Bought 4b at 25.50/b from a local retailer 10 years ago. Decanted with almost no sediment--surprised at that--and drank over the next 2 hours. Deep purple; fragrant, black fruit nose; deep, rich fruit flavor, bit of tar, very good mouthfeel; lingering finish. Good complement to mafaldine pasta with fresh veg and chicken breast "stir fry" topping. Delicious and noteworthy: thanks to WSearcher Pro, I learn that this is syrah/merlot--news to me. I drank the first of the four within two years of purchase, and the wine seemed closed. Not anymore! A very good example of the rewards for patience. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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Would echo the sentiment below that this is not dead. Didn’t even store this remotely properly. If you’ve cellared this, I imagine it’s in good shape. Enjoyed by all tonight.
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Still good! Found this in the back of my cellar and figured it would be dead. Thought about using it for cooking and tasted great ! Decanted and was excellent. Nice peppery notes.
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On the nose: Stable, earth, cherry, oak, licorice and some herbs. On the palate: Leather, cherry, blueberry, cherry stones some licorice. Medium + finish
I would not say this has passed the peak. I did open two bottles and both of them where very good. Will probably not gain any more from the cellar but still has the power to lay down for a year or two.
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Still juicy, with dark cherry, currant and a hint of tar; also has a little old world funk which made it interesting. Actually held up okay to a braised beef short rib. It certainly needs to be consumed before too long, but, per the Holy Grail, "it's not dead yet."
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Tasted blind, and nailed it, despite this wine (or perhaps particular bottle) being past its prime. Nose with herbs and oak showing, along with Tuscan cherries and earth. Palate shows drying cherries, earth and leather. came along a bit with air. This wine is on its way down, so time to finish any remaining bottles.
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decanted one hour. dark red-purple w/garnet rim; anise, woodsmoke & dark spices, wild herbs, roasted espresso bean, plum conserve; med++ weight, very silky palate feel; roasted black plums, grilled meat, distinct vegetal element mid-palate, toast, smoky wood fire, tannins mostly resolved, supple, fine acidity. this was a good drink & fine accompaniment to the meal; not convinced about the blend, but could be the nature of this vintage. ready to go, in no danger of faltering soon.
When I drink a wine like this, I am kicking myself for not buying a case when I had a chance. This was just an amazing example of a ST that was in perfect harmony. The right combination of old world and new. Beautiful herbal, graphite, nutty flavors blended with cherry and muted fruits. T'was deelish.
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This wine underlies the principal problem with many Italian wines. In a word...harshness. With plenty of air, and particularly on the second day, the wine smells amazing! Light roast coffee, slightly vegetal, graphite (a.k.a. lead pencil shavings), dark chocolate, dark berries, and dried smoked fruits. On the palate, the wine initially teases with notes of mint, tasty berries, dark chocolate, espresso, then, regrettably, breaks into outright greenish bitterness. The bitterness constitutes the finish. The wine would merit a score of 91 or 92, possibly more, without the bitter back and finish. To what point and purpose, I ask, do so many Italian producers taint their wines with greenishness!?
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Smell is sweet stewed raspberries, a whiff of lighter fluid, pine. Body is surprisingly dusty and dry. Flavors of dried berries, and fire wood. Finish is long and delicious with enough acidity balancing the alkaline earth to keep one's mouth watering. An Italian take on a good Pomerol ?
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Popped and poured hoping it would open over the course of the evening. I did not look at prior reviews but would recommend a decant at this point. . It was very good but not as exalted as prior reviews. very good with possible outstanding potential with age or a decant
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Syrah dominates the nose. Strawberry, cherry, and blueberry blend with smooth and slightly velvety tannins. Well intigrated, balanced with a long finish. Drinking nicely now and should age well for several more years. But why wait - this is terrific.
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This bottle was completely closed. Plan to decant if drinking in the near term. It was consumed before it was really showing well. I need more decanters for the holidays! No score.
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BBQ with Big Reds (Judith's House): This wine opened up beautifully over an hour decant. On opening it was very tight. Aeration into the decanter improved dramtically, but the hour's time worked magic. I am stunned at the transformation of this wine into a gorgeous Super Tuscan. Dark Garnet Red. The fruit on the nose really blossomed from initially subtle to provocative red fruits with earth, just a hint of funk, no barnyard after the decant (actually, didn't notice any anyway). The palate was medium-full bodied with a depth of cherry flavors, cassis, oak and plum. Very well balanced and a lengthy finish. I really enjoyed this wine. 93pts.
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Decanted for an hour and drank with NY steak. The nose was poop, cassis, cherry and strawberry. Body was lighter than I expected (medium body). Loved the sangiovese component and craved for more. Balance and tanins were solid. It could use more time in the bottle to soften the barnyard. At this time it overshadows the fruit.
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Deep ruby color. Deep red berry aromas. Nose of dark cherry cola, rhubarb, cassis and black rock. Palate is chewy and well structured. Shows more deep red fruit. Some nice Old World earthy aspects on the nose and palate as well. Very nice food wine.
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Lots of fruit in the nose -- cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. A bit of spice and a lot of oak as well. The same on the mouth. As highly-touted as Gaja is, I felt let down; it tasted like a big California cab.
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Medium dark ruby in color, with a lovely nose of cassis, chocolate, iron, some savory herbal notes. Very well balanced palate, with just enough acidity to carry this very lush and pleasing wine. Very pleasant but not overbeaing cassis and stony fruits, hints of savory notes and minerals on the back end as well. The oak, albeit deftly done, is a bit prevalent right now, but the wine fleshes out with air and I can only suspect this will improve with a couple years in bottle. Lovely. I will pick up some omre and cellar it.
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Aromatics of Cured meats, iron, some funk and spicy cranberry. Dark brooding character that is dominated by cherry transitioning to meats. The tannins are globular and some added complexity from a light stemmy element. Nice concentration with med + length. 90+ more old world than sito moresco 05
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A touch light, but very food friendly with plenty of juicy acidity. On the nose there's a lot of Merlot - I thought for a second I smelled some Rutherford dust - but some classic cherry notes creep in too. The palate is light and bouncy, but the fruit flavors seem to hang on.
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Flashy but balanced on the first night, with blackberry, cherry, cocoa, and earth riding on a sharp rail of acidity. The finish on the first night is decent, too. Though I'm docking it a point or two for failing to show up at all on the second night -- it's watery by now -- the initial, positive impression is the lasting one. A good buy at just over $30.
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Drinking very well right now. This is well liked by new world fans (like most super tuscans)... Jammy, yet light and well balanced. Lacks great complexity, but it's delicious and a crowd pleaser.
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A blend of Merlot, Syrah, and Sangiovese. Ripe, juicy fruit of blueberry and plum, with crisp acidity and some sweet tannins. Much more in the New World style with its fruit forward approach and little in the way of earth or leather commonly associated with Tuscan wines. When first tasted, it reminded me of Justin cab, though it has less weight and more elegance than that wine.
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A great bouquet to this wine. Like many Super Tuscans, I could sit and smell this wine all night long and be perfectly happy. The wine was initially a bit flat and a touch tannic in the mouth. With about 2 hours, it opened up a bit more. It's difficult to say whether, with time, the fruit will show through more on the palette. However, the amazing bouquet and nice tannin / acid balance make this a great food wine and will keep me coming back for more (I just bought 5 more bottles after sampling this one).
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Very young, loaded with primary fruit. Nicely made wine. Should develop more interesting character with a few years of bottle age. By glass at enoteca on Via della Croce.
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Drink at home. Need some few hours - 3 probably to open up. Decant for 1 hour after. Nice fruity aroma, intense vanilla, cedar, cherry and not too much spice. Not too complex in the palate and finish. Good wine to serve with light meals and seafood. Should have the potential to improve for 3+ years in the cellar
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2/20/2024 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine at this point. Better than expected. Drank blind and thought it was and older Bordeaux.
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9/19/2018 - Oenecnist wrote:
Bought 4b at 25.50/b from a local retailer 10 years ago. Decanted with almost no sediment--surprised at that--and drank over the next 2 hours. Deep purple; fragrant, black fruit nose; deep, rich fruit flavor, bit of tar, very good mouthfeel; lingering finish. Good complement to mafaldine pasta with fresh veg and chicken breast "stir fry" topping. Delicious and noteworthy: thanks to WSearcher Pro, I learn that this is syrah/merlot--news to me. I drank the first of the four within two years of purchase, and the wine seemed closed. Not anymore! A very good example of the rewards for patience. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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12/25/2017 - youvebeenhearnedLLC Likes this wine: 90 Points
Would echo the sentiment below that this is not dead. Didn’t even store this remotely properly. If you’ve cellared this, I imagine it’s in good shape. Enjoyed by all tonight.
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12/4/2017 - tophcooks Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still good! Found this in the back of my cellar and figured it would be dead. Thought about using it for cooking and tasted great ! Decanted and was excellent. Nice peppery notes.
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11/19/2016 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 89 Points
On the nose: Stable, earth, cherry, oak, licorice and some herbs.
On the palate: Leather, cherry, blueberry, cherry stones some licorice.
Medium + finish
I would not say this has passed the peak. I did open two bottles and both of them where very good. Will probably not gain any more from the cellar but still has the power to lay down for a year or two.
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8/24/2015 - k-dubious Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still juicy, with dark cherry, currant and a hint of tar; also has a little old world funk which made it interesting. Actually held up okay to a braised beef short rib. It certainly needs to be consumed before too long, but, per the Holy Grail, "it's not dead yet."
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3/29/2015 - Rixon Likes this wine: 89 Points
Passed its peak, but better than expected. Still in balance and okay concentration. Drink now, over in a year or two.
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3/28/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 88 Points
Tasted blind, and nailed it, despite this wine (or perhaps particular bottle) being past its prime.
Nose with herbs and oak showing, along with Tuscan cherries and earth.
Palate shows drying cherries, earth and leather.
came along a bit with air.
This wine is on its way down, so time to finish any remaining bottles.
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3/3/2015 - wood is good wrote: 88 Points
Just flat and passed its prime. Smooth do drink but would like more than smooth for Gaja. Drink up I say
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12/22/2014 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 89 Points
Has come together nicely, but definitely at or slightly past peak.
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12/3/2014 - pigdaddy wrote: 89 Points
decanted one hour. dark red-purple w/garnet rim; anise, woodsmoke & dark spices, wild herbs, roasted espresso bean, plum conserve; med++ weight, very silky palate feel; roasted black plums, grilled meat, distinct vegetal element mid-palate, toast, smoky wood fire, tannins mostly resolved, supple, fine acidity. this was a good drink & fine accompaniment to the meal; not convinced about the blend, but could be the nature of this vintage. ready to go, in no danger of faltering soon.
pan-seared ribeye, balsamic syrup; romaine w/blue cheese dressing, roasted sweet potatoes, bacon & red onion pickles
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10/5/2013 - jlib77 wrote: 87 Points
Green herbal notes, blackberry, consumed from a decanter over several hours, just not in balance. Not impressed for the money.
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4/14/2013 - mattlennert wrote: 92 Points
When I drink a wine like this, I am kicking myself for not buying a case when I had a chance. This was just an amazing example of a ST that was in perfect harmony. The right combination of old world and new. Beautiful herbal, graphite, nutty flavors blended with cherry and muted fruits. T'was deelish.
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12/25/2012 - Joe DiDomizio wrote: flawed
Have had promis before and it is very good. Unfortunately this bottle was corked. In-laws on Christmas
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9/11/2012 - Motz wrote: 89 Points
This wine underlies the principal problem with many Italian wines. In a word...harshness. With plenty of air, and particularly on the second day, the wine smells amazing! Light roast coffee, slightly vegetal, graphite (a.k.a. lead pencil shavings), dark chocolate, dark berries, and dried smoked fruits. On the palate, the wine initially teases with notes of mint, tasty berries, dark chocolate, espresso, then, regrettably, breaks into outright greenish bitterness. The bitterness constitutes the finish. The wine would merit a score of 91 or 92, possibly more, without the bitter back and finish. To what point and purpose, I ask, do so many Italian producers taint their wines with greenishness!?
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1/28/2012 - PFD wrote: 90 Points
drinking nicely, deep ruby color full bodied red. Decanted for about 2 hours helped soften the wine.
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11/24/2011 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thanksgiving dinner
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11/8/2011 - Frommen wrote: 89 Points
Quite high acidity with a long cherry dominated aftertaste. Good but not exiting...
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11/4/2011 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
Smell is sweet stewed raspberries, a whiff of lighter fluid, pine. Body is surprisingly dusty and dry. Flavors of dried berries, and fire wood. Finish is long and delicious with enough acidity balancing the alkaline earth to keep one's mouth watering. An Italian take on a good Pomerol ?
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9/17/2011 - VoteferPedro wrote:
Popped and poured hoping it would open over the course of the evening. I did not look at prior reviews but would recommend a decant at this point. . It was very good but not as exalted as prior reviews. very good with possible outstanding potential with age or a decant
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2/18/2011 - agebob wrote: 90 Points
Syrah dominates the nose. Strawberry, cherry, and blueberry blend with smooth and slightly velvety tannins. Well intigrated, balanced with a long finish. Drinking nicely now and should age well for several more years. But why wait - this is terrific.
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11/27/2010 - JB in SD wrote:
This bottle was completely closed. Plan to decant if drinking in the near term. It was consumed before it was really showing well. I need more decanters for the holidays! No score.
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11/25/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Earth, funk which blew off the nose, blueberries, raspberries and coffee. Medium finish and enjoyable.
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8/22/2010 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
BBQ with Big Reds (Judith's House): This wine opened up beautifully over an hour decant. On opening it was very tight. Aeration into the decanter improved dramtically, but the hour's time worked magic. I am stunned at the transformation of this wine into a gorgeous Super Tuscan. Dark Garnet Red. The fruit on the nose really blossomed from initially subtle to provocative red fruits with earth, just a hint of funk, no barnyard after the decant (actually, didn't notice any anyway). The palate was medium-full bodied with a depth of cherry flavors, cassis, oak and plum. Very well balanced and a lengthy finish. I really enjoyed this wine. 93pts.
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7/26/2010 - wineguy58 wrote: 93 Points
elegantly complex. dried flowers with sweet powdered sugar, white pepper, plums finishing with a subtle toasted oak
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12/23/2009 - Bodge wrote:
First bottle of a case. I think this will be really good in a couple of years' time.
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11/22/2009 - scotty_b wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for an hour and drank with NY steak. The nose was poop, cassis, cherry and strawberry. Body was lighter than I expected (medium body). Loved the sangiovese component and craved for more. Balance and tanins were solid. It could use more time in the bottle to soften the barnyard. At this time it overshadows the fruit.
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10/10/2009 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 87 Points
Enjoyed this, but not what I want out of Italy. Nose of plum and blackberries. Fairly drying in the mouth. Improved a bit with air.
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1/28/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby color. Deep red berry aromas. Nose of dark cherry cola, rhubarb, cassis and black rock.
Palate is chewy and well structured. Shows more deep red fruit.
Some nice Old World earthy aspects on the nose and palate as well. Very nice food wine.
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11/9/2008 - zerhart wrote: 89 Points
Not ready to drink yet, but will be nice at some point in the future.
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11/8/2008 - winejnky wrote: 86 Points
Quite dry. Nose of oak and cassis. Primary flavor is hard, sour cherries and their pits. Disappointing. Not my style I guess.
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10/2/2008 - THaas wrote: 89 Points
Lots of fruit in the nose -- cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. A bit of spice and a lot of oak as well. The same on the mouth. As highly-touted as Gaja is, I felt let down; it tasted like a big California cab.
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8/2/2008 - cct wrote: 90 Points
Medium dark ruby in color, with a lovely nose of cassis, chocolate, iron, some savory herbal notes. Very well balanced palate, with just enough acidity to carry this very lush and pleasing wine. Very pleasant but not overbeaing cassis and stony fruits, hints of savory notes and minerals on the back end as well. The oak, albeit deftly done, is a bit prevalent right now, but the wine fleshes out with air and I can only suspect this will improve with a couple years in bottle. Lovely. I will pick up some omre and cellar it.
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8/2/2008 - LPskeleton wrote: 90 Points
Aromatics of Cured meats, iron, some funk and spicy cranberry.
Dark brooding character that is dominated by cherry transitioning to meats. The tannins are globular and some added complexity from a light stemmy element. Nice concentration with med + length.
90+ more old world than sito moresco 05
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6/12/2008 - jmcmchi wrote: 88 Points
Tasted alongside heavy reds - this emphasized the earthiness and acid aspects of the sangiovese. Taut, tight, needs food
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6/2/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
A touch light, but very food friendly with plenty of juicy acidity. On the nose there's a lot of Merlot - I thought for a second I smelled some Rutherford dust - but some classic cherry notes creep in too. The palate is light and bouncy, but the fruit flavors seem to hang on.
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5/31/2008 - Stephan O wrote: 90 Points
Flashy but balanced on the first night, with blackberry, cherry, cocoa, and earth riding on a sharp rail of acidity. The finish on the first night is decent, too. Though I'm docking it a point or two for failing to show up at all on the second night -- it's watery by now -- the initial, positive impression is the lasting one. A good buy at just over $30.
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5/21/2008 - pifcho wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very well right now. This is well liked by new world fans (like most super tuscans)... Jammy, yet light and well balanced. Lacks great complexity, but it's delicious and a crowd pleaser.
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3/10/2008 - vinole wrote: 90 Points
A blend of Merlot, Syrah, and Sangiovese. Ripe, juicy fruit of blueberry and plum, with crisp acidity and some sweet tannins. Much more in the New World style with its fruit forward approach and little in the way of earth or leather commonly associated with Tuscan wines. When first tasted, it reminded me of Justin cab, though it has less weight and more elegance than that wine.
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2/26/2008 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
Rub red. Well balanced and tasty. Slightly smoky.
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1/27/2008 - Ryan D wrote:
A great bouquet to this wine. Like many Super Tuscans, I could sit and smell this wine all night long and be perfectly happy. The wine was initially a bit flat and a touch tannic in the mouth. With about 2 hours, it opened up a bit more. It's difficult to say whether, with time, the fruit will show through more on the palette. However, the amazing bouquet and nice tannin / acid balance make this a great food wine and will keep me coming back for more (I just bought 5 more bottles after sampling this one).
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12/4/2007 - Double-A wrote:
Floral, smoke, mineral nose with cherry and amaretto flavours and finish.
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9/20/2007 - Barbara B wrote: 89 Points
Very young, loaded with primary fruit. Nicely made wine. Should develop more interesting character with a few years of bottle age. By glass at enoteca on Via della Croce.
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8/26/2007 - dedris wrote: 90 Points
Drink at home. Need some few hours - 3 probably to open up. Decant for 1 hour after. Nice fruity aroma, intense vanilla, cedar, cherry and not too much spice. Not too complex in the palate and finish. Good wine to serve with light meals and seafood. Should have the potential to improve for 3+ years in the cellar
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