Wonderfully classic bdm. Lots of fruit with sour cherry, and darker figgy flavors. Maybe a hint of tart blueberry. Medium tannins. Leather, tobacco, tuscan soil, hints of coffee and some balsamic notes. Some limestone as well on the back end. Paired with charcoal grilled ribeye. This is in a great spot and probably still ascending. It got best after 2 hours in decanter. Enjoyed thoroughly.
- Brick color - Enjoyed with great friends at a local Italian restaurant. Still beautiful and in a perfect spot. Dark color. Beautiful nose of blue fruit and leather. Dark red fruit also appeared Upon tasting. Was still youthful, Perhaps because it was a double magnum. Showed all the classic characteristics of a BDM. A classic bdm from a classic vintage.
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Dinner w/Chris and Stephanie at Italian Cucina in New Hope (a fantastic corkage friendly place). Last tasting note on this was from 2015, bottles in my cellar from release. It was time to check in on this again, heeding the advice of other tasters, this got a 3 hour decant, rebottled to go to the restaurant. Significant sediment in this bottle.
Garnet/purple color, some thinning at the edges, sediment strained out in the decant. Nose was dark fruit, fig and balsamic. Plate repeats adding notes of blue fruit, black cherry, leather, baking spice. Tannins softened at this stage. Rich and viscous texture, fruits, fig notes go through the mid palate. Fruit displaying a sweetness through the finish. Full body, long finish.
This is in a perfect spot, hitting all the classic BdM notes. The fig and balsamic were really notable. I can't stress enough the importance of the decant. Tasting a splash when opened it was still tight, not showing the characteristics cited in the note (it would have been a 90 vs the 95 I am giving it). At 2 hours it was really showing, we drank after about 3 hours. Well stored bottles still have a way to go - but no reason not to drink this now!
On day one very closed one hour after opening (no decant, which was the wrong decision for the christmas lunch), but on day 2 wonderful, all you can wish from a classical Brunello. Still young with room for improvement, 94+.
I’ve been following this for a decade and this was the best bottle by far. I made the mistake of not decanting and this took a couple of hours in the glass to open up. This needs an hour plus in the decanter. This is getting close to its prime and has a decade plus of good drinking. Revisit 2026
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Good wine. Enticing aromas with layers of sweet spices and vanilla at first then are followed by white flowers, cherry jam, prunes, incense, iron, wet leaves, tobacco. Full body and supporting structure of ripe tannins and fresh acidity. High alcohol but not too warming, in balance. Unfortunately the wine disappoints somewhat in the mouth. Flavors are not as layered and complex as the aromas, with a medium finish in terms of persistence. There is just a lack of mid palate weight and fruit concentration, perhaps a cool vintage or picked a bit early? Drink now, I suspect additional years will just preserve structure but not make this wine very enjoyable.
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One hour decant. This comes on with a beautiful nose of violets and herbs. The wine is full bodied, still youthful and nicely balanced and layered. There is a small bit of roasted fruit flavor coming through though that detracts a little.
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Opened and left in bottle for over an hour. Had a glass and decided to decant half and leave half in the bottle. In the glass this one was dark red with the brown bricking on the edges. Cherry and wet leave nose. Tangy cherry and earth notes on the palate, with some tannin still present, but it didn’t get in the way. A mid weight earthy, red fruit finish. Very enjoyable with our pork tenderloin.
Jury was split on if the wine in the bottle was better than the decanted half. If I had to do it over again, I would have decanted for about an hour to start with. The acid level was nice, as it was better with the pork than by itself. I’d say this one could still go strong for a few more years.
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I’ve been following this wine since 2012 with a few left. This has come a long way and really doesn’t need more than a splash decant or 30 min in the glass at this point. Some good upfront fruit with a touch of pepper with good balance and depth. Certainly in its prime and should drink well for 5-10 years. I don’t see any upside potential at this point. Revisit 2023
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If there is a need to demonstrate what is a "wines for the heroes", this is it. Even after 1 hour of decant, the power it exudes makes it hardly approachable. Slight toasted black fruit, leaves, wet flint. On the second day, it is a lot more friendly and easier to drink with the same characteristics and slight strawberries. One to save for another 3-5 years.
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PnP. Powerful straight out of the gate for a 16 year old wine. This muscular wine is has just entered its drinking window but clearly has a long life ahead. Deep, dark purple, tobacco, leather, fig, mint, spice, almost Bourdeaux like tertiary, funky flavors. Well integrated tannins, medium+ acidity, and a long finish.
Recommend decanting briefly prior to drinking.
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This brunello is firing on all cylinders. Fabulous through the finish and many years to go. Sweet ripe fruit flavors with nice acidity. Could stand up to any 2nd growth bordeaux.
Bouquet of dark berries, cherries, liquor, mint, undergrowth. Lush, silky palate with herbs, cherry candy, a bit of toasted oak, leading to a long sweet, wooden and spicy finish. Whilst it is leading towards heavy side, still relatively bright, high-pitched sweet and sour cherry tones to balance. Great wine in a strong window!
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Sampled from a bottle provided by a holiday luncheon attendee, this deep-to-opaque garnet wine is hitting its stride. Packed with Montmorency cherries, apricots, dark chocolate, spearmint and baking spices, it is a medium-to-full-bodied, beautifully balanced red with fresh acidity, plentiful silky tannins, nicely integrated alcohol (14%) and well-proportioned wood. Layered and dense on the middle palate, it proceeds to a lengthy, smooth-textured finish. A joy to drink at this point, it should hold up well throughout the remainder of the decade. I doubt that it requires extended aeration, as this bottle had not been opened very long before tasting commenced. Drink now-2030.
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An impressive BdM for sure. Dense dark fruit with notes of cassis, black raspberry, earth, spice. Tannins are well integrated but still prominent. Very long finish with great mouthfeel. This wine will drink well for years to come.
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A big, rich, ripe wine - modern style. Decanted an hour and drank with a NY strip. Full-bodied, dark and delicious. Lots of black fruit but not overly ripe. Some violet/rose hints on the nose - like a Barolo without eucalyptus. Smooth but with more acidity than a new word red - not heavy. Reminds me of a Pieve Santa Restituta in terms of style - but less new world/over the top. Very enjoyable.
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This is peaking....Don't open too long A huge nose an a sweet palate balance the aciding after a 30 minute decant....90 minutes late is is tight and dry. NOT AS GOOD !!
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Popped and poured. This is a fabulous Brunello, one of the best I have ever tasted. Very, very dark, browning at the rim. Fantastic nose of saddle leather and muted cherries. Really appealing, and in a perfect place. The magic continues in the mouth, with pretty cherry fruit and dusty tannin leading to a long, complex finish. Perfect balance, with ripe, sweet fruit held nicely in check by lovely acidity and tannin. Really glad I opened this today, it is in a perfect place. I'll save some for tomorrow, but hard to see this tasting much better. 4-14-18-9: 95/100.
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Drinking well now. Plum and cherry liqueur. Resolved tannins, pleasingly fresh and acidic. Light on the tarry and herbal notes. A bit new world with the sweetness, but definitely recognizable as Italian.
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Plenty of earthy notes to go with dried cherry and currant notes. I think this may have been a few years past its prime - the fruit has slightly receded past the point of true balance, although this was still a fantastic wine.
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Wine meet – 2002 Champagne and 2006 Sangiovese @ Lars: Dark colour. Slight plummy in the nose though young and dark on the palate with smoke, leather, licorice and some tannins - almost like a Bordeaux. Good stuff.
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100% sangiovese. Magnum bottle. Decanted for a few hours. Deep garnet with brown color. Aromas of ripe dark fruit, hints of licorice and leather. Full bodied, structured, beautiful balanced tannins and acidity. Day after wine blossomed totally, great wine!
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Rich bouquet of liquor, baking spices, stewed dark fruits and vanilla. First night with a decant already great, second night slightly shut down, third night fully on: medium-bodied, silky palate, with a nice line of acidity leading to nearly resolved tannins with a nice sweetness on the finish, spices, some more liquor, slight touch of raisins and vanilla. The freshness keeps all the elements in balance, giving it great lift. Will benefit from an another 2-3 years cellaring, but in a good spot with some decant.
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Luckily, I had backup for my corked first bottle: The 06 Valdicava was a beautiful Brunello: Very complex, deep fruit, great structure and balance. Despite some first hints of maturity (some earthiness, leather and smoothened tannins) this will last for many many years thanks to its acidity and the tannic backbone. Wonderful!
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Very balanced and structured. The wine definitely shed its youth as the (sour) fruits were fading but it took on more earthiness (leather, mushrooms). The full-bodied wine had a great mouthfeel. I think it's at a good place right now.
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I might have thought this was a Barolo on color alone. Drank well with food and on its own. Never reached outstanding for me, but certainly characteristic for the region with a rich, smooth taste and finish.
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Showed well immediately, but really started to sing after a 3+ hour decant. Herbaceous bouquet with menthol, dried mushrooms, sour cherry, and tart red currant. Similar flavor profile, but cherry notes amplify along with leather and forest floor. The herb and menthol combine to give a eucalyptus impression and turn the leather to fresh suede.
I loved sipping this on its own, but it was even better paired with food (NY cut steak with Bordelaise sauce for me).
Now is a great time to enjoy this wine, but the tannin is still pronounced on the finish. I'm sure this will continue to please for years (decades?).
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Drank at small dinner party for birthday alongside a ‘13 La Ragnaie, a ‘13 Francesco Rinaldi Brunate, a ‘13 Maestro Raro, and an ‘11 Virna Sarmassa. Everything showed well, but this ‘06 Valdicava was far and away the WON. Beautifully aged brunello, that is drinking perfectly right now. So glad I have 5 bottles left...
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Dark garnet hues turning violet orange rust at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose is concentrated, while the palate is full-bodied, velvety, with ample acidity to balance the ripe fruits on slightly elevated alcohol levels. Flavors of black olives, tobacco, and smoked black currants form the core and finishes off really long and elegantly at the sides of the mouth with hints of eucalyptus menthol and dried oregano. Just beautiful to drink now until 2031.
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Both my last bottles were oxidized. All of my bottles felt a bit advanced (bought second hand) but were still very good. Unfortunately I waited too long on my last 2 and I read another reviewer had the same issue. Might be worth checking in on.
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Side-by-side with the 06 Rancia. This was the more overt and polished wine. Great concentration and polish. But relatively four-square compared to the more nuanced Rancia.
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After a 1 hour decant. Fully integrated and balanced. Much better than my prior tasting. Went well with steak and pasta. Continued to improve as time went on.
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Decanted three hours before tasting. Darker than average for a Brunello, but clean, no bricking, quite a bit of sediment. Nose and palate were both really reticent; lots of typicity (plum, leather, pine), but with the volume turned down. Medium finish, relatively light on tannins. Surprised me by not pairing all that well with a duck ragu; the flavors were right but neither the wine nor the food seemed to get better when enjoyed together. Nothing but respect for the maker, but I've personally come to prefer a slightly more forthcoming style of BdM, and there's much better QPR to be found as well.
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Subtle bouquet of vanilla, almond and ripe dark fruits. First night relatively brooding, stern, angular, yet full-bodied and rich, typical 2006 Italian wine, bit of a brute but still impressive. Like expensive, high percentage dark chocolate, bitter, limited sweetness yet smooth and elegant. Second night much improved, with more sweetness, yet still good acidity. Lacks a bit the excitement factor of the Tenuta Nuova or Siro Pacenti PS, and also the freshness and crispiness of a more lightly handed wine, yet still a very good experience. Give it a sufficient decant for now, otherwise you will miss out.
Third night: Now fully on, lusher, dark fruit preserve still with some grip. Getting to a 95. These 2006s need time ...
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Great nose then acid start to finish on the palate. May be in a dumb phase as harmony in the flavor profile may improve with more bottle time. Nice full smooth mouthfeel.
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Definitely needs a decant. Initially the nose would seem overpowering which goes away after a while. Nose: red fruit Cherry, mint, with smell of a farm. Palate: fruit with strong tannin and good length.
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Better than I remember, this definitely has the house style - red fruit, enticing acidity, and with a beautiful dryness on the finish - a kind of malty chalkiness. Delicious. Somewhat simple in style - not as brooding as some other styles of Brunello, but this is really outstanding.
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Color was a brickish brown, showing it's age. After a short decant the wine showed nice fruit but never improved in the glass. Disappointing . I would drink up sooner than later, don't see it getting any better.
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Deep garnet. Immediately drinkable without a decant. It had loads of dark fruit. My only issue is the funk that never went away. It had a mushroom smell that never faded. It also had a hint of oxidation. All in all a good wine but was below my expectations. Maybe it was an off bottle with the oxidation.
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A bit of vanilla on the nose, slightly obtrusive to me but lovely to everyone else. On the palate, oak is nicely integrated, not too toasty, and marries well with the rustic brunello fruit - sour cherries, tart currant jam, dusty road, and a bit of chestnut purée. Enough tannins to give structure but not bite. Has good rustic length and Feels expressive of the terroir with just a dollop of gloss on it. Probably better in a couple years.
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WineKnurd, Phredd & Viking60 Impromptu Tasting (Knurd's House Wake Forest NC): Audozed for almost 2 hours before serving. Rustic forest floor and leather backed by plums and black cherries with a sour-bitters component. Tannins have mellowed and has a nice adic edge to it that I enjoy in Brunello. A- (91) evaluation.
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Not super dark, the tiniest bit of bricking on the edge. The nose is nice, a little saddle soap, cilantro, some red fruits, a little bit of dustiness. The palate is bright, with good acidity, not a lot of fruit, but what there is tends toward black. The saddle soap is really the most prominent on the tongue, with some of the fruit. Not as long as I'd like, but fairly balanced. Might have suffered some from following the funky Burgs.
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Decanted and consumed over six hours with Sunday sauce. Blackberry & raspberry flavors. Powerful & long, still a little dry/tannic on the finish, but really enjoyable. Drink or hold.
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Has a lot of qualities I like in a wine - nice fruit, acidity and dryness on the finish. Red fruit, nice balance with power and delicacy. Solid brunello though nothing mind-bending. Feels traditional. I generally love the '06 vintage and this is a good example, though I prefer something like Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova in this vintage.
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5 min decant, rebottled & opened at restaurant 1.5 hours later. Decanted again and drank over 2 hours. Red fruit & beautiful floral nose. Smooth, rich, yet still some tannins. Last glass after all the air was best.
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Opened last night. Quite opaque, with a bit of browning at the rim. Attractive nose of old saddle leather and shoe polish, still quite fresh. Very fragrant. Mouthfilling wine, rich and full, with lovely old-style fruit and autumn leaves. This has aged very gracefully and evolved into an impressive Brunello, Has years of life ahead, but drinking well now as well. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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This was the first blind tasting I did with Gabriel, he thought it was a Napa Valley Wine and he also mistakenly thought it was an older wine like 2002.... I don't think that was a good thing. It was fun. The floral in this wine was very pungent.
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Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): Not sure how much decanting this one had, but if you own these I would recommend holding off opening for another 5-10 years or giving a very long decant. Still very youthful and full of grippy tannins, blackberries and a bit of heat from the alcohol. The structure is all here to age well, but I think this one needs a bit more time to knit together.
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Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): This is a total baby and coming on the heels of two well-aged wines there's a bit of an adjustment period. I think it was opened and maybe decanted for 20 minutes before serving. Could use some more time. The first impression is a very drying tannin. Then some red currant. Also a nice freshness to it. A wine that just needs more time, but could be quite lovely.
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Dark and brooding. Ripe, sweet, full bodied red fruit, licorice, leather notes on finish. There is plenty of balancing acidity- this is best consumed with food. The massive tannins smoothed out after extended opening. Good for many more years.
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Drank over two days. Lots of tannin and structure on the back-end notes of iron, beef, earthy & dry forest notes. Drink with long decant (throws off lots of fine sediment) or hold for 5 years.
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Really classy, has depth and concentration but also elegance. Traditional style - sunburned leather, mostly red fruit, deep and so impressive. So finely tuned, relaxed and fully formed. There is a vibrant energy and resonance that gives it that extra step. There are similarities to the previous bottle I had - orange rind and a dyrness at the end - all welcome.
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on the last few occasions I have tried this in years past, i was very disappointed; this time, entirely different experience. Decant for 4 hours; great day 1; brilliant day 2.
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Showing more age than expected. Stored at 59 degrees since release. Bricking throughout and secondary characteristics prominent. Black olive, cedar wood with fruit fading. Tannins also prominent, so I slow oxed it for about 7 hrs. A wonderful wine for those who appreciate aged characteristics. Glad I have another. Looking fwd to trying the 2010.
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Decanted and tried to consume over 4 hours but it was really closed so we left half the bottle and tried again in 24 hours. Much more open but still very dark, earthy, and brooding. Only 28 hours after the decant did some cherry and other flavors that might reveal this is a Brunello start to peak out. I think there's something interesting inside this wine waiting to get out but we're going to sit on our remaining bottles a little while longer before we try again.
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Brunello's and Super Tuscans (Luci Ancora): Decanted for a forgotten amount of time. This wine is big, delicious, and tastes like Valdicava. From memory, this wine is bigger than the 2010 we had a few months back.
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Opened and decanted for 90 minutes. This was an excellent bottle. Color was dark red with a tinge of bricking on the edge. Palate of cherry with notes of citrus and tea with some dusty soil. After sitting in the decanter and warming a bit of alcohol began to appear. Recommend decanting 90 minutes and serving slightly above cellar temperature. This should provide enjoyment for many years to come
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Dark purple color. Powerful, fruity bouquet. Ripe dark fruits, dense and brooding, with plenty of structure. Not my favorite style, but an impressive wine. Very good now, but needs more time to develop some refinement and complexity.
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Similar to previous notes though I now see a citrus aspect - orange fruit and orange rind. This has a lovely lift and energy on the palate, along with an earthiness and beautiful dryness and minerality on the finish. The quality here is more about energy and vibrancy vs. complexity or anything else. I love the '06 Brunello vintage in general (I think I prefer it to '04 and even '10) and this is right up there.
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deep ruby color no visible signs of aging nice nose dark fruits taste leather and cassis very approachable when opened good structure slightly acidic but very drinkable
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Dark color, almost purple-black. Earth, spice and floral notes on the nose. Barely any fruit left, tannins were silky smooth. Drank like a fine wine that was fading, it couldn't stand up to beef rib pappardelle. Drink it now, before it completely fades.
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Decanted for 1 hour, rebottled & opened at restaurant 1 hour later. Drank over 1 hour. Dark, some fruit but tight, yet smooth tannins. Fine now with a decant & food, hoping time will improve it & expose more fruit.
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Drink it if you have it. This is at maximum maturity, but still keeps bringing you back for another sip. Definitely a food wine. It has an elegance to it, albeit with very little fruit. It is a lithe one, like Sofia Loren at age 70.
This wine is all old world class. Opened for four hours, decanted another two before tasting. Just a hint of orange on the edge, sticky legs, still looks young. Beautiful, round nose of strawberry, plum, chocolate, wet pine forest. So much youthful life on the palate, over a decade on, this wine is barely into its drinkable window; balanced progression from wild strawberry, to blackberry, to just a little caramel, coffee, and a whisper of smoke, but dry and austere is carrying the day. Long finish, prominent silty tannins. Wow, this is some pretty good juice.
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(pnp)brown tinted edges, beautiful ride as this opened developing ripe persimmon, prune, leather, licorice, and hints of almond on the nose and palate, just a hint of acidity in the upper palate and nicely refined tannin supporting...riding this over 2 hr also developed luscious ripe raspberry/strawberry and just kept getting better as the quality of this offering really hit home. Finishing the bottle was an ample supply of chewy compost like sediment which added a delightful dimension to end upon.
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This is a little leafy and green on the nose. On the palate, this slight leafy, green/green-pepper note continues at first but the it extends to a broad, deep and dark panoply of licorice, cherry, leather and charred meat. On the finish, some lovely dry tannins along with a lift of sweetness emerge. There is not any pronounced acidity - this has a darker, harder, more brooding profile vs. a vintage like 2010.
After a couple of hours, more secondary and tertiary notes come into play - some menthol, more generous sweetness and lift on the finish and some salt. This feels very traditional, classy and understated. The quality becomes increasingly obvious and it pulls away from the pack of many other Brunellos.
I find Valdicava needs more time than most other Brunellos to show what it has. I'd leave this for another five years and it will show better, but it's already very attractive. Worth decanting, and adding food. 95pts; this could be points higher in five to ten years.
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Surprisingly light and crisp, gaining heft quickly in the glass. Such depth in the treble range but overall short of some of this wine's more mind-blowing vintages.
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2006 Brunellos (Vinci): Pop n' pour. The nose here is more brooding and dense. Cherries accented with a big spice kick and some toasty, vanilla spice. Yum, great concentration and density. Big, chunky and full bodied with sweet and rich fruit. More powerful yet nice fresh acids offer lift and a tingly finish.
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Drunk over two days. Very closed initially on the nose. With a great deal of oxygenation, this opens up with sour cherry, garrigue, cola, stewed plum, and red earth notes. Solid, full-bodied, and austere on the palate, with plentiful marasca cherry, fresh herbs, and a hint of menthol. There isn't a trace of over-extraction. The fruit is disciplined and harmoniously integrated with the broader structure. Well-resolved, but still firm tannins, and an excellent acidity that makes this wine an ideal partner for Tuscan cusine: a ribollita with plenty of olive oil and then wild boar. Good persistence, with a pleasing minerality on the finish. This bottle is something of an enigma. Although on paper it should be mature, it will almost certainly benefit from another decade in the cellar. This is a serious, grown-up wine that will reward the patient drinker.
As for the comments of some other reviewers here - I'm frankly fed up with Parkertards critiquing Old World wines for an absence of fruit-froward, vanilla infused notes. If you want alcoholic Kool-Aid then buy California Cabs and Australian Shiraz - just don't pretend you know what you're talking about with Brunello.
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We think this was a flawed bottle based on the reviews here, yet there were no elements of a typical corked scenario. The fruit was nonexistent, and the flavors were simple earth and not much else. Very unusual.
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In my opinion it does not get to the 90 points mark. It took a while to open up but even on day two was stuck with very intense red cherries and nothing more. Medium length, it certainly did not impressed me
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2.5 hour decant- medium plus body, this is really starting to come together. Good finish. Probably in or near prime but balance will improve with further age. Should continue to shine for another 10 years. Great value.
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This was popped and poured at a party we were attending and is one of the few 06 Brunello I've tried. Still very young and primary. Built well with lots of fruit and structure. Lots of potential here but I'd wait five plus years before opening one of these. I'll also not rush to open my Brunello from this vintage.
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What a pleasant surprise, I was expecting something overpoweringly oaky but instead got a big wine full of muscular Sangiovese fruit with excellent structure and acidity with the oak in the background. Really excellent and better than the 1997 Madonna del Piano this night which was drying out a bit and lacking the focus of this 2006 normale.
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Coravin. Not much going on after a hour. Smell porcini, green pepper, leather. Brooding red and still appears to be very young. Tannins are not overpowering and medium acidity. I can't wait to retry in the years to come.
Allowed it two hours in the decanter before the first taste. Still a tad young but very enjoyable. Classic Sangiovese Cherries on the nose and on the palate; nice level of acidity; not harshly tannic despite its youth. All elements in good balance. Drank on the same evening as a 2005 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli. The Valdicava has much greater complexity whilst not being as hefty as the Riserva. This will be a very fine Valdicava in a couple of years and has probably another 15 years of enjoyable drinking life ahead of it.
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Not even close to being ready. This is ridiculous - It's a 9 year old normale?!? I have no idea when this will be ready. I'll open the next one in a year.
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too young to drink; this was my first bottle, and I dont recommend opening another for a few more years. Even though I decanted for three hours, it struck me as pretty unyielding and closed.
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Two bottles brought to the annual dinner with Scott, RVK, John V. At Union Square Cafe in NYC, awesome food as always - will miss them when they close end of 2015...
Decanted for about 20 minutes, drank over 90 minutes. The air made a big difference as the second bottle was much more open, complex and layered.
Dark garnet color, bright and translucent, no sediment. Nose and palate - dark fruits, earth and chocolate. Mid palate of cherry, anise, spices, leather. Tannins were relatively soft for a young brunello, but very present suggesting a long arc on this wine.
I have several bottles, so it was worth trying to check on where it is in it's evolution. Impressive wine but still very young - worth cellaring these for a while
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Decanted an hour and drank over two after. It's showing beautifully but still young, with firm tannis and potential to go for many years more as you would expect from Valdicava in a great year. If you've got several bottles it's worth trying one now to get a sense for what's to come. If not, hold.
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Opened for 1 hour, drank over 3. Plenty of depth to the wine, which continued to evolve over the meal - dark fruits, earth and chocolate. Surprisingly supple tannis for such a young brunello. A beautiful wine.
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First glass had plenty of fruit and some of the leathery notes. Second and third glass massively tightened up with a heavy acid spline. Either a funny bottle, way too young, or entering a dumb phase...? We saved a small glass each for the next day if this turns out better I'll write another note if not I'll save our remaining bottle for a few more years....
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{Vin Italy, 2014} This follows the 2007 BdM; the color is a shade deeper and darker, with slight bricking. A singular nose, just gorgeous, that is equally mixed with red berries, cherries, wood, earth and plum skin. Very precise, focused entry, but also surprisingly approachable. Warm, and fresh, the finish gains weight and grip. An ager. 14,0% abv. highly recommended
https://italianwine.blog/
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Agree with Sandwich - love this - but very young. Have 4 bottles left ad not touching for 5 years. Wonderful cherry Coe with essence of bottle rocket right now.
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Whoa is this young. This will be fabulous in about five years. There is a tremendous amount of depth and the fruit is beautifully integrated into the abundant tannins. Once they resolve this will be a classic! Hold a few more years and then enjoy?
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Dark ruby with an orange rim. Expressive and forward nose with red cherries, roses, some oak and mostly sweet spices. Big on palate with dense tannins and huge extract. Balanced well. Not ready yet needs some time for tannins to integrate. Impressive.
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Dark ruby-garnet. Initially restrained nose that gradually reveals seductive aromas of dark cherry, chocolate, mint, roses and violets. Full-bodied and youthful, with firm tannins, bright fruit and high acidity. Very long. Excellent. One for the cellar. Will start entering its plareau after at 5 years at least.
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A very young powerfull wine, with a lot of potention, best drinkable in about 4 to 5 years. Could be stored for at least 20 years. Taste and smell of tar and leather tones.
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Brunello 2006 Horisontal Tasting: Nose: Dark conc. fruit, dirt, coffee, tar, barnyard, tobacco. Palate: Compact and concentrated blackberry with a little vanilla but a lot of acidity. Fairly balanced but quite a powerful wine. Currently does seem a little closed and seems a little weak on the mid-palate. I had definitely expected more from this wine!
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Just had to try this, Deep Cherry, earthy tones and very silky. Only decanted for 1-1/2 hrs and should have left for more time... At least 3 - 4 more years in the cellar and this will be a wine that people will remember drinking
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Olho: Límpido, rubi migrando a terra intenso. Nariz: Limpo, intensidade média, animal, couro, frutas negras maduras. Boca: Seco, boa acidez, taninos de médios a pronunciados, corpo médio e longa persistência, frutas negras. Merece guarda, deve desenvolver bem ainda na garrafa com esse nível de acidez e taninos.
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Deep red cherry. Freshness and light earthiness coming from the glass. Balanced aromas. Palate is also very balanced, more restrained, beautiful natural concentration, excellent equilibrium, fruit and light earthiness, grippy tannins. Subdued now. Finishes long and with velvety texture. 2006 Brunello di Montalcino tasting at Divino Tuscany
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Tasted this with winemaker Vincenzo Abbruzzese. more fragrant than the Rosso. rich minerality notes with savory, meaty hints otn. surprisingly drinkable and elegant. I don't normally wax poetic with images, but this was like a tornado of taste---these incredible light, silky edges with a core of elegant tannins spinning around in your mouth. stunner.
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Vincenzo Abbruzzese is a grower first, and a winemaker second. an elegant nose of earth, cola, a hint of grandmother's closet (pardon the childhood memory reference). fruit is rich otp, and the tannins provide a solid backbone. pretty herbaceous, smooth, classic. worth waiting for.
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4/7/2024 - Mike1369 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderfully classic bdm. Lots of fruit with sour cherry, and darker figgy flavors. Maybe a hint of tart blueberry. Medium tannins. Leather, tobacco, tuscan soil, hints of coffee and some balsamic notes. Some limestone as well on the back end. Paired with charcoal grilled ribeye. This is in a great spot and probably still ascending. It got best after 2 hours in decanter. Enjoyed thoroughly.
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4/6/2024 - Bill Johnson wrote: 96 Points
- Brick color - Enjoyed with great friends at a local Italian restaurant. Still beautiful and in a perfect spot. Dark color. Beautiful nose of blue fruit and leather. Dark red fruit also appeared Upon tasting. Was still youthful, Perhaps because it was a double magnum. Showed all the classic characteristics of a BDM. A classic bdm from a classic vintage.
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3/23/2024 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Dinner w/Chris and Stephanie at Italian Cucina in New Hope (a fantastic corkage friendly place). Last tasting note on this was from 2015, bottles in my cellar from release. It was time to check in on this again, heeding the advice of other tasters, this got a 3 hour decant, rebottled to go to the restaurant. Significant sediment in this bottle.
Garnet/purple color, some thinning at the edges, sediment strained out in the decant. Nose was dark fruit, fig and balsamic. Plate repeats adding notes of blue fruit, black cherry, leather, baking spice. Tannins softened at this stage. Rich and viscous texture, fruits, fig notes go through the mid palate. Fruit displaying a sweetness through the finish. Full body, long finish.
This is in a perfect spot, hitting all the classic BdM notes. The fig and balsamic were really notable. I can't stress enough the importance of the decant. Tasting a splash when opened it was still tight, not showing the characteristics cited in the note (it would have been a 90 vs the 95 I am giving it). At 2 hours it was really showing, we drank after about 3 hours. Well stored bottles still have a way to go - but no reason not to drink this now!
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1/7/2024 - Robert R. wrote: flawed
Corked
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12/30/2023 - heythatslife wrote: 94 Points
Firing on all cylinders right now with a short decant. Modernist but I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of BdM typicity too.
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12/27/2023 - KL1975 wrote: 94 Points
On day one very closed one hour after opening (no decant, which was the wrong decision for the christmas lunch), but on day 2 wonderful, all you can wish from a classical Brunello. Still young with room for improvement, 94+.
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12/1/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
I’ve been following this for a decade and this was the best bottle by far. I made the mistake of not decanting and this took a couple of hours in the glass to open up. This needs an hour plus in the decanter. This is getting close to its prime and has a decade plus of good drinking. Revisit 2026
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11/4/2023 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 96 Points
1hr decant. Really singing now and in the early drinking window. The fruit is fine showing
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10/19/2023 - TEKinsider wrote: 96 Points
This is in a great place right now! Decant for a couple of hours it will reward you.
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8/25/2023 - Kpivari Likes this wine: 93 Points
Stunning!
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8/7/2023 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 90 Points
decent, a little funk, I'm getting a little varnish?? on the nose. Tannic aftertaste I would guess it's past it's optimum drinking window.
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7/23/2023 - Andrea1975 wrote: 91 Points
Good wine. Enticing aromas with layers of sweet spices and vanilla at first then are followed by white flowers, cherry jam, prunes, incense, iron, wet leaves, tobacco. Full body and supporting structure of ripe tannins and fresh acidity. High alcohol but not too warming, in balance. Unfortunately the wine disappoints somewhat in the mouth. Flavors are not as layered and complex as the aromas, with a medium finish in terms of persistence. There is just a lack of mid palate weight and fruit concentration, perhaps a cool vintage or picked a bit early? Drink now, I suspect additional years will just preserve structure but not make this wine very enjoyable.
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7/4/2023 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
One hour decant. This comes on with a beautiful nose of violets and herbs. The wine is full bodied, still youthful and nicely balanced and layered. There is a small bit of roasted fruit flavor coming through though that detracts a little.
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12/25/2022 - gogiants925 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and left in bottle for over an hour. Had a glass and decided to decant half and leave half in the bottle. In the glass this one was dark red with the brown bricking on the edges. Cherry and wet leave nose. Tangy cherry and earth notes on the palate, with some tannin still present, but it didn’t get in the way. A mid weight earthy, red fruit finish. Very enjoyable with our pork tenderloin.
Jury was split on if the wine in the bottle was better than the decanted half. If I had to do it over again, I would have decanted for about an hour to start with. The acid level was nice, as it was better with the pork than by itself. I’d say this one could still go strong for a few more years.
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11/27/2022 - paujokal Likes this wine: 95 Points
In a great spot with several more years to go.
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10/30/2022 - paujokal Likes this wine: 94 Points
In its zone. Wonderful.
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7/7/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
I’ve been following this wine since 2012 with a few left. This has come a long way and really doesn’t need more than a splash decant or 30 min in the glass at this point. Some good upfront fruit with a touch of pepper with good balance and depth. Certainly in its prime and should drink well for 5-10 years. I don’t see any upside potential at this point. Revisit 2023
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6/9/2022 - miadelt wrote: flawed
Same experience as some others where this bottle was exposed to heat and ruined. Received as a gift and so I am not sure of the source.
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4/14/2022 - Fftjr wrote: flawed
Seemed to be heat exposed elevated cork. Vegetal nose. Not good.
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3/13/2022 - benny wrote: 95 Points
decant for 1-2 hours
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3/4/2022 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 94 Points
6 hour decant. Early drinking window now and finally opening up, may improve with even more time.
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2/23/2022 - mclanew wrote: flawed
This bottle is tainted. Barnyard nose as well as flavor profile. Bummer.
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2/11/2022 - wkphang Likes this wine: 94 Points
If there is a need to demonstrate what is a "wines for the heroes", this is it.
Even after 1 hour of decant, the power it exudes makes it hardly approachable. Slight toasted black fruit, leaves, wet flint.
On the second day, it is a lot more friendly and easier to drink with the same characteristics and slight strawberries.
One to save for another 3-5 years.
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1/30/2022 - shurpa14 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle was much better than the last bottle. A ton of sediment. Dark fruits, leather, spices, sweet tobacco. Very good. I’d drink up now.
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1/9/2022 - Chvnny Likes this wine:
PnP. Powerful straight out of the gate for a 16 year old wine. This muscular wine is has just entered its drinking window but clearly has a long life ahead.
Deep, dark purple, tobacco, leather, fig, mint, spice, almost Bourdeaux like tertiary, funky flavors. Well integrated tannins, medium+ acidity, and a long finish.
Recommend decanting briefly prior to drinking.
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1/7/2022 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Burly and brawny with excellent concentration but some rough, tannic edges that need to integrate.
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1/5/2022 - carl.cornaglia@gmai.com wrote: 95 Points
This brunello is firing on all cylinders. Fabulous through the finish and many years to go. Sweet ripe fruit flavors with nice acidity. Could stand up to any 2nd growth bordeaux.
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12/30/2021 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bouquet of dark berries, cherries, liquor, mint, undergrowth. Lush, silky palate with herbs, cherry candy, a bit of toasted oak, leading to a long sweet, wooden and spicy finish. Whilst it is leading towards heavy side, still relatively bright, high-pitched sweet and sour cherry tones to balance. Great wine in a strong window!
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12/10/2021 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sampled from a bottle provided by a holiday luncheon attendee, this deep-to-opaque garnet wine is hitting its stride. Packed with Montmorency cherries, apricots, dark chocolate, spearmint and baking spices, it is a medium-to-full-bodied, beautifully balanced red with fresh acidity, plentiful silky tannins, nicely integrated alcohol (14%) and well-proportioned wood. Layered and dense on the middle palate, it proceeds to a lengthy, smooth-textured finish. A joy to drink at this point, it should hold up well throughout the remainder of the decade. I doubt that it requires extended aeration, as this bottle had not been opened very long before tasting commenced. Drink now-2030.
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12/10/2021 - spendergast Likes this wine: 96 Points
An impressive BdM for sure. Dense dark fruit with notes of cassis, black raspberry, earth, spice. Tannins are well integrated but still prominent. Very long finish with great mouthfeel. This wine will drink well for years to come.
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11/22/2021 - vinorsk Likes this wine: 91 Points
A big, rich, ripe wine - modern style. Decanted an hour and drank with a NY strip. Full-bodied, dark and delicious. Lots of black fruit but not overly ripe. Some violet/rose hints on the nose - like a Barolo without eucalyptus. Smooth but with more acidity than a new word red - not heavy. Reminds me of a Pieve Santa Restituta in terms of style - but less new world/over the top. Very enjoyable.
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10/25/2021 - paujokal Likes this wine: 94 Points
Keeps getting better and better
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10/1/2021 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is peaking....Don't open too long A huge nose an a sweet palate balance the aciding after a 30 minute decant....90 minutes late is is tight and dry. NOT AS GOOD !!
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9/26/2021 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured. This is a fabulous Brunello, one of the best I have ever tasted. Very, very dark, browning at the rim. Fantastic nose of saddle leather and muted cherries. Really appealing, and in a perfect place. The magic continues in the mouth, with pretty cherry fruit and dusty tannin leading to a long, complex finish. Perfect balance, with ripe, sweet fruit held nicely in check by lovely acidity and tannin. Really glad I opened this today, it is in a perfect place. I'll save some for tomorrow, but hard to see this tasting much better. 4-14-18-9: 95/100.
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9/26/2021 - Lipsman wrote: 93 Points
Bricking throughout, with a brown edge. Needs air to open up. Big fruit, modern, but good complexity keeps it interesting. Medium bodied. Drink now.
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9/4/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
Brunello meets Bordeaux. 92
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8/23/2021 - guido23 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much improved since four years ago! Drink now!
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8/22/2021 - suttonri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well now. Plum and cherry liqueur. Resolved tannins, pleasingly fresh and acidic. Light on the tarry and herbal notes. A bit new world with the sweetness, but definitely recognizable as Italian.
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7/16/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Plenty of earthy notes to go with dried cherry and currant notes. I think this may have been a few years past its prime - the fruit has slightly receded past the point of true balance, although this was still a fantastic wine.
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5/6/2021 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Dark and rusty colored. High heat, flat fruit and gritty. I still think I am a seller here
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4/24/2021 - larsth wrote: 93 Points
Wine meet – 2002 Champagne and 2006 Sangiovese @ Lars: Dark colour. Slight plummy in the nose though young and dark on the palate with smoke, leather, licorice and some tannins - almost like a Bordeaux. Good stuff.
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4/17/2021 - Nebbiolo75 Likes this wine: 94 Points
100% sangiovese. Magnum bottle. Decanted for a few hours. Deep garnet with brown color. Aromas of ripe dark fruit, hints of licorice and leather. Full bodied, structured, beautiful balanced tannins and acidity. Day after wine blossomed totally, great wine!
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2/21/2021 - paujokal Likes this wine: 95 Points
Leather. Red fruits. Gorgeous.
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12/30/2020 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich bouquet of liquor, baking spices, stewed dark fruits and vanilla. First night with a decant already great, second night slightly shut down, third night fully on: medium-bodied, silky palate, with a nice line of acidity leading to nearly resolved tannins with a nice sweetness on the finish, spices, some more liquor, slight touch of raisins and vanilla. The freshness keeps all the elements in balance, giving it great lift. Will benefit from an another 2-3 years cellaring, but in a good spot with some decant.
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11/26/2020 - Chchen wrote: 94 Points
Roses. Leather. Anise. Tea. Balanced. Good acidity. Velvet tannins. 1 or 2 years from peak
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10/9/2020 - ChâteauneufDuPfaff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Luckily, I had backup for my corked first bottle: The 06 Valdicava was a beautiful Brunello: Very complex, deep fruit, great structure and balance. Despite some first hints of maturity (some earthiness, leather and smoothened tannins) this will last for many many years thanks to its acidity and the tannic backbone. Wonderful!
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9/18/2020 - JOsgood wrote: 96 Points
Drinking unbelievably well. Epic nose and palate. Serious velvet texture.
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9/7/2020 - eatdrinkrepeat Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very balanced and structured. The wine definitely shed its youth as the (sour) fruits were fading but it took on more earthiness (leather, mushrooms). The full-bodied wine had a great mouthfeel. I think it's at a good place right now.
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8/9/2020 - Bejakeyser Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is drinking beautifully right now, but could go for years! Fruit tannin is strong. Blackberries and sweet tobacco , its soft and silky.
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8/1/2020 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Big, ripe, rich. Borderline surmaturité, paired well w red meat sauce.
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7/18/2020 - moega Likes this wine: 92 Points
I might have thought this was a Barolo on color alone. Drank well with food and on its own. Never reached outstanding for me, but certainly characteristic for the region with a rich, smooth taste and finish.
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7/15/2020 - chetlee wrote:
Textually nice, but felt advanced and a bit disjointed. One bottle left and going to open sooner than later.
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6/27/2020 - pikemasterflash wrote:
High heat and flat fruit. I think i am a seller of these
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6/21/2020 - Vino Nomad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Showed well immediately, but really started to sing after a 3+ hour decant. Herbaceous bouquet with menthol, dried mushrooms, sour cherry, and tart red currant. Similar flavor profile, but cherry notes amplify along with leather and forest floor. The herb and menthol combine to give a eucalyptus impression and turn the leather to fresh suede.
I loved sipping this on its own, but it was even better paired with food (NY cut steak with Bordelaise sauce for me).
Now is a great time to enjoy this wine, but the tannin is still pronounced on the finish. I'm sure this will continue to please for years (decades?).
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6/7/2020 - uflaw Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at small dinner party for birthday alongside a ‘13 La Ragnaie, a ‘13 Francesco Rinaldi Brunate, a ‘13 Maestro Raro, and an ‘11 Virna Sarmassa. Everything showed well, but this ‘06 Valdicava was far and away the WON. Beautifully aged brunello, that is drinking perfectly right now. So glad I have 5 bottles left...
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6/5/2020 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 96 Points
Dark garnet hues turning violet orange rust at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose is concentrated, while the palate is full-bodied, velvety, with ample acidity to balance the ripe fruits on slightly elevated alcohol levels. Flavors of black olives, tobacco, and smoked black currants form the core and finishes off really long and elegantly at the sides of the mouth with hints of eucalyptus menthol and dried oregano. Just beautiful to drink now until 2031.
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5/19/2020 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 93 Points
In a wonderful place. As it should be today. A beautiful wine. Didn't take long to open up. Drink now.
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5/2/2020 - frqntflyr wrote: flawed
Both my last bottles were oxidized. All of my bottles felt a bit advanced (bought second hand) but were still very good. Unfortunately I waited too long on my last 2 and I read another reviewer had the same issue. Might be worth checking in on.
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4/19/2020 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully aged Brunello. So happy. Perfect colour and leather lapping across my palate.
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4/19/2020 - Margaux Bro wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic. Still relatively tannic and fruit is still present. Very enjoyable; drink now or hold 5 more years.
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3/27/2020 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Side-by-side with the 06 Rancia. This was the more overt and polished wine. Great concentration and polish. But relatively four-square compared to the more nuanced Rancia.
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3/21/2020 - daved Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a 1 hour decant. Fully integrated and balanced. Much better than my prior tasting. Went well with steak and pasta. Continued to improve as time went on.
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12/31/2019 - finlero wrote: 90 Points
Decanted three hours before tasting. Darker than average for a Brunello, but clean, no bricking, quite a bit of sediment. Nose and palate were both really reticent; lots of typicity (plum, leather, pine), but with the volume turned down. Medium finish, relatively light on tannins. Surprised me by not pairing all that well with a duck ragu; the flavors were right but neither the wine nor the food seemed to get better when enjoyed together. Nothing but respect for the maker, but I've personally come to prefer a slightly more forthcoming style of BdM, and there's much better QPR to be found as well.
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12/30/2019 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at Aurora with A. Can't ask for much more from a brunello. Just delicious with beautiful integration of dark fruits and sweet tannins.
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12/18/2019 - Édifice Likes this wine: 94 Points
Subtle bouquet of vanilla, almond and ripe dark fruits. First night relatively brooding, stern, angular, yet full-bodied and rich, typical 2006 Italian wine, bit of a brute but still impressive. Like expensive, high percentage dark chocolate, bitter, limited sweetness yet smooth and elegant. Second night much improved, with more sweetness, yet still good acidity. Lacks a bit the excitement factor of the Tenuta Nuova or Siro Pacenti PS, and also the freshness and crispiness of a more lightly handed wine, yet still a very good experience. Give it a sufficient decant for now, otherwise you will miss out.
Third night: Now fully on, lusher, dark fruit preserve still with some grip. Getting to a 95. These 2006s need time ...
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11/26/2019 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 92 Points
Great nose then acid start to finish on the palate. May be in a dumb phase as harmony in the flavor profile may improve with more bottle time.
Nice full smooth mouthfeel.
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10/22/2019 - benny wrote: 94 Points
One hour decant. Then the wine rolls out an beautiful bouquet.
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10/5/2019 - richshoes Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little disappointing. Might be more a 91. Good intense, dense condensed structure but soft given the age—so nice tension there.
However, structure not overly complex, elegant nor multi dimensional. Would say the same about the palate and flavor profile.
Some hints of Italian fruit but dominated by dark fruit and dark earth, Bordeaux accents/terroir, dark plum and raisins/prunes
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8/14/2019 - Swirling wrote: 92 Points
Nice, loved it.
Definitely needs a decant. Initially the nose would seem overpowering which goes away after a while.
Nose: red fruit Cherry, mint, with smell of a farm.
Palate: fruit with strong tannin and good length.
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6/27/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 97 Points
Better than I remember, this definitely has the house style - red fruit, enticing acidity, and with a beautiful dryness on the finish - a kind of malty chalkiness. Delicious. Somewhat simple in style - not as brooding as some other styles of Brunello, but this is really outstanding.
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6/13/2019 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 89 Points
Color was a brickish brown, showing it's age. After a short decant the wine showed nice fruit but never improved in the glass. Disappointing . I would drink up sooner than later, don't see it getting any better.
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4/28/2019 - shurpa14 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep garnet. Immediately drinkable without a decant. It had loads of dark fruit. My only issue is the funk that never went away. It had a mushroom smell that never faded. It also had a hint of oxidation. All in all a good wine but was below my expectations. Maybe it was an off bottle with the oxidation.
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2/3/2019 - VINNICK wrote: 91 Points
Solid performance. Classic Sangiovese. Tannins still have a lot of bite. Decanted for 4 hours and was perfect right when we started pouring.
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1/26/2019 - ohne_musik wrote: 91 Points
A bit of vanilla on the nose, slightly obtrusive to me but lovely to everyone else. On the palate, oak is nicely integrated, not too toasty, and marries well with the rustic brunello fruit - sour cherries, tart currant jam, dusty road, and a bit of chestnut purée. Enough tannins to give structure but not bite. Has good rustic length and Feels expressive of the terroir with just a dollop of gloss on it. Probably better in a couple years.
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1/12/2019 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Now in drinking window. Red Cherry fruit.
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12/12/2018 - patwjr wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours, drank over the next hour. Rich yet soft fruit. Drinking beautifully. Soft mineral & wisp of strawberry finish.
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11/2/2018 - WineKnurd Likes this wine: 91 Points
WineKnurd, Phredd & Viking60 Impromptu Tasting (Knurd's House Wake Forest NC): Audozed for almost 2 hours before serving. Rustic forest floor and leather backed by plums and black cherries with a sour-bitters component. Tannins have mellowed and has a nice adic edge to it that I enjoy in Brunello. A- (91) evaluation.
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11/2/2018 - Phredd wrote: 91 Points
Not super dark, the tiniest bit of bricking on the edge. The nose is nice, a little saddle soap, cilantro, some red fruits, a little bit of dustiness. The palate is bright, with good acidity, not a lot of fruit, but what there is tends toward black. The saddle soap is really the most prominent on the tongue, with some of the fruit. Not as long as I'd like, but fairly balanced. Might have suffered some from following the funky Burgs.
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10/28/2018 - AAJR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and consumed over six hours with Sunday sauce. Blackberry & raspberry flavors. Powerful & long, still a little dry/tannic on the finish, but really enjoyable. Drink or hold.
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9/16/2018 - achasd Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a prime drinking window but it will keep another five years. Tanins have resolved.
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9/5/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Has a lot of qualities I like in a wine - nice fruit, acidity and dryness on the finish. Red fruit, nice balance with power and delicacy. Solid brunello though nothing mind-bending. Feels traditional. I generally love the '06 vintage and this is a good example, though I prefer something like Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova in this vintage.
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9/2/2018 - Sotto325 wrote: flawed
Corked!
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7/6/2018 - canefan Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of my favorite Brunello’s. Year in and year out, Valdicava is one of the most consistent wines out there.
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5/24/2018 - patwjr wrote: 94 Points
5 min decant, rebottled & opened at restaurant 1.5 hours later. Decanted again and drank over 2 hours. Red fruit & beautiful floral nose. Smooth, rich, yet still some tannins. Last glass after all the air was best.
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5/19/2018 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened last night. Quite opaque, with a bit of browning at the rim. Attractive nose of old saddle leather and shoe polish, still quite fresh. Very fragrant. Mouthfilling wine, rich and full, with lovely old-style fruit and autumn leaves. This has aged very gracefully and evolved into an impressive Brunello, Has years of life ahead, but drinking well now as well. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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4/15/2018 - Brown11 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic. Finally an outstanding Italian. A little pipe, dark chocolate, vanilla, herbs in the bouquet dominated by sous-Bous.
On the palate, still a bit rough tannins. Great length. Sour cherry, menthol and sweetness as from southern France.
Overall really impressive, but probably even better in the future.
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3/31/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
A bit lighter bodied than I expect for Valdicava. Still, delicious. WOTN, for those who were still paying attention. :)
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2/27/2018 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sweet raspberry; balanced with finesse and length.
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2/25/2018 - L Wine Views wrote: 92 Points
This was the first blind tasting I did with Gabriel, he thought it was a Napa Valley Wine and he also mistakenly thought it was an older wine like 2002.... I don't think that was a good thing. It was fun. The floral in this wine was very pungent.
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2/24/2018 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mid body, floral and spaicy. It felt older than ‘06, I don’t see it going much longer.
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2/16/2018 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): Not sure how much decanting this one had, but if you own these I would recommend holding off opening for another 5-10 years or giving a very long decant. Still very youthful and full of grippy tannins, blackberries and a bit of heat from the alcohol. The structure is all here to age well, but I think this one needs a bit more time to knit together.
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2/16/2018 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): This is a total baby and coming on the heels of two well-aged wines there's a bit of an adjustment period. I think it was opened and maybe decanted for 20 minutes before serving. Could use some more time. The first impression is a very drying tannin. Then some red currant. Also a nice freshness to it. A wine that just needs more time, but could be quite lovely.
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1/27/2018 - primeminister wrote: flawed
Sadly, corked per table experts and somm.
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12/27/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
A bit more acidic than I remember. Still classy and expressive but just a tad too acidic and acerbic. 92+pts. Bottle might have been flawed.
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10/15/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Dark and brooding. Ripe, sweet, full bodied red fruit, licorice, leather notes on finish. There is plenty of balancing acidity- this is best consumed with food. The massive tannins smoothed out after extended opening. Good for many more years.
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9/12/2017 - vancouvermatt wrote: 92 Points
Drank over two days. Lots of tannin and structure on the back-end notes of iron, beef, earthy & dry forest notes. Drink with long decant (throws off lots of fine sediment) or hold for 5 years.
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8/20/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 96 Points
Really classy, has depth and concentration but also elegance. Traditional style - sunburned leather, mostly red fruit, deep and so impressive. So finely tuned, relaxed and fully formed. There is a vibrant energy and resonance that gives it that extra step. There are similarities to the previous bottle I had - orange rind and a dyrness at the end - all welcome.
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8/7/2017 - Pearls_b4Swine Likes this wine: 96 Points
on the last few occasions I have tried this in years past, i was very disappointed; this time, entirely different experience. Decant for 4 hours; great day 1; brilliant day 2.
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7/30/2017 - erictayl wrote: 92 Points
Showing more age than expected. Stored at 59 degrees since release. Bricking throughout and secondary characteristics prominent. Black olive, cedar wood with fruit fading. Tannins also prominent, so I slow oxed it for about 7 hrs. A wonderful wine for those who appreciate aged characteristics. Glad I have another. Looking fwd to trying the 2010.
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7/12/2017 - guido23 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted and tried to consume over 4 hours but it was really closed so we left half the bottle and tried again in 24 hours. Much more open but still very dark, earthy, and brooding. Only 28 hours after the decant did some cherry and other flavors that might reveal this is a Brunello start to peak out. I think there's something interesting inside this wine waiting to get out but we're going to sit on our remaining bottles a little while longer before we try again.
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7/12/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Fairly large scale wine, w dark fruits, beef, has some Bordeaux characteristics. Drank well over 2 hrs w decant. Drink or hold 5 yrs.
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6/27/2017 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Brunello's and Super Tuscans (Luci Ancora): Decanted for a forgotten amount of time. This wine is big, delicious, and tastes like Valdicava. From memory, this wine is bigger than the 2010 we had a few months back.
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6/25/2017 - Oskiwawa wrote: 92 Points
Opened and decanted for 90 minutes. This was an excellent bottle. Color was dark red with a tinge of bricking on the edge. Palate of cherry with notes of citrus and tea with some dusty soil. After sitting in the decanter and warming a bit of alcohol began to appear. Recommend decanting 90 minutes and serving slightly above cellar temperature. This should provide enjoyment for many years to come
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5/22/2017 - CHINACAT wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color. Powerful, fruity bouquet. Ripe dark fruits, dense and brooding, with plenty of structure. Not my favorite style, but an impressive wine. Very good now, but needs more time to develop some refinement and complexity.
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4/15/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
Similar to previous notes though I now see a citrus aspect - orange fruit and orange rind. This has a lovely lift and energy on the palate, along with an earthiness and beautiful dryness and minerality on the finish. The quality here is more about energy and vibrancy vs. complexity or anything else. I love the '06 Brunello vintage in general (I think I prefer it to '04 and even '10) and this is right up there.
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4/4/2017 - michael47 Likes this wine: 93 Points
What is not to like in this delicious, tarry, juicy concentrated, chewy brunello. Still super young with years to go.
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3/10/2017 - jww Likes this wine: 93 Points
deep ruby color no visible signs of aging
nice nose dark fruits
taste leather and cassis very approachable when opened good structure slightly acidic but very drinkable
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3/9/2017 - Cphofmann Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark color, almost purple-black. Earth, spice and floral notes on the nose. Barely any fruit left, tannins were silky smooth. Drank like a fine wine that was fading, it couldn't stand up to beef rib pappardelle. Drink it now, before it completely fades.
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2/22/2017 - patwjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour, rebottled & opened at restaurant 1 hour later. Drank over 1 hour. Dark, some fruit but tight, yet smooth tannins. Fine now with a decant & food, hoping time will improve it & expose more fruit.
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2/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drink it if you have it. This is at maximum maturity, but still keeps bringing you back for another sip. Definitely a food wine. It has an elegance to it, albeit with very little fruit. It is a lithe one, like Sofia Loren at age 70.
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1/20/2017 - finlero Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is all old world class. Opened for four hours, decanted another two before tasting. Just a hint of orange on the edge, sticky legs, still looks young. Beautiful, round nose of strawberry, plum, chocolate, wet pine forest. So much youthful life on the palate, over a decade on, this wine is barely into its drinkable window; balanced progression from wild strawberry, to blackberry, to just a little caramel, coffee, and a whisper of smoke, but dry and austere is carrying the day. Long finish, prominent silty tannins. Wow, this is some pretty good juice.
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1/18/2017 - drummer Likes this wine: 94 Points
(pnp)brown tinted edges, beautiful ride as this opened developing ripe persimmon, prune, leather, licorice, and hints of almond on the nose and palate, just a hint of acidity in the upper palate and nicely refined tannin supporting...riding this over 2 hr also developed luscious ripe raspberry/strawberry and just kept getting better as the quality of this offering really hit home. Finishing the bottle was an ample supply of chewy compost like sediment which added a delightful dimension to end upon.
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1/5/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
This is a little leafy and green on the nose. On the palate, this slight leafy, green/green-pepper note continues at first but the it extends to a broad, deep and dark panoply of licorice, cherry, leather and charred meat. On the finish, some lovely dry tannins along with a lift of sweetness emerge. There is not any pronounced acidity - this has a darker, harder, more brooding profile vs. a vintage like 2010.
After a couple of hours, more secondary and tertiary notes come into play - some menthol, more generous sweetness and lift on the finish and some salt. This feels very traditional, classy and understated. The quality becomes increasingly obvious and it pulls away from the pack of many other Brunellos.
I find Valdicava needs more time than most other Brunellos to show what it has. I'd leave this for another five years and it will show better, but it's already very attractive. Worth decanting, and adding food. 95pts; this could be points higher in five to ten years.
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12/8/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly light and crisp, gaining heft quickly in the glass. Such depth in the treble range but overall short of some of this wine's more mind-blowing vintages.
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10/30/2016 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still too young, but only had a 1 hour decant. Wait at least another year to try another bottle and do 4+hr decant.
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10/18/2016 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
2006 Brunellos (Vinci): Pop n' pour. The nose here is more brooding and dense. Cherries accented with a big spice kick and some toasty, vanilla spice. Yum, great concentration and density. Big, chunky and full bodied with sweet and rich fruit. More powerful yet nice fresh acids offer lift and a tingly finish.
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8/31/2016 - TheNeuroticDobermann wrote: 91 Points
Drunk over two days. Very closed initially on the nose. With a great deal of oxygenation, this opens up with sour cherry, garrigue, cola, stewed plum, and red earth notes. Solid, full-bodied, and austere on the palate, with plentiful marasca cherry, fresh herbs, and a hint of menthol. There isn't a trace of over-extraction. The fruit is disciplined and harmoniously integrated with the broader structure. Well-resolved, but still firm tannins, and an excellent acidity that makes this wine an ideal partner for Tuscan cusine: a ribollita with plenty of olive oil and then wild boar. Good persistence, with a pleasing minerality on the finish. This bottle is something of an enigma. Although on paper it should be mature, it will almost certainly benefit from another decade in the cellar. This is a serious, grown-up wine that will reward the patient drinker.
As for the comments of some other reviewers here - I'm frankly fed up with Parkertards critiquing Old World wines for an absence of fruit-froward, vanilla infused notes. If you want alcoholic Kool-Aid then buy California Cabs and Australian Shiraz - just don't pretend you know what you're talking about with Brunello.
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7/24/2016 - Tannic Monster wrote:
We think this was a flawed bottle based on the reviews here, yet there were no elements of a typical corked scenario. The fruit was nonexistent, and the flavors were simple earth and not much else. Very unusual.
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7/10/2016 - cbforever1 wrote: 89 Points
In my opinion it does not get to the 90 points mark. It took a while to open up but even on day two was stuck with very intense red cherries and nothing more. Medium length, it certainly did not impressed me
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2/7/2016 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Darker ruby red. It was a PNP and didn't get the prep it deserved. Lighter, bing cherry with pronounced, silky tannin this bottle is aging well.
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1/15/2016 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
2.5 hour decant- medium plus body, this is really starting to come together. Good finish. Probably in or near prime but balance will improve with further age. Should continue to shine for another 10 years. Great value.
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1/1/2016 - Outplaying wrote:
This was popped and poured at a party we were attending and is one of the few 06 Brunello I've tried. Still very young and primary. Built well with lots of fruit and structure. Lots of potential here but I'd wait five plus years before opening one of these. I'll also not rush to open my Brunello from this vintage.
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12/14/2015 - ParisFan wrote: 93 Points
Nothing like a good brunello.
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10/3/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a pleasant surprise, I was expecting something overpoweringly oaky but instead got a big wine full of muscular Sangiovese fruit with excellent structure and acidity with the oak in the background. Really excellent and better than the 1997 Madonna del Piano this night which was drying out a bit and lacking the focus of this 2006 normale.
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9/5/2015 - shurpa14 wrote:
Coravin. Not much going on after a hour. Smell porcini, green pepper, leather. Brooding red and still appears to be very young. Tannins are not overpowering and medium acidity. I can't wait to retry in the years to come.
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8/5/2015 - ChristP Likes this wine: 94 Points
Allowed it two hours in the decanter before the first taste. Still a tad young but very enjoyable. Classic Sangiovese Cherries on the nose and on the palate; nice level of acidity; not harshly tannic despite its youth. All elements in good balance. Drank on the same evening as a 2005 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli. The Valdicava has much greater complexity whilst not being as hefty as the Riserva. This will be a very fine Valdicava in a couple of years and has probably another 15 years of enjoyable drinking life ahead of it.
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5/3/2015 - sandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not even close to being ready. This is ridiculous - It's a 9 year old normale?!? I have no idea when this will be ready. I'll open the next one in a year.
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3/19/2015 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote:
Still not ready to drink.
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1/23/2015 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote:
too young to drink; this was my first bottle, and I dont recommend opening another for a few more years. Even though I decanted for three hours, it struck me as pretty unyielding and closed.
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1/15/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Two bottles brought to the annual dinner with Scott, RVK, John V. At Union Square Cafe in NYC, awesome food as always - will miss them when they close end of 2015...
Decanted for about 20 minutes, drank over 90 minutes. The air made a big difference as the second bottle was much more open, complex and layered.
Dark garnet color, bright and translucent, no sediment. Nose and palate - dark fruits, earth and chocolate. Mid palate of cherry, anise, spices, leather. Tannins were relatively soft for a young brunello, but very present suggesting a long arc on this wine.
I have several bottles, so it was worth trying to check on where it is in it's evolution. Impressive wine but still very young - worth cellaring these for a while
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11/1/2014 - ctbrown Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted an hour and drank over two after. It's showing beautifully but still young, with firm tannis and potential to go for many years more as you would expect from Valdicava in a great year. If you've got several bottles it's worth trying one now to get a sense for what's to come. If not, hold.
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8/18/2014 - InflationHedge Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened for 1 hour, drank over 3. Plenty of depth to the wine, which continued to evolve over the meal - dark fruits, earth and chocolate. Surprisingly supple tannis for such a young brunello. A beautiful wine.
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8/9/2014 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine:
First glass had plenty of fruit and some of the leathery notes. Second and third glass massively tightened up with a heavy acid spline. Either a funny bottle, way too young, or entering a dumb phase...? We saved a small glass each for the next day if this turns out better I'll write another note if not I'll save our remaining bottle for a few more years....
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4/7/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
{Vin Italy, 2014} This follows the 2007 BdM; the color is a shade deeper and darker, with slight bricking. A singular nose, just gorgeous, that is equally mixed with red berries, cherries, wood, earth and plum skin. Very precise, focused entry, but also surprisingly approachable. Warm, and fresh, the finish gains weight and grip. An ager. 14,0% abv. highly recommended
https://italianwine.blog/
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1/25/2014 - Sirmika wrote: 91 Points
To smooth, not enough powerful
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1/4/2014 - Pugs wrote: 95 Points
One of the best brunellos I've tasted. Decanted 2 hours prior to dinner, was sensational across the board.
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12/28/2013 - voldar wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Rome. Fabulous juice, wonderful nose classic brunello, blackberry, cola, leather taste, still has many years left but we loved it now.
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12/22/2013 - Frolov wrote: 97 Points
One of the best brunello I have tested. Big potential for the future.
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12/19/2013 - rsternth Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine was very smooth, delicious.
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8/11/2013 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful! Dark garnet hue, cherry, chocolate, mint, full bodied-- just fabulous. Should aged extremely well. Popular bottle of the night.
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7/2/2013 - Productman wrote: 93 Points
Agree with Sandwich - love this - but very young. Have 4 bottles left ad not touching for 5 years. Wonderful cherry Coe with essence of bottle rocket right now.
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5/8/2013 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
Great Wines of Italy Tasting (Brunelli) (NYC): Bold, structured, vibrant wine, showing ripe earthy, leathery, dark fruit. A powerhouse, a queen on a chess board.
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3/31/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Whoa is this young. This will be fabulous in about five years. There is a tremendous amount of depth and the fruit is beautifully integrated into the abundant tannins. Once they resolve this will be a classic! Hold a few more years and then enjoy?
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1/29/2013 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
Ne to chto ya ozhidal
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12/19/2012 - AtoZ wrote: 87 Points
Do not remember exact date we drank this. Was very bretty.
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10/12/2012 - Alex.Saad wrote:
Sangiovese
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10/1/2012 - Dokken wrote: 95 Points
Dark ruby with an orange rim. Expressive and forward nose with red cherries, roses, some oak and mostly sweet spices. Big on palate with dense tannins and huge extract. Balanced well. Not ready yet needs some time for tannins to integrate. Impressive.
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9/30/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby-garnet. Initially restrained nose that gradually reveals seductive aromas of dark cherry, chocolate, mint, roses and violets. Full-bodied and youthful, with firm tannins, bright fruit and high acidity. Very long. Excellent. One for the cellar. Will start entering its plareau after at 5 years at least.
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8/29/2012 - andrew681 wrote: 95 Points
Great
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8/27/2012 - otisabdul wrote: 89 Points
Closed for business. Hold for several more years.
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7/27/2012 - wine.girl wrote: 94 Points
Needed a little time to open up, but tasted better & better with each sip. Delicious paired with Italian food.
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7/27/2012 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
Drank at restaurant. Bad idea. Needs at least 3 hours to open at this point. Potential is there. Will revisit in 2014 and will decant 2 hours min.
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7/12/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 88 Points
Dry dusty tannins. Young and better on day 2. Long life ahead.
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6/5/2012 - jaap57 wrote: 95 Points
A very young powerfull wine, with a lot of potention, best drinkable in about 4 to 5 years. Could be stored for at least 20 years. Taste and smell of tar and leather tones.
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11/11/2011 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Brunello 2006 Horisontal Tasting: Nose: Dark conc. fruit, dirt, coffee, tar, barnyard, tobacco.
Palate: Compact and concentrated blackberry with a little vanilla but a lot of acidity. Fairly balanced but quite a powerful wine.
Currently does seem a little closed and seems a little weak on the mid-palate.
I had definitely expected more from this wine!
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10/20/2011 - rbc1978 wrote: 92 Points
Just had to try this, Deep Cherry, earthy tones and very silky. Only decanted for 1-1/2 hrs and should have left for more time... At least 3 - 4 more years in the cellar and this will be a wine that people will remember drinking
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6/9/2011 - Katznery wrote: 88 Points
Olho: Límpido, rubi migrando a terra intenso.
Nariz: Limpo, intensidade média, animal, couro, frutas negras maduras.
Boca: Seco, boa acidez, taninos de médios a pronunciados, corpo médio e longa persistência, frutas negras.
Merece guarda, deve desenvolver bem ainda na garrafa com esse nível de acidez e taninos.
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6/3/2011 - EleonoraScholes wrote:
Deep red cherry. Freshness and light earthiness coming from the glass. Balanced aromas. Palate is also very balanced, more restrained, beautiful natural concentration, excellent equilibrium, fruit and light earthiness, grippy tannins. Subdued now. Finishes long and with velvety texture. 2006 Brunello di Montalcino tasting at Divino Tuscany
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5/19/2011 - blancdeblancs wrote:
Tasted this with winemaker Vincenzo Abbruzzese. more fragrant than the Rosso. rich minerality notes with savory, meaty hints otn. surprisingly drinkable and elegant. I don't normally wax poetic with images, but this was like a tornado of taste---these incredible light, silky edges with a core of elegant tannins spinning around in your mouth. stunner.
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2/1/2011 - blancdeblancs wrote:
Vincenzo Abbruzzese is a grower first, and a winemaker second. an elegant nose of earth, cola, a hint of grandmother's closet (pardon the childhood memory reference). fruit is rich otp, and the tannins provide a solid backbone. pretty herbaceous, smooth, classic. worth waiting for.
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