This is in an absolutely perfect spot right now. Aromas of dried berries, leather and porcini. Palate is silky and refined, with dried sweet berries, raisin, leather and hints of black truffle notes. Beautifully balanced with stunning finesse. A wonderful example of how well Altesino ages. Drink it now!
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Slight browning at the rim and some tertiary aromatics behind the fruit and menthol. Pleasant if not terribly profound palate, but with decent texture and intensity. None of the overt flaws mentioned below, though the tannins are somewhat bitter and kind of take over the finish. No rush, but I’d drink over the next few years.
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Svår (varm) årgång i Montalcino. Förra flaskan var fullt mogen men lite tung, aningen trött och alkohol driven.
Även den här flaskan är mer mogen än man kan förvänta sig av en 10-åring, men betydligt lättare i anslaget. Härlig mognad med löv, skog, läder, mörk choklad och svamp. Uppvisar samtidigt upp en mogen men pigg frukt som drar åt körsbär och svarta vinbär.
Elegant och len munkänsla, fullt integrerade tanniner, porlande syra och ljuvlig balans. Perfekt att dricka nu, 93-94p
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6th of 6 bottles, last one was drunk 1.5 yrs ago. All 6 bottles have suffered the same fate...a green streak that is reminiscent of fresh paint on the nose, and this fault also showed up on the palate as an acrylic quality that could not be ignored. The underlying wine is certainly very nice, but the fault cannot be overlooked. At $32 per bottle, all 6 bottles had this issue.
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Last of 4 purchased upon release. Liked this from the get go with red cherry, tomato, leather, dusty road with nice acid up front. Around hour 3 it became a tannin driven wine and stayed that way through hour 4. Enjoyable but I'm not sure I'd pay $50 for it today.
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Fifth bottle of 6. Still has that weird green note, can't put my finger on it, but it's off-putting and distracting from the otherwise beautiful underlying wine. Very good mouthfeel, suave tannins, moderate acidity.
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Decanter 60+ minutes, served with dinner, finished later in the night. Nice and reserved are what comes to mind. Dried cherry, tobacco, hints of leather. Tannins are evident but softening. Very enjoyable with food.
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Rubid avec disque briqué. Au nez, petits fruits, griottes, cassis, un peu de bios de santal. En bouche, petit fruits rouges, cerises griottes, tanins completement fondu, acidité moyenne, longueur moyenne, une légère chaleur en fin de bouche. J'aime bien.
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My 4th bottle of 6, and all have suffered the "overbearing green" notes...this one is no different, although seems more palatable for some reason. Overall, see previous TNs, showing very nice acidity and underlying structure, and the fruit is even quite nice, but all is overshadowed by the greenness that has afflicted all these bottles. Drink now through 2018.
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Less "green" than previous bottles, this wine's underlying structure and pedigree are shining through a bit more than in previous tasting experiences. No formal TN, just finally was able to enjoy a few glasses without that distracting green-pepper-herbal note (still there, but finally it is more in the background). Drink now through 2020+.
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Decanted one hour before getting around to this. Lots of dusty dried leaves, tar, cherries on the nose. On the palate tart, dried cherries, tobacco, herbs and some wood. Tannins starting to soften. Good, not great Brunello.
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Decanted for 2+ hours and paired with grilled porterhouse steaks. Dark red color, mostly clear in the glass.
On nose, Sour cherry, black cherry & menthol - nose was relatively closed down. On palate, black cherry, cherry, touch of sour cherry, tobacco - medium body & very smooth. My wife loved this. Medium+ acidity and medium tannins with a long finish. Paired great with the steak. 92+/-
Improved over 24-48 hours. 93+ on night 3 with a ton of complexity.
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This year's vintage definitely has a green or herbal nose, not typical for this label. I had the 2007 vintage just a month ago and was duly impressed. The 2008 appears to be an off year. The wine itself was mild, balanced and had a medium finish. The tannins were mild for this wine suggesting it won't improve with further aging. Next month I'll try the 2009. For this wine, the 2006, 2007 and 2010 vintages are considered the better of recent years.
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My previous bottle had an off-putting green pepper or earthy-herbal note that dominated the wine. I was sincerely hoping that the issue was confined to that single bottle, but after opening this bottle, I can see that is not the case. This wine suffers from the same malady. And Antonio Galloni noted the same issue in his TN from 2013. So although the underlying structure of the wine seems fine, even nice...it is all for naught, since the green herbal tones completely cover up any pleasant qualities of the underlying wine. Not unpalatable, but certainly off-putting.
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Altesino Winemaker Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): A deeply perfumed an rich nose -- abundantly obvious next to the '12 Rosso. Rich, supple and expansive mouth feel. Darker and somewhat masculine wine, it can be enjoyed now. Hint of nutmeg, wood, cat fur aromatics. Some tannins are present, but seemingly better integrated with wood than in a number of older wines tasted tonight.
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clean bright crimson-ruby in bright light; thick viscous glycerin legs; blackberries, sweet flowers, and whiff of orange on nose; stiff chalky-fine tannins, crisp acids, and the thick body noted above keep the wine dancing while clinging on the palate.
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Saturday Night Double Blind, $40+ (Bin 75): See through crimson, lighter rim; dried leaves, sour cherry, orange oil, stank; dried red fruit, cabbage, liqueur, licorice, seemingly mature and complex- could have been all of the New World wines at the tasting; good.
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PnP. Med(-) ruby color, with a tawny color that is more apparent near the rim. The nose shows a clean and developing wine, with med intensity bright and tart red cherries, raspberries, green peppers, wet soil, and sweet tobacco leaf. The green notes become overwhelming and distracting on the 2nd day. The palate shows off a med bodied, dry red wine, med in alcohol. This wine shyly gives up med(-) intensity flavors of tart raspberry and tart cherry fruit, some menthol notes, more green bell pepper notes, and wet gravel. The mid palate is a bit thin, but the med+ acidity swoops in to add to the med intensity finish of tart red fruit slathered over wet rocks. There are med tannins upon opening...I will see if the tannins open up more by tomorrow. This is a good quality wine, just entering into its drinking window. Will likely improve another 3-4 years, and drink well through 2020 or so.
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Decanted an hour, consumed over the next 4. First impression is it seems dark for a brunello. Nose shows leather, dry leaves, light cherry and herbs. On the palate dried cherries, tobacco, leather and finishes with grey tea. Tannins are substantial. Paired well with dinner, a bit tough at this point on its own. Glad I have a few more. At this point hold 3 years.
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Bought at a restaurant; drank half there and half at home. Deep purple color with only a hint of pale light at the edges. Nose of wet leaves and loamy soil. Long finish with noticeable notes of dried cherries, flowers and cassis. Very nice with grilled burgers and with dried meats. Better on day 3 than day 1.
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Deeper brick rd. oak and and light red fruit (new worldish). Thick drippy legs. Bell pepper nose. Rich in the mouth, sweetish, baked fruit too. Med length. Don't like this balance as it is like Amarone.
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Vindredi (Bellevue, WA): Tasted blind. Dark and brooding, I find the nose a bit hard to place. Earthy? Grassy? Urine? Fruit forward and medium-plus weight on the palate. Lots of drying, mouthwatering acid on the finish. Very fine tannins.
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Light extraction, brick red almost to rim; a heavy dose of sulfur covered this a bit but some digging uncovered some dried rose, faint cherry, some cured meat, and a sandy minerality; soft and round tannin, this has more impact on the palate, true Sangiovese, dried cherry, strawberry, hints of cedar, iron and firmer structure in the finish, good acid; good; a couple days later this was still drinking well, it was run through a Vinturi and the sulfur note was gone leaving a very respectable wine.
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A medium ruby-cherry color. Red and black currants and cherries on the nose mixed with floral perfume, lavender, black olive and oregano notes. On the palate, the cherry and currant fruit has a fresh, tart feel. Firm tannins for structure, medium+ acid. Lots of earthy-herbal flavors (olive, granite, tobacco, leather). Long, graceful finish with complex mineral notes. Surprisingly expressive at this age, the wine shows a lot of elegance but will easily improve over the next five to ten years.
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After 1 hour (not decanted): Smells of tobacco, tar, & earth. Tastes of ripe cherries, smoke, earth, & some darker fruits. An elegant wine, but with good depth. Medium Bodied. A delicious pairing with Lamb.
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Retailer tasting: This is a very elegant Brunello. Nice acidity, very supple tannin and a touch of sweetness. A bit too easy maybe, but certainly a tempting wine.
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Tasted @ Vinitaly 2013. Nose of dark cherries, berries, tobacco and some leather. Firm but elegant on the palate with classic flavors of dark fruit, tobacco, earth and leather again. Nice length and overall balance.
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This is refined, with some nice rustic qualities to go along. There is lots of fresh blackberries, stewed plum, lemon zest, spices, leather, earth and some hints of floral which develop with air contact. This is well-structured offering a pretty, velvety texture supported by fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and silky. This will thrive in the cellar. (Best 2016-2027)
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12/19/2023 - jsander Likes this wine: 92 Points
Silky smooth.
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6/11/2023 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 90 Points
In a great spot. Even better that it was in a magnum! Textbook Brunello however, not much POPs out of this wine, just solid Brunello.
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2/9/2023 - mkolbu wrote: 85 Points
Wine tasting Zurich with friends.
Decanted at noon, drunk from 19:30-23:30.
Not a good bottle, unbalanced with a sickening raspberry candy and sweet licorice smell and flavor. Never got any better and nobody enjoyed it much.
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1/22/2023 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
This is in an absolutely perfect spot right now. Aromas of dried berries, leather and porcini. Palate is silky and refined, with dried sweet berries, raisin, leather and hints of black truffle notes. Beautifully balanced with stunning finesse. A wonderful example of how well Altesino ages. Drink it now!
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9/19/2020 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wish I'd bought more! excellent value.
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4/25/2020 - MoMcCon Likes this wine: 89 Points
Finish is very short
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4/12/2020 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delightful. Prime drinking window.
Rich with ideal fruit/tannin/acid balance. Excellent value.
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3/31/2020 - winchester-xi Likes this wine:
Slight browning at the rim and some tertiary aromatics behind the fruit and menthol. Pleasant if not terribly profound palate, but with decent texture and intensity. None of the overt flaws mentioned below, though the tannins are somewhat bitter and kind of take over the finish. No rush, but I’d drink over the next few years.
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9/26/2019 - Pcnichols wrote:
Didn’t really enjoy this bottle. Had a distinct medicine/chemical taste to it which didn’t seem to improve with airing
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2/28/2019 - Markus IWC wrote: 93 Points
Svår (varm) årgång i Montalcino. Förra flaskan var fullt mogen men lite tung, aningen trött och alkohol driven.
Även den här flaskan är mer mogen än man kan förvänta sig av en 10-åring, men betydligt lättare i anslaget. Härlig mognad med löv, skog, läder, mörk choklad och svamp. Uppvisar samtidigt upp en mogen men pigg frukt som drar åt körsbär och svarta vinbär.
Elegant och len munkänsla, fullt integrerade tanniner, porlande syra och ljuvlig balans. Perfekt att dricka nu, 93-94p
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2/10/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 84 Points
6th of 6 bottles, last one was drunk 1.5 yrs ago.
All 6 bottles have suffered the same fate...a green streak that is reminiscent of fresh paint on the nose, and this fault also showed up on the palate as an acrylic quality that could not be ignored.
The underlying wine is certainly very nice, but the fault cannot be overlooked. At $32 per bottle, all 6 bottles had this issue.
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3/9/2018 - Bellissimo wrote:
Last of 4 purchased upon release. Liked this from the get go with red cherry, tomato, leather, dusty road with nice acid up front. Around hour 3 it became a tannin driven wine and stayed that way through hour 4. Enjoyable but I'm not sure I'd pay $50 for it today.
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8/6/2017 - drrobvino wrote: 85 Points
Fifth bottle of 6. Still has that weird green note, can't put my finger on it, but it's off-putting and distracting from the otherwise beautiful underlying wine. Very good mouthfeel, suave tannins, moderate acidity.
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6/8/2017 - Bellissimo wrote:
Decanter 60+ minutes, served with dinner, finished later in the night. Nice and reserved are what comes to mind. Dried cherry, tobacco, hints of leather. Tannins are evident but softening. Very enjoyable with food.
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2/28/2017 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rubid avec disque briqué.
Au nez, petits fruits, griottes, cassis, un peu de bios de santal.
En bouche, petit fruits rouges, cerises griottes, tanins completement fondu, acidité moyenne, longueur moyenne, une légère chaleur en fin de bouche. J'aime bien.
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12/10/2016 - drrobvino wrote: 86 Points
My 4th bottle of 6, and all have suffered the "overbearing green" notes...this one is no different, although seems more palatable for some reason.
Overall, see previous TNs, showing very nice acidity and underlying structure, and the fruit is even quite nice, but all is overshadowed by the greenness that has afflicted all these bottles. Drink now through 2018.
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5/8/2016 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Less "green" than previous bottles, this wine's underlying structure and pedigree are shining through a bit more than in previous tasting experiences.
No formal TN, just finally was able to enjoy a few glasses without that distracting green-pepper-herbal note (still there, but finally it is more in the background). Drink now through 2020+.
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5/4/2016 - Bellissimo wrote:
Decanted one hour before getting around to this. Lots of dusty dried leaves, tar, cherries on the nose. On the palate tart, dried cherries, tobacco, herbs and some wood. Tannins starting to soften. Good, not great Brunello.
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4/2/2016 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours and paired with grilled porterhouse steaks. Dark red color, mostly clear in the glass.
On nose, Sour cherry, black cherry & menthol - nose was relatively closed down. On palate, black cherry, cherry, touch of sour cherry, tobacco - medium body & very smooth. My wife loved this. Medium+ acidity and medium tannins with a long finish. Paired great with the steak. 92+/-
Improved over 24-48 hours. 93+ on night 3 with a ton of complexity.
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12/7/2015 - Hoppert wrote: 80 Points
This year's vintage definitely has a green or herbal nose, not typical for this label. I had the 2007 vintage just a month ago and was duly impressed. The 2008 appears to be an off year. The wine itself was mild, balanced and had a medium finish. The tannins were mild for this wine suggesting it won't improve with further aging. Next month I'll try the 2009. For this wine, the 2006, 2007 and 2010 vintages are considered the better of recent years.
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5/3/2015 - rlove wrote: 86 Points
Nose of savory herbs, strawberry jam, and dried flowers. Finishes long, but with an unsavory green, stemy note. Drink now.
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4/2/2015 - drrobvino wrote: 84 Points
My previous bottle had an off-putting green pepper or earthy-herbal note that dominated the wine. I was sincerely hoping that the issue was confined to that single bottle, but after opening this bottle, I can see that is not the case. This wine suffers from the same malady. And Antonio Galloni noted the same issue in his TN from 2013. So although the underlying structure of the wine seems fine, even nice...it is all for naught, since the green herbal tones completely cover up any pleasant qualities of the underlying wine. Not unpalatable, but certainly off-putting.
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3/2/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Altesino Winemaker Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): A deeply perfumed an rich nose -- abundantly obvious next to the '12 Rosso. Rich, supple and expansive mouth feel. Darker and somewhat masculine wine, it can be enjoyed now. Hint of nutmeg, wood, cat fur aromatics. Some tannins are present, but seemingly better integrated with wood than in a number of older wines tasted tonight.
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1/25/2015 - jcut335 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Soft Tannins, berries, very palatable.
Ill wait a few more years for the next bottle.
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11/18/2014 - Tgood wrote: 93 Points
clean bright crimson-ruby in bright light; thick viscous glycerin legs; blackberries, sweet flowers, and whiff of orange on nose; stiff chalky-fine tannins, crisp acids, and the thick body noted above keep the wine dancing while clinging on the palate.
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11/1/2014 - nrk Likes this wine: 89 Points
taste of raspberry, cherries and some tannine. Very well balanced wine and nice to drink now, but will be better in 3-4 years.
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7/26/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
Saturday Night Double Blind, $40+ (Bin 75): See through crimson, lighter rim; dried leaves, sour cherry, orange oil, stank; dried red fruit, cabbage, liqueur, licorice, seemingly mature and complex- could have been all of the New World wines at the tasting; good.
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6/27/2014 - mkolbu wrote: flawed
Corked. Smelled like a fermenting wine. Strange.
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6/3/2014 - drrobvino wrote: 86 Points
PnP. Med(-) ruby color, with a tawny color that is more apparent near the rim.
The nose shows a clean and developing wine, with med intensity bright and tart red cherries, raspberries, green peppers, wet soil, and sweet tobacco leaf. The green notes become overwhelming and distracting on the 2nd day.
The palate shows off a med bodied, dry red wine, med in alcohol. This wine shyly gives up med(-) intensity flavors of tart raspberry and tart cherry fruit, some menthol notes, more green bell pepper notes, and wet gravel. The mid palate is a bit thin, but the med+ acidity swoops in to add to the med intensity finish of tart red fruit slathered over wet rocks. There are med tannins upon opening...I will see if the tannins open up more by tomorrow.
This is a good quality wine, just entering into its drinking window. Will likely improve another 3-4 years, and drink well through 2020 or so.
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5/31/2014 - Bellissimo wrote:
Decanted an hour, consumed over the next 4. First impression is it seems dark for a brunello. Nose shows leather, dry leaves, light cherry and herbs. On the palate dried cherries, tobacco, leather and finishes with grey tea. Tannins are substantial. Paired well with dinner, a bit tough at this point on its own. Glad I have a few more. At this point hold 3 years.
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4/30/2014 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought at a restaurant; drank half there and half at home. Deep purple color with only a hint of pale light at the edges. Nose of wet leaves and loamy soil. Long finish with noticeable notes of dried cherries, flowers and cassis. Very nice with grilled burgers and with dried meats. Better on day 3 than day 1.
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4/29/2014 - KVM wrote: 84 Points
Deeper brick rd. oak and and light red fruit (new worldish). Thick drippy legs. Bell pepper nose. Rich in the mouth, sweetish, baked fruit too. Med length. Don't like this balance as it is like Amarone.
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3/21/2014 - mjlgrd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really, really wonderful brunello di Montacino. Impressive QPR.
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3/14/2014 - dpolivy wrote: 91 Points
Vindredi (Bellevue, WA): Tasted blind. Dark and brooding, I find the nose a bit hard to place. Earthy? Grassy? Urine? Fruit forward and medium-plus weight on the palate. Lots of drying, mouthwatering acid on the finish. Very fine tannins.
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3/13/2014 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Light extraction, brick red almost to rim; a heavy dose of sulfur covered this a bit but some digging uncovered some dried rose, faint cherry, some cured meat, and a sandy minerality; soft and round tannin, this has more impact on the palate, true Sangiovese, dried cherry, strawberry, hints of cedar, iron and firmer structure in the finish, good acid; good; a couple days later this was still drinking well, it was run through a Vinturi and the sulfur note was gone leaving a very respectable wine.
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1/8/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
A medium ruby-cherry color. Red and black currants and cherries on the nose mixed with floral perfume, lavender, black olive and oregano notes. On the palate, the cherry and currant fruit has a fresh, tart feel. Firm tannins for structure, medium+ acid. Lots of earthy-herbal flavors (olive, granite, tobacco, leather). Long, graceful finish with complex mineral notes. Surprisingly expressive at this age, the wine shows a lot of elegance but will easily improve over the next five to ten years.
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10/27/2013 - Woodford Likes this wine: 92 Points
After 1 hour (not decanted): Smells of tobacco, tar, & earth. Tastes of ripe cherries, smoke, earth, & some darker fruits. An elegant wine, but with good depth. Medium Bodied. A delicious pairing with Lamb.
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10/21/2013 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Retailer tasting: This is a very elegant Brunello. Nice acidity, very supple tannin and a touch of sweetness. A bit too easy maybe, but certainly a tempting wine.
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9/9/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Weird nose of roasted red fruit; not great.
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7/4/2013 - maw246 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice nose, typical. Cherries, tobacco, and earth on palate. Nice finish.
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4/7/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted @ Vinitaly 2013. Nose of dark cherries, berries, tobacco and some leather. Firm but elegant on the palate with classic flavors of dark fruit, tobacco, earth and leather again. Nice length and overall balance.
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3/4/2013 - InternationalWineReport wrote:
This is refined, with some nice rustic qualities to go along. There is lots of fresh blackberries, stewed plum, lemon zest, spices, leather, earth and some hints of floral which develop with air contact. This is well-structured offering a pretty, velvety texture supported by fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and silky. This will thrive in the cellar. (Best 2016-2027)
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