Michaela’s best-value picks
Wines are ordered by score according to Michaela Morris’ ratings, then alphabetically by producer name. UK or US stockists are shown where available, as allocations for some wines may still not be finalised – contact specialist merchants for current availability and pricing offers 1 Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 95
£110-£125 (ib, magnum) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Mann Fine Wine, WoodWinters
US$114-$140 Art of Wine, Convive, DVNO Wine, Eataly Vino, Hi-Time, Manhattan Wine Co, The Wine House, Wines of Kings
Canalicchio di Sopra’s impressive trio of 2019 releases (a highly promising Riserva is also waiting in the wings) kick off with the estate Brunello, assembled from vines that are at least a decade old. It’s a model of freshness and energy, backed by substance and staying power. Aromas of mint, lavender and tobacco lead to a radiant core of warm stone and redcurrants. The tannins are direct and linear, giving a firm grip to the dense fruit. Bitter citrus to finish. Drink 2025-2037 Alcohol 15%
2 Col d’Orcia 2019 94
£37.50-£46.50 (ib) Cru, Ideal Wine Co
Quite a departure for this estate, the 2019 is immediately inviting and expressive, seducing with dulcet tones of red rose, cherry and sweet thyme. The palate unfolds fluidly with layers of luscious red plum and pomegranate. Hibiscus, rose water and orange are tucked in every crevasse. A brilliant demonstration of Sangiovese’s tasty succulence. Deceptively gentle to begin, fine sandy tannins build to an ageworthy crescendo. Drink 2024-2037 Alc 14.5%
3 Altesino 2019 93
£31.67 (ib)-£51.67 Cru, Farr Vintners, Ideal Wine Co, Millésima, Turville Valley
US$60-$70 Post Wines & Spirits, Wines of Kings, Zachys
A compilation from Altesino’s 50ha of diverse sites across Montalcino’s north and south, the estate Brunello is among the best-value wines in the denomination. This 2019 is joyful and bright, heady redcurrant and cherry mingling with plum and anise. The sumptuously fruited palate is mouthfilling yet agile. Sandy-textured tannins envelop and caress while citrussy acidity lifts the whole. Already accessible, it has sufficient depth, concentration and backbone for a solid decade of enjoyment. Drink 2024-2033 Alc 14.5%
4 Fattoi 2019 93
Fattoi is located in the warm, luminous area of Tavernelle. While the 2019 is a candid reflection of its setting, it expresses itself slowly. Whiffs of baked clay and Mediterranean shrub rise from the glass. Youthful, with mature, ripe fruit, the palate flaunts toothsome macerated cherries then expands with salt-tinged herbs and pepper. Terracotta-like tannins coat the palate as soft acidity brings an appetising tang. Well-priced, characterful Brunello. Drink 2025-2036 Alc 14.5%
5 Frescobaldi, CastelGiocondo 2019 93
£30.83 (ib)-£59.50 Ideal Wine Co, The Great Wine Co
US$65-$70 Wines of Kings, Zachys Montalcino’s largest estate with organic certification, CastelGiocondo stretches out between Camigliano and Tavernelle in the denomination’s southwest. Its Brunello is focused and expressive, the nose exhibiting red cherry, plum, nutmeg and mint. There’s a lusciousness to the layers of generous fruit and a suede-like texture to the tannins. Sweet earth and forest undertones permeate. Everything effortlessly in place. Organic. Drink 2025-2035 Alc 14.5%
6 La Serena 2019 93
£33 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Philglas & Swiggot US$55-$65 PJ Wine, Rye Brook, The Cellar d’Or, Zachys
An under-the-radar estate, with organically cultivated vineyards at 400m facing southeast on calcareous clay. The classy 2019 wafts with fragrant balsam wood, pressed rose and allspice. Fully packed and energetic, the palate shows impressive purity of spicy dark cherry with pleasantly puckering acidity. Chalky-textured tannins build in power as they coat the mouth. This needs some time to temper. Drink 2026-2038 Alc 14.5%
Sanlorenzo 2019 93
Sanlorenzo’s vineyards enjoy a warm southwestern exposure, though you sense the lofty 500m elevation in a fragrant burst of rose, violets and lilac. Tarragon and fennel interlace. As welcoming as the nose is, the palate says wait. While ripe and full, it’s still taut and compact. Layers of grainy tannins bear down and persistent herb notes echo on the finish. Plenty to look forward to here. Organic. Drink 2026-2036 Alc 14.5%
Val di Suga 2019 92
£50 VinumTerra
Bright ruby colour and youthful freshness are well preserved. Focused aromas of red cherry with flecks of pepper give way to deeper violet floral notes and sweet earth. Appealing and pure, the midweight palate offers a layer of luscious red berries and plump persimmon, underscored by some juicy acidity. Sandy-textured tannins are supple and yielding. Hard to resist now. Drink 2024-2032 Alc 14%
Brunello 2019 highlights 7 Conti Costanti 2019 100
£91.99 Liberty Wines
When I tasted Costanti’s 2019 Rosso di Montalcino in 2021, I was struck by how Brunello-esque it was, which boded well for the actual Brunello. Gloriously sculpted, the wine is indeed statuesque and stately. While it doesn’t give everything up all at once, it is gracious in its presentation. From chestnut forest and sweet earth to anise and orange extract, the aromas are visceral, and boundless depths of wild red berries suffuse the palate. It vibrates with scintillating acidity and long, tactile tannins. I bet the Rosso has hit its stride now – it’s the one to drink while waiting for this captivating, beautiful Brunello. I can’t help but imagine what next year’s Riserva release has in store. Drink 2027-2043 Alc 14%
Il Marroneto, Madonna delle Grazie 2019 99
POA £ Armit, Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, Petersham Cellar
US$400 Wine Exchange
Like its estate Brunello, this single-vineyard bottling is a study in what is enough: no embellishments, a gorgeous expression of a very specific place. Heady, youthful nose: an evocative whiff of roasted chestnut makes way for lavender, mint, camomile and evergreen. Dark cherry washes over the palate leaving mineral undertones in its wake. Sturdy tannins are expertly chiselled, giving a confident frame. Perfectly pitched acidity serves to resonate perfumes, while giving a purposeful stride and enduring length. Drink 2027-2043 Alc 14%
Le Chiuse 2019 99
US$115 Total Wine & More, Wines of Kings
Like a well-written story, Le Chiuse’s 2019 has an enticing beginning, significant and juicy middle, and stimulating end. Heady violet, incense and leather waft steadily from the glass, before the palate explodes with surround-sound intensity, filling the mouth with dark red cherry and crushed stones. Long, chalky-textured tannins wrap confidently around the mouth, leaving space for that succulent acidity to work its quenching magic. An interplay of depth and drama with lightness right through to the zesty, citrus-soaked finish. Organic. Drink 2027-2042 Alc 14%
8 Canalicchio di Sopra, Vigna La Casaccia 2019 98
POA £ WoodWinters
Produced since the 2015 vintage, from a vineyard planted in 1990, La Casaccia’s 2019 is surely the most impressive release yet, exhibiting the cru’s intrinsic sumptuousness and girth, along with telltale resinous herbal nuances of rosemary, thyme and eucalyptus. Yet this year, there is an extra spark. Through that expansiveness, an underlying firmness keeps this wine from overflowing its limits. Plump fruit that’s marked with a mineral lick and terracotta earthiness is wrapped up in smooth, velvety tannins, and it carries its 15% alcohol with ease and grace. Drink 2026-2041 Alc 15%
9 Giodo 2019 98
£75 (ib)-£125 Abingdon Fine Wine, Crop & Vine, Cru, Crump Richmond Shaw, Farr Vintners, Honest Grapes, Ideal Wine Co, Lea & Sandeman, Millésima, Petersham Cellar, VinQuinn, Vinum
With four neighbouring parcels totalling just 6ha, Carlo Ferrini says his estate’s modest size enables him to pick at just the right moment. Giodo’s 11th release, this is the finest so far, seducing with stunning
aromas of gardenia, allspice flower and arbutus berries, all laced with fennel and subtle woodsmoke. That immediate charisma is reinforced on the palate, which is like biting into the freshest persimmon. Crunchy yet lush with profound substance, the powdery, gracefully assertive tannins give shape, while blood orange pierces the lengthy finish. Drink 2025-2039 Alc 14.5%
Baricci, Montosoli 2019 97
A stunning 2019, from Baricci’s south- to southeast-facing plots on the Montosoli hill. It’s still far too young, but everything is in place for a long, gratifying life. Cedar and vanillin nuances melt into sumptuous cherry, and a marked stony, mineral edge, along with juicy blood orange, impart intricacy. Refined and graceful with layered substance, it has long, chalky, perfectly ‘al dente’ tannins and sappy, mouthwatering acidity. Drink 2026-2041 Alc 14.5%
Fuligni 2019 97
£50-£61.33 (ib) Crop & Vine, Cru, Farr Vintners, IG Wines, Lea & Sandeman, Mann Fine Wine, Turville Valley
US$100-$130 Total Wine & More, Wines of Kings, Zachys
Graciously expressive rather than austere, this wine will reveal more with time; yet the aromas, fusing chestnut forest and polished wood with fennel and spiced plum, are just so tempting now. It fills the mouth with lustrous red berries and violets and, after an initial caress, tightly woven tannins amplify across the palate, remaining poised in their volume. An intricate and detailed wine with profound depths. Drink 2026-2041 Alc 15%
Le Potazzine 2019 97
£60 (ib)-£108 Crop & Vine, Cru, Lay & Wheeler, Stannary Wine
We’ll have to wait a few more years for the Riserva, but Le Potazzine’s Brunello 2019 exhibits the vintage’s signature fragrance. Heady cherry blossom, freesia and violet entice while promising still more. Pure and delineated, the palate offers a plushness of strawberry and red cherry, then long, suede-like tannins arrive in waves, never drowning the fruit. Dense yet spacious with a sophisticated texture, this needs more time. Organic. Drink 2025-2040 Alc 14%
Mastrojanni, Vigna Schiena d’Asino 2019 97
Schiena d’Asino is a 1ha cru planted in 1975 with exposure to both the southwest and southeast. Aged in 16hl French oak casks, the 2019 exudes warm Mediterranean summer, with captivating scents of anise, tarragon and camomile, all underscored by dry stony earth. Dark, brooding cherry fills the mouth, countered by lashings of liquorice root; youthful, chalky tannins drape seductively across the palate. Approachable now, and will reveal more of its complexities as it ages for another 12-15 years. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 14.5%
Salicutti, Sorgente 2019 97
£65 (ib) Decorum Vintners
At 450m on heavy clay-sand, stony soils, Sorgente is usually Salicutti’s last vineyard to be picked and its grapes were previously used to produce the estate’s Rosso di Montalcino; yet this 2019 makes for a very convincing Brunello, showing Sangiovese’s ability to soar weightlessly while reaching great depths. Peony, redcurrant blossom and red cherry aromas accompany a sumptuous palate, in which plump red plum and watermelon are underscored by brilliant citrussy acidity. Suede-like tannins seem almost an afterthought, yet they hold this wine together effortlessly. Organic. Drink 2025-2038 Alc 14%
Valdicava, Montosoli 2019 97
After selling its significant holdings on the hill of Montosoli in the early 1970s, the Abbruzzese family was able to buy back 1.3ha in 2008. And, in 2015, after seeking the blessing of Altesino owner Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini out of respect for Altesino’s historic Montosoli bottling, Valdicava came out with its version. Just the third release, the virile 2019 offers scents of oily herbs, iron, incense and game. Mineral nuances repeat on a palate of bitter chocolate tones, velvety dark fruits and crisp, vertical tannins pierced by energetic acidity. As voluble as this is now, its structure demands time. Drink 2026-2039 Alc 14%
Il Marroneto 2019 96
US$130 Lincoln Fine Wines, Wally’s, Wine Exchange Il Marroneto is one of Montalcino’s most consistently outstanding producers. This release marries intensity with delicacy and restraint, exuding perfectly ripe fruit with no excess. Pristine raspberry and succulent strawberry provide the backdrop from which liquorice, pepper and fragrant violet surge, while the sculpted, silky tannins have a soft, yielding quality. Midweight with effortless buoyancy, lovely now but with years of potential. Drink 2024-2037 Alc 14%
‘The strength of the vintage is that the wines will be enjoyable at any stage’
Le Ragnaie, Ragnaie VV 2019 96
£116-£120 (ib) Crop & Vine, Mann Fine Wine US$190-$227 Eataly Vino, Lincoln Fine Wines, Solano Cellars, Wally’s
After seven months in bottle, the 2019 Ragnaie VV demonstrates the same precision and minerality that were evident in cask. Currently somewhat stern, it’s intriguing in its reticence. Black raspberry pokes through iron and warm stone nuances. This will never be a big, rich wine, yet as the dense layers unfold and chalky tannins relax their grip, its enveloping nature will provide much pleasure. Organic. Drink 2026-2041 Alc 14%
10 San Polino, Helichrysum 2019 96
£50 (ib) Cru, Mr Wheeler
The Helichrysum vineyards are characterised by arid, stony soils, winds from the Sahara, and significant day-night temperature differences. The signature fragrance of site and vintage show a subtle progression from camomile, liquorice and fennel to cocoa and tobacco. Taut and compact, concentrated yet never heavy, a dark red cherry backdrop is laced with exotic spice, while tactile tannins encircle the core with a terracotta-like cling. It’s worth tucking this one away for a few years. Organic. Drink 2025-2038 Alc 14.5%
Cortonesi, La Mannella 2019 95
£32 (ib) Honest Grapes
La Mannella is north of Montalcino in one of the zone’s coolest corners. Tight and flinty at first, it reveals a gorgeous purity of lilac and orange florals. Precise and well sculpted, the palate presents a black cherry backdrop framed by powdery tannins that creep up and build to quite an assertive grasp while remaining polished and elegant. Lovely spaciousness and freshness. Drink 2025-2037 Alc 14.5%
11 Franco Pacenti, Rosildo 2019 94
US$159 Solano Cellars
The current generation’s grandfather Rosildo founded the estate in 1962, and grapes for this wine come from Vigna della Creta, the last vineyard he planted, in 2000. With penetrating floral aromas and a captivating earthiness, the Rosildo emerges furtively, unveiling a complex mix of savoury herbs, chinotto, orange, liquorice root and truffles. Chalky tannins and refined wood add textural drama. Drink 2025-2035 Alc 14.5%
Pietroso 2019 94
£45 (ib) Decorum Vintners
Sourced from four sites, this Brunello sports balsamic rosemary and cedar with coffee and vanilla flirting in the background. More than midweight but not heavy or full, it boasts a lively bounce on the palate. Cranberry-fruited, citrussy in acidity and stony in accents, with layers of powdery, textured tannins holding everything together. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 14.5%
Talenti 2019 94
£40 (ib) Cru Wine, Farr Vintners
From vineyards on Montalcino’s southeast and southwest slopes, Talenti’s 2019 spent a bit longer in wood than is typical as owner Riccardo Talenti felt the lower-lying, more southerly areas gave slightly coarse tannins. It’s less effusive than usual, with mineral and ferruginous notes taking the lead. As it opens, dried mint and fennel emerge. Great depth of expressive red berries, stony earth nuances, ripe yet tightly woven tannins. Drink 2026-2036 Alc 14.5%
12 Castello Romitorio 2019 93
£42.50-£63.50 (ib) Astrum Wine Cellars, Cru, Farr Vintners, Honest Grapes, Sociovino, Turville Valley Romitorio’s charming 2019 highlights the juiciness of Sangiovese. It’s enthusiastic in scents of sweet wet earth, sage and cocoa. Spacious and airy on the palate, where succulent, citrussy acidity pushes flavours of pomegranate and orange, all elegantly framed by fine, streamlined tannins. A forest-like intensity comes through on the finish. Pleasurable even at this youthful stage. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 14.5%
Corte Pavone 2019 93
Modern, sleek and polished, this is all about freshness and purity. It rings out with red cherry, raspberry and violet, lively acidity meeting ripe, chewy tannins, satisfying in its tactile drama. An exquisite balance of fruit concentration and space gives the wine breathing room. From an assemblage of biodynamically cultivated, organic vineyards that surround the winery in the high reaches of Montalcino’s northwest. Drink 2024-2033 Alc 14.5%
La Fiorita 2019 93
£65 Stannary Wine
US$68 RHC Selections
The first vintage made in La Fiorita’s new cellar, this is also the inaugural release with organic certification for its vineyards. Expressive and vivacious aromas – garden herbs, Mediterranean shrubs, rose and orange potpourri – are echoed on the palate, which offers lush red berries infused with mint and dried flowers. Lively, with a substantial core that will give some paced ageing. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 15%
Podere le Ripi, Cielo d’Ulisse 2019 92
£38.33 (ib) Jeroboams
Clean and sumptuous, bouncing out of the glass with cherry, apricot and traces of chestnut. A core of juicy red berries is framed by sandy tannins and lifted by bright acidity, tapering off with a twist of orange peel. Midweight, pretty and immediately approachable. Francesco Illy’s holdings sit at 150m on silty soil strewn with stones. The thick surrounding forest helps to mitigate the heat. Biodynamic. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 14.5%