A bit of a monster- only 14%ABV, but tastes bigger. This is concentrated, brawny, and powerful. Nose is bursting with red and dark fruits, along with big big leather aromas. The leather might turn some people off, but I like it. There is garrigue, fresh and dried herbs, some wild barnyard smells, and what I can only describe as depth. What a nose!
Powerful in the mouth as well. Lots of leather as well as a huge core of sour cherry and black cherry fruit. The herbals, earthiness, barnyard, it's all there on the palate. Tannins are medium, a little rough, but not overpowering in and of themselves. Maybe a little Brett, but it's minimal.
There's a wildness to the whole package that is very appealing. But as fun as it is out of the bottle, I do prefer it as it takes on air and tames down a little bit. It's like it becomes a strong race horse rather than a wild stallion! The whole thing is a bit more manageable on Day 2.
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Decanted for 20 minutes (with lots of sediment) but was better after one hour. Initially the wine was highly acidic with some cherry, earth, mushroom, spice and very noticeable tannins. After one hour the wine darkened, as did the fruit, while the earth and tannins both softened. The acidity was initially zesty but eased up to be balancing. This wine will probably hold for several years but is definitely more enjoyable - at this point - with a one hour decant.
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A very different sort of wine than what I am used to drink. Very complex with a very slight touch of brett/animal but just enough to give it complexity without being over the top.
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Very impressive. Wonderful nose of black fruits, mushrooms and forest floor. This kept getting better in the glass. Great texture and invisible tannins. Wort the wait of cellaring 20 plus years. Skilled, precise winemaking. Power and intensity without weight. Truly a great wine that represents excellent value. Still have one bottle left. (I will think carefully about who i open this one for.)
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Slight bricking. Big Sagrantino, aromas of mushrooms and forest floor. The heavy tannins are gone. A spicy, perfumed taste, licorice, and saturated dark fruits that coat the mouth and upper palate. A bit of barnyard add complexity. Drink now - 2030.
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My third bottle of this vintage. Right up there with the best. Sometimes these have had bottle variations but this one was great. Cherry juice, a bit more alcohol that is not as integrated but overall a suburb showing. I can’t see how these improve without the fruit dissipating. All tannins resolved. This is why you drink Paulo bea wines.
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Not as good as the bottle I had 4-5 months back. This one had less cherry juice and felt a bit one note. It tasted of a once tannic sagrantino that has been mellowed by time in the bottle. Was a very good bottle with a little so2 to start but that dissipated. The nose was excellent but the taste was slightly disappointing if only when compared to my previous bottle. I wouldn't attribute this to running out of steam but rather, the inconsistency with natural wines.
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This is flirting with perfection. It reminds me of a 1994 Dominus. Lush aromas of violets that follow through in the taste, which is supple and saturated. The long, complex profile is followed by an bit of brett and anise on the finish. Sexy and ready to enjoy now.
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Pale garnet with a brick hue. Attractive dark cherry and menthol nose; medium bodied, the wine is multilayered - there's an elegant layer on one hand, and then there is another layer of foreboding tannin structure - tannins are fine in texture, but sustained and with intensity. There's some plums wedged in and tightly wound, along with some liquorice, smoke and herbal notes. With some air, some red fruit notes peek out too.
This is only just approaching drinkability, however if opening now, give it an extended decant and let it stretch out. Barolo-fiends will love this. Next bottle in 2026.
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I've had a Paolo Bea epiphany with the 2012 San Valentino. This was even better. Straight cherry juice. Just a special bottle that frankly, tastes nothing like Sagrantino in the hands of everybody else. This was absolutely delicious with some VA that blew off quite quickly. If you ever wondered what magic can come from Paolo Bea...this bottle is a good example. We kept interrupting the conversation to acknowledge how good the wine was...that is what I want in a bottle.
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Bricking. Sexy plummy aroma. Followed on the palate by saturated plum and cherry, then dark licorice and melded ripe tannins on the supple, nearly endless finish. Deeply complex and engaging.
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Strawberry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and notes of anise, clove, leather, and iron, with moderate to strong tannins and strong acidity on the long finish. This is outstanding, and it was an excellent value at just over $60 - too bad there's no more at that price.
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A giant right out of the bottle. Aromas of sticky cherries and licorice, plums. Tastes like liquified licorice plums, followed by smoke, cola, and cherry liquor. Big, beautiful, and complex with spicy tooth furring tannins. No need to decant this beauty. Enjoy now through 2035.
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Inky color, heavy sediment. Tar, black cherry and blackberry fruit. Plenty of tannins remain on the finish.Truly a food wine- difficult to drink on its own.
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This is just lovely. Bricking throughout. Amazingly, there are still gobs of tooth furring tannins, along with earthy spice, bold flavors of licorice and cherry melting into a long finish of forest floor and dark fruits. A symphony of savory complexity. One of Bea’s best bottling. Unbelievably good with a grilled steak. A terrific wine drinking at its peak right now.
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Cutting minerality, chalky cherries, and saturated flavors in yet another huge Sagrantino from Paolo Bea. Needs time in a decanter to open up, then the massive load of cherries blossoms forth. A terrific wine.
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Blood and iron and leather and black fruits. Tons of tannin but drinking well now with a bit of time in the glass. Nice acidity to hold everything together. So drink now or in twenty years, but it’s a showstopper either way.
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This is evolving slowly, and although it's drinkable now it will benefit from five more years. It's rich and complex, with red and black fruit, complex herbal and citrus notes, and some of Sagrantino's signature tannins coming through on the long finish, with strong acidity well in balance with the fruit. Excellent, and it still has room for improvement.
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drank over a couple of days; it really came alive on day 2, this is an interesting wine with beef juice, anise and dried cherry notes on the nose, dry with powerful acid and commanding tannin, herbal, tomato and gamey palate, shows savory character, some dried blueberry on the mid-palate, finish is earthy, excellent with tomato sauce over chicken sausage, a worthwhile experience, enjoy with food
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This wine was decanted about 10 hours in advance and served at cellar-room temperature of about 56 degrees. There was considerable sediment in the bottle and about 1/10 of the bottle was lost to keep the wine sediment free when decanting. The wine is brick red and tinged with colors of an amber sunset leading to the meniscus. Scents of leather, potpourri, orange rind, and fig newtons (with the crumb cookie outer shell). On the palate the wine is immediately noticeable as tannic, but they're starting to round out a bit with age and there's a lovely counterbalance with the acidity and drying fruit notes that linger on the palate. Flavors of cranberry, beef jerky, clove, and cherries linger along on the medium length finish. This full bodied wine is presently still shrouded in high tannin and high acidity...but it is absolutely enjoyable with a long decant and the right food pairing. If I had more of this in the cellar I'd be tempted to check back in again around 2021. However, it's a lovely wine now with a good & long decant. Outstanding!!
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Decanted for 90 mins. Nose is rich and dense with ink, sweet dark fruit, vanilla, herbs, spice and caramel. Palate is very tannic and concentrated with loads of black cherries and licorice. This is a wine that needs plenty of cellar time to soften. Paolo Beas style is very interesting. I quite like it. 91-92
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Sagrantino has become a go-to wine for me in restaurants. This one was drinking very well with plenty of body and grip. Dry, gamy and herbaceous, this wine has a lot of complexity and can stand up to a wide range of food. I think 10 years after the vintage is a good time to drink these.
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Garnet with tan. Interesting nose of briars, pepper, plum, all spice and menthol. Looks old tastes younger. Saline, pepper, roast, plum, blood, with round tannins that are youthful but manageable.
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From 3L. On this night Bea fooled even me. Having enjoyed the 2006 Pagliaro a number of times recently (twice from 750ml and once from magnum), I (all too hastily) opened a jeroboam (one of only 150 produced that year). Although the "stuff" is clearly there, a massive amount of dissolved carbon dioxide has yet to dissipate, which made drinking this quite a sideways experience. Enjoy 750mls now, hold magnums for another 3-5 years, and jeroboams for another decade. Bottle #102. Not rated.
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The nose showed intense, tary, dark red fruit, allspice, blueberry skins and sweet herbs. On the palate, tart wild berry fruit and minerals coated the senses while tannin and brisk acidity made the mouth water. Notes of tart cherry, blueberry and searing tannin lingered long on the finish. This is a beautiful wine but needs a decade or more in the cellar.
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Deeply flavored Sagrantino, a rival to the 2001. Plenty of heady spice, suave tannins, and complexity. Irresistible now but will improve with cellar age as the tannins resolve. Drink now with a 2 hour decant. Try again in 2018-2020.
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GREAT Italian wine. Cherries, rose, cinnamon and pine on the nose. Fresh, strong thyme, savory/earthy mushroom, baked cherry, orange zest on palate. Still intense tannins that you feel in your gums for a good minute along with the herb and truffle flavors that persist much longer than the fruit after you swallow. So amazing and complex. Fruit, tannin and acid all powerful and very much in balance suggest long aging potential, as does the fact that it kept improving in both intensity and complexity over 6 hours. would be amazing with truffle Mac and cheese, but when a wine is this good I always bias towards drinking it by itself
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Decanted 3 hours before drinking; at its best after 4.5 hours. Pungent and singular aroma, quite savory along the lines of truffle/mushroom/soy sauce/caramel, overlaying ripe black fruit, spice, flowers, and hints of smoke and pine needle. Similar on the palate, with fresh and stewed cherries, and deep, earthy, woodsy, caramelly savoriness. Strong tannins - seems young in that regard, but otherwise quite poised; fresh, balanced, light on its feet; good acidity. Expressive and characterful wine; quite enjoyable.
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This was so fresh and balanced, elegant even. When first opened, it did seem unexpectedly old and tea-like. Then, with time in the decanter (separating the wine from a lot of sediment in large flakes), the wine became more youthful while still seeming mature. I was reminded of older Nebbiolo: cinnamon and clove smells, a licorice and chinato taste. Dusty tannins folded into a magnificent, smooth texture eventually. Thanks to kevinacohn in particular for suggesting this was ready in his tasting note.
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This was new for me. Great texture and balance with a great finish. Thicker and more velvety than the previous. Rich dark red in color. Black currant, smoke and a leathery after taste that balanced it out nicely.
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Astor Winemakers Invitational (Astor Center, New York, NY): From 1.5L. My last encounter with the 2006 Pagliaro bordered on mind-bending; this time it was just excellent. The large format has preserved more of the primary elements: prunes, blackberries, cassis, hints of licorice, and some rosemary and thyme. Strong acid and grainy tannins. My suggestion is to serve this slightly below room temperature, which lessens its weight without compromising the complexity of its aromas and flavors. Bottle #283. Rated 2 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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PnP. The nose has sweet, almost candied fruit - plummy, macerated strawberries and sweet black cherry, a creamy marzipan note, spices - baking spices and fruitcake, and a pretty herbal component with alpine herbs. At times shows just a hint of raisins, but this is not hot or overripe on the nose, maybe just a touch of heat. The nose is so perfumed that I would probably guess Red Burg, but it's not quite right - it's like a Red Burg from a nearby dimension. The palate is very silky with fine tannins and deep and sweet red and blue fruits. The acid is good and it shows some herbal qualities and some stony minerality on the midpalate. The finish shows the sweet candied fruit, the herbs and creamy marzipan and ends with the fine tannins. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5-5.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17.5/20.
An interesting experience, I wish I had what others have shared here. open and smelled, something was wrong. First flavor was like sour champagne all fizzy in our mouths. Tried a few more tastes and decided to wait til the next day. Better, most of the fizziness was gone and the true wine flavors were coming through. Enjoyable, not perfect by any means. I would go for an 85 but not post it. I hope my other bottle also bought at Gordon's is better
Earthy bouquet, blackberry and other dark fruit flavors with a long almond and vanilla finish. Very much my style of big, earthy, old world style wines. Phenomenal.
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Having heard from a number of trusted sources that this was now "a point," I excitedly retrieved a bottle from my cellar for a gathering of good friends. It didn't disappoint, showing a weightlessness and balance than I've never experienced with Sagrantino of any pedigree or age. The palate overflowed with acid and flavors of fennel, oregano, sweet cherries, brown sugar, and rare beef. We drank in near silence, awed by the elegance of this normally untamed wine. Bottle #3171. Rated 3 on a scale of -1 to 3.
I absolutely loved this wine. We had a whole table of happy drinkers. Medium bodied but nicely balanced and absolutely delicious fruit. Nice structure. I don't think I could describe the fruit well enough but had the flavors of a far older wine than it was to me. Not cheap but well worthwhile.
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Rustic nose of black earth, dark cherries and licorice. On the palate, this is a structured vintage of Pagliaro that is loaded with deep flavors of earth, game, fennel and black cherries and lots of acidity. It builds to a grippy tannic finish that shows beautiful notes of licorice and minerals with a very satisfying spice-driven (thyme?) complexity. A balanced, authentic wine that tastes of farmland combined with the finest Italian ingredients. A great vintage of this wine especially for laying down. 94+
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This wine has some mild brett that wasnt noticeable a year ago. Still a good full body sagrantino but I worry about its future if the brett levels increase.
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Marc and MJ's - another nice evening of wine and food (Bellingham, WA): Rich cocoa powder and dark fruit on the nose and initial palate. Dynamic complexity on the palate demonstrates real quality. Excellent structure. The burly tannins of this young Sagrantino will hopefully settle down in the future. This bottle needed at least 8 hours in a wide decanter to open up. I'll hold on to my other bottles and re-approach in about 4 years. Very promising.
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Opened at cellar temp, poured down to the shoulder and sampled a couple times over 6 hours. Volatile on opening, but harmonized after a couple hours, and was beautiful with a charred bistecca, collards, and white beans.
Deep purple core with ruby reflection. Lighter than expected, not quite inky. The nose is intensely balsamic, with aromas of hedgerow, bay laurel, dark stewed fruit and dried berries. As it opened more delicate herbal and graphite notes emerged.
With air, the tannins softened their grip but maintained a powerful structure. With the steak it took on some qualities of a fine bordeaux with graphite and cedarwood and left me breathless. I am unsure if I detected the Brett elements that previous reviewers had, and did not care, or if their bottles were flawed. I detected a savory barnyard quality but the wine was balanced and well-tuned.
Given how many different facets emerged from this bottle over time, I would say another 3 years would be great, but if you give this wine some time and air it will be great today. Exceptional personality and complexity.
A perplexing bottle, with abundant brett (to which I am not normally very sensitive) and a touch of prune. The acidity tends to distract, in my view, but this bottle's volatility was extreme, and it may have been heat affected. I did love the furry texture and hope to find another specimen, for comparative purposes.
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Granato di media compattezza. Mora, tabacco latakia, humus, pepe nero, grafite, macchia mediterranea. Potente, tannino straordinariamente composto. Chiude lungo
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I have never smelled anything like this before. It reminded me distinctly of pickles (and not in an unpleasant way), but I may be alone in that. The palate was much better than the nose, and went well with the meal.
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I haven't tasted wine made by even a fraction of the world's great winemakers, but I'm still prepared to say that for my palate Paolo Bea is one of the greatest winemakers in the world. Each of his wines is so singular, satisfying, complex and intellectually intriguing, and this is no exception. Decanted 5 or 6 hours and it was still very tight and pruney, so I transferred it to a larger decanter and it really blossomed. Surprisingly if I tasted this blind I would be sure it was some bizarre old world pinot noir, which is not how I'd describe earlier vintages of this wine. Plenty of funk, that's always in evidence,- - only James Brown can compete with Bea when it comes to being the master of funk- strawberry,brassy blue fruit, cinnamon, indian spices, twigs, flesh and tart chewy tannins. I'll admit that this, like all of Bea's wines, might be difficult for those disposed to wines with a new world profille. But for those who like to travel a little off that popular grid it's a real treat. Best after a minimum of another 3-5 + years. BTW the 2005 bottling upon which I recently commented is an entirely different and even more enjoyable wine.
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The Paolo Bea (which I contributed) was abit of a disappointment. It was decanted for 3 hours. The nose showed alot of barnyard and meat, which overwhelmed the fruit. The palate was similar. It was (as a result of the decant) somwhat more delicate then it might have otherwise been (which I know, as I Coravin"d another bottle the next day), but not enough to make me really like this wine. That next day's bottle also showed similar barnyard and meat (and possibly some prune), but was somewhat more tannic. Overall, the wine was good but not much better than that. At this point, based upon this showing, and the Coravin'd glass, I would not buy it again.
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Taste: M+ body. M+ acidity, with bracing energy. High tannins, muscular, strapping, yet they some how don't clip the wine. Finish is long and sturdy, with delineated plum, forest floor and mineral notes.
Buy a couple of bottles... Definitely crack one now and let the rest sit for a while.
This is a zippy, crisp vintage for this wonderful wine and this baby needed to be decanted for at least hour so the acidity could calm down. Then lovely flavors of black earth, sweet barnyard, dark cherries and licorice emerged in a sleek medium-bodied package with lots of firm structure on the dry finish. Not a forward or rich vintage but it really grew on me in a cooler style. I would say this could still use a few years in bottle. 91+
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My favorite grapes are nebbiolo and sangiovese so this was my first try at sagrantino and I must say quite surprised. At first, I felt a little effervescence on my tongue and then I was surprised at the great taste that came forward after an hour in the decanter. The dark berries and licorice flavors came forward and the tannins elevated. I'm glad I have two more bottles in my cellar and I will definitely buy more
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Decanted for one hour. Truffles, menthol, and violets on the nose; on the palate, sour cherry, raspberry, clove, bacon fat, and notes of rose petal and anise or some other savory herb. This is a "wow" wine, powerful and complex, with a long finish. It has the strong tannins typical of Sagrantino, but they are fairly smooth rather than mouth-puckering. This seems like it will improve with more aging. I am putting some aside to try on day 2, but it is tempting to finish it all. Edit: On the second day, the tannins have emerged and become mouth-drying, and the flavors are better integrated, although less complex and interesting. This can age for many years.
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Decanted for more than an hour at Scarpetta (NY). Truly outstanding. Very earthy on the nose and the warm, red fruit palate - I got the essence of LARDO throughout, and what a fabulous thing. Once you have this, you'll understand. My very first experience with Sagrantino, I can't wait for the next time. Already picking up many secondary notes, this is still very young and has a long, wonderful life ahead of it
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An unusually forward and approachable Sagrantino, less traditional, less rustic -- and ultimately less enjoyable for me as well. Tasting fruit with hints of stewed raspberry, sage, bit of sour red fruit, with very mild tannins -- reminiscent of a youthful southern exposure Brunelli. Missing for me is the dust and grit, coffee grinds taste and mouth feel of a traditional Sagrantino. Prefer the style of Caprai wines.
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A friend and I shared a case of this, and after 3 bottles I can only conclude that either this is the most brett-ruined Bea wine I've yet tasted, or the supply chain totally failed in delivering this wine intact.
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Just off the cork pull pronounced cherries and earth, very integrated tannins on the front of the palate, black pepper and saline on the nose, and then, of course, super big tannins on the back end but totally integrated in that Italian kinda way. I am told its better on day two. We shall see.
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Color: Bricked ruby Smell: Floral scents lifted by a vibrant melange of red and blue fruits with faint hints of vanilla bean in the back ground Taste: Dried red fruits are eclipsed by the high acidity and tannin in this on the palate. Overall: Definately complex, but the structure leaves this wine feeling almost unapproachable presently. Among the highest acidity I've come across in red wine with equally high tannins and given the dried fruit notes at such a young age I have to wonder if this will ever flesh out into a wine of beauty or if it will always strike me as something that has potential for beauty that is not quite presently there. Medium body, High ++ acidity, High tannin+, and moderate fruit presence. Outstanding...but not nearly as impressive as past bottles I'e had. HOLD until 2016
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Needs a day to come around. Funny. Open it the day before you are going to drink it!
So, on day two: savory notes of time and black pepper, bacon and smoke, incredibly expressive on the nose. I am working through the dregs but on the palate all that massive chewy tannin is totally resolve and integrated; supple, long and pure. Exactly my kind of Italian wine.
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Italian wines from Less Hearlded Regions (Briciola, Chicago IL): nose: Holy cripes this is tight! Even with it being tight, there would be fleeting moments with gorgeous tones of roasted herbs, dark red cherries, strawberries, fresh picked berries and rose petals.
taste: Medium/Full bodied with huge and grippy tannins along with medium/high acidity. It's certainly young, but has beautiful tones of roasted herbs, dark red cherries, strawberries and rose petals.
overall: Tis just a baby. This did receive a lot of air, but there is only so much that can be done. This has all of the material to be a real stunner, but it will be a good amount of time before it truly shows itself.
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One of the best red wines I've ever tasted. Period. I do not know what a "perfect" 99-100 point "Parker" 1st growth Bordeaux @ $500+/bottle tastes like, admittedly. And maybe I need to try one... But this was incredible. A nose that exploded out of the glass with dark fruits, plums, dried herbs, spices, you name it. This was wildly complex, a finish that lasted over 1 minute, and really just something that needs to be tasted. This has 10+years of life ahead of it, it's impeccably balanced, and having tried the '04 and '05 this beats the crap out o both of them. WOW. WOW. At $60 this is one of the best values I've EVER had, and I know that's both ridiculous to hear and to say given that 99% of the population won't spend more than $25 on a bottle of wine, but please do yourself a favor and buy whatever is left in the US of this wine. I bought 2 cases. Enough said?
The 06 Bea Sagrantino was unbelievable. This may be the best one I've had. It's got roasted meat and wild herbs in great abundance, but the tannin and acid are so well balanced now for it's age. it's somehow much darker and more delicate than the '05, and smoother than the '04 (which I haven't had for a while). There's also a earthiness that you get from some Bandol or Cornas after a decade or two in bottle.
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1/22/2024 - NoahCap wrote:
A bit of a monster- only 14%ABV, but tastes bigger. This is concentrated, brawny, and powerful. Nose is bursting with red and dark fruits, along with big big leather aromas. The leather might turn some people off, but I like it. There is garrigue, fresh and dried herbs, some wild barnyard smells, and what I can only describe as depth. What a nose!
Powerful in the mouth as well. Lots of leather as well as a huge core of sour cherry and black cherry fruit. The herbals, earthiness, barnyard, it's all there on the palate. Tannins are medium, a little rough, but not overpowering in and of themselves. Maybe a little Brett, but it's minimal.
There's a wildness to the whole package that is very appealing. But as fun as it is out of the bottle, I do prefer it as it takes on air and tames down a little bit. It's like it becomes a strong race horse rather than a wild stallion! The whole thing is a bit more manageable on Day 2.
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5/9/2023 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 20 minutes (with lots of sediment) but was better after one hour. Initially the wine was highly acidic with some cherry, earth, mushroom, spice and very noticeable tannins. After one hour the wine darkened, as did the fruit, while the earth and tannins both softened. The acidity was initially zesty but eased up to be balancing. This wine will probably hold for several years but is definitely more enjoyable - at this point - with a one hour decant.
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2/24/2023 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very different sort of wine than what I am used to drink. Very complex with a very slight touch of brett/animal but just enough to give it complexity without being over the top.
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1/2/2023 - jdamaral@rogers.com wrote: 96 Points
Very impressive. Wonderful nose of black fruits, mushrooms and forest floor. This kept getting better in the glass. Great texture and invisible tannins. Wort the wait of cellaring 20 plus years. Skilled, precise winemaking. Power and intensity without weight. Truly a great wine that represents excellent value. Still have one bottle left. (I will think carefully about who i open this one for.)
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11/16/2022 - Lipsman wrote: 96 Points
Slight bricking. Big Sagrantino, aromas of mushrooms and forest floor. The heavy tannins are gone. A spicy, perfumed taste, licorice, and saturated dark fruits that coat the mouth and upper palate. A bit of barnyard add complexity. Drink now - 2030.
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6/17/2022 - jpp10780 Likes this wine: 93 Points
My third bottle of this vintage. Right up there with the best. Sometimes these have had bottle variations but this one was great. Cherry juice, a bit more alcohol that is not as integrated but overall a suburb showing. I can’t see how these improve without the fruit dissipating. All tannins resolved. This is why you drink Paulo bea wines.
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4/18/2022 - jpp10780 wrote: 91 Points
Not as good as the bottle I had 4-5 months back. This one had less cherry juice and felt a bit one note. It tasted of a once tannic sagrantino that has been mellowed by time in the bottle. Was a very good bottle with a little so2 to start but that dissipated. The nose was excellent but the taste was slightly disappointing if only when compared to my previous bottle. I wouldn't attribute this to running out of steam but rather, the inconsistency with natural wines.
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1/15/2022 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is flirting with perfection. It reminds me of a 1994 Dominus. Lush aromas of violets that follow through in the taste, which is supple and saturated. The long, complex profile is followed by an bit of brett and anise on the finish. Sexy and ready to enjoy now.
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1/11/2022 - lightning wrote: 93 Points
Pale garnet with a brick hue. Attractive dark cherry and menthol nose; medium bodied, the wine is multilayered - there's an elegant layer on one hand, and then there is another layer of foreboding tannin structure - tannins are fine in texture, but sustained and with intensity. There's some plums wedged in and tightly wound, along with some liquorice, smoke and herbal notes. With some air, some red fruit notes peek out too.
This is only just approaching drinkability, however if opening now, give it an extended decant and let it stretch out. Barolo-fiends will love this. Next bottle in 2026.
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12/31/2021 - cweiss wrote:
Eastman. Clean, just enough "high tone," drinking well. Deliciously typical of Bea Sagrantino.
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12/22/2021 - jpp10780 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I've had a Paolo Bea epiphany with the 2012 San Valentino. This was even better. Straight cherry juice. Just a special bottle that frankly, tastes nothing like Sagrantino in the hands of everybody else. This was absolutely delicious with some VA that blew off quite quickly. If you ever wondered what magic can come from Paolo Bea...this bottle is a good example. We kept interrupting the conversation to acknowledge how good the wine was...that is what I want in a bottle.
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5/8/2021 - Lipsman wrote: 96 Points
Bricking. Sexy plummy aroma. Followed on the palate by saturated plum and cherry, then dark licorice and melded ripe tannins on the supple, nearly endless finish. Deeply complex and engaging.
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10/25/2020 - RichardP wrote: 94 Points
Strawberry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and notes of anise, clove, leather, and iron, with moderate to strong tannins and strong acidity on the long finish. This is outstanding, and it was an excellent value at just over $60 - too bad there's no more at that price.
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5/6/2020 - Lipsman wrote: 98 Points
A giant right out of the bottle. Aromas of sticky cherries and licorice, plums. Tastes like liquified licorice plums, followed by smoke, cola, and cherry liquor. Big, beautiful, and complex with spicy tooth furring tannins. No need to decant this beauty. Enjoy now through 2035.
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2/1/2020 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
Inky color, heavy sediment. Tar, black cherry and blackberry fruit. Plenty of tannins remain on the finish.Truly a food wine- difficult to drink on its own.
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1/24/2020 - dream wrote: flawed
dead animal in the bottle!
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1/20/2020 - Lipsman wrote: 97 Points
This is just lovely. Bricking throughout. Amazingly, there are still gobs of tooth furring tannins, along with earthy spice, bold flavors of licorice and cherry melting into a long finish of forest floor and dark fruits. A symphony of savory complexity. One of Bea’s best bottling. Unbelievably good with a grilled steak. A terrific wine drinking at its peak right now.
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5/17/2019 - Lipsman wrote: 95 Points
Cutting minerality, chalky cherries, and saturated flavors in yet another huge Sagrantino from Paolo Bea. Needs time in a decanter to open up, then the massive load of cherries blossoms forth. A terrific wine.
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5/9/2019 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Ink black. Tar and licorice, with bitter black cherry fruit. Still dark and brooding with stern tannins. Has softened a bit since last tasting.
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12/31/2018 - CMStrong Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blood and iron and leather and black fruits. Tons of tannin but drinking well now with a bit of time in the glass. Nice acidity to hold everything together. So drink now or in twenty years, but it’s a showstopper either way.
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9/16/2018 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
This is evolving slowly, and although it's drinkable now it will benefit from five more years. It's rich and complex, with red and black fruit, complex herbal and citrus notes, and some of Sagrantino's signature tannins coming through on the long finish, with strong acidity well in balance with the fruit. Excellent, and it still has room for improvement.
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6/8/2018 - whits Likes this wine: 91 Points
drank over a couple of days; it really came alive on day 2, this is an interesting wine with beef juice, anise and dried cherry notes on the nose, dry with powerful acid and commanding tannin, herbal, tomato and gamey palate, shows savory character, some dried blueberry on the mid-palate, finish is earthy, excellent with tomato sauce over chicken sausage, a worthwhile experience, enjoy with food
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5/4/2018 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very pretty color and a warm, cassis nose. Dark fruit, still a bit tannic, but great balance overall.
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11/23/2017 - Kirk Grant wrote:
This wine was decanted about 10 hours in advance and served at cellar-room temperature of about 56 degrees. There was considerable sediment in the bottle and about 1/10 of the bottle was lost to keep the wine sediment free when decanting. The wine is brick red and tinged with colors of an amber sunset leading to the meniscus. Scents of leather, potpourri, orange rind, and fig newtons (with the crumb cookie outer shell). On the palate the wine is immediately noticeable as tannic, but they're starting to round out a bit with age and there's a lovely counterbalance with the acidity and drying fruit notes that linger on the palate. Flavors of cranberry, beef jerky, clove, and cherries linger along on the medium length finish. This full bodied wine is presently still shrouded in high tannin and high acidity...but it is absolutely enjoyable with a long decant and the right food pairing. If I had more of this in the cellar I'd be tempted to check back in again around 2021. However, it's a lovely wine now with a good & long decant. Outstanding!!
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9/22/2017 - Rani Likes this wine: 91 Points
Leathery, with nice acidity and fine dry tannins. Layers of red fruit, figs and orange peel, hints of bacon.
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3/17/2017 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 90 mins. Nose is rich and dense with ink, sweet dark fruit, vanilla, herbs, spice and caramel. Palate is very tannic and concentrated with loads of black cherries and licorice. This is a wine that needs plenty of cellar time to soften. Paolo Beas style is very interesting. I quite like it. 91-92
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12/8/2016 - Topper wrote: 92 Points
Sagrantino has become a go-to wine for me in restaurants. This one was drinking very well with plenty of body and grip. Dry, gamy and herbaceous, this wine has a lot of complexity and can stand up to a wide range of food. I think 10 years after the vintage is a good time to drink these.
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10/11/2016 - grantsky wrote: 93 Points
Tight initially, Plum, pencil lead, graphite, sous bois, fennel, garrique mint. Just a baby. Try in a few years.
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5/12/2016 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Tar and licorice and spicy herbs. The tannins are still pretty intense and need more time or air to integrate. Will be an intriguing wine to follow.
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3/7/2016 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Garnet with tan. Interesting nose of briars, pepper, plum, all spice and menthol. Looks old tastes younger. Saline, pepper, roast, plum, blood, with round tannins that are youthful but manageable.
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1/2/2016 - kevinacohn wrote:
From 3L. On this night Bea fooled even me. Having enjoyed the 2006 Pagliaro a number of times recently (twice from 750ml and once from magnum), I (all too hastily) opened a jeroboam (one of only 150 produced that year). Although the "stuff" is clearly there, a massive amount of dissolved carbon dioxide has yet to dissipate, which made drinking this quite a sideways experience. Enjoy 750mls now, hold magnums for another 3-5 years, and jeroboams for another decade. Bottle #102. Not rated.
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12/12/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose showed intense, tary, dark red fruit, allspice, blueberry skins and sweet herbs. On the palate, tart wild berry fruit and minerals coated the senses while tannin and brisk acidity made the mouth water. Notes of tart cherry, blueberry and searing tannin lingered long on the finish. This is a beautiful wine but needs a decade or more in the cellar.
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11/29/2015 - Dehrmann Likes this wine: 91 Points
fruity while powerful - ate with pasta
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11/26/2015 - Lipsman wrote: 95 Points
Deeply flavored Sagrantino, a rival to the 2001. Plenty of heady spice, suave tannins, and complexity. Irresistible now but will improve with cellar age as the tannins resolve. Drink now with a 2 hour decant. Try again in 2018-2020.
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11/22/2015 - sp4388 Likes this wine: 96 Points
GREAT Italian wine. Cherries, rose, cinnamon and pine on the nose. Fresh, strong thyme, savory/earthy mushroom, baked cherry, orange zest on palate. Still intense tannins that you feel in your gums for a good minute along with the herb and truffle flavors that persist much longer than the fruit after you swallow. So amazing and complex. Fruit, tannin and acid all powerful and very much in balance suggest long aging potential, as does the fact that it kept improving in both intensity and complexity over 6 hours. would be amazing with truffle Mac and cheese, but when a wine is this good I always bias towards drinking it by itself
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10/27/2015 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
Decanted 3 hours before drinking; at its best after 4.5 hours. Pungent and singular aroma, quite savory along the lines of truffle/mushroom/soy sauce/caramel, overlaying ripe black fruit, spice, flowers, and hints of smoke and pine needle. Similar on the palate, with fresh and stewed cherries, and deep, earthy, woodsy, caramelly savoriness. Strong tannins - seems young in that regard, but otherwise quite poised; fresh, balanced, light on its feet; good acidity. Expressive and characterful wine; quite enjoyable.
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10/16/2015 - Ben H. Likes this wine:
This was so fresh and balanced, elegant even. When first opened, it did seem unexpectedly old and tea-like. Then, with time in the decanter (separating the wine from a lot of sediment in large flakes), the wine became more youthful while still seeming mature. I was reminded of older Nebbiolo: cinnamon and clove smells, a licorice and chinato taste. Dusty tannins folded into a magnificent, smooth texture eventually. Thanks to kevinacohn in particular for suggesting this was ready in his tasting note.
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5/23/2015 - JDV.DDSPHD Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was new for me. Great texture and balance with a great finish. Thicker and more velvety than the previous. Rich dark red in color. Black currant, smoke and a leathery after taste that balanced it out nicely.
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4/18/2015 - kevinacohn wrote:
Astor Winemakers Invitational (Astor Center, New York, NY): From 1.5L. My last encounter with the 2006 Pagliaro bordered on mind-bending; this time it was just excellent. The large format has preserved more of the primary elements: prunes, blackberries, cassis, hints of licorice, and some rosemary and thyme. Strong acid and grainy tannins. My suggestion is to serve this slightly below room temperature, which lessens its weight without compromising the complexity of its aromas and flavors. Bottle #283. Rated 2 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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3/8/2015 - gfish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had at Sagrantino Wine Tasting & Umbrian Popup Dinner with Italian lovers wine tasting group.
This was wonderful but could have used proper decanting before serving.
On the palate earthy notes, black fruit, forest floor and menthol added wonderful complexity to the ripe tannins and good acidity.
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2/22/2015 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP. The nose has sweet, almost candied fruit - plummy, macerated strawberries and sweet black cherry, a creamy marzipan note, spices - baking spices and fruitcake, and a pretty herbal component with alpine herbs. At times shows just a hint of raisins, but this is not hot or overripe on the nose, maybe just a touch of heat. The nose is so perfumed that I would probably guess Red Burg, but it's not quite right - it's like a Red Burg from a nearby dimension. The palate is very silky with fine tannins and deep and sweet red and blue fruits. The acid is good and it shows some herbal qualities and some stony minerality on the midpalate. The finish shows the sweet candied fruit, the herbs and creamy marzipan and ends with the fine tannins. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5-5.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17.5/20.
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2/7/2015 - joedv8s wrote: flawed
An interesting experience, I wish I had what others have shared here.
open and smelled, something was wrong. First flavor was like sour champagne all fizzy in our mouths. Tried a few more tastes and decided to wait til the next day. Better, most of the fizziness was gone and the true wine flavors were coming through. Enjoyable, not perfect by any means. I would go for an 85 but not post it. I hope my other bottle also bought at Gordon's is better
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2/1/2015 - tgang Likes this wine: 95 Points
Earthy bouquet, blackberry and other dark fruit flavors with a long almond and vanilla finish. Very much my style of big, earthy, old world style wines. Phenomenal.
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1/17/2015 - kevinacohn wrote:
Having heard from a number of trusted sources that this was now "a point," I excitedly retrieved a bottle from my cellar for a gathering of good friends. It didn't disappoint, showing a weightlessness and balance than I've never experienced with Sagrantino of any pedigree or age. The palate overflowed with acid and flavors of fennel, oregano, sweet cherries, brown sugar, and rare beef. We drank in near silence, awed by the elegance of this normally untamed wine. Bottle #3171. Rated 3 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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1/1/2015 - ben2e wrote: 93 Points
I absolutely loved this wine. We had a whole table of happy drinkers. Medium bodied but nicely balanced and absolutely delicious fruit. Nice structure. I don't think I could describe the fruit well enough but had the flavors of a far older wine than it was to me. Not cheap but well worthwhile.
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12/13/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rustic nose of black earth, dark cherries and licorice. On the palate, this is a structured vintage of Pagliaro that is loaded with deep flavors of earth, game, fennel and black cherries and lots of acidity. It builds to a grippy tannic finish that shows beautiful notes of licorice and minerals with a very satisfying spice-driven (thyme?) complexity. A balanced, authentic wine that tastes of farmland combined with the finest Italian ingredients. A great vintage of this wine especially for laying down. 94+
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12/10/2014 - BaroloRob wrote: 91 Points
This wine has some mild brett that wasnt noticeable a year ago. Still a good full body sagrantino but I worry about its future if the brett levels increase.
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11/14/2014 - Chaz Bham wrote:
Marc and MJ's - another nice evening of wine and food (Bellingham, WA): Rich cocoa powder and dark fruit on the nose and initial palate. Dynamic complexity on the palate demonstrates real quality. Excellent structure. The burly tannins of this young Sagrantino will hopefully settle down in the future. This bottle needed at least 8 hours in a wide decanter to open up. I'll hold on to my other bottles and re-approach in about 4 years. Very promising.
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11/13/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent. Although young and closed, showing exceptional balance and structure. Very classy.
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11/8/2014 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened at cellar temp, poured down to the shoulder and sampled a couple times over 6 hours. Volatile on opening, but harmonized after a couple hours, and was beautiful with a charred bistecca, collards, and white beans.
Deep purple core with ruby reflection. Lighter than expected, not quite inky.
The nose is intensely balsamic, with aromas of hedgerow, bay laurel, dark stewed fruit and dried berries. As it opened more delicate herbal and graphite notes emerged.
With air, the tannins softened their grip but maintained a powerful structure. With the steak it took on some qualities of a fine bordeaux with graphite and cedarwood and left me breathless.
I am unsure if I detected the Brett elements that previous reviewers had, and did not care, or if their bottles were flawed. I detected a savory barnyard quality but the wine was balanced and well-tuned.
Given how many different facets emerged from this bottle over time, I would say another 3 years would be great, but if you give this wine some time and air it will be great today. Exceptional personality and complexity.
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8/7/2014 - JonnyG wrote: 90 Points
A perplexing bottle, with abundant brett (to which I am not normally very sensitive) and a touch of prune. The acidity tends to distract, in my view, but this bottle's volatility was extreme, and it may have been heat affected. I did love the furry texture and hope to find another specimen, for comparative purposes.
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7/28/2014 - Ludi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Granato di media compattezza. Mora, tabacco latakia, humus, pepe nero, grafite, macchia mediterranea. Potente, tannino straordinariamente composto. Chiude lungo
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7/11/2014 - 5laton wrote: flawed
Ruined by brett, like every other bottle I've had of this vintage. Hopefully just a local distribution problem.
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6/7/2014 - ekenneth wrote: 98 Points
This continues to evolve and will get better for years to come.
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5/22/2014 - AWBryce wrote: 91 Points
I have never smelled anything like this before. It reminded me distinctly of pickles (and not in an unpleasant way), but I may be alone in that. The palate was much better than the nose, and went well with the meal.
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5/16/2014 - Decanting fool wrote: 93 Points
I haven't tasted wine made by even a fraction of the world's great winemakers, but I'm still prepared to say that for my palate Paolo Bea is one of the greatest winemakers in the world. Each of his wines is so singular, satisfying, complex and intellectually intriguing, and this is no exception. Decanted 5 or 6 hours and it was still very tight and pruney, so I transferred it to a larger decanter and it really blossomed. Surprisingly if I tasted this blind I would be sure it was some bizarre old world pinot noir, which is not how I'd describe earlier vintages of this wine. Plenty of funk, that's always in evidence,- - only James Brown can compete with Bea when it comes to being the master of funk- strawberry,brassy blue fruit, cinnamon, indian spices, twigs, flesh and tart chewy tannins. I'll admit that this, like all of Bea's wines, might be difficult for those disposed to wines with a new world profille. But for those who like to travel a little off that popular grid it's a real treat. Best after a minimum of another 3-5 + years. BTW the 2005 bottling upon which I recently commented is an entirely different and even more enjoyable wine.
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5/15/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Odd, somewhat soft and fruit drive on the mid-palate. But then intense grip on the back end.
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5/4/2014 - Jhcwine wrote: 91 Points
The Paolo Bea (which I contributed) was abit of a disappointment. It was decanted for 3 hours. The nose showed alot of barnyard and meat, which overwhelmed the fruit. The palate was similar. It was (as a result of the decant) somwhat more delicate then it might have otherwise been (which I know, as I Coravin"d another bottle the next day), but not enough to make me really like this wine. That next day's bottle also showed similar barnyard and meat (and possibly some prune), but was somewhat more tannic. Overall, the wine was good but not much better than that. At this point, based upon this showing, and the Coravin'd glass, I would not buy it again.
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4/30/2014 - bill00 wrote: flawed
This wine was hopelessly affected by some combination of VA, brett and what smelled like plain old rot. Got even worse with time and air exposure.
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4/9/2014 - ach816 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, what a wine. Certainly young, but definitely approachable with the right food (think: venison, etc.)
See: medium brick-ruby with slight garnet tones.
Smell: Golden fig, dried strawberry, raspberry, tomato paste, forest floor, molten chocolate, exotic spice, pressed flowers, molasses, barbecue.
Taste: M+ body. M+ acidity, with bracing energy. High tannins, muscular, strapping, yet they some how don't clip the wine. Finish is long and sturdy, with delineated plum, forest floor and mineral notes.
Buy a couple of bottles... Definitely crack one now and let the rest sit for a while.
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3/2/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a zippy, crisp vintage for this wonderful wine and this baby needed to be decanted for at least hour so the acidity could calm down. Then lovely flavors of black earth, sweet barnyard, dark cherries and licorice emerged in a sleek medium-bodied package with lots of firm structure on the dry finish. Not a forward or rich vintage but it really grew on me in a cooler style. I would say this could still use a few years in bottle. 91+
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2/9/2014 - matt5588 Likes this wine: 92 Points
My favorite grapes are nebbiolo and sangiovese so this was my first try at sagrantino and I must say quite surprised. At first, I felt a little effervescence on my tongue and then I was surprised at the great taste that came forward after an hour in the decanter. The dark berries and licorice flavors came forward and the tannins elevated. I'm glad I have two more bottles in my cellar and I will definitely buy more
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1/13/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Well, it only took six hours for it to get in gear but then it was something utterly complex and unique.
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1/8/2014 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Truffles, menthol, and violets on the nose; on the palate, sour cherry, raspberry, clove, bacon fat, and notes of rose petal and anise or some other savory herb. This is a "wow" wine, powerful and complex, with a long finish. It has the strong tannins typical of Sagrantino, but they are fairly smooth rather than mouth-puckering. This seems like it will improve with more aging. I am putting some aside to try on day 2, but it is tempting to finish it all. Edit: On the second day, the tannins have emerged and become mouth-drying, and the flavors are better integrated, although less complex and interesting. This can age for many years.
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12/19/2013 - jarjarbinx99 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Vraiment pas mon style...
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11/30/2013 - englishman's claret wrote:
Just a short taste - brambly fruit and a lot of barnyard. Good; didn't get enough time with this.
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11/23/2013 - astroman Likes this wine:
Burgundy Festival (Milwaukee): Great on the palate with pandan like nose and palate. This is already open for a week!
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11/19/2013 - nortonnose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for more than an hour at Scarpetta (NY). Truly outstanding. Very earthy on the nose and the warm, red fruit palate - I got the essence of LARDO throughout, and what a fabulous thing. Once you have this, you'll understand. My very first experience with Sagrantino, I can't wait for the next time. Already picking up many secondary notes, this is still very young and has a long, wonderful life ahead of it
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11/7/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
SO rude, so powerful, so itself. "That is wild, awesome" is one taster's comment. And there it is.
Wild, awesome.
Dried figs? Needs a steak with figs and bacon on top.
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10/30/2013 - swapdoc wrote:
An unusually forward and approachable Sagrantino, less traditional, less rustic -- and ultimately less enjoyable for me as well. Tasting fruit with hints of stewed raspberry, sage, bit of sour red fruit, with very mild tannins -- reminiscent of a youthful southern exposure Brunelli. Missing for me is the dust and grit, coffee grinds taste and mouth feel of a traditional Sagrantino. Prefer the style of Caprai wines.
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8/18/2013 - 5laton wrote: flawed
A friend and I shared a case of this, and after 3 bottles I can only conclude that either this is the most brett-ruined Bea wine I've yet tasted, or the supply chain totally failed in delivering this wine intact.
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7/10/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Now on day two. Can Sagrantino cause insanity? Maybe so. Massive with the tannin on the back end. Idyosnycratic, to lay down, amazing.
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7/9/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just off the cork pull pronounced cherries and earth, very integrated tannins on the front of the palate, black pepper and saline on the nose, and then, of course, super big tannins on the back end but totally integrated in that Italian kinda way. I am told its better on day two. We shall see.
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7/8/2013 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Color: Bricked ruby
Smell: Floral scents lifted by a vibrant melange of red and blue fruits with faint hints of vanilla bean in the back ground
Taste: Dried red fruits are eclipsed by the high acidity and tannin in this on the palate.
Overall: Definately complex, but the structure leaves this wine feeling almost unapproachable presently. Among the highest acidity I've come across in red wine with equally high tannins and given the dried fruit notes at such a young age I have to wonder if this will ever flesh out into a wine of beauty or if it will always strike me as something that has potential for beauty that is not quite presently there. Medium body, High ++ acidity, High tannin+, and moderate fruit presence. Outstanding...but not nearly as impressive as past bottles I'e had. HOLD until 2016
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6/10/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Needs a day to come around. Funny. Open it the day before you are going to drink it!
So, on day two: savory notes of time and black pepper, bacon and smoke, incredibly expressive on the nose. I am working through the dregs but on the palate all that massive chewy tannin is totally resolve and integrated; supple, long and pure. Exactly my kind of Italian wine.
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5/9/2013 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 93 Points
Terrific. Unlike other wines I've drunk in the past several years. Complex, full, rich, not sweet.
5 on the AF scale
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3/17/2013 - jwongham wrote: 93 Points
Two hour decant. Complex and developing nose. This is wonderful but needs time. Unassuming at first but breadth and depth emerges in the palate.
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1/13/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Italian wines from Less Hearlded Regions (Briciola, Chicago IL): nose: Holy cripes this is tight! Even with it being tight, there would be fleeting moments with gorgeous tones of roasted herbs, dark red cherries, strawberries, fresh picked berries and rose petals.
taste: Medium/Full bodied with huge and grippy tannins along with medium/high acidity. It's certainly young, but has beautiful tones of roasted herbs, dark red cherries, strawberries and rose petals.
overall: Tis just a baby. This did receive a lot of air, but there is only so much that can be done. This has all of the material to be a real stunner, but it will be a good amount of time before it truly shows itself.
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6/25/2012 - RyanJames wrote: 96 Points
One of the best red wines I've ever tasted. Period. I do not know what a "perfect" 99-100 point "Parker" 1st growth Bordeaux @ $500+/bottle tastes like, admittedly. And maybe I need to try one...
But this was incredible. A nose that exploded out of the glass with dark fruits, plums, dried herbs, spices, you name it. This was wildly complex, a finish that lasted over 1 minute, and really just something that needs to be tasted. This has 10+years of life ahead of it, it's impeccably balanced, and having tried the '04 and '05 this beats the crap out o both of them. WOW. WOW. At $60 this is one of the best values I've EVER had, and I know that's both ridiculous to hear and to say given that 99% of the population won't spend more than $25 on a bottle of wine, but please do yourself a favor and buy whatever is left in the US of this wine. I bought 2 cases. Enough said?
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6/2/2012 - ekenneth wrote: 98 Points
The 06 Bea Sagrantino was unbelievable. This may be the best one I've had. It's got roasted meat and wild herbs in great abundance, but the tannin and acid are so well balanced now for it's age. it's somehow much darker and more delicate than the '05, and smoother than the '04 (which I haven't had for a while). There's also a earthiness that you get from some Bandol or Cornas after a decade or two in bottle.
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