2009 Italy

Compared to the darker, denser ‘Cerbaiona’ IGP, the 2009 Brunello di Montalcino is far more relaxed and open-hearted. It has suave redcurrant and wild herb notes, and lots of fleshy pleasure from the succulence and warming sun. Very laid-back, charming with sensual strawberry patch fruit. Just getting into its stride.

Marcarini’s Barolo Brunate remains rock year in, year out, classic credentials for Vigna Grande (‘Grand Cru’) status sometime in the future. A wine born of a traditional approach, both in the vineyard (normal yields, no bunch decapitation or concentration) and followed by a long 50 day skin maceration in cement prior to bottle grand affinamento (‘elevage’). Harvested after La Serra on 15 – 17 October, this Brunate – planted in 1985 and 1986 - oozes terroir, reflecting back the hot days, cold nights microclimate that transforms into a darker, fuller, more compact wine (vs. La Serra) with broad balsamic, tamarind, quinine, strawberry notes, plenty of tea ‘sfumatura’ (nuance), a generous lush, almost syrupy texture and emphatic mouthfeel. Needs time.
David Berry Green

The 2009 Antinori Solaia is similar to the 2007 in its volume and richness, but it is less extroverted. This is another gorgeous Solaia that will drink well pretty much during its entire life. The warm year yielded a racy Solaia with no hard edges and fabulous overall balance.
Antonio Galloni - Dec-2013

The complexity of this classic Barbaresco is the result of combining Nebbiolo from 14 estate-owned vineyards. A wine of infinite finesse, it displays the hallmark Barbaresco nose of forest fruits, plums, licorice, mineral notes, coffee and tar. Gaja Barbaresco is known for its dense structure, full-bodied and complex finish rich in silky tannins. Each Gaja Barbaresco is the expression of its vintage and has a long ageing potential.

The 2009 Barolo Le Vigne impresses for its textural finesse and sheer silkiness. Sweet red berries, crushed flowers, spices and mint are all woven together nicely. There is plenty of early appeal in this mid-weight, gracious Barolo from Sandrone. The integration of fruit and tannin is simply masterful. The 2009 may start shutting down a bit in bottle, but it is likely to enjoy a fairly broad window of drinkability. I wouldn't wait too long, however.
Antonio Galloni - vinousmedia.com - May 2013

A one-off blend of 60% old vine Rocche dell’Annunziata and 40% young Berri Nebbiolo fruit, as the young Trediberri cantina pulled together the parcels of fruit at their disposal. So a blend of the energetic, youthful fruit with the more languid, pedigree material from the older vines. Macerated for c. 27 days in stainless-steel, aged in 20hl large Garbellotto barrels, this gorgeous Barolo brims with pretty, zippy red (currant) fruit and tea, while the palate’s all about the class and texture brought to bear by Rocche’s terroir.

Showing such poise, fragrance, with delicate, suave, cranberry/tea leaf character and endless roll, this shows is a wonderful expression of La Morra Barolo. Still relatively young but approachable thanks to the young Berri fruit, this is one of vintage 2009’s best! Drink along with knuckle of lamb.
David Berry Green

The occasional glass of Sassicaia, one of the greatest Italian wines I've ever tasted - it's made by Tenuta San Guido in Tuscany. We drink it at home with cheese on toast!
Jo Malone - Country Life, Wednesday 27 March

This was the second year that Mario incorporated the fruit from his wife Luisa’s family vineyard, Gallinotto in La Morra, providing a lighter, fruitier character to the more ‘serious’ fruit from Castiglione Falletto’s Villero and Valletti vineyards. Reassuringly pale in colour, the nose is bright and perfumed, wooing you on with lush red fruit, hints of quinine, sandalwood and even menthol (indicating the warmth of the vintage). The fresh palate seduces you with charming summer fruit, along with more pulp and grassezza (fat), savoury leather and tobacco. The important fruit coming from Castiglione Falletto providing the pedigree and quiet sophistication. Hidden depths.
David Berry Green

2009 was to be Tommaso Canale’s penultimate harvest of Vigna Rionda. Cousin of Ester Rosso (nata Canale), Davide’s mum, Tommaso should be rightly proud of the fruit he grew and the wine he made in 2009. It’s a stunner, the finest of the three vintages (2007, 2008, 2009) that Giovanni Rosso has released following his death. One can see La Serra in Vigna Rionda - they lie a couple of hundred metres apart - yet ‘VR’ has hidden depths, there’s more kirsch-like intensity, more skin to pulp, richer, the tannins firm. The last of Tommaso Canale’s line.
David Berry Green

Reassuringly pale garnet colour, there’s an effortless roll of soft, pretty, ethereal, gleaming cassis, ginger and deft tea leaf aromas on the nose, recalling the big skies, generous sun and wild herbs that bless this end of the Montalcino zone. Velvety to the taste, it suggests crushed, Tuscan strawberries; as enveloping as ever, with sensual red fruit, spice and galestro rocky notes. Such charm and facility. Akin to bathing in essential oils.
David Berry Green

I’ve long been a fan of the impressive Brunello from this wonderful cantina and I’m delighted 2009 is no different. The wine is pale and limpid, oozing red cherry, baked earth and a distant pine note – picture Tuscany on a summer day! There is a lightness of touch here than makes the wine almost ethereal. Fresh, structured and very pure. If I could only have one Brunello, this would be it.
Fergus Stewart - Private Account Manager

Harvested on 1st October, twelve days earlier than in 2008 (and ten before 2010), Maria Teresa’s 2009 Barolo remains a classic, traditional blend of four vineyards: Barolo’s Rué, San Lorenzo and Cannubi and Rocche di Torriglione from the village of La Morra; whence her family originated. There’s less alcohol than the hot 2007, yet the wine faithfully records the hot summer: beautiful sunny red/pink colour, swimming with intense yet suave, discreet, composed, strawberry spice and sandalwood notes; there’s a typically gorgeous roll of fruit while remaining composed and yet open-hearted. Pure with a definite sweet spot. So fluid, so feminine; alive with delicate acidity. Full of light. Echoes of Graci’s Sicilian Etna Rosso (without the lava)?!
David Berry Green

Richer, more obvious in its fleshy, raspberry charm, this is very inviting, sensual, creamy even. Darker and broader in colour, the palate is generous and sumptuous, with an almost raspberry-ripple richness. The texture is one of crushed velvet, of sweet currants and heady fruit; in a word – lush.

One of Montalcino’s oldest estates, dating back to the time of the Medicis, Lisini is known more recently as one of the founding fathers of the Brunello di Montalcino Consorzio of the 1960s. The Clementi-Lisini family, at the 154-hectare property near Sant’Angelo in Colle (20 hectares are under vine), make a thoroughly traditional range that builds on ancient Eocene sand, clay and iron-rich soils; wines that were first bottled in 1967. Oenologist Filippo Paoletti stands guard over the estate’s pre-eminent position.

Another warm season, 2009 started well with a deep, long, snowy winter that gave way to a wet spring, and then a hot summer. The Borgogno family blended their west and east vineyards together for this Riserva, which was bottled in November 2014 after five years in large Veneto botti. Consistent with the vintage, their 2009 Cannubi Riserva is a sumptuous, strawberrypatch wine, pure and silky. Drinking now but will benefit from time in bottle.

Lying in the heart of one of Barolo’s most famous vineyards, Cannubi, this small, traditional, fifth-generation family-owned cantina dates back to 1897. Brothers Serio and Battista Borgogno set about developing the cantina during the 1960s and 1970s, when the emphasis was largely on quantity not quality, buying in fruit or wine to fill their outsized winery. Today the baton has been passed to Serio’s daughters Anna and Paola and in turn their offspring Emanuela and Federica respectively. Anna’s husband Marco is making the wine, aided by Emanuela and since 2012 by oenologist Luca Sarotto. These days the focus is increasingly on their Cannubi plots, facing south, north, east and west, while they continue to buy some fruit in for a separate white-label range. Vinification is traditional, fermenting in large wooden vats, before racking to Slavonian oak botti of up to 52 hectolitres for traditionally long élévage. Bottling takes place without fining or filtering.

Crushed flowers, tobacco, mint, licorice and dried cherries lift from the glass in Pira's 2009 Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti. Interestingly, within Roagna's range the old vines in Pajè confer power, but here they seem to add finesse. Sweet tobacco, menthol and worn-in leather add nuance on the open, expressive finish. The 2009 Pira Vecchie Viti is a bit more forward than the straight Barolo Pira. It will be interesting to see how both wines age.
Antonio Galloni - vinousmedia.com - Sept 2014

I love the way in which the Sesti’s 2009 Brunello is both finely-focussed and, like them, generous; the nose an exciting kirsch summer fruit compote, with depth and serenity too. There’s a profound, iron-like intent to the nose; it is carina (pretty) and also determined. The full palate is pulpy, gentle, flowing, with a (Barolo-esque) earthiness that reminds me of La Morra, of Brunate even. Bottled in February 2013, the Sesti’s have raised the bar in 2009.
David Berry Green

Carlo Barldi Lisini recalls the spring rain in 2009, clearly differentiating the vintage from that of (hot) 2007 and supporting 2009’s vegetative growth. The nose has an almost Nebbiolo/Barolo/quinine character to it, with dried rose petal delicacy, warm spice and summer fruit. It’s very refined, relaxed, with plenty of small red berried fruit, that swells and grows in the mouth. The product of a classical, traditional approach; the fruit macerated for 25 days on its skins before ageing in botte grande; bottled in September 2013.
David Berry Green

Lisini is one of the most traditional producers of Montalcino so I had pre-conceived notions of a tightly knit, opaque offering that would need plenty of time in bottle. The 2009 however was not at all what I expected. They have managed to craft a deliciously elegant wine in a vintage known for its excessive heat. Gentle sweetness of fruit and an enticing florality are in evidence and a little nuttiness adds interest. This has a lovely balance with an open yet nicely tailored finish.   
Peter Newton - Private Account Manager

Chiara’s Cannubi is distinctly bright and pale red in colour, setting it apart from the blueberry purple of Mosconi. The colour is a tenuous link to the great Baroli of Serralunga d’Alba, where sand also plays an important role. The nose too is equally lifted, notably finer than Mosconi, with a pert cherry red kirsch character that elegantly continues on into the strawberry, salato palate in one fluid movement. There’s a freshness that supports the fact that Chiara is one of the first to harvest. Promising. Drinking 2017 – 2027.
David Berry Green

he 2009 Barolo Pira is another pretty wine. Next to the 2009 Pajè, its rough equivalent in the range of Barbarescos, the Pira is a bit fresher and brighter, with redder tonalities in its fruit and lively, piercing acidity that is going to need a few years to integrate.

Pine, crushed flowers, mint, anise and crushed rocks are all layered into the finish. There is so much to like here. Drink 2019-2029
93+/100 points, Antonio Galloni vinous.com, Sept 2014