Accolades

The renowned Marchesi dé Frescobaldi brand earns consistently high marks and is always a safe bet for incredible, high quality Tuscan wine.

• Nipozzano was included in a round up of 25 under $25 in La Cucina Italiana and appeared in the photo spread. (June 2010)
• Lamberto Frescobaldi and Nipozzano were featured in a story by Dick Rosano for WeeklyWinePick.com. (May 10, 2010) 
• Nipozzano was also included in a Mother's Day round-up by wine writer Mark Nothaft for Examiner.com. (May 7, 2010)
• Lamberto Frescobaldi was included in a Wine Spectator.com story on the Grand Tour, which also included a photo of him with Marvin Shanken. (May 6, 2010)  
  
• Wine Advocate reviewed the following wines in issue #188 (April 2010):
  - 2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - 94 pts
  - 2006 Lamaione - 92 pts
  - 2007 Luce della Vite - 91 pts
  - 2005 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino - 91 pts
  - 2005 Luce Brunello di Montalcino - 90 pts
  - 2007 Lucente - 89 pts
  
• Wine Spectator gave the following wines some great reviews (Oct 31, 2009):
  - 2006 Nipozzano Riserva—91 pts (“Smart Buys”)
  - 2006 Montesodi—92 pts
  - 2006 Mormoreto—92 pts
  - 2006 Lamaione—95 pts
• Wine Advocate reviewed the following wines in issue #184 (October 2009):
  - 2006 Nipozzano Riserva - 88 pts
  - 2006 Giramonte - 91 pts
  - 2006 Montesodi - 87 pts
  - 2006 Mormoreto - 89 pts
• Wine Spectator reviewed the 2007 Remole, awarding 86 points. (Oct 15, 2009)
  
• Antonio Galloni posted his report on Brunello di Montalcino on erobertparker.com, which included reviews for 2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello (90 pts) and 2005 Castelgiocondo Lamaione (87 pts). (July 7, 2009)
• The Frescobaldis commissioned a study on  Italian wine consumption trends in Italy and held a press conference yesterday in Milan to announce the findings. 
  A press release (click here for press release) about those findings, was picked up by Yahoo! News and other search engine sites.  The general findings were that during this  recession, Italians tend to drink less wine but higher quality wine.  This  differs from American wine consumers who are trading down.
• Tiziana Frescobaldi was interviewed live last Sunday (5/31) on a radio show in Charlotte, NC called, “This Show is Cookin’ with Charles Jenkins.”  She was interviewed about MdF, the family history and our ‘Tuscany to You’ promotion.  You can listen to the interview online at: http://cookin.wbt.com/index.cfm?section=podcast 
  (it’s a two-part interview with her starting at around 05:41 and 17:25 on the Podcast). (June 3, 2009)
• 2005 Nipozzano Riserva was featured in “Good Wine Under $20” wine blog. "It had wonderful cherry aromas and flavors that were both fresh and rich. The wine picked up some additional complexity in leather, oak, and spice notes. There was a luscious, juicy aftertaste and the wine had excellent acidity which made it a terrific partner for food."
  Named one of the five best wine blogs by Wine & Spirits and Food & Wine magazines, “Good Wine Under $20” is written by former UC Davis professor and wine writer Deb Harkness.   (June 1, 2009)
• Marchesi de' Frescobaldi's Nipozzano Riserva and Remole were featured in SheKnows.com article Must-try gourmet Italian food and wine, written by
  Michele Thompson, MS (April 22, 2009)
• The 2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello was featured as the Wine of the Week on About.com’s wine page (http://wine.about.com/): "Frescobaldi's CastelGiocondo's Brunello is a stunning example of what Tuscany's Montalcino region is known and loved for. This Brunello has enjoyed basking in oak for 3 years and affords consumers a wine with excellent aging potential."
  The label was also used on the wine page as part of an educational piece on “How to Read an Italian Wine Label” (see link above for more info). (April 20, 2009)
• The 2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello was featured in the April issue of Simply Wine Today. (April 2009)
• Marchesi de' Frescobaldi's Nipozzano Riserva and Remole were featured in AOL’s Slashfood blog (April 6, 2009)
• The 2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello received 95 points on WineSpectator.com,  "2004 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino - Shows a complex nose of blackberry, tanned leather, sandalwood and cedar. Fascinating. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long, long finish. Concentrated yet balanced. Beautiful and complete." (March 16, 2009)
• Alder Yarrow wrote about the Benvenuto Brunello event in SF on his wine blog, Vinography.  The 2003 Castelgiocondo received a 9 to 9.5 rating and the 2004 Castelgiocondo received 8.5 to 9 rating (based on 10-pt scale).  Also, he includes his perspective on the DOC/DOCG regulations in the comments section. Click here to go to blog: http://www.vinography.com/archives/2009/02/the_best_of_brunello_tasting_t.html
• Wine Spectator, James Suckling's Recommended Values from Tuscany and New Releases, Marchesi de Frescobaldi wines receive high scores:
  (Oct 31, 2008)
  - 2005 Castello di Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina - 90 points
  “Offers plummy fruit, with hints of flowers, citrus and light chocolate. Medium-bodied, with a balanced and tasty palate, fine tannins and a clean finish. Structured."
  - 2007 Castiglioni Chianti– 84 points
  - 2006Giramonte – 97 points, “Black in color, with superripe and intense aromas of crushed berries, espresso and blackberry. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a rich finish. Massive yet balanced. This has everything going for it. Merlot and Sangiovese."
  - 2005 Mormoreto – 92 points, “Blackberry, currant and licorice aromas follow through to a full body, with silky tannins and a long finish of chocolate, berry and toasty oak. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc."
  - 2005 Castelgiocondo Lamaione – 90 points “A chewy Merlot, with fruit and light herb aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. Needs time to develop in the bottle.”
  - 2006 Tenuta Castiglioni  - 90 points “Very pretty, with perfumed blackberry and mineral aromas. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a berry, milk chocolate and cedar aftertaste. A bit lean now, but polished and pretty. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Merlot.”
  - 2003 Castello di Pomino Vin Santo  - 90 points “A pretty Vin Santo, with clean, fresh aromas and flavors of apricot, spices and light caramel. Medium-bodied, with a delicate, silky palate and a lingering finish."
• In an article on wine aging, Wine Enthusiast features a list of Top Cellar Selections from the past five years, and among them is the 1999 Marchesi di’Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Riserva Brunello di Montalcino!
  (Sept 1, 2008)
• Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, issue #178, features reviews on both the 2004 and 2005 Castello di Nipozzano. These wines have been included in “The World’s Greatest Wine Values” and below is the review for the 2005 Chianti Rufina Riserva, "...a soft, accessible, fruit-driven Chianti. It offers good length although the intensity drops off a little on the mid-palate. Ideally there might be a little more Sangiovese character. I regularly find the Castello di Nipozzano wines to be the finest in the Frescobaldi family’s large portfolio of offerings." (August 2008)
• Wine Spectator rated the 2006 Marchesi d’Frescobaldi Castello di Pomino Benefizio Riserva giving the wine 88 pts and the following review,
  "Full-bodied, with loads of dried pineapple and honey character. Oily and rich. Toasty oak and toffee, with tropical fruit.A full-throttle style." (August 31, 2008)
• Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg of the Washington Post reviewed wines that pair well with a various types of hotdogs.
  -- The 2005 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina was among the small list of wines, “Italian sausage with fennel: The 2005 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina was the easiest pairing of the night, given the strong regional affinity of the pair. This elegant wine with aging potential, from a winery that has roots going back more than 1,000 years, is a good value. The wine's herbaceous and mushroomy notes enhanced the sausage and the roasted peppers that accompanied it.” (August 6, 2008)
  
• Wine Spectator rates the 2003 Marchesi di’Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo (90 Pts) -- This is concentrated and thick, with black cherry and spices. Fill-bodied, with soft tannins and a long finish.  Very pretty. Best after 2010. –J.S. (May 15, 2008)
  
• Wine Advocate reviewd the 2003 CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino (89 pts) in the section entitled, “Montalcino: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” -- super-ripe, dense style that favors a concentrated expression of fruit over varietal expression. This unctuous, brooding wine is loaded with the essence of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, smoke, tar and herbs... (April 30, 2008)
  
• Below is a link to a press release from Whole Foods that posted on CNNMoney.com, 4/4/08, recommending Castiglioni Chianti, "In a match-made-in-heaven partnership, wines from Italy will be featured in select stores during April. A classic pairing for Parmigiano Reggiano is a Chianti, such as the Frescobaldi Castiglione Chianti, in which the clean aromas of black cherry over nuances of dried plum and spicy sage strike a harmonious balance..."
  http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/LATH06503042008-1.html
  
• The Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2007 has been posted online.  It was another great year for MdF, with the following wines making the list:
  - Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva--#26, 97 pts
  - Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi 2004 Castello di Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina--#56, 91 pts
• 2006 Castiglioni Chianti ranks in the Wine Spectator's Great Values - 250 Top Picks (October 31, 2007)
• Wine Spectator give Marchesi de Frescobaldi's Mormoreto and Nipozzano Riserva high praise (October 15, 2007)
  - Castello de Nipozzano 2004 Mormoreto, "Shows complex aromas of currants, Indian spices, blackberry and flowers. Full-bodied with fabulous tannins that are thick and silky and long, caressing finish. The palate is also multifaceted, with bright acidity." 94 points
  - Castello de Nipozzano 2004 Nipozzano Riserva, "SMART BUY" "Very aromatic, offering bright blackberry and light vanilla aromas. Full-bodied with vibrant fruit, fine tannins and a clean, crisp, fruity finish." 91 points
• Marchesi de Frescobaldi's Pomino Estate wines are reviewed by Stephen Tanzer's international Wine Cellar (August 2007)
  - Castello di Pomino Blanco - Pale straw-yellow. Bracing aromas of grapefruit, lemon and minerals, with a hint of pear. then juicy and fresh in the mouth... 89 pts
  - Castello di Pomino Benefizio - Bright medium yellow with golden highlights. Much lighter nose than some recent vintages, offer riesling-like mineral and powdered ston aromas to go with the citrus, ripe banana and even tropical fruit tones...88 pts
  - Castello di Pomino Vendemmia Tardica - Golden yellow. Lovely gewurztraminer-dominated aromas of rose petal and lichee override banana and Golden Delicious apple notes... 87 pts
  - Castello di Pomino Vin Santo - Light amber. Typical Vin Santo nose shows a slightly oxidative quality to the ripe fig, date, peach and white chocolate aromas... 88 pts
  
• Wine Advocate's Antonio Galloni rates Central Tuscany (June 2007, Issue 171)
  - CastelGiocondo, 2003 Lamaione - ...rich, heady effort redolent of earthiness, jammy over-ripe fruit, chocolate and sweet toasted oak. Made in a sumptuous, concentrated style...
  88 pts
  - Castello di Nipozzano - 2003 Chianti Rufina Riserva - ...exhibits a similarly sweet, open nose along with plenty of vibrant, super-ripe dark fruit, outstanding length and lovely overall balance in a style that is plump and accessible without sacrificing the wine's underlying structure... 90 pts
  - Castello di Nipozzano - 2004 Montesodi - ...presents expressive aromatics followed by layers of black fruits, violets, licorice, sweet spices and menthol that flow from the glass with notable concentration as well as weight on the palate... 92pts
  - Castello di Nipozzano - 2004 Mormoreto - ...offers expressive aromatics and jammy sweet dark fruit with an expansive personality and excellent length... 89 pts
  - 2005 Tenuta di Castiglioni - displays an open, ripe nose and generous, sweet fruit, showing excellent length and plenty of style... 89 pts
  - Tenuta di Castiglioni - 2004 Giramonte - ...rich, weighty wine that offers the dark fruit and plushness of the former along with the underlying structure of the latter, with excellent length and fine overall balance... 90 pts
  - Castello di Pomino - 2005 Pomino Benefizio - ...beautiful, understated wine. It reveals perfumed aromatics and pretty, sweet fruit in a hushed, understated style, with excellent length and a lingering note of sweetness from the Gewurztraminer on the finish... 89 pts
  
• Castiglioni Chianti received a review as one the "50 Wines You Can Always Trust" in Food & Wine magazine. (April 2007)
  
• In Wine Spectator the 1999 Castelgiocondo Riserva scored an incredible 97 points. It was described as, “Very structured. Super attractive aromas of plum, blueberry and pressed flowers follow through to a full-boddied palate, with firm, silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Layers and layers of ripe fruit, with everything in proportion.” (2005)
  
• Wine Spectator Insider's review of the 2001 Brunello vintage begins "If you buy only one type of Italian wine this year, it should be Brunello di Montalcino riserva from 2001." The wine was awarded an exceptional 97 points. (February 2007)
  
• Wine Spectator rated the 2002 Nipozzano Riserva 90 points, calling it a “Smart buy.” It was noted as, “Here is value from Tuscany, offering licorice, berry and lighty toasted oak flavours matched to a full bodied frame. Layers of fruit and silky tannins. Long finish. Serious wine.” (2005)
  
• Wine Spectator also gave the 2004 Montesodi 91 points and said it was “Rich and fruity, with lovely blackberry and mineral character. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A solid wine. Best after 2006.” (October 2006)