February 3, 2023 - La Festa del Barolo: Gala Dinner (The Pool in NYC): Leave it to the Tuscan king to bring Sangiovese to the Barolo dinner…. And yet it was quite fun to try. This is drinking well too but my goodness is it young. From a magnum. For sure a more hardy style of wine, lots of drying tannin, some fruits. This will have a very long life I suspect. Give it many more years.
April 11, 2021 - Red fruit (cherry, slight raspberry), spice, slight tobacco, floral, nice bright acidity. Lingering finish. Really enjoyable.
October 24, 2018 - Dark fruit (cherry), tobacco, slight herbal, slight leather, earth, good acidity, slight balsamic note?, lingering finish. Better with 3 hours of air. A little sour at first.
August 24, 2018 - From 1.5L. My note from more than four years ago had me worried that this bottle might not perform, so I brought a backup, but there was certainly no reason for that! Young and primary, with years ahead of it. This is Sangiovese at its best, and would easily eclipse most Brunello from the same vintage. The classic Montevertine purity of fruit and high(er)-altitude tones were a pleasure. I didn't decant it, a decision with which I agree even in hindsight.
January 28, 2018 - The '98 Il Sodaccio from Montevertine is showing a beautifully mature bouquet with notes of dried cherry, strawberry and plum, crushed fall leaves, undergrowth and hints of animal musk. On the palate, I found lean acid-driven textures with tart cherry, minerals and notes of bitter herbs. The finish was long with cheek-puckering acid, minerals and dried ones floral tones.
April 9, 2016 - Red fruit (cherry), slight leather, tobacco, nice spice. Good acidity. Lingering finish. 30-45 seconds. Really enjoyable. Great Sangiovese.
May 17, 2014 - My first exposure to this now-defunct single-vineyard bottling. Compared with the 1998 Riserva, I found this to be leaner and more acid-driven. Earth, dusty cherry, vanilla—Montevertine's usual feminine take on the classic Sangiovese profile. In the mouth, sweet cherry, grainy tannins, and a bittersweet chocolate finish. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't stop comparing it to the 1998 Riserva and feeling that it didn't quite measure up. Drink now. Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
October 31, 2010 - Corked.
August 20, 2006 - Not bad this time. Enjoyed by Marc and Ben Nelson.
October 16, 2005 - Drank at Tuscan wine tasting at Ciao Bella restaurant. I loved the label on this one (looks like a sepia-toned Italian book). The wine was excellent, with hints of cinnamon, black cherry, and a little pepper. A great wine for $28 and one I would definitely choose again.