9/29/2023 - Rschot wrote:

Burgundian style, earthly notes, yet elegant.

9/29/2023 - Rschot wrote:

Elevated on large oak casts, has had sur lie. 14% alc. (Very) slightly rounded and sweet impression. Beautiful and delicate.

7/9/2021 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Had this wine at our first diner at the Relais Marabino hotel. Served slightly chilled it was very nice and I would even say refreshing.

Licorice, menthol, rosemary, thyme with a little bite of spices. Not overly complex and neither is it a “simple” wine, but met expectations nicely.

13.5% vol and biological.

4/17/2021 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Color: straw yellow - greenish
First impression on the nose: round bouquet, tropical

Nose: melon, tropical fruit, passion fruit, ananas. But also some (slightly) green tones of mature grass.

Slight sweetness of residual sugar. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if it was dryer. Low acidity.

Overall a very nice, well produced wine, which is slighly
too sweet for my taste (but that’s me, not the wine). I do recommend it.

Drink now (2021)

1/29/2021 - Rschot Likes this wine:

When I went to my local retailer I asked for a well balanced, full body sangiovese to accompany my tagliatelle with braised veal cheek. I was somewhat hesitant to go by his suggestion of this 2015 Brunello. Would it be mature enough? Would the tannins still be harsh?

Immediately after opening the maturity struck me. Nice garnet color developing, and immediately full, developed body on the nose. Spice/herbal: thyme, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, etc accompanied by tomatoes (nice acidity) and the impression of grilled steak Fiorentina. The tannines were much softer than I expected. A meditative wine. I can’t wait till dinner is ready and the wine has had a proper decant...

12/18/2020 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Fruity and young still for an Amarone and especially a riserva.

In prep for a xmas dinner with friends I sampled a bottle with my Coravin and decided to pull another Amarone instead. This one needs more time in the cellar.

I suggest to try again in 3 years, 2023.

3/28/2020 - Rschot Likes this wine:

I like Italian wines and therefor I am no Bordeaux expert. But bjesus, what a phenomenal wine this is!

Popped and double decanted it for about 1 hour. Initially a bit closed, but after about 10 minutes it just explodes out of the glass. Strong tannins still, but not anywhere annoying with the food. Good acidity. Dark fruits with scents of laurel, tyme, rosemary and pipe tabac. Endlessly long. And the longer it is in the glass the more powerful it became. You don’t drink it, you sip it. My wife and I did not even finish the wine, we still had some left for the next day.

Funny thing is that for a Bordeaux styles wine, you still notice the Italian Bolgheri style. Slightly bombastic, extravagant and Mediterranean. It’s like a Ferrari: flashy, screaming for attention, cannot be ignored, but totally on-point and exact.

Had the wine with T-bone steak, Fiorentina style.

2/16/2020 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Pale straw color, not too alcoholic. First scent is a distinct sweet dryness. Delicate, but complex. Mineralic with green apple, citrus and exotic fruits. Grapefruit, lycees, hint of banana, honey (without the sweetness), almonds. Mouthfeel is acidic, but really rounded and soft.

Delicious. Made sauerkraut d’Alsace with it and it revokes a lot of nostalgic feelings. Recommended!

2/14/2020 - Rschot wrote:

Valentines bottle. Love passes through the stomach, is a Dutch saying and it applies to this wine too!

Had to double decant and double filter as there was a lot of fine sediment. The wine remained cloudy, but the tasting was not effected. Very dark color. Bold and full bodied.

Blackcurrent, herbal notes of thyme, rosemary and ginger. Roses, how applicable today. Chocolate. Velvety tannins. Very enjoyable. And so good with filet mignon!

Possibly at its peak right now.

9/27/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

As a “last supper” wine, on my own, at restaurant “Taverna Santa Maria de Domno” in Salerno. The owner has an impressive wine cellar with several hundred labels. I asked for his best local white wine.

A Fiano? Of 2012 (7 years old)? Really? I had to try.

Color: deep & golden yellow

Nose 1: not too strong (possibly by cooling?), but immediately you notice that this is a complex wine. More complex, tending towards madeira, than fruity.

Nose 2: difficult to determine as it where many new sensations in wine for me, but gradually the wine revealed itself. It’s more vegetally than fruity or flowery. Wood, vanilla, bread, cream, hazelnuts, something slightly smoky, Dijon mustard, dill, olive and endive.

Mouthfeel: soft, velvety with a little acid note, but most present are bitter notes. The latter required a bit of time to get used to, but more on that later.

Length: long, very long, keeps coming long.

This wine will not pleasy everyone, but with the right food match is it extraordinarily pleasant!

Starters: trio of tuna, of which a tartare of raw tuna with a little lemon matched best.
Main: in salt cooked cod (baccarat), with baked endive, tomatoes, olives and croutons. The acid of the tomatoes, the bitters of the endive, the velvety siltiness of the baccarat and a bit of oomph of the olive made this dish a match made in heaven! Avoid anything with strong pepper.
Desert: frozen pannacota of hazelnuts

With the right food pairing: 93/100

9/25/2019 - Rschot wrote:

Color: brown-bordeaux
Nose 1: medium-full
Nose 2: earthly, spices, pepper, oregano, tym, sour re fruits such as currant, a smoky note, cigar? After 30 minutes also roses. Delicate vanilla
Mouthfeel: quite present acids and tannins, strong structure but possibly past peak.
Length: long

100% Aglianico
14% vol

91/100 rating, drink between now and 2021.

9/10/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Pulled a bottle for my wine tasting group and served it with a stew of guanchiale. Decanted for 3~4 hours

One of the group noted anis, fennel, sigar box and tar notes. Interesting, as I always thought that to be the backbone taste of Nebbiolo, but never associated it with anis and fennel.

While still young, the wine is stellar and can still grow.

6/23/2019 - Rschot wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour. Medium garnet. Medium body. Medium tannins, medium alcohol, herbal (oregano, sage) and floral (roses) and fruit of sour cherries. A little bit of deposit. Medium length. Balanced and nice. Drink between now and 5 years. 91/100.

5/25/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Pop&poured from own cellar and let it breathe in glass for up to 3 hours.

Color: deep ruby/purple, but first signs of aging towards deep garnet.

First nose: full body, fruity, alcoholic, although not dominant.
Second nose: a bit of sweet&sour of ripe dark cherries with creamy vanilla ice. Some licorice and thyme notes.

Pallet: light burn of alcohol, more acidity than I expected, and more tannins. Not yet integrated. A bit tangy, as if the wine is in dormant stage. This softened after 3 hours.

It’s a proper wine, that needs time. I still have quite some bottles and suggest to try again in 2021. It’s too young now and has plenty of acidity, fruit and tannins for aging.

5/18/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Golden color. Creamy custard, vanilla and nutty nose. Slight woody tones. Medium to low acidity. There is a soft, but fresh and balanced sweetness to this wine. It is absolutely delicious and remarkable distinctive and original.

Tastend it as aperativo and enjoyed it especially with tapenade of mushrooms.

3/23/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Friends unexpectedly hopped by after dinner, so what better excuse to pull two bottles from my cellar. Second bottle 1 hour decant. Light sediment.

It's been a year since I opened one and it has developed more than I expected. there was much more cohesion than a year ago.

Color was light, pale garnet with a hint of ruby. On the nose I sensed acidity, rose and floral notes from violets and red berries. white pepper and hints of leather forming.

still grippy and astringent, but definitely softening compared to a year ago, aging faster than I expected.

Overall softening nicely and much more pleasant.

I would recommend to drink this with light red meats, like veal.

2/15/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

To temper the heat of spicy Indonesian dinner tonight, this lovely Lugana Riserva 2014 of Sergio Zenato.

Golden straw color. Cream, caramel, vanilla, lemon zest. So nice!

Take care of temperature. 13C might be just a bit much. 11C would be better.

I wonder how it will age further. I still have 3 bottles...

2/14/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Opened my case of Cresasso 2011 and pulled a bottle for dinner with my Valentine today. It’s delicious & brilliant!

Dark, black and red fruit, cranberry, cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla. Dissolved tannins, velvety texture. Medium length. Really impressed!

2/1/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Unexpected. I bought a case from the winery a year back and after a vertical tasting. I don’t recall the exact notes but I expected a fully developed wine. Instantly recognizable as a mature Taurasi.

My surprise was immediate. The cork looked as young as the wine: mint. As if it was bottled a week ago. The wine was fruity, acidic and still full of tannins. Is this a wine with 21 years under its belt? Since I expected a delicate wine, I pnp’d. It was, however, only after half an hour in the glass and with a steak Fiorentino that it slowly came to life.

I’m not sure what exactly happened. It was as if the bottle contained a wine 15 years younger. It could easily age another 10 years. Nothing like I remembered. It was still closed and stringent with little nose and medium-light body.

I drank half of the bottle and wonder how it develops overnight. And compare it with a 2013, as I suspect a labeling error.

Update: a day later I compared it to the 2013 (non Riserva) I bought at the same batch. It is not a labeling error. The 1998 did open up after a day of decanting (I would think the optimum is a few hours) and revealed its parfumes. It’s not a powerhouse but rather a delicate ballerina. Quite nice. I think it is at its peak or perhaps even slightly over, but will remain enjoyable for another few years if stored properly. It reminded me much of a light Barolo or Burgundy. It lacked the harsher notes of southern Aglianico wines. Quite amazing.

1/25/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Silky, very vanille forward, overpowering the fruit a bit. Very nice, nonetheless. Ready to drink between now and 2023.

Update 22/4/2019: took 2 glasses with coravin. Give it at least 30 minutes to breathe. It was binary befor and after 30 mins, from totally closed to a fragrant fruit bomb.

1/21/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

To celebrate the end of a 10-day sports fasting diet, which means that the senses are hyper sensitive. Pre-tasting for my first dinner since the diet: pappardelle with rage of braised veal cheek.

Notes:

Color: Dark and Deep bordeaux with a little red clay color.

Nose: ripe cherries, licorice, thyme, mint, rosemary black currants, sweet balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate. Very complex.

Taste: nearly port like. Pleasantly light sweetness and equally pleasant light, prickly heat is of alcohol and light acidity. Very smooth, silky tannins.

Length: long!

Rating: absolutely stunning, wowzers, 96/100!

Drink from now till 2024

1/6/2019 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Oh dear, delicious! Magnum served for Xmas dinner, roll of lamb. Double decanted for 2 hours. Dark and deep color, still Bordeaux color. Voluptuous nose and taste. Forgot to take further mental notes, other than that everyone agreed it was super nice!

1/6/2019 - Rschot Does not like this wine:

Past its prime. Brown-orange hue. Oxidated? Slight smell of sulfates, no fruit. Taste of cigaret buds. For that reason, glad that taste did not last long.

1/4/2019 - Rschot wrote:

Corked, shit happens.

12/15/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

For such a young Amarone it was delicious. The usual fruity tones of prunes, raisin etc were present and surprisingly a distinct taste of toffee. Taken with some hard cheese, olives and cold cut meat.
Not an Amarone for ages of cellaring, but nice nonetheless!

11/16/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Accidentally took note of the non-Riserva so this is a duplicate note:

This magnum 2000 Riserva was the WOTN at my daughter’s 18th birthday dinner party. Double decanted for 2 hours and than 1 hour of resting in bottle. Accompanied main course of game ragout. More tannic and fresh fruitiness than I expected. Could easily lasted another 5 years in cellar. Deep and layered complexity, tar & orange peel and the typical Nebbiolo scent what you will recognize instantly. Color is still deep, though fading towards the color of red brick. Powerful, yet nuanced and balanced wine. Just wow!

11/16/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

This magnum 2000 Riserva was the WOTN at my daughter’s 18th birthday dinner party. Double decanted for 2 hours and than 1 hour of resting in bottle. Accompanied main course of game ragout. More tannic and fresh fruitiness than I expected. Could easily lasted another 5 years in cellar. Deep and layered complexity, tar & orange peel and the typical Nebbiolo scent what you will recognize instantly. Color is still deep, though fading towards the color of red brick. Powerful, yet nuanced and balanced wine. Just wow!

11/16/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

This was one of the favorites of my daughter’s 18th birthday dinner party. Fruity, flowery honey sirup. Heavenly match for goat cheese, cheese in general and sweet fruity pastry. So glad I have more. Recommended!

11/17/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Well chilled and as welcoming drink at a party this was a better experience than my earlier note. Finally the flavors showed: fruitiness, apple, citrus and breadcrumb. Not a particularly long finish.

11/10/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Nice bottle to accompany home made pizza. First impression on the nose is bold. A bit like a Taurasi. Taste has a slight sweetness, like a Primitivo di Manduria. Still quite tannic, but only moderate acidity. Has perhaps another 3 years in it, before it will start fading. Nice, carries more weight than it’s price point would suggest.

11/10/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Drank this after dinner at a friend. It was a bit of a positieve surprise! Think nice Barolo with a bit of mirto liquor and Some bitter of quinine. Very nice, my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

11/9/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Surprisingly good at the price point. Light straw yellow tint. Fruity, yet refined. Nice acidity. Nutty, honey sweetness too. Cake. More taste than nose (due to drinking temperature?).

11/5/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Much like a Valpolicella. Decant. Slight smell of sulfites that faded by decanting. Eat with hard cheeses, salami or olives.

11/3/2018 - Rschot wrote:

Corked. Taste of mold wet towel, no fruit nor any desirable aftertaste. Pitty.

10/21/2018 - Rschot wrote:

Slight sweetness and secondary fermentation. I miss the minerality and a touch of petrol that a good Arneis can give. The sweetness is a bit annoying and other than that lacking depth and complexity. I still have three bottels to go and would not consider re-purchase.

10/20/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Opened two bottles at a friends dinner to accompany his slow cooked (BBQ) pulled pork. Very good match. The sangiovese cut through the smoked pork fat like a butter knife. Savory, works very well with anything with olives, tomato’s and cheese. Very enjoyable, glad I have some more!

Let the wine breath before drinking. Can easily last for another 5+ years.

10/20/2018 - Rschot wrote:

Ok bubbles. Tasted like green Granny Smith apples. Rather short taste. Missed the mark a bit. Eat with fresh salad or seafood. Did not cut through appetizers based on tomato’s and hummus.

10/17/2017 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Remarkably fresh, lively and fruity for a Chardonnay.

10/17/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Unlike most Valpolicella’s, this is a barrel aged, full body red. An ‘Amarone light’, if you wish. Delicious and recommended!

10/12/2018 - Rschot Likes this wine:

Tasted 1 glass with Coravin. Immediate nose of former Droste chocolate factory in Bussum, Netherlands. Bitter, dark chocolate, raisin, cherries, black pepper. Quite acidic and tannic. Give it a good breath. Delicious! 92/100