Lovely perfumes of flowers and rose stems to subtle red fruits and oranges follow through to a medium to full body. Tight, focused fruit and tannins lead to a crisp finish. Drink now.

JAMES SUCKLING TOP 100 ITALY 2025 - # 57 

Aromas of black cherries, bark, black truffle, ink, and lead pencil follow through to a full body with perfectly integrated tannins that are caressing yet impressive and add intensity and focus to the wine. The silky tannins caress every inch of your palate. Savory finish. Drink or hold.

This aromatic red delivers cherry, raspberry and boysenberry flavors alongside balsamic notes of eucalyptus, juniper and wild herbs. Strikes a nice balance between grace and power, with firm tannins and a mineral streak underlining the long aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2046.

This is a serious beauty that reminds us of the brilliant work underway at this leading estate. Yes, ownership has changed over recent years, but this wine remains "Rocche-solid." From an epic vintage, the Vietti 2021 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a classic with those elegant mineral notes of glacial till and flake salt followed by carefully ripened fruit, blackcurrant and a finely tuned floral note of fragrant tea leaf that hits the high notes. The effect is ethereal but also precise. Fruit comes from two parcels, one planted in 1958 and the other in 1969, and the blend is half of each fermented together. Fruit was picked on October 1st, and the wine saw 24 days on the skins. The first year this wine was produced is 1961. The Rocche di Castiglione site has 35% sand with marl soils that continue to evolve, kicking out more new sand. Only 3,728 bottles exist, and that's the bad news.

Equal parts fruity and balsamic, this red reveals cherry, cranberry and rose hip notes alongside eucalyptus, juniper and cedar flavors. Taut and well-marked by a line of dusty tannins gracing the finish. Classy and long. Best from 2028 through 2045.

This is the baby in the bunch, representing one of the newest additions to the Vietti portfolio, with the first vintage produced in 2018. The learning curve in Monvigliero is always steep, or so most winemakers tell me, because very few can go to 100% whole-cluster fermentation. Indeed, the 2021 Barolo Monvigliero sees 60% whole clusters. The Vietti team is experienced, and this wine is pristine. This vintage was harvested on September 30th, and maceration was a bit shorter, at 20 days. The wine shows a delicate film of pink salt with garden herbs, lemon leaves and spring flowers. It is a wine of extreme elegance, but I find that this vintage is especially Mediterranean in character. Production is 8,663 bottles.

Protective and precise style here. Blood-orange and floral bouquet, restrained if not reductive, with cherry candy and chocolatey depth. Smooth attack to the palate with medium body, assertive acidity and refined tannins that turn dustier on the finish. Overall juicy and fresh, yet slightly stern. Try after 2027.

Tenuta Tascante does a great job with its single-contrada wines from Etna and succeeds at presenting the subtle differences in the character of each vineyard site. The 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Pianodario (from Randazzo) comes from a relatively new parcel that was planted in 2010. The wine opens to a light garnet color and showcases aromas of blue flower, redcurrant and flinty stone or ash. It sees 12 months in Slavonian oak casks, and the luminous transparency of the fruit shines bright in this accessible vintage. Contrada Pianodario does not have the enhanced complexity or depth of Sciaranuova or Rampante, but I prefer this bottle for its elegant freshness and tightness.