wow this had a massive anise/black licorice nose that really dominated the wine. the mouthful was quite pretty - darker red fruits; a tad stewed; nice finish. still a hint of heat and def medium+ bodied. poured this for a crowd as a mystery wine and it was a bit polarizing
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Drinking beautifully--lots of dark cherry notes, with leather notes and a cedar quality that came out with some of the food. Big surprise here was a distinct chocolate note that came out, along with some other less surprising slight herbal hints. Really pleasant tannins that hold but weren't overly tense or drying by this point. Really surprisingly good bottle and drinking pretty near perfectly now
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Brunello 2004 Horisontal (My House): dark plum fruit with some dried hay and licorice but also some soy and vanilla. Everything is quite balanced and it actually drinks very nicely right now. It seems to be in a good place and I would not save this wine any more. For me, the added aging will only make such a modern wine more disjointed.
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Decanted one hour. Cork in good shape. Cherry, plum, and some leather and herbs. Nice acidity, and the tannins have mellowed but they still definitely give a nice greeting. Drank well over two hours, faded at the end. This bottle has 3 - 5 years to go. Wonderful effort.
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In my cellar since original release. Decanted and tasted with most of a bottle left for tomorrow. Slightly translucent dark garnet color, lighter at the meniscus but not bricked. Nose has lots of oak derived notes like vanilla and chocolate, mint, charcoal, then some underlying mostly red fruit. Palate has fairly bright acidity and still plenty of puckery tannin. Pretty powerful wine but balanced with flavors like chocolate covered cherries, cedar, red plum and a long chewy finish. It is by no means a fruit bomb but it is made in a more modern style with French barrique aging. Attractive wine with nearly another decade of great drinking ahead if stored in a cool cellar in my view.
p.s. 2 days later this is still drinking nicely. Very supple and while less fragrant it has plenty of fruit left and some additional secondary notes of cedar and tobacco.
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Whoa, big wine still after 18 years of age. Red cherry and plums up front with notes of mushroom, red licorice, leather, spice, and earth. Surprisingly has some snappy acidity to it with great length to the finish. This is a stunning wine right now and glad I have more to enjoy down the line.
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Absolutely sumptuous with an amazing bouquet and excellent length. Decanted it 3 hrs before drinking. One of the more expressive BdMs I've had in a while. Still youthful too.
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This needed a 2 hour decant. Initially there was some funk on it. I thought at first it might be corked, but we let it sit and it came around. Lovely wine. All the typical Brunello flavors one might expect.
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Served two bottles at a wine dinner. There was a distinct bottle variance between the two. One was much more evolved with tobacco notes and dark cherries. The texture was silky. The nose reminded me of walking through a forest and kicking over mushrooms. The second bottle seemed to be dominated by the oak. The fruit was bold. It was almost like the bottle was five years younger. In summary, neither where my favorite expression of Brunello.
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Beautiful mature Brunello. No rush though. Cherry, earth, rich and rather complete. Definitely had a bunch of pectin when I decanted it, but the wine is delicious. WOTN.
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Color: medium Garnet. On the nose: medium + intensity with red cherries, redcurrant, plums, blueberry, blackcurrant, black berries, vanilla, clove, leather, some mushroom. On the palate: round but high acidity, velvety tannins, similar flavors as the nose but with tertiary flavors more intense; medium + to long finish.
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This wine has evolved perfectly I the last 3 years. We PNP'd and it was beautiful. Nose is driven by violets and red fruit. The texture is satin-like. Only one bottle left - will wait until holidays.
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Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. This has really developed well since last tasting 7 years ago. Looking forward to the evolution of my remaining bottles.
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This is good. There was some sludge to filter out but it did not seem to affect the wine. Good nose, complex, plenty of fruit and acid. No rush to drink yet. All enjoyed it.
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smoother and more elegant than i recall; agree with other references to some tea and balsamic notes. A bit of heat on the finish until the wine fully opened up. Nice, although i personally preferred these a bit younger when they had more earth and tannin.
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Drank at home with various Italian cheeses. Decanted and strained, which was needed as there was some funny residue as others have mentioned. Delicious full, dark fruit brunello flavors with just the right amount of tannin. Excellent.
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Wines with Friends; 7/10/2017-7/17/2017 (Pine Lake Trout Club): Very nice showing for this bottle but even at age 13, it is still not yet at peak. Ruby/purple in color. The nose is very nice with cherries, dark cherries, tea leaves and hints of balsamic. On the palate, medium tannins. Lots of juicy black cherries. Deep but tight. Long finish. Went well with food.
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I've had this wine for a while watching it slowly age. It is a gem. Drinking well right now. Well balanced, full rounded dark fruit. Worked well with a Tuscan style pork tenderloin.
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decanted to remove sediment and globules (and there were less in this bottle); well balanced with good mixed red berry, rhubarb, and earth. A mild saccharine component detracts.
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Opened for about an hour and was immediately drinking smooth with good fruit. Smooth tannins, long finish. Had with a classic italian dinner of pasta, tomato sauce, stuffed hot banana peppers. Still has a few good years.
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A Brunello day (Singapore): Brunello master class. Translucent garnet, beautiful fine wood spices, menthol and herbs, the soil is almost overshadowing the fruit, tannins fully integrated, medium length. An outstanding Brunello at its very peak. Drink now!
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Matter of taste tasting. Dark inky color almost no aroma. Subtle first taste, usual fruits and a little sage but fantastic earthy finish. Long linger with hints of licorice. Wonderful!
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A much better bottle this time, more balanced and enjoyable. Black cherry, berries, some well integrated wood. Plenty of structure to last a few more years. Seems to have gotten an odd bottle last time around.
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My custody since release. Ullage displays into the neck and decanted for the afternoon. Observed only trace of sediment. This is the best Brunello that I have tasted. Ever!
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Oaked to a fault -- oak covers all else on the open and partly dissipates only by the second day. Woody, chestnut taste --ripe sangio is trying to peak from under a blanket of oaky bubble gum aromatics. This is not the bottle to pop in a restaurant
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Allowed 48 hours to settle and "warm" to ~18C from 13C cellar, then popped and poured at restaurant into decanter. Complex berry, cherry flavors, earthy, musty. Good structure, good balance excellent length, tannic finish. Needs more time.
Wine needed 2-3 hours air time to open up. I'd say this is at beginning of drinking window but still a few years away from peak. If you have some in your cellar, hold for a few more years and this will be a gem.
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Not as bad as advertised on the site. Yes I had the same experience as most - white sludge that I filtered out, hot off the pop and high in acid but it calmed after a 3 hour decant. Ok it was a bit thin but paired well with a pasta and quite elegant in doing so
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Underwhelming. Decanted 2 hours before dinner and (thanks to other CT notes) filtered which got rid of the white 'sludge'. Was looking forward to this bottle and drank with homemade lasagna, but found it dry and somewhat tart without much fruit. Saved a couple glasses but wasn't any better on day 2.
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If you cannot get the cork (crumbly) out of the bottle, just push it into it... :-) Fortunately I had a decanter and a filter by hand. Wine was ok, though a bit high on the acidity side. I prefer the 2006.
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Decanted for 1-2 hours through a filter. Not very much sediment, but the filter did catch the white sludge mentioned in previous CT notes. A great brunello which was dark and mysterious with notes of tar, smoke, earth, dark berries and minerals leading to medium bodied wine with nice acidity and tannin. Enjoyed with homemade pizza.
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I contacted the winemaker about the prominent and unusual sediment and received the following letter in response:
All our wines are unfiltered and in the bottles it's possible to found sediments. All the sediments (heavy or light ) are completely natural . The sediments you found in 2004 is Quercitina , a natural component of the wine . The sediments don't change absolutely the quality of the wine and show you that our philosophy of production is very natural. (It's possible to provoke a sedimentation in cellar and after to filter in a very strong way but with this system we change completely the wine) I can suggest you to use a little filter or decant very slowly after ten minutes with the bottle in vertical position (the sediments are very light and it's necessary to await ten minutes without move the bottle), and after you can enjoy the 2004 or the other vintages without problems. I can understand that this sediments are strange but really the quercitina is a natural component of the wine and it's possible to have sediments when the quantity in the wine is more than usual (very good harvest , summer with good quantity of sun ) In the next days , if you like i can send you by mail more informations about the goods characteristic of the quercitina. (Analysis made from the bordeaux University)
Giancarlo Pacenti
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Poured this through a filter to get rid of the small amount of gray sediment/sludge. Though the alcohol comes in at 14.5%( probably 15%+) this is "wonderfully vinous and light on its feet". This is NOT a huge wine that "possesses dazzling concentration and tons of richness, as waves of fruit coat the palate" but one of restraint.
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Filtered through a screen and into decanter; then drank from decanter over an afternoon. Unfortunately got one of the bottles with the white gunk/sludge/sediment, although it was not an overwhelming amount. Once filtered out, the sludge doesn’t seem to have a lasting impression on the wine, but one certainly can wonder whether the whole product has been tainted. The wine is a darker red, with some balsam wood and hints of sweet cherry on the nose. I found the mouth muted and a bit of a sweet halo left on the finish. Given the presence of the sludge and the somewhat indistinct nature of the wine, I’m not giving this a rating (although, if forced, this would probably be in the mid-80s). I’m staying away from buying more due to the sludge problem. My advice would be to filter with a tight screen or non-bleached coffee filter in all events and hope that you get a sludge-free bottle or one that is more alive than what I pulled. Exercise caution in buying, particularly from auction or on the secondary market—many sellers may be looking to dump bottles that look to have ample sediment (which likely is the sludge).
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Needed filtering because of heavy sediment. Bouquet of red berries, minerals, earth. Very clean, steely. slightly unbalanced from full, still unresolved tannins. Great fruit, dark, with a hint of smoke, earth. Still could use some time though. If you filter this wine and let it air for a while, it should be a very good evening. (Day #2: tannins settled, the wine was balanced, elegant and silky.)
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This is my first bottle since my last review. I sat the bottle upright for a few hours before drinking and decanted through a gold coffee filter. the wine was loaded with the "gray "sediment but it had pretty much settled at the bottom of the bottle. As for the wine, it was nothing short of excellent. My wife the "super taster" drank the wine before I showed her the sediment and thought the wine was excellent in every way. So, the long and short.. The wine is great, decant before you take to the restaurant for dinner or don't take it to the restaurant and enjoy it at home. Its a fantastic smooth soft brunello. enjoy!!
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Drinking really well right now... Nice bouquet of fruit and minerals on the nose with a really polished Sangiovese profile.. Smooth and well balanced with a long finish
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I was pretty dismayed when I read the recent comments about the "flawed" wine and even more upset when I decanted the wine and the "gray gobs" appeared. I filtered the wine through a swiss gold coffee filter and had the wine with pasta in a veal osso buco sauce. it really developed in the glass, reasonable fruit and light tannins with a nice finish. I think it will still evolve with more time. I am really concerned about the "gray gobs" and will call the USA importer Michael Skurnik get more info. However, don't take this to a restaurant with out decanting and filtering.
I got the white gunk. I read the comments below and thought I'd take my chances. Tried to filter and drink to no avail, besides, to many other good wines that night to bother. Should have had more trust in the comments from my fellow cellar trackers, lesson learned.
What a great Brunello. This really resonates with me as it was really well made. The quality of the fruit was evident from how clean, precise and authentic this wine is . Great Cherry fruit with some of that Montalcino rustic earth, that is unmistakable. Great intensity, length and finish.
Fantastic.
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Underwhelming. On the one hand it was well-balanced. On the other hand it was pretty two-dimensional: big-fruited and oaky. Probably will be more enjoyable once it starts to take on some secondary components -- hopefully in a few years.
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same yuk factor with the grey-green globs (GGGs) floating in the wine; decanted them out and drank this with left-overs (i dont chance taking this wine to a restaurant any more); this is still drinkable, but unimpressive--will call it flawed; third straight bottle like this (sigh....).
Similar to other notes...there was a greenish white sediment that seemed very different from any other sediment that I have ever seen. The wine was a bore.....I really expected a lot and it just did not deliver.....huge disappointment....muted nose, thin palate and no length.........i'll be generous and call this flawed but I would never buy this again
Thursday Night Mixed Bag (Andrew's House): Decanted approximately 1 hour, served blind. Deep purple in the glass, with strange floating particulate, which has been previously referenced here. On the nose, very reticent, offering up notes of black cherry, some herbs, and cured meats. Over the course of the evening, this did not get any more expressive. On the palate, met with a wall of structure; heavy tannin, moderate acidity. Finish is moderate, and a touch bitter and astringent. Based on the strange particles in the wine, I have marked this as "flawed".
reticent nose; plenty of an odd sediment noted previously here and elsewhere (see http://wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61938) which consists of a proteinaceous grey-green material; looks a bit like lichen but is sl greasy when you 'smoosh' it; (?yeast or protein or even egg white); there is acidity but little fruit, and an austerity that is unlike previous years of this wine; i will call it flawed and hope the remaining bottles are better
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Different. Almost feminine although the palate emerges and strengthens with air. Full across the mid palate but not an especially long finish. Very pleasant; will be interesting to try in 5 years.
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Nat cork. A dull red with a darker core but lighter edges. Nose of cheery, earth, barn, a hint of cola or dr pepper and a tad of something medicinal. Medium bodied, a tad tart, still a bit prickly with tannin, starts off silky but then the alcohol revs up the octane. Long, lingering finish. Youthful. From a value/qpr perspective not feeling it.
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Okay, problem here. After a good first bottle, this is the third consecutive flawed bottle out of a six bottle, direct-from-distributor order. Opening the bottle there is weird gray/white streaking on the cork and similar colored chunky sediment throughout the bottle. With some air the vibrancy of the wine dies off. Uniquely flawed and baffling.
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Had this at Per Se accompanying Chef's tasting menu. Nose revealed lovely tones of dark berries and fruit, but the promise was not quite delivered on the mouth, which was tight-coiled and tannic. Opened up as the night progressed, but suspect a few more hours of decant would have been required for this wine to truly show its stuff.
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Clear, glistening light ruby in colour that is very inviting but unfamiliar with Sangiovese. The nose, with fresh raspberry and strawberry jam flavours and unoaked character tells a similar story. Youthful on the palate with crisp acidity and fruitiness despite unexpected firm tannins. Still nice and velvety and definitely in a wayward manner considering its varietal.
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Brunello 2004 Tasting (HSH): Yoghurt and sour milk almost pops out of the glass with a lot of espress coffe, sweet vanilla and an almost unpleasant liquor style fruit. The palate is very difficult to address... Dominated by very dark sweet fruit and comes across as almost oxidized. Big and powerful body with a huge strukture and an impressively long aftertaste. Crazy wine but it does not seems to have that much in common with the Brunello appelation. Objectively the wine is actually quite impressive but not as a Brunello and it clearly one of the strangest Brunellos I have ever tasted. The oxidized fruit has afterwards led me to believe that the bottle could have flawed but it is very difficult to say. It definately had some very strange sediment when the bottle was decanted!
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Deep purple to garnet with a clear edge. Decanted twice, this is at hour five. Blackberry and smoke starting to show on a closed nose. Luxurious texture. Blackberry, tar, black cherry, milk chocolate on the palate. 25 sec finish.
I can see the promise and concentration, but this bottle was not showing the quality that I've been hearing of. 92-95. I think there are better things to come from other bottles down the road. We'll see where it goes. Definitely a hold.
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This 2004 Brunello was off the charts. If you like the more modern style of Brunello / Sangiovese this is a wine to buy. If you taste this wine next to a traditional BdM (Il Marroneto comes to mind) one would not belief these wines come from the same appellation. Nevertheless there is chocolate, vanilla and toasted oak. The finish goes on and on ! (95). Tradidionalists beware.
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3/2/2024 - Yffudp Likes this wine: 94 Points
Licorice and dark cherry on the nose. Dark cherry, plum and herbs on the palate. This is in a great place right now with well integrated tannins.
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2/4/2024 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 91 Points
wow this had a massive anise/black licorice nose that really dominated the wine. the mouthful was quite pretty - darker red fruits; a tad stewed; nice finish. still a hint of heat and def medium+ bodied. poured this for a crowd as a mystery wine and it was a bit polarizing
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12/26/2023 - cglex Likes this wine: 97 Points
The cork broke and crumbled when I opened it, but decanting through a wine strainer led to no cork taste.
Fantastic wine. The Wine Advvocate review is pretty much spot on. Paired well with roast beef Christmas dinner.
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10/15/2023 - MAkita Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully--lots of dark cherry notes, with leather notes and a cedar quality that came out with some of the food. Big surprise here was a distinct chocolate note that came out, along with some other less surprising slight herbal hints. Really pleasant tannins that hold but weren't overly tense or drying by this point. Really surprisingly good bottle and drinking pretty near perfectly now
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6/16/2023 - canan wrote: 93 Points
Brunello 2004 Horisontal (My House): dark plum fruit with some dried hay and licorice but also some soy and vanilla.
Everything is quite balanced and it actually drinks very nicely right now. It seems to be in a good place and I would not save this wine any more. For me, the added aging will only make such a modern wine more disjointed.
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6/11/2023 - CRL Stc wrote: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. Cork in good shape. Cherry, plum, and some leather and herbs. Nice acidity, and the tannins have mellowed but they still definitely give a nice greeting. Drank well over two hours, faded at the end. This bottle has 3 - 5 years to go. Wonderful effort.
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11/6/2022 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
In my cellar since original release. Decanted and tasted with most of a bottle left for tomorrow. Slightly translucent dark garnet color, lighter at the meniscus but not bricked. Nose has lots of oak derived notes like vanilla and chocolate, mint, charcoal, then some underlying mostly red fruit. Palate has fairly bright acidity and still plenty of puckery tannin. Pretty powerful wine but balanced with flavors like chocolate covered cherries, cedar, red plum and a long chewy finish. It is by no means a fruit bomb but it is made in a more modern style with French barrique aging. Attractive wine with nearly another decade of great drinking ahead if stored in a cool cellar in my view.
p.s. 2 days later this is still drinking nicely. Very supple and while less fragrant it has plenty of fruit left and some additional secondary notes of cedar and tobacco.
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6/22/2022 - SteelerFan wrote: 91 Points
Very savory. Still a bit angular - Not sure it will get to the next level.
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6/7/2022 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Whoa, big wine still after 18 years of age. Red cherry and plums up front with notes of mushroom, red licorice, leather, spice, and earth. Surprisingly has some snappy acidity to it with great length to the finish. This is a stunning wine right now and glad I have more to enjoy down the line.
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2/3/2022 - colin107 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely sumptuous with an amazing bouquet and excellent length. Decanted it 3 hrs before drinking. One of the more expressive BdMs I've had in a while. Still youthful too.
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6/11/2021 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
This needed a 2 hour decant. Initially there was some funk on it. I thought at first it might be corked, but we let it sit and it came around. Lovely wine. All the typical Brunello flavors one might expect.
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12/29/2020 - Marcus Vin Rouge Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good drinking window.
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8/9/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Dusty tannins. Cherry fruit with snappy acidity. Went great with grilled Flatiron Steak.
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8/7/2020 - PVJC wrote: 91 Points
Unremarkable & disappointing, although similar notes to last bottle 5 years ago. Decanted 1 hr. Not a lot of fruit. A touch better on day 2.
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8/3/2020 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served two bottles at a wine dinner. There was a distinct bottle variance between the two. One was much more evolved with tobacco notes and dark cherries. The texture was silky. The nose reminded me of walking through a forest and kicking over mushrooms. The second bottle seemed to be dominated by the oak. The fruit was bold. It was almost like the bottle was five years younger. In summary, neither where my favorite expression of Brunello.
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4/17/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fully mature and ready to go. This bottle seems a tad more advanced than the one I had a month ago. PnP.
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3/14/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful mature Brunello. No rush though. Cherry, earth, rich and rather complete. Definitely had a bunch of pectin when I decanted it, but the wine is delicious. WOTN.
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1/10/2020 - Jdwinedrinker Does not like this wine:
Disappointing after cellaring since purchase.... smokey oak, vanilla, little bit of fruit. Pales in comparison to the Pianrosso I had a few months ago
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9/26/2019 - cweiss wrote:
China King. Lots of stuffing, very good balance, still tannic. Decanted an hour, opened more over the dinner, but I'll wait a couple of years.
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9/7/2019 - Mr&Mrs_Budu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: medium Garnet. On the nose: medium + intensity with red cherries, redcurrant, plums, blueberry, blackcurrant, black berries, vanilla, clove, leather, some mushroom. On the palate: round but high acidity, velvety tannins, similar flavors as the nose but with tertiary flavors more intense; medium + to long finish.
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7/8/2019 - Charogers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has progressed nicely - plenty of fruit left, and good balance. Needed to decant and filter out some sludge which didn't seem to affect the wine.
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6/23/2019 - Gen NY Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine has evolved perfectly I the last 3 years. We PNP'd and it was beautiful. Nose is driven by violets and red fruit. The texture is satin-like. Only one bottle left - will wait until holidays.
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1/1/2019 - rsbeck wrote: 93 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. This has really developed well since last tasting 7 years ago. Looking forward to the evolution of my remaining bottles.
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11/12/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is such an elegant and refined Brunello. Very impressive! Deft use of oak.
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9/2/2018 - Charogers Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is good. There was some sludge to filter out but it did not seem to affect the wine. Good nose, complex, plenty of fruit and acid. No rush to drink yet. All enjoyed it.
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7/26/2018 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 91 Points
smoother and more elegant than i recall; agree with other references to some tea and balsamic notes. A bit of heat on the finish until the wine fully opened up. Nice, although i personally preferred these a bit younger when they had more earth and tannin.
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7/8/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as last note. Fantastic wine. Loved this. Powerful, deep and complex.
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6/17/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
1st of 12. Transparent garnet. Beautiful floral nose. Really good. Flowers, cherry, firm tannins. Nice grip. This should hold for years.
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12/2/2017 - sphBacchus wrote:
Dark with a deep richness . Still a tannic dry finish so should be best in a few more years .
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10/14/2017 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at home with various Italian cheeses. Decanted and strained, which was needed as there was some funny residue as others have mentioned. Delicious full, dark fruit brunello flavors with just the right amount of tannin. Excellent.
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9/21/2017 - SteelerFan wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby. Nose of berry, smoke. Really drinking well. Sweet and smooth.
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7/17/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Wines with Friends; 7/10/2017-7/17/2017 (Pine Lake Trout Club): Very nice showing for this bottle but even at age 13, it is still not yet at peak. Ruby/purple in color. The nose is very nice with cherries, dark cherries, tea leaves and hints of balsamic. On the palate, medium tannins. Lots of juicy black cherries. Deep but tight. Long finish. Went well with food.
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4/2/2017 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Really nice. Needs a couple hours of air to open up and show it's best. Good with or without food.
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1/13/2017 - Kento61 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I've had this wine for a while watching it slowly age. It is a gem. Drinking well right now. Well balanced, full rounded dark fruit. Worked well with a Tuscan style pork tenderloin.
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1/5/2017 - wabi47 wrote: 92 Points
decanted to remove sediment and globules (and there were less in this bottle); well balanced with good mixed red berry, rhubarb, and earth. A mild saccharine component detracts.
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11/6/2016 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened for about an hour and was immediately drinking smooth with good fruit. Smooth tannins, long finish. Had with a classic italian dinner of pasta, tomato sauce, stuffed hot banana peppers. Still has a few good years.
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10/22/2016 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 94 Points
A Brunello day (Singapore): Brunello master class. Translucent garnet, beautiful fine wood spices, menthol and herbs, the soil is almost overshadowing the fruit, tannins fully integrated, medium length. An outstanding Brunello at its very peak. Drink now!
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10/21/2016 - swapdoc wrote:
Siro Pacenti Winemaker Dinner with Giancarlo Pacenti (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante NYC): Showing some oak on the nose still. Delicate and clear, reminiscent of the '01, showing lilacs and floral aromatics in the finish. Smooth and balanced overall, a great contrast to the roasted fruit profile of the '99 Brunello.
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10/21/2016 - ShangGuy wrote: 95 Points
Matter of taste tasting. Dark inky color almost no aroma. Subtle first taste, usual fruits and a little sage but fantastic earthy finish. Long linger with hints of licorice. Wonderful!
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9/10/2016 - 22jefski wrote: 91 Points
Too modern; lacks finesse
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9/1/2016 - swapdoc wrote:
A much better bottle this time, more balanced and enjoyable. Black cherry, berries, some well integrated wood. Plenty of structure to last a few more years. Seems to have gotten an odd bottle last time around.
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3/29/2016 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for sediment; more traditional than I recall
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1/11/2016 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted thru strainer to remove quercitin glop; rhubarb and wild cherry; oak present but integrated; excellent international style
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10/11/2015 - SOUTHCOAST Likes this wine: 95 Points
My custody since release. Ullage displays into the neck and decanted for the afternoon. Observed only trace of sediment. This is the best Brunello that I have tasted. Ever!
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8/15/2015 - swapdoc Does not like this wine:
Oaked to a fault -- oak covers all else on the open and partly dissipates only by the second day. Woody, chestnut taste --ripe sangio is trying to peak from under a blanket of oaky bubble gum aromatics. This is not the bottle to pop in a restaurant
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7/9/2015 - Stevey wrote: 93 Points
Allowed 48 hours to settle and "warm" to ~18C from 13C cellar, then popped and poured at restaurant into decanter. Complex berry, cherry flavors, earthy, musty. Good structure, good balance excellent length, tannic finish. Needs more time.
Wine needed 2-3 hours air time to open up. I'd say this is at beginning of drinking window but still a few years away from peak. If you have some in your cellar, hold for a few more years and this will be a gem.
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3/5/2015 - Biglama Likes this wine: 94 Points
topper, veel smaak en geur, lekker breed en erg toegankelijk, zeer fraai
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3/5/2015 - bobwire Likes this wine: 95 Points
Latest update: Decant the blue goo with a gold filter and enjoy a fantastic Brunello . pop decant, pour, and enjoy.
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2/14/2015 - Charogers Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not as bad as advertised on the site. Yes I had the same experience as most - white sludge that I filtered out, hot off the pop and high in acid but it calmed after a 3 hour decant. Ok it was a bit thin but paired well with a pasta and quite elegant in doing so
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1/17/2015 - PVJC wrote:
Underwhelming. Decanted 2 hours before dinner and (thanks to other CT notes) filtered which got rid of the white 'sludge'. Was looking forward to this bottle and drank with homemade lasagna, but found it dry and somewhat tart without much fruit. Saved a couple glasses but wasn't any better on day 2.
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12/19/2014 - _Xenon wrote: 90 Points
If you cannot get the cork (crumbly) out of the bottle, just push it into it... :-) Fortunately I had a decanter and a filter by hand. Wine was ok, though a bit high on the acidity side. I prefer the 2006.
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2/13/2014 - Biglama Likes this wine: 94 Points
heerlijk glas, nu optimaal drinkbaar, veel indrukken, donker en zwoel
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12/2/2013 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1-2 hours through a filter. Not very much sediment, but the filter did catch the white sludge mentioned in previous CT notes. A great brunello which was dark and mysterious with notes of tar, smoke, earth, dark berries and minerals leading to medium bodied wine with nice acidity and tannin. Enjoyed with homemade pizza.
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11/18/2013 - winechatter Likes this wine:
I contacted the winemaker about the prominent and unusual sediment and received the following letter in response:
All our wines are unfiltered and in the bottles it's possible to found sediments.
All the sediments (heavy or light ) are completely natural .
The sediments you found in 2004 is Quercitina , a natural component of the wine .
The sediments don't change absolutely the quality of the wine and show you that our philosophy of production is very natural.
(It's possible to provoke a sedimentation in cellar and after to filter in a very strong way but with this system we change completely the wine)
I can suggest you to use a little filter or decant very slowly after ten minutes with the bottle in vertical position (the sediments are very light and it's necessary to await ten minutes without move the bottle), and after you can enjoy the 2004 or the other vintages without problems.
I can understand that this sediments are strange but really the quercitina is a natural component of the wine and it's possible to have sediments when the quantity in the wine is more than usual (very good harvest , summer with good quantity of sun )
In the next days , if you like i can send you by mail more informations about the goods characteristic of the quercitina.
(Analysis made from the bordeaux University)
Giancarlo Pacenti
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11/17/2013 - Drankard wrote:
Poured this through a filter to get rid of the small amount of gray sediment/sludge. Though the alcohol comes in at 14.5%( probably 15%+) this is "wonderfully vinous and light on its feet". This is NOT a huge wine that "possesses dazzling concentration and tons of richness, as waves of fruit coat the palate" but one of restraint.
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7/27/2013 - whitmanlholt wrote:
Filtered through a screen and into decanter; then drank from decanter over an afternoon. Unfortunately got one of the bottles with the white gunk/sludge/sediment, although it was not an overwhelming amount. Once filtered out, the sludge doesn’t seem to have a lasting impression on the wine, but one certainly can wonder whether the whole product has been tainted. The wine is a darker red, with some balsam wood and hints of sweet cherry on the nose. I found the mouth muted and a bit of a sweet halo left on the finish. Given the presence of the sludge and the somewhat indistinct nature of the wine, I’m not giving this a rating (although, if forced, this would probably be in the mid-80s). I’m staying away from buying more due to the sludge problem. My advice would be to filter with a tight screen or non-bleached coffee filter in all events and hope that you get a sludge-free bottle or one that is more alive than what I pulled. Exercise caution in buying, particularly from auction or on the secondary market—many sellers may be looking to dump bottles that look to have ample sediment (which likely is the sludge).
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7/15/2013 - cliffkol wrote: 91 Points
Needed filtering because of heavy sediment. Bouquet of red berries, minerals, earth. Very clean, steely. slightly unbalanced from full, still unresolved tannins. Great fruit, dark, with a hint of smoke, earth. Still could use some time though. If you filter this wine and let it air for a while, it should be a very good evening. (Day #2: tannins settled, the wine was balanced, elegant and silky.)
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5/18/2013 - miadelt Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Even after filtering our the junk, the wine was underwhelming. Did not have the charachteristics of a very good brunello.
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5/1/2013 - bobwire Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is my first bottle since my last review. I sat the bottle upright for a few hours before drinking and decanted through a gold coffee filter. the wine was loaded with the "gray "sediment but it had pretty much settled at the bottom of the bottle.
As for the wine, it was nothing short of excellent. My wife the "super taster" drank the wine before I showed her the sediment and thought the wine was excellent in every way. So, the long and short.. The wine is great, decant before you take to the restaurant for dinner or don't take it to the restaurant and enjoy it at home. Its a fantastic smooth soft brunello. enjoy!!
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4/21/2013 - AtoZ wrote: 92 Points
Same as prior. Evolving very very slowly. Hold.
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3/24/2013 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking really well right now... Nice bouquet of fruit and minerals on the nose with a really polished Sangiovese profile.. Smooth and well balanced with a long finish
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2/18/2013 - bobwire Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was pretty dismayed when I read the recent comments about the "flawed" wine and even more upset when I decanted the wine and the "gray gobs" appeared. I filtered the wine through a swiss gold coffee filter and had the wine with pasta in a veal osso buco sauce. it really developed in the glass, reasonable fruit and light tannins with a nice finish. I think it will still evolve with more time. I am really concerned about the "gray gobs" and will call the USA importer Michael Skurnik get more info. However, don't take this to a restaurant with out decanting and filtering.
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2/11/2013 - Winearch wrote: flawed
I got the white gunk. I read the comments below and thought I'd take my chances. Tried to filter and drink to no avail, besides, to many other good wines that night to bother. Should have had more trust in the comments from my fellow cellar trackers, lesson learned.
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1/25/2013 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 94 Points
What a great Brunello. This really resonates with me as it was really well made. The quality of the fruit was evident from how clean, precise and authentic this wine is . Great Cherry fruit with some of that Montalcino rustic earth, that is unmistakable. Great intensity, length and finish.
Fantastic.
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1/20/2013 - miadelt wrote: flawed
The unusual gray particles were also present in this bottle. Refused to drink.
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12/8/2012 - Sycamore wrote: 87 Points
Underwhelming. On the one hand it was well-balanced. On the other hand it was pretty two-dimensional: big-fruited and oaky. Probably will be more enjoyable once it starts to take on some secondary components -- hopefully in a few years.
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11/5/2012 - wabi47 wrote: flawed
same yuk factor with the grey-green globs (GGGs) floating in the wine; decanted them out and drank this with left-overs (i dont chance taking this wine to a restaurant any more); this is still drinkable, but unimpressive--will call it flawed; third straight bottle like this (sigh....).
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10/29/2012 - mdodd wrote: 86 Points
Boring
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9/29/2012 - Dave Canada wrote:
Similar to other notes...there was a greenish white sediment that seemed very different from any other sediment that I have ever seen. The wine was a bore.....I really expected a lot and it just did not deliver.....huge disappointment....muted nose, thin palate and no length.........i'll be generous and call this flawed but I would never buy this again
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9/27/2012 - alittle wrote: flawed
Thursday Night Mixed Bag (Andrew's House): Decanted approximately 1 hour, served blind. Deep purple in the glass, with strange floating particulate, which has been previously referenced here. On the nose, very reticent, offering up notes of black cherry, some herbs, and cured meats. Over the course of the evening, this did not get any more expressive. On the palate, met with a wall of structure; heavy tannin, moderate acidity. Finish is moderate, and a touch bitter and astringent. Based on the strange particles in the wine, I have marked this as "flawed".
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5/8/2012 - ceb1964 wrote: 90 Points
None of the sediment noted by others; a bit thin and sharp - nice fruit not overpowering. Will not be opening other bottles for a few years.
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4/2/2012 - wabi47 wrote: flawed
reticent nose; plenty of an odd sediment noted previously here and elsewhere (see http://wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61938) which consists of a proteinaceous grey-green material; looks a bit like lichen but is sl greasy when you 'smoosh' it; (?yeast or protein or even egg white); there is acidity but little fruit, and an austerity that is unlike previous years of this wine; i will call it flawed and hope the remaining bottles are better
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11/5/2011 - rsbeck wrote: 91 Points
Lots of potential here, some of it emerges with lots of air, but needs more time.
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11/5/2011 - jwongham wrote: 90 Points
Different. Almost feminine although the palate emerges and strengthens with air. Full across the mid palate but not an especially long finish. Very pleasant; will be interesting to try in 5 years.
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10/1/2011 - pikemasterflash wrote: flawed
Gross, yeast-like cultures in the bottle after opening. WTF.
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9/19/2011 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
great nose. Drank young. Not thick, you can see through it.. kind of high in acid.. probably has many years to go. D loved it. L with grilled chicken.
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6/25/2011 - Riezin wrote:
Nat cork. A dull red with a darker core but lighter edges. Nose of cheery, earth, barn, a hint of cola or dr pepper and a tad of something medicinal. Medium bodied, a tad tart, still a bit prickly with tannin, starts off silky but then the alcohol revs up the octane. Long, lingering finish. Youthful. From a value/qpr perspective not feeling it.
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3/20/2011 - SevenDayMile wrote: flawed
Okay, problem here. After a good first bottle, this is the third consecutive flawed bottle out of a six bottle, direct-from-distributor order. Opening the bottle there is weird gray/white streaking on the cork and similar colored chunky sediment throughout the bottle. With some air the vibrancy of the wine dies off. Uniquely flawed and baffling.
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12/31/2010 - PaulHig wrote: 90 Points
Rich, slightly tight, dark cherry fruit, in good balance with acidity. Still so young, leave for some time yet.
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11/13/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 90 Points
Had this at Per Se accompanying Chef's tasting menu. Nose revealed lovely tones of dark berries and fruit, but the promise was not quite delivered on the mouth, which was tight-coiled and tannic. Opened up as the night progressed, but suspect a few more hours of decant would have been required for this wine to truly show its stuff.
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9/18/2010 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 89 Points
Clear, glistening light ruby in colour that is very inviting but unfamiliar with Sangiovese. The nose, with fresh raspberry and strawberry jam flavours and unoaked character tells a similar story. Youthful on the palate with crisp acidity and fruitiness despite unexpected firm tannins. Still nice and velvety and definitely in a wayward manner considering its varietal.
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11/15/2009 - JohnBlueLabel wrote: 92 Points
Nice color. Tar and roses on the nose. Sour cherry and a touch of cedar. Firm but smooth tannins. Will see how it evolves over time
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11/14/2009 - canan wrote:
Brunello 2004 Tasting (HSH): Yoghurt and sour milk almost pops out of the glass with a lot of espress coffe, sweet vanilla and an almost unpleasant liquor style fruit.
The palate is very difficult to address... Dominated by very dark sweet fruit and comes across as almost oxidized. Big and powerful body with a huge strukture and an impressively long aftertaste. Crazy wine but it does not seems to have that much in common with the Brunello appelation. Objectively the wine is actually quite impressive but not as a Brunello and it clearly one of the strangest Brunellos I have ever tasted.
The oxidized fruit has afterwards led me to believe that the bottle could have flawed but it is very difficult to say.
It definately had some very strange sediment when the bottle was decanted!
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9/4/2009 - SevenDayMile wrote:
Deep purple to garnet with a clear edge. Decanted twice, this is at hour five. Blackberry and smoke starting to show on a closed nose. Luxurious texture. Blackberry, tar, black cherry, milk chocolate on the palate. 25 sec finish.
I can see the promise and concentration, but this bottle was not showing the quality that I've been hearing of. 92-95. I think there are better things to come from other bottles down the road. We'll see where it goes. Definitely a hold.
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3/26/2009 - FJB wrote: 95 Points
This 2004 Brunello was off the charts. If you like the more modern style of Brunello / Sangiovese this is a wine to buy. If you taste this wine next to a traditional BdM (Il Marroneto comes to mind) one would not belief these wines come from the same appellation. Nevertheless there is chocolate, vanilla and toasted oak. The finish goes on and on ! (95). Tradidionalists beware.
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