Italy

97 Points! 70% Pinot Blanc, 25% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc A joyous sotto voce nose of spring meadow flowers sprinkled over the unbridled purity of ripe pineapple, Meyer lemon and green apple fruit. Saline elements infuse the structure and acidity and proceed towards the lengthy finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards

96 Points! Elegant and vibrant with white pepper and flinty minerality, lemon peel and white flowers. Full-bodied, it shows tension and crisp acidity combined with citrus flavors and a tight-knit structure full of savory notes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! ...the organic Pieropan 2024 Soave Classico is a favorite bottle from Northern Italy for very good reason. This simple expression of Garganega (blended with 15% Trebbiano di Soave for extra richness) offers nice freshness, mineral tones and sweet primary fruit that recalls freshly cut apple and white peach. This was not an easy vintage by any stretch, but this white wine comes out fighting. The Pieropan family does a terrific job with this entry-level release of 560,000 bottles. The grapes are sourced over 60 hectares on volcanic soils, and the wine sees a brief five to six months in cement tank. The process is simple and easy, and the wine is delicious. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! Intense aromas of black cherries, lavender and spice, such as nutmeg. Some sandalwood and bark, too. Full-bodied with a solid core of fruit and tannins for the vintage. Rather chewy, suggesting that additional bottle age is needed. Try after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Rich with compact and velvety layers, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino offers fleshy aromas of fig, black licorice, mocha, and roasted sage. It is full-bodied and displays more freshness and transparency on the palate, although it remains fully ripe, with black cherry, plum, turned soil, and macerated violets. It has full and present ripe tannins, a hint of crushed rock, and a saline, savory finish. With its liqueur-like richness throughout, this is a fantastic expression, but it needs a couple of years in the cellar before drinking over the following 10. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

93 Points! Ripe and juicy, this red reveals plum, cherry, earth, tobacco and menthol aromas and flavors. Well-structured, delivering dense, dusty tannins and ample fruit to match, with a long, complex finish. - Wine Spectator

98 Points! Intense, vibrant aromas of strawberries and raspberries, together with cola and flowery notes. Milk and mint nuances, too. Shows a lot of licorice elegance and blood-orange freshness on both the nose and palate with firm, velvety tannins and well-packed, brilliant acidity and a polished finish. Good aftertaste and amazing potential. Very classic. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! A fine-tuned, elegant Barolo with aromas of dried cherries, dried roses, licorice and mint. Full-bodied, it shows smoothness, density, weight and soft tannins despite the structure, with refreshing acidity and a long, vibrant finish full of savory flavors. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Laced with cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and white pepper flavors, this red is expressive despite being linear and taut. Firms up on the finish, where lively acidity drives the fruit and savory elements. Shows excellent harmony and potential. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A blend of fruit from five MGA sites (Brunate, Liste, Cerequio, Cannubi and Raviole)...The Damilano 2021 Barolo Lecinquevigne offers nice intensity and standard Nebbiolo complexity with dark fruit, cassis, spice and toasted tobacco leaf. You do not taste the personality of any one site, but that's not the point. Aged in large botte, the wine is open-knit in texture and immediate. You can wait longer or pull the cork now. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points, Wine Spectator's #3 Value Wine of 2025! This red is sleek and engaging, offering cherry, raspberry, blackberry and mineral aromas and flavors. Harmonious, with beautifully integrated tannins and vibrant acidity. The finish is long and detailed. Sangiovese and Merlot. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Aromas of dark cherries and cedar with a touch of elderberries and a pleasant floral component. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with chalky tannins complemented by elegant concentration that leads to a persistent and elegant finish. Better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Like chiseling through an ashen stone to find a treasure trove of exotic spices, incense and cinnamon-tinged black currants, the 2018 Taurasi Radici makes itself known. This is a soft and generous expression of Radici, with depths of tart black fruit offset by dark chocolate and sour citrus notes. It finishes with tremendous length but without the typically harsh tannins associated with Aglianico in its youth, leaving behind inner earth and herbal tones. The 2018 ends with a salty flourish. This is a much more forward expression of Radici. That said, I expect it will give much pleasure over the medium term. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! Packaged with its distinctive black label, the Mastroberardino 2018 Taurasi Radici offers impressive complexity with a long succession of aromas that includes dried blackberry, cherry liqueur, tarry smoke, campfire ash, sweet baking spice and cinnamon. The bouquet is also heavy on bramble, rosemary sprig and forest floor. It is all smoothed out by soft tobacco. This wine shows robust fruit weight and equally balanced oak spice. The tannins are well managed and Radici is long in persistency. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! A wine that announces itself like June roses in full bloom. Split cherries and crushed raspberries lead you down a garden path where wild thyme grows. The palate shifts gears, showing unexpected muscle under its pretty exterior. Here's your answer to the eternal "what pairs with everything" question. - Wine Enthusiast

92 Points! Intense cinnamon spice on the nose, together with vibrant aromas of cherry jelly and pressed flowers. Medium-bodied with a graceful attack, firm light tannins and crisp, brilliant and juicy acidity that packs a punch. Overall it’s crunchy in style. Licorice in the aftertaste. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

This cuvée is a selection of Nebbiolo from the younger vines of the various “cru” in Barbaresco supplemented by grapes from the neighboring village of Neive.  The average age of the vines is 30 years.  The wine is fermented in stainless steel for 10 days to 2 weeks and then is refined in large oak barrels for an additional year before being bottled.  An astonishing value … as are all of the fine wines from this remarkable estate.

93 Points! Dark cherries and strawberries with fresh sage and thyme aromas follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a crunchy finish. Savory and delicious with lovely energy and drinkability. A blend of 45% sangiovese, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malvasia and 10% other varieties. Precise and yummy. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! In 2009, the flagship 2009 Nero d'Avola Vrucara is drop dead gorgeous. Black cherries, tar, licorice and melted rocks meld together in a big, boisterous Nero d'Avola. Here, too, the style is very much forward and full-throttle, especially within the context of Nero d'Avola, but it all works. The 2009 is all about power wedded to expressive inner perfume and sheer depth of fruit. I see a wine of exceptional richness and character in the glass. Tobacco, mint, licorice and juicy dark cherries add complexity on the rich, enveloping finish. - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

97 Points! Wow. This is very powerful 2010 Barolo with a great depth of fruit and powerful tannins. Full and super-structured Barolo. Goes on for minutes. Great wine from a popular vintage. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Beginning to turn the corner, this red exhibits fragrant aromas of cherry, leather, mushroom and spice. Smooth and full of ripe fruit, with a firm structure for support. Still needs some time, but already shows complexity and harmony. Best from 2018 through 2035. - Wine Spectator

91 Points! A fresh, balsamic-tinged version, with a core of cherry, raspberry and black pepper notes. Firm, revealing sweet fruit in the end. A good steak or pasta with ragù will provide a good match. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! This velvety and harmonious red offers a deep, musky aroma, with macerated cherry, sweet strawberry, leather, tobacco and orange peel flavors. Beautifully balanced and expressive, lingering with a long aftertaste of fruit, spice and mineral. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! The 2001 Taurasi CampoRe is made in a more generous style than the normal bottling. It also spent an additional year in oak. This full-bodied, fat Aglianico is gorgeous and pure in its expression of smoke, tar, dark cherries, spices, leather and tobacco. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! The 2007 Valpolicella Superiore from the celebrated Monte Lodoletta vineyard is rock-tight with a midnight black appearance and aromas that emerge with fierce determination. The fascinating aromatic medley includes dark spice, prune, Spanish cedar, tar, black licorice, balsam herb and blackberry tart. The mouthfeel is plush and rich with super-tight tannins that grip nervously to the finish. It has only started its bottle evolution and requires more time to soften and develop. Drink 2017-2035. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com, 2013