Journalist Support

Craig Camp on Montecastelli Selections in ‘Raccolta’ March 12th:

I have chosen to highlight the overall accomplishments of Jens and Ruth Schmidt in creating Montecastelli Selections, which has emerged in only a few short years as one of the most interesting Italian fine wine portfolios available. I cannot encourage you enough to go through the effort to seek out their wines. Your efforts will be well-rewarded.
One thing that is certain when tasting through this portfolio is that all of the wines are absolutely delicious to drink. They are modern wines, yet they pay homage to traditional winemaking and never let modern methods overwhelm the integrity of the vineyard.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Issue 164, April 24, 2006

Poderi Paradiso 2001 Eterno II - 93 Points
Poderi del Paradiso Continues to produce a lineup of wines which deservingly earn it the title of the number one estate of San Gimignano. The 2001 Eterno demonstrates just how good well-cultivated Sangiovese can be even in a zone where white wine predominates. A glowing ruby-garnet color, the powerful notes of ripe red currants and wild cherries, cloves, cinnamon, and incense are followed by warm, broad palate, mouth-filling and rich, but with the velvet and the caressing texture which are the trademark of wines of superior breed. It will continue to give exceptional pleasure for another dozen years.

Cesani Luenzo 2002 - 90 points
Vincenzo Cesani has well deserved reputation for the red wines he makes at his San Gimignano estate...The 2002 Luenzo, Sangiovese with a little bit of Colorino, is startlingly good for the vintage, spicy and penetrating with notes of tobacco, Mediterranean herbs, and red berry fruit. Muscular and firm, it is sustained on the mid-palate and finish. The tannins will need a bit more time to unwind and the wine will drink best between 2007 and 2014.

Nicodemi Neromoro 2001 - 93 points
Nicodemi is a character member of a group of new producers whose wines are beginning to challenge the traditional leaders in the region. Neromoro offers stong competition to important names in the region, ajmmy, spicy, and penetrating in aroma, lush but very focused and layered on the palate, firm but with an irresistable light-graininess which keep the alcohol and ripeness from getting out of hand. Mouthfilling and broad, it offers at least a dozen years of pure pleasure for the future.

Perticaia Sagrantino 2001 - 92 points
Perticaia has now surged into the top ranks of the producers of Montefalco, just behind the better known names of Caprai and Colpetrone. But the estate is younger and less experienced, and the future could not be brighter-owner Guido Guardigli has worked for decades in the world of agriculture and his consulting wine maker, young Emiliano Falsini, is destined for greatness, of that I could not be more sure.

The 2001 Sagrantino, warm, ripe and intense, offers raspberry fruit and an important spiciness in a packed and mouth-filling format, dense and solid in its flow and with a rising warmth, amplitude, and breadth on the finish. it will easily last another 15 years.

Rocca di Castagnoli Ch Cl Capraia 2001 - 91 points
...from a notably lower and warmer vinyard, is riper and smokier, powerful and intense on the nose and palate, concentrated and authoritative from the mid-palate to the finish, and with plenty of grip and bite. Drink 2006-2016

Rocca di Castagnoli Stielle 2001 - 92 points
The 2001 Stielle, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, is notably dark in color, tarry, smoky, and with rich notes of rosemary and graphite on the nose. Solid, long and mineral, its flavors of mint and sweet berry fruit make this a very convincing effort. Drink 2006-2018.

Focus on La Rasina:

Wine Spectator Jan 30/Feb 16th online

La Rasina

Brunello 'Il Divasco’ 2001
...Full-bodied, with fabulous fruit and ultrafine tannins. This goes on for minutes on the palate….(JS) 96 points


Brunello 2001
Intense aromas of crushed blackberry and vanilla follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a long, refined finish. This is a classy wine…..(JS) 94 points


La Rasina en plain with the Brunello di Montalcino 2000! Congratulations!
To the 3 glasses Gambero Rosso, 92 points in Wine and Spirits and more from Veronelli, Wine Advocate!



Focus on Ronchi:

Wine Advocate Issue 160 August 2005, by Daniel Thomases

Ronchi
The 2001 Barbaresco Ronchi is another step up the quality ladder for the house, ripe and spicy in aroma, ample and long in flavor, elegant but with a solid inner core and much Nebbiolo personality in the tar and licorice notes of the finish. 91 points



International Wine Cellar by Steven Tanzer November 2004

Barbaresco 2001: Good bright, full red. Expressive, bright aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, rose petal and tobacco, with a woodsy nuance. Sweet, lush, smooth and harmonious; a lively midweight Barbaresco with firm framing acidity and dusty, building tannins 90 points



Wine Spectator Nov 15 2003

Barbaresco 2001: Very pretty, plum and cherry character with hints of cedar. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Clean and long. (JS) 91 points



Wine and Spirits 12/04

Barabaresco 2000: 89 points



on our hero’s from the Aglianico del Vulture Appellation:

The International Wine Cellar of Steven Tanzer Issue 121, by Ian d’Agata

Macarico
Macarico 2003 -…the Macarico estate, an important addition to the panorama of quality red wine in the Basilicata...

Finishes with very silky tannins and a suggestion of chocolate-covered bing cherry. The wines firm acidic spine will enable it to evolvable in bottle for many years, and it’s tell tale elegance is Vito Paternoster’s signature. 92 points

Elena Fucci
Titolo 2003 - ...wines are actually made by Elena’s father, the ebullient and energetic Salvatore Fucci. He is fortunate enough to own one of the best vineyards sites in all of the Vulture (the Titolo Vineyard), which at about 600 m is also the highest.

Juicy flavors of black plum and raspberry are complicated by a slightly saline mineral note coming from the highly volcanic soil. 91 points

Paternoster
Few producers in Basilicata-or in all of Italy, for that matter-churn out as strong of a line up as does Vito Paternoster. Don Anselmo 2000 - profoundly rich nose of cherry liqueur, milk chocolate, plum and blackberry... Absolutely seamless and wonderful wine. 94 points

on Campania wines:

Masseria Felicia
Falerno del Massico 2002 - Superripe black cherry, raspberry and cassis liqueur on the nose, Very smooth and well-balanced. 91 points



Antonio Galloni, Piedmont Report Issue 3and 4 July 2005

Parusso
Barolo Bussia 2001 - Dark ruby. This seriously long and intense Barolo Bussia displays a complex nose of roses, minerals, spices ,underbrush, macerated cherries and chocolate. It shows tremendous thrust on the palate along with massive amounts of dense ripe dark fruit, huge tannins and a beautiful note of menthol on the finish that makes this a very complete and satisfying wine. 93 points



Wine Spectator Issue October 15th 2005, by James Suckling and Jo Cooke

Parusso
Barolo 2001- Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a lovely caressing texture with delicate fruit... Seductive. 93 points



Wine Advocate Issue 160 August 2005, by Daniel Thomases

Josetta Saffirio
Barolo 2000 - This 2000 Barolo, a healthy garnet/ruby in color, features expansive aromas of tar, leather, roses and vanilla, and a dense, substantial palate whose chewy tannins and lengthy flavors should assure much pleasure between 2005 and 2018. 92 points



Wine Advocate Issue 158 April 2005, by Daniel Thomases

La Rasina
Brunello di Montalcino 1999 - The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino demonstrates what he can do when the weather is on his side. A fresh garnet in tonality, intensely spicy and sweet on the nose, it is solid but round on the palate, structured but velvety and polished, warm and enveloping on the lengthy, elegant close.
Marco Mantengoli operates in the same part of Montalcino as Giulio Salvioni and Diego Molinari and his wines show the same combination of force and finesse as these major personalities of the zone. 92 points

Collelceto
Brunello di Montalcino 1999 - Collelceto’s debut vintage on international markets, the 1998, made an excellent impression, and it is only logical that the 1999 Brunello di Montalcino, from a superior vintage, is even better, dark and fresh in color, spicy and smoky on the nose with raspberry and red currant fruit intermingled with caramel, incense, and coconut, and a textured palate of crushed raspberries, very attractive in its light-grained tannins and with a strong, balanced finish. 92 points



Wine and Spirits 4/05

Cesani
Luenzo 2001 90 points



International Wine Cellar by Steven Tanzer October 2004

Collelceto
Brunello di Montalcino 1999: Deep red-ruby. Deeply nutty aromas of currant, bitter chocolate, underbrush and fresh herbs. Warm, full, sweet and deep; a lush, creamy big boy that nonetheless conveys an impression of energy. A very broad Brunello that finishes smooth and long, with ripe, building tannins. The nutty oak and loam notes carry through to the aftertaste 92 points



Wine Spectator Nov 30 2004

Nicodemi
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Neromoro' Wonderful aromas of wild berries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate, with delicious blackberry and chocolate character and a hint of coffee. Gorgeous. Nicodemi's riserva has been consistently excellent recently. Drink now. 500 cases made. (JS) 91 points



Gambero Rosso 2006

La Rasina
Brunello di Montalcino 2000 – 3 Glasses



Wine Spectator Issue July 31st 2004, by James Suckling and Jo Cooke

Parusso
2000 Barolo Bussia Vigna Rocche - A bit earthy and decadent on the nose but shows ripe and wonderful fruit. Turns to roses and pressed flowers. Full-bodied, with a gorgeous texture of caressing tannins and a long finish of fruit, vanilla and rose petals. Delicious finish. 95 points rated by James Suckling
2000 Barolo Mariondino - Starts off slightly earthy but turns to bright berries, flowers and new wood. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, silky finish. 94 points rated by James Suckling
2000 Barolo Bussia Vigna Fiurin - Earthy, with meaty and floral aromas over the ripe and rich fruit character. Full-bodied, with beautiful fruit and silky tannins. Long, long finish. Very silky and tightly packed. Fine wine. 93 points rated by James Suckling
2000 Barolo Piccole Vigne - Decadent aromas of raspberries with foie gras. Some might call it barnyard, but turns to lilacs. Full-bodied, with supersoft tannins and a ripe and exotic fruit aftertaste. Jamlike finish. Cherries. Burgundy funk meets Piedmont precision. 92 points rated by James Suckling



Wine Advocate Issue 154 August 2004, by Daniel Thomases

Antonio Ferrari
1959 Solaria Jonica - as sweet as a great Recioto, a wine which it greatly resembles. Still, an amazing fresh ruby color, it features a decadent nose of blackberry jam, raisins, chocolate, and licorice, a texture of sheer satin, great warmth and roundness, a sweetness which never becomes cloying, precise and focused flavors, and a finish as long as the fade-out to "Hey Jude". 97 points

Damijan
...the wines deserve close attention, as they reflect the strong and determined personality of their maker.
2001 Collio Bianco - very ripe and expansive on the nose, tropical in its fruit as well as very honeyed and floral, rich and viscous on the palate, and with a dimension which recalls Alsatian late-harvest wines. 93 points

Elena Fucci
2001 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo - a wine which has it all, ripe and sweet berry fruit, sensations of warm, volcanic soil, notes of violets, smoke, and licorice in a format which combines power and solidity with velvety, caressing tannins, intensity with roundness, an overall harmony and balance which are unusual and impressive from a house which has just begun bottling its own wines. 92 points

Masseria Felicia
2001 Falerno del Massico Rosso - with rich and smoky aromas of berry fruit, raisins, tar, and truffles, the wine possesses a powerful and concentrated palate, dense and chewy texture, with important notes of ultra-ripe fruit, underbrush, and warm lava rock, and exceptional length and resonance on the finish. 94 points

Paternoster
1999 Aglianico del Vulture Riserva Don Anselmo - smoky and tarry on the nose and palate, though the raspberry-blackberry fruit still come through, still slightly austere and tightly wound, but with a firmness of texture and depth of concentration that promise another dozen years of drinking pleasure. 90 points

Villa Carafa
2002 Casavecchia - in its deep, dark ruby color, the powerful and penetrating aromas of raspberries and blackberries, and the very sizable palate, muscular but rich and sweet as well, and with a solidity which suggest that it will still be drinking well in 2015. 90 points
1999 Taurasi - a ruby-garnet color and a nose which offers some leather and game in addition to the berries and licorice. 91 points
2001 Zine - the top Aglianico in the line! An impenetrable ruby in color, ripe, tarry, mineral, and smoky in its powerful berry fruit nose and palate, with concentrated and full-throttle flavors, muscular and supple at the same time, it finishes with a density and force. 93 points



Wine Spectator Issue May 15th 2004, by Bruce Sanderson

La Rasina
In an exalted category like Brunello di Montalcino, which has experienced a run of excellent vintages recently (1995,1997,1998,1999), it’s refreshing to find a value. La Rasina is a property to watch. Owned by the Mantengoli family, natives of the region, the 10 acre estate is the source of a full-bodied, firmly structured 1999 exuding floral and blackberry flavors. 92 points by James Suckling



Wine Advocate Issue April 2004, by Daniel Thomases

Cesani
2001 Luenzo - …. Sangiovese with Colorino, penetrating nose of plums, tar, and coconut and its solid, balanced palate of very good depth and persistence show off the talented winemaking of Paolo Caciorgna. 90 points

Cima
2002 Candia Alto – which sees some oak and possesses, along with a spicier, more honeyed and tropical nose, more depth, length and amplitude of flavor. 90 points
2001 Romalbo – is the Sangiovese, whose smoky, tarry, plum and wild cherry nose is followed by a velvety palate of significant length, melting tannins, and a long, silky close. 92 points
2001 Montervo – a Merlot of important richness, very ripe and sweet, but perfumed as well, the alcohol kept in check by a freshnesswhich comes from the sea breezes of the zon, dense and solid on the development, long and strong from start to finish. 91 points

Fattoria Le Fonti
...the two selections from the 2000 vintage were the best Sangiovese produced in Chianti Classico…..
2000 Chianti Classico Riserva – 91 points
2000 Vito Arturo – like the Chianti Classico Riserva a 100% Sangiovese, darker and more ruby with a sweet and soaring tarry, mineral, red fruit nose and a lovely bilance of force and elegance on the palate and in the long textured finish. A true thoroughbred, it is astonishing for the vintage! 92 points

Podere Forte
2001 Guardiavigna – Sangiovese with some supplementary cabernet and Merlot, dark ruby in color, very fresh and focused on the nose with ripe berry fruit, minerals and graphite, substancial and shaply flavors, and a classy close. 91 points
2001 Petrucci – impressive in the purity of its wild cherry and red current fruit, waffing floral notes, and the overall aromatic finesse. , not to speak of the finely spun silky tannins, the noble austerity of flavors, the elegance and breed of extraction. 92 points

Enrico Fossi
Every region needs its wild man, and Tuscany’s current champion is Enrico Fossi...
...but the wines are well worth getting acquainted with because, ever since the 1998 vintage, they are simply among the best in Tuscany.
2001 Malbec – 90 points
2001 Portico – 94 points Endowed with that extra measure of sweetness, warmth, density, and silk which perfectly ripe Merlot grapes give, its concentration and length, coupled with its sumptuous texture, make it very special.
1999 Sassoforte – is one of the finest cabernets mad in Tuscany in the 1990’s. Pure and focused cassis fruit, graphite, licorice, and tar are matched by a driving power and intensity, a deep pile texture, and exceptional balance, poise and breed – the classic iron fist in a velvet glove, and a wine which will surely last another two decades. 95 points
2001 Syrah – 93 points
2001 Unico – 91 points
2000 Vignavento – 91 points
2001 Vignavento – 92 points

Nicodemi
2001 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – seems to be an indication of good things to come with its bright ruby color, rushed raspberries and mineral nose, and lengthy, fresh palate of good depth and definition. With the arrival of winemaker Paolo Caciorgna in 2001, the Riserva of this vintage promises to be something special. 88 points

Perticaia
2001 Montefalco Rosso – which shows much Sangiovese red currant fruit and floral notes on the nose and a firm, ample, and ripe palate. 89 points
2000 Sagrantino – more powerful and expansive on the nose, is richer and fuller, denser and more tannic in flavor, a wine with an important extract and concentration, which will require some bottle time to fully round out. But these are quality tannins and the texture is very pleasurable indeed. 91 points

Poderi del Paradiso
2000 Eterno – The powerful nose of plums, cinnamon and chocolate is nonetheless impressive, as is the concentration and intensity on the palate... 90 points
2001 Saxa Calida – confirms the wine’s position among Tuscany’s finest Bordeaux blends. Deep ruby in color with an intense, potent, and sweet nose of berries and mocha, its rich focused and pure flavors are those of a wine of a superior breed and class, power and elegance perfectly harnessed together. 93 points

Rocca di Castagnoli
2000 Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio ai Frati – shows the fragance of its high altitude vineyard in its elegant red currant and floral notes, and its polished texture. 88 points
2000 Chianti Classico Riserva Caparaia – from a vineyard with one of the best exposures in Chianti Classico, is significantly richer and sweeter on the nose, fuller, more concentrated, and longer on its velvety palate. 90 points

Terragens
2001 Romio Forli – the best Sangiovese available from the growers, shows much of tar, chocolate, and cinnamon on its nose of red fruits and violets, and the volume, length, intensity, and concentration are quite unexpected! 90 points