Well, it was lovely, and definitely more advanced in terms of secondary or tertiary cherry notes than the prior bottle 4 years ago. And I am glad I did not look at current retail value, which is crazy.THese should not become DRC or Roumier wines meant only for trading. The bottom line is that,for Quintarelli this a medium expression of is greatest depths. His Riservas ,which I used to drink,are almost nonexistent now so the Classico sets the mark. More elegant, a better smoothness but not really the height of Quintarelli amarone. Terrific with steak and a crowd pleaser (followed a great red burgundy by contrast).
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For bday dinner with AG and LB. This is just perfection. Amarone lovers, this is superb wine making. This is fully mature, but has years in it. No words can really describe this, if you can, try this.
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A beautiful and elegant vintage of this great wine that shows finesse over power (if that's even possible with Amarone!). Layered and very complex with muted black fruits, strong mineral notes and just a perfect touch of raisins. Lovely now but really needs a 2-hour decant to show its best.
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Bought at the winery in 2011. Opened for my 67th birthday. Served with my wife's wonderful duck and red wine risotto. I would give the nose more than 100 points if I could -- the quality of elite Barolo but bigger. Intoxicating, On the palate, the wine is just perfect. Big, rich, but not overdone at all. Silky and sublime. Everything is in the right place. The finish goes on and on. And over four hours, the wine doesn't quit; it just seems to get better. Not one sign of old age. Awesome. The best Quintarelli Amarone, and indeed the best Amarone, that I have ever had. Dal Forno is great, but it's more Port-like. Quintarelli is the quintessential Amarone. To date, the wine of the year.
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Served blind. The first thing that hit me was the alcohol. Was this new world, or hot vintage old world?
The acidity is there though. Clearly a thick skinned grape from a warm climate. But I feel there is a cool breeze. Perhaps Italy? This is absolutely massive. A perfect BBQ wine?
Indeed. Amarone. And 16.5% alcohol!
Wonderful to try. From Dr K.
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Deep ruby. Blackberry and red berries with some cloves and roses/violets. Intense, rich and concentrated as expected but with finesse and balance. Decanted a couple of hours in advance - improved as it opened up over the two hours we drank it. Lovely wine though not my preferred style.
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Lovely nose and colour is still vibrant after 20 years. Extremely balanced wine and a medium and elegant finish. Low alcoholic levels after decanting for so many years. Fantastic wine!
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Opened alongside a bottle of the 1998 that was disappointing (see TN), which may have caused us to believe that this bottle was even better (by comparison). This wine was fresh, with an abundance of red fruits - particularly cherry, along with some raisin and some spice. The acidity and alcohol were balanced by the fruit, and this medium plus bodied wine was a true pleasure to drink. The last glass was better than the first, so I recommend some modest aeration up front. I don't believe it will develop further, but I can imagine this wine holding for at least another 5 years, based on storage conditions. This wine will not, however, last indefinitely. So, pick an occasion, or create an occasion, then open a bottle and experience the joy that the late Giuseppe Quintarelli put into his wines.
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Consistent with notes of 3/30/2015, this has probably not moved an inch in the intervening 41/2 years and will last longer than I will. WOTN for my wife.
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Lunch with Mates (Otto Y Mezzo, Alexander House, Landmark, Central, Hong Kong): Not decanted, which was a bit silly. Deep purple/red opaque colour. Similar nose and palate - raisiny, very rich, savoury and autumnal getting sweeter and like a young Port with time in the glass. Very powerful inside the head on the finish. Well made. Not my thing. Everyone else raved about it. So my score is a personal one.
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As a devoted Quintarelli fanatic for decades, I once again found the 2000 a tiny bit Beguiling. Fantastic of course. Sophisticated too, but a tiny bit muted and not displaying quite as much cherry, chocolate and acid tension as most do. I would hold these a few more years as everything he did displays that uncanny knowledge of how to turn the mixture of grapes each vintage into a slightly different voice.
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A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Spectacular. Not for its (obvious) power and weight, not for its immense concentration and depth, but on the contrary for its playful elegance and layered finesse. True, the finish is slightly port-like (it weighs at a full 16.5% ABV), but on the palate the wine is like a pianist who plays all your taste buds with immaculate precision. Liquorous but fresh fruit and forest floor, raisins and spices, almost Burgundian in its expression, with a cool and mineral undertow, great energy and drive, beautifully enveloped tannins, and a broad and satisfying, layered finish. At peak, at least another 20 years in it.
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The style was sweeter than I prefer in wines. It did have an excellent layering of flavors, and a hint of balsamic on the palate. I'm not an expert on Amarone so take my tasting note with a grain of salt. It was an excellent wine, don't get me wrong - just the style was not speaking to me. We had some pretty ridiculous wines leading up to this in our tasting so if I had it alone I may have been singing another tune. I still appreciate the quality of the grapes and winemaking, and its ability to age.
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Still in fabulous shape and as impressive. For those of you who never had the chance to drink Quintarelli's Amarone, break your piggy bank and try it at least once. The wine is big and high in alcohol, but it's still super fresh and almost easy to drink. Still have a bottle left and I think this can easily last another 10-15 years...
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Potent nose of dark red fruits, raisins, char and spice. This is a finesse-driven vintage of this wine and it's so very fine and opulent with delicious flavors of raisins, dark cherry, tree bark and minerals. Simply stunning on the finish with incredible concentration of sweet, mature fruit and great complexity with notes of red spices, licorice and dark mangly things. This is one of the world's finest wines and greatest mouthfeels despite it being from a region of power and fire and is a testament to the genius of Quintarelli. RIP.
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Opened and left to rest in bottle for an hour then decanted and served. Some aeriation helps for sure but no need for long decanting in our view. Side by side with the Alzero 2000 ( Papies 93-95). Quite a "restrained" in a way amarone, "lighter" than expected and full of charm. Loverley sweet violet notes, floral and with a few spicy notes. Ripe dark fruits, dense cherries, light cherry liqueur feel. A really well balanced amarone and at a great time in its drinking window. Both of us agreed on 94 ( Andreas' voted for this Nicol for the Alzero )
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Very similar to my last note, but with a less expressive nose. One of the longest finish I ever experienced. Rich and deep without being heavy. Super classic Amarone. Will keep my last 2 bottles for after 2020.
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Uncorked and let slow ox for 90 minutes. Poured a deep ruby with slight browning at the rim to a Mondavi Waterford stem. Very expressive nose of dark macerated cherry, peanut brittle, brown sugar, menthol, and some caramel. More mid weight and refined than a Dal Forno. Really excites the palate with dark fruit, leather, blackberry, prune, and toffee. The wine continued to evolve in the glass over several hours; revealing a kaleidoscope of different tastes. Still feels youthful and vibrant, but probably in its prime drinking window now through the next 5 years. An Italian ( albeit expensive ) delight !
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Absolutely magnificient! Right from the start the bouquet is very expressive and complex. Perfectly balanced you get the same beautiful aromas of sweet tobacco, bitter chocolate and straw on the palate. What a privilege to drink this wine. Drink or hold for a few decades.
Brought this to L'Artusi for a dinner with Paolo. Slow oxed for 3+ hours prior to drinking. Great spot in Meatpacking Dist in NYC, good on corkage...knowledgeable somm and wait staff. Had this with a series of pastas (incredible)
Has evolved a bit since last bottle (from memory). Delicate for an Amarone, mid weight. Nose was red and dark fruits, earth and floral notes. Showed dark cherry, plums, baking spice. Sweetness on the mid palate, long and nuanced finish...Incredibly balanced and elegant wine, better than last bottle and seems like it will hold and evolve for the foreseeable future.
Hard to put a score on this, in my experience the wine has no peers among traditional Amarone. Based on the quality now, score goes higher in time...
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Dinner Shanghaiese restaurant. Rich tasting main courses of braised turtle in xiaoshing wine and ham sauce and pot-stickers (fried minced pork dumping with a crispy base) needed a wholesome wine; hence this Quintarelli. Not decanted and poured straight. Beautiful ruby colour with thick legs in glass. Afer 10 minutes of waking, nose of flowers and Middle East spices set in--cumin, cinnamon, cloves etc. The palate was first Turkish delight with rose water, then Turkish delight with almonds, then Turkish delight with dates. Amazing: sweet but dry, singular with complexities, powerful yet light. Did not notice the 17% alcohol. I still have more than a case to play with for years to come. Quintarelli amarone is a class on its own.
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Drank a few bottles over the weekend. Wine does not get much better than this. Went well both with an Italian dinner and by itself afterwards. Well balanced smooth inviting tastes of fruit and spice.
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opened for 3 hours, the nose is amazing.... smells like toffee, peanut butter, prunes, keep smelling and more keeps coming back. Quite smooth on the palate, hints of heat, not a huge wine but could go on forever. Keep for a few more years and try again.
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Ms C's Birthday Celebration (Extra Space): Popped and poured. Drank from bottle over 2.5 hours. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of sweet spices, prunes, red dates, black cherries, strawberry, layered fruit cake, grilled herbs, some stems and Chinese herbs with more air. Extremely complex nose. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (16%) without much heat though, medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of prunes, red dates, black cherries, strawberry, dark plums, layered fruit cake, compote, sweet spices, grilled herbs, figs. Very very long finish. Outstanding quality Amarone. Possibly the only true Amarone that can be considered relatively "elegant". Should have been aired in decanter for all the layers of flavour to flesh out. May be better in 5+ years. In comparison, the 1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi I tried recently is nicer drinking now.
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To me this is a softer vintage for this great wine which displays delicious flavors of dried raisins, bitter chocolate, ripe dark cherries, licorice and tar. It is smooth and very elegant with a long, complex finish with notes of dried herbs, spices and minerals. Really fine and pretty much mature now.
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RODANO vs. ITALIA (RISTORANTE TRE GALLI TORINO): Degustato alla cieca. Rubino granato traslucido, per nulla impenetrabile. Confettura di frutti e fiori dalla trama esotica quasi da bianco, mai banale nè ingolfata, impreziosita e quasi diluita da una dolcezza ematica. Poi le erbe del sud: mirto e alloro. Precisione dalla sensualità chirurgica. In bocca è il sogno di una notte di mezza estate. Ha il calore di un tramonto di settembre, la delicatezza di una ballerina che danza nuda in un prato e la complessità misurata sconosciuta ai fluidi "terrestri". Scorre lieve, ma sinuoso, distillando ogni goccia e foderando il palato con una amara dolcezza: china caramellata. Nulla prevale, in un vino da 16,5% che riesci a bere così, senza cibo, sghignazzando in silenzio....come mordicchiare le bucce dell' uva matura..... E intanto scuoti la testa e ti chiedi come sia possibile dare alla luce una bevanda simile. Seta e applausi.
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Phenomenal. Big and bright and very food friendly. Paired well with my Provençal braised brisket. Drinking so well right now but has enough of a backbone for at least ten more years. I absolutely need to get more of this.
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- Garnet color with fast forming legs with a medium/full body. Fleshy texture with a medium finish - Garnet, leggy appearance. Pronounced nose, cigar box, plums and sandal wood. Medium tanning, high acidity, and great palette. Delivers on nose plus stewed plums, cherries, and figs. Long balanced finish. Drinking great now, but not sure how much longer it will last.
Italian Tasting with some Old Quintarelli and Emidio Pepe Wines (St. Paul, MN): Very dark red plus. 2oz tasting pour over 30 minutes. Prominent nose with anise, black cherry, spice, heat, earthy, pepper. The palate is full bodied, sweet notes, black cherry, plum, some heat, pepper, nicely earthy, and very long with dark chocolate. Definitely showing much better than the '98 tonight.
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Private Dinner (Tre Bicchieri - São Paulo - Brazil): What wine! An unbelievable concentration of fruits with incredible balance and acidity. Persistent. Young but already impressive. One of the best wines I have ever drank. Sell your car and one kidney (this is a joke) and buy a case.
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What a wine! The nose is soft and doesn't give you a clue as to what comes when you taste this wine. It flirts with you and begs you to continue, then BAM! it explodes. bringing with it more than you could ever imagine. This wine kisses you on the lips, teases your tongue, and pleases your palate, then hands you a voluptuous finish. I wish all of you could have enjoyed this wine with me. It brought me on a truly wonderful journey.
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First bottle of this vintage from my cellar. Was a little concerned it was too early. Decanted for 3 hours before dinner, a quick check along the way showed it needed at least that amount of time.
Paired with a cassoulet as the main course, not ideal. Was too busy to take the day to make osso bucco - the spice was a bit too strong. Would have mild, savory or meats with this wine in the future
Still very young - alcohol heat is there with big dark fruits and earthy nose. Medium body and mouth feel - especially for an amarone. Dark fruits, very complex: cherry, plums, smoke, herbs, raisiny and chocolate. concentrated and rich wine, but not overdone. In fact, would call it medium to light on the amarone scale. Smooth and sweet mid palate.
Great now, if you can keep your hands of it my guess is it will only get better
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Too early to tell. Decanted for six hours and still too much alcohol at the edges. For a Quintarelli, the body was medium. Less of the pruney, chocolate base and more of a blended compote of dark fruit, along with the tell-tale cherry/smoke/leather/raisin characteristics. I drank the 1973 through 1977 after 10 years but this one seems to be resisting early consumption. Undoubtedly will be a great wine, as all of his amarones are
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I decided to treat myself to this for Father's Day, and it did not disappoint. Deep blackberry compote with a hint of VA on the nose. The mouthfeel was unctuous, with a hint of brightness up front transitioning to milk chocolate covered cherry and raisinettes on the back end. This is pure fruit without being a fruit bomb. Tannins are smooth and sweet. Profoundly well structured and integrated wine. A seamless symphomy of flavor and complexity. Glad I have another.
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Wine Aficionados Tasting - Westchester Wine School (Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at Ned's WWS final tasting of the season, and this was the WOTN. I'm sure it was decanted for at least an hour or two. Very dark purple color, no age discernible in the glass. Belying this wine's great complexity, I was met with an overwhelming nose of raisins, figs, and some menthol thrown in. A huge, complex wine that was both extremely well structured with great length. Big and chewy with great mouthfeel, but silky soft tannins well integrated into the juice. Great spice and smokiness, along with ripe prunes, figs and raisins, with coffee beans on the back end. The multiple elements of this wine are so nicely integrated into a wonderful big package, making this a very decadent and extremely satisfying bottle of wine that just goes on and on in the glass. I can only imagine how good it will be with another 10 years on it.
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Arrivato a fine degustazione, color carico, naso visciola, prugna, lampone, fragola, zucchero filato alla fragola, spezie piccole , pepe bianco in primis, bocca ricca, dolce, fresco, lunga persistenza...na bomba ancora in fasce.
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TN: Quintarelli, Dal Forno, Bussola, Caprai, Bea ++: Not quite as good as the 97, but very similar and the two were quite distinctive in this flight. This has a powerful elegance to it which is captivating. A milk chocolate covered candied cherry quality with a bit of liqueur. Very complex and very smooth. Hard to believe a wine like this could be so elegant. No sign of the 16% alcohol. This got a bout 7 hours of breathing.
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Dinner with the crew (Chatswood, Sydney): An nose with incredible lift and intensity - kirsch, graphite, dark chocolate, raisins and blackberry. The palate balance was unbelievable, it is intensely rich and has huge structure but it is somehow seamless at the same time. Shows depth, complexity and superb length. An icon with huge expectations and it rose way above them somehow, just magic stuff. Quite probably this is the best wine I've had so far this year.
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A memorable wine. Just spectacular. If there is such a thing as a perfect wine, this has to be a candidate. Explodes on the palate and continues to evolve with every sip. Round, lush and delicious with a finish that can bring tears to your eyes. Opened 7 hours prior to drinking. At the moment I think this is drinking even better than his 2000 Riserva "Selezione".
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raisin and cherry with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Wow! This IS amarone. I dont know how this could be any better? Decanted for 4 hours and had with aged prime rib. At first, the bouquet hits you, beautiful floral and fruit notes. The first sip explodes on your tongue with sweet raisin, then berry, then vanilla, and the flavours kept coming,...and then slowly but very smoothly transitions into a very slight peppery but smooth chewy tannic mouthfeel. It lingers and changes with unbelievable complexity, and the finish is very long and smooth like silk and velvet. It has all the classic characteristics of an amarone, but this is so much more. While it first hits you as a sweet fruit bomb, it transitions very smoothly with a slight crip acidity in the middle, and silky tannins that everything is perfectly balanced. Youd never know this is over 16% alcohol? Because of this balance, it makes the wine so much more enjoyable with a meal compared to other amarones that just overpower with sweet fruit. Wow? If you are an amorone lover, this is mecca!
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colore rosso granato con riflessi aranciati, molto percettibile la ciliegia , confettura e nel tempo poi appare anche una nota speziata.In bocca di pieno corpo , avvolgente e caldo , tannino fine e completamente risolto , finale lungo.
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This is the best Amarone I was lucky enough to drink so far. We only aired and decanted this for 2 hours. An explosive bouquet of vanilla, plum, cinammon, spice, prunes, liquorice, floral hints and so much more greeted us from the glass. On the palate, this was soft and perfectly linear, leading to refined tannins that were a touch sweet. This wine developed interestingly over the following hour and kept changing when the glass found my nose, intensely complex. Unfortunately we had to share this with q a big group. This is a wine for a special occassion for a group of maximum 4 people. The experience is awe inspiring and profound. It is probably just a tad too early to drink and this should develop nicely over the next 10 years.
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1/1/2024 - levicn Likes this wine: 94 Points
醒酒约四小时，深石榴红色，闻香是浓郁的烟丝，枣香，果干，甘草和香料感，入口酸度高，酒液咸，收口甜，单宁紧涩，颗粒细腻无比，李子，枣，香料和焦糖香气，带着一些泥土气息，酒液粘稠，后段有些许酒精感，在饱满的枣香中收尾。整体表现优雅平衡，最神奇的地方是杯中变化不断，多晃几次就会有不同的香气，口中的感觉也从一开始有点闷到逐渐丰满，集中度漂亮，竟然还能感觉到新鲜的果汁感，一支已经进入适饮，但远有到巅峰期的酒，风格古典，毫不张扬，每一刻的表现无不让你感受到它的沉稳和老练，只恨品鉴时间太短，让你好奇它的百宝箱里究竟还会展现出多少变化。
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9/2/2023 - goska wrote: 96 Points
What a wine! Youthful, fresh, forward, big, long and bold.
Purchased at the winery, second bottle this year. Great wine!
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8/22/2023 - Sotto325 wrote: 94 Points
Well, it was lovely, and definitely more advanced in terms of secondary or tertiary cherry notes than the prior bottle 4 years ago. And I am glad I did not look at current retail value, which is crazy.THese should not become DRC or Roumier wines meant only for trading. The bottom line is that,for Quintarelli this a medium expression of is greatest depths. His Riservas ,which I used to drink,are almost nonexistent now so the Classico sets the mark. More elegant, a better smoothness but not really the height of Quintarelli amarone. Terrific with steak and a crowd pleaser (followed a great red burgundy by contrast).
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7/5/2023 - mrpaper126@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Remarkable wine. 1.5 hours in the decanter, poured over a two hour period. The wine continued to improve right up to last glass.
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6/25/2023 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Sweet, rich and raisiny but not overdone.
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10/21/2022 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Quite complete, but a beast that's years from being ready.
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5/14/2022 - RED AND BLACK wrote: 100 Points
For bday dinner with AG and LB. This is just perfection. Amarone lovers, this is superb wine making. This is fully mature, but has years in it. No words can really describe this, if you can, try this.
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8/26/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful and elegant vintage of this great wine that shows finesse over power (if that's even possible with Amarone!). Layered and very complex with muted black fruits, strong mineral notes and just a perfect touch of raisins. Lovely now but really needs a 2-hour decant to show its best.
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6/12/2021 - GBFan Likes this wine: 100 Points
Bought at the winery in 2011. Opened for my 67th birthday. Served with my wife's wonderful duck and red wine risotto. I would give the nose more than 100 points if I could -- the quality of elite Barolo but bigger. Intoxicating, On the palate, the wine is just perfect. Big, rich, but not overdone at all. Silky and sublime. Everything is in the right place. The finish goes on and on. And over four hours, the wine doesn't quit; it just seems to get better. Not one sign of old age. Awesome. The best Quintarelli Amarone, and indeed the best Amarone, that I have ever had. Dal Forno is great, but it's more Port-like. Quintarelli is the quintessential Amarone. To date, the wine of the year.
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5/25/2021 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Served blind. The first thing that hit me was the alcohol. Was this new world, or hot vintage old world?
The acidity is there though. Clearly a thick skinned grape from a warm climate. But I feel there is a cool breeze. Perhaps Italy? This is absolutely massive. A perfect BBQ wine?
Indeed. Amarone. And 16.5% alcohol!
Wonderful to try. From Dr K.
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12/24/2020 - 2mwine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolute fabolous
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6/19/2020 - BAJRiley wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby. Blackberry and red berries with some cloves and roses/violets. Intense, rich and concentrated as expected but with finesse and balance. Decanted a couple of hours in advance - improved as it opened up over the two hours we drank it. Lovely wine though not my preferred style.
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5/23/2020 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Takes 2 hours to open up into spice box aromatics. Still vigorous on the palate, needs time to resolve.
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1/17/2020 - willmark wrote: 95 Points
17th Jan 2920: decanted for 30 mins.
Lovely nose and colour is still vibrant after 20 years. Extremely balanced wine and a medium and elegant finish. Low alcoholic levels after decanting for so many years. Fantastic wine!
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11/9/2019 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened alongside a bottle of the 1998 that was disappointing (see TN), which may have caused us to believe that this bottle was even better (by comparison). This wine was fresh, with an abundance of red fruits - particularly cherry, along with some raisin and some spice. The acidity and alcohol were balanced by the fruit, and this medium plus bodied wine was a true pleasure to drink. The last glass was better than the first, so I recommend some modest aeration up front. I don't believe it will develop further, but I can imagine this wine holding for at least another 5 years, based on storage conditions.
This wine will not, however, last indefinitely. So, pick an occasion, or create an occasion, then open a bottle and experience the joy that the late Giuseppe Quintarelli put into his wines.
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10/20/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with notes of 3/30/2015, this has probably not moved an inch in the intervening 41/2 years and will last longer than I will. WOTN for my wife.
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10/10/2019 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
Lunch with Mates (Otto Y Mezzo, Alexander House, Landmark, Central, Hong Kong): Not decanted, which was a bit silly. Deep purple/red opaque colour. Similar nose and palate - raisiny, very rich, savoury and autumnal getting sweeter and like a young Port with time in the glass. Very powerful inside the head on the finish. Well made. Not my thing. Everyone else raved about it. So my score is a personal one.
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7/18/2019 - Sotto325 wrote: 94 Points
As a devoted Quintarelli fanatic for decades, I once again found the 2000 a tiny bit Beguiling. Fantastic of course. Sophisticated too, but a tiny bit muted and not displaying quite as much cherry, chocolate and acid tension as most do. I would hold these a few more years as everything he did displays that uncanny knowledge of how to turn the mixture of grapes each vintage into a slightly different voice.
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12/27/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 96 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Spectacular. Not for its (obvious) power and weight, not for its immense concentration and depth, but on the contrary for its playful elegance and layered finesse. True, the finish is slightly port-like (it weighs at a full 16.5% ABV), but on the palate the wine is like a pianist who plays all your taste buds with immaculate precision. Liquorous but fresh fruit and forest floor, raisins and spices, almost Burgundian in its expression, with a cool and mineral undertow, great energy and drive, beautifully enveloped tannins, and a broad and satisfying, layered finish. At peak, at least another 20 years in it.
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7/17/2018 - Margaux Bro Likes this wine: 93 Points
The style was sweeter than I prefer in wines. It did have an excellent layering of flavors, and a hint of balsamic on the palate. I'm not an expert on Amarone so take my tasting note with a grain of salt. It was an excellent wine, don't get me wrong - just the style was not speaking to me. We had some pretty ridiculous wines leading up to this in our tasting so if I had it alone I may have been singing another tune. I still appreciate the quality of the grapes and winemaking, and its ability to age.
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4/7/2018 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still in fabulous shape and as impressive. For those of you who never had the chance to drink Quintarelli's Amarone, break your piggy bank and try it at least once. The wine is big and high in alcohol, but it's still super fresh and almost easy to drink. Still have a bottle left and I think this can easily last another 10-15 years...
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10/7/2017 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent, as expected. Not as dense and rich as other vintages I've tried, but drinking very well.
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9/8/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
Potent nose of dark red fruits, raisins, char and spice. This is a finesse-driven vintage of this wine and it's so very fine and opulent with delicious flavors of raisins, dark cherry, tree bark and minerals. Simply stunning on the finish with incredible concentration of sweet, mature fruit and great complexity with notes of red spices, licorice and dark mangly things. This is one of the world's finest wines and greatest mouthfeels despite it being from a region of power and fire and is a testament to the genius of Quintarelli. RIP.
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6/3/2017 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
Opened and left to rest in bottle for an hour then decanted and served. Some aeriation helps for sure but no need for long decanting in our view.
Side by side with the Alzero 2000 ( Papies 93-95).
Quite a "restrained" in a way amarone, "lighter" than expected and full of charm. Loverley sweet violet notes, floral and with a few spicy notes. Ripe dark fruits, dense cherries, light cherry liqueur feel. A really well balanced amarone and at a great time in its drinking window. Both of us agreed on 94 ( Andreas' voted for this Nicol for the Alzero )
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1/22/2017 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very similar to my last note, but with a less expressive nose. One of the longest finish I ever experienced. Rich and deep without being heavy. Super classic Amarone. Will keep my last 2 bottles for after 2020.
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12/31/2016 - P257pax wrote: 95 Points
Magnificent wine! Licorice, toffee, dark berries.
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11/5/2016 - drdan8 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Uncorked and let slow ox for 90 minutes. Poured a deep ruby with slight browning at the rim to a Mondavi Waterford stem. Very expressive nose of dark macerated cherry, peanut brittle, brown sugar, menthol, and some caramel. More mid weight and refined than a Dal Forno. Really excites the palate with dark fruit, leather, blackberry, prune, and toffee. The wine continued to evolve in the glass over several hours; revealing a kaleidoscope of different tastes. Still feels youthful and vibrant, but probably in its prime drinking window now through the next 5 years. An Italian ( albeit expensive ) delight !
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10/1/2016 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 98 Points
Absolutely magnificient! Right from the start the bouquet is very expressive and complex. Perfectly balanced you get the same beautiful aromas of sweet tobacco, bitter chocolate and straw on the palate. What a privilege to drink this wine. Drink or hold for a few decades.
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9/27/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 98 Points
Brought this to L'Artusi for a dinner with Paolo. Slow oxed for 3+ hours prior to drinking. Great spot in Meatpacking Dist in NYC, good on corkage...knowledgeable somm and wait staff. Had this with a series of pastas (incredible)
Has evolved a bit since last bottle (from memory). Delicate for an Amarone, mid weight. Nose was red and dark fruits, earth and floral notes. Showed dark cherry, plums, baking spice. Sweetness on the mid palate, long and nuanced finish...Incredibly balanced and elegant wine, better than last bottle and seems like it will hold and evolve for the foreseeable future.
Hard to put a score on this, in my experience the wine has no peers among traditional Amarone. Based on the quality now, score goes higher in time...
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8/30/2016 - fokker Likes this wine: 98 Points
Dinner Shanghaiese restaurant. Rich tasting main courses of braised turtle in xiaoshing wine and ham sauce and pot-stickers (fried minced pork dumping with a crispy base) needed a wholesome wine; hence this Quintarelli. Not decanted and poured straight.
Beautiful ruby colour with thick legs in glass. Afer 10 minutes of waking, nose of flowers and Middle East spices set in--cumin, cinnamon, cloves etc. The palate was first Turkish delight with rose water, then Turkish delight with almonds, then Turkish delight with dates. Amazing: sweet but dry, singular with complexities, powerful yet light. Did not notice the 17% alcohol. I still have more than a case to play with for years to come.
Quintarelli amarone is a class on its own.
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3/25/2016 - cultdrinker Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank a few bottles over the weekend. Wine does not get much better than this. Went well both with an Italian dinner and by itself afterwards. Well balanced smooth inviting tastes of fruit and spice.
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12/24/2015 - clementwolf wrote: 95 Points
opened for 3 hours, the nose is amazing.... smells like toffee, peanut butter, prunes, keep smelling and more keeps coming back. Quite smooth on the palate, hints of heat, not a huge wine but could go on forever. Keep for a few more years and try again.
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11/7/2015 - Kavine wrote:
Gave to HCV
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9/29/2015 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 94 Points
Ms C's Birthday Celebration (Extra Space): Popped and poured. Drank from bottle over 2.5 hours.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of sweet spices, prunes, red dates, black cherries, strawberry, layered fruit cake, grilled herbs, some stems and Chinese herbs with more air. Extremely complex nose. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (16%) without much heat though, medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of prunes, red dates, black cherries, strawberry, dark plums, layered fruit cake, compote, sweet spices, grilled herbs, figs. Very very long finish.
Outstanding quality Amarone. Possibly the only true Amarone that can be considered relatively "elegant". Should have been aired in decanter for all the layers of flavour to flesh out. May be better in 5+ years.
In comparison, the 1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi I tried recently is nicer drinking now.
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7/28/2015 - bonedocnine wrote: 95 Points
red WOTN. balanced. perfect drinking right now. fruit and structure in harmony.
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7/12/2015 - Meneley wrote:
Raisins, figs and spice. Quite well balanced with a long finish. Enjoy on its own or with hard cheeses. LO
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4/24/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
To me this is a softer vintage for this great wine which displays delicious flavors of dried raisins, bitter chocolate, ripe dark cherries, licorice and tar. It is smooth and very elegant with a long, complex finish with notes of dried herbs, spices and minerals. Really fine and pretty much mature now.
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4/10/2015 - galenico Likes this wine: 97 Points
RODANO vs. ITALIA (RISTORANTE TRE GALLI TORINO): Degustato alla cieca. Rubino granato traslucido, per nulla impenetrabile.
Confettura di frutti e fiori dalla trama esotica quasi da bianco, mai banale nè ingolfata, impreziosita e quasi diluita da una dolcezza ematica.
Poi le erbe del sud: mirto e alloro. Precisione dalla sensualità chirurgica.
In bocca è il sogno di una notte di mezza estate. Ha il calore di un tramonto di settembre, la delicatezza di una ballerina che danza nuda in un prato e la complessità misurata sconosciuta ai fluidi "terrestri".
Scorre lieve, ma sinuoso, distillando ogni goccia e foderando il palato con una amara dolcezza: china caramellata. Nulla prevale, in un vino da 16,5% che riesci a bere così, senza cibo, sghignazzando in silenzio....come mordicchiare le bucce dell' uva matura.....
E intanto scuoti la testa e ti chiedi come sia possibile dare alla luce una bevanda simile. Seta e applausi.
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4/5/2015 - sandwich Likes this wine: 97 Points
Phenomenal. Big and bright and very food friendly. Paired well with my Provençal braised brisket. Drinking so well right now but has enough of a backbone for at least ten more years. I absolutely need to get more of this.
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3/30/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huge wine, with chocolate, licorice, dark berry and plum. Rich and lush, this went very well with the coppa ham and stewed pecan dish we were served.
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11/22/2014 - boschem wrote: 98 Points
- Garnet color with fast forming legs with a medium/full body. Fleshy texture with a medium finish - Garnet, leggy appearance. Pronounced nose, cigar box, plums and sandal wood. Medium tanning, high acidity, and great palette. Delivers on nose plus stewed plums, cherries, and figs. Long balanced finish. Drinking great now, but not sure how much longer it will last.
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11/13/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 98 Points
Needs no comment. Sensational. See my tasting note on 6/20/2014
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8/8/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Italian Tasting with some Old Quintarelli and Emidio Pepe Wines (St. Paul, MN): Very dark red plus. 2oz tasting pour over 30 minutes. Prominent nose with anise, black cherry, spice, heat, earthy, pepper. The palate is full bodied, sweet notes, black cherry, plum, some heat, pepper, nicely earthy, and very long with dark chocolate. Definitely showing much better than the '98 tonight.
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6/20/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 98 Points
Private Dinner (Tre Bicchieri - São Paulo - Brazil): What wine! An unbelievable concentration of fruits with incredible balance and acidity. Persistent. Young but already impressive. One of the best wines I have ever drank. Sell your car and one kidney (this is a joke) and buy a case.
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4/19/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 97 Points
wow
years of life left
earth raisins fruit
ethereal
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1/24/2014 - franco rosso wrote: 100 Points
What a wine! The nose is soft and doesn't give you a clue as to what comes when you taste this wine. It flirts with you and begs you to continue, then BAM! it explodes. bringing with it more than you could ever imagine. This wine kisses you on the lips, teases your tongue, and pleases your palate, then hands you a voluptuous finish. I wish all of you could have enjoyed this wine with me. It brought me on a truly wonderful journey.
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12/20/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
Holiday dinner party at our house - Chris/Stephanie, Franceso/Francesca. It's Christmas...time to open the good stuff for the guests...:): Drank this after the 2002 Verite la Joie. WOTN for most of us....
First bottle of this vintage from my cellar. Was a little concerned it was too early. Decanted for 3 hours before dinner, a quick check along the way showed it needed at least that amount of time.
Paired with a cassoulet as the main course, not ideal. Was too busy to take the day to make osso bucco - the spice was a bit too strong. Would have mild, savory or meats with this wine in the future
Still very young - alcohol heat is there with big dark fruits and earthy nose. Medium body and mouth feel - especially for an amarone. Dark fruits, very complex: cherry, plums, smoke, herbs, raisiny and chocolate. concentrated and rich wine, but not overdone. In fact, would call it medium to light on the amarone scale. Smooth and sweet mid palate.
Great now, if you can keep your hands of it my guess is it will only get better
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9/15/2013 - Sotto325 wrote: 93 Points
Too early to tell. Decanted for six hours and still too much alcohol at the edges. For a Quintarelli, the body was medium. Less of the pruney, chocolate base and more of a blended compote of dark fruit, along with the tell-tale cherry/smoke/leather/raisin characteristics. I drank the 1973 through 1977 after 10 years but this one seems to be resisting early consumption. Undoubtedly will be a great wine, as all of his amarones are
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8/12/2013 - fdanielwine wrote: 91 Points
wonderful, ready NOW.... beautiful color and nose. perfect with our light italian bites tonight.
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7/16/2013 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
At Quintarelli, wow
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6/16/2013 - JohnBlueLabel wrote: 96 Points
I decided to treat myself to this for Father's Day, and it did not disappoint. Deep blackberry compote with a hint of VA on the nose. The mouthfeel was unctuous, with a hint of brightness up front transitioning to milk chocolate covered cherry and raisinettes on the back end. This is pure fruit without being a fruit bomb. Tannins are smooth and sweet. Profoundly well structured and integrated wine. A seamless symphomy of flavor and complexity. Glad I have another.
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6/12/2013 - cephomer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine Aficionados Tasting - Westchester Wine School (Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at Ned's WWS final tasting of the season, and this was the WOTN. I'm sure it was decanted for at least an hour or two. Very dark purple color, no age discernible in the glass. Belying this wine's great complexity, I was met with an overwhelming nose of raisins, figs, and some menthol thrown in. A huge, complex wine that was both extremely well structured with great length. Big and chewy with great mouthfeel, but silky soft tannins well integrated into the juice. Great spice and smokiness, along with ripe prunes, figs and raisins, with coffee beans on the back end. The multiple elements of this wine are so nicely integrated into a wonderful big package, making this a very decadent and extremely satisfying bottle of wine that just goes on and on in the glass. I can only imagine how good it will be with another 10 years on it.
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4/11/2013 - vespa110 wrote: 92 Points
Arrivato a fine degustazione, color carico, naso visciola, prugna, lampone, fragola, zucchero filato alla fragola, spezie piccole , pepe bianco in primis, bocca ricca, dolce, fresco, lunga persistenza...na bomba ancora in fasce.
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2/10/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
TN: Quintarelli, Dal Forno, Bussola, Caprai, Bea ++: Not quite as good as the 97, but very similar and the two were quite distinctive in this flight. This has a powerful elegance to it which is captivating. A milk chocolate covered candied cherry quality with a bit of liqueur. Very complex and very smooth. Hard to believe a wine like this could be so elegant. No sign of the 16% alcohol. This got a bout 7 hours of breathing.
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7/6/2012 - CamWheeler wrote: 97 Points
Dinner with the crew (Chatswood, Sydney): An nose with incredible lift and intensity - kirsch, graphite, dark chocolate, raisins and blackberry. The palate balance was unbelievable, it is intensely rich and has huge structure but it is somehow seamless at the same time. Shows depth, complexity and superb length. An icon with huge expectations and it rose way above them somehow, just magic stuff. Quite probably this is the best wine I've had so far this year.
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5/7/2012 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
A memorable wine. Just spectacular. If there is such a thing as a perfect wine, this has to be a candidate. Explodes on the palate and continues to evolve with every sip. Round, lush and delicious with a finish that can bring tears to your eyes. Opened 7 hours prior to drinking. At the moment I think this is drinking even better than his 2000 Riserva "Selezione".
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3/11/2012 - Materatz wrote: 100 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raisin and cherry with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Wow! This IS amarone. I dont know how this could be any better? Decanted for 4 hours and had with aged prime rib. At first, the bouquet hits you, beautiful floral and fruit notes. The first sip explodes on your tongue with sweet raisin, then berry, then vanilla, and the flavours kept coming,...and then slowly but very smoothly transitions into a very slight peppery but smooth chewy tannic mouthfeel. It lingers and changes with unbelievable complexity, and the finish is very long and smooth like silk and velvet. It has all the classic characteristics of an amarone, but this is so much more. While it first hits you as a sweet fruit bomb, it transitions very smoothly with a slight crip acidity in the middle, and silky tannins that everything is perfectly balanced. Youd never know this is over 16% alcohol? Because of this balance, it makes the wine so much more enjoyable with a meal compared to other amarones that just overpower with sweet fruit. Wow? If you are an amorone lover, this is mecca!
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12/30/2011 - Gian wrote: 93 Points
colore rosso granato con riflessi aranciati, molto percettibile la ciliegia , confettura e nel tempo poi appare anche una nota speziata.In bocca di pieno corpo , avvolgente e caldo , tannino fine e completamente risolto , finale lungo.
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9/4/2011 - Chrisw97 wrote: 98 Points
This is the best Amarone I was lucky enough to drink so far. We only aired and decanted this for 2 hours. An explosive bouquet of vanilla, plum, cinammon, spice, prunes, liquorice, floral hints and so much more greeted us from the glass. On the palate, this was soft and perfectly linear, leading to refined tannins that were a touch sweet. This wine developed interestingly over the following hour and kept changing when the glass found my nose, intensely complex. Unfortunately we had to share this with q a big group. This is a wine for a special occassion for a group of maximum 4 people. The experience is awe inspiring and profound. It is probably just a tad too early to drink and this should develop nicely over the next 10 years.
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8/16/2011 - patric.broman@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
Insane concentration, needs atleast 10 hours before drinking. A powerful wine with lots of dried fruits, strong barrel and even hints of vanilla.
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