The Alessandro & Gian Fantino Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia Riserva 2013 originates from the renowned vineyards of Monforte d’Alba, in Italy’s Barolo region. Produced by the visionary siblings Alessandro & Gian Fantino, this desirable Barolo is a testament to tradition, innovation, and meticulous craftsmanship. Using only hand-harvested Nebbiolo grapes and fermenting in steel vats before ageing in Slavonian oak barrels, this wine exudes the essence of the artisanal wine-making philosophy upheld by the Fantinos.

They are lauded for their organic viticulture techniques, accentuating the unique complexities of the terroir in each bottle. The Alessandro & Gian Fantino Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia Riserva 2013 distinguishes itself with an intoxicating bouquet of dried fruit, leather, and spices, leading into a silky mouthfeel loaded with expressive, ripe berry notes. The lingering finish, robust tannins, and ageing potential make this Scallop Shell Barolo a connoisseur's delight.

Vinous (94)

The 2013 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is remarkable wine in many ways. For starters, the 2013 is the first vintage of the Badia a Passignano done entirely in cask and in a more refined style than was the norm in the past, when this wine was rather bombastic. Outrageously beautiful, vivid and voluptuous, the wine is dark and enveloping, with tons of character and remarkable finesse. To be sure, this site will always produce ample, broad wines, but the 2013 is also incredibly elegant.

James Suckling (97)

Extremely complex aromas of cedar, mushroom and walnut highlighting the cherry and flowers. The palate is full and complete with ultra-fine and caressing tannins that are truly silky. It’s still very young, but shows beauty and seduction. Try after 2020.

Vinous (95)

Bright dark red. Floral nuances complicate the aromas of red cherry, licorice, sage and minerals on the captivating nose. Rich, dense and juicy; harmonious ripe acidity provides noteworthy clarity and cut to the steely red cherry and licorice flavors. Finishes long with rising smooth tannins and hints of licorice. Very serious, very pure Brunello in the classic, high-acid, no-frills style of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (98)

The Biondi-Santi 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a stunning wine from all points of view. Seamless integration and elegant complexity are what stand out, and it's worth dedicating a few extra lines to the aromatic depth that is put so beautifully on display as the wine slowly unfolds. The bouquet starts off with wild cherry, earth, wet ash, crème de cassis and pruny chocolate. With extra time, there are hints of dried tobacco leaf, sandalwood and mossy forest floor. These lead to a fine tail of dried herb, bay leaf and a touch of rusty nail. The Riserva comes in numbered bottles, and I opened number 04277. To the palate, the wine is streamlined and silky with smooth tannins and a well-managed 13.5% alcohol content. The oak presence is reduced to a minimum, offering mild hints of spice and the delicate sandalwood or dried fig aroma I described above. Fresh acidity is the glue that gives the wine buoyancy and staying power. At this young stage, this 2013 vintage could be considered a bit shy or slow to start, but this will play out to great advantage in the long term as the wine continues its bottle evolution.

Savour the finesse and emanating notes of the equisitely-crafted Boggione Barolo Brunate 2013. Nestled on the verdant slopes of La Morra, Italy, this vintage wine is a rendition of artisanal craftmanship of the revered winemaker Claudio Boggione. The vineyard meticulously adapts traditional methods, aging the wine for 48 months in Slavonic oak casks to infuse a robust, complex flavour profile.

Boggione Barolo Brunate 2013 brings forth a delightful bouquet comprising of ripe cherries and rose petals, subtly laced with delicate nuances of clove and truffle. At the heart, it reveals a sophisticated palette of dark fruit and spices with a firm tannin structure. Its poised acidity and enduring finish echo the memorable Langhe terroir.

An elegant Nebbiolo masterpiece, this coveted wine embodies the cellar's pursuit of excellence. An unparalleled consignment for every fine wine lover, Boggione Barolo Brunate 2013 is a harmonious blend of traditional craft and bold Italian authenticity.

Wine Enthusiast (94)

Given the poise and complexity, it's hard to believe this is the firm's entry-level Barolo. It opens with alluring aromas of wild berry, forest floor, new leather, menthol and purple flower while the full-bodied palate delivers crushed raspberry, morello cherry, mint and star anise. Firm refined tannins and bright acidity give it a structured finesse as well as balance.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

This stunning wine opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of new leather, rose, wild berry, crushed herb, dark spice and menthol. The palate is chiseled and loaded with finesse, doling out juicy red cherry, ripe strawberry, licorice and cinnamon flavors. It's structured with polished tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2023–2043.

Wine Spectator (97)

Plump and bursting with cherry, strawberry and mineral aromas and flavors, this racy red evokes harmony and freshness, with hints of spice, chocolate and tobacco as it plays out gracefully on the long aftertaste. There's structure here, with all the components integrated. Best from 2020 through 2035. 2,870 cases made, 1,100 cases imported. — BS

Vinous (94)

Luminous deep red. Captivating aromas of sweet red berries, cinnamon, violet and licorice. Then also very fruity in the mouth; refined, juicy red plum and raspberry flavors linger brightly on the fresh back end. Has a delightful red fruit cocktail quality that makes it practically impossible to put the glass back down. And though it is simply bursting at the seams with early appeal, this truly lovely Brunello will also age well. Unless my memory fails me, this may well be the best entry-level wine from Casanova di Neri that I have ever tasted.

James Suckling (98)

A vivid and bright red with intense blueberries and raspberries. Floral undertones and tons of citrus, too! Full-bodied, dense and layered. Polished tannins and fantastic fruit. The muscularity of the structure is what gives this wine focus and intensity. So serious for the vintage. Give it time to show its greatness.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2013 I Sodi di S. Niccolò is 85% Sangioveto (a more antique name for Sangiovese) and 15% Malvasia Nera from a single vineyard. This wine opens to a darkly saturated appearance and shows ruby, garnet and purple highlights. The bouquet is powerful but seamless at the same time with smooth transitions between dark cherry, spice, tobacco and moist clay. In the mouth, this wine shows dense extraction, but it never feels too weighed down by that mass. Instead, the freshness of the fruit and the natural acidity give the wine a bright and buoyant personality. Aged in barrique for 30 months, this is a delightful Tuscan red.

Vinous (100)

Readers should do whatever they can to get their hands on a few bottles of the 2013 d'Alceo. Seamless and voluptuous in the glass, it is an epic wine that embodies all the qualities that make these terraced vineyards in Panzano so special. Blackberry jam, crème de cassis, plum, licorice and spice meld together in the glass, but it is the wine's textural intensity that elevates it into the realm of the profound. The 2013 has been nothing short of moving on the two occasions I tasted it recently.

Vinous (98)

The 2013 Sammarco is a stunning wine. Super-expressive aromatics make a strong opening statement in a wine endowed with myriad dimensions of nuance and complexity. The 2013 is deep and fleshy, with generous fruit, beautifully integrated tannins and exceptional finesse. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle of this any time soon, though, as it seems likely to age at a glacial pace.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is fabulous. The aromatics alone are thrilling. This is what Barolo is all about. Rose petal, holiday spice cake, leather, blood orange and macerated cherry abound. Silky and powerful, the 2013 shows tons of density on the palate and yet remains light on its feet for such a big wine. The wine's sensuality offers a mirage of accessibility, but the 2013 is best cellared for at least a handful of years. There is nothing like Barolo, and this is a terrific example. The 2013 saw 36-38 days on the skins followed by five years in cask, with a preference for larger and more neutral oak that allows for a more gradual pace of aging in the cellar than smaller casks.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is fabulous. The aromatics alone are thrilling. This is what Barolo is all about. Rose petal, holiday spice cake, leather, blood orange and macerated cherry abound. Silky and powerful, the 2013 shows tons of density on the palate and yet remains light on its feet for such a big wine. The wine's sensuality offers a mirage of accessibility, but the 2013 is best cellared for at least a handful of years. There is nothing like Barolo, and this is a terrific example. The 2013 saw 36-38 days on the skins followed by five years in cask, with a preference for larger and more neutral oak that allows for a more gradual pace of aging in the cellar than smaller casks.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is fabulous. The aromatics alone are thrilling. This is what Barolo is all about. Rose petal, holiday spice cake, leather, blood orange and macerated cherry abound. Silky and powerful, the 2013 shows tons of density on the palate and yet remains light on its feet for such a big wine. The wine's sensuality offers a mirage of accessibility, but the 2013 is best cellared for at least a handful of years. There is nothing like Barolo, and this is a terrific example. The 2013 saw 36-38 days on the skins followed by five years in cask, with a preference for larger and more neutral oak that allows for a more gradual pace of aging in the cellar than smaller casks.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is fabulous. The aromatics alone are thrilling. This is what Barolo is all about. Rose petal, holiday spice cake, leather, blood orange and macerated cherry abound. Silky and powerful, the 2013 shows tons of density on the palate and yet remains light on its feet for such a big wine. The wine's sensuality offers a mirage of accessibility, but the 2013 is best cellared for at least a handful of years. There is nothing like Barolo, and this is a terrific example. The 2013 saw 36-38 days on the skins followed by five years in cask, with a preference for larger and more neutral oak that allows for a more gradual pace of aging in the cellar than smaller casks.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Vignolo surprises for the sheer darkness and saturation of its color. Upfront and without too much bother, the wine offers immediate richness and concentration with dark berry fruit, plum and dried cherry. There is a lot of intensity here, but the wine is more horizontal and broad in character than it is vertical per se. In other words, it shows a heavy center of gravity, and its very character is focused on richness and power. This wine ages in 20- and 100-hectoliter Slavonian oak botti for up to five years before its commercial release. Production is exactly 6,666 bottles.

Vinous (95)

The 2013 Barbaresco Serracapelli Dedicato a Paolo emerges from the estate's oldest vines, planted in 1956. Deep and sensual, with striking layers of nuance, the 2013 hits all the right notes. Readers will find a lifted, savory, intensely mineral Barbaresco built on persistence and energy. Tobacco, worn-in leather, spice, menthol and crushed rose petal add myriad shades of complexity. The 2013 can be enjoyed now, but it also has enough pedigree to drink well for another decade.

Jancis Robinson (17.5+)

Cask sample 1: Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. Still a little progress, but finer on the nose than the 2012. Subtle cherry and a hint of tea leaves. Proper Burgundian in style, think Marroneto but with added ripeness. Spectacular balance and ends on austere tannins. This just needs more time but is already exciting. Cask sample 2: A shade deeper. More slumbering and with a little more concentration on the nose than cask sample 1. Intense, ripe raspberry and oatmeal notes. Juicy and almost a little racy, and with firmer tannins than sample 1, and a touch bitter at this stage. Shares breed and elegance with no 1, even if the tannins are more upfront. Yet the length and elegance are impressive.

Vinous (95)

The 2013 Barolo Prapò shows quite a bit more Serralunga muscle and power than it did when I last tasted it. The tension between the wine's elegance and its more natural leanings towards power is utterly compelling. Orange zest, cinnamon, dried flowers, iron and smoke infuse the deep, resonant finish. Not surprisingly, the 2013 appears headed into a period of dormancy. I wouldn't touch a bottle anytime soon.

Wine Spectator (96)

Exuding cherry, strawberry, floral and tobacco aromas and flavors, this effusive, fruity style is bright and elegant, with terrific harmony and a long, mouthwatering finish that leaves a mineral impression. Very compelling. Best from 2020 through 2036.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Wild berry, fragrant purple flower and crushed herb aromas mingle with whiffs of tilled earth and new leather in this dazzling red. The stunning, savory palate boasts remarkable finesse combined with an ageworthy structure, offering succulent black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and tobacco alongside taut, refined tannins. It's impeccably balanced by bright acidity. It's already tempting, but hold for even more complexity.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Wild berry, fragrant purple flower and crushed herb aromas mingle with whiffs of tilled earth and new leather in this dazzling red. The stunning, savory palate boasts remarkable finesse combined with an ageworthy structure, offering succulent black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and tobacco alongside taut, refined tannins. It's impeccably balanced by bright acidity. It's already tempting, but hold for even more complexity.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento is coy at first, brooding, with dark dusty florals, exotic spices and a hint of brown sugar; yet time in the glass allows it to blossom and show its inner beauty, as wave after wave of crushed strawberry, cherry and sweet violets lifts from the glass. On the palate, soft textures envelop the senses in sweet and savory red berry fruits, so silky and refined, as it seems to hover weightlessly, while saline minerals and youthful tannins begin to saturate all that they touch. The finish is long and structured, closing in upon itself, tugging at the cheek and reminding me that this wine is just a baby today. Simply stunning, yet in need of five to ten years of cellaring to show its best. Wow.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is my favorite wine in the retrospective, along with the amazing 2011, 2009 and 1996 vintages. This wine was released at the beginning of this year, and because Dal Forno skipped over the 2014 vintage, this is the only Amarone we will see for a while (until the highly anticipated 2015 is released). The 2013 vintage is characterized by a slightly more streamlined mouthfeel (which isn't saying much given the baseline enormity of these wines) with carefully etched aromas of black cherry, rum cake, dark chocolate and toasted espresso. The 2013 vintage was balanced overall without the sudden heat waves we saw in the summers of 2011 and 2012. The grapes finished a slow and steady ripening process over an extended growing season. The effect is graceful and focused. Put this bottle aside in your cellar for the decades to come.