Tony WoodMay 164 minTenuta dell'OrnellaiaOrnellaia was originally the brainchild of Marchese Lodovico Antinori, of the famed Antinori wine producers and vintners. The estate is...
Tony WoodApr 153 minTerre di ToscanaUna Experience Hotel, Lido di Camaiore Originally staged for earlier in the year, finally opened its doors to the trade, press and...
Tony WoodApr 43 minChianti Classico Collection 2022 Stazione Leopolda, FlorenceThe Chianti Classico Collection 2022 event was the first for two years, due to Covid 19 restrictions. This made it a much awaited...
Tony WoodMar 1731 minChianti Classico Collection 2022This year I asked the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, if their members would kindly send only the latest vintages of Chianti Classico...
Tony WoodMar 325 minBenvenuto Brunello 2022Brunello di Montalcino 2017 vintage has been released. It was a fascinating experience to taste these wines. Usually, I know what to...
Tony WoodFeb 232 minCastello di Ama Revisited 2022A most welcome and recent invitation brought me back to Castello di Ama in Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany This chance to taste and review the...
Tony WoodFeb 123 minOrra Wine Review 2021I have the upmost respect for all wineries. Each year, many wineries take the trouble to send their produce for my review and I thank...
Tony WoodJan 251 minGreat Flight on a Great FlightRecently travelling at 37,000 feet, I was served the following great wines: Dom Pérignon 2008 Pale straw in colour with bright...
Tony WoodJan 142 minTop Wines of 2021Comparing wines from different denominations and making a list in order of preference is remarkably difficult and unnecessary… unless you...
Tony WoodJan 13 minViticoltori di Greve in ChiantiIn November I was invited by the newly formed association of producers called Viticoltori Greve in Chianti; a group of 26 wineries united...
Tony WoodDec 16, 20212 minFattoria Santo Stefano, Greve in ChiantiIn October 2021 the Santo Stefano winery celebrated its 60th anniversary, inviting members of the wine press and other wine reviewers to...
Tony WoodDec 2, 20213 minPodere GiodoWhat do the wineries of Barone Ricasoli, Brancaia, Castello di Fonterutoli, Fattoria Le Corti, Sapaio, Poliziano, Fattoria di Petrolo,...
Tony WoodOct 10, 20212 minCastello di Brolio: Revisited 2021This week for the first time in eighteen months I visited Chianti Classico. My first visit was to Castello di Brolio, the majestic winery...
Tony WoodSep 17, 20214 minBiondi Santi: Historic winery under new ownershipA ‘changing of the guard’ has occurred at Biondi Santi: no longer the 7th generation of that revered wine family rule over the vineyards...
Tony WoodAug 3, 202113 minTuscany Summer Wines: Whites, Rosati and SparklingIncluded within my Chianti Classico Collection 2021 Review this year I gave a brief history of this famous denomination in which I...
Tony WoodMay 9, 202120 minChianti Classico Collection 2021: Tasting Notes (Part 2, I-Z)Continued from Part 1, A-H Il Drago e la Fornace Carbonaie IGT 2015 Deep ruby red in colour. Scented florals, prune, liquorice, range of...
Tony WoodMay 9, 202118 minChianti Classico Collection 2021: Tasting Notes (Part 1, A-H) Before we go on to the almost 300 wines I have reviewed with Tasting Notes of the Chianti Classico Collection 2021 (Chianti Classico,...
Tony WoodMar 25, 202123 minBenvenuto Brunello 2021Brunello di Montalcino 2016 is undoubtedly an exceptional vintage as good, if not better, than any vintage in the past twenty years, with...
Tony WoodDec 31, 20201 minTop Wines of 2020Comparing wines from different denominations and making a list in order of preference is remarkably difficult and unnecessary… unless you...
Tony WoodNov 22, 20202 minBrunello di Montalcino 2021 ReleaseBrunello di Montalcino 2016 is a far more interesting vintage than the 2015. That’s not to say Brunello di Montalcino 2015 was not a very...
Tony WoodNov 9, 20205 minCastello di Ama, Gaiole in Chianti, Siena, TuscanyGreat wine is the result of numerous elements: full understanding of the rootstock and its terroir, an extraordinary talented winemaker...
Tony WoodMay 14, 20204 minCastello di BrolioUpon entering the estate of the Ricasoli family in Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, it is impossible not to be impressed. The 1,200 hectare...
Tony WoodMar 3, 20202 minPodernuovo a PalazzoneWhen your family name is Bulgari, the least expectation of any commercial venture is excellence. When Giovanni Bulgari decided that his...
Tony WoodFeb 24, 20206 minBrunello di Montalcino 2015: Has it peaked too early? I have been thinking and talking about this vintage for ages, but now the time for serious wordage and explanation is upon us. On Friday...
Tony WoodFeb 24, 20207 minChianti Classico Collection 2020This year should be remembered, in part, as the year that finally has laid to rest the 'straw basket' poor press that has haunted the...
Tony WoodJan 11, 20201 minTop Wines of 2019Comparing wines from different denominations and making a list in order of preference is remarkably difficult and unnecessary…Unless you...
Tony WoodOct 14, 20192 minAn Exceptional Vintage: Brunello di Montalcino 2015It is hard to ignore the hype that surrounds the latest Brunello di Montalcino vintage 2015 to be released onto market in January 2020....
Tony WoodJul 10, 20193 minStella di Campalto, Podere San Giuseppe, MontalcinoThe genesis of the recent journey of this winery started in 1992, when Stella and her then husband received a parcel of overgrown land of...
Tony WoodJun 30, 20192 minFuligni, MontalcinoGiovanna Maria Fuligni made Montalcino her home at the beginning of the 19th century and started to produce wine in conjunction with her...
Tony WoodJun 12, 20193 minVignaioli di Radda in Chianti 2019An invitation from Angela Fronti of Istine winery in Radda in Chianti was a chance to enjoy the wines of this area from some of its...
Tony WoodMay 14, 20194 minAnteprima Vini della Costa Toscana 2019 My good friend and venerable member of the Italian wine press Mauro Giacomo Bertolli, suggested that a visit to this event would be...
Tony WoodApr 24, 20196 minVinitaly 2019 / Tasting Notes Arriving early Sunday morning in Verona by road, traffic was to be less manic than previous years, parking was a dream and access to the...
Tony WoodMar 27, 20195 minA visit to Le Langhe, Piedmont… part 2As we left Cascina delle Rose, the phone rang and on the other end was Luca Roagna apologising for his tardi response and inviting us to...
Tony WoodMar 27, 20194 minA visit to Le Langhe, Piedmont… part 1…in the company of my good friend Arnaldo Rossi, winemaker and Cortona restauranteur. As we left Cortona the conversation immediately...
Tony WoodFeb 24, 20192 minBenvenuto Brunello 2019 This year’s event to introduce to the market the latest Brunello di Montalcino vintages was a “quieter than usual” affair. Due to...
Tony WoodFeb 15, 20199 minChianti Classico Collection 2019Prior to reviewing this year’s tastings, I thought it may be useful to mention some basic facts relating to Chianti Classico...
Tony WoodFeb 8, 20192 minBarberani, UmbriaFounded in 1961 and totally adverse to using any chemicals, this winery produces thirteen labels, each showing naturalness and...
Tony WoodDec 27, 20184 minThe day I met an Alsatian named Uva…Castello di Monsanto. The modern history of this extraordinary estate started by chance in 1960 when Aldo Bianchi, born in San Gimignano,...
Tony WoodDec 27, 20181 minTop Wines of 2018Comparing wines from different denomination and making a list in order of preference is remarkably difficult and unnecessary...unless you...
Tony WoodNov 20, 20183 minThe Cat’s Whiskers…Rocca di Montegrossi Verticals Tasting at 67 Pall Mall, St. James, London …By very gracious invitation extended to me by Marco Ricasoli...
Tony WoodNov 19, 20183 minMastrojanniIn 1975 Gabriele Mastrojanni, a lawyer, purchased the San Pio and Loreto estates in Montalcino. The land was poor in quality, consisting...
Tony WoodOct 29, 20183 minIsole e OlenaPaolo de Marchi is a colossus in Chianti Classico, yet you will not find a more modest, jovial, engaging winemaker in Italy. The morning...
Tony WoodOct 14, 20183 minA strong manicured hand was all that it required…Fattoria Le PupilleSituated in southern Maremma by the Tyrrhenian Sea in Tuscany, Fattoria Le Pupille spreads over 420 hectares, consisting of 75 hectares...
Tony WoodSep 24, 20183 minBaricci Colombaio Montosoli Nello Baricci: A pioneer winemaker who was given status as the very first producer of Brunello di Montalcino when the Consorzio was...