Pinot Nero

Score

91

"A straightforward, ripe red with cherry and sweet-strawberry character and hints of citrus. It’s medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Drink or hold."

Score

92

"The 2018 Pinot Nero from Abbazia di Novacella is dark and a bit restrained, requiring some time to open up in the glass. The bouquet slowly blossoms to reveal dusty black cherry, offset by hints of sweet mint, sage, and stone dust. Its ripe red fruits are strewn with a complex mix of minerals and savory spice, as grippy tannins build toward the finale. There’s really so much to like here, delivering both a fresh and juicy expression now, but also with the primary fruit and structure to evolve beautifully in the cellar for a number of years. This Pinot Nero goes through malolactic fermentation and spends sixty days in 60 hectoliter oak casks before bottling, creating a pleasurable and perfectly balanced expression."