1998  

2017  Magnum

2015  Vigneti del Versante

"Luminous deep red. Aromas of herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay leaf), sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and ripe red cherry. Very saline, juicy acidity lifts and extends the blue and red berry flavors on the long delicately herbal and spicy finish." - 97pts Vinous

2017  

The clarity of the ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and flowers in the nose is entrancing. Lavender, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that run long and straight through the wine, providing brightness and focus. Goes on for minutes. Strength with finesse Drink after 2024, but already wonderful to taste. - 98pts JS ---- The 2017 Masseto is a spectacular wine in the making. Rich and sumptuous in the glass, the 2017 possesses off the charts intensity and plenty of structure as well. Red cherry jam, mocha, leather, licorice and a dash of new oak are all fused together in an opulent, seamless Masseto endowed with magnificent balance. The 2017 is quite simply a remarkable wine for such a challenging year. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. - 96-99pts AG/Vin ---- The Masseto 2017 Masseto puts on another exhilarating, knock-out performance for the third year in a row. The Masseto vineyard is a triangular-shaped plot tucked in at the back of the same property that houses the Ornellaia vineyards and winery. This special site is located at the base of the mountains that rise gently from the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the picturesque silhouette of the Castiglioncello castle at the top. The vines are planted at an altitude of 80 to 100 meters above sea level in blue clay soils that are unique to Bolgheri. That ideal position opens the vineyards to soft breezes, proximity to the sea, long daylight hours and cool diurnal shifts from the protective wall of low mountains at the back. It's a little garden of Merlot Eden. The center of the vineyard now is home to the new Masseto winery and an adjacent tasting room built into a pre-existing farmhouse. This wine was made in the old winery (the existing Ornellaia winery). Fermentation kicks off in a combination of steel and oak tanks before the wine is racked over to barrique, where it rests for two years. The wine then goes into bottle for 12 months before its release. Like most vintages of Masseto tasted this early in the game, the oak is omnipresent, and it grounds the wine in terms of texture and structure. It is powerful, but that's always the case with Masseto (this vintage records a 15.5% alcohol content). I tasted this wine next to the decidedly more playful Massetino, and the Masseto moves over the palate with substantial fruit weight and concentration gained over the course of this hot and dry growing season (which produced smaller, richer and more compact berries). Perhaps, what this vintage lacks is that profound varietal character that we saw in recent vintages like 2016 and 2015. If concerned that the hot vintage would draw out too many ripe fruit tones, the oak serves to soften some of the more volatile components of the fruit. Those distinctive notes of macchia mediterranea (wild bush) that I always associate with Masseto are less present in this vintage. You feel the oak tannins on the finish with toast and vanilla that will certainly shed as the wine ages. In fact, I went back to taste the wine 12 hours later, and they had already softened considerably. This 2017 vintage will be released in October 2020. - 97pts WA

2001  Merlot

"The 2001 Montiano, 100% Merlot, offers the luxuriously sweet and expansive nose which has always characterized the wine. Full of plum, raspberry, and dark chocolate scents, along with a dense, deep, and velvety palate, it is full and round, with the super-polished tannins which make it one of Italy's touchstone Merlot bottlings. Drink: 2005-2018." -Wine Advocate

2006  Classico Riserva

100% Sangiovese sourced from their best vineyards in the southeast corner of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Natural fermentation with native yeast in stainless steel tanks for 12-14 days. Aged in large Slavonian oak for 24 to 36 months. The Castell'in Villa wines are always released a year to two years after most of their peers. They are one of the oldest estates and have wines in their cellar dating back to 1971. "The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva hits all the high notes. Ripe and structured, yet also wonderfully contained, the 2006 boasts stunning depth, power and richness. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is also likely to require a considerable amount of time to come around. All the elements are in the right place for the 2006 Riserva to develop into a splendid wine. The mid-weight, firm style is classic Castell'in Villa." - 94pts AG

2013  Bolgheri Rosso DOC

The Ceraltis have been farmers for several generations in Bolgheri, and after many years of selling grapes to Ornellaia and Sassacaia, 10 years ago, they built their own winery and are now bottling their entire estates' grape production This is their entry level Bolgheri DOC wine which means the grapes come from the best region of Bolgheri. A big, fruity red, almost New World in style except for the vibrant acidity and firm backbone of tannins. The bright fruit evokes black cherry and black currant flavors, while cedar and leather notes add depth. A complete package.

2014  

2000  

100% Sangiovese. "The 2000 Fontalloro, as always, represents the estate’s best Sangiovese, from a vineyard which is partly inside and partly outside the appellation limits. A dark, deep ruby/garnet, its powerful nose of kirsch and plums is given additional complexity by the aromas of tobacco, damp earth, and underbrush which always characterize this wine. Rich in extract, firm and sustained in flavor, its tannins are more approachable than those of the two Riserva bottlings, but it will doubtlessly last longer as well, till the middle of the next decade if not longer." - 90pts WA, 91pts WS

2001  Castelgiocondo Riserva 'Ripe al Convento'

Castelgiocondo is produced from an uncompromising selection of the finest Sangiovese grapes, in a vineyard whose ideal elevation, well-drained soils, and southwest-facing exposure yield all of the qualities that converge to produce the finest expression of this ancient grape variety. It is an elegant, well-balanced wine of magnificent structure.

2010  di Montalcino

Brunelli's 2010 was recently listed second on Tim Atkin's top 10 from 2010. "Laura Brunelli's normale is one of a number of top Brunellos that combines grapes from two distinct sub-zones. This is almost of Riserva quality, showing perfume, subtle oak usage, subtle fruit and considerable underlying power." - 96pts TA

2016