CASANOVA DI NERI
TUSCANY, ITALY
Why Buy: Casanova di Neri has basked in the critics' spotlight for the better part of a decade, and this brilliant and affirming quartet — featuring two 98-point masterworks, a 97-pointer, and a 95-pointer — only burnishes their legend as an international superstar. For lovers of powerful, structured wines like Napa Cabernet or premium Bordeaux, these bottles offer a thrilling parallel universe of complexity and depth. This is Brunello at its most profound, showcasing the Neri family's remarkable evolution in both vineyard and cellar, where their dedication to purity and precision creates wines of singular character.
What They're Saying: The critics could hardly have been more effusive. Vinous awarded 98 points to the Cerretalto 2019, calling it "a showstopper" that "seduces the senses with silken textures" before building to an "impossibly long" finish. The Giovanni Neri 2020 also garnered 98 points, this time from James Suckling, who extolled its "full and layered" character and highlighted its "creamy and polished" nature – a testament to 50-year-old vines. His review of the Tenuta Nuova 2020, meanwhile, was a 97-point paean to a wine of "vibrant and fresh" character with "tension, focus and length."
Our Tasting Notes: Look, we taste a lot of great Italian wine around here, but these bottles get our pulses racing every time. There's something special happening here – a perfect, exquisite balance between power and finesse that comes from knowing exactly when to intervene and when to step back. The Cerretalto 2019 represents everything we love about great Brunello – the way it unfolds gradually, each sip revealing something you missed before, from subtle hints of Mediterranean herbs to deep, earthy notes that speak of its ancient soils. The Giovanni Neri 2020 shows what decades-old vines can achieve in the right hands, offering remarkable concentration and a beautiful interplay of dark fruit and savory elements that keeps drawing you back to the glass. The Tenuta Nuova 2020 captures the essence of its site with remarkable clarity – think sun-warmed berries and fresh-turned earth – while the White Label 2020 proves that even Casanova di Neri's "entry-level" Brunello deserves serious attention, with its perfect balance of brightness and depth.
The Story: When Giovanni Neri released his first vintage 45 years ago, he set in motion one of the most remarkable evolutions in Montalcino's history. Together with his son Giacomo, he established a philosophy built on a fierce commitment to quality: single-vineyard bottlings to express specific terroirs, strict yield limitations to ensure concentration, and gentle handling in the gravity-flow cellar. Though the wines have always been celebrated for their power and aging potential, recent vintages evince a new level of purity and precision, thanks to shortened maceration times and investment in optical sorting technology. It's a perfect example of how old and new can work together when guided by a clear and uncompromising vision.
Fun Fact: The estate's flagship wine, Cerretalto, comes from a single vineyard so unique it has its own microclimate, protected by Monte Amiata and influenced by the Asso River below.
Our Guarantee: Remember, friends – we always buy and source directly from the estate, so you can rest assured that your wine will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2025. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NC, NE, NY, OK, & TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Sunday, January 12th, 2025.