| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.2 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 90 notes) - hiding notes with no text |
| | Tasted by Lethemgo on 1/31/2023 & rated 91 points: Bottle and cork in perfect shape, deposit incrusted on the shoulder. Decanted one hour before serving. Color showing no evident aging. Very expressive nose of toscan blend. Mouthfilling with smooth tanins and persistent taste. À point. (309 views) |
| | Tasted by ksde on 9/27/2016 & rated 91 points: The cork showed wine stain channeling to the top but I got this wine before it spoiled. Showing well at its peak. (3557 views) |
| | Tasted by juffer on 9/22/2016 & rated 88 points: Nose of minty, spicy oak and some dark fruit. Good balance in the mid palate and okay structure on the finish with sweet tannins. International style, but not over the top. (3251 views) |
| | Tasted by johnnyo on 3/17/2016 & rated 90 points: Excellent QPR! (3827 views) |
| | Tasted by CGWIND on 3/6/2016 & rated 92 points: Thoroughly enjoyed with porchetta. Lots of dusty fruit and tannin. Nose was rich ripe fruit. Very nice (3822 views) |
| | Tasted by JuliannaD on 2/16/2015 & rated 88 points: This wine is surprisingly new world. It is ripe, rich, and tastes like a Bordeaux blend. I like it but watch out for the sediment! (4602 views) |
| | Tasted by Neurowine1 on 2/3/2015 & rated 89 points: I am digging this tonight. Still impossible to place in Italy but it is ripe, polished, and fairly complex. Wood is bit heavy handed at the moment. The finish is hot but I like the black pepper that lingers on. Having been through about 4 btls of this over the years I doubt this is a rebuy (proving the adage I live by to never drink a wine with an animal name on the label or a picture of an animal). (2451 views) |
| | Tasted by dars_blog on 4/4/2014 & rated 92 points: Aromas of raspberry and graphite. A velvety mouth-feel accompanies flavors of strawberry and earthy notes. (3514 views) |
| | Tasted by S-C-S on 7/27/2013: If you taste the 2006 you can't enjoy any other vintage of this wine.
2006 is fantastic. (3831 views) |
| | Tasted by argento007 on 5/19/2013: My first dip into IGT wines and I really liked this one!! The petit verdot adds a masculine component to the wine and was something i didnt expect. Nice fruit with a touch of earth.
This paired well with lamb ragu, but may have been better to pair with a piece of beef. (4048 views) |
| | Tasted by skibum819 on 5/15/2013 & rated 89 points: Always loved this wine and it is still showing great. I would expect to enjoy these over the next 2 years. To me it has enough richness and density that would make a new world palate happy but yet maintains it's easily identifiable Tuscan personality. (3123 views) |
| | Tasted by dsgris on 4/19/2013 & rated 89 points: Inky dark ruby, blackberry nose. Dry, full bodied fruit with some tartness, light tannins, a little bitter almond and pepper. Still a little raw on the PnP, 88, needs some air time to open up. Developed overnight into a more integrated wine with iodine, less raw, but has a ways to go. This has classic Italian character with bold but not jammy fruit. (3345 views) |
| | Tasted by dsgris on 2/11/2013 & rated 90 points: Inky dark ruby, blackberry nose. Bone dry, fresh acid, stone fruits, light tannins, well balanced, smooth mouthfeel, just a little bitter on the finish. Drinking very nicely on the PnP. A few nights later, just kept getting better each night, bold but nicely balanced fruit, just a touch of soft bitter that does not detract and adds to the complexity. I enjoy a wine that improves with each revisit. Some life left in this puppy. (2889 views) |
| | Tasted by dsgris on 8/2/2012 & rated 89 points: Medium purple-red, ripe cherry nose. Dry, slightly tart and tannic red berries with just a hint of bitter almond. Medium body and fruit with a good balance of fruit , acid and tannins. the back of the tongue bitter keeps it below 90 pts. Needs food, salami, cheese & crackers (2824 views) |
| | Tasted by dsgris on 4/25/2012 & rated 90 points: Inky dark ruby, purple rim, ripe cherry nose. Dry, red fruits, bold body, some heat, bitter tannins on PnP, 86pts. Will give it another day to integrate. Another day really helped improve the wine. The fruit is brighter, the bitter is still there, but not offensive. I am really seeing bitter in the Italians lately, I may be letting them age too long. When it first had this wine three years ago, it was OMG delicious. Now it is just OK. Either it has changed or I have. With out the bitter, it would approach that aged Italian that I enjoy. Drink up. Give it another day and the glory is back, the bitter has diminished to a bitter almond, luscious mouthfeel, soft tannins, light acid, medium body and fruit. Another night, and more improvement, bright fruit, raspberries, very nice balance of acid, fruit and tannins. (3164 views) |
| | Tasted by Prevean on 4/24/2012 & rated 87 points: A little on the dryer side. Good enough (3156 views) |
| | Tasted by Matt T on 1/24/2012 & rated 89 points: Very nice bottle with dark chocolate, blackberry, and vanilla flavors. Mild tannins with relatively low acid. Long finish. (3535 views) |
| | Tasted by Matt T on 1/3/2012 & rated 88 points: Very fruit forward with notes of chocolate, blackberry, and mineral. Pretty much gone on the second day. Drink now. (3324 views) |
| | Tasted by ksde on 11/18/2011 & rated 90 points: Almost creamy after a few hours in the decanter. A nice mint/wintergreen nose emerges at the end. (3514 views) |
| | Tasted by Matt T on 9/16/2011 & rated 90 points: Excellent. Good complexity with some blackberry, bitter chocolate, smoke and soil notes. Well balanced with a long finish. (3566 views) |
| | Tasted by hende14 on 6/4/2011 & rated 91 points: Dark garnet in color. Forest floor and cherry aroma. First night a little disjointed with acid and alcohol too much out front. The nice red fruit is there, but it is being overwhelmed by the acidity. Got somewhat better later in the evening. About 1/2 bottle remaining the next day. Wow, this is so much better. It really came together after spending the night in the cellar under vacuum. Great combination of earthiness, spice and red cherry framed by soft sweet tannins. Really love this combination of old and new world flavor with very nice structure. Rich and full. Medium length finish. (4361 views) |
| | Tasted by Neurowine1 on 3/23/2011 & rated 88 points: Hmmm, wow, interesting. I suppose the reason I can't call this wine 'outstanding' is that I simply could not peg it as Italian. There was nothing about it that tasted like Tuscany, the Tuscan coast, or anywhere all that close. In fact, the fruit had a jammy, almost roasted characteristic that I would have placed in the Midi. Having said that, the wine was well-structured, balanced, unctious, and worked great with a garlicly shrimp risotto. Finish could be longer. It is a crowd pleaser, but not a thinking man's (or woman's) wine. I think I enjoyed my previous btl of this a bit more. I have somemore so will check in again. (1824 views) |
| | Tasted by markandsusanw on 1/3/2011 & rated 89 points: Pour through Vinturi ... Deep dark garnet in color, muted nose with floral whiffs that reflected on the palate. Also has a strong mineral component, but it's not overpowering. Very, very dry with firm tannins and a long finish. A big Italian that not's too overwhelming. A well-made wine and very good value. Pairs with well with pasta, beef or anything with spice. (5018 views) |
| | Tasted by bon vivant on 8/19/2010: July 18 2010 tasted SBS w 2007- the 2006 had darker fruit and the nose a little more subtle -there seems to be good overall balance and enough extraction for further development. Dark pit fruit plums and some balsamic notes. With extended decant the fruit gains a little sweetness and subtelty.While overall this is a tannin laden wine which will ideally benefit from rich food or red meat, the tannins add a nice structure and the finish is more complex than most wines in this price range. This may turn out to be even better with a few more years in bottle. Good QPR. (5843 views) |
| | Tasted by wine&roses on 7/25/2010 & rated 90 points: Luscious taste of jammy red berries, plush mouthfeel, long and satisfying finish. This is syrah, so it's on the sweet side, without a lot of complexity. But oh, it drinks easily--too easily! (5924 views) |
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