Last night my wife and I drank the bottle of this that I've had in my wine cellar since 2009. We had it with rib eye steak and spaghetti bolognese. The wine was perfect and stood up beautifully to the meal, not at all faded despite its age. I'm not good at descriptors, but we finished the wine after dinner and continued to enjoy the lovely flavors.
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Medium-fullish, quite complex nose that is fully mature. Dried dark cherry and plum. Mineral and rubber. Integrated oak. Some hints of mint adds freshness. Not modern in the idiom. Fullish, very austere and still tannic palate. But also enough abundant fruit to balance. Spicy and a bit fiery. Long and balanced. Lacks a bit complexity. Dried cherry, plum and mint. Can be saved 2-3 more years.
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I was expecting more. For $50 and taking up space in my cellar for eight years, I was expecting something with more character. This is fine and enjoyable, but just a bit underwhelming.
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Medium to light in color with just a touch of bricking at the edge of the glass. The nose is quiet...not much there...a touch of earthiness is all I got. It drinks much better than it smells. It still has some tartness but is very well rounded. I don’t want to say “silky” but it is certainly smooth. Hints of dark fruit and a touch of leather. Nice.
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PnP'ed. This wine is in a good place. The nose is a bit reticent, maybe smelling a little ripe, even. But the palate is quite nice, with swelling and persistent acid, tart berries, and silt.
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Garnet/brick n color. No sediment to speak of. Not too dark, somewhat transparent. Somewhat muted on the nose but getting earthiness, dried mixed berries and dried cherries. Also getting spices, coffee and leather scents. Medium bodied. Nice overall structure, smooth and round. Acidity is waning .... feels a touch flabby. Dusty creamy type of tannins. Medium to long finish. Very tasty with hints of dried red fruits, tar, leather, cocoa. Also an herbal and mineral element to the wine.
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2004 brunello (Tunstall): Somewhat mute nose with morello cherries. Fruit a little stewed and bitters on the palate. Good length. Perhaps better in a few years.
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Danish Invasion continues; 6/15/2015-6/19/2015: WOTN. Masculine young brunello but with some of the floral qualities of the 2004 showing through. smoke, leather and spice, deep notes of black cherry. still quite a tannic grip on the long savory finish. with time - more balanced and a turn toward redder fruit. good herbal notes in mid. Excellent young wine.
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Coravined a glass with some cheese: rich, dark fruited, slightly obtrusive medicinal/methol note on finish. Next night opened the bottle and decanted a couple of hours and drank with veal: really nice typical brunello - dark, fairly long; no obtrusive medic note; tannins more noticeable, especially once food finished. I think this is 4-5 years off being ready and will last a long time after that.
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Just opened: a little introvert. Dark colour. Nose opens slowly with prunes, mint, camphor. Tight, taste still with a lot of power. Initial wood that is replaced with intense dark fruits. Exiting to taste tomorrow.
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Pulled this off store shelf 4-5 vintages late, so provenance is questionable and I'll refrain from scoring. Took a bit of air, nonetheless, to draw out a pretty nose and pretty mature palate. Again, 5 years under flourescent lights and room temps may have hastened things along...
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decanted 45 min (about 1 tsp. of sediment). dark cranberry red; restrained dried sour cherry, musk, sandalwood on nose; med+ weight; taut, blackberry & sour cherry, hardscrabble gravelly elements, slightly bitter w/crisp acidity & still grippy tannins. food ameliorated some of the less refined characteristics of this bottle, but believe it's the de-classified juice that doesn't make it into the "Pianrosso"? as such, not confident in its longer term prospects.
riccette pasta w/garden cherry tomatoes, homemade guanciale, basil & mint, local radicchio, arugula, parm, balsamic vinegar
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A dark nose of plums and doughy elements. This has an austere feel to it, with high tannin and evident acidity. Nice red fruit on the mid palate, but slightly hot on the finish. I think this needs more time to come together.
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Forgot I had this bottle and was quite happy when I opened it last night. Almost pop and pour. It was full bodied with plush aromas of black cherry and blackberry. Also had a very nice finish. Only slight negative is did not drink as well the following night so best to consume when opened. I nice bottle for the money
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Delightful companion to a medium-rare steak. Sharp and edgy red berries, then again smooth overall. We are not good with the official wine terminology but two thumbs up for cellaring this for another 2 years (wife says four years). Good and spicy ono the palate, cranberry is very present as expected and hoped for, the finish could be smoother and longer. Great wine, and will be better. Gotta order more.
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Fabulously perfurmed, delicate, medium-complex medium-bodied full-taste wine. Long, somewhat tanninic finish. A nice steak and this wine is all you need from life. Me likes.
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Short note from a restaurant in Montalcino. Very fine and traditional Brunello. Tight and structured, but surprisingly open. Might have been a 375ml bottle...
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This is still young. Light ruby colour. Nose of cranberries, dark chocolate and white pepper. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Cranberries again with the bitterness of the dark chocolate. Definitely a food wine, the acidity is bright and shining. Overall a good Brunello.
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2/2/2021 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little bit over the top. I wouldn't keep it much longer
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12/12/2020 - rjljrva Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last night my wife and I drank the bottle of this that I've had in my wine cellar since 2009. We had it with rib eye steak and spaghetti bolognese. The wine was perfect and stood up beautifully to the meal, not at all faded despite its age. I'm not good at descriptors, but we finished the wine after dinner and continued to enjoy the lovely flavors.
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11/21/2020 - Argrath wrote: 90 Points
Medium-fullish, quite complex nose that is fully mature. Dried dark cherry and plum. Mineral and rubber. Integrated oak. Some hints of mint adds freshness. Not modern in the idiom.
Fullish, very austere and still tannic palate. But also enough abundant fruit to balance. Spicy and a bit fiery. Long and balanced. Lacks a bit complexity. Dried cherry, plum and mint. Can be saved 2-3 more years.
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7/24/2020 - SimonS wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very nicely, but quite orange/brown at rim. I would not keep this much longer.
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5/4/2020 - blakel wrote: 90 Points
I was expecting more. For $50 and taking up space in my cellar for eight years, I was expecting something with more character. This is fine and enjoyable, but just a bit underwhelming.
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5/8/2018 - Eleven Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium to light in color with just a touch of bricking at the edge of the glass. The nose is quiet...not much there...a touch of earthiness is all I got. It drinks much better than it smells. It still has some tartness but is very well rounded. I don’t want to say “silky” but it is certainly smooth. Hints of dark fruit and a touch of leather. Nice.
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10/13/2017 - SimonS wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasant brunello drinking nicely at present.
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4/15/2017 - alpha_ori Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP'ed. This wine is in a good place. The nose is a bit reticent, maybe smelling a little ripe, even. But the palate is quite nice, with swelling and persistent acid, tart berries, and silt.
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1/16/2017 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Garnet/brick n color. No sediment to speak of. Not too dark, somewhat transparent.
Somewhat muted on the nose but getting earthiness, dried mixed berries and dried cherries. Also getting spices, coffee and leather scents.
Medium bodied. Nice overall structure, smooth and round. Acidity is waning .... feels a touch flabby. Dusty creamy type of tannins. Medium to long finish. Very tasty with hints of dried red fruits, tar, leather, cocoa. Also an herbal and mineral element to the wine.
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1/1/2016 - SimonS wrote: 90 Points
2004 brunello (Tunstall): Somewhat mute nose with morello cherries. Fruit a little stewed and bitters on the palate. Good length. Perhaps better in a few years.
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6/19/2015 - Mlermontov wrote: 93 Points
Danish Invasion continues; 6/15/2015-6/19/2015: WOTN. Masculine young brunello but with some of the floral qualities of the 2004 showing through. smoke, leather and spice, deep notes of black cherry. still quite a tannic grip on the long savory finish. with time - more balanced and a turn toward redder fruit. good herbal notes in mid. Excellent young wine.
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6/13/2015 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 93 Points
Probably has years left but drinking pretty nicely right now. Only a short decant but the fruit was blossoming and aromatic. Long finish.
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5/16/2015 - SimonS wrote: 92 Points
Coravined a glass with some cheese: rich, dark fruited, slightly obtrusive medicinal/methol note on finish. Next night opened the bottle and decanted a couple of hours and drank with veal: really nice typical brunello - dark, fairly long; no obtrusive medic note; tannins more noticeable, especially once food finished. I think this is 4-5 years off being ready and will last a long time after that.
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5/3/2015 - grafstrb wrote:
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 10 minutes --
Bitter red fruits; tannic; a touch hot.
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2/14/2015 - nielshurup wrote: 92 Points
Just opened: a little introvert. Dark colour. Nose opens slowly with prunes, mint, camphor. Tight, taste still with a lot of power. Initial wood that is replaced with intense dark fruits. Exiting to taste tomorrow.
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1/17/2015 - BrunelloBob wrote:
Pulled this off store shelf 4-5 vintages late, so provenance is questionable and I'll refrain from scoring. Took a bit of air, nonetheless, to draw out a pretty nose and pretty mature palate. Again, 5 years under flourescent lights and room temps may have hastened things along...
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7/18/2014 - pigdaddy wrote: 89 Points
decanted 45 min (about 1 tsp. of sediment). dark cranberry red; restrained dried sour cherry, musk, sandalwood on nose; med+ weight; taut, blackberry & sour cherry, hardscrabble gravelly elements, slightly bitter w/crisp acidity & still grippy tannins. food ameliorated some of the less refined characteristics of this bottle, but believe it's the de-classified juice that doesn't make it into the "Pianrosso"? as such, not confident in its longer term prospects.
riccette pasta w/garden cherry tomatoes, homemade guanciale, basil & mint, local radicchio, arugula, parm, balsamic vinegar
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5/21/2013 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 90 Points
A dark nose of plums and doughy elements. This has an austere feel to it, with high tannin and evident acidity. Nice red fruit on the mid palate, but slightly hot on the finish. I think this needs more time to come together.
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4/21/2013 - Pavan wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful balance, structure and elegant length with more fruit (less dry) than typical Brunellos
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2/27/2013 - ralevine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Forgot I had this bottle and was quite happy when I opened it last night. Almost pop and pour. It was full bodied with plush aromas of black cherry and blackberry. Also had a very nice finish. Only slight negative is did not drink as well the following night so best to consume when opened. I nice bottle for the money
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1/26/2013 - P257pax wrote: 90 Points
Red berries on the nose. Somewhat acidic and tight. Cherry on the palate. Let this one rest for 2-3years.
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9/22/2012 - Loli wrote: 91 Points
Delightful companion to a medium-rare steak. Sharp and edgy red berries, then again smooth overall. We are not good with the official wine terminology but two thumbs up for cellaring this for another 2 years (wife says four years). Good and spicy ono the palate, cranberry is very present as expected and hoped for, the finish could be smoother and longer. Great wine, and will be better. Gotta order more.
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5/26/2012 - Loli wrote: 92 Points
Fabulously perfurmed, delicate, medium-complex medium-bodied full-taste wine. Long, somewhat tanninic finish. A nice steak and this wine is all you need from life. Me likes.
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2/7/2012 - Softie wrote: 92 Points
At its peak
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1/14/2012 - Samsara Likes this wine: 85 Points
Nez floral, boisé et fruité. Arômes de fleurs fraîches, de cerises et d'épice. Moyennemnt corsé, tanins fondus, prêt à boire.
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11/6/2011 - larsrog wrote: 92 Points
Short note from a restaurant in Montalcino.
Very fine and traditional Brunello.
Tight and structured, but surprisingly open.
Might have been a 375ml bottle...
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6/15/2011 - yasgurdj wrote: 91 Points
I really enjoyed this. Light berry nose. Smooth tannins. Strawberry jam on the mid palate. Light white pepper too. Nice.
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4/7/2011 - Headless wrote: 91 Points
This is still young. Light ruby colour. Nose of cranberries, dark chocolate and white pepper. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Cranberries again with the bitterness of the dark chocolate. Definitely a food wine, the acidity is bright and shining. Overall a good Brunello.
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10/9/2010 - RussK wrote: 88 Points
RUSSK WSW at Peter's All white event. Need air. Still a bit tight and bitter.
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6/8/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
2004 Brunello Tasting (Gentile's (Columbus, OH)): Nice nose with orange peel and clove. Bombastic in structure though very soft on the finish. Modern in stylings - in a good way.
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5/24/2010 - Bryan94 wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine... wrong price.
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5/1/2010 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour Las Vegas 2010 (The Venetian): Wow, this was great. A lighter brunello than I'm used to but still very structured with delicious bright fruit and a great finish. 93 points
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1/17/2010 - RussK wrote: 87 Points
RUSSK WWatch best of 2009 event.
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1/15/2010 - vinole wrote: 90 Points
Wine Watch Best of 2009 Tasting (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Lighter style, medium to high acidity, sour cherry, geared better as a food wine.
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