| Critic |
Score |
Key Comments |
| Wine Enthusiast |
95/100 |
Herbaceous and minty aromas with juicy cherry and strawberry fruit; energetic acidity and tannins provide structure and longevity. |
| James Suckling |
94/100 |
Savory, mineral-driven style with dried cherry, bark, iodine, and crushed stone notes; firm tannins; recommended to drink from 2025 onward. |
| Wine Spectator |
94/100 |
Dense flavors of black cherry, blackberry, black currant, iron, tobacco, and earthy tea; powerful with excellent persistence. Suggested drinking window: 2025–2045. |
| Robert Parker's Wine Advocate |
94/100 |
Balanced and ripe with cherry, wild plum, blue flower, tobacco, and sweet earth; generous texture with well-managed tannins. |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
90/100 |
Brooding profile featuring pine sap, menthol, black cherry, sage, tea leaf, and earth; substantial structure, best after 2025. |
| Falstaff |
92/100 |
Notes of licorice, brown bread, dried roses, raspberry, and truffle; juicy tannins and bright cherry fruit. |
Consensus
- Average of major critics: ~93.8/100
- The wine shows unusually strong agreement among critics, with most scores clustering at 94–95 points.
- The common themes are:
- Dark and red cherry fruit
- Mineral and earthy complexity
- Tobacco, iron, and savory notes
- Firm Brunello tannins that benefit from cellaring
- Better performance with additional bottle age beginning around 2025–2027.
Drinking Window
Most reviewers suggest the wine is entering its prime now but will continue to improve. A reasonable drinking window is 2025–2045, with peak complexity likely developing over the next 5–10 years.
Market Position
The 2018 Poggio alle Mura is generally regarded as a step above Banfi's standard Brunello bottling. Critics viewed it as one of the stronger performances from the challenging 2018 Brunello vintage, combining the accessibility of the year with the concentration expected from Banfi's flagship single-estate wine.
Tasting Notes
Made from 100% Sangiovese, this single-vineyard Brunello offers layers of black cherry, wild plum, blackberry, blue flowers, tobacco, sweet earth, iron, and tea-leaf nuances. Rich and powerful yet surprisingly approachable, with polished tannins, impressive depth, and a long, persistent finish.
Overall Review
The 2018 Poggio alle Mura is a beautifully balanced Brunello that combines the generosity of Banfi's style with the structure and longevity expected from a top single-vineyard Montalcino wine. While approachable now with decanting, its complexity and firm backbone suggest excellent aging potential.
Drinking Window: 2025–2045.
Winemaker Notes
The wine has a deep ruby-red color with a complex and intense aroma of dark fruit, such as blackberry, black cherry, and black currant, along with hints of vanilla, tobacco, and spice. On the palate, the wine is dry and full-bodied, with firm tannins and a long, persistent finish. The flavors are dominated by dark fruit, complemented by notes of chocolate, leather, and smoke.
A long aging wine that perfectly pairs with rich and complex dishes.
- 95 Wine Enthusiast
The nose is primarily herbaceous and minty, but fleeting streaks of astringent fruit and iron-rich soil add depth. The cherries and strawberries turn juicy and swell on the palate, but a welcome kick of heat and frenzied tannins and acid maintain order.
- 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura (with 51,200 bottles made) shows balance and ripeness with a good combination of cherry, wild plum, blue flower, tobacco and sweet earth. The outlier is the 15% alcohol content. The wine is generous in texture and scope, yet it ultimately feels light and accessible to the palate. The tannins are well managed, but the wine's ample fruit weight feels supple and rich.
- 94 James Suckling
This is a savory and mineral expression with aromas of dried and sour cherries, bark, tomato leaf and iodine. Crushed stones and sea shells, too. Full body with firm, chewy tannins. Some austerity but focused and linear at the end. Needs some time to soften and open. Try after 2025.
- 94 Wine Spectator
- This red is packed with black cherry, blackberry, black currant, iron, tobacco and earthy tea flavors. Both lush and powerful, with great persistence on the lingering aftertaste
- 90 Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura is another brooding wine with pine sap, menthol, black cherry, and sage. The palate is dense and full, with more cherry pit, tea leaf, and baked earth. The structure of these Castello Banfi wines is dense and meaty, with iron richness. This one needs some time, but I wouldn’t bet on it lasting for decades before turning to tertiary. Best after 2025.
