I really tried not to like this. This is an entry level Campanian wine that is likely produced in mass quantity (by S Italian standards). Having been a fan of of Terra di Lavoro, old Radicis, Masseria Felicia Falerno and the like I was expecting this to be sort of a generic and international take on aglianco. Not the case. This is just really lovely. Polished, yes, with soft tannins and great mass appeal but great depth of fruit, leather, underbrush, and violets. I really dug this and it exceeded all expectations. This would make a great house red. Yum, super yum.
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Aromatic, peppery, raspberry on the nose. Red fruit replicates on the palate along with medium plus acid and tannins. A little hot. Long finish. The wine has tremendous staying power - days 1, 2, and 3 showed little drop off in fruit after being Vacu-Vin'ed each day at room temp. Best with food but I also enjoyed it solo. Seems to have plenty of life left, no rush to drink up.
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This medium weight, berry and fruit wine was nicely balanced, very much alive and really a great mid-range drinker. A really nice bottle for a mid-week plate, it wasn't too ponderous, slow or full of itself. It was light, with a great berry attack that ended in notes of roses. Clean finish.
I have had this wine (and same vintage) in restaurants before and it has never showed as nicely as this carefully stored bottle.
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Drank at Sale e Pepe. Far overpriced at $65/btl. Simple and easy drinking, with polished tannins and enough fruit and body to keep things somewhat interesting. Little to no complexity.
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The wine is much better the second day. The first night I didn't "like it" and left half in a decanter in a 50 degree cellar. The next night was a different experience, a lesson in wine quirkiness . The drinking window shown of 2010-2014 is unfortunate. Maybe in 2010 it was drinking well.
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To put it bluntly, this sucked. Using the CellarTracker scoring system, I gave this a 72. Based on my own ratings the was probably a low 80's wine. Thin. Acidic and vegetal. What's there to like? Absolutely nothing. I poured about 3/4 of the bottle down the drain and opened something else (2009 Ridge Lytton Springs) so that I could have a little pleasure.
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Nice light Aglianico with good musty dusty notes on the finish. Had only a glass on the first evening.
On the second evening the wine has developed quite a bit more character and depth, indicating potential for additional development. In particular, the fruit is more evident on the nose and the palate, and there is a nice spiciness on the tongue as well.
Hold until >=2013 89-90 leaning to 90
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Nice medium body brick colored vino. Defiantly a table wine but one that has good concentration and full body...nice nose but restrained....opens on the pallet with nice dark fruit. Beautiful with parmesan and anti pasta. Nice little guy for the weekday meal.....
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Rather restrained on the nose with shy but concentrated fruit, some florals, cinnamon oak, graphite and salt liquorice. Medium bodied and sweetish raspberry palate with refreshing acidity and a good grip. Perfume, smoke and salt liquorice. Quite lengthy. Somehow a bit hard to relate to - though it seemed quite nice.
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Campania Trip: Obviously oaked, the oak here comes through more as sweetness than spice. The base wine here would be a good candidate for stainless steel tank treatment.
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5/9/2020 - AHolland wrote: 90 Points
Still holds up. Leather. Nice.
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6/2/2018 - jsherdc Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still quite nice. Smooth, but not very complex. 89/90
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5/21/2016 - tnt4242 wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruits and background funk. Well balanced with nice tannic bite. Probably peaking. Stood up well to marinated ribeye.
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10/9/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 84 Points
Jammy black plum and cherry on nose and palate. This has a fruit purity I like, but a slight coarseness I don't.
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4/17/2015 - bhouk wrote:
Blackberry juice and saddle leather. Pretty good wine, better with some air, but not one that I would seek out. Lots of competition at this price.
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4/1/2015 - Neurowine1 wrote: 90 Points
I really tried not to like this. This is an entry level Campanian wine that is likely produced in mass quantity (by S Italian standards). Having been a fan of of Terra di Lavoro, old Radicis, Masseria Felicia Falerno and the like I was expecting this to be sort of a generic and international take on aglianco. Not the case. This is just really lovely. Polished, yes, with soft tannins and great mass appeal but great depth of fruit, leather, underbrush, and violets. I really dug this and it exceeded all expectations. This would make a great house red. Yum, super yum.
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3/15/2015 - CDH Likes this wine: 89 Points
Aromatic, peppery, raspberry on the nose. Red fruit replicates on the palate along with medium plus acid and tannins. A little hot. Long finish. The wine has tremendous staying power - days 1, 2, and 3 showed little drop off in fruit after being Vacu-Vin'ed each day at room temp. Best with food but I also enjoyed it solo. Seems to have plenty of life left, no rush to drink up.
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2/21/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 88 Points
Easy drinking and straight forward - good dark fruit and touch of earth.
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12/13/2014 - tlm66 wrote: 85 Points
Meh. A bit of fruit and easy drinking with a slight harsh edge to it. Drinkable and not bad QPR for a somewhat simple table wine.
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12/6/2014 - brooklynwine wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes. This wine is true to the varietal and works for an easy Friday night sipper. Nothing to go crazy about but solid.
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6/7/2014 - by Likes this wine:
Very nice balanced dry Italian red. Everything (and I guess more), I'd expect for US$14. Would love more.
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3/5/2014 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
This medium weight, berry and fruit wine was nicely balanced, very much alive and really a great mid-range drinker. A really nice bottle for a mid-week plate, it wasn't too ponderous, slow or full of itself. It was light, with a great berry attack that ended in notes of roses. Clean finish.
I have had this wine (and same vintage) in restaurants before and it has never showed as nicely as this carefully stored bottle.
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2/15/2014 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 86 Points
Drank at Sale e Pepe. Far overpriced at $65/btl.
Simple and easy drinking, with polished tannins and enough fruit and body to keep things somewhat interesting. Little to no complexity.
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6/5/2013 - klezman wrote:
Leathery aromas, medium tannin, hint of raspberry/cherry. Surprisingly wound up.
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5/10/2013 - gordoyflaca wrote: 88 Points
nice, earthy blackberry fruit.
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12/16/2012 - ctbob wrote:
Full-bodied, good structure, ready.
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12/16/2012 - urbanfarmer9@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
The wine is much better the second day. The first night I didn't "like it" and left half in a decanter in a 50 degree cellar. The next night was a different experience, a lesson in wine quirkiness . The drinking window shown of 2010-2014 is unfortunate. Maybe in 2010 it was drinking well.
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11/18/2012 - Sgift wrote: 89 Points
Nice food drinker....good value from the south. Will miss this bottle. Need to find some more.
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10/1/2012 - drdecanto wrote: 72 Points
To put it bluntly, this sucked. Using the CellarTracker scoring system, I gave this a 72. Based on my own ratings the was probably a low 80's wine. Thin. Acidic and vegetal. What's there to like? Absolutely nothing. I poured about 3/4 of the bottle down the drain and opened something else (2009 Ridge Lytton Springs) so that I could have a little pleasure.
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9/11/2012 - ctbob wrote:
Solid mid-weight red; muddy without being complex, but certainly no serious flaws
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7/1/2012 - Sgift wrote: 89 Points
Previous comments apply....small off note at front of the pallet....not a wine I would normally decant but air helped resolve. Good value wine!
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5/17/2012 - Frabjous wrote: 89 Points
Nice light Aglianico with good musty dusty notes on the finish. Had only a glass on the first evening.
On the second evening the wine has developed quite a bit more character and depth, indicating potential for additional development. In particular, the fruit is more evident on the nose and the palate, and there is a nice spiciness on the tongue as well.
Hold until >=2013
89-90 leaning to 90
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4/6/2012 - Frabjous Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice, lighter style with lower alcohol (13%). Nice fruity nose with polished fruit on the palate and finish.
Will give the rest some more time sideways and check back late this year or early ’13...
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2/25/2012 - Sgift wrote: 88 Points
Nice medium body brick colored vino. Defiantly a table wine but one that has good concentration and full body...nice nose but restrained....opens on the pallet with nice dark fruit. Beautiful with parmesan and anti pasta. Nice little guy for the weekday meal.....
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1/28/2012 - Atwellian wrote: 86 Points
Deep purple. Restrained nose, some plum. Very dry initially, followed by leather, red fruit, a bit of cherry. Some tanginess to the moderate finish.
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4/9/2011 - avp wrote:
Rather restrained on the nose with shy but concentrated fruit, some florals, cinnamon oak, graphite and salt liquorice.
Medium bodied and sweetish raspberry palate with refreshing acidity and a good grip. Perfume, smoke and salt liquorice. Quite lengthy.
Somehow a bit hard to relate to - though it seemed quite nice.
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12/12/2009 - tcfishler wrote:
Campania Trip: Obviously oaked, the oak here comes through more as sweetness than spice. The base wine here would be a good candidate for stainless steel tank treatment.
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