Wine Advocate (98+)

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!

Wine Advocate (98+)

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!

Wine Advocate (93)

Caparzo is one of two properties in Montalcino owned by the beautiful and charming Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini. The other property is Altesino. This wine, the Caparzo 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is a very classic interpretation that delivers the goods without any distracting bells or whistles. The wine opens to red and purple fruit aromas with background tones of dried herb, potting soil, cedar wood and light spice. Fruit comes from a site with heavier clay soils, and you get hints of that extra density and richness here. This vintage offers all you need in a model Brunello from a very beautiful and generous vintage. I always admire the wines of Caparzo for their accessible and immediate drinking style. Some 160,000 bottles were corked in August 2019, and the wine hit the market in January 2020.

James Suckling (92-93)

Love the stone, tar and black currant in this. Full and tight with firm and silky tannins and a long, long finish. Spicy, too. Can’t wait to see how this evolves. Serious.

James Suckling (94-95)

The most tannic and textured Carruades ever. Full-bodied, big and powerful. Very, very long. New style?

Vinous (94)

Good deep red. Saline aromas and flavors of red cherry, blueberries, herbs, blood orange and sweet spices. Smooth and long on the bright, very sweet finish. Really quite good.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (or the so-called "white label" Brunello) takes a minute or two to open, and like all these new releases from the Neri family, you're best off opening your bottle five hours before serving them. This classic expression displays raspberry, tar, hazelnut, dried fig, asphalt and some crushed chalk. The wine is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, giving us an accessible Brunello from a benchmark Montalcino estate.

James Suckling (100)

This is a momentous wine with incredible power and structure that has so much minerality and crushed-stone character to the black cherries and blueberries. Full-bodied and tannic, yet the tannins are layered and polished with a glorious, creamy and juicy texture that coats your mouth. It goes on for minutes. Incredible wine. Try after 2025.

James Suckling (100)

Wow. Incredible purity and transparency with cherries, bark, mushroom, flower and slate/stone on the nose. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with a fine tannin structure that runs the length of the wine and goes on forever. The polish, elegance and grace is breathtaking. Power with agility. A revelation for the 2016 vintage in Brunello. Drink in 2024 and onwards but wonderful to taste now.

James Suckling (99)

The purity of fruit in this wine really strikes you with black cherries, combined with sage, lavender and rosemary. Extremely aromatic. Full-bodied, yet so tight and polished with incredible tannin structure that gives the wine an endless mouth feel of caressing tannins, acidity and fruit. There’s a fabulous saltiness and oyster-shell undertone to the fruit. Unique. Drinkable already, but this year there’s the structure to last decades.

James Suckling (99)

Aromas of blackberries, cherries, violets and bark with mahogany. It’s full-bodied and chewy with intense tannins that are layered and focused. The fruit is pure and purposeful, yet not over done. Wonderful strength and purity to this. Class is the word. Try it after 2024.

Vinous (96)

The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse is one of the most distinctive wines in all of Piedmont. It emerges from a tiny parcel in Neive first planted in 1913 with the Rose clone of Nebbiolo known for its aromatic intensity, that is rarely seen these days. Deeply bright and perfumed, the 2015 offers up an exotic mélange of sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and kirsch. There's terrific depth and plenty of substance to wrap it all together. The 2015 spent four years in wood, a combination of small barrels and medium-sized casks. I wonder what this wine would like taste like if it was aged in more neutral oak, as there is a bit of oak tannin here. Even so, the 2015 is an exquisite wine and a Barbaresco of real character.

Vinous (96)

The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse is one of the most distinctive wines in all of Piedmont. It emerges from a tiny parcel in Neive first planted in 1913 with the Rose clone of Nebbiolo known for its aromatic intensity, that is rarely seen these days. Deeply bright and perfumed, the 2015 offers up an exotic mélange of sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and kirsch. There's terrific depth and plenty of substance to wrap it all together. The 2015 spent four years in wood, a combination of small barrels and medium-sized casks. I wonder what this wine would like taste like if it was aged in more neutral oak, as there is a bit of oak tannin here. Even so, the 2015 is an exquisite wine and a Barbaresco of real character.

The Cascina Sot Barolo Bricco San Pietro 2015 is a true Italian masterpiece, hailing from the illustrious Piedmont region. This sublime vintage is the product of meticulous wine-making by the reputed Cascina Sot, an estate renowned for its skillful vintners and perfect terroir. Forged from the iconic Nebbiolo grape under strictly controlled conditions, it’s a brilliant shade of ruby, promising a vibrant and intense tasting experience.

Expect an opulent bouquet, rich with echoes of cherries, roses, spices, and liquorice. Upon tasting, the Cascina Sot Barolo Bricco San Pietro 2015 unfolds hedonistic layers of rounded tannins and composed acidity, followed by a lengthy, lingering finish. Expertly aged in fine French oak barrels, this Barolo is a sublime distillation of the vintage's optimum weather conditions, reflecting the very soul of its terroir. Savour this harmonious blend of freshness and structure, a testament to the estate's dedication to quality.

Indulge in the captivating allure of Castaldi Fara 2016, a magnificent red blend from the Lombardy region of Italy. As one of the stellar creations of Cantina Castaldi, the dedication to traditional winemaking can be clearly tasted in each sip. Hand-harvested and impeccably aged for 36 months in large French oak barrels, Castaldi Fara 2016 boasts an incredibly refined and elegant, yet compellingly structured character.

The mesmerising blend primarily encompasses Nebbiolo, Croatina, and Vespolina grapes. This synergistic fusion yields a deep ruby red wine with an exquisite bouquet of ripe red fruits, an undercurrent of violets, and a hint of warm spice. A balanced acidity meets velvety tannins on the palate, ensuring a lasting finish.

Castaldi Fara 2016, with its hypnotic charm, is a testament to Cantina Castaldi's ongoing commitment to create wines that brilliantly reflect the richness of the terroir. It is, in every sense, the epitome of Italian wine finesse. Indulge in a bottle and experience the luxury.

Vinous (98)

The 2015 I Sodi di San Niccolò is just stratospheric. That's pretty much all there is to it. Plush, deep and explosive, the 2015 possesses magnificent depth. The 15% Malvasia Nera gives tannic backbone and energy to balance the wine's natural richness. Sweet red cherry, cedar, smoke, tobacco and licorice build in a racy, flamboyant Sodi that hits all the right notes. In a word: stunning!

Vinous (98)

Castellare's I Sodi di San Niccolò is the single most overlooked high-end wine in Tuscany today. The 2016 picks up where the 2015 left off. A rush of inky dark fruit, lavender, spice, licorice, gravel, blueberry and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its exceptional balance and pedigree. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 needs a few years in bottle to fully come together. Even so, the 2016 has been nothing less than spectacular on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. In a word: monumental.

Wine Spectator (97)

This elegant red features cherry and black currant flavors interwoven with its silky texture. Tobacco and spice accents add complexity as this unfurls to a lingering aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Firmly built and still young. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 925 cases made, 150 cases imported.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Sunbaked earth, mature black-plum, fragrant blue-flower and leather aromas mingle with balsamic whiffs of camphor on this full-bodied, delicious red. Made with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese, the creamy palate is earthy and full of flavor, boasting juicy blackberry, raspberry, dried mint, cocoa and licorice. Taut velvety tannins provide plenty of support and finesse. Drink through 2035.

Vinous (98)

The 2016 Sammarco is a dense, flamboyant wine. Inky red fruit, spice, cedar, tobacco, menthol and licorice are some of the notes that build in a statuesque Sammarco that dazzles from start to finish. A wine of stunning textural richness and intensity, Sammarco is translucent, sculpted and full of character. All the elements are so well balanced. Rose petal, cedar, tobacco and mint linger on the eternal finish. The 2016 is a magical wine that can be, surprisingly, enjoyed now or cellared for a number of years. Time in the glass just brings out its energy and vertical drive. Sammarco is quite possibly the single greatest value in high-end Italian wine. Don't miss it.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo is immediately more inky and balsamic in terms of aromas. As soon as you lift the wine to your nose, you get pretty tones of blackberry, cassis, rosemary essence, licorice and a touch of medicinal herb. I love when Sangiovese produces those elegant aromas, and for that reason, this wine stands tall among the three single-vineyard expressions from Marco Pallanti and Castello di Ama. It shows fiber, richness and lasting structure with a very well-managed quality of tannins.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista sees fruit sourced from one of Castello di Ama's most beautiful vineyards with a wide exposures and plenty of sunshine. This wine shows profound complexity and a far-reaching bouquet that evolves slowly in the glass. Of these three single-vineyard Gran Selezione wines (Bellavista, La Casuccia and San Lorenzo), the Vigneto Bellavista is the most complete, but it is also the most linear and streamlined in terms of mouthfeel. I would bet on putting this wine aside in your cellar for a longer aging time.

Vinous (95+)

The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is a powerful, explosive wine. Almost unnaturally so. In most vintages, the Casuccia is a sensual, racy wine. Not in 2015. Readers will have to be especially patient. Time in the glass brings out the wine's more floral side and a range of red-toned fruit.

Vinous (98)

Ama's 2015 L'Apparita is shaping up to be phenomenal. That is the good news. But readers are going to have to give the 2015 at least another 8-10 years before the wine starts to drink well, as today, the flavors are remarkably primary. That is hardly a surprise given how this Tuscan thoroughbred ages. A rush of blackberry jam, spice, menthol, and graphite build into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. Over the years, I have had the chance to take virtually every vintage of L'Apparita. There is little doubt the 2015 will soon take its place as one of the epic editions.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 L'Apparita, 100% Merlot, is a breathtaking, riveting wine that captures all the potential of the vintage. In this vintage, L'Apparita is especially silky and refined. Layered, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced, L'Apparita is simply epic. Lavender, mint, sage, spice, new leather and cloves develop with time, but more than anything else, L'Apparita is wonderfully complete and magnificently beautiful.

James Suckling (97)

Wonderful aromas of flowers, plums, terracotta and white pepper. Intense, yet ever so subtle. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and intense finish. Shows excellent length. Drink after 2021.

James Suckling (99)

The complexity and beauty to this is really something with cherry, walnut, tobacco and cigar-box character. Sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied and deep with super intensity and power. Layered and beautiful. Really refined tannins. Some whole-berry fermentation gives this added character. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2025.

James Suckling (97)

Another structured, layered red with blackberry, plum, walnut and cigar-box aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with depth and intensity. Tight and structured. A wine with a long future. Fine-grained and refined. Try after 2025.