Cellared 16 years at 14 degrees. 100 per cent preserved. Pale meniscus. Blackberry over red fruit. So smooth! One continuous leg! Lots if structure left.
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Decanted one hour and then drank a day later. The nose is a modest blackberry and tobacco aroma. The palate has a modern style and clearly shows hot vintage characteristic. The wine feels heavy and oaky while retaining good fruit concentration and reasonable balance. Flavors of blackberry, plum, cigar box come through into a moderate four square finish. This will drink fine for another five years but I don’t think it will evolve and gain complexity.
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Garnet in color with bricking edges. Nose of dark berries, earth, and tobacco. Tastes of cherries, leather, tar, and tobacco. Very dry. Tertiary flavors outshine the fruit. Pleasant wine just past peak. Drink now and over next few years.
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Very nice, balanced and integrated, no edges. Color indicates that it might be slightly oxidized. A little sediment present. Medium body. Floral, clean, hints of ripe strawberries and dark fruit but nothing overpowering; soft tannins. Drinking well now, and is probably at its peak.
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Lovely, consistent with my previous notes. Opened to breathe, accessible after only 30 min. Floral nose, lots of iodine, sandalwood, extracted red fruit. Singing today.
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Opened to breathe at 9 am in the morning, came back to it with dinner, 8 hours later. What a lovely feminine wine. Soft earthy floral (roses?) nose, the palate has strawberry, cherry, the roundness of oak and faint tannins with acidity, and a lasting finish. Well balanced, elegant, integrated. Each movement like a concerto at midnight. Sublime. Tonight with pan seared scallops and asparagus.
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Decanted for dinner at Flemmings in San Diego. Surprisingly on the softer side of medium bodied after my lunch-time exposure to Continuum. Otherwise consistent with my previous notes, no detailed comments this time. Tonight with bone-in filet.
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PNP. Medium bodied red with light oak on the nose and palate. Extracted red cherries. Excellent but less gravitas tha '95 Seavey cab. Similar intensity to a California Cab.
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Surprisingly one of the best brunellos I have had. Velvet, tannins totally balanced,some chocolate and currant. Decanted 1 hour- got steadily better. Great with squab -even he sommelier was impressed. Not sure how long it will stay at peak The wine looks garnet colored. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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Very good but without the power and punch of other vintages of Montosoli. Opened up a bit after an hour with lots of berry aromas and flavors but lacking the richness experienced in other vintages.
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Expressive earthy cherry nose; textured and concentrated suggesting life ahead; perfectly paired with meatballs and pasta with a putanesca sauce; great textured length.
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Poured a sip as soon as I popped open the bottle. Nose was a bit oaky (reminded of an over-oaked napa cab!) and muted on the palate. Let it sit for about 4 hours before poured myself a glass. Opened up pretty well, typical brunello nose - medicinal, dates and prunes; palate- medium bodied, very soft tannins, silky with slight leather, dark fruits and about 20 second finish. Overall felt it was a bit over priced. The riserva I had tasted a few months ago was a much better QPR. I have one more bottle in the cellar that I will be drinking soon as I think this is perhaps already peaking.
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Very nice--opened at a blind tasting and guesses were all over the place, with consensus coming in as a Pinotage. Definitely still seems young, but identifiably Italian (helps if you don't have to guess about origin). Still some stiff tannins, but the wine is approachable. Not overly fruity, but quite pleasant. Good with food.
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Drinking great right now, but this was better on day 2 than day 1 - may still have some life ahead of it. The color was garnet - brick at the edges. The nose is expressive with a floral component added to the fruit and showing some age. The palate is showing sweet ripe strawberry and currant with pretty respectable acidity balancing the earthiness. This has fine, but still relatively high, tannins. Nice long finish. I drank this with a creamy, truffley pasta dish, and it was great, but like I noted better yet on day 2.
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Wonderfully expressive nose, this had some great red fruit and some pleasant earthiness, as well as some hints of meatiness. Quite complex, dry and tannic, great acidity and finish. Really well made, surprisingly fruit forward (due to the warm vintage, I presume) and an overall awesome bottle.
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Not as complex as the 2004s and while this is a top rated estate I did not get eh dark coffee, chocolate or deep cherry center that one would expect. Probably ready to drink since I doubt that there will be much evolution. Very nice , decanted for up to 2 hours, and delivering very non-tannic, non -alcoholic medium bodied, smooth but not flavorful wine
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Needs time to decant, clear, brick, nose of drying cherries, oak, and leather. tannins were low in volume but firm, I would say it is time to drink now, had with cavatelli, good match. finish medium long.
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I can see why people are recomending you drink the 2003s well before the 2001s. Even considering the 375 bottle, it was really soft and in terms of tannins and aging etc its mouthfeel was like the 1997 version. However, it was far more subdued. Hints of sour cherries and lockerroom (that went away after about 1 hour) on the nose with a palate of berries, expresso, pepper and carmel. Short finish
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Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Typical brunello aromas. Red berries some oak. Lacked charachter. Had after Casanova De Neri and they were very similar but the Altesino not as well made. Average.
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3/29/2020 - bablues wrote: flawed
Browning mostly on the edges, but clear signs of age. The nose was wet cardboard. Too bad, as the taste was very nice. Sour cherries dominated.
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6/29/2019 - westcoast foodie wrote: 93 Points
Cellared 16 years at 14 degrees. 100 per cent preserved. Pale meniscus. Blackberry over red fruit. So smooth! One continuous leg! Lots if structure left.
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6/28/2019 - mclanew wrote: 89 Points
Decanted one hour and then drank a day later. The nose is a modest blackberry and tobacco aroma. The palate has a modern style and clearly shows hot vintage characteristic. The wine feels heavy and oaky while retaining good fruit concentration and reasonable balance. Flavors of blackberry, plum, cigar box come through into a moderate four square finish. This will drink fine for another five years but I don’t think it will evolve and gain complexity.
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1/19/2019 - Yankee Clipper Likes this wine: 92 Points
smooth
still drinking well
opened up in time and changed complexity
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12/18/2018 - efeldhake@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet in color with bricking edges. Nose of dark berries, earth, and tobacco. Tastes of cherries, leather, tar, and tobacco. Very dry. Tertiary flavors outshine the fruit. Pleasant wine just past peak. Drink now and over next few years.
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5/19/2018 - bablues wrote: 93 Points
Browning on the edges. Perfect pairing with Brick oven Pizza. Structured, complex and flavors evolved with every sip.
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3/16/2018 - Aris1a Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, balanced and integrated, no edges. Color indicates that it might be slightly oxidized. A little sediment present. Medium body. Floral, clean, hints of ripe strawberries and dark fruit but nothing overpowering; soft tannins. Drinking well now, and is probably at its peak.
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2/10/2018 - jsebiri wrote:
Very nice easy drinking wine, a number of secondary notes, tasted like a well-aged Bordeaux. Higher level wine, entering old age.
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11/11/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely, consistent with my previous notes. Opened to breathe, accessible after only 30 min. Floral nose, lots of iodine, sandalwood, extracted red fruit. Singing today.
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10/5/2017 - NJwineguy wrote: 92 Points
in the right spot
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8/24/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened to breathe at 9 am in the morning, came back to it with dinner, 8 hours later. What a lovely feminine wine. Soft earthy floral (roses?) nose, the palate has strawberry, cherry, the roundness of oak and faint tannins with acidity, and a lasting finish. Well balanced, elegant, integrated. Each movement like a concerto at midnight. Sublime. Tonight with pan seared scallops and asparagus.
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3/15/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for dinner at Flemmings in San Diego. Surprisingly on the softer side of medium bodied after my lunch-time exposure to Continuum. Otherwise consistent with my previous notes, no detailed comments this time. Tonight with bone-in filet.
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2/26/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP. Medium bodied red with light oak on the nose and palate. Extracted red cherries. Excellent but less gravitas tha '95 Seavey cab. Similar intensity to a California Cab.
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2/11/2017 - docdavid Likes this wine: 94 Points
Surprisingly one of the best brunellos I have had. Velvet, tannins totally balanced,some chocolate and currant. Decanted 1 hour- got steadily better. Great with squab -even he sommelier was impressed. Not sure how long it will stay at peak
The wine looks garnet colored. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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7/30/2016 - jsebiri wrote:
Smooth and easy drinking , but is missing something , good wine
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5/25/2015 - davnik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good but without the power and punch of other vintages of Montosoli. Opened up a bit after an hour with lots of berry aromas and flavors but lacking the richness experienced in other vintages.
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7/19/2014 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose and pleasant on the palate. Cherry and licorice throughout. No need to rush but drinking well now
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2/14/2014 - EvanJB wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful Elegant wine. Worth the wait
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2/1/2014 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
Drinking Amazing -- needs 1 hour to open
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12/1/2013 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 91 Points
De memoire, difficile d'aller dans le détails, mais était très bien. Nez exuberant, bouche complexe et a point. Ne pas laisser vieillir,il est prêt.
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10/1/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth with licorice and cherry; soft and supple with nice length.
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4/13/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light with cherry; decent balance but tight and young; soft at times but rough; hoping maturity will give it integration.
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3/24/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 87 Points
Austere and tannic; light herbaceous blackberry; lean with tannins that seemed immature and green; short finish.
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10/13/2012 - tmorrow wrote: 94 Points
Developed beautiful Sangiovese mouth feel as the bottle opened up.
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7/30/2012 - paulst wrote: 93 Points
Expressive earthy cherry nose; textured and concentrated suggesting life ahead; perfectly paired with meatballs and pasta with a putanesca sauce; great textured length.
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3/2/2012 - g_gaisford wrote: 90 Points
Still a bit young. The barriques and tannins need time to chill out. Try next year!
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1/1/2012 - joishscellar wrote: 89 Points
Poured a sip as soon as I popped open the bottle. Nose was a bit oaky (reminded of an over-oaked napa cab!) and muted on the palate. Let it sit for about 4 hours before poured myself a glass. Opened up pretty well, typical brunello nose - medicinal, dates and prunes; palate- medium bodied, very soft tannins, silky with slight leather, dark fruits and about 20 second finish. Overall felt it was a bit over priced. The riserva I had tasted a few months ago was a much better QPR. I have one more bottle in the cellar that I will be drinking soon as I think this is perhaps already peaking.
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12/24/2011 - Dadman's cellar wrote: 90 Points
Balanced with leather and tobacco with mild tannins. Drinking nicely
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11/14/2011 - mlunt wrote: 90 Points
Very nice--opened at a blind tasting and guesses were all over the place, with consensus coming in as a Pinotage. Definitely still seems young, but identifiably Italian (helps if you don't have to guess about origin). Still some stiff tannins, but the wine is approachable. Not overly fruity, but quite pleasant. Good with food.
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9/16/2011 - paulst wrote: 90 Points
Lean and earthy with some sweet fruit; brackish at times.
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6/6/2011 - dkoontz wrote: 92 Points
Drinking great right now, but this was better on day 2 than day 1 - may still have some life ahead of it. The color was garnet - brick at the edges. The nose is expressive with a floral component added to the fruit and showing some age. The palate is showing sweet ripe strawberry and currant with pretty respectable acidity balancing the earthiness. This has fine, but still relatively high, tannins. Nice long finish. I drank this with a creamy, truffley pasta dish, and it was great, but like I noted better yet on day 2.
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3/20/2011 - wirelesswine wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully expressive nose, this had some great red fruit and some pleasant earthiness, as well as some hints of meatiness. Quite complex, dry and tannic, great acidity and finish. Really well made, surprisingly fruit forward (due to the warm vintage, I presume) and an overall awesome bottle.
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3/18/2011 - Sotto325 wrote: 89 Points
Not as complex as the 2004s and while this is a top rated estate I did not get eh dark coffee, chocolate or deep cherry center that one would expect. Probably ready to drink since I doubt that there will be much evolution. Very nice , decanted for up to 2 hours, and delivering very non-tannic, non -alcoholic medium bodied, smooth but not flavorful wine
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8/21/2010 - patrickt wrote: 93 Points
Took 30 minutes to open up. Ruby red color, aroma of dark fruits, medium tannins for a brunello and long finish.
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6/21/2010 - patrickt wrote: 92 Points
Needs time to decant, clear, brick, nose of drying cherries, oak, and leather. tannins were low in volume but firm, I would say it is time to drink now, had with cavatelli, good match. finish medium long.
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10/3/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 90 Points
Lots of aromas of plum, cherry, licorice and blackberry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long, caressing finish.
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12/21/2008 - cvvhrn wrote: 87 Points
I can see why people are recomending you drink the 2003s well before the 2001s. Even considering the 375 bottle, it was really soft and in terms of tannins and aging etc its mouthfeel was like the 1997 version. However, it was far more subdued. Hints of sour cherries and lockerroom (that went away after about 1 hour) on the nose with a palate of berries, expresso, pepper and carmel. Short finish
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10/24/2008 - dartboard wrote:
Kohler Food and Wine Experience; 10/23/2008-10/26/2008 (Kohler, WI): Very tight, closed. Unrated, still needs quite a bit of maturation time.
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5/3/2008 - WineForRob wrote: 88 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Typical brunello aromas. Red berries some oak. Lacked charachter. Had after Casanova De Neri and they were very similar but the Altesino not as well made. Average.
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1/24/2008 - drdebs wrote: 90 Points
Perfumed with plum blossom, leather, thyme and lavender. Beautiful silkiness to the rich, plum and berry palate. Earthy finish. Nice.
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