James Suckling (97)

Some much shaved black truffles to the blackberry, walnut and chocolate undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered with chewy yet soft tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Smoke, mahogany and wet-earth undertones. Needs three or four years to soften and come together. Best after 2024

James Suckling (98)

Plenty of black cherries, cedar, dried flowers and red cherries on the nose, following through to the palate, which is dense and compressed with gorgeous, intense fruit and chewy yet integrated tannins. Very, very impressive red here. Try after 2024

Vinous (98+)

The 2016 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is an eternal wine that will need 10-15 years in bottle to truly come around. Sorì San Lorenzo is often a big, virile wine. There is plenty of heft to the 2016, but at the same time, I also find an element of refinement and nuance that Sorì San Lorenzo has rarely, if ever, shown. Black cherry, cloves, menthol, licorice, gravel and incense are some of the many aromas and flavor that meld together in this dramatic and dramatically beautiful Barbaresco from the Gaja family. The Sorì San Lorenzo just explodes on the finish, with an array of aromas, flavors and textures that will leave readers weak at the knees. The 2016 is an outrageously beautiful, vivid wine of real gravitas and power.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is a fabulous, incredibly complete wine that soars out of the glass with explosive structure and vertical lift. The tannins are very much present, but also matched beautifully by the wine's aromatic intensity and overall drive. Dark macerated cherry, spice, leather, licorice, plum and mocha add darker shades of nuance. In 2016, Sorì Tildìn is a bit more brooding and bigger than it often is, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. It is quite simply a majestic wine of real grandeur and total class, but it is not obvious. Sorì Tildìn will appeal most to readers who understand what the truest essence of Nebbiolo is all about. In a word: magnificent!

Wine Advocate (100)

The golden touch, that proverbial Gaja magic, is taken to a whole new level in the 2016 Barolo Sperss. Angelo Gaja has taught his children to follow their own path, and now that the generational switch is well underway at the family estate, we can see that Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni have done him proud. Very proud. This stunning expression from the 2016 vintage (with 16,000 bottles released) represents quite a few celebratory milestones. We are now in the fifth generation to protect the Gaja legacy in an unbroken family chain that has endured since 1859. This wine is 100% Nebbiolo, and since the 2013 vintage, it is part of the Barolo DOCG appellation. Winemaking has been tweaked to embrace a more elegant, ethereal and streamlined personality, instead of the bigger extraction we saw in the past. This upgraded identity is distinctly evident in this newest release of Sperss. Starting with appearance, the wine is luminous and bright with shiny ruby and garnet gemstone. Its aromatic reach is three-dimensional with width, height and depth. Delicate berry tones cede to pressed lilac, anise, sandalwood and cardamom spice. I double decanted and left the bottle open for a few hours before my tasting. The results are tight and gentle, and the wine shows beautiful vertical lift and intensity. To achieve this much power without the excess fruit weight is really quite an accomplishment. This is the magic of Nebbiolo, and the magic of Gaja.

Wine Spectator (94)

Elegant and expressive, this red evokes cherry, raspberry and floral notes, aligned to a refined structure. This is balanced and leaves an aftertaste of fruit, tobacco and iron. Best from 2023 through 2043. 3,300 cases made.

Wine Spectator (94)

Elegant and expressive, this red evokes cherry, raspberry and floral notes, aligned to a refined structure. This is balanced and leaves an aftertaste of fruit, tobacco and iron. Best from 2023 through 2043. 3,300 cases made.

Wine Advocate (98)

From the Bricco delle Viole cru, or the vineyard most strongly associated with this historic estate, this is a versatile or "evergreen" wine that always delivers consistent results. The G.D. Vajra 2016 Barolo Bricco delle Viole sees fruit from a seven-hectare vineyard with high exposures positioned at 400 to 480 meters above sea level. This site shows characteristic Tortonian-era soils classified as Sant'Agata marl with fossils. These soils have an enormous capacity to regulate the ripening process, resulting in the longer growing seasons relished by the Nebbiolo grape. In a word, the profile here is classic. You get delicate fruit tones and wild rose with camphor ash, licorice and tar. The wine is beautifully harmonious and ethereal. Some 15,000 bottles are hitting the market now.

Wine Advocate (98)

From the Bricco delle Viole cru, or the vineyard most strongly associated with this historic estate, this is a versatile or "evergreen" wine that always delivers consistent results. The G.D. Vajra 2016 Barolo Bricco delle Viole sees fruit from a seven-hectare vineyard with high exposures positioned at 400 to 480 meters above sea level. This site shows characteristic Tortonian-era soils classified as Sant'Agata marl with fossils. These soils have an enormous capacity to regulate the ripening process, resulting in the longer growing seasons relished by the Nebbiolo grape. In a word, the profile here is classic. You get delicate fruit tones and wild rose with camphor ash, licorice and tar. The wine is beautifully harmonious and ethereal. Some 15,000 bottles are hitting the market now.

Vinous (94)

The 2016 Barolo Coste di Rose is plump, juicy and forward - all qualities that make it one of the more approachable wines in the Vajra range. Plump dark cherry, plum, licorice, spice and menthol all flesh out in a racy, juicy Barolo that will drink well right out of the gate. Plush fruit and silky tannins add to the wine's voluptuous feel and early accessibility. This is very good, but it is not particularly complex.

Wine Spectator (97)

Alluring aromas of cherry, rose and graphite settle into a core of cherry and strawberry fruit, with nuances of iron, tobacco and tar. Sleek, yet intense and complex, unfolding effortlessly through the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2047. 500 cases made.

Wine Enthusiast (93)

Silky and smooth, this poised red opens with aromas of woodland berry, forest floor and camphor. It's savory and polished, offering flavors of juicy black cherry and licorice with a hint of hazelnut before finishing on a note of blood orange. Lithe tannins and fresh acidity keep it balanced. It's already accessible, but will also age well for several years. Drink through 2026.

Vinous (97)

Conterno’s 2016 Barolo Francia is effusive, with a real sense of expansiveness that gives the wine breadth. Sage, mint, cedar, tobacco and strong mineral accents complement a core of dark fruit in a Barolo of real gravitas. Just bottled a few months ago, the 2016 is going through a very rare period of approachability (in relative terms). It will almost certainly shut down within the next few months. Readers who are curious will want to taste it before that happens. In 2016, Roberto Conterno did not bottle his flagship Monfortino, all the casks were blended for the Barolo Francia.

Vinous (97)

Conterno’s 2016 Barolo Francia is effusive, with a real sense of expansiveness that gives the wine breadth. Sage, mint, cedar, tobacco and strong mineral accents complement a core of dark fruit in a Barolo of real gravitas. Just bottled a few months ago, the 2016 is going through a very rare period of approachability (in relative terms). It will almost certainly shut down within the next few months. Readers who are curious will want to taste it before that happens. In 2016, Roberto Conterno did not bottle his flagship Monfortino, all the casks were blended for the Barolo Francia.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Barolo Cerretta is an incredibly elegant wine, so much so that opening a bottle now is far from a crime. That may sound heretical, but it’s a good example of how finessed young Barolo can be when it gets the kind of care it has here. It’s also important to note that while Cerretta is in Serralunga, this pocket of vineyards is more similar to those in La Morra in terms of geology, so the wines are correspondingly much more approachable in their youth. Silky tannins wrap around a core of bright red berry fruit, spice and floral notes in a pliant, mid-weight Barolo that is all class.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Barolo Bussia is a wine of tremendous character and complexity. Menthol, lavender, black cherry, graphite, cloves and leather all open up in the glass. Virile and layered, with tons of depth, the 2016 Bussia has so much to offer. A few years in the cellar will help the tannins soften, but the 2016 is already quite expressive. It is also one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Fenocchio.

Wine Advocate (100)

The Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning wine with so much vitality, life and energy. It shows a brazen level of clarity and frankness. If you seek the truth in Sangiovese, I think you find it here. This Brunello unfolds to lasting purity, elegance and length. It is luminous and radiant. When tasted next to the 2015 Riserva from this estate (something I did on multiple passes), I continued to recognize the lifted and exciting personality of this wine next to the broader and heavier character of the Riserva. This Brunello shows extreme precision and focus, both to the bouquet and the mouthfeel. Wild berry, blue flower and licorice converge to perfection, and it's impossible to beat this quality at this price.

James Suckling (100)

Seamless is a great way to describe this red wine with intense aromas of plums, cherries, walnut and sandalwood. Some lightly toasted oak, roses and lavender as well. Really aromatic. The palate is full and extremely polished with super fine tannins that go on for minutes and spread across your palate. A great wine, following the perfect, 100-point 2015. Better to start drinking this after 2023.

James Suckling (100)

Seamless is a great way to describe this red wine with intense aromas of plums, cherries, walnut and sandalwood. Some lightly toasted oak, roses and lavender as well. Really aromatic. The palate is full and extremely polished with super fine tannins that go on for minutes and spread across your palate. A great wine, following the perfect, 100-point 2015. Better to start drinking this after 2023.

Indulge in the intricate notes of the Giorgio Scarzello e Figli Commune Barolo 2016, an enchanting portrayal of Italy's one of the most prestigious wine regions, Piedmont. Having its essence rooted in the famous loamy, limestone soils of Barolo, the 2016 vintage radiates with rich complexity and true authenticity.

Expertly cultivated by the Scarzello family, each bottle reflects a commitment to tradition and excellence that dates back to over half a century. The Nebbiolo grapes are meticulously hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, then aged for 26-30 months primarily in large Slavonian oak barrels to create a robust yet eloquently balanced Wine.

Distinguished by its profound garnet hue, the Giorgio Scarzello e Figli Commune Barolo 2016 offers an elegant bouquet of ripe fruit, sweet herbs, and delicate floral undertones. The palate unfurls into captivating layers of black cherry, liquorice, and earthy undertones, harmoniously woven together by plush tannins, round acidity, and a persistent finish.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Barolo Paiagallo offers a bit more depth than the Grinzane Cavour Barolo, but it, too, is pretty laid back in style. Sweet red cherry and plum fruit flavors are quite primary. Time in the glass brings out hints of spice, dried rose petal, mint and orange peel. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 gains body with time in bottle. Today it is on the lighter side. Here, too, the 15.5% alcohol is not especially evident.

Immerse yourself in the splendid refinement of the Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio 2016, a triumph hailing from the Langhe, Piedmont, renowned for producing Italy's most exquisite wines. Brought forth from the La Morra vineyards, famed for its exceptional terroir, this elegant Nebbiolo wine evokes a profound sense of sophistication with every sip. Raised with bountiful respect for the land, this wine mirrors the passionate virtuosity of its producer, Giulia Negri, aptly hailed as "La Signora Barolo."

The Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio 2016 ages exquisitely in artisanal French barriques, lending it a delicate complexity. Elegantly layered aromas of blackberry, cherry, truffle, tobacco and anise engage the senses whilst the palate is suitably bedazzled by its balanced tannic structure. Marrying tradition with innovation, the Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio 2016 captures an authentic Italian narrative in every drop, making it a worthy addition to any discerning oenophile's collection.

Vinous (96)

Cortese's 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a brooding, powerful wine. Even so, it retains a gorgeous sense of classicism in its transparent feel. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender and cloves lend striking nuance. Readers will find a dark, statuesque wine that shows the explosive power of the vintage. The Riserva emerges from the estate's oldest vines, which are about 60 years old now.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Barolo Monprivato is rich, sensual and layered in the glass, with a bit more mid-palate depth and creaminess than past vintages have shown. Bright red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and rose petal are some of the notes that grace this pliant, open-knit Barolo.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Barolo Monprivato is rich, sensual and layered in the glass, with a bit more mid-palate depth and creaminess than past vintages have shown. Bright red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and rose petal are some of the notes that grace this pliant, open-knit Barolo.