Not sure what I expected, seem to be hit or miss with Italian wines, but this is a beauty. Drinking really well, beautiful lush fruit, complex, smooth, long finish....quite pleased. As was the missus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP: Ruby with light to brick rim; nice notes of cedar, dry leaves; tart cherry, medium bodied, smooth with a dusty drying finish; still very enjoyable at 20 years; excellent with lasagna
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
High-shoulder with perfect cork. Dark plum color turning orange at the rim. Expansive on the nose with classic Brunello aromas of cherry, cedar, spice, and flowers. Dark cherry and plum flavors with juicy acidity and dusty tannins, finishing on a long, tart, and mouth-watering herbal note. Needs a fair amount of air to fully open. High concentration from old vines, and a lots of new oak, reminiscent of a riserva. Good quality wine that pairs well with pasta with red meat sauce. Should have a long life remaining.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crusty sediment, brick orange rim, ruby centre. Forest floor nose initially, but ripe fruit follows. Dry in the mouth, but a great burst of fruit in the middle and as you swallow. Lingering impression is raisin, lasts for minutes. Lovely. Subtle. Four years left of recommended drinking window and one bottle left !
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 90 minutes off massive slimy plaques of sediment; this bottle hadn't been moved for 12 years, so most of the gunk stuck to the side of the bottle. Intense scent of rich beef consommée, mushroom stock and densely balsamic aromatic herbs. Vibrant, linear palate with high acid, high dark-fruit concentration and almost resolved tannins—the astringency squeezes every last drop of saliva out of every crevice of your mouth. Big, muscular, authoritative. Long, resonant finish. After 5 previous immature bottles (CT TNs below), this was my first one to have arrived at a point of exquisite balance. Bottles in this condition will continue to give years and years of pleasure. 95P
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Love this bottle, sounds like I got a good one based off the other notes. I feel like I got 2 (or 10) in 1 with the different ways it presented.
Started off with blackberry and plum, a little on the thinner side, acid very present. Then some herbaceousness. About an hour with the bottle open it move to more dried dark cherry, acidic earth, tartness on opening has mellowed out. Has gained some body as well. Just read Keithakers note and getting some raspberry hidden underneath when I look for it, not out at the top.
I would give this about an hour open after pouring a half glass or so to let it show its stuff. Will try to remember to update if it changes significantly...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with some friends, so I brought the wine. 2015 Tenuta Santa Maria Amarone Classico Reserva, 2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, and 2009 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet. All were double decanted for two hours prior to dinner. To be honest, all of the wines were excellent.
The Il Poggione had somewhat of a muted nose that opened a little with time. Floral and sage were present but not as forward as I would have expected. However, when it came to the palate, this wine delivered the goods. Black olive tapenade and herbs at the forefront with a breeze of dried spring flowers in the background. The tannins were well resolved and it was smooth as silk. Really enjoyed this one.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mid garnet, a touch of brick orange to the rim. Evolved and slightly porty nose. Fruit quite stewed. Similar to previous bottle, but where that held things together in a relatively inoffensive way, this one is harder work. Can just about drink a glass, so merits 1*, but little interest beyond the academic in coming back for more. The alcohol is obvious 14.5% and the residual fruit is tired and stewed. I wonder if this would have been better in its youth to provide a buttress to the alcohol or whether the fruit always had this tired profile. Oh well… *
Wow. Needs 90 min of air. Blue cheese funk blows off. Deep cherries , blueberries , mushrooms , licorice , spice, gelatin , tannins ….long finish . Not too old at all if stored well. Amazing
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby color-no brick. Red and black fruit (cherry and dark plum) on the nose and palate. Medium to full body with some additional earth on the palate and finish. Drank over 2 nights and it didn't loose much on night 2.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Burnt red colour. Dried herbs and leather nose with cherry coming through on the palate. Noticeable acidity and still some tannins. A few years left but not much fruit to hang on to so would start drinking (as lovely right now too!)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brunello 2004 Horisontal (My House): Young cherry fruit with a lovely acidity and a fine acidity. Perhaps the tannins are still a bit rough. A lovely and classic wine but unfortunately not more than that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mature and possibly on the decline. Nice brunello, with some classic notes, but the overall feeling was a bottle that had seen better days. Based on prior experience and the tasting notes of others I suspect a bad bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Aromas of dark cherry, prunes, tobacco, leather, earth. This Brunello is full of life. Balanced, medium body, medium+ acidity, silky tannins. Taste of cherries and black plums. Long. Excelent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1 hour decant. Silky smooth texture. Effusive nose of cherry. Notes of tobacco, leather, black licorice, and a little spice. Highly enjoyable, vibrant, and showy at this stage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The last of my five bottles of this, and it’s still going strong at age 18. Just a beautiful mature Brunello in no danger of dropping off in the near future. Classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this beautiful Brunello with some friends (Pnp) at a holiday gathering. Italian herbs with soft black olive tapenade wrapped in a cloak of velvet fruit. I enjoy the experience of having a Brunello that holds your hand as it walks you back into the old days of its pedigree. It left me with one lingering thought…..”Man, I wish I had a big piece of lasagna”
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious with 45 minute decant. We took it to a restaurant; I would have given it a couple of hours at home. Layers of flavor with a long finish. Yum!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp tables side at an Italian restaurant. We let sit open standing for an hour. It really shined tonight. Dark cherries, earth and space with good good length in the mouth. Well integrated tannins and no flaws. Solid Brunello. Nice marriage with the Italian fare. Wish we had more of these but I’ve finished my trio that I had. Better every time we open one. Long life ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted a couple of hours in advance. Mature, evolved garnet colour. Warm spice, slightly cooked plum fruit, leather and a little varnish. Quite harmonious but a little heat on the finish. Decent. Ready. ***1/2
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A musty, rustic nose. Wide open in the mouth, leather, tobacco and dark plum. Drinking fantastically, probably won't get better, but a few years left. Medium finish. Beautiful Brunello!
The Italian pick-up (Terra Rossa, Islington): Felt amazingly young still, an unexpected level of austerity for such an old bottle. Makes me worry about my 2019s! I really liked this, despite the obvious structure and surprising lack of elegance it was really tasty with dark fruit, leather and tapenade all going on.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Classic nose of black currant, olives and herbs. The wine is full bodied, structured and youthful. Blackberry, plum, black cherry, herbs and olives come through into a long finish.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Audaciously smooth and balanced. What a change! A wine without any rebelliousness. Not on the downturn yet but definitely comfortable and relaxed. Silky charming suave bastardo.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking very well right now Lots of dark fruit in the nose and flavor, blackberries, black cherries, and black currants with hints of leather and spice. Concentrated, medium bodied, well balanced, and a medium to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still young! Needed a 2 hour decant before opening up. A beautiful Brunello, with typical characteristics. I think this can go for another 10 years no problem. But, it's still elegant after a decant if you open now!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp table side at restaurant. Muted and a little asleep upon opening. Unfolded into nice mature brunello. Dark red fruits, earth n spice. Soft tannins but still held up well with Italian cuisine at 2 hours. Evolved into a wonder representation of an an aged brunello. One more still in cellar for another experience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dried red/black cherry and strawberry fruit. Notes of stewed tomatoes, tobacco, leather, and spice. Good acidity, long finish. Nice wine right now but no rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very impressive and well-developed wine. Plenty of dark cherry fruit left and just continues to develop very nicely. The rustic impression that it gave off when young has evolved very nicely into an impressive intensity with lots of complexity and depth. Very lovely wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smells like Bordeaux. Black fruit primarily and Christmas cake on the nose. Some minerality later. Developed more red fruit, strawberry after a few hours. Really sweet fruit on the attack. Maybe some milk chocolate too. Very high acidity. Some flowers on the palette. Still loads of tannin, decades ahead. So sweet on the tip of the tongue, not sugar, just the fruit profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Five hour slow oxidation. Deep ruby fading to a medium ruby outer edge. An interplay of red and black fruits appear on the nose with the deeper, richer black fruits coming to the fore with the passing of time. Damp herbs, dried violets, and black pepper provide additional nuances. Incredibly well structured on the palate with dark cherries and black plums. Still very primary and at least five years away from starting to enter early maturity and a more pleasurable drinking phase. Should comfortably age for another two decades from here.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was better than a bottle drunk a few months ago, so bottle variation is in play, although the drinking window is not a factor at this point; this will be good for five to ten more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stood up for a day decanted for sediment 1 hour prior to drinking. Mod sed. Serous bucking. More orange than I recall from the last bottle. Soft palate. Almost thin, still some dark fruit but lots of secondaries here. Still good with Italian fare. Not sure when I had the last one of these, but I recall it being very big and more of an adolescent experience. Now, much more mature. Still enjoyable, but so very different compared to a 13 yo high end Napa Cab this night. Did I wait too long to pull the trigger? Will pop the next one sooner to see if bottle variability.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank alongside the 2010, 2012, and 2015 vintages. Not that you could validly compare this 2004 to the others given its much older, but this was undoubtedly wine of the flight. Very developed in aroma and on the palate, but still showing a lovely purity of fruit. Nicely melded tannins and a vibrant acidity. Well balanced throughout the long harmonious palate. And I still think this can go another 5-7 years or so.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brick red on pouring, evolves to deep ruby over 1-2 hours in decanter. Initially warm/hot on palate with little fruit. Over time, nose develops much like sherry cask, with tart cherry and blackberry on palate. Moderate tannins but not overpowering. Intriguing and fun wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I started with 18 bottles of this wine 13 years ago and have 4 left - therefore, I wasted 13 bottles. It's unfortunate that the professional critics can't predict the future and know when a bottle will become magical like this one was tonight. This wine was 89 pts up until this point. At least I have 4 left, all of which I'll drink soon since it's in a real sweet spot.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour, leaving an immense deposit clinging to the side of the bottle. Gently browning colour heralds that wonderful beef consommée/blood/herbal/forest floor maturing Brunello scent. Add fine cigar tobacco and raw leather. The palate is dominated by very ripe dark fruit, intensely concentrated with grape-pip tannins, but without ever showing obvious sweetness; massive astringent tanninic crescendo to the finish, growing rougher as time passes. The last sip at 3 hours after opening was the most sandpaper-like. Challenging, imperious wine, possibly just entering early maturity, but with lots of time to go. Worked fine with cepes risotto, would have been even better with char-grilled meat. 91P(?)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cooked strawberry and menthol on the nose. Tart cherry with notes of plum, currant, and leather on the medium finish, with moderate tannins and strong acidity. This was a good value at about $50. It's in its drinking window, although there's no need to hurry to open a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sangiovese Study (chicago, IL): Nose: The nose shows off a darker side to the fruit with plums, dark red cherries, raspberries, licorice, smoke, creosote, savory herbs, spice notes, leather, and violets. This is wide open, layered, and balanced with it still showing a somewhat primary nature.
Taste: The feel is Full bodied with tart, medium+ acidity and chewy, medium+ tannins. There is still some youth to the structure while the feel is deep and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, raspberries, savory herbs, leather, smoke, licorice, and violets.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully right now and there are plenty of miles left on the road. This shows off a darker side to the fruit with a soulful, savory quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP in good not great shape. I was hoping it might find some wind in its sails, but instead it remained fairly linear, if mildly pleasing. Not the best of corks, I suppose; should have shown better. NR
Not decanted. Color bricking. Musty flavours, although no TCA. Drying tannins. All in all, a rustic type of Brunello you have to like, but it doesn't work for me. Will reconsider what to do with my remaining bottles (7 left, 2 of which are magnums), after retasting in 3 years time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We check in on this wine every two years and this was its best showing yet. Really bringing the complete package with a quick double decant and 20 minutes of air. Great floral bouquet, medium-to-full body, dusty red fruits and cedar on the palate, and good acidity to carry it on the finish. So good right now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 30mins. Clear med ruby- quite bright with some minimal bricking. Med plus nose. Fruity on the pop but blew off to soy and earthy tones. Med+ intensity in the mouth with med+ body. Fruit comes back for the beginning- cherries and strawberry, before the earthiness returns. Finishes off with blackberries for a long finish. Acid still alive and drives the length.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyable, not as spectacular as I remember. Plum colored, slight old world nose, pretty rich dark blue and purple fruit. Hangs around the palate for a while after drinking. Would recommend pairing with rich food.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark plummy fruits with tar, black tea (there’s a sweet woodsy/twig sort of flavor going on), and tobacco notes. Fruit cake, potpourri, rose hips, and violet add a really nice finish, which is also accentuated by good acid and well integrated cedar/vanilla flavors from the oak. Not quite as smooth as the Sesti and Costanti, but after those two bottles, which both seemed a bit tired, I really appreciated the youthful energy of this bottle, 16 years into its development. On the flip side, I found this bottle to be less complex and sophisticated than those two bottles and I found it less food friendly. I enjoyed it better on its own, but one of the things I love about Sangiovese is how well it accentuates the food. Good wine, but not outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank this at Kam Boat with my wine mates. Theme of the night: Wines that start with B.
A modern take on Brunello. Dark brooding purple in colour with notes of violets, blueberries, cherries and a touch of varnish. Good structure and well crafted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprised how much the missus and I enjoyed. Questioned buying a case 5+ years ago, but this has morphed into a full-bodied wine with dark integrated fruit, fairly smooth, good nose, nice finish. Glad to have 9 more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Trying this one in 2014 it was a really gorgeous Brunello so I kept 4 bottles for enjoying further development. I regret having waited till 2019. It's by far over the top, getting a sherry-like touch. Lesson learned.
This is what happens when you wait just a bit too long. It was a shell of itself from previous openings. It did take almost 1.5 hours to open but remained such for about an hour and took a nose dive. It was a bit cloudy but basically lackluster. Cork was in excellent shape but the wine wasn't. It was flabby and disjointed for the most part and barely drinkable. Noticing others great scores it's possible I just had an off bottle. Stored impeccably but then one never knows, does one?
Acquired new and stored in commercial grade cellar at home. 2 hour decant. This wine has gotten better with time. Mature but years to go. Lovely Brunello.
Nose of wet tobacco, leather, eucalyptus, cedar, and floral mix frame a fruit forward palate with fresh young tannins, medium minus acidity and a jammy, medium finish
Early days of a drinking window with some tightish tannins which should improve over next few years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2nd of 4 bottles, last tasted 2 years ago. Opened and tasted a few glasses on night 1, then recorked and finished on night 2. This bottle was big and a bit unbalanced on the first night, showing a bit of heat, with really gritty tannins and rather fierce acidity. Don't get me wrong, it was very good, but a bit jumbled and clumsy on PnP. After a night of slow-O, a big difference. I can now taste the tobacco leaf, mint, black tea, tart red cherries, and iron. The wine is very masculine, with a super-tight mid-palate, bright acidity, finely grained tannins, and a long, long finish. Drink now through 2030 or so.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ein großer Brunello! Immer noch jung wirkend! Nicht der Schmusetyp. Mit guter Säure und Tannin, beides aber nicht störend! Braucht viel Luft! Mal eben auf die Schnelle kann man sich schenken. Tolle Sauerkirsche am Gaumen!! Die Nase hält von der Intensität nicht ganz mit. Evtl. geht da sogar noch etwas mehr in ein paar Jahren!? Toller Wein!! Erst recht fürs Geld! 95+P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium garnet. Within an hour a medium + intensity of nose had emerged with some really lovely sweet cooked fruit balanced with leather, tobacco and smoked wood flavors. A lot of depth and length to the nose that is worth the price of entry alone. Palette is smooth, medium alcohol, well integrated tannins, and good flavor intensity. But no match for the nose. If you have some I think it is at its best. Hard to see how it gets better from here. So , open up, wait an hour and then Just breath it in!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop 'n pour from 55 degree cellar. Nose of tobacco and brambly black fruit. Bracing and lively acidity. Cranberries and black tea flavors. Tannins are a bit dry. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
definitely showing age with bricking and somewhat reserved fruit, but definitely the best bottle I've had...it has taken a long time to come around. Surprised it took so long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped, breathed in bottle 4 hours, consumed over next two hours. The nose on this was incredible right from the pop. On the palate, when I first tasted upon opening, I had some misgivings. 4 hours of slow ox later, the palate had transformed and was beginning to deliver on the promise of the incredible aromatics. Took about 30 more minutes in the glass for everything to come forward, play in absolute harmony and provide a memorable Brunello experience. Intense, yet weightless, complex, beautifully balanced with mouth watering acidity and an expanding, lingering finish. Still, I feel this wine is just beginning to show tertiary development, so I suspect it has even more to give. If I had another bottle, I'd love to revisit and see how it develops over the next five years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Little change since my last TN of 29.08.2017. Stern, sexy, concentrated, ripe red/dark berry fruit, balsamic aromas. Medium bodied, high acidity, almost disconcertingly ripe fruit-led palate remains linear through to medium-long finish. Still seems young. Fine now, but no hurry at all, may well improve if the bunched-up ripe sweetness on the mid-palate lets go a little. 91(-93)P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nicely aged Brunello in a very good place. Still a fair bit of tannin that may not balance out before the fruit goes. Also a tiny hint of maturity/oxidization on the nose, but that might be bottle variation based on recent notes.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is excellent, in perfect window. Drank over an hour, after a 30 minute decant. On the palate,notes of dark cherry, licorice and raspberry. Beautiful ruby color, with no bricking.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last of 7 btls over 2 release purchases. This is the wine that got me excited about Brunello for its versatility and terroir influenced character. Best of all, so much depth for just $40, and even today, you'll have a hard time paying more than $60 for most Brunellos. It rarely reaches the heights of Burgundy but its a screamingly great value and glass of food friendly red wine! And, in most cases it integrates its elevated Alc levels better than other regions. Stood up for a day to collect sediment in bottom back of btl. Like my btl 6 months ago the cork was super tight and barely 1/16" soak! Test sip & sniff at 3 and decided to slow -ox in glass/btl till dinner. Resolved and fully ready to go, this now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral, herbs and underbrush. Alc 14.5 but not an issue. What a classy terroir driven glass of wine tonight. Moving on to my 06s, 07s & 10s. If, I had some more I don't think I'd want to wait more than a year or three to drink up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
See my prior note, and the difference between these two bottles. This one, dark ruby in color. Rich and full bouquet on the nose that takes just a bit of swirling to coax out. On the palate, cherries, leather. Tannins are quite prominent on the finish if drinking without food.
I had 12 of these, 6 bottles from two different sources. I hope I'm not going to find myself playing russian roulette with the remaining 10 bottles (e.g. 1 good, 1 bad).
Followup note - this seems to develop quite quickly in the glass, becoming darker and more monolithic on the palate, very light hints of something like "cooked" and a big pop from the tannins which ultimately creates an out-of-balance situation. Not the direction I was hoping for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Probably similar to Kris G's experience. Seal was good. Wine trended toward brown. Quite a bit of port tendencies on the flavor profile. Seems overly mature/oxidized for its age, yet strong tannins on the backend. An interesting experiment I suppose, but with the opening of a second (much better) bottle of the same, this one hit the drain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red ruby with very slight bricking around the edges. Intensely perfumed nose with dark florals, hint of warm earth, asian spice, leather and dark red fruit. Medium bodied palate reveals sweet liqueur of red berries, tobacco, medium acidity, no tannins and a long spicy and perfumed finish. A rather elegant and silky Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Garnet color - Drank from half bottle. Very mature Sangiovese on the nose and on the palate. Probably not the best bottle as it seems to be too mature considering the vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gorgeous wine. Unlike any other Brunello I’ve had. Right upon opening so I ran it back and forth in decanters, recorked and opened at dinner an hour later.
This was quite delicate and refined. The interesting thing I tasted was nutmeg which was unexpected. Very pretty and elegant
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cherries, sour fruit and a hint of leather. Well integrated and balanced - tannins nicely broken down. Very well made wine - just felt it was a little one dimensional which prevents me from marking higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stood up for a day to collect sediment in bottom back of btl. The cork was super tight and barely 1/16" soak! Test sip & sniff around 3:30 and decided to slow- ox in glass/btl till dinner. This is still fresh but felt slightly more fullish then I remember previous btls. Still, this is fun and now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral and forest floor. This btl showed more earth too then previous btls. Not confident this gets better but likely hangs for another 5yrs. So I'll plan to drink my last btl NLT 2025, latest. Alc 14.5 but still reasonably in check. One left, resting in the very bottom of wine cabinet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cherry fruit and very earthy smell, iron and leather. Rich palate, more black cherry, lots of tangy acid and a bit of wood spice. Full bodied and still quite tannic, well structured. Long fresh herbal and menthol finish. Everything in balance, lovely mature Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted one hour. The nose here is a bit shy a requires some coaxing and even when it comes it quite earth and leafy. On the other hand the palate is fantastic with flavors of dried cherries and cranberries mixing nicely with tobacco and earth notes into a long finish. Well integrated and balanced this is classic brunello at full maturity where it should hold for another 3-5 years. Great value for the money too if you can still find some.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With 15 years of age, this really needs to stand upright for a day or so and be decanted off the sediment. That said, this is in a very good spot. Big balsamic notes, dried herbs, tertiary leather and tobacco flavors frame the fruit, which has taken on a dried character. General earthy notes, with tomato / tomato leaf ,on the nose and palate, reminds you that you're drinking Sangiovese. Fully integrated tannins, medium+ acid and generally medium+ on the body. Probably at or near peak, but it has the stuffing to carry on for several years. Not really exceptional in any single aspect, but very solid and a good example of aged Brunello. That probably sounds more dismissive than I intended it to be.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a very good brunello now drinking at peak. Popped and poured but it really came out to play about 45 minutes in so I would recommend a moderate decant. Sophisticated nose of dried cherries, leather and herbs. The palate has a nice structure with a few layers of complexity interplaying both fruit and earth flavors nicely. Palate notes of cherry, red currant, earth, licorice and spices come through with a well integrated and decently long finish. This winery continues to deliver particularly at this price point.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The cork came out in perfect condition, the color was still a beautiful deep red and there was precious little sediment in the bottle on decanting. At first there was little aroma. It took about 2 hours for black cherry to emerge on the nose. On the palate the wine had fresh acidity and depth of fruits dominated by black cherry. The cherry dominance settled down by the 3rd hour to make a very subtle wine, well-balanced wine with silky smooth tannins and gorgeous long finish. There was almost zero resistance to this one slinking down. The word heavenly seems fit. This wine could probably last another 8-10 years. Amazing value.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The underlying bones of this wine are outstanding and there is still a good fruit foundation, but this bottle and the last one I had were a bit oxidized. This was a distraction that degraded the experience. I only recently purchased these bottles and am wondering how well the previous owners have stored them.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour, which was definitely needed. Dark red fruit, a little slatey. Enjoyable wine but lacking some finesse, maybe better in 2-3 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep dark garnet, along with a reddish hue indicating it's maturing; yellowing rim; opaque. Blackberry, black cherry, mint, leather, tobacco, oak. Mint is obvious on the nose. Big, powerful and intense fruit. Dense and viscous. Tannin has abated, but a lot of structure remains for more longevity. A long, long finish. Score 94+.
A beautiful, exotic bottle. Deep, complex aromas of herbs, vanilla, truffle, meat, alcohol. Also great on the palate, with menthol mint and spice overtones, very exotic.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had friends over for dinner, no formal note. Decanted 45 minutes then consumed over the next 60. Deep, dark color. Floral, sappy cherry, with hints of anise and leather. Really nice balance and in now way of showing this is declining. Excellent wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I tasted a lot of wines today. And then tonight comes along something far less humble. A ripe charcoal of a wine, sour for the first 45 minutes in the decanter and then. And then, a dark toned bouquet. Lush. Coffee-like. Then harmonious complexity infusing macerated berries and tobacco: peach then lemon, lime, carmel, marachino, carrot cake, cinnamon, salami, the lick of a spearmint leaf. Slightly drying. Even better in a year. Very 2020-2024.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine seems to be a bit oxidized, which is detracting from the great underlying fruit that I can still marginally detect. I only recently purchased this lot, and it appears the previous owner did not store this wine so well. A bit disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the nose, this has depth, power and grace. Dark strawberry preserves and subtle floral background. On the palate, this has great depth and yet precision, with balanced power, dark sangiovese fruit and a sense of stoniness. Power and drive with harmony. Youthfully delicious. A wonderful wine in the making.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st of 6. Decanted and tasted 2 hours later. Nose of cherry and menthol. Nice sappy aromas. Big wine. Cherry, resiny fruit. Tannins are firm. Long finish. Drinking very well, but should hold for a decade or more. Glad I have more!
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep nose, beef blood, damp soil, spice, menthol and cherry’s. Dry palate, medium weight, medium acid and juicy. Very little evolution after 13 years, not sure when this will soften up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st of 4 bottles. This BdM is flirting with perfection this evening. Aromas and flavors of tart red cherry, with notes of leather and moist soil. The tannins are beautifully astringent, giving a gorgeous mouthfeel and loads of complexity, changing with each sip. Drink now through 2025+. So delicious.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is still an amazingly fresh wine. There is little sign of ageing and the flavour is intense and concentrated. Amazing value for money and I see no rush to drink the remaining bottles. Not for the faint hearted!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very little signs of aging, I think this wine is in it's prime drinking window but no rush. Cherry, savoury sangiovese notes, dark ruby, a balanced sweetness and lingering complexity. Excellent. Poggione is a first tier brunello producer and I remember drinking wines 10+ years ago from the 2001 vintage when they were a steal. Unfortunately everyone else has subsequently realized how good they are and the costs have risen correspondingly but still fair considering the quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazinlgy fresh and light yet well rounded and slightly sweet frui, despite its age. And as mentioned early this year it really is drinking well right now. Feels like it could stay in this wondow for quite some time, and may even improve in depth. A good value Brunello if you had the patience to wait the 14 years its taken to get to this point!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loads of preserved Italian cherry with some herbal undertones and mushroom. More full bodied than I expected. Acidity and tannin still there with a bit of an edge to the acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good fruit remaining and integrated tannins. Definitely deeper in color than my last bottle so some variation there. Wine had a bit of a vegetal quality on open but it dissipated after a few hour decant. I gave the wine a 92 after the initial night but finished the next day and with more air the wine took on a wonderful aroma and deeper complexity. Decant 3-4 hours or even open night before and leave until next day. Fantastic effort.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Auction purchase. Opened this one at AM with intent to slo-ox, but it was pretty much ready to go. Re-corked and drank that evening. There's an old world elegance to the 2004s that will let you call them blind. Not block busters, but subtle, well made wine. Red fruit and food-friendly acidity. Decade or more left.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for a few hours but still closed. Red purple color with bit of translucency and not too dark. Still young and closed. Nose and palate of dried tea leaves and slight cherry flavor. Short-medium length. Potential to age well.
Decanted a few more hours on following day and tannins softened. Color became more rust hue and red. Finish lengthened quite a bit as well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Best bottle so far. Excellent Brunello, mouthwatering style, great acidity, elegant, spicy, powerful and long. Did not notice any of the baked fruit flavors and moldy notes as with last bottle. This wine is great now but will not fade anytime soon. - 91 points
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 2 hours but not sure its needed other than to clear some pesky sediment. Next btl I'll either do just a quick double decant for the sediment or, slow ox in glass/btl and pour carefully. This really doesn't gain from lots of air. This is still fresh while showing a smidge leaner than its earlier days. In some ways I miss the more overt fruit of 3-4 years ago and on release. Still, this is fun and now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral and forest floor. Not sure how much better this gets, if at all, so I'll plan to drink my next one in 2020/21 and perhaps roll the dice on last btl and drink it at age 20 in 2024? Or, not. See how the 2020 btl performs and then decide on the last. Alc 14.5 but you never feel it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was sublime. A lovely wine in a perfect place. 2 hour decant. Silk in a glass. Had the whole table purring and singing its praises. Still relatively young so no rush to consume - but certainly ready to drink. The nose was initially a little funky but that dissipated. Some acidity, cherries, beautifully smooth with fully resolved tannins. I'm sure I paid less than £20/bottle EP and at this price point this is a ridiculously good value wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smooth w strawberry and cherry notes. Refined and with fully resolved tannins. A little thin mouthfeel but drinking perfectly after a double decant w bistecca a la fiorentina.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Immer noch jung. Er braucht immer noch viel Luft! Aber das frühe Trinkfenster ist jetzt erreicht. Die erste Flasche vor 2,5 Jahren deutete es an. Das ist grosser Stoff. Noch kein Schmeichler, immer noch dicht und zupackend. Die grosse Harmonie ist aber schon spürbar. Nichts überreifes! Mit viel Luft jetzt schon toll! In 2 Jahren wohl noch besser!! 95+P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Significantly better than he last bottle we tried. Really very good right now. Lovely dark berry and fruit nose, and palette is now smooth and long and a lovely mix of fruit and Forrest floor, with no harsh tamarins visible at all.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby red, but clear in a strong light. Deposits crystallised in bottle. Pale orange rim. Decanted two hours before drinking. Classic dry, sour cherry nose, but overtones of leather. Initial impression in mouth is of dryness and tannin, but then it opens out and the finish is lovely and lingering. Still good the next day. It got lost with food and guests much preferred a younger wine. On it's own, with bread and cheese, shows real class. Teeth dry on the tannin, but in the back of the mouth is tobacco, plum and fig. Delightful, but delicate. Only two left, so giving them 2 year spacing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much softer than 3 years ago and less oxidized than the last bottle, a slightly cooked and sweet plum and cherry fruit, but balanced by bright acidity, lots of spicy oak flavors, cinnamon, rusty iron flavors, slightly vegetal tobacco notes, a bit of a moldy funk, good length. A fine Brunello, but for me this is slightly too ripe to be among the best wines of the vintage. The moldy note might indicate a cork issue, but it wasn't very obvious. Drinking well now. - 90 points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still comes across as rather youthful. No hurry to drink. Very solid but had my hopes raised for a 2004 that should be entering its prime. Dark cherry, sweet tobacco. Good acidity for food. Was hoping the nose would really open up but again no. Seems like still to early. Hold.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Developed aromas, slightly vegetal with what seemed to be cooked dark cherry fruit. Palate very tight still. Black fruit is there but veiled behind a tough tannic structure. Maybe needs some time to fully develop and reach its peak balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light nose of red berries, forest floor... Very concentrated taste, loads of sappy tannin, loads of ripe red cherries, good balancing acidity, great lenght of 30 sec, still a bit closed, wait 2-3 more years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Gorgeous exotic scent: Redcurrant with a touch of blackcurrant (Ribena?), oriental spices, oak, licquorice and finest balsamic vinegar. Medium bodied, with ripe red-black fruit becoming increasingly generous with air; very bright acidity starting several seconds after the entry remains linear to the long, resonant, balsamic finish (sage? rosemary and thyme). Still present tannic grip much better integrated than one year ago (my TN 09.09.2016), with scope for further improvement over 2-5 years. 91(-92)P
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank two 375 ml bottles. Blackberry, forest floor and wood on the nose. So nicely puled together now. Great flavour intensity balanced with acidity and fine tannins. Approaching prime time now in half bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Been holding this one for almost 7 years. So well balanced. Done tannins. Smoothly and so well paired with Olives, salamis and Lagsagna. I always find these Italians wines to be wonderful with food, but less of a star on their own. Maybe just me...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PP@Belotti; fine tannins and good length; maturing nicely; balanced, and even refined compared with the rough around the edges 2011 Uccelleria that accompanied it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over 3 hour period. Nice development on the nose good earthy raspberry mushroom, leather nice lingering finish drinking nicely at the moment. decant the wine
for the money i was expecting more
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lots of sediment. Decant carefully. Dark reddish purple color. Flavors of mature red and black fruits, earth tones, slightly extracted. Tannins re still a bit tight, good flavor depth. Slight tobacco, medium acidity. Very classy and delicious, but not quite the level of quality expected.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Some mixed reviews of this. Today's bottle is the first from a case of 12. I wasn't as disappointed as some folks. Even decanted for an hour it's still a little tight and likely needs more air, but it's got good length, is nicely acidic and cherry-like and I'm looking forward to trying the next 11 over the coming years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good deep reddish purple. Classic aromas of leather, tobacco, black cherry liqueur and hint of licorice. Palate shows good depth to the sweet and tart black cherry fruit, ripe tobacco, hint of licorice, medium acidity, lurking tannins on a long smoky finish.
Well 5 1/2 years ago I rated this wine only 85 as it was sour and did not have the typical BdM notes that I cherish. I opened my second and last bottle tonight and was still un-impressed. While the sour notes have disappeared it still had none of the characteristics of Brunello that I have experienced over fifty bottles or so. Oh well on to my other producers.
Decent nose, a bit old world and nice. Some earth tones and red-black fruit both present. Bit thin on palate. Unsure if the tannins will integrate further.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Six years since I had my lost bottle. I thought then it was good but hot and needed time. It's settled somewhat but, for my taste, this remains too extracted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Floral, fresh picked ripe cherry. Red raspberry & currant, cherries jubilee. Continues to hold steady. Has heavy duty staying power. Could easily cellar another 5-8 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought with us to Sea-Guini at the Opal Sands on Clearwater Beach ($30 corkage). Starting to look mature. Slight bricking and some lightening at the edge. Powerful aromas of earth, leather, tobacco and spice on the nose. Full-bodied and initially very tight and earthy on the palate also. This took 45 minutes to open fully, finally revealing plenty of tangy, delicious sour cherry and plum fruit, with excellent depth and intensity. Very nicely balanced, showing a moderate-to-lively acidity and silky tannins that are perfectly integrated. Finishes very long and complex, with attractive notes of leather, coffee, spice and a lingering hint of orange peel at the very end. A gorgeous, surprisingly elegant Brunello that is now in its prime. Paired beautifully with the Pappardelle and Beef Rib Ragu. 50+5+12+17+8=92
Solid, though still very young with rather strong acidity that's a bit angular without food. Nice concentrated dried red fruits and spice with a nice tobacco element. Drinkable now, but probably better in a few years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still a young Brunello at age 12. This has an elegant, medium-bodied frame with cherry and dusty leather notes backed by a suggestion of dried thyme. Due to time constraints, this was double decanted and followed for about an hour. It continued to improve over that time, so I expect more good things ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think vinnut is right on the money with his notes (thanks. great description), except that I think it will evolve further in the years to come and will peak in 5-7 years at least. Beautiful example of Brunello and Il Poggione.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Did not compare well to the 2004 Ciacci Pianrosso tonight. Decanted 3 hours and drank over 1 hour. I expected more. Too limited complexity. Not well integrated. I will wait a year to try again. Maybe 2 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep dark garnet in color with bricking & clearing at the edges. Forward, attractive & fragrant nose of mature, ripe fruits aromas of cherries, blueberries, dried figs & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & tar notes, floral notes of roses, sandalwood/cedar, aged tobacco, truffles, anise, dark cocoa, minerals, spices, smoky & dried herbs. Medium bodied with good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, mature, ripe dark fruit flavors of sour cherries, blueberries & plums with earthiness, mushrooms, spices, licorice, minerals, herbs & some toasty oak. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & may be at or quite close to its peak of development so make plans to drink it up soon.
Second of two 375ml bottles I've opened, and both have been tired, flabby and lacking structure. A friend has also opened some 375s from the same source with the same results. Other wines I've opened from the same source/cellar have been pristine. I'd expect a half bottle to be more evolved than a 750, but I'm wondering if this is evidence that the 04 Poggione normale isn't going to be a long lived wine.
Greek Rabbit Stew and Brunello's (Leo's Place, Mpls, MN): Medium dark red color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was my second favorite of the night. Another great '04 with a fantastic nose of dried earth, leather, and baking spices, plum, dark cherry and apple. The palate has nice ripe fruits, deep cherry, plum, earthy, dried spices, elegant. 93+ to 94pts.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear, deep ruby. Dark fruit and dry earth, with hints of sweet spice, vegetable leaf and faint tobacco. Decent acidity, medium body, medium(+) drying tannins. A rather brooding presentation; perhaps this could have used a much longer decant - 3 hours, say.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Slightly musky with underlying sweet fruits. Light on the palate with good acid and strong tannins. On the next day licorice with slight heat. More burgundy like
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Anything B at Wah Lok (Wah Lok): On the nose, aromas of red cherries, vanilla, sweet spices, plums, some dark fruits, tomato, earth. On the palate, flavours of dark cherries, red fruits, sweet spices and vanilla.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Man muss die Nase schon sehr tief ins Glas stecken, um die subtilen Aromen von Kirsche, Veilchen, Mokka und Kräutern zu erfassen. Am Gaumen anfangs weich und von guten Fruchtnoten begleitet, aber im Verlauf der Entwicklung am Gaumen mit eher harschem Tannin und bitterer Schlussnote eher "unrunder" wirkend. So wie beschrieben, wird der Wein mit der Zeit immer besser und gewinnt auch deutlich an Konsistenz im Abgang, so dass ich die Bewertung zum Positiven ändern musste.
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour. This continued to improve until the very last drop. At best after 3 hours: Liquorice and cranberry/red cherry fruit, gentle balsamic aromatic notes; bright acidity linear through to the finish; still unpleasantly hard, sandpaper-like tannins (whatever Gary Vaynerchuck was taking when he said this is smooth as a baby's bottom, I'm not sure I ever want to try it out myself...) This needs fatty food, perhaps an entrecôte or lamb chops, to buffer its rough edges. Or perhaps another 5-10-15 years in the cellar, by which time, of course, it may have gone the way of the crabby, acid-bath Ciacci Picolomini BdM 1999 I recently cursed myself for having left 5 years too long... 89(-91?)P
Medium to dark ruby, musty nose of dried cherries, blackberry, plum and violets, tight on the attack with bright but dark fruit, earth and juicy acidity on the palate, medium finish with red berry fruit, teethy tannins and a hint of tropical
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Only a glass so would like to try a bottle. Nice Ruby red. Dried violet, Gamie nose, dried fig, raisin bread on nose. Flavors, raisin, dried fig, dried violet, hint of tobacco leaves. I felt it was a little light for my hopes, but I would like to try again with a meal.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This continues to be a wonderful ride! Tonight I didn't have time to decant but I did pour a couple small pours and let them sit for about 30 minutes prior to drinking and found this to be pretty placid and elegant. A decant might still help open this up even more but its drinking very well even with little air. I'll definitely decant the next btl though if, for no other reason, than to clear out the sediment. I'm a careful pourer making sure I always pour with the cellar sediment on the bottom of the btl which helps a lot. Just common sense but I see a lot of knowledgeable folks pour from all different sides of a btl which then disturbs the sediment for the rest of the night, wrecking clarity and making for an avoidable cloudy sediment affected experience. This is still remarkably fresh while now showing even more nuance and layers to its; cherry, licorice, tobacco and minerally flavor profile. Even a sense of forest floor creeping in. Not sure how much better this gets but I'll make sure to hang onto one btl for its 20th Bday in 2024 but drink the other 2 of my remaining 3 by 2020. My guess is that age 15 in late 2019 might be perfection? Lovely Brunello and because of the volume they produce a perianal steal!
Consistent with other tastings. Solid Brunello drinking perfectly fine right now. Not much change over the last 3 years. Looking like it will hold for some time
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bottle from my daughter’s birth year. Acquired on release with critical acclaim from numerous sources. To my mind this is way “over the top”, nothing subtle or elegant about this wine. Excessive oak treatment, over-ripe fruit, unbalanced for my preference. If you like big power and jammy fruit then this is probably more to your liking. As described in a “World of Fine Wine” note this seems to “exhibit too much wine-making. There is no fault... this a question of style and authenticity”. Not sure how this will age due to the relative lack of acidity compared to the fruit. Traded all but one magnum to a friend who likes this style.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent Brunello that has really come into its own, and displays powerful and expressive scent of orange peel, dark berries, coffee beans, wood. Complex and precise. Mature, round, rich and intense taste with focused curve and good length. Very good right now.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Completely agree with MV2007. Had pretty much the same experience and I still have 2 bottles left. Will have to open really early and see if this one comes out more after a lot of air. I had much higher expectations.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1.5 hours that helped this wine fill out some. Menthol, damp soil, mushroom and dried cherry. Finished lean, fairly long and with too much acidity. Better with food, but still a disappointment. I don't have much confidence this will improve.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was spectacular with a grilled rib-eye. I think it kind of needed the companion of food; when I first opened it, it was underwhelming, to be honest. I won it at auction and had high hopes that were teetering on being dashed. I let it breathe for an hour, hour and a half and then we had it again with the steak. That made all the difference. Bellisimo!
Decanting and letting it breathe was also critical. Brunellos really need that to build to their ultimate fullness of flavor. It probably could have breathed even longer (maybe 2, 2.5 hours would have been better).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
BLACKBERRIES, BLACK CHERRIES. LICORICE, LEATHER, AND A TOUCH OF SPICE. RICH BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, NICE COMPLEXITY. ELEGANT WINE WITH A LONG FINISH.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine is rather mature with a good deal of bricking Earthy flavor sand some dried cherry I'm not sure this will ever live up to Galloni's hype but solid wine 92
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Damp earth bouquet. Sour cherry, graphite and stewed prune notes. Tart and dry throughout front and finish. Not an elegant or overly enjoyable sipping wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still much too young (surprising how long these brunellos can go). Higher tannins, prune, spice. Tight. Would love to see it open up and show a few more flavors.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Open one hour before serving without decant. Good overall balance with attractive aroma and round palate. Slight acidity and tannins emerge one and two hours later. Good matching with sirloin. Feel like other bottles no long wait required.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little over-ripe and sweet, which makes it seem a bit flabby even though there's decent acidity and structure. I wonder if it's more advanced than it should be due to the bottle size (375ml). Not bad, but certainly nowhere near expectations.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 90 minutes. Served with pasta and finished later in the evening. Burnt brown sugar, soy, tobacco, herbs on the nose. Keeps getting more pronounced as the bottle sits open. Black cherry, tobacco, chocolate and soy on the palate. Tannins are softening although still present are not all enveloping. Lovely, intellectual bottle.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
No detailed notes. Noted early advancement due to dried out cork and lacking a proper seal. Still very tasty, showing mature red fruit, with italian herbs, tarragon, celery, and leather.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I last tasted this wine, from the same OC, on 21st Sept 2015 and rated it 93. Then it was medium-full bodied with dark fruits and a lively acidity. With this current bottle, the dark fruits are gone, and instead I have cherry and red fruits coupled with quite high levels of tartaric acid. This has put the wine out of balance and, at the same time, has made it seem thinner. This is not for lack of air as by my last sip of the evening it had been in the decanter for around 6 hours. This seems like a totally different bottle compared with the one from September 2015. I'm still rating it very good, probably influenced more by the memory of the previous bottle. There is half the bottle left in the decanter for tomorrow, and if anything changes I'll post a PS. This bottle is so different (on Day 1) that I'm going to have to revisit another bottle in the not too distant future to see which experience is more typical.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2004 brunello (Tunstall): On nose sour cherries and a hint of brown bark. Strong acidity and bitters on palate. Tannins still prominent. Needs at least 4 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very expressive nose and palate of red fruits, berries and oak. Nice long finish. At maturity, but will last for several more years with proper cellering
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Liked better than the 2001 Casanova di Neri as it was more "classic Brunello" to me and had with pizza. Will look to get more. Still has a long life ahead of it. Similar note to last time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
And exactly a year later and another bottle. Once again I find this very enjoyable. It's medium bodied with plenty of fruit, earth, and leather aromas and favors. This might get better with more age but is very good right now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This made perfect sense. Delicious fruit, subtle flavours, deft touches of tannin and seamless acidity. Need to get more Brunello in my life. Drinking great right now, but will no doubt improve. Relaitively good value too. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brown sugar nose, soy sauce, sandalwood, dark fruit... tastes beautiful, super polished tannins, sappy black cherries and strawberries, good lenght, this wine is close to hitting mature plateau, I like it!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With Evert's steak tagliata. Over ten years, yet very much alive. Dusty tannins, red fruit core is still fresh. This has entered its drinking window. Enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 30 minutes. This is hard and closed, with crabby tannins. There is some good sweet morello cherry fruit in there somewhere, well-hidden behind all the tobacco and grape-pip tannic squeakiness; even with a creamy-sauced meat dish this was young and brash this evening. 4-5 years in the cellar from here should help. 89P(?)
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2004 Il Poggione is a beautiful BdM that's in full bloom. No sediment or other signs of age. It was good to go with only a very short time in the decanter. Very fresh, floral aromas with pronounced cherry on the nose. Color is a dark red; body is medium-full with a lively acidity that's accentuated by the cherry and complemented by ample dark fruits and a very slight residual sweetness; tannins are very fine and silky; finish is long. Currently into its prime, this excellent, bordering on outstanding wine, should provide drinking pleasure for a long, long time to come.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A serviceable red wine, but I expect more for $90. Smells of plum and christmas cake. On the palate, some pleasant tannins and acidity are accompanied by cherries and wood. Fleeting finish. A wonderful $20 wine. Sangiovese makes me laugh sometimes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very transparent, red-brown with white rim. Strong nose with prunes, cherries, herbs. Mid-bodied with plums, cherries, bay leaf, mint. Sweet. Very long and still tannic, just starting to open.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Red-brown in the glass. Still fairly young, but starting to show some aged leather and Nice balance of acidity and tannins on the palate. More forward and not as complex as the Collemantonni.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Die erste Stunde war er völlig unnahbar! Ich dachte schon die Flasche wäre nicht in Ordnung. Nach 3St. Luft dann sehr schön, aber noch zu jung!! Nächste 2018! 92+P, nach 5 Stunden war ich dann schon bei 93+P, das wird mal ganz toll !!! Wait!!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color: Clear/Med/Garnet Nose: Clean/Med (Intensity)/dried cherries, graham crackers, and dried thyme Palate: Dry/Med+ (Acid)/High (Tannin)/Med+ (Body)/dried cherries, garrigue, cola, dark cacao, plums, mince meat/Med+ (Finish) Quality: Very Good Notes: Decanted for 60 minutes. Complex wine, but could benefit from another 2-3 years of oak integration and maturity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well rounded, elegant and silky. great structure, tannins integrated. Wine is singing now but has many years to go. Luscious mature red fruits, slight leather, spices. Lingering finish to enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine has definitely entered its drinking window!
Ruby color with some light amber at the rim. Full aromas of cherry, ripe blackcurrant, leather and hints of allspice and sage. Full bodied and silky smooth on the palate with balanced acidity and sweetness of fruit. The finish seems to be lingering on for ever. It still has quite a bit of structure to further develop but it is in great shape right now. Classic Brunello!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
"ATS" Wine Group, Spring Gathering: The tasting group liked it more than me. I'd probably give this a few more years as it seemed a bit closed to me. Quite dry, but long and classy - for folks unfamiliar with brunello, it did impress. Muted cherry and tobacco profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprisingly youthful in appearance and I would have never guessed that this was 11 years old. It is drinking very well right now, with bright red fruit and spice, but also beginning to show tertiary notes of leather and tobacco. The tannins are there, but nicely integrated. As nice as it is now, this has a lot of gas left in the tank and I would hold these for several more years and allow it to mature further.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted 8 hours before dinner. Improved with air. Really nice classic BdM. Drinks well now with decanting, but i guess it Will improve the next few years. Try again in 2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have had this wine 7 times now and it always delivers. This might have been the best showing yet so I am bumping it up a point - it also showed some new maturing qualities. An overall lovely Brunello with great mouth feel, balance, intensity of fruit (strawberry, raspberry), and elegance. A few more bottles from my case left and feel they are more than ready to drink now with a few hours decant or over next 3-5 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby color, no signs of aging yet. Classic, but slightly muted, Brunello aromas with black fruit, cherry some leather and spices. Full bodied on the palate with smooth tannins and juicy fresh acidity although slightly unbalanced. The finish keeps on lingering for ever.
Even after 8 hours of slow-ox the wine didn't really open up. Classic mistake with classic Brunello from a great vintage: opened too early.
Leave this one alone for another 5 years or so. Drink 2019 - 2029
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core with rusty crimson rim; caraway, brown sugar, aged, caramel, deep, softer, cherry in back; pure cherry on the palate, menthol, sandalwood, cherry, cedar, savory and rich, luxurious mouthfeel, aged and complex, cinnamon, spice, tertiary; at peak unless you have a cold cellar; called '04 Talenti BdM Riserva.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped, waited an hour (no decanting), and poured into Zaltos. Showing a small burnt orange rim, but otherwise still pretty deep in color. Nose of sweet, ripe, black cherries. Just a whiff of some secondary notes - leather, earth. Palate has immense acidity which perhaps needs more time to settle. But a ton of fruit and still some reasonable tannin (though not overly chewy) means this is nicely balanced right now, yet has a few years ahead of it too. Delicious wine - from first sip right through the end of the bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Middleweight wine, with a medium finish. Food-friendly for sure, but I'd rather drink something with a stronger backbone. I don't think one needs to decant it for more than one hour - the tannins are pretty much resolved. 91-92 pts., and not a great QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double-decanted 7 hours before. Very lovely floral and dark cherry nose with an impressive depth to it. A little bit muted on the palate but still plenty of black cherries, spices and flowers. It also is a bit rustic with some tough and chewy tannins that needs more time to soften. Plenty of acidity present.. Still a very young and impressive wine which just needs more time to open up...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Maturing nicely with some bricking on the rim now. Can drink or hold. For my tastes (which tend towards preferring youthful vigour over tertiary flavours), seems pretty close to optimal now.
Spicy red fruit on the nose with a hint of tobacco and leather. Good balance between fruit, tannin and acidity. Lively, sappy red fruit on the palate with floral notes, leather and spice in the background. Finishes quite long. Good Brunello in a good vintage and very good value.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Here's the deal: I opened this with great expectations. It was completely disastrous the first day. Horrible. Sour, fruitless, one dimensional. I thought I had a flawed bottle. We put it back under cork and two days later I poured some into a glass instead of in the sink...good thing I did, because it had opened up a great deal and developed some fruit and some complexity. After reading people's recent notes, I am convinced that this wine is currently HORRIBLY closed. I don't know that it will get any better than a 92-93, but I am thinking that it should not be approached for another four or five years. I have five left, and I am going to wait a while.
At first a big blast of tar. Then disjointed with massive tannins and heat. A disappointment and I don't see it getting better. I can't believe Antonio rated this 95, not even close.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not very impressive. We had 2 bottles at Christmas Eve dinner: pappardelle alla lepre (hare with broad pasta noodels and sugo). One bottle decanted 8 hours, the other 4 hours in advance, without significant difference. Muted nose, without development. Tart and acidity are dominating on the palate. mid finish. Maybe a bit better at the second day. will wait for 2 more years, before the next bottle, but I'm very sceptic if it will improve
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Revisited after well over three years, and although much improved, it has in my opinion still not reached its peak. Decanted for an hour before tasting, but really doesn’t start to sing before the bottle is almost empty. Tart cherries, kirsch, dried autumn leaves, exotic spices, varnish, and cedar-wood on the nose and palate. Initially slightly overpowering acidity, but after a couple of hours everything falls into place and you’re left with a smooth, layered and well balanced wine. Really excellent stuff – good to go provided it’s given a lengthy decant, but will probably be even better in another three to four years (93-94 points).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
We decanted this an hour before the pizza arrived. I picked it up! The first aromas were forest floor and cherry. The pure Brunello flavors were excellent and included leather and cherry and earth. I am looking forward to following my other bottles in the future. I'll wait about 1 year to open another bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very traditional nose of earthy cedar, cigar box, leather, sous-bois, cèpes de bordeaux... High acidity, loads of ripe tannins, red berries, very nice!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
First bottle opened of the 5 I bought. This is really nice and seems to be at the very front of its window. Medium weight, good balance of fruit, acidity, and structure, and a smooth finish. Was a great pairing for lasagna.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark crimson in the glass. Still tight and acidic. Nose is a little shy, but had an herbal edge to the dried red fruit. Palate was bright and energetic. Pure red fruit profile. Medium finish. Still pretty tightly wound, should put on weight with time. Very nice. Hasn't evolved much in 3yrs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. Blackberry, tobacco leaf and dark roasted coffee beach on the nose. Just a touch austere at first but that's Brunello. Rounds out very quickly with a pasta dish. Great balance of flavour intensity, acidity and tannins. Drinks beautifully now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant, mint and raspberry. It tastes like raspberry and cranberry. The body is light/medium. The wine has coarse texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has high acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
First night: enjoyed with Mexican style pork shoulder. The Poggione immediately released a gorgeous Brunello nose of dark red berries! maybe a bit of cocoa and spice. On opening the mouth was tannic, but after an hour or so, with dinner, it had softened nicely. Gentle interplay of acid, sweet red fruit, tannic bite and mix of spice was a fine complement to the meal. Overall a wonderful wine that, at least for me, went great with food, but also was fun to sip and sniff after dinner. Very long ... for a continuous interplay with the meal.
Day two: lunch with a chicken cutlet sandwich. The wine had continued to improve over night (stoppered with air pumped out night, stored in a cool space). Nose even bolder, (red) fruitier. More fruit, less tannin, perhaps slightly better overall balance.
Day two: dinner with Thai take out. Last glass and now, while enjoyable the wine was getting towards its end. Fruit getting a bit stewed, out of balance, and flavors starting to fade. Would probably have lasted longer if chilled.
A reminder why I like these wines. Great food wines, complex and bold but balanced enough to go with many different flavors.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for several hours Nose - orange peel, spices, decomposing cherry Mouth - complex , strawberry , cherry, very dry, sophisticated, tastes almost like a complex tea. Tannic finish. Perfect with wild boar papparadelle and burratta with speck and figs
Dark red; dark red berries, some chocolate and caramel, mulberry; lovely, nice body, nice tannins, power, well balanced; perhaps a bit too much tannin but well tasting and all in all a very good glass of wine, entering its drinking window
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An outstanding Brunello, every time I have a bottle of Il Poggione I am reminded why it is one of my favorite wines. Drank well after a couple of hours decant but hour 4 - 5 was where this really started to shine, became like velvet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just as tannic as it was on release. Huge wine that needs another 10+ yrs. Oh, and a finish that goes on and on. The tannins just grab the inside of your mouth and doesn't let go. A very good traditional Brunello and a steal at $35.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beginning to knit together. Dark red hint of orange at rim. Heavy sediment. Classic nose of bitter cherries, smooth in the mouth and lingering fruit. Delightful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), blackberry and cherry. It tastes like cherry, mineral, bark and hazelnut. The body is medium/full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2014 Birthday Wine Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Asia Square): The wine is closed when pop and pour, so proceed to decant it for 2 hours. The colour is dark and intense, the nose is restrain, with dark cherry, black fruits, earth and hints of leather. Palate is still young, showing smooth and silky mouth-feel, elegant and balance but still has a long way to go. Long chewy finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was a pop and pour scenario but it was allowed to open up over time. the wine was mature and very enjoyable. In my view, this wine is ready to drink and I don't see a lot of benefit from further aging.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An expressive nose of darker red fruit. Red/black fruits in an elegant mouthful of well balanced wine. Very enjoyable with (and after) a homemade sausage pizza. The first Poggione we bought and first tasted. After reading some reviews lately, I was a little worried but this bottle satisfied. Very glad we have more to drink over many more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Slightly oxidized nose with cherries, flloral and nailpoilsh. Massive structure, medium fruit and quite long aftertaste. Undoubtedly a wellmade wine but not as good as il poggione in other vintages. The oxidized nose bothers me and slow-ox did not help.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very good but not a standout Brunello. Slightly oxidized fruit, very ripe, mainly cherries. Lots of vegetal notes from barrel ageing with wood flavors, tobacco, herbs and some leather notes. My bottle did not show a lot of tannin - just the right amount to go well with red meats. An interesting iron note on the finish. This was a very good match with steak. - 90 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazingly still probably needs time. Good nose that is sweet but nicely refined and complex, yet palette still has some strong tannins. Will try it again in another year. I would not put the drinking window as early as CT suggests.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A youthful bottle that did not show much oxidation. The wine is still slightly tannic and could benefit from aging. More generic red fruit profile, somewhat monotonic, with some soaked barrel flavors. Evoked memories of '01 Talenti, with perhaps a little lighter touch of oak. I was more impressed with several recent Il Poggione bottlings ('08, '09) that displayed plenty of perfumed, smoky aromas and a more complex mineral structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Summary assessment: good but not great. Hints of black cherry, scorched earth, sandalwood. Decanted and consumed over the course of more than an hour, this never developed much. Quite a lot of acidity and I find myself doubting it will ever be fully integrated. If Brunello is to be the ultimate expression of Sangiovese as Barolo is of Nebbiolo then this misses the mark. It simply didn't exhibit the weight or depth of this appellation. Rated 0 on a scale of -1 to 3.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Didn't believe all the reviews that this wine could be worthy of 5 years more of cellar time. Now I'm convinced. So tannic it dries your mouth out. Some really strong fruit shows through which is tart and structured. A wine of contrast but certainly not in its drinking window.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
still too young : a way too high acidity, needs lots of air, a 90 score for now, potentially a 91 or 92 score is possible, but higher seems unlikely, I don't think that this will ever become a great Brunello
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fine effort, but still a young Brunello. Only decanted for 30 minutes or so before drinking. Opened up over time in the glass. Could clearly have used several hours of decanting before drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core almost to lighter crimson rim; tobacco, dark red fruit, currant, some integrated herbaceous notes, Italian, ripe, almost fig, some nuttiness; higher alcohol, smooth texture, sandalwood, menthol, a little full throttle, cinnamon on the finish; very good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
sappy sweet/tart 'pure' currant, pomegranate, earth and rhubarb to start, young and lovely; opened up on days 2/3 when the sappy component went away and some tertiary/tobacco/structural/minor wood notes emerged; clearly OK to drink right now, but has years to grow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs a lot of air - the wine is only just beginning to open up after 10 years. Dark cherries and tea in the nose. In the mouth strong tannins and a distinct, mouth-watering acidity. Sour cherries mixes with other forrest fruits and ends in a quite long, clean aftertaste with continous mouthwater running. A very good Brunello to a very modest price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hours prior to consumption. Medium ruby color leads to shutdown nose of cranberry and minimal camphor. Unlike the nose, the wine in the mouth was open for business showing beautiful cranberry, sour cherry and a bit of forest floor creating complexity. Finishes with great acidity you would expect from brunello. This is the first of 6 bottles purchased on release. Very good now but I believe there is room for improvement as the bouquet opens.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Must decant for at least an hour...and when you do, you are rewarded with a wonderfully complex wine with medium weight, restrained but fruit forward brunello. Hints of flowers, cherry and strawberry along with a full mouthfeel. Delicious and approachable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted two hours, poured, followed over next two hours. Even after two hours in the decanter, this started out nice enough, but tight and a bit thin in the mid-palate. However, in the second hour after pouring, it started to open up, fill in and reveal its charms - both aromatically and on the palate. In the final thirty minutes, it became the complex, complete, seamless, well-balanced, delicious, intense yet ethereal wine it has the potential to be. Score is for final thirty minutes. If drinking now, give it lots of air.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a classic in the making. A dark, brick red core, no sign of age. As the color would suggest, this is young, and just a little tight on the nose. In order of predominance, aromas of earth (not funky earth more of the dusty variety), black truffle, black cherry, decayed leaves, and sandalwood. The medium+ bodied palate is well-lifted, and seamless, with polished lines and classic tension. Graceful, with notable depth, this is good now with 30 minutes in decanter (though an hour or two certainly wouldn't hurt), but shows promise for a terrific future over the next 10-20 years, as well. 14,5% abv, highly recommended
8.5/10 - Refer to prior notes. Tannins really starting to resolve nicely and smoothly. Wine starting to level up now (excuse the terminology). Good stuff, good drinking, I want more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What Billy T said a few days ago pretty much hits the mark. I am surprised by the amont of sediment this wine has thrown at age 9yrs in the btl/10Yrs on label. I double decanted to get rid of the sediment and I ended up with a high shoulder fill after the decant back into the btl. Love the tobacco and dried herb nose. I agree more time is warranted and yet this wine so far has never drank better than on release. Delcious tonight but not quite the rock star it was on release. Definitely glad I decanted to clean out the sediment and the nose opened up significantly as a result. 4 left to find out how this improves with more time. Son in law, Josh, enjoyed at Tila with son Joe and I. Joe stuck to the Vilmart Champagne Reserve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beau Brunello assez ferme et bien équilibré. Rouge grenat assez foncé avec un disque légèrement tuilé. Il y a un bon dépôt sur les parois. Beau nez sur la terre, le thé, les cerises et le café. En bouche, bel équilibre tannins/acidité. Des cerises et des prunes avec des herbes. Long avec une belle structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple to the rim with nice structured legs and viscosity. Nose muted at first and not much on the palate. 30 min to an hour later this wine was excellent showing structure on the palate, great cherry fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco and some earthiness, well integrated tannins with a slightly spiced dry finish. Not as expressive as I think it will become but still a Very good wine today. Glad I have more. At dinner so I try not to be to wine geeky so notes are limited.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A year on, and the wine has changed. There's still a note of coffee with a long dry finish - a real mouth sucker. The fruit is not as prominent and the wine is too as succulent as I remember, it may be a bit closed at the moment. Spice is muted and the tannins are a bit clumsy. Think I might leave the rest of the bottles for a bit of a lie down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted ~3 hours. Luscious berry aromas while decanting - mix of red and blue/black berry. Berry notes continued when drunk; also some earthiness. Tannins very soft and well balanced with good acid and not overly alcoholic. We drank this with bistecca fiorentina - made at home - and it was a spectacular meal/pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
More fruit than expect from a Brunello but thats not a complaint. Agree with some of the other notes on this one- virtually upon opening this wine was accessible - mouth filling, perhaps showing some new world influence?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lots of elegance and finesse with this wine. The bouquet is restrained but offers up sweet cigar and black olives. The elegant palate is on the lightish-side of medium bodied with minimally apparent oak. Delicious raspberry and mineral flavors and evenutally some leather too. Picks up weight with air. I would hold the next bottle for at least 3 years. This producer is totally my style of Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted alongside the '06 Reserva from the same producer, this one was showing better at first - very plumby, big round fruit, very traditional in style, but over time the Reserva did seem a bit more interesting - more precision and complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really a nice offering that complimented my pasta meal well. This was full flavored with a nice mouth feel that had an extremely smooth finish. This has some more time but drinking well now. Drink now to 2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I love il Poggione, even though you have to take some bottle variation into account. This one is young, vibrant and more or less explodes out of the glass. Cherries, mild and fine tobacco, herbs crushed by stones, and a little meaty feeling stream out of the glass. The taste mirrors what you get on the nose. The acidity is beautiful with our bucatini con funghi, the tannins are ripe and round and it has power but is still easy-drinking. This is on the young side, and will probably be even better in 3-4 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino is medium garnet in colour with a rustic nose of crushed berries, sandalwood and prunes with underlying notes of vanilla.
A very smooth palate with initial flavours of chocolate before giving way to a slight woodiness and its fruit flavours of prunes, sweet raisins . There's a nice sweetness from the entry to mid palate that isn't flat frontal. Tannins are rather chewy at the mid to finish. A pleasant memorable finish. Alcohol is well integrated accompanied with its noticeable but refined acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe cherry and black raspberry fruit, damp forest floor, dried green herbs. Nicely structured with M+ acid, M soft tannins, balanced M alcohol, M+ finish. A nice rustic Brunello, and typical of the 2004 vintage. Pair with veal ragu, roasted pork, red sauces. :: Popped and poured at Charlie Bird NYC. Softened noticeably over an hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Thanks to csnyder612 for opening this BdM in a "mini blind tasting". This wine was decanted for an hour or so, then served blind, next to a 2008 Chianti Classico. I knew one of the wines was a CC, but had to guess the other. Both wines threw me for a loop. The CC had a ripe, new-worldish nose of red fruits. So I knew right away that the other wine must be the CC. But it (this wine) looked much older, probably 8+ yrs old, and I knew the CC was only 5 yrs old. The nose of this wine showed an "off" characteristic from the start. We first called it Brett, but then I thought possibly wet wooly socks, maybe wet cardboard. I hoped this beautiful wine had not become the innocent victim of TCA, but alas... The palate showed a med bodied wine, med in alcohol, dry, with med intensity underlying flavors of red cherry fruit, moist earth, minerality, etc. All of this could be a nice start for this BdM, but even the palate and finish seemed adversely affected by cork taint, in my opinion. I was unable to get a handle on this wine tonite, but it seemed thinner than I would have expected, and based on an underlying structure that kept trying to break through the ice but never quite could, I feel this bottle was damaged somehow. I have 4 of these (from the same shipment), so we will try one soon and see if it suffered the same fate. Darn...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Weekly tasting group #075; A fully blind test. (@ RvD): This is a completely blind note and after seeing what it was I really have my doubts about this wine. The wine is beautiful still, but there are some reductive flavors in the bouquet. Ripe fruits, sweet spices, oak and some farmyard smells as well. On the palate chocolate, spiciness and a firm amount of sweetness and acidity and soft tannin. Since my TN of March last year the wine has developed really fast. Some of the group thought it was too old already and to be honest; I wonder if there is any room for improvement. Still a nice wine and tonight I scored it 89 - 90.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crimson. A hint of barnyard evaporates quickly. The nose is pure Intense cherry liqor, black licorice, and gravel. With time in the glass, enormous compelling perfume emerges slowly as well. The palate is tart, with some dried cherry, plums and more licorice. Typical high acidity, and tons of structure and backbone is dominating at present. I am lacking some fruit or more complex secondary development at present. On 2nd day it puts on weight in the midpalate, and it resembles a lot the 06 i recently sampled, so i expect that it just needs more time (alot!) to really shine. I have 1 more bottle which i will forget about for 5 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/10 - Refer to prior notes. Tannins are far more resolved now than I remember them to be. Requires more time to really shine but still incredibly delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great Brunello nose upon opening. Soft and inviting. Decanted for 2 hours and brought to a restaurant. Alas, has the wine closed up? the nose was rather muted and herbal. The entry was lean and a little tard with an earthy herbal note. Some high tone fruits were lurking in the background. Some roundness emerged with swirling and waiting, But still there was a sense that it had not reached its full potential. Perhaps a few more years of cellaring...
2h decant. Dark garnet, only slight lightening at the rim but no browning. Menthol and herbs on the nose. Great balance on the medium bodied palate, mix of fruit, herbs, earth and just a touch of hazelnut and vanilla. Very fine, barely noticeable tannins. Medium finish. Could have been a bit more expressive on the palate, and the finish a bit longer but overall this is drinking very well now - can it improve? 92-93 So far prefer 04 to 01/06/07 BdM vintages and wish I had bought more..
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Inventory Reduction Event: The fruit has a sour cranberry flavors, framed by aromas of meaty mushrooms and underbrush -- all set against a raisiny fruit background. The wine is sill youthful and tannic, and should benefit from cellaring. Prefer a fruit driven wine to a raisiny, oxidized profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good, long aftertaste, burns to your belly, well-balanced, smooth. Needs some time and oxygen before it finds the right balance. Smell: black fruit. Taste: good tannins, leather, black fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the youthful side but not infanticide. Rich, alcoholic and heady nose, laden with fruit. The palate has a marvelous sour sweet tartness to it, all in a really good way. Others correctly say sour or bitter cherry plus herbs - spot on descriptor. Worth acquiring more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting Dinner Series (4 of 6); Tim does Italy (Tim's House): Popped and poured, initially showing a hint of oxidation that dissipated. Translucent garnet in the glass, with a light brick. On the nose, red and black cherry, earth, blood, florals, spice, tar and dried herbs. On the palate, despite being translucent, this has an incredible depth of flavour and nuance. Finishes long and lingers on the palate for quite some time. A mild grip of unresolved tannins. Lovely.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super Tasting 4 of 6 - Tim does italy (Waterloo, Ontario): This was pure, traditional brunello....nose of blood, iron, blackfruit, tart cherry and herbs followed by similar notes on the palate. Great finish. So pure, focused and representative of where it comes from. True brunello. Casanova di Neri ad Fanti eat your heart out. Almost 94pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super Tasting 4 of 6 (Italian Gems, Hosted by Tim) (Tim's House): This is a great classic brunello. Nose is of dark cherries, sweat, iron, blood, dusty leather, and perfume. Palate has great ripe dusty tannins, and a beautiful sour cherry, acidic, food friendly finish. 93 Points with upside as it ages. A lovely wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Kept a little above ideal temp. so perhaps more mature for me than others. Big leather and shoe polish on the nose; increasing red fruit sweetness over time; and complex herbal, toasty and meat notes - almost Rhone like. Palate: tannins need food but enough cherry and other red fruit to hold its own. Too much alcohol heat? Great complexity. Like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First bottle was corked. Second bottle very disapointing. Absolutely over the top. Not a good sign for a 2004 Brunello. I dont understand the Galloni ratings on this wine. We had a bottle of Salvioni Rosso di Montalino 2008 together with this wine. Salvioni was without any doubt the winner. Fresh af acid. Nice sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Il poggione to me has been a great Brunello, true to the variety, at a reasonable price. I used to buy multiple brunello producers which is great for learning, but now I stick to il poggione, poggio antico, pertimali and they get the job done.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 1st of 6 bottles. Wonderful deep cherry red color with whose nose offers up subtle notes of white truffle, roast meat, strawberries and orange peel. The wine demonstrates fabulous balance of acidity, texture and tannic backbone alongside cherry, charcoal, and dried herbs and rubber! This wine really requires some patience. It has opened up considerably within the past hour. It is a medium bodied Brunello with an elegant profile but is very very good. It is far more restrained than most other Brunellos but yet showcases the beauty of Sangiovese. I am curious where this may lead one in the years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Maybe I got a bad one. I paid $85 at Di Laurenti in Pike Place market-Seattle, a good store with wide selection and helpful advice. Still this was the worst wine of the weekend and the most expensive. (The $30 remelluri rioja was much better.) It had three characteristics, 2 bad, one good: it was mouth puckeringly tannic, had a persistent hint of mold, and a sweet aftertaste. The cork smelled delightful, but the taste did not match up. When we checked out, we left the remaining wine for the next guests. I will not buy this again. This was on the edge of asking for my money back. Mixing it with more flavorful wines like a red Livio Felluga, or the Remelluri, helped it, but wasted them. Maybe in a few more years it would have resolved? I have not had a wine like this before, as usually bad or corked wine smells bad on opening. This smelled good and tasted bad.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I remember drinking this years ago when I first go it and it was so tight and dry that it left me feeling a little ambivalent about the wine. Now, this is a gift. Amazing density and core structure. Dry as hell and delicious Sangio fruit. This struck a nerve and has to be one of the better Brunellos I have tried in a long time. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fairly dark garnet bricking to the rim with a lot of sediment. Evolved nose of ripe dark cherries, damp earth, esspresso roast, tea, herbs and hints of undergrowth. Medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins, balancing acidity and a long aftertaste. The ripeness of fruit is in slight contrast to the firmness of the structure, but overall the wine is already approachable. Not as impressive on its own as it is with proper food, especially with Italian dishes rich in tomato sauce.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed on New Years Eve. Slight orange/blood color, needed to decant further as it opened to raisin/raspberry after 2 hours. Dusty nose with complex, sour/sweet mouth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine was medium ruby in colour, with fine sediment. It offered red fruit, cherry, floral notes, earthy notes, coffee, cocoa powder and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red fruit, cherry, some blackberry, some chocolate and an earthy touch, paired with high acidity, medium plus tannins and very good length. On day one, even after two hours in the decanter, the wine was all about structure; the tannins were chewy and the wine was dry, you could tell that the wine would be very smooth one day, but was just not there yet. The next day, however, the wine was juicy and very balanced, with round tannins and a smooth mouthfeel. Serious structure. Textbook Brunello. Much, much better than the 2007. Start drinking in 2015. 90+ points for the time being.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby. A little weightier and softer than the last bottle. Nose of berry, medium body, tart berry and tar on the palate. Long finish with firm tannins and good acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First of the case we opened- shared with friends at La Masseria in Manhattan- excellent theater restaurant- this one was young but ready to go and made a very good impression on our friends and us- have liked Poggione since first had the 1988 and this was the best so far
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day 2 --- Sour cherry red --- Nose cherries, flowery, some elegant wood notes, some plum, sour and amarena cherry --- Palate fresh, vivid acidity, watery, rather strong acidity, clearly cherries, minerality, some green aspects, some bark --- Finishes on cherries, coal and green aspects. Less charming than yesterday, reduced delicousness, yesterdays score 91, 88 today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stylish and classy with gorgeous aromas of freshly crushed blackberries, smoke, tar and pretty florals. Medium-bodied with sleek refined tannins providing the rock solid structure. The finish is ultra-long and pretty. This amazing Brunello is built for the long haul. (Best 2015-2030)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep black-red with slight orange rim. An intense, aromatic nose showing leather, truffle, violets and balsamic. An intriguing wine which has grippy chalk dust texture, fairly linear in structure, vibrant acidity, quite lean almost but with a lovely depth of flavour and freshness. A precise wine with complexity and a long finish with drive, robust but fine tannin. Lots of potential for the long term. Seems quite a step up from April's bottle - perhaps that was out of condition.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very open for business! Had a couple of Brunellos (2004 and 2007) at Kokkeriet, which I guessed blind, so I thought it would be fun to see how Il Poggione fared against these two. I must say that Il Poggione is impressive for a young Brunello. In your face nose of mature tart fruit, dense sweet cedar, vanilla from the vats. wet wool and other animal odours. Good balance and mature tannins. Of course you have the sour Sangiovese taste, but if you can't cope with that, then Tuscan wine is not for you... The tannins that you notice are the ones from the long aging in vats and not from the skins. Excellent wine with Veau Milanese, which I suppose is more Italian anyway!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tart juicy cherry and raspberry. A little in your face for what I was expecting but smooth super balanced nice acidity for food, overall great of a touch overdone at this stage. Fine tannins present at finish but do not detract. If you have one maybe wait. If you have two, pop the first now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Very chalky at first but really blossomed after half hour. I thought this was drinking very nicely, though it will clearly keep for many years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very concentrated and extracted, massive profile. Doesn't have that tuscan sense of terroir I get from some other brunellos. Needs more time to ease up but you can tell its a pretty serious wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hours. Nice but not exceptional...reasonably full bodied with nice graininess of a brunello, but a little disjointed and the finish wasn't particularly smooth
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit of the same as the 2001 except more fruit-forward, less must, and sweet and extremely pleasant.
TN for 2001: A bit of spicy dough on the nose. Mixed with a bouquet of chopped onion and green pepper that's been sauteed. Sweet, a bit musty, but good balance of pencil lead, a bit of leather, paper, and some burnt over-ripe fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Opened and served immediately.
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of leather, berries and cherries. Flavors of black berries, black raspberries and black cherries. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Hold. No rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2 years ago my tasting note stated: still primary. subtle notes of menthol, spices, licorice and leather. elegant on the palate with a long finish. Now primary is gone and is replaced by austerity (-3)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very short decant. Some oak influence noted – some spice – but it's hardly obtrusive. Tannins and fruit are perfectly structured and balanced, with bright acidity and layers of complexity. It's practically weightless despite clocking in at 14.5%. Fabulous with creamy lamb-based pasta.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Short decant and drank over several hours. Garnet but bricking outside of center. Great balance of fruit and structure. Leather, earth, menthol, and a fine layer of fruit. Certainly has many more years to go given the dense but fine tannins, however not sure this BdM will get much better than this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little menthol and wood on the nose. Very drying palate with very fine and dusty tannins. Not much in the way of fruit intensity or structure, this comes across today as soft and round with a drying finish. Better on Day 2, showing some oxidation on the nose but the drying tannins from Day 1 have turned more plush and silky, with a wonderful combination of intensity and suppleness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terroir-istes International - Italy, Brunello di Montalcino (Rodwell House): 14.5% alcohol. Light to medium bright ruby colour with a wide orange rim. The initial bouquet of crayons and parmesan cheese gives way to button mushrooms, undergrowth and red fruits. Quite a fleshy entry with a smooth, silky texture, there are infused ripe redcurrants and cherry flavours. There is some concentration, but the wine feels more horizontal, lacking some depth. The tannins have a touch of grip helped by initial saline and a minerally edge. However, the wine changes in glass to seem a little muddy, becoming strangely confected. Not sure what to make of this bottle?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright ruby colour with a wide orange rim. A bouquet of button mushroom, undergrowth, crayon, cheese and as opens black cherry peek out. The palate is fleshy, smooth in texture, yet builds to result in firm, hessian tannins on the back palate. A well-balanced wine with decent concentration and weight yet hasn't that much depth. Flavours oscillate from saline, dried black cherry to a mineral, fresh acidity yet oddly feels muddy in the mid-palate. There is undoubtedly plenty of material here although it does feel a little confected ending sickly sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps there is a fair bit of bottle variation with this wine. I have had it on three other occasions, and this bottle is well above the others. Decanted four hours, the wine was classic. Flavors of earth and leather and black fruit. A tiny hint of mint. Soft tannins, nice acidity, lingering finish. Quite nice, with its only significant weakness being muted aromatics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An outstanding example of the '04 vintage, cool and mineral with silky smooth tannins. A bit floral on the nose for my taste but absolutely no heat already. Decanted for thirty minutes but was dramatically better after an hour in the glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In the bouquet primary fruits like cherries. On the palate elegant with beautiful acidity and granular, still a bit sticky tannin. Good freshness and very good length. Beautiful wine. Still very youthful and already a pleasure. Hope to taste this again around 2016. The score for now is 90 imho, but it might be a few points more in 4 - 6+ years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful BdM, best on day 3. Black cherry and plum in the attack with black tea, spice, micnf and licorice ready to emerge. Balance and structure galore. If you can wait do.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just entering its drinking window. Yet very approachable. Good balance, the power is matched by fine acidity and dense red fruit. This definitely needs a lot of air now, but this promises a long future. Good juice, the 14,5% alcohol is never burning.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An oaky nose reminding me of some Bordeaux wines along with a touch of vanilla, red berries and mint leads to a wine that is medium bodied on the palate without the huge intensity of flavors I was expecting from such a high scored Brunello. The tanins however are silky despite the firm and not very long finish. Overall I am not that enthusiastic about this wine and I'll leave my second bottle to mature for about 5 to 10 years to see if it gets any better.
Nez boisé, évoquant le Bordeaux, avec une touche vanillée mais tout de même des fruits rouges et un peu de menthol. Le vin est velouté en attaque, mais n'est pas d'une grande puissance ni d'une grande intensité de saveurs. Les tanins sont plutôt soyeux mais la finale reste ferme et pas très longue. Je ne comprends pas trop l'enthousiasme suscité par ce vin. Question de perception... prix : 29 euros.
J'ai une deuxième bouteille que je compte bien laisser vieillir 5-10 ans. 15/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Came across this after weekly tasting at our favorite wine store. Buried on a lower shelf, I was looking for something really good, but not over the top pricewise. When I saw this I took all they had.
First impression, unmistakeably a really good Brunello from a great vintage. This wine is still tight, needs more time to really develop though thoroughly drinkable and very enjoyable. We did not do it justice with a pop and pour over dinner out. That said, this wine continued to open over the course of dinner. Tannins firm but not harsh. Long slow finish with plenty of dark fruit, hints of licorice and tar.
With 6 more in the cellar, we'll be checking in from time to time to see how this wine continues to evolve. I expect with more bottle time and more time to breath after opening this will be a great one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
velvet soft and smooth Brunello with a big massive amount of dark fruits both on the nose and on the pallet. The wine is still pre-mature but after one hour of decanting and one hour in the glass it opened up beautifully and shoved extremely well! The finish was balanced with the tannins helping the massive fruit perfectly! Really nice shoving of this wine in a almost perfect vintage!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has a beautiful deep ruby colour. Initially, it was very tight, quite reticent and a bit thin, and it wasn't until around 5 hours in the decanter that it was really opening up properly. The nose is full of cedar, chocolate and dark cherries. The palate matches along with dried fruits and darker fruits and quite strong minerality - this was what was very pleasing and surprising. It is deep and full yet quite elegant. It as a silky mouthfeel which leads to a very long finish. This seems to have everything in place to age very well, but it does need a lot of time yet. Maybe 5 years before I try the next one? Shame I haven't got more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Flash decanted. Lots of red fruit on nose. This is big, yet clearly young. Gary Vaynerchuk got it right on the "smooth scale" - it is like silk on palate. Tannins firm and integrated. Would wait until after 2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for two or so hours. Medium dark - not quite opaque. Nose of cedar, wet dirt, vanilla and coffee beans. Dark dusky fruit with very nice mouthfeel and good balance. Fine tannin and medium long finish. Seems like this wonderful wine will still evolve into something even better in the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/10 - Still a good wine (as per previous note) but the wine seems to have gone into a dead phase. Still well put together and good, but a lot more reticent than I remember it to be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
drank from .375cl bottle deep ruby colour garnet rims Leather, and black fruits on the nose Med+ acidity balanced with good intensity of fruits + 3ry aromas, med+ length. Very good wine, perfectly balanced, med+ soft tannins well integrated, velvety texture..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black tea, graphite, heat and black olive on the nose. Remarkably silky on the tongue. Black fruit and wood on the palate also a tart cranberry. This could be a bit flawed. The cork was a bit submerged but still firm and extracted without issue. Finish is long but not necessarily pleasant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light bacon, sea breeze, cedar, pepper and wet stone on nose with dark fruit and damson plum on palate. Good balance with tannins clear up front. One of five brunellos at dinner with friends that featured creme di tre zuppa di cipolle, pasta al pesto and agnello primaverilia alla griglia. Can't wait to revisit in 4-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Getting better with bottle age. Very fresh and complex. Decanted for one hour. Silky smooth in my mouth. Nice long finsh. Taste blackberries and other red fruits.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
San Diego Offline 9/16/2011 (San Diego): Clear medium garnet-ruby. Subdued notes of earth, black cherry, dried bay leaf and thyme, with a bitter finish. We all agreed this will probably improve with more age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great Il Poggione Brunello. Unfortunately it was a PnP through Vinturi...we did not have time to decant. Great nose of tobacco, earth but with bright red fruit also. Suprisingly bright palate of cherry, very acidic too. While not as "old world" as some BdM's, it is a style I just love. This wine will easily go for another decade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent bottle. Draft with hank at elfos. Smooth medium bodied. Classic brunello. Giving a good bit now. Dark cherries. Could use time but tasted awesome to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Ruby color with medium forming legs and aromas of smokey, chocolate and raspberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - First bottle for Gina and I, love Sangiovese and really like this Bottle. Needs time to open up, used the Vinturi.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
If I could use one word to describe this wine it would be "sour". This was sourced from my wine merchant upon release and stored at 55 since then. Opened and I had a sip as I poured into the decanter and it was like sour fruit but I had high hopes for this opening up after 2 hours in the decanter. On the nose I was not getting any of those scents that I expect in a Brunello, like forest floor and dried cherry. On the palate it was one-dimensional with sour fruit really getting in the way of any enjoyment. My wife, who really likes Brunello's was also very disappointed and said it was almost like vinegar. Again given the provenance I don't think it was spoiled, the cork was flawless and no funky corked smell. I think the 99 and 01 Brunello vintages offered a lot more as I have been disappointed so far in the '04's even though it is claimed to be a great vintage. We ended up opening an '05 Modus IGT wine at 1/2 the price that we enjoyed quite a bit more. We will see if more time in the bottle will help.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With about 2 hours of air, this wine was singing. Aeration is absolutely essential at this stage to get it to show much of anything, but with the 2 hours, the wine shows distinct floral notes that meld with the aromas of balsamico, tar, and underbrush. Bold and authoritative on the palate, this is a great Brunello with fantastic length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Washington State Takes Washington, DC (Medium Rare - Washington, DC): i was happy to see an 04 brunello in the mix, especially an il poggione. superb nose of herbs, perfume and black licorice. fresh acid, silky body and great tannins. i would say this wine was a bit tight, and could've used a decant, but it was still solid. gorgeous cassis and vanilla flavors and then i get this distinct radish flavor that is really unique. silky finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
this is a killer brunello for the money. lively wine with sweet vibrant cherries, licorice and anise, floral and perfectly balanced, the youth manifested with powdery tannins on the finish. really structured well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is phenomenal! I had it while it was still young and it felt like it was aged properly. I am excited to see where it will go in another 10 years. The Brunello is bold, yet refined all at the same time. There is still much to be unearthed from this wine as the only real flavor I was able to decipher was leather. This however, leads me to believe that beneath the youth there is licorice, currant, and anise hidden behind the silky mouthfeel and velvety tannin structure. Currently the wine is like drinking a high quality Napa Valley Cabernet without the fruit-bomb effect that California is known for. I can only imagine what this wine has to offer once it has had time to rest. I'd buy as much as you could and then give it until 2015 before seeing if has matured, with holding on to it till its 30+ birthday not out of the question.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Based on notes from other users indicating that this wine is still in its infancy, I decanted it for two hours before tasting and another hour before serving. It seems like air exposure did the trick because this was just great. Ruby with slightly brick coloured edges. Big complex nose; dark cherries, leather, forest floor, mushrooms, tobacco, chocolate and a little sweet oak. Lovely sour cherry and earthiness on the palate. Nice viscous mouth feel. Great concentration and length. Fairly high acidity and noticeable tannins, but it all feels extremely well integrated. Although a long decant makes this effort enjoyable today, I agree that it may well improve in the years to come. My last bottle will therefore remain cellared for another 3-5 years. Let’s just hope I have the willpower to be patient.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
beautiful focused sl sweet cherry (but perfectly countered by the rhubarb and earth); good acidity; medium finish; still brooding, and needs more time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
couldn’t agree more with dfresh's notes: nice bouquet but drinks like an everyday wine with high acid and tartness other Brunellos from 2004 balance out better
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprisingly ripe for a BdM, with gobs of bright cherry flavor. Finishes with some minerality, but lacks the muscular meatiness that I would associate with a wine from this with this property. A nice drinking BdM, for sure, but I don't believe this one has great longevity in it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I love this wine for its bouquet, balance and every day drinking ability. But that is the point, it is an every day drinking wine, not as special as some other Brunello's I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Secondary notes orbit a core of reticent fruit. Mint, earth and black spicy licorice linger on the finish. Nice tannic grip holds it all together. I like where this is going, lots and lots for 45 bucks.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was pure infanticide. Still a wonderful experience since it is a very, very good wine. Whiffs of serious cherries, herbal notes, tobacco, raw meat and almost blood dominate, there is nice minerality, maybe even some flowers linger. The taste is in full attack mode, with massive tuscan cherries with high acidity, great herbs and spice and a serious minerality that togehter with the acidity makes the taste-phone ring for a loooooong time. If you like your tuscans young and cocky - go for it. However, I'll be waiting a couple of years for my next bottle, this can only get better. It will be a true treat 2014-2017.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
this is way too young to drink, starts very soft and smooth, then all of a sudden you get an enormous peak in sharp acids (the highest I have ever tasted), gave me tears in my eyes, long aftertaste, I find I very difficult to assess where this will be going, I won't open another bottle in the next 5 years, that's for sure
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop & pour. S-m-o-o-t-h... I'm sacrificing the 'regular' 2004s in order to age the riservas, but this is really drinking well. Lovely cherry dominates. Wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At a perfect drinking window right now. Decanted in a large decanter for an hour - beautiful red fruit and subtle smoke nose, ripe and silky tannins, a very good length and medium (+) body. This basically melted on your tong. Could have been mistaken for a great merlot. Together with suckling pig - just delicious! Cheers!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am not trying to start a fight on very civil area of net but to say this wine at its peak in the last review is silly. I would imagine that this will last for 15 years and is way too you to drink unless you decant for some time. I guess you have to take some of these reviews and not put too much into them Excellent Brunello.
Not enough air on this bottle. A real mouthful of Brunello, but missing the distinct floral aromatics that emerge with enough time (and age). Clearly some great potential here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
375ml bottle. Med+ garnet, watery rims Clean, med intensity of aromas (blackcherries, blackcurrants and some leather and mushroom), developed. Dry, med+ acidity, med body only, med- tannins (ripe but shy), med+ alcohol, medium length, med intensity of flavours (same as nose) Slightly hot finish. Good wine, at peak now, will not improve as fruits are starting to fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Insane to drink this now, it is so tightly coiled up. Best on the third day, though still barely budging. Nonetheless, the experience of this closed flower reveals plenty of beauty to this observer, in its myriad aromatics of clay, tobacco and assorted dark herbs. Bright, vibrant red fruit is hugely dense and nearly unwieldy in the mouth, the tannins refusing to give way on the very long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 2hrs and consumed over the next 4hrs. Rather shy nose, with a little dried dark fruit, and bitter oak with a subtle floral coming out with time. Palate initially had a biting acidity that smoothed out over time and fine soft tannins. Palate was densely concentrated and lush, with crushed stones, cherries, creme de cassis, and licorice. Lengthy complex finish of bright red fruits, stone/mineral, and hint of coffee.Great balance and poise. Very young though approachable with a good decant, the future appears bright with another 3-5yrs in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First time ever for this much anticipated brunello. Already evincing secondary characteristics, there is a nose of deep cherry, leather and coffee. Rich and full bodied in the mouth, the flavors blend seamlessly into a tight and well balanced finish with a fine tannic grip suggesting good aging potential from here. Classy and precise.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A christmas eve wine that I didn't focus on too closely. Seemed a tad less interesting and refined than the first btl I had back in August. More plummy. Oh well. Better give it a another shot with a more classic food pairing next time and pay more it attention. Maybe I'll drink another in a year and wait on the last 4 btls?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still rather youthful, this needs at least 2 hours of decanting and/or venturi aeration since it remains rather closed. But even now this one has layers of fruit, silky tannins, good balance and complexity together with a lenghty finish. My guess is more time will be needed for the full Brunello to emerge in the glass.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The first bottle of an '04 BdM that I have opened. My notes follow may of the others- brooding, layered, and young. Decanted and drank slowly over two hour dinner... only starting to release itself at the end. Can be consumed now with couple of hours in the decanter, but really meant to be held back for 4-5 more years, plus. Will bury the other bottles so I'm not tempted to pull them too early.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Slightly unusual TN, as I opened this bottle 5 days ago and it somehow got missed. After 5 days re-corked on a kitchen counter this is still very presentable. Actually more than presentable, it's drinking beautifully. A very masculine brunello character with the extended aeration, but that lovely depth and complxity still present and correct. Solid structure holding things togeth very nicely. I have no doubt that BdM lovers who come across one of these in 10 years time will give it a classic rating
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Started off a little muted on the nose and a fairly light flavor. After about an hour the red fruit came out and this was delicious with a long, elegant finish. Needs to sit for a while to show true colors, and am confident it will. Excellent Brunello..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine, but definitely nothing special for me.Have 3 more in the cellar, I wil not touch them until 2015. Red fruit, lots of well integrated tanins. It smells much better than you typical Italian wine. No funk. ok ish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very attractive wine with deep, rich Sangiovese fruit. This is a middleweight that punches like a heavyweight, and it is very nicely proportioned. The strong tannins are ripe enough that this wine is enjoyable in its youth--the texture is smooth with only a trace of gravelly tannin. Overall, this is pretty polished. The only knock is that this is a bit pruney--i.e., the fruit could be a bit fresher and brighter. But this is a well made wine that I imagine would be a big hit among wine geeks and regular people alike.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mike popped this open for me last night. Had it waiting, decanted for about an hour. Just a stunning nose. Lavender, earth, dark red cherries and quite a few other components that I honestly can't put into words, but I seriously could just smell this wine all day long. Just as gorgeous on the palate as the nose suggested. Silky, juicy, full bodied. A pleasure to drink. Nice long finish that added a bit of a black licorice component to it. Such a well balanced wine,with the acidity, tannins and fruit all working together. I can't wait to see what this will be like in a few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful dark red in colour. Tart cherries on nose and palate. Hints of leather, spice, and vanilla. Drank on own, but think it would have been more interesting served with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First thing I noticed beside the perfuse floral nose was the strinking level of complexity on the palate. This was such a pleasure tonight. Beautifull weight and purity of fruit. Great red fruit and tobacco flavors combined with a bold mineral streak. This wine has many levels to it.....already. We were busy talking but everytime I took a sip it was ....wow! Great value at only $40. Drinks like $120+.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Dried berries, cassis, blood orange, leather, soy sauce, a floral/lavender component as well. Palate: Soy sauce, anise, dried berries on the attack. Excellent structure is on display on the mid-palate - ample tannins and acidity. Cassis and dried berries on the finish. Overall, a very enjoyable brunello that can be cellared. Well balanced and has a foot firmly planted in the old world.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Can't quite tell whether this is totally backwards, or slightly off. Think it might be the later. Danger of 375mLs. Will wait a couple more years before trying another 375mL, 3L at least 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for three hours. Very Brunello-like in colour, with a nice effervescent quality to it. Swarming ripe strawberry, blackberry, French roast coffee and tobacco leaf. Soft tannins that are a little austere. Nice finish. A little short on the mid-palate, however, there's decent complexity. This is a fine Brunello, yet I expected more from this prodigious maker of fine Sangiovese - especially with a vintage as outstanding as 2004. Give this another year and it should drink well for the next 10-15 years. Drink 2011 - 2023.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A more traditional brunello here when compared with, say, Fanti. Medium bodied but concentrated tart cherries, smoke, meaty. Perhaps not as intensive in its gameyness as I'd like, but still a polished a very well made wine. I'd say there's much room for improvement here once the tannins mellow out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had a few days ago, so going off memory. Nice ruby color to it. Closed at first but opened to show some earth, cherries and some dark fruit. med-Full bodied and just absolutely tasty. Well balanced, tannins were a bit harsh at first but mellowed out to show a wonderful bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am not sure about all the impressive reviews on this one. I am not that impressed, perhaps it is too young. Nose is great, losts of firm tannin lasts too long and overwhelm the overall tast of wine. Hints of green cut stems and unripe fruits. I will wait at least couple of years before I try another bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lighter than expected. Burnt sour cherries and prunes with hints of amaretto and impressive chewy tannins. Not the finished article by far. Given 5-10 years this could eclipse older styles. Delightful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
If you subscribe to the camp that says wine is art, then you'll have to go a long way to find a sexier looking bottle than this one. Anyway, it's the contents that are all-important.
Splash decant. Deep but bright garnet with a purple tinge. Big nose - dusty, smokey and meaty with a beam of crushed fruit. Young and grippy with some beautiful acidity and more than a hint of sweet almond mashed in with the ripeness of the fruit. Very young, this will last and last but the balance is there to make it a healthy long life. Great sangiovese mineral tang on the finish. Excellent, traditional Brunello and a stupendous QPR.
Is it art? Well I don't know, but at least it costs an awful lot less than a Canaletto. Excellent - now at a pinch, but really from 2012+. 92+
EDIT : +24 in decanter to try to move things along a bit. More red cherry fruit apparent and a little more rasberry/strawberry complexity. If you look hard enough here there's more than a hint of drinking a cherry bakewell slice. Impressive underlying structure in evidence. Burly but balanced. Lovely wine
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
100% Sangiovese: High toned nose of plum, cherry, berry, licorice. Really attractive aromatically. Tight, tart cherry, chocolate, acidic. Young but pretty approachable for what 04 Brunello I've tried. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2004 Brunello Tasting (Gentile's (Columbus, OH)): Lapsang souchang tea nose, but very reticent. Very bright and jazzy across a strong structure. Burnt orange peel. Surprisingly soft finish. A lot more correctness than I am describing and quite good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
More new world than typical brunello, much more approachable for average drinkers. Yet classic brunello perfume and rose petal bouquet. Loads of chocolate, dark fruit and managable tannins make it enjoyable without food but it didn't send me into the stratosphere like Gary Vaynerchuck or WS.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Juicy red fruit, cherries, plums, boysenberry; tight with lots of tannins and bright acidity on the finish. This has a bright future and is a nice representation of sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decant! Medium red brownish edge; slightly but only slightly sharp nose, hint of chocolate, coffee, strawberry, however, somewhat muted nose; without decant quite strong tannins, sharp and little fruit - with the decant more sweet attack, less pronounced tannins, quite good actually; promising - good long aftertaste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8.5/10 - Lots of big red fruit. Cranberries and raspberries. Hints of chocolate and strawberries. Very big and firm tannins (almost chewy) but very smooth and well integrated. A bit of heat on the back end but that did not detract too much from the wine overall. Medium length. Really wished I had cheese to go along with it. Good fun wine that definitely needs more time. Putting the rest away before testing again in 2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Solid wine, needs decanting or more years in the bottle. Finish is very nice and pairs extremely well with tomato based pasta dishes. Old world style but with a lot of fruit through the body. Finish is long. Acidity is low.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Toscan wines (mostly blind): (non-blind, vinturied and decanted) Initially very bright fruity nose, it became more smoky (or even oaky) after several hour in the decanter. On the palate this was very bright, smooth, with tart cherries, nice acidity and very smooth long finish with nice tannins. Really quite nice, not extremely tannic, but tastes very young and it shows some heat on the finish. Needs few years to soften. 90-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was my first Brunello, and definitely won't be my last. I decanted the first glass Saturday for several hours (while I was at the ballet). My first impression was of an absolutely heavenly bouquet, very floraly. The first glass was very good. I continued to drink one glass a night for several nights, and each night the wine got even fuller. It does taste young, but the decanting helped. I'm going to buy more to age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit of mud and earth, with a slightly higher-toned nose than the 05; interesting. On the palate, a bit more concentrated and complex than the 05. Very good, again kind of modern.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby red. Youthful and tight. Dense nose with dried cherry fruit and herbs. Elegant, fine tannins with rich refined flavours of leather, tar, iron and spicy oak. Sweet red fruits and a hint of smoke in the long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
All sorts of flavors as described below and really very nice but also just too young. Leave the rest alone for quite some time or really give a big decant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first Brunello and what a bottle to start off with! Decanted for several hours. Exceptionally integrated, velvety tannins. Soft, dry cherry with bordeaux-like, new leather and black olives. Wine on its own was good, but as soon as we paired it with cheese, the juice began bursting with flavors. Highly recommend pairing with rich cheeses and pasta, it simply takes it to the next level. Will purchase more and will be hard to wait to crack open the other bottle on hand. Superior!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the best Brunellos I've had, ever, and I've had my fair share (about 60 bottles from about 30 producers). Very meaty, unusual and striking. Strong strawberry tones. Strangely, this was best right out of the bottle (with Vinturi), and lost poise over time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first Brunello exp. WOW! This is easily the finest Italian Sangiovese I have ever drank. Double-Decanted over 7 hours, and adjusted from some floral and farm -fields action to straight up sweet Cherry Blossoms! It only continued to open and show more and more Cherry, sweet cream, and mild herb. Oak there, but never obtrusive. Typical fine tannins offered this as a very dry Red, that paired beautifully with Cheeses. Particularly a goat cheese. We felt this wine actually enhanced the flavors in everything we paired with it. Overall, just a incredible bottle of wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium dark red color. Light aromas that starts with some nuances of soured milk and acetone, after a little time to come together; it finds some fresh red berries and dried peonies. The taste is also a bit disjointed at first, but like the smell comes together with a little air. Finally, there were black and red cherry with some bitter cherry stone and dark chocolate on the midpalate and finish. Powerful and fresh acidity giving excellent balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brunello 2004 Tasting (HSH): Very closed nose but still with a nice freshness to it with a little bit of cherry. Also has a little bit of varnish on the nose. Full-bodied fruit on the palate but still very nice and clean/pure (not overdone). Has a huge acidity and tannin but clearly still a very nice balance to it. Very long and acidic aftertaste. However, it still seemed very closed compared to my previous bottle. On this showing it was nice but nothing special.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a beautiful wine, no doubt. And it's not anything other than what it is, Sangiovese. The wood treatment is nominal, so the grape speaks for itself. There is dried fruit, balsamic, herbs, blood, iron, and flowers. The nose is striking. The tannins are elevated but harmonious. After a few hours of air, the wine took on a delightful sweetness. This is more intellectual than hedonist, but I found much hedonism in it's intellectuality. Bravo. I have 11 bottles left and can't wait to open the next.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have to admit it, curiosity got the better of me and I felt compelled to try the Antonio-anointed 2004 Il Poggione. Going in, I wasn't sure whether I'd get the pleasure of a great wine (as others of Galloni's recommendations have been) or simply the pleasure of being contrary. The latter pleasure wins out. First sip is OK. Deeply fruited but not fat, and with tannin remarkable for its softness despite the fact that there's a whole lot of it. Doesn't take long before the dominant element of the wine is the fruit's sur-maturite. Pruny, figgy, that kind of thing. It isn't a fruit bomb, just raisined. The proportions stay relatively restrained despite the flavor. I also understand the wine saw some French oak, and fortunately it's pretty subtle. You don't really taste it until the finish, which is cedary. This is usually the point in the note where one compliments the "deftness" of the oaking, and while it might indeed be deft it's also totally unnecessary; the wine would have been better without it. Overall, it's not an over-the-top Michael Bay-movie kind of wine in the fashion of many WA95's; it's more like a Tom Hanks-movie kind of wine, like it had gone through a dozen focus groups. Better with age? Maybe, and it'll need it, since the tannin, soft as it is, is abundant enough that the wine becomes aggressively drying. Wish I'd bought a 375ml to sample this instead of a 750, since there are gonna be lots of leftovers.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
decanted for 5 hours. drank over 2 more. this wine needs time, totally closed for a few hours and then started to show a bit. red brick color. nose started to open and very herbal/meaty nose a little cherry. soft fruit and spice, wood, on palate. nice finish, herbs again. acidic. will be a very nice complex brunello in 5 years and will hold remaining few i have for at least that long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted over three days. Moderately deep color with a touch of rusty red brick. New leather, balsa, iron/copper, minerals. Tart dried cherry fruit turning still more tangy late. Day two more gravel and roasted rocks. Medium bodied tangy dried cherry fruit and leather. Day three more of the same but starting to get more acidic. I don't get this wine - too copper penny acidic and lacking fruit. I fell in love with wine in Tuscany, but have since lost my taste I guess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
0H: Nose seems restricted and reluctant. Dirt, dark cherries and a light sweet vanilla finish. The palate is sweet but with a full body and complex fruit. The acidity is coming through nicely in the mid-palate. The tannins are mellow at first but towards the end they really dry out. Elegant and refined finish with a lot of complexity and acidity where the flavours are menthol, mint and leather. Amazing. 4H: The nose is now more intense and fresh filled with cherries and a little sweetness to it. However it has become more primary but with an excellent depth with some bonfire notes finishing it nicely. Palate has moved to also being more primary with a lot of fresh cherries and a huge acidity that almost vibrates through the very long finish. The finsh has freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate and rosemary. The tannins are now more harsh throughout the wine. A little towards the end. 6H: The nose is now very elegant and pure, fresh cherries and a little hint of bonfire/smoke. Palate now has a very spicy feel to it with thyme and rosemary. It is extremely refreshing and the acidity is completely off the charts. The tannins starts out being sweet and soft and ends heavy and harsh. At this point the wine is very elegant but still with a lot of complexity.
Very interesting wine at the current value!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
quite closed nose of peperoni, herbaceous, vanilla, and lacking some fruit... in the mounth, a bit too much exctracted, red fruit, wet wood, mushrooms... should deserve a higher note with more age
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vino 09 / Benvenuto Brunello (NY Hilton): Solid and structured. Good balance. Dark cherry fruit is a bit overpowered by the framework at this time. Subtle spice still comes through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vino 2009 Brunello Room (Hilton Hotel, New York): Medium ruby color. Reticent on the nose with some floral and herbal characters; something like a field in summertime, and some animal notes. Medium bodied with grippy tannins and good presence. Tight though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/14/2024 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not sure what I expected, seem to be hit or miss with Italian wines, but this is a beauty. Drinking really well, beautiful lush fruit, complex, smooth, long finish....quite pleased. As was the missus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2024 - dafmd Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP: Ruby with light to brick rim; nice notes of cedar, dry leaves; tart cherry, medium bodied, smooth with a dusty drying finish; still very enjoyable at 20 years; excellent with lasagna
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2024 - SirFred Likes this wine: 93 Points
High-shoulder with perfect cork. Dark plum color turning orange at the rim. Expansive on the nose with classic Brunello aromas of cherry, cedar, spice, and flowers. Dark cherry and plum flavors with juicy acidity and dusty tannins, finishing on a long, tart, and mouth-watering herbal note. Needs a fair amount of air to fully open. High concentration from old vines, and a lots of new oak, reminiscent of a riserva. Good quality wine that pairs well with pasta with red meat sauce. Should have a long life remaining.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2024 - Beachfan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better after an hour being open.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2024 - Hilzi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had the bottle at Anthony’s legendary wine tasting. It shone brightest after three hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/25/2024 - rupertg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crusty sediment, brick orange rim, ruby centre. Forest floor nose initially, but ripe fruit follows. Dry in the mouth, but a great burst of fruit in the middle and as you swallow. Lingering impression is raisin, lasts for minutes. Lovely. Subtle. Four years left of recommended drinking window and one bottle left !
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2024 - hezi levy wrote: flawed
Corked
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/31/2023 - honest bob wrote: 95 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 90 minutes off massive slimy plaques of sediment; this bottle hadn't been moved for 12 years, so most of the gunk stuck to the side of the bottle. Intense scent of rich beef consommée, mushroom stock and densely balsamic aromatic herbs. Vibrant, linear palate with high acid, high dark-fruit concentration and almost resolved tannins—the astringency squeezes every last drop of saliva out of every crevice of your mouth. Big, muscular, authoritative. Long, resonant finish. After 5 previous immature bottles (CT TNs below), this was my first one to have arrived at a point of exquisite balance. Bottles in this condition will continue to give years and years of pleasure. 95P
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2023 - canan wrote: 93 Points
Lovely and still quite young cherry fruit. It continues to impress but perhaps lacks a bit of personality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2023 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Such a wonderful Brunello. Earth, dark fruit, acidity, and alcohol almost perfectly in balance and so easy to pair with food.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2023 - ClaytonDave wrote:
No notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2023 - Max S. Likes this wine: 94 Points
Love this bottle, sounds like I got a good one based off the other notes. I feel like I got 2 (or 10) in 1 with the different ways it presented.
Started off with blackberry and plum, a little on the thinner side, acid very present. Then some herbaceousness. About an hour with the bottle open it move to more dried dark cherry, acidic earth, tartness on opening has mellowed out. Has gained some body as well. Just read Keithakers note and getting some raspberry hidden underneath when I look for it, not out at the top.
I would give this about an hour open after pouring a half glass or so to let it show its stuff. Will try to remember to update if it changes significantly...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2023 - The Grape Escape Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner with some friends, so I brought the wine. 2015 Tenuta Santa Maria Amarone Classico Reserva, 2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, and 2009 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet. All were double decanted for two hours prior to dinner. To be honest, all of the wines were excellent.
The Il Poggione had somewhat of a muted nose that opened a little with time. Floral and sage were present but not as forward as I would have expected. However, when it came to the palate, this wine delivered the goods. Black olive tapenade and herbs at the forefront with a breeze of dried spring flowers in the background. The tannins were well resolved and it was smooth as silk. Really enjoyed this one.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2023 - SimonG wrote: 79 Points
Mid garnet, a touch of brick orange to the rim. Evolved and slightly porty nose. Fruit quite stewed. Similar to previous bottle, but where that held things together in a relatively inoffensive way, this one is harder work. Can just about drink a glass, so merits 1*, but little interest beyond the academic in coming back for more. The alcohol is obvious 14.5% and the residual fruit is tired and stewed. I wonder if this would have been better in its youth to provide a buttress to the alcohol or whether the fruit always had this tired profile. Oh well… *
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/13/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Needs 90 min of air. Blue cheese funk blows off. Deep cherries , blueberries , mushrooms , licorice , spice, gelatin , tannins ….long finish . Not too old at all if stored well. Amazing
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2023 - Vascular46 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color-no brick. Red and black fruit (cherry and dark plum) on the nose and palate. Medium to full body with some additional earth on the palate and finish. Drank over 2 nights and it didn't loose much on night 2.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2023 - lim.calvinb wrote: 91 Points
Dried red fruits on the nose. Not much else on the palate, think this is past prime.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2023 - Nothung Likes this wine: 91 Points
A nice brunello. Nice, but nothing all that special. Went well with braised lamb shanks.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2023 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
This one was less dried out and more cherry fruit +
a little sour cherry. Really nice long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2023 - nycebo wrote: flawed
Unfortunately the bottle was past its prime and tasted of stewed fruit and raisin. Decanted in hope of a saving grace, but none arrived.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
8/17/2023 - JeremyFry Likes this wine:
💪🏻
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2023 - Wrighty Likes this wine: 91 Points
Burnt red colour. Dried herbs and leather nose with cherry coming through on the palate. Noticeable acidity and still some tannins. A few years left but not much fruit to hang on to so would start drinking (as lovely right now too!)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2023 - KL1975 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautifully developed, but still young. Cherry fruit, leather, prominent acidity, oak slightly dominant, but a excellent wine with very good qpr, 92+.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2023 - Nothung Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 3 hours before drinking. In a really good place. It went really well with the pulled pork and ribs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2023 - canan wrote: 92 Points
Brunello 2004 Horisontal (My House): Young cherry fruit with a lovely acidity and a fine acidity. Perhaps the tannins are still a bit rough. A lovely and classic wine but unfortunately not more than that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2023 - bergkamp10 wrote: 85 Points
Mature and possibly on the decline. Nice brunello, with some classic notes, but the overall feeling was a bottle that had seen better days. Based on prior experience and the tasting notes of others I suspect a bad bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2023 - lim.calvinb wrote: 92 Points
2 hour decant is necessary - note to self.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2023 - Livonietisr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Aromas of dark cherry, prunes, tobacco, leather, earth. This Brunello is full of life. Balanced, medium body, medium+ acidity, silky tannins. Taste of cherries and black plums. Long. Excelent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2023 - scotty_b wrote: 94 Points
1 hour decant. Silky smooth texture. Effusive nose of cherry. Notes of tobacco, leather, black licorice, and a little spice. Highly enjoyable, vibrant, and showy at this stage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2022 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
The last of my five bottles of this, and it’s still going strong at age 18. Just a beautiful mature Brunello in no danger of dropping off in the near future. Classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2022 - The Grape Escape Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had this beautiful Brunello with some friends (Pnp) at a holiday gathering. Italian herbs with soft black olive tapenade wrapped in a cloak of velvet fruit. I enjoy the experience of having a Brunello that holds your hand as it walks you back into the old days of its pedigree. It left me with one lingering thought…..”Man, I wish I had a big piece of lasagna”
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2022 - Elisabeth Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious with 45 minute decant. We took it to a restaurant; I would have given it a couple of hours at home. Layers of flavor with a long finish. Yum!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2022 - Sarastro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drink now!
This 2004 is in a splendid phase and, för my taste, it will not improve from here.
Mature red cherries, liquorice, wet leather and some foxy notes.
Acidity and tannins are present wrapped with velvety sensations
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2022 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pnp tables side at an Italian restaurant. We let sit open standing for an hour. It really shined tonight. Dark cherries, earth and space with good good length in the mouth. Well integrated tannins and no flaws. Solid Brunello. Nice marriage with the Italian fare. Wish we had more of these but I’ve finished my trio that I had. Better every time we open one. Long life ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2022 - rbieber168@gmail.com wrote: flawed
Skunked Unfortunately a bad bottle
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2022 - SimonG wrote: 90 Points
Double decanted a couple of hours in advance. Mature, evolved garnet colour. Warm spice, slightly cooked plum fruit, leather and a little varnish. Quite harmonious but a little heat on the finish. Decent. Ready. ***1/2
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2022 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
A musty, rustic nose. Wide open in the mouth, leather, tobacco and dark plum. Drinking fantastically, probably won't get better, but a few years left. Medium finish. Beautiful Brunello!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/11/2022 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 89 Points
The Italian pick-up (Terra Rossa, Islington): Felt amazingly young still, an unexpected level of austerity for such an old bottle. Makes me worry about my 2019s! I really liked this, despite the obvious structure and surprising lack of elegance it was really tasty with dark fruit, leather and tapenade all going on.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2022 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruits, sandalwood, tobacco and leather. Rich and powerful yet elegant and structured.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2022 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Classic nose of black currant, olives and herbs. The wine is full bodied, structured and youthful. Blackberry, plum, black cherry, herbs and olives come through into a long finish.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2022 - Kerino wrote: 91 Points
Audaciously smooth and balanced. What a change! A wine without any rebelliousness. Not on the downturn yet but definitely comfortable and relaxed. Silky charming suave bastardo.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2022 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking very well right now Lots of dark fruit in the nose and flavor, blackberries, black cherries, and black currants with hints of leather and spice. Concentrated, medium bodied, well balanced, and a medium to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2022 - 221B Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still young! Needed a 2 hour decant before opening up. A beautiful Brunello, with typical characteristics. I think this can go for another 10 years no problem. But, it's still elegant after a decant if you open now!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2022 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp table side at restaurant. Muted and a little asleep upon opening. Unfolded into nice mature brunello. Dark red fruits, earth n spice. Soft tannins but still held up well with Italian cuisine at 2 hours. Evolved into a wonder representation of an an aged brunello. One more still in cellar for another experience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2021 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drink now. 14.5%
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2021 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dried red/black cherry and strawberry fruit. Notes of stewed tomatoes, tobacco, leather, and spice. Good acidity, long finish. Nice wine right now but no rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2021 - CHINACAT wrote: 93 Points
Ripe berries, earthy and minerally, with good length and a silky texture. Ready now, but should hold up well for a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2021 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Very impressive and well-developed wine. Plenty of dark cherry fruit left and just continues to develop very nicely.
The rustic impression that it gave off when young has evolved very nicely into an impressive intensity with lots of complexity and depth.
Very lovely wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2021 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 89 Points
Smells like Bordeaux. Black fruit primarily and Christmas cake on the nose. Some minerality later. Developed more red fruit, strawberry after a few hours. Really sweet fruit on the attack. Maybe some milk chocolate too. Very high acidity. Some flowers on the palette. Still loads of tannin, decades ahead. So sweet on the tip of the tongue, not sugar, just the fruit profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2021 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 88 Points
Five hour slow oxidation. Deep ruby fading to a medium ruby outer edge. An interplay of red and black fruits appear on the nose with the deeper, richer black fruits coming to the fore with the passing of time. Damp herbs, dried violets, and black pepper provide additional nuances. Incredibly well structured on the palate with dark cherries and black plums. Still very primary and at least five years away from starting to enter early maturity and a more pleasurable drinking phase. Should comfortably age for another two decades from here.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2021 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
This was better than a bottle drunk a few months ago, so bottle variation is in play, although the drinking window is not a factor at this point; this will be good for five to ten more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2021 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 94 Points
A classic BdM, and ready with a brief decant. Dark cherry on the palate. Earthy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2021 - Vaughanwallace wrote: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2021 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Stood up for a day decanted for sediment 1 hour prior to drinking. Mod sed. Serous bucking. More orange than I recall from the last bottle. Soft palate. Almost thin, still some dark fruit but lots of secondaries here. Still good with Italian fare. Not sure when I had the last one of these, but I recall it being very big and more of an adolescent experience. Now, much more mature. Still enjoyable, but so very different compared to a 13 yo high end Napa Cab this night. Did I wait too long to pull the trigger? Will pop the next one sooner to see if bottle variability.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2021 - moods wrote: 92 Points
Drank alongside the 2010, 2012, and 2015 vintages. Not that you could validly compare this 2004 to the others given its much older, but this was undoubtedly wine of the flight. Very developed in aroma and on the palate, but still showing a lovely purity of fruit. Nicely melded tannins and a vibrant acidity. Well balanced throughout the long harmonious palate. And I still think this can go another 5-7 years or so.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2021 - NeuroWine wrote: 95 Points
Brick red on pouring, evolves to deep ruby over 1-2 hours in decanter. Initially warm/hot on palate with little fruit. Over time, nose develops much like sherry cask, with tart cherry and blackberry on palate. Moderate tannins but not overpowering. Intriguing and fun wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2021 - WhinyWiner Likes this wine: 96 Points
I started with 18 bottles of this wine 13 years ago and have 4 left - therefore, I wasted 13 bottles. It's unfortunate that the professional critics can't predict the future and know when a bottle will become magical like this one was tonight. This wine was 89 pts up until this point. At least I have 4 left, all of which I'll drink soon since it's in a real sweet spot.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mature and delicious with smooth dark cherry, brick, flowers and long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2021 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour, leaving an immense deposit clinging to the side of the bottle. Gently browning colour heralds that wonderful beef consommée/blood/herbal/forest floor maturing Brunello scent. Add fine cigar tobacco and raw leather. The palate is dominated by very ripe dark fruit, intensely concentrated with grape-pip tannins, but without ever showing obvious sweetness; massive astringent tanninic crescendo to the finish, growing rougher as time passes. The last sip at 3 hours after opening was the most sandpaper-like. Challenging, imperious wine, possibly just entering early maturity, but with lots of time to go. Worked fine with cepes risotto, would have been even better with char-grilled meat. 91P(?)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2021 - hajoha wrote:
Sliten flaske.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2021 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Cooked strawberry and menthol on the nose. Tart cherry with notes of plum, currant, and leather on the medium finish, with moderate tannins and strong acidity. This was a good value at about $50. It's in its drinking window, although there's no need to hurry to open a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2021 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby color. Lovely nose of leather, tobacco leaf, and tart red berries. Medium bodied on the palate, juicy with fine tannins on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Sangiovese Study (chicago, IL): Nose: The nose shows off a darker side to the fruit with plums, dark red cherries, raspberries, licorice, smoke, creosote, savory herbs, spice notes, leather, and violets. This is wide open, layered, and balanced with it still showing a somewhat primary nature.
Taste: The feel is Full bodied with tart, medium+ acidity and chewy, medium+ tannins. There is still some youth to the structure while the feel is deep and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, raspberries, savory herbs, leather, smoke, licorice, and violets.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully right now and there are plenty of miles left on the road. This shows off a darker side to the fruit with a soulful, savory quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2021 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP in good not great shape. I was hoping it might find some wind in its sails, but instead it remained fairly linear, if mildly pleasing. Not the best of corks, I suppose; should have shown better. NR
http://www.italianwine.blog
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
1/16/2021 - Phylloxera63 wrote: 86 Points
Not decanted. Color bricking. Musty flavours, although no TCA. Drying tannins. All in all, a rustic type of Brunello you have to like, but it doesn't work for me. Will reconsider what to do with my remaining bottles (7 left, 2 of which are magnums), after retasting in 3 years time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2021 - Tim Heaton wrote: flawed
raging TCA
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2021 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 91 Points
Couleur sombre, prune, fruits noirs, herbe humide, épices, bouche pleine, fruitée, tannins encore présents, bonne bouteille
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2021 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Dark, rich, grippy sangiovese, a luxurious lick of oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2020 - M.Y. Chong Likes this wine:
Relatively good nose. A bit lacking on the palate. Compared to the 2006 this left me wanting for more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2020 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
We check in on this wine every two years and this was its best showing yet. Really bringing the complete package with a quick double decant and 20 minutes of air. Great floral bouquet, medium-to-full body, dusty red fruits and cedar on the palate, and good acidity to carry it on the finish. So good right now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2020 - Obalde Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 30mins. Clear med ruby- quite bright with some minimal bricking.
Med plus nose. Fruity on the pop but blew off to soy and earthy tones.
Med+ intensity in the mouth with med+ body. Fruit comes back for the beginning- cherries and strawberry, before the earthiness returns. Finishes off with blackberries for a long finish. Acid still alive and drives the length.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2020 - thoughtdujour wrote: 88 Points
repeat
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2020 - Robert R. wrote: flawed
Corked. Darn it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyable, not as spectacular as I remember. Plum colored, slight old world nose, pretty rich dark blue and purple fruit. Hangs around the palate for a while after drinking. Would recommend pairing with rich food.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2020 - jkscully Likes this wine:
Dark plummy fruits with tar, black tea (there’s a sweet woodsy/twig sort of flavor going on), and tobacco notes. Fruit cake, potpourri, rose hips, and violet add a really nice finish, which is also accentuated by good acid and well integrated cedar/vanilla flavors from the oak. Not quite as smooth as the Sesti and Costanti, but after those two bottles, which both seemed a bit tired, I really appreciated the youthful energy of this bottle, 16 years into its development. On the flip side, I found this bottle to be less complex and sophisticated than those two bottles and I found it less food friendly. I enjoyed it better on its own, but one of the things I love about Sangiovese is how well it accentuates the food. Good wine, but not outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2020 - stayhappy21 wrote: 88 Points
Drank this at Kam Boat with my wine mates. Theme of the night: Wines that start with B.
A modern take on Brunello. Dark brooding purple in colour with notes of violets, blueberries, cherries and a touch of varnish. Good structure and well crafted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprised how much the missus and I enjoyed. Questioned buying a case 5+ years ago, but this has morphed into a full-bodied wine with dark integrated fruit, fairly smooth, good nose, nice finish. Glad to have 9 more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2020 - elyaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic, served on the cool side, opened up pretty quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2020 - tommesHH wrote: flawed
Trying this one in 2014 it was a really gorgeous Brunello so I kept 4 bottles for enjoying further development. I regret having waited till 2019. It's by far over the top, getting a sherry-like touch. Lesson learned.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/15/2020 - BillyT wrote: 88 Points
This is what happens when you wait just a bit too long. It was a shell of itself from previous openings. It did take almost 1.5 hours to open but remained such for about an hour and took a nose dive. It was a bit cloudy but basically lackluster. Cork was in excellent shape but the wine wasn't. It was flabby and disjointed for the most part and barely drinkable. Noticing others great scores it's possible I just had an off bottle. Stored impeccably but then one never knows, does one?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/15/2020 - cch1966 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep garnet. Notes of cherry, prune, tobacco, leather and eucalyptus. Mid+ acidity and tannins. Complex wine with long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2020 - Sjontoft wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and ripe brunello. Age does not really show on the Colourbox. Rubber on the nose.
Very complex and layered. Drinks well at this point.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2020 - Cmainardi wrote:
Just a bit corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2020 - SteelerFan wrote: 92 Points
Nice tart edge. 2004’s seem to be maturing quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2020 - viking92067 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Acquired new and stored in commercial grade cellar at home. 2 hour decant. This wine has gotten better with time. Mature but years to go. Lovely Brunello.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/22/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright ruby color. Fresh nose of berries. Great acidity on the palate. Soft cherry and cassis with smooth tannins. Youthful, ready with brief decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2020 - vanpe003 wrote:
Light notes of "cooked" after a day open
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2020 - mchern02 wrote: 92 Points
3 hour decant
Nose of wet tobacco, leather, eucalyptus, cedar, and floral mix frame a fruit forward palate with fresh young tannins, medium minus acidity and a jammy, medium finish
Early days of a drinking window with some tightish tannins which should improve over next few years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - drrobvino wrote: 95 Points
2nd of 4 bottles, last tasted 2 years ago. Opened and tasted a few glasses on night 1, then recorked and finished on night 2.
This bottle was big and a bit unbalanced on the first night, showing a bit of heat, with really gritty tannins and rather fierce acidity. Don't get me wrong, it was very good, but a bit jumbled and clumsy on PnP.
After a night of slow-O, a big difference. I can now taste the tobacco leaf, mint, black tea, tart red cherries, and iron.
The wine is very masculine, with a super-tight mid-palate, bright acidity, finely grained tannins, and a long, long finish.
Drink now through 2030 or so.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2020 - bags wrote:
drinking beautifully. will keep or even improve over next 10 or more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2020 - rralls wrote: flawed
I think this was slightly corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2020 - champussi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ein großer Brunello! Immer noch jung wirkend! Nicht der Schmusetyp. Mit guter Säure und Tannin, beides aber nicht störend! Braucht viel Luft! Mal eben auf die Schnelle kann man sich schenken. Tolle Sauerkirsche am Gaumen!! Die Nase hält von der Intensität nicht ganz mit. Evtl. geht da sogar noch etwas mehr in ein paar Jahren!? Toller Wein!! Erst recht fürs Geld! 95+P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2020 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 92 Points
Final bottle of 4. Wonderful again. A classic BdM with cherry, leather, hint of tobacco. Med. to full bodied with great tannic structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2020 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium garnet. Within an hour a medium + intensity of nose had emerged with some really lovely sweet cooked fruit balanced with leather, tobacco and smoked wood flavors. A lot of depth and length to the nose that is worth the price of entry alone. Palette is smooth, medium alcohol, well integrated tannins, and good flavor intensity. But no match for the nose. If you have some I think it is at its best. Hard to see how it gets better from here. So , open up, wait an hour and then Just breath it in!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 92 Points
Pop 'n pour from 55 degree cellar. Nose of tobacco and brambly black fruit. Bracing and lively acidity. Cranberries and black tea flavors. Tannins are a bit dry. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2020 - Mr T wrote:
definitely showing age with bricking and somewhat reserved fruit, but definitely the best bottle I've had...it has taken a long time to come around. Surprised it took so long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2020 - rsbeck wrote: 95 Points
Popped, breathed in bottle 4 hours, consumed over next two hours. The nose on this was incredible right from the pop. On the palate, when I first tasted upon opening, I had some misgivings. 4 hours of slow ox later, the palate had transformed and was beginning to deliver on the promise of the incredible aromatics. Took about 30 more minutes in the glass for everything to come forward, play in absolute harmony and provide a memorable Brunello experience. Intense, yet weightless, complex, beautifully balanced with mouth watering acidity and an expanding, lingering finish. Still, I feel this wine is just beginning to show tertiary development, so I suspect it has even more to give. If I had another bottle, I'd love to revisit and see how it develops over the next five years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:
A bit raisiny. Purchased on release, stored properly, cork perfect but this seemed advanced beyond expectations... not sure what to think.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2020 - Vaughanwallace wrote: 94 Points
Decanted. Large dry. Sour cherries and eucalyptus.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2020 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Little change since my last TN of 29.08.2017. Stern, sexy, concentrated, ripe red/dark berry fruit, balsamic aromas. Medium bodied, high acidity, almost disconcertingly ripe fruit-led palate remains linear through to medium-long finish. Still seems young. Fine now, but no hurry at all, may well improve if the bunched-up ripe sweetness on the mid-palate lets go a little. 91(-93)P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2020 - Beachfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like the earlier notes this month.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2020 - willfab60 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brought to Cipriani for a 20 minute decant. Drank beautifully over the next hour. Great dark fruits. Sweet spot now.
Dont wait on this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2020 - elyaz wrote: 93 Points
Sep 2018: With grilled steak. Delicious. Better a bit on the colder side, fairly lush and sexy but not overripe. 93.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2020 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nicely aged Brunello in a very good place. Still a fair bit of tannin that may not balance out before the fruit goes. Also a tiny hint of maturity/oxidization on the nose, but that might be bottle variation based on recent notes.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is excellent, in perfect window. Drank over an hour, after a 30 minute decant. On the palate,notes of dark cherry, licorice and raspberry. Beautiful ruby color, with no bricking.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2020 - danckie Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in a very happy place right now.
Silky, elegant red and dark fruit beautifully aged, complex. Brunello at it’s best.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2020 - BrunelloBob wrote: 92 Points
Auction purchase. PnP, which is the play at this point. Very good noise. Nice balance of bright red fruit and tannin.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2020 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Last of 7 btls over 2 release purchases. This is the wine that got me excited about Brunello for its versatility and terroir influenced character. Best of all, so much depth for just $40, and even today, you'll have a hard time paying more than $60 for most Brunellos. It rarely reaches the heights of Burgundy but its a screamingly great value and glass of food friendly red wine! And, in most cases it integrates its elevated Alc levels better than other regions. Stood up for a day to collect sediment in bottom back of btl. Like my btl 6 months ago the cork was super tight and barely 1/16" soak! Test sip & sniff at 3 and decided to slow -ox in glass/btl till dinner. Resolved and fully ready to go, this now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral, herbs and underbrush. Alc 14.5 but not an issue. What a classy terroir driven glass of wine tonight. Moving on to my 06s, 07s & 10s. If, I had some more I don't think I'd want to wait more than a year or three to drink up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2019 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had with Aussie wagyu tomahawk. Beautiful!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2019 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
A lot of sediment in the bottle. Do not disturb! Good structure, flavors not as focused , but spicy and ripe. Would drink sooner than later.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2019 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stored in cold cellar. Similar note as before. Still improving. Many years of life ahead. Great Brunello already. Potential to become truly great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2019 - Vaughanwallace wrote: 93 Points
Very tightly wound. Dry. Needs more time
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2019 - vanpe003 wrote:
See my prior note, and the difference between these two bottles. This one, dark ruby in color. Rich and full bouquet on the nose that takes just a bit of swirling to coax out. On the palate, cherries, leather. Tannins are quite prominent on the finish if drinking without food.
I had 12 of these, 6 bottles from two different sources. I hope I'm not going to find myself playing russian roulette with the remaining 10 bottles (e.g. 1 good, 1 bad).
Followup note - this seems to develop quite quickly in the glass, becoming darker and more monolithic on the palate, very light hints of something like "cooked" and a big pop from the tannins which ultimately creates an out-of-balance situation. Not the direction I was hoping for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2019 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Probably similar to Kris G's experience. Seal was good. Wine trended toward brown. Quite a bit of port tendencies on the flavor profile. Seems overly mature/oxidized for its age, yet strong tannins on the backend. An interesting experiment I suppose, but with the opening of a second (much better) bottle of the same, this one hit the drain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2019 - Kris G wrote: flawed
same issue as the previous bottle
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2019 - Kris G wrote: flawed
Very fast oxidation in the glass, another bottle from Tacos down the drain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2019 - bags wrote:
starting to drink well. I'm not sure this will ever attain greatness and it may be reaching a plateau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2019 - devraj Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red ruby with very slight bricking around the edges. Intensely perfumed nose with dark florals, hint of warm earth, asian spice, leather and dark red fruit. Medium bodied palate reveals sweet liqueur of red berries, tobacco, medium acidity, no tannins and a long spicy and perfumed finish. A rather elegant and silky Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2019 - Guido L. wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color - Drank from half bottle. Very mature Sangiovese on the nose and on the palate. Probably not the best bottle as it seems to be too mature considering the vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2019 - benny wrote: 95 Points
This is beautiful Brunello. Decant for an hour or two. Just gets better with air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2019 - Dalex Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gorgeous wine. Unlike any other Brunello I’ve had. Right upon opening so I ran it back and forth in decanters, recorked and opened at dinner an hour later.
This was quite delicate and refined. The interesting thing I tasted was nutmeg which was unexpected. Very pretty and elegant
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2019 - Battersea James Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherries, sour fruit and a hint of leather. Well integrated and balanced - tannins nicely broken down. Very well made wine - just felt it was a little one dimensional which prevents me from marking higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Stood up for a day to collect sediment in bottom back of btl. The cork was super tight and barely 1/16" soak! Test sip & sniff around 3:30 and decided to slow- ox in glass/btl till dinner. This is still fresh but felt slightly more fullish then I remember previous btls. Still, this is fun and now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral and forest floor. This btl showed more earth too then previous btls. Not confident this gets better but likely hangs for another 5yrs. So I'll plan to drink my last btl NLT 2025, latest. Alc 14.5 but still reasonably in check. One left, resting in the very bottom of wine cabinet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2019 - spineguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bit reserved. Solid all around. Did not change much over 2 hours in a decanter. Drinking well now but still has lots of life left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2019 - jonathanknowles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherry fruit and very earthy smell, iron and leather. Rich palate, more black cherry, lots of tangy acid and a bit of wood spice. Full bodied and still quite tannic, well structured. Long fresh herbal and menthol finish. Everything in balance, lovely mature Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2019 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. The nose here is a bit shy a requires some coaxing and even when it comes it quite earth and leafy. On the other hand the palate is fantastic with flavors of dried cherries and cranberries mixing nicely with tobacco and earth notes into a long finish. Well integrated and balanced this is classic brunello at full maturity where it should hold for another 3-5 years. Great value for the money too if you can still find some.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2019 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 93 Points
With 15 years of age, this really needs to stand upright for a day or so and be decanted off the sediment. That said, this is in a very good spot. Big balsamic notes, dried herbs, tertiary leather and tobacco flavors frame the fruit, which has taken on a dried character. General earthy notes, with tomato / tomato leaf ,on the nose and palate, reminds you that you're drinking Sangiovese. Fully integrated tannins, medium+ acid and generally medium+ on the body. Probably at or near peak, but it has the stuffing to carry on for several years. Not really exceptional in any single aspect, but very solid and a good example of aged Brunello. That probably sounds more dismissive than I intended it to be.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2019 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a very good brunello now drinking at peak. Popped and poured but it really came out to play about 45 minutes in so I would recommend a moderate decant. Sophisticated nose of dried cherries, leather and herbs. The palate has a nice structure with a few layers of complexity interplaying both fruit and earth flavors nicely. Palate notes of cherry, red currant, earth, licorice and spices come through with a well integrated and decently long finish. This winery continues to deliver particularly at this price point.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2019 - ChristP Likes this wine: 95 Points
The cork came out in perfect condition, the color was still a beautiful deep red and there was precious little sediment in the bottle on decanting. At first there was little aroma. It took about 2 hours for black cherry to emerge on the nose. On the palate the wine had fresh acidity and depth of fruits dominated by black cherry. The cherry dominance settled down by the 3rd hour to make a very subtle wine, well-balanced wine with silky smooth tannins and gorgeous long finish. There was almost zero resistance to this one slinking down. The word heavenly seems fit. This wine could probably last another 8-10 years. Amazing value.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2019 - Zitan wrote: 96 Points
Abolutely magnificent! Perfumed, deep, and beautiful. May be a touch before peak, but why wait? So happy I have 4 more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2019 - up4wine wrote:
The underlying bones of this wine are outstanding and there is still a good fruit foundation, but this bottle and the last one I had were a bit oxidized. This was a distraction that degraded the experience. I only recently purchased these bottles and am wondering how well the previous owners have stored them.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2019 - snsharma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour, which was definitely needed. Dark red fruit, a little slatey. Enjoyable wine but lacking some finesse, maybe better in 2-3 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2019 - Chainthroer wrote: 94 Points
Deep dark garnet, along with a reddish hue indicating it's maturing; yellowing rim; opaque. Blackberry, black cherry, mint, leather, tobacco, oak. Mint is obvious on the nose. Big, powerful and intense fruit. Dense and viscous. Tannin has abated, but a lot of structure remains for more longevity. A long, long finish. Score 94+.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/17/2019 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beautiful, exotic bottle. Deep, complex aromas of herbs, vanilla, truffle, meat, alcohol. Also great on the palate, with menthol mint and spice overtones, very exotic.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2019 - Bellissimo wrote:
Had friends over for dinner, no formal note. Decanted 45 minutes then consumed over the next 60. Deep, dark color. Floral, sappy cherry, with hints of anise and leather. Really nice balance and in now way of showing this is declining. Excellent wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2019 - Rollerball wrote: 95 Points
I tasted a lot of wines today. And then tonight comes along something far less humble. A ripe charcoal of a wine, sour for the first 45 minutes in the decanter and then. And then, a dark toned bouquet. Lush. Coffee-like. Then harmonious complexity infusing macerated berries and tobacco: peach then lemon, lime, carmel, marachino, carrot cake, cinnamon, salami, the lick of a spearmint leaf. Slightly drying. Even better in a year. Very 2020-2024.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2019 - Cmainardi wrote: 91 Points
Excellent aged Brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2018 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
We check in on this every two years. This bottle is the best yet, but I believe it has room to improve, still. We’ll find out in two years!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2018 - up4wine wrote:
Wine seems to be a bit oxidized, which is detracting from the great underlying fruit that I can still marginally detect. I only recently purchased this lot, and it appears the previous owner did not store this wine so well. A bit disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2018 - Mr T wrote:
pnp while pit tp out to dinner
needs decant
dumb
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2018 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful Wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2018 - cct wrote: 95 Points
On the nose, this has depth, power and grace. Dark strawberry preserves and subtle floral background. On the palate, this has great depth and yet precision, with balanced power, dark sangiovese fruit and a sense of stoniness. Power and drive with harmony. Youthfully delicious. A wonderful wine in the making.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious now. Will be better in 10 years. Impressive wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2018 - Vaughanwallace wrote: 93 Points
Still very tight. Big. Almost sweet. Give it another couple of years. Very good.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
1st of 6. Decanted and tasted 2 hours later. Nose of cherry and menthol. Nice sappy aromas. Big wine. Cherry, resiny fruit. Tannins are firm. Long finish. Drinking very well, but should hold for a decade or more. Glad I have more!
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2018 - Osiris021 Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2018 - rsbeck wrote: 93 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. Very concentrated and dark for Brunello, but with a slight garnet tinge. Developing well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2018 - llink wrote: 92 Points
Deep nose, beef blood, damp soil, spice, menthol and cherry’s. Dry palate, medium weight, medium acid and juicy. Very little evolution after 13 years, not sure when this will soften up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2018 - drrobvino wrote: 95 Points
1st of 4 bottles.
This BdM is flirting with perfection this evening.
Aromas and flavors of tart red cherry, with notes of leather and moist soil.
The tannins are beautifully astringent, giving a gorgeous mouthfeel and loads of complexity, changing with each sip.
Drink now through 2025+. So delicious.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2018 - Bodie67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is still an amazingly fresh wine. There is little sign of ageing and the flavour is intense and concentrated. Amazing value for money and I see no rush to drink the remaining bottles. Not for the faint hearted!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2018 - jkoenen wrote: 91 Points
Unashamedly modern, oaky, smoky, fruity, slightly clunky and anonymous...
But hey... it's well balanced and well made.
I ain't complainin'...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2018 - MattJ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very little signs of aging, I think this wine is in it's prime drinking window but no rush. Cherry, savoury sangiovese notes, dark ruby, a balanced sweetness and lingering complexity. Excellent. Poggione is a first tier brunello producer and I remember drinking wines 10+ years ago from the 2001 vintage when they were a steal. Unfortunately everyone else has subsequently realized how good they are and the costs have risen correspondingly but still fair considering the quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2018 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazinlgy fresh and light yet well rounded and slightly sweet frui, despite its age. And as mentioned early this year it really is drinking well right now. Feels like it could stay in this wondow for quite some time, and may even improve in depth. A good value Brunello if you had the patience to wait the 14 years its taken to get to this point!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2018 - JoeD83 wrote: 91 Points
Loads of preserved Italian cherry with some herbal undertones and mushroom. More full bodied than I expected. Acidity and tannin still there with a bit of an edge to the acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2018 - Chris Likes this wine: 94 Points
Good fruit remaining and integrated tannins. Definitely deeper in color than my last bottle so some variation there. Wine had a bit of a vegetal quality on open but it dissipated after a few hour decant. I gave the wine a 92 after the initial night but finished the next day and with more air the wine took on a wonderful aroma and deeper complexity. Decant 3-4 hours or even open night before and leave until next day. Fantastic effort.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2018 - Ibetian wrote:
Drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote: 92 Points
Auction purchase. Opened this one at AM with intent to slo-ox, but it was pretty much ready to go. Re-corked and drank that evening. There's an old world elegance to the 2004s that will let you call them blind. Not block busters, but subtle, well made wine. Red fruit and food-friendly acidity. Decade or more left.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2018 - patatty Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for a few hours but still closed. Red purple color with bit of translucency and not too dark. Still young and closed. Nose and palate of dried tea leaves and slight cherry flavor. Short-medium length. Potential to age well.
Decanted a few more hours on following day and tannins softened. Color became more rust hue and red. Finish lengthened quite a bit as well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2018 - isbjoern Likes this wine: 91 Points
Best bottle so far. Excellent Brunello, mouthwatering style, great acidity, elegant, spicy, powerful and long. Did not notice any of the baked fruit flavors and moldy notes as with last bottle. This wine is great now but will not fade anytime soon. - 91 points
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours but not sure its needed other than to clear some pesky sediment. Next btl I'll either do just a quick double decant for the sediment or, slow ox in glass/btl and pour carefully. This really doesn't gain from lots of air. This is still fresh while showing a smidge leaner than its earlier days. In some ways I miss the more overt fruit of 3-4 years ago and on release. Still, this is fun and now offers more mature nuanced layers of; cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, mineral and forest floor. Not sure how much better this gets, if at all, so I'll plan to drink my next one in 2020/21 and perhaps roll the dice on last btl and drink it at age 20 in 2024? Or, not. See how the 2020 btl performs and then decide on the last. Alc 14.5 but you never feel it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2018 - AW Marlow Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was sublime. A lovely wine in a perfect place. 2 hour decant. Silk in a glass. Had the whole table purring and singing its praises. Still relatively young so no rush to consume - but certainly ready to drink. The nose was initially a little funky but that dissipated. Some acidity, cherries, beautifully smooth with fully resolved tannins. I'm sure I paid less than £20/bottle EP and at this price point this is a ridiculously good value wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2018 - cnichelson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth w strawberry and cherry notes. Refined and with fully resolved tannins. A little thin mouthfeel but drinking perfectly after a double decant w bistecca a la fiorentina.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2018 - champussi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Immer noch jung. Er braucht immer noch viel Luft! Aber das frühe Trinkfenster ist jetzt erreicht. Die erste Flasche vor 2,5 Jahren deutete es an. Das ist grosser Stoff. Noch kein Schmeichler, immer noch dicht und zupackend. Die grosse Harmonie ist aber schon spürbar. Nichts überreifes! Mit viel Luft jetzt schon toll! In 2 Jahren wohl noch besser!! 95+P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2018 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Significantly better than he last bottle we tried. Really very good right now. Lovely dark berry and fruit nose, and palette is now smooth and long and a lovely mix of fruit and Forrest floor, with no harsh tamarins visible at all.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2018 - mattscellar1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Flavorful full-bodied depth great nose.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2018 - mattscellar1 wrote: 93 Points
Flavorful to see body great nose drank with scrambled eggs and toast
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2017 - rupertg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby red, but clear in a strong light. Deposits crystallised in bottle. Pale orange rim. Decanted two hours before drinking. Classic dry, sour cherry nose, but overtones of leather. Initial impression in mouth is of dryness and tannin, but then it opens out and the finish is lovely and lingering. Still good the next day. It got lost with food and guests much preferred a younger wine. On it's own, with bread and cheese, shows real class. Teeth dry on the tannin, but in the back of the mouth is tobacco, plum and fig. Delightful, but delicate. Only two left, so giving them 2 year spacing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2017 - SteelerFan wrote: 91 Points
Smooth and rich. Drinking very well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2017 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
Much softer than 3 years ago and less oxidized than the last bottle, a slightly cooked and sweet plum and cherry fruit, but balanced by bright acidity, lots of spicy oak flavors, cinnamon, rusty iron flavors, slightly vegetal tobacco notes, a bit of a moldy funk, good length. A fine Brunello, but for me this is slightly too ripe to be among the best wines of the vintage. The moldy note might indicate a cork issue, but it wasn't very obvious. Drinking well now. - 90 points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2017 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Still comes across as rather youthful. No hurry to drink. Very solid but had my hopes raised for a 2004 that should be entering its prime. Dark cherry, sweet tobacco. Good acidity for food. Was hoping the nose would really open up but again no. Seems like still to early. Hold.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2017 - moods wrote: 90 Points
Developed aromas, slightly vegetal with what seemed to be cooked dark cherry fruit. Palate very tight still. Black fruit is there but veiled behind a tough tannic structure. Maybe needs some time to fully develop and reach its peak balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2017 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
Light nose of red berries, forest floor... Very concentrated taste, loads of sappy tannin, loads of ripe red cherries, good balancing acidity, great lenght of 30 sec, still a bit closed, wait 2-3 more years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2017 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Gorgeous exotic scent: Redcurrant with a touch of blackcurrant (Ribena?), oriental spices, oak, licquorice and finest balsamic vinegar. Medium bodied, with ripe red-black fruit becoming increasingly generous with air; very bright acidity starting several seconds after the entry remains linear to the long, resonant, balsamic finish (sage? rosemary and thyme). Still present tannic grip much better integrated than one year ago (my TN 09.09.2016), with scope for further improvement over 2-5 years. 91(-92)P
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2017 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank two 375 ml bottles. Blackberry, forest floor and wood on the nose. So nicely puled together now. Great flavour intensity balanced with acidity and fine tannins. Approaching prime time now in half bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2017 - mpricher wrote: 93 Points
Been holding this one for almost 7 years. So well balanced. Done tannins. Smoothly and so well paired with Olives, salamis and Lagsagna. I always find these Italians wines to be wonderful with food, but less of a star on their own. Maybe just me...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/14/2017 - theronware wrote: flawed
corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2017 - benny wrote: 95 Points
Give this 3-4 hour decant and it sings.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2017 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PP@Belotti; fine tannins and good length; maturing nicely; balanced, and even refined compared with the rough around the edges 2011 Uccelleria that accompanied it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2017 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at home with cheese course and pasta with pesto. Really in a great place with nice fruit and resolved tannins. Delicious.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2017 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice balance, wood and tannin, lots of life left. Dark cherry and balsam. No hurry to drink the rest.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/22/2017 - leonwine wrote: 92 Points
Drank over 3 hour period. Nice development on the nose good earthy raspberry mushroom, leather nice lingering finish drinking nicely at the moment. decant the wine
for the money i was expecting more
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2017 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Lots of sediment. Decant carefully. Dark reddish purple color. Flavors of mature red and black fruits, earth tones, slightly extracted. Tannins re still a bit tight, good flavor depth. Slight tobacco, medium acidity. Very classy and delicious, but not quite the level of quality expected.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2017 - AlanM68 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Some mixed reviews of this. Today's bottle is the first from a case of 12. I wasn't as disappointed as some folks. Even decanted for an hour it's still a little tight and likely needs more air, but it's got good length, is nicely acidic and cherry-like and I'm looking forward to trying the next 11 over the coming years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2017 - devraj Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good deep reddish purple. Classic aromas of leather, tobacco, black cherry liqueur and hint of licorice. Palate shows good depth to the sweet and tart black cherry fruit, ripe tobacco, hint of licorice, medium acidity, lurking tannins on a long smoky finish.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
3/31/2017 - Arch57 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Well 5 1/2 years ago I rated this wine only 85 as it was sour and did not have the typical BdM notes that I cherish. I opened my second and last bottle tonight and was still un-impressed. While the sour notes have disappeared it still had none of the characteristics of Brunello that I have experienced over fifty bottles or so. Oh well on to my other producers.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/27/2017 - spineguy Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decent nose, a bit old world and nice. Some earth tones and red-black fruit both present. Bit thin on palate. Unsure if the tannins will integrate further.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2017 - Kris G Likes this wine: 91 Points
the acidity has finally tempered a bit, so now it is nicely balanced showing leather, mocha, earth and red fruits. The aftertaste is impressive.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2017 - don_quichotte Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Soupy and extracted. No fun.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2017 - chbeaumont wrote: 93 Points
Brick red; savoury, full bodied, black olive & morello cherries, complex; this shows more than a touch of class. No rush to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2017 - jwongham wrote: 88 Points
Six years since I had my lost bottle. I thought then it was good but hot and needed time. It's settled somewhat but, for my taste, this remains too extracted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2017 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still young. Excellent acidity balanced by lovely fruit and complexity. Still years of life left. A textbook example
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2017 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Floral, fresh picked ripe cherry. Red raspberry & currant, cherries jubilee. Continues to hold steady. Has heavy duty staying power. Could easily cellar another 5-8 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2017 - bags wrote:
very nice. can use a few more years to fill out.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2017 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brought with us to Sea-Guini at the Opal Sands on Clearwater Beach ($30 corkage). Starting to look mature. Slight bricking and some lightening at the edge. Powerful aromas of earth, leather, tobacco and spice on the nose. Full-bodied and initially very tight and earthy on the palate also. This took 45 minutes to open fully, finally revealing plenty of tangy, delicious sour cherry and plum fruit, with excellent depth and intensity. Very nicely balanced, showing a moderate-to-lively acidity and silky tannins that are perfectly integrated. Finishes very long and complex, with attractive notes of leather, coffee, spice and a lingering hint of orange peel at the very end. A gorgeous, surprisingly elegant Brunello that is now in its prime. Paired beautifully with the Pappardelle and Beef Rib Ragu.
50+5+12+17+8=92
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
1/2/2017 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8.5/10 - Refer to prior notes. Drinking very well now. Lots of juicy red fruit goodness.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2016 - wineamateur wrote: flawed
Quite a lot of liver on the nose, austere, felt older than it was, not perhaps in pristine condition
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2016 - maw246 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking at its prime. Garnet color. Classic Brunello nose. Well balanced. Lots of fruit here and some leather. Medium to long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid, though still very young with rather strong acidity that's a bit angular without food. Nice concentrated dried red fruits and spice with a nice tobacco element. Drinkable now, but probably better in a few years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2016 - Ibetian wrote:
Bottom line, I think this needs another year or two on the cellar. Try again in 2018.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2016 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Still a young Brunello at age 12. This has an elegant, medium-bodied frame with cherry and dusty leather notes backed by a suggestion of dried thyme. Due to time constraints, this was double decanted and followed for about an hour. It continued to improve over that time, so I expect more good things ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2016 - Thorgal Likes this wine: 93 Points
I think vinnut is right on the money with his notes (thanks. great description), except that I think it will evolve further in the years to come and will peak in 5-7 years at least. Beautiful example of Brunello and Il Poggione.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2016 - Brnshj22 wrote: 92 Points
Not going downhill any time soon. That's for sure. Very nice Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2016 - Cristian De Zen wrote: 95 Points
Truly great
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2016 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Did not compare well to the 2004 Ciacci Pianrosso tonight. Decanted 3 hours and drank over 1 hour. I expected more. Too limited complexity.
Not well integrated. I will wait a year to try again. Maybe 2 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2016 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark garnet in color with bricking & clearing at the edges. Forward, attractive & fragrant nose of mature, ripe fruits aromas of cherries, blueberries, dried figs & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & tar notes, floral notes of roses, sandalwood/cedar, aged tobacco, truffles, anise, dark cocoa, minerals, spices, smoky & dried herbs. Medium bodied with good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, mature, ripe dark fruit flavors of sour cherries, blueberries & plums with earthiness, mushrooms, spices, licorice, minerals, herbs & some toasty oak. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & may be at or quite close to its peak of development so make plans to drink it up soon.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/26/2016 - sunnylea57 wrote: 87 Points
Second of two 375ml bottles I've opened, and both have been tired, flabby and lacking structure. A friend has also opened some 375s from the same source with the same results. Other wines I've opened from the same source/cellar have been pristine. I'd expect a half bottle to be more evolved than a 750, but I'm wondering if this is evidence that the 04 Poggione normale isn't going to be a long lived wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/16/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Greek Rabbit Stew and Brunello's (Leo's Place, Mpls, MN): Medium dark red color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was my second favorite of the night. Another great '04 with a fantastic nose of dried earth, leather, and baking spices, plum, dark cherry and apple. The palate has nice ripe fruits, deep cherry, plum, earthy, dried spices, elegant. 93+ to 94pts.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2016 - ozyloy wrote: 91 Points
Clear, deep ruby. Dark fruit and dry earth, with hints of sweet spice, vegetable leaf and faint tobacco. Decent acidity, medium body, medium(+) drying tannins. A rather brooding presentation; perhaps this could have used a much longer decant - 3 hours, say.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2016 - astroman wrote:
Slightly musky with underlying sweet fruits. Light on the palate with good acid and strong tannins. On the next day licorice with slight heat. More burgundy like
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2016 - kelvchua wrote: 92 Points
Anything B at Wah Lok (Wah Lok): On the nose, aromas of red cherries, vanilla, sweet spices, plums, some dark fruits, tomato, earth.
On the palate, flavours of dark cherries, red fruits, sweet spices and vanilla.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2016 - fertitta21 wrote: 93 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a medium finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2016 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Man muss die Nase schon sehr tief ins Glas stecken, um die subtilen Aromen von Kirsche, Veilchen, Mokka und Kräutern zu erfassen. Am Gaumen anfangs weich und von guten Fruchtnoten begleitet, aber im Verlauf der Entwicklung am Gaumen mit eher harschem Tannin und bitterer Schlussnote eher "unrunder" wirkend.
So wie beschrieben, wird der Wein mit der Zeit immer besser und gewinnt auch deutlich an Konsistenz im Abgang, so dass ich die Bewertung zum Positiven ändern musste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/11/2016 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. Really singing now but might get even better. 14.5%
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2016 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour. This continued to improve until the very last drop. At best after 3 hours: Liquorice and cranberry/red cherry fruit, gentle balsamic aromatic notes; bright acidity linear through to the finish; still unpleasantly hard, sandpaper-like tannins (whatever Gary Vaynerchuck was taking when he said this is smooth as a baby's bottom, I'm not sure I ever want to try it out myself...) This needs fatty food, perhaps an entrecôte or lamb chops, to buffer its rough edges. Or perhaps another 5-10-15 years in the cellar, by which time, of course, it may have gone the way of the crabby, acid-bath Ciacci Picolomini BdM 1999 I recently cursed myself for having left 5 years too long... 89(-91?)P
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/7/2016 - duchamp wrote: 90 Points
Medium to dark ruby, musty nose of dried cherries, blackberry, plum and violets, tight on the attack with bright but dark fruit, earth and juicy acidity on the palate, medium finish with red berry fruit, teethy tannins and a hint of tropical
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2016 - RickyT12 wrote: 91 Points
Only a glass so would like to try a bottle.
Nice Ruby red.
Dried violet, Gamie nose, dried fig, raisin bread on nose. Flavors, raisin, dried fig, dried violet, hint of tobacco leaves. I felt it was a little light for my hopes, but I would like to try again with a meal.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2016 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 91 Points
Fruitée, très agréable, tanins absolument fondus, prêt à boire
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
This continues to be a wonderful ride! Tonight I didn't have time to decant but I did pour a couple small pours and let them sit for about 30 minutes prior to drinking and found this to be pretty placid and elegant. A decant might still help open this up even more but its drinking very well even with little air. I'll definitely decant the next btl though if, for no other reason, than to clear out the sediment. I'm a careful pourer making sure I always pour with the cellar sediment on the bottom of the btl which helps a lot. Just common sense but I see a lot of knowledgeable folks pour from all different sides of a btl which then disturbs the sediment for the rest of the night, wrecking clarity and making for an avoidable cloudy sediment affected experience. This is still remarkably fresh while now showing even more nuance and layers to its; cherry, licorice, tobacco and minerally flavor profile. Even a sense of forest floor creeping in. Not sure how much better this gets but I'll make sure to hang onto one btl for its 20th Bday in 2024 but drink the other 2 of my remaining 3 by 2020. My guess is that age 15 in late 2019 might be perfection? Lovely Brunello and because of the volume they produce a perianal steal!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
8/27/2016 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Consistent with other tastings. Solid Brunello drinking perfectly fine right now. Not much change over the last 3 years. Looking like it will hold for some time
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2016 - lasko wrote: 91 Points
Brick red rim. Very firm and slim, good acid, fine tannins. Fruit has diminished over the last year, so don't wait too long.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
7/24/2016 - oldwines Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Bottle from my daughter’s birth year. Acquired on release with critical acclaim from numerous sources. To my mind this is way “over the top”, nothing subtle or elegant about this wine. Excessive oak treatment, over-ripe fruit, unbalanced for my preference. If you like big power and jammy fruit then this is probably more to your liking. As described in a “World of Fine Wine” note this seems to “exhibit too much wine-making. There is no fault... this a question of style and authenticity”. Not sure how this will age due to the relative lack of acidity compared to the fruit. Traded all but one magnum to a friend who likes this style.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2016 - Baltazar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Brunello that has really come into its own, and displays powerful and expressive scent of orange peel, dark berries, coffee beans, wood. Complex and precise. Mature, round, rich and intense taste with focused curve and good length. Very good right now.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2016 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 90 Points
Completely agree with MV2007. Had pretty much the same experience and I still have 2 bottles left. Will have to open really early and see if this one comes out more after a lot of air. I had much higher expectations.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2016 - MV2007 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours that helped this wine fill out some. Menthol, damp soil, mushroom and dried cherry. Finished lean, fairly long and with too much acidity. Better with food, but still a disappointment. I don't have much confidence this will improve.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2016 - Tranquility Base Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was spectacular with a grilled rib-eye. I think it kind of needed the companion of food; when I first opened it, it was underwhelming, to be honest. I won it at auction and had high hopes that were teetering on being dashed. I let it breathe for an hour, hour and a half and then we had it again with the steak. That made all the difference. Bellisimo!
Decanting and letting it breathe was also critical. Brunellos really need that to build to their ultimate fullness of flavor. It probably could have breathed even longer (maybe 2, 2.5 hours would have been better).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2016 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
BLACKBERRIES, BLACK CHERRIES. LICORICE, LEATHER, AND A TOUCH OF SPICE. RICH BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, NICE COMPLEXITY. ELEGANT WINE WITH A LONG FINISH.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2016 - nicefish wrote:
Delicious now but overall better a few years ago. It's a great drink, but on the way down.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2016 - elledeca wrote:
From half, looks very evolved. Tobacco, bay leaf and plum. Nice but don't wait
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2016 - Philippe_C wrote: flawed
painfully Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2016 - Mr T wrote:
The wine is rather mature with a good deal of bricking
Earthy flavor sand some dried cherry
I'm not sure this will ever live up to Galloni's hype but solid wine
92
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2016 - simul Does not like this wine: 86 Points
dissapointing - one dimentional
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2016 - Chris Likes this wine: 89 Points
A little tannic and acidic. Decanted two hours and very light color. Okay but not as good as many other BdM I've had. Overall a disappointment.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2016 - dfresh wrote: 87 Points
Damp earth bouquet. Sour cherry, graphite and stewed prune notes. Tart and dry throughout front and finish. Not an elegant or overly enjoyable sipping wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Still much too young (surprising how long these brunellos can go). Higher tannins, prune, spice. Tight. Would love to see it open up and show a few more flavors.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2016 - nm10 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dried cherries, mushroom, and earth. A very nice brunello in a very nice place. 30-second finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2016 - SteveVermeer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine with pizza on the grill. Balance is just right for food. Enjoy
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2016 - Ringo Lee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Open one hour before serving without decant. Good overall balance with attractive aroma and round palate. Slight acidity and tannins emerge one and two hours later. Good matching with sirloin. Feel like other bottles no long wait required.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2016 - sunnylea57 wrote: 89 Points
A little over-ripe and sweet, which makes it seem a bit flabby even though there's decent acidity and structure. I wonder if it's more advanced than it should be due to the bottle size (375ml). Not bad, but certainly nowhere near expectations.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2016 - Frommen wrote: 92 Points
Way better on day one, with pure sangiovese fruit singing in the glass 95. On day two the oak got a lot more dominant...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2016 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Decanted 90 minutes. Served with pasta and finished later in the evening. Burnt brown sugar, soy, tobacco, herbs on the nose. Keeps getting more pronounced as the bottle sits open. Black cherry, tobacco, chocolate and soy on the palate. Tannins are softening although still present are not all enveloping. Lovely, intellectual bottle.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2016 - grantsky wrote: 90 Points
No detailed notes. Noted early advancement due to dried out cork and lacking a proper seal. Still very tasty, showing mature red fruit, with italian herbs, tarragon, celery, and leather.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2016 - ChristP Likes this wine: 88 Points
I last tasted this wine, from the same OC, on 21st Sept 2015 and rated it 93. Then it was medium-full bodied with dark fruits and a lively acidity. With this current bottle, the dark fruits are gone, and instead I have cherry and red fruits coupled with quite high levels of tartaric acid. This has put the wine out of balance and, at the same time, has made it seem thinner. This is not for lack of air as by my last sip of the evening it had been in the decanter for around 6 hours. This seems like a totally different bottle compared with the one from September 2015. I'm still rating it very good, probably influenced more by the memory of the previous bottle. There is half the bottle left in the decanter for tomorrow, and if anything changes I'll post a PS. This bottle is so different (on Day 1) that I'm going to have to revisit another bottle in the not too distant future to see which experience is more typical.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2016 - Topper wrote: 92 Points
Very tasty. Full red fruits, medium body, earth tones. Touch of earthy spice (cinnamon?). Beautiful companion to food. Big hit at the table.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2016 - SimonS wrote: 89 Points
2004 brunello (Tunstall): On nose sour cherries and a hint of brown bark. Strong acidity and bitters on palate. Tannins still prominent. Needs at least 4 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2016 - SimonS wrote: flawed
2004 brunello (Tunstall): Wine in glass was notably brown at rim. Badly corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2015 - davnik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very expressive nose and palate of red fruits, berries and oak. Nice long finish. At maturity, but will last for several more years with proper cellering
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2015 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Liked better than the 2001 Casanova di Neri as it was more "classic Brunello" to me and had with pizza. Will look to get more. Still has a long life ahead of it. Similar note to last time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2015 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 92 Points
And exactly a year later and another bottle. Once again I find this very enjoyable. It's medium bodied with plenty of fruit, earth, and leather aromas and favors. This might get better with more age but is very good right now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2015 - aelloyd Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Probably has a lot of aging ahead of it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2015 - cliffkol wrote: 91 Points
Needed an hour decant. Dusty, filling tannins, earthy, spices, medium body and flavors of (slightly fading) red fruits.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2015 - thewineoceros wrote: 92 Points
This made perfect sense. Delicious fruit, subtle flavours, deft touches of tannin and seamless acidity. Need to get more Brunello in my life. Drinking great right now, but will no doubt improve. Relaitively good value too. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2015 - Biglama Likes this wine: 90 Points
prima glas, mooie rondingen, niet heel veel diepgang, mooi drinken
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2015 - Dust Likes this wine:
very nice
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2015 - Philippe_C wrote: 94 Points
Brown sugar nose, soy sauce, sandalwood, dark fruit... tastes beautiful, super polished tannins, sappy black cherries and strawberries, good lenght, this wine is close to hitting mature plateau, I like it!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2015 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice aged brunello flavors. Very tasty drink but could use a touch more fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2015 - GGinSF wrote: 90 Points
Approachable Brunello, not overly tannic. At peak but should hold for a couple more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2015 - Biglama Likes this wine: 92 Points
zijde zacht, mooie rijpe tonen, prachtig in balans
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2015 - Eckie wrote: 91 Points
With Evert's steak tagliata. Over ten years, yet very much alive. Dusty tannins, red fruit core is still fresh. This has entered its drinking window. Enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2015 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 30 minutes. This is hard and closed, with crabby tannins. There is some good sweet morello cherry fruit in there somewhere, well-hidden behind all the tobacco and grape-pip tannic squeakiness; even with a creamy-sauced meat dish this was young and brash this evening. 4-5 years in the cellar from here should help. 89P(?)
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2015 - ChristP Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 2004 Il Poggione is a beautiful BdM that's in full bloom. No sediment or other signs of age. It was good to go with only a very short time in the decanter. Very fresh, floral aromas with pronounced cherry on the nose. Color is a dark red; body is medium-full with a lively acidity that's accentuated by the cherry and complemented by ample dark fruits and a very slight residual sweetness; tannins are very fine and silky; finish is long. Currently into its prime, this excellent, bordering on outstanding wine, should provide drinking pleasure for a long, long time to come.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2015 - ElGreco wrote: 86 Points
A serviceable red wine, but I expect more for $90. Smells of plum and christmas cake. On the palate, some pleasant tannins and acidity are accompanied by cherries and wood. Fleeting finish. A wonderful $20 wine. Sangiovese makes me laugh sometimes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2015 - elledeca wrote:
Very transparent, red-brown with white rim. Strong nose with prunes, cherries, herbs. Mid-bodied with plums, cherries, bay leaf, mint. Sweet. Very long and still tannic, just starting to open.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2015 - kwl wrote:
Red-brown in the glass. Still fairly young, but starting to show some aged leather and Nice balance of acidity and tannins on the palate. More forward and not as complex as the Collemantonni.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2015 - Redteeth wrote:
Very tasty and its state of maturity is just where I enjoy Brunellos.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2015 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted. Still a bit young but drinkable. Really blossomed after an hour. Possible upscore in the future. 14.5%
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2015 - champussi Likes this wine:
Die erste Stunde war er völlig unnahbar! Ich dachte schon die Flasche wäre nicht in Ordnung. Nach 3St. Luft dann sehr schön, aber noch zu jung!! Nächste 2018! 92+P, nach 5 Stunden war ich dann schon bei 93+P, das wird mal ganz toll !!! Wait!!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2015 - Jurgens wrote: 93 Points
outstanding
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2015 - AndrewR wrote: 95 Points
Agree with Galloni on this but needs as good 24 hour decant. Quality fruit and old school schematics mark this. True, great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2015 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
Really really good ! Totally open for business. Classic Brunello!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2015 - shutto1992@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
PNP. Excellent wine with elegance and rich cherry on the nose and palate. Enjoyed this wine. Glad I have a case!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2015 - wineduggery wrote: 91 Points
Very satisfying, and a good value for Brunello. Lots of sediment, so best to decant this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2015 - vinosean wrote:
Color: Clear/Med/Garnet
Nose: Clean/Med (Intensity)/dried cherries, graham crackers, and dried thyme
Palate: Dry/Med+ (Acid)/High (Tannin)/Med+ (Body)/dried cherries, garrigue, cola, dark cacao, plums, mince meat/Med+ (Finish)
Quality: Very Good
Notes: Decanted for 60 minutes. Complex wine, but could benefit from another 2-3 years of oak integration and maturity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2015 - sarciero Likes this wine: 92 Points
Maybe higher. Drinking really well. Great nose; nice long finish. Smooth, elegant, even luxurious. I really enjoyed this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2015 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very stylish and exotic, notes of wintergreen and plum, heady aromas that developed in the glass the longer it aired out.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2015 - cliffkol wrote:
Well rounded, elegant and silky. great structure, tannins integrated. Wine is singing now but has many years to go. Luscious mature red fruits, slight leather, spices. Lingering finish to enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2015 - gordorf wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic bottle, shared with Luis at Banderas
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2015 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 89 Points
Meh
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as last impressions. This is an excellent brunello at a very good value
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2015 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
Big classic excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2015 - Jurgens wrote: 92 Points
Happy
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2015 - Jochems Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has definitely entered its drinking window!
Ruby color with some light amber at the rim. Full aromas of cherry, ripe blackcurrant, leather and hints of allspice and sage. Full bodied and silky smooth on the palate with balanced acidity and sweetness of fruit. The finish seems to be lingering on for ever. It still has quite a bit of structure to further develop but it is in great shape right now. Classic Brunello!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2015 - pgb67 wrote: 89 Points
"ATS" Wine Group, Spring Gathering: The tasting group liked it more than me. I'd probably give this a few more years as it seemed a bit closed to me. Quite dry, but long and classy - for folks unfamiliar with brunello, it did impress. Muted cherry and tobacco profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2015 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly youthful in appearance and I would have never guessed that this was 11 years old. It is drinking very well right now, with bright red fruit and spice, but also beginning to show tertiary notes of leather and tobacco. The tannins are there, but nicely integrated. As nice as it is now, this has a lot of gas left in the tank and I would hold these for several more years and allow it to mature further.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2015 - AtoZ wrote:
Drinking great. Throws a lot of sediment. Best after few hours. Had with lamb chops.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2015 - brihprivat Likes this wine: 91 Points
Double decanted 8 hours before dinner. Improved with air. Really nice classic BdM. Drinks well now with decanting, but i guess it Will improve the next few years. Try again in 2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
I have had this wine 7 times now and it always delivers. This might have been the best showing yet so I am bumping it up a point - it also showed some new maturing qualities. An overall lovely Brunello with great mouth feel, balance, intensity of fruit (strawberry, raspberry), and elegance. A few more bottles from my case left and feel they are more than ready to drink now with a few hours decant or over next 3-5 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2015 - Jochems Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Brunello, opened to early!
Medium ruby color, no signs of aging yet. Classic, but slightly muted, Brunello aromas with black fruit, cherry some leather and spices. Full bodied on the palate with smooth tannins and juicy fresh acidity although slightly unbalanced. The finish keeps on lingering for ever.
Even after 8 hours of slow-ox the wine didn't really open up. Classic mistake with classic Brunello from a great vintage: opened too early.
Leave this one alone for another 5 years or so. Drink 2019 - 2029
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core with rusty crimson rim; caraway, brown sugar, aged, caramel, deep, softer, cherry in back; pure cherry on the palate, menthol, sandalwood, cherry, cedar, savory and rich, luxurious mouthfeel, aged and complex, cinnamon, spice, tertiary; at peak unless you have a cold cellar; called '04 Talenti BdM Riserva.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2015 - moods Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped, waited an hour (no decanting), and poured into Zaltos. Showing a small burnt orange rim, but otherwise still pretty deep in color. Nose of sweet, ripe, black cherries. Just a whiff of some secondary notes - leather, earth. Palate has immense acidity which perhaps needs more time to settle. But a ton of fruit and still some reasonable tannin (though not overly chewy) means this is nicely balanced right now, yet has a few years ahead of it too. Delicious wine - from first sip right through the end of the bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2015 - br_winelover wrote: 91 Points
Middleweight wine, with a medium finish. Food-friendly for sure, but I'd rather drink something with a stronger backbone. I don't think one needs to decant it for more than one hour - the tannins are pretty much resolved. 91-92 pts., and not a great QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2015 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Nice weight and intensity. Tasted alongside sine other pricier brunellos and this more than held its own. Excellent quality for the price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2015 - canan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Double-decanted 7 hours before.
Very lovely floral and dark cherry nose with an impressive depth to it.
A little bit muted on the palate but still plenty of black cherries, spices and flowers. It also is a bit rustic with some tough and chewy tannins that needs more time to soften. Plenty of acidity present..
Still a very young and impressive wine which just needs more time to open up...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2015 - Wigbert Likes this wine: 92 Points
Maturing nicely with some bricking on the rim now. Can drink or hold. For my tastes (which tend towards preferring youthful vigour over tertiary flavours), seems pretty close to optimal now.
Spicy red fruit on the nose with a hint of tobacco and leather. Good balance between fruit, tannin and acidity. Lively, sappy red fruit on the palate with floral notes, leather and spice in the background. Finishes quite long. Good Brunello in a good vintage and very good value.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2014 - WineTrooper wrote: 88 Points
Here's the deal: I opened this with great expectations. It was completely disastrous the first day. Horrible. Sour, fruitless, one dimensional. I thought I had a flawed bottle. We put it back under cork and two days later I poured some into a glass instead of in the sink...good thing I did, because it had opened up a great deal and developed some fruit and some complexity. After reading people's recent notes, I am convinced that this wine is currently HORRIBLY closed. I don't know that it will get any better than a 92-93, but I am thinking that it should not be approached for another four or five years. I have five left, and I am going to wait a while.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/25/2014 - JOsgood wrote: 85 Points
At first a big blast of tar. Then disjointed with massive tannins and heat. A disappointment and I don't see it getting better. I can't believe Antonio rated this 95, not even close.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2014 - tomasio-1 wrote: 87 Points
Not very impressive. We had 2 bottles at Christmas Eve dinner: pappardelle alla lepre (hare with broad pasta noodels and sugo).
One bottle decanted 8 hours, the other 4 hours in advance, without significant difference. Muted nose, without development. Tart and acidity are dominating on the palate. mid finish. Maybe a bit better at the second day. will wait for 2 more years, before the next bottle, but I'm very sceptic if it will improve
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful nose with flowers, cherries and red fruit. The tannins are resolving, this is so smooth and balanced.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2014 - Pebben wrote: 93 Points
Revisited after well over three years, and although much improved, it has in my opinion still not reached its peak. Decanted for an hour before tasting, but really doesn’t start to sing before the bottle is almost empty. Tart cherries, kirsch, dried autumn leaves, exotic spices, varnish, and cedar-wood on the nose and palate. Initially slightly overpowering acidity, but after a couple of hours everything falls into place and you’re left with a smooth, layered and well balanced wine. Really excellent stuff – good to go provided it’s given a lengthy decant, but will probably be even better in another three to four years (93-94 points).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2014 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 92 Points
We decanted this an hour before the pizza arrived. I picked it up! The first aromas were forest floor and cherry. The pure Brunello flavors were excellent and included leather and cherry and earth. I am looking forward to following my other bottles in the future. I'll wait about 1 year to open another bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2014 - Philippe_C wrote: 94 Points
Very traditional nose of earthy cedar, cigar box, leather, sous-bois, cèpes de bordeaux... High acidity, loads of ripe tannins, red berries, very nice!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2014 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
First bottle opened of the 5 I bought. This is really nice and seems to be at the very front of its window. Medium weight, good balance of fruit, acidity, and structure, and a smooth finish. Was a great pairing for lasagna.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2014 - Valder wrote: 91 Points
Classic, mature - a bit lighter than I remembered, but nice.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2014 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark crimson in the glass. Still tight and acidic. Nose is a little shy, but had an herbal edge to the dried red fruit. Palate was bright and energetic. Pure red fruit profile. Medium finish. Still pretty tightly wound, should put on weight with time. Very nice. Hasn't evolved much in 3yrs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2014 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
Russk. My WW at Morton's. Solid and enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2014 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
2nd 375 ml bottle in 3 days. See 2014 10 28 notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2014 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. Blackberry, tobacco leaf and dark roasted coffee beach on the nose. Just a touch austere at first but that's Brunello. Rounds out very quickly with a pasta dish. Great balance of flavour intensity, acidity and tannins. Drinks beautifully now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2014 - alhun Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant, mint and raspberry. It tastes like raspberry and cranberry. The body is light/medium. The wine has coarse texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has high acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2014 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
A happy wine to enjoy on a mellow weekend.
First night: enjoyed with Mexican style pork shoulder. The Poggione immediately released a gorgeous Brunello nose of dark red berries! maybe a bit of cocoa and spice. On opening the mouth was tannic, but after an hour or so, with dinner, it had softened nicely. Gentle interplay of acid, sweet red fruit, tannic bite and mix of spice was a fine complement to the meal. Overall a wonderful wine that, at least for me, went great with food, but also was fun to sip and sniff after dinner. Very long ... for a continuous interplay with the meal.
Day two: lunch with a chicken cutlet sandwich. The wine had continued to improve over night (stoppered with air pumped out night, stored in a cool space). Nose even bolder, (red) fruitier. More fruit, less tannin, perhaps slightly better overall balance.
Day two: dinner with Thai take out. Last glass and now, while enjoyable the wine was getting towards its end. Fruit getting a bit stewed, out of balance, and flavors starting to fade. Would probably have lasted longer if chilled.
A reminder why I like these wines. Great food wines, complex and bold but balanced enough to go with many different flavors.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2014 - soyhead wrote:
Decanted for several hours
Nose - orange peel, spices, decomposing cherry
Mouth - complex , strawberry , cherry, very dry, sophisticated, tastes almost like a complex tea. Tannic finish. Perfect with wild boar papparadelle and burratta with speck and figs
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/11/2014 - Biglama Likes this wine: 92 Points
mooie wijn, nu heerlijk drinkbaar, heel elegant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2014 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red; dark red berries, some chocolate and caramel, mulberry; lovely, nice body, nice tannins, power, well balanced; perhaps a bit too much tannin but well tasting and all in all a very good glass of wine, entering its drinking window
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2014 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 94 Points
An outstanding Brunello, every time I have a bottle of Il Poggione I am reminded why it is one of my favorite wines. Drank well after a couple of hours decant but hour 4 - 5 was where this really started to shine, became like velvet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2014 - Drankard wrote: 93 Points
Just as tannic as it was on release. Huge wine that needs another 10+ yrs. Oh, and a finish that goes on and on. The tannins just grab the inside of your mouth and doesn't let go. A very good traditional Brunello and a steal at $35.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2014 - rupertg wrote: 91 Points
Beginning to knit together. Dark red hint of orange at rim. Heavy sediment. Classic nose of bitter cherries, smooth in the mouth and lingering fruit. Delightful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2014 - Pierredelamontagne Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), blackberry and cherry. It tastes like cherry, mineral, bark and hazelnut. The body is medium/full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2014 - rralls wrote: 90 Points
Tough as nails. Hoping it's still young and this will even out some over time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2014 - tshahar wrote:
flaws
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
2014 Birthday Wine Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Asia Square): The wine is closed when pop and pour, so proceed to decant it for 2 hours.
The colour is dark and intense, the nose is restrain, with dark cherry, black fruits, earth and hints of leather. Palate is still young, showing smooth and silky mouth-feel, elegant and balance but still has a long way to go. Long chewy finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2014 - Redteeth wrote:
This was a pop and pour scenario but it was allowed to open up over time. the wine was mature and very enjoyable. In my view, this wine is ready to drink and I don't see a lot of benefit from further aging.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2014 - Cmainardi wrote: 90 Points
Good solid Brunello. Nothing terribly special
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2014 - Javatrader wrote: 87 Points
Good, not great Brunello, typical flavors on both nose and palate of earth, cherries, dark fruits
If there was complexity here it was beyond my ken
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2014 - pismo45 wrote: 92 Points
An expressive nose of darker red fruit. Red/black fruits in an elegant mouthful of well balanced wine. Very enjoyable with (and after) a homemade sausage pizza. The first Poggione we bought and first tasted. After reading some reviews lately, I was a little worried but this bottle satisfied. Very glad we have more to drink over many more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
Great stuff. Everything you look for in a great Brunello -earthy, cherries. Complete mid palate and finish. Balanced and delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2014 - Jcwl wrote: 90 Points
Slightly oxidized nose with cherries, flloral and nailpoilsh. Massive structure, medium fruit and quite long aftertaste. Undoubtedly a wellmade wine but not as good as il poggione in other vintages. The oxidized nose bothers me and slow-ox did not help.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2014 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
A very good but not a standout Brunello. Slightly oxidized fruit, very ripe, mainly cherries. Lots of vegetal notes from barrel ageing with wood flavors, tobacco, herbs and some leather notes. My bottle did not show a lot of tannin - just the right amount to go well with red meats. An interesting iron note on the finish. This was a very good match with steak. - 90 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2014 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
erg beschaafd, heerlijk drinkbaar, kan nog even mee
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2014 - Hermosabritdad wrote: 85 Points
Amazingly still probably needs time. Good nose that is sweet but nicely refined and complex, yet palette still has some strong tannins. Will try it again in another year. I would not put the drinking window as early as CT suggests.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2014 - swapdoc wrote:
A youthful bottle that did not show much oxidation. The wine is still slightly tannic and could benefit from aging. More generic red fruit profile, somewhat monotonic, with some soaked barrel flavors. Evoked memories of '01 Talenti, with perhaps a little lighter touch of oak. I was more impressed with several recent Il Poggione bottlings ('08, '09) that displayed plenty of perfumed, smoky aromas and a more complex mineral structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2014 - kevinacohn wrote:
Summary assessment: good but not great. Hints of black cherry, scorched earth, sandalwood. Decanted and consumed over the course of more than an hour, this never developed much. Quite a lot of acidity and I find myself doubting it will ever be fully integrated. If Brunello is to be the ultimate expression of Sangiovese as Barolo is of Nebbiolo then this misses the mark. It simply didn't exhibit the weight or depth of this appellation. Rated 0 on a scale of -1 to 3.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2014 - dfresh wrote: 91 Points
Didn't believe all the reviews that this wine could be worthy of 5 years more of cellar time. Now I'm convinced. So tannic it dries your mouth out. Some really strong fruit shows through which is tart and structured. A wine of contrast but certainly not in its drinking window.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2014 - Kris G wrote: 90 Points
still too young : a way too high acidity, needs lots of air, a 90 score for now, potentially a 91 or 92 score is possible, but higher seems unlikely, I don't think that this will ever become a great Brunello
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2014 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
David's btl. This was served a bit warm for my liking but I could tell it was in good shape and drank very nicely. These can be drank or held.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2014 - AccaDacca wrote: flawed
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2014 - rsbeck wrote: flawed
Corked. Two out of two. Bad night for Il Poggione.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2014 - rsbeck wrote: flawed
Corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2014 - dars_blog wrote: 91 Points
A fine effort, but still a young Brunello. Only decanted for 30 minutes or so before drinking. Opened up over time in the glass. Could clearly have used several hours of decanting before drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2014 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
Tasting closer to peak. Some sediment. Nice with beef.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine: 91 Points
A nice Brunello, with about 30 min of air , it opened up very nicely. No major fireworks, but a solid effort and will still improve with age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2014 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core almost to lighter crimson rim; tobacco, dark red fruit, currant, some integrated herbaceous notes, Italian, ripe, almost fig, some nuttiness; higher alcohol, smooth texture, sandalwood, menthol, a little full throttle, cinnamon on the finish; very good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2014 - wabi47 wrote: 93 Points
sappy sweet/tart 'pure' currant, pomegranate, earth and rhubarb to start, young and lovely; opened up on days 2/3 when the sappy component went away and some tertiary/tobacco/structural/minor wood notes emerged; clearly OK to drink right now, but has years to grow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2014 - denver_vinder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs a lot of air - the wine is only just beginning to open up after 10 years. Dark cherries and tea in the nose. In the mouth strong tannins and a distinct, mouth-watering acidity. Sour cherries mixes with other forrest fruits and ends in a quite long, clean aftertaste with continous mouthwater running. A very good Brunello to a very modest price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2014 - aaronfeigin Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine still needs more time. A mid-weight Brunello with flowers and cherry and silky mouth feel. It requires a long decant to really open up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2014 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours prior to consumption. Medium ruby color leads to shutdown nose of cranberry and minimal camphor. Unlike the nose, the wine in the mouth was open for business showing beautiful cranberry, sour cherry and a bit of forest floor creating complexity. Finishes with great acidity you would expect from brunello. This is the first of 6 bottles purchased on release. Very good now but I believe there is room for improvement as the bouquet opens.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2014 - TimmyR wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes - 3h decant, but could have done with some more. Very sappy, mid weight brunnelo. Very good QPR for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2014 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Must decant for at least an hour...and when you do, you are rewarded with a wonderfully complex wine with medium weight, restrained but fruit forward brunello. Hints of flowers, cherry and strawberry along with a full mouthfeel. Delicious and approachable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2014 - rsbeck wrote: 94 Points
Decanted two hours, poured, followed over next two hours. Even after two hours in the decanter, this started out nice enough, but tight and a bit thin in the mid-palate. However, in the second hour after pouring, it started to open up, fill in and reveal its charms - both aromatically and on the palate. In the final thirty minutes, it became the complex, complete, seamless, well-balanced, delicious, intense yet ethereal wine it has the potential to be. Score is for final thirty minutes. If drinking now, give it lots of air.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2014 - MRichman wrote:
Italian wine night with the Sonoma Group (Cucina Paradiso): Higher toned acid, firm. A bit young. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
This is a classic in the making. A dark, brick red core, no sign of age. As the color would suggest, this is young, and just a little tight on the nose. In order of predominance, aromas of earth (not funky earth more of the dusty variety), black truffle, black cherry, decayed leaves, and sandalwood. The medium+ bodied palate is well-lifted, and seamless, with polished lines and classic tension. Graceful, with notable depth, this is good now with 30 minutes in decanter (though an hour or two certainly wouldn't hurt), but shows promise for a terrific future over the next 10-20 years, as well. 14,5% abv, highly recommended
https://italianwine.blog/
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)
2/3/2014 - darren81 Likes this wine: 93 Points
8.5/10 - Refer to prior notes. Tannins really starting to resolve nicely and smoothly. Wine starting to level up now (excuse the terminology). Good stuff, good drinking, I want more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2014 - Employee500 wrote: 93 Points
Elegant and pure Sangio expression. Really delicious...firing on all cylinders right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2014 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
What Billy T said a few days ago pretty much hits the mark. I am surprised by the amont of sediment this wine has thrown at age 9yrs in the btl/10Yrs on label. I double decanted to get rid of the sediment and I ended up with a high shoulder fill after the decant back into the btl. Love the tobacco and dried herb nose. I agree more time is warranted and yet this wine so far has never drank better than on release. Delcious tonight but not quite the rock star it was on release. Definitely glad I decanted to clean out the sediment and the nose opened up significantly as a result. 4 left to find out how this improves with more time. Son in law, Josh, enjoyed at Tila with son Joe and I. Joe stuck to the Vilmart Champagne Reserve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2014 - Ibetian wrote:
IMO, this needs another year or two in the cellar. It might be drinkable now with air, but my guess is that will be better in 2015 or later.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2014 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Beau Brunello assez ferme et bien équilibré.
Rouge grenat assez foncé avec un disque légèrement tuilé.
Il y a un bon dépôt sur les parois.
Beau nez sur la terre, le thé, les cerises et le café.
En bouche, bel équilibre tannins/acidité. Des cerises et des prunes avec des herbes. Long avec une belle structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2014 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Previous notes apply
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2013 - slippytoad Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nothing to write home about but showing more promise than the previous bottles
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2013 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple to the rim with nice structured legs and viscosity. Nose muted at first and not much on the palate. 30 min to an hour later this wine was excellent showing structure on the palate, great cherry fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco and some earthiness, well integrated tannins with a slightly spiced dry finish. Not as expressive as I think it will become but still a Very good wine today. Glad I have more. At dinner so I try not to be to wine geeky so notes are limited.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2013 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened and let breathe for two hours. Sweet cherries and flowers. Great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2013 - Kerino wrote: 90 Points
A year on, and the wine has changed. There's still a note of coffee with a long dry finish - a real mouth sucker. The fruit is not as prominent and the wine is too as succulent as I remember, it may be a bit closed at the moment. Spice is muted and the tannins are a bit clumsy. Think I might leave the rest of the bottles for a bit of a lie down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2013 - NickP Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted ~3 hours. Luscious berry aromas while decanting - mix of red and blue/black berry. Berry notes continued when drunk; also some earthiness. Tannins very soft and well balanced with good acid and not overly alcoholic. We drank this with bistecca fiorentina - made at home - and it was a spectacular meal/pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2013 - slippytoad Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit disappointing - not as much weight or depth as I expected. Not great the second day - jammy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2013 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
More fruit than expect from a Brunello but thats not a complaint. Agree with some of the other notes on this one- virtually upon opening this wine was accessible - mouth filling, perhaps showing some new world influence?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2013 - Zweder wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #082; Sangiovese (By WW): Tea and lovage in the bouquet. On the palate lovage, tea and chocolate. A bit dusty. Very mature and not really fresh. No score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2013 - minndavid60 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of elegance and finesse with this wine. The bouquet is restrained but offers up sweet cigar and black olives. The elegant palate is on the lightish-side of medium bodied with minimally apparent oak. Delicious raspberry and mineral flavors and evenutally some leather too. Picks up weight with air. I would hold the next bottle for at least 3 years. This producer is totally my style of Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2013 - mike l. Likes this wine: 89 Points
graphite showing on nose. nose is fairly "soft", some interesting palate notes. i enjoy the roundness. 89+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Tasted alongside the '06 Reserva from the same producer, this one was showing better at first - very plumby, big round fruit, very traditional in style, but over time the Reserva did seem a bit more interesting - more precision and complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2013 - NEwino wrote: 92 Points
Really a nice offering that complimented my pasta meal well. This was full flavored with a nice mouth feel that had an extremely smooth finish. This has some more time but drinking well now. Drink now to 2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2013 - Billy Swan Likes this wine:
I love il Poggione, even though you have to take some bottle variation into account. This one is young, vibrant and more or less explodes out of the glass. Cherries, mild and fine tobacco, herbs crushed by stones, and a little meaty feeling stream out of the glass. The taste mirrors what you get on the nose. The acidity is beautiful with our bucatini con funghi, the tannins are ripe and round and it has power but is still easy-drinking. This is on the young side, and will probably be even better in 3-4 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2013 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote: 90 Points
The 2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino is medium garnet in colour with a rustic nose of crushed berries, sandalwood and prunes with underlying notes of vanilla.
A very smooth palate with initial flavours of chocolate before giving way to a slight woodiness and its fruit flavours of prunes, sweet raisins . There's a nice sweetness from the entry to mid palate that isn't flat frontal. Tannins are rather chewy at the mid to finish. A pleasant memorable finish. Alcohol is well integrated accompanied with its noticeable but refined acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2013 - MJTed Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice BdM that is hitting its stride. Pure red fruit, licorice and earth with hints of mint. Glad I bought a case as this will only get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2013 - defigio wrote: 91 Points
Ripe cherry and black raspberry fruit, damp forest floor, dried green herbs. Nicely structured with M+ acid, M soft tannins, balanced M alcohol, M+ finish. A nice rustic Brunello, and typical of the 2004 vintage. Pair with veal ragu, roasted pork, red sauces. :: Popped and poured at Charlie Bird NYC. Softened noticeably over an hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2013 - drrobvino wrote:
Thanks to csnyder612 for opening this BdM in a "mini blind tasting".
This wine was decanted for an hour or so, then served blind, next to a 2008 Chianti Classico. I knew one of the wines was a CC, but had to guess the other.
Both wines threw me for a loop. The CC had a ripe, new-worldish nose of red fruits. So I knew right away that the other wine must be the CC. But it (this wine) looked much older, probably 8+ yrs old, and I knew the CC was only 5 yrs old.
The nose of this wine showed an "off" characteristic from the start. We first called it Brett, but then I thought possibly wet wooly socks, maybe wet cardboard. I hoped this beautiful wine had not become the innocent victim of TCA, but alas...
The palate showed a med bodied wine, med in alcohol, dry, with med intensity underlying flavors of red cherry fruit, moist earth, minerality, etc. All of this could be a nice start for this BdM, but even the palate and finish seemed adversely affected by cork taint, in my opinion.
I was unable to get a handle on this wine tonite, but it seemed thinner than I would have expected, and based on an underlying structure that kept trying to break through the ice but never quite could, I feel this bottle was damaged somehow. I have 4 of these (from the same shipment), so we will try one soon and see if it suffered the same fate. Darn...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2013 - csnyder612 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brick / garnet color. Smoke. Bret / barnyard. Ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2013 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Weekly tasting group #075; A fully blind test. (@ RvD): This is a completely blind note and after seeing what it was I really have my doubts about this wine. The wine is beautiful still, but there are some reductive flavors in the bouquet. Ripe fruits, sweet spices, oak and some farmyard smells as well. On the palate chocolate, spiciness and a firm amount of sweetness and acidity and soft tannin. Since my TN of March last year the wine has developed really fast. Some of the group thought it was too old already and to be honest; I wonder if there is any room for improvement. Still a nice wine and tonight I scored it 89 - 90.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2013 - mattias_hansen@hotmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Crimson. A hint of barnyard evaporates quickly. The nose is pure Intense cherry liqor, black licorice, and gravel. With time in the glass, enormous compelling perfume emerges slowly as well. The palate is tart, with some dried cherry, plums and more licorice. Typical high acidity, and tons of structure and backbone is dominating at present. I am lacking some fruit or more complex secondary development at present. On 2nd day it puts on weight in the midpalate, and it resembles a lot the 06 i recently sampled, so i expect that it just needs more time (alot!) to really shine. I have 1 more bottle which i will forget about for 5 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2013 - darren81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
8/10 - Refer to prior notes. Tannins are far more resolved now than I remember them to be. Requires more time to really shine but still incredibly delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2013 - sfqwino wrote:
Great Brunello nose upon opening. Soft and inviting. Decanted for 2 hours and brought to a restaurant. Alas, has the wine closed up? the nose was rather muted and herbal. The entry was lean and a little tard with an earthy herbal note. Some high tone fruits were lurking in the background. Some roundness emerged with swirling and waiting, But still there was a sense that it had not reached its full potential. Perhaps a few more years of cellaring...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/24/2013 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
2h decant. Dark garnet, only slight lightening at the rim but no browning. Menthol and herbs on the nose. Great balance on the medium bodied palate, mix of fruit, herbs, earth and just a touch of hazelnut and vanilla. Very fine, barely noticeable tannins. Medium finish.
Could have been a bit more expressive on the palate, and the finish a bit longer but overall this is drinking very well now - can it improve? 92-93
So far prefer 04 to 01/06/07 BdM vintages and wish I had bought more..
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2013 - swapdoc wrote:
Inventory Reduction Event: The fruit has a sour cranberry flavors, framed by aromas of meaty mushrooms and underbrush -- all set against a raisiny fruit background. The wine is sill youthful and tannic, and should benefit from cellaring. Prefer a fruit driven wine to a raisiny, oxidized profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2013 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Dalluge's btl. Very enjoyable and largely on par with previous btls. Drink or hold. Had some sediment in the btl. Great Brunello!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2013 - Hschmitz wrote: 93 Points
Perfekt NU
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2013 - WimHH Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, long aftertaste, burns to your belly, well-balanced, smooth. Needs some time and oxygen before it finds the right balance. Smell: black fruit. Taste: good tannins, leather, black fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2013 - lepetitchateau wrote: 94 Points
On the youthful side but not infanticide. Rich, alcoholic and heady nose, laden with fruit. The palate has a marvelous sour sweet tartness to it, all in a really good way. Others correctly say sour or bitter cherry plus herbs - spot on descriptor. Worth acquiring more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - alittle wrote: 93 Points
Tasting Dinner Series (4 of 6); Tim does Italy (Tim's House): Popped and poured, initially showing a hint of oxidation that dissipated. Translucent garnet in the glass, with a light brick. On the nose, red and black cherry, earth, blood, florals, spice, tar and dried herbs. On the palate, despite being translucent, this has an incredible depth of flavour and nuance. Finishes long and lingers on the palate for quite some time. A mild grip of unresolved tannins. Lovely.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - Dave Canada wrote: 93 Points
Super Tasting 4 of 6 - Tim does italy (Waterloo, Ontario): This was pure, traditional brunello....nose of blood, iron, blackfruit, tart cherry and herbs followed by similar notes on the palate. Great finish. So pure, focused and representative of where it comes from. True brunello. Casanova di Neri ad Fanti eat your heart out. Almost 94pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Super Tasting 4 of 6 (Italian Gems, Hosted by Tim) (Tim's House): This is a great classic brunello. Nose is of dark cherries, sweat, iron, blood, dusty leather, and perfume. Palate has great ripe dusty tannins, and a beautiful sour cherry, acidic, food friendly finish. 93 Points with upside as it ages. A lovely wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2013 - alion wrote: 92 Points
Kept a little above ideal temp. so perhaps more mature for me than others. Big leather and shoe polish on the nose; increasing red fruit sweetness over time; and complex herbal, toasty and meat notes - almost Rhone like. Palate: tannins need food but enough cherry and other red fruit to hold its own. Too much alcohol heat? Great complexity. Like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2013 - Brandtholdt wrote: 85 Points
First bottle was corked. Second bottle very disapointing. Absolutely over the top. Not a good sign for a 2004 Brunello. I dont understand the Galloni ratings on this wine.
We had a bottle of Salvioni Rosso di Montalino 2008 together with this wine. Salvioni was without any doubt the winner. Fresh af acid. Nice sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2013 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
Same as before. Good decant and swish needed. Give it time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2013 - Guitarophile wrote: 94 Points
Il poggione to me has been a great Brunello, true to the variety, at a reasonable price. I used to buy multiple brunello producers which is great for learning, but now I stick to il poggione, poggio antico, pertimali and they get the job done.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2013 - Wine Nut Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 1st of 6 bottles. Wonderful deep cherry red color with whose nose offers up subtle notes of white truffle, roast meat, strawberries and orange peel. The wine demonstrates fabulous balance of acidity, texture and tannic backbone alongside cherry, charcoal, and dried herbs and rubber! This wine really requires some patience. It has opened up considerably within the past hour. It is a medium bodied Brunello with an elegant profile but is very very good. It is far more restrained than most other Brunellos but yet showcases the beauty of Sangiovese. I am curious where this may lead one in the years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2013 - KenPlace wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well now. Typical Brunello characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2013 - dd wrote:
excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2013 - mathwonk Does not like this wine:
Maybe I got a bad one. I paid $85 at Di Laurenti in Pike Place market-Seattle, a good store with wide selection and helpful advice. Still this was the worst wine of the weekend and the most expensive. (The $30 remelluri rioja was much better.) It had three characteristics, 2 bad, one good: it was mouth puckeringly tannic, had a persistent hint of mold, and a sweet aftertaste. The cork smelled delightful, but the taste did not match up. When we checked out, we left the remaining wine for the next guests. I will not buy this again. This was on the edge of asking for my money back. Mixing it with more flavorful wines like a red Livio Felluga, or the Remelluri, helped it, but wasted them. Maybe in a few more years it would have resolved? I have not had a wine like this before, as usually bad or corked wine smells bad on opening. This smelled good and tasted bad.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2013 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 95 Points
I remember drinking this years ago when I first go it and it was so tight and dry that it left me feeling a little ambivalent about the wine. Now, this is a gift. Amazing density and core structure. Dry as hell and delicious Sangio fruit. This struck a nerve and has to be one of the better Brunellos I have tried in a long time. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2013 - meeshe wrote: 88 Points
This will be a great wine but it still needs time. Cellar or decant for several hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2013 - Yiannis wrote: 92 Points
Fairly dark garnet bricking to the rim with a lot of sediment. Evolved nose of ripe dark cherries, damp earth, esspresso roast, tea, herbs and hints of undergrowth. Medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins, balancing acidity and a long aftertaste. The ripeness of fruit is in slight contrast to the firmness of the structure, but overall the wine is already approachable. Not as impressive on its own as it is with proper food, especially with Italian dishes rich in tomato sauce.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2013 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed on New Years Eve. Slight orange/blood color, needed to decant further as it opened to raisin/raspberry after 2 hours. Dusty nose with complex, sour/sweet mouth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2013 - PSPatrick Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine was medium ruby in colour, with fine sediment. It offered red fruit, cherry, floral notes, earthy notes, coffee, cocoa powder and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red fruit, cherry, some blackberry, some chocolate and an earthy touch, paired with high acidity, medium plus tannins and very good length. On day one, even after two hours in the decanter, the wine was all about structure; the tannins were chewy and the wine was dry, you could tell that the wine would be very smooth one day, but was just not there yet. The next day, however, the wine was juicy and very balanced, with round tannins and a smooth mouthfeel. Serious structure. Textbook Brunello. Much, much better than the 2007. Start drinking in 2015. 90+ points for the time being.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2012 - Rktekt3 wrote: 93 Points
Really liked this wine and hope to buy more to see how it ages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2012 - WDK wrote: 92 Points
Medium ruby. A little weightier and softer than the last bottle. Nose of berry, medium body, tart berry and tar on the palate. Long finish with firm tannins and good acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2012 - 100pp wrote: flawed
oxidized :-(
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2012 - capacious Likes this wine: 94 Points
First of the case we opened- shared with friends at La Masseria in Manhattan- excellent theater restaurant- this one was young but ready to go and made a very good impression on our friends and us- have liked Poggione since first had the 1988 and this was the best so far
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2012 - cooberp wrote: 88 Points
A straightforward, red cherry, high acid, traditional Brunello. A good food wine at the moment, but not yet showing complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2012 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious, very balanced, aroma of flowers, herbs and cherries. Nice acidity with medium body and pleasant tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2012 - mhensel wrote: 88 Points
Day 2 --- Sour cherry red --- Nose cherries, flowery, some elegant wood notes, some plum, sour and amarena cherry --- Palate fresh, vivid acidity, watery, rather strong acidity, clearly cherries, minerality, some green aspects, some bark --- Finishes on cherries, coal and green aspects. Less charming than yesterday, reduced delicousness, yesterdays score 91, 88 today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2012 - Kerino wrote: 92 Points
Coffee, blackberries. Smooth, delicious and fresh. Menthol after notes. Light tannins and a little vanilla.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2012 - lozatron wrote:
Starting to be open for business - very good value for what it is
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2012 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
Stylish and classy with gorgeous aromas of freshly crushed blackberries, smoke, tar and pretty florals. Medium-bodied with sleek refined tannins providing the rock solid structure. The finish is ultra-long and pretty. This amazing Brunello is built for the long haul. (Best 2015-2030)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2012 - Lord Rayas wrote: 87 Points
tightly wound with notes of menthol and tart. not much charm but washed down well with homemade bolognese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2012 - rcmcb wrote: 92 Points
Very solid, room to grow. 92+, no rush at all on these.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2012 - rupertg wrote: 86 Points
Not immediately attractive yet, but good depth and body. Sediment beginning to settle out. Dark, bitter cherry and leather. Wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2012 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep black-red with slight orange rim. An intense, aromatic nose showing leather, truffle, violets and balsamic. An intriguing wine which has grippy chalk dust texture, fairly linear in structure, vibrant acidity, quite lean almost but with a lovely depth of flavour and freshness. A precise wine with complexity and a long finish with drive, robust but fine tannin. Lots of potential for the long term. Seems quite a step up from April's bottle - perhaps that was out of condition.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2012 - slippytoad wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well now. Old school.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2012 - UTPK wrote:
Very open for business! Had a couple of Brunellos (2004 and 2007) at Kokkeriet, which I guessed blind, so I thought it would be fun to see how Il Poggione fared against these two. I must say that Il Poggione is impressive for a young Brunello. In your face nose of mature tart fruit, dense sweet cedar, vanilla from the vats. wet wool and other animal odours. Good balance and mature tannins. Of course you have the sour Sangiovese taste, but if you can't cope with that, then Tuscan wine is not for you... The tannins that you notice are the ones from the long aging in vats and not from the skins. Excellent wine with Veau Milanese, which I suppose is more Italian anyway!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2012 - Levinsb wrote: 93 Points
Tart juicy cherry and raspberry. A little in your face for what I was expecting but smooth super balanced nice acidity for food, overall great of a touch overdone at this stage. Fine tannins present at finish but do not detract. If you have one maybe wait. If you have two, pop the first now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2012 - JGinMO wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Very chalky at first but really blossomed after half hour. I thought this was drinking very nicely, though it will clearly keep for many years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Very concentrated and extracted, massive profile. Doesn't have that tuscan sense of terroir I get from some other brunellos. Needs more time to ease up but you can tell its a pretty serious wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2012 - PVJC wrote:
Decanted 3 hours. Nice but not exceptional...reasonably full bodied with nice graininess of a brunello, but a little disjointed and the finish wasn't particularly smooth
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote:
this is ready now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2012 - ckinv368 wrote: 90 Points
A bit of the same as the 2001 except more fruit-forward, less must, and sweet and extremely pleasant.
TN for 2001: A bit of spicy dough on the nose. Mixed with a bouquet of chopped onion and green pepper that's been sauteed. Sweet, a bit musty, but good balance of pencil lead, a bit of leather, paper, and some burnt over-ripe fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
DAWGS June 2012 - Italian Wines (bigred_seeker's house in University Park, Dallas, TX): WIML92
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Opened and served immediately.
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of leather, berries and cherries. Flavors of black berries, black raspberries and black cherries. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Hold. No rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2012 - FastTrack wrote: 90 Points
2 years ago my tasting note stated: still primary. subtle notes of menthol, spices, licorice and leather. elegant on the palate with a long finish. Now primary is gone and is replaced by austerity (-3)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2012 - MJTed wrote: 91 Points
Very good wine and great value. Consistent with other notes and should get better. I have a case but am finding it difficult to wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2012 - Wicker Parker wrote:
Very short decant. Some oak influence noted – some spice – but it's hardly obtrusive. Tannins and fruit are perfectly structured and balanced, with bright acidity and layers of complexity. It's practically weightless despite clocking in at 14.5%. Fabulous with creamy lamb-based pasta.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2012 - Arthur lawson wrote:
Great Italian
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2012 - pavel_p wrote: 92 Points
Short decant and drank over several hours. Garnet but bricking outside of center. Great balance of fruit and structure. Leather, earth, menthol, and a fine layer of fruit. Certainly has many more years to go given the dense but fine tannins, however not sure this BdM will get much better than this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2012 - the godfather wrote:
impeccable stuff, very complex and long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2012 - llink wrote:
A little menthol and wood on the nose. Very drying palate with very fine and dusty tannins. Not much in the way of fruit intensity or structure, this comes across today as soft and round with a drying finish.
Better on Day 2, showing some oxidation on the nose but the drying tannins from Day 1 have turned more plush and silky, with a wonderful combination of intensity and suppleness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Soft, round, jammy fruit. Nuce, but almost polite and unremarkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2012 - dd wrote:
decanted outstanding
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2012 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 88 Points
Terroir-istes International - Italy, Brunello di Montalcino (Rodwell House): 14.5% alcohol. Light to medium bright ruby colour with a wide orange rim. The initial bouquet of crayons and parmesan cheese gives way to button mushrooms, undergrowth and red fruits.
Quite a fleshy entry with a smooth, silky texture, there are infused ripe redcurrants and cherry flavours.
There is some concentration, but the wine feels more horizontal, lacking some depth. The tannins have a touch of grip helped by initial saline and a minerally edge. However, the wine changes in glass to seem a little muddy, becoming strangely confected. Not sure what to make of this bottle?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2012 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bright ruby colour with a wide orange rim. A bouquet of button mushroom, undergrowth, crayon, cheese and as opens black cherry peek out.
The palate is fleshy, smooth in texture, yet builds to result in firm, hessian tannins on the back palate. A well-balanced wine with decent concentration and weight yet hasn't that much depth. Flavours oscillate from saline, dried black cherry to a mineral, fresh acidity yet oddly feels muddy in the mid-palate. There is undoubtedly plenty of material here although it does feel a little confected ending sickly sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2012 - Ive Marx wrote: 80 Points
Not sure what was wrong about this. Not corked (I think), not cooked (I think), but just very muted. To be revisited.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2012 - randyjc wrote: 90 Points
Perhaps there is a fair bit of bottle variation with this wine. I have had it on three other occasions, and this bottle is well above the others. Decanted four hours, the wine was classic. Flavors of earth and leather and black fruit. A tiny hint of mint. Soft tannins, nice acidity, lingering finish. Quite nice, with its only significant weakness being muted aromatics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2012 - RhoneG wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced. Earth, leather, some black fruit, very smooth tannins. Everything is there. Gorgeous nose.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2012 - vinoballo wrote: 93 Points
An outstanding example of the '04 vintage, cool and mineral with silky smooth tannins. A bit floral on the nose for my taste but absolutely no heat already. Decanted for thirty minutes but was dramatically better
after an hour in the glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote: 90 Points
I don't understand these notes. This was super soft, with no noticeable tannins. elegant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2012 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
In the bouquet primary fruits like cherries. On the palate elegant with beautiful acidity and granular, still a bit sticky tannin. Good freshness and very good length. Beautiful wine. Still very youthful and already a pleasure. Hope to taste this again around 2016. The score for now is 90 imho, but it might be a few points more in 4 - 6+ years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2012 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful BdM, best on day 3. Black cherry and plum in the attack with black tea, spice, micnf and licorice ready to emerge. Balance and structure galore. If you can wait do.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2012 - WDK wrote: 94 Points
Medium ruby. Intense nose and palate of ripe berries and tar. Firmly tannic, with nice acidity which balances the fruit nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2012 - MauriceE wrote: 92 Points
Just entering its drinking window. Yet very approachable. Good balance, the power is matched by fine acidity and dense red fruit. This definitely needs a lot of air now, but this promises a long future. Good juice, the 14,5% alcohol is never burning.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2012 - sebastienjm wrote: 88 Points
An oaky nose reminding me of some Bordeaux wines along with a touch of vanilla, red berries and mint leads to a wine that is medium bodied on the palate without the huge intensity of flavors I was expecting from such a high scored Brunello. The tanins however are silky despite the firm and not very long finish. Overall I am not that enthusiastic about this wine and I'll leave my second bottle to mature for about 5 to 10 years to see if it gets any better.
Nez boisé, évoquant le Bordeaux, avec une touche vanillée mais tout de même des fruits rouges et un peu de menthol.
Le vin est velouté en attaque, mais n'est pas d'une grande puissance ni d'une grande intensité de saveurs. Les tanins sont plutôt soyeux mais la finale reste ferme et pas très longue.
Je ne comprends pas trop l'enthousiasme suscité par ce vin. Question de perception... prix : 29 euros.
J'ai une deuxième bouteille que je compte bien laisser vieillir 5-10 ans.
15/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2012 - afu wrote: 92 Points
Came across this after weekly tasting at our favorite wine store. Buried on a lower shelf, I was looking for something really good, but not over the top pricewise. When I saw this I took all they had.
First impression, unmistakeably a really good Brunello from a great vintage. This wine is still tight, needs more time to really develop though thoroughly drinkable and very enjoyable. We did not do it justice with a pop and pour over dinner out. That said, this wine continued to open over the course of dinner. Tannins firm but not harsh. Long slow finish with plenty of dark fruit, hints of licorice and tar.
With 6 more in the cellar, we'll be checking in from time to time to see how this wine continues to evolve. I expect with more bottle time and more time to breath after opening this will be a great one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2012 - Poggio Al vento wrote: 93 Points
velvet soft and smooth Brunello with a big massive amount of dark fruits both on the nose and on the pallet. The wine is still pre-mature but after one hour of decanting and one hour in the glass it opened up beautifully and shoved extremely well! The finish was balanced with the tannins helping the massive fruit perfectly! Really nice shoving of this wine in a almost perfect vintage!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2011 - Smahlatz wrote: 90 Points
This has a beautiful deep ruby colour. Initially, it was very tight, quite reticent and a bit thin, and it wasn't until around 5 hours in the decanter that it was really opening up properly. The nose is full of cedar, chocolate and dark cherries. The palate matches along with dried fruits and darker fruits and quite strong minerality - this was what was very pleasing and surprising. It is deep and full yet quite elegant. It as a silky mouthfeel which leads to a very long finish. This seems to have everything in place to age very well, but it does need a lot of time yet. Maybe 5 years before I try the next one? Shame I haven't got more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2011 - Old Vino wrote: 93 Points
Flash decanted. Lots of red fruit on nose. This is big, yet clearly young. Gary Vaynerchuk got it right on the "smooth scale" - it is like silk on palate. Tannins firm and integrated. Would wait until after 2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2011 - Arthur4wine wrote: 92 Points
A great year and a great wine. Served it for Christmas with roasted leg of lamb. Wow!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2011 - ovenmitt wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two or so hours. Medium dark - not quite opaque. Nose of cedar, wet dirt, vanilla and coffee beans. Dark dusky fruit with very nice mouthfeel and good balance. Fine tannin and medium long finish. Seems like this wonderful wine will still evolve into something even better in the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2011 - bags wrote:
needed three hours and food, but became lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2011 - desalm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bottle opened too early. Should have stayed in the cellar for 1-2 more years, as there is more potential. Still a great vine, takes time to develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8/10 - Still a good wine (as per previous note) but the wine seems to have gone into a dead phase. Still well put together and good, but a lot more reticent than I remember it to be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2011 - bigop Likes this wine: 91 Points
drank from .375cl bottle
deep ruby colour garnet rims
Leather, and black fruits on the nose
Med+ acidity balanced with good intensity of fruits + 3ry aromas, med+ length.
Very good wine, perfectly balanced, med+ soft tannins well integrated, velvety texture..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2011 - BigGer wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful wine. Deep and nuanced with fig, black cherries, and cedar cigar box.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2011 - Fat cat wrote: 90 Points
Should have waited. Already good but will improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2011 - bmarshall wrote: 92 Points
Classic, velvety and delicious...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2011 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
nose - tomatoe
mouth -ripe cherry fruit, roasted orange peel, tea followed by a nice interplay of acidity and tannins. slightly savory finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2011 - sfowine wrote:
Rounding out a bit more from previous review, still not in top form. Best on Day 2. Should wait another 4 years for that I think.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2011 - Sauvyfan wrote: 88 Points
Black tea, graphite, heat and black olive on the nose. Remarkably silky on the tongue. Black fruit and wood on the palate also a tart cranberry. This could be a bit flawed. The cork was a bit submerged but still firm and extracted without issue. Finish is long but not necessarily pleasant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2011 - larryw wrote: 92 Points
Light bacon, sea breeze, cedar, pepper and wet stone on nose with dark fruit and damson plum on palate. Good balance with tannins clear up front. One of five brunellos at dinner with friends that featured creme di tre zuppa di cipolle, pasta al pesto and agnello primaverilia alla griglia. Can't wait to revisit in 4-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2011 - Sir Lloyd wrote: 93 Points
Getting better with bottle age. Very fresh and complex. Decanted for one hour. Silky smooth in my mouth. Nice long finsh. Taste blackberries and other red fruits.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2011 - nicefish wrote: 90 Points
Still young. Improves dramatically with air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2011 - Javachip wrote: 88 Points
San Diego Offline 9/16/2011 (San Diego): Clear medium garnet-ruby. Subdued notes of earth, black cherry, dried bay leaf and thyme, with a bitter finish. We all agreed this will probably improve with more age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2011 - mattyboy76 wrote: 93 Points
Another great Il Poggione Brunello. Unfortunately it was a PnP through Vinturi...we did not have time to decant. Great nose of tobacco, earth but with bright red fruit also. Suprisingly bright palate of cherry, very acidic too. While not as "old world" as some BdM's, it is a style I just love. This wine will easily go for another decade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2011 - DonSolo69 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent bottle. Draft with hank at elfos. Smooth medium bodied. Classic brunello. Giving a good bit now. Dark cherries. Could use time but tasted awesome to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2011 - 11mcraig wrote: 92 Points
- Ruby color with medium forming legs and aromas of smokey, chocolate and raspberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - First bottle for Gina and I, love Sangiovese and really like this Bottle. Needs time to open up, used the Vinturi.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2011 - Arch57 wrote: 85 Points
If I could use one word to describe this wine it would be "sour". This was sourced from my wine merchant upon release and stored at 55 since then. Opened and I had a sip as I poured into the decanter and it was like sour fruit but I had high hopes for this opening up after 2 hours in the decanter. On the nose I was not getting any of those scents that I expect in a Brunello, like forest floor and dried cherry. On the palate it was one-dimensional with sour fruit really getting in the way of any enjoyment. My wife, who really likes Brunello's was also very disappointed and said it was almost like vinegar. Again given the provenance I don't think it was spoiled, the cork was flawless and no funky corked smell.
I think the 99 and 01 Brunello vintages offered a lot more as I have been disappointed so far in the '04's even though it is claimed to be a great vintage. We ended up opening an '05 Modus IGT wine at 1/2 the price that we enjoyed quite a bit more. We will see if more time in the bottle will help.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2011 - Tron78 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice warm and soft wine. Could age a bit more. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2011 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
Really nice. Warm, cherry, lots of acid. Years from peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2011 - CSteefel wrote: 93 Points
With about 2 hours of air, this wine was singing. Aeration is absolutely essential at this stage to get it to show much of anything, but with the 2 hours, the wine shows distinct floral notes that meld with the aromas of balsamico, tar, and underbrush. Bold and authoritative on the palate, this is a great Brunello with fantastic length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/2/2011 - Miceri wrote: 92 Points
Dark purplish red; nose somewhat closed; warm, very pleasant, rounded, dense, some pepper, deep, cherries; quite good indeed
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Washington State Takes Washington, DC (Medium Rare - Washington, DC): i was happy to see an 04 brunello in the mix, especially an il poggione. superb nose of herbs, perfume and black licorice. fresh acid, silky body and great tannins. i would say this wine was a bit tight, and could've used a decant, but it was still solid. gorgeous cassis and vanilla flavors and then i get this distinct radish flavor that is really unique. silky finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2011 - S. Lorin wrote: 94 Points
this is a killer brunello for the money. lively wine with sweet vibrant cherries, licorice and anise, floral and perfectly balanced, the youth manifested with powdery tannins on the finish. really structured well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2011 - zolano Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is phenomenal! I had it while it was still young and it felt like it was aged properly. I am excited to see where it will go in another 10 years. The Brunello is bold, yet refined all at the same time. There is still much to be unearthed from this wine as the only real flavor I was able to decipher was leather. This however, leads me to believe that beneath the youth there is licorice, currant, and anise hidden behind the silky mouthfeel and velvety tannin structure. Currently the wine is like drinking a high quality Napa Valley Cabernet without the fruit-bomb effect that California is known for. I can only imagine what this wine has to offer once it has had time to rest. I'd buy as much as you could and then give it until 2015 before seeing if has matured, with holding on to it till its 30+ birthday not out of the question.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2011 - Pebben wrote: 91 Points
Based on notes from other users indicating that this wine is still in its infancy, I decanted it for two hours before tasting and another hour before serving. It seems like air exposure did the trick because this was just great. Ruby with slightly brick coloured edges. Big complex nose; dark cherries, leather, forest floor, mushrooms, tobacco, chocolate and a little sweet oak. Lovely sour cherry and earthiness on the palate. Nice viscous mouth feel. Great concentration and length. Fairly high acidity and noticeable tannins, but it all feels extremely well integrated. Although a long decant makes this effort enjoyable today, I agree that it may well improve in the years to come. My last bottle will therefore remain cellared for another 3-5 years. Let’s just hope I have the willpower to be patient.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 91 Points
beautiful focused sl sweet cherry (but perfectly countered by the rhubarb and earth); good acidity; medium finish; still brooding, and needs more time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2011 - Robyung wrote: 90 Points
Very tasty but still needs a bit more time to blossom.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 88 Points
A bit on the dry side, never really opened up. Too young?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2011 - muredskin14 wrote: 87 Points
couldn’t agree more with dfresh's notes: nice bouquet but drinks like an everyday wine with high acid and tartness other Brunellos from 2004 balance out better
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2011 - jwongham wrote: 88 Points
Very concentrated and high alcohol. Could be very good but needs another 5 years+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2011 - burr wrote: flawed
Corked (but wine shop offered to replace, how nice!)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2011 - urban_dk wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly ripe for a BdM, with gobs of bright cherry flavor. Finishes with some minerality, but lacks the muscular meatiness that I would associate with a wine from this with this property. A nice drinking BdM, for sure, but I don't believe this one has great longevity in it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2011 - dfresh wrote: 91 Points
I love this wine for its bouquet, balance and every day drinking ability. But that is the point, it is an every day drinking wine, not as special as some other Brunello's I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2011 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Secondary notes orbit a core of reticent fruit. Mint, earth and black spicy licorice linger on the finish. Nice tannic grip holds it all together. I like where this is going, lots and lots for 45 bucks.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2011 - Billy Swan wrote:
This was pure infanticide. Still a wonderful experience since it is a very, very good wine. Whiffs of serious cherries, herbal notes, tobacco, raw meat and almost blood dominate, there is nice minerality, maybe even some flowers linger. The taste is in full attack mode, with massive tuscan cherries with high acidity, great herbs and spice and a serious minerality that togehter with the acidity makes the taste-phone ring for a loooooong time.
If you like your tuscans young and cocky - go for it. However, I'll be waiting a couple of years for my next bottle, this can only get better. It will be a true treat 2014-2017.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2011 - Kris G wrote: 90 Points
this is way too young to drink, starts very soft and smooth, then all of a sudden you get an enormous peak in sharp acids (the highest I have ever tasted), gave me tears in my eyes, long aftertaste, I find I very difficult to assess where this will be going, I won't open another bottle in the next 5 years, that's for sure
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2011 - mas01950 wrote:
A bit closed on the nose, too early to rate. Wait 2-3 yrs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2011 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Pop & pour. S-m-o-o-t-h... I'm sacrificing the 'regular' 2004s in order to age the riservas, but this is really drinking well. Lovely cherry dominates. Wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2011 - AN Likes this wine: 94 Points
At a perfect drinking window right now. Decanted in a large decanter for an hour - beautiful red fruit and subtle smoke nose, ripe and silky tannins, a very good length and medium (+) body. This basically melted on your tong. Could have been mistaken for a great merlot. Together with suckling pig - just delicious! Cheers!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2011 - pinotwinelover wrote: 92 Points
I am not trying to start a fight on very civil area of net but to say this wine at its peak in the last review is silly. I would imagine that this will last for 15 years and is way too you to drink unless you decant for some time. I guess you have to take some of these reviews and not put too much into them Excellent Brunello.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/1/2011 - CSteefel wrote: 91 Points
Not enough air on this bottle. A real mouthful of Brunello, but missing the distinct floral aromatics that emerge with enough time (and age). Clearly some great potential here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2011 - bigop Likes this wine: 90 Points
375ml bottle.
Med+ garnet, watery rims
Clean, med intensity of aromas (blackcherries, blackcurrants and some leather and mushroom), developed.
Dry, med+ acidity, med body only, med- tannins (ripe but shy), med+ alcohol, medium length, med intensity of flavours (same as nose)
Slightly hot finish.
Good wine, at peak now, will not improve as fruits are starting to fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote: 93 Points
Insane to drink this now, it is so tightly coiled up. Best on the third day, though still barely budging. Nonetheless, the experience of this closed flower reveals plenty of beauty to this observer, in its myriad aromatics of clay, tobacco and assorted dark herbs. Bright, vibrant red fruit is hugely dense and nearly unwieldy in the mouth, the tannins refusing to give way on the very long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2hrs and consumed over the next 4hrs. Rather shy nose, with a little dried dark fruit, and bitter oak with a subtle floral coming out with time. Palate initially had a biting acidity that smoothed out over time and fine soft tannins. Palate was densely concentrated and lush, with crushed stones, cherries, creme de cassis, and licorice. Lengthy complex finish of bright red fruits, stone/mineral, and hint of coffee.Great balance and poise. Very young though approachable with a good decant, the future appears bright with another 3-5yrs in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2010 - emilyvrabel wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth wine, with great flavors
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2010 - bevetroppo wrote: 90 Points
First time ever for this much anticipated brunello. Already evincing secondary characteristics, there is a nose of deep cherry, leather and coffee. Rich and full bodied in the mouth, the flavors blend seamlessly into a tight and well balanced finish with a fine tannic grip suggesting good aging potential from here. Classy and precise.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2010 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
A christmas eve wine that I didn't focus on too closely. Seemed a tad less interesting and refined than the first btl I had back in August. More plummy. Oh well. Better give it a another shot with a more classic food pairing next time and pay more it attention. Maybe I'll drink another in a year and wait on the last 4 btls?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2010 - jcsipe wrote: 91 Points
Still rather youthful, this needs at least 2 hours of decanting and/or venturi aeration since it remains rather closed. But even now this one has layers of fruit, silky tannins, good balance and complexity together with a lenghty finish. My guess is more time will be needed for the full Brunello to emerge in the glass.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2010 - sfowine wrote:
The first bottle of an '04 BdM that I have opened. My notes follow may of the others- brooding, layered, and young. Decanted and drank slowly over two hour dinner... only starting to release itself at the end. Can be consumed now with couple of hours in the decanter, but really meant to be held back for 4-5 more years, plus. Will bury the other bottles so I'm not tempted to pull them too early.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2010 - Khamen wrote:
Slightly unusual TN, as I opened this bottle 5 days ago and it somehow got missed. After 5 days re-corked on a kitchen counter this is still very presentable. Actually more than presentable, it's drinking beautifully. A very masculine brunello character with the extended aeration, but that lovely depth and complxity still present and correct. Solid structure holding things togeth very nicely. I have no doubt that BdM lovers who come across one of these in 10 years time will give it a classic rating
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2010 - bablues wrote: 92 Points
Started off a little muted on the nose and a fairly light flavor. After about an hour the red fruit came out and this was delicious with a long, elegant finish. Needs to sit for a while to show true colors, and am confident it will. Excellent Brunello..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2010 - wren460 wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine, but definitely nothing special for me.Have 3 more in the cellar, I wil not touch them until 2015. Red fruit, lots of well integrated tanins. It smells much better than you typical Italian wine. No funk. ok ish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - jwsmith wrote: 89 Points
Not the best bottle slightly over oaked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2010 - tendring Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine Education Service - Superior Tuscans (LSE): Lovely meaty developed nose.
Very meaty wine, loads of fruit, very smooth, good length.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2010 - moods wrote: 89 Points
Wine Education Service Superior Tuscans Tasting (LSE, London): Developed vegetal nose, roast dinner. But palate is full of soft fresh dark fruits with plenty of chunky tannin. This one needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2010 - rc@ughey wrote: 91 Points
Very attractive wine with deep, rich Sangiovese fruit. This is a middleweight that punches like a heavyweight, and it is very nicely proportioned. The strong tannins are ripe enough that this wine is enjoyable in its youth--the texture is smooth with only a trace of gravelly tannin. Overall, this is pretty polished. The only knock is that this is a bit pruney--i.e., the fruit could be a bit fresher and brighter. But this is a well made wine that I imagine would be a big hit among wine geeks and regular people alike.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2010 - yonster24 wrote:
Mike popped this open for me last night. Had it waiting, decanted for about an hour. Just a stunning nose. Lavender, earth, dark red cherries and quite a few other components that I honestly can't put into words, but I seriously could just smell this wine all day long. Just as gorgeous on the palate as the nose suggested. Silky, juicy, full bodied. A pleasure to drink. Nice long finish that added a bit of a black licorice component to it. Such a well balanced wine,with the acidity, tannins and fruit all working together. I can't wait to see what this will be like in a few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2010 - AlanGee wrote: 90 Points
Excellent bouquet. Very enjoyable Brunello. Should benefit from some additional age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2010 - mebydef wrote: 96 Points
As before, superb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2010 - KimBot wrote: 95 Points
Need more time
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2010 - rralls wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Great lightweight and nuanced feel. Can't wait to see the potential for this wine unfold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2010 - rexmerlot wrote:
Beautiful dark red in colour. Tart cherries on nose and palate. Hints of leather, spice, and vanilla. Drank on own, but think it would have been more interesting served with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2010 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
First thing I noticed beside the perfuse floral nose was the strinking level of complexity on the palate. This was such a pleasure tonight. Beautifull weight and purity of fruit. Great red fruit and tobacco flavors combined with a bold mineral streak. This wine has many levels to it.....already. We were busy talking but everytime I took a sip it was ....wow! Great value at only $40. Drinks like $120+.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2010 - gunpwdr wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Dried berries, cassis, blood orange, leather, soy sauce, a floral/lavender component as well. Palate: Soy sauce, anise, dried berries on the attack. Excellent structure is on display on the mid-palate - ample tannins and acidity. Cassis and dried berries on the finish. Overall, a very enjoyable brunello that can be cellared. Well balanced and has a foot firmly planted in the old world.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2010 - davidselvia wrote: 88 Points
Can't quite tell whether this is totally backwards, or slightly off. Think it might be the later. Danger of 375mLs. Will wait a couple more years before trying another 375mL, 3L at least 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2010 - Matt Scott wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for three hours. Very Brunello-like in colour, with a nice effervescent quality to it. Swarming ripe strawberry, blackberry, French roast coffee and tobacco leaf. Soft tannins that are a little austere. Nice finish. A little short on the mid-palate, however, there's decent complexity. This is a fine Brunello, yet I expected more from this prodigious maker of fine Sangiovese - especially with a vintage as outstanding as 2004. Give this another year and it should drink well for the next 10-15 years. Drink 2011 - 2023.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2010 - Corgi wrote:
Roasted coffee beans... sharp, tannic bite at the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2010 - Hazeo wrote: 91 Points
A more traditional brunello here when compared with, say, Fanti. Medium bodied but concentrated tart cherries, smoke, meaty. Perhaps not as intensive in its gameyness as I'd like, but still a polished a very well made wine. I'd say there's much room for improvement here once the tannins mellow out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2010 - yonster24 wrote:
Had a few days ago, so going off memory. Nice ruby color to it. Closed at first but opened to show some earth, cherries and some dark fruit. med-Full bodied and just absolutely tasty. Well balanced, tannins were a bit harsh at first but mellowed out to show a wonderful bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2010 - Rochester wrote: 88 Points
I am not sure about all the impressive reviews on this one. I am not that impressed, perhaps it is too young. Nose is great, losts of firm tannin lasts too long and overwhelm the overall tast of wine. Hints of green cut stems and unripe fruits. I will wait at least couple of years before I try another bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2010 - Jaynaisbitt wrote: 93 Points
Lighter than expected. Burnt sour cherries and prunes with hints of amaretto and impressive chewy tannins. Not the finished article by far. Given 5-10 years this could eclipse older styles. Delightful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2010 - Khamen wrote: 92 Points
If you subscribe to the camp that says wine is art, then you'll have to go a long way to find a sexier looking bottle than this one. Anyway, it's the contents that are all-important.
Splash decant. Deep but bright garnet with a purple tinge. Big nose - dusty, smokey and meaty with a beam of crushed fruit. Young and grippy with some beautiful acidity and more than a hint of sweet almond mashed in with the ripeness of the fruit. Very young, this will last and last but the balance is there to make it a healthy long life. Great sangiovese mineral tang on the finish. Excellent, traditional Brunello and a stupendous QPR.
Is it art? Well I don't know, but at least it costs an awful lot less than a Canaletto. Excellent - now at a pinch, but really from 2012+. 92+
EDIT : +24 in decanter to try to move things along a bit. More red cherry fruit apparent and a little more rasberry/strawberry complexity. If you look hard enough here there's more than a hint of drinking a cherry bakewell slice. Impressive underlying structure in evidence. Burly but balanced. Lovely wine
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2010 - Bob Fyke wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my previous note. Also some anise and sandlewood.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2010 - Bob Fyke wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well now, albeit needing integration. Balanced and complete. Fine long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2010 - andtheodor wrote: 91 Points
100% Sangiovese: High toned nose of plum, cherry, berry, licorice. Really attractive aromatically. Tight, tart cherry, chocolate, acidic. Young but pretty approachable for what 04 Brunello I've tried. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
2004 Brunello Tasting (Gentile's (Columbus, OH)): Lapsang souchang tea nose, but very reticent. Very bright and jazzy across a strong structure. Burnt orange peel. Surprisingly soft finish. A lot more correctness than I am describing and quite good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
tasted in a blind tasting and noone pegged this as the Brunello. It seemed a bit light and simple.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2010 - dfresh wrote: 92 Points
More new world than typical brunello, much more approachable for average drinkers. Yet classic brunello perfume and rose petal bouquet. Loads of chocolate, dark fruit and managable tannins make it enjoyable without food but it didn't send me into the stratosphere like Gary Vaynerchuck or WS.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2010 - lozatron wrote:
Really good, especially second night - but leave it 5-10 years
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2010 - il_diavolo wrote: 90 Points
closed, reserved, but the structure seems to be there - but need to be patient (5+ years ?)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2010 - S. Lorin wrote: 93 Points
Juicy red fruit, cherries, plums, boysenberry; tight with lots of tannins and bright acidity on the finish. This has a bright future and is a nice representation of sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2010 - Miceri wrote: 91 Points
Decant! Medium red brownish edge; slightly but only slightly sharp nose, hint of chocolate, coffee, strawberry, however, somewhat muted nose; without decant quite strong tannins, sharp and little fruit - with the decant more sweet attack, less pronounced tannins, quite good actually; promising - good long aftertaste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2010 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - Lots of big red fruit. Cranberries and raspberries. Hints of chocolate and strawberries. Very big and firm tannins (almost chewy) but very smooth and well integrated. A bit of heat on the back end but that did not detract too much from the wine overall. Medium length. Really wished I had cheese to go along with it. Good fun wine that definitely needs more time. Putting the rest away before testing again in 2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2010 - The Tourist wrote: 82 Points
What a dissapointment - 3 hour decant and nothing - waited overnight and it was vinager... think bottle may have been flawed... pissed off!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2010 - pagejshawjr wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine, needs decanting or more years in the bottle. Finish is very nice and pairs extremely well with tomato based pasta dishes. Old world style but with a lot of fruit through the body. Finish is long. Acidity is low.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2010 - dke wrote: 91 Points
Toscan wines (mostly blind): (non-blind, vinturied and decanted) Initially very bright fruity nose, it became more smoky (or even oaky) after several hour in the decanter. On the palate this was very bright, smooth, with tart cherries, nice acidity and very smooth long finish with nice tannins. Really quite nice, not extremely tannic, but tastes very young and it shows some heat on the finish. Needs few years to soften. 90-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2010 - imwendy wrote:
This was my first Brunello, and definitely won't be my last. I decanted the first glass Saturday for several hours (while I was at the ballet). My first impression was of an absolutely heavenly bouquet, very floraly. The first glass was very good. I continued to drink one glass a night for several nights, and each night the wine got even fuller. It does taste young, but the decanting helped. I'm going to buy more to age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2010 - Ankur Singla wrote:
Little early to drink. Needs at least 45mins of decanting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2010 - Jossik wrote: 88 Points
Un bell'esempio di brunello semplice, forse un po' chiuso, ma carnoso e con retrogusto quasi liquirizioso.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2010 - kamp82 wrote: 88 Points
Hold for a few years. Very green and reserved at the moment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2010 - GrapeApe808 wrote: 94 Points
94.
Nose: Blackberries upon opening. Turned to Brine, beef jerky, leather.
Palette: Brine, Sour Cherry, Meaty.
Finish: Long.
I had this with Jet's 10 topping pizza. This wine would be great with Chicken or Veal Parmesan with Pasta Marinara.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2010 - FastTrack wrote: 93 Points
still primary. subtle notes of menthol, spices, licorice and leather. elegant on the palate with a long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
A bit of mud and earth, with a slightly higher-toned nose than the 05; interesting. On the palate, a bit more concentrated and complex than the 05. Very good, again kind of modern.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2010 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
Another good example of this wine, not as focused as the last few but still very good. Classic young brunello. Excellent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby red. Youthful and tight. Dense nose with dried cherry fruit and herbs. Elegant, fine tannins with rich refined flavours of leather, tar, iron and spicy oak. Sweet red fruits and a hint of smoke in the long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2010 - Mr T wrote:
All sorts of flavors as described below and really very nice but also just too young. Leave the rest alone for quite some time or really give a big decant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2010 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
Classic brunello nose finish and color, really nice wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2010 - Neuman wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hrs.Still very tanic and unbalanced. Potential shows
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2010 - raydawgone wrote: 95 Points
My first Brunello and what a bottle to start off with! Decanted for several hours. Exceptionally integrated, velvety tannins. Soft, dry cherry with bordeaux-like, new leather and black olives. Wine on its own was good, but as soon as we paired it with cheese, the juice began bursting with flavors. Highly recommend pairing with rich cheeses and pasta, it simply takes it to the next level. Will purchase more and will be hard to wait to crack open the other bottle on hand. Superior!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
One of the best Brunellos I've had, ever, and I've had my fair share (about 60 bottles from about 30 producers). Very meaty, unusual and striking. Strong strawberry tones. Strangely, this was best right out of the bottle (with Vinturi), and lost poise over time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2010 - mpricher wrote: 95 Points
My first Brunello exp. WOW! This is easily the finest Italian Sangiovese I have ever drank. Double-Decanted over 7 hours, and adjusted from some floral and farm -fields action to straight up sweet Cherry Blossoms! It only continued to open and show more and more Cherry, sweet cream, and mild herb. Oak there, but never obtrusive. Typical fine tannins offered this as a very dry Red, that paired beautifully with Cheeses. Particularly a goat cheese. We felt this wine actually enhanced the flavors in everything we paired with it. Overall, just a incredible bottle of wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2009 - jwsmith wrote: 93 Points
Second bottle petrfect as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2009 - jwsmith wrote: 93 Points
This is a rocking good wine, full of flavor and fresh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2009 - bkhaz wrote: 90 Points
Excellent with food, good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2009 - pinotwinelover wrote: 91 Points
too young but very good potential with food
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - Terkel wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red color. Light aromas that starts with some nuances of soured milk and acetone, after a little time to come together; it finds some fresh red berries and dried peonies. The taste is also a bit disjointed at first, but like the smell comes together with a little air. Finally, there were black and red cherry with some bitter cherry stone and dark chocolate on the midpalate and finish. Powerful and fresh acidity giving excellent balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - canan wrote:
Brunello 2004 Tasting (HSH): Very closed nose but still with a nice freshness to it with a little bit of cherry. Also has a little bit of varnish on the nose.
Full-bodied fruit on the palate but still very nice and clean/pure (not overdone). Has a huge acidity and tannin but clearly still a very nice balance to it.
Very long and acidic aftertaste.
However, it still seemed very closed compared to my previous bottle. On this showing it was nice but nothing special.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2009 - mebydef wrote: 96 Points
This is a beautiful wine, no doubt. And it's not anything other than what it is, Sangiovese. The wood treatment is nominal, so the grape speaks for itself. There is dried fruit, balsamic, herbs, blood, iron, and flowers. The nose is striking. The tannins are elevated but harmonious. After a few hours of air, the wine took on a delightful sweetness. This is more intellectual than hedonist, but I found much hedonism in it's intellectuality. Bravo. I have 11 bottles left and can't wait to open the next.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2009 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
Not as impressed as Galloni. I think Suckling pretty much got it right.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 80 Points
I have to admit it, curiosity got the better of me and I felt compelled to try the Antonio-anointed 2004 Il Poggione. Going in, I wasn't sure whether I'd get the pleasure of a great wine (as others of Galloni's recommendations have been) or simply the pleasure of being contrary. The latter pleasure wins out. First sip is OK. Deeply fruited but not fat, and with tannin remarkable for its softness despite the fact that there's a whole lot of it. Doesn't take long before the dominant element of the wine is the fruit's sur-maturite. Pruny, figgy, that kind of thing. It isn't a fruit bomb, just raisined. The proportions stay relatively restrained despite the flavor. I also understand the wine saw some French oak, and fortunately it's pretty subtle. You don't really taste it until the finish, which is cedary. This is usually the point in the note where one compliments the "deftness" of the oaking, and while it might indeed be deft it's also totally unnecessary; the wine would have been better without it. Overall, it's not an over-the-top Michael Bay-movie kind of wine in the fashion of many WA95's; it's more like a Tom Hanks-movie kind of wine, like it had gone through a dozen focus groups. Better with age? Maybe, and it'll need it, since the tannin, soft as it is, is abundant enough that the wine becomes aggressively drying. Wish I'd bought a 375ml to sample this instead of a 750, since there are gonna be lots of leftovers.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2009 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Wet leather and dark cherry dominate; lovely for 5 years old...I can't wait to see their riserva Spring 2010.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2009 - cpsmith33 wrote: 92 Points
decanted for 5 hours. drank over 2 more. this wine needs time, totally closed for a few hours and then started to show a bit. red brick color. nose started to open and very herbal/meaty nose a little cherry. soft fruit and spice, wood, on palate. nice finish, herbs again. acidic. will be a very nice complex brunello in 5 years and will hold remaining few i have for at least that long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 86 Points
Tasted over three days. Moderately deep color with a touch of rusty red brick. New leather, balsa, iron/copper, minerals. Tart dried cherry fruit turning still more tangy late. Day two more gravel and roasted rocks. Medium bodied tangy dried cherry fruit and leather. Day three more of the same but starting to get more acidic. I don't get this wine - too copper penny acidic and lacking fruit. I fell in love with wine in Tuscany, but have since lost my taste I guess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2009 - canan wrote:
Decanted and then consumed over 6 hours.
0H:
Nose seems restricted and reluctant. Dirt, dark cherries and a light sweet vanilla finish.
The palate is sweet but with a full body and complex fruit. The acidity is coming through nicely in the mid-palate. The tannins are mellow at first but towards the end they really dry out. Elegant and refined finish with a lot of complexity and acidity where the flavours are menthol, mint and leather. Amazing.
4H:
The nose is now more intense and fresh filled with cherries and a little sweetness to it. However it has become more primary but with an excellent depth with some bonfire notes finishing it nicely.
Palate has moved to also being more primary with a lot of fresh cherries and a huge acidity that almost vibrates through the very long finish. The finsh has freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate and rosemary.
The tannins are now more harsh throughout the wine. A little towards the end.
6H:
The nose is now very elegant and pure, fresh cherries and a little hint of bonfire/smoke.
Palate now has a very spicy feel to it with thyme and rosemary. It is extremely refreshing and the acidity is completely off the charts. The tannins starts out being sweet and soft and ends heavy and harsh. At this point the wine is very elegant but still with a lot of complexity.
Very interesting wine at the current value!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 90 Points
quite closed nose of peperoni, herbaceous, vanilla, and lacking some fruit... in the mounth, a bit too much exctracted, red fruit, wet wood, mushrooms... should deserve a higher note with more age
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2009 - Jochems wrote: 92 Points
Montalcino trip / Italian offline 2009; 5/14/2009-5/16/2009 (Montalcino): Light ruby colour. Aromas of ripe dark fruit with some floral and spicy hints. Full bodied with chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Long finish.
Still very closed, needs more time. Drink 2014 - 2019.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2009 - BuffaloBill25 Likes this wine:
Note from a few years ago when these were much younger, drank along side 2004 Banfi and 2004 Gianni Brunelli. This was clearly the winner of the 3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2009 - Bob Fyke wrote: 91 Points
Vino 09 / Benvenuto Brunello (NY Hilton): Solid and structured. Good balance. Dark cherry fruit is a bit overpowered by the framework at this time. Subtle spice still comes through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2009 - dougsmith wrote: 89 Points
Vino 2009 Brunello Room (Hilton Hotel, New York): Medium ruby color. Reticent on the nose with some floral and herbal characters; something like a field in summertime, and some animal notes. Medium bodied with grippy tannins and good presence. Tight though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment