Italy

95 Points! Packed with cherry and raspberry fruit, this red also exhibits rose, mineral and Mediterranean scrub aromas and flavors. Coiled tightly, picking up eucalyptus and gripping tannins on the finish. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Aromas of dark berries, light caramel, coffee, balsamic, smoke and dried strawberries follow through to a medium body with firm, chewy tannins and lots of new oak. Yet, it turns crisp and lively at the finish. Needs three or four years to open. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Very attractive aromas of red cherries, mushrooms and flowers follow through to a medium body with firm and integrated tannins and a vivid, subtle, fruity finish. A lovely young Brunello that you can enjoy now or age for many years to come. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Black cherry and black currant flavors are the main themes in this intense red, with iron and wild herbs adding complexity. Balanced and vibrant, with resonant tannins guarding the long aftertaste. This feels more modern in style, with an emphasis on bright fruit. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo bursts from the glass with a vivid blend of crushed raspberries and cherries, a whiff of allspice and candied rose. It is elegant in feel, silken and smooth with tantalizing acidity and a dominating core of ripe red fruits that adds impact. The finish is grippy and long, potent with fine-grained tannins and a slight citrus tinge that pinches at the cheeks. This classy Brunello is built for the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous 

91 Points! A restrained, fairly neutral wine with white pepper, lemon leaf and sage aromas. Vibrant, almost electric on the palate, with a textured medium body, peach and leaf flavors and a tight finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Pure and vibrant, this red features cherry, blackberry and black currant flavors, with violet, mineral, earth and wild herb details. Balanced and complex, the endless aftertaste is driven by bracing acidity. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Evolved, complex wine full of depth, with aromas of forest floor, prunes and blackberry jam, plus subtle spice and smoky wood. The overall elegance is confirmed on the palate with medium body, integrated, refreshing acidity and savory, long, layered finish. One of the best Ripassos tasted this year. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2021 Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore entices with a beguiling bouquet of sweet herbs, wet stones, crushed blueberries and hints of spice. It is silken and round, with weighty textures offset by cooling acidity as masses of ripe red and blue fruits swirl throughout. The finish has grippy tannins balanced by a bump of fresh acidity as hints of plums fade slowly. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! The 2021 Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore entices with a beguiling bouquet of sweet herbs, wet stones, crushed blueberries and hints of spice. It is silken and round, with weighty textures offset by cooling acidity as masses of ripe red and blue fruits swirl throughout. The finish has grippy tannins balanced by a bump of fresh acidity as hints of plums fade slowly. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! The 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Montosoli pours a deeper ruby hue and opens with compact aromatics of black raspberries, tea leaf, cocoa, rosemary, and crushed stone. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm core of tannins and a refreshing spine of acidity that keeps everything lifted and precise. It’s still tightly wound and will benefit from another couple of years in bottle, then drink beautifully for 15 years or more. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! A lively Brunello with aromas of plums, ripe cherries, cedar and teak that follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a crisp finish. Crunchy and linear. Lovely energy at the end. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2024 Soave Classico Otto impresses with its fresh mix of vividly ripe orchard fruit. It’s airy and lifted with notes of minty herbs, sweet spices and white smoke. A burst of vibrant acidity invigorates the palate as salty minerals saturate. Crisp and clean, the Otto closes with a long, citrus-inflected finish. - Eric Guido, Vinous

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

91 Points! This has a bright, citrusy, leafy profile with yellow plums and ferns. Tart on the palate with zesty acidity, light body and dairy flavors. The lemony finish is polished yet not long. Drink now. - 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

92 Points! A fragrant red with notes of dried raspberries, strawberries, earth and dried flowers. Medium body with silky tannins and fresh acidity. Crunchy, with plenty of redcurrants in the finish. Not quite complex, but tasty, laid-back and easy to drink. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - Eric Guido, Vinous

92 Points! Hailing from vineyards in Dogliani, the 2022 Langhe Nebbiolo from Poderi Einaudi boasts enticing scents of dog rose, violet, red berry and rhubarb. Vinified in steel and cement, the fresh, polished palate features red forest berry, baking spice, graphite and a Mediterranean note recalling myrtle before closing on a hint of rosemary. Thanks to lithe tannins, it’s drinking beautifully right now. - Kerin O'Keefe

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

91 Points! The 2023 Grammatica is conceived as the estate’s foundational wine, much like grammar itself provides the structure for language, with most of the fruit sourced from Cerbaiona’s own vineyards and a small portion of purchased fruit. Aged in third- and fourth-use oak before resting in cement and glass ahead of release, the wine prioritizes clarity and balance. The 2023 vintage delivers appealing volume and texture that remain finely understated, supported by a quietly confident structure that makes the wine especially well suited to the table. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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

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