Reviews
Quite rich and layered, showing warm stone fruit, tropical fruit, pastry and honeysuckle. Full-bodied and dense, with a viscous, creamy texture that gives weight to the palate. Generous and mouth-filling yet balanced. Drink now.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2020 Thick Skinned is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Malbec and only 1% Petit Verdot. Still a baby and set to be released at the end of 2024, it’s still incredibly tight and youthful but has good bones. Firm, bold, spicy and juicy, it’s like a puppy with big floppy ears and paws that will undoubtedly grow into its size. With plenty of hedonistic, juicy dark red fruit flavors and oak essences, this will be a knockout for years to come. Your patience will be rewarded.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2019 Thick Skinned is over half Cabernet Sauvignon with a quarter Malbec and 15% Petit Verdot. The 2019 has some similarities with the 2018, yet it is still firm and tannic, offering a dusty and rustic nose that needs some time to fill its shoes. Full-bodied, spicy and fresh, the Cabernet blend should find its stride in about two years. Until then, it will have plenty of time to hit its cadence.
Sliced apples, green pears and white peaches on the nose. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Fresh and well-rounded, with a caressing texture and a delicious finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
A creamy and nutty chardonnay with notes of cooked peaches, dried pineapple, pie crust and crushed almonds. Full-bodied, textured and a little oily on the palate, with a lingering finish. Drink or hold.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2018 Thick Skinned is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with36% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. The nose is bigger, plummier and juicier, with a bolder frame that is slightly out of step with the rest of the vertical and marked with amore generous dollop of oak. Full-bodied, the wine is juicy, generously layered and robust and will need another year in the bottle but will have no problems reaching its 20th birthday.
The nose has a crackly, unusual sweetness, with notes of buttery popcorn, marzipan, hazelnuts and candied lemon peel. The butteriness gives the palate a creamy mouthfeel, but sour, astringent undertones of citrus keep the sweeter flavors from languishing.
Year's Best for $20 or Less
A solid chardonnay with sliced cooked apple, vanilla and crushed stone. Full and flavorful. Layered, with tension and focus. Attractive new-wood undertones throughout, adding to the complexity without being overpowering. Drink or hold.
Potent and dense, with sturdy blackberry, orange zest and dark chocolate accents that finish with mild tannic grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot
This is a delightful Tuscan chardonnay with just the right combination of freshness and concentration on the nose – all the more impressive, given it’s from the difficult 2017 vintage. Freshly picked daffodils, apricots, peach pit, fresh mangoes and a touch of vanilla. Full-bodied and very oily on the palate, but the medium acidity does well to keep this taut and on topic.
Plenty of sliced apple and honey character with hints of minerals. Medium to full body with fruit and honey. Crisp finish. Drink now.
An oily chardonnay with lots of density and intensity. Shows focus and beauty. Full and flavorful. Dried lemon and apple character. Full Burgundy treatment here; Tuscan style. Drink now.
A pretty, lightly wooded Chardonnay with minerals and a dried apple and peach character. Medium-to-full body with crisp acidity and a clean finish. Perfect beach wine. Drink now. – James Suckling (7/2013)
Castello Banfi in Tuscany does a great job with Chardonnay, as evidenced by this wine. It’s rich and soft, with bright aromas of peach, citrus, vanilla and savory herb. A pinch of acidity on the finish works beautifully as well. – M.L. (10/1/2012)
| Review product name | Reviewer | Rating | Review text | Date posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Fontanelle Chardonnay Toscana IGT | James Suckling | 91 pts |
Quite rich and layered, showing warm stone fruit, tropical fruit, pastry and honeysuckle. Full-bodied and dense, with a viscous, creamy texture that gives weight to the palate. Generous and mouth-filling yet balanced. Drink now. |
July 20, 2026 |
| 2019 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts | August 11, 2025 | |
| 2020 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 93 pts |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2020 Thick Skinned is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Malbec and only 1% Petit Verdot. Still a baby and set to be released at the end of 2024, it’s still incredibly tight and youthful but has good bones. Firm, bold, spicy and juicy, it’s like a puppy with big floppy ears and paws that will undoubtedly grow into its size. With plenty of hedonistic, juicy dark red fruit flavors and oak essences, this will be a knockout for years to come. Your patience will be rewarded. |
December 11, 2024 |
| 2019 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 93+ |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2019 Thick Skinned is over half Cabernet Sauvignon with a quarter Malbec and 15% Petit Verdot. The 2019 has some similarities with the 2018, yet it is still firm and tannic, offering a dusty and rustic nose that needs some time to fill its shoes. Full-bodied, spicy and fresh, the Cabernet blend should find its stride in about two years. Until then, it will have plenty of time to hit its cadence. |
December 11, 2024 |
| 2022 Rainstorm Pinot Gris | James Suckling | 90 pts |
Sliced apples, green pears and white peaches on the nose. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Fresh and well-rounded, with a caressing texture and a delicious finish. Drink now. Screw cap. |
August 9, 2024 |
| 2022 Fontanelle Toscana IGT | James Suckling | 91 pts |
A creamy and nutty chardonnay with notes of cooked peaches, dried pineapple, pie crust and crushed almonds. Full-bodied, textured and a little oily on the palate, with a lingering finish. Drink or hold. |
August 8, 2024 |
| 2018 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 92 pts |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2018 Thick Skinned is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with36% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. The nose is bigger, plummier and juicier, with a bolder frame that is slightly out of step with the rest of the vertical and marked with amore generous dollop of oak. Full-bodied, the wine is juicy, generously layered and robust and will need another year in the bottle but will have no problems reaching its 20th birthday. |
April 1, 2024 |
| 2017 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 94 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2016 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 92 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2015 Thick Skinned Red Mountain92 | Wine Advocate | 92 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2020 Castello Banfi Fontanelle Chardonnay IGT | Wine Enthusiast | 90 pts |
The nose has a crackly, unusual sweetness, with notes of buttery popcorn, marzipan, hazelnuts and candied lemon peel. The butteriness gives the palate a creamy mouthfeel, but sour, astringent undertones of citrus keep the sweeter flavors from languishing. |
September 12, 2023 |
| 2021 Rainstorm Pinot Gris | Wine & Spirits Magazine | 90 pts |
Year's Best for $20 or Less |
September 30, 2022 |
| 2019 Fontanelle Chardonnay | James Suckling | 92 pts |
A solid chardonnay with sliced cooked apple, vanilla and crushed stone. Full and flavorful. Layered, with tension and focus. Attractive new-wood undertones throughout, adding to the complexity without being overpowering. Drink or hold. |
January 7, 2022 |
| 2016 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Spectator | 90 pts |
Potent and dense, with sturdy blackberry, orange zest and dark chocolate accents that finish with mild tannic grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot |
August 18, 2020 |
| 2017 Fontanelle Chardonnay | James Suckling | 91 pts |
This is a delightful Tuscan chardonnay with just the right combination of freshness and concentration on the nose – all the more impressive, given it’s from the difficult 2017 vintage. Freshly picked daffodils, apricots, peach pit, fresh mangoes and a touch of vanilla. Full-bodied and very oily on the palate, but the medium acidity does well to keep this taut and on topic. |
October 22, 2019 |
| 2016 Fontanelle Chardonnay | James Suckling | 92 pts |
Plenty of sliced apple and honey character with hints of minerals. Medium to full body with fruit and honey. Crisp finish. Drink now. |
March 23, 2018 |
| 2015 Fontanelle Chardonnay | James Suckling | 93 pts |
An oily chardonnay with lots of density and intensity. Shows focus and beauty. Full and flavorful. Dried lemon and apple character. Full Burgundy treatment here; Tuscan style. Drink now. |
September 15, 2016 |
| 2012 Fontanelle Chardonnay | James Suckling | 90 pts |
A pretty, lightly wooded Chardonnay with minerals and a dried apple and peach character. Medium-to-full body with crisp acidity and a clean finish. Perfect beach wine. Drink now. – James Suckling (7/2013) |
November 18, 2013 |
| 2011 Fontanelle Chardonnay | Wine Enthusiast | 90 pts |
Castello Banfi in Tuscany does a great job with Chardonnay, as evidenced by this wine. It’s rich and soft, with bright aromas of peach, citrus, vanilla and savory herb. A pinch of acidity on the finish works beautifully as well. – M.L. (10/1/2012) |
March 8, 2013 |