Reviews
A clean and fresh white with subtle notes of stone fruit, lemons and white flowers. Sleek and delicate on the palate, with a medium body and a flavorful finish. Drink now.
Tightly wound yet vibrant, delivering black currant, black cherry and iron flavors, with a hint of bell pepper. This red firms up, leaving a compact, chalky finish, with excellent length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2042.
Deep character of ripe purple fruit with sweet spices, violets and chocolate notes. Full-bodied, succulent and mellow with creamy tannins and velvety texture. Fruity and lingering. Sustainable.
Dark berries, dark chocolate, licorice and bark on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with powdery tannins and ripe but juicy fruit character. Velvety finish.
Notes of blackberries, dried thyme and lavender, cedar and baking spices. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Serious and structured with dark fruit and plums at the finish. Plenty of potential. Drink from 2024.
Aromas of very ripe, mixed berries with hints of forest floor, chocolate-coated turkish delight and some ash. Full and silky with an intense core of ripe fruit and bright, spicy notes taking hold at the end. Leaves you with fresh salt on your lips. Intriguing and delicious, but this will need a bit of time to meld together better. Best from 2022.
A very pretty Bolgheri red with currant, chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. It’s full and layered with firmness and freshness. Tight at the end, with a lovely texture and finesse to the tannins. Drink or hold.
Compact, with plum, black cherry, iron and cedar flavors, this gains agility as it builds to the long finish. Not showy, yet harmonious. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2025.
Appealing aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry and flowers render this red charming and accessible. Well structured and harmonious, with a lingering, vibrant finish. Drink now through 2030.
This red starts out accessible, packed with ripe plum, cherry, iron and earth flavors accented by oak spice, before dense tannins firm up the finish. Though finely balanced, elegant and fresh, this will take a few years to integrate all its elements. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2032
Aromas of currants and blackberries and hints of mushrooms follow through to a medium body with plenty of fruit, fine tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. Drink after 2022, but already a beauty.
A fruity and softly textured red with plums and light chocolate. Medium body, round tannins and a fruity finish. Delightful to drink now.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of dark-skinned berry, leather and a whiff of mocha. The juicy, balanced palate delivers blackberry jam, star anise and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins.
Ripe black cherry, plum, herb, leather, earth and salty flavors are supported by a dense structure in this solidly built red. All the components are here, but this needs time to harmonize. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2035.
Enticing aromas of fresh cherry, raspberry and violet draw you into the silky texture and vibrant profile of this juicy red. Charming and harmonious, lingering pleasantly on the aftertaste.
Fruity and delicious with crushed berries and hints of chocolate and wet earth. Medium body, light tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.
A juicy and attractive red with currant and berry character and just a hint of hazelnut. Medium body, firm tannins and a linear and fresh finish. Drink from 2021.
This shows dark plums, nutmeg, blackberries and spices. Full body, ripe and round tannins and a chewy finish. Drink in 2020.
Dusty black currant, olive, gravel, graphite and spice flavor combine for a positive effect in this tightly wound red. Needs a bit of time to relax, but all the components are well-proportioned. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2032.
Rich and rather fresh at the same time. This is an impressively structured and modern Piemont red for this difficult vintage. A very good balance of black fruits and well-crafted dry tannins on the palate, which are present right through the rather long finish. Drink or hold.
A firm, tight version, whose cherry and currant flavors are fused to dense, dusty tannins. Tobacco, mineral and underbrush notes play out on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2029. 650 cases made.
A rich, velvety red with glorious dark-fruit character of blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate. Full body. Juicy finish. A juicy, delicoius red from a grape that is a cross between nebbiolo and barbera. Drink now.
Aromas of blackberries, stones and lavender. Full body, tight and firm tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Hints of toasted oak and biscuit. Chocolate, too. Banfi continues to make excellent reds in this appellation. A red that is fascinating to drink now but will better in 2016.
A red with currant, blueberry and chocolate character. Full body, firm, velvety tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Needs time to soften but beautiful backbone of fruit and tannins. Banfi’s new wine from Bolgheri gets better and better. Drink in 2016.
May 2015
| Review product name | Reviewer | Rating | Review text | Date posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Aska Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts | August 30, 2024 | |
| 2023 Principessa Gavia Gavi DOCG | James Suckling | 90 pts |
A clean and fresh white with subtle notes of stone fruit, lemons and white flowers. Sleek and delicate on the palate, with a medium body and a flavorful finish. Drink now. |
August 8, 2024 |
| 2021 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 92 pts |
Tightly wound yet vibrant, delivering black currant, black cherry and iron flavors, with a hint of bell pepper. This red firms up, leaving a compact, chalky finish, with excellent length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2042. |
June 5, 2024 |
| 2020 Aska Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts | February 20, 2024 | |
| 2022 Stil Novo Toscano All'uso Toscana IGT | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts | February 20, 2024 | |
| 2020 Banfi Aska Toscana IGT | James Suckling | 92 pts |
Deep character of ripe purple fruit with sweet spices, violets and chocolate notes. Full-bodied, succulent and mellow with creamy tannins and velvety texture. Fruity and lingering. Sustainable. |
October 5, 2023 |
| 2019 Banfi ASKA Bolgheri DOC | Wine Enthusiast | 93 pts | October 4, 2023 | |
| 2021 Banfi L'Altra Anima Barbera Barbera d'Asti DOCG | Wine Enthusiast | 90 pts | October 4, 2023 | |
| 2020 Banfi La Lus Piemonte DOC | James Suckling | 91 pts |
Dark berries, dark chocolate, licorice and bark on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with powdery tannins and ripe but juicy fruit character. Velvety finish. |
September 19, 2023 |
| 2019 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Texsom Wine Competition | Silver | June 6, 2023 | |
| 2019 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 93 pts |
Notes of blackberries, dried thyme and lavender, cedar and baking spices. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Serious and structured with dark fruit and plums at the finish. Plenty of potential. Drink from 2024. |
June 22, 2022 |
| 2018 La Lus Albarossa | James Suckling | 92 pts |
Aromas of very ripe, mixed berries with hints of forest floor, chocolate-coated turkish delight and some ash. Full and silky with an intense core of ripe fruit and bright, spicy notes taking hold at the end. Leaves you with fresh salt on your lips. Intriguing and delicious, but this will need a bit of time to meld together better. Best from 2022. |
January 10, 2022 |
| 2018 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 93 pts |
A very pretty Bolgheri red with currant, chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. It’s full and layered with firmness and freshness. Tight at the end, with a lovely texture and finesse to the tannins. Drink or hold. |
January 7, 2022 |
| 2018 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 91 pts |
Compact, with plum, black cherry, iron and cedar flavors, this gains agility as it builds to the long finish. Not showy, yet harmonious. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2025. |
October 14, 2021 |
| 2018 Stil Novo Governo all'Uso Toscano | Wine Spectator | 90 pts |
Appealing aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry and flowers render this red charming and accessible. Well structured and harmonious, with a lingering, vibrant finish. Drink now through 2030. |
October 28, 2020 |
| 2017 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 91 pts |
This red starts out accessible, packed with ripe plum, cherry, iron and earth flavors accented by oak spice, before dense tannins firm up the finish. Though finely balanced, elegant and fresh, this will take a few years to integrate all its elements. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2032 |
October 16, 2020 |
| 2017 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 92 pts |
Aromas of currants and blackberries and hints of mushrooms follow through to a medium body with plenty of fruit, fine tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. Drink after 2022, but already a beauty. |
August 31, 2020 |
| 2017 La Lus Albarossa | James Suckling | 92 pts |
A fruity and softly textured red with plums and light chocolate. Medium body, round tannins and a fruity finish. Delightful to drink now. |
August 31, 2020 |
| 2017 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Texsom Wine Competition | Platinum | April 3, 2020 | |
| 2017 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Enthusiast | 90 pts |
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of dark-skinned berry, leather and a whiff of mocha. The juicy, balanced palate delivers blackberry jam, star anise and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. |
April 3, 2020 |
| 2016 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 92 pts |
Ripe black cherry, plum, herb, leather, earth and salty flavors are supported by a dense structure in this solidly built red. All the components are here, but this needs time to harmonize. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2035. |
January 30, 2020 |
| 2018 L'Altra Anima Barbera d'Asti DOCG | Wine Spectator | 90 pts |
Enticing aromas of fresh cherry, raspberry and violet draw you into the silky texture and vibrant profile of this juicy red. Charming and harmonious, lingering pleasantly on the aftertaste. |
January 29, 2020 |
| 2016 La Lus Albarossa | James Suckling | 91 pts |
Fruity and delicious with crushed berries and hints of chocolate and wet earth. Medium body, light tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now. |
October 22, 2019 |
| 2016 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 92 pts |
A juicy and attractive red with currant and berry character and just a hint of hazelnut. Medium body, firm tannins and a linear and fresh finish. Drink from 2021. |
October 22, 2019 |
| 2015 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 92 pts |
This shows dark plums, nutmeg, blackberries and spices. Full body, ripe and round tannins and a chewy finish. Drink in 2020. |
September 13, 2018 |
| 2015 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 93 pts |
Dusty black currant, olive, gravel, graphite and spice flavor combine for a positive effect in this tightly wound red. Needs a bit of time to relax, but all the components are well-proportioned. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2032. |
August 23, 2018 |
| 2014 La Lus Albarossa | James Suckling | 91 pts |
Rich and rather fresh at the same time. This is an impressively structured and modern Piemont red for this difficult vintage. A very good balance of black fruits and well-crafted dry tannins on the palate, which are present right through the rather long finish. Drink or hold. |
July 5, 2018 |
| 2014 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Spectator | 91 pts |
A firm, tight version, whose cherry and currant flavors are fused to dense, dusty tannins. Tobacco, mineral and underbrush notes play out on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2029. 650 cases made. |
August 15, 2017 |
| 2012 La Lus Albarossa | James Suckling | 93 pts |
A rich, velvety red with glorious dark-fruit character of blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate. Full body. Juicy finish. A juicy, delicoius red from a grape that is a cross between nebbiolo and barbera. Drink now. |
March 31, 2016 |
| 2013 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 92 pts |
Aromas of blackberries, stones and lavender. Full body, tight and firm tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Hints of toasted oak and biscuit. Chocolate, too. Banfi continues to make excellent reds in this appellation. A red that is fascinating to drink now but will better in 2016. |
March 31, 2016 |
| 2012 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | James Suckling | 93 pts |
A red with currant, blueberry and chocolate character. Full body, firm, velvety tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Needs time to soften but beautiful backbone of fruit and tannins. Banfi’s new wine from Bolgheri gets better and better. Drink in 2016. |
March 31, 2016 |
| 2012 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts |
May 2015 |
April 30, 2015 |