James Suckling (97)

The aromas of dark berries, violets and perfume are enchanting. The palate is medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that are polished and so elegant and they run the length of the wine. They are rather endless. Very classy and balanced. A merlot and sangiovese blend. Give this a year or two, but it’s already a joy to drink. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (98)

An opulent yet tensioned young red with blackberries, violets and black olive skin character. Full-bodied. But has so much energy and focus. Goes on for minutes. A blend of merlot and sangiovese. Best after 2028.

James Suckling (97)

The aromas of dark berries, violets and perfume are enchanting. The palate is medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that are polished and so elegant and they run the length of the wine. They are rather endless. Very classy and balanced. A merlot and sangiovese blend. Give this a year or two, but it’s already a joy to drink. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

Wow. The aromas are really something else with red fruits, black olives, spices like cardamon and nutmeg, as well as hints of tar and meat. It’s full-bodied yet in check and focus with fine, fine tannins that roll over the palate and create beautiful motion. Chewy yet silky and endless. A great young merlot and one of the best for a number of years. Try after 2028.

James Suckling (95)

Intense nose of cloves, cedar, dried flowers, orange peel, dark cherries and black tea. Full-bodied, firm and chewy, yet polished and poised with beautiful energy and freshness for the vintage. Long, too. Still needs a couple of years. Drink from 2024.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Serralunga d'Alba. Youthful mid ruby. Beguiling nose of concentrated cherry, dark spice and minerally, stony notes. Shows real generosity on the nose. Palate equally generous, with concentrated, juicy sour-cherry fruit lined with long, powdery tannins. Hedonistic, for sure, and so confident! Ready now but will improve. Simply delicious and definitely one of the vintage's best buys.

Vinous (89+)

The 2014 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin has lost a lot of the mid-palate depth it showed from cask last year. Sweet tobacco, licorice, dried herbs, dried cherries are some of the nuances that develop in the glass. Austere today, the 2015 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. The 2014 was bottled later than originally planned, which may explain why the wine lacks the fruit it showed from barrel.

Vinous (94)

The 2012 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is pure class. A decidedly sensual, inviting Bricco delle Viole, the 2012 fleshes out in the glass with an effortless, inviting personality that is impossible to resist. Deep red cherry and plum notes open up first, followed by the classic floral notes that are so typical of this site. In 2012, the Bricco delle Viole is quite forward and fruit-driven, with essentially none of the angular contours that are typical when the wine is young. All of that means the 2012 will deliver immense pleasure pretty much upon release. There is so much to like here. The only real question is whether the 2012 will shut down in bottle or not. This is another addictively delicious Barolo from the Vajra family.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Massolino 2021 Barolo reveals a shiny ruby color and a core of dark fruit. Beyond the plummy fruit is tar, licorice, pressed flower and campfire ash. This wine has a pronounced savory side, yet it all fits squarely into a very delicate and finessed delivery. This is a pretty example of the vintage.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

New leather, balsamic herb, rose, truffle and woodland berry aromas take shape in the glass along with a whiff of charcuterie. The focused, savory palate has a great depth of flavor, doling out raspberry compote, cinnamon, crushed mint and a hint of cocoa alongside a backbone of firm tannins and fresh acidity. It still needs time to fully develop.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

An long-forgotten image flashed into my mind when I first tasted this wine. It took me back to a visit, as a child, to a stately home. Goodness knows where this place was, but I remember walking down a long corridor when a huge door opened to my left. As I walked past, I caught a glimpse of the most glamorous and beautifully decorated room beyond the person holding the door ajar. The door closed, and I passed by, but this image has stuck with me ever since. This momentary glimpse of incredible splendour is echoed in this magnificent wine. It starts midnight black in the glass, then as one focuses on the surface, can one see stars? Interestingly, it finishes black, too, in the form of ultra-fine sooty tannins that caress the taste buds as the flavour senesces. Between these two moments of perfect calm, there is layer upon layer of splendour and magnificence. The keyword for this vintage is ‘proportion’, as I found out half an hour through the presentation. It is an inspired choice because every element of 2020 Ornellaia is in scintillating proportion. 2020 Ornellaia represents more than harmony or balance and more than composure and equilibrium – it is truly in perfect proportion. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Ornellaia like it. There is a sense of greatness here, both in the intensity of the fruit and also its freshness and lift on the nose and palate – it is astonishing. The Cabernet theme (the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) is dominant both in the primary fruit notes but also in the signature flavours. Merlot adds glossiness and also traction, while Cabernet Franc appears to add grace and also crispness and aromatic flourishes. Petit Verdot acts as the invisible welds that pin this magnificent structure together – a complete three-dimensional flavour with no apparent flaws whatsoever. This wine will undoubtedly drink early in its life, given the silkiness and generosity on display, but it will not genuinely get into its stride for a decade, and I feel it will take another decade for it to blossom fully. My childlike fascination with today’s glimpse into the glass will no doubt grow into a full-blown stroll around this wine with the door flung open wide in years to come. This wine will prove to those with the good fortune to own it that its best is yet to come, so be patient in spite of its early allure. Until then, I do not doubt that it is a work of perfect proportion, so I am delighted to award it my first-ever perfect score for Ornellaia.

Vinous (94+)

The 2019 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo is stunning. It opens with a bit of an exotic flair, mixing smoky plum and lavender with animal musk, crushed ashen stone and a whiff of sour citrus that lights up the senses. Then it enters the palate silky and pliant, quickly gaining in youthful tannic tension, but not before providing a preview of mentholated herbal tones and depths of mineral-laden dark fruits that will take center stage after a few years of cellaring. This finishes incredibly long yet structured, leaving a staining of primary concentration to linger under an air of pretty inner florals and savory spice. I believe the 2019 may one day rank among the best vintages ever produced of Elena Fucci’s Titolo.

Jancis Robinson (18+)

Barbaresco. Palish ruby. Embryonic, tight nose with savoury minerally hints and just a shimmer of red fruit. A core of sweet raspberry fruit framed by firm, ripe and polished tannins. Spectacular tannic structure that is totally captivating and with youthful, focused red fruit.