The Wine Front – Plum, dark cherry, spices and a choc-liquorice richness, with some dried flowers chucked in too. Medium bodied, ripe, fleshy and tannic, and certainly it’s a big bold Dolcetto, though it does not come at the expense of drinkability. Crunchy acidity and tannin on a blue fruit and plum finish of excellent length. It’s a cracker.

James Suckling – Aromas of cherry chocolate with sweet orange peel and dark berry marmalade. Medium- to full-bodied, toned and blue-fruited with crunchy acidity coming through. Tannins are round and supple.

James Suckling – A different, fuller-weighted brood, boasting ample stone fruits, nutmeg and truffle. Savvy use of oak (tonneaux and larger format French) and extended lees ageing. A vineyard purchased in 1976, situated directly behind the town's castle. Lower altitude, with clay and limestone (rather than the more pervasive volcanics), finding effortless confluence with a winemaking approach that has long-defined this fuller-weighted, late-harvested, highly textural expression. While an outlier stylistically, there is often a fleck of botrytis, all tamarind and dried mango, that melds with the underlying tension to impart generosity and evince authority.

James Suckling – The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino blends richness, ripeness, and refinement to create a model of total balance. At first, it's dark, earthy, and herbal; yet with time in the glass, a massive wave of black cherry, raspberry, sage, and a grounding note of undergrowth comes forward. In the mouth, it coats all that it touches in silky, cool-toned textures, giving way to ripe red/black fruits complemented by spiced citrus, as nuances of lavender and tobacco form. While this feels round and pliant throughout, fine-grain tannins slowly saturate, sneaking up and reminding you of just how young 2018 really is today. Hints of baker's chocolate, licorice, and a twang of tart blackberry resonate - wow, does it ever end?

Wine Spectator –

James Suckling – Lots of plums on the nose with some flowers. Black cherries and dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with chewy, juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Deep and rich, yet there’s a fresh form to it. Give it a year or two to soften. Better after 2022.