Still a real baby. Young color and closed when opened. Still tonic too. No bricking at all. After an hour in a decanter the tannic edge disappeared and this opened beautifully to a multi dimensional giant. Ethereal nose, soft flavors including chocolate and dark red fruits, layered over at least a minute on the finish. Should be noted that this came from a 1.5 liter - which always seem to age differently than 750’s.
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Wow was this good. Also tight on opening and really there are many years left to this wine. We opened and decanted and as I understand a touch funky on first opening, then closed down for a bit, then about an hour later started to blossom some more. Lots of black fruits, some more spicy-woodsy notes. A wine with a nice structure and elegance to it. Very enjoyable.
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Decanted a few hours. Beutiful bouquet of field flower's licorice earth. This is all about balance. It's perfect everything is in harmony. Elegant an a long long finish. Very polished. A great aged Brunello with gas in the tank.
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Browning at edge. Aroma of plums. Soft and deep flavors of plums and bright cherries, some anise. Good length, toothy tannins. Time to drink up in the next few years.
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Brick at the edge; dark, saturated garnet otherwise. Deeply extracted fruit. Aroma of red licorice and vanilla. Some bitterness at first—needs one hour to decant—then laser beams of black cherry backed up by juicy acidity, black tea, and some anise. Good length on the palate. The only detractor is a bit of alcohol that sticks out. Drink now or try again in 2017.
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Purchased from a reputable cellar buyer recently. No English back label, so this was likely hand carried from Italy by someone. No formal notes taken as this was a fairly dead bottle. My suspicion is heat damaged somewhere along the way from Italy to me. Everything about this wine was muted, with no real expression of flavor. It had a nice structural balance, offering some nice tannins and acid throughout, particularly on the finish, but little fruit or other distinguishing notes. It drank fine with dinner, call it an 89 point wine, but there was definitely something off about it. Hope my remaining two bottles aren't similar, but I'll try one soon to find out...
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A great Italian wine, opened at 1530 and start drinking at 1900 - 2200. The nose is changing with floral, red fruit, minerals.... with balance acidity and complexity, love it!
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Bricking at the edge. Expressive aromas rise from the glass. Tastes of bright black cherries and framboise predominate. Secondary tastes are emerging. Complexity is growing. Tannin is completely melded. This is big and expressive, one of the best Brunellos I've ever tasted--showing much better than in previous years. It is loaded with fruit, perfectly balanced with good, fresh acidity keeping it bright and clean yet endowed with deep flavors. Long on the palate. A wine that focuses your attention. Wonderful!
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Keith & Ken's Autumn Blind Challenge (The Square, London): Far darker. Very cheesy nose. It does blow off a bit. A touch of tannin, food acidity, some liquorice. Brunello, early 2000s? This is quite serious though it does need coaxing. ***(*)
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Sunday, July 24, 2011 - I've been a very blessed wine drinker in my life time. I have had the pleasure of drinking Valdicava with Vincenzo at his estate with his family when he has opened his (shrinking) library. The single-vineyard 1995 Madonna, although beautiful, dark and brooding is not gaining complexity. The tannins are well integrated and supportive, the fruit is mature and the secondary cigar box, dried blackberry and plowed earth notes are harmonious yet dissapating. I've had this wine a few years ago and had more fond memories of this bottle. If this is in your cellar, I would recommend having a go at it and see if you like where it's at. This wine gives promise to the other vintages I will enjoy in the future. Thank you Vincenzo.
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Valdicava Vertical at Il Corso (Il Corso W. 55th St. NYC): Opened and poured. Rich at first with coffee and tobacco on the nose. Dry black cherries, soft mushroom and leather. Clean, fine tannins and a long finish with a gentle grip. Very good balance. Held up well in the glass over two hours. Elegant and solid. Interesting how the fruit, compared to the younger vintages, has taken a less prominent role at this point.
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A good Brunello that is ready to drink. This did not live up to other Valdicava wines I have had, but I understand 1995 was a tough vintage in Montalcino.
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Deep crystaline purple in color with no signs of aging. Sweet aromas of dark fruits and spice. Fine grained, truly elegant tannins. Rich and medium bodied, this delicious Brunello is full of perfectly balanced fruit, mellow plums, and clean, pure acid backing for a deep and smooth, throughly satisfying quaff. This is ready to drink, but the noble tannins and balanced acidity will easily keep it for 5 - 8 more years. This has not peaked, but it is drinking so well now why wait? -JBL
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2/20/2020 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:
Similar to my bottle in 2014, this tasted all old and flat. Again, I suspect heat damage from a prior owner of the bottle.
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7/7/2019 - Markus IWC wrote: 88 Points
Longlivebrunello tasting, the "La Paulee" of Montalcino, vin 27:
Burnt fruit, wood.
Warm, blue/black fruit, burnt feeling. 88p
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11/15/2018 - MrWineQ Likes this wine: 100 Points
Still a real baby. Young color and closed when opened. Still tonic too. No bricking at all. After an hour in a decanter the tannic edge disappeared and this opened beautifully to a multi dimensional giant. Ethereal nose, soft flavors including chocolate and dark red fruits, layered over at least a minute on the finish. Should be noted that this came from a 1.5 liter - which always seem to age differently than 750’s.
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2/10/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wow was this good. Also tight on opening and really there are many years left to this wine. We opened and decanted and as I understand a touch funky on first opening, then closed down for a bit, then about an hour later started to blossom some more. Lots of black fruits, some more spicy-woodsy notes. A wine with a nice structure and elegance to it. Very enjoyable.
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1/21/2016 - Poisey wrote: 96 Points
Decanted a few hours. Beutiful bouquet of field flower's licorice earth. This is all about balance. It's perfect everything is in harmony. Elegant an a long long finish. Very polished. A great aged Brunello with gas in the tank.
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5/9/2015 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Browning at edge. Aroma of plums. Soft and deep flavors of plums and bright cherries, some anise. Good length, toothy tannins. Time to drink up in the next few years.
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8/16/2014 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brick at the edge; dark, saturated garnet otherwise. Deeply extracted fruit. Aroma of red licorice and vanilla. Some bitterness at first—needs one hour to decant—then laser beams of black cherry backed up by juicy acidity, black tea, and some anise. Good length on the palate. The only detractor is a bit of alcohol that sticks out. Drink now or try again in 2017.
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2/28/2014 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:
Purchased from a reputable cellar buyer recently. No English back label, so this was likely hand carried from Italy by someone. No formal notes taken as this was a fairly dead bottle. My suspicion is heat damaged somewhere along the way from Italy to me. Everything about this wine was muted, with no real expression of flavor. It had a nice structural balance, offering some nice tannins and acid throughout, particularly on the finish, but little fruit or other distinguishing notes. It drank fine with dinner, call it an 89 point wine, but there was definitely something off about it. Hope my remaining two bottles aren't similar, but I'll try one soon to find out...
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2/17/2013 - Raycheng77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great Italian wine, opened at 1530 and start drinking at 1900 - 2200. The nose is changing with floral, red fruit, minerals.... with balance acidity and complexity, love it!
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5/26/2012 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bricking at the edge. Expressive aromas rise from the glass. Tastes of bright black cherries and framboise predominate. Secondary tastes are emerging. Complexity is growing. Tannin is completely melded. This is big and expressive, one of the best Brunellos I've ever tasted--showing much better than in previous years. It is loaded with fruit, perfectly balanced with good, fresh acidity keeping it bright and clean yet endowed with deep flavors. Long on the palate. A wine that focuses your attention. Wonderful!
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11/22/2011 - mraabpfg wrote: 92 Points
Very Very good, maybe a heading downhill a little, fruit subdued but still there
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11/4/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Keith & Ken's Autumn Blind Challenge (The Square, London): Far darker. Very cheesy nose. It does blow off a bit. A touch of tannin, food acidity, some liquorice. Brunello, early 2000s? This is quite serious though it does need coaxing. ***(*)
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7/24/2011 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Sunday, July 24, 2011 - I've been a very blessed wine drinker in my life time. I have had the pleasure of drinking Valdicava with Vincenzo at his estate with his family when he has opened his (shrinking) library. The single-vineyard 1995 Madonna, although beautiful, dark and brooding is not gaining complexity. The tannins are well integrated and supportive, the fruit is mature and the secondary cigar box, dried blackberry and plowed earth notes are harmonious yet dissapating. I've had this wine a few years ago and had more fond memories of this bottle. If this is in your cellar, I would recommend having a go at it and see if you like where it's at. This wine gives promise to the other vintages I will enjoy in the future. Thank you Vincenzo.
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4/23/2009 - Bob Fyke wrote: 92 Points
Valdicava Vertical at Il Corso (Il Corso W. 55th St. NYC): Opened and poured. Rich at first with coffee and tobacco on the nose. Dry black cherries, soft mushroom and leather. Clean, fine tannins and a long finish with a gentle grip. Very good balance. Held up well in the glass over two hours. Elegant and solid. Interesting how the fruit, compared to the younger vintages, has taken a less prominent role at this point.
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2/1/2009 - B Paul wrote: 91 Points
A good Brunello that is ready to drink. This did not live up to other Valdicava wines I have had, but I understand 1995 was a tough vintage in Montalcino.
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2/9/2008 - Chevaliers wrote: 94 Points
Deep crystaline purple in color with no signs of aging. Sweet aromas of dark fruits and spice. Fine grained, truly elegant tannins. Rich and medium bodied, this delicious Brunello is full of perfectly balanced fruit, mellow plums, and clean, pure acid backing for a deep and smooth, throughly satisfying quaff. This is ready to drink, but the noble tannins and balanced acidity will easily keep it for 5 - 8 more years. This has not peaked, but it is drinking so well now why wait? -JBL
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