#21 James Suckling Top 100 World Wines 2024
Ruby red with violet hues. Intense and broad aromatic nose, where notes of succulent red fruits emerge and give way to spicy characters of licorice and roasted coffee. Powerful and structured, with velvety tannins in balance with a vibrant, crisp character. Finish of remarkable length and savoriness.
Blend: 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot
99 James Suckling There’s a purity and beauty to this that impresses you the minute you put your nose in the glass. So aromatic. Flowers, graphite, blackcurrants and hints of gunmetal. Medium- to full-bodied with tannins that coat your mouth but give a feeling of fine cashmere. The length and intensity is calm but rather endless. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2028.
95 Decanter Oreno has transformed from a wine based on 50% Sangiovese in 2008 to a wine which completely omits the Tuscan varietal in favour of an international blend. In 2022, the percentage of Petit Verdot tops out at 15% – around 5% more than normal – because the hot and dry vintage resulted in very good quality berries of the minor Bordeaux variety. Is it better than the 2021? Tasting both together, the 2021 is richer and sturdier, while 2022 is more immediately accessible: pure, ripe and intense, it displays vibrant red and black berries along with a streak of balsamic herbs and tangy pomegranate. It has wonderful verticality, with a soft and fleshy core and super-fresh edges, supported by sweet, grippy tannins and some creamy wood. Aged in light- and medium-toast barriques, I'm told the proportion of new oak is being reduced. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2036
92 Wine Spectator Lush and fruity, offering a core of cherry, black currant and blackberry flavors shaded by spice and graphite accents. A firm version, with medium density and a long, fresh finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,500 cases imported.