JAMES SUCKLING 6 OF OUR WINES SCORE MORE THAN 90
3 WINES WITH 90/100 AND THEN FOUR WITH 92, 93 AND 94 OUT OF 100 ALL THE NEW BOTTLES BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI PASS THE FAMOUS AMERICAN CRITIC’S EXAM
by Donatella Cinelli Colombini #winedestination
James Suckling
As always, it is the Brunello and the DOC Orcia Cenerentola that obtain the best ratings but the thing that makes us most proud are the 90 /100 for Leone Rosso, Rosso di Montalcino and Vin Santo del Chianti because they show the enormous work done in the cellar in creating great wines throughout the labels and not just the higher range. An effort that takes on important meaning when thinking that 72% of our wine is exported and which, due to transport and a longer commercial chain, arrives in the customer’s glass at a very high price. Deserving the appreciation of wine lovers for all wines is really important especially when they pay €30-40 for these bottles.
90/100 FOR LEONE ROSSO DOC ORCIA 2020
James Suckling‘s description concerns a tasting from September 2023 and is extremely charming
<< Aromas of blueberries, red plums, violets and wild bush, followed by baking spices and bitter almonds. Medium- to-full-bodied with bright acidity and study tannins. Sangiovese and merlot. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold.>>
90/100 FOR ROSSO DI MONTALCINO DOC 2021
Another taste from last September that reveals Suckling’s predilection for Sangiovese from Montalcino
<< Aromas of cranberries, red cherries and lavender with a hint of roasted coffee beans. Medium body, brisk acidity and fine-grained tannins. Simple, but juicy and drinkable. Drink now.>>
90/100 FOR VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI 2009
<<A little old fashioned>> is James Suckling’s comment which almost sounds like a reproach and instead to me it seems like a compliment because it was precisely tradition that I prefer in Vin Santo. <<with lifted balsamic and rancio character to the caramelized apricots, sultanas and burnt sugar. Dense and pretty luscious with caramel, walnut and raisins in the finish. Fresh, high acidity manages to balance it out. Drink now >>
94/100 FOR BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2019
A Brunello that seeks tradition, elegance and local identity. Stylistic choices that start from the vineyard and are concentrated in the moment of harvest with an early picking and a very delicate vinification, how our grandparents used to do it. I am convinced that I am meeting the needs of current civilization which, in wine and food products, seeks diversity, purity and the story of nature. Obviously, my choices put me quite out of the mainstream but I like this too
<<Aromas of black cherry, lavender and rosemary flowers with hints of spices and stems, which follow to a medium body with silky tannin texture that shows integration and presence. Slightly chewy. But it’s polished and real. From organically grown grapes. Better in 2026>>
93/100 FOR BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG PROGETTO PRIME DONNE 2019
This wine is the symbol of the Casato Prime Donne winery, the first in Italy with an all-female workforce. It is also the only Brunello dedicated to female wine lovers and therefore tasted by 4 female wine experts: two Masters of Wine, the English Rosemary George and the Swedish Madeleine Stenwreth, as well as by Astrid Schwarz and Daniela Scrobogna.
<< Blackberry, cedar and sandalwood aromas with some lavender follow through to a medium body with firm and silky tannins that show polish and poise. It’s linear and tight. Refined. From organically grown grapes. Needs a couple of years to open. Best after 2025>>
92/100 FOR CENERENTOLA DOC ORCIA 2019
A wine that tells a fairy tale. The dream of those who are last and use their talent and courage to succeed. The history of the Orcia denomination born in 2000 between the two half-sisters Brunello and Vino Nobile. And the story of Cenerentola wine which manages to emerge internationally using two native grape varieties: Sangiovese and Foglia Tonda: the first elegant and the second powerful.
<<Aromas of dark cherries, rose petals and dried meats with a touch of mushroom and balsamic. Medium-bodied with tight, fine-grained tannins. Excellent length and depth. Showing nice development now. From organically grown grapes. Drink now>>
93/100 PASSITO DA UVE TRAMINER 2018
Only 364 small bottles preserved in blue cases and authenticated by a certificate that traces the changes in ownership. Passito was born from Carlo Gardini’s passion for sweet wines and is obtaining excellent ratings from all the most authoritative press.
“Dried apricot, sultanas and honeycomb followed by cardamom, dried orange peel and roasted almonds. Luscious, full-bodied and creamy on the palate with a solid backbone of acidity. Beautiful length and depth thanks to the excellent concentration. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”