April 27, 2024 - SangioFest, Volume III "It's my favourite spot" (Chicago, IL): This was actually my favourite of the Soldera wines, despite the relatively lower level of this wine. Intense and structural, with a fruit profile that veers far more red than black, unlike the 1995 and 1998 -- that's perhaps why this wine, even though it's less complex and concentrated, appealed to me more. There's definitely some stern structure here still needing to be resolved, but coupled with the floral perfume here, this is one compelling wine.
June 22, 2020 - not as good as many of the bottles I've had over the last 6 years... so I guess perhaps am OK that this was my last bottle... still this has been an exceptional wine and I've got some other vintages in house... tragic that the four or five vintages went down the drain at the hands of a vandal in 2012... amazing / sad story for the industry (which already has many amazing true stories... Wine and War, Billionaires Vinegar, Tangled Vines, Judgement of Paris...)
December 20, 2019 - X-Mas Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Gabriel Gold
Tasted blind. Decanted. Clear, pale intensity, garnet color. Clean, medium+ intense, developing nose. Very complex, undergrowth, soil, red fruit, some barn. Pinot?
On the palate dry, high, perfectly integrated acidity, 13% abv, medium+, ripe tannin. Deep, juicy red fruit. Silky texture, great, lingering length. Wonderful, amazing wine with great potential. So pleased to taste this very rare wine! 94-95+
October 1, 2019 - Dinner at Volare. BYO bottle. Drank in Gabriel Standart and then Grassl Cru.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose medium+ intensity, with a wonderful bouquet of mushrooms, earth, undergrowth, pure red cherries, red plum, leather, tea leaves, autumn leaves. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (13%), melting medium tannins, medium body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of penetrating pure red cherries, strawberry juice, red plum, spice, licorice, old earth. Slightly clipped medium+ finish.
Outstanding quality in terms of aromatics and that silky elegant mouth-feel. Oh yes, and that pure red cherry essence of fruit.
Early maturing bottle of wine indeed. Drink up and savour the enjoyment in the bottle.
Apparently this is the entire production from the Case Basse vineyard in 2005 but declassified to IGT and bottled with reduced cask ageing of only 32 months. The wine made from the other Inistieti vineyard was subsequently released as the 2005 Riserva.
July 7, 2019 - Very nicely balanced, almost Burgundy-like in weight and mouth feel. However, I wasn't getting much complexity out of this. Bad bottle? Or as he predicted, early maturing?
May 8, 2019 - Not the best bottle, but still quite impressive. Popped 'n poured. Open and approachable, with a sweet nose of orange rinds, cranberry and cherry. Complex flavor profile of dark cherry, leather, tea and cranberry. Took on some weight with air. A touch astringent on the finish.
April 20, 2019 - for pleasure 95, for depth 93. The soldera style in a slightly smaller frame, with red fruit, meaty, herbs aroma and flavor together in an elegant package.
March 26, 2019 - A mature nose, mainly dried plum and sweet red fruit intermixed with sour cherry. A bit singular with medium- finish, more Burgundian than many Brunellos out there. Very pleasurable for drinking now.
February 21, 2019 - The elegance and beauty of Soldera is evident as compared to many other Brunello that were served at this dinner.
February 3, 2019 - Quelle complexité au nez ! Du fruit, des fleurs, du balsamique, du tabac blond, des notes animales. On ne s'en lasse pas, on y revient encore et encore le vin ne faisant que gagner à l'aération.
L'attaque est enveloppante conjuguant matière agile, texture de soie et présence. Le vin passe comme un voile c'est superbe.
La fin de bouche marque un peu le pas en terme de densité mais la persistance est très bonne.