Dark strawberries, spice, florals, some leather and a sense stoniness on the nose. On the palate, it's mid plus weighted and beautifully balanced with a sense of breadth and sap coupled with a gracefulness , all in a power without weight mode. While this still has plenty of time in hand, everything seems about right right now. Some leather notes on the back end add to the beautifully mature fruit and savory notes. Drinking in a great spot right now.
A ruby core with bricking leading to a tawny meniscus. There's a depth on the nose that leads with leather, tobacco, old church pew, dried red fruits. The palate leads with bright red fruit and into a long rustic finish. This is in such a lovely place now that I can't imagine it getting any better. The tannin has softened, yet still provides enough structure and tension with the acidity that I can't quite wrap my head around how it can be so silky and have this kind of tension. It's really wild...if I had more of this, I'd have a very hard time keeping my hands off it. This may very well have been the best Brunello I've ever had, Extraordinary!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is in excellent shape right now. It needed quite a bit of time to open up.
The initial earthy barnyard notes settled down after 4 hours of slow-ox. During dinner (6 hours after opening the bottle) the wine realy started to sing and showed one of the greatest aged Brunello I’ve had. Beautiful perfumes of berry fruit, leather and sweet tobacco evolving with earthy & spicy notes and showing hints of laurel. Silky and layered sweet fruit on the palate with some refined remaining tannins balanced with a hint of fresh acidity. Following through to a very long and fresh finish that seems to last for ever.
This was my last bottle of this vintage from Poggio di Sotto. It’s a shame that I don’t have any left but I’m glad this last one was such a grest showing.
Interesting side notes: The Valdicava ‘01 that we had the same night was nice as well but almost boring in comparison. Based on my limited sample I think that ‘99 will prove to be the better vintage for the long term ageing Brunelli.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tonight the '99 Poggio di Sotto Brunello presented a slightly darker and richer experience than in the past, yet just as enjoyable. The nose was earthy and mature with a smoky element to it's dark red berry and dried floral bouquet. On the palate, the fruit had an almost Pinot Noir like sweetness and roundness as silky textures enveloped the senses with dark red fruits, sweet spices, tobacco and notes of dark chocolate. It was wonderfully refined and perfectly mature with a long, soft finish. I would say this is a good representation of a typical 1999 Brunello, but it sure is gorgeous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was a wonderful bottle of aged Brunello, and paired perfectly with the osso bucco. Second of three bottles purchased at the winery many years ago. Fully developed, with earth, mushrooms, slight soy note, a silky texture and a long finish. The only nit was a very slight bit of heat, a minor quibble. I'm not sure this will get better (though that's just a guess), but it seems capable of holding nicely for another 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose was incredibly rich yet lifted with smoky black cherry, sweat brown spices, new leather, dark chocolate, savory herbs, and mint. On the palate, it was silky smooth as it glided across the senses, contrasted by crunchy red berry fruits, rich savory tones, exotic spices, and a twang of bitter herbs. It finished rich and saturating to the palate. It was impeccably balanced and showing potential for further development.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bricking is eating around 1cm inform the rim. The nose is gorgeous, all leather, raw tobacco and earthiness. There's still plenty of acidity and a little fine tannin still remains, long finish, delicious wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Versione di gran fascino e di grande adesione territoriale. Naso autunnale, bocca polposa e profonda con evidenti richiami minerali che ben si espande lasciando una sfumata dolcezza.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It’s a real delight, though not a stunner, for this shoulder vintage. Performed very well in both aroma and palate after around 3 hours breathing at bottom shoulder. A three-dimensional structure and finished very fine acidity. It's a little bit coarse but really a well-made 99 BdM.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dried herbs, aromatic sandalwood, lavender, tea, and grilled meats, all enveloped in a dusty warm cherry aroma. There is a soft texture and richness to the nose. On the palate, roasted black cherry, more sandalwood and tea with asian spices and a bit of milk chocolate. The palate has a roundness to it. Persistent and seamless with an integrated parade of complexity that doesn't let up. Complete balance of acid, tannin and fruit with a long aromatic finish.Really a stand out Brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep red. Very pure slightly sweet red fruit, sangiovese nose, not very earthy though. Cherry and earth flavours. Long slightly tannic finish. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loved this and it seems to be drinking very well right now. Tannins were fully integrated, beautiful red fruit throughout, long finish with fruit carrying to the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've been away for awhile, not from consumption but from tasting notes, and if truth be told, or as they say, in vino veritas, my heart has been heavy with the loss of a dear friend and I couldn't bring myself to concentrate on the process. Which is not to say that I've avoided wine, nay, I've drunk like a fish, both blind and blinded, but I've been off my game and unfit to comment. In fact, if memory serves, because certainly no bartender would have, I went through a string of about 8 wines tasted blind, drunk to the gills, and got no closer than the country on any one of them.
So there you have it, the confessional of an unworthy impostor, which is at the bottom of it, how I felt whenever I was discussing literature with my departed friend. After a four day drying out period, I was really excited about trying this wine, procured at auction for a mere pittance, the theoretically mature product of my favorite brunello producer. This might be the oldest bottle of brunello I've ever had, which is more a comment on my lack of experience than the innate ageworthiness of the appellation. The nose is like a war between Italian City States, full of plum, dried cherries, stewed red fruits, cocoa, coffee, mint, and vanillin, overlaying a bed of dried fall leaves. Medium to full bodied, the flavors are decidedly mature, and while not on the edge of senescence, suggest relatively early consumption would be a good idea. The minty quality pokes through in a way that I haven't ever experienced in a Poggio di Sotto wine, so I don't know if it's a function of maturity, storage, bottle variation or what. The previously reviewed Il Decennale, a riserva from 2001, was a vastly superior wine, but on the other hand a completely unfair comp, running $150 a bottle or more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with my last night... Great pairing with a terrific bone-in ribeye at Prime Rib in Baltimore... really stood out in a night of large Cali wines
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great bottle of this sleeper from a sleeper vintage. Bright sour cherry fruit, almost Pergole Torte like but with a weight and richness and earthiness that shows the best of traditional Montalcino, earth driven production. A great bottle of sangioveto
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've been to this estate, and despite his almost fanatical devotion to making a Brunello that put's the grape's best virtues first, this is really modern in styling with a vanilla streak, red fruits, and white truffles. Still, a very nice wine with good balance, despite maybe tasting and looking a bit older than it is.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with Edmund and Shuming (Edmund and Shuming's place @ the Cornwall): Third bottle of the night between the two of us, so we were a little tired by this time. Still, this was a good bottle of wine, if just a little modern for my tastes. We decanted this for quite awhile. Nose was all BdM - mushrooms, plums, a touch of pepper and sweet cherries. The modern touch came in on the palate, which had lots of sappy sweetness in the cherry fruit which overlay more typical savoury meatiness. Decent acidity and fine tannins were very well integrated by the time we drank it, so there was a good sense of balance and structure. Finish was a little short and tight at first, but opened up after more time to show strong hints of vanilla-ish oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decided to pull the cork on one of these since I have two more. Color is excellent, with no visible fading. The nose initially shows leather and meat, and some VA -- it just crossed over the line from bringing a nice high-tone element to being slightly objectionable. After a few minutes the VA either fades away or I've become acclimated to it. Develops some soy and green olives. The palate is well structured, with high acidity and softening tannins; bright red fruit and spice. Strikes me as somewhat Bordeaux-like in its profile and structure (though with a bit more acidity). A terrific wine, with great complexity. The next morning, it's really showing some elegance and focus. Needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/6/2022 - soyhead wrote:
i found this surmature, having almost an amarone quality to it, however others at the table did not entirely agree
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2020 - cct wrote: 94 Points
Dark strawberries, spice, florals, some leather and a sense stoniness on the nose. On the palate, it's mid plus weighted and beautifully balanced with a sense of breadth and sap coupled with a gracefulness , all in a power without weight mode. While this still has plenty of time in hand, everything seems about right right now. Some leather notes on the back end add to the beautifully mature fruit and savory notes. Drinking in a great spot right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/8/2019 - Kirk Grant wrote:
A ruby core with bricking leading to a tawny meniscus. There's a depth on the nose that leads with leather, tobacco, old church pew, dried red fruits. The palate leads with bright red fruit and into a long rustic finish. This is in such a lovely place now that I can't imagine it getting any better. The tannin has softened, yet still provides enough structure and tension with the acidity that I can't quite wrap my head around how it can be so silky and have this kind of tension. It's really wild...if I had more of this, I'd have a very hard time keeping my hands off it. This may very well have been the best Brunello I've ever had, Extraordinary!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - Jochems Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine is in excellent shape right now. It needed quite a bit of time to open up.
The initial earthy barnyard notes settled down after 4 hours of slow-ox. During dinner (6 hours after opening the bottle) the wine realy started to sing and showed one of the greatest aged Brunello I’ve had.
Beautiful perfumes of berry fruit, leather and sweet tobacco evolving with earthy & spicy notes and showing hints of laurel. Silky and layered sweet fruit on the palate with some refined remaining tannins balanced with a hint of fresh acidity. Following through to a very long and fresh finish that seems to last for ever.
This was my last bottle of this vintage from Poggio di Sotto. It’s a shame that I don’t have any left but I’m glad this last one was such a grest showing.
Interesting side notes:
The Valdicava ‘01 that we had the same night was nice as well but almost boring in comparison.
Based on my limited sample I think that ‘99 will prove to be the better vintage for the long term ageing Brunelli.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tonight the '99 Poggio di Sotto Brunello presented a slightly darker and richer experience than in the past, yet just as enjoyable. The nose was earthy and mature with a smoky element to it's dark red berry and dried floral bouquet. On the palate, the fruit had an almost Pinot Noir like sweetness and roundness as silky textures enveloped the senses with dark red fruits, sweet spices, tobacco and notes of dark chocolate. It was wonderfully refined and perfectly mature with a long, soft finish. I would say this is a good representation of a typical 1999 Brunello, but it sure is gorgeous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2017 - xwine wrote:
This was a wonderful bottle of aged Brunello, and paired perfectly with the osso bucco. Second of three bottles purchased at the winery many years ago. Fully developed, with earth, mushrooms, slight soy note, a silky texture and a long finish. The only nit was a very slight bit of heat, a minor quibble. I'm not sure this will get better (though that's just a guess), but it seems capable of holding nicely for another 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose was incredibly rich yet lifted with smoky black cherry, sweat brown spices, new leather, dark chocolate, savory herbs, and mint. On the palate, it was silky smooth as it glided across the senses, contrasted by crunchy red berry fruits, rich savory tones, exotic spices, and a twang of bitter herbs. It finished rich and saturating to the palate. It was impeccably balanced and showing potential for further development.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2015 - kingkanu wrote: 92 Points
Bricking is eating around 1cm inform the rim. The nose is gorgeous, all leather, raw tobacco and earthiness. There's still plenty of acidity and a little fine tannin still remains, long finish, delicious wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - Kento61 wrote: 94 Points
Wow! Everything you want in a Brunello. The nose took us back to Tuscany: deep and earthy. As smooth in taste as the delightful memories.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2013 - boston Likes this wine: 94 Points
Versione di gran fascino e di grande adesione territoriale.
Naso autunnale, bocca polposa e profonda con evidenti richiami minerali che ben si espande lasciando una sfumata dolcezza.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2013 - sooper65 wrote: 94 Points
super elegant, some complexity, perfect balance... could last another 6 years.
Alas my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2013 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
Textbook brunello from a very good producer. Everything is very well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2013 - burgburgburg Likes this wine: 92 Points
It’s a real delight, though not a stunner, for this shoulder vintage. Performed very well in both aroma and palate after around 3 hours breathing at bottom shoulder. A three-dimensional structure and finished very fine acidity. It's a little bit coarse but really a well-made 99 BdM.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2013 - psmith wrote: 93 Points
Earthy, red fruit, and comes across as quite sweet. Great depth. Medium bodied. Mature, but certainly will last. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2012 - Bob Fyke wrote: 97 Points
Dried herbs, aromatic sandalwood, lavender, tea, and grilled meats, all enveloped in a dusty warm cherry aroma. There is a soft texture and richness to the nose. On the palate, roasted black cherry, more sandalwood and tea with asian spices and a bit of milk chocolate. The palate has a roundness to it. Persistent and seamless with an integrated parade of complexity that doesn't let up. Complete balance of acid, tannin and fruit with a long aromatic finish.Really a stand out Brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2011 - David J Cooper wrote:
Deep red. Very pure slightly sweet red fruit, sangiovese nose, not very earthy though. Cherry and earth flavours. Long slightly tannic finish. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2011 - johndefi wrote: 94 Points
Loved this and it seems to be drinking very well right now. Tannins were fully integrated, beautiful red fruit throughout, long finish with fruit carrying to the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2010 - bevetroppo wrote: 91 Points
I've been away for awhile, not from consumption but from tasting notes, and if truth be told, or as they say, in vino veritas, my heart has been heavy with the loss of a dear friend and I couldn't bring myself to concentrate on the process. Which is not to say that I've avoided wine, nay, I've drunk like a fish, both blind and blinded, but I've been off my game and unfit to comment. In fact, if memory serves, because certainly no bartender would have, I went through a string of about 8 wines tasted blind, drunk to the gills, and got no closer than the country on any one of them.
So there you have it, the confessional of an unworthy impostor, which is at the bottom of it, how I felt whenever I was discussing literature with my departed friend. After a four day drying out period, I was really excited about trying this wine, procured at auction for a mere pittance, the theoretically mature product of my favorite brunello producer. This might be the oldest bottle of brunello I've ever had, which is more a comment on my lack of experience than the innate ageworthiness of the appellation. The nose is like a war between Italian City States, full of plum, dried cherries, stewed red fruits, cocoa, coffee, mint, and vanillin, overlaying a bed of dried fall leaves. Medium to full bodied, the flavors are decidedly mature, and while not on the edge of senescence, suggest relatively early consumption would be a good idea. The minty quality pokes through in a way that I haven't ever experienced in a Poggio di Sotto wine, so I don't know if it's a function of maturity, storage, bottle variation or what. The previously reviewed Il Decennale, a riserva from 2001, was a vastly superior wine, but on the other hand a completely unfair comp, running $150 a bottle or more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2009 - baroloboy55 wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my last night... Great pairing with a terrific bone-in ribeye at Prime Rib in Baltimore... really stood out in a night of large Cali wines
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2009 - Jossik wrote: 87 Points
Molto buono, ma ad altri è piaciuto di più
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2009 - baroloboy55 wrote: 93 Points
Another great bottle of this sleeper from a sleeper vintage. Bright sour cherry fruit, almost Pergole Torte like but with a weight and richness and earthiness that shows the best of traditional Montalcino, earth driven production. A great bottle of sangioveto
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2009 - psmith wrote:
I've been to this estate, and despite his almost fanatical devotion to making a Brunello that put's the grape's best virtues first, this is really modern in styling with a vanilla streak, red fruits, and white truffles. Still, a very nice wine with good balance, despite maybe tasting and looking a bit older than it is.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2008 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Edmund and Shuming (Edmund and Shuming's place @ the Cornwall): Third bottle of the night between the two of us, so we were a little tired by this time. Still, this was a good bottle of wine, if just a little modern for my tastes. We decanted this for quite awhile. Nose was all BdM - mushrooms, plums, a touch of pepper and sweet cherries. The modern touch came in on the palate, which had lots of sappy sweetness in the cherry fruit which overlay more typical savoury meatiness. Decent acidity and fine tannins were very well integrated by the time we drank it, so there was a good sense of balance and structure. Finish was a little short and tight at first, but opened up after more time to show strong hints of vanilla-ish oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2008 - xwine wrote:
Decided to pull the cork on one of these since I have two more. Color is excellent, with no visible fading. The nose initially shows leather and meat, and some VA -- it just crossed over the line from bringing a nice high-tone element to being slightly objectionable. After a few minutes the VA either fades away or I've become acclimated to it. Develops some soy and green olives. The palate is well structured, with high acidity and softening tannins; bright red fruit and spice. Strikes me as somewhat Bordeaux-like in its profile and structure (though with a bit more acidity). A terrific wine, with great complexity. The next morning, it's really showing some elegance and focus. Needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2007 - johnwine wrote: 93 Points
This wine was delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment