I am a bit surprised by some of the TN's below, our experience was a bit different. An excellent Gaja super Tuscan from their Tuscan properties - 55% merlot, 35% syrah and 10% sangiovese. Not formally decanted but bottle opened about 3 hours prior to consumption and then aerated a bit more in glass immediately prior to consumption - would recommend a 1-2 hour decant if possible. Finally in a mature drinking window but with proper cellaring an easy decade+ to go so drink or hold at this point. Very dark purple, no bricking, well balanced, full bodied, muscular fruit & oak core present with softening tannins and controlled acid - very much a food wine. Long aftertaste. Nose dark and brooding with dark cherry, plum, coffee and a more ethereal smoky finish. Merlot shines through on the flavor profile - dark stone fruit, plum and a hint of strawberry up front with a darker earthier mid - late palate. Definitely recommend, a reasonable but not great QPR wine at our acquisition cost and 1 more bottle left - will try to wait 3-5 years on that.
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Muted aromas of dark fruit, black cherries, and leather are pleasant enough. It's bright and medium bodied, with ostensible potential that allows this to grow and evolve, pushing up against the 90-point mark but it never gets there. It's pleasant, tasty, even, and I want to like it more, but it fell short of my expectations.
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Surprised by some of the notes here. My 4th of 6 bottles purchased at released. Some of the sour funk in earlier years has blown off now. Bright ruby in colour with vibrant purple edges. Nose of red cherries and liquorice on the nose. Some vanilla too. On the palate is black currant and boiled sweets. Lots of upfront fruit. Grippy and chewy tannin hints at ageing potential. After nearly 8 years the constituents are starting to knit towards equilibrium.
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Dark Cherry and Blackberry fruit. Notes of dried flowers and herbs. Hint of saline on the finish. This one needed time to open up so decant before drinking.
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Color: deep ruby/purple. No evolution. Nose: all about black fruit, some oak and a little green pepper. Just a little evolution, which adds complexity. Taste: harsh and missing the fruit we smelled. Retasting it after 2 hours in the glass the wine really got better. Sigarbox and blackberries, nice acidity to go with those sweet spices. Overall: Decant or hold for a couple of years this easy drinking wine.
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Deep ruby color with clarity. Aromas of pressed roses, paprika, iron and red plum and currant fruit. Open fruit, minerals and spices on the front palate. Lacking depth and texture on the mid-palate. Soft grainy tannins, moderate acid and missing somewhat in the finish. Enjoyable flavors, but definitely missing structure and depth.
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Full body, deep garnet color. Expressive aroma of ripe fruits, cedar wood and pepper. Rich palate of plum, cherry and dewberry combined with lingering jammy and spicy finish. Complex, harmonious and well balanced wine, velvety and rounding, gentle acidity and completely integrated, soft tannins. Food friendly, best match is Braciola. Still need aeration, open about two hour ahead. Serve 17º - 22º. Drink now and next three/four years.
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In a very good place. Decent fruit with a spiciness and sense of place. Even if I didn't know what it was I would have guessed Tuscan. Well balanced. The finish was medium. Having said all that, there was nothing that pushed it to the next level. Although both wines were good, I sit here a week later and think I would like to taste the Fonterutoli Chianti again but I can't necessarily say that here.
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A lot of Christmas Party notes on so many yummy wines, we've been a bit negligent with our contributions while enjoying family and friends over the holidays. We thought we should reconnect with you all, so you could reacquaint yourselves with sleep, while beginning to read any review of ours...
This juice... Tight. Clean. Well balanced. Ruby pretty red with a decent viscous. We liked it before, at Royce Detroit, and were looking forward to this cellar bottle.
But it drinks a bit below its $50+/- price tag. The nose offers cherries, chocolate and charcoal. The tight, clean first glass opened to a bigger, and raspy (it developed some grit, but not to the level of a Stags Leap Artemis), red. The tannins have softened in the cellar, no bite on the finish. Nice wine. Gives depth but it's not complex, no big buttery girthy red, like a Bin 389. The "tightness" stayed with it after decanting, giving its short finish.
After an hour aeration in the decanter... she says "it's very good, it's very good, I'd give it a 94, there's just something about it." He says 89, and it's too tight, even after time, and not complex enough, not enough to bite into, not enough to chew on, to get into the low 90s...
So, we compromise, (like all marriages) at 90...
Either way, or any way we look at it, the bottle was gone by the end of a movie...
Yummy.
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Not exactly a thinker, but definitely a great drinker. If you're wondering what to have with that truffle pasta or ribeye tonight, this should be it. This blend pours a beautiful light ruby. On the nose, you'll get faint tobacco, slate, leather, slight oak, and baking spice. On the palate, you'll get spice and cherries followed by tannins that are more acidic than tannic.
We enjoyed our bottle with some broiled beef back ribs and appreciated how this wine cut through the fat that stuck to our lips.
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Interesting blend, not sure what to think about it. The wine does impart a strong sense of its (Tuscan) place, which adds appeal. Very good substance and balance.
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Super Tuscans (Reasonably priced) (Lou's): Another divisive wine. About half liked it and half did not. I liked it but not for the $49 price tag. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has black raspberries, cherries and some charcoal. A bit dusty. On the palate, this is slightly candied. Black raspberries and cherries. medium tannins. Nice wine. A bit of depth but not a ton. Slightly clipped on the finish.
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If its got Merlot (and maybe some Syrah, but just a touch?) in it than the Merlot is rather primary right now obscuring the sangiovese underneath. Maybe needs a year or two more to find harmony between those two grapes? Or maybe I am just completely wrong.
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Value for money. Cherries dominate the fruit notes. Cardamom and leather for the spice notes on the nose. Orange peel on the palate. Good finish. I am positively surprised about this wine. It drinks well now, it has depth to compete with higher priced wines. Like it!
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Opened, poured, and allowed to breath about 1 1/2 hrs. Nicely rounded, with excellent fruit (a mix of berries, cherries, red stone fruits), leather, good structure, and a pleasant finish. Very nice in its youth, but obviously will improve over time.
(ULCC Feast of Seven Fishes)
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A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah and 10% Sangiovese. Bright and fresh, red cherries and cranberries, spicy warmth from the oak, floral note, quite leathery for such a young wine, vibrant phenolic grip, transparent, hint of vanilla pod, decent length. Not a bad wine, not unpleasant, but it lacks concentration and density; it is after all a Gaja wine from Tuscany. Having tasted every vintage of this wine since the 2009, I must say that its performance has been very variable so far. In fact, it ought to be better than this, certainly at this price point. At restaurant Vuur, Baarn, NL.
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Sour unripe pie cherry, strawberry, plum, leather, pretty astringent. Stewed meat, earth, and red currant. Hold for several more years till the acidity and astringency mellow.
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Leather, strawberry, black currant, black berry, a bit of musk, black truffle on nose. Finish is a bit quick for my liking. Flavors black currant, a bit acidic, mushroom, and wet forrest. OK wine, not spectacular.
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soft, elegant, nice mouthfeel, this is backed by fresh acid, ripe cherries, plum, herbs, crushed rocks and flowers on the nose and palate, this comes off very Piedmont-like, great dinner wine, delivers well for the price, bright and juicy
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Purple, medium+ body wine Some vanilla, oak, dark fruit and leather off the nose Big wine, tastes like the nose, with a medium plus finish.
Maybe a little over the top with some of its simple characteristics, but very good. This vintage is drinking better than past vintages i have had. Good QPR from one of the best producers out there.
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By the glass at the BA lounge. A relatively just opened bottle by the looks of it. Quite dark, purple notes on the color side. Rich, ripe fruit, light raisiny and feels at times overripe. Still decent acidity and core of tannin but just a touch made with a heavy hand . Typical modern, Gaja overdone wine selling name more than character. 87
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Smooth, jammy, extremely well balanced with hints of cedar. Paired with bone in pork chop with marsala, black truffle risotto, Filet with black truffle sauce. Paired nicely throughout the meal.
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That is much big red fruit. In a very good way. And then needs some fleshing out on the palate. In a good way too. So lay down for three years would be my thought.
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Gaja wines tasting (Wine Depot, Tel-Aviv): 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 10% Sangiovese dark red-purple-black elegant quality dark fruits aroma with earthy notes and oak-vanilla hints rich dark fruity-earthy flavours, some herbal tones, warm, alcoholic, well balanced, good acidity, excellent harmony, medium structured & complexed, pleasant candy-like aftertaste, medium length finish.
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Very open on the nose with ripe fruit, floral notes and spices. Not particularly, but sufficiently fresh, elegant, sweet fruit, a bit simple but very approachable and nice. 87-89
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By the glass at the BA lounge. Fresh bottle. Young, big and juicy and probably what was designed to be. Feels hot on the palate, muscular fresh fruit, a few raisiny notes of the bad kind. Light sweet dark fruit on the nose. Not very welcoming and has quite a bit of tannin. Needs more time and prayer. 87
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10/3/2022 - arkaar wrote:
Merlot 55%, syrah 35%, sangiovese 10%
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5/14/2022 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 92 Points
I am a bit surprised by some of the TN's below, our experience was a bit different. An excellent Gaja super Tuscan from their Tuscan properties - 55% merlot, 35% syrah and 10% sangiovese. Not formally decanted but bottle opened about 3 hours prior to consumption and then aerated a bit more in glass immediately prior to consumption - would recommend a 1-2 hour decant if possible. Finally in a mature drinking window but with proper cellaring an easy decade+ to go so drink or hold at this point. Very dark purple, no bricking, well balanced, full bodied, muscular fruit & oak core present with softening tannins and controlled acid - very much a food wine. Long aftertaste. Nose dark and brooding with dark cherry, plum, coffee and a more ethereal smoky finish. Merlot shines through on the flavor profile - dark stone fruit, plum and a hint of strawberry up front with a darker earthier mid - late palate. Definitely recommend, a reasonable but not great QPR wine at our acquisition cost and 1 more bottle left - will try to wait 3-5 years on that.
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5/8/2022 - Salute Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much better than last bottle a couple years ago - the acidity has calmed down quite a bit - more balanced
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11/16/2021 - Baron Slick wrote: 89 Points
Muted aromas of dark fruit, black cherries, and leather are pleasant enough. It's bright and medium bodied, with ostensible potential that allows this to grow and evolve, pushing up against the 90-point mark but it never gets there. It's pleasant, tasty, even, and I want to like it more, but it fell short of my expectations.
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1/9/2021 - Bosbevok Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprised by some of the notes here. My 4th of 6 bottles purchased at released. Some of the sour funk in earlier years has blown off now. Bright ruby in colour with vibrant purple edges. Nose of red cherries and liquorice on the nose. Some vanilla too. On the palate is black currant and boiled sweets. Lots of upfront fruit. Grippy and chewy tannin hints at ageing potential. After nearly 8 years the constituents are starting to knit towards equilibrium.
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9/6/2020 - Salute wrote: 87 Points
Just too harsh, tart, acidic. I was hoping a year or two would help but that's not the case. Not really a fan.
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3/29/2020 - yipen Does not like this wine:
I had with this wine at other vintage better, too tannic and with not enough backbone to support it
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2/16/2020 - vandal16 wrote: 92 Points
Dark Cherry and Blackberry fruit. Notes of dried flowers and herbs. Hint of saline on the finish. This one needed time to open up so decant before drinking.
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10/21/2019 - Lemonwines Likes this wine: 87 Points
Color: deep ruby/purple. No evolution.
Nose: all about black fruit, some oak and a little green pepper. Just a little evolution, which adds complexity.
Taste: harsh and missing the fruit we smelled. Retasting it after 2 hours in the glass the wine really got better. Sigarbox and blackberries, nice acidity to go with those sweet spices.
Overall: Decant or hold for a couple of years this easy drinking wine.
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9/27/2019 - MattMauldin wrote: 86 Points
Deep ruby color with clarity. Aromas of pressed roses, paprika, iron and red plum and currant fruit. Open fruit, minerals and spices on the front palate. Lacking depth and texture on the mid-palate. Soft grainy tannins, moderate acid and missing somewhat in the finish. Enjoyable flavors, but definitely missing structure and depth.
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7/30/2019 - vlzat Likes this wine: 91 Points
Merlot 55%, Syrah 35% and Sangiovese 10%
Full body, deep garnet color. Expressive aroma of ripe fruits, cedar wood and pepper. Rich palate of plum, cherry and dewberry combined with lingering jammy and spicy finish. Complex, harmonious and well balanced wine, velvety and rounding, gentle acidity and completely integrated, soft tannins. Food friendly, best match is Braciola. Still need aeration, open about two hour ahead. Serve 17º - 22º. Drink now and next three/four years.
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10/25/2018 - LEEJV123 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Medium light, round
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5/20/2018 - MWes wrote: 88 Points
Good, but poor QPR. I will hold my remaining bottles in the hopes that it improves.
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3/31/2018 - JS1056 wrote: 90 Points
In a very good place. Decent fruit with a spiciness and sense of place. Even if I didn't know what it was I would have guessed Tuscan. Well balanced. The finish was medium.
Having said all that, there was nothing that pushed it to the next level. Although both wines were good, I sit here a week later and think I would like to taste the Fonterutoli Chianti again but I can't necessarily say that here.
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1/4/2018 - Bin707LoversDetroit Likes this wine: 90 Points
A lot of Christmas Party notes on so many yummy wines, we've been a bit negligent with our contributions while enjoying family and friends over the holidays. We thought we should reconnect with you all, so you could reacquaint yourselves with sleep, while beginning to read any review of ours...
This juice... Tight. Clean. Well balanced. Ruby pretty red with a decent viscous.
We liked it before, at Royce Detroit, and were looking forward to this cellar bottle.
But it drinks a bit below its $50+/- price tag. The nose offers cherries, chocolate and charcoal. The tight, clean first glass opened to a bigger, and raspy (it developed some grit, but not to the level of a Stags Leap Artemis), red. The tannins have softened in the cellar, no bite on the finish. Nice wine. Gives depth but it's not complex, no big buttery girthy red, like a Bin 389. The "tightness" stayed with it after decanting, giving its short finish.
After an hour aeration in the decanter... she says "it's very good, it's very good, I'd give it a 94, there's just something about it." He says 89, and it's too tight, even after time, and not complex enough, not enough to bite into, not enough to chew on, to get into the low 90s...
So, we compromise, (like all marriages) at 90...
Either way, or any way we look at it, the bottle was gone by the end of a movie...
Yummy.
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12/22/2017 - janbth Does not like this wine: 65 Points
Acidic
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10/22/2017 - mark2eye wrote:
Not exactly a thinker, but definitely a great drinker. If you're wondering what to have with that truffle pasta or ribeye tonight, this should be it. This blend pours a beautiful light ruby. On the nose, you'll get faint tobacco, slate, leather, slight oak, and baking spice. On the palate, you'll get spice and cherries followed by tannins that are more acidic than tannic.
We enjoyed our bottle with some broiled beef back ribs and appreciated how this wine cut through the fat that stuck to our lips.
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5/5/2017 - ews3 wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at large walkaround tasting. Sour red cherry fruit and light tannins. nice acidity. a little earth. finishes a bit juicy.
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4/3/2017 - Motz wrote: 90 Points
Interesting blend, not sure what to think about it. The wine does impart a strong sense of its (Tuscan) place, which adds appeal. Very good substance and balance.
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3/29/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Super Tuscans (Reasonably priced) (Lou's): Another divisive wine. About half liked it and half did not. I liked it but not for the $49 price tag. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has black raspberries, cherries and some charcoal. A bit dusty. On the palate, this is slightly candied. Black raspberries and cherries. medium tannins. Nice wine. A bit of depth but not a ton. Slightly clipped on the finish.
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3/22/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
If its got Merlot (and maybe some Syrah, but just a touch?) in it than the Merlot is rather primary right now obscuring the sangiovese underneath. Maybe needs a year or two more to find harmony between those two grapes? Or maybe I am just completely wrong.
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3/21/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Its rich and kinda big and toasty, and I kinda like it.
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2/15/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Modern with sweet wood and dark cherry fruit but then dry on the palate.
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1/29/2017 - mmadonini wrote: 90 Points
Value for money. Cherries dominate the fruit notes. Cardamom and leather for the spice notes on the nose. Orange peel on the palate. Good finish. I am positively surprised about this wine. It drinks well now, it has depth to compete with higher priced wines. Like it!
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12/22/2016 - Bruce 1er wrote: 92 Points
Opened, poured, and allowed to breath about 1 1/2 hrs. Nicely rounded, with excellent fruit (a mix of berries, cherries, red stone fruits), leather, good structure, and a pleasant finish. Very nice in its youth, but obviously will improve over time.
(ULCC Feast of Seven Fishes)
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11/23/2016 - FransS wrote: 85 Points
To be honest, I missed too much to really like this wine.
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11/4/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 88 Points
A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah and 10% Sangiovese. Bright and fresh, red cherries and cranberries, spicy warmth from the oak, floral note, quite leathery for such a young wine, vibrant phenolic grip, transparent, hint of vanilla pod, decent length. Not a bad wine, not unpleasant, but it lacks concentration and density; it is after all a Gaja wine from Tuscany. Having tasted every vintage of this wine since the 2009, I must say that its performance has been very variable so far. In fact, it ought to be better than this, certainly at this price point. At restaurant Vuur, Baarn, NL.
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10/14/2016 - ckinv368 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sour unripe pie cherry, strawberry, plum, leather, pretty astringent. Stewed meat, earth, and red currant. Hold for several more years till the acidity and astringency mellow.
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7/17/2016 - RickyT12 wrote: 87 Points
Leather, strawberry, black currant, black berry, a bit of musk, black truffle on nose. Finish is a bit quick for my liking. Flavors black currant, a bit acidic, mushroom, and wet forrest. OK wine, not spectacular.
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6/25/2016 - whits wrote: 91 Points
soft, elegant, nice mouthfeel, this is backed by fresh acid, ripe cherries, plum, herbs, crushed rocks and flowers on the nose and palate, this comes off very Piedmont-like, great dinner wine, delivers well for the price, bright and juicy
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6/16/2016 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purple, medium+ body wine
Some vanilla, oak, dark fruit and leather off the nose
Big wine, tastes like the nose, with a medium plus finish.
Maybe a little over the top with some of its simple characteristics, but very good. This vintage is drinking better than past vintages i have had. Good QPR from one of the best producers out there.
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5/1/2016 - Snacks24 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth yet robust flavor and nice long tanons
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4/6/2016 - Papies wrote: 87 Points
By the glass at the BA lounge. A relatively just opened bottle by the looks of it.
Quite dark, purple notes on the color side. Rich, ripe fruit, light raisiny and feels at times overripe. Still decent acidity and core of tannin but just a touch made with a heavy hand . Typical modern, Gaja overdone wine selling name more than character. 87
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4/5/2016 - pdev wrote: 85 Points
Nice tuscan/montalcino earth, fairly lean, needs more mid palate. Underwhelmed for a wine of this price.
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3/11/2016 - FloridaMizes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Smooth, jammy, extremely well balanced with hints of cedar. Paired with bone in pork chop with marsala, black truffle risotto, Filet with black truffle sauce. Paired nicely throughout the meal.
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2/15/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That is much big red fruit. In a very good way. And then needs some fleshing out on the palate. In a good way too. So lay down for three years would be my thought.
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12/21/2015 - Yagil wrote: 89 Points
Gaja wines tasting (Wine Depot, Tel-Aviv): 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 10% Sangiovese
dark red-purple-black
elegant quality dark fruits aroma with earthy notes and oak-vanilla hints
rich dark fruity-earthy flavours, some herbal tones, warm, alcoholic, well balanced, good acidity, excellent harmony, medium structured & complexed, pleasant candy-like aftertaste, medium length finish.
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12/19/2015 - ofwealthandtaste Likes this wine:
Simple and enjoyable.
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11/20/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 88 Points
Very open on the nose with ripe fruit, floral notes and spices. Not particularly, but sufficiently fresh, elegant, sweet fruit, a bit simple but very approachable and nice. 87-89
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11/18/2015 - Papies wrote:
By the glass at the BA lounge. Fresh bottle.
Young, big and juicy and probably what was designed to be. Feels hot on the palate, muscular fresh fruit, a few raisiny notes of the bad kind. Light sweet dark fruit on the nose. Not very welcoming and has quite a bit of tannin. Needs more time and prayer. 87
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