Held onto this one far longer than I expected (mostly forgot about it in the cellar). Purchased with my friend Joe off the LCBO vintages catalogue long ago, still drinking well 16 years later. Classic brunello, silky and smooth at this point.
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The wine pours a dark plum, almost garnet color. On the nose, you get hints of chocolate, oak, spice note, red cherries, very floral and attractive nose on this. On the palate, the wine is very mouthfilling and chewy with hints of fig, black cherry, and oak. Overall just an excellent brunello which showcases what Sangiovese is all about...Bravo!
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Opened and decanted for an hour. This is a mellow BdM that was extremely pleasant to drink. Deep purple in color, cherries on the nose and on the palate I tasted cherries, cloves and tobacco. Tannins are still present but muted with age, the acidity level is medium. This was an outstanding bottle, I say was, because I drank the whole bottle.
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This was a mellow and deliciously aged BdM. It had a bit of an orange hue to the coloration, but the nose was deep dark cherry with some coffee accent. The palate was soft, more cherry, some earth and coffee again. I really liked this bottle and was surprised based on the differing views.
Big-time bottle variations. This is my last bottle and thankfully the best of the lot (I had given up expecting anything pleasant). More fruit and structure than previous bottles but still lacking anything to make it particularly memorable. Docking it a point for not making a better showing in a great vintage.
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I agree with those that say there is bottle variation but this one is in the sweet spot. There is a stone core and a beautiful cherry tang. Wonderful mouthfeel. Will go with anything.
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My last bottle, pnp. Back to less than meh. Serious bottle variation with my last one being in the zone and this one being disjointed and past its prime. Glad to be done with this wine quite frankly.
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Best bottle yet. Wow, this one is nice. Wrestled with the cork but decanted and poured. A lovely hue of violet, magenta to red. The nose is expressive with cherries dominating. Smells like a cherry lifesaver. The palate is soft, supple and medium bodied, with just the right amount of fruit(cherry, cherry), acid, and supple tannin. The finish is lovely. Talk about bottle variation. I have run the gamut with a case of this wine from corked bottles to meh to decent to wow. Perhaps age has been beneficial. I have one more left and have no idea what it will bring....
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This is probably as good as this wine will get. Tart cherry essence on the nose and palate with a pronounced minerality of wet stones and herbs. I've experienced tremendous bottle variation with this wine. This was a good one.
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After about a one hour decant, this was ready to drink. A little initial funk, but that blew off after an hour of decanting. Cherry and plum fruit with some tobacco, and perfect acidity and tannins. This is drinking beautifully now. I was originally going to say 90, but after the last sip before putting the rest of the bottle in the frig, I'm thinking 91. Surprising, as I was just expecting a serviceable BdM.
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PnP and consumed over 6.5 hours. Dry and full-bodied with notes of cherry, plum, tobacco, wood spice, herbs, mineral and faint pepper; later on some hints of coffee showing. A little bit hollow and lacking some depth, fruit seems to be receding and some tertiary notes taking over. Fine grainy tannins, moderate acidity, and a lingering finish. Definitely mature at this point and best to drink up now, IMO.
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Darker in color for a Brunello. Nose of earth, spice, cherry with some alcohol. Delightful cherry flavors, soft tannins with some acidity. Refreshingly low on oak.
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Camphor on the nose. On the palate, bright cherry with earth and a little bitter cigar tobacco on the medium finish, with light tannins and good acidity. Average value at about $30.
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Decanted for two hours. And the bottle variation continues. Dark brick red with orange rim. Still somewhat tight on the nose with hints of rose, cherries and earth. The fruit is muted on the palate with notes of tar, soft tannins and a spicy finish. Great with Italian sausage and peppers. This wine appears to be on the decline. Drink up.
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Decanted wine for one hour and drank over a 4 hour period. medium to full bodied wine that was heavy on sediment. long finish with notes of cherry and blackberry. the evolution of the wine over the 4 hours was excellent
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Started off at opening with some sweaty sock, prominent acidity, and a bit thin. Double decanted back into the bottle and 1 hour later took to the restaurant. Started drinking it about 30 mins after and over the next couple of hours. This wine improved, night and day, after about the two hour mark of being initially decanted and stayed there until the bottle was finished.
At its peak tonight, this bottle had it all - leather, cherry/strawberry, damp earth, soft tannins on the back end, extremely fine sediment... a pretty classic Brunello profile without outrageously too much fruit and without too little. The finish, medium in length, is quite satisfying.
I don't know if it's bottle variation hitting some of the other bottles people have made notes on, but my only advice is this - DECANT for at least an hour and a half before drinking. This, to me, was excellent and classic.
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This wine has me truly perplexed. I have never seen such tremendous bottle variation in any wine like this before. This bottle presented completely different than any of my previous bottles. This must be more along the lines of what everyone else is talking about. My 6 previous bottles were very light in body, color and texture with very floral noses and tart cherry palates. This bottle was dark almost opaque garnet with a funky nose of smelly socks (according to Dave) and earth. Medium to full body with well integrated tannins and acidity. A nice balance of fruit and minerality with telltale sangiovese undertones. I have no idea what my last 5 bottles will bring. I can only hope they are more like the latter and less like the previous ones.
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I have to join the haters on this one. I agree almost 100% with SpoochMan. Never realty shows the fruit one would expect. Likely the grapes never really ripened. Tannins soft but so what with no fruit to balance. Nothing really to speak of, no character. You certainly can do much better for $35.
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Medium dark red color, subtle bricking on the margin. Splash double decanted and recorked for transport; drank 2+ glasses with dinner. This was a lovely bottle right where you'd like to hit it. Very open from the start and building over 20-230 minutes. A fragrant nose of rose petals, leather, cherry, earth, and dried strawberry. The palate is rather silky, medium bodied, leather, cherry, fine spice, and mineral. The tannins have softened nicely and are quite fine. This is showing the balance and depth of the vintage. Excellent and probably nearing peak, but should go for several years. I'd love to have a few more to enjoy over the next 3 years or so.
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A crumbling cork had me initially concerned but after a pop and pour and lots of swirling this wine showed itself very well with a light floral nose and hints of minerality. Had with spaghetti pie and enjoyed the light fruit and soft tannic structure. This wine is drinking at it's peak right now. Can't see this getting any better.
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Slow-ox'd for a few hours after pouring wine out to the shoulder. Much nicer than a tester bottle five years ago. It's fleshed out, showing more complexity and texture. Balanced, showing traditional Sangiovese character of dried cherries, plums/prunes, sottobosco, worn saddle leather from quality fruit and elevage in large Slavonian oak botti. Solid finish. At the start of its drinking window, this wine should drink well and possibly improve marginally over the next 5-8 years. Drink now-2023.
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Continues to drink very well. Classic nose of red fruit, floral and leather. Soft yet bright red cherry fruit is the predominant fruit note. Deepens and smooths out very nicely at the two hour mark. Picks up tobacco, leather and good mineral notes on the finish. I'm quite impressed with how this wine has come together over the past few years. It has enough structure and fruit to last for several more years; I don't have any worries of this immediately fading. It has really integrated nicely and overall is an outstanding value.
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Really thought this was drinking well. 2 hour decant and wine was floral and fragrant on the nose and well balanced with red fruit, minerals and a nicely balanced finish with enough acidity to keep it fresh and lasting for another 5 years or so.
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Very good wine for the price. Nice medium sangi color. Cherry. Strawberry. Funk. Cigar. I am surprised some of the ppl below were so tough on this wine. I would drink this all day for $35. I will say it was way better on day one and two as opposed to three. Not sure what that's about...
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This bottle was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting to open something very accessible from the pop and something that might be starting to fade slightly. Instead, at first, the wine was a bit disjointed, but after a couple of hours, came together beautifully. Deep color, very nice fruit with excellent mineral notes on the finish. Enough tannin remains to provide a solid backbone, but the wine is quite well balanced. All in all this wine was drinking quite well and may have even improved from the last bottle I tried. Excellent value.
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Thick, deep intense. How did grapes contain this much flavor? Redman you'd better try one of these. One spin through the aereator and this was ready to go. And just that little other fermented aspect that you only get from Montalcino. And while I'm at it if you've never been to Montalcino, you won't be sorry you overnighted there, and had a wine from one of the small local places - maybe this one. 50/5/13/16/9
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I liked this wine much more than the nay-Sayers here. Decanted 3-4 hours before drinking. Beautiful nose of Sangiovese, dark cherries and cigar leaf. Lots of fruit on the palate, mostly cherries and black fruit. Still a lot of tannins and structure to last another 8-10 yrs and if I had more I wouldn't touch again for 2-3 yrs. but based on other reviews I wouldn't risk it. Drinking really well now so why wait, but let it breathe...
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Colour:ruby red, orangey at rim. Very clear, no sediments Nose:green peppers, sharp red fruits, bacon grease Taste:firm tannins,dark chocolate, red cherries
I enjoy this style, fresh, some firm tannins but well balanced overall
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Quite a range of opinion on this wine here -- count me on the negative end. This is a VERY earthy/funky brunello with muted fruit and some bitterness on the finish. It did improve with some air time (and multiple passes through the Vinturi) but it still was lacking. We had an '04 Poggio Il Castellare a couple of days ago and that was lightyears better than this wine. This is an inexpensive Brunello but still not a good value IMO. Don't think this was a bad bottle as it was consistent with one we had in a tasting sometime back. One can do much better for ~$35. Very weak effort for the '04 vintage, and I doubt it will get better with time as the fruit is so weak now.
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Meh . . . neither good nor bad. Smoke and barnyard on the nose, with these carrying through to the palate - with the addition of smoked meat and muted dark fruit. It is hard to explain how a wine can be thin and heavy at the same time, but this one seems to manage it. Lots of smoke; not much depth.
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Cherry and plum notes on the nose. Mainly cherry flavors with light raspberry towards the back. Very smooth, round wine, but not particularly complex. Still has good structure and length on the finish. Overall a very solid wine and one that is at peak and drinking quite well now.
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This just might have been a better bottle. Garnet red and translucent to transparent with good legs. Light cherry notes and herbs on the nose. This is a brunello "light". Very light in body, color, texture and taste. On the palate it has typical sangiovese characteristics of cherry with a minerality on the finish. Seems to be past its prime.
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I guess i have been due for a corked bottle but not real happy about it. It was PnP and just a touch f tCA was noticeable so drank a glass. Hard to write any TN it because the CA got stronger with each sip. Poured the rest out.
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First one of these in 14 months and my last bottle. As expected, time has helped loosen this up. A lighter-style Brunello, but now there's noticeably more definition to both the nose and palate. Attractive - but subtle aromas and flavors of cherries, leather and spice. Nicely balanced with a lively acidity. Finishes with a touch of oak and a long, lingering aftertaste of ripe cherries and citrus. The tannins are as smooth as velvet. Very traditional in style, this Brunello is all about "finesse". Quite a good one for under $30. 50+5+12+16+8=91
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What a difference a couple of years makes for some wines. This was much better than a bottle we had in2010. Have had 11 other bottles from this producer and they are usually very good for a low cost Brunello and this bottle exceeded my expectations. Wonderful nose of dried fruit and olive brine paired with great mouthfeel and a long finish. Was the perfect companion to homemade eggplant parmigiana and roasted cauliflower. Still sipping my last glass as I type this note and I am transported back to Tuscany with fond memories.
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More of the same. Not much on the nose and very thin on the palate. Tastes like lightly flavored water. Better with food as is all wine and slightly better than the last. This wine is way too weak to stand alone. Again, a big disappointment for a 2004 brunello.
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The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Forest floor, and Mushroom. It tastes like Forest floor, and Cherry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Polished texture. The wine finishes Medium. This wine was tight and showed nothing until we had it with pasta , sausage, and meatballs. With food this wine really opened up and it was like a match made in heaven. A super good wine that needs food.
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Hard to imagine a wine from this vintage being rated under 90 and the Lecciaia is certainly not at the bottom of the range. 2 hours of air and currants abound.
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This wine was very disappointing for a 2004 Brunello. Had this bottle with Sharon and Joe Governale for New Year's Eve dinner consisting of filet mignon. Decanted his bottle for 1 to 3 hours. Color was a medium translucent brick red more along the line of a Brunello Di Rossi, the nose was lacking ascwascwasvthe palate. This wine had virtually no taste. Nothing. Both Sharon and Joe agreed that there was absolutely nothing to this wine. I believe that this wine is way past it's prime. I can not imagine that it will improve with time, instead I believe that whatever character it has will only continue to disintegrate.
Not what one would expect from a Brunello. But I find in general that the cache Italian wines don't offer much QPR compared to inexpensive to moderately priced Italians. That said this wine is a lighter Brunello that needs food to bring it out. Good acid and opened to some degree overtime.
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Light and lacking in fruit for this varietal. Simple dry cherry taste and not much else to commend it. Out of balance; the fruit can't keep up with the acid and tannins. Might have rated this an 86 but it loses at least a point for screwing up in a great year like 2004.
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A little tight when first opened, but open up nicely. A little brown around the edges might make me drink it earlier than end of the shown drinking window.
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Pnp. Didn't have time to recant. Excellent sour cherries 30 min in and it continues to evolve. Tannins well in check but enough legs for aging. Good acid with notes of chocolate. Not overtly complex but very satisfying. Finish lingers for minutes. Good food wine.
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Elegant and fairly subtle Brunello. Did not decant as this 2004 is already in its mature years. Nose was somewhat lacking and didn't pop at you like most Brunellos I've had. Surprisingly the palate was richer than I thought with dark fruit, cherry, and blueberry. Not an overly heavy wine. This is a medium bodied Brunello that at this point in life has melted some of its tannins away. As such it pretty approachable without much decanting.
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Really tight and tart for the first few hours. Started to put on some weight around hour 4. Elegant and refined. Last glass was the best. I think this is 92+ in a few years.
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Consistent with previous notes. A very nice, inexpensive Brunello with an attractive nose and a bright but delicate palate. May even be getting a little better and now almost a 90. Have one bottle left and will let it sit for another year or so. 50+5+11+15+8=89
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Opened another bottle of this recently. Consistent with my previous tasting note. A nice Brunello that is a bit on the lighter side, but well balanced and quite enjoyable. No regrets at $29.99 a bottle. 50+5+11+15+8=89
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Complete disappointment based on the hype around this wine. Two glasses poured, the rest will be some very nice red wine vinegar soon as I didn't have the heart to pour a $40 bottle of wne down the drain.
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Slightly subdued nose of sweet fruit, leather and spice. Full-bodied, with an attractive combination of cherry and dark fruit flavors to go with firm tannins that persist through the moderately long finish. This is a good Brunello, and at just $29.95 you would be hard pressed to beat it. But there is no way in the world that this is a 93 point wine as per the Wine Spectator review. Not nearly enough going on here to justify a score like that. 50+5+11+15+8=89
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I was a little dissapointed with this effort. There is nothing offensive about this wine. In fact, it is all of the hallmarks of Brunello. Unfortunately, it lacks the concentration, depth and finish that I expect from a 2004. The finish is short and somewhat hallowed. I have one more bottle that I'll revisist in a couple of years just in case this one is in a dull phase...I hope that's the case. Cheers.
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Smells of petroleum, raisins, red currants, dark fruits, & earth. Tastes strongly of wood & red currants. It has a nice acid/tannin balance, especially after 15 minutes. Somewhat simple, but a very enjoyable wine.
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I give up. Thin, acidic, not even some brooding dark fruit. How they managed to turn out such a poor Brunello in such a landmark vintage is revealing about their lack of quality and competence.
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From a 375. Colour looked good; deep ruby to almost purple but the nose was interesting but a bit thin. Palate echoed the nose, I hope time will be kind as right now I was less than impressed.
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Let the wine sit out for an hour. Took a while to open up. Was not a powerful brunello. Sutle tastes of fruit and wasnt a long finish. Hopefully will get better with age
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This was a solid effort but not up to par with some of the better Brunellos we have had. A very dry wine with sour cherries and a good mix of that Tuscan soil on the nose. I usually decant my Brunellos, especially this young but did a pop'n'pour so this did take some time to open.
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Not decanted. Slow-ox'd for 8 hours. Medium-ruby colour. Aromas of roses, wood, candied cherries. Medium-bodied, with candied cherry, red plum, currant, and leather notes on the palate. Balanced with good acidity. Moderate-finish, ~30s, with more red fruit. A pleasant Brunello, but I was hoping for more. Perhaps additional cellaring will allow this wine to become more expressive. 88-89 points, drink 2012-2018.
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Really awesome showing. Popped and poured at one of my favorite local Italian restaurants in DC. Pleasant nose. Cherry, blackberry, and chocolate notes. Fairly restrained acidity and the tannins were well integrated. A fair bit of depth here. This bottle was ready to go, but it might get better with a little more time.
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Had a taste at LCBO. Bottle open for 1 day, under vacuum seal. Found this to be a little too acidic and general impressions had me questioning the QPR. (86-87)
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As others have noted...this was nice, but nothing like what I expect from Brunello. Earth, oak, and dried red fruits on the nose with a short-medium length finish with hints of tobacco and dried fruit.
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Adam's House; 7/3/2010-7/4/2010: Unfortunately I have no specific notes on this one. Earthy and oaky. Tannic, but very nice with the acidity playing along nicely. (4+12+16+7)
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This is far too young. Decanted for two hours and it still wasn't showing anything. Reviewers are high on this but at this stage, it's for the cellar only. Glad I have another few bottles to try after several years.
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On the tight side. Some dark fruit notes and smokey wood. With a little air time it's opening up and becoming elegant, but still young. Not showing a lot. B-
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A: A very clear red wine, not really informative on that descriptor. N: Light berries, Tangy earthiness, blueberries and pomegranate T: Sophisticated peppers (what was I thinking when I wrote these notes). Red berries, little tart. F: Woody rose hips and firm structure. Medium to light body with a strong tartness at the core. Overall: Light and not real memorable, not worth the $. V: 2/5
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8/10/2023 - gpcoleman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aerated and let it sit in the glass for 15 minutes. Still very good.
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7/28/2021 - gpcoleman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still good after all these years!!!!
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12/31/2020 - Mnawacki Likes this wine: 89 Points
Held onto this one far longer than I expected (mostly forgot about it in the cellar). Purchased with my friend Joe off the LCBO vintages catalogue long ago, still drinking well 16 years later. Classic brunello, silky and smooth at this point.
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5/18/2020 - gothamfreerider Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tannins soo smooth now. Silky smooth! Nose is missing fruit. but, mid and finish, notes of cocoa and very dark cherries. cheap wine, aging ok.
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10/12/2019 - Gymcoach11 Likes this wine: 96 Points
The wine pours a dark plum, almost garnet color. On the nose, you get hints of chocolate, oak, spice note, red cherries, very floral and attractive nose on this. On the palate, the wine is very mouthfilling and chewy with hints of fig, black cherry, and oak. Overall just an excellent brunello which showcases what Sangiovese is all about...Bravo!
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10/9/2019 - BigGDaddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great vintage. Earthy goodness. Smooth tannins now.
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8/20/2019 - vdv115 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Opened and decanted for an hour. This is a mellow BdM that was extremely pleasant to drink. Deep purple in color, cherries on the nose and on the palate I tasted cherries, cloves and tobacco. Tannins are still present but muted with age, the acidity level is medium. This was an outstanding bottle, I say was, because I drank the whole bottle.
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3/27/2019 - CCestaro wrote: 91 Points
This was a mellow and deliciously aged BdM. It had a bit of an orange hue to the coloration, but the nose was deep dark cherry with some coffee accent. The palate was soft, more cherry, some earth and coffee again. I really liked this bottle and was surprised based on the differing views.
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5/3/2018 - Pipcelot wrote: 89 Points
Big-time bottle variations. This is my last bottle and thankfully the best of the lot (I had given up expecting anything pleasant). More fruit and structure than previous bottles but still lacking anything to make it particularly memorable. Docking it a point for not making a better showing in a great vintage.
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4/25/2018 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I agree with those that say there is bottle variation but this one is in the sweet spot. There is a stone core and a beautiful cherry tang. Wonderful mouthfeel. Will go with anything.
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2/25/2018 - CorvetteJeff Likes this wine: 89 Points
It took an hour for it to open up. Aromas of black cherry. Full bodied black berry with tannins with a long smooth finish.
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12/21/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 82 Points
My last bottle, pnp. Back to less than meh. Serious bottle variation with my last one being in the zone and this one being disjointed and past its prime. Glad to be done with this wine quite frankly.
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12/8/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
Best bottle yet. Wow, this one is nice. Wrestled with the cork but decanted and poured. A lovely hue of violet, magenta to red. The nose is expressive with cherries dominating. Smells like a cherry lifesaver. The palate is soft, supple and medium bodied, with just the right amount of fruit(cherry, cherry), acid, and supple tannin. The finish is lovely. Talk about bottle variation. I have run the gamut with a case of this wine from corked bottles to meh to decent to wow. Perhaps age has been beneficial. I have one more left and have no idea what it will bring....
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4/21/2017 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Subtle and soft with a pretty cherry blossom character. Half bottle -still may have some evolution but pretty good now.
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4/10/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 90 Points
This is probably as good as this wine will get. Tart cherry essence on the nose and palate with a pronounced minerality of wet stones and herbs. I've experienced tremendous bottle variation with this wine. This was a good one.
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7/23/2016 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
After about a one hour decant, this was ready to drink. A little initial funk, but that blew off after an hour of decanting. Cherry and plum fruit with some tobacco, and perfect acidity and tannins. This is drinking beautifully now. I was originally going to say 90, but after the last sip before putting the rest of the bottle in the frig, I'm thinking 91. Surprising, as I was just expecting a serviceable BdM.
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7/22/2016 - DRS-Inc wrote: 88 Points
PnP and consumed over 6.5 hours. Dry and full-bodied with notes of cherry, plum, tobacco, wood spice, herbs, mineral and faint pepper; later on some hints of coffee showing. A little bit hollow and lacking some depth, fruit seems to be receding and some tertiary notes taking over. Fine grainy tannins, moderate acidity, and a lingering finish. Definitely mature at this point and best to drink up now, IMO.
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6/13/2016 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 91 Points
in a great place. 2 hour decant.
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6/2/2016 - wicho wrote: 88 Points
There are a lot of better wines for the money.
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5/13/2016 - Tony0924 wrote: 93 Points
An amazing bottle. Easy to enjoy, soft on the palate, with delicious cherry taste. You will enjoy this now.
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5/5/2016 - KSWinegeek wrote: 91 Points
Darker in color for a Brunello. Nose of earth, spice, cherry with some alcohol. Delightful cherry flavors, soft tannins with some acidity. Refreshingly low on oak.
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4/11/2016 - hlip Likes this wine:
tasty but not vibrant
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3/12/2016 - Uncle John wrote: 91 Points
Medium bodied traditional Brunello with nice acidity and soft tannins. This opened over the 3 hours it was enjoyed with fresh tomato/basil pasta.
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2/18/2016 - RichardP wrote: 88 Points
Camphor on the nose. On the palate, bright cherry with earth and a little bitter cigar tobacco on the medium finish, with light tannins and good acidity. Average value at about $30.
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2/5/2016 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect drinking. Half bottle. Classic.
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1/2/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for two hours. And the bottle variation continues. Dark brick red with orange rim. Still somewhat tight on the nose with hints of rose, cherries and earth. The fruit is muted on the palate with notes of tar, soft tannins and a spicy finish. Great with Italian sausage and peppers. This wine appears to be on the decline. Drink up.
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12/26/2015 - Vinnie C Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted wine for one hour and drank over a 4 hour period. medium to full bodied wine that was heavy on sediment. long finish with notes of cherry and blackberry. the evolution of the wine over the 4 hours was excellent
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11/27/2015 - Rossodio wrote: 92 Points
Started off at opening with some sweaty sock, prominent acidity, and a bit thin. Double decanted back into the bottle and 1 hour later took to the restaurant. Started drinking it about 30 mins after and over the next couple of hours. This wine improved, night and day, after about the two hour mark of being initially decanted and stayed there until the bottle was finished.
At its peak tonight, this bottle had it all - leather, cherry/strawberry, damp earth, soft tannins on the back end, extremely fine sediment... a pretty classic Brunello profile without outrageously too much fruit and without too little. The finish, medium in length, is quite satisfying.
I don't know if it's bottle variation hitting some of the other bottles people have made notes on, but my only advice is this - DECANT for at least an hour and a half before drinking. This, to me, was excellent and classic.
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11/22/2015 - Bodyfxr wrote: 88 Points
This wine has me truly perplexed. I have never seen such tremendous bottle variation in any wine like this before. This bottle presented completely different than any of my previous bottles. This must be more along the lines of what everyone else is talking about. My 6 previous bottles were very light in body, color and texture with very floral noses and tart cherry palates. This bottle was dark almost opaque garnet with a funky nose of smelly socks (according to Dave) and earth. Medium to full body with well integrated tannins and acidity. A nice balance of fruit and minerality with telltale sangiovese undertones. I have no idea what my last 5 bottles will bring. I can only hope they are more like the latter and less like the previous ones.
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10/4/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 91 Points
Earthy nose with leather. Delightful Brunello made in traditional style. Earthy, rustic and non-detectable oak.
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9/6/2015 - Gianni13 wrote: 83 Points
I have to join the haters on this one. I agree almost 100% with SpoochMan. Never realty shows the fruit one would expect. Likely the grapes never really ripened. Tannins soft but so what with no fruit to balance. Nothing really to speak of, no character. You certainly can do much better for $35.
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9/5/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red color, subtle bricking on the margin. Splash double decanted and recorked for transport; drank 2+ glasses with dinner. This was a lovely bottle right where you'd like to hit it. Very open from the start and building over 20-230 minutes. A fragrant nose of rose petals, leather, cherry, earth, and dried strawberry. The palate is rather silky, medium bodied, leather, cherry, fine spice, and mineral. The tannins have softened nicely and are quite fine. This is showing the balance and depth of the vintage. Excellent and probably nearing peak, but should go for several years. I'd love to have a few more to enjoy over the next 3 years or so.
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8/27/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 91 Points
Moderately dark in color for Brunello. Spice, earth and cherry on the nose. Tart cherry flavors with nice acidity. Took 2+ hours to open up
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8/15/2015 - DesMarteau wrote: 88 Points
Garnet color...nose of acetone and cherries. A mix of Lime , flowers kiwi and spice . Drank over about an hour no decant.
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6/2/2015 - Bodyfxr wrote: 90 Points
A crumbling cork had me initially concerned but after a pop and pour and lots of swirling this wine showed itself very well with a light floral nose and hints of minerality. Had with spaghetti pie and enjoyed the light fruit and soft tannic structure. This wine is drinking at it's peak right now. Can't see this getting any better.
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5/16/2015 - futronic wrote: 91 Points
Slow-ox'd for a few hours after pouring wine out to the shoulder. Much nicer than a tester bottle five years ago. It's fleshed out, showing more complexity and texture. Balanced, showing traditional Sangiovese character of dried cherries, plums/prunes, sottobosco, worn saddle leather from quality fruit and elevage in large Slavonian oak botti. Solid finish. At the start of its drinking window, this wine should drink well and possibly improve marginally over the next 5-8 years. Drink now-2023.
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4/4/2015 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Continues to drink very well. Classic nose of red fruit, floral and leather. Soft yet bright red cherry fruit is the predominant fruit note. Deepens and smooths out very nicely at the two hour mark. Picks up tobacco, leather and good mineral notes on the finish. I'm quite impressed with how this wine has come together over the past few years. It has enough structure and fruit to last for several more years; I don't have any worries of this immediately fading. It has really integrated nicely and overall is an outstanding value.
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2/22/2015 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really thought this was drinking well. 2 hour decant and wine was floral and fragrant on the nose and well balanced with red fruit, minerals and a nicely balanced finish with enough acidity to keep it fresh and lasting for another 5 years or so.
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2/5/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good wine for the price. Nice medium sangi color. Cherry. Strawberry. Funk. Cigar. I am surprised some of the ppl below were so tough on this wine. I would drink this all day for $35. I will say it was way better on day one and two as opposed to three. Not sure what that's about...
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1/26/2015 - Hawk94 wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant nose, lovely acidity, soft tannins, medium body, cherry, raspberry, balanced, good finish
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12/26/2014 - MattJ wrote: 88 Points
Too young. Pleasant but nothing that would have me rushing back for more. A little rustic.
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12/21/2014 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting to open something very accessible from the pop and something that might be starting to fade slightly. Instead, at first, the wine was a bit disjointed, but after a couple of hours, came together beautifully. Deep color, very nice fruit with excellent mineral notes on the finish. Enough tannin remains to provide a solid backbone, but the wine is quite well balanced. All in all this wine was drinking quite well and may have even improved from the last bottle I tried. Excellent value.
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7/5/2014 - Johnny C NYC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thick, deep intense. How did grapes contain this much flavor? Redman you'd better try one of these. One spin through the aereator and this was ready to go. And just that little other fermented aspect that you only get from Montalcino. And while I'm at it if you've never been to Montalcino, you won't be sorry you overnighted there, and had a wine from one of the small local places - maybe this one. 50/5/13/16/9
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3/30/2014 - Bodyfxr wrote: 85 Points
See previous notes
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3/29/2014 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 92 Points
30 minutes of air and this was ready to go. Dark and rich with fantastic acidity. Classic Brunello profile. Paired with homemade bolegnese. Amazing.
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3/26/2014 - floating_cellar wrote: 92 Points
I liked this wine much more than the nay-Sayers here. Decanted 3-4 hours before drinking. Beautiful nose of Sangiovese, dark cherries and cigar leaf. Lots of fruit on the palate, mostly cherries and black fruit. Still a lot of tannins and structure to last another 8-10 yrs and if I had more I wouldn't touch again for 2-3 yrs. but based on other reviews I wouldn't risk it. Drinking really well now so why wait, but let it breathe...
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2/16/2014 - Tag01 wrote: 89 Points
Colour:ruby red, orangey at rim. Very clear, no sediments
Nose:green peppers, sharp red fruits, bacon grease
Taste:firm tannins,dark chocolate, red cherries
I enjoy this style, fresh, some firm tannins but well balanced overall
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1/9/2014 - Bodyfxr wrote: 86 Points
See previous notes
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12/30/2013 - SpoochMan Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Quite a range of opinion on this wine here -- count me on the negative end. This is a VERY earthy/funky brunello with muted fruit and some bitterness on the finish. It did improve with some air time (and multiple passes through the Vinturi) but it still was lacking. We had an '04 Poggio Il Castellare a couple of days ago and that was lightyears better than this wine. This is an inexpensive Brunello but still not a good value IMO. Don't think this was a bad bottle as it was consistent with one we had in a tasting sometime back. One can do much better for ~$35. Very weak effort for the '04 vintage, and I doubt it will get better with time as the fruit is so weak now.
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12/28/2013 - SSGibson wrote: 88 Points
Meh . . . neither good nor bad. Smoke and barnyard on the nose, with these carrying through to the palate - with the addition of smoked meat and muted dark fruit. It is hard to explain how a wine can be thin and heavy at the same time, but this one seems to manage it. Lots of smoke; not much depth.
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12/25/2013 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherry and plum notes on the nose. Mainly cherry flavors with light raspberry towards the back. Very smooth, round wine, but not particularly complex. Still has good structure and length on the finish. Overall a very solid wine and one that is at peak and drinking quite well now.
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12/23/2013 - Winedude10 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking now with depth to age. Very nice nose, dried cherry taste, nice finish. Very good value Brunello.
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12/15/2013 - Bodyfxr wrote: 87 Points
This just might have been a better bottle. Garnet red and translucent to transparent with good legs. Light cherry notes and herbs on the nose. This is a brunello "light". Very light in body, color, texture and taste. On the palate it has typical sangiovese characteristics of cherry with a minerality on the finish. Seems to be past its prime.
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10/20/2013 - Champagneinhand wrote: flawed
I guess i have been due for a corked bottle but not real happy about it. It was PnP and just a touch f tCA was noticeable so drank a glass. Hard to write any TN it because the CA got stronger with each sip. Poured the rest out.
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7/2/2013 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
First one of these in 14 months and my last bottle. As expected, time has helped loosen this up. A lighter-style Brunello, but now there's noticeably more definition to both the nose and palate. Attractive - but subtle aromas and flavors of cherries, leather and spice. Nicely balanced with a lively acidity. Finishes with a touch of oak and a long, lingering aftertaste of ripe cherries and citrus. The tannins are as smooth as velvet. Very traditional in style, this Brunello is all about "finesse". Quite a good one for under $30.
50+5+12+16+8=91
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6/10/2013 - nytiger wrote: 90 Points
very good, nice nose, very good mouth feel, good finish
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5/25/2013 - Tarpon222 wrote: flawed
2 corked bottles. Both corks fairly wet all the way through. Very disappointed.
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5/25/2013 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a difference a couple of years makes for some wines. This was much better than a bottle we had in2010. Have had 11 other bottles from this producer and they are usually very good for a low cost Brunello and this bottle exceeded my expectations. Wonderful nose of dried fruit and olive brine paired with great mouthfeel and a long finish. Was the perfect companion to homemade eggplant parmigiana and roasted cauliflower. Still sipping my last glass as I type this note and I am transported back to Tuscany with fond memories.
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5/15/2013 - Bodyfxr wrote: 82 Points
More of the same. Not much on the nose and very thin on the palate. Tastes like lightly flavored water. Better with food as is all wine and slightly better than the last. This wine is way too weak to stand alone. Again, a big disappointment for a 2004 brunello.
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2/27/2013 - merlot78 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Forest floor, and Mushroom. It tastes like Forest floor, and Cherry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Polished texture. The wine finishes Medium. This wine was tight and showed nothing until we had it with pasta , sausage, and meatballs. With food this wine really opened up and it was like a match made in heaven. A super good wine that needs food.
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2/15/2013 - JonGray Likes this wine: 95 Points
sweet - developing tannins on the tongue - lingering finish - Wine Access 2009
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2/10/2013 - jpinsb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hard to imagine a wine from this vintage being rated under 90 and the Lecciaia is certainly not at the bottom of the range. 2 hours of air and currants abound.
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1/21/2013 - Cantina Hill's Does not like this wine:
Brett, undrinkable
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12/31/2012 - Bodyfxr wrote: 80 Points
This wine was very disappointing for a 2004 Brunello. Had this bottle with Sharon and Joe Governale for New Year's Eve dinner consisting of filet mignon. Decanted his bottle for 1 to 3 hours. Color was a medium translucent brick red more along the line of a Brunello Di Rossi, the nose was lacking ascwascwasvthe palate. This wine had virtually no taste. Nothing. Both Sharon and Joe agreed that there was absolutely nothing to this wine. I believe that this wine is way past it's prime. I can not imagine that it will improve with time, instead I believe that whatever character it has will only continue to disintegrate.
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12/14/2012 - Woodford wrote: 87 Points
Smells of cold stone, earth, & blue fruits. Tastes of smoke, leather, earth, & charred wood. Slightly sour and with very little fruit. Medium bodied.
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11/19/2012 - batsojr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium body, nice red fruit, mellow tannins, medium finish
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11/11/2012 - Gianni13 wrote: 83 Points
Not what one would expect from a Brunello. But I find in general that the cache Italian wines don't offer much QPR compared to inexpensive to moderately priced Italians. That said this wine is a lighter Brunello that needs food to bring it out. Good acid and opened to some degree overtime.
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11/8/2012 - Pipcelot wrote: 85 Points
Light and lacking in fruit for this varietal. Simple dry cherry taste and not much else to commend it. Out of balance; the fruit can't keep up with the acid and tannins. Might have rated this an 86 but it loses at least a point for screwing up in a great year like 2004.
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10/7/2012 - merlot78 wrote: 89 Points
What a beauty.Slight hints of fruit and raisins on the nose. On the palate red fruits and some woodiness with mild tannins. a very good wine.
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10/2/2012 - ddecoste wrote: 88 Points
Elegant wine. Not much nose. Good balance & acidity. Moderate tannins should take this wine beyond community drinking window.
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9/27/2012 - What I'm Drinking Now wrote: 86 Points
Please refer to my earlier note as it is still accurate. I'm glad this is my last bottle.
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9/26/2012 - djreme wrote: 89 Points
A little tight when first opened, but open up nicely. A little brown around the edges might make me drink it earlier than end of the shown drinking window.
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7/21/2012 - baseballvino wrote: 90 Points
Pnp. Didn't have time to recant. Excellent sour cherries 30 min in and it continues to evolve. Tannins well in check but enough legs for aging. Good acid with notes of chocolate. Not overtly complex but very satisfying. Finish lingers for minutes. Good food wine.
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6/10/2012 - Eye Drink Reds Likes this wine: 92 Points
Elegant and fairly subtle Brunello. Did not decant as this 2004 is already in its mature years. Nose was somewhat lacking and didn't pop at you like most Brunellos I've had. Surprisingly the palate was richer than I thought with dark fruit, cherry, and blueberry. Not an overly heavy wine. This is a medium bodied Brunello that at this point in life has melted some of its tannins away. As such it pretty approachable without much decanting.
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5/19/2012 - MJB wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine - even without cheese - ok I had a bit of chocolate with it.
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5/6/2012 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really tight and tart for the first few hours. Started to put on some weight around hour 4. Elegant and refined. Last glass was the best. I think this is 92+ in a few years.
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5/1/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. A very nice, inexpensive Brunello with an attractive nose and a bright but delicate palate. May even be getting a little better and now almost a 90. Have one bottle left and will let it sit for another year or so.
50+5+11+15+8=89
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4/14/2012 - MilesLP wrote: 89 Points
cherry coloured, medium bodied, dried cherry fruit with red currant, some mocha as well, dusty tannins and a rich seam of acidity
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2/3/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 89 Points
Opened another bottle of this recently. Consistent with my previous tasting note. A nice Brunello that is a bit on the lighter side, but well balanced and quite enjoyable. No regrets at $29.99 a bottle.
50+5+11+15+8=89
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1/21/2012 - Gunzee wrote: 72 Points
Complete disappointment based on the hype around this wine. Two glasses poured, the rest will be some very nice red wine vinegar soon as I didn't have the heart to pour a $40 bottle of wne down the drain.
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11/5/2011 - Bam_Man wrote: 89 Points
Slightly subdued nose of sweet fruit, leather and spice. Full-bodied, with an attractive combination of cherry and dark fruit flavors to go with firm tannins that persist through the moderately long finish. This is a good Brunello, and at just $29.95 you would be hard pressed to beat it. But there is no way in the world that this is a 93 point wine as per the Wine Spectator review. Not nearly enough going on here to justify a score like that.
50+5+11+15+8=89
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11/3/2011 - PatrickinKW wrote: 86 Points
Still very hollow, almost watery through the middle. What a dissapointment. The rest is going back.
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10/7/2011 - ralevine wrote: 88 Points
OK. Nothing special but fine to drink in a big group however not great value
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9/2/2011 - What I'm Drinking Now wrote: 86 Points
I was a little dissapointed with this effort. There is nothing offensive about this wine. In fact, it is all of the hallmarks of Brunello. Unfortunately, it lacks the concentration, depth and finish that I expect from a 2004. The finish is short and somewhat hallowed. I have one more bottle that I'll revisist in a couple of years just in case this one is in a dull phase...I hope that's the case. Cheers.
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8/22/2011 - Woodford wrote: 89 Points
Smells of petroleum, raisins, red currants, dark fruits, & earth. Tastes strongly of wood & red currants. It has a nice acid/tannin balance, especially after 15 minutes. Somewhat simple, but a very enjoyable wine.
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7/23/2011 - tanninbomb wrote: 84 Points
Almost gone. Two bottles left. Might use them as doorstops.
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6/11/2011 - Rogu wrote: 94 Points
do not drink if you abhor cherry-bomb Brunello's with a light velvet finish
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6/11/2011 - MJB wrote: 92 Points
Loved this one. Great with Pecorino cheese.
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5/19/2011 - tanninbomb wrote: 84 Points
I give up. Thin, acidic, not even some brooding dark fruit. How they managed to turn out such a poor Brunello in such a landmark vintage is revealing about their lack of quality and competence.
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5/15/2011 - swyates wrote: 70 Points
My wife turned up her nose and she's usually not terribly particular.
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4/23/2011 - MJB wrote: 92 Points
Still will definitely benefit from more cellaring, but aerated and drank over an hour. Very nice.
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3/13/2011 - tanninbomb wrote: 84 Points
Huge disappointment. Thin, acidic, no layers. Drank like a cheap Chianti. Another HUGE disappointment from winechateau.com
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2/20/2011 - PatrickinKW wrote: 88 Points
From a 375. Colour looked good; deep ruby to almost purple but the nose was interesting but a bit thin. Palate echoed the nose, I hope time will be kind as right now I was less than impressed.
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2/17/2011 - ekenneth wrote: 87 Points
Oddly thin, sharp, red Brunello; a disappointment, even decanted for a long time and tried over a few days.
I almost thought it flawed, but there's enough here to review.
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2/11/2011 - Champagneinhand wrote: 94 Points
decanted for 6 hours. excellent effort. much better than '01 or '03.
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12/23/2010 - jthielen wrote: 86 Points
Very under-whelmed by this Brunello. Nice acidity but it was really very ordinary. Not sure lot's of cellar time will enhance this one.
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12/22/2010 - Dirty123 wrote:
Let the wine sit out for an hour. Took a while to open up. Was not a powerful brunello. Sutle tastes of fruit and wasnt a long finish. Hopefully will get better with age
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12/21/2010 - Rogu wrote: 92 Points
cherry flavor middle rich depth, tastes like it will deepen over time. Not a typical punch-you-in-the nose aggressive Brunello, it has subtle depths.
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12/3/2010 - Arch57 wrote: 90 Points
This was a solid effort but not up to par with some of the better Brunellos we have had. A very dry wine with sour cherries and a good mix of that Tuscan soil on the nose. I usually decant my Brunellos, especially this young but did a pop'n'pour so this did take some time to open.
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11/15/2010 - Ryan D wrote:
Drinks like a text book Brunello. Spice dominates the nose. Drinking very well right now; smooth. A bit forward in style currently, but very nice.
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11/12/2010 - futronic wrote: 88 Points
Not decanted. Slow-ox'd for 8 hours. Medium-ruby colour. Aromas of roses, wood, candied cherries. Medium-bodied, with candied cherry, red plum, currant, and leather notes on the palate. Balanced with good acidity. Moderate-finish, ~30s, with more red fruit. A pleasant Brunello, but I was hoping for more. Perhaps additional cellaring will allow this wine to become more expressive. 88-89 points, drink 2012-2018.
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10/29/2010 - troger wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Excellent food wine with nice balance.
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10/6/2010 - Maznoc wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful - balanced - delicious. Get it if you can!
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9/21/2010 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
Really awesome showing. Popped and poured at one of my favorite local Italian restaurants in DC. Pleasant nose. Cherry, blackberry, and chocolate notes. Fairly restrained acidity and the tannins were well integrated. A fair bit of depth here. This bottle was ready to go, but it might get better with a little more time.
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9/17/2010 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Had a taste at LCBO. Bottle open for 1 day, under vacuum seal. Found this to be a little too acidic and general impressions had me questioning the QPR. (86-87)
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8/19/2010 - nytiger wrote: 90 Points
fine brunello
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8/1/2010 - Kirk Grant wrote: 85 Points
As others have noted...this was nice, but nothing like what I expect from Brunello. Earth, oak, and dried red fruits on the nose with a short-medium length finish with hints of tobacco and dried fruit.
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7/3/2010 - gbm wrote: 89 Points
Adam's House; 7/3/2010-7/4/2010: Unfortunately I have no specific notes on this one. Earthy and oaky. Tannic, but very nice with the acidity playing along nicely. (4+12+16+7)
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4/28/2010 - Matt T wrote: 88 Points
Bell's Italian Tasting (Bell's Wine Shop, Washington DC): Not much of a nose on this. Some light cherry notes, but pretty closed. Good, but not amazing.
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4/11/2010 - bdufton wrote: 86 Points
This is far too young. Decanted for two hours and it still wasn't showing anything. Reviewers are high on this but at this stage, it's for the cellar only. Glad I have another few bottles to try after several years.
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12/23/2009 - MRichman wrote:
On the tight side. Some dark fruit notes and smokey wood. With a little air time it's opening up and becoming elegant, but still young. Not showing a lot.
B-
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11/27/2009 - Selvaticowine wrote: 88 Points
I expected more for the vintage but it seemed just fine. Didn't blow my socks off and did not do a formal tasting. Very forgettable wine to me.
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9/27/2009 - btennan1 wrote: 87 Points
A: A very clear red wine, not really informative on that descriptor.
N: Light berries, Tangy earthiness, blueberries and pomegranate
T: Sophisticated peppers (what was I thinking when I wrote these notes). Red berries, little tart.
F: Woody rose hips and firm structure. Medium to light body with a strong tartness at the core.
Overall: Light and not real memorable, not worth the $.
V: 2/5
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6/19/2009 - JonGray wrote: 94 Points
I was expecting a mucho great wine with the hype from Wine Express and teh price - it was complex drink - I decantered and it was just even
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