Impressive stuff, creamy but tart with flavor of lemon meringue, pineapple cake and green melon, accented with hints of mineral and toasted bread. Wasn't expecting much, but a delicious way to start the evening.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Bright and floral on the nose, with light roast coffee, elegant red fruit tones and tart red berries. Silky but firm on the palate, the purity of the fruit is impressive, red currants and red/black cherries. I pick up a of roses and loamy soil, along with hazelnut-toasty notes on a balanced, elegant, food-friendly frame. Long and worthy of cellar time, but showing very well right out of the bottle.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
My wine of the night, this is the whole package: depth, elegance, complexity, a food-friendly and contemplative wine. Spicier on the nose, I get black cherries and currants accented with plenty of sweet baking spices, cola, pepper and dried flowers. Young, but it opens up on the palate to show a lot of depth and intrigue: exotic roses, cola, cinnamon and tobacco on top of crunchy red berry fruit. Graphite, dusty soil, hazelnut and cola add complexity, while fine tannins and fresh acid form a silky frame. Really opens up with air and gets more and more complex. Gorgeous now, but will develop well over the next three to five years for sure. I was surprised to see this wine is 15% alcohol, as it is incredibly well-balanced.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
More open aromatically, showing black cherries and raspberry jam, underneath some cola, roses, fig paste and an herbal kick. Bright, clean acid with firm tannins, but they’re velvety and the wine is approachable. Tart cranberries and cherries, raspberries, mix in some loam, clay, sweet herbs and green coffee. Dusty, earthy notes become more prominent with air. Long finish, a very pretty wine but plenty of evolution to come. 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Aromas of dark berries, loving the granite and rocky elements in this wine, along with some violets and sweet coffee. Silky tannins, moderate acid, still quite structured but one of the smoother wines in the tasting. Deep black cherry and plum flavors are blended with notes of rocks, loam, coffee and sweet baking spices. Smooth and ripe but complex and long-lasting. Only 70% Sangiovese, the minimum required, with Canaiolo and Mammolo blended in.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Initially a bit stemmy and rough on the nose, but it opened up considerably to show black cherries, currants and tobacco. Fleshy on the palate, still firm tannins, a bit lower on the acid. Red currant and plum fruit tasted a bit stale to me at first, but the wine changed significantly after an hour to show more vibrant fruit. I also get tobacco, loam and granite notes, and a significant amount of smoke and charcoal. Perhaps needs a good decant, as it got better and better over the course of the dinner. 100% Sangiovese.
NV Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut 87 Points
Italy, Lombardia, Franciacorta DOCG
Impressive stuff, creamy but tart with flavor of lemon meringue, pineapple cake and green melon, accented with hints of mineral and toasted bread. Wasn't expecting much, but a delicious way to start the evening.
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2010 Della Seta Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Tenuta di Gracciano 89 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Bright and floral on the nose, with light roast coffee, elegant red fruit tones and tart red berries. Silky but firm on the palate, the purity of the fruit is impressive, red currants and red/black cherries. I pick up a of roses and loamy soil, along with hazelnut-toasty notes on a balanced, elegant, food-friendly frame. Long and worthy of cellar time, but showing very well right out of the bottle.
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2010 La Bandita e Lunadoro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Quercione Riserva 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
My wine of the night, this is the whole package: depth, elegance, complexity, a food-friendly and contemplative wine. Spicier on the nose, I get black cherries and currants accented with plenty of sweet baking spices, cola, pepper and dried flowers. Young, but it opens up on the palate to show a lot of depth and intrigue: exotic roses, cola, cinnamon and tobacco on top of crunchy red berry fruit. Graphite, dusty soil, hazelnut and cola add complexity, while fine tannins and fresh acid form a silky frame. Really opens up with air and gets more and more complex. Gorgeous now, but will develop well over the next three to five years for sure. I was surprised to see this wine is 15% alcohol, as it is incredibly well-balanced.
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2008 La Braccesca (Antinori) Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Vigneto Santa Pia 89 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
More open aromatically, showing black cherries and raspberry jam, underneath some cola, roses, fig paste and an herbal kick. Bright, clean acid with firm tannins, but they’re velvety and the wine is approachable. Tart cranberries and cherries, raspberries, mix in some loam, clay, sweet herbs and green coffee. Dusty, earthy notes become more prominent with air. Long finish, a very pretty wine but plenty of evolution to come. 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot.
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2007 Montemercurio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Damo 88 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Aromas of dark berries, loving the granite and rocky elements in this wine, along with some violets and sweet coffee. Silky tannins, moderate acid, still quite structured but one of the smoother wines in the tasting. Deep black cherry and plum flavors are blended with notes of rocks, loam, coffee and sweet baking spices. Smooth and ripe but complex and long-lasting. Only 70% Sangiovese, the minimum required, with Canaiolo and Mammolo blended in.
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2006 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Poggio Sant'Enrico 87 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Initially a bit stemmy and rough on the nose, but it opened up considerably to show black cherries, currants and tobacco. Fleshy on the palate, still firm tannins, a bit lower on the acid. Red currant and plum fruit tasted a bit stale to me at first, but the wine changed significantly after an hour to show more vibrant fruit. I also get tobacco, loam and granite notes, and a significant amount of smoke and charcoal. Perhaps needs a good decant, as it got better and better over the course of the dinner. 100% Sangiovese.
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