VINOUS

Syrah Suisassi is rich and expressive. The bouquet convinces with aromas of sage, rosemary, wild flowers, liquorice, violets and plums. On the palate very full and round with memories of berries, chocolate and nuts. Elegant and intellectual. SUPERIORE.DE

"Rich, dark ruby-violet, impenetrable. Opened in the nose with notes of elderberries, very clear, much juicy and precisely worked out fruit. Vibrating on the palate, with spices and dark fruit, juicy, with fine-meshed tannins, a wide arch, very long aftertaste, high elegance." Falstaff

"The 2013 Syrah Suisassi is faithful to the grape and shows abundant notes of blackberry, cured meat, exotic spice and grilled herb. Luca D’Attoma has been experimenting with increased stem inclusion. In the 2012 vintage, 30% of the mass saw stem inclusion, but that figure rises to 100% with the 2016 vintage. This Syrah is an extremely well integrated and smoothly textured. The oak still needs time to integrate, but past tasting experiences with Suisassi give excellent promise for its age-worthiness. Luca believes stem inclusion provokes a slightly reduced effect when the wine is young. For this reason, you should wait before popping the cork. The 2013 vintage in particular boasts an all-Rhône approach." Wine Advocate

"This is setting a new benchmark for syrah with so much intensity yet it remains refined and velvety textured. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a long and flavorful finish. So much licorice, smoked meat and spice. Light berry. Green apple skin. What a wine." James Suckling

"Duemani's 2013 Syrah Suisassi is impressive. The inclusion of a third of whole clusters adds considerable aromatic lift and nuance to the dark fruit flavors. Lavender, mint, sage, licorice and plum are all pushed forward. Beams of underlying acidity shape the expressive, saline finish." Antonio Galloni

Since the 2015 vintage, Le Ragnaie has been vinifying another single-vineyard Brunello, which comes from the famous Montosoli vineyard and therefore also bears the black label. With the 2017 vintage, only just under 3,000 bottles come onto the market, and we are pleased that we were able to obtain at least some of them. On the nose, graceful tones of wild cherry, pressed blueberries and small blue violets growing deep in the forest. The aromas are more vertical, with cola and medicinal tones rising straight from the top. Compact and lean on the palate, with a long, medium-light persistence that leaves a precise and sharply drawn trail of fruit flavours. This expression and class can only be found in the wines of the Montosoli vineyard and this finessed wine is a real delight! SUPERIORE.DE

"Multi-layered, smoky bouquet with wild forest berries, cherry, earthy mineral notes, wet stone and damp tobacco. This has something of undergrowth and truffle, which continues on the finely honed palate, along with orange zest and ripe fruit." Weinwisser

"Bright garnet red with a fine shimmer. Exciting nose, opens with notes of liquorice, then dried plums and pickled cherry, some tobacco, everything already quite ripe, but actually just at the right point. On the palate, dense tannins determine the course, lots of plum, emphatically grippy in the final." Falstaff

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli lifts up with a smoky display of cherries and strawberries, wild herbs and wet stone. It evolves further with time in the glass, adding mineral-laden soil and hints of fresh tobacco. This is a pure, round expression of Montosoli, with a pleasant inner sweetness and staining red fruits. It tapers off potent and long, with a web of fine tannins that coat the cheeks, as hints of balsamic spice slowly taper off. Give this feisty expression of the 2017 vintage a few years of cellaring to come fully into focus." Vinous

"Located directly beside the cellar of the historic Baricci estate, Le Ragnaie’s Montosoli holding is a 1ha, east-facing plot at 300 metres above sea level. It impresses immediately, exhibiting enormous depth on the nose. Plums, violets and earthy truffle notes are backlit by bright cherry. The palate brings in nuances of orange and tar, while linear tannins are tightly wound and sandy in texture. The fruit is plentiful without being heavy, overripe or obvious. Finishing long and savoury this is one of the wines of the vintage." Decanter

If you stumble across a vineyard qua fate, then you might as well move on. Luca Roagna, however, did what he had to do. He inherited this old vineyard, which was completely planted with Timorasso, and since it immediately became clear to him to do something useful with it, and he did not know anything about this historic grape variety, he asked Walter Massa, who has been dedicated to this rare variety for decades, without further ado. And so, after a few years, he succeeded in making a wine from it that can more than compete with those of his teacher!

Radiant, clear stagnant yellow. In the nose quince, citrus and a potpourri of yellow fruits. On the palate, this saltiness is paired with a well-dosed wood spice. The long maceration time gives this great white wine power and endurance. Fine astringency is paired with a pressure that gives this wine - paired with well-dosed acidity and always very present fruit - the uniqueness that makes it at least equal to the great whites of the Loire or Burgundy, even in direct comparison. And yet it bears the individual Roagna signature: a style that cannot be found in France or in other Piedmont vineyards. And that really means something, since the white wines of this noble Italian region are getting better from year to year. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Timorasso Derthona Montemarzino is bright, transparent and super-expressive. Luca Roagna's Timorasso is one of the most refined versions I have tasted of Timorasso, which is usually a much more rustic white wine." Vinous

A few years ago, Pio Boffa, who has unfortunately passed away in the meantime, bought himself a "small" present for his 60th birthday. Not a new set of golf clubs, a picture hanging in the hall, a holiday for him and the family. No. Just a vineyard called Mosconi in Monforte d'Alba, a region of Piedmont where four generations of the Pio Cesare dynasty never gained a foothold. Originally, the grapes from the 10-hectare vineyard were to enhance the quality of his classic Barolo, but after the first barrel samples, it was unmistakably clear to Pio Boffa that this would be at least an equal - if stylistically different - counterpart to the hitherto undisputed flagship Ornato.

Mosconi is more light-footed than Ornato, with red rather than black fruits dominating the nose, along with irresistible liquorice and a juiciness that will immediately earn it a top place in the entire appellation. On the palate, it has a precision that is unparalleled, less punchy than Ornato, but more elegant and subtle. SUPERIORE.DE

"Another transparent ruby red with garnet reflections. Exciting bouquet with distinct notes of blood oranges and candied orange peel, plus finest Dominican tobacco and leather, dazzling and individual. Elegant palate with fresh, cherry-influenced fruit, grippy, punchy, finely chiselled style with silky firm tannin, plus salty mineral nuances in the long finish." Weinwisser

"Bright ruby garnet with brightening rim. Very inviting and clear nose of sweet wild raspberries, cherry and rose petals, some cardamom in the background. Gripping, gripping tannin, shows discreet earthy notes, after truffle and tobacco, very grippy on the final, salty, needs a few more years." Falstaff

"Medium ruby red with orange reflections. Almost explosive minerality on the nose with a hint of sour cherry and a hint of spicy oak. Complex but still restrained on the nose. Wonderfully supple fruit with polished, finely honed but firm tannins almost a little reminiscent of Serralunga. Plenty of stuff to chew on and spectacular, layered flavours on the finish." Jancis Robinson

"Rich, with plum and cherry aromas, this Barolo also shows a spicy side of eucalyptus, liquorice and clove. Shows viscosity in texture as well as excellent balance. It finishes with dense, refined tannins and lingering notes of macerated fruit and savory." Wine Spectator

"The 2018 Barolo Mosconi is magnificent. It offers a complex blend of rose petals, dried herbs, iron, graphite, smoke, incense, scorched earth and blood orange, capturing all the complexity that makes the best Barolos from this site so compelling. Powerful and profound, but also very elegant, the 2018 is another fine Barolo from a winery that has made a pretty significant stylistic shift in recent years." Vinous

"Very compact on the nose and palate, with notes of dried red berries, truffle, sous-bois and dried flowers. Full-bodied with a fine tannin structure and a very long finish. Compact and solid. This wine still needs a lot of time to open up, but already shows real class. Try it from 2025." James Suckling

"Compared to the Ornato, the 2018 Barolo Mosconi (with fruit from Monforte d'Alba) shows a tighter and more compact quality with a direct, linear and powerful approach. The bouquet builds vertical intensity, starting with tart fruit aromas and culminating in tar, rusty nails and camphor ash. This aromatic ascent is swift and the wine finishes with a very broad, all-encompassing performance." Wine Advocate

"From soils with a combination of silt, clay and, to a small extent, sandstone, a perfect photo of the terroir of Monforte. Cornel on the nose, with notes of pink grapefruit and clove, mouth with iodine-spicy tannins, crispness and tension, nice persistence." Luca Gardini

Barolo Ornato is a great wine every year. It captures the true character of Serralunga with its wild herbs, minerals and ferruginous notes. Its bouquet shows small berry fruits and cassis, framed by gravel, forest floor, blue flowers and candied orange peel. The wine also has a dusty, mineral note and is intense on both the nose and palate. Ornato sets in with finely integrated tannins and an acidity that sustains all these fruit flavours. A wine that is consistently vertical, straightforward and frontal. SUPERIORE.DE

"Wonderfully fragrant, subtle bouquet with notes of freshly pressed pomegranate, redcurrant and heart cherries, again some blood orange. More elegant, clearly more compact and multi-layered palate than the two predecessors, simply has more density and power, but remains elegant and enormously juicy, immensely polished tannin, absolutely coherent, shows ripe fruit, fine melting." Weinwisser

"Medium ruby red with orange reflections. Beautiful, open and ripe cherry aroma with minerals and a hint of liquorice and lots of depth. Generous, supple fruit with gripping tannins that form a real unit. Great length with lots of powdery tannins, juice and grip. Simply irresistible, but might be too austere for most palates at the moment." Jancis Robinson

"The 2018 Barolo Ornato reveals some very distant hot season aromas, vaguely reminiscent of dried raspberries or stewed plums. The Nebbiolo is very sensitive to the warmer temperatures and even a hint of extra ripeness is easy to detect. However, the wine is fluid and constantly evolving. The fruit-driven aromas soon turn into a brooding complexity with smoke, tar and liquorice. The Ornato paints a broad picture of the intensity typical of Serralunga d'Alba." Wine Advocate

"The 2018 Barolo Ornato is sombre, brooding and quite self-contained. There is a lot of aromatic and flavour complexity, but the fruit is very much in the background. It will be interesting to see if the 2018 emerges or if it remains rather compact as it is today. There is a good amount of density and power behind all the tannin. Hints of blood orange, crushed raspberry, rose petal and cinnamon linger on the super classy finish." Vinous

"Spicy, with notes of white pepper, cumin, fennel seed and minerals framing a core of preserved plums and cherries. Dense, viscous and lively, balanced and expressive. It finishes with excellent length and power." Wine Spectator

"Pio Cesare owns most of Ornato, which lies between Briccolina and Falletto. The Serralunga character is particularly typical here, with fruits of wild strawberries and cherries combined with rhubarb and minerality. The attack is silky, with great concentration and savouriness, woven acidity and refined tannins through to the lingering finish." Decanter

"Complex on the nose, with a mix of ripe red berries, nutty minerals, orange peel and spices. Also some spicy, almost meaty notes. Full, compact and intense, but very graceful on the palate thanks to the fine tannins. Very polished and promising. Stylish. Still needs some time. Try it from 2025." James Suckling

"From Cascina Ornato, Pio Cesare's first cru, first produced in 1985, a Barolo of power and structure. On the nose blackcurrant, notes of liquorice and peony. The mouthfeel has spicy, salty tannins and a finish with notes of liquorice and small black fruits. Long lasting." Luca Gardini

A Riserva is produced in the winery only in the best years, and the result is just over 3,000 bottles of the finest Sangiovese, which presents itself in the 2015 edition undisputedly in the first league of Montalcino. Medium light red, wonderfully balanced aromas and an almost seamless transition from nose to palate. Notes of wild berries, spices and forest floor come together like a team to create a rich, deep and highly balanced growth, which is already on the podium after the first sip. Texture, structure and tannins are not to be surpassed in harmony and leave an impression in the long reverberation, dan one does not forget again. 2015 was a very harmonious and rich year, this Brunello captures the character of the vintage impressively precisely. Chapeau! SUPERIORE.DE

"A full-bodied, structured red with smoke, tar and grilled mushrooms on the nose. Some bitter berries to go with the earthy mushrooms. Chewy tannins and a long, savory finish. Lots of citrus." James Suckling

"The Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is another beauty from this bijoux estate. This wine offers texture and depth, but it does not have the same level of luminosity or brightness that we got in the 2016 Brunello. It shows some charred aromas with spice and ripe fruit, with wide and large ambition. I got a touch of Graham cracker and brown sugar, followed by spice and ripe fruit. This is a long and generous wine, with soft fruit and texture on the long finish." Wine Advocate

"The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino from Gianni Brunelli didn’t leave much room for improvement; yet somehow the Riserva manages to take things to a whole new level. The bouquet alone is absolutely stunning, as you could sit with this glass for an hour and never grow tired of taking in its mix of sweet wild herbs, dusty florals and bright cherry fruit. Sage, lavender, spiced orange and flowery undergrowth complete this already-dazzling expression. It’s deep and silky, verging on fleshy but not quite, as a tactile mix of acids, minerals and fine tannin settle in. That said, while the 2015 Riserva is classically structured and dry, it prioritizes purity of fruit above all else, seeming to hover upon the senses and never grow tiring. Fans of Gianni Brunelli will be very happy to have a few of these resting in the cellar. The Riserva is typically made from a higher percentage of fruit from the Olmo vineyard at Podernovone in the south balanced out by a parcel from Le Chiuse in the north, which adds freshness." Vinous

Campo del Drago is a single vineyard of just 1.5 ha and is situated on a high plateau in the Montalcino appellation with a view of the Thyrrenian Sea. The grapes from here are only vinified separately in the best years to produce the Brunello of the same name, and the result is then eagerly awaited about 5 years later.

Campo del Drago 2018 is very closely linked to its terroir. Dark, concentrated colour with beautiful saturation and density. The bouquet reveals a unique minerality and complexity. The palate is intense, complex and deep. The tannins are present but remain very elegant thanks to the acidity. The finish with the sour almond note typical of Sangiovese is great proof of how characteristic the vintage was for this grape variety. Can still mature, but is already irresistible today. SUPERIORE.DE

"Brilliant ruby red. The nose really has the 'wow factor'. Still a little dense and closed, but with real purity of fruit on the nose and a hint of iodine. Pure fruit with lots of fresh acidity and rich, long, fine-grained tannins. Real elegance coupled with concentration. Not yet ripe." Jancis Robinson

"Although rich and focused on a core of bright cherry fruit, this vibrant red also evokes iron, wild herbs and Mediterranean scrub. It has visible but well-integrated tannins that remain juicy and carry through the long finish." Wine Spectator

"The Castiglion del Bosco 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago was born in one of the most beautiful panoramic vineyards in Tuscany. This wine is a tribute to this magical place. It offers a special intensity and power that you can perceive with all your senses. It has more fruit weight, more black and purple berries and more soft concentration that makes for a long finish. The tannins are still tight, so give the wine a few more years to integrate." Wine Advocate

"Dark fruits dominate the nose, but savory undertones of tar, soil and graphite emerge over time. On the palate, dried cherries and cranberries continue, before a balanced finish of dark chocolate and candied orange peel. Tannins keep things clean, while acidity contrasts the plush fruit." Wine Enthusiast

"The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago smells of an irresistible blend of gravel, spicy herbs, wild strawberries and rose tones. It is elegant yet refined, with silky texture and pure, ripe red and blue fruits that take on a crisp feel towards the finish, while inner violet and lavender tones arch across the palate. Long and savoury, the 2018 finishes with light tannins, packed with salty minerals and floral scents that refuse to end. The 2018 Campo del Drago is often dark and brooding to the extreme and impressed me greatly. It has a beautiful balance but also an admirable depth for this vintage. Well done." Vinous

"Fascinating nose with notes of spicy mushrooms, almost like truffles, along with ripe red berries and a hint of exotic dates. Full-bodied, with an excellent balance of ripe fruit, velvety but not chewy tannins and a long, tasty finish. This wine should be drunk now but will improve with age. Best from 2024." James Suckling

"Once again, Vigneto Capanna and slatey soils give power to this label of beautiful intensity. Blackcurrant on the nose, notes of liquorice and rhubarb, then citrus thyme. The mouthfeel is crisp and juicy, with a return of fruit and liquorice." Luca Gardini

"Powerful black cherry, red berry and earthy floral notes with a juicy underbelly of plum sauce and cola spice. Incredibly youthful and fervent with fine-grained tannins and a saline finish."Decanter

With the 2017 vintage, the third single-vineyard Brunello Le Ragnaies celebrates its debut. Only 3,000 bottles of this wine from Montalcino's highest vineyard will be bottled. The choice of the vineyard, situated over 600 metres above sea level, is also due to climate change, where winemakers are increasingly looking for cooler sites for Sangiovese - and the result is again a Brunello of the absolute special class: on the nose, leather, tobacco, small red berries and a surprisingly fresh, clearly mineral note. The wine, although it appears very graceful and bright, is punchy and long. Its grippy tannins and finely knit acidity underline our impression that this wine still has a long life ahead of it. SUPERIORE.DE

"Lustrous and just mid ruby with orange tinges. Lots of concentration and yet not rich. Deep cherry aroma. Surprisingly high in acidity but melts into the fruit on the finish, which is layered with powdery tannins. Nervy and just escapes being tart, with long perfumed fruit." Jancis Robinson

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento opens with a delicate bouquet of sweet herbs and tobacco, incredibly airy yet spicy and a little exotic, while a hint of mineral grit fills the glass. It is silky smooth and tasty, with a pure presentation of wild berries, enlivened by bright acidity and a salty note. The finish is lean and mineral, with grippy tannins balanced by a hint of sour citrus. The Passo del Lume Spento comes from a vineyard that, according to Riccardo Campinoti, is currently the highest Brunello in the region at 621 metres. It found a very nice balance in the 2017 vintage." Vinous

"From a single vineyard located on a sandstone plateau at an altitude of 621 metres, this first release of Passo del Lume Spento is of particular importance, not only for Le Ragnaie but for the entire region, especially because it coincides with the red-hot 2017 vintage. A harbinger of things to come? It shows fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smoky note. Medium-bodied, crisp and sinewy, it tastes of red berries pressed from rocky soil, accompanied by tangy acidity." Decanter

"Le Ragnaie's Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento 2017 draws its fruit from one of the appellation's highest sites, the "Pass of the extinguished lantern", as the wine is called in English. It is part of a general trend that Montalcino winemakers seem to be looking for cooler, higher altitude sites for Sangiovese. This wine proves beyond doubt that altitude is the key to elegance in warm years. This Brunello is particularly bright, powerful and energetic." Wine Advocate

One of the best vintages of the last twenty years and San Polo's first single vineyard Brunello. Ruby red colour, not too deep, with light garnet reflections. In the nose floral aromas of violet, cyclamen and jasmine, notes of fresh fruit and spice. In the mouth it is round, full of harmony, with good structure and acidity and very soft tannins, which show an excellent persistence overall. A wine of almost endless length, depth and with a distinct character that will be remembered. SUPERIORE.DE

"Intense, sparkling ruby with garnet edge. Very dense and inviting nose, notes of ripe plums, liquorice and dried porcini mushrooms. Fills out the palate, but shows not only fullness, but also a lot of juice and elegance, a very polished, elegant Brunello, long finish." Falstaff

"Firmly structured, this opens with aromas of underbrush, exotic spice and whiffs of eucalyptus oil. The firm palate evokes black-cherry extract, orange zest, licorice and tobacco set against assertive, close-grained tannins that leave a rather austere, drying finish. Give it time to fully unwind." Wine Enthusiast

"San Polo's 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi is dark and earthy, with notes of moist soil, savory herbs, and minerals that wafting up from the glass. Mineral-encased ripe red fruits, propelled by vibrant acids with sweet spices and a hint of youthful tannin develop with air. The finish is long and buzzing with zesty acids and spice, along with a coating of fine tannin that tugs at the cheek. There’s a great blending of earth and fruit that makes the Podernovi quite attractive, yet a few years in the cellar should yield an even more balanced wine." Vinous

"The Poggio San Polo 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi offers great density and textural richness. I would say that this wine is most characterized by the quality of the mouthfeel that wraps smoothly and thickly over the palate. Dark cherry, tobacco, earth, plum and dark fruit add intensity and flavorful substance. The wine's full-bodied approach would match grilled meats or roasts." Wine Advocate

"Lush and fruity, featuring plum, cherry, strawberry and iron aromas and flavors. Bright acidity and dense tannins form the structure as this plays out on the long finish. The excellent youthful balance shows promise for the future." Wine Spectator

"A dense and layered red with plum, cherry and chocolate character. Full body. Dense and ripe tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Shows layers of fruit and rich tannins. New and exciting wine from here. Try after 2022." James Suckling

Serpico is an authentic, long-lasting wine made from Aglianico grapes, some of which come from vines that are over 100 years old. Intense, deep ruby red colour and an extremely complex bouquet with aromas of cherries, sweet spices, liquorice, coffee and cocoa. Its exceptional concentration and flavour as well as the enormously long-lasting finish are impressive. SUPERIORE.DE

"A beautiful nose of ripe red berries with sweet vanilla and chocolate. Medium body with firm tannins and good acidity that brightens the character of the black and red cherries. Good balance and length." James Suckling

"Firm and minerally, with a core of fine, dense tannins wrapped in flavours of crushed black and red cherries, iron, earth, tobacco and dark chocolate. Fresh and graceful on the palate despite its tight mesh, it opens slowly and lingers on the well-seasoned finish." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Aglianico Serpico is impossibly fresh, with an array of hauntingly dark florals, steeped plums and white smoke forming its inviting bouquet. This is racy and sleek, also intensely mineral, with silky textures offset by tart wild berry fruits. Zesty acidity balances it all out, and hints of sour citrus add penetrating contrast. A wall of edgy tannins emerges through the dramatically long finish, leaving an air of balsamic spice and espresso bean to mingle under a waft of mentholated herbs. The 2016 will require a considerable amount of cellaring to come fully into balance." Vinous

"The Feudi di San Gregorio 2016 Irpinia Aglianico Serpico has taken the proverbial turn towards tertiary flavours, or at least a first turn, showing pressed blackberries and blackcurrants surrounded by tarry smoke, campfire ash and toasted spices. The 2016 vintage will be remembered for its power and inner elegance, and these are the very qualities that have carried this wine so far and will continue to define its journey in the bottle. The finish reveals dusty volcanic notes and dry tannins with a medium-heavy mouthfeel." Wine Advocate

"The savoury bouquet shows the weathered sophistication of leather, cigars, earth and pepper, while undertones of oregano, tomatoes and cherries provide a burst of energy. On the lighter palate, the cherry element is emphasised by raspberry, but the spicy balance remains. The acidity plays around bright but firm tannins." Wine Enthusiast

The first Brunello of the estate's three Black Label vineyard editions comes from 60-year-old vines that grow at an altitude of over 600 metres. Many years ago, Le Ragnaie decided against bottling a Riserva with this vineyard-by-vineyard vinification; instead, it consistently relies on the terroir diversity of its vineyards. Of all three vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality. Wild berries, blue flowers, balsamic herbs and crushed stone emerge intensely on the nose. On the palate, it is firm, powerful and crisp, revealing dark fruits, roses, spices and baked clay after initial reticence. The wine develops rapidly in the glass and reveals its depth and length only after quite some time, and we are very curious to see how it will develop over the next few years. SUPERIORE.DE

"Lustrous ruby with a bricky rim. Brooding, deep and with minerally hints, but still a little closed on the nose. Fantastic richness on the palate but without being heavy; richly tannic but fits the whole. Closes up, so there is much more to come. Signature elegance throughout." Jancis Robinson

"Bright, intense ruby-violet. Opens on the nose with notes of ripe plums, wild raspberries and some spicy chestnut honey. Lots of fresh fruit on the palate, fresh, perceptible acidity, gives good tension, full pressure on the final." Falstaff

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie VV is vibrant with wild herbs, gravel and dusty strawberries in an airy and sweetly spiced entry. Ripe cherries and berries unfold on the palate, while floral notes arch over the medium-bodied framework. A fantastic blend of saline minerals and acidity saturates over time, giving way to a layer of primary concentration and fine tannins that linger long. The 2017 has excellent balance and freshness for the vintage, but will require patience to be fully appreciated." Vinous

"The oldest vines of Le Ragnaie were planted in 1968 and are situated at an altitude of 600 metres with a warm south-west exposure. In 2017, it seems to have more of everything. You can almost smell the warmth, while wild blackcurrants and tar waft from the glass. This wine is more powerful than the estate's other single vineyard bottlings, although the tannins still show their characteristic austerity. Just a hint of dryness shines through, but there is enough fruit concentration to carry this wine as it takes on a more graceful pace." Decanter

"The Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V. V., with fruit from 50-year-old vines, is one of three special black label selections produced by this winery. Instead of a Riserva programme, Le Ragnaie focuses on territorial identity and single vineyard expressions. This pretty wine shows the distinct concentration that comes from the old vines, but which is also the result of the hot growing season. Dark fruits, roses, spices and baked clay can be found in this medium to full-bodied Brunello. Production is 3,800 bottles." Wine Advocate