Many CellarTracker notes mention how dark the wine is; even so, I'm surprised. Looks almost like tawny port, but don't take that to mean that this wine is dead. It's not! What a fabulous nose- savory, spiced oranges, smoky, mineral, saline, toffee, mixed nuts. Someone at dinner mentioned paprika and aleppo peppers on the nose; she's not wrong. So much going on here. So fresh and alive in the mouth. There is a little oxidation, sure, but to my palate this is nowhere near getting tired or over the hill. There is refreshing acidity and a bit of tannins to keep it lively and enjoyable. This is not a wine about fruit, this is a wine of texture and complexity; wax, nuttiness, mushroom, mineral, some leather, dried oranges, a bit of saltiness. It's a wild ride, but does not veer into funky or dirty. There were a few casual wine drinkers at dinner tonight that I was worried would be turned off, but they loved this. The wine-nerds loved this. An all around hit. Beautiful, complex, alive.
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Opened about two hours before dinner, then drunk over dinner with friends, no TN. The color is very dark, so much that at first I thought it was over the hill and completely oxidised. Not at all: the nose was so clean and elegant, and the palate silky, deep and complex. This was wonderful and just a joy to drink.
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4 hour slo-o. Gorgeous honey orange hue. Fabulous purity on a marvelously balanced palate. There is depth and finesse with each sip followed by a lengthy soulful finish.
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The color on this seems deeper than I remember from a bottle drunk two years ago. This still has notes of tangerine and apricot, with some yeasty nuttiness in the background, but it has become more cidery and sour, and the acidity is becoming pronounced. This may be passing its prime at this point.
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Floral and sweet on the nose, but tasted dry with nice, rounded tannin. Comparable to dried elderflowers. A nice surprise! Held up well to all kinds of food, including sweet treats like dark chocolate covered salted caramel.
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no score but i didn't care for my second bottle of this. it just tasted like wine that was past it's prime. it was weird, maybe a little interesting, but didn't particularly taste good. it tasted like diluted sherry.
i'll markk this up to bad bottle, although the cork looked fine and it didnt smell corked. but ya, not feeling it this time.
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What a bottle of wine! Drinking absolutely beautifully right now. It opened with autumn leaves but with air developed into baking spice, savory apricot and apple skin. Incredibly elegant, unique, and deeply resonant.
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Absolutely stunning, surprisingly elegant, thought provoking as expected with impressive tannin and structure, especially in a 13yo white blend. In a very pretty place right now, glad I have another bottle.
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a little tired but also so darn pretty. acid is fairly tame but the floral play here is lovely. oxidized white with very nice balance. lovely especially with a serious chill.
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Not quite as expressive as my previous bottles, but still very nice and unique. The fruit wasn't there, but the texture and secondary and tertiary notes came through nicely.
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This is very cerebral because there’s a lot going on. This drank best after being uncorked for 2 hours. Lots of flavors on the palate: it starts with Rosé-like grapefruit and sherry flavors, which are then followed by chestnut, burnt caramel, golden raisin, very nice strong sea air, wet dirt, apple cider funk, occasional strawberry, orange, and peach (with all the sugar sucked out). I tasted it over three days and each day was a little different. The tannins are soft, but still leave a nice drying sensation in your mouth.
The wine has the weight of a red wine. The Italian Wine Merchants talk about Gravner’s “trademark psychedelic palate” and I can see what they mean: this is a wine that challenges your expectations. There is peach flavor, but with drying tannins intead of sweet sensations; there are mushroom flavors and grapefruit flavors at the same time; there is sherry and port flavors, but it’s not fortified or sweet; there is red-wine body, with white wine acidity; there are bitter tannins (especially on day 2) with white wine flavors. Overall, really nice. Some of these contrasts are nice, but some aren’t (way too bitter on day 2).
To be honest, I wanted to like this wine more than I did, especially after liking Radikon’s orange wine so much. I’m glad I tried it, but I don't feel the need to rush out and get lots more.
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Tangerine and a yeasty note on the nose. On the palate, delicate flavors of apricot, peach, nuts/yeast, white tea, cider, and orange rind, with moderate acidity on the medium finish. This is complex, interesting, and unusual, and it seems to be mature and ready to drink. The value is very good to excellent at around $45.
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Deep orange color. When these wines are young the fruit seems to taste incongruously fresh relative to the color, but at this age it has caught up and the flavors are deep and not especially fruity either. There is also a touch of fino sherry character to it. It does better as it warms up and probably would have been better still with a few hours' more air. As it stands it was okay playing the role of a wine with some depth when red wine just won't do, but standing on its own I can't say I like it at this age better than I did on release.
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Opened yesterday. Today it's drinking beautifully. Drinking it in Gravner's own hand-blown goblet/glass. Super soft with the lightest, tightest acidity. Butterscotch, cream, almondy bitterness. Slight oxidation is more on the nose. There's no way I can stop myself from drinking the entire bottle tonight.
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This wasn't showing much, and was hard to judge. Certainly a fine wine, and with a pleasant, classy oxidation, and almond and marine notes, but it wasn't showing much depth or exuberance, and maybe something one has to spend time with.
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Similarly wonderful experience as my last bottle. Incredible color of copper, almost like blood orange juice. Notes of apricot, bearded iris, sweet spices, and a flutter of mint. Wonderful acidity and tannin structure.
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Sydney Italian Wine Festival - Friuli Masterclass: Golden orange colour. Coconut, sea spray, almond and some perfumed florals. Saline and really quite brilliant palate - almost impossible brightness considering the richness and texture. Long and really inspirational wine.
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Wonderfully unique wine that is difficult to describe because of it's utterly amazing individuality. Beautiful copper color. Elegant and complex with notes of golden raisin, flowers, warm brown spices, and a savory minerality that all come together for a very special wine drinking experience.
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Crazy copper/rose color. Unique nose of sweet roses, apricots and tea leaves. An oily, viscous texture and made in a slightly oxidative style with interesting flavors of orange rind, rose petals, tea and ether. Finishes very grippy and dry with fresh acidity and subtle complexity with notes of dried herbs and spices and what feels like an almost tannic persistence. Best to let this breathe and serve on the warmer side so as to pick up the delicate floral notes. I think this will benefit from more time in bottle. 90+
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Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity. Well balanced with a real silkiness on the palate along with tones of roasted herbs, roses, cherries, roasted almonds, and some melons as well.
Overall: Yet another beautiful Breg Anfora. It's wines like these that make me love Gravner. They bring a lot of intrigue while being just really good.
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Acker BYO (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): nose: very complex and fragrant nose filled with tones of allspice, berries, red florals, roasted herbs and bits of almonds as well. There is an uplifting quality to the nose with very good depth as well.
taste: medium/full bodied with tart medium+ acidity. The acidity is noticeable along with really good tones of allspice, navel oranges, berries, and roasted herbs.
overall: this was one of the more interesting wines I've had. Shows the idiosyncrasy of Gravner. There was a nebbiolo-like quality to the wine and I could see where Galloni said that this is what nebbiolo in a white wine would be like.
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Acker BYO (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): Fantasticly complex and nuanced wine. Nose had herb butter, floral, almond, and orange notes - made for a really exotic perfume. Its palate was firm with vanilla, earth, peach and a subtle smokiness. Keith and I were talking about Galloni's take on Gravner ("if Barolo were a white, this is what it would taste like") and both of us agreed with him - very nuanced and layered wine with lots going on.
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This is superb. Gorgeous honey orange hue. Fbaulously pure and balanced with a monster finish. Not a wine for everyone. It is my understanding that 2005 will be the last vintage of Breg and he will only make Ribolla Gialla going forward. A wine with soul.
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Caratello tasting: "Tre stelle" (Zurich): Nose mostly on Pinot Gris notes, quite rich and spicy, well matched by the underlying oxydative note. The palate starts quite dry and austere, then it expands and closes on a slightly bitter note. Beautiful.
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This is a strange wine, unlike anything else I know. Color is orange, like a really old TBA or Sauternes, and it exudes notes of strawberries and earth. It's bone dry, with fine balance and acidity, and a very clean texture. It has Sherry-like notes of wood and a very slight oxidative style. We had it with some calamari and a goat's meat terrine, which are probably not the best match for this wine. I would pair it with something rich and creamy instead. Can be drunk now and probably age forever, though I have no clue which way it will go.
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2/3/2024 - NoahCap wrote:
Many CellarTracker notes mention how dark the wine is; even so, I'm surprised. Looks almost like tawny port, but don't take that to mean that this wine is dead. It's not! What a fabulous nose- savory, spiced oranges, smoky, mineral, saline, toffee, mixed nuts. Someone at dinner mentioned paprika and aleppo peppers on the nose; she's not wrong. So much going on here. So fresh and alive in the mouth. There is a little oxidation, sure, but to my palate this is nowhere near getting tired or over the hill. There is refreshing acidity and a bit of tannins to keep it lively and enjoyable. This is not a wine about fruit, this is a wine of texture and complexity; wax, nuttiness, mushroom, mineral, some leather, dried oranges, a bit of saltiness. It's a wild ride, but does not veer into funky or dirty. There were a few casual wine drinkers at dinner tonight that I was worried would be turned off, but they loved this. The wine-nerds loved this. An all around hit. Beautiful, complex, alive.
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1/21/2023 - gilrbo Likes this wine:
Opened about two hours before dinner, then drunk over dinner with friends, no TN.
The color is very dark, so much that at first I thought it was over the hill and completely oxidised. Not at all: the nose was so clean and elegant, and the palate silky, deep and complex. This was wonderful and just a joy to drink.
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12/4/2022 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
darker orange than expected
an interesting combination with asparagus appetizer and some cheese
definitely not the worn at vine taster brown bag event
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11/10/2020 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
4 hour slo-o. Gorgeous honey orange hue. Fabulous purity on a marvelously balanced palate. There is depth and finesse with each sip followed by a lengthy soulful finish.
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4/5/2020 - BBerzin wrote:
Time to drink up my remaining bottles
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7/14/2019 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
The color on this seems deeper than I remember from a bottle drunk two years ago. This still has notes of tangerine and apricot, with some yeasty nuttiness in the background, but it has become more cidery and sour, and the acidity is becoming pronounced. This may be passing its prime at this point.
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7/13/2019 - cma82 wrote: 80 Points
Seemed like this bottle was off. Was muted compared to other bottles I’ve had.
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5/17/2019 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar experience to my bottle back on 3/2/18.
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3/3/2019 - mike l. Likes this wine: 89 Points
last bottle was very good and intriguing. (i think the middle bottle was actually just a bit corked in retrospect).
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12/5/2018 - PebbleMi wrote: 97 Points
Floral and sweet on the nose, but tasted dry with nice, rounded tannin. Comparable to dried elderflowers. A nice surprise! Held up well to all kinds of food, including sweet treats like dark chocolate covered salted caramel.
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9/9/2018 - mike l. Does not like this wine: 80 Points
no score but i didn't care for my second bottle of this. it just tasted like wine that was past it's prime. it was weird, maybe a little interesting, but didn't particularly taste good. it tasted like diluted sherry.
i'll markk this up to bad bottle, although the cork looked fine and it didnt smell corked. but ya, not feeling it this time.
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8/26/2018 - CADomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a bottle of wine!
Drinking absolutely beautifully right now. It opened with autumn leaves but with air developed into baking spice, savory apricot and apple skin. Incredibly elegant, unique, and deeply resonant.
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5/18/2018 - ggiere Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely stunning, surprisingly elegant, thought provoking as expected with impressive tannin and structure, especially in a 13yo white blend. In a very pretty place right now, glad I have another bottle.
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5/4/2018 - mike l. Likes this wine: 88 Points
a little tired but also so darn pretty. acid is fairly tame but the floral play here is lovely. oxidized white with very nice balance. lovely especially with a serious chill.
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3/2/2018 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not quite as expressive as my previous bottles, but still very nice and unique. The fruit wasn't there, but the texture and secondary and tertiary notes came through nicely.
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1/30/2018 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
This continues to fire on all cylinders. Simply a gorgeous wine.
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11/3/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Goes Italian (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. I thought this Italian based on acid profile, but found it so simple despite its unctuous texture. Some people liked this, I was perplexed.
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6/18/2017 - jkscully Likes this wine:
This is very cerebral because there’s a lot going on. This drank best after being uncorked for 2 hours. Lots of flavors on the palate: it starts with Rosé-like grapefruit and sherry flavors, which are then followed by chestnut, burnt caramel, golden raisin, very nice strong sea air, wet dirt, apple cider funk, occasional strawberry, orange, and peach (with all the sugar sucked out). I tasted it over three days and each day was a little different. The tannins are soft, but still leave a nice drying sensation in your mouth.
The wine has the weight of a red wine. The Italian Wine Merchants talk about Gravner’s “trademark psychedelic palate” and I can see what they mean: this is a wine that challenges your expectations. There is peach flavor, but with drying tannins intead of sweet sensations; there are mushroom flavors and grapefruit flavors at the same time; there is sherry and port flavors, but it’s not fortified or sweet; there is red-wine body, with white wine acidity; there are bitter tannins (especially on day 2) with white wine flavors. Overall, really nice. Some of these contrasts are nice, but some aren’t (way too bitter on day 2).
To be honest, I wanted to like this wine more than I did, especially after liking Radikon’s orange wine so much. I’m glad I tried it, but I don't feel the need to rush out and get lots more.
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6/11/2017 - RichardP wrote: 91 Points
Tangerine and a yeasty note on the nose. On the palate, delicate flavors of apricot, peach, nuts/yeast, white tea, cider, and orange rind, with moderate acidity on the medium finish. This is complex, interesting, and unusual, and it seems to be mature and ready to drink. The value is very good to excellent at around $45.
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2/9/2017 - CADomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great. Showing a little prettier and a touch more fruit than my last bottle. Love this wine.
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6/14/2016 - Ilker Ozdemir Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fully mature #breg #gravner #2005 peach jam,sweet spices,almond,sage,honeysuckle,baked quince,nigella on the nose...Perfumy and complex.Still dense and fresh.Very well balanced medium+ finish...#orangewine #friuliveneziagiulia #amphora #wine #winelover #winelovers #vino #amber #natural
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4/11/2016 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 86 Points
Deep orange color. When these wines are young the fruit seems to taste incongruously fresh relative to the color, but at this age it has caught up and the flavors are deep and not especially fruity either. There is also a touch of fino sherry character to it. It does better as it warms up and probably would have been better still with a few hours' more air. As it stands it was okay playing the role of a wine with some depth when red wine just won't do, but standing on its own I can't say I like it at this age better than I did on release.
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12/22/2015 - amorell wrote: 99 Points
Opened yesterday. Today it's drinking beautifully. Drinking it in Gravner's own hand-blown goblet/glass. Super soft with the lightest, tightest acidity. Butterscotch, cream, almondy bitterness. Slight oxidation is more on the nose. There's no way I can stop myself from drinking the entire bottle tonight.
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7/5/2015 - yofog wrote:
This wasn't showing much, and was hard to judge. Certainly a fine wine, and with a pleasant, classy oxidation, and almond and marine notes, but it wasn't showing much depth or exuberance, and maybe something one has to spend time with.
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3/29/2015 - CADomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similarly wonderful experience as my last bottle. Incredible color of copper, almost like blood orange juice. Notes of apricot, bearded iris, sweet spices, and a flutter of mint. Wonderful acidity and tannin structure.
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3/26/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 95 Points
earth and orange
went perfect with grilled artichokes
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11/10/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Sydney Italian Wine Festival - Friuli Masterclass: Golden orange colour. Coconut, sea spray, almond and some perfumed florals. Saline and really quite brilliant palate - almost impossible brightness considering the richness and texture. Long and really inspirational wine.
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10/3/2013 - CADomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully unique wine that is difficult to describe because of it's utterly amazing individuality. Beautiful copper color. Elegant and complex with notes of golden raisin, flowers, warm brown spices, and a savory minerality that all come together for a very special wine drinking experience.
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9/2/2013 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
tasted terrific the first day and even better the second
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7/4/2013 - amorell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Can't wait to open a bottle a few more years down the road. Once again I was surprised by the simultaneous softness and structure of a Gravner white.
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4/20/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: flawed
Celebrating Cobb's birthday (Phil's place, Chicago IL): Something was off on this wine. It never really opened up and it was very disjointed on the palate.
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2/2/2013 - lumpyelbow wrote:
LCBO Tasting: Super dry, oxidized and reminiscent of Sherry.
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1/27/2013 - dream Likes this wine: 90 Points
Crazy copper/rose color. Unique nose of sweet roses, apricots and tea leaves. An oily, viscous texture and made in a slightly oxidative style with interesting flavors of orange rind, rose petals, tea and ether. Finishes very grippy and dry with fresh acidity and subtle complexity with notes of dried herbs and spices and what feels like an almost tannic persistence. Best to let this breathe and serve on the warmer side so as to pick up the delicate floral notes. I think this will benefit from more time in bottle. 90+
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1/12/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
David White comes to town (Domaine Wine Storage and Sun-Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: Quixotic and beautiful nose filled with tones of White fruits, allspice, cherries, roasted herbs, roses, and some roasted almonds. There is a real expression to this to go with it's uniqueness.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity. Well balanced with a real silkiness on the palate along with tones of roasted herbs, roses, cherries, roasted almonds, and some melons as well.
Overall: Yet another beautiful Breg Anfora. It's wines like these that make me love Gravner. They bring a lot of intrigue while being just really good.
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1/12/2013 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Saturday with David White (Domaine Wine Storage & Sun Wah - Chicago, IL): Another strong showing. Great richness without being heavy and a dizzying melange of floral, melon, and truffle. Love this stuff.
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10/17/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Acker BYO (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): nose: very complex and fragrant nose filled with tones of allspice, berries, red florals, roasted herbs and bits of almonds as well. There is an uplifting quality to the nose with very good depth as well.
taste: medium/full bodied with tart medium+ acidity. The acidity is noticeable along with really good tones of allspice, navel oranges, berries, and roasted herbs.
overall: this was one of the more interesting wines I've had. Shows the idiosyncrasy of Gravner. There was a nebbiolo-like quality to the wine and I could see where Galloni said that this is what nebbiolo in a white wine would be like.
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10/17/2012 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Acker BYO (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): Fantasticly complex and nuanced wine. Nose had herb butter, floral, almond, and orange notes - made for a really exotic perfume. Its palate was firm with vanilla, earth, peach and a subtle smokiness. Keith and I were talking about Galloni's take on Gravner ("if Barolo were a white, this is what it would taste like") and both of us agreed with him - very nuanced and layered wine with lots going on.
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9/27/2012 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
This is superb. Gorgeous honey orange hue. Fbaulously pure and balanced with a monster finish. Not a wine for everyone. It is my understanding that 2005 will be the last vintage of Breg and he will only make Ribolla Gialla going forward. A wine with soul.
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9/3/2012 - gilrbo Likes this wine:
Caratello tasting: "Tre stelle" (Zurich): Nose mostly on Pinot Gris notes, quite rich and spicy, well matched by the underlying oxydative note. The palate starts quite dry and austere, then it expands and closes on a slightly bitter note. Beautiful.
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8/28/2012 - Rani wrote: 91 Points
This is a strange wine, unlike anything else I know. Color is orange, like a really old TBA or Sauternes, and it exudes notes of strawberries and earth. It's bone dry, with fine balance and acidity, and a very clean texture. It has Sherry-like notes of wood and a very slight oxidative style. We had it with some calamari and a goat's meat terrine, which are probably not the best match for this wine. I would pair it with something rich and creamy instead. Can be drunk now and probably age forever, though I have no clue which way it will go.
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