Best Italian wines: A selection of the greatest

Il Mio Brunello or 'My Brunello' is Rudi Cosimi's personal declaration of independence. 2004 - its first vintage - is a unique expression of Sangiovese. The tannins and fruit are silky and willing, as if the fruit was picked from hedgerows into wicker baskets. Impressive, pure, focussed and memorable.

A Franco Pacenti Brunello is like a master painting, the canvas angled perfectly for the Sangiovese to paint its full range of the season's nuances and flavours. A perfect Brunello from the Canalicchio terroir, this is agile and transparent, with soft brushstrokes of pristine, tangy fruit.

Andrea Costanti's metronomic ability to deliver wines which reflect both his vineyards' terroir and the season has, in 2004, produced a classic Brunello whose suave tannins and sophisticated fruit combine in another of his little masterpieces, flavours melding into texture, and vice-versa.

The 2018 vintage resulted in elegant but relatively light wines, and cool nights kept them fresh. The subdued red fruit nose has finesse and poise, while the attack is lively and relatively forward. This is no blockbuster but it shows fine acidity and concentration. It may lack some complexity now but it's still youthful. Long.

Rudi Cosimi is a restless creative who delivers bright, beautifully wrapped Sangiovese in compact Brunellos like this that spring to dazzling life once opened but are built for the medium to long haul. In 2004, as now, he was a bit of a lone wolf stylistically, and his unique style is still under-rated.

This legendary Barolo has traditionally been a blend of the estate’s plots in Canubbi, Ruè, Rocche dell’Annunziata and San Lorenzo. In 2015, the latter was pulled out and prepared for replanting. Coincidentally, in the same year, owners of a small, well-exposed Nebbiolo parcel neighbouring Mascarello’s Dolcetto holdings in Monrobiolo di Bussia offered it for rent, essentially making up the shortfall. The 2016 is so effortlessly seamless it is almost a shame to tease apart. Understated in its beauty, the nose slowly doles out successive fragrances of rose, raspberry, white pepper and rosehip. Expanding graciously across the palate, it distributes velvety, finely powdered tannins that are still compact and will take years to dissolve. But it is the underlying vibrant energy that drives this wine. Hints of blood orange and lavender linger on finish.

Little has changed at Biondi Santi in terms of their general approach to winemaking over the years. The Riserva is made from the estate's oldest vines which are at least 25 years old, and ageing is in large Slavonian oak casks. The 1997 vintage was dry and warm throughout the summer. In August, three intermittent rain showers refreshed the grapes, while September continued under dry conditions leading up to harvest. The wine is in a beautiful drinking period now, and has moved beyond its signature youthful austerity. The nose is expressive and open, with sweet tobacco, Asian spiced plum and fine polished leather. On the palate the structure is still imposing, the tannins clinging on firmly. It offers an intriguing sweet and sour quality, with notes of citrus peel, iron and mineral lingering on the finish. It is ready to enjoy now, but will surely keep for another 25 years.

2019 is for Stefano Frascolla an exceptional vintage - one of the best vintages of the last two decades. Bright magenta in colour with an exuberant nose of vivid sweet blackcurrant, cream and spice, this has youthful raspberry, white pepper and flint flavours mixed with concentrated yet vibrant fruit. Impossible to resist, with a lovely weightless texture and harmony, it dances seamlessly across the palate and disappears with incredible lightness but lingering flavours. Syrah meets Burgundy!

Castelgiocondo's Brunello Riserva comes from a balcony of higher vineyards with views southwest to the Tyrrhenian. Incoming sea breezes have a tempering effect, helping sugar, tannin and flavour ripeness to operate in sync in what is a linear, clear-fruited and unforced Riserva.

Fuligni is one of those Montalcino estates that consistently delivers. Light-touch winemaking and a diverse array of sensibly farmed, disparate and thus diverse vineyards are the building blocks. This is juicy, tangy and terribly easy to devour - and easily underestimated.

The analytical data of this vintage harks back to the past when Sangiovese was harvested nervous and acidic. 'After some early-harvested vintages, in 2004 we returned to a more regular picking date, starting with Sangiovese from 20 September,' reports Giuliano Dragoni, agronomist of the estate. Now, after bottle ageing, this wine has evolved to offer aromas of dried prunes with nutmeg and balsamic whiffs. Dense with a mid palate grip and slightly austere finish, the wine is zesty, full and savoury with a black cherry and black olive aftertaste.

Col d'Orcia's flagship Brunello is made in a traditional style in the best sense, offering versatile, clear-fruited Sangiovese with the structure and brightness of fruit to give long drinking windows and good value. A tidy, bright, juicy Brunello with no sense of over-ripeness.

San Polino's Helichrysum is a blend of its best lots in any single vintage, rather than a site-specific wine. It consistently shows a richness of fruit with a smooth tannic undertow, and is especially silky in 2004. A beautifully proportioned, sensuously flavoured Brunello.

Nello Baricci (1921-2017) is one of Montalcino's favourite sons, an old school grower-winemaker working prized pieces of the Montosoli hill just north of the the town. This is a Brunello with salty-juicy fruit, unforced tannins, mouthwatering deliciousness, and deceptive longevity. A one-off in the Brunello pantheon.

This is an evolution of Giuseppe’s Rinaldi’s Brunate Le Coste bottling. While the percentage of Brunate has increased to 85% to adhere to Barolo’s regulations on cru-designated wines, it still sees 15% from Le Coste. The latter lends some levity and brightness to Brunate’s deeper, more brooding bass tones. At the moment, earth, mushroom and tobacco dominate underlying red cherry. Tannins are silky in texture yet compact and commanding, and refreshing acidity races across the palate. Not an easy-going or obvious wine, this demands a few years of cellaring but has everything in place for a beautifully harmonious development.

Very much a prestige bottling from one of Amarone's most famous producers, the Fieramonte is a single vineyard wine with grapes grown at an altitude of 415 metres above sea level. As is traditional the fruit is dried and sees a drop in weight by 40-50%, after which fermentation is carried out in stainless steel before the wine ages for four years in French oak barriques. RS: Dense and concentrated nose of espresso, dates, chocolate, dried fruit and raisins, forest floor and black forest gateaux on the palate, rich full and heavy alcohol, long complex and delicious. BW: Attractive aged character to this wine. Really intense dried fruit, big and rich with a long finish. Shows off the region and varietal very well. Even though obvious oak it is well integrated. Potential to age further. AH: A lovely Amarone. This has all of the characters you wish for. Warmth on the palate, intriguing slightly raisined fruits, restrained acidity. THe sugar feels very low. Fine structure, Elegant and seems much lower than the 16.5% alcohol claimed. Retains a coolness on the palate which makes the wine extremely drinkable. There is a lot of disappointing Amarone out there 0 this is a bottle to put things to rights!

The second vintage of Trinoro, and showing incredibly well in this lineup. The summer was scorching and Andrea had to water the vines at night to save the vintage. A much cooler September helped to preserve aromas in the grapes. Picking commenced on 11 October for Cabernet Franc, and was completed on 24 October with the Petit Verdot. The nose here is complex, offering a swirling mix of potpourri, spicy cedar, hedgerow berries, earth, spiced plum and a meaty, bretty hint. Fresh and vibrant in the mouth, the tannins still grip and the acidity gives shape to soft, succulent black fruits. Earth, spices, undergrowth and potpourri notes complete the profile. Impressive for its elegance and intensity, this still has plenty of life left in it. Poured from magnum. 12,000 bottles produced.

Acquired in 1988, Gaja's Sperss vineyard straddles the Marenca and Rivette MEGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive or cru) of Serralunga d'Alba. 1996 is the first year it was bottled as a Langhe Nebbiolo as it includes a small percentage of Barbera. Tasted from magnum, this impresses with its might and intensity. The nose is extraordinary – immediately appealing with dried bay leaf, black tea, leather and tar. Smoky incense, crushed stone and iron permeate the palate which is still firmly clenched by rigid, imposing tannins. It definitely needs some braised meat and a few hours in a decanter before approaching. Lots of life ahead.

The venerated Rocche di Castiglione MGA is noted for its extremely steep slope, southeastern exposure and pure white limestone soil. Vietti has been bottling it separately since 1961, making it one of Barolo's first true cru offerings. Aged in large Slovenian oak casks, its unadulterated charm and poise is matched by breathtaking power. Reverberating pressed rose petal, strawberry blossom and raspberry move into deeper, darker forest and iodine nuances, wrapped up in a commanding grip.

Crafted from choice parcels of old vines on the highest, south-facing area of the Falletto cru, this is designated as a riserva (indicated by the red label) in the very best vintages only. Maceration lasts 2-3 weeks and the wine matures in large untoasted French oak casks. Extremely understated and fleeting at first, it became more persistent, youthful and unwavering as it sat in the glass. This was just starting to open by the time the white truffles and risotto course was served and revealed pressed rose, dried leaves, forest floor and balsamic nuances. Seamless and uncluttered, the palate possesses racy acidity and classy vertical tannins. It is a sneaky wine that demands attention.

The 2012 Riserva is the last vintage produced by Franco Biondi Santi, and so this release is dedicated to him. Of the 39 Riservas the estate has produced since the first one in 1888, Franco oversaw 24 of them. 2012 is considered a warm vintage, more dry than hot and with an advanced harvest on 10 September: quite early for a Sangiovese from higher vineyards in Montalcino. The age of the vines has helped to give the wine outstanding complexity. It shows the typical freshness of Biondi Santi with red currant, pomegranate and orris root aromas, becoming more austere on the palate with rhubarb radice flavour, firm acidity and firm yet ripe tannins. The extraction is great and the tight-knit integration between fruit and structural elements gives it the depth to age for decades.