Drank a glass via Coravin. Initially, even after 20-30 minutes of air, the oak was pretty intense and overall this felt a bit overpowering. But but the 60 minute mark it had mellowed meaningfully and was really beautiful. Fresh with layers of red and dark fruit juicy goodness. But this is not a fruit bomb. More like a high quality Cab Franc heavy Bordeaux. Tobacco, dark chocolate with floral notes. Still very big, and I suspect this will age for a decade or more. But with 60-90 minutes of air this is definitely a pleasure to drink today. 94 today with upside.
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Fantastic ripe Cabernet franc showing a sense of place. Still enough fruit to support all the tobacco and herbs. Fresh and soft but intense and perfumed From magnum
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Another perfect bottle of my favorite Cabernet Franc. No formal notes. Dusty and green and spicy, with such fine fruit! A quite big wine in this lovely vintage - very enjoyable. Excellent!
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Liquered cherry and black raspberry. Pronounced pyrazines and unabashed oak. Fuller bodied. Like a Bordeaux haut medoc from a warmer vintage. Maybe could use a bit more density of flavor on the palate.
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Saturated cork which is common from this producer lately. Several hours in the decanter and still not much going on for me. Agree with the kind of “meh.” Hopefully it is just a phase and it needs more time. I’ve enjoyed the 2011 and 2012 much more. Cautiously optimistic things will eventually come around.
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Medium purple color, with some garnet and just a touch of bricking towards the rim. Notes of dark plum, cassis, elderflowers, tobacco leaf, some flowery notes of violets, the oak has integrated beautifully, some graphite, smoke, also sweet spices. It‘s medium-full bodied, has great persistence and depth but it’s not heavy, has medium-high acidity providing excellent freshness and medium+ tannin that is super ripe but present and good quality. Very good length. A superb Paleo and as good as this gets.
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Perfectly fine with an Italian meal but was hoping for more Cabernet goodness, more Macchiole deliciousness and more Tuscan pizazz. Sad to say the verdict is a “meh”
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Summary: Piccolomini BDM was the best, Giodo/Macchiole/Sodi also delicious… Sodi continues to outperform it’s price. Flaccianello and Percarlo very tight and questionable even after a few days.
Cepparello: somewhere in the middle Giodo BDM: well done, towards the top of the tasting Piccolomini Santa Caterina BDM: best wine of the tasting, open for business, great fruit and finish. Sodi: as always, a price performer and holds up to the more expensive wines. Some brett/earth with the very dark fruit profile, one of the better wines in the tasting Percarlo: unyielding, tight, even after a few nights never opened up. Will it ever? Macchiole Paleo: dark chocolate, delicious Flaccianello: unyielding and tight, but unlike the Percarlo did open up somewhat night 2 & 3. Needs many years.
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This was a fine companion to our Thanksgiving Day meal including the turkey. Lots of fruit and modest complexity. Decanted for at least 2 hours prior to drinking. It lasted well into Saturday in good shape. The cab. franc will fool no one that it's French!
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Purple color (looked younger than 11 years old). Cinnamon, sweet cherry, baking spice and morello cherry on nose. Palate consistent with nose and noticeably more secondary notes than the '16 vintage. High acidity, integrated tannins and very, very long finish. Great wine. 94+
Wine of tasting.
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Nanette, usually a Loire / Chinon fan when it comes to Cab Franc, really loved this with its warm tuscsan fruit, subtle polish, and lovely chalky tannins. Threw some floaty sediment so suggest standing upright a day in advance if you have the chance. Drinking great with an hour in a wide-based decanter.
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Ramat-Aviv Boys meeting (at my home): Medium purple color, Pronounced aromas intensity of dark plum, tobacco, violets, espresso, dark chocolate, graphite, cassis, dark cherries, smoke, sweet spices. Dry, high acidity, high ripe tannins, high abv, medium-full bodied, excellent freshness, long finish; A superb Paleo and this is just getting better and better over the years... still young at this stage
best of all the bottles opened.. stood up beside simple char grilled strip steaks ...velvet texture, fine tanins with all that warm, sun, italian fuit...
Had it blind at our monthly CWG-C* and nobody picked been Cab Franc nor from Italy until a few hints was given. It’s crazy how this wine stand up to Kapcsandy Grand Vin, Opus, and Checkerboad! I think this bottle was in a great stage, possibly at its peak. The body is medium +, very dark notes, cocoa and tabaco, and finish is fair. Very well made!
Medium purple color, with some garnet towards the rim. Notes of dark plum, tobacco, some violets, espresso, some dark chocolate, graphite, cassis, some dark cherries, smoke, also sweet spices. It‘s medium-full bodied, with excellent persistence but not heavy, has medium-high acidity adding excellent freshness and medium-high tannin that is still young but super ripe and good quality. Very good length. A superb Paleo and this is just getting better and better over the years... still young at this stage but so good.
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An exceptional wine. The best 100% Caberent Franc there is. Less outspoken than last time I had it, starting to develop some semi maturity, albeit still a youngster. Oak is much more integrated. Nose with dark cherries and still loads of Cab Franc green herbs, grass and spices. Tobacco, coffee, red earth, smoke. Lovely ripe cherries and a fine and lifting balance. The best vintage of Paleo I have had I believe. Great bottle, plenty of time left in this.
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Beautiful dark fruits and floral notes in the nose. Black cherries, plum, mocha and some smoked aromas on the palate. Very complex body with great structure and stiff tannins - not too heavy, just perfect. It is aged for 14 month in French barriques. It is just my second vintage of this wine after trying the 2009 a few years ago. I rated the 2009 with 91 points but the 2010 is even better! It is perfect now but will gain complexity over the next couple years and will be perfect around 2021. Great price tag for this quality too in my opinion. If you see it in a restaurant or a wine store give it a try! Just 2,200 cases produced in 2010.
One more enthusiastic note on this beauty, which I seem to find with pleasing regularity on restaurant wine lists. This bottle added some smoky depth to the crunchy, textured, dark red fruit, green pepper, graphite and slate notes I've previously highlighted. Give it a hard decant, or (if you have the time) let it breathe for 3-4 hours.
A year since my last bottle, this is now in prime form, especially after an hour+ decant. A rounded and open wine, with a floral nose giving way to crunchy, textured, dark red fruit along with some bell pepper, graphite and slate. As I wrote one year ago, this is a high energy, vibrant wine. Still superb.
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Couleur soutenue, sombre, nez assez cuit, un peu fumé, épicé, champignons séchés, frais, bouche très expressive, complexe, extrêmement franche, directe, poivrée, alcool très présent, magnifique couverture de la bouche, grande longueur, tannins soyeux mais persistants, très élégant, très frais malgré un alcool assez présent, très bon potentiel, un excellent vin
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14,5% alcohol. Tasted alongside most of the Paleo vintages from 2013 to 1993.
Somewhat developed, modestly translucent and slightly maroon garnet color. Aromatic, dark-toned nose with aromas of ripe dark berries, some fresh blackcurrant, a little bit of blackcurrant, a hint of brambly blackberries, sweeter wizened fruit undertones that hint at some development and a touch of sweeter cocoa oak. The wine is dry, smooth and moderately full-bodied on the palate with nice firmness from moderately high acidity and firm, still quite grippy tannins. There are still pretty youthful flavors of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants, some peppery spice, a little bit of sour cherry, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of woody bitterness. The alcohol lends a warming touch to the midpalate. The finish is quite taut, tannic and a bit warm with dry yet reasonably ripe flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet oak spice and a hint of fresh forest berries.
A very sophisticated vintage that on the surface seemed very similar to the 2011 vintage, but this one turned out to be both more structured yet still more approachable: there seems to be a bit more acidity and the tannins are somewhat more angular and grippier than in 2011, but there is somewhat more ripeness and concentration to the fruit, which makes this wine feel more expressive and enjoyable already. That is not to say that this is an early-drinking vintage, no siree. With its ample tannins and acidity, this wine is obviously built for the long haul. There is no reason whatsoever to open a wine this youthful anytime soon. Although quite impressive already, there is great potential for this wine to become so much more. All in all, this is a well-made Tuscan Cabernet Franc with pretty impressive structure.
A killer beauty of a wine, youthful yet well rounded, but should improve with time. Floral nose. Crunchy, dark red fruit along with some bell pepper, graphite and slate. A high energy, vibrant wine. Superb
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Decanted for 2 hours. Similar showing to the last one about 1.5 years ago. Beautiful aromatocs of dark fruit, flowers, some bell peppers, sweet spices, some dark chocolate, graphite. It's medium-full bodied, has medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is present but very good quality. Excellent length. A superb Cabernet Franc from this great producer. It combines the richness of the region with the freshness of the vintage and impeccable winemaking.
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Absolutely delicious, nose of earth and black fruit. Unlike pretty much any other cab franc this wine is big and bold with dark fruit licorice, mineral and no green. Little bit of herbs and great acidity with balancing tannic structure, long finish.
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Decanted but only for 30min; a bit less exite than the recent comments and ratings but still a great wine. Smokey in the beginning, very smooth, I would wait 2-3 more years for next bottle but the cork was in a really poor condition for a wine that age and price!
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Wine Club #2 (Abe's House): This wine was amazing! A friend brought it for a blind tasting and it was the clear winner. It drinks big, bold and fruity like you would expect from a 100% cab frank but it had a distinct earthy finish like any great Tuscan wine. Simply WOW.
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When Mike Grammar visited Singapore (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): Decently good, but not outstanding on the night - this really needed more time in bottle. The 2009 that we had alongside actually showed better. There was a waft of brett on the nose, showing up in a funky, wet fur pong, but these thankfully blew off significantly to show lifted notes of menthol and peppermint, along with red berries, and a pat of earthy. The palate started out with that same funky tone as well, with plenty of earth and soil wrapped around a core of fresh red fruit and then a nice touch of spice leading into the finish. There was a nice verve and energy to it, and a brightness about the fruit that I liked. However, the structure felt just a touch awkward, with mouth-coating tannins and high acidity sticking out a bit. It did get a whole lot better with food though, especially with a nicely pink cut of lamb, which helped the wine to round up significantly and more of the fruit and spice character to show. Overall, not bad, but I have a feeling we caught it in a really awkward phase. Like the 2009, I would love to try this again a few years down the road.
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From magnum, slow oxed for 10 hours. Wow what a beautiful nose of sweet barnyard and a hint of licorice and blood orange. First time I've tasted pure Cabernet Franc so i had a hard time describing what I tasted. This had very good acidity and quite remarkable tannins so I expect this to go on for years to come.
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Fantastiskt vin, drack på restaurang igår, doften är helt fantastisk med Toscanas röda solvarma jord i fokus och härliga gröna peppriga toner. Smaken juvligt god och väldigt tillgänglig redan nu, bra balans.
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Too young to evaluate. Even after 1 hr decanted, still closed and null. Balanced but not much to give. Maybe if you give this wine another 5 to 10 yrs will produce more and come up to expectations.
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Dark purple, somewhat muted nose, concentrated dark fruits with some buttery oak notes, very silky texture and slightly viscous mouthfeel (in a good way). Drank well 30 min in glass. Drink or hold 5+ years.
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Similar to my last two tasting notes. It has shut down a little bit, but opens up with a few hours of air. A super impressive Paleo with a lot of freshness.
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No real formal notes (had at a restaurant, short decant). An amazing bottle from Bolgheri’s finest. The Paleo Rosso is always a great example of the variety Cabernet Franc (100%). The 2010 has to be the finest vintage yet, since the creation of this particular wine, back in 2001. Nose is filled with Cabernet Franc typicity, fine herbs, spicy pine needles, freshly cut grass mixed with Bolgheri terroir, Tuscan red Earth, fine cedar wood, deep and full with lovely dark red fruit, cherries and blackberries. Palate is equally fine, great structure, tannins and acidity in fine balance, deep and ripe dark and spicy fruit, fine wood. Superb body and length, with a very fine texture. Great stuff, and will certainly improve for many years. Very high points, I know, but I just loved this bottle, and this wine always delivers. (95 – 97)
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Served as a pirate with a larger "Bordeaux crowd". Consistent to my last tasting note. Great fruit and great aromatics. Cabernet France at its best, made in a modern style but not overly so. Very popular wine at the table.
Ci vogliono almeno 2 ore in un decanter per goderne appieno. Alcool sotto controllo, profumato e un piacere al palato. Manca forse un po' di eleganza. Meriterebbe un 92 ma il prezzo lo penalizza.
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Wines With A View (Capitol Grille Tasting Event) (The Spire): This was one of my favorites of the tasting. Totally open and accessible, seems to be maturing early and opening up beautifully. Cedar and smoke scents swirl in the glass, with violets and damp earth as well. Very complex, dynamic and energetic structure. Lots of Italian style earth and leather. Powerful tannins. Nothing like a French or Napa Cabernet Franc. This would be hard to criticize.
Le Macchiole Wine Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): Smoky, extracted fruit core. Violets and fruit nose. Blueberry liquor, tangy and mineral. Just a hint of scratchy tannins -- just needs time. Great potential, delicious now.
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Beautiful nose. Needs plenty of time to open to reveal the character and depth within. Tannins too prevalent for my sensibilities, as suspected, so have patience. Had to try but will wait at least 2 years until next bottle. Be advised though, my cork showed major creepage. Wait, watch, and hope...is there a more active collecting strategy, please?
A ridiculously delicious wine. Almost viscous, with a rich mouthfeel, this wine is at the same time mineral and elegant. Layers of different aromas -- sweet blueberries, touch of mint, hint of dark chocolate, sage -- are well integrated with unobtrusive oak. A very atypical cab frank for me, more reminiscent of a lush, minty Tuscan merlot than of a more vegetative and nervous Chinon. Excellent now and should continue to improve.
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Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Virtually identical tasting note to the one of April 2014. Tons of dark fruit (cassis, black currant, black cherries), minerality/graphite, sweet flowers, sweet spices and some coffee. It's medium-full bodied with fresh medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is amazingly silky. Very long finish. Again a total show-stopper with breathtaking class and elegance. All three 2010 of Le Macchiole's top wines were stunningly beautiful and left me speechless.... this is about as good as Maremma gets.
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Dark purple. Expressive, surprisingly open nose of dark fruit, cassis, some oak with sweet spices and smoke. On the palate again very aromatic with smooth tannins and excellent mouth feel overall, medium bodied. This is quite impressive and a step up from already great 2008, both are modern in style with a good dose of oak. Due to the softness of the tannis the 2010 can be tried out now but I am sure it will add even more complexity with time. Great CabFranc on par with some of the best Bordeaux.
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Elegance, complexity, intensity, fruit. This 2010 Paleo has everything. From 100% Cabernet franc. Very deep color. Sweet nose of black soft fruit, black cherry, chocolate, mocha. Oak not completely integrated. Mediterranean aromatic herbs, spices, and a pungent mineral note. At palate surprisingly balanced, considering the short period of cellaring. Powerful and structured. Nice long finish From a year with a fresh and rainy spring. Late harvest, thanks to a nice, sunny end of summer.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Opaque purple color. Fantastic nose of dark berries, cassis/black currant, flowers, minerals and some sweet spices. On the palate there are amazing notes of flowers again, also black cherries, cassis, dark flowers and some sweet spices and coffee. It's medium-full bodied with amazingly silky medium-high tannin and medium-high acidity. Very dense and long. A breath-taking Paleo with tons of freshness, complexity and character. I also love the finesse!
5/1/2024 - weezie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank a glass via Coravin. Initially, even after 20-30 minutes of air, the oak was pretty intense and overall this felt a bit overpowering. But but the 60 minute mark it had mellowed meaningfully and was really beautiful. Fresh with layers of red and dark fruit juicy goodness. But this is not a fruit bomb. More like a high quality Cab Franc heavy Bordeaux. Tobacco, dark chocolate with floral notes. Still very big, and I suspect this will age for a decade or more. But with 60-90 minutes of air this is definitely a pleasure to drink today. 94 today with upside.
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2/24/2024 - hadukla Likes this wine: 93 Points
really great but not sure it was worth that price?
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1/28/2024 - j5614.person@gmail.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big red with raspberry, blackberry, and oak flavors.
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1/12/2024 - bonedoc wrote: 95 Points
Rich, lush, dark fruits, balanced. Terrific!
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6/2/2023 - Roughl wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic ripe Cabernet franc showing a sense of place. Still enough fruit to support all the tobacco and herbs. Fresh and soft but intense and perfumed From magnum
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5/19/2023 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
J’étais en Rhône sud grenache. Mûr et assez frais, c’est savoureux, une pointe d’alcool. Quand même très bien. 91 pts
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2/19/2023 - Ramberg wrote: 95 Points
Another perfect bottle of my favorite Cabernet Franc.
No formal notes.
Dusty and green and spicy, with such fine fruit!
A quite big wine in this lovely vintage - very enjoyable.
Excellent!
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2/16/2023 - Raizes Likes this wine: 91 Points
李子与黑樱桃的成熟果味，甘草、丁香，略有石墨和脂粉气息。复杂度不算非常突出，但已经熟化的单宁和良好的酸度让入口感觉非常圆润而多汁。香气慷慨开放，成熟而健康，风格沉稳而色彩明快，仿佛在诉说自己正在生涯的最佳阶段。
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11/22/2022 - vintage_whine wrote:
Liquered cherry and black raspberry. Pronounced pyrazines and unabashed oak. Fuller bodied. Like a Bordeaux haut medoc from a warmer vintage. Maybe could use a bit more density of flavor on the palate.
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9/18/2022 - Jerseyjudge wrote: 90 Points
Saturated cork which is common from this producer lately. Several hours in the decanter and still not much going on for me. Agree with the kind of “meh.” Hopefully it is just a phase and it needs more time. I’ve enjoyed the 2011 and 2012 much more. Cautiously optimistic things will eventually come around.
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9/11/2022 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Medium purple color, with some garnet and just a touch of bricking towards the rim. Notes of dark plum, cassis, elderflowers, tobacco leaf, some flowery notes of violets, the oak has integrated beautifully, some graphite, smoke, also sweet spices. It‘s medium-full bodied, has great persistence and depth but it’s not heavy, has medium-high acidity providing excellent freshness and medium+ tannin that is super ripe but present and good quality. Very good length. A superb Paleo and as good as this gets.
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8/27/2022 - jamie.martin.external@gmail.co Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow, could drink a gallon. Beautiful and more subtle than I expected
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8/5/2022 - Nontaco wrote: 92 Points
Perfectly fine with an Italian meal but was hoping for more Cabernet goodness, more Macchiole deliciousness and more Tuscan pizazz. Sad to say the verdict is a “meh”
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5/20/2022 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes and probably could have used more.
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5/6/2022 - cubswinws wrote: 88 Points
Dark fruit and dusty flavors.
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1/21/2022 - bonedoc wrote:
Summary:
Piccolomini BDM was the best, Giodo/Macchiole/Sodi also delicious… Sodi continues to outperform it’s price. Flaccianello and Percarlo very tight and questionable even after a few days.
Cepparello: somewhere in the middle
Giodo BDM: well done, towards the top of the tasting
Piccolomini Santa Caterina BDM: best wine of the tasting, open for business, great fruit and finish.
Sodi: as always, a price performer and holds up to the more expensive wines. Some brett/earth with the very dark fruit profile, one of the better wines in the tasting
Percarlo: unyielding, tight, even after a few nights never opened up. Will it ever?
Macchiole Paleo: dark chocolate, delicious
Flaccianello: unyielding and tight, but unlike the Percarlo did open up somewhat night 2 & 3. Needs many years.
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11/27/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a fine companion to our Thanksgiving Day meal including the turkey. Lots of fruit and modest complexity. Decanted for at least 2 hours prior to drinking. It lasted well into Saturday in good shape. The cab. franc will fool no one that it's French!
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10/24/2021 - CWilliam wrote: 94 Points
Atlanta no-name Wine Tasting Group - Italy again.: Wine #5 in Blind Italian tasting (Italy ex. Barolo/Brunello)
Purple color (looked younger than 11 years old). Cinnamon, sweet cherry, baking spice and morello cherry on nose. Palate consistent with nose and noticeably more secondary notes than the '16 vintage. High acidity, integrated tannins and very, very long finish. Great wine. 94+
Wine of tasting.
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5/25/2021 - Rollerball wrote:
Nanette, usually a Loire / Chinon fan when it comes to Cab Franc, really loved this with its warm tuscsan fruit, subtle polish, and lovely chalky tannins. Threw some floaty sediment so suggest standing upright a day in advance if you have the chance. Drinking great with an hour in a wide-based decanter.
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4/4/2021 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Chocolate notes, oak, some red fruits also, nicely done modern style.
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1/26/2021 - kkshah Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful. Dark chocolate and smoked oak. Will continue to age gracefully from here.
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10/11/2020 - DrZett wrote: 95 Points
Still very young, needs a lot of time in the decanter. Just getting better and better.
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7/27/2020 - CGraves Likes this wine: 93 Points
In blind tasting W beef tenderloin and drinking nicely.
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5/27/2020 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
Ramat-Aviv Boys meeting (at my home): Medium purple color,
Pronounced aromas intensity of dark plum, tobacco, violets, espresso, dark chocolate, graphite, cassis, dark cherries, smoke, sweet spices.
Dry, high acidity, high ripe tannins, high abv, medium-full bodied,
excellent freshness, long finish;
A superb Paleo and this is just getting better and better over the years... still young at this stage
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5/18/2020 - Ricky99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
best of all the bottles opened.. stood up beside simple char grilled strip steaks ...velvet texture, fine tanins with all that warm, sun, italian fuit...
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5/16/2020 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had it blind at our monthly CWG-C* and nobody picked been Cab Franc nor from Italy until a few hints was given. It’s crazy how this wine stand up to Kapcsandy Grand Vin, Opus, and Checkerboad! I think this bottle was in a great stage, possibly at its peak. The body is medium +, very dark notes, cocoa and tabaco, and finish is fair. Very well made!
*Couples Wine Group - Comeback.
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4/17/2020 - Dolomiti wrote: 94 Points
Great wine, dark fruits, a lot of chocolate and spices. Very good after 1hour!
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1/12/2020 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pnp. Dark ripe fruit, chocolate, viscous texture, vanilla from the oak.
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12/26/2019 - DrZett wrote: 94 Points
Still needs one hour in the decanter to show all its beauty (look at my previous notes).
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12/23/2019 - AWBryce wrote:
Big cab franc nose, herbal, right bank like, red fruits, ripe, some oak; decent acid, well balanced with silky tannin, med plus finish
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12/6/2019 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Medium purple color, with some garnet towards the rim. Notes of dark plum, tobacco, some violets, espresso, some dark chocolate, graphite, cassis, some dark cherries, smoke, also sweet spices. It‘s medium-full bodied, with excellent persistence but not heavy, has medium-high acidity adding excellent freshness and medium-high tannin that is still young but super ripe and good quality. Very good length. A superb Paleo and this is just getting better and better over the years... still young at this stage but so good.
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10/26/2019 - Ramberg wrote: 95 Points
An exceptional wine.
The best 100% Caberent Franc there is.
Less outspoken than last time I had it, starting to develop some semi maturity, albeit still a youngster.
Oak is much more integrated.
Nose with dark cherries and still loads of Cab Franc green herbs, grass and spices.
Tobacco, coffee, red earth, smoke.
Lovely ripe cherries and a fine and lifting balance.
The best vintage of Paleo I have had I believe.
Great bottle, plenty of time left in this.
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8/24/2019 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk. For me, it does not live up to the hype. I found it dark, ponderous and Woody. 90 + points
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8/15/2019 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. This a bigger bold wine full of black fruit with a heavy hand of oak. Will let the other bottle sit for 4 or 5 years.
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6/22/2019 - bonedoc wrote:
Excellent showing against duemani and other super Tuscans. Dark fruits, modern style w lots of oak.
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2/16/2019 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 90 Points
This needs time but has a lot of potential. Far better than the unstructured 2008 paleo
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12/19/2018 - DrZett wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful dark fruits and floral notes in the nose.
Black cherries, plum, mocha and some smoked aromas on the palate. Very complex body with great structure and stiff tannins - not too heavy, just perfect.
It is aged for 14 month in French barriques.
It is just my second vintage of this wine after trying the 2009 a few years ago. I rated the 2009 with 91 points but the 2010 is even better! It is perfect now but will gain complexity over the next couple years and will be perfect around 2021.
Great price tag for this quality too in my opinion. If you see it in a restaurant or a wine store give it a try! Just 2,200 cases produced in 2010.
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12/10/2018 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 95 Points
One more enthusiastic note on this beauty, which I seem to find with pleasing regularity on restaurant wine lists. This bottle added some smoky depth to the crunchy, textured, dark red fruit, green pepper, graphite and slate notes I've previously highlighted. Give it a hard decant, or (if you have the time) let it breathe for 3-4 hours.
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11/10/2018 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 96 Points
A year since my last bottle, this is now in prime form, especially after an hour+ decant. A rounded and open wine, with a floral nose giving way to crunchy, textured, dark red fruit along with some bell pepper, graphite and slate. As I wrote one year ago, this is a high energy, vibrant wine. Still superb.
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11/10/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
A Matter of Taste: New York (The Conrad NY | Del Posto): Very fruity and a bit more intense than the Galatrona we had alongside it. This was interesting and well done.
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7/15/2018 - Ricky99 wrote: 93 Points
Member guest dinner at Franikies.... big and bold, almost too much so for the simple fare at dinner. Developed nicely in the glass...
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6/26/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
A big wine loaded w dark fruits.
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6/2/2018 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 97 Points
Couleur soutenue, sombre, nez assez cuit, un peu fumé, épicé, champignons séchés, frais, bouche très expressive, complexe, extrêmement franche, directe, poivrée, alcool très présent, magnifique couverture de la bouche, grande longueur, tannins soyeux mais persistants, très élégant, très frais malgré un alcool assez présent, très bon potentiel, un excellent vin
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5/19/2018 - jacobg wrote: 95 Points
Fantastisk doft, men behöver nog 5-7 ar till.
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1/25/2018 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
Paleo levererar som vanligt. stod brevis 2008an som just idag levererade ändå mer.
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1/1/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 95 Points
Very big and lush wine - paired well w red meat sauce.
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11/11/2017 - rojoloco wrote:
donated
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11/9/2017 - twon wrote: 93 Points
Need food with this!
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10/29/2017 - Ibetian wrote: 93 Points
D canted about an hour before dinner. Got better over dinner. Very nice, complex nose. The palate was slightly sweet, but overall very satisfying
My guess is that this will be better in a year or two.
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10/25/2017 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points
14,5% alcohol. Tasted alongside most of the Paleo vintages from 2013 to 1993.
Somewhat developed, modestly translucent and slightly maroon garnet color. Aromatic, dark-toned nose with aromas of ripe dark berries, some fresh blackcurrant, a little bit of blackcurrant, a hint of brambly blackberries, sweeter wizened fruit undertones that hint at some development and a touch of sweeter cocoa oak. The wine is dry, smooth and moderately full-bodied on the palate with nice firmness from moderately high acidity and firm, still quite grippy tannins. There are still pretty youthful flavors of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants, some peppery spice, a little bit of sour cherry, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of woody bitterness. The alcohol lends a warming touch to the midpalate. The finish is quite taut, tannic and a bit warm with dry yet reasonably ripe flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet oak spice and a hint of fresh forest berries.
A very sophisticated vintage that on the surface seemed very similar to the 2011 vintage, but this one turned out to be both more structured yet still more approachable: there seems to be a bit more acidity and the tannins are somewhat more angular and grippier than in 2011, but there is somewhat more ripeness and concentration to the fruit, which makes this wine feel more expressive and enjoyable already. That is not to say that this is an early-drinking vintage, no siree. With its ample tannins and acidity, this wine is obviously built for the long haul. There is no reason whatsoever to open a wine this youthful anytime soon. Although quite impressive already, there is great potential for this wine to become so much more. All in all, this is a well-made Tuscan Cabernet Franc with pretty impressive structure.
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9/6/2017 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 95 Points
A killer beauty of a wine, youthful yet well rounded, but should improve with time. Floral nose. Crunchy, dark red fruit along with some bell pepper, graphite and slate. A high energy, vibrant wine. Superb
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8/20/2017 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Similar showing to the last one about 1.5 years ago. Beautiful aromatocs of dark fruit, flowers, some bell peppers, sweet spices, some dark chocolate, graphite. It's medium-full bodied, has medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is present but very good quality. Excellent length. A superb Cabernet Franc from this great producer. It combines the richness of the region with the freshness of the vintage and impeccable winemaking.
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8/6/2017 - scott w Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely delicious, nose of earth and black fruit. Unlike pretty much any other cab franc this wine is big and bold with dark fruit licorice, mineral and no green. Little bit of herbs and great acidity with balancing tannic structure, long finish.
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7/26/2017 - Stefan75 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted but only for 30min; a bit less exite than the recent comments and ratings but still a great wine. Smokey in the beginning, very smooth, I would wait 2-3 more years for next bottle but the cork was in a really poor condition for a wine that age and price!
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3/16/2017 - asultan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine Club #2 (Abe's House): This wine was amazing! A friend brought it for a blind tasting and it was the clear winner. It drinks big, bold and fruity like you would expect from a 100% cab frank but it had a distinct earthy finish like any great Tuscan wine. Simply WOW.
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3/1/2017 - Paul S wrote: 90 Points
When Mike Grammar visited Singapore (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): Decently good, but not outstanding on the night - this really needed more time in bottle. The 2009 that we had alongside actually showed better. There was a waft of brett on the nose, showing up in a funky, wet fur pong, but these thankfully blew off significantly to show lifted notes of menthol and peppermint, along with red berries, and a pat of earthy. The palate started out with that same funky tone as well, with plenty of earth and soil wrapped around a core of fresh red fruit and then a nice touch of spice leading into the finish. There was a nice verve and energy to it, and a brightness about the fruit that I liked. However, the structure felt just a touch awkward, with mouth-coating tannins and high acidity sticking out a bit. It did get a whole lot better with food though, especially with a nicely pink cut of lamb, which helped the wine to round up significantly and more of the fruit and spice character to show. Overall, not bad, but I have a feeling we caught it in a really awkward phase. Like the 2009, I would love to try this again a few years down the road.
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2/24/2017 - Mikipajuk Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum, slow oxed for 10 hours.
Wow what a beautiful nose of sweet barnyard and a hint of licorice and blood orange.
First time I've tasted pure Cabernet Franc so i had a hard time describing what I tasted. This had very good acidity and quite remarkable tannins so I expect this to go on for years to come.
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1/29/2017 - MWiking wrote: 95 Points
Fantastiskt vin, drack på restaurang igår, doften är helt fantastisk med Toscanas röda solvarma jord i fokus och härliga gröna peppriga toner.
Smaken juvligt god och väldigt tillgänglig redan nu, bra balans.
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7/27/2016 - astroman Likes this wine:
The best in the trio. Balance, intense, good structure.
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7/9/2016 - dsiii wrote: 92 Points
Give it 3-5 more yearz
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6/4/2016 - Xpis7os wrote: 91 Points
Too young to evaluate. Even after 1 hr decanted, still closed and null. Balanced but not much to give. Maybe if you give this wine another 5 to 10 yrs will produce more and come up to expectations.
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4/18/2016 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. 100% Cab Franc and 1st I recall having. Licorice, black currant, minerality. Should wait a few years to try the next one.
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4/17/2016 - davidrh1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very rich, cherry and licorice with a very nice finish.
This wine improves markedly after 30 minutes in the glass. It is worth the wait
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3/26/2016 - Ricky99 wrote: 93 Points
Super silky and somewhat tight... Look forward to holding this another 5-10 yrs
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2/3/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Dark purple, somewhat muted nose, concentrated dark fruits with some buttery oak notes, very silky texture and slightly viscous mouthfeel (in a good way). Drank well 30 min in glass. Drink or hold 5+ years.
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12/19/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to my last two tasting notes. It has shut down a little bit, but opens up with a few hours of air. A super impressive Paleo with a lot of freshness.
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11/18/2015 - gpost Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous as always. Give it a couple more years.
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8/24/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 95 Points
No real formal notes (had at a restaurant, short decant).
An amazing bottle from Bolgheri’s finest.
The Paleo Rosso is always a great example of the variety Cabernet Franc (100%).
The 2010 has to be the finest vintage yet, since the creation of this particular wine, back in 2001.
Nose is filled with Cabernet Franc typicity, fine herbs, spicy pine needles, freshly cut grass mixed with Bolgheri terroir, Tuscan red Earth, fine cedar wood, deep and full with lovely dark red fruit, cherries and blackberries.
Palate is equally fine, great structure, tannins and acidity in fine balance, deep and ripe dark and spicy fruit, fine wood.
Superb body and length, with a very fine texture.
Great stuff, and will certainly improve for many years.
Very high points, I know, but I just loved this bottle, and this wine always delivers.
(95 – 97)
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6/22/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Served as a pirate with a larger "Bordeaux crowd". Consistent to my last tasting note. Great fruit and great aromatics. Cabernet France at its best, made in a modern style but not overly so. Very popular wine at the table.
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4/30/2015 - Euge67 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ci vogliono almeno 2 ore in un decanter per goderne appieno. Alcool sotto controllo, profumato e un piacere al palato. Manca forse un po' di eleganza. Meriterebbe un 92 ma il prezzo lo penalizza.
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4/25/2015 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wines With A View (Capitol Grille Tasting Event) (The Spire): This was one of my favorites of the tasting. Totally open and accessible, seems to be maturing early and opening up beautifully. Cedar and smoke scents swirl in the glass, with violets and damp earth as well. Very complex, dynamic and energetic structure. Lots of Italian style earth and leather. Powerful tannins. Nothing like a French or Napa Cabernet Franc. This would be hard to criticize.
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3/28/2015 - Musser wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine that really comes out after an hour of decanting.
If you like this check out guado al Tasso. YEE
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3/21/2015 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruit with smoky,dusty fruit flavors and dry finish.
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1/28/2015 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
Le Macchiole Wine Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): Smoky, extracted fruit core. Violets and fruit nose. Blueberry liquor, tangy and mineral. Just a hint of scratchy tannins -- just needs time. Great potential, delicious now.
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1/27/2015 - WineWright Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful nose. Needs plenty of time to open to reveal the character and depth within. Tannins too prevalent for my sensibilities, as suspected, so have patience. Had to try but will wait at least 2 years until next bottle. Be advised though, my cork showed major creepage. Wait, watch, and hope...is there a more active collecting strategy, please?
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1/23/2015 - Eric wrote:
Inky, funky, leather. Lovely texture with beautifully sweet and sour flavors. Quite supple if not a bit tart.
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12/12/2014 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
A ridiculously delicious wine. Almost viscous, with a rich mouthfeel, this wine is at the same time mineral and elegant. Layers of different aromas -- sweet blueberries, touch of mint, hint of dark chocolate, sage -- are well integrated with unobtrusive oak. A very atypical cab frank for me, more reminiscent of a lush, minty Tuscan merlot than of a more vegetative and nervous Chinon. Excellent now and should continue to improve.
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10/24/2014 - ManhattanBeach wrote:
Bettane+Desseauve London 2014 (Saatchi Gallery, London): 100% Cabernet Franc. Darker nose, deeper, blacker on the palate than the Bolgheri Rosso 2012 - licorice/tar with a red-fruit wrapper.
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9/8/2014 - Leoville_2012 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical Cab Franc nose. Fine tannins. Will require patience.
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9/7/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Virtually identical tasting note to the one of April 2014. Tons of dark fruit (cassis, black currant, black cherries), minerality/graphite, sweet flowers, sweet spices and some coffee. It's medium-full bodied with fresh medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is amazingly silky. Very long finish. Again a total show-stopper with breathtaking class and elegance. All three 2010 of Le Macchiole's top wines were stunningly beautiful and left me speechless.... this is about as good as Maremma gets.
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7/27/2014 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Dark purple. Expressive, surprisingly open nose of dark fruit, cassis, some oak with sweet spices and smoke. On the palate again very aromatic with smooth tannins and excellent mouth feel overall, medium bodied. This is quite impressive and a step up from already great 2008, both are modern in style with a good dose of oak. Due to the softness of the tannis the 2010 can be tried out now but I am sure it will add even more complexity with time. Great CabFranc on par with some of the best Bordeaux.
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5/9/2014 - Bluespolo wrote: 95 Points
Elegance, complexity, intensity, fruit. This 2010 Paleo has everything. From 100% Cabernet franc. Very deep color. Sweet nose of black soft fruit, black cherry, chocolate, mocha. Oak not completely integrated. Mediterranean aromatic herbs, spices, and a pungent mineral note. At palate surprisingly balanced, considering the short period of cellaring. Powerful and structured. Nice long finish
From a year with a fresh and rainy spring. Late harvest, thanks to a nice, sunny end of summer.
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4/20/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Opaque purple color. Fantastic nose of dark berries, cassis/black currant, flowers, minerals and some sweet spices. On the palate there are amazing notes of flowers again, also black cherries, cassis, dark flowers and some sweet spices and coffee. It's medium-full bodied with amazingly silky medium-high tannin and medium-high acidity. Very dense and long. A breath-taking Paleo with tons of freshness, complexity and character. I also love the finesse!
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