Pre-Holiday dinner with the family. Had this with Gennaro's eggplant rollatini (excellent..) This was an impulse pull from the cellar. Last notes on this were from 2013 (mixed). Decanted, drank over 90 minutes.
Medium garnet color, slightly faded at the edge. Nose was funky and medicinal at first. After about 45 minutes the wine completely changed, with an elegant red fruit, earth and herbs. Palate (after it opened) delivering savory dark fruit, cherry, earth, dried herbs. Secondary notes of mocha and cranberry. Medium body, medium to long finish.
Glad I didn't give up on this, turned out to be an excellent wine and perfect pairing (would go well with any red sauce Italian). The decant here is an absolute must! Out of the bottle the nose is funk/medicinal and the palate seemed off. About 45 minutes it was a completely different wine. Should continue to drink well for a while - thankfully one bottle left. Unique wine....
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Popped and poured. I am so glad I waited on this bottle and did not drink it in 2012, as I said in my previous note. Wow! This was very good. Medium red and only a slight brick red color on the edges. 20 years old and it could still last another few years. Tasted more like an aged Bordeaux, but you know it is Italian. Lovely, long finish. Paired very well with pasta.
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Only tasted briefly. This bottle was not decanted initially and needed air. Not pleasant, but I never got to try it after decanting - probably missed out on getting to know it
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Really opened up after 3 hrs, very similar to last note, but this bottle has some more black fruit. Still doing really well. 1 more left. I'll drink the next one this time next year.
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Very elegant mature wine bricking a good bit Wonderful after an hour in decanter Reminds me of aged Bordeaux but none of the cedar and tobacco and graphite It didn't pair well with fresh tomato pasta sauce and it's raw garlic but still tasty and some left to try tomorrow
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oh what a difference a year makes. Could be bottle variation. Very little fruit. smoke, tar, earth, and cedar on the nose. Much better after 2+ hrs open. It was a bit insipid, tart, thin and drying upon opening. As time went on it gained weight but retained the strong acidity and drying finish, but fleshed out and became more balanced. I wouldn't let this sit more than a couple more years.
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On pop and pour: smoke, smoke, and more smoke. Super wound up dark fruit deep in the glass, needs air ... After an hour, it broadens quite a bit on the palette to reveal stone, mineral, tannin, and earth under all that smoke. Nowhere near over the hill as some have written,
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With Francesco and Francesca - beautiful dinner they made. This was brought by us, last wine of the evening.
This one needs a healthy decant, we popped and poured. Had some funk at first that blew off but really started to open after about 20 minutes. Dark fruits, cherry, earth, dried herbs, some smokiness mid palate.
Very big wine, will probably have a good life ahead but drinking well now. Definitely give it some time to breathe first...
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This definitely needs a couple of hours of air. Once it has had to stretch its legs, it really shines with leather, herbs, and earth. Don't come looking for froot.
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drank this around Christmas....fully developed, soft and a fair bit of fruit but needs a good bit of air to open and turn tannin and bitterness soft and pleasant...very nice by the end of dinner
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Decanted for 2+ hours. Good fruit flavors. Well balanced. Drinking very well. Soft integrated tannins and smooth finish. A great deal of sediment - so filter appropriately.
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Lovely wine. Enjoyed with Dino's feast of the more than seven fishes. Pop and pour, the wine still has plenty of cool (cherry) fruit, good aromas after about 15 min of air, a core of lean, sharp minerality and acidity - not overpowering by itself, but perfect once the food started coming. Rimmerman called these wines "graceful", I'm inclined to agree.
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Fresh and youthful balance upon opening. Strong red and black fruits like blackberry, raspberry, earth, cedar, and some volatile acidty on the nose. Palate was strong fruits with great earth and aged flavors, nice dry finish. As it was open the primary fruit dropped off. This was more bordeaux than Italy. I recommend not decanting and doing a pop and pour.
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Opened, poured through a Vinturi into a decanter, with the first glass 45 min later. Medium red in color, with a touch of brick. First glass was good, but two hours later it was much better. The next bottle I will decant for three hours. Paired extremely well with grilled aged ribeye steaks. Nice to drink a 15 year old wine, but now is the time - I will drink my other two bottles this year.
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Very challenging bottle.. Opened to wonderful fruit, then immediately closed down. Decanted and slowly improved over the next hour..Next bottle will wait 2-3 hours before trying..the score is an average over the hour..
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Super funk, leather, earth, du merde, mocha... But I would say it's big league playing days are behind it. But there is something very unique about the mid-palate. It's... meaty. I bought two. So hoping for some bottle variation. This could have been amazing 2-3 years ago.
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6/13/2020 - NI1234 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Absolutely needs 45-60 mins breathing time!
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12/23/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Pre-Holiday dinner with the family. Had this with Gennaro's eggplant rollatini (excellent..) This was an impulse pull from the cellar. Last notes on this were from 2013 (mixed). Decanted, drank over 90 minutes.
Medium garnet color, slightly faded at the edge. Nose was funky and medicinal at first. After about 45 minutes the wine completely changed, with an elegant red fruit, earth and herbs. Palate (after it opened) delivering savory dark fruit, cherry, earth, dried herbs. Secondary notes of mocha and cranberry. Medium body, medium to long finish.
Glad I didn't give up on this, turned out to be an excellent wine and perfect pairing (would go well with any red sauce Italian). The decant here is an absolute must! Out of the bottle the nose is funk/medicinal and the palate seemed off. About 45 minutes it was a completely different wine. Should continue to drink well for a while - thankfully one bottle left. Unique wine....
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9/15/2018 - Italiana Likes this wine:
Initially dusty, then incredible fruit. Super expressive.
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3/3/2017 - joefel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. I am so glad I waited on this bottle and did not drink it in 2012, as I said in my previous note. Wow! This was very good. Medium red and only a slight brick red color on the edges. 20 years old and it could still last another few years. Tasted more like an aged Bordeaux, but you know it is Italian. Lovely, long finish. Paired very well with pasta.
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11/15/2016 - vindictive wrote:
Only tasted briefly. This bottle was not decanted initially and needed air. Not pleasant, but I never got to try it after decanting - probably missed out on getting to know it
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1/21/2016 - LoireFan wrote: 93 Points
Wow, easily best bottle - and last.
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5/22/2015 - ericindc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to last note. More mint coming out at this point. Nice wine, should still have some time left.
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12/21/2014 - ericindc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really opened up after 3 hrs, very similar to last note, but this bottle has some more black fruit. Still doing really well. 1 more left. I'll drink the next one this time next year.
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6/18/2014 - Mr T wrote:
Very elegant mature wine bricking a good bit
Wonderful after an hour in decanter
Reminds me of aged Bordeaux but none of the cedar and tobacco and graphite
It didn't pair well with fresh tomato pasta sauce and it's raw garlic but still tasty and some left to try tomorrow
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5/14/2014 - 14frimaire wrote:
Still needs to be stood up and get plenty of air, but then it is wonderful. Deep and compelling.
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2/7/2014 - ljones Likes this wine:
Still very tannic, but a very interesting Merlot.
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11/3/2013 - ericindc Likes this wine: 90 Points
oh what a difference a year makes. Could be bottle variation. Very little fruit. smoke, tar, earth, and cedar on the nose. Much better after 2+ hrs open. It was a bit insipid, tart, thin and drying upon opening. As time went on it gained weight but retained the strong acidity and drying finish, but fleshed out and became more balanced. I wouldn't let this sit more than a couple more years.
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9/5/2013 - normfly wrote: 93 Points
On pop and pour: smoke, smoke, and more smoke. Super wound up dark fruit deep in the glass, needs air ... After an hour, it broadens quite a bit on the palette to reveal stone, mineral, tannin, and earth under all that smoke. Nowhere near over the hill as some have written,
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6/8/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 90 Points
With Francesco and Francesca - beautiful dinner they made. This was brought by us, last wine of the evening.
This one needs a healthy decant, we popped and poured. Had some funk at first that blew off but really started to open after about 20 minutes. Dark fruits, cherry, earth, dried herbs, some smokiness mid palate.
Very big wine, will probably have a good life ahead but drinking well now. Definitely give it some time to breathe first...
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5/27/2013 - gordoyflaca wrote: 93 Points
This is very nice: black cherry, black raspberry, dried herb, menthol
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4/13/2013 - RationalDenial wrote:
All that I'd hoped for. Big, powerful wine, but still with delicate complexity.
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1/11/2013 - 14frimaire wrote:
This definitely needs a couple of hours of air. Once it has had to stretch its legs, it really shines with leather, herbs, and earth. Don't come looking for froot.
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1/8/2013 - Mr T wrote:
drank this around Christmas....fully developed, soft and a fair bit of fruit but needs a good bit of air to open and turn tannin and bitterness soft and pleasant...very nice by the end of dinner
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12/25/2012 - PBG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Good fruit flavors. Well balanced. Drinking very well. Soft integrated tannins and smooth finish. A great deal of sediment - so filter appropriately.
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12/24/2012 - kungfubaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine. Enjoyed with Dino's feast of the more than seven fishes. Pop and pour, the wine still has plenty of cool (cherry) fruit, good aromas after about 15 min of air, a core of lean, sharp minerality and acidity - not overpowering by itself, but perfect once the food started coming. Rimmerman called these wines "graceful", I'm inclined to agree.
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12/4/2012 - LoireFan wrote: 92 Points
Maybe 93 - a lot of pleasure here.
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11/18/2012 - ericindc wrote: 90 Points
Fresh and youthful balance upon opening. Strong red and black fruits like blackberry, raspberry, earth, cedar, and some volatile acidty on the nose. Palate was strong fruits with great earth and aged flavors, nice dry finish. As it was open the primary fruit dropped off. This was more bordeaux than Italy. I recommend not decanting and doing a pop and pour.
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10/29/2012 - Wicker Parker wrote:
Dense with cedar and red currant fruit, unyielding even over three nights, never really open / took off.
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10/21/2012 - apspr wrote: 93 Points
Sensational -- wonderful balance of age and freshness, fruit and funk. Could drink this forever!
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10/18/2012 - 1961Vintage wrote: 90 Points
At peak. Needs to decant for 2-3 hours. Earthy, light and not bricked.
Nice nose w cherry finish.
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10/13/2012 - walkerjfw wrote:
Some funk on the nose, blows off a bit. There was probably good fruit at one point, this one is either past it's prime or an off bottle
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10/10/2012 - Cancuk wrote:
Over the hill but still interesting with funk, earth, leather. Probably was a lot better a couple of years ago.
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8/4/2012 - joefel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened, poured through a Vinturi into a decanter, with the first glass 45 min later. Medium red in color, with a touch of brick. First glass was good, but two hours later it was much better. The next bottle I will decant for three hours. Paired extremely well with grilled aged ribeye steaks. Nice to drink a 15 year old wine, but now is the time - I will drink my other two bottles this year.
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5/12/2012 - 1961Vintage wrote: 90 Points
Very challenging bottle.. Opened to wonderful fruit, then immediately closed down. Decanted and slowly improved over the next hour..Next bottle will wait 2-3 hours before trying..the score is an average over the hour..
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4/25/2012 - RationalDenial wrote:
Super funk, leather, earth, du merde, mocha... But I would say it's big league playing days are behind it. But there is something very unique about the mid-palate. It's... meaty. I bought two. So hoping for some bottle variation. This could have been amazing 2-3 years ago.
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4/22/2012 - mikeaukenbals wrote: 92 Points
dark brick red, very thick. interesting nose of leather and age with some red fruit. a touch of earth. drink now.
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4/10/2012 - 14frimaire wrote:
Nice aromatics, flat palate. Maybe air would have helped.
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