90 minute decant. Nose of dark plum, dark cherries, birch beer, and roses. Palate delivers black raspberry with pronounced pepperiness, leather, and lots of floral and earth notes. Clay-textured tannins on the finish are quite bold, with tobacco leaf, bay leaf, dried red fruits, and dry leaves.
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Piedmont wines: This was a much better example and my favourite of the night. The elements of the wine were integrated and harmonious - tannins and fruit were balanced with a hint of wildness typical of Piedmont wines. Warm, vibrant black fruit with impressive structure that made me guess a Barolo from a good plot and 2001/04. Great wine that was still drinking quite youthfully.
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Monday Night Football and Grand Cru (Chicago, IL): A relatively new producer to me at least. This is very impressive with some explosive florals and red fruit on the nose. The palate is surprisingly ripe and sweet (I had expected something a little more structural), but all the nebbiolo tannins you expect are certainly there. I would say this was surprisingly easy to drink right now, and would love to see how this ages.
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Still quite young and has a fair way to go. The nose was floral but was earthiness, truffle like at the same time. Tannin was fine and slowly receded over a 5 hour period slowly revealing tar, dark fruit notes and quite savoury. I would not rush to drink this for another 5+ years.
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Had over lunch with an old friend. Just a glass and a half. Obviously still young, but with enough aggressive swirling/airing, one gets roses, red fruits and some herbs. Some savoury notes are beginning to creep in as well. Loved the acidic backbone and the long, lingering finish. Tannins, as ever, are present (this is Nebbiolo after all and Cortese is an old school producer), but they meld pleasantly into the whole. Will try again in 5 years.
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Reminiscent of a 1er cru Burgundy (vosne-romanee) in style and feel this is a spectacular Barbaresco full of quintessential tar and flowers, silky textured and with a perfect balance between primary fruit and tertiary wet earth, cigar tobacco, leather, autumn leaves and mushrooms. It is one of those soulful wines that make you love and appreciate the whole wine thing - inspiring, rewarding and intellectual.
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This beautiful wine is crepuscular on the eye, glowing and distinctive garnet in a way that can only develop with patience. The nose is powerful and concentrated with roses, strawberries and truffles in waves, suggesting that the time in bottle has not completely run its course. The palate is so smooth, like a fine black tea with cherry and strawberry, complemented by a flash of spice, the alcohol somehow harmonising to make this seem more Burgundian and much more elegant than the muscular levels of 14% would suggest. Bravo, Cortese. The next bottle can wait for a worthy accompaniment on the plate, but the Rabaja Riserva 2001 drinks beautifully by itself.
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I have to say that I'm not concerned that this wine is drying out like others have noted. If anything I would say this is on the young side of it's life. I did purchase this bottle directly from the winery in 2016 so the provenance is near perfect...and if I had another bottle of this, I'd revisit it again in another decade+. Med+ body, quite tannic, yet also with a wealth of red fruits that balanced it out nicely. Tasted side by side with a 1971 Barolo Monvigliero and the pair of wines offered a nice contrast. This wine needed food to tackle the tannin...with a little Eposes and prosciutto this wine exploded with a wealth of red fruits and a nice lengthy finish...Outstanding!!!
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Slow-oxed for almost 2 hours and then decanted and drank over 2 hours.
Appearance was in between garnet and pale ruby. Nose was so inviting with floral violets, light spice and a whiff of mushroom - Aromatics were in full drive.
Finely poised and went down so smooth. There is a nice acidity to it that brings tension and red fruits and this is rounded off with some cigar box, earthy notes. Tannins are fully resolved and medium length finish.
This was probably the best of the 3 bottles i have had. Really enjoyed it.
Note: It began to decline towards the tail end so might want to start drinking if you have more than a few bottles to spare.
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Italian with leather and sous-bois in the nose and ample but leanish flavors of cherry, leather and garrigue. Fell apart a bit after an hour or two. Time to drink.
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Barbaresco tasting (at Eli Raban's home, Rehovot): my last bottle - but perhaps I should buy more... transparent red-brown with amber rim elegant ripe mature dark cherries nose with tertiary earthy notes and truffles-bitter-chocolate hints, develops gently in the glass over time medium-full bodied, soft integrated but firm tannins, rich mature cherries (and plums) flavours), elegant structure, fine complexity, earthy, truffles, excellent balance & harmony, bitter-dark-choclate & black pepper finish, fine tannic fruity aftertaste. Excellent now and can still age 3-8 years more, at least.
Lots of candied cherries on the nose. Took a while to open in the glass, a bit tannic, notes of toasted oak and red fruit. After a while the wine relaxed, became more elegant and complex with notes of strawberry, earth.
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My last bottle of this. Pop and pour. Lovely cool flavours dominated by red fruit, rose and earthy spices. Quite elegant on the palate with nice focus and length. Clean. Tannins resolving but still some nice grip. In a good place right now.
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Delicious wine but a stark contrast to the G. Rinaldi opened before. More chocolate, more obvious fruit yet still the lovely medium mouthfeel. Good balance and mature. There is a long life ahead yet there is no harm drinking now. Lacks some complexity but a delicious drink. (92)
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WINE TO MAGIC; 11/25/2014-11/30/2014 (TORINO - PALAZZO CARIGNANO): Naso avanti con gli anni, non sembra un 2001. terziarizzazione vegetale, quasi da sambuca. All' assaggio è molto austero, diretto e giovanissimo e un pò sbilanciato tra la morbidezza del tannino e l' acidità, che fanno pensare a un vino più giovane di quello che ci si aspettava all' olfatto. Il frutto invece è stranamente terziarizzato, funghi e rabarbaro, toni amari. Vino sconnesso e poco a fuoco, spero fosse una bottiglia poco felice, perchè il 2006 ha tutt' altra stoffa.
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Palish garnet colour. Lovely perfumed violet nose with a hint of stewed tomatoes, pencil shavings and white pepper. Very high acidity combines with sour cherry, redcurrant and prune flavours. Medium bodied, with lean, slightly drying tannins but well integrated tannins. Long and juicy finish. Outstanding!
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Decanted for 2 hours. Medium garnet colour, roses and licorice on the nose. Medium bodied, has a touch of mint, then dark cherry, fine red fruit, juicy acidity. Finishes long with grippy tannins.
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Consumed over three days. Cool flavour profile of tangy/savoury red fruit, spice, earth, rose and liquorice. There is very good balance here; acids are well integrated, keep the wine fresh and hit some high notes, while the tannins - which are round, resolving, yet powdery - lend a nice grip to the finish. Great structure. Didn't move a heck of a lot over the three days, suggesting many years of potential enjoyment, but this has just snuck into the start of its drinking window.
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Double decanted 3 hours before serving. This is very good juice. Complex flavour profile of sweet and savoury red fruit, spices, roses, leather and a hint of liquorice. There is great structure here, which is beautifully integrated into the wine. Acids are soft and approachable and the tannins are resolving nicely, resulting in a round, silky mouthfeel. There is a bit more grip towards the finish. Great intensity, but very light on the palate. For me, this is ready to go now but I see no reason why it wouldn't hold for another decade.
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9/4/2023 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 94 Points
90 minute decant. Nose of dark plum, dark cherries, birch beer, and roses. Palate delivers black raspberry with pronounced pepperiness, leather, and lots of floral and earth notes. Clay-textured tannins on the finish are quite bold, with tobacco leaf, bay leaf, dried red fruits, and dry leaves.
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10/30/2022 - melvinyeowq wrote: 93 Points
Piedmont wines: This was a much better example and my favourite of the night. The elements of the wine were integrated and harmonious - tannins and fruit were balanced with a hint of wildness typical of Piedmont wines. Warm, vibrant black fruit with impressive structure that made me guess a Barolo from a good plot and 2001/04. Great wine that was still drinking quite youthfully.
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11/8/2021 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Monday Night Football and Grand Cru (Chicago, IL): A relatively new producer to me at least. This is very impressive with some explosive florals and red fruit on the nose. The palate is surprisingly ripe and sweet (I had expected something a little more structural), but all the nebbiolo tannins you expect are certainly there. I would say this was surprisingly easy to drink right now, and would love to see how this ages.
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2/20/2021 - tanduybui Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still quite young and has a fair way to go. The nose was floral but was earthiness, truffle like at the same time. Tannin was fine and slowly receded over a 5 hour period slowly revealing tar, dark fruit notes and quite savoury. I would not rush to drink this for another 5+ years.
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1/15/2021 - asparagus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had over lunch with an old friend. Just a glass and a half. Obviously still young, but with enough aggressive swirling/airing, one gets roses, red fruits and some herbs. Some savoury notes are beginning to creep in as well. Loved the acidic backbone and the long, lingering finish. Tannins, as ever, are present (this is Nebbiolo after all and Cortese is an old school producer), but they meld pleasantly into the whole. Will try again in 5 years.
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8/18/2020 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 96 Points
Reminiscent of a 1er cru Burgundy (vosne-romanee) in style and feel this is a spectacular Barbaresco full of quintessential tar and flowers, silky textured and with a perfect balance between primary fruit and tertiary wet earth, cigar tobacco, leather, autumn leaves and mushrooms. It is one of those soulful wines that make you love and appreciate the whole wine thing - inspiring, rewarding and intellectual.
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4/5/2019 - thatsbabymakinwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
This beautiful wine is crepuscular on the eye, glowing and distinctive garnet in a way that can only develop with patience. The nose is powerful and concentrated with roses, strawberries and truffles in waves, suggesting that the time in bottle has not completely run its course. The palate is so smooth, like a fine black tea with cherry and strawberry, complemented by a flash of spice, the alcohol somehow harmonising to make this seem more Burgundian and much more elegant than the muscular levels of 14% would suggest. Bravo, Cortese. The next bottle can wait for a worthy accompaniment on the plate, but the Rabaja Riserva 2001 drinks beautifully by itself.
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9/17/2018 - Kirk Grant wrote:
I have to say that I'm not concerned that this wine is drying out like others have noted. If anything I would say this is on the young side of it's life. I did purchase this bottle directly from the winery in 2016 so the provenance is near perfect...and if I had another bottle of this, I'd revisit it again in another decade+. Med+ body, quite tannic, yet also with a wealth of red fruits that balanced it out nicely. Tasted side by side with a 1971 Barolo Monvigliero and the pair of wines offered a nice contrast. This wine needed food to tackle the tannin...with a little Eposes and prosciutto this wine exploded with a wealth of red fruits and a nice lengthy finish...Outstanding!!!
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6/21/2018 - heymamalow Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle and what a way to sign off...
Slow-oxed for almost 2 hours and then decanted and drank over 2 hours.
Appearance was in between garnet and pale ruby.
Nose was so inviting with floral violets, light spice and a whiff of mushroom - Aromatics were in full drive.
Finely poised and went down so smooth. There is a nice acidity to it that brings tension and red fruits and this is rounded off with some cigar box, earthy notes. Tannins are fully resolved and medium length finish.
This was probably the best of the 3 bottles i have had. Really enjoyed it.
Note: It began to decline towards the tail end so might want to start drinking if you have more than a few bottles to spare.
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4/19/2018 - sfqwino Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good but not great. Starting to dry out so I would choose to drink up.
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11/14/2017 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
Italian with leather and sous-bois in the nose and ample but leanish flavors of cherry, leather and garrigue. Fell apart a bit after an hour or two. Time to drink.
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2/19/2017 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Barbaresco tasting (at Eli Raban's home, Rehovot): my last bottle - but perhaps I should buy more...
transparent red-brown with amber rim
elegant ripe mature dark cherries nose with tertiary earthy notes and truffles-bitter-chocolate hints, develops gently in the glass over time
medium-full bodied, soft integrated but firm tannins, rich mature cherries (and plums) flavours), elegant structure, fine complexity, earthy, truffles, excellent balance & harmony, bitter-dark-choclate & black pepper finish, fine tannic fruity aftertaste.
Excellent now and can still age 3-8 years more, at least.
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2/27/2016 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
celebrating my 60 with Hugo & Chanoch (at my home): dark translucent red-brown
tertiary ripe sweet cherries, fruity-earthy leathery smoky aroma, spices hints,
med-full bodied, sweet grip tannins, tobacco, savoury flavours, light spices, complex & elegant, ready to enjoy.
Pleasant med length finish.
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2/8/2016 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
Coravin tasting
dark translucent red-brown
present impressing quality nose of mature ripe dark fruits with earthy notes
silky, round integrated tannins, elegant structure, wonderful complexity, excellent balance & harmony, leather, roasted coffee, earthy tones, seems at optimal drinking period, lingering finish & aftertaste. clearly better than previous recent tasting.
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1/8/2016 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Mini Barbaresco tasting (at my home): Coravin tasting
see my previous TN
This time the wine was more solid and gave a bit better impression.
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1/1/2016 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
plannning Tishlers' & Weiners' trip to Piemonte (Yaffo-Tel-Aviv restaurant): Coravin tasting
dark translucent red-brown
tertiary ripe sweet cherries, fruity-earthy leathery smoky aroma, spices hints,
med-full bodied, sweet grip tannins, tobacco, savoury flavours, light spices, complex & elegant, ready to enjoy.
Pleasant med length finish.
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12/12/2015 - Rani Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of candied cherries on the nose. Took a while to open in the glass, a bit tannic, notes of toasted oak and red fruit. After a while the wine relaxed, became more elegant and complex with notes of strawberry, earth.
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7/7/2015 - JonathanP wrote: 92 Points
My last bottle of this. Pop and pour. Lovely cool flavours dominated by red fruit, rose and earthy spices. Quite elegant on the palate with nice focus and length. Clean. Tannins resolving but still some nice grip. In a good place right now.
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4/28/2015 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points
Delicious wine but a stark contrast to the G. Rinaldi opened before. More chocolate, more obvious fruit yet still the lovely medium mouthfeel. Good balance and mature. There is a long life ahead yet there is no harm drinking now. Lacks some complexity but a delicious drink. (92)
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12/17/2014 - Jasper Hofman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Best at second night, at first eve alcohol was a bit too present but mellowed down beautifully, great nebbiolo with 5-10 more years left
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11/26/2014 - galenico Does not like this wine: 88 Points
WINE TO MAGIC; 11/25/2014-11/30/2014 (TORINO - PALAZZO CARIGNANO): Naso avanti con gli anni, non sembra un 2001. terziarizzazione vegetale, quasi da sambuca.
All' assaggio è molto austero, diretto e giovanissimo e un pò sbilanciato tra la morbidezza del tannino e l' acidità, che fanno pensare a un vino più giovane di quello che ci si aspettava all' olfatto.
Il frutto invece è stranamente terziarizzato, funghi e rabarbaro, toni amari.
Vino sconnesso e poco a fuoco, spero fosse una bottiglia poco felice, perchè il 2006 ha tutt' altra stoffa.
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11/12/2014 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Giuseppe Cortese winery visit (Barbaresco): transparent red-brown, tertiary fruity-earthy leathery smoky aroma, med-full bodied, sweet grip tannins, tobacco, savoury flavours, light spices, complex & elegant, ready to enjoy. Pleasnt med length finish.
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12/21/2013 - RaggaMat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Palish garnet colour. Lovely perfumed violet nose with a hint of stewed tomatoes, pencil shavings and white pepper. Very high acidity combines with sour cherry, redcurrant and prune flavours. Medium bodied, with lean, slightly drying tannins but well integrated tannins. Long and juicy finish. Outstanding!
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9/6/2013 - Mivvy wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Medium garnet colour, roses and licorice on the nose. Medium bodied, has a touch of mint, then dark cherry, fine red fruit, juicy acidity. Finishes long with grippy tannins.
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3/6/2013 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Bloody mushrooms, very savory violets infused tomato cherry and stewed beef sauce. Something very captivating.
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2/16/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 89 Points
Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Verticals (Sydney, Australia): Pencil shavings, earth and licorice on the nose. Palate is structured and will develop over the medium term. A little bit more depth would really be good though.
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12/2/2012 - JonathanP wrote: 92 Points
Consumed over three days. Cool flavour profile of tangy/savoury red fruit, spice, earth, rose and liquorice. There is very good balance here; acids are well integrated, keep the wine fresh and hit some high notes, while the tannins - which are round, resolving, yet powdery - lend a nice grip to the finish. Great structure. Didn't move a heck of a lot over the three days, suggesting many years of potential enjoyment, but this has just snuck into the start of its drinking window.
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8/23/2012 - JonathanP wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted 3 hours before serving. This is very good juice. Complex flavour profile of sweet and savoury red fruit, spices, roses, leather and a hint of liquorice. There is great structure here, which is beautifully integrated into the wine. Acids are soft and approachable and the tannins are resolving nicely, resulting in a round, silky mouthfeel. There is a bit more grip towards the finish. Great intensity, but very light on the palate. For me, this is ready to go now but I see no reason why it wouldn't hold for another decade.
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