Best bottle in case so far. Dark Red. High-toned varnish aroma, which faded. Whiff of truffles. Lovely rich fruitcake and cherry flavours, woody smooth tannins. Beautifully mature. End note of ripe, fresh cherries. Lovely.
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Still drinking really well, although probably nearing the end of its peak drinking window. Drunk from magnum, which may explain why my bottle still had plenty of life left in contrast to the bottles opened by other reviewers. Opened about 6 hours before drinking. A beautiful Chianti.
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"New World" Chianti. Powerful black fruited, fatter, richer, fruity, more mouthfeel, tannic even. I can see where people would love this style, but it's not for me. Seared pork medallions were a hit with the wine, but the food was better than the wine. Meh.
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Fantastic. Sweet nose of cherries, earth. tobacco, leather and crushed rock / mineral quality. Med + bodied, sweet tannins, soft and finishes with balsamic notes. If tasting blind, would be a challenge to come up with Chianti and Fontodi's CC remains my favorite. Drink now - worry that fruit will fade and balsamic notes will overwhelm.
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Just tried this wine. Garnet, considerable sediment. Immediate nose of leather, then raspberry, licorice, soya sauce. Flavor is rich, complex, a taste and long finish that made me stop and appreciate the wine. As we drank, both the wine and food tasted better and better. I really like this wine.
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Holidays 2018 (Dogwood Grove): At ten years of age, this is surprisingly spry, and drinks like something far classier than a chianti (although Fontodi's CC is possibly the best around). Expressive aromatic profile of dusty rose and rosemary. Balanced with a firm acid backbone providing a palate cleansing grip. Precise palate with signature tobacco leaf and accents of cherry flesh, sweet spices, iron. Finishes with dry mineral notes and a hint of residual sweetness.
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Very tasty, very nice evolution since last bottle. Tannins and acidity has softened. Deep dark cherry fruit, nice purity. Chalky stony quality on the oalate and finish. Aromatics are fresh, fruity with a lovely saline quality.
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Excellent wine. Late note, but it was so good I still remember. Has really improved with age. Has gained complexity. Red fruit, earth and tobacco. Well balanced. Still lots of presence
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Bing red cherries, tobacco, earth, sweet oak and a complexity that brings this wine together on the long finish w/ spices and drying well integrated tannins. The nose screams Tuscany but more interesting and complex than most Chianti's. Wonderful. Will continue to evolve and get more interesting over the next 5+ years
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From a bottle that had been sitting on retail shelves for a while. Bought a couple weeks ago. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has a lot of barnyard on it, more than most chianti's. There is some tea leaves and cherries. On the palate, the brett continues. i don't mind brett but this is very atypical for a Chianti. Plenty of acidity. Forest floor and slight cherries. Overall a nice, aged wine if not for brett intolerant. I liked the wine, but would hope more pristine bottles would show better.
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Showing quite well in this magnum format just now - no decant time needed. Citrus, leather, herbs, dried cherry, truffle. Medium-bodied, avg+ acidity, tannins resolved, avg length. Drink now or in the next several years. Consistently good across 3 hours open. recommended
Served non-blind at cellar temp. Held since release, cork/fill in vg cond.
dark ruby color. nose with initial light notes of prunes/raisins, some slight funk initially that blows off. Nose with tea flavors and bright red cherries, good acidity, some earthy flavors and mushrooms. Really interesting to see this cuvee with age, would drink now. 91 pts
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It seemed very oxidized at first, even with a perfect cork, but after many hours of decanting it finally showed fruit and spices. I believe it needs at least half a day decanting in order to show its true character.
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Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 2 hours. Casual Friday at ESBK. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of savoury meat, leather, bretty earth, dark red cherries, roasted dark herbs. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, grainy high tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of leather, dusty earth, dark red cherries, sour red cherries, dark herbs, grilled capsicums. Medium+ finish. Acceptable quality. Ugh. Disappointed to find out that this was a Fontodi Chianti Classico. I have had other vintages of this that were very good. Not a performer in this variable Tuscan vintage. Time to drink up already also.
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From magnum, opened 1 hour prior to consuming with a bevy of pizzas with a family crowd. Some tart cherry, red alpine currant, red licorice and tannins. Just not quite at the level of either the 2006 or 2009 editions of this same wine. Not quite the intensity or concentration of these other vintages, but still perfectly suitable for a crowd around the large rectangular table with 3 pizzas staring back at them.
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Strong nose of earth, leather, herbs, vegatables. Very good fruity sour cherry and balsamic taste. Bright acidity. Some cherry aftertaste. Overall straight forward. Better with food. Typical Chianti sangiovese profile. The structure was quite good and solid, with good tannin. It's an above-average non-riserva grade Chianti Classico.
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Darker, deeper and more developed / stewed fruits than I expected. Not as bright as would expect. Nose of wood, raisins. plum, balsamic & brush. Soft, lush and even with developed fruits, still has really nice acidity & liveliness. Finished with leather and menthol spices on the long finish. Excellent.
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Nose of sour cherries, black cherry, vanilla scent, oak and tobacco. Soft, lush and well integrated tannins. Sour bitter cherries on the finish w/ a touch of balsamic. Fantastic.
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Not as good as the prior bottle. This came across as a little flat. Shows nice red cherry and plum fruit, nice herbal earthy aromas, juicy cherry fruit but falls a little flat on the finish.
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The challenge of this wine would be tasting it blind. It seems rather like warm vintage pinot noir with more persistent acidity. It has red fruit, some crushed stone, a surprisingly lush mouth feel. The finish evolves slowly and fades softly. I don't think the wine has a long life ahead as the tannins are resolved. A good food wine and one that will go across a broad spectrum from Italian dishes to roasted meats and stews.
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Pretty similar to the bottle I drank in 2013. Typical CC red fruit with earth and leather notes. The depth of the fruit lacks in comparison to this wine (which I am very much a fan of) in better vintages. A perfectly fine CC, but still below par for this maker.
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Needed an hour to show well. A little dusky on the nose and palate. Has a very dark red fruit profile, and very dense and dark on the finish, with strong tannins. Approachable now with food but not so enjoyable on its own. Lovely palate and nose though. Drink with air or hold.
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Decanted for an hour or so, served slightly chilled (~16 degrees Celcius). A classic, charismatic nose of ripe red sour cherries, leather and some barnyard. A little VA going on, but in a way that really adds to the whole. I can't remember previous vintages having much if any VA/brett but I'm definitely not complaining. The palate is classic first class CC action with a mouthfeel that separates this wine from the field. There is a certain satine-like quality to the texture even though there is some serious structure underneath. Full-bodied, beautifully bright and lifted, just as enjoyable as the previous few vintages. Worked wonders with lamb tenderloin.
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I hope that CT is correct I have one more of thse left, as this was awesome chianti. Dark and ripe, but with that lovely cherry freshness that good sangiovese has. Really juicy, dark cherry and currant fruit with soft-ish tannins and a nice long finish. Complex with tobacco and leather notes and a tarry note on the finish. Excellent wine. Drank from a 375ml which maybe helped the wine smooth out a little faster.
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A great wine with notes of leather (a lot), cherries and minerals. Made in a classic style with elegance and good structure. Drinks very well now with its smooth tannins and fresh acidity.
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On the nose, there’s intense black cherry, cocoa, plum and vanilla notes. On the palate it has deep, complex berry notes, spicy toast aromas from the oak, black pepper and a tobacco element as well. Tasty!
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The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, light toast and black pepper. The body is medium. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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A belated note so my memory's a little faded. This was probably the best chianti I've had (albeit from a small sample size). Cherries and soil and starting to show some maturity. Clean, fresh and well made. I don't think this converted me to a chianti drinker, but came pretty close. I see why this producer is so highly regarded.
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The wine was medium ruby in colour and offered red fruit, cherry, scorched earth, black tea, coffee, leather, tobacco and spices on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, tart red currant, earthy notes, tea and tobacco, paired with high acidity, medium-plus tannin and very good length. A solid, medium-bodied, medium-complex, rustic and dry Chianti Classico that should continue to drink well for 5+years. I would recommend decanting for 30 minutes.
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Agree with the previous TN. Found this last bottle to be the best, and very interesting in comparison to a 2010 Monsanto CCR previously tasted. Just 2-3 years of bottle age allowed for better integration. This was a joy to drink.
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This is classic Chianti on the nose, lots of bright cherry, vine tomato, balsamic notes, earthy and incredibly oily. Acidity is still bright and a strong tannic backbone supports soft, crunchy red fruits and a perfumed coffee mocha finish. Richly textured and drinking very well now. ****
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This bottle was shared at Chelsea & Fulham Wine Society. Unfortunately it was tired and didn't show at all as well as the bottle we drank over Christmas.
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Was a little concerned reading some recent notes but the bottle I opened tonight was drinking beautifully.
Fresh, bright red cherry underscored by slight funk and oak on the nose.
Palate has strong, fresh acids and sour cherry flavors. The tannins are vibrant and chalky, leading to a medium plus finish with good intensity. All signs point to this aging well. Lovely Classico with a punch.
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Bright ruby, now with garnet rim, notes of forest floor mingle with a bright cherry and lead into sage, cinnamon and a little tar. The taste is full bodied, lavish and complex, with those bright cherry Sangiovese tones and lush tannins now decaying into more tertiary woody flavours. Delicious - but probably time to drink now - 2014 rather than the longer life I'd assumed a year ago.
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From 375mL, professionally stored since release. This wine seems to me to be past its peak. If the drinking window is a plateau, I would argue we are on the other side of the plateau. Subtle notes of forest floor and decay. Fruit is pretty much non-existent. Short finish. Went lovely with food. Drink now.
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Right up to the mark for Fontodi. Subtle fruit and earth in the nose. Bright fruit with a nice balance of acid and tannin. This one will last for many more seasons. I am impressed with Fontodi's dedication to organic production and biodynamic methods.
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Leather aromas with a lifted menthol top note and just a touch of VA. Medium-bodied with dark berry/cherry fruit that's slightly stewed. Very dry finish.
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I've noticed subtle bottle variation, with some having a touch of brett which only adds to the complexity. My go-to wine for dinner, I should invest in a few cases of 375s next time since they seem to go so fast.
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Dark purple color with a very aromatic nose of tobacco, dark chocolate and licorice. The palate is medium-bodied with sharp acidity featuring dark cherries, plum, cigar box, smoke, vanilla, and toasted oak. Finishes long with persistent minerality and a hint of spice. Delicious, wonderfully balanced and well-orcherstrated. Drink now until 2018.
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Känns lite jnuten och släpper inte loss. Dagen efter i 24 timmar i karaff i kylen så är det bättre. Rödfruktigt med en ceder, knivsudd vanlij och lite svart te.
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Fresh berries and forest floor. quite tight at this point. Air it, don't serve it too chilled and pair it with some rich pasta dish and it gives you more than a hint of what may come.
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Paired with some pizza and arugula, and the wine actually was a little overshadowed. This bottle was much earthier, and the acid more muted than the last bottle. Still good, but missing the spark of the last bottle.
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Inledningsvis väldigt mycket ek i doften. Efter en stund sköna dofter av körsbär, lakrits, salvia, kryddnejlika, mynta. Till och från toner av stall. Medelhöga tanniner, ganska lång kryddig smak med ett elegant slut.
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Garnet to purple. Still very high acid, earthiness, although with a couple hours of air, macerated cherries, currant, and a hint of sweet mineral in the finish.
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I would say this was fabulous with 'Gino's Pizza' tonight, bright fresh and really tasty, loved how it ripped through the sauce AND the saltiness of the 'za, very enjoyable - Dark red, medium bodied with a nose of sweet cherry, earth, plum, spice and vanilla., excellent acidity, structure and balance, sweet, sour on the palate with excellent length, very nice and wish we had more! (92 Points).
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From magnum. Bit of barnyard on the nose; also dried fruit and leaves. The palate is slightly thin on fruit, but a nice grippy texture w/ lively acid/tannins made this an excellent wine to eat with dinner. Overall pretty characteristic of the region, I thought. A nice example of CC that is on the lighter/elegant side of the spectrum.
Cherries, raspberries, tobacco, leather and a little manure on the nose. Austere but friendly tannins. Food-friendly. Long aftertaste. Balanced. Swe: Körsbär, hallon, tobak, läder och lite gödsel i doften. Strama, men vänliga tanniner. Matvänligt. Lång eftersmak. Balanserat.
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No formal notes. 3 bottles consumed. Earthy, nice acidity. Traditionally styled. Fine to drink now but a few years in the cellar will be rewarded. Very good. 89+
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Nose - 90 - still tannic. Palette - 90 or 91. Decent day to day wine. Note - tannin faded by day 2, leaving a wine that was abit too fruit juicy. So insufficient structure for cellaring.
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From 1.5 L, popped and poured. Marked notes of fennel & anise on top of fine, dried black cherry, underbrush, and a subtle richness at the core. Elegant, but not at all thin. Medium weight on the palate with more dried black cherry, leather, and some minerality. Fine tannins and savory notes on the finish. Well balanced, solid, and easy to drink.
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Det är en tät doft från start. Fatkryddor, det doftar som en hel orientalisk bazar. Smaken är lite lite i obalans med en tätt vägg av lite colatoner, lite tunn frukt i mitten. Ganska gott ändå. Dag två är vinet mer i balans. Mer frukt i doften, plommon, körsbär och ceder. Smaken är mer rödfruktig och går mer åt hallon och körsbär. En väldigt torr avslutning. Gott och passar helt okej till pasta carbonara.
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Lightish red. Great nose of cherry, earth and more cherry and earth and a little bit of vanilla. I love this style of CC. Delicious cherry flavours with the most perfect traditional CC mouth feel and finish. I love the way this is at this moment.
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Pretty unusual for Chianti, even Classico. A pleasing bright deep ruby hue. Tight, dense nose of leather and ripe morello cherries, complex as it evolves, somewhat musky and later even darker fruit. Full bodied and with plenty of fine tannins, the rich, warm red fruit and cherry flavours show integrated French oak. A long warm and sweet fruit finish with enough acidity to see this as a long laster. Drink now to 2016.
NB This wine should be decanted about 1 hour before serving, as it's quite tight and has fine sediment.
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Unlike other bottles of this Chianti, which in this vintage show a lovely Burgundian vibe, this one had s musty, dusty element. It was not entirely objectionable, but def different from the norm. Hopefully it's just bottle variation.
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Decanted an hour before pairing with tri-color rotini, marinara, and Italian sausage, this solid Chianti once again acquitted itself well as a superb food wine. Decanting smooths the edges, expands both nose and palate, and allows the acidity to settle, which I generally prefer over opening and immediately pouring.
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A sour cherry, strawberry and peach stone nose with notes of incense, tobacco, graphite, tea and slight truffle. Medium bodied refreshingly structured palate with not a lot of fruit. Some darker tobacco and meat tones as well as well-proportioned powdery to creamy oak. Sandalwood, graphite and some minor barnyard effect. Mid-length. Rather nice stuff and definitely a style I like. Still, I'm a bit worried here, since there's really almost no fruit on the palate, when this could use some more years to open up more. But with this fruit intensity, I'd probably enjoy these sooner. There might be some heat damage with this particular bottle though.
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Aerate in decanter 1 hour. Medium ruby, no sign of age. Dusty cherry, leather, earth and herbs. Medium-high acids will require this to rest a few more years, but the fruit is clean, pure. Tasty now, better later. Drink thru 2016, B+
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Maybe not my favorite Fontodi vintage, but showed characteristic bright cherry fruit aromas and flavors with a nice hint of dust and graphite on the finish. A bit too concentrated for a summer patio party.
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On the nose there is tobacco, graphite and oak. It is perhaps a slight bit herbaceous. On the palate a racy little number with sour cherries which despite the high acidity coats the mouth with flavour. The tannins are well hidden and the wine has a good medium to long length.
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Agree with RJ's note below, with my emphasis on tart cherry and ample acidity. Was decanted for an hour; assume still a bit young and might have further upside.
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Classic Fontodi chianti with amply acidity and deep flavors of sour cherry, dusty cherry, and hints of tar. Bright and soft on the entry palate, but a pleasant burst of mineral on the structured finish.
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IW Cigar box, forest floor, white pepper on nose Solid tannins out the bottle via decanter. Pepper carries through to the palate, with savoury plum fruit
AM Cinnamon and nutmeg nose
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Had this at Ugo, Mandalay Bay Las Vegas and was pretty well blown away by how this wine married new world and old world characteristics. After tasting a few more bottles back home (bought locally), i'm less impressed, though I still feel this is very good quality chianti classico. 89+
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Light colour, nose with tea leaves, herbal notes, strawberry and dark cherry. Tannins are a little harsh. Medium body and medium to high acidity. Rather light but with good complexity.
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Dark ruby color of medium depth. Nose is really nice, with the typical Strawberry licorice aroma accented by a hint of citrus (lemon?). Medium bodied. This wine has a tart red berry frame buttressed with mineral and leather. Nicely structured with ample tannins and acidity. Long leather-dominated finish of medium-light to medium intensity. 14% alc. is well-hidden. Drinks well today, but will certainly improve with time in the cellar. Gut impression score: high 80’s to low 90’s.
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Spicy cherry flavor dominates this Chianti. Needs at least 30/45 minutes to decant to have strong tannins integrate with fruit, but when it does you get a terrific tasting wine. Finish does end abruptly, but overall quite good.
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I ignored the wisdom of not drinking too soon after shipping and i'm glad I did. Popped and poured a glass for lunch and another 6 hours later at dinner. It started rustic and fruity in a simple but nice way (88-89) but the fruit blossomed and the tannins melowed. This bottle is outstanding tonight. 91-92
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Velvety ruby red with a warming, deep red berry nose. Good weight, full of cherry fruit. The oak is quite noticeable causing a touch of dryness and just needs a little more time to integrate.
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7/25/2023 - Milos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Faded and colour showing age; forward cherry mash and forest floor notes, mushrooms; sweet cherry palate, tannins resolved; drinking perfectly now.
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5/9/2023 - SixHedgehogs Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best bottle in case so far. Dark Red. High-toned varnish aroma, which faded. Whiff of truffles. Lovely rich fruitcake and cherry flavours, woody smooth tannins. Beautifully mature. End note of ripe, fresh cherries. Lovely.
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8/25/2022 - rwpalmer wrote: 90 Points
From magnum this was bright and lively. Red-fruited and sinewy. Great food wine.
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12/24/2021 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Good complexity; Blood and iodine; Strong peppermint?; Heavy sediment
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3/21/2021 - Nothung Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still drinking really well, although probably nearing the end of its peak drinking window. Drunk from magnum, which may explain why my bottle still had plenty of life left in contrast to the bottles opened by other reviewers. Opened about 6 hours before drinking. A beautiful Chianti.
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12/3/2020 - TDV Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last bottle of the case. All leather and undergrowth now, still touch of ripeness but very much on downward curve. Still enjoyable though.
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9/26/2020 - SixHedgehogs wrote: 88 Points
Dark red. Woody, truffly, mouldy aroma. Sharp acidic cherry flavour, harsh tannin. Palette-cleansing. Good with food.
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8/7/2020 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 88 Points
"New World" Chianti. Powerful black fruited, fatter, richer, fruity, more mouthfeel, tannic even. I can see where people would love this style, but it's not for me. Seared pork medallions were a hit with the wine, but the food was better than the wine. Meh.
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3/28/2020 - festiva wrote: flawed
Corked. In a huge way....
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2/15/2020 - fozzibaer wrote: 88 Points
Time to drink up.
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9/3/2019 - Eags25 wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic. Sweet nose of cherries, earth. tobacco, leather and crushed rock / mineral quality. Med + bodied, sweet tannins, soft and finishes with balsamic notes. If tasting blind, would be a challenge to come up with Chianti and Fontodi's CC remains my favorite. Drink now - worry that fruit will fade and balsamic notes will overwhelm.
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3/27/2019 - Biastagan wrote:
Just tried this wine. Garnet, considerable sediment. Immediate nose of leather, then raspberry, licorice, soya sauce. Flavor is rich, complex, a taste and long finish that made me stop and appreciate the wine. As we drank, both the wine and food tasted better and better. I really like this wine.
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1/6/2019 - pgb67 wrote: 93 Points
Holidays 2018 (Dogwood Grove): At ten years of age, this is surprisingly spry, and drinks like something far classier than a chianti (although Fontodi's CC is possibly the best around). Expressive aromatic profile of dusty rose and rosemary. Balanced with a firm acid backbone providing a palate cleansing grip. Precise palate with signature tobacco leaf and accents of cherry flesh, sweet spices, iron. Finishes with dry mineral notes and a hint of residual sweetness.
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6/26/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very tasty, very nice evolution since last bottle. Tannins and acidity has softened. Deep dark cherry fruit, nice purity. Chalky stony quality on the oalate and finish. Aromatics are fresh, fruity with a lovely saline quality.
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5/22/2018 - Kitura Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent wine. Late note, but it was so good I still remember. Has really improved with age. Has gained complexity. Red fruit, earth and tobacco. Well balanced. Still lots of presence
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10/25/2017 - Eags25 wrote: 91 Points
Bing red cherries, tobacco, earth, sweet oak and a complexity that brings this wine together on the long finish w/ spices and drying well integrated tannins. The nose screams Tuscany but more interesting and complex than most Chianti's. Wonderful. Will continue to evolve and get more interesting over the next 5+ years
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9/8/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
From a bottle that had been sitting on retail shelves for a while. Bought a couple weeks ago. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has a lot of barnyard on it, more than most chianti's. There is some tea leaves and cherries. On the palate, the brett continues. i don't mind brett but this is very atypical for a Chianti. Plenty of acidity. Forest floor and slight cherries. Overall a nice, aged wine if not for brett intolerant. I liked the wine, but would hope more pristine bottles would show better.
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9/7/2017 - cwjames Does not like this wine:
sadly an obviously corked bottle
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8/7/2017 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Showing quite well in this magnum format just now - no decant time needed. Citrus, leather, herbs, dried cherry, truffle. Medium-bodied, avg+ acidity, tannins resolved, avg length. Drink now or in the next several years. Consistently good across 3 hours open. recommended
Served non-blind at cellar temp. Held since release, cork/fill in vg cond.
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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8/5/2017 - EMichels wrote: 88 Points
Very meaty
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8/5/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
dark ruby color. nose with initial light notes of prunes/raisins, some slight funk initially that blows off. Nose with tea flavors and bright red cherries, good acidity, some earthy flavors and mushrooms. Really interesting to see this cuvee with age, would drink now. 91 pts
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7/16/2017 - JROBAZZI Likes this wine: 87 Points
It seemed very oxidized at first, even with a perfect cork, but after many hours of decanting it finally showed fruit and spices. I believe it needs at least half a day decanting in order to show its true character.
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7/1/2017 - eags25fla wrote: 91 Points
No notes
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6/30/2017 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 88 Points
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 2 hours. Casual Friday at ESBK.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of savoury meat, leather, bretty earth, dark red cherries, roasted dark herbs. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, grainy high tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of leather, dusty earth, dark red cherries, sour red cherries, dark herbs, grilled capsicums. Medium+ finish.
Acceptable quality. Ugh. Disappointed to find out that this was a Fontodi Chianti Classico. I have had other vintages of this that were very good. Not a performer in this variable Tuscan vintage. Time to drink up already also.
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6/28/2017 - Milos wrote: 89 Points
Always a solid wine. Showed well and just entering mid-life.
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5/30/2017 - Enslore Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really nice and smooth. Rich and seductive.
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5/12/2017 - wicozani Likes this wine: 87 Points
From magnum, opened 1 hour prior to consuming with a bevy of pizzas with a family crowd. Some tart cherry, red alpine currant, red licorice and tannins. Just not quite at the level of either the 2006 or 2009 editions of this same wine. Not quite the intensity or concentration of these other vintages, but still perfectly suitable for a crowd around the large rectangular table with 3 pizzas staring back at them.
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2/13/2017 - dimdic wrote: 89 Points
Strong nose of earth, leather, herbs, vegatables. Very good fruity sour cherry and balsamic taste. Bright acidity. Some cherry aftertaste. Overall straight forward. Better with food. Typical Chianti sangiovese profile. The structure was quite good and solid, with good tannin. It's an above-average non-riserva grade Chianti Classico.
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2/6/2017 - fozzibaer wrote: 87 Points
Nice bouquet, but I find the acid a bit too stingy on the palate. Rembered this differently.
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1/19/2017 - Eags25 wrote: 92 Points
Darker, deeper and more developed / stewed fruits than I expected. Not as bright as would expect. Nose of wood, raisins. plum, balsamic & brush. Soft, lush and even with developed fruits, still has really nice acidity & liveliness. Finished with leather and menthol spices on the long finish. Excellent.
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9/22/2016 - Armando B wrote: 91 Points
consistent with my 6/7/16 notes. Excellent.
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9/9/2016 - Eags25 wrote: 92 Points
Nose of sour cherries, black cherry, vanilla scent, oak and tobacco. Soft, lush and well integrated tannins. Sour bitter cherries on the finish w/ a touch of balsamic. Fantastic.
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7/10/2016 - MattB72 wrote: 91 Points
showing some age, which is nice but not going to last too much longer. definitely at its peak now
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6/7/2016 - Armando B wrote: 91 Points
Excellent bottle. Better than my previous bottles from this vintage.
Red fruit with good acid and medium tannins. Good balance. Very nice for $20.
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6/2/2016 - drfloyd wrote: 88 Points
No formal note but much better than expected. Nice cherry fruit and solid structure - what's not to like?
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6/1/2016 - thebonnydooner wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as the prior bottle. This came across as a little flat. Shows nice red cherry and plum fruit, nice herbal earthy aromas, juicy cherry fruit but falls a little flat on the finish.
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5/3/2016 - randyjc wrote: 90 Points
The challenge of this wine would be tasting it blind. It seems rather like warm vintage pinot noir with more persistent acidity. It has red fruit, some crushed stone, a surprisingly lush mouth feel. The finish evolves slowly and fades softly. I don't think the wine has a long life ahead as the tannins are resolved. A good food wine and one that will go across a broad spectrum from Italian dishes to roasted meats and stews.
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11/29/2015 - davidspieker wrote: 88 Points
Musty basement aromas. Tart red fruit with lots of acidity and earthy flavors. Stiff tannin, even after significant air that lengthens a nice finish.
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11/16/2015 - Armando B wrote: 87 Points
Pretty similar to the bottle I drank in 2013. Typical CC red fruit with earth and leather notes. The depth of the fruit lacks in comparison to this wine (which I am very much a fan of) in better vintages. A perfectly fine CC, but still below par for this maker.
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10/18/2015 - MattB72 wrote: 93 Points
Great. Drinking really well now.
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7/3/2015 - MattB72 wrote: 92 Points
very good
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4/23/2015 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Needed an hour to show well. A little dusky on the nose and palate. Has a very dark red fruit profile, and very dense and dark on the finish, with strong tannins. Approachable now with food but not so enjoyable on its own. Lovely palate and nose though. Drink with air or hold.
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4/3/2015 - kuumies wrote:
Decanted for an hour or so, served slightly chilled (~16 degrees Celcius). A classic, charismatic nose of ripe red sour cherries, leather and some barnyard. A little VA going on, but in a way that really adds to the whole. I can't remember previous vintages having much if any VA/brett but I'm definitely not complaining. The palate is classic first class CC action with a mouthfeel that separates this wine from the field. There is a certain satine-like quality to the texture even though there is some serious structure underneath. Full-bodied, beautifully bright and lifted, just as enjoyable as the previous few vintages. Worked wonders with lamb tenderloin.
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3/13/2015 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
I hope that CT is correct I have one more of thse left, as this was awesome chianti. Dark and ripe, but with that lovely cherry freshness that good sangiovese has. Really juicy, dark cherry and currant fruit with soft-ish tannins and a nice long finish. Complex with tobacco and leather notes and a tarry note on the finish. Excellent wine. Drank from a 375ml which maybe helped the wine smooth out a little faster.
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1/11/2015 - Magners Likes this wine: 89 Points
A great wine with notes of leather (a lot), cherries and minerals. Made in a classic style with elegance and good structure. Drinks very well now with its smooth tannins and fresh acidity.
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10/15/2014 - adamlipp Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the nose, there’s intense black cherry, cocoa, plum and vanilla notes. On the palate it has deep, complex berry notes, spicy toast aromas from the oak, black pepper and a tobacco element as well. Tasty!
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7/5/2014 - monomonlite Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, light toast and black pepper. The body is medium. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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5/5/2014 - Kitura Likes this wine: 89 Points
A belated note so my memory's a little faded. This was probably the best chianti I've had (albeit from a small sample size). Cherries and soil and starting to show some maturity. Clean, fresh and well made. I don't think this converted me to a chianti drinker, but came pretty close. I see why this producer is so highly regarded.
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4/18/2014 - PSPatrick wrote: 88 Points
The wine was medium ruby in colour and offered red fruit, cherry, scorched earth, black tea, coffee, leather, tobacco and spices on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, tart red currant, earthy notes, tea and tobacco, paired with high acidity, medium-plus tannin and very good length. A solid, medium-bodied, medium-complex, rustic and dry Chianti Classico that should continue to drink well for 5+years. I would recommend decanting for 30 minutes.
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4/5/2014 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
Agree with the previous TN. Found this last bottle to be the best, and very interesting in comparison to a 2010 Monsanto CCR previously tasted. Just 2-3 years of bottle age allowed for better integration. This was a joy to drink.
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4/5/2014 - The Fickle Palate wrote:
This is classic Chianti on the nose, lots of bright cherry, vine tomato, balsamic notes, earthy and incredibly oily. Acidity is still bright and a strong tannic backbone supports soft, crunchy red fruits and a perfumed coffee mocha finish. Richly textured and drinking very well now. ****
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3/14/2014 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at Next Door. Delicious as usual and really in a great place right now.
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1/22/2014 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank with spaghetti and meatballs. Perfect complement to the meal. Nice balance right now.
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1/8/2014 - JustNathan wrote: 86 Points
This bottle was shared at Chelsea & Fulham Wine Society. Unfortunately it was tired and didn't show at all as well as the bottle we drank over Christmas.
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12/24/2013 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
Was a little concerned reading some recent notes but the bottle I opened tonight was drinking beautifully.
Fresh, bright red cherry underscored by slight funk and oak on the nose.
Palate has strong, fresh acids and sour cherry flavors. The tannins are vibrant and chalky, leading to a medium plus finish with good intensity. All signs point to this aging well. Lovely Classico with a punch.
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12/22/2013 - marcomp Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark fruit on the nose. Zippy tannin. Straightforward Chianti Classico. Good wine.
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12/19/2013 - JustNathan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright ruby, now with garnet rim, notes of forest floor mingle with a bright cherry and lead into sage, cinnamon and a little tar. The taste is full bodied, lavish and complex, with those bright cherry Sangiovese tones and lush tannins now decaying into more tertiary woody flavours. Delicious - but probably time to drink now - 2014 rather than the longer life I'd assumed a year ago.
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12/16/2013 - burcusabrews wrote: 88 Points
From 375mL, professionally stored since release. This wine seems to me to be past its peak. If the drinking window is a plateau, I would argue we are on the other side of the plateau. Subtle notes of forest floor and decay. Fruit is pretty much non-existent. Short finish. Went lovely with food. Drink now.
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10/13/2013 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at Sally's 80th. Everyone loved it. My go to chianti.
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9/26/2013 - D.maclean wrote: 91 Points
Right up to the mark for Fontodi. Subtle fruit and earth in the nose. Bright fruit with a nice balance of acid and tannin. This one will last for many more seasons. I am impressed with Fontodi's dedication to organic production and biodynamic methods.
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9/23/2013 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Excellent; Followed a much older Chianti and had enough depth and development to show nicely; Well integrated
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9/21/2013 - JOsgood wrote:
Really good. Rich and coating on the palate. Wonderful balance. Has the stuffing to age.
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8/25/2013 - davestenton wrote:
Leather aromas with a lifted menthol top note and just a touch of VA. Medium-bodied with dark berry/cherry fruit that's slightly stewed. Very dry finish.
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7/15/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
I've noticed subtle bottle variation, with some having a touch of brett which only adds to the complexity. My go-to wine for dinner, I should invest in a few cases of 375s next time since they seem to go so fast.
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4/21/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple color with a very aromatic nose of tobacco, dark chocolate and licorice. The palate is medium-bodied with sharp acidity featuring dark cherries, plum, cigar box, smoke, vanilla, and toasted oak. Finishes long with persistent minerality and a hint of spice. Delicious, wonderfully balanced and well-orcherstrated. Drink now until 2018.
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4/10/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote: 89 Points
Solid chianti but not as awe-inspiring as others I've had from Fontodi.
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3/25/2013 - Carolus81 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Känns lite jnuten och släpper inte loss. Dagen efter i 24 timmar i karaff i kylen så är det bättre. Rödfruktigt med en ceder, knivsudd vanlij och lite svart te.
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3/23/2013 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 88 Points
Fresh berries and forest floor. quite tight at this point. Air it, don't serve it too chilled and pair it with some rich pasta dish and it gives you more than a hint of what may come.
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2/25/2013 - burr Likes this wine: 89 Points
Paired with some pizza and arugula, and the wine actually was a little overshadowed. This bottle was much earthier, and the acid more muted than the last bottle. Still good, but missing the spark of the last bottle.
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2/22/2013 - larseman Likes this wine: 89 Points
Inledningsvis väldigt mycket ek i doften. Efter en stund sköna dofter av körsbär, lakrits, salvia, kryddnejlika, mynta. Till och från toner av stall. Medelhöga tanniner, ganska lång kryddig smak med ett elegant slut.
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2/5/2013 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous note. Should improve with a few years in the cellar. Drink or hold. Very good. 89+
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1/29/2013 - Armando B wrote:
This bottle was a bit too much on the austere side. Good earth and acid, but the fruit was not sufficient to get the wine to the balance I prefer.
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1/26/2013 - burr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Garnet to purple. Still very high acid, earthiness, although with a couple hours of air, macerated cherries, currant, and a hint of sweet mineral in the finish.
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1/16/2013 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
I would say this was fabulous with 'Gino's Pizza' tonight, bright fresh and really tasty, loved how it ripped through the sauce AND the saltiness of the 'za, very enjoyable - Dark red, medium bodied with a nose of sweet cherry, earth, plum, spice and vanilla., excellent acidity, structure and balance, sweet, sour on the palate with excellent length, very nice and wish we had more! (92 Points).
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1/12/2013 - bboy wrote: 88 Points
Youthfull, like grape juice
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1/4/2013 - godx wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. 3 bottles consumed. Drink or hold. Very good. 89+
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12/28/2012 - bconly Likes this wine: 90 Points
From magnum. Bit of barnyard on the nose; also dried fruit and leaves. The palate is slightly thin on fruit, but a nice grippy texture w/ lively acid/tannins made this an excellent wine to eat with dinner. Overall pretty characteristic of the region, I thought. A nice example of CC that is on the lighter/elegant side of the spectrum.
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12/21/2012 - larseman Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cherries, raspberries, tobacco, leather and a little manure on the nose. Austere but friendly tannins. Food-friendly. Long aftertaste. Balanced.
Swe: Körsbär, hallon, tobak, läder och lite gödsel i doften. Strama, men vänliga tanniner. Matvänligt. Lång eftersmak. Balanserat.
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12/17/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. 3 bottles consumed. Earthy, nice acidity. Traditionally styled. Fine to drink now but a few years in the cellar will be rewarded. Very good. 89+
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12/15/2012 - TheWineMonkey wrote: 88 Points
On the nose still quite a lot of oak dominating. On the palate medium bodied, tannins softening, a little hollow.
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12/8/2012 - Jhcwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose - 90 - still tannic. Palette - 90 or 91. Decent day to day wine. Note - tannin faded by day 2, leaving a wine that was abit too fruit juicy. So insufficient structure for cellaring.
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11/18/2012 - jrlitt wrote: 92 Points
I love this wine.
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11/11/2012 - Bob Fyke wrote: 90 Points
From 1.5 L, popped and poured. Marked notes of fennel & anise on top of fine, dried black cherry, underbrush, and a subtle richness at the core. Elegant, but not at all thin. Medium weight on the palate with more dried black cherry, leather, and some minerality. Fine tannins and savory notes on the finish. Well balanced, solid, and easy to drink.
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11/5/2012 - Carolus81 wrote: 90 Points
Det är en tät doft från start. Fatkryddor, det doftar som en hel orientalisk bazar. Smaken är lite lite i obalans med en tätt vägg av lite colatoner, lite tunn frukt i mitten. Ganska gott ändå. Dag två är vinet mer i balans. Mer frukt i doften, plommon, körsbär och ceder. Smaken är mer rödfruktig och går mer åt hallon och körsbär. En väldigt torr avslutning. Gott och passar helt okej till pasta carbonara.
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10/31/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Lightish red. Great nose of cherry, earth and more cherry and earth and a little bit of vanilla. I love this style of CC. Delicious cherry flavours with the most perfect traditional CC mouth feel and finish. I love the way this is at this moment.
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10/12/2012 - JustNathan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty unusual for Chianti, even Classico. A pleasing bright deep ruby hue. Tight, dense nose of leather and ripe morello cherries, complex as it evolves, somewhat musky and later even darker fruit. Full bodied and with plenty of fine tannins, the rich, warm red fruit and cherry flavours show integrated French oak. A long warm and sweet fruit finish with enough acidity to see this as a long laster. Drink now to 2016.
NB This wine should be decanted about 1 hour before serving, as it's quite tight and has fine sediment.
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10/1/2012 - nicefish wrote: 90 Points
Unlike other bottles of this Chianti, which in this vintage show a lovely Burgundian vibe, this one had s musty, dusty element. It was not entirely objectionable, but def different from the norm. Hopefully it's just bottle variation.
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9/3/2012 - jrlitt wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour before drinking. Excellent wine.
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8/12/2012 - VoteferPedro wrote: 91 Points
Still delisch
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8/9/2012 - wicozani wrote: 89 Points
Decanted an hour before pairing with tri-color rotini, marinara, and Italian sausage, this solid Chianti once again acquitted itself well as a superb food wine. Decanting smooths the edges, expands both nose and palate, and allows the acidity to settle, which I generally prefer over opening and immediately pouring.
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7/29/2012 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Nice cherry fruit, with good backbone; clean and fresh Sangiovese in new world style.
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7/8/2012 - avp wrote:
A sour cherry, strawberry and peach stone nose with notes of incense, tobacco, graphite, tea and slight truffle.
Medium bodied refreshingly structured palate with not a lot of fruit. Some darker tobacco and meat tones as well as well-proportioned powdery to creamy oak. Sandalwood, graphite and some minor barnyard effect. Mid-length.
Rather nice stuff and definitely a style I like. Still, I'm a bit worried here, since there's really almost no fruit on the palate, when this could use some more years to open up more. But with this fruit intensity, I'd probably enjoy these sooner. There might be some heat damage with this particular bottle though.
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5/24/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Aerate in decanter 1 hour. Medium ruby, no sign of age. Dusty cherry, leather, earth and herbs. Medium-high acids will require this to rest a few more years, but the fruit is clean, pure. Tasty now, better later. Drink thru 2016, B+
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5/22/2012 - pgb67 wrote: 89 Points
Maybe not my favorite Fontodi vintage, but showed characteristic bright cherry fruit aromas and flavors with a nice hint of dust and graphite on the finish. A bit too concentrated for a summer patio party.
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4/19/2012 - Fateful Destiny Likes this wine: 90 Points
I really enjoyed this wine. Nice oak, dusty cherries, and good substance. Perhaps a little much acid on the finish, but overall a great value.
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3/20/2012 - TheWineMonkey Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the nose there is tobacco, graphite and oak. It is perhaps a slight bit herbaceous. On the palate a racy little number with sour cherries which despite the high acidity coats the mouth with flavour. The tannins are well hidden and the wine has a good medium to long length.
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3/12/2012 - wicozani wrote: 87 Points
Agree with RJ's note below, with my emphasis on tart cherry and ample acidity. Was decanted for an hour; assume still a bit young and might have further upside.
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3/7/2012 - pgb67 wrote: 91 Points
Classic Fontodi chianti with amply acidity and deep flavors of sour cherry, dusty cherry, and hints of tar. Bright and soft on the entry palate, but a pleasant burst of mineral on the structured finish.
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2/20/2012 - quaglia wrote: 81 Points
Anteprima Chianti Classico (45 TN inside!!) (Firenze - Stazione Leopolda): Nicely fruity and overall pleasent, also if a bit short. [AiS: 80-84/2012]
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2/7/2012 - nytiger wrote: 85 Points
again seems oxidized, Sending next 10 bottles back to retailer
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2/7/2012 - nytiger wrote: 84 Points
nose and flavors of sangiovesse lasted only briefly, then the wine tasted oxidized quickly
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1/30/2012 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 90 Points
Slow Wine Guide 2012 (Release tasting) (Metropolitan Pavilion): The nose showed red berries, menthol and herbal tones. On the palate, it was juicy with red fruit and a hint of drying cedar which stayed through the finish.
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1/14/2012 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk WWatch Best of 2012. Better than the 07, but not as good as the 06. Nice nose, slightly bitter unresolved finish. 90–
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1/6/2012 - Steely Minerals wrote: 89 Points
IW
Cigar box, forest floor, white pepper on nose
Solid tannins out the bottle via decanter. Pepper carries through to the palate, with savoury plum fruit
AM
Cinnamon and nutmeg nose
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12/31/2011 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 89 Points
Had this at Ugo, Mandalay Bay Las Vegas and was pretty well blown away by how this wine married new world and old world characteristics. After tasting a few more bottles back home (bought locally), i'm less impressed, though I still feel this is very good quality chianti classico. 89+
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11/26/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 89 Points
Light colour, nose with tea leaves, herbal notes, strawberry and dark cherry. Tannins are a little harsh. Medium body and medium to high acidity. Rather light but with good complexity.
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11/25/2011 - grafstrb wrote:
Italian Wine Tasting (Harrogate Fine Wine Company): -- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 35 minutes --
Dark ruby color of medium depth. Nose is really nice, with the typical Strawberry licorice aroma accented by a hint of citrus (lemon?). Medium bodied. This wine has a tart red berry frame buttressed with mineral and leather. Nicely structured with ample tannins and acidity. Long leather-dominated finish of medium-light to medium intensity. 14% alc. is well-hidden. Drinks well today, but will certainly improve with time in the cellar. Gut impression score: high 80’s to low 90’s.
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11/25/2011 - Schiffy wrote: 90 Points
Spicy cherry flavor dominates this Chianti. Needs at least 30/45 minutes to decant to have strong tannins integrate with fruit, but when it does you get a terrific tasting wine. Finish does end abruptly, but overall quite good.
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11/14/2011 - Toddrskelton@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Nose of Lillies and Cat Pee. Wonderfully silky smooth - excellent.
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11/6/2011 - VoteferPedro wrote:
I ignored the wisdom of not drinking too soon after shipping and i'm glad I did. Popped and poured a glass for lunch and another 6 hours later at dinner. It started rustic and fruity in a simple but nice way (88-89) but the fruit blossomed and the tannins melowed. This bottle is outstanding tonight. 91-92
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10/20/2011 - EMichels wrote:
Good fruit; Solid but not overwhelming tannins; Nice nose; Very nice
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10/18/2011 - JOsgood wrote:
Rich and ripe with some oak influence showing. Big structure with abundant acidity and tannins. Build to age.
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6/29/2011 - Biggsy wrote: 88 Points
Velvety ruby red with a warming, deep red berry nose. Good weight, full of cherry fruit. The oak is quite noticeable causing a touch of dryness and just needs a little more time to integrate.
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