Wine for Laying down, 5-10 Years

Pleasingly pale, with a fine bead of soft, well-integrated bubbles that fill the nose with aromas of wild strawberry, some perky red berries and a very gentle, soothingly doughy, autolytic note. In the mouth the fine brightness continues, this is not heavy nor too firm but there is a gentl...(read more)

Seems quite oaky, but it's really just that the fruit is a little on the back foot. In need of a racking? No doubting the volume; it's as rich and full as it could be. Rich and tense and relaxed and velvety all the the same time.

Nose full of sumptuous dark berry fruit and sweet spice. In the depths there are hints of cured meat and leather, with top notes notes of garrigue herbs and floral lift. Despite all the richness, the palate shows outstanding purity and poise. There's energy as well as opulence. It's ready...(read more)

A wine of gravitas and power, the 2010 Castello del Terriccio doesn't quite have the sexiness of the Lupicaia today. Instead, the flavors are deep, darker and meatier, with considerable depth and formidable tannins that need time to start resolving themselves. The 2010 Castello is a wine f...(read more)

The Fuligni 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows balance and symmetry with plenty of primary intensity to ensure a long cellar life. The bouquet opens to dark plum, dried raspberry, spice, aniseed and grilled herb. I get a lot of Mediterranean lavender and rosemary essence. This is a mid-weig...(read more)

The 2015 Monteti is a blend of mostly Petit Verdot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The bouquet shows savory notes and even a touch of musky animal that is hidden within the rich density and warm-vintage concentration of this Tuscan blend. That meaty personality gives the wine t...(read more)

There is evident heat to the fruit in the 2011 Lupicaia, but the balsam intensity or tertiary aromas also come through. The wine shows green notes of grilled herb and a sharper, more defined level of fruit intensity. The wine is profound and deep. The tannins are very well integrated, and...(read more)

Under the heading ' A new dawn for Douro reds- Many Douro red wines seem to lack polish and sophistication. Not this one', Matthew Jukes writes: 'It has been a long wait for the guardians of the Douro Valley to make truly awesome red wines. While Port is, rightly, the focu...(read more)