2009 Italy

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

Mirroring the sunny, yet fresh character of the 2009 vintage, Francesco's southern Rhone-esque Sagrantino is still composed, with brambly-sweet, red tinted, earthy fruit on the nose.
The palate has at its core a super suave kernel of strawberry, 'frutta di bosco' (forest fruit), tinged with baked wild herbs, and an all-enveloping mouthfeel. Gently vinified and aged in botte grande, this 100% Sagrantino speaks of Bevagna's deep, calcareous clay soils and of a respect for tradition and for 'territorio'.
David Berry Green

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

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

Back to Verduno, home of the Alessandria family(s), for a scintillating wine from the village’s most prestigious site: Monvigliero. It seems plain timid coming after the fulsome Gramolere! The limestone rich soils, steep concave slope and prime position SSE facing (in the case of the Alessandria plot) provide the foundations for porcelain, rose petal wine. Compact, it seems austere, while the palate offers sensual strawberry and minerally fresh texture, poise and great beauty.
David Berry Green

Balsamic notes prevail on the nose of this wine, followed by aromas of ripe fruit and spices. On the palate the first sensations are velvety, with soft tannins and much finesse. The finish and aftertaste are well supported by the mineral notes which give it a lovely length and persistence, while the vineyards are situated on rocky, slightly limestone soil. Benchmark plus Bolgheri!
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

Alive and seductive, this is a serious Nebbiolo that articulates its Verduno provenance perfectly. By that I mean it is refined yet accessible and shows a soft sunny charm underpinned by cool minerality.
David Berry Green, Fine Wine Buyer, August 2011

Manuel harvested his La Serra vineyard, one located high up the La Morra escarpment between 7 – 14th October, so quite normal timing. As ever it displays a sylphlike elegance and a pale, rose-tinted red hue, but in 2009 there’s plenty of genepi, alpine flower aromas. The palate is ‘suadente’ (mellow), sapido, open-hearted and gentle; old school yes, along with great charm and delicatezza. Deceptively drinkable now it’s best kept for a while to allow it to bloom.
David Berry Green

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

Built like a tank, the 2009 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is a masterful achievement. This wine shows so beautifully, especially in a warm but balanced vintage like 2009. The fruit is expressive and articulate with deep layers of blackberry preserves, dried cherry, dark chocolate, espresso bean, mesquite smoke and soy sauce. The mouthfeel is super rich and concentrated as the Dal Forno signature style would dictate. The tannic bite is still strong and this wine needs a few more years to stretch out its muscular build. I'd suggest drinking it after 2018. The wines of Romano Dal Forno prove to be, once again, impossible to duplicate. They show such a high degree of individual personality that they occupy their own school of stylistic expression. In fact, they share very little, if anything, with the rest of vino italiano.
Monica Larner - eRobertParker.com #216 - Dec 2014 

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

2009’s notable in that the Mascarello family chose not to make their Riserva ‘Ca d’Morissio’ in this vintage, so its old Michet clone fruit has been diverted into Monprivato instead. Monprivato is a ‘Vigna Grande’ (Grand Cru) vineyard in all but name. Perfectly exposed on 100% limestone soils, it’s the ‘Les Amoureuses’ of Castiglione Falletto. Similar in colour to neighbour Villero yet with a darker hue, the nose is really intense, more elusive, with strawberry herbal, almost incense aromas. Fuller than Villero, more ‘avvolgente’ (enveloping)  and yet at the same time deeper, more profound and brooding, not wishing to make a spectacle of itself. Ah! the brilliance of Nebbiolo!
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

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

The threat of hail hangs over this pre-Alpine vineyard of Bramaterra; in 2009 it struck twice (16th April and 6th June), reducing the crop by circa 30%, giving the wine extra intensity. In its youth the engaging overripe character of the Uve Rara (3% of the blend) and spiciness of the Vespolina (7%) shines, while the 20% of Croatina gives a lush, almost Ripasso texture and Nebbiolo (70%) the minerally spine and zip. Drinking 2014 - 2020.
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

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

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

A sumptuous vintage has created a complex wine with a big character and capacity to age. The nose is a bundle of roasted almonds, tropical fruit and honey. The palate is all involving, delicious, beautifully balanced, long and crowned by a zippy fresh finish. This is one for the cellar, but is drinking now if you cannot wait!
David Berry Green

Delightfully forward, the 2009 has all nuances and complexity of previous vintages, without the reserve of the likes of 2006 and 2008. This wine offers up notes of mineral salts, ripe peach and hints of botrytis on the nose, which follow through on the beautifully balanced palate where the wine is medium-bodied with a wonderful mouth-feel and great length. Drink now and until 2015+ with grilled fish, white meat, rice and pasta dishes.
Chris Pollington, Account Manager