Acclaim

Cellar Selection “From Verdicchio’s leading producer, this is the wine that started the denomination’s renaissance into Italy’s premier white. The ’09 is beautiful, with an intense perfume of yellow flowers and stone fruits. The palate delivers concentrated peach, apricot and creamy lemon flavors, layered with mineral and spice accents. It already has stunning depth, but hold for more complexity. Drink through 2024.” -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, Mar. 2014

“This classic bottling opens with enticing floral aromas of Spanish broom, acacia and a whiff of flint. The palate delivers succulent yellow peach, citrus and almond along with mineral notes. It boasts impeccable balance and nice length.” -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, Mar. 2014

“Good deep red. Sweet but subdued aromas of dark cherry and truffle. Silky and rich on the palate, showing lovely depth of red and darker fruit flavors complemented by nutty oak. Distinctly more vibrant than the Rapet. Finishes with a pungent note of fruity pepper, firm but fine tannins and lingering dark fruit flavors.” – Stephen Tanzer, Mar. 2013

“Beautifully fresh and ripe damson fruit with floral and spicy notes. Delightfully soft and spreading texture with fine balance. Long herbal-toned finish.” -Decanter, Feb. 2014

“A classic from a pioneer of modern winemaking at Montepulciano. Hot vintage nose of fig and carob but with impressive freshness and energy on the palate, with the sweet fruit balanced by a tangy mineral quality. Ripe grapey tannins and a long elegant finish.” -Decanter, Feb. 2014

“The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino is a polished, silky wine with bright berry highlights that are enhanced by balsam herb, cola, light spice, dried tobacco, smoky notes and crushed mineral. The vintage does not have the immediate complexity of other vintages at this young stage, but I’m willing to bet that this wine will steadily increase in layering and expressiveness as it evolves in the bottle. Drink: 2017-2023.” -Wine Advocate, Feb. 2014

“From the Colle al Matrichese location east of Montalcino’s city walls, the 2009 Brunello di Montalcino shows a rich fabric that is woven tight with evident strands of black fruit, mesquite smoke, crushed black pepper, licorice, rosemary oil and root beer. The wine leans away from the sweet side of Brunello to the savory side and that is ultimately what makes it so attractive. It is put together thanks to masculine and muscular touches with evocative shadings of smoke and mineral that shift and change as the wine opens in the glass. This bouquet is a moving target that keeps your fixed attention for as long as you have the wine in front of you. And, considering the general quality here compared to many of its peers, that won’t be very long at all. The mouthfeel feels a bit shorter than past vintages and that’s why this wine didn’t score higher.” -Wine Advocate, Feb. 2014

“Soft and fruity with a pretty balance of plum, chocolate and walnuts, following through to a medium to full body with soft tannins and a delicious finish. Drink or hold.” -James Suckling, Mar. 2014

“This is all finesse, with sweet strawberry and hints of citrus fruit. Full body, refined tannins and a silky-textured finish. Very fine indeed. One of my favorite producers, as always. Better in 2015.” _James Suckling, Mar, 2014

“Fermented with only wild yeasts and aged in large Slavonian casks, this is a bold and delicious wine, delivering earthy aromas of tilled soil, spice and berry. The palate delivers layers of blackberry, dark cherry, cinnamon, white pepper and licorice alongside bracing but ripe tannins. This will age well and develop complexity. Drink 2019–2029.” -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, Feb. 2014