Vinous (98)

No.1 Wine of 2025. The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Il Poggio is a total stunner. What a wine. Elegant and translucent, the 2020 impresses with a sublime, finessed personality that is impossible to miss. Fine tannins and lifted, sensual aromatics immediately announce a wine of utter class. On the palate, the 2020 is wonderfully deep and layered, with mind-blowing balance and exceptional pedigree. The 2020 is one of the very finest Il Poggios ever made. It has been nothing short of breathtaking on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Don't miss it

Expand your cellar with the captivating Mont Perat 2022—an exceptional Bordeaux from the reputable Château Mont Perat estate. Nestled in the picturesque region of Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, the vineyards benefit from mineral-rich clay-limestone soils, ideal for growing exceptional Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This blend is carefully aged in French oak barrels, fine-tuning the sumptuous flavours over 12 months.

The Mont Perat 2022 boasts a deep, alluring ruby hue. On the nose, it reveals an intoxicating bouquet of blackcurrant, cherry, and subtle smoky notes, delightfully underscored by spicy accents. The palate is beautifully balanced with impressive structure, delivering damson plum and dark chocolate flavours. A lingering finish completes this elegant, full-bodied experience. This is a superb expression of the producer's dedication to creating captivating wines, showcasing the distinct terroir of their premier Bordeaux estate.

Add the Mont Perat 2022 to your fine wine collection for a taste of the heart of Bordeaux's winemaking prowess.

Vinous (93)

The inaugural 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Plateau de Mont-Redon develops in the glass with intense tobacco, dried red fruits, forest floor and sandalwood. Full-bodied, round and expansive, the 2016 concludes with a long and nuanced finish. Were it not for a slight trace of alcohol heat, I’d score it even higher.

Vinous (93)

The inaugural 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Plateau de Mont-Redon develops in the glass with intense tobacco, dried red fruits, forest floor and sandalwood. Full-bodied, round and expansive, the 2016 concludes with a long and nuanced finish. Were it not for a slight trace of alcohol heat, I’d score it even higher.

Introducing the remarkable Monte Faustino Fornaser Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2017. Born from Veneto's fabled Valpolicella region in Italy, this wine is a testament to meticulous viticulture and winemaking practices. Monte Faustino, a bespoke winery where the Fornaser family exudes passion and respects deep-rooted Italian traditions, is renowned for its singularly stunning wines.

The 2017 vintage involves hand-picked Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, partially dried on 'arele' trays, enhancing intensity and concentrating aromas. The fermentation process, followed by a 30-month maturing period in Slavonian oak barrels, yields a beautifully balanced wine that defies comparison.

Endowed with a rich ruby red hue, the Monte Faustino Fornaser Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2017 offers multifaceted sensory notes, a delightful spectrum spanning spiced fruit, tobacco to chocolate. Nuanced acidity complements embracing tannins, elegantly harmonising in a persistent finish. This fine wine is an epitome of quality, mastery, and timeless Italian character.

Matthew Jukes (18.5)

While the estate Valpolicella is the only wine which is drinking perfectly right now all of the wines in this piece are certainly approachable and yet they have considerable staying power, too. This Ripasso is, most-certainly, the wine with the highest ‘value ratio’ given that the flavour is astounding and the price, stubbornly, remains affordable! Of course, this is cause for great celebration because the extra dimension of flair and richness at the heart of this gorgeous Ripasso is sensational. While many wines of this style carry extra weight and darker fruit tones, this elite version parades red fruit and uncommon succulence. I absolutely love it and it fully deserves its gold medal score.

Vinous (92)

The 2018 Chianti Classico Vigna Mezzuola is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berry fruit, tobacco, orange peel and spice are nicely pushed forward in this translucent, mid-weight Chianti Classico that delivers so much Sangiovese character.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2018 Eneo is pure and total class. Dark, resonant and super-expressive, the 2018 boasts terrific personality and class, with striking inner perfume that adds sweetness and aromatic intensity to a core of inky fruit. Lavender, mint, pine and sage are some of the many nuances that come alive with a bit of time in the glass. More than anything else, it is the wine's creaminess and overall feel that are so alluring today.

Vinous (96)

The 2007 Gabbro (Cabernet Sauvignon) is flat-out great. Layers of dark fruit, smoke, cured meat, cassis and grilled herbs come to life as this powerful, muscular wine gradually reveals the depth of its pedigree and sheer class. Despite its size, the 2007 Gabbro possesses exquisite complexity and a long, nuanced finish. Scents of tar, licorice and smoke provide the final exclamation points on what is truly a memorable wine.

Wine Spectator (95)

Features a focused beam of black currant, black cherry, plum and spice flavors. Herbal and vanilla accents add complexity as this winds down on the lingering aftertaste, with elements of Mediterranean scrub. Displays an engaging texture and harmony despite the youthful exuberance. Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2045. 250 cases made.

Vinous (97)

The 2016 Nardo is distinguished by a whole range of floral, savory and blood orange notes that give the wine striking aromatic brightness and perfume. Powerful and dense on the palate, with tremendous structure, the 2016 is incredibly racy today. Even with all of its richness, Nardo remains so precise and finely cut, with a real sense of saline-infused energy that drives the flavors. It is simply stunning. Wow!

Vinous (96)

Proprietor Fabio Chiarelotto and longtime winemaker Fabrizio Moltard ratchet things up with their stellar 2018 Nardo. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, gravel, spice, underbrush, menthol, licorice and scorched earth give the 2018 its distinct, sepia-toned personality. Dark and brooding in the glass, with imposing tannins, the 2018 is a flat-out stunner. Give it a few years in bottle first. Nardo is built around a core of Sangiovese, with Montepulciano, Alicante and Malvasia Nera. Chiarelotto has reduced the presence of Montepulciano in the blend. If the 2018 is any indication, that choice looks to be spot on.

Distinguished by its profound red hue, the Monteraponi Chianti Classico Riserva Campitello 2019 is a stellar testament to the Tuscan wine craft. This exquisite offering hails from the Monteraponi estate, nestled in the verdant heart of Italy's Chianti Classico region. Meticulously crafted from a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino grapes grown in mineral-rich, Galestro soils, it boasts an organic production process.

Expect a rhapsody of ripe cherry and redcurrant notes, interlaced with enticing undertones of tobacco and wild herbs. The aging process, carried out for 26 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, imparts a sublime velvety texture and layers of complexity. Revered producer Michele Braganti demonstrates his artistry and devotion to terroir-expressive wines with the Monteraponi Chianti Classico Riserva Campitello 2019 - an impeccable choice for discerning oenophiles.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Montes Alpha M from Apalta reflects the beginning of a stylistic shift—no more bleeding, 70% new oak and long, low toasts. The result is expressive, with cassis, currant and strawberry notes. Fruity, intense and dry, it has a plush texture and reactive tannins. This is juicy and subtly mentholated on the finish. The 2018 represents a more nuanced, expressive style.

Vinous (91)

From Apalta, this 2017 Syrah spends 18 months in new French oak and offers up blackberry jam, India ink, wood and smoke over a fleshy backdrop that adds a touch of exoticism. Taut and complex, it is quite indulgent (5.94 grams of sugar), with firm tannins and a ripe complexion. A cosmopolitan wine.

Vinous (93)

The 2019 Syrah Folly from D.O. Apalta, Colchagua, was aged for 14 months in one-third new French barrels. Purple in the glass, with a complex nose of ripe blackberry and raspberry aromas, a layer of coconut and hints of pepper and cedar, it’s full and intense in the mouth, offering a mildly fresh flow framed by the oak. The tannins are quite insistent before the lovely finish.

James Suckling (98)

Very intense aromas of blackcurrants, violets, flower stems, bark and wet earth. Very perfumed. Mushrooms, black truffles and tobacco. Great cabernet sauvignon aromas. Medium-to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and lovely integration. Opens and grows. Goes on for minutes. So fine. This is a terrific, new pure cabernet sauvignon from Montes from the Maipo Valley and made at their wine in the Apalta Valley. September 2022 release. 6,000 bottles made. A new classic in the making and neoclassical in nature. Very drinkable now yet it will be so much better in 2025 and beyond.