Vinous (98)

The 2020 Galatrona is stunning. In fact, the 2020 is one of the best vintages of the Galatrona I can remember tasting. I am especially impressed by its vertical intensity and explosive energy. All the elements are so impeccably woven together. Dark-toned fruit, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice and spice build into the intense, palate-staining finish. The 2018 spent 18-20 months in French oak, about 25% new, with some larger barrels thrown into the mix. Magnificent.

Unleash your palate to the tantalizing taste of Rocca di Montegrossi Ridolfo 2015. Hailing from the heart of Chianti Classico in Tuscany, this exceptional vintage is conceived by Rocca di Montegrossi, famed for their precision, tradition, and dedication to supreme wine-making. The Ridolfo 2015 is distinguished by the masterful blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino and Pugnitello grapes, meticulously harvested and aged in large oak casks to fuel its complexity and undeniable charm.

Rich aromas of cherry, fresh tannins and subtle herbs amidst an alluring ruby hue offer an immersion into Italian terroir and a sensitive nod towards the historical architecture of this lauded vineyard, headed by Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi. A wine of depth and subtlety, the Rocca di Montegrossi Ridolfo 2015 shines among fine wines, illuminating the tradition and dedication to precise viticulture that is the heart of Rocca di Montegrossi's winemaking philosophy. Relish the elegance of Tuscany embodied in each glass of this refined wine.

Experience the refined delights of the Rocca di Montegrossi Ridolfo 2016, a product of the prestigious Tuscan vineyard, nestled in the Chianti Classico region. This elegant red wine personifies excellence, demonstrating the stellar craft of Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, heir to a centuries-old winemaking legacy. Rocca di Montegrossi's ethos is one of quality and tradition, producing only 70,000 bottles yearly to ensure superior standards.

Hand-picked sangiovese grapes are skilfully blended with small quantities of canaiolo and colorino, matured 18 months in oak, & bottled unfiltered to enhance character & longevity. The Ridolfo 2016 presents a remarkable complexity, with rich black cherry and spicy undertones, a smooth velvety texture, and balanced acidity.

An exemplar of Italian viticulture, the Rocca di Montegrossi Ridolfo 2016 is an investment in fine wine, as pleasurable to the discerning connoisseur as it is to the novice collector.

Vinous (100)

The 2015 La Ricolma confirms its place as one of the greatest wines ever made at San Giusto. Powerful and ripe, with tons of backing structure, the 2015 will thrill readers lucky enough to own it for many years to come. A rush of super-ripe dark red fruit, blood orange, mint, chalk, truffle and dried flowers builds into the huge, resonant finish. Next to the 2016, the 2015 has firmer tannins that are going to require time in bottle to soften.

James Suckling (99)

Blueberries and black olives with so many flowers, such as violets and honeysuckle. Licorice, too. This is full and very tight with lots of back-end tannins that build through the finish. A tight, muscular and curated young wine that lasts for minutes. Best after 2028.

James Suckling (99)

Blueberries and black olives with so many flowers, such as violets and honeysuckle. Licorice, too. This is full and very tight with lots of back-end tannins that build through the finish. A tight, muscular and curated young wine that lasts for minutes. Best after 2028.

Vinous (97)

The 2017 Percarlo is an exotic beauty. Rich and sumptuous in the glass, with tremendous fruit density, the 2017 packs a serious punch. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, menthol and earthy notes emerge over time, but the tannins remain imposing. Like the Baròncole, the Percarlo needs cellaring to be at its best. The 2017 was much more forthcoming from barrel. It will reveal all of that sumptuousness once again, but not soon.

Wine Advocate (94+)

This wine is showing exceptionally well in this classic vintage. The 2016 Guidalberto (Cabernet Sauvignon and a smaller percentage of Merlot) opens to a full and generous bouquet and a beautifully rich and velvety appearance. This edition of Tenuta San Guido's mid-level wine offers a bigger aromatic profile, more texture and more volume as well. Dark cherry and blackberry segue to spice, tar, leather and sweet fruit at the end. The mouthfeel is elegantly shaped, silky and nuanced. This may well be the best vintage of Guidalberto I have yet to taste—and you can get this wine at a great price too.

Vinous (94)

The 2017 Guidalberto is a stellar wine. Rich, ample and resonant, the 2017 possesses superb depth and textural richness, both signatures of this warm, dry vintage. I suppose in the most technical sense, the 2017 is not the last word on complexity. But it is supremely delicious, it is that kind of wine opened and finished quickly - and of course, the ultimate goal of a wine is to deliver pleasure. The 2017 Guidalberto hits it out of the park on that level.

Vinous (92)

San Guido’s 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia.

Vinous (92)

San Guido’s 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity. Drink 2022–2029

Wine Enthusiast (95)

This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity. Drink 2022–2029

Decanter (95)

Guidalberto 2020 is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured for 15 months in oak (20% new), including a small percentage of American oak. The aromas are a little heavier, with ripe dark fruit and a fragrant, floral note. It's a little less finely detailed aromatically than the 2021, with some smoke, spice and green herb qualities. The palate is round, medium-full bodied with juicy, bright acidity. It's a very friendly wine with very fine tannins and there's a little more grip and silty texture to the tannins.

Greg Sherwood MW (95)

There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement amongst growers as to whether 2021 in Bolgheri was an easy or difficult vintage. What certainly is in agreement is that this cooler Tuscan vintage yielded some incredibly taut, intense, vibrant wines. Aged in 85% French and 15% American oak 225 litre barrels, 40% new, for 15 months, this beautiful Guidalberto 2021 boasts fabulously piercing aromatics of violets, black cherries, blackberry compote and seductive dark plum over sweet exotic Christmas spices and stony graphite notes. The oak and vanilla wood spice is still busy integrating with the super taut, tight palate fruit intensity, perhaps at a slightly slower pace than in a riper, warmer vintage. But it’s the palate’s chiselled focus and linearity that marks this vintage as a true stand out expression amongst more recent dryer, warmer years. The texture is laser focused but also wonderfully transparent showing the true mineral terroir characteristics of Bolgheri together with a wonderfully fresh, tart, glassy acidity supported by sleek, polished marble tannins on a pithy cherry cola packed finish. A vintage to be truly celebrated but also one best to bury in the cellar for an another 8 to 10+ years.

Vinous (88)

The 2020 Le Difese is laced with crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, cinnamon and rose petal. This light to medium-bodied, fragrant Maremma red is an ideal choice for drinking over the next few years. Served at cellar temperature, it is also a fine option for the warm summer months.

Vinous (91)

The 2021 Le Difese is redolent of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, lavender, spice and sweet pipe tobacco. Medium in body yet nicely layered, the 2021 is impeccably balanced. It is also a sheer delight to taste at this early stage. In many vintages, Le Difese is a fruity, forward wine, but the 2021 has a nervy feeling of classicism that is hugely appealing. It's one of my favorite recent vintages. As it has been for some time, Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate and Sangiovese purchased from several properties in Chianti Classico, with the energy of Sangiovese very much driving the feel in this vintage.

Vinous (98)

The 2010 Solaia rounds out this flight in style. Swaths of tannin give the 2010 a real sense of explosive energy and vibrancy that only builds with time in the glass. A whole range of dark aromas and flavors give the 2010 its brooding, inward personality. Tasted from magnum, the 2010 is very young, but its pedigree is unmistakable.

James Suckling (97)

Extremely impressive ripe dark fruits of blueberries, plums and blackberries follow through to a full body, round texture and bright acidity. The finesse and depth to this red is stunning making it a wonderful successor to the 2011 Solaia. Needs three or four years to soften and open.

Wine Advocate (97+)

The best vintages of Solaia are 1990, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and now 2013. Marchesi Antinori's 2013 Solaia is a profound and meaningful wine that is based mostly on Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc in supporting roles. It sports a dark and thick texture with plump fruit and spice, grilled herb and black pepper. The bouquet is intense and layered with the kind of complexity that is best admired as the wine shifts and evolves in the glass. The textual impact is also impressive—you feel the inherent power and the structure, but these elements are never overdone. The best is yet to come; this Solaia is built for long cellar aging.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2014 Solaia will be released during the second half of 2017. This is a fine-tuned expression that shows a focused sense of detail and careful attention. The quota of Cabernet Franc has been upped by a hair and this makes a big difference, especially in terms of the wine's bouquet. Otherwise, this celebrated Tuscan blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese. It opens to dark fruit aromas with crushed mineral, pipe tobacco, pressed flower and toasted spice. Its appearance is midnight black and profound. The wine delivers a sense of sheer excitement and nervousness that will subside with another few years of bottle age. Nonetheless, I think a certain amount of that bright edginess or rigidness will always be part of this cool vintage Solaia. In the mouth, the wine is firm, compact and dense. The tannins are chiseled to the point of sublime integration. Marchesi Antinori made 40% less Solaia in this vintage in order to maintain the quality you taste here.

The Wine Independent (100)

This 2015 Marchesi Antinori Solaia is so charmingly sweet, ripe, and open with very bright and exuberant aromas of cream and blackberries. My impression is that many 2015s in Tuscany in general have absorbed more oak than in some other vintages but this wine wears it so well. The palate is super-harmonious with a gentle ease and flow and the tannins are beautifully integrated and combine with subtle flavors of sweet oak-spice, cream, vanilla and blackberry. There is an elegant acidity and juicy freshness but in this wine the tannins take on a new dimension becoming seamlessly refined. Just beautiful!

Wine Advocate (100)

I fussed over scoring this wine more than I'd like to admit—tasting through three samples under different conditions at various intervals and testing my impressions blind against wines in its peer group. Most importantly, I tasted this 2016 vintage against the 2015 vintage over and over again. I confess to a few nights of restless sleep as a result. Ultimately, my decision to award 100 points to the 2016 Solaia came on impulse and with the most natural sense of purpose. I had also given the 2015 vintage a perfect score, and intellectually, it seemed impossible not to pick a favorite among these two stunning expressions. I will also state, outright, that the wines are very different, principally because the 2015 vintage shows more overall opulence and sweetness that extends to the pronounced textural richness of the mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage, on the other hand, is more chiseled and sharp with mineral shadings of campfire ash and graphite at the rim of its dark fruit. The mouthfeel is more streamlined and tight at its core, suggesting that the wine will unfold and soften beautifully with time. I feel like 2015 is the Dolce & Gabbana of the situation and the 2016 is the Armani Privé. The personalities of the two wines are distinct, yet my admiration for each is identical.

Vinous (98)

Antinori’s 2018 Solaia captures all of the elegance of this important vintage. The bouquet alone is mesmerizing. It speaks to the stunning beauty and pedigree of Cabernet Sauvignon as grown at the Antinori family’s Tignanello property. Sweet scents of crème de cassis, lavender, graphite, mint, spice and espresso lead into a fine, delineated palate. Bright and energetic, Solaia is decidedly medium in body in 2018, with striking purity and exceptional beauty. I can’t remember ever tasting a young Solaia with this much sheer appeal and balance in the early going. In 2018 Solaia is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 7% Cabernet Franc. Production is down to around 60,000 bottles because of strict selection.

James Suckling (98)

This has a complex array of blackberries, black cherries, cocoa, dried herbs, slate, tobacco, olives and charred bark. Some dried roses and iodine, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm yet refined tannins. Powerful, in an understated way. Long. 73% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 20% sangiovese. Try in 2025.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

A great vintage of the iconic Solaia, full of cloves, sage, graphite, grilled dried herbs, underbrush and roasted cherry pit. There's fruit too, bilberry and cassis, juicy and mouthwatering, both understated and exuberant, ensuring a Tuscan fingerprint despite its majority Cabernet Sauvignon construction. Has grip and length, and effortless charm, reflecting an excellent vintage with low yields after a hot dry summer. Antinori family showing once again why this wine, that comes from 20ha the sunniest slopes of the Tignanello estate, set at 350-400m altitude, is so hard to resist. Winemaking director Renzo Cotarella.

Vinous (96+)

In 2014, the very challenging, wet growing season yielded just a single cask of Sangiovese that I was able to taste a few times before it was bottled. From the beginning, the 2014 was mesmerizing. It is all that and more today. Powerful and yet translucent in the glass, the 2014 presents a beguiling mélange of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and leather. I would be in no rush to open the 2014 today, as it is still very young. Soldera has historically done quite well in difficult years. I won’t be at all surprised if the 2014 turns out even better than this note suggests.

Vinous (96+)

In 2014, the very challenging, wet growing season yielded just a single cask of Sangiovese that I was able to taste a few times before it was bottled. From the beginning, the 2014 was mesmerizing. It is all that and more today. Powerful and yet translucent in the glass, the 2014 presents a beguiling mélange of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and leather. I would be in no rush to open the 2014 today, as it is still very young. Soldera has historically done quite well in difficult years. I won’t be at all surprised if the 2014 turns out even better than this note suggests.

Vinous (96)

Soldera’s 2015 Sangiovese is superb. The aromatics alone are pure seduction. Sweet floral notes, cedar, tobacco and a hint of spice open first. Deceptively medium in body, the 2015 is translucent and weightless, with plenty of acid and tannin that drive the mid-palate and a finish laced with all sorts of red-toned fruits. The 2015 can be enjoyed now, but I would cellar it for at least a few years. These wines have a way of transforming in the bottle over time. I imagine that will be the case here as well.

Vinous (96)

Soldera’s 2015 Sangiovese is superb. The aromatics alone are pure seduction. Sweet floral notes, cedar, tobacco and a hint of spice open first. Deceptively medium in body, the 2015 is translucent and weightless, with plenty of acid and tannin that drive the mid-palate and a finish laced with all sorts of red-toned fruits. The 2015 can be enjoyed now, but I would cellar it for at least a few years. These wines have a way of transforming in the bottle over time. I imagine that will be the case here as well.