Vinous (92)

Crushed cherries, dusty rose, saddle leather, earthy minerals and shavings of cedar all come together to form a classic and utterly gorgeous bouquet on the 2018 Pertimali Rosso. Soft textures are then motivated by a stunning mix of acids and minerals with savory red fruits and spice, buzzing, practically sizzling on the senses. There’s so much energy here. The finish is long and lightly structured, showing tremendous potential, resonating on earth notes and dried fruits with a subtle tug of youthful tannin. Wow.

James Suckling (95)

Blackberries, blueberries, dried raspberries, cedar, clove and vanilla bean on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and juicy layers of ripe fruit. Cocoa and dried herbs, too. Drink from 2022.

Known for its commitment to tradition, the Lorenzo Accomasso winery in Piedmont, Italy, presents the stunning Barolo Annunziata Riserva 2018. Year upon year, Accomasso's low-intervention approach yields wines that speak boldly of their terroir. Crafted from Nebbiolo grapes from the vineyard's oldest vines, Lorenzo Accomasso Barolo Annunziata Riserva 2018 is a testament to this legendary viticultural style.

Aged in Slavonian oak for at least three years, delicate tannic structure and vibrant minerality deftly interlace in a symphony for the aerated palate. Ripe cherries and plums play against a background of tobacco and savoury spice, embodying the evolutionary journey of this meticulous masterpiece.

Breathtakingly complex and persistently radiant, the depth of the Lorenzo Accomasso Barolo Annunziata Riserva 2018 showcases the best of Piedmont. A magnificent exemplar of Barolos, perfect for savouring now or maturing into future decades for an intensified taste experience.

James Suckling (97-98)

A dense and wonderfully layered Luce with a solid center palate and ever so polished tannins. So long and beautiful. Full body. Flavorful and impressive. One of the best I have tasted.

James Suckling (97-98)

A dense and wonderfully layered Luce with a solid center palate and ever so polished tannins. So long and beautiful. Full body. Flavorful and impressive. One of the best I have tasted.

James Suckling (93)

Blueberries, earth, fresh flowers and stems on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a savory finish. Second wine of Luce. Delicious to drink now.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Aleste is gorgeous, but also very quite today. There's terrific purity to the dark red/purplish fruit and a good bit of volume too, but readers will have to be patient. Bright acids and firm tannins lend energy. I admire the presence and texture here. The Aleste, from Cannubi Boschis, benefits from a site that can handle moisture. This is nicely done.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Aleste is gorgeous, but also very quite today. There's terrific purity to the dark red/purplish fruit and a good bit of volume too, but readers will have to be patient. Bright acids and firm tannins lend energy. I admire the presence and texture here. The Aleste, from Cannubi Boschis, benefits from a site that can handle moisture. This is nicely done.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barolo Le Vigne is a mid-weight, tightly wound wine, with a classic sense of austerity that will need at least a few years in bottle to start softening. Red cherry fruit, white flowers, mint and chalk lend brightness and tension throughout. In 2018, the blend of vineyards is Baudana, Villero, Vignane and Merli.

Richly layered and opulent, the Luigi Pira Barolo Cannubi 2018 promises a sensorial experience of remarkable complexity. Born in the heart of Italy's prestigious Barolo appellation, this ruby-hued divine vintage echoes the meticulous craftsmanship of celebrated viticulturist, Luigi Pira. Through unmistakable Nebbiolo grapes, it encaptures a unique dimension of fruit concentration. Its characteristically seamless texture reveals a skilful ageing of 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, bestowing harmonious notes of sweet spices, ripe blackberries, and a hint of silky cocoa.

An embodiment of Luigi Pira's commitment to traditional winemaking, this wine mirrors the delicate nuances of the Cannubi terroir highlighted by the warm 2018 vintage. The Luigi Pira Barolo Cannubi 2018 boasts an impressive harmony between firm tannins and vibrant acidity, culminating in a luscious, persistent finish. An equisite testament to the time-honoured Barolo lineage, this wine promises a sublime insight into Italy's iconic viticultural heritage.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Marenca is a powerful, deep Serralunga Barolo. Wild dark cherry, spice, menthol, licorice, plum, dried herbs and mocha infuse the 2018 with tons of character. There is plenty of richness and intensity, but thankfully the bruising tannins of the past appear to have been tamed. There is a lot of wine here. This is a fine, fine showing.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Marenca is a powerful, deep Serralunga Barolo. Wild dark cherry, spice, menthol, licorice, plum, dried herbs and mocha infuse the 2018 with tons of character. There is plenty of richness and intensity, but thankfully the bruising tannins of the past appear to have been tamed. There is a lot of wine here. This is a fine, fine showing.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Marenca is a powerful, deep Serralunga Barolo. Wild dark cherry, spice, menthol, licorice, plum, dried herbs and mocha infuse the 2018 with tons of character. There is plenty of richness and intensity, but thankfully the bruising tannins of the past appear to have been tamed. There is a lot of wine here. This is a fine, fine showing.

Vinous (87)

The 2018 Barbaresco Tradizione is a soft, easygoing wine. Dried cherry, tobacco, cedar, brown spice and dried flowers are signs of a Barbaresco that is maturing at a pretty fast clip. Even so, the 2018 will drink well for another few years.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barbaresco Gaiun Martinenga is a beautiful wine that shows the style of both the vintage and cru perched just above Asili. Dark cherry/plum, spice, menthol, licorice and a touch of nicely judged oak fill out the layers. In 2018 Gaiun is a bit light, as most wines are, and yet its balance is absolutely impeccable. Terrific.

Vinous (91)

The 2018 Barbaresco Martinenga is already quite expressive, its very recent bottling notwithstanding. Crushed flowers, mint, star anise, orange peel and spice are all laced together in a Barbaresco that is all about transparency and nuance. The light to medium-bodied style is classic 2018 and classic Martinenga.

James Suckling (96)

A finely structured and focused Brunello with a complex array of cherries, blackberries, dried roses, bark, licorice and hints of praline. Iodine and oyster shells, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine tannins. Beautiful texture and balance. Remains fresh and fine until the end. Try in 2025.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Axel Heinz turning out yet again a wine that is generous and moreish but that goes deeper, offering layers of coffee, smoked herbs, rosemary, saffron, gentle waves of powerful brambled fruits. Mouthwatering, with tension and precision. Finely spun tannin that are elastic in embracing and taming the exuberant fruits yet chewy enough on the finish to show there is plenty of ageing ability ahead. Makes a big impression and yet has that Italian ability to be gulpable at the same time. A more elegant, moreish version of Merlot than you get in the biggest Pomerols, but every bit as beautiful. 11ha.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Axel Heinz turning out yet again a wine that is generous and moreish but that goes deeper, offering layers of coffee, smoked herbs, rosemary, saffron, gentle waves of powerful brambled fruits. Mouthwatering, with tension and precision. Finely spun tannin that are elastic in embracing and taming the exuberant fruits yet chewy enough on the finish to show there is plenty of ageing ability ahead. Makes a big impression and yet has that Italian ability to be gulpable at the same time. A more elegant, moreish version of Merlot than you get in the biggest Pomerols, but every bit as beautiful. 11ha.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Axel Heinz turning out yet again a wine that is generous and moreish but that goes deeper, offering layers of coffee, smoked herbs, rosemary, saffron, gentle waves of powerful brambled fruits. Mouthwatering, with tension and precision. Finely spun tannin that are elastic in embracing and taming the exuberant fruits yet chewy enough on the finish to show there is plenty of ageing ability ahead. Makes a big impression and yet has that Italian ability to be gulpable at the same time. A more elegant, moreish version of Merlot than you get in the biggest Pomerols, but every bit as beautiful. 11ha.

Wine Advocate (95)

Here's our new little super star from the Tuscan Coast. The 2018 Massetino is Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Franc that makes all the difference in terms of the wine's aromatic precision and its overall staying power. Dark fruit and dried blackberry are followed by exotic spice and campfire ash. The aromas are fluid and relaxed, flowing seamlessly in unison and grace. If you love Masseto, you can't miss the Massetino. This wine offers a whole new take on the world-famous Merlot, and if we are to be honest, it paints a path to where future vintages of Masseto are going as an expression of a vineyard and territory rather than just a strict read of one grape.

Decanter (94)

While at the village level in 2018 we seem to find more dilute wines, Massolino should be considered an exception because they produced just a village Barolo, a blend of all their MGAs, including Vigna Rionda. The wine shines for its bright ruby colour, meaty and tarry with a incredible depth of rhubarb and minerality. Open-knit with its wild strawberry and cherry fruits, it flows on the velvety palate, lean yet refined, with polished tannins and brilliant integrated acidity. The finish is all cherry kernel and liquorice root. With this 2018 the estate confirms its consistency.

Vinous (92)

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a savory and smoky mix of rich cherry sauce, wilted violets and grilled herbs. It’s round and almost juicy in character, with a potent wave of ripe red fruits and autumnal spice that leaves a collection of fine tannins in their wake. The 2018 finishes youthfully structured, with nuances of sour citrus and salted licorice that slowly taper off.

Vinous (88)

The 2018 Barolo Arborina is laced with sweet dried cherry, mint, spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco. The Arborina is attractive and lifted, but also a bit dried out in its flavor profile. Both bottles I tasted are suggestive of a wine that is likely to age at a faster pace than the others in this range.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barolo Castelletto is a powerful, deep wine that is not ready to show all its cards yet. Then again, this is Monforte Barolo we are talking about. Dried herbs, iron chalk, white pepper, crushed flowers and mint all grace this inward, brooding Barolo from Veglio. A whole range of savory, earth and mineral notes abound.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barolo Gattera marries the natural exuberance of this site with a feeling of translucence I have not seen here previously. This is the first vintage that blends Mauro Veglio's south-facing parcel with Alessandro Veglio's south-east facing piece, a combination that works so well. Dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender and licorice infuse the 2018 with layers of nuance. The 2018 is beautifully done. Moreover, the 2018 bodes very well for the future.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barolo Paiagallo is delicate, ethereal and beautifully perfumed. Sweet pipe tobacco, orange peel, mint, dried cherry, licorice and incense are all laced together in this very pretty, nuanced Barolo. The Paiagallo is the one Barolo in this range aged in cask.

Vinous (97)

Siepi, Fonterutoli’s Merlot/Sangiovese blend, is absolutely gorgeous in 2018. Rich, pliant and creamy, Siepi offers all of the seductiveness of Merlot with the bright acids and grip of Sangiovese. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs, spice, licorice and new leather meld together in an open-knit, inviting Tuscan red with no hard edges and tons of allure shaped by alberese soils with a good bit of clay. The 2018 is an undeniably sexy wine with so much immediacy. Siepi (the wine) is built on a core of holdings from Siepi, a historic property dating back to the 1400s, plus holdings from the broader Fonterutoli estate. Merlot and Sangiovese lots are harvested, vinified and aged separately. The 2018 saw long macerations 20 or more days, followed by 16-17 months in French oak, with a preference for 225L barrels for Merlot and larger 500L tonneaux for the Sangiovese, which also spent a bit less time in oak. The final blend was assembled and then the wine spent 5-6 months in cement, a recent change made for the first time in 2017 that really seems to let the purity of the fruit come out. The 2018 is positively stellar and also one of the very best editions in recent memory. Don’t miss it.

Vinous (97)

Siepi, Fonterutoli’s Merlot/Sangiovese blend, is absolutely gorgeous in 2018. Rich, pliant and creamy, Siepi offers all of the seductiveness of Merlot with the bright acids and grip of Sangiovese. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs, spice, licorice and new leather meld together in an open-knit, inviting Tuscan red with no hard edges and tons of allure shaped by alberese soils with a good bit of clay. The 2018 is an undeniably sexy wine with so much immediacy. Siepi (the wine) is built on a core of holdings from Siepi, a historic property dating back to the 1400s, plus holdings from the broader Fonterutoli estate. Merlot and Sangiovese lots are harvested, vinified and aged separately. The 2018 saw long macerations 20 or more days, followed by 16-17 months in French oak, with a preference for 225L barrels for Merlot and larger 500L tonneaux for the Sangiovese, which also spent a bit less time in oak. The final blend was assembled and then the wine spent 5-6 months in cement, a recent change made for the first time in 2017 that really seems to let the purity of the fruit come out. The 2018 is positively stellar and also one of the very best editions in recent memory. Don’t miss it.