Press

• Score: 91 Vintage 2020 James Suckling This has aromas and flavors of figs, cherry jam and chocolate orange on the nose, with a sweet-and-sour touch. It’s full-bodied, plump and ripe. Supple and lightly jammy. Negroamaro. Drink now Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 93 Vintage 2019 James Suckling Enticing nose of chocolate-fruit liqueur with hints of licorice and dark spices. Then a bright vein of raspberries and red plums appears on the medium- to full-bodied palate. The tannins are very fine and give good, firm support to the fruit-choc fun. Good focus and fresh acidity. Lots to enjoy here. Irresistible now. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 91 Vintage 2019 Vinous Media The 2019 Salice Salentino Donna Lisa is dark and brooding. A crushed ashen stone and graphite wave gives way to dried black cherries and a dusting of cocoa. This engulfs the palate with its silky textures and ripe red and blue fruits, as clove and vanilla bean mingle throughout. The 2019 finishes with a vivid note of Baker’s chocolate that lingers impossibly long as sweet tannins frame the wine. The Donna Lisa, a blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera, is unapologetically international in style. Balance is beautifully maintained throughout. Give this a couple of years in the cellar to integrate some of its wood. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 88 Vintage 2019 Wine Enthusiast On the nose, sweet vanilla and cherry bloom above savory elements of pepper, herbs and leather. The palate turns sweeter and more decadent, with milk chocolate swirling around flavors of black cherries and plums, before the pepper and herbs return on the finish. Chalky tannins highlight the chocolate notes. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 92 Vintage 2017 James Suckling Aromas of nicely baked berries, dark plums, dried leaves and a twist of red dates and fine, savory cocoa beans. Full-bodied and lightly spicy with very compact, powdery tannins. Slightly bittersweet and savory in finish. Very tight now, but shows impressive tannin quantity and quality. Better from 2023. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 91 Vintage 2017 Wine Spectator Rich hints of tarry smoke and toast on the nose underscore baked strawberry and plum fruit flavors in this robust, full-bodied red. Tightly-knit and fresh, a stemmy touch of dried herb lingers on the grippy finish. Decant. Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera. Best from 2022 through 2027. 3,300 cases made, 100 cases imported. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 89 Vintage 2017 Wine Enthusiast Ripe brambleberry and black raspberry jam aromas blend with crushed black pepper, violet and orange spice on the nose. It’s rounded and full in feel on the palate, showing very good integration to the fruit and spice tones. Bold tannins cinch everything up on the close. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 92 Vintage 2016 Wine Enthusiast Opaque ruby in the glass, this blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera offers a brooding nose of olive tapenade, crushed thyme and pepper over a core of dark plum and cherry. It's smooth on entry, with a building structure of zesty acidity and firm tannins. Spice and fruit have a nice interplay here, with a savory, herbal note extending on the finish. There's real energy to the core in a crushed granite-like quality, giving it lift and length. Drink now–2030. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 91 Vintage 2016 Vinous Media The 2016 Salice Salentino Donna Lisa is dark and rich in the glass, with blackberries and plums complemented by clove, crushed stone and a hint of camphor. Its velvety textures envelop the palate in ripe black fruits, contrasted by bitter dark chocolate and inner herbal tones, as tannic tension builds toward the close. The Donna Lisa finishes structured and classically dry, leaving only hints of dried blueberry and sage to linger. This blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce will require a few years of cellaring to come fully into focus. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 88 Vintage 2016 Wine Spectator A supple, lightly mouthwatering red, with hints of licorice and fig cake immersed with sun-dried black cherry, smoke and black olive flavors. It is medium-bodied, with a subtle finish. Negroamaro. Drink now. 6,600 cases made, 200 cases imported.  Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 90 Vintage 2015 Wine Advocate Tasted next to the 2016 Riserva, this wine is opulent, with a ripe bouquet of blackberry preserves. The Leone de Castris 2015 Salice Salentino Riserva Donna Lisa is a welcoming hostess, serving layers of chewy and sweet cherry fruit that radiate joy and good cheer. The blend is 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce, fermented in stainless steel followed by 18 months in barrique. Celebrate the Greek origins of this olive-grove-studded land with this friendly red and a roast chicken. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 90 Vintage 2015 Wine Enthusiast A concentrated nose of brandied cherry, tobacco and dried herbs carries the nose. The medium-bodied palate is rich in feel yet well honed by persistent acidity and integrated tannins. Flavors of dark cherry, leather and tobacco are lifted by a bright mineral vein that extends through the lingering finish. ALEXANDER PEARTREE Shelf Talker Full Page Review