Italy

94 Points! A deep and complex wine with aromas of raspberries, bay leaves, leather, black pepper and smoke. The full-bodied palate shows velvety tannins, zesty acidity, a savory character and umami length. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Also yet to be released is the 2019 Barolo Riserva Cerretta Vigna Bricco, which is deep and expressive of this structured vintage and textbook Serralunga power. It’s sanguine and deep with notes of leather, ripe cherries, dark stony earth, sage, and floral perfume. Fabulous all around, it fills the palate with rich, well-defined tannins, gravelly angular texture, refreshing acidity, and savory notes of tea leaf and truffle on the finish. It’s a contemplative wine built to last the long haul over the next several decades. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! The Elio Altare 2019 Barolo Riserva Cerretta shows some tertiary definition with aromas of sambuca, licorice, tar and campfire ash. But it also has a sweet side from the oak, with dusty cinnamon and dried fruit. It is full-bodied with velvety tannins, closing with a hint of sweet cherry liqueur. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! There’s extraordinary energy in this wine. It displays a dark nose of black cherries, bramble fruit, violets, forest, licorice, bark, carob and leather. Density and tension dominate the full-bodied palate, with firm, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere in the finish at the moment, yet it’s crunchy and full of potential. Try from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2022 Tignanello is all class and refinement. Crushed flowers, mint, white pepper, blood orange and cinnamon all grace a Tignanello defined by a decidedly sophisticated personality. The 2022 has started to flesh out nicely, especially in the mid-palate, but it remains very much on the understated side of things relative to most vintages. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

95 Points! Tignanello in 2022 is a blend of 78% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Pot-pourri-infused red and black berry aromas introduce a succulent palate of good intensity. It's well balanced and bright, with cashmere tannins supporting a core of sapid hedgerow berries outlined by crushed rock minerality and bitter herbs. The finish is slightly disjointed, displaying a touch of alcohol warmth and wood which is yet to fully integrate, but given time it should come good. - James Button, Decanter Magazine

95 Points! A layered and complex wine with fresh, elegant aromas of balsamic, eucalyptus, bergamot, licorice, bark and cherry pits. Elegant on the palate as well, with a medium to full body, high yet integrated acidity, fine chalky tannins and a firm, polished finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2023 Bolgheri Rosso highlights the importance of the Cabernet Franc in the blend. In the glass, it displays a purple/red color and is highly expressive with wonderful energy on the nose. Fermented in stainless steel tank, and then in used barrels (3 to 4 years old), the nose reveals lively aromas of currants, graphite, black raspberries, sweet herbs, and floral perfume. The palate is full-bodied, with a refreshing, compact, and angular structure, well-defined tannins, an even spine of acidity, and notes of dusty earth through the finish. An overachiever with exceptional purity, this is an early contender for top lists of the year. Bravo. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

94 Points! A sleek, elegant red, silky in texture and linear in profile. Rose, macerated cherry, strawberry, mineral and spice flavors abound, while a line of energetic tannins shows up on the long finish. This wine's purity and structure show the potential of the vintage. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Pretty nose of dried red flower and herb, then to a palate of dried raspberry, tar and fine grained tannins. - Decanter World Wine Awards

96 Points! This is so beautiful, soft and plush, showing finesse and subtlety. The texture is so enticing. It’s full-bodied with really beautiful tannins. The fruit is dark and vivid with a nice earth and mushroom undertone. So delicious now, but this will age wonderfully. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The Caparzo 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is delicious with lots of pretty intensity, nicely balanced fruit, blackberry, spice, cedarwood and campfire ash. This is a delicately perfumed wine that offers more power and length than you might initially anticipate. That's the secret soul of the 2016 vintage—elegance and brawn wrapped tightly together in one package. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! Boasts beautifully defined strawberry, cherry, rose, mint and mineral flavors embedded in a sleek, dense structure. Firm and lingers, with echoes of fruit, savory herbs and earth on the aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2045. - Wine Spectator

95 Points, Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year 2024! Rose, strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors are the main themes in this red, along with wild herb, mineral and cut hay accents. Racy and full of energy, with a long, saturated finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot, the organic Podere Sapaio 2023 Bolgheri Volpolo di Sapaio is a charming wine with generous layers of fruit, offering precise notes of blackcurrant and sweet plum. Oak is gently interwoven into the elegantly rich mouthfeel, adding polish without overshadowing the fruit. Fermented in stainless steel and moved into barrique for 14 months of élevage, the 2023 combines freshness and vitality. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! A crunchy wine with a bright shining color. The nose is pure sangiovese from Chianti Classico, with restrained yet well-defined red cherries, wax, subtle flowers, minerals and cherry stones. Medium-bodied on the palate, it shows refined if not filigreed tannins, tight-knit acidity and a savory, chewy, tight, yet well-balanced finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The Cocito 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Baluchin is released to the market with a good amount of bottle age under its belt. That extra time has permitted a smooth evolution and integration for what will be remembered as an epic vintage. The wine has a distinctive note of resin or tea leaf that appears with pressed rose and redcurrant. This is a unique and very successful expression. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Baluchin is the best wine I have tasted from Ezio Cocito. It has all the depth, power and structure that have long been signatures, but it also feels less heavy and less extracted than in the past. Of course, some of that may be attributable to bottle age. In any event, the 2016 possesses notable depth that just builds in the glass, leading to a long, sustained finish that is very beautiful. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! Showing apricots, peaches and sage, this is layered and savory. On the palate, it’s vibrant and refined with silky texture, crisp acidity and a long finish. From organically and biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.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

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

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

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

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

97 Points! Wild roses and wild strawberries, the nose has a lovely fragrance and expression. Lifted and bright, this has such a beautiful delicacy to it, a creamy, chalkiness comes from the fine tannins with bright, succulent strawberry and raspberry leaf elements. You feel the savoury side too, the sweet vanilla spice and dried herb aspect which counter the fruit and the high acidity. I adore the finesse here, the sharp fruit giving the energy and the chalky texture giving the layers. Feels well controlled, powerful yet delivered with poise. It doesn't have so much overt weight, it's definitely more ethereal in terms of density, but the nuance of flavour is thrillingly captivating and this has a long lifted finish. A contemplative wine that keeps you wanting more and more. Made in new winery facilities in Fiesole. Grapes were picked from the best six vineyards; Vincigliata, Olmo, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena with each divided into parcels and harvested up to eight times to get the perfect ripening points. Natural and indigenous fermentation in open top barriques (225l) for smaller parcels and 50hl cask or stainless steel tanks for larger plots. After 7-10 days of maceration, the parcels are moved into old barriques and 50hl casks for 20 months. - Decanter Magazine

94 Points! The Bibi Graetz 2020 Testamatta is brilliant and vertical with a terrific sense of purity. The bouquet opens to tart cherry and cassis. The wine is vertical and lifted, and the acidity is nicely highlighted. The year 2020 was when Bibi Graetz bought a former hotel that he has since turned into his winery and home. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! A supple, fluid red marked by flavors of macerated cherry, raspberry and boysenberry. Well-structured, with flashes of graphite and tobacco as this builds to the long, compact finish. All the components are there, this just needs time. Sangiovese and Merlot. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Made with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Tenuta San Guido 2022 Guidalberto gives you a good taste of the same DNA that brings us one of Italy's greatest wines, Sassicaia, but it's offered in a more immediate style here (thanks to the addition of the Merlot). This warm vintage opens to medium-dark concentration and very plump aromas that take you immediately to blackberry and blackcurrant sitting out in the sun at your local farmers market. The wine shows a soft and gentle side with a pretty level of elegance transmitted through the fruit freshness and the light oak spice that is discernible here but delivered with grace. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! Lots of mint with sage and fresh rosemary to the currant and orange character on the nose, as well as some ripe raspberries. The palate is very refined with creamy and crunchy tannins that run the length of the wine. It shows a crunchy and energetic personality. Give it a year or two to come together, but it’s showing brightness for the vintage. Drink after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com