Brunellos 15+ years and older

This was a tasting that had a lot of starts and stops. We had to cancel it a few times due to many conflicts and finally it was pulled off. We ate at Moderno in Highland Park where Ken is an investor.

It was my first time sitting down and eating there, but I was fairly familiar with the food as my family loves to bring me back food from there.

No one really announced their bottles ahead of time. Through serendipity there were 1) no doubles and 2) a few flights ended up coming perfectly together. When one sees that, they know they're in for a good night.

• 1988 Henriot Champagne Brut Millésimé Rosé 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Nose: very balanced and fresh nose with tones of strawberries, cherries, citrus and some bits of roses. Not overly complex, but in very good harmony together with nice depth.
  
  taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity that is rather refreshing right now. Well balanced again with very good tones of red fruits, citrus, and some cherries. Lacking a little depth that was there on the nose.
  
  overall: This was a real nice and mature champagne. It was had from magnum, so that probably helped retain some of it's freshness. This was a really nice champagne. No fireworks, but it was a well balanced and mature rose.

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• 1976 Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: shows maturity right from the outset, but it also shows harmony with tones of dark red fruits, saddle leather, some soy and autumn leaves along with a good dose of roasted herbs as well. Nice depth with a feminine side to it.
  
  taste: Medium bodied with medium acidity. There are still some dusty tannins that provide some support with a satiny feel and pretty tones of red fruits, saddle leather, some soy and lots of roasted herbs.
  
  overall: This did fall apart after a while, but that was just expected. It held together for about an hour or two before falling off the cliff. This was a real treat and a lot of fun to drink.

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• 1988 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: very savory and balanced nose with aromatic tones of roasted herbs, incense, red fruits, dark red cherries, violets and some meaty tones as well. Very good complexity, but lacking some depth.
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity. There are some nice tannins still along with balanced and savory tones of dark red cherries, red fruits, violets and a good dose of roasted herbs too.
  
  overall: This needed a few swirls to get going, but was real lovely once it did. It did start to fall apart a bit after about 3 hours as it became more soy based. Still, there was a great savory quality across the palate and nose.

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• 1988 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: this was actually somewhat tight for a bit. With some coaxing, feminine and savory tones of violets, roses, wild flowers, red fruits, cherries and roasted herbs. Very good complexity with the tones just wafting out of the glass.
  
  taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity. Refined and savory with silky tones of incense, red fruits, cherries, wild flowers and roses along with tones of roasted herbs and licorice.
  
  overall: this was right up my alley and right in it's stride. A very lovely and refined brunello that showed very well over the evening. It did fall off a slight bit towards the end, but it held together very well.

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• 1990 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: like the other wines, this was actually on the tight side at first. After a short bit, it opened up to reveal lovely and flowing tones of roses, red fruits, dark red cherries, dark berries and some licorice tones as well. I would've liked some more depth to it, but that's more quibbling.
  
  taste: Medium bodied with medium acidity. There is still some tannin to this and everything is beautifully balanced. Refined and lovely with tones of red fruits, roses, dark red cherries, licorice and some incense on the back end.
  
  overall: there was some bricking to this, but it was rather dark for it's age. It started to fall off a bit later in the evening, but that was after it was open for 4ish hours. A lovely brunello that shows why I do enjoy brunellos with this kind of age on them.

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• 1990 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  sadly there was something off with this bottle. Maybe heat damage or maybe it was poorly cared for (or maybe it was just an off bottle). Either way it was extremely advanced with a lot of soy and stewed fruits along with some dark red cherries. It was out of balance as well on the palate with some piercing acidity

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• 1988 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: quite refined and regal on the nose with tones of dark red fruits, some black tea, berries, dark red cherries and some licorice notes poking through. Nice depth, but not completely layered.
  
  taste: Medium bodied with medium acidity that is still noticeable. The tannins are resolved and leave more of a silky feel on the palate along with polished tones of dark red fruits, some black tea, licorice and dark red cherries as well.
  
  overall: This is perfectly in it's pomp right now. It's a lovely brunello that does lead more towards the feminine despite the fruit descriptors. It is refined on both the nose and palate with a nice savory quality as well.

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• 1990 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: deep and very savory on the nose. There is a sanguine element to it as well along with layered tones of dark red fruits, roses, violets, licorice, roasted herbs and loads of dark red cherries.
  
  taste: medium bodied with medium+ acidity and some tannins that are still showing. Silky with loads of layering and savory tones of dark red fruits, licorice, roasted herbs, violets and a touch of dark red cherries as well.
  
  overall: while it wasn't tight from the get go, it did take a little bit to get going. The bottle was drained too fast by the group to revisit it towards the end of the dinner, but this was definitely my wine of the night.

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• 1997 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  wamp wamp, this was as corked as corked gets. It should be noted, using saran wrap DOES NOT take away cork taint. Myth: debunked

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• 1993 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: dark fruited based nose with tones of dark red fruits, roasted herbs, incense and dark berries. Balanced, but lacking some depth
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity that is slightly out of balance. There are still some good tannins left as well along with tones of dark red fruits, roasted herbs and incense tones too.
  
  overall: this was a very nice brunello. It wasn't up there with some of the others. It also did seem rather young all things considered.

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• 1995 Podere Scopetone Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: interesting and introspective nose with tones of wild flowers, licorice, lots of roasted herbs, dark red fruits and dark berries. Nice depth and layering as well.
  
  taste: there is a real attractive savory quality to it on the palate with a medium feel and medium+ acidity. Balanced with good depth and tones of wild flowers, licorice, all sorts of roasted herbs and some dark red fruits.
  
  overall: The savory quality was on both the nose and palate. There was a plushness to it as well. A very enjoyable brunello that is drinking beautifully.

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• 1997 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: this comes off as more mature than it's age with tones of licorice, herbs, some soy, roasted herbs and some dark red fruits. Decent depth with some layering as well.
  
  taste: medium bodied with medium/high acidity. Balanced and mature on the palate as well with tones of roasted herbs, licorice, soy and dark red fruits.
  
  overall: this was very good and drinking very well. It did seem a bit more advanced than I would want a 97 to be right now.

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• 1997 Azienda Agricola due Portine (Gorelli) Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: open nose with a bit of a sexy lushness to it and tones of dark red fruits, dark red cherries, some black fruits, berries, lots of various floral tones and a hint of licorice. Very good complexity with real nice depth too.
  
  taste: silky medium body with noticeable medium/high acidity and some very good tannins. Well balanced with good layered tones of dark red fruits, red cherries, floral tones and licorice right on the finish.
  
  overall: Personally, I would've enjoyed it a bit more if it was more savory. But, that's nitpicking and this was a lovely brunello that was showing great.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non Grenache Upside Down 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  nose: obviously very very different from the 15+ year old brunellos that were served previous. Big and rich with ripe tones of red fruits, red and dark berries, dark red cherries, and various spice tones. Good depth with a very forward style to it.
  
  taste: full bodied with big and chewy tannins. Rich, but not overdone on the palate with ripe tones of red fruits, dark berries and dark red cherries, and spice tones. There is some layering right now, but it's extremely young.
  
  overall: this was given to me blind from a tasting in the next room. It wasn't as big as some SQNs that I've had in the past, but it was certainly a warm climate new world grenache to me. I don't know how long it had been open for or how long it had been decanted.

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• 2010 Jemrose Gloria's Gem

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  nose: upfront nose with a good dose of red fruits. Balanced with tones of red fruits, red currants, berries, spices and some cherries as well.
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with more oak showing through than on the nose. Medium acidity with tones of dark red fruits, spices, some dill and oak. There are tannins here too, but they lean more towards wood tannins for me.
  
  overall: I didn't score this as it was at the end of a long night and I wasn't spitting. I couldn't get a full feel for it either as it hasn't been commercially released and only just bottled.

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It's no surprise at all that Ken would have money behind a place that has great food. Granted, I'm a sucker for Italian cuisine, but I was certainly a fan.

It was actually shocking how well the wines showed considering their age.It was more how consistent they all were and together they were as well.

The original theme was to have 01 be the youngest, but we all skewed older. Completely fine by me and it was a great chance to see brunellos with more age on them. It's tastings like these that do really remind me that I need to start buying brunellos as I do greatly enjoy them with real age on them.