Calvados, sangiovese, Red, Por...

This gorgeous, fragrant wine opens with classic Sangiovese scents of violet, rose, perfumed red berry, new leather and a whiff of baking spice. The elegant, radiant palate delivers crushed Marasca cherry, ripe strawberry, cinnamon, black tea and a hint of pipe tobacco. Firm, ultra-fine tannins and bright acidity offer an age-worthy structure and impeccable balance. It's already stunning but will evolve for decades. (100) KERIN O'KEEFE

Wow, hauntingly dark and earthy yet in the best possible way, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva La Storica entices with an array of mentholated herbs and earth tones, tobacco, steeped plums and exotic spice. This is elegance personified with cooling minerality and bright acidity that adds an abundance of energy as crisp red fruits flow across the palate with ease. It finishes remarkably fresh yet leaves a saturation of primary fruits as rosy inner florals and hints of blood orange fade. This is impressively energetic for the vintage, plus showing beautifully today after just an hour of being open in the bottle. ANTONIO GALLONI

The 42nd Riserva since 1888 which coincided with what was effectively the relaunch of Brunello post Brunellogate. Exclusively from vines at least 25 years old. Aged in Slavonian botte for three years.
Quite a deep ruby – much deeper than the 2018 tasted alongside. Very mellow nose that's rich, layered and alluring. Complete and a great testament to Biondi-Santi's longevity. Great balance yet refreshing. This really spreads across the palate to enliven every taste bud. Powerful but not at all heavy. There's still some tannin – but very ripe tannin. Really racy with a bone-dry finish. Essence of Brunello. (18.5) JANCIS ROBINSON

Very dark savoury aromas. Dark elderberry. More bramble than blackcurrant. Very dry and firm and dense. Dry but slides over the palate – even though the tannins are very compact it remains fluid. Leaves your mouth feeling clean even though it is so mouthfilling. JULIA HARDING MW

This is the first time Noval have declared their famous Nacional since 2003 so this is an exciting development. Very dark purple stains the inside of the glass.  Gosh, a massive bruiser of a wine. There is such concentration here that not much aroma can escape initially. Wild, peppery stuff. Then wonderfully juicy and spicy. This is like the ultimate biodynamic wine with lots of microbiology going on, in a good way.  Very clean and fresh on the finish.  Not notably sweet and with more marked acidity than some.  A big contrast to, for example, Fonseca 2011. This is all about subtle topnotes rather than broad lusciousness. So vital! JANCIS ROBINSON, 2013

The 2011 Quinta do Noval Nacional has an entrancing bouquet that unfolds with time. It is extraordinarily concentrated with black currant pastilles, baked earth, a touch of terracotta and bay leaf that gains more dimension with time. Yet there is undeniable purity and elegance here, a seductive chorus of aromas perfectly in tune. The palate has a wondrous symmetry and focus, perfect acidity and immense purity. Everything here is so precise and at the same time, unassuming, as if this Nacional is aware of its breeding without the impulse to brag about it. It has closed down just a little since last year, but I take this as a positive sign that this legendary Nacional will delight for decades rather than years. This is the kind of elixir that leaves you speechless – surely the finest Nacional since the ethereal 1963. NEAL MARTIN, 2014