Tuscany wine region – Decanter

New Chianti Classico releases in 2024: Top picks for the table and cellar

Michaela Morris — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 08:34:31 +0000

Selecting favourites among Chianti Classico’s new releases is like splitting hairs: so many deserve a place at the dinner table and/or in the cellar.

Given different ageing regulations within Chianti Classico’s three-tiered classification, a wide range of vintages is released every year. A first peek at the ‘saved-by-August-rain’ 2022 is restricted to the ‘annata‘ level, while the preliminary 2021 Riserva and Gran Selezione, together with longer-aged annata, provide a comprehensive picture of what has shaped up to be an excellent vintage.

Add to this some stunning late releases from 2020 and 2019, and the choices multiply further.

My recommendations below attempt to represent the exceptional value and incredible diversity the denomination offers.

See the score table with Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases

Featured in this article:

See the wines featured in this article, arranged by score. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021: Vintage snapshot & 15 top picks

Decanter meets: Marco Balsimelli, production director for Ornellaia and Masseto

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Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024

Michaela Morris — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 08:47:50 +0000

The gallo nero (black rooster) – symbol of Chianti Classico – in the town of Gaiole.

As new labels continue to flood Chianti Classico’s highest category, I have tasted almost as many Gran Selezione as annata this year.

The steady increase can largely be attributed to changes in the denomination’s regulations: in July 2023, the minister of agriculture signed the decree legally recognising the region’s Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA).

See the score table for Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases

Featured in this report:

The wines below are all mentioned in this Chianti Classico Gran Selezione report. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

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Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024

Michaela Morris — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 08:15:24 +0000

Frescobaldi's Tenuta Perano Riserva vineyard in Gaiole.

Last year’s preview of the 2021 annata inspired great expectations for the Riserva and Gran Selezione categories of Chianti Classico, exhibiting great depth of fruit, balancing acidity and alcohol, and confident rather than arrogant tannins. This year’s tastings confirm that scaling Chianti Classico’s ladder in the 2021 vintage is well worth it.

Despite the challenges of spring frost followed by a hot, dry summer, conditions in the crucial period leading up to harvest seemed to work in symbiosis with this. The combination of slightly stressed vines and relatively cooler temperatures in September encouraged slow ripening, according to Alessandro Campatelli at Riecine.

‘Both technical [sugar] and phenolic ripening were close to perfect,’ he asserted, saying that the period from veraison to harvest lasted between 37-45 days. He compared this to 2022, which was 28-35 days, and 2020, which was barely over two weeks. Of course, these numbers are specific to Riecine’s high altitude vineyards in Gaiole.

In Radda, Poggerino’s Piero Lanza also points to ideal temperatures during September. ‘We had significant differences – early mornings as low as 3°C and days between 28-30°C.’ He maintains that this favoured great acidity, perfumes and polyphenolic complexity, all of which translated to the wines in the glass.

See the score table for Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases

Featured in this report:

The wines below are all mentioned in this Chianti Classico Riserva report. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021: Vintage snapshot & 15 top picks

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

The post Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024 appeared first on Decanter.

Capezzana’s Trefiano: Quintessential Carmignano

Michael Apstein — Fri, 24 May 2024 09:01:23 +0000

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Trefiano – Tenuta di Capezzana’s stunning take on Carmignano Riserva – a vertical tasting of a handful of vintages ranging from 1988 to 2019 (the current release) was held in Florence this February.

In preparation for the tasting, I opened a bottle of the 2015 from my own cellar, so I have included my impression of that below, along with the wines from the tasting. Spoiler alert: Trefiano, like other great wines, takes at least a decade to reveal its considerable charms and stature.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the Capezzana Trefiano

A taste of Trefiano:

Wines are listed oldest to youngest

Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making

Castello di Fonterutoli’s Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage

Isole e Olena’s Cepparello: the Paolo de Marchi effect

The post Capezzana’s Trefiano: Quintessential Carmignano appeared first on Decanter.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021: Vintage snapshot & 15 top picks

Michaela Morris — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

San Biagio church, Montepulciano.

‘It’s easy to describe 2021,’ says Maria Stella Carletti from Poliziano. ‘After March, it didn’t rain at all.’ This dramatically simple statement about the vintage conditions in 2021, is supported by data from the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano consorzio, which details that less than 100mm fell between budbreak and harvest.

Drought was coupled with high temperatures. ‘We had one week in July between 38-39°C, and it remained over 30°C for an entire month,’ continues Carletti.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 15 top picks from the 2021 vintage

Michaela’s picks of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021:

Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Morellino di Scansano: Names to know and wines to try

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Decanter meets: Marco Balsimelli, production director for Ornellaia and Masseto

James Button — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 10:03:45 +0000

In March 2023, Decanter reported on Axel Heinz’s departure for Château Lascombes in Bordeaux, which unintentionally kickstarted a reshuffle at Ornellaia and Masseto.

Ornellaia’s winemaker, Olga Fusari announced her intention to leave in August, lured to a new project in Bolgheri. This was followed by the announcement in September that Ornellaia’s CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, would be retiring imminently.

This latter announcement was big news. Geddes had been the architect of not only Frescobaldi’s acquisition of Ornellaia, but also Masseto’s La Place listing (the first Italian wine to be distributed through the Bordeaux négociants), and the long-term vision to create two discrete brands from what was once the same estate (culminating in a brand new winery for Masseto in 2019).

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for Ornellaia and Masseto

A taste of 2021 (and more):

A wet, mild winter replenished underground water reserves, which proved vital as spring was dry and summer saw periods of drought and above average temperatures.

Italy’s future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers

Bolgheri 2020: Vintage overview and top-scoring wines

First taste: Ornellaia 2021

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Italy's future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers

Tiziano Gaia — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:37 +0000

Matteo Santoiemma of I Parieti stands among the vines on his family farm.

Italian wine is in full swing. While the leaders of the quality revolution of the 1980s and 1990s are progressively passing the baton to the next generation, new faces are also rising to prominence.

Whether they are modernising family businesses or starting from scratch; whether they have studied oenology or have a different background – for all of them, the challenge today is the market, unstable and moody, marked by a radical change in eating habits and by a young public disaffected with wine.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores from 10 future Italian greats

See notes and scores for wines from 10 Italian producers lauded by their peers

Wines are ordered by colour and score

Groundbreaking Gaja: A lifetime’s work

Discover Campania: 12 wines worth seeking out from this exciting region

Piedmont’s up-and-comers plus the 10 bottles to seek out

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First taste: Tenuta Fratini – three new releases rated

Aldo Fiordelli — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 07:01:59 +0000

Tenuta Fratini in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast is swiftly making a name for itself.

There is a first time even for the greatest professionals, and the debut in Tuscany’s prestigious Bolgheri appellation of one of the wine world’s true authorities is creating much anticipation.

Eric Boissenot, consultant to the greatest châteaux in Bordeaux (Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, and Léoville Las Cases to mention but a few) is overseeing Tenuta Fratini – an ambitious new project aiming to positioning itself at the top of this Italian denomination.

Scroll down for notes and scores of four Tenuta Fratini wines, including three new releases

Tenuta Fratini: First taste of the new releases

Bolgheri 2020: Vintage overview and top-scoring wines

Expert’s Choice: Coastal Tuscany

Decanter’s Dream Destination: Villa La Massa, Tuscany, Italy

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Expert's Choice: Coastal Tuscany

Filippo Magnani — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:50 +0000

The vineyards of Bolgheri.

Over the last 30 years, the 270km of Tuscan coast that abuts the Tyrrhenian Sea has become another essential piece of the celebrated region’s viticultural patchwork. It’s an ample territory, nestled between the coastal strip and the foothills of the Apennines.

The maritime climate – with its mild winters, warm, sunny summers and constant sea breezes, which aerate the vines – and the wide range of grapes grown here are the common elements that distinguish the various terroirs of the coast from inland Tuscany.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 brilliant wines from the Tuscan coast

18 excellent wines from the Tuscan coast

First taste: Ornellaia 2021

First taste: Sassicaia 2021

The lesser-known Tuscany: 12 hidden gems to discover

The post Expert's Choice: Coastal Tuscany appeared first on Decanter.

Bolgheri 2020: Vintage overview and top-scoring wines

Aldo Fiordelli — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:00:59 +0000

Bolgheri 2020: 4/5

‘A slightly lighter, though well balanced vintage overall, but not without difficulties. Heat in early September brought the harvest forward. Some Cabernet Sauvignon was affected by rain, which caused dilution.’

At Tenuta San Guido, everyone was called back for the harvest; at Ornellaia, the four grape varieties were harvested together. The 2020 vintage in Bolgheri was defined more than ever by the weather.

In the very early days of September, scorching heat forced a sudden acceleration of the harvest. After that, rain diluted the Cabernet Sauvignon. These seem to be the details that characterised the 2020 vintage: warm, but not without strong contrasts.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for the best-scoring wines from the 2020 vintage

Aldo’s top Bolgheri 2020 picks

View the Bolgheri 2020 score table featuring all 50 wines rated

First taste: Sassicaia 2021

First taste: Ornellaia 2021

Napa Cabernet 2020: Vintage report and top recommendations

The post Bolgheri 2020: Vintage overview and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Ornellaia 2021

James Button — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:35:37 +0000

Producers in Bolgheri are visibly excited about their upcoming 2021 releases. Despite a three-month drought during the hot summer, rainfalls the previous winter and spring ensured that vines could access water reserves, avoiding any water stress. The resulting wines are nicely concentrated but – more importantly – very well balanced with beautiful freshness apparent.

Scroll down the see the tasting note and score for Ornellaia 2021

The team at Ornellaia has responded to the increasingly warm and dry growing seasons, reducing the earlier ripening Merlot component in 2021 to 25% (down from 32% in 2020) while Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have all increased a couple of percent or so to compensate.

Ornellaia 2021 appears superbly fresh; less sturdy and muscular than in the past. This is not only a product of the vintage, but also the result of an ongoing shift towards a more elegant stylistic expression.

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Tasting Ornellaia 2021:

First taste: Sassicaia 2021

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making

The post First taste: Ornellaia 2021 appeared first on Decanter.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 releases excite buyers

Chris Mercer — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 06:00:23 +0000

Vineyards near to Montalcino.

Critical acclaim has created a buzz around the Brunello di Montalcino 2019 releases not seen since the 2016 vintage, according to early reports from merchants.

‘Brunello enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice,’ said Decanter’s Michaela Morris in her recent Brunello di Montalcino 2019 vintage report.

Davy Żyw, senior buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd, said, ‘2016 was of course a watershed vintage for quality, but also [buyer] demand. Since then, we’ve had two good vintages – with the denser 2017 and the charming 2018, which we have had solid demand for, but not the same success as [with] 2016.

‘Brunello is back on track with 2019; it is a truly attention grabbing vintage.’

Fellow UK merchant Goedhuis & Co began offering Brunello 2019s in mid-February. ‘It’s been a really good start,’ said Charlie Whittington, Tuscany specialist and associate director, private clients.

He said the group had planned a relatively concise campaign, partly to gauge customer demand. ‘We’ve released five or six growers [and] all of those have sold through,’ he said. ‘We’ve got two or three more to come.’

Brunello di Montalcino wines have a strong following in the US, and Andrew McMurray, head of retail and Italian buyer at Zachys Wine & Liquor, also reported high demand for the 2019s.

‘We currently have 85-plus different selections from the vintage and have seen some extremely brisk advance interest, with 5,000-plus bottles already committed to by clients on a pre-arrival basis.’

As well as critical acclaim, McMurray said high customer demand was also partly due to Zachys’ long-standing focus on Brunello di Montalcino producers, ‘year-in year-out’, and trips to the region to taste the vintage first-hand.

‘[The wines] are showing very well at a young age, which reminds me very much of the immense appeal of the 2010 vintage when it first came to the market,’ he added. With some wines still to arrive on shelves, he said he anticipated a ‘second surge’ of buying in the coming months.

Zachys will hold a tasting of Brunello di Montalcino 2019 wines from 25 different producers in New York on 5 April.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 release prices

Initial data from Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, suggested some Brunello di Montalcino 2019 release prices have risen year-on-year – but not all.

Three examples in Liv-ex’s February 2024 Market Report were:

Poggio di Sotto 2019 | Release price: £1,790 (12x75cl in bond) | Up 17% vs 2018 release
Casanova di Neri, Tenuta Nuova 2019 | £925 | Up 16%
Il Poggione 2019 | £320 | Down 8.6%

Liv-ex also said some new releases were more expensive than corresponding wines from the top-rated 2016 vintage, which it said were still widely available on the secondary market.

McMurray said Zachys has seen release prices rise by between 10% and 20% year-on-year for Brunello di Montalcino 2019 wines, depending on the producer and its market context.

‘For us, it was expected, coming off two [more] challenging vintages in Montalcino combined with overall increased production costs,’ he said. He didn’t expect this to put consumers off, though. ‘They will simply purchase in smaller increments, which we have seen so far.’

Despite some evidence of price rises, Goedhuis’ Whittington said, ‘I still feel there is still significant value to be had in Montalcino.’

He said more people were looking at Italy amid higher prices elsewhere, such as for Burgundy wines on the secondary market and for some Bordeaux en primeur releases.

Conti Costanti’s Brunello di Montalcino 2019, awarded the full 100 points by Decanter’s Michaela Morris, was £325 (6x75cl in bond) at Goedhuis & Co in the UK. In the US, Zachys offered the wine at $114.99 per bottle (future arrival).

Berry Bros’ Żyw said the 2019 wines represent a ‘really strong opportunity’ for collectors.

‘The wines cellar well and offer brilliant value versus other fine wine regions. 2019 is a strong vintage across Italy more broadly, in Barolo and with the SuperTuscans, which also keeps the visibility and demand of 2019 high.’

He added that Brunello 2019 pricing overall ‘remains largely flat with 2018 – despite the superior quality to 2018’.

Fans will have to wait longer for 2019-vintage Brunello di Montalcino Riserva releases.

Some producers work to different timetables, too. Biondi-Santi’s Brunello di Montalcino 2018 was due to make its market debut between mid-March and early April, a spokesperson recently told Decanter.

Which Brunello 2019 should I drink when?

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018: 20 recommendations

Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making

The post Brunello di Montalcino 2019 releases excite buyers appeared first on Decanter.

Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:19:24 +0000

Photo Credit: Ellen Richardson / Decanter

For Giovanni Mazzei, winemaking and Sangiovese is in his blood. The eldest son of Filippo Mazzei, CEO of Marchesi Mazzei wines, his family has owned Castello Fonterutoli in the heart of Chianti Classico for 600 years. The first known reference to Chianti as a wine-producing region – dated 16 December 1398 – was found in written correspondence of an ancestor, Ser Lapo Mazzei.

The Il Caggio estate came into the family’s hands in 2006 with the purchase of a neighbour’s property, and that’s where the Ipsus journey began. As Giovanni explained during the masterclass, ‘they never really made wine on the property, they just sold the grapes, so we had a lot to learn’.

After a few years, he found a place where Sangiovese tasted different, ‘full of perfume’. They separated these vines from the rest, folding most of the purchased vineyards into the family’s holding, and created the Il Caggio estate.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for Ipsus

Tasting Ipsus at the Decanter Italy Experience masterclass:

Decanter Italy Experience: Highlights from the London tasting

Ipsus: The making of a modern Italian cru

Castello di Fonterutoli’s Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage

The post Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making appeared first on Decanter.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018: 20 recommendations

Michaela Morris — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:52:03 +0000

Tasting Brunello’s 2018 Riservas alongside new releases from 2019 required a conscious palate recalibration. The good news is that vintage variation – which is genuinely one of the appeals of fine wine – is alive and well in Montalcino.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 20 top Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 wines

In 2018, cool temperatures in August and recurring rainfall in the weeks before harvest challenged ripening and yielded thin-skinned grapes. The resulting wines were fine in frame, slim in textures and moderate in concentration.

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Michaela’s 20 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 recommendations:

Plus one late-release 2016

Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in

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The post Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018: 20 recommendations appeared first on Decanter.

Which Brunello 2019 should I drink when?

Michaela Morris — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 06:00:45 +0000

The strength of the 2019 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino is that it proposes wines to drink over a wide range of time.: many are immediately accessible, with earlier-drinking examples ready to enjoy over the next decade.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all 15 Brunello wines

Other wines might benefit from further ageing and will ultimately give pleasure over the next 15 years.

Very few are completely untouchable now, but there are those that will definitely blossom slowly. These long-haul wines may be tucked away for 20 years.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019: Michaela’s picks for early, mid-term and long-term drinking

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in

Ageworthy Italian whites: 10 to try

The post Which Brunello 2019 should I drink when? appeared first on Decanter.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Michaela Morris — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:10 +0000

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 vintage rating: 5/5

A warm vintage without extremes, and rainfall at the optimal intervals. Long ripening and cool nights yielded perfumed wines with ripe tannins. Most are accessible now but possess structure for mid- to long-term ageing.

When I visited Montalcino in November 2023, the recent harvest was still fresh in producers’ minds. Between the non-stop rain in spring, the ongoing menace of peronospora (downy mildew), and hail in mid-August, it was one of the most challenging years the region has seen in decades.

Softening the blow was the 2019 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino, to be released in January 2024. Faces brightened when the conversation turned to this outstanding vintage. Unlike 2023, the growing season was particularly benevolent – to the extent that producers seemed to have little to discuss.

‘When a year is great, there is no need to say anything,’ quips Gigliola Giannetti at Le Potazzine. ‘Everything was as it should be.’

Brunello di Montalcino 2019: Top scorers

View the complete table with all 127 of Michaela’s Brunello 2019 tasting notes and scores

See all 127 Brunello 2019 tasting notes and scores

Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in

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Barbaresco 2013: A retrospective of one of the top vintages in the last decade

The post Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Sassicaia 2021

James Button — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:34:12 +0000

Vigna di Castiglioncello di Bolgheri is the original vineyard of Sassicaia.

Early February saw the UK launch of the new vintage of Bolgheri superstar, Sassicaia, tasted alongside three cherry-picked older vintages (1998, 2011 and 2016), courtesy of UK agent, Armit Wines.

Scroll down for notes and scores of the new Sassicaia 2021 and Le Difese 2022 releases

Sassicaia 2021: First taste

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto: 2001-2021 vertical

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The post First taste: Sassicaia 2021 appeared first on Decanter.

The lesser-known Tuscany: 12 hidden gems to discover

James Button — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:00:25 +0000

Vineyards outside Casale Marittimo village, just to the north of Bolgheri DOC.

Whether you’re relaxing at an agriturismo surrounded by vines, discovering coastal jewels such as Livorno or the island of Elba, or admiring the Renaissance art and architecture in Florence or Siena, there’s always something new to discover when visiting Tuscany.

The region in Italy’s central west is an oenological, as well as a cultural, powerhouse and is equal to Piedmont for having the most DOCs (41), also boasting an impressive 11 DOCGs and six IGTs.

But perhaps due to the volumes of wine produced here – 2.4m hl in 2022 (Istat, 2023) – as well as increasing domestic and international competition on the shelves, many wines, even entire denominations, fly under the radar of the typical consumer.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 lesser-known Tuscan wines to discover

The other Tuscany: Button’s pick of wines to discover

First Maremma Toscana DOC Vermentino Superiore wine released

Tuscany’s Frescobaldi acquires Poggio Verrano wine estate

Masterclass: Taste a Tuscan wine legend-in-the-making

The post The lesser-known Tuscany: 12 hidden gems to discover appeared first on Decanter.

Castello di Fonterutoli's Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage

Susan Hulme MW — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:57 +0000

2023 marks the release of the 40th vintage of Concerto, a SuperTuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. To celebrate, a vertical tasting of nine wines was held at the Castello di Fonterutoli estate, starting with the first vintage, 1981, and culminating with the latest release, 2021.

There are three clear phases in Concerto’s evolution: from the 1980s to 1994; from 2011 to 2015; and 2016 onwards.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for nine vintages of Concerto from 1981 to 2021

The first phase of Concerto

A history of Concerto in nine wines:

Wines are listed in vintage order oldest to youngest

DFWE 2023 Ornellaia masterclass: Four decades of a Tuscan icon

Luce vertical: A ‘winning varietal blend’

Ageing Chianti Classico: Panel tasting results

The post Castello di Fonterutoli's Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage appeared first on Decanter.

Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in

Aldo Fiordelli — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:33 +0000

Altesino in Montosoli

One of the best wine bars in Montalcino boasts a large, wall-size shelf housing bottles of Barolo, Amarone and other great reds of Italy and France. Just 10 years ago, it would have been impossible to see anything there but Brunello di Montalcino. The famed Tuscan denomination is evolving under the influence of young generations, gaining wider awareness that informs the production of its own wines of unique character, as well as showing open-mindedness, butting up against the naturally individualistic culture of Italians.

Tuscany wine region – Decanter

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A taste of Trefiano:

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A taste of 2021 (and more):

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Bolgheri 2020: 4/5

‘A slightly lighter, though well balanced vintage overall, but not without difficulties. Heat in early September brought the harvest forward. Some Cabernet Sauvignon was affected by rain, which caused dilution.’

Scroll down to see notes and scores for the best-scoring wines from the 2020 vintage

Aldo’s top Bolgheri 2020 picks

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Michaela’s 20 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 recommendations:

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Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for nine vintages of Concerto from 1981 to 2021

The first phase of Concerto

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