Unfortunately this was not a good drinking experience - seems passed peak and heading down fast. Funky aromas and taste - maybe leather is the predominant note I can pick up - but it's not a pleasant leather either - more like an old belt found deep in your closet!
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A couple of Italians and an amazing Martinelli Zin :-0 (Pranzo's): A nice showing for this wine. At age 10 it seems to be doing just fine. No idea where this goes from here, but certainly no harm in drinking now. Ruby in color. The nose has nice cherries with a charred earth quality. On the palate, nice acidity. Works well with food. Not a profound wine, but deep and some complexity. Very nice dinner wine.
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Granato di media compattezza. Inizialmente il naso sfoggia sentori di prugna, cappero, cuoio, pellame nobile, pepe nero e macis, note balsamiche e fumè, con carattere nettamente scuso. Più giocoso in bocca, con tannino fermo ma vellutato e lunga persistenza su note di ginepro e cenere. Dopo mezz’ora nel bicchiere si sfalda ed ossida
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Well, I liberated a bottle of 2004 Guardiola from storage last night and opened it with a baked ziti. After some of the notes on the boards I was surprised to see it in such good shape, although I understand the disappointment with how it's developed. The promise when this wine was young was that it would become a showcase for that rocky, volcanic mineral element, which seemed to lurk somewhere under all that tannin, but that's not a factor anymore. The good news is that the tannin has really relaxed its grip and while it still seems a little edgy at first it seems to melt away as the bottle warms to room temperature. The flavors are definitely advanced for a wine just 6 years or so in the cellar but not in the category of oxidized or falling apart, in fact it feels very solid even though the fruit has mellowed and started to brick, it just has a leathery quality to it that usually connotes something older.
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Served at Campania in Waltham, MA; decanted 4 hours. Delicious and unique. Both the color and the aroma of black cherries; medium-bodied and lets light through; terrific flavor-to-weight ratio. A little spicy. Wonderful cranberry tanginess on the back palate and a clean finish.
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A very interesting wine, and an amazing example of the incredible diversity of Italian wine. This was medium-bodied and in terms of weight and color, reminded me somewhat of a Pinot. The flavors were spicy, i.e., cinnamon, black pepper, and anise, with cherry and other red berries also prominent. Very balanced. I'd have this anytime.
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Slightly tighter than it was last year, but the upside here is nevertheless obvious. Saturated ruby red. Sweetly spicy yet cool aromas unfold with air: star anise, licorice, toast, maple syrup, a figgy notion, and salinity. Broad but driven and juicy, the flavors adding herbs to the spicy mix. Mouthwatering finish features plenty of medium-grained tannins that are fairly drying at this point.
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Really enjoyed this one. Dark, volcanic ash and some earth at first. Deep bright red, extracted, somewhat modernist but excellent clarity of fruit. Over several days this wine held up, with little evolution. There are lots of tannins here. Will be interesting to observe how this wine mautres.
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Really great to see the progress here since my first taste in January. The fruit presence now comes through the tannic structure, opening with an exotically rich aroma suggesting prunes, figs, cranberry jam (that sort of thing) which isn't at all jammy once you taste it. Pure fruit seasoned with volcanic rock.
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a night in Eastchester - who knew?: ripe young fruit, almoust jumping out of the glass, for a second it felt like lor for some reason - perhaps the fresh whif of acidity, and the acidity is fresh! very fun wine - i would love to drink this again in a few years perhaps?
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Double-decanted 9hrs prior to drinking, then decanted again for an hour before dinner. Sweet, spicy red fruit liqueur on the nose, sweet tarry black fruit on the palate with a tannic, earthy mouthfeel. Finishes with some drying tannins. Very tasty. Alcohol doesn't stick out, but the ripeness and slight sweetness seem ramped up on day 2, not quite raisiny but definitely a little bothersome.
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decanted for a couple hours. dark but translucent fruit and tarry rocks. med - full bodied with a nice long finish. good rugged "real" wine that deserves a few years in the cellar to develop.
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Prodigiously structured, with heavy, woolly tannins making it difficult to get a read on the wine, like it's doing sign language while wearing mittens. It benefits greatly from decanting and while it remains heavily tannic it comes into better focus, with the tannic structure resembling an old-style Barolo but with blacker fruit. I had my last glass with cheese and then the scales fell from the eyes. With the tannins finally neutralized it was possible to discern a signature of smoky ash and iron, a vivid little preview of what this could show with the long bottle aging it needs.
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Pure, brilliant medium red-ruby, with salmon-colored edges. Highly expressive and penetrating nose, with exquisitely ripe cherries, bell pepper, mediterranean herbs, and a yeasty doughiness (pizza dough was mentioned). Bright on the attack, then incredibly silky in the midpalate, with unique and lovely fruit coming to the fore – mixed berries, but also peaches(!) and maybe other stone fruits such as apricot. Finish is long and sweet, but with strong tannins that really coat the palate in the most pleasureable fashion imaginable…really high quality tannins…if such a thing as hedonistic tannin exists, this is it!
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1/26/2017 - pgb67 wrote: flawed
Unfortunately this was not a good drinking experience - seems passed peak and heading down fast. Funky aromas and taste - maybe leather is the predominant note I can pick up - but it's not a pleasant leather either - more like an old belt found deep in your closet!
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4/2/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
A couple of Italians and an amazing Martinelli Zin :-0 (Pranzo's): A nice showing for this wine. At age 10 it seems to be doing just fine. No idea where this goes from here, but certainly no harm in drinking now. Ruby in color. The nose has nice cherries with a charred earth quality. On the palate, nice acidity. Works well with food. Not a profound wine, but deep and some complexity. Very nice dinner wine.
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12/3/2014 - Ludi wrote:
Granato di media compattezza. Inizialmente il naso sfoggia sentori di prugna, cappero, cuoio, pellame nobile, pepe nero e macis, note balsamiche e fumè, con carattere nettamente scuso. Più giocoso in bocca, con tannino fermo ma vellutato e lunga persistenza su note di ginepro e cenere. Dopo mezz’ora nel bicchiere si sfalda ed ossida
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11/6/2012 - redwhiteandrich wrote: 88 Points
By the time the tannins get under control the fruit will have left, so much potential. There is plenty of a volcanic mineral here and a hint of funk.
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10/2/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 87 Points
Well, I liberated a bottle of 2004 Guardiola from storage last night and opened it with a baked ziti. After some of the notes on the boards I was surprised to see it in such good shape, although I understand the disappointment with how it's developed. The promise when this wine was young was that it would become a showcase for that rocky, volcanic mineral element, which seemed to lurk somewhere under all that tannin, but that's not a factor anymore. The good news is that the tannin has really relaxed its grip and while it still seems a little edgy at first it seems to melt away as the bottle warms to room temperature. The flavors are definitely advanced for a wine just 6 years or so in the cellar but not in the category of oxidized or falling apart, in fact it feels very solid even though the fruit has mellowed and started to brick, it just has a leathery quality to it that usually connotes something older.
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2/15/2011 - cooberp wrote: 91 Points
Served at Campania in Waltham, MA; decanted 4 hours. Delicious and unique. Both the color and the aroma of black cherries; medium-bodied and lets light through; terrific flavor-to-weight ratio. A little spicy. Wonderful cranberry tanginess on the back palate and a clean finish.
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5/10/2009 - 5laton wrote: flawed
Prematurely oxidized, probably a bad-fitting cork.
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11/4/2007 - MJHDC wrote:
A very interesting wine, and an amazing example of the incredible diversity of Italian wine. This was medium-bodied and in terms of weight and color, reminded me somewhat of a Pinot. The flavors were spicy, i.e., cinnamon, black pepper, and anise, with cherry and other red berries also prominent. Very balanced. I'd have this anytime.
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10/6/2007 - tcfishler wrote: 93 Points
Slightly tighter than it was last year, but the upside here is nevertheless obvious. Saturated ruby red. Sweetly spicy yet cool aromas unfold with air: star anise, licorice, toast, maple syrup, a figgy notion, and salinity. Broad but driven and juicy, the flavors adding herbs to the spicy mix. Mouthwatering finish features plenty of medium-grained tannins that are fairly drying at this point.
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9/16/2007 - baroloboy55 wrote: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this one. Dark, volcanic ash and some earth at first. Deep bright red, extracted, somewhat modernist but excellent clarity of fruit. Over several days this wine held up, with little evolution. There are lots of tannins here. Will be interesting to observe how this wine mautres.
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9/15/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
Really great to see the progress here since my first taste in January. The fruit presence now comes through the tannic structure, opening with an exotically rich aroma suggesting prunes, figs, cranberry jam (that sort of thing) which isn't at all jammy once you taste it. Pure fruit seasoned with volcanic rock.
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9/15/2007 - Mlermontov wrote: 90 Points
a night in Eastchester - who knew?: ripe young fruit, almoust jumping out of the glass, for a second it felt like lor for some reason - perhaps the fresh whif of acidity, and the acidity is fresh! very fun wine - i would love to drink this again in a few years perhaps?
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6/9/2007 - 5laton wrote: 91 Points
Double-decanted 9hrs prior to drinking, then decanted again for an hour before dinner. Sweet, spicy red fruit liqueur on the nose, sweet tarry black fruit on the palate with a tannic, earthy mouthfeel. Finishes with some drying tannins. Very tasty. Alcohol doesn't stick out, but the ripeness and slight sweetness seem ramped up on day 2, not quite raisiny but definitely a little bothersome.
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3/15/2007 - br wrote:
decanted for a couple hours. dark but translucent fruit and tarry rocks. med - full bodied with a nice long finish. good rugged "real" wine that deserves a few years in the cellar to develop.
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1/12/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 88 Points
Prodigiously structured, with heavy, woolly tannins making it difficult to get a read on the wine, like it's doing sign language while wearing mittens. It benefits greatly from decanting and while it remains heavily tannic it comes into better focus, with the tannic structure resembling an old-style Barolo but with blacker fruit. I had my last glass with cheese and then the scales fell from the eyes. With the tannins finally neutralized it was possible to discern a signature of smoky ash and iron, a vivid little preview of what this could show with the long bottle aging it needs.
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11/21/2006 - tcfishler wrote: 95 Points
Pure, brilliant medium red-ruby, with salmon-colored edges. Highly expressive and penetrating nose, with exquisitely ripe cherries, bell pepper, mediterranean herbs, and a yeasty doughiness (pizza dough was mentioned). Bright on the attack, then incredibly silky in the midpalate, with unique and lovely fruit coming to the fore – mixed berries, but also peaches(!) and maybe other stone fruits such as apricot. Finish is long and sweet, but with strong tannins that really coat the palate in the most pleasureable fashion imaginable…really high quality tannins…if such a thing as hedonistic tannin exists, this is it!
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