This has changed significantly since I last had it a 1-2 years ago. I recall enjoying it more then and, at that time, would have said it was the best Merlot - from anywhere- that I've had at this price or lower.
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This has become heavier and more brooding over the years since I bought a case of this. Not the last word in complexity but it holds its own and has a measure of balance, assertiveness and expression, with burned leather tones and a light sweetness. My 2nd last bottle. This is a useful wine at the price.
This was a very different wine on the 2nd day - more brooding, much lower acidity and it felt surprisingly like a tired Bordeaux from an old vintage - like 20 years old or more; weird really. Still drinking ok, but it lost quite a bit of fruit.
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Chalkiness dies down after being open for about 20 minutes. Briars blackberry. Went pretty well with red sauce and cod. Wife says it goes well with a fig cookie.
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Strong bite. Has berry, vanilla, cherry notes, but they are overpowered by the bite of the wine. Might be better if open overnight and drunk the next day.
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Slightly translucent magenta. Blueberry, nutmeg, and lifesaver nose. Light to medium bodied, piercing cherries, lots of dusty tannins, sage, smoke, tobacco, and a medium finish. A pretty serious merlot for the price.
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Showing so well right now. Medium-bodied, a slightly dry, chalky finish. This is pretty composed and satisfying - one can't ask for much more at a price-point like this; a great buy and doesn't disappoint. 91pts+
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The cork had a bit of taint and the wine seemed off. Opened a second bottle which seemed more in balance. A very light style of merlot. A bit rustic with some leather and mushroom. Forest floor. Much better with food. Not an easy wine to drink on its own. Worth the $$ but not sure I will come back.
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I think many reviewers on CT, having little experience with pro rated 100pt wines, have little basis for the 100pt scale and would do better with a 1-4pt scale with 4 = best I could have expected, and 2 = meh. Consequently, I think many wines are underrated on CT.
I grilled a fat tenderloin rubbed with sea salt, grapeseed oil, crushed dry rosemary, whole fennel, ground cumin, and chipotle. The Falesco opens with a deliciously rich, earthy black cherry blackberry nose of truffle and horse hoof and faint lingering gunpowder. If you don't know the smell of horse hoof... then.. well... too bad for you. The firmness of old sweet leather is there too, and the faint luxury of dried rose petals lifts the nose in the glass... like dried raspberry. I close my eyes to taste and the less fat roll of dried raspberry cherry leather framed with firm tannins, crushed stone, lean meat jus and thyme fills my mouth in a satisfying manner with a dry but not searing finish. The fruit expression, for me, rates 2.8/4, the acid 2.8/4, the oak... rounding out the nose with a bit of fat.... 3.8/4, the tannins... 3.5/4 and spot on for my tenderloin, density/persistance 3/4 cleaning up well on the palate and overall... 3.2/4... or about a 92/100.
This would be a mismatch for grilled chicken or ribeye but fine for tenderloin, or NY/KC strip, maybe pulled pork shoulder, pheasant pate, moderately spicy pork/venison sausage grilled, or .... grilled burgers dammit. I'm gonna get a case more....
Excellent bottle of merlot with a very nice nose and bright balanced fruit. This is merlot is not the full mouth taste of a Shaffer but is enjoyable. I sense that the wine is nearing its peak now and is drinking great.
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Consistent with my note from last year. Lots of attractive plum and blackberry fruit, along with touches of oak, vanilla and violets on the lip-smacking finish. There's excellent depth to the fruit-driven palate. Surprisingly polished for a wine at this price point. Delicious and excellent value. 88+ 50+5+11+15+7=88
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consistent with previous bottles. Drinks above its price-point. Bright, clean aromas, medium-bodied, with subtle but interesting complexity - not something I expect in a $13 bottle anymore, but will always gladly accept. 14,0% abv, drink thru 2015.
https://italianwine.blog/
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Consistent with previous tasting. This is a lovely example of a solid value wine. Has some of the Tuscan burned/smoked fruit quality. Nicely balanced and lively. Not the last word in depth, power or complexity but, certainly nothing to apologize for.
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PnP served non-blind. Consistent with my bottle of 5 months ago, this is simple, honest and tasty. Nicely earthy, and rustic, well lifted. Not much of a finish, but does the job for mid-week pizza night. True to the variety and place. 14,0% abv, drink thru 2015
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Fantastic at the 1 hour mark (last glass). Baking chocolate, cinnamon, red floral, gravel, plum pie. Medium bodied with gripping tannins and excellent lift. Higher acid than most would probably be interested in, but I'm a fan. For less than $15, this is uncommonly good. Even manages something of a finish, which is completely unexpected at the price-point. 14,0% abv, try it with a heavily peppered steak. Drink thru 2015, recommended
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PnP, half used in the red sauce recipe, and the other half later, with the sausage and pasta dinner. Nice food wine, with solid typicity and a fair sense of place. 14,0% abv, reasonable QPR due to mediocre fruit quality. Give it 30-60 minutes in a decanter, shows better.
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Much better than the last bottle I had over a year ago. Strikes me as one of the best wines at this pricepoint. Smokey, sunburned, quite charming, nothing awkward or offbeat. Nice.
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PnP. Rustic, earthy, with nearly even amounts of minerals and manure on the nose. Medium-bodied, with flavors largely following the nose. A mid-week quaffer, but at $13, I know I can do much better. Let's hope the other 5 are able to defend the cellar a little more admirably. 14,0% abv., drink thru 2014
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Popped, decanted, and poured immediately at cellar temp. Nose of mushroom, olive, cassis, cherry. Palate has some berry fruit, is hugely tannic. Disappointing.
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Maybe the best QPR wine I've had all year ($13). Big fruit, big tannins, good nose, just enough oak. Excellent balance and complexity with good length. Better after 1 hr decant.
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Dark purple in color, with heady aromas of blackberry and earth. Palate shows black fruit, a touch of cassis, and slight notes of dark earth. Very smooth, with hardly a tannin present, and therefore lacks significant structure for longer-term ageing. Nice enough, and a reasonable QPR, but lacks the punch of most Italian versions of this grape. Not sure why Parker gave this one a 92 rating, albeit a nice quaffer nonetheless.
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Another really well made, value-priced Umbrian wine from Falesco. Medium-to-full bodied with plenty of plum, spice and vanilla on the nose and palate. Lots of varietal character here to complement the Umbrian terroir which defintely sets this apart from a New World Merlot. Has a surprisingly complex finish with a nice minty note at the very end. Can't even come close to agreeing with Galloni's 92 point WA score, but this is still very good and well worth the $12 price tag. 50+5+11+15+7=88
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A pleasant surprise. This wine has fine dark color, and a very complex, appealing nose. Fruit, earth, leather, olives and more. Fairly lush mouthfeel, with lots of dark fruit over silky tannins, and enough acidity to keep things in line. The palate lives up to the nose; layers of flavor that combine nicely, and lean enough to prevent this from turning into a fruit bomb. This wine is 100% Merlot, and shows true varietal character. My one criticism is that it's a bit light-bodied, but I prefer fairly burly wines, so many would disagree with that assessment. What you have here is elegance, not power. One thing is certain: you're going to look long and hard before you find another $12 Merlot to top this one. Highest recommendation.
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PnP. Purply red nt saturated with a clear rim. Plummy cassis with a touch of prune but not in an overipe way with notes of black olive coffee rasperry and dark chocolate in the clearly lots going on nose. Medium weight with grippy green tea and grape stem tannin. Dried cherry espresso raspberry ganache and dried black olive flavors (it all works). Lingering dried sour cherry note. Massive complexity at any price. Lots of flavor in a lithe frame. New house Italian.
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A very good wine for the price. The wine may need another year, possibly two. The first day the front palate was overpowering, with almost nothing on the back and finish other than heat. Day two the wine improved a little, showing a little more dark fruit and a bit more tannin. Day three, the wine showed what it will probably show in a year. Dark fruit, a little minerality, and a short but agreeable finish. Rated it 88 because it held together and improved by the third day.
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You can really feel the tannins after a couple of glasses of this merlot. There's some dark and red fruit on the nose but a bitter note on the palate towards the end that is distracting. Not bad but nothing that I'd crave. Let it rest a year or two for the tannins to mellow. Not enough extract for more aging though.
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Thankfully, not a chocolate milkshake type of Merlot. Lean, light bodied and crisp. Cherry, earth, herbs and leather with good acidity. Nice attack, but not much middle or finish. Kind of falls off quickly, but a nice bargain wine with food.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus black cherry hue. Perfumed nose of dark fruits, cocoa powder, cedar, dried basil, leather, and hints of incense. A note of tar builds with air. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, this Merlot shows attractive notes of plummy, dark fruits, black cherry, mocha, and just a touch of the herbaceous. Moderate acidity and astringent tannins on the moderate, fruit-tinged close. A nice, food friendly wine and a decided QPR selection that's well worth purchasing for everyday consumption, this is drinking great right now and will continue to through the next few years.
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Even more delicious than the 1999, which was an eye opener for me, this makes up in focus and well-placed, appealing intensity what it lacks in the '99s more distinct varietal characteristics. Very nice finish if a little short. Would love to taste blind!
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This wine is one of the finest QPR wines under $15 that I have ever had. It is a stunner. Some plum and blue fruits, hints of jam, along with cinnamon spice, violets and a beautiful dustiness. The palate is round and smooth, with beautiful fleshy, velvet fruit and a medium plus finish. Great structure. An awesome wine and I will definitely stock up for the average dinner meal. Excellent!
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Very forward and fruity nose. Smooth medium bodied wine. Does not have the tannic backbone of a cabernet and most other wine. Smoothness likely comes from being a 100% merlot. Ready to drink now. No point in aging this one.
Skipped a night and finished on the 3rd day. Still pretty soft and quite drinkable.
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medium plum red, tannish, medium clarity, silvery hue Nose: wet earth, tobacco, smoked ham, black cherries, touch mustard Pal: wet earth, tobacco, dark cherries, smoked ham, cola, tannins, black pepper, somewhat complex Feel: medium/full, somewhat acidic Finish: medium TC8
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A solid wine. Deep purple....medium consistency. nose of seawater, kale, tar, slight mint. needs to hours to lose an astringent edge. Once it opens a little. Tight raspberry and cherry core, seawater, pencil lead, and nice tannic backbone. Good QPR for $12!
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color: medium purple x ruby red; nose: alcohol, but no fruit -- sad!; taste: dark-tasting medium-body mouth feel, taste, chalky tannic medium-length finish; overall: sadly lacking in fruitiness, this wine presents a super-chalky Old World style and profile, which I don't fancy and won't buy again
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Sea salt, minerals, strawberry seeds, whiskey in the nose. Grape must, wild rice, red fruit and a hint of broccoli. Very dry and merlot-y. Smoke, mosses, but not much tannins.
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Nice with dark fruit, unintrusive oak, and earthiness. Like other reviewers that found this lacking complexity but smooth and without significant negatives, I'm on the 88 bandwagon. I found it to be a good Tuesday night wine and would enjoy again.
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Apparently this wine is like our prez. It's an easy mark for discrediting because by itself it doesn't seem to have a telltale ID from its native land, yet it is focused and gets an essential job done to completion while not committing any fouls or killing anyone on our team in the process. Still, people will probably continue to malign it with low approval scores and negative comments, no matter what good it achieves. This bottle was aerated to decanter exactly as the previous, vigorous swirl. Color medium-light cherry red with a few dark hues, clear. Unfortunately the bouquet once again is restrained on day 1, which is my problem with it, but shows some red berries with touches of green stems, cinnamon oak, and a little earthiness. On the palate there are focused red and blue berries, a bit of leather and earth, plus cinnamon oak that is a little strong. Acid is medium-plus and fresh, moderate tannins are youthful, and the finish is modest with a little minerality coming out to play. Nursing the glass over three hours on day 1, there is a smoothness and a simplicity (or low complexity) that makes it easy drinking (87). Three-fourths of the bottle left overnight in a covered decanter, and the next day this is definitely showing more character. Bouquet is more open, and darker. On taste, there is considerable earthiness and minerality that adds another dimension to the concentrated red berries, along with some blackberries and leather. The oak is better integrated on day 2, and the finish is significantly longer, with earth, a little coffee, and minerality than hangs with red-tinged fruit in the aftertaste (89). Would I guess Umbria IGT if drinking it blind? Although I’m a fan of the appellation, probably not. Is it low 90's outstanding per pro review? Sorry, don't quite see it. However, this is a well-made young merlot that needs time and air to show that it has more depth and interesting characteristics underneath than the majority of merlots in the 12 USD price range. Score average of day 1 and day 2. For me, worth a re-buy and revisit in 1-2 years, when it relaxes and shows more of what it can offer.
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Pop and pour. This has some good, solid oak to it but a lackluster finish. The oak and cherry fades away to show nothing. I revisited this the following day. Lots of oak and dry tree branches. Then crickets. I boiled the balance down into a wine syrup to serve with zeppole.
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Not sure what Galloni was on about, but this is painfully mundane. It's not flawed or appalling, but it has that "cheap wine" chemical slickness to it and nothing really Italian about it at all. There's not much discernible varietal character to speak of, either, but I suppose it's closer to Merlot than, say, Cabernet or Sangiovese. On the second day it got a little bit better, the chemical cheapness subsiding a bit, but was still horribly undistinguished. Based on the score, I was hoping this could be a standby daily drinker, but I'm glad I only got the one bottle instead of going in blind. I won't be ordering more.
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Detailed TN will have to wait for the next bottle. My primary issue was that the bouquet was so low-key despite aeration and decanting, which for me flags it in terms of giving a score. On day 2, I liked it much better with more open flavors, no degradation in freshness, and more noticeable fine-grained tannin structure in the finish. Overall, I was impressed with this as a fairly pure, focused expression of merlot, well composed and seems to have an subtle variety of earth and mineral nuances from attack through the finish. AG gave this an eye-popping score of 92 and called it one of the finest wines he has ever tasted from Falesco. Must try again, but even for this limited experience, I thought it was excellent. Perhaps an excellent value as well at $12 USD.
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5/24/2020 - SiciliaVegaUnica Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank this last week, so I don’t remember the specific notes. I remember liking it and thinking I should drink my last bottle this year.
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4/24/2017 - SeaWine wrote: 88 Points
This has changed significantly since I last had it a 1-2 years ago. I recall enjoying it more then and, at that time, would have said it was the best Merlot - from anywhere- that I've had at this price or lower.
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3/21/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
This has become heavier and more brooding over the years since I bought a case of this. Not the last word in complexity but it holds its own and has a measure of balance, assertiveness and expression, with burned leather tones and a light sweetness. My 2nd last bottle. This is a useful wine at the price.
This was a very different wine on the 2nd day - more brooding, much lower acidity and it felt surprisingly like a tired Bordeaux from an old vintage - like 20 years old or more; weird really. Still drinking ok, but it lost quite a bit of fruit.
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1/3/2017 - Janstan Likes this wine: 87 Points
Chalkiness dies down after being open for about 20 minutes. Briars blackberry. Went pretty well with red sauce and cod. Wife says it goes well with a fig cookie.
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1/26/2016 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Amazing for the price. Hitting its stride so well now, after a few years. This has benefited a lot from the extra time in bottle. 91+pts
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8/9/2015 - kmicho wrote: 84 Points
Strong bite. Has berry, vanilla, cherry notes, but they are overpowered by the bite of the wine. Might be better if open overnight and drunk the next day.
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6/5/2015 - Baylorwine wrote: 86 Points
This is inky, which is strange for italian wines. Would not have pegged Italian or even Merlot. Not bad though. Better on the 2nd day.
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4/20/2015 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
Some nice licorice notes coming through, though a bit thin on the palate in general. Useful at this pricepoint.
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2/4/2015 - merryberry wrote: 87 Points
Slightly translucent magenta. Blueberry, nutmeg, and lifesaver nose. Light to medium bodied, piercing cherries, lots of dusty tannins, sage, smoke, tobacco, and a medium finish. A pretty serious merlot for the price.
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11/18/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Showing so well right now. Medium-bodied, a slightly dry, chalky finish. This is pretty composed and satisfying - one can't ask for much more at a price-point like this; a great buy and doesn't disappoint. 91pts+
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8/6/2014 - patsox wrote: 84 Points
Light and a little on the thin side. Not bad for the money.
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4/7/2014 - zinnut Does not like this wine: 86 Points
The cork had a bit of taint and the wine seemed off. Opened a second bottle which seemed more in balance. A very light style of merlot. A bit rustic with some leather and mushroom. Forest floor. Much better with food. Not an easy wine to drink on its own. Worth the $$ but not sure I will come back.
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2/16/2014 - oldcorke Likes this wine: 92 Points
I think many reviewers on CT, having little experience with pro rated 100pt wines, have little basis for the 100pt scale and would do better with a 1-4pt scale with 4 = best I could have expected, and 2 = meh.
Consequently, I think many wines are underrated on CT.
I grilled a fat tenderloin rubbed with sea salt, grapeseed oil, crushed dry rosemary, whole fennel, ground cumin, and chipotle. The Falesco opens with a deliciously rich, earthy black cherry blackberry nose of truffle and horse hoof and faint lingering gunpowder. If you don't know the smell of horse hoof... then.. well... too bad for you. The firmness of old sweet leather is there too, and the faint luxury of dried rose petals lifts the nose in the glass... like dried raspberry. I close my eyes to taste and the less fat roll of dried raspberry cherry leather framed with firm tannins, crushed stone, lean meat jus and thyme fills my mouth in a satisfying manner with a dry but not searing finish.
The fruit expression, for me, rates 2.8/4, the acid 2.8/4, the oak... rounding out the nose with a bit of fat.... 3.8/4, the tannins... 3.5/4 and spot on for my tenderloin, density/persistance 3/4 cleaning up well on the palate and overall... 3.2/4... or about a 92/100.
This would be a mismatch for grilled chicken or ribeye but fine for tenderloin, or NY/KC strip, maybe pulled pork shoulder, pheasant pate, moderately spicy pork/venison sausage grilled, or .... grilled burgers dammit. I'm gonna get a case more....
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12/12/2013 - jmottern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent bottle of merlot with a very nice nose and bright balanced fruit. This is merlot is not the full mouth taste of a Shaffer but is enjoyable. I sense that the wine is nearing its peak now and is drinking great.
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12/5/2013 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consistent with my note from last year. Lots of attractive plum and blackberry fruit, along with touches of oak, vanilla and violets on the lip-smacking finish. There's excellent depth to the fruit-driven palate. Surprisingly polished for a wine at this price point. Delicious and excellent value. 88+
50+5+11+15+7=88
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11/15/2013 - mwneil Likes this wine: 86 Points
Decent merlot; starting to lose its fruit; still has life;drink up.Drank with spinach ravioli.
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9/15/2013 - no leashes wrote: 88 Points
Nice Italian red, with dark fruit, tar, tobacco and earth flavors. Nice texture and balance.
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7/18/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
consistent with previous bottles. Drinks above its price-point. Bright, clean aromas, medium-bodied, with subtle but interesting complexity - not something I expect in a $13 bottle anymore, but will always gladly accept. 14,0% abv, drink thru 2015.
https://italianwine.blog/
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6/8/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous tasting. This is a lovely example of a solid value wine. Has some of the Tuscan burned/smoked fruit quality. Nicely balanced and lively. Not the last word in depth, power or complexity but, certainly nothing to apologize for.
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4/11/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP served non-blind. Consistent with my bottle of 5 months ago, this is simple, honest and tasty. Nicely earthy, and rustic, well lifted. Not much of a finish, but does the job for mid-week pizza night. True to the variety and place. 14,0% abv, drink thru 2015
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4/7/2013 - GarretWNagle wrote: 88 Points
Green bell pepper, black cherry, licorice, leather, cedar box. Nice food wine but a little thin in extraction
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2/18/2013 - Ornumsi wrote: 88 Points
Deep colour. Nice structure. bit thin on the body. Nice tannins. Can hang around for a year or two. Very good value.
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1/20/2013 - guyfred wrote:
- Medium/Full body with a medium finish.
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12/23/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Fantastic at the 1 hour mark (last glass). Baking chocolate, cinnamon, red floral, gravel, plum pie. Medium bodied with gripping tannins and excellent lift. Higher acid than most would probably be interested in, but I'm a fan. For less than $15, this is uncommonly good. Even manages something of a finish, which is completely unexpected at the price-point. 14,0% abv, try it with a heavily peppered steak. Drink thru 2015, recommended
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12/6/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP, half used in the red sauce recipe, and the other half later, with the sausage and pasta dinner. Nice food wine, with solid typicity and a fair sense of place. 14,0% abv, reasonable QPR due to mediocre fruit quality. Give it 30-60 minutes in a decanter, shows better.
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12/3/2012 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Delicious every day italian red, broad range of flavors yet reasonably elegant, especially considering the price.
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11/18/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Much better than the last bottle I had over a year ago. Strikes me as one of the best wines at this pricepoint. Smokey, sunburned, quite charming, nothing awkward or offbeat. Nice.
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10/19/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP. Rustic, earthy, with nearly even amounts of minerals and manure on the nose. Medium-bodied, with flavors largely following the nose. A mid-week quaffer, but at $13, I know I can do much better. Let's hope the other 5 are able to defend the cellar a little more admirably. 14,0% abv., drink thru 2014
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10/18/2012 - tautlinehitch wrote: 84 Points
Popped, decanted, and poured immediately at cellar temp. Nose of mushroom, olive, cassis, cherry. Palate has some berry fruit, is hugely tannic. Disappointing.
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10/12/2012 - mwneil wrote: 90 Points
Good fragrant merlot. Enjoyed the bottle.
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10/4/2012 - jar055 Likes this wine: 80 Points
very good value soft easy drinking - but a little greeness
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9/23/2012 - MrJoe29 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maybe the best QPR wine I've had all year ($13). Big fruit, big tannins, good nose, just enough oak. Excellent balance and complexity with good length. Better after 1 hr decant.
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8/12/2012 - Snoman wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple in color, with heady aromas of blackberry and earth. Palate shows black fruit, a touch of cassis, and slight notes of dark earth. Very smooth, with hardly a tannin present, and therefore lacks significant structure for longer-term ageing. Nice enough, and a reasonable QPR, but lacks the punch of most Italian versions of this grape. Not sure why Parker gave this one a 92 rating, albeit a nice quaffer nonetheless.
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8/10/2012 - sailincarib Does not like this wine: 55 Points
Not very good.
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7/28/2012 - mark m wrote: 87 Points
Nice Merlot - Let's see in a year if it improves some more
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7/8/2012 - tautlinehitch wrote: 85 Points
Cassis, plum, red fruit nose, with a hint of green olive. Palate has plum, blueberry, but underdelivers; pleasant enough, but lacks complexity.
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6/21/2012 - corkscrews wrote: 88 Points
A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark garnet in color. A medium bodied Merlot, with black and blueberries, plum and spice, a great value.
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6/18/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 88 Points
Another really well made, value-priced Umbrian wine from Falesco. Medium-to-full bodied with plenty of plum, spice and vanilla on the nose and palate. Lots of varietal character here to complement the Umbrian terroir which defintely sets this apart from a New World Merlot. Has a surprisingly complex finish with a nice minty note at the very end. Can't even come close to agreeing with Galloni's 92 point WA score, but this is still very good and well worth the $12 price tag.
50+5+11+15+7=88
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5/20/2012 - daver852 wrote: 89 Points
A pleasant surprise. This wine has fine dark color, and a very complex, appealing nose. Fruit, earth, leather, olives and more. Fairly lush mouthfeel, with lots of dark fruit over silky tannins, and enough acidity to keep things in line. The palate lives up to the nose; layers of flavor that combine nicely, and lean enough to prevent this from turning into a fruit bomb. This wine is 100% Merlot, and shows true varietal character. My one criticism is that it's a bit light-bodied, but I prefer fairly burly wines, so many would disagree with that assessment. What you have here is elegance, not power. One thing is certain: you're going to look long and hard before you find another $12 Merlot to top this one. Highest recommendation.
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5/4/2012 - JoshA wrote: 89 Points
Restrained but rich dark fruit and grippy tannins make for a satisfying bordeaux-like experience.
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4/19/2012 - 8count wrote:
run, don't walk, to buy this wine. This is better than your average everyday drinker...and will age another year or 2.
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4/16/2012 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Purply red nt saturated with a clear rim. Plummy cassis with a touch of prune but not in an overipe way with notes of black olive coffee rasperry and dark chocolate in the clearly lots going on nose. Medium weight with grippy green tea and grape stem tannin. Dried cherry espresso raspberry ganache and dried black olive flavors (it all works). Lingering dried sour cherry note. Massive complexity at any price. Lots of flavor in a lithe frame. New house Italian.
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4/13/2012 - Motz wrote: 88 Points
A very good wine for the price. The wine may need another year, possibly two. The first day the front palate was overpowering, with almost nothing on the back and finish other than heat. Day two the wine improved a little, showing a little more dark fruit and a bit more tannin. Day three, the wine showed what it will probably show in a year. Dark fruit, a little minerality, and a short but agreeable finish. Rated it 88 because it held together and improved by the third day.
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2/2/2012 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 87 Points
You can really feel the tannins after a couple of glasses of this merlot. There's some dark and red fruit on the nose but a bitter note on the palate towards the end that is distracting. Not bad but nothing that I'd crave. Let it rest a year or two for the tannins to mellow. Not enough extract for more aging though.
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1/29/2012 - bcmatthias wrote: 88 Points
Very food friendly wine.
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12/7/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
Thankfully, not a chocolate milkshake type of Merlot. Lean, light bodied and crisp. Cherry, earth, herbs and leather with good acidity. Nice attack, but not much middle or finish. Kind of falls off quickly, but a nice bargain wine with food.
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12/4/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus black cherry hue. Perfumed nose of dark fruits, cocoa powder, cedar, dried basil, leather, and hints of incense. A note of tar builds with air. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, this Merlot shows attractive notes of plummy, dark fruits, black cherry, mocha, and just a touch of the herbaceous. Moderate acidity and astringent tannins on the moderate, fruit-tinged close. A nice, food friendly wine and a decided QPR selection that's well worth purchasing for everyday consumption, this is drinking great right now and will continue to through the next few years.
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11/30/2011 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Even more delicious than the 1999, which was an eye opener for me, this makes up in focus and well-placed, appealing intensity what it lacks in the '99s more distinct varietal characteristics. Very nice finish if a little short. Would love to taste blind!
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11/7/2011 - tanninbomb wrote: 86 Points
I am not a Merlot drinker anyway, and this non-descript version did little to change my mind.
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10/30/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 91 Points
This wine is one of the finest QPR wines under $15 that I have ever had. It is a stunner. Some plum and blue fruits, hints of jam, along with cinnamon spice, violets and a beautiful dustiness. The palate is round and smooth, with beautiful fleshy, velvet fruit and a medium plus finish. Great structure. An awesome wine and I will definitely stock up for the average dinner meal. Excellent!
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10/13/2011 - bcmatthias wrote: 89 Points
A nice wine fro the price. Very ripe and youthful.
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10/6/2011 - BSpdx wrote: 89 Points
Not a 92, but this is pretty good, with pure fruit, not overly oaked, and with a relatively long finish. Would recommend.
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9/26/2011 - wynnewood500 Likes this wine:
Very forward and fruity nose. Smooth medium bodied wine. Does not have the tannic backbone of a cabernet and most other wine. Smoothness likely comes from being a 100% merlot. Ready to drink now. No point in aging this one.
Skipped a night and finished on the 3rd day. Still pretty soft and quite drinkable.
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9/25/2011 - Sammysyd wrote: 89 Points
Excellent value.
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9/24/2011 - maxmanx wrote:
Nice Merlot. Wouldn't have guessed it came from Italy. Good value at $13.
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8/16/2011 - Frijole wrote:
medium plum red, tannish, medium clarity, silvery hue
Nose: wet earth, tobacco, smoked ham, black cherries, touch mustard
Pal: wet earth, tobacco, dark cherries, smoked ham, cola, tannins, black pepper, somewhat complex
Feel: medium/full, somewhat acidic
Finish: medium
TC8
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8/15/2011 - Blue Shorts wrote: 88 Points
Very nice, inexpensive merlot from Italy. A keeper for 12.99
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8/11/2011 - John McCabe wrote: 88 Points
A bit acidic and thin, but lively enough and I can't complain for the price.
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8/2/2011 - redfeet wrote: 87 Points
Very light in flavor. Much different that a California Merlot.
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7/8/2011 - DesMarteau wrote: 90 Points
A solid wine. Deep purple....medium consistency. nose of seawater, kale, tar, slight mint. needs to hours to lose an astringent edge. Once it opens a little. Tight raspberry and cherry core, seawater, pencil lead, and nice tannic backbone. Good QPR for $12!
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7/6/2011 - Epic Tale Does not like this wine: 80 Points
color: medium purple x ruby red; nose: alcohol, but no fruit -- sad!; taste: dark-tasting medium-body mouth feel, taste, chalky tannic medium-length finish; overall: sadly lacking in fruitiness, this wine presents a super-chalky Old World style and profile, which I don't fancy and won't buy again
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7/4/2011 - crux wrote: 88 Points
Sea salt, minerals, strawberry seeds, whiskey in the nose. Grape must, wild rice, red fruit and a hint of broccoli. Very dry and merlot-y. Smoke, mosses, but not much tannins.
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5/23/2011 - Empirate wrote: 88 Points
Nice with dark fruit, unintrusive oak, and earthiness. Like other reviewers that found this lacking complexity but smooth and without significant negatives, I'm on the 88 bandwagon. I found it to be a good Tuesday night wine and would enjoy again.
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5/15/2011 - RussK wrote: 88 Points
RUSSK pleasant but not exciting even after a long decant.
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5/2/2011 - Vinacull wrote: 88 Points
Apparently this wine is like our prez. It's an easy mark for discrediting because by itself it doesn't seem to have a telltale ID from its native land, yet it is focused and gets an essential job done to completion while not committing any fouls or killing anyone on our team in the process. Still, people will probably continue to malign it with low approval scores and negative comments, no matter what good it achieves. This bottle was aerated to decanter exactly as the previous, vigorous swirl. Color medium-light cherry red with a few dark hues, clear. Unfortunately the bouquet once again is restrained on day 1, which is my problem with it, but shows some red berries with touches of green stems, cinnamon oak, and a little earthiness. On the palate there are focused red and blue berries, a bit of leather and earth, plus cinnamon oak that is a little strong. Acid is medium-plus and fresh, moderate tannins are youthful, and the finish is modest with a little minerality coming out to play. Nursing the glass over three hours on day 1, there is a smoothness and a simplicity (or low complexity) that makes it easy drinking (87). Three-fourths of the bottle left overnight in a covered decanter, and the next day this is definitely showing more character. Bouquet is more open, and darker. On taste, there is considerable earthiness and minerality that adds another dimension to the concentrated red berries, along with some blackberries and leather. The oak is better integrated on day 2, and the finish is significantly longer, with earth, a little coffee, and minerality than hangs with red-tinged fruit in the aftertaste (89). Would I guess Umbria IGT if drinking it blind? Although I’m a fan of the appellation, probably not. Is it low 90's outstanding per pro review? Sorry, don't quite see it. However, this is a well-made young merlot that needs time and air to show that it has more depth and interesting characteristics underneath than the majority of merlots in the 12 USD price range. Score average of day 1 and day 2. For me, worth a re-buy and revisit in 1-2 years, when it relaxes and shows more of what it can offer.
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4/29/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 85 Points
Pop and pour. This has some good, solid oak to it but a lackluster finish. The oak and cherry fades away to show nothing.
I revisited this the following day. Lots of oak and dry tree branches. Then crickets. I boiled the balance down into a wine syrup to serve with zeppole.
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4/29/2011 - ecola Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rather limited on aromas, almost nothing at all. Flavors of dark berries. Very smooth on the palate and a soft finish. A very easy to drink wine.
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4/28/2011 - jsimmons wrote: 83 Points
Not sure what Galloni was on about, but this is painfully mundane. It's not flawed or appalling, but it has that "cheap wine" chemical slickness to it and nothing really Italian about it at all. There's not much discernible varietal character to speak of, either, but I suppose it's closer to Merlot than, say, Cabernet or Sangiovese. On the second day it got a little bit better, the chemical cheapness subsiding a bit, but was still horribly undistinguished. Based on the score, I was hoping this could be a standby daily drinker, but I'm glad I only got the one bottle instead of going in blind. I won't be ordering more.
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4/25/2011 - Vinacull wrote:
Detailed TN will have to wait for the next bottle. My primary issue was that the bouquet was so low-key despite aeration and decanting, which for me flags it in terms of giving a score. On day 2, I liked it much better with more open flavors, no degradation in freshness, and more noticeable fine-grained tannin structure in the finish. Overall, I was impressed with this as a fairly pure, focused expression of merlot, well composed and seems to have an subtle variety of earth and mineral nuances from attack through the finish. AG gave this an eye-popping score of 92 and called it one of the finest wines he has ever tasted from Falesco. Must try again, but even for this limited experience, I thought it was excellent. Perhaps an excellent value as well at $12 USD.
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4/11/2011 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very good. Nose is soft with vanilla, forest floor, and some red berry fruit. Palate is drying with rich red fruit and lengthy finish. Very nice.
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