2017 Sella Ronda Ski Trip; 1/12/2017-1/15/2017 (Alta Badia, Italy): From magnum, not decanted and a beautiful surprise. The nose is of a Bordeaux wine with a touch of the barnyard feel added by the Sangiovese we believe. Good fruit , balanced on the fruit and the oak is well assimilated. Light on its feel yet with good palate presence, nice secondary feel just emerging and really drinks very nicely now. 91-92
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Came across as an older left bank Bordeaux that has a fair amount of Merlot. Black plum and cherry with some tobacco notes and anise. Certainly enjoyable, nicely balanced but slightly simple. Didn't get more interesting with more time in glass. Good now.
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Nose of red fruit,herb, and a distinctive grated chilli. This started off quite tight and hollow but really came together after a couple of hours of opening. Tangy red fruit palate and quite long finish dominated by the Sangiovese in the blend with some chocolate. Will be even better in a few years I would think but, unless there's considerable bottle variation, is certainly a notch or two above the 1999 I had a few weeks ago.
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Unexpectedly this wine exploded with aromas of currants dark red fruits as I poured it into the decanter. I had expeced a brooding, dark, tight experience, but got a wonderfully open wine that changed over an hour, but all in good ways. It has very good acidity. After an hour the aroma was of all the wonderful cabernet notes. Love it.
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Opening it was a bit like unleashing a wild animal--the bouquet charged into the room...strong black currant, licorice, leathery wet oak. Once recovered, I poured a tentative taste, first allowing a more controlled nosing: "large, moss covered stone rolling in an autumn forest" (swear to god that's what I thought/wrote)...and followed it up with "you can smell the sun". Ripe, fat, sweet red and rich black fruits with a welcome but otherwise unexpected bit of pineapple at the end of the nose! To the eye, this is almost black-purple, angry octopus ink that loses NO structure even at the periphery and with thick, sultry, lustrous legs. First taste was surprising: peach and unripened blackberries assaulted my palette...but quickly gave way to a rounder, gentler "Super-Tuscan" than I'm used to. So I decanted...thinking that we may not be even half way to maturity. Now 1.5 hours out it's got that lovely red clay, strawberry, plum and black currant thing going for it. Still young, I think...but drinking well. Glad I bought 3 bottles...as I think my next sampling (maybe in 2012) will score higher.
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Tasted at Enoteca Tognoni in Bolgheri. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of wet stones, white pepper, plums and currants. Rich flavors of currants, berries and boysenberry. Medium to vibrant acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with a decant or continue to hold.
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1/15/2017 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
2017 Sella Ronda Ski Trip; 1/12/2017-1/15/2017 (Alta Badia, Italy): From magnum, not decanted and a beautiful surprise.
The nose is of a Bordeaux wine with a touch of the barnyard feel added by the Sangiovese we believe. Good fruit , balanced on the fruit and the oak is well assimilated. Light on its feel yet with good palate presence, nice secondary feel just emerging and really drinks very nicely now. 91-92
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1/27/2015 - Edclr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious now. At its prime. Nice acidity but flavor profile is CA meritage.
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10/15/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
Came across as an older left bank Bordeaux that has a fair amount of Merlot. Black plum and cherry with some tobacco notes and anise. Certainly enjoyable, nicely balanced but slightly simple. Didn't get more interesting with more time in glass. Good now.
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12/29/2013 - gr8r84u wrote: 93 Points
If the amount I consumed is any indication, It was excellent. Not the kind of wine you want to discuss... the kind you want to drink. Wish I had more.
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11/2/2013 - jacktball Likes this wine: 88 Points
Delicious!! Drank with pizza
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11/29/2012 - Topper wrote: 89 Points
Pleasant, bright red fruits, solid acidity, medium body. Nice wine for pizza.
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1/21/2012 - OmiyaDrinker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of red fruit,herb, and a distinctive grated chilli. This started off quite tight and hollow but really came together after a couple of hours of opening. Tangy red fruit palate and quite long finish dominated by the Sangiovese in the blend with some chocolate. Will be even better in a few years I would think but, unless there's considerable bottle variation, is certainly a notch or two above the 1999 I had a few weeks ago.
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12/20/2011 - sarlyb wrote: 94 Points
I was right...it is better now! Last bottle in 2-3 more years.
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11/29/2009 - Edclr wrote: 93 Points
Unexpectedly this wine exploded with aromas of currants dark red fruits as I poured it into the decanter. I had expeced a brooding, dark, tight experience, but got a wonderfully open wine that changed over an hour, but all in good ways. It has very good acidity. After an hour the aroma was of all the wonderful cabernet notes. Love it.
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10/6/2009 - sarlyb wrote: 92 Points
Opening it was a bit like unleashing a wild animal--the bouquet charged into the room...strong black currant, licorice, leathery wet oak. Once recovered, I poured a tentative taste, first allowing a more controlled nosing: "large, moss covered stone rolling in an autumn forest" (swear to god that's what I thought/wrote)...and followed it up with "you can smell the sun". Ripe, fat, sweet red and rich black fruits with a welcome but otherwise unexpected bit of pineapple at the end of the nose!
To the eye, this is almost black-purple, angry octopus ink that loses NO structure even at the periphery and with thick, sultry, lustrous legs.
First taste was surprising: peach and unripened blackberries assaulted my palette...but quickly gave way to a rounder, gentler "Super-Tuscan" than I'm used to. So I decanted...thinking that we may not be even half way to maturity. Now 1.5 hours out it's got that lovely red clay, strawberry, plum and black currant thing going for it. Still young, I think...but drinking well. Glad I bought 3 bottles...as I think my next sampling (maybe in 2012) will score higher.
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10/21/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
Italy 2008 (Italy): WIML91+
Tasted at Enoteca Tognoni in Bolgheri. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of wet stones, white pepper, plums and currants. Rich flavors of currants, berries and boysenberry. Medium to vibrant acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with a decant or continue to hold.
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