5/4/2024 - SteelyMon wrote:

3 hr slow ox in bottle. Cork perfect - zero sediment. Clear ruby color and muted nose. On palate the wine just seemed flat and lifeless. I have had many of these and last couple have just been off somehow. Do not think it is tainted or otherwise flawed. Possible a late dumb stage? Not sure I can see this wine coming back to where it was a year or two ago - which seems odd. Hoping next one proves me wrong.

4/26/2024 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Muted nose initially, opened quickly in glass, developed clear deep ruby color with modest fading on edges - velvety resolved tannins, as Tim H noted still no sign of tertiary notes - loads of fruit remaining - endless finish - good bit of sludge sediment - peak window but i will hold my remaining 2 bottles as it is a special wine holding strong and i think can still improve - 94+

3/27/2024 - SteelyMon wrote:

Drank alongside same bottle of 2004 Ratti Barolo Marcenasco which was fun. PnP for the 2004 versus a 6 hour decant on the 2016. This 2016 was drinking well with the air, lovely nose, resolving tannins, and long finish. Great to see how it will evolve and fully expect in 12 years it will come to the terrific place I found the 2004. Zero sediment. Light color, full body compared to the dark ruby softer 2004. 92 now - 95 in 12 years

3/27/2024 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Drank alongside bottle of 2016 Ratti Barolo Marcenasco which was fun to see the evolution. PnP versus a 6 hour decant on the 2016. This 2004 was just lovely, very clear dark ruby, somewhat muted nose but still plenty of fruit, long finish. Very well integrated as expected but structure remains to suggest it wont be in decline anytime soon. But why wait, it is drinking perfectly now. Virtually zero sediment. Full mouthfeel next to the much lighter youthful 2016. 95

3/4/2024 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Must say I have a much more favorable impression that others who commented. Pnp with dark ruby color, somewhat muted but balanced palate, not overly tannic for age, super easy going and great as an entry level Nardi. Not sure i would plan to age long term, but not going south anytime soon IMO. - 90

12/4/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Pnp - Cork Perfect - minimal sediment - dark and mature - stronger wood undertones - in perfect window to drink or hold with no sign this is done evolving. 92

12/2/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Prior bottle from same cellar and lot went down the drain. Eager to see if remaining 5 were spoiled so back to the well we go! pnp. Cork perfect, clear ruby, minimal sediment- beautiful floral nose - still quite dry on the palate, with muted fruit initially. Much improvement over 2 hrs in glass. Quite a beautiful wine in a good window. Tannin and structure remaining to age but why? Drink - 93

11/18/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Been on my radar to open. With trepidation, as this is from auction and have had poor experience from this particular cellar. Not surprisingly, cork was dry and essentially disintegrated. But! Not to worry as this beauty was in good shape and indeed, as per other recent comments, was best 1hr+ after open. That said, if I had more from this auction/cellar I would not wait for continued improvement, but for most who hold this wine from a reliable source, I would anticipate several more years of refinement ahead. Best to you all.

11/18/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Tried to make it work - port like and prune and not for me. Bought 6 at Auction - lot 10.155 - nice color, not drinkable for me. I suspect poor storage from previous owner. Cork, while not brittle, did break in half a little too easily for my liking. Not so sure the remaining 5 will every make it to the dining table here... too bad. $40/bottle was a hint I suppose.

11/6/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

3 hr decant - then got darker and fuller in the glass by hr 5. Cork perfect - zero sediment. Very nice with pre-Thanksgiving dinner - turkey and mushroom gravy - 92+

11/4/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Decent enough - not offensive but nothing special to be sure. Drink if you are waiting. 86

9/16/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Wow what a wine. No decant. Very little loose sediment, perfectly integrated with long finish, weighty mouthfeel. Hard to imagine a better wine could be in my cellar at this point. Anyone reading this is likely fortunate to have this gem. 96+

9/5/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Sawgrass nailed it - this (believe it or not) is my 16th bottle consumed of this wine. Was an original foundational purchase for my new cellar 3 yrs ago. it has officially turned the corner and super tasty with just a bit of air. Cherry and chocolate - right Sawgrass!

7/17/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Slight sherry nose blows off in 30 minutes. Cork perfect as always with Pio it seems - modest fine sediment - 2 decades makes for a bold and beautiful Barolo from Pio - drink up - 94

6/18/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Past drinkability window - down drain - bought from Auction so storage might have been questionable

6/2/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

This was the balance (90%) from a bottle I coravin'd last October - wine was cloudy and exhibited few of the wonderful characteristics I love with this wine. This bottle was borderline "flawed" - i believe due to my introduction of the argon/ trace O2 over 8 months ago. I plan to open the last of my stash of this soon to really get a feel.

5/22/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Wow - What a really nice wine that has aged beautifully since last bottle 2 yrs ago. PNP that evolved in glass over 2 hrs, with beautiful fruit, perfectly integrated fine tannins, smooth full mouthfeel, and long finish. Lucky to have 5 left! 95

5/8/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Much better shape than last bottle - Some bricking, slightly stewed nose, good clarity. Drink up if you are holding - comfortable saying it wont be getting any better - 90

4/18/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Star of the Night from 1.5L magnum. What a magnificent effort from one of my favorite producers. Should get better and I will hold for 5+ 98

4/18/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Simply amazing at this stage. Perfectly resolved tannins with incredible color and nose, and the longest finish. Hard to imagine it will improve and indeed I would be wary to hold much longer. Quite a bit better now than 1 yr ago 97

4/18/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Drink dont hold. Past by years, at least this bottle from Auction. Still consumed and most still enjoyed but vastly overshadowed by a 2004 of same wine. NR due to uncertainty of storage history

3/18/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Well, just OK - peaked or past compared to my last experience - not really the clarity would expect, almost murky - still enjoyable but drink up now - will open another soon to see how this is really doing. NR

2/26/2023 - SteelyMon wrote:

Cork perfect - zero sediment. Opened alongside a 2015 La Rasina "estate" bdm for comparative purposes. The estate wine was clear ruby, beautiful nose, full mouthfeel and silky long finish. This "Persante" was clumsy and somewhat cloudy, shallow nose and short finish. Always possible this Persante was a bad bottle. No scoring from me as I had a very favorable experience with earlier bottle.

2/25/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Cork perfect - modest sediment - 3 hr decant plenty. Opened alongside a 2015 La Rasina "Persante" bdm for comparative purposes. The estate wine was clear ruby, beautiful nose, full mouthfeel and silky long finish. The "Persante" was clumsy and somewhat cloudy, shallow nose and short finish. Always possible the Persante was a bad bottle - but buyer beware of this less common issue from La Rasina.

2/18/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

cork perfect - moderate sediment - 3.5 hr decant plenty - dark color with full mouthfeel - nice finish - well integrated and ready to roll. Big step in evolution as compared to my bottle last summer. 92

2/15/2023 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

5 hr decant then drank over 3 hrs with grilled ribeye mushroom gravy. Cork perfect, zero sediment. Very well integrated now and a fine wine which should continue to drink well for many years - 94

12/10/2022 - SteelyMon wrote:

Cork Perfect - super fine silty sediment so decant and pour off carefully for very dark and clear color. decanted 2 hrs was perfect. Heavy mouthfeel, very well integrated tannin/fruit, nice lingering finish. Not sure I would hold too much longer but should drink well for at least a few more years. 94+

11/20/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Decant 5 hrs - zero sediment - zero cork seepage. Though approachable (and enjoyable) after 1 hr there is notable improvement into 7th hour. Dramatic change in color to deeper garnet, beautiful clarity. Rose on nose strawberry on palate. Opened alongside a 2016 Renato Ratti Marcenasco. Both were just fantastic with the Pasta Puttanesca. We felt the Ratti was in better shape for drinking now, but just barely. Vietti had better structure for aging perhaps. Both singing now and will improve over many yrs

11/20/2022 - SteelyMon wrote:

Decant 5 hrs - zero sediment - zero cork seepage. Though approachable (and enjoyable) after 1 hr there is notable improvement into 7th hour. Dramatic change in color to deeper ruby, beautiful clarity. Rose on nose strawberry on palate. Opened alongside a 2016 Vietti Castiglone. Both were just fantastic with the Pasta Puttanesca. We felt the Ratti was in better shape for drinking now, but just barely. Vietti had better structure for aging perhaps. Both singing now and will improve over many yrs

11/13/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

4+ hr decant - with grilled skirt steak. For a change we drank alongside 2 Napa Cabs. While Napa held down the pre dinner Charcuterie - most of us gravitated to this during main course, pairing perfectly with the fare. Still young, but enjoyable bordering dynamic. This bottle continues to evolve nicely and really deserves many more years. With over a case left in cellar, several more will be sacrificed before this wine is anywhere near peak - 94

11/13/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

2 hr decant -zero cork bleed - no sediment - well integrated and balanced, but perhaps a bit boring - 89

11/13/2022 - SteelyMon wrote:

2 hr decant - a touch of cork bleed - no sediment - well integrated - earth undertones - 92

11/6/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Overbearing at opening, settled nicely after 2 hr decant - better after 4 hrs. Cork perfect - zero sediment. Will age well for a few more yrs certainly. 91

11/6/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

4 hr decant - drinking well now 92 - zero cork seepage - zero sediment, perfect pairing for homemade PICI pasta traditional Tuscan recipe

11/6/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

4 hr decant - drinking well now 92 - slight cork seepage - modest sediment perfect pairing for homemade PICI pasta traditional Tuscan recipe

10/22/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Foil was popped up a bit and as expected moderate seepage was noted. Poured glass AND concurrently coravined glass from another bottle for comparison. Some initial buzziness on bottle #1 that mellowed after 2 hrs, when both pours were about the same. Clearly bottle #1 was showing a bit more "maturity" and thankful it was my pull, not sure how long it would age. A beautiful wine and hope my last couple dont have cork issues.. 94

10/14/2022 - SteelyMon wrote:

flawed - bought at auction - cork disintegrated

7/18/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

95 - Only because we opened 2 bottles and decanted both for 4 hrs. First bottle perfectly paired with grilled ribeye, and warranted a 92. 2nd bottle I FORGOT to pour (somehow), and it sat open overnight, uncorked and unpumped. Next evening it was SPECTACULAR, with soft full mouthfeel and ultra long finish. Perfectly balanced and what a treat. I can only image how well this will age. 95+ after 24 hrs of air.

7/4/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Somewhat surprised it has evolved into one of my very fav 2015 bdm over many reserves i have cellared - 92+ - modest crystalline sediment- pnp - best at 2 hrs. really great qpr.

6/27/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

1 hr decant - Seems to have firmly entered its drinking window. Well integrated, lively with light red fruit - cherry - nice finish. Glad I have 8 more! Should age gracefully.

6/2/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Clearly relaxed from last bottle 16 months ago. Soft and easy pnp. Great value and ready to go - with grilled skirt steak. 90

4/21/2022 - SteelyMon wrote:

Drank alongside same bottle of 2013 for fun and comparison. Pnp the 2004, and 4 hr decant the 2013. This 2004 is indeed past peak but is in no way undrinkable. Just muted a bit and need to be consumed now, do not hold. The 2013 was less integrated as would be expected, but notably fresher and should improve for a few more years, but not a great Bdm IMO.

4/4/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Drinking well now with 4 hr decant - no sediment - long finish - 92

3/30/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Drinking beautifully now, needed all of the 4 hr decant. No sediment. Opened alongside 2016 Pio Barolo just for kicks. The 2016 was more approachable early, but with air, was soon and clearly surpassed in complexity and balance by this 2004. Mediterranean themed lamb shank dinner perfect pairing.

2/20/2022 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Decanted for 3 hrs and was convinced it was somehow tainted. Coravined a 2nd bottle, and it was fantastic, so pnp it it figuring the first was a throwaway. WIthin 2 hrs could not distinguish between the 2, and both showed very well. Strange but enjoyable experience with a really great wine. 94

12/4/2021 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

What a pleasant surprise how much this beauty has evolved since my last bottle early 2021. 2 hrs air, soft tannins, full mouthfeel, with long silky finish. Very interested to see if others agree (Max Satisfaction?). First of my 2015 BdM to really wake up and show its stuff. 93

12/1/2021 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

pnp - tight and bright. Give it 2 hrs air or 2 yrs on its side! 90

11/26/2021 - SteelyMon Likes this wine:

Very Nice - a bit tight upon opening - 1+hrs air a must.

11/26/2021 - SteelyMon wrote:

Great with T-Day feast. Notable improvement after 1+ hours air.

11/6/2021 - SteelyMon wrote:

Most all my BdM are younger so was a treat to enjoy a more integrated and mature expression of my favorite varietal. Needed the 2 hour decant and continued to evolve over next 2-3 hours. Quite sure this will continue to improve over many years but drinking so well now. We noted the cork was remarkably soft and supple, but no seepage or streaking stain at all. Some sediment. Pretty sure those with lesser ratings had the wrong food pairing - that's the only possible explanation! 95