2009 Italy

Gattinara is the king of the Alto Piemonte region. It is always 100% Nebbiolo, produced only in the town of Gattinara, on the western side of the River Sesia. The grapes are hand-picked in the first half of October and then vinified in large cement tanks, before spending at least two years in large oak barrels. It takes a few years in bottle to fully develop its potential. Dark cherry fruits mingle with balsamic notes and hints of earth and game. This is a brooding wine of fantastic intensity, which also maintains excellent composure through its refreshing acidity and finely honed tannins. A treat with roast game or wild mushroom dishes. Drink now to 2035.
Matt Smith, Buyer (autumn 2019)

This limited parcel of mature Chianti Classico Riserva comes from a bastion of traditionalism, Badia a Coltibuono. After a long fermentation, the wine is aged for two years in traditional Austrian and French oak. It is complex yet extremely fresh, with bright strawberry and wild cherry fruit on the nose, alongside herbs, leather and forest oor notes.

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 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

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.

Not actually a Riserva Brunello, Ugolaia's brilliance stems from the fruit of 40-year-old vines in a single vineyard, which spends an extra six months in a chestnut barrel prior to bottling. Compared to the Riserva, Ugolaia is less obviously sensual but more refined. There's a cleansing raspberry-coulis and mulberry character; it's limpid, crunchy, naturally harmonious and not in anyway forced - the product of an excellent vineyard and gentle handling. This is exquisite; not a heavyweight, it's more refined and delicate in 2009.

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.

From the family’s amphitheatre-like vineyard that sits mid slope overlooking the river Tanaro below, macerated for 80 days before being aged for five years in different sized barrels, it’s neat, with gleaming red cassis fruit and notes of wild herbs at its core. There’s great clarity and composure of strawberry fruit and forest floor, underpinned by salty minerality.
David Berry Green

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

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

The 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.
93+/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com, Aug 2014

A blend of 95 percent Verduzzo and five percent Riesling, the fruit is harvested by hand and the grapes are dried for around four months on mats. Once desiccated, a long, slow fermentation takes place in new 225-litre French oak barrels. The result is a wine that is has just the right sweetness and richness, balanced with a saline minerality and fresh acidity.
Drink 2016-2026.

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

Made only from their autochthonous and organic fruit Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino and Ciliegiolo, from masale selected vines planted on the stony clay soils of Monti in Chianti, close to Gaiole, Badia’s Riserva is made only in exceptional years, dating back to 1937. Fermented using wild yeasts aged for 24 months in large French and Austrian oak, the 2009 is beautifully elegant and composed, with sunny red fruit and tea leaf notes. Languid, refined, noble. Drinking 2014 – 2025.
David Berry Green

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

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

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