September 20, 2021 - Garagiste selection @ $10! ABV 13.5%
Color: brilliant deep dark purple.
Nose: Intense! Gobs of dark fruit and flowers! Still has its unique violet aroma with some green vegetal notes
Body/flavor: full body; Mouth-filling! Spicy, dark fruit and flowers. Well-balanced; still tannic
Aftertaste: Lingering
Lacrima di Morro d'Alba continues to amaze me.
January 3, 2021 - I think I prefer this wine younger and when it's got a more interesting and captivating nose. This bottle was less interesting than the last. More just "purple" and a bit jammy compared to its earlier floral and distinct fruitiness.
September 4, 2020 - Bought 4b for 10/b from Garagiste 4.5 years ago; this is #3. Solid cork. Decanted with light sediment for its age. Inky purple; dark berry nose, hint of licorice, that follow on the palate, very good mouthfeel; some persistence. Delicious, semi-complex from this unfamiliar grape, glad to have more and would buy again. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
August 29, 2020 - No detailed notes.
Just enough to note that the floral nose, dominated by rose petals, remains present, while largely relaxed.
Similarly, the floral element is present on the palate, but really the wine has integrated rather nicely and the potpourri aspect that some might find off-putting is now largely taking a back seat to the purple fruits.
While I really enjoyed the youthful exuberance and unique flavor profile that the wine presented previously, I can see where the wine might now have broader appeal.
Either Drink Now, or Hold and let me know what it tastes like later...
August 27, 2020 - This wine continues to evolve and as mentioned in Oct. '19 has shed the intense floral nose. Notes similar to Oct. '19 but this time less "slathered" with the fruit staying lifted even though it's dark fruits and it is now bringing the funk in a good way. Loving this at $10! It's a fun, pleasurable wine, but is not generic.
November 8, 2019 - 3rd day - still redolent of rose centric potpourri on the nose.
The palate remains similar, if anything the wine has gained weight in the last couple of years, coming across as much closer to full bodied with nicely resolved tannins and juicy acid.
The palate remains floral first, tasting of flower petals and macerated berries. There is a pleasant bitterness from the floral notes that play counterpoint to the dark berries. This is still a polarizing wine, yet all the more precious for that. While there is still plenty of acid, I’m not sure what the future holds. I’d love to know if someone has experience with more aged versions of this wine, as it tastes great now.
October 21, 2019 - I didn't understand what this wine is supposed to taste like when I first opened it, so I let it sit a full day. It was definitely better after a day, but now I understand: very 'floral' on the palate (not just the nose), in a kind of fermented petals kind of way. I have two bottles left; I'm going to serve them with pizza, because I think this wine would be good in the way a Gragnano is great with pizza. I did not at all like this wine on its own, even sipping it between bites during dinner. Definitely a particular/peculiar taste.
October 10, 2019 - Drinking better than prior bottles in 2016 and 2017. The overly expressive floral nose has integrated and we've got a wine that is deep and dark, juicy and soft. At times this reminded me of ripe Syrah with some minerality, but more "slathered".
August 9, 2019 - This went over quite well at the office happy hour.
April 18, 2019 - Fantastic QPR