This dense, smoothly textured, single-vineyard wine is packed with tannins as well as concentrated blackberry fruits. Its richness, allied to ripeness, comes with a juicy aftertaste. Drink from 2022.

Powerfully structured, with ripe citrus accents to the fresh white fruit and spice flavors, supported by ample acidity. Hints of tropical fruit emerge midpalate, leading to a finish that shows savory richness. Best from 2022 through 2027. 1,561 cases made.

Lightish crimson with soft ruby rim. Even though the percentage of whole bunches is very small, there is an attractive stemmy/herbal freshness to this lifted and aromatic wine. The fruit is definitely in the red spectrum, but tangy and fresh like raspberry and cranberry not sweet like strawberry, or perhaps a hint of wild strawberry as it opens, and rock-dust quality that I associate with granite soils. This is delicate and precise, beautifully scented, suggesting a wine made with the fingertips, which was necessary in 2017...

Mid crimson, a little darker than the 2017, and a little darker fruited and opens up in the glass to a darker and more peppery scent, more peony, a little bit like northern Rhône Syrah, as Édouard Parinet points out – and I agree. This has the classic savoury character of Moulin-à-Vent and still the fragrance of thoughtfully made Gamay on granite, a gently dark-earthed aroma. Makes me think of clean, dark friable earth. Dry, elegant and beautifully balanced. Elegant length and dry finely textured finish even though it is still pretty youthful.

A bigger and more powerful wine from a hotter vintage, which shows in the deeper colour. Much darker in colour than the 2016 and much much darker than the 2017. There’s also a sweetness of spicy black fruit, blackberry and damson, which points to a hotter year and perhaps also some new oak. As it opens up on the day after opening, the scent of the 2016 and 2017 starts to appear though without the floral notes. Also that stone-dust character. On the palate, this is firm, beautifully dry and it’s the tannins that, combined with remarkably good acidity, give the freshness on the long finish. Dry

The 2015 Belle Cousine is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Hyde Vineyard. Dark, pliant and super-expressive, the 2015 is endowed with striking purity and nuance. All the elements are impeccably balanced in this pristine, beautiful wine. Bright red fruit, spice, cedar and floral notes meld together in a silky, captivating wine from Hyde De Villaine. The 2015 is a stunner. That's all there is to it.

The 2016 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is a very pretty wine. Gentle apricot, tangerine, spice, dried flowers and mint are all woven together. Although quite subtle, the 2016 has plenty of structure, it is just expressed in an understated manner. There is so much to admire in this pristine Chardonnay from Hyde De Villaine. Silky and polished, the 2016 will drink well upon release.

So elegant and complex with so much perfume and rose petal character. Dark fruit. Strawberry. Cedar. Full body, yet bright and focused. Refined and beautiful. Layers. Stone and cement undertones. Drink or hold. Love.

This is very dense and tannic with smoky and juicy character, showing walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Full-bodied, rustic and real. Very tannic. Austere. Serious. Give it two or three years to soften a little, but I like it!

The 2015 Syrah Californio Hyde Vineyard is pliant, supple and very beautiful, with silky tannins that push the red-toned fruit forward. This is a decidedly medium in body, restrained wine for the year. Still very primary and fruity, with pretty overtones from a touch of whole clusters, the 2015 is going to need a few years in bottle to develop the full range of its aromatics. Stylistically, this is a Syrah with Pinot-like leanings.

This is dense and spicy with leather, dried herbs, sweet tobacco, and dark berries. White pepper, too. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful with so much complexity and real syrah character. Wonderful finish. Drink or hold.

The 2014 Syrah Californio Hyde Vineyard offers good varietal character in a mid-weight, perfumed style. For a wine made in a drought vintage, the 2014 remains surprisingly light on its feet and aromatic. There is good brightness to the sweet red cherry and plum fruit, along with enough freshness to drink well for at least another handful of years.

A very solid red offering dried-strawberry, violet and cedar aromas and flavors with hints of oak. Full-bodied, firm and chewy with fantastic length and complexity. Great potential.

Wet-earth, oyster-shell and dark-berry aromas follow through to a full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs a year or two to soften. Try after 2022.

Purity of cherries and watermelon comes through here with some fresh, floral character to the aromas. Medium to full body. Round and fruit-laden tannins follow through to a flavorful finish with lovely fruit. Better after 2021.

Full, deep red. Aromas of blueberry, red cherry cola, violet, coffee and smoke, complicated by balsamic undertones. An absolutely beautiful wine that is already sweet, pliant and accessible, but with a solid, polished spine nicely framing the musky red fruit, mocha, and licorice flavors and ensuring a long life ahead. Clearly deeper than the regular and Vigna al Lago 2015 Brunellos, this finishes long and suave. Made with grapes picked in a vineyard in the southeastern sector of Montalcino. This 2015 is excellent.

Good medium red. Fresh, almost tight aromas of red cherry, sweet spices and peppermint oil, complicated by blood orange and marzipan nuances. Rich and round, with minty acidity leaving a penetrating quality and an impression of greater verticality than some other recent vintages of this wine. Clearly refined, nicely sweet and pure on the long, multifaceted finish. One reason behind this wine’s success in 2015 is that while the Spuntali area is usually fairly dry, it actually rained in 2015 (somewhat paradoxically, given the 2015 growing season weather characteristics - warm and dry - I thought

Earth, leather, almond, macerated cherry and sanguine flavors mark this taut, dry style. The tannins have energy, but border on being astringent, leaving a dusty feel on the savory aftertaste. Best from 2024 through 2042. 830 cases made, 200 cases imported.

Ripe, featuring sweet plum, cherry, balsamic and iron notes, this is powerful and expressive. Dense tannins underlie the fruit on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2040. 750 cases made, 150 cases imported.

Poggio al Granchio is located in the southeastern sector of Montalcino. It reaches 450 metres above sea level and sees significant diurnal temperature differences. The resulting grapes are small and concentrated. The wine is given a short passage in barriques to fix the colour, then aged in large 60-litre oak vats. It takes time to open up and reveal notes of struck stone, dried lavender and currants. The relatively weighty palate is finely etched with dark fruit and a flinty edge. The substantial tannins are long and powdery, giving plenty of support.