Bolgheri 2021: Overview of a milestone vintage and top-scorers

2021 was a hot vintage, but you can feel plenty of freshness in this wine. It has a lovely perfume of crushed hedgerow berries and some herbal notes, while in the mouth it's intense, ferrous and stony, with soft, silky tannins, some creamy cherry on the mid-palate, and intense acidity which keeps things moving. The textural detail is sublime and the verticality and fruit sapidity on display here is nothing short of breathtaking. ‘For me, it's one of the best vintages in the history of Masseto‘, states production director, Marco Balsimelli.

2021 is one of Sassicaia's legendary vintages, and it's just gorgeous. The grapes are hand harvested, before eight to 10 separate vinifications with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, followed by ageing in barriques, which are mostly used. The final blend is micro-oxygenated in stainless steel tanks before bottling. The result? A tapestry of softly unveiling flavours: blackberry, bay leaf, cedar and fruity blueberry dance together, underpinned by graphite minerality. It exudes aristocratic elegance through perfectly ripened tannins and vibrant acidity, with notes of eucalyptus, plums, pomegranate and undergrowth extending out. Its extraordinary finish oscillates, wave-like, with tangy fruits carrying through. The 2021 comprises 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc from vineyards at 100m-300m on diverse soils.

The second vintage of this wine, sourced from a small alberello vineyard – a training system which is more common in Sicily than Tuscany – is 100% Cabernet Franc rather than a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon. It's beautifully fragrant and floral, with potpourri, lavender and rosemary scents. The palate is bright, saline and vertical, but the oak tannins are really drying at this stage, which takes some energy out of the wine. Nevertheless, underlying acidity and plush soft fruit, then a long, succulent, herb-infused finish, all bode very well indeed.

Massetino 2022 is a stunning wine. It doesn't quite have the concentration of Masseto, but offers a beautiful nose of youthful dark cherry and florals. In the mouth it's generously fruited with a ferrous edge and some chocolate, along with dusty tannins and great acidity which holds everything together and prolongs the finish. Still very young, this will blossom with another 5+ years in bottle.

While the summer was hot and dry, with three months of drought, the vines' roots were able to tap water reserves which had been topped up by rainfall the previous winter and spring. Despite the warm growing season, Ornellaia 2021 feels less dense and muscular than vintages of old, offering pretty floral and wild herb perfumes alongside ripe red and black fruit scents. It's intense, fresh and vertical in character, with fine, ripe, round tannins that seem to be a trademark of the vintage – it's a gorgeous, breezy iteration of the Bolgheri benchmark that is already drinking well. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon (up from 50% in 2020), 25% Merlot (down from 32%), 15% Cabernet Franc (up from 13%) and 7% Petit Verdot (up from 5%); a carefully considered response from the winemaking team to the increasingly warm summers in the region.

There's a beautiful coolness here, with black and blue fruits mingling with powerful balsam and menthol, sous bois and damp earth. Slick and glossy, vertical and tight, it's still very tightly coiled and demands time in the bottle. Bright acidity pierces through, and ripe forest berries emerge on the finish. So good.

This pure Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from five different vineyards is beautifully fragrant, its scents of thyme, lavender, mint and rosemary evoking the surrounding landscape. Intense and beautifully sculpted, there's a subtle saline lick to the cool blue, black and red fruits. The tannins are fine and round, and the wood takes a back seat. Sapid and succulent, this is a classy rendition.

Since the hot 2015 vintage, Merlot has been omitted from Carmarcanda. It's a stunning effort in 2021, with fragrant scents of dried cherry, sous bois and minty black fruits, which carry through onto the intense and vibrant palate. There's a streak of balsamic herbs, and some raspberry and floral notes too. Poised and minty-fresh, this is a stunner.

As in 2009 and 2016, Grattamacco was made using the ‘Piemontese method’ in 2021, according to chief winemaker, Luca Marrone. This entails topping up the tanks during an extended post-fermentation maceration with wine from another vinification, such as a different plot or even a different grape variety. ‘It's risky, you can have spoilage,’ he admits. But the benefit is that there is more perceived roundness and body to the wine. The result in 2021 is superb, with bramble fruit fragrance and a dense, spicy palate of black and blue berries, silky tannins and sous bois complexity. The wonderful juicy softness of the fruit is energised by minty-fresh acidity, a spicy kick and a sapid, almost ferrous finish.

Le Macchiole's iconic Paleo has evolved from a Bordeaux-style blend into a unique single-variety expression of Tuscany's coastline. This pioneering 100% Cabernet Franc is sourced from three estate vineyards and ferments for 25 days in concrete tanks before spending 16 months in new oak barrels, conical trunk casks and stoneware amphorae. In the glass it's sublime, showing wild blackberries, blood orange, black cherry and thick herbal shrub characters. Lilting wild flowers, bitter chocolate and espresso balance nicely alongside dusty tannins. It's a thinking, fireside wine with impressive ageing potential.

Fragrant and floral on the nose, rose petals and blackcurrant leaf with a hint of cinnamon and exotic spice. Juicy and lifted straight away, this has a sense of joy about it, lively and buzzing with bright acidity. Depth and structure come from the slightly tight but well defined tannins that also give a touch of spice to the expression. I love the bright red fruit aspect on the palate and the juiciness is so captivating. Ends salty with a liquorice bite and touch of spiced heat. This has potential and makes me want another glass. Excitable and characterful. From 7.5ha with 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Ageing 18 months in small barrels and one year in bottle prior to release.

Referring to the 11 rows of Cabernet Franc vines now bottled separately, C.F.11. is gastronomic, saline, edgy and moreish. Cool raspberry and sour cherry aromas with some spiced plum introduce an intense and perfumed palate of ripe red and black berries, with a creamy, leesy undertone and a drying woody finish. Poised and delicate, there's tons of potential here – once the wood has harmonised.

Messorio, Le Macchiole's pure Merlot expression which, in 2021 shines bright with energy and perfume. Made in much the same way as Paleo, it's a blend of two plots and six vinifications. Scents of Mediterranean scrub, sweet cherry, violet, plum and spice ring out, while the tight, grainy palate promises bright, vibrant and fleshy fruits once bottle age has relaxed it. A superb Merlot.

San Felice has been involved in the Bolgheri area since 2016, when it began its Bell'Aja project. This Superiore has a rich, concentrated and dark character, full of menthol, spiced plum, astringent chocolatey tannins, bold cassis and a saline undertone. Streaks of red fruits and ferrous intrigue on the mid-palate lighten the mood, finishing on a herbal, minty note, but this really needs more time to come together.

There's a menthol waft accompanying grilled rosemary and cool black fruits. Wow! In the mouth it's intense, juicy and succulent, offering precise dark fruits and chalky tannins which coat the mouth, while an extraordinary dimension of macchia and lavender emerges on the mid-palate. Generous and inviting. Sister estate of Tenuta Meraviglia, this Superiore is vinified in cement then mature in large untoasted casks for 24 months.

Former lawyers from Trento, Maurizio and Doriana Cerbaro Piccoli founded Campo al Pero in 2006. The 100% Merlot bottling displays cool mint and blackcurrant aromas paired with a ripe and glossy palate. There's a touch of herbal personality to the blackcurrant pastille core, gently supported by a bed of fine tannins and finishing with some zesty orange peel – but at the moment it's rather tight and one-dimensional. Plenty of potential; it just needs time.

Founded in the 1950s, third-generation Dario changed the name of his family estate from Agriturismo Eucaliptus to Dario di Vaira in 2020. A blend of around half Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this appealing 2021 offers fragrant pot pourri and fresh lavender fragrances along with some cool forest fruits. Quite tannic in the mouth, it combines concentration and freshness in a vertical, minty black fruit signature, with a bold finish of liquorice, spice and wood. Vinified in cement and aged in barriques, 60% new.

Dark tones of sous bois and forest berries lead to a fresh mouthful of herb-infused black fruits. Sweetly ripe, creamy and chocolatey, it's tightly coiled with fine tannins and has an overall character of freshness, ending on a saline note and a herbal waft. One of just a handful of pure Cabernet Francs to be found in Bolgheri, Folio 38 undergoes fermentation in new open-top French oak vats, and then returns to the same vessels for 18 months of ageing, followed by a further 18 months in bottle.

The 2021 Greppicaia includes a hefty dose of Petit Verdot, which lends richness and spice to the mix. Bold aromas of fresh red berries and some dried cherry introduce an intense and concentrated palate where the wood is currently in the front seat and the tannins have an overt, powdery texture. Creamy and peppery, there is nevertheless some succulent fruit lurking in the background and with time will emerge – the potential is certainly there in its long, fresh character and poised posture. Owned by Irish geologist, Dr Neil McMahon and his family since 2017, I Greppi has benefitted from his scientific approach, which includes a joint long-term research project with University of California, UC Davis, who also helped with the development of an on-site ’eno lab’.

A blend of Syrah and Sangiovese, it opens with inviting wild strawberry and herb scents. In the mouth it's precise and vertical, with fresh and creamy red and black berries supported by fine, sandy tannins and good acidity. It's still a bit closed but with there's plenty to look forward to here. Michele Satta's output is characterised by experimentation and innovation, and his wines have helped to drive the denomination forward even since its inception. Now his son, Giacomo leads the charge at the estate, and Marianova – first released with the 2015 vintage – is the first Bolgheri Superiore DOC to omit Bordeaux varieties completely.

Sondraia is the estate's flagship wine, and in 2021 it combines its spicy depths and fruit concentration with a real sense of poise. Chocolate, black cherry and blackcurrant exude richness, but it remains light on its feet as herbal, menthol notes wash through. The acidity is good, giving shape to the palate and persistence to the finish.

Tenuta Argentiera occupies a spot in the hills at around 200 metres above sea level. This 2021 is a big wine, packed full of structural mass and bold, sticky black fruits with some sous bois and mint aromatics. The plentiful tannins are well rounded, and the overall perception is that this is a quality wine that's still very youthful and needs time to blossom.

This 2021 Superiore is a class act. It opens with floral notes of violet and lavender, alongside some red berries and dark cherry. Lithe and succulent, its high acidity gives energy to elegant, juicy fruit and balances the woody frame. Saline and floral on the long finish, this is delicious already but has the bones to age well.

The 2021 is an enticing menthol-infused blackcurrant aroma, with some lavender and violet perfume. In the mouth it has a firm core of bold, black fruits, surrounded by touches of Mediterranean scrub and lavender, a woody frame and sandy tannins which clamp down on the finish. Intense, fragrant, complex and fresh – this is a delight and will age well. Alessandro Scappini works with an old, high vineyard planted with relics of the area's winemaking past, including Sangiovese, Pugnitello and Foglia Tonda. Il Castellaccio is quite a new wine (first vintage, 2018) and is a blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Pugnitello. It undergoes a long maceration then ageing in a mix of barrels and amphorae.

Sourced from a single vineyard, San Biagio, surrounded by woodland, is full of ripe purple fruits and spice. In the mouth it's succulent, intense and sculpted, with red berries and plum lurking behind a curtain of wood and tannins. There's a saline undertone and a zesty finish with some peppery spice, and all it needs is more time in the bottle. A 60/40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, vinified parcel by parcel in stainless steel and oak vats.

Intense and concentrated, Campastrello I Socci's Bolgheri Superiore is head and shoulders above its Rosso in 2021. Fragrant red and black berries meet with a waft of Mediterranean herbs. A slick mouthfeel is refreshed by good acidity, and mint, lavender and violet overtones give lift to the dark fruit. Poised and light on its feet despite good concentration.

A floral perfume of violets and dark fruits introduces a concentrated, silky palate of bright hedgerow berries, sous bois and chocolate, infused with balsamic herbs. The wood is quite overbearing and needs time to harmonise. Baia al Vento is a 100% Merlot aged in French oak tonneaux and barriques for 30 months.

Sonoro is a 100% Merlot wine from a 1ha vineyard on the Grattamacco hill. Crushed red and black berry aromas are quite appealing. In the mouth, some peppery spice mingles with the vibrant, energetic raspberry, dark cherry and blackberry fruits. Succulent and creamy, the palate is supported by an oaky frame and good acidity. A lifted and poised Superiore.

While Chiappini's two Rossos tasted for this feature left much to desire, the estate's Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Superiore is a breath of fresh air. Herbal dark fruits linger on the intense, fresh and zingy palate, with some peppery spice and macchia (Mediterranean scrub) inflections. Dark and vertical, and leaning towards austerity, it has a saline undercurrent and a herbal finish.

This late-release Superiore incorporates a significant proportion of spicy, tannic Petit Verdot, lending its signature to the whole. It's an aromatic wine, opening with scents of forest berries, Mediterranean scrub, floral notes and sous bois. Concentrated and textural, red and black fruit flavours are balanced by a cool, minty character with good structure.

Rich, almost smoky, earthy and curranty, Donne Fitipaldi's Bolgheri Superiore 2021 (a blend of 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot) is an intense, concentrated red that's tightly wound and not giving too much away at this stage. Almost overripe blackcurranty fruits and an energetic saline undercurrent lead to a long, firm, woody finish with some leafy freshness.

Fresh and dried red and black berry aromas with wafts of Mediterranean scrub, chocolate and spice lead the way to a creamy palate with bright, fleshy hedgerow fruits and black pepper. Grippy tannins and mid-palate sapidity tighten it up, and a ferrous tinge emerges on the long, slightly drying and woody finish. Fermented in cement vats with natural yeasts then aged in barriques, 25% new, for around 18 months, this Merlot-dominant Superiore is much more accomplished than Rosso, ‘Le Pievi’.

Vertical and saline, this is a lovely fresh expression of the vintage from proprietor, Marisa Chiappini and her son, Giuliano, offering herbal dark fruit aromas and bright, concentrated berries in the mouth. There's a nice lift on the finish of macchia and flowers, with a zesty orange peel note emerging before the oak clamps down. Give it a year or more to see its real potential.

The end of the growing season in 2020 was relatively cool, which probably accounts for the lightly herbaceous tone on the nose – but there's no overt greenness. The attack is sleek and polished, while the mid-palate is highly concentrated and displays a good deal of grip. The finish is sturdier than the attack suggests, showing admirable length.

Tenuta di Vaira's ‘Bolgherese’ Bolgheri Superiore 2021 is herbal and spicy, with vibrant raspberry and creamy cherry overlaying bold dark fruits with a menthol quality. Fresh, ripe, concentrated and lifted, this is a delicious effort that will reward mid-term ageing.