Stephen Brook | The nose is lively and richly aromatic, with blush blackberry fruit. It’s suave on the attack, finely concentrated, with bold but integrated tannins. There’s an admirable spiciness on the mid-palate that energizes the fruit and gives persistence. It’s far from subtle but has great exuberance and force. There’s swagger and drive on the long and juicy finish. | 94

Andrew Jefford | Deep, dark, though translucent black-red. Cool, pressed fruits, with some dark coal and tar aromatics, but a freshness, too: almost mint, almost compost, but a little sweeter and softer- focused than either. Dense, dark, cool: one of the cohort of wines that suggests either the northern part of the DOCG or a cool site. Lots of freshness and vivacity here. Smooth tannins defer to that brisk though ripe acidity as the main structural element here. Tasty, dancing Brunello for the mid-term. | 86

Michael Palij | Medium ruby in the glass, with notes of redcurrant jelly, Bovril, wood smoke, fig jam, and clove. In the mouth, this lacks the balance that a more disciplined approach to wood aging may have provided. It’s huge, slightly ponderous, and very dusty on the finish. | 89