2009 Italy

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

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.

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

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

It is fascinating to see how site and soil composure can play such a role is determining the fruit character and quality of the final wine. Roagna’s 0.22 hectare plot in Asili sits high up on a well-ventilated, sand and limestone site overlooking the river Tanaro below, which combines to give us a beautifully fine, scented, spicy red fruit nose, all prim and pretty, with prefect poise. Harvested on the 10th October 2009, it’s packed with intricately detailed groseille (red currant) essence fruit and pulsates with exciting energy. Very fine.
David Berry Green

Luca Roagna has captured the pure essence of one of Barbaresco’s aristocratic vineyards. This is the Musigny of Barbaresco, with the 50-plus year old vines producing a wine with an ethereal cherry and raspberry-infused nose. The wine has a powerful grace to it, with a sense of the sweet red fruit mid-palate before layers of black tea, crushed herbs, hints of mint and sandalwood add complexity. A star and a wine that will drink for 20 or 30 years should you choose.
Matthew Tipping - Private Account Manager

Santo Stefano di Perno differs from the other two Baroli in that it’s found in the village of Monforte d’Alba, meaning more iron rich sand, higher up and comprising a larger percentage of old vines. So while Villero can be drunk almost from the off, this wine needs more time. This is reflected in Santo Stefano’s slightly dark hue, a nose of sweet strawberry and hay, the palate compact, measured, at its heart a kernel of sapid, herbal, almost balsamic sweet fruit; the tannins molten but present, underpinning it all. Sunnier than the sapid 2008.
David Berry Green Until 31st August 2017 this product is discounted by 21%. Prices shown include discount; no further discount will be applied at checkout.

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

Almost always the most powerful and austere of Gaja’s five single vineyard wines, it requires a longer time to fully develop. Highly concentrated fruit in addition to fine herbs, minerals and exotic spices. A very focussed, concentrated wine with a long, lingering finish and refined tannins, it has excellent ageing potential.

“Notes of honey, marzipan and kirsch; lots of rose-water, some Turkish Delight and orange blossom on the nose. The palate reveals graceful soft fruit, quite new-world in style, leading to a modern-Langhe style finish. Firm, but fine tannins on the finish, where the oak takes a back-seat to the fruit”
Gary Owen – BBR Fine Wine

Il Poggione is a winery steeped in history with its origins dating back to the late 1800s. Owned by Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi , it is situated below the beautiful hilltop town of Sant’Angelo in Colle, a part of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation characterised by a temperate, yet well-ventilated micro-climate. This benefits the grapes by maintaining refreshing acidity levels and extending their ripening time.

Father and son winemaking team Fabrizio and Alessandro Bindocci coax the best from these privileged vineyard sites; they are also proponents of a traditional wine-making style which includes submerging the cap with frequent pump overs (for more colour and tannin extraction), and ageing in large casks (so that wood flavours remain subtle and do not interfere with the natural expression of the Sangiovese and the Sant’Angelo terroir).

In the best vintages the wines demonstrate extraordinary development in bottle. Even better, prices have remained very reasonable, considering the superb quality of the wine. Poggione’s straight Brunello is one of the most fairly-priced, cellar worthy wines of the appellation. This is a benchmark property for fine, traditionally made Brunello capable of ageing superbly.
Chris Pollington- Private Account Manager

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

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

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

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

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