91 International Wine Report

“The 2021 Hidden Vines Cabernet Sauvignon of ripe plums and black cherries, layered with enticing aromas of warm spices, and hints of florals. On the palate, it displays a medium/full body with juicy dark fruit flavors laced with notes of spices and fresh-cut violets with an undertone of dark chocolate and subtle oak which all build into a velvety finish that lingers with a nice balance of dark fruits and hints of spices.”

91 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Dark cherries and blackberries with notes of chocolate, walnuts and grilled herbs. Full-bodied, structured and compact, with velvety tannins and deep, dark berry succulence in the middle. Rich and creamy at the end. Better in two to three years.

95 Aaron Brasher - The Real Review

Young, vibrant and youthful colour in the glass. Black fruit aromas, mulberry and blackberry along with bramble, dried herbs, menthol, cedar and pencil shavings. Dark, rich and full-flavoured, there plenty of blackcurrant, mulberry, dark cherry and spice, there’s a also a lick of soy and meaty umaminess. The wine has a lively line of acidity and granular, layered acidity. Very smart gear, plenty going on.

95 Wine Pilot

Not your shy and retiring kind, 1000 Crowns comes out plush, rich and complex. A fair whack of vanillin oak introduces the black-hearted wine with lifted florals – violet, briar – and tilled earth, undergrowth aromas. The wine can take it. At 14.5% alcohol, it’s on the ripe and generous side. Handsome fine tannins sweep long across the palate emphasising cassis and black fruits with savoury input and some expensive oak-led cigar box characters. Time and patience will reward the drinker.

97 Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin shows really great balance in terms of the oak integration. For the first time, the estate has decided to use large oak casks (removing the barrique entirely), and the results are extraordinary. There is a lot of dark fruit, like cranberry and currant, that holds tight and defines the wine throughout. There is black tea and spice, but these tones work with the fruit not against it. It finishes smooth, with glossy tannins, pretty acidity and a much brighter and lighter overall personality. Only 5,000 bottles were made."

96 Kerin O'Keefe - kerinokeefe.com

The wine that initially put Domenico Clerico on the map with its debut 1982 vintage, the compelling 2020 Ciabot Mentin has aromas of ripe red berry, blood orange, menthol and oak-driven spice. The aromas carry over to the savory, enveloping palate along with licorice notes while tightly woven, close-grained tannins provide support. Drink 2028–2035. Abv: 14.5%

96 Decanter

Year by year, Ciabot Mentin shines for its remarkable consistency. This 2020 starts a bit closed, with restrained blood orange, but then an exquisite mix of red cherry, violet, leafy lightness and liquorice depth reveals itself. Graphite dominates the palate, along with a hint of yellow fruits, sustained by lifted acidity and velvety, elegant, super-polished tannins. Aldo Fiordelli

96 Wine Spectator

This red is pure and elegant, with rose, cherry, raspberry and mineral aromas and flavors fused to a firm, vibrant structure. Shows fine intensity and verve, with a long, detailed aftertaste of fruit, mineral and spice notes. Best from 2027 through 2046.

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Bright ruby color suggesting youth. It has an extremely floral nose of fresh roses, violets, pomegranate, cherry fruit and soft spices. The medium-bodied palate is soft with velvety tannins, refreshing acidity, a bit of vibrancy and a polished finish. A really enjoyable wine, but it needs 10 years of cellaring to develop its potential of complexity. Drink from 2034.

94 Wine Enthusiast

"Sweet with vanilla, salted dark chocolate and dark berries on the nose at first, but then savory aromas of wild herbs and grilled just barely gamy meat. Berries and chocolate continue on the palate, with sanguine, meaty undertones still guaranteeing a richness and depth. Just delicious. — Danielle Callegari"

94 Decanter

"This single-vineyard blend of Sangiovese and Merlot from the Bertinga vineyard, owned by Castello di Ama until 2015, is a superb wine. The Sangiovese is vinified in concrete then aged in large Stockinger casks, while the Merlot is vinified in stainless steel and aged in 500l tonneaux. It rests in bottle for four years before release. The result shines for its bright and juicy outlook, the alberese soil having its presence felt in the lovely sapidity and mineral tang which accompanies hedgerow fruits and herbal notes on the textured palate. The finish is full of bold, ripe red, black and blue berries yet carries elegance and freshness."