, the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Spuntali is a charming and fruit-forward expression. This wine is softer and more accessible than the other two single-vineyard expressions I tasted from Val di Suga. The fruit is dark and saturated with summer cherry, plum, spice and tobacco...
The Wine Advocate
93+ Points
The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Lago (with 5,000 bottles made) sees fruit sourced from a vineyard site located in the northern part of the appellation. Unlike the Poggio al Granchio expression that is aged in new 300-liter French barrique, this wine is instead aged in large 30- and 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks...
JancisRobinson.com
16.5/20 Points
Mid ruby with orange tinges. Brooding and subdued nose. Closed palate that has a compact build. Firm, bitter-sweet tannins that do not overwhelm the fruit. Very slow to unfurl. Needs more time to show its colours.
jamessuckling.com
92 Points
Quite reductive at first but opens up quickly with air to reveal orange peel, dried red cherries, cedar and paprika. Medium to full body, fine and silky tannins, beautiful acidity and a medium-chewy finish. A stylish Brunello. Drink now or hold.
jamessuckling.com
93 Points
Cedar, red licorice, tar, Christmas pudding, orange peel and dried plums. Full body, chewy tannins, driven acidity and a medium-long finish. Drink in 2020.
jamessuckling.com
91 Points
Dark cherries, plums, wild strawberries and spices. Medium body, dusty tannins and a tangy and chewy finish. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com
94 Points
This shows lovely depth on the nose with dark licorice, dried fruit, red meat, blood oranges and Indian spices. Full-bodied and intense, but with real linearity carved out by the bright acidity and firm, grainy tannin backbone, which help to delineate the red-fruited core and lead to a long finish. Drink in 2020.
jamessuckling.com
94 Points
Plenty of spices and fresh herbs on the nose, such as dried rosemary and nutmeg, to match the underlying dried redcurrants and cranberries. Full-bodied with plenty of concentration, but still shows a very sturdy, tannin backbone and punchy acidity, to drive this through to a long finish. Drink in 2021.
Vinous
92 Points
Good medium red-ruby. Musky aromas of ripe red cherry, spicy dark plum, tobacco, cedar and menthol. Then lively and perfumed but tight on the palate, showing lovely energy and focus to the flavors of cherry, spices and cedar. Finishes long, clean and
Wine Spectator
92 Points
Elegant, balanced and shows a nice mix of berry fruit, with savory underbrush and mineral elements. This is firm and fresh, with a lingering aftertaste on the salty side.
Wine Enthusiast
91 Points
Enticing scents of exotic spice, iris, red berry and a whiff of eucalyptus mingle together. On the youthfully assertive palate, firm close-grained tannins and bright acidity frame sour cherry, pomegranate and white pepper.
Wine & Spirits
91 Points
Broad and low-toned, its flavors of dried cherry layered with notes of underbrush and warm spice.