Now at full maturity, this beautiful wine has moved from its fruited youth into the wafty mediterranean realms of roasted balsamic tomatoes and provencal herbs. Very gentle and now relying on charm and soy-savoury complexity rather than structural integrity, this is not a wine to be kept for much longer but certainly is one to be savoured now.
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At Wijn Antiq AMS (blind tasting, theme Tuscany). Stylish, well matured and well balanced wine. Reminds of an old Domaine de Trevallon from the Provence. Nice fruit tones like prunes and cherries. In the Nose rubber, several secundary tones and 'warm' character.
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ERI Pre Auction tasting (Union League Club, Chicago IL): nose: very brunello-like with plush red cherries, roasted herbs, tobacco, lavender, and lovely tones of dark florals. A sumptuous nose that just brings out what one loves from sangiovese
taste: great medium feel with some bits of barnyard along with plush red cherries, roasted herbs, dark florals, and tobacco tones along with some exotic spices. Good medium/low acidity and very smooth feel
overall: nice ruby color with some see through in the glass. These notes were from my second time tasting it as the first time it fell apart when I went to go get some food and left it in the glass. It gained weight and aromatics with the air and turned into a very pleasing wine. Fully resolved tannins, this just has all of that beauty that tuscan wines can bring and everything about it just screamed tuscany, much to my delight
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This 18 yr old wine was in reasonable shape with a minor flaw. Good color, decent bouquet remained and fruit on the palate. However, a very slight metallic edge intruded, even after sitting overnight. The bottle was un-corked 2 hrs prior to serving with dinner, main course beef strogonoff. Guests said they enjoyed the wine.
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I think "SteveHyde" described this pretty well in his TN, but, hell, I went to Yale and have travelled a lot in Europe and I have no idea what "sous bois" means. In any event, this wine, tannic but stylish in its youth. has matured beautifully. Rich, black cherry fruit. Earthy. A sprightly amount of acid remaining. The fruit rich, round and sweet. Moderate length. Perhaps not the nuances of my most recent "Tiggy" but more richness and concentration. A very creditable effort. I'd be happy to own more but, alas, this is my last bottke. I think this wine is at a peak, perhaps will hold, but no reward for deferring a very fine drink currently.
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This wines color is a medium brick red. At first whiff, the wine seemed to be over the hill. After a half and hours things started to get interesting. Lifted aromas of cranberry, leather, sweat and cinnamon dominate with some cracked peppar and rasberrry as well. Still some strucure from good acid and tannin. I have a 3L left that will be a great at the VSI X-mas party this year.
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Take a generically-styled SuperTuscan without a lot of redeeminq qualities or anything that really distinquishes it. Let it age gently for 16 years. Be surprised by how well it shows, with a wonderful Tuscan personality that emerges from beneath the french oak treatment, with smokey olive leaves, sous bois, black raspberries and cherries. Resolved tanins, with decent acid and a touch of grip.
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Tokyo Tasting Group Round #2 -- 90/97 Sangiovese, plus Champagne and Dessert (Cuisine 219 Tokyo): Nose shows base note of broad dark cherry fruit, with secondary notes of dark berries and a little cassis. Oak shows via a slightly spicy vanilla note, but is not at all overpowering. Fruit is fine and the spice is nice, but this seems to lack the leathery, earthy sangiovese notes one would hope to see. Perhaps there is a touch of cedar, but that could also be power of suggestion because I know what the wine is. Palate shows some remaining traces of tannin, but they are mostly resolved. Broad cherry and berry fruit on entry and a midpalate that doesn’t drop away entirely but seems a bit subdued. These lead to a moderate finish with some tar and graphite. Drinking very pleasurably right now and the oak has integrated very well, but the sangiovese and cab seem not to have integrated quite as well. There’s a broad, low-acid cherry fruit from start to finish, with cabernet aromatics and highlights. They really only seem to come together on the finish when the tar and graphite appear together. Probably more an issue of preference than a flaw, but somehow this feels a little schizophrenic. Blind, I’m not sure I would have been so clear, might have guessed a restrained and well-made but slightly disjointed Cali cab. My difficulty figuring this one out is probably clear from my wandering note, so I hesitate to guess where this is going. This would be very, very nice if the cab and sangiovese came together a little more, but I’m not sure this has the structure to get there. Thanks Oliver.
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too long ago to recall the details. however, i believe that i liked it better than what spectator had to say. assuming that the barriques designation indicates some selection within the vintage, it is curious that this wine received lower ratings than the general production for the year.
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11/21/2020 - Tony Simo Does not like this wine: 50 Points
Even though the cork was in great shape the wine was complete oxidized and undrinkable.
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3/20/2014 - guribh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Easily at its peak. Seamlessly combines the SG mild tar and rose petals with the magic of aged cab. Pretty right now.
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4/1/2013 - Will Devize wrote: 92 Points
Now at full maturity, this beautiful wine has moved from its fruited youth into the wafty mediterranean realms of roasted balsamic tomatoes and provencal herbs. Very gentle and now relying on charm and soy-savoury complexity rather than structural integrity, this is not a wine to be kept for much longer but certainly is one to be savoured now.
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3/11/2013 - DaleW wrote:
Not showing very Merlot-y, fairly classic Sangiovese notes of dried cherry and leather, nice length, not very big. Nice mature Tuscan. B+/B
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12/20/2012 - europat55 wrote: 87 Points
1985-1990 Super Tuscans (Tasted Blind) (Tom's house in Palo Alto, California): Medium nose. Palate is not very smooth. A little disappointing.
My #8; Group's #8 (112 pts). Tasted blind.
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12/20/2012 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 88 Points
Blind Tasting 1985-1990 Super Tuscans (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Reticent nose, touch of v.a. and furniture wax. Light to medium bodied with sweet cherry fruit. Nice but not much density or complexity. (my 7th, group's overwhelming last)
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11/6/2012 - dustin144 wrote: 93 Points
Amazing Super Tuscan. Shocked by its smoothness and flexibility!
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1/6/2011 - kenv wrote: flawed
WCC 1990 Tuscan Reds (Dorato's Resturant, Guilderland, NY): Corked.
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10/30/2010 - Ary Likes this wine: 89 Points
At Wijn Antiq AMS (blind tasting, theme Tuscany). Stylish, well matured and well balanced wine. Reminds of an old Domaine de Trevallon from the Provence. Nice fruit tones like prunes and cherries. In the Nose rubber, several secundary tones and 'warm' character.
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12/7/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
ERI Pre Auction tasting (Union League Club, Chicago IL): nose: very brunello-like with plush red cherries, roasted herbs, tobacco, lavender, and lovely tones of dark florals. A sumptuous nose that just brings out what one loves from sangiovese
taste: great medium feel with some bits of barnyard along with plush red cherries, roasted herbs, dark florals, and tobacco tones along with some exotic spices. Good medium/low acidity and very smooth feel
overall: nice ruby color with some see through in the glass. These notes were from my second time tasting it as the first time it fell apart when I went to go get some food and left it in the glass. It gained weight and aromatics with the air and turned into a very pleasing wine. Fully resolved tannins, this just has all of that beauty that tuscan wines can bring and everything about it just screamed tuscany, much to my delight
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9/25/2008 - mplsbruin wrote:
This 18 yr old wine was in reasonable shape with a minor flaw. Good color, decent bouquet remained and fruit on the palate. However, a very slight metallic edge intruded, even after sitting overnight. The bottle was un-corked 2 hrs prior to serving with dinner, main course beef strogonoff. Guests said they enjoyed the wine.
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10/17/2007 - baroloboy55 wrote: 91 Points
I think "SteveHyde" described this pretty well in his TN, but, hell, I went to Yale and have travelled a lot in Europe and I have no idea what "sous bois" means. In any event, this wine, tannic but stylish in its youth. has matured beautifully. Rich, black cherry fruit. Earthy. A sprightly amount of acid remaining. The fruit rich, round and sweet. Moderate length. Perhaps not the nuances of my most recent "Tiggy" but more richness and concentration. A very creditable effort. I'd be happy to own more but, alas, this is my last bottke. I think this wine is at a peak, perhaps will hold, but no reward for deferring a very fine drink currently.
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5/1/2007 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 90 Points
This wines color is a medium brick red. At first whiff, the wine seemed to be over the hill. After a half and hours things started to get interesting. Lifted aromas of cranberry, leather, sweat and cinnamon dominate with some cracked peppar and rasberrry as well. Still some strucure from good acid and tannin. I have a 3L left that will be a great at the VSI X-mas party this year.
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12/24/2006 - 82bordeaux wrote: flawed
Beautiful bottle and cork. It was undrinkable due to extreme cork taint.
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11/25/2006 - SteveHyde wrote:
Take a generically-styled SuperTuscan without a lot of redeeminq qualities or anything that really distinquishes it. Let it age gently for 16 years. Be surprised by how well it shows, with a wonderful Tuscan personality that emerges from beneath the french oak treatment, with smokey olive leaves, sous bois, black raspberries and cherries. Resolved tanins, with decent acid and a touch of grip.
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10/28/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
Tokyo Tasting Group Round #2 -- 90/97 Sangiovese, plus Champagne and Dessert (Cuisine 219 Tokyo): Nose shows base note of broad dark cherry fruit, with secondary notes of dark berries and a little cassis. Oak shows via a slightly spicy vanilla note, but is not at all overpowering. Fruit is fine and the spice is nice, but this seems to lack the leathery, earthy sangiovese notes one would hope to see. Perhaps there is a touch of cedar, but that could also be power of suggestion because I know what the wine is. Palate shows some remaining traces of tannin, but they are mostly resolved. Broad cherry and berry fruit on entry and a midpalate that doesn’t drop away entirely but seems a bit subdued. These lead to a moderate finish with some tar and graphite. Drinking very pleasurably right now and the oak has integrated very well, but the sangiovese and cab seem not to have integrated quite as well. There’s a broad, low-acid cherry fruit from start to finish, with cabernet aromatics and highlights. They really only seem to come together on the finish when the tar and graphite appear together. Probably more an issue of preference than a flaw, but somehow this feels a little schizophrenic. Blind, I’m not sure I would have been so clear, might have guessed a restrained and well-made but slightly disjointed Cali cab. My difficulty figuring this one out is probably clear from my wandering note, so I hesitate to guess where this is going. This would be very, very nice if the cab and sangiovese came together a little more, but I’m not sure this has the structure to get there. Thanks Oliver.
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1/1/2000 - bacchus wrote: 86 Points
too long ago to recall the details. however, i believe that i liked it better than what spectator had to say. assuming that the barriques designation indicates some selection within the vintage, it is curious that this wine received lower ratings than the general production for the year.
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