Knights of Alba (KOA) NY Intronization - May 2023 (NY Private Club): Alas there is always some bottle variation when you get to these older wines and this was a not fully flawed but not exactly perfect bottle (I think more evident given the previous note which mentioned fruit). Here there was some Brett and the nose was almost all horse blanket. Luckily not a flavor I dislike but it does seem to cast almost a veil over wine when it’s there so the flavors are all a bit more muted and harder to pick out.
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An excellent reco from the somm at Bern’s. Although note to self, order Barolo in advance or don’t drink at a restaurant. This couldn’t possibly reach its potential in the time I had there. But still, this is in a fantastic place, drinking young yet tertiary and complex. Tight and closed on opening. After 30 min in the decanter the nose is subtle but stunning, roses, smoke and plummy fruit. Initially very acidic and grippy on the palate, but after about 90 min the fruit came out and it was a different wine. Juicy plums and cherries and blood orange and spice. The best glass was at 3 hours (I took some back to my hotel in a coffee cup and transferred to a glass!). Then it was wow. Nose was meaty and floral at the same time (violets and roses). On the palate so savory and meaty I wanted to eat it, but also tons of fruit, juicy plums and cherries. Tannins were still present and sticky and this obviously has the structure and the fruit to evolve for another decade at least. CT drinking window is way off on this one!!)
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Decanted 3 1/2 hours before serving. Medium-deep garnet. Nose of dark fruits and cherry cola. Medium-plus body with medium-to-medium-plus acid and medium-plus fine grained tannins. Dark cherries, blood orange, cola, with wonderful depth to the fruit and good length on the finish. I didn't detect much tertiary development but absolutely delicious nonetheless.
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We got a Benjamin Button wine right here. Started off with tertiary aromas.....7 hours later....slow oxed....blue fruit, tar, and grill smoke. With some mature barolo, the fruit fades and all you're left with is tannin and alcohol. Not this wine. No way!! Old Barolo is magical.
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Aerated in decanter 3,5 hours, served non-blind; needed it. Graceful lines, with some secondary still clinging to the tertiary core of aromas. It's got some years left, but it's also drinking really well now, with some air. Lovely; now and the next several years. highly recommended
A 3 hour decant opened up beautiful mix of spice and fruit which was just perfectly balanced. A little black pepper, floral red fruit, and a long and playful finish. Really in a beautiful place right now. Soft but very well structured. By the 6th hour was losing a lot of the fruit and vibrancy.
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Very good, but a strange mid-palate note for me. Notes of tobacco, warm spice, and blackberry. Long finish, with a bursting mid-palate, fruit note. My wife rated a 93, which is too high for my palate.
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5/10/2023 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Knights of Alba (KOA) NY Intronization - May 2023 (NY Private Club): Alas there is always some bottle variation when you get to these older wines and this was a not fully flawed but not exactly perfect bottle (I think more evident given the previous note which mentioned fruit). Here there was some Brett and the nose was almost all horse blanket. Luckily not a flavor I dislike but it does seem to cast almost a veil over wine when it’s there so the flavors are all a bit more muted and harder to pick out.
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12/9/2022 - hprphf wrote: 92 Points
Decanted. High acidity with purple and red fruit. Fairly delicious. 92
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10/19/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 94 Points
An excellent reco from the somm at Bern’s. Although note to self, order Barolo in advance or don’t drink at a restaurant. This couldn’t possibly reach its potential in the time I had there.
But still, this is in a fantastic place, drinking young yet tertiary and complex. Tight and closed on opening. After 30 min in the decanter the nose is subtle but stunning, roses, smoke and plummy fruit.
Initially very acidic and grippy on the palate, but after about 90 min the fruit came out and it was a different wine. Juicy plums and cherries and blood orange and spice.
The best glass was at 3 hours (I took some back to my hotel in a coffee cup and transferred to a glass!). Then it was wow.
Nose was meaty and floral at the same time (violets and roses). On the palate so savory and meaty I wanted to eat it, but also tons of fruit, juicy plums and cherries. Tannins were still present and sticky and this obviously has the structure and the fruit to evolve for another decade at least.
CT drinking window is way off on this one!!)
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2/26/2022 - timothynbond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 3 1/2 hours before serving. Medium-deep garnet. Nose of dark fruits and cherry cola. Medium-plus body with medium-to-medium-plus acid and medium-plus fine grained tannins. Dark cherries, blood orange, cola, with wonderful depth to the fruit and good length on the finish. I didn't detect much tertiary development but absolutely delicious nonetheless.
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5/12/2021 - Joe Gabagool Likes this wine:
We got a Benjamin Button wine right here. Started off with tertiary aromas.....7 hours later....slow oxed....blue fruit, tar, and grill smoke. With some mature barolo, the fruit fades and all you're left with is tannin and alcohol. Not this wine. No way!! Old Barolo is magical.
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8/16/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Aerated in decanter 3,5 hours, served non-blind; needed it. Graceful lines, with some secondary still clinging to the tertiary core of aromas. It's got some years left, but it's also drinking really well now, with some air. Lovely; now and the next several years. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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6/19/2020 - dk563 Likes this wine: 95 Points
A 3 hour decant opened up beautiful mix of spice and fruit which was just perfectly balanced. A little black pepper, floral red fruit, and a long and playful finish. Really in a beautiful place right now. Soft but very well structured. By the 6th hour was losing a lot of the fruit and vibrancy.
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3/31/2018 - Warren23 wrote: 90 Points
Very good, but a strange mid-palate note for me. Notes of tobacco, warm spice, and blackberry. Long finish, with a bursting mid-palate, fruit note. My wife rated a 93, which is too high for my palate.
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1/29/2017 - sanjayjha wrote:
Quite young still. Opened and decanted. Opened in 30 mins. Looking finish. Lean.
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