In perfect form and magically delicious. Dark cherries and soft spice for days. Blackberries, plum. Dry top soil, crushed, dry rock, dry brush, sandalwood, withering red flowers, good acidity, nice evolution, integration and very good wire to wire finish that lasts two minutes.
$20- $25 on release if my memory hasn’t failed me. Another 3-5 years of good drinking.
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This full-bodied Chianti continues to drink well, tonight it paired nicely with eggplant Parmesan, Cioppino with red sauce and baked sea bass in a tomato sauce.
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Smoldering nose of pure cherry, thyme, and old wood. Excellent racy acidity (as it should have). Dark cherry core of fruit and a dried potpourri secondary that comes from its age. Definitional. Drinking perfectly now. Paired with red sauce pasta with Fraboni sausage.
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Rich red fruit, cedar, licorish, tar, tobacco. Good depth with integrated tannins, drinking beautifully now. This Chianti Classico overdelivers at $22.
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2nd of 2 bottles. Just a perfectly wonderful aged Chianti still at its peak. I'm not the biggest Chianti fan, but this just blew my socks off. Medium to full body, beautiful color and nose, with smooth flavors and a long lingering finish. I rarely write such a positive review, so this was really special!
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I love this riserva. Gorgeous, distinctive aromas of the land overlooking Greve. Deep, rich, mature berries, lush mid-palate, finished with well-integrated tannins, and generous minerality. Notes of graphite and anise on the long finish. After 13 years, still a stunner.
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Served successfully with Shrimp Scampi. My comments are consistent with my 11/25/13 note, but slightly now less grippy. I agree with Ilonan that this wine has improved with age. Pleased I have a few left.
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The last and by far the best of the bottles purchased in 2013. This wine has evolved to become rounded, ripe and very welcoming with almost any meal that includes cooked tomatoes. For me this was an education with regard to the aging possibility of well made Chianti Classico Riserva wines.
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Terrible cork, so had to filter and decant. Even then, this wine needed 1+ hours to reveal typical CCR characteristics. In the meantime, it could have been any nice, rich red table wine, perhaps on the back side of plateau. If you have any left, decant and give it up to two hours to get best results - patience will pay off, but I'd drink up soonest!
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As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. After a case of this wine giving pleasure over many years this is a wine I will be wrapping up. Served with chicken cacciatore. Offers more promise aromatically with dried herbs, cherries, smoke, and lighter cassis notes. On the palate this is very dry with limited acidity to balance this out. Tart cherries on the palate, with an herb de Provence in the mid-palate, and finishing with more tart red fruits. The lack of acidity left this overwhelmed by the food.
Drinking up.
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Drank this with spaghetti. Very nice with good acidity and sour fruits. Good now but I think this will be better in a few years when the tannins mellow a bit more.
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Purple, almost inky, with well-defined rim variation and a few bubbles. Medium to a bit slower legs. Aromas key on red fruit and spice: raspberry, strawberry, cherry, plum, orange peel, cinnamon, clove. Hints of dust, forest floor, medium toast, oak, sandalwood, violet, eucalyptus, mint and cocoa. And, on final day of tasting, definite mushroom aroma. Flavors were similar but spice continued to dominate with fruit showing more cherry as well as distinct bitterness and tannins. Medium/full body with linear texture. Medium finish, medium plus acidity. Overall impression: complex, intense wine which has aged very well. Fading was minimal over 4 days. At $24, QPR is average. Will definitely seek out future vintages. Drink now.
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The fruit seems to have faded a bit since my last bottle, but the tannins are nicely resolved, and it's a smooth easy drinker. Should work well with our lasagne dinner - if there's any left.
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Has improved with age. Intense cherry and tobacco nose. Rich, somewhat round mouth. Plenty of dark fruit on the finish makes up for the relatively low acidity and moderate tannins. Fruit reveals itself more as the wine aerates.
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- Slow forming legs and aromas of raspberry. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of black currant with a light/medium body. Narrow texture with a short finish.
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Clear with no visual flaws. On the nose leather with strawberry and a bit of stone and musk. The attack did not match the complexity of the nose. A bit disjointed as it really stood on its acid. Where is the fruit? Still enjoyable and a well made Chianti. Medium to short finish. A: 5 N: 8 B: 7 T 16 F: 4 = 90
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PnP. Red fruit, leather and a touch of damp forest on the nose and palate. Plenty of acidity and still quite tannic for a wine going into it's 10th year...nothing that gets in the way but a little drying on the palate. Really nice wine.
a little commentary...I bought a half case several years ago on release and didn't think much of the wine for the first few years especially due to the professional scores it garnished. Well those scores IMHO were pretty close to spot on 10 years in. In never ceases to amaze me how some have the ability to read a wine so far in advance of it's evolution. I mean, I get it in theory, but I do not have the ability...so hats off to those that do...I will keep following!
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Better with air & age - angular though on nose & palate - dark reddish black color - alcohol, herbal, black cherry on nose. On palate, black cherry, dirt, menthol. High acidity, medium body and medium+ finish.
Given other's notes on this wine I would guess my bottles got damaged in transport - this wine was not corked but fruit was pretty oxidized. Not rating.
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At this point of maturation actually quite a good entry level chianti classico riserva and a very good QPR wine at the ~ $20 / bottle price point. Decanted for about an hour the 1st day and it was actually better the next day, softer and more complex so this wine can stand a LOT of air and a lot more time in the cellar - definitely at least another 3-5 years ago and my thoughts on this on the previous bottle I rated were just way off. 1st day 89-90 points, 2nd day a solid 91. Nose bright and initially a bit sharp with dark fruit, tar and earthy spices. Medium - full bodied, deep purple, good balance and well structured with now well balanced acids and tannins. Plum, black pepper, earth, tar and smoke developing later on the palate with a much lengthier aftertaste at this point of maturation. Definitely recommend this wine.
After thought: a GREAT pairing with a Chicago deep dish style pizza on both nights, which is exactly what we did.
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Popped and poured. Aromas and flavors of cherry, dried herbs, underbrush and earth. Leads to a long, soft finish. Medium to full bodied. Well balanced with a very smooth texture. Has softened with age and is drinking beautifully. Paired with four cheese pizza.
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Much better than previous bottles, more opened. Ready to drink.
deep maroon color, very pretty. cherry color around the edge... seems it could age a while longer.
Aromas of graham cracker, forest floor and rich fruit.
Medium body, juicy, acidic and freshing on the palate. invigorating yet rich at the same time. a little fatter and richer than most chiantis ive had, but i like it.
Previous bottles i consumed 3-4 years ago were much more angular and restrained. This bottle has opened and is richer and fatter.
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Opened thanks to previous reviews. Decanted with bottle aerator and clef du vin. Great nose. Bit mellow losing its Chianti robusto but very drinkable without the ragu!
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First bottle in approximately one year. On opening this revealed floral aromas, cherries, and a bit of incense. On the palate, this is starting to show some fatigue as is not as fresh as previous bottles. The flavor profile has the dusty tannins very tamed. This still has solid acidity and cherry, smoke, pepper, light notes of sage, and a hint of iron show through. Pretty good persistence on the finish where there is solid drive. I know my notes look like they belong to a Rhone Syrah, but that is what is showing here.
Bottles stored over 5 years in a climate controlled cellar, so I would recommend testing out. Still enjoyable tonight.
Day 2 - This held up well overnight.
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Fantastic, full-bodied yet elegant & silky Chianti. Subtle nose of perfume, currant & evolved fruits. Lively on the palate - nice acidity frames the earth & fruit. One of the best Chianti's I've tasted. A bit of grip on the finish - probably could go a few more years. Fantastic.
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Decanted; light sediment. First pour one hour later: Garnet color. Dark berry nose. Plenty of fruit, including cherry, on the palate, balanced with a good level of acids and subdued tannins. A very long and pleasing finish. Good QPR. Probably won't improve further with age, but should be drinking well for several more years.
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Stored at 57 degrees since purchase. Floral aroma. Fresh fruit, cedar, medium body. Nice acidity and mild tannins. Tart cherry finish. Drinking great right now.
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Better experience than previous years. This wine is now ready, for me. Nice dark, dense color. Full bodied with a fruit forward, new world style delivery with fully integrated acidity, tannins and heat, yet providing structure with a continuity of the dark fruit flavors. Finish lasts forever.
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Dark ruby red colored with medium staining in the tears that show moderate-plus viscosity. Bright reflections and opaque through the core. no variation to the rim. Aromas present with medium-plus in intensity. Beautiful floral scents of crushed roses, tobacco, herbs and cherry, cranberry slightly on the dried side, but not all the way, aromas laced with spice, cocoa and cedar. On the palate, balanced and elegant, still drinking young. Acidity is medium/medium-plus with slightly dusty moderate/moderate-plus tannins. Flavors of dried cherry, goji, cranberry, leather, tobacco, herbs, wood and spice with touches of earth and dried mushroom. The finish lingers pleasantly. Very balanced and drinking well.
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Really a delicious wine from the pop 'n pour. Sweet cherry and red raspberries with crisp acidity. Lacks secondary flavors, but the fruit, balance, medium tannins, and lusciousness all the way through to the finish makes this a winner.
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Done in an international style, but not overly round. Still, would have liked to have seen a bit more acidity. Smokey French oak and black cherry nose, moderately rich mouth feel, good tannins on the finish, just needs a bit more acidity. The nose is already fairly open, but I have a hunch it will become even more so with some air time. Will see.
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Perfectly okay. Maybe it needs a decant or air but tonight this was very muted. Just not a lot of excitement. Deeper fruit and good acidity. It seems like this could become something better with time.
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The wine has changed quite a bit since our last rating. Scents of a raspberry pastry. There's a soft and silky mouthfeel with a lot of red fruits, a hint of leather, and a little spice.
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Blackish / red color. Dirt / tobacco / red currants / black cherry on nose. On palate, dark cherry, bright acidity, medium body & medium+ finish. Better showing than my prior 4 bottles and has improved with age (I like this wine now that is has some earthy secondary characteristics) - decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner. 90+/- There are better Chianti's at this price point but it's a well made bottle of wine that needed some time.
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Light bodied, seemed “watered back”, sweet and highly acidic with not enough tannins to balance resulting in a less than enjoyable finish. Decanted one hour and consumed over the next four. Seemed to improve with air otherwise would have rated lower.
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Wine Spectator rated this a 91 and it's #40 best wine in 2010. Needs a good 60 minute decant to bring out the black cherry fruit flavors, and for what I paid - $23, it's was an excellent value.
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I pulled this out of the rack tonight thinking that "I'm not crazy about Chianti but this should go well with the veggie pizza (with sun dried tomatoes and feta)." If I had checked my notes from last time, i wouldn't have been surprised once again by how well structured and smooth this one is. Quite nice.
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Here are my notes from Fall of last year: Has come together nicely since my last bottle in 2011. Floral aroma with hint of wood. Currant and cherry on the palate with a hint of bramble. Hot to start, softened after 2 hours in decanter. Nice, soft tannins. Interesting, slightly bitter cherry finish. Pretty much the same.
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Had with lamb chops and grilled zucchini. Should have had with something lighter (chicken or seafood) as the chops overpowered this wine. Ruby in color and classic Sangiovese on the nose. Cherry and red berries with a hint of coffee on the palate, but fruit is muted. Minimal tannins. Well balanced
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Nice wine, but could not compete with the Buccella Merlot, Altamura Cab, Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah and a Regusci Cab. I know, what was I thinking. It did help to bring a nice close to a perfect dinner party.
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Pretty good bottle. Certainly a modern, more dark fruited take on a CCR. Medium weight with some leather notes. Drank over 4 days, and Days 3 and 4 were probably best. No reason to doubtthis has several years, at least, left to go.
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Let's remember it's chianti, not claret. So it has a nice nose of cedar and plums, with something I remember from the boatyards of my childhood--spar varnish, maybe?--& a nice palate that is old-world & complex enough to be interesting, not the sweet sickly crap of modern, international-style wines. So yes, it's fine.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, blackberry, carmel, smoke and dried herbs. A red and black fruit core of cherry and blackberry dominate on the palate and combines with coffee, carmel, spice and fine tannins. Leads to a medium to long finish. Medium to full bodied with a smooth texture. Maturing nicely with more secondary notes evident. Paired well with penne alla vodka.
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Exceeded expectations. Red fruit with rose, spice aromas, the wine has laser-like cherry, wild berry, and raspberry fruit that is so precise backed by reshreshing acidity and light oak notes. The wine has beautiful length with silky tannins, and steps up a notch in intsensity on the finish, overall, a great Chianti. Drink now or over the next couple of years.
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PnP. In the 14 months since my last bottle, this wine has tamed somewhat. The aroma possesses some floral qualities coupled with raspberries and strawberries. On the palate, the tannins are more subdued, and the acidity is still crisp. This mellows on the palate after some hang time. The palate holds cranberry, cherries, and some smoke. A finish with nice cut, though somewhat dry and chalky. This wine is best served with Italian dishes that need some acidity and cut to cleanse your palate.
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Pop. Dark ruby to the eye, no signs of age, ever so slightly opaque. Sweet nose is what I am thinking. Mixture of cherry, forest moss, small vanilla? Beguiling. Palate follows nose with strawberry jam joining the game. Medium acidity. Tannins still a little drying leading to medium + finish.
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It got more complex after some time: at first it had a strong red cherry aromas with some spice and wood, while after a while it became somewhat rounder, coffee and dark chocolate showing up. Dry and solid, but not too heavy. It leaves a firm tannic grip and a lasting acidity in the mouth, for which I recommend to have it with some food. Enjoyable now, but it can age longer.
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When popped and poured it was shut down tight. After three hrs in the decanter it opened significantly. Still the tannins were dominant, but they backed off enough to allow the fruit to be appreciated. Solid chianti. Enjoyed with braised pork shoulder.
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An enjoyable Chianti paired with cheese and spinach manicotti. Modest bouquet but with nice red fruit, a touch of oak and good acidity, and pleasantly grippy finish
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Consistent with previous notes. A good solid chianti and a decent value at $20-25. But the 2009 Basciano Rufina we had recently was as good at half the price. So the QPR here is good but not great. My last bottle and will probably not seek out more.
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pnp, consumed 70/30 over 2 days. pretty similar nose to my first tn, but the flavors and finish have come together to be a very pretty soft cherry and vanilla filled experience. it's not effusive, but tasty. did its best with ny-style pizza, and was decent on its own. if scoring, 84-86.
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Consistent with prior bottles, a great example of chianti riserva from a good vintage, aromas of cherries with some floral and wood tones. On the palate that bitter punch characteristic of Chiantis is very upfront. A wine to be enjoyed with pizza or any tomato based dish or pasta. Salud!
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Has come together nicely since my last bottle in 2011. Floral aroma with hint of wood. Currant and cherry on the palate with a hint of bramble. Hot to start, softened after 2 hours in decanter. Nice, soft tannins. Interesting, slightly bitter cherry finish. 3 down, 3 to go.
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Singing. Best, and sadly last, of my bottles. Red berry fruit, a little leather, some very nice mineral and spice, crisp acidity, long finish with just a hint of pleasant bitterness. Wish I had more now.
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My third bottle of this wine. First was an unexceptional run-of-the-mill modern styled Chianti. Second was better. This was the same as the firs. Will be interesting to see what remaining bottles show.
Nice Chianti that is smoother than the norm, and even better after about an hour, when it started picking up notes of violet over the abundant but balanced fruit. Good value at ~ $22 and I'll buy more if I get the chance at this price.
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Very smooth. Great bouquet. A wonderful complex flavor with lots of smoky notes that you don't often associate with a Chianti. A rich, solid Chianti with guts, almost Cabernet like. Really great.
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This was one of the best wines I've had in a long time. What an amazing balance of sweet fruit and fermented fruit. It had a hint of strawberry and cherry with the grape flavor. It reminded me of my vacation in Italy. We had amazing fresh pizza every day along with a litre (not liter) of 'table wine' which was almost always a perfect Chianti. Prior to my Italy trip, I had never really cared for Chianti, nor Italian wines in general as I found them more dry than I had liked. I don't care for dry wines as they feel like a dish sponge (a clean one) on your tongue sucking up the moisture. But after my trip to Italy, (Rome, Pisa, Florence, Sienna, Orvieto) I found a new love for Italian wines. This wine was surprisingly amazing. Opening and tasting this wine was like taking an exam in school and thinking you did poorly walking out of the room, only to find out later when the professor posted your score by the last four of your social in the hallway that you scored the second highest in the class. This wine was like that, nice surprise. I did not have that high expectations but it exceeded them. I paired this wine with a late night snack, 12 month aged extra sharp New York cheddar (pronounced Chedd-ah, explicative , in New York). Great pairing that made the cheese taste better than chocolate or cheese cake. I still don't get how cheese cake has anything to do with cheese. I mean I know it's cream cheese but its all sugar that makes the cream cheese go from breakfast to dessert. Great wine!
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Weird bottle. Day 1: pop and pour; very little fruit; a lot of earth and acid; balance out of whack. Day 2: much better wine with intense, but not heavy, red fruit that is complememnted by earth notes; good balance. This bottle suggests that a couple of hours decant and consumption with food that benefits from the healthy acid should yield a very nice experience.
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PnD let air for 5hrs. Drank with 2006. This was waaay better. Bright dark cherry aroma and flavour with the quintessential Tuscan savour. A bit on the downward side of its evolution but still a nice combination of fruit and aged nuance.
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It's been over a year since we last had a bottle of this. I should have paid better attention to my inventory and prior notes as back then I noted that this wine was possibly starting to decline. Now I'm convinced that it is. It wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't as good as it was a couple of years ago. Time to drink up.
Pleasant but not much to praise past being a fair representation of a modern CCR from an average year. I have 3 more bottles and will hope for better. Worth $22 discount price but not more.
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Very fine fruit. Great leather on the nose. Showed well against hard cheeses and against tomatoes and basalmic vinager. Also made an excellent complement to hearty grilled meat. I was tempted to give it a 91 (but will hold at 90 this time) because the wine was so well integrated and the acid level is just right for food.
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Picked up another 3 bottles of this, and this one was terrific. Consistent with previous notes. Nice balance of fruit (plum and sour cherry), acidity, minerality, and tannin. Really nice with a variety of food. Super solid Chianti.
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Consistent with prior notes, however this wine was not as enjoyable on the second night, it felt oxidized even after keeping it on the wine fridge and vacuvin
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A solid Chianti with good acid and a cherry flavor profile. Kind of like eating cherries straight out of the dirt -- not that cherries grow in the dirt, but this is what they might taste like if they did. And had alcohol added to them. Yeah, that's it.
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This wine showed well w ribollita soup, and red meat sauce. Lush, ripe, sweet fruit in a modern style, but w good enough structure to balance. Good value.
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Better than previous tastings! Black cherry / garnet color, nose of mocha, berries and spice. Rather light bodied, with very complex, yet balanced flavors of fruit, leather, mocha and bark. Just the right amount of tannin provides support that carries those flavors on through the finish with a peek of acidity/sour cherry at the end. The heat is well integrated, making this a very easy wine to dirnk, and appreciate.
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Aromas of chocolate, dark berries and a hint of floral follow through to a full-bodied mouthfeel. It has very smooth tannins with wonderful richness and a vanilla taste. Lasts for a good amount of time on the palate. The bottle was on the Wine Spectator 2009 Top 100 list as #35.
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I decanted the wine for 90 minutes. The wine was great. Dark currant and cedar. Tannins were silky smooth. Great nose as well. First sip most wine drinkers probably wouldn't guess that it was an Italian Sangiovese.
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Had to try another one of these to see whether the one two weeks ago was just a bad bottle or not. Decanted for about an hour, and unfortunately the verdict was "no". Just like last time - rich, with lots of blackberry and sour cherry fruit - but deadly dull and simple. After half a glass, decided to slow oxidize this for 24 hours as a last resort. Voila! err, I mean Ecco lo! It's a different wine the next day. Still not particularly expressive on the nose, but it has transformed into a very respectable "modern" style Chianti. Deep and rich - now displaying a lively acidity, fine-grained tannins and a touch of oak on the long finish. Still not the 93 point wine WS (Suckling) described, but no longer the huge disappointment I originally thought it was. 50+5+11+16+8=90
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Last of 3 bottles and consistent with previous notes. Nice chianti that perhaps veers a bit toward the new world style. But as it took on air, some leather and spice came through. This has racy red fruit and really good acidity, which made it pair nicely with chicken cacciatore in a tomato-based sauce. Overall, nice Chianti, and a good food wine as they often are. At $23 it is a decent value but not crazy. If this were $17, it would be tremendous. I would probably buy again, and I think it has a few years to run given the acidic structure.
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Another nice showing of this quintessential old world red. Nice dried cherry, leather, and spices on the nose; cherry and red fruit flavors with substantial acidity. Very good but definitely not a Brunello and surely no Tignanello!
Opened 2.5 hours before dinner to use 100ml in the red marinara sauce I was making. Was relatively uninspiring at this stage. However, in the 2 hours it was left open to pairing with spaghetti and meatballs, it really blossomed nicely. Excellent sangiovese typicity, dry and medium-full bodied, with excellent intensity and concentration with the meal. Significant tar/dry licorice noted, along with a touch of leather. This was much better than the bottle I'd had several months ago, so perhaps it is fulfilling its WS score!?
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In a nutshell - disappointing. Faint aromas of dark berries and cedar on the nose. Full-bodied and rich, with nice depth to the sour cherry fruit. There's also a long, fruity finish, but not much at all in the way of complexity. This was pleasant but surprisingly simple. Needed food to really be enjoyed. Not even close to the 2006, but somehow received the same score (93 points!) from Wine Spectator. Hoping this was just an "off" bottle because I've got four more of these. 50+5+11+14+7=87
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Drank with meat sauce and pasta. Vinturied into decanter for 30-45 minutes. Classic Chianti, driven by the rock solid mouthfeel, acidity, and tannic structure, fruit is somewhat in the background. Tannins are smooth and finish nicely. Definitely a food wine. Looking forward to the other 3 bottles.
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Much better than my last tasting. medium body. More balance of acid, fruit, and balance. Needs breathing time and could use more age. But a very promising wine for black fruit, tobacco and earthiness.
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Dark cherry red colored wine that is clear and shows moderate viscosity and day bright reflections. Once allowed to breathe the nose displays intoxicating aromas that include currant and cherry that are balanced with cedar and spice that makes this hard to stop smelling. Ancillary aromas of raspberry are perfumed with flowers, dill and tarragon. The palate is bright upon entry, leading with flavors of wood and tobacco, that evolve on the palate lingering on flavors of tart cherry, strawberry and rhubarb. Tannins are moderate and drying and balanced with acidity. the finish is long lingering on dried herbs and wood.
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Very disappointed in this chianti. Unbalanced when opened and did not get better on the second day. Cork did not appear damaged but maybe it was oxidized. Have other bottles to try but based on this, I will stick with Ruffino.
Italian food and Viticcio Chianti Classico Reserva are a match made in heaven. From the hills above Greve, where I first tasted this beauty, to my home in Connecticut, where I continue to revel in its luscious sangiovese charms, this wine always thrills me.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours - relatively consistent with prior notes. My wife enjoyed this wine and her notes would be consistent with prior tasters notes. To me the fruit / acid mix is out of balance - with food this is okay, without its too harsh. 85+/- for me and would not buy again.
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Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, spice and vanilla. Tart red fruit, spice and fine tannins lead to a medium to long finish. Medium bodied. Smooth and elegant. Drinking very well. Paired well with baked spaghetti.
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Consumed with homeade spaghetti. There is a light floral nose with vanilla toast that lurks under the dark plum color. This is a sturdy and powerful sip out of the bottle with vanilla, currant, and blackberry. This really would benefit with more time to soften the fleshy tannins. The acidity holds up well especially with hearty Italian food. This should be served with heavy Italian fare such as homeade spaghetti, lasagna, or veal parmigiana. A short decant is recommended.
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Popped and poured. Nice floral aroma, cherry and black berry fruit with velvety smooth tannins, great balance and a mid-length lovely finish. A great QPR, that's best served with food.
Simply a wonderful Chianit and looking forward to our next bottle.
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PnP at MomD's and ate with homemade lasagna. Good pairing and a nice solid chianti. This has a forward red-fruit profile (lots of plum) and is a bit new-world in style. But it also has decent acidity to go with red sauce and medium body. Overall, a nice Chianti and worth the $23 I paid.
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Great drinking Chianti. My "go to" spaghetti wine. Sour cherry & leather flavors. Nice acidity to go with the red sauce. Velvety tannins. Last bottle. Will definitely get some more.
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Stellar chianti. Very smooth with classic sangiovese characteristics. Drank the first glass after an hour in the decanter with a splendid sausage lasagna. Second glass came after two more hours in the decanter and still was singing!
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Better than the first bottle, very firm acidity and dark fruit with well integrated tannin, went pretty well with pizza. Opened up rather quickly which was a definite surprise/improvement over the first bottle which I remember taking awhile to get going.
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I'm a Chianti fan, and this is an excellent example of one done right. Terrific old world Tuscan nose. Dark cherry fruit, with light cedar and earthy notes. Seamless and smooth, with a great long finish, kept lively with balanced acidity. I may have just talked myself into an even higher score.
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Popped and poured. Consistent with previous TN. Opened in an emergency and took just a little time to open up. Nice dark cherry fruit profiile with notes of smoke and earth. Shortish finish with mild tannins. Simple but quite nice. Decent value at about $22.
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Not as much cherry fruit as I generally like in a sangiovese and bit acidic and thin. Nose a bit closed, maybe a mushroom sort of note in there with the lighter red fruits.
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A great chianti. Don't be fooled, this wine is still holding back. The earthy backbone and subtle fruit will come together in a year or more. Patience.
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Nice expression of Sangiovese grape. Smooth and balanced. Drink over the next 2 - 3 years. Good QPR if purchased under $25. This is not for lovers of California Cab.
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2+ hour decant. Really enjoyable bottle, better than expected, and really nice QPR at $20 from CostCo. I had a glass before dinner and another glass with a deep dish heavy meat pizza. This was more enjoyable alone than with the pizza. A bit buttery and thinner than one would expect for a chianti. I have more bottles of this, and I suspect it will not improve further with time, though seems to be okay to last a couple more years. Certainly not one to hide in the corner of the cellar; I think it will fall apart in five years time.
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Fruit on the nose, not much on palate. Seems off balance with tannins. Didn't improve with another year in the cellar since last bottle. Too dry and no complexity. Disappointing.
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Medium body wine with upfront notes of cherry and some sandalwood this is drinking nicely it goes well with pasta or charcuterie and cheeses. Left opened 4 days and changed to full body and concentrated in a good way
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Nose of caramel and fruit, medium to full bodied, and modern in style. This is a very easy gal with soft tannins, a very smooth mouthfeel, and a pleasurable finish. I don't wish I had more as this won't improve with time, nor is it any more complex than a barbie doll. All said this would make a great first date wine being so easy going. Not sure Italy as a whole would be proud of this but Napa definitely would. I think I paid $20 which is fair but would be a steal at $15, highway robbery on your part at $12 or less.
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Medium ruby, light not very pronounced nose with some red cherry, spices and herbs. Very tannic, good acidity, medium alcohol and body. Red cherry and plum on the palate with some green olive, eucalyptus and pepper, a little too watery though. Should age a bit more but will remain just an average Chianti, definitely does not taste like a Riserva quality. Good with food, everyday wine.
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2 hour decant. Ruby red but translucent. Subtle nose of spice, melon and light red licorice. Stronger cherry flavor emerges on the fresh silky palate. Nice balance. Medium finish. Overall very nice Chianti with an emphasis on fresh fruit flavor palate.
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Medium fruit-cherry, tobacco, a little smoke, nicely balanced with tannins. Wonderful nose with smoky cherry tobacco! Our last bottle - I need to get some more!
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A touch oaky and definitely a modern style of Chianti. Overall, not bad for $20 a bottle from Costco. I agree with another comment that the 93 WS rating seems excessive.
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good brooding dark cherry and saddle leather/earthy complexity; the prominent oak is not fully integrated, and this is still too young/ponderous to enjoy fully; more open day 2 with plenty of stuffing to age.
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Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Very nice without being anything special. Medium bodied with nice dark cherry and plum fruit. Nice acidity and balance with notes of smoke and earth. The finish is a little short with some tannins showing. Good QPR wine which should drink nicely over the shorter term.
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Agree with most of the notes here. Nice red fruits, but a bit more plum than the usual sour cherry that I expect with chianti. This wine has great acidity that keeps it clean and pairs nicely with tomoto-sauce dishes. It is drinking pretty well right now. Overall, this is a good QPR at the $23 I paid but not substantially better than other chiantis I have purchased for $17-18, like the 2007 Monsanto Riserva. So it's a reasonable deal but not a steal. I do not see the 93 points that WS lavished on this.
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Exceeded my expectations. Great wine and even better QPR. Nice red fruit, dusty tannins, minerality, good acidity, lots of secondary flavors and aromas. Wow! Medium bodied, great with food, or to sip independently. In a great spot with years to go.
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Bright ruby red, nose of fresh dark fruits, plum. Mid palate is fresh, delicious acid, blackberries, some prune, cherry, smooth tannins, good finish. It goes well with sea food and fish. Like it.
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Agree with some of the other Tasting notes that this was just OK, not bad but not great. Definitely more of a food wine, drank with Italian beef sandwiches and baked mostocolli, wasn't the greatest pairing but serviceable. Might do better with dishes that have more heavy tomato sauce.
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This definitely has the delicious factor going for it. Very modern sytle. Fruit was more lush than I expected and a little heavy on the oak. Finish dropped off pretty quickly. Very good, but not great. Drink now.
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This wine is ultra refreshing, balanced and fruit forward. The tannins remind you it is sangiovese otherwise, you might confuse it with a zinfandel. Very few floral, mineral, leather, or musty/earthy elements I so often find in Tuscan wines. Buy more for sure.
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- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry and strawberry. It's balanced with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Are you kidding me? This wine is drinking great right now. Excellent QPR!
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Fifth bottle in pasy 9 months, and seems to be on gradual decline since first bottle. Has become a bit disjointed. Better with food, especially Italian.
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Still lots of tannins. Pale in color. Not a whole lot there. Goes best with the appetizers rather than a heavy meal. 6 more bottles to go and then I am done.
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Bought a half-case of this because of the price ($14/bottle) but so far have not been impressed. Much prefer Ruffino even though it is more expensive. A pretty flat Chianti. Maybe a bad bottle?
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We had this with a deep tomato based Cioppino. This wine continues to be one of my favorites with tomato based meals. Not too heavy, not too light...it just works really well with the food. I'm glad I bought more and will buy more again..Enjoy!
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Had this on the same night as the Ramitello. A better wine than the Ramitello, in my opinion. This wine, despite its' lack of traditionalism is one that I continue to enjoy with the right meals. This Chianti Classico with a Pizza (tomato-base sauce) is just a great combo. When you have a lot of people over and entertain, this wine is an even better choice. This wine is all cherry and leather, earth, and a hint of cedar wood. Lovely acidity, ripe tannins and nice structure. Finish is really very nice. At the price it's selling, I continue to say it is an outstanding value.
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Really enjoyed this last night with zuppa di pesce in a red sauce. Nice earthy Tuscan nose with hints of red fruit. One of the better Riserva's I've had in while.
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This was our 8th bottle of this Viticcio. Consistent every time. Wonderful chianti after about a 1.5 hour decant. A little rough before that...but after some of the oak and a little alcohol blow off.....wow! Just a very solid wine. Nice QPR...went back to JJBuckley for another case....
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Every once in a while, I just don't feel like I'm drinking the same wine as the Spectator (or Advocate or...). This is the second bottle i've opened. Spectator gave it a 93. Don't think it comes close. Still not super-inviting. It's closed and never really opens. I find hints of Sangiovese appeal, but ultimately the fruit I expect and the fruit I get have yet to meet. I keep expecting a burst of something mid-palate and instead the wine just seems to give way to a tannic edge.
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Decanted 1 hr prior to drinking. Aromas of plum, dried fruit, vanilla, and earth -- a classic Chianti. The wine shows structure on the nose and tongue, with a good balance with the tannins. The finish is long, with a little bit of complexity. A quality wine that paired well with pasta and meatballs.
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A little better than prior tasting 1 year ago. Monitored over 2 nights. Better with airtime and more enjoyable on night 2. Nice nose (sour erry / cherry / cedar) but palate (more black cherry / cherry / herbal on palate) is a little off - without food, too acidic relative to fruit. With food this is an nice bottle of wine but not all that memorable. Enjoy with food.,
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1.5 hour decant. Fruity nose with black cherry, black plums, toasted oak, and vanilla. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark fruit with a solid tannic core on the palate. Long, silky finish. Good acidity. Paired well with penne ala vodka.
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Opened and decanted a glass for an hour before tasting. No one would confuse this as a California wine and that's a good thing (on this occasion). Subdued earthy and berry nose. Fresh and spicy berry flavors and that generic old world profile. I really like this. Paired well with fresh artichokes and frozen supermarket pizza. I see lots of other 89 point scores and I see where they're coming from . This isn't a "Wow!" wine but it is an unarguably quality wine.
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Enjoyed this Chianti with Pizza and friends. I found it less heavy than some of the other reviews with some medium fruit and a little spiciness to it. I think at $20 the quality is very good compared to slightly cheaper options.
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A very decent entry level chianti classico and a good QPR wine at the $20 / bottle price point. Decanted for an hour and definitely could stand even more. Nose a bit reticent with red fruit, a hint of violet and spices. Medium bodied, light purple, good balance and well structured with surprising acidity but not overly tannic - probably 3-5 years more of cellaring left, not built for the real long haul. Plum, black pepper, earth with more vegetal notes developing on the aftertaste which was quite short. I do recommend this wine for what it is.
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Decanted for 90 minutes or so. Dark purple in the center to crimson on the edges, slight haze. Had a moderate nose of cherry, herbs, a little earthy maybe. Tasted similarly, dry, good body, acidity and tannins were well balanced but the finish was a little on the short side. Not as good as the 6 but decent and ramps up a bit with food. I like it but it is a bit on the pricey side for the performance.
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Not much to add to other notes. Simple, but this is an easy to drink crowd pleaser and great food wine. Im not sure what a couple writers are referring to saying otherwise, but I suspect flawed bottles?
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Dried cherry fruit, dark chocolate, red berries, expressive bouquet of red fruits and tobacco, sufficient acidity to work with pasta and fennel sausage. Hard to believe this cost $21. Also very surprised at the range of scores from other members of the community - I have enjoyed this wine every time I've had it.
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13.5% alcohol. Really nice value in Chianti right here. Bright red color. Aromatic nose, if slightly primary, of flowers, plum, and leather. In the mouth, racy and slightly rustic, with prominent plum fruit and violet notes, along with a pleasant earthy-mushroom edge. Strident acidity and a medium finish. Well executed and will settle down with a bit more time. A-
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Very pale color for Chianti, hard to drink at first. Even after a few hours it stills have a little bit of souriness to it. Doesn't have much potential in my opinion. Best saved for dinner guests.
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Still hasen't gotten better after 6 months. Very pale color for Chianti, hard to drink at first. Even after a few hours it stills have a little bit of souriness to it. Doesn't have much potential in my opinion. Best saved for dinner guests.
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PnVnD let breathe for 6hrs. Bright crimson not saturated with a magenta rim. Sour cherry and porcini aromas. Light (+) or medium(-) weight with silky fruit skin and black tea tannins. Dark sour cherry earth porcini and raspberry flavors. Refreshing finish with lingering kirschy notes. Holding up but will be drinking up last bottles in the next year. Better with food as to be expected.
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Dark fruit, slightly rough at first. fairly heavy on the finish. Hints of menthol on the nose. Little to no woodsy/earthy flavors. Will try and hold a few to see how they develop.
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Nose of fruit and spicy clove. Needed a bit of air to soften and improve balance, then quite nice. Dark fruit up front, lingering tannins on medium finish. Plan to cellar next bottle a bit longer.
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Would have been hard to peg this as a Chianti Classico in a blind tasting. Very faint nose, good, clear medium color. Lots of fruit on the palate, but little complexity and an annoying touch of sweetness. Clean finish, with the barest hint of earthiness. Not certain what this is, but it's not my idea of a great Chianti. Drinkable, certainly, but not remarkable in any way. Very young, but I don't see much potential for development. At $24 a bottle, this is a disappointment. Didn't excite my friends, either. Give this one a pass.
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Candied red fruits on the nose. Red fruit on the palate with a spine of acidity and chunky oak derived tannins. medium length finish with a little mocha. In a more modern style and a step down from prior bottle, being thin and hollow in the mid-palate. Not sure how well this will age if this bottle is more representative.
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Strong cherry on the nose. Some cherry and herbs flavors with an outstanding silky texture. About a 60 minute decant seemed just right. The best chianti I've ever had! Need to find more of this great QPR find.
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Amazing value. And a fantastic wine regardless of its price. Cherry and black currants in spades with chocolate, earth, dried herbs, and tobacco. Superb finish. Despite being aged in a combination of medium sized oak barrels and small oak barriques, there are zero obtrusive oak flavors. Wonderful silky/velvety texture and there's even some nice structure underneath the fruit. Drinking great right now, but should last for quite some time. Purchased in Austin at Costco for $20/bottle. At that price, buying this wine almost feels like robbery. A wine to purchase by the case.
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Fruit-forward nose, strong with cherry. Tastes strong of minerals, leather, and a bit of tart fruit. This was a much more citrusy, lively wine before sitting out for a few hours. I'd suggest drinking it early. Paired pretty well with a neapolitan pizza.
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Mpls Wine Club Does Tuscany (Minnetonka, MN): Dark red color. Nose has toasty oak, black cherry, leather, very earthy, carmel. The palate follows and is fairly balanced, medium weight, ok acid, round tannins.
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Modern, international style with mixed berries, plum, anise, cedar, and violets on the nose. Medium-full bodied, with ripe red fruit, vanilla, and sweet spices on the palate. Firm tannins and moderate acidity. Not exactly a classic Chianti, but tasty nonetheless.
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We ordered the wine at Caffée Lepanto in Greve/Chianti. The wine showed Mon Chéri, yogurt, vanilla and cocoa on the nose, with more air also rose water. On the palate the wine offered red fruits, sour cherry, vanilla, mocha, cocoa, and with more air also marzipan. The medium- to full-bodied wine was modern in style. All in all the wine was quite O.K. and delivered for the price, but was far from being memorable or even spectacular. 87+
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Excellent wine. Sour cherries, raspberries, leather. Good length and memorable finish. Agreed that it tasted a bit new world for a Chianti, but we found it to be a pleasant distinction to some very mediocre Chiantis we have had over the years. Unfortunately only one more bottle left.
Jack O'Brien nailed it below - this is a Chianti for New World wine drinkers. The fruit and oak kill the traditional Sangiovese nose. The mouthfeel is a little closer to the mark but still lacking character. Nowhere near a Brunello or even a well made Rosso in my opinion.
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Quite dark in the glass for a chianti. Nose of black cherry and licorice with a touch of espresso. Palate has slightly edgy hard tannins, but nice fruit concentration with a darker fruit profile, low but plentiful acidity, and nice complexity. Finishes with a slightly bitter edge, crisp mineralogy and tart cherry pit. Quite nice for the price and should settle down and improve in the next few years. Slightly modern style with plentiful oak. Really opened up on day 2, with beautiful slightly candied but complex red fruit pushing forward, and the tannin structure moving to the back. Should be great in 3-5yrs.
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Popped, decanted and poured. First glass was with a cheeseburger and chips. The food is masking the taste - will let it set awhile and try again later.
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A very fresh Chianti that evolves in the glass with ripe cherry, licorice and some sweet pipe tobacco. Really soft and light on the palate and finish. Drink it with cheese or cured meats. (Best from 2011-2016)
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Robe exhibant une couleur rouge cerise plutôt intense. Nez aux accents dolive noire, de laurier et de chêne grillé. Le tout est également agrémenté par des subtils parfums de bois de rose et de mûre. Laissez-vous charmer par ce nectar sec exprimant une agréable fraîcheur et muni de tannins soyeux. Le tout est également agrémenté par des flaveurs d'épices. Il dévoile une texture ample qui se prolonge dans une finale assez soutenue. Accord vin et mets Menu suggéré Cuisson / Préparation Sauce / Garniture Viande rouge : agneau grillé sauce aux tomates Pâtes : macaroni, spaghetti al dente pesto aux tomates séchées Charcuteries : terrine de gibier sans préparation sans accompagnement
This wine changed a bit during the few hours it was open. Towards the end, we smelled scents of berries and currants with hints of leather and caraway seeds. Tastes of cherries (that grew less tart as it opened), currants, and caraway with nice tannins and a long finish.
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Opened up after an hour or so. Light cherry, smoke leading to a lean but structured palate with moderate acidity and light tannins. Not much beyond that. Better with food; not interesting for sipping.
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A pretty average Chianti, not in the same league as the 06, the fruit was there but the finish was short, tannins not integrated well. I'm not sure time will help it.
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Served at a tasting of 7 Chianti's (all 2007). Initially it was slightly less favored to the classico version, however as it opened up became more complex.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Nose was muted but I could pick out plum and blackcherry. Concentrated but not jammy mouthfeel, smooth tannins and very little oak. Balanced but holding back, could have passed as a Brunello. Not typical Chianti but a wonderful wine that will benefit from cellaring. I will buy again and hold for 2-3 years.
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Falls a bit short but this wine was meant for food. the nice acidity carries on well with any italian dish. On its own heavy mineral component and earth. probably many with a taste for rich Calif style wines would not find this to their style
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Objectively, this wine is really well made. Personally, I think this is off the mark for a Chianti Riserva. The international fruit seems to really clobber the delicate Sangio flavors and aromas which seem to be in constant conflict with one another both on the palate and in the bouquet. A little too much oak as well. This is definitely made for the American palate but seems more fruit-forward and lacks the earthy / minerality component that I fancy in Tuscan wines.
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this had a pretty excellent nose of warm vanilla, soft cherries and raspberries, and some nice spice notes. the mouth wasn't as exciting as the nose, and the finish was less impressive. everything turned a bit too earthy and "dirty" for me given how promising the nose was. i don't have much experience with chianti, so maybe this is "proper." it did ok with homemade lasagna.
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Opened to air for 7 hours. Too soon to drink in my opinion. A little disjointed but everything is there. Really like that there is no over oaking in this bottle. Tannins really rough right now. Wait a year or more for next bottle. This is going to be very good.....
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PnVnD let air for 4 hours. Deep rich Chianti red not saturated with a red rim. Earth porcini and sour cherry aromas. Medium (-) weight with pleasantly rough espresso tannins. Nice zippy cranberry mid-palate. Great typically Chianti flavors of porcini and dried sour cherry with additional complex notes of sage and coffee. Way better than the 2006. Like it a lot and will buy more.
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The last bottle I had of this was sitting on a couch, and I didn't like it. This time, I used half of it with a Bolognese sauce, and had it with dinner, and that made a big difference. It wasn't necessarily any better, but the food definitely made this a much more enjoyable wine. Still very red, very structured and slightly lean, but it was very tasty in context. $25
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Sweet cherries and stewed plums on the nose. Smooth almst creamy on the palate with composed tannins on the finish. Drank over two days and certainly developed on second day.
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Sandro, fifth generation of the wine making family who founded Fattoria Viticcio near Greve, nailed it again. Crisp, clean, rich, and flavorful, this beautiful Chianti Classico tasted wonderful with aged Tuscan pecorino, olives, rustic salami and Italian bread. Magnifico!
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Nice wine. Decanted and paired with pesto-sauced pizzas my wife and I made for our 2 year anniversary. Classic Chianti cherries and leather with nice hints of anise and aromatic cedar wood from the oak. Still rustic but had a nice slice of refinement which did not completely overpower the grilled veggies on the pizza. I may be biased because of the occasion, but this wine restored my faith in well made Chainti. $22/pop, Overall Rating: A-
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Decanted 2 hours. Nose of tart cherries, spearmint, fig and black licorice. Taste is more towards the acidic side. Long finish that gets drier the longer it sits. I think this will age well but it's probably a little young now.
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This wine is young and at the moment and shut down without decanting. decanted for two hours and drank over the next 1. wonderful fruit hidding under firm tanins that give this wine the opportunity to age well for 10 plus years. long smooth finsh, rasberry, cheery, soft spice and notes of vanilla and oak. This first taste hid all the flavors that opened up and frankly finished the bottle prior to its full potential. do yourself a favor and cellar it for several years of allow plenty of time to open up.
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Popped and poured through Vinturi. Nice little Chianti for 24 bucks. Sweet cherries, some earth and a touch of vanilla/oak. Might be a bit reticent at this age but no harsh edges. Juicy, acidic mouthfeel.
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Nose of raspberry, surprisingly fruity; on tasting, wine was smooth, full but restrained, with nice acidity; excellent balance; mix of savory with fruit/vanilla notes; nice finish; pleasant dryness; a particularly well-balanced Chianti
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Pretty garnet color to peer through the bottom of my glass. Nice pronounced nose of black cherries and dusty tobacco leaf which lead to a wine that can be described as powerful and firm, yet a little undistinguished fruit & spice in the mouth. Great structure and lasting finish. Overall a very nice Chianti that is of a friendlier style for a modern palate, yet powerful enough for all to appreciate. Nice value IMHO.
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Very elegant with dark berries and plum. Not much fruit on its own but outstanding with food. Will lie down 2nd bottle and hope a little more power and richness develop, but love the flavor profile. 90+ if a stronger finish develops.
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Drank well with pizza and pasta. More earthy than the first bottle. Has a nice finish with a good frame of acidity. The base Chianti is the better value.
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I love this Chianti. Decanter for two hours this time. Notes very similar to the previous outstanding bottle. But this was shared with Kate and Nate at dinner, which made it all the more special. And in anticipation of a visit to Viticcio in Greve next January. Bravissimo!
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My wife threw away my notes - from memory, this was good but not exceptional (I loved the '04 of this wine). Nose had great aromatics but a little thin on the palate - will hold remaing bottles for 2012+. 87-89 range which should improve with time.
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Decanted two hours. Tart tart tart black cherries. Very tannic, slightly lean. This is everything I don't like about Chianti, with none of the weight or tar I'd expect of a good CCR. Very disappointing given the ratings here. I do think this has room to improve - I'm going to sit on my other bottle for a few years. $25
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Molto bene. This Viticcio Chianti Classico Reserva is living up to its reputation. Bright and cheery, yet deep and rich. Garnet in the glass. The nose invites indulgence, with notes of of spice, earth, flowers, and fruit -- and I detect a hint of biscotti. The palate carries perky acidity, with interplay of cherries and raspberries, followed by a light touch of fig at the end. Though only hefting a light medium body, the finish lingers for quite a while without any heaviness of a dense coating. Smooth and superior. Bravo.
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Aromas of minerals, spice, coffee, cherry and floral. The palate is fresh and lively with good acidity. Minerals, cherry, floral, spice and leather. Medium and multi-layered finish. This is one of the best Chianti wines of the year I sampled and at the price the best!
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1/20/2024 - DiveDVM Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still has great fruit!
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8/19/2023 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 92 Points
In perfect form and magically delicious. Dark cherries and soft spice for days. Blackberries, plum. Dry top soil, crushed, dry rock, dry brush, sandalwood, withering red flowers, good acidity, nice evolution, integration and very good wire to wire finish that lasts two minutes.
$20- $25 on release if my memory hasn’t failed me. Another 3-5 years of good drinking.
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1/13/2022 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 90 Points
This full-bodied Chianti continues to drink well, tonight it paired nicely with eggplant Parmesan, Cioppino with red sauce and baked sea bass in a tomato sauce.
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12/17/2021 - Doc90 wrote: 91 Points
Smoldering nose of pure cherry, thyme, and old wood. Excellent racy acidity (as it should have). Dark cherry core of fruit and a dried potpourri secondary that comes from its age. Definitional. Drinking perfectly now. Paired with red sauce pasta with Fraboni sausage.
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7/23/2021 - jayw Likes this wine:
Rich red fruit, cedar, licorish, tar, tobacco. Good depth with integrated tannins, drinking beautifully now. This Chianti Classico overdelivers at $22.
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3/6/2021 - callmeacab22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
2nd of 2 bottles. Just a perfectly wonderful aged Chianti still at its peak. I'm not the biggest Chianti fan, but this just blew my socks off. Medium to full body, beautiful color and nose, with smooth flavors and a long lingering finish. I rarely write such a positive review, so this was really special!
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12/16/2020 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 91 Points
I love this riserva. Gorgeous, distinctive aromas of the land overlooking Greve. Deep, rich, mature berries, lush mid-palate, finished with well-integrated tannins, and generous minerality. Notes of graphite and anise on the long finish. After 13 years, still a stunner.
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12/6/2020 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served successfully with Shrimp Scampi. My comments are consistent with my 11/25/13 note, but slightly now less grippy.
I agree with Ilonan that this wine has improved with age. Pleased I have a few left.
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11/19/2020 - IlonaN wrote: 92 Points
The last and by far the best of the bottles purchased in 2013. This wine has evolved to become rounded, ripe and very welcoming with almost any meal that includes cooked tomatoes.
For me this was an education with regard to the aging possibility of well made Chianti Classico Riserva wines.
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8/8/2020 - brentb Likes this wine:
Matched up well with chicken parm, decanted for an hour, tannin well integrated but the fruit is fading, drink up.
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7/5/2020 - Mike1369 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good wine that is past it’s prime drinking window. Fruit is fading.
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1/19/2020 - jayw Likes this wine:
This is a tannic Chianti Classico. Needs some time to air, but well balanced and drinking well right now.
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12/19/2019 - MCant wrote: 90 Points
- Violet color -
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10/27/2019 - mwneil Likes this wine: 93 Points
A real treat , an aged chianti, it had mellowed but good flavors and structure, complex, enjoyed with steak, would drink again if I can find it.
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9/22/2019 - BHRH Likes this wine: 88 Points
Terrible cork, so had to filter and decant. Even then, this wine needed 1+ hours to reveal typical CCR characteristics. In the meantime, it could have been any nice, rich red table wine, perhaps on the back side of plateau. If you have any left, decant and give it up to two hours to get best results - patience will pay off, but I'd drink up soonest!
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7/29/2019 - COWineLover wrote: 87 Points
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. After a case of this wine giving pleasure over many years this is a wine I will be wrapping up. Served with chicken cacciatore. Offers more promise aromatically with dried herbs, cherries, smoke, and lighter cassis notes. On the palate this is very dry with limited acidity to balance this out. Tart cherries on the palate, with an herb de Provence in the mid-palate, and finishing with more tart red fruits. The lack of acidity left this overwhelmed by the food.
Drinking up.
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5/23/2019 - shutto1992@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Not my cup of tea. Nothing interesting about this wine. Tastes like a cheap grocery store wine.
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2/9/2019 - Geoff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great fruit, acidity, balance. Some secondary nuances developing. Full bodied with long finish.
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11/22/2018 - rbt Likes this wine:
Drank for 2018 Thanksgiving
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9/15/2018 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Amazing QPR!
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8/11/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank this with spaghetti. Very nice with good acidity and sour fruits. Good now but I think this will be better in a few years when the tannins mellow a bit more.
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6/18/2018 - Geoff wrote: 90 Points
Perfectly aged Chianti Classico. Nice nutty/ cherry notes, appropriate acicity/tannins. Long finish.
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6/16/2018 - ISOPinot Likes this wine: 88 Points
Purple, almost inky, with well-defined rim variation and a few bubbles. Medium to a bit slower legs. Aromas key on red fruit and spice: raspberry, strawberry, cherry, plum, orange peel, cinnamon, clove. Hints of dust, forest floor, medium toast, oak, sandalwood, violet, eucalyptus, mint and cocoa. And, on final day of tasting, definite mushroom aroma. Flavors were similar but spice continued to dominate with fruit showing more cherry as well as distinct bitterness and tannins. Medium/full body with linear texture. Medium finish, medium plus acidity. Overall impression: complex, intense wine which has aged very well. Fading was minimal over 4 days. At $24, QPR is average. Will definitely seek out future vintages. Drink now.
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6/2/2018 - Adventr.us wrote: 90 Points
Drank beautifully with our humble pasta sausage peppers onions bake.
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2/13/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice mature Sangiovese. Went well with spaghetti dinner.
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1/12/2018 - callmeacab22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going great. Bold with good depth of flavor.
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12/23/2017 - Adventr.us wrote: 89 Points
The fruit seems to have faded a bit since my last bottle, but the tannins are nicely resolved, and it's a smooth easy drinker. Should work well with our lasagne dinner - if there's any left.
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12/11/2017 - Grenik Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fruity and floral nose. Solid core of red fruit but not a lot else. Light and medium finish.
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10/23/2017 - bjamesclark wrote: flawed
Corked...
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9/2/2017 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Only has a small taste before it was gone but delicious non the less.
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8/22/2017 - juffer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Has improved with age. Intense cherry and tobacco nose. Rich, somewhat round mouth. Plenty of dark fruit on the finish makes up for the relatively low acidity and moderate tannins. Fruit reveals itself more as the wine aerates.
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6/19/2017 - gajalaa Likes this wine: 90 Points
Raspberry & leather on the nose
Black currant on palate
Acidic and tannic could use another year
Medium to short finish
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6/10/2017 - Eigerdog wrote: 86 Points
- Slow forming legs and aromas of raspberry. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of black currant with a light/medium body. Narrow texture with a short finish.
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4/21/2017 - Procurare wrote: 90 Points
Clear with no visual flaws. On the nose leather with strawberry and a bit of stone and musk. The attack did not match the complexity of the nose. A bit disjointed as it really stood on its acid. Where is the fruit? Still enjoyable and a well made Chianti. Medium to short finish.
A: 5 N: 8 B: 7 T 16 F: 4 = 90
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3/20/2017 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Red fruit, leather and a touch of damp forest on the nose and palate. Plenty of acidity and still quite tannic for a wine going into it's 10th year...nothing that gets in the way but a little drying on the palate. Really nice wine.
a little commentary...I bought a half case several years ago on release and didn't think much of the wine for the first few years especially due to the professional scores it garnished. Well those scores IMHO were pretty close to spot on 10 years in. In never ceases to amaze me how some have the ability to read a wine so far in advance of it's evolution. I mean, I get it in theory, but I do not have the ability...so hats off to those that do...I will keep following!
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1/29/2017 - Geoff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still plenty of tannins, but incorporating. Beautiful fruit.
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1/3/2017 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
Bit better than the first bottle.
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11/26/2016 - donash.com wrote: 90 Points
A good wine but a little thin for a chianti.
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11/7/2016 - bcg14 wrote: 88 Points
Slightly corked, but otherwise good fruit.
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10/23/2016 - CWilliam wrote:
Better with air & age - angular though on nose & palate - dark reddish black color - alcohol, herbal, black cherry on nose. On palate, black cherry, dirt, menthol. High acidity, medium body and medium+ finish.
Given other's notes on this wine I would guess my bottles got damaged in transport - this wine was not corked but fruit was pretty oxidized. Not rating.
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7/13/2016 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 91 Points
At this point of maturation actually quite a good entry level chianti classico riserva and a very good QPR wine at the ~ $20 / bottle price point. Decanted for about an hour the 1st day and it was actually better the next day, softer and more complex so this wine can stand a LOT of air and a lot more time in the cellar - definitely at least another 3-5 years ago and my thoughts on this on the previous bottle I rated were just way off. 1st day 89-90 points, 2nd day a solid 91. Nose bright and initially a bit sharp with dark fruit, tar and earthy spices. Medium - full bodied, deep purple, good balance and well structured with now well balanced acids and tannins. Plum, black pepper, earth, tar and smoke developing later on the palate with a much lengthier aftertaste at this point of maturation. Definitely recommend this wine.
After thought: a GREAT pairing with a Chicago deep dish style pizza on both nights, which is exactly what we did.
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6/7/2016 - KeaneCellar Likes this wine:
Very nice Chianti
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5/15/2016 - clio_wine Likes this wine:
Good/Very Good. I am not a fan of chianti, but this has some depth and complexity, Dark red plums, tar. Yummy.
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5/9/2016 - bin905 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rose and spice scent. Cranberry, tar, meat, licorice and mineral flavor with energetic tannins.
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4/22/2016 - Wineson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pretty good.
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4/8/2016 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Aromas and flavors of cherry, dried herbs, underbrush and earth. Leads to a long, soft finish. Medium to full bodied. Well balanced with a very smooth texture. Has softened with age and is drinking beautifully. Paired with four cheese pizza.
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3/25/2016 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
A beautiful wine. Drinking really well but easily has a couple of years
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3/11/2016 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Compared to the BdM that we drank with the same meal, this wine was rustic and a little brash. Still, a very good CCR.
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3/1/2016 - lelandinmichigan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much better than previous bottles, more opened. Ready to drink.
deep maroon color, very pretty. cherry color around the edge... seems it could age a while longer.
Aromas of graham cracker, forest floor and rich fruit.
Medium body, juicy, acidic and freshing on the palate. invigorating yet rich at the same time. a little fatter and richer than most chiantis ive had, but i like it.
Previous bottles i consumed 3-4 years ago were much more angular and restrained. This bottle has opened and is richer and fatter.
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2/14/2016 - VAGentleman wrote: 88 Points
A bit thin. Nice nose. Herbal with red berries. Some tannins with clean finish. Just not that interesting
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2/6/2016 - mattmerc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened thanks to previous reviews. Decanted with bottle aerator and clef du vin. Great nose. Bit mellow losing its Chianti robusto but very drinkable without the ragu!
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2/4/2016 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
First bottle in approximately one year. On opening this revealed floral aromas, cherries, and a bit of incense. On the palate, this is starting to show some fatigue as is not as fresh as previous bottles. The flavor profile has the dusty tannins very tamed. This still has solid acidity and cherry, smoke, pepper, light notes of sage, and a hint of iron show through. Pretty good persistence on the finish where there is solid drive. I know my notes look like they belong to a Rhone Syrah, but that is what is showing here.
Bottles stored over 5 years in a climate controlled cellar, so I would recommend testing out. Still enjoyable tonight.
Day 2 - This held up well overnight.
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2/4/2016 - carlsport Likes this wine: 86 Points
Past it's prime. Decent night #1, but fell apart for night #2. Drink soon if you still have this in your cellar.
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1/27/2016 - ClaudioMac1 wrote: flawed
Corked and thin. Cork showed seepage all the way through.
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1/21/2016 - Rollerball wrote: flawed
Slightly corked but drinkable.
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1/16/2016 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
not a huge fan of Chanti; perhaps too many bottles of raffia plonk when younger. I could get to like this...
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12/14/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Great value, drink now or over 2-3 years.
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12/2/2015 - Winiac wrote: 88 Points
A bit thin, but still well made.
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11/20/2015 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 91 Points
In a good place right now. Open and expressive with balance and nice finish. Wish I had more.
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11/1/2015 - Eags25 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic, full-bodied yet elegant & silky Chianti. Subtle nose of perfume, currant & evolved fruits. Lively on the palate - nice acidity frames the earth & fruit. One of the best Chianti's I've tasted. A bit of grip on the finish - probably could go a few more years. Fantastic.
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10/25/2015 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just as good as the last bottle. Such a nice QPR Reserva.
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10/24/2015 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Amazing QPR! Drinking extremely youthful, a couple more years in the bottle will pay great divedends.
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9/17/2015 - jrobs7777 wrote:
Hold hold hold. This needs at least 3-5 years in my opinion. Very tight. A good amount of oak. Not a lot of fruit. Muted.
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9/7/2015 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted; light sediment. First pour one hour later: Garnet color. Dark berry nose. Plenty of fruit, including cherry, on the palate, balanced with a good level of acids and subdued tannins. A very long and pleasing finish. Good QPR. Probably won't improve further with age, but should be drinking well for several more years.
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7/24/2015 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stored at 57 degrees since purchase. Floral aroma. Fresh fruit, cedar, medium body. Nice acidity and mild tannins. Tart cherry finish. Drinking great right now.
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7/15/2015 - vinodolphin wrote: 86 Points
Shared with everyone on vacation family night. Everyone just thought OK. This one has finally passed its prime. Glad it is my last bottle.
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6/21/2015 - BGK810 wrote: 89 Points
Classic chianti ready to drink now. Left some in a glass and it was dead in 3 hours.
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6/12/2015 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Better experience than previous years. This wine is now ready, for me. Nice dark, dense color. Full bodied with a fruit forward, new world style delivery with fully integrated acidity, tannins and heat, yet providing structure with a continuity of the dark fruit flavors. Finish lasts forever.
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4/18/2015 - bobvictor wrote: 86 Points
Weak, watery. Disappointing
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3/31/2015 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another very nice showing. As expected, very nice with pasta.
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2/23/2015 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby red colored with medium staining in the tears that show moderate-plus viscosity. Bright reflections and opaque through the core. no variation to the rim.
Aromas present with medium-plus in intensity. Beautiful floral scents of crushed roses, tobacco, herbs and cherry, cranberry slightly on the dried side, but not all the way, aromas laced with spice, cocoa and cedar.
On the palate, balanced and elegant, still drinking young. Acidity is medium/medium-plus with slightly dusty moderate/moderate-plus tannins. Flavors of dried cherry, goji, cranberry, leather, tobacco, herbs, wood and spice with touches of earth and dried mushroom. The finish lingers pleasantly. Very balanced and drinking well.
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2/15/2015 - CAP Likes this wine: 90 Points
excellent chianti, needed some time to open up. Great earthy and dark fruit components, wonderful acid balance and length.
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2/5/2015 - carlsport Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clear ruby in the glass with pronounced legs. Aromas of cherry and oak, with raspberry and blackberry on the palate, with some leather as well.
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1/19/2015 - up4wine wrote: 89 Points
Excellent Chianti. Good balance; nice long finish.
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1/15/2015 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really a delicious wine from the pop 'n pour. Sweet cherry and red raspberries with crisp acidity. Lacks secondary flavors, but the fruit, balance, medium tannins, and lusciousness all the way through to the finish makes this a winner.
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1/11/2015 - winepog wrote: flawed
This was flat but acerbic. Over the hill or flawed.
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12/28/2014 - winepog wrote: flawed
Bottle was not yummy at all. I think it was flawed.
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12/26/2014 - asheio wrote: 91 Points
Drinks perfectly now. The oak is well integrated, and it has gained complexity. My best bottle of this wine, regardless the vintage.
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11/30/2014 - juffer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Done in an international style, but not overly round. Still, would have liked to have seen a bit more acidity. Smokey French oak and black cherry nose, moderately rich mouth feel, good tannins on the finish, just needs a bit more acidity. The nose is already fairly open, but I have a hunch it will become even more so with some air time. Will see.
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10/28/2014 - jrobs7777 wrote:
Perfectly okay. Maybe it needs a decant or air but tonight this was very muted. Just not a lot of excitement. Deeper fruit and good acidity. It seems like this could become something better with time.
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10/4/2014 - Zed57 wrote: 92 Points
This has evolved beautifully. Silky smooth top notch chianti. Will continue to mature but why wait
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9/27/2014 - GEMon Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine has changed quite a bit since our last rating. Scents of a raspberry pastry. There's a soft and silky mouthfeel with a lot of red fruits, a hint of leather, and a little spice.
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9/18/2014 - CWilliam wrote:
Blackish / red color. Dirt / tobacco / red currants / black cherry on nose. On palate, dark cherry, bright acidity, medium body & medium+ finish. Better showing than my prior 4 bottles and has improved with age (I like this wine now that is has some earthy secondary characteristics) - decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner. 90+/- There are better Chianti's at this price point but it's a well made bottle of wine that needed some time.
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9/14/2014 - oenophilemoose wrote: 84 Points
Light bodied, seemed “watered back”, sweet and highly acidic with not enough tannins to balance resulting in a less than enjoyable finish. Decanted one hour and consumed over the next four. Seemed to improve with air otherwise would have rated lower.
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9/9/2014 - BGK810 wrote: 83 Points
Slightly corked. Cherry flavors and good acidity but slight corkiness made it not real enjoyable.
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9/7/2014 - bin905 wrote: 91 Points
Rich and flavorful with smooth tannins.
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9/4/2014 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
perfect with spaghetti
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9/3/2014 - MyWineTutor Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wine Spectator rated this a 91 and it's #40 best wine in 2010. Needs a good 60 minute decant to bring out the black cherry fruit flavors, and for what I paid - $23, it's was an excellent value.
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8/30/2014 - bin905 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Spice and kirsh scent. Rich, ripe dark berry, fig, mocha, tar and a hint of licorice flavor with ample full round tannins.
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8/14/2014 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 90 Points
I pulled this out of the rack tonight thinking that "I'm not crazy about Chianti but this should go well with the veggie pizza (with sun dried tomatoes and feta)." If I had checked my notes from last time, i wouldn't have been surprised once again by how well structured and smooth this one is. Quite nice.
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7/24/2014 - kcsteve wrote: 91 Points
Here are my notes from Fall of last year: Has come together nicely since my last bottle in 2011. Floral aroma with hint of wood. Currant and cherry on the palate with a hint of bramble. Hot to start, softened after 2 hours in decanter. Nice, soft tannins. Interesting, slightly bitter cherry finish. Pretty much the same.
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7/14/2014 - fritza wrote: 88 Points
Had with lamb chops and grilled zucchini. Should have had with something lighter (chicken or seafood) as the chops overpowered this wine. Ruby in color and classic Sangiovese on the nose. Cherry and red berries with a hint of coffee on the palate, but fruit is muted. Minimal tannins. Well balanced
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7/5/2014 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine, but could not compete with the Buccella Merlot, Altamura Cab, Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah and a Regusci Cab. I know, what was I thinking. It did help to bring a nice close to a perfect dinner party.
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7/2/2014 - Armando B wrote: 88 Points
Pretty good bottle. Certainly a modern, more dark fruited take on a CCR. Medium weight with some leather notes. Drank over 4 days, and Days 3 and 4 were probably best. No reason to doubtthis has several years, at least, left to go.
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6/9/2014 - CieloVista wrote: 85 Points
Good Sangiovese with nice cola flavors
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6/9/2014 - Wineson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pretty good. But nothing that made me say that I have to have that wine again
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6/9/2014 - wine&roses wrote: 88 Points
Eh. One good bottle. Three without distinction.
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6/8/2014 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk. approachable and pleasant now. Nothing amazing.
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5/28/2014 - wine&roses wrote: 89 Points
Let's remember it's chianti, not claret. So it has a nice nose of cedar and plums, with something I remember from the boatyards of my childhood--spar varnish, maybe?--& a nice palate that is old-world & complex enough to be interesting, not the sweet sickly crap of modern, international-style wines. So yes, it's fine.
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5/25/2014 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Took to an Italian Restaurant with a good corkage fee. Everyone enjoyed. My wife, not a Chianti fan, commented again that she liked this one.
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4/4/2014 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, blackberry, carmel, smoke and dried herbs. A red and black fruit core of cherry and blackberry dominate on the palate and combines with coffee, carmel, spice and fine tannins. Leads to a medium to long finish. Medium to full bodied with a smooth texture. Maturing nicely with more secondary notes evident. Paired well with penne alla vodka.
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3/28/2014 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exceeded expectations. Red fruit with rose, spice aromas, the wine has laser-like cherry, wild berry, and raspberry fruit that is so precise backed by reshreshing acidity and light oak notes. The wine has beautiful length with silky tannins, and steps up a notch in intsensity on the finish, overall, a great Chianti. Drink now or over the next couple of years.
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3/27/2014 - CAP Likes this wine: 89 Points
nice wine, a little tight. Excellent with food, and enjoyed over the course of two hours. For the price, would've liked a little more complexity.
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3/26/2014 - Bam_Man wrote: flawed
Flat as a pancake. Likely cooked/corked. :-(
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3/23/2014 - BSZach1 wrote: 90 Points
This bottle well exceeded my expectations. Earthy and leather with really dark fruit. Smooth on the pallet.
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2/14/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 89 Points
PnP. In the 14 months since my last bottle, this wine has tamed somewhat. The aroma possesses some floral qualities coupled with raspberries and strawberries. On the palate, the tannins are more subdued, and the acidity is still crisp. This mellows on the palate after some hang time. The palate holds cranberry, cherries, and some smoke. A finish with nice cut, though somewhat dry and chalky. This wine is best served with Italian dishes that need some acidity and cut to cleanse your palate.
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2/4/2014 - Chiantihound wrote: 91 Points
Pop. Dark ruby to the eye, no signs of age, ever so slightly opaque. Sweet nose is what I am thinking. Mixture of cherry, forest moss, small vanilla? Beguiling. Palate follows nose with strawberry jam joining the game. Medium acidity. Tannins still a little drying leading to medium + finish.
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1/22/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really good wine. Sorry to see my last bottle go.
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1/22/2014 - The years of the grape Likes this wine: 89 Points
It got more complex after some time: at first it had a strong red cherry aromas with some spice and wood, while after a while it became somewhat rounder, coffee and dark chocolate showing up.
Dry and solid, but not too heavy. It leaves a firm tannic grip and a lasting acidity in the mouth, for which I recommend to have it with some food. Enjoyable now, but it can age longer.
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1/7/2014 - berko wrote: 91 Points
When popped and poured it was shut down tight. After three hrs in the decanter it opened significantly. Still the tannins were dominant, but they backed off enough to allow the fruit to be appreciated. Solid chianti. Enjoyed with braised pork shoulder.
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12/30/2013 - VinoPKM wrote:
A good QPR Chianti, nothing wowing and a solid $20-to-sub $20 wine.
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12/25/2013 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 89 Points
An enjoyable Chianti paired with cheese and spinach manicotti. Modest bouquet but with nice red fruit, a touch of oak and good acidity, and pleasantly grippy finish
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12/15/2013 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 90 Points
Our last bottle of this beauty, enjoyed with the family at a holiday celebration. A fine and classic Chianti as always.
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12/7/2013 - Boneguru Likes this wine: 88 Points
Open in it early and pair it with heavy food and this is a nice bottle. Not my favorite for drinking without food.
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12/7/2013 - Tetherton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very enjoyable chiantia classico riserva. Lovely floral notes, cherry and some cedar on the palate. A great deal.
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11/16/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consistent with previous notes. A good solid chianti and a decent value at $20-25. But the 2009 Basciano Rufina we had recently was as good at half the price. So the QPR here is good but not great. My last bottle and will probably not seek out more.
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11/16/2013 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pnp, consumed 70/30 over 2 days. pretty similar nose to my first tn, but the flavors and finish have come together to be a very pretty soft cherry and vanilla filled experience. it's not effusive, but tasty. did its best with ny-style pizza, and was decent on its own. if scoring, 84-86.
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11/8/2013 - KVM wrote: 90 Points
For a Chianti, this could be considered "lush". Lots of dark plum and cherry, finishing with a savoury tang. Balanced. Can last a few more years.
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10/22/2013 - joet626 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very smooth and balanced. Liked it a lot
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10/20/2013 - RussK wrote: 89 Points
Russk. Thin and filtered Mouth of sour cherry and plum. Seems hot, despite the 13.5 alcohol. Tasts like there was too much char on the barrels.
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10/19/2013 - Oldworlddrinker Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with prior bottles, a great example of chianti riserva from a good vintage, aromas of cherries with some floral and wood tones. On the palate that bitter punch characteristic of Chiantis is very upfront. A wine to be enjoyed with pizza or any tomato based dish or pasta. Salud!
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10/11/2013 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 90 Points
Has come together nicely since my last bottle in 2011. Floral aroma with hint of wood. Currant and cherry on the palate with a hint of bramble. Hot to start, softened after 2 hours in decanter. Nice, soft tannins. Interesting, slightly bitter cherry finish. 3 down, 3 to go.
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10/9/2013 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Great QPR. Paired great with homemade spaghetti and meatballs.
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9/29/2013 - drmarc61 wrote: 88 Points
Very nice chianti. Good cherry base that balanced out the acidity of the tomato sauce.
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9/29/2013 - umazz wrote: 85 Points
Too big and bold for a Chianti, over extracted.
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9/24/2013 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Singing. Best, and sadly last, of my bottles. Red berry fruit, a little leather, some very nice mineral and spice, crisp acidity, long finish with just a hint of pleasant bitterness. Wish I had more now.
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9/22/2013 - Armando B wrote: 85 Points
My third bottle of this wine. First was an unexceptional run-of-the-mill modern styled Chianti. Second was better. This was the same as the firs. Will be interesting to see what remaining bottles show.
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9/14/2013 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Chianti that is smoother than the norm, and even better after about an hour, when it started picking up notes of violet over the abundant but balanced fruit. Good value at ~ $22 and I'll buy more if I get the chance at this price.
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9/12/2013 - Geoff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice with pork Parmesan.
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9/11/2013 - IGN WINESNOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had with chicken parmesan. Smooth, interesting and enjoyable chianti. Drinking well an hour in. Has evolved since first trying. Nice day 2 as well.
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8/31/2013 - bianca15 wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth. Great bouquet. A wonderful complex flavor with lots of smoky notes that you don't often associate with a Chianti. A rich, solid Chianti with guts, almost Cabernet like. Really great.
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8/23/2013 - drsilver wrote: 98 Points
This was one of the best wines I've had in a long time. What an amazing balance of sweet fruit and fermented fruit. It had a hint of strawberry and cherry with the grape flavor. It reminded me of my vacation in Italy. We had amazing fresh pizza every day along with a litre (not liter) of 'table wine' which was almost always a perfect Chianti. Prior to my Italy trip, I had never really cared for Chianti, nor Italian wines in general as I found them more dry than I had liked. I don't care for dry wines as they feel like a dish sponge (a clean one) on your tongue sucking up the moisture. But after my trip to Italy, (Rome, Pisa, Florence, Sienna, Orvieto) I found a new love for Italian wines. This wine was surprisingly amazing. Opening and tasting this wine was like taking an exam in school and thinking you did poorly walking out of the room, only to find out later when the professor posted your score by the last four of your social in the hallway that you scored the second highest in the class. This wine was like that, nice surprise. I did not have that high expectations but it exceeded them. I paired this wine with a late night snack, 12 month aged extra sharp New York cheddar (pronounced Chedd-ah, explicative , in New York). Great pairing that made the cheese taste better than chocolate or cheese cake. I still don't get how cheese cake has anything to do with cheese. I mean I know it's cream cheese but its all sugar that makes the cream cheese go from breakfast to dessert. Great wine!
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8/18/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Brought to Kevin and Joyce's. Consistent with previous notes. Nice chianti and a solid value
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8/12/2013 - Armando B wrote: 89 Points
Weird bottle. Day 1: pop and pour; very little fruit; a lot of earth and acid; balance out of whack. Day 2: much better wine with intense, but not heavy, red fruit that is complememnted by earth notes; good balance. This bottle suggests that a couple of hours decant and consumption with food that benefits from the healthy acid should yield a very nice experience.
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8/3/2013 - ddingley wrote: 89 Points
Restrained and earthy, very much a food wine, really started to shine with a rich dish of cheesy pasta
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7/29/2013 - StageOneRacing Does not like this wine: 80 Points
I found this disappointing with all the solid reviews. It was decent right after opening, but quickly lost flavor.
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7/28/2013 - KVM wrote: 89 Points
Med dark red. Almond, cherry. Well concentrated bitter cherry fruit, earthy and savoury notes. Quite enjoyable and surprisingly long.
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7/13/2013 - df1962 wrote: 91 Points
PnD let air for 5hrs. Drank with 2006. This was waaay better. Bright dark cherry aroma and flavour with the quintessential Tuscan savour. A bit on the downward side of its evolution but still a nice combination of fruit and aged nuance.
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7/1/2013 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruth is not a big fan of Chianti but liked this one. Very well paired with smothered chicken.
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6/30/2013 - jwolf99 wrote: 87 Points
It's been over a year since we last had a bottle of this. I should have paid better attention to my inventory and prior notes as back then I noted that this wine was possibly starting to decline. Now I'm convinced that it is. It wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't as good as it was a couple of years ago. Time to drink up.
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6/30/2013 - Armando B wrote:
Pleasant but not much to praise past being a fair representation of a modern CCR from an average year. I have 3 more bottles and will hope for better. Worth $22 discount price but not more.
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6/28/2013 - jayw Likes this wine:
Berry fruit and cherry, licorice and beef consumme. Great balance and structure.
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6/27/2013 - up4wine wrote: 90 Points
Very fine fruit. Great leather on the nose. Showed well against hard cheeses and against tomatoes and basalmic vinager. Also made an excellent complement to hearty grilled meat. I was tempted to give it a 91 (but will hold at 90 this time) because the wine was so well integrated and the acid level is just right for food.
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6/7/2013 - jhdempse Likes this wine:
Tannic front, smooth finish. Nice balance. Easy drinking. Excellent. Would buy more!!!
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5/27/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Picked up another 3 bottles of this, and this one was terrific. Consistent with previous notes. Nice balance of fruit (plum and sour cherry), acidity, minerality, and tannin. Really nice with a variety of food. Super solid Chianti.
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5/22/2013 - Tcastaldi wrote: 89 Points
Floral & licorice nose. Nice balanced tannins and solid finish. Slight oak undertone. Delightful for the value
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5/4/2013 - 1961Vintage wrote: 91 Points
Very nice fruit. Little decant needed. Nicely balanced. Great with pesto coated pasta
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5/2/2013 - Johnny C NYC wrote: 91 Points
Brilliantly rich and oaky; well done oak, but you have to like oak; still appreciate my bargain on this surprisingly good chianti. 50/5/12/16/8
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4/26/2013 - Oldworlddrinker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with prior notes, however this wine was not as enjoyable on the second night, it felt oxidized even after keeping it on the wine fridge and vacuvin
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4/18/2013 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decent for the price. A little "thin" but smooth and great with pasta.
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4/9/2013 - Pipcelot Likes this wine: 89 Points
A solid Chianti with good acid and a cherry flavor profile. Kind of like eating cherries straight out of the dirt -- not that cherries grow in the dirt, but this is what they might taste like if they did. And had alcohol added to them. Yeah, that's it.
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4/5/2013 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe black cherries with a little nuttiness, spicy with nice acidity.
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3/20/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
This wine showed well w ribollita soup, and red meat sauce. Lush, ripe, sweet fruit in a modern style, but w good enough structure to balance. Good value.
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3/19/2013 - steve2 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking fantastic now.Violets and flowers on the nose.Lovely chewy mid palate with nice acidity and a long finish. As good as chianti gets.!
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3/19/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better than previous tastings! Black cherry / garnet color, nose of mocha, berries and spice. Rather light bodied, with very complex, yet balanced flavors of fruit, leather, mocha and bark. Just the right amount of tannin provides support that carries those flavors on through the finish with a peek of acidity/sour cherry at the end. The heat is well integrated, making this a very easy wine to dirnk, and appreciate.
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3/12/2013 - JAMESMOBB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aromas of chocolate, dark berries and a hint of floral follow through to a full-bodied mouthfeel. It has very smooth tannins with wonderful richness and a vanilla taste. Lasts for a good amount of time on the palate.
The bottle was on the Wine Spectator 2009 Top 100 list as #35.
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3/10/2013 - IGN WINESNOB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nicely served with Lasagna. Opened quickly and nice finish. Good Chianti. Everyone enjoyed.
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2/28/2013 - VinoServant wrote: 90 Points
I decanted the wine for 90 minutes. The wine was great. Dark currant and cedar. Tannins were silky smooth. Great nose as well. First sip most wine drinkers probably wouldn't guess that it was an Italian Sangiovese.
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2/26/2013 - Bam_Man wrote: 90 Points
Had to try another one of these to see whether the one two weeks ago was just a bad bottle or not. Decanted for about an hour, and unfortunately the verdict was "no". Just like last time - rich, with lots of blackberry and sour cherry fruit - but deadly dull and simple. After half a glass, decided to slow oxidize this for 24 hours as a last resort. Voila! err, I mean Ecco lo! It's a different wine the next day. Still not particularly expressive on the nose, but it has transformed into a very respectable "modern" style Chianti. Deep and rich - now displaying a lively acidity, fine-grained tannins and a touch of oak on the long finish. Still not the 93 point wine WS (Suckling) described, but no longer the huge disappointment I originally thought it was.
50+5+11+16+8=90
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2/26/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Last of 3 bottles and consistent with previous notes. Nice chianti that perhaps veers a bit toward the new world style. But as it took on air, some leather and spice came through. This has racy red fruit and really good acidity, which made it pair nicely with chicken cacciatore in a tomato-based sauce. Overall, nice Chianti, and a good food wine as they often are. At $23 it is a decent value but not crazy. If this were $17, it would be tremendous. I would probably buy again, and I think it has a few years to run given the acidic structure.
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2/24/2013 - slippytoad wrote: 84 Points
This one was slightly corked but still drinkable.
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2/23/2013 - Racer117 wrote: 89 Points
Another nice showing of this quintessential old world red. Nice dried cherry, leather, and spices on the nose; cherry and red fruit flavors with substantial acidity. Very good but definitely not a Brunello and surely no Tignanello!
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2/19/2013 - Sourdough wrote: 90 Points
Very nice Chianti. A tad bitter
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2/18/2013 - wicozani Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened 2.5 hours before dinner to use 100ml in the red marinara sauce I was making. Was relatively uninspiring at this stage. However, in the 2 hours it was left open to pairing with spaghetti and meatballs, it really blossomed nicely. Excellent sangiovese typicity, dry and medium-full bodied, with excellent intensity and concentration with the meal. Significant tar/dry licorice noted, along with a touch of leather. This was much better than the bottle I'd had several months ago, so perhaps it is fulfilling its WS score!?
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2/9/2013 - Bam_Man wrote: 87 Points
In a nutshell - disappointing. Faint aromas of dark berries and cedar on the nose. Full-bodied and rich, with nice depth to the sour cherry fruit. There's also a long, fruity finish, but not much at all in the way of complexity. This was pleasant but surprisingly simple. Needed food to really be enjoyed. Not even close to the 2006, but somehow received the same score (93 points!) from Wine Spectator. Hoping this was just an "off" bottle because I've got four more of these.
50+5+11+14+7=87
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2/1/2013 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank with meat sauce and pasta. Vinturied into decanter for 30-45 minutes. Classic Chianti, driven by the rock solid mouthfeel, acidity, and tannic structure, fruit is somewhat in the background. Tannins are smooth and finish nicely. Definitely a food wine. Looking forward to the other 3 bottles.
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1/29/2013 - djarcara wrote: 89 Points
Much better than my last tasting. medium body. More balance of acid, fruit, and balance. Needs breathing time and could use more age. But a very promising wine for black fruit, tobacco and earthiness.
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1/26/2013 - RhoneG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for two hours. Very aromatic, medium body, cherries, spice, red fruit, in balance, ready to drink.
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1/24/2013 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Dark cherry red colored wine that is clear and shows moderate viscosity and day bright reflections.
Once allowed to breathe the nose displays intoxicating aromas that include currant and cherry that are balanced with cedar and spice that makes this hard to stop smelling. Ancillary aromas of raspberry are perfumed with flowers, dill and tarragon.
The palate is bright upon entry, leading with flavors of wood and tobacco, that evolve on the palate lingering on flavors of tart cherry, strawberry and rhubarb. Tannins are moderate and drying and balanced with acidity. the finish is long lingering on dried herbs and wood.
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1/18/2013 - krvw wrote: 91 Points
Wow, I loved this wine. Deep black cherry fruit, moderate to heavy tannins, and a nice food acidity. Takes me back to Greve.
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1/13/2013 - tourproto Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Very disappointed in this chianti. Unbalanced when opened and did not get better on the second day. Cork did not appear damaged but maybe it was oxidized. Have other bottles to try but based on this, I will stick with Ruffino.
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1/12/2013 - rsazima wrote: 89 Points
Beautiful aromatics, but hard / drying on the mouth. Perhaps a bit too young (kept improving for 2-3 days in the bottle).
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1/11/2013 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 90 Points
Italian food and Viticcio Chianti Classico Reserva are a match made in heaven. From the hills above Greve, where I first tasted this beauty, to my home in Connecticut, where I continue to revel in its luscious sangiovese charms, this wine always thrills me.
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1/10/2013 - CWilliam Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours - relatively consistent with prior notes. My wife enjoyed this wine and her notes would be consistent with prior tasters notes. To me the fruit / acid mix is out of balance - with food this is okay, without its too harsh. 85+/- for me and would not buy again.
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1/4/2013 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, spice and vanilla. Tart red fruit, spice and fine tannins lead to a medium to long finish. Medium bodied. Smooth and elegant. Drinking very well. Paired well with baked spaghetti.
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12/29/2012 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
Consumed with homeade spaghetti. There is a light floral nose with vanilla toast that lurks under the dark plum color. This is a sturdy and powerful sip out of the bottle with vanilla, currant, and blackberry. This really would benefit with more time to soften the fleshy tannins. The acidity holds up well especially with hearty Italian food. This should be served with heavy Italian fare such as homeade spaghetti, lasagna, or veal parmigiana. A short decant is recommended.
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12/27/2012 - folsomarndt wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Nice floral aroma, cherry and black berry fruit with velvety smooth tannins, great balance and a mid-length lovely finish. A great QPR, that's best served with food.
Simply a wonderful Chianit and looking forward to our next bottle.
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12/26/2012 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 88 Points
PnP at MomD's and ate with homemade lasagna. Good pairing and a nice solid chianti. This has a forward red-fruit profile (lots of plum) and is a bit new-world in style. But it also has decent acidity to go with red sauce and medium body. Overall, a nice Chianti and worth the $23 I paid.
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12/22/2012 - cucycling Likes this wine: 90 Points
nice lighter crisp, slight acidity was perfect with chippino.
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12/21/2012 - jonysan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great drinking Chianti. My "go to" spaghetti wine. Sour cherry & leather flavors. Nice acidity to go with the red sauce. Velvety tannins. Last bottle. Will definitely get some more.
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12/17/2012 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Pretty strawberry and floral flavors, a little leather, nicely balanced.
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12/16/2012 - carlsport Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stellar chianti. Very smooth with classic sangiovese characteristics. Drank the first glass after an hour in the decanter with a splendid sausage lasagna. Second glass came after two more hours in the decanter and still was singing!
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12/16/2012 - Oldworlddrinker wrote: 92 Points
My third bottle, consistent with prior notes, a true example of a Chianti Classico, my only regret is that I only bought 4 bottles!
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12/10/2012 - vtwinelover wrote: 92 Points
Perfect balance right now. Great structure, fruit is both deep and has good acidity. Classic Chianti.
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12/8/2012 - Jay72274 wrote: 89 Points
Better than the first bottle, very firm acidity and dark fruit with well integrated tannin, went pretty well with pizza. Opened up rather quickly which was a definite surprise/improvement over the first bottle which I remember taking awhile to get going.
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12/7/2012 - SCMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
I'm a Chianti fan, and this is an excellent example of one done right. Terrific old world Tuscan nose. Dark cherry fruit, with light cedar and earthy notes. Seamless and smooth, with a great long finish, kept lively with balanced acidity. I may have just talked myself into an even higher score.
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11/25/2012 - Yamadori wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured. Consistent with previous TN. Opened in an emergency and took just a little time to open up. Nice dark cherry fruit profiile with notes of smoke and earth. Shortish finish with mild tannins. Simple but quite nice. Decent value at about $22.
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11/23/2012 - yeti575rider wrote: 87 Points
Not as much cherry fruit as I generally like in a sangiovese and bit acidic and thin. Nose a bit closed, maybe a mushroom sort of note in there with the lighter red fruits.
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11/23/2012 - Zed57 wrote: 91 Points
A great chianti. Don't be fooled, this wine is still holding back. The earthy backbone and subtle fruit will come together in a year or more. Patience.
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11/19/2012 - Vinobruin wrote: 89 Points
Nice expression of Sangiovese grape. Smooth and balanced. Drink over the next 2 - 3 years. Good QPR if purchased under $25. This is not for lovers of California Cab.
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11/18/2012 - fournet wrote: 87 Points
2+ hour decant. Really enjoyable bottle, better than expected, and really nice QPR at $20 from CostCo. I had a glass before dinner and another glass with a deep dish heavy meat pizza. This was more enjoyable alone than with the pizza. A bit buttery and thinner than one would expect for a chianti. I have more bottles of this, and I suspect it will not improve further with time, though seems to be okay to last a couple more years. Certainly not one to hide in the corner of the cellar; I think it will fall apart in five years time.
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11/16/2012 - Robin Miles wrote: 80 Points
Bottle seemed slightly corked and a little tight. Fruit didn't show even with a nice Lasagne. Hope next one is better.
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11/14/2012 - Eigerdog wrote: 86 Points
Fruit on the nose, not much on palate. Seems off balance with tannins. Didn't improve with another year in the cellar since last bottle. Too dry and no complexity. Disappointing.
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11/3/2012 - awineo wrote: 85 Points
This bottle was pretty oxidized. The fruit was almost bitter. I will try again and see if it is just this bottle or the lot.
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10/28/2012 - joet626 wrote: 91 Points
Had with Bolognese sauce and was a perfect match. Dry but very fruity and tasty. Exactly as i expected
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10/23/2012 - APatHB wrote: 90 Points
Drink this now if you have it...I think it's as good as its going to get. That being said, it went really well with ground turkey and veggie lasagna.
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9/29/2012 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Chianti Classico. Very approachable with character and depth of red fruit and firm tannins without astringency. Excellent QPR
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9/25/2012 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
Very consistent with my previous note. A marvelous wine for the price.
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9/22/2012 - Oldworlddrinker wrote: 90 Points
Medium body wine with upfront notes of cherry and some sandalwood this is drinking nicely it goes well with pasta or charcuterie and cheeses. Left opened 4 days and changed to full body and concentrated in a good way
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9/21/2012 - Chiantihound wrote: 91 Points
Drinking nicely.
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9/17/2012 - redman77 wrote: 89 Points
Bam! kanjimot tells it well. I have two more and will move from age to drink now in cellar.
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9/15/2012 - boreddoughboy wrote: 93 Points
This is quintessential chianti
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9/14/2012 - kanjimoti wrote: 89 Points
Nose of caramel and fruit, medium to full bodied, and modern in style. This is a very easy gal with soft tannins, a very smooth mouthfeel, and a pleasurable finish. I don't wish I had more as this won't improve with time, nor is it any more complex than a barbie doll. All said this would make a great first date wine being so easy going. Not sure Italy as a whole would be proud of this but Napa definitely would. I think I paid $20 which is fair but would be a steal at $15, highway robbery on your part at $12 or less.
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9/13/2012 - JeffHou Likes this wine: 87 Points
Medium ruby, light not very pronounced nose with some red cherry, spices and herbs. Very tannic, good acidity, medium alcohol and body. Red cherry and plum on the palate with some green olive, eucalyptus and pepper, a little too watery though. Should age a bit more but will remain just an average Chianti, definitely does not taste like a Riserva quality. Good with food, everyday wine.
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9/4/2012 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 90 Points
Fantastico with stuffed shells and lots of family.
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9/2/2012 - 1961Vintage wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable...nice cherry notes... subtle layers..better after an hour.
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8/31/2012 - Chiantihound wrote: 91 Points
2 hour decant. Ruby red but translucent. Subtle nose of spice, melon and light red licorice. Stronger cherry flavor emerges on the fresh silky palate. Nice balance. Medium finish. Overall very nice Chianti with an emphasis on fresh fruit flavor palate.
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8/25/2012 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 90 Points
Similar to our last note. Decanted and drunk - good on PnP. Once again provided a depth of flavor with pasta in a sausage and pork sauce!
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8/22/2012 - Vince92673 wrote: 90 Points
Medium fruit-cherry, tobacco, a little smoke, nicely balanced with tannins. Wonderful nose with smoky cherry tobacco! Our last bottle - I need to get some more!
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8/15/2012 - mr21cbs wrote: 90 Points
Still nice. Last bottle. Time to look for newer vintages.
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7/29/2012 - Joegish Likes this wine: 92 Points
Might have been the best bottle yet. Very happy to have more. Might be approaching a 93.
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7/25/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 91 Points
A solid Chianti Classico Riserva. A little "bigger" than some with good fruit forward, but enough tannins to balance the taste so it is not "fruity".
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7/20/2012 - bronww wrote: 90 Points
A touch oaky and definitely a modern style of Chianti. Overall, not bad for $20 a bottle from Costco. I agree with another comment that the 93 WS rating seems excessive.
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7/13/2012 - ksteiner wrote: 88 Points
Solid chianti. Not bad for the price.
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7/10/2012 - FinMB wrote: 88 Points
Average but enjoyable
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7/10/2012 - FinMB wrote: 88 Points
Average
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7/9/2012 - Wineson wrote: 88 Points
Agree with other notes. Nice wine.
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7/7/2012 - wabi47 wrote: 87 Points
good brooding dark cherry and saddle leather/earthy complexity; the prominent oak is not fully integrated, and this is still too young/ponderous to enjoy fully; more open day 2 with plenty of stuffing to age.
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7/3/2012 - Yamadori wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Very nice without being anything special. Medium bodied with nice dark cherry and plum fruit. Nice acidity and balance with notes of smoke and earth. The finish is a little short with some tannins showing. Good QPR wine which should drink nicely over the shorter term.
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6/24/2012 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Agree with most of the notes here. Nice red fruits, but a bit more plum than the usual sour cherry that I expect with chianti. This wine has great acidity that keeps it clean and pairs nicely with tomoto-sauce dishes. It is drinking pretty well right now. Overall, this is a good QPR at the $23 I paid but not substantially better than other chiantis I have purchased for $17-18, like the 2007 Monsanto Riserva. So it's a reasonable deal but not a steal. I do not see the 93 points that WS lavished on this.
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6/23/2012 - leighhunt wrote: 91 Points
Had a few night ago, so I don't have notes other than I really liked it.
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6/23/2012 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
Exceeded my expectations. Great wine and even better QPR. Nice red fruit, dusty tannins, minerality, good acidity, lots of secondary flavors and aromas. Wow! Medium bodied, great with food, or to sip independently. In a great spot with years to go.
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6/4/2012 - Bill1100 wrote: 89 Points
Nice chianti. See my earlier review. Nice wine for the price.
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6/3/2012 - IGN WINESNOB wrote: 90 Points
Pretty good. Lite, smooth, nice served with Spaghetti. Opened quickly and nice finish. Good Chianti.
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6/1/2012 - Hawk94 wrote: 91 Points
Bright ruby red, nose of fresh dark fruits, plum. Mid palate is fresh, delicious acid, blackberries, some prune, cherry, smooth tannins, good finish. It goes well with sea food and fish. Like it.
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6/1/2012 - JSHinson wrote: 90 Points
Nose of saddle and sour cherry. Plum , sour cherry smoke and tar. Racy acids. Drink now
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5/30/2012 - schwank wrote: 86 Points
Deep ruby red. Red berry flavors with heavy tannins. Still... quite tasty with penne alla vodka.
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5/28/2012 - arthrovine wrote: 87 Points
Good, not memorable. Seemed to get more tannic with air.
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5/18/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice chianti. A little tannic but nice.
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5/14/2012 - Jay72274 wrote: 84 Points
Agree with some of the other Tasting notes that this was just OK, not bad but not great. Definitely more of a food wine, drank with Italian beef sandwiches and baked mostocolli, wasn't the greatest pairing but serviceable. Might do better with dishes that have more heavy tomato sauce.
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5/8/2012 - Gfritzh wrote: 87 Points
A bit acidic on its own. Went well with tomato sauce.
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5/2/2012 - jdoakpark wrote: 80 Points
Needed lots of air before I even could drink it. Almost like vegetables at first....no me gusta...
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4/27/2012 - absolutvodka wrote: 88 Points
Very nice but not great. For the money it is a very nice Chianti.
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4/23/2012 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 90 Points
This definitely has the delicious factor going for it. Very modern sytle. Fruit was more lush than I expected and a little heavy on the oak. Finish dropped off pretty quickly. Very good, but not great. Drink now.
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4/17/2012 - dfresh wrote: 93 Points
This wine is ultra refreshing, balanced and fruit forward. The tannins remind you it is sangiovese otherwise, you might confuse it with a zinfandel. Very few floral, mineral, leather, or musty/earthy elements I so often find in Tuscan wines. Buy more for sure.
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4/15/2012 - The Wine Sherpa wrote: 91 Points
Cherry and strawberry on the mid palate. Drinking window is now though. Good QPR.
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4/13/2012 - Dave33609 wrote: 94 Points
- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry and strawberry. It's balanced with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Are you kidding me? This wine is drinking great right now. Excellent QPR!
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4/11/2012 - Katie&Mike wrote: 89 Points
Good but not great.
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4/6/2012 - jwolf99 wrote: 89 Points
Fifth bottle in pasy 9 months, and seems to be on gradual decline since first bottle. Has become a bit disjointed. Better with food, especially Italian.
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3/27/2012 - The Wine Guy wrote: 88 Points
- Ruby color with medium forming legs - Dinner, pasta and chianti life does it get any better. Good year good bottle!
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3/25/2012 - IGN WINESNOB wrote: 89 Points
Had with pizza. Smooth, decent, not a 'flavorful' chianti as I have experienced. Drinking well an hour or two in. Just a basic wine.
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3/20/2012 - APatHB wrote: 91 Points
Still smooth with pasta, tomato and veggies.....#40 WS for a reason.
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3/17/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 88 Points
Still lots of tannins. Pale in color. Not a whole lot there. Goes best with the appetizers rather than a heavy meal. 6 more bottles to go and then I am done.
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3/11/2012 - tourproto wrote: 85 Points
Bought a half-case of this because of the price ($14/bottle) but so far have not been impressed. Much prefer Ruffino even though it is more expensive. A pretty flat Chianti. Maybe a bad bottle?
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3/10/2012 - Pinot Evil wrote: 92 Points
A great Chianti, goes very well with the acid of Tomato sauce, great qpr.
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2/5/2012 - up4wine wrote: 86 Points
A very good, balanced Chianti, but yet uninspired. No real flaws, but nothing to write home about.
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2/1/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Lovely to drink, great earthyness.
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2/1/2012 - APatHB wrote: 91 Points
We had this with a deep tomato based Cioppino. This wine continues to be one of my favorites with tomato based meals. Not too heavy, not too light...it just works really well with the food. I'm glad I bought more and will buy more again..Enjoy!
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1/29/2012 - steffenpelz wrote:
Had this on the same night as the Ramitello. A better wine than the Ramitello, in my opinion. This wine, despite its' lack of traditionalism is one that I continue to enjoy with the right meals. This Chianti Classico with a Pizza (tomato-base sauce) is just a great combo. When you have a lot of people over and entertain, this wine is an even better choice. This wine is all cherry and leather, earth, and a hint of cedar wood. Lovely acidity, ripe tannins and nice structure. Finish is really very nice. At the price it's selling, I continue to say it is an outstanding value.
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1/27/2012 - Katie&Mike wrote: 90 Points
A leathery fruit component on the nose and a dried herb and fruit component on the palate. Really very lovely for the price.
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1/27/2012 - bdublu wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoyed this last night with zuppa di pesce in a red sauce. Nice earthy Tuscan nose with hints of red fruit. One of the better Riserva's I've had in while.
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1/27/2012 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 91 Points
Molto bene.Classico with a distinctive verve. Always a great pleasure, from the hills of Greve, in the heart of Chianti. Perfect with pasta.
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1/23/2012 - Joegish Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was our 8th bottle of this Viticcio. Consistent every time. Wonderful chianti after about a 1.5 hour decant. A little rough before that...but after some of the oak and a little alcohol blow off.....wow! Just a very solid wine. Nice QPR...went back to JJBuckley for another case....
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1/21/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89.
No notes. Pretty consistent with previous bottles.
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1/16/2012 - rhanke wrote: 89 Points
Went will with our red sauce dinner. After an hour, finish seemed to disappear.
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1/16/2012 - Hawk94 wrote: 88 Points
Too much of acid, not much complexity although smooth, tried to find clues why WS gave it a high rating, not buying it.
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1/12/2012 - Bill1100 wrote: 89 Points
Nice body and nose. Served with a spicy pasta dish and the wine held up well. Better the second night.
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1/9/2012 - KingBandini wrote: 88 Points
Every once in a while, I just don't feel like I'm drinking the same wine as the Spectator (or Advocate or...). This is the second bottle i've opened. Spectator gave it a 93. Don't think it comes close. Still not super-inviting. It's closed and never really opens. I find hints of Sangiovese appeal, but ultimately the fruit I expect and the fruit I get have yet to meet. I keep expecting a burst of something mid-palate and instead the wine just seems to give way to a tannic edge.
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1/9/2012 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hr prior to drinking. Aromas of plum, dried fruit, vanilla, and earth -- a classic Chianti. The wine shows structure on the nose and tongue, with a good balance with the tannins. The finish is long, with a little bit of complexity. A quality wine that paired well with pasta and meatballs.
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1/7/2012 - revanness wrote: 91 Points
went down hill after 2 hours
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1/5/2012 - CWilliam wrote: 87 Points
A little better than prior tasting 1 year ago. Monitored over 2 nights. Better with airtime and more enjoyable on night 2. Nice nose (sour erry / cherry / cedar) but palate (more black cherry / cherry / herbal on palate) is a little off - without food, too acidic relative to fruit. With food this is an nice bottle of wine but not all that memorable. Enjoy with food.,
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1/2/2012 - DTWOB wrote: 85 Points
Can't get past the initial sour fruit component.
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12/30/2011 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
1.5 hour decant. Fruity nose with black cherry, black plums, toasted oak, and vanilla. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark fruit with a solid tannic core on the palate. Long, silky finish. Good acidity. Paired well with penne ala vodka.
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12/30/2011 - Racer117 wrote: 89 Points
Opened and decanted a glass for an hour before tasting. No one would confuse this as a California wine and that's a good thing (on this occasion). Subdued earthy and berry nose. Fresh and spicy berry flavors and that generic old world profile. I really like this. Paired well with fresh artichokes and frozen supermarket pizza. I see lots of other 89 point scores and I see where they're coming from . This isn't a "Wow!" wine but it is an unarguably quality wine.
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12/29/2011 - rwilk_2000 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this Chianti with Pizza and friends. I found it less heavy than some of the other reviews with some medium fruit and a little spiciness to it. I think at $20 the quality is very good compared to slightly cheaper options.
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12/26/2011 - LeMarinaro wrote: 77 Points
Decent earthy, wine. Paired well with steak, less well without food. Dry finish, with tannins present on the palate.
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12/24/2011 - BillyT wrote: 88 Points
Excellent but drinks more like a 10-15 dollar chianti. At 20-23 it is a tad expensive. Gets the job done though.
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12/22/2011 - ikkaariainen wrote: 89 Points
A very decent entry level chianti classico and a good QPR wine at the $20 / bottle price point. Decanted for an hour and definitely could stand even more. Nose a bit reticent with red fruit, a hint of violet and spices. Medium bodied, light purple, good balance and well structured with surprising acidity but not overly tannic - probably 3-5 years more of cellaring left, not built for the real long haul. Plum, black pepper, earth with more vegetal notes developing on the aftertaste which was quite short. I do recommend this wine for what it is.
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12/18/2011 - scaredone wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes or so. Dark purple in the center to crimson on the edges, slight haze. Had a moderate nose of cherry, herbs, a little earthy maybe. Tasted similarly, dry, good body, acidity and tannins were well balanced but the finish was a little on the short side. Not as good as the 6 but decent and ramps up a bit with food. I like it but it is a bit on the pricey side for the performance.
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12/15/2011 - HBvino wrote: 89 Points
Wine matched well with our terrific lasagna. Not meant to be a superstar, but very complementary to a red sauce meal.
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12/15/2011 - Point Bob Plonk wrote: 89 Points
Opened up over 24h air. Tight on opening.
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12/14/2011 - bullmrkt wrote: 88 Points
Not much to add to other notes. Simple, but this is an easy to drink crowd pleaser and great food wine. Im not sure what a couple writers are referring to saying otherwise, but I suspect flawed bottles?
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12/4/2011 - SeaSmoke wrote: 87 Points
Nice chianti. Not sure this will improve with age.
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12/3/2011 - eudora wrote: 92 Points
Dried cherry fruit, dark chocolate, red berries, expressive bouquet of red fruits and tobacco, sufficient acidity to work with pasta and fennel sausage. Hard to believe this cost $21. Also very surprised at the range of scores from other members of the community - I have enjoyed this wine every time I've had it.
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11/27/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
13.5% alcohol. Really nice value in Chianti right here. Bright red color. Aromatic nose, if slightly primary, of flowers, plum, and leather. In the mouth, racy and slightly rustic, with prominent plum fruit and violet notes, along with a pleasant earthy-mushroom edge. Strident acidity and a medium finish. Well executed and will settle down with a bit more time. A-
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11/27/2011 - johnbhamrick wrote: 86 Points
Very pale color for Chianti, hard to drink at first. Even after a few hours it stills have a little bit of souriness to it. Doesn't have much potential in my opinion. Best saved for dinner guests.
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11/27/2011 - johnbhamrick wrote: 86 Points
Still hasen't gotten better after 6 months. Very pale color for Chianti, hard to drink at first. Even after a few hours it stills have a little bit of souriness to it. Doesn't have much potential in my opinion. Best saved for dinner guests.
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11/24/2011 - df1962 wrote: 91 Points
PnVnD let breathe for 6hrs. Bright crimson not saturated with a magenta rim. Sour cherry and porcini aromas. Light (+) or medium(-) weight with silky fruit skin and black tea tannins. Dark sour cherry earth porcini and raspberry flavors. Refreshing finish with lingering kirschy notes. Holding up but will be drinking up last bottles in the next year. Better with food as to be expected.
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11/19/2011 - tmoritz1 wrote: 88 Points
Good pizza wine but not memorable possibly will improve with age
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11/17/2011 - thirstyman wrote:
Dark fruit, slightly rough at first. fairly heavy on the finish. Hints of menthol on the nose. Little to no woodsy/earthy flavors. Will try and hold a few to see how they develop.
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11/17/2011 - Eigerdog wrote: 89 Points
Nose of fruit and spicy clove. Needed a bit of air to soften and improve balance, then quite nice. Dark fruit up front, lingering tannins on medium finish. Plan to cellar next bottle a bit longer.
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11/12/2011 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
My fave chianti. Tons of interesting earth and vegetal flavors with a fruit core that air and food bring out. Decant generously
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11/11/2011 - daver852 wrote: 87 Points
Would have been hard to peg this as a Chianti Classico in a blind tasting. Very faint nose, good, clear medium color. Lots of fruit on the palate, but little complexity and an annoying touch of sweetness. Clean finish, with the barest hint of earthiness. Not certain what this is, but it's not my idea of a great Chianti. Drinkable, certainly, but not remarkable in any way. Very young, but I don't see much potential for development. At $24 a bottle, this is a disappointment. Didn't excite my friends, either. Give this one a pass.
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11/6/2011 - mattpeyton wrote:
decant but good with pizza!
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11/3/2011 - Fateful Destiny wrote: 89 Points
Decent... basic Chianti with red fruits, woodsy notes, and perhaps a little tar notes. OK drinker, but nothing overtly unique.
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11/1/2011 - ersmith Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine still needs some more time in the cellar. If drinking now it should probably be decanted for 2-4 hrs first.
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11/1/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 88 Points
Candied red fruits on the nose. Red fruit on the palate with a spine of acidity and chunky oak derived tannins. medium length finish with a little mocha. In a more modern style and a step down from prior bottle, being thin and hollow in the mid-palate. Not sure how well this will age if this bottle is more representative.
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10/31/2011 - wineretriever wrote: 78 Points
This wine was not good. We struggled to make our way through it, and failed. The search for a replacement to the go to Checchi Chianti continues.
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10/26/2011 - cooberp wrote: 82 Points
Not good. Some anonymous dark fruit, but very harsh, sour and a bit volatile. Could not finish a glass.
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10/18/2011 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent notes with last bottle, although licorice notes present.
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10/17/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 92 Points
Gets better the longer it's opened.
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10/7/2011 - carlsport wrote: 92 Points
Strong cherry on the nose. Some cherry and herbs flavors with an outstanding silky texture. About a 60 minute decant seemed just right. The best chianti I've ever had! Need to find more of this great QPR find.
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10/2/2011 - steffenpelz wrote:
Amazing value. And a fantastic wine regardless of its price. Cherry and black currants in spades with chocolate, earth, dried herbs, and tobacco. Superb finish. Despite being aged in a combination of medium sized oak barrels and small oak barriques, there are zero obtrusive oak flavors. Wonderful silky/velvety texture and there's even some nice structure underneath the fruit. Drinking great right now, but should last for quite some time. Purchased in Austin at Costco for $20/bottle. At that price, buying this wine almost feels like robbery. A wine to purchase by the case.
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9/26/2011 - aldo137 wrote: 89 Points
Fruit-forward nose, strong with cherry. Tastes strong of minerals, leather, and a bit of tart fruit. This was a much more citrusy, lively wine before sitting out for a few hours. I'd suggest drinking it early. Paired pretty well with a neapolitan pizza.
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9/25/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club does Tuscany (Anita's House): More fruit forward style with cherry, raspberry, floral and minerals. Drinking well right now and a good overall value.
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9/24/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
Mpls Wine Club Does Tuscany (Minnetonka, MN): Dark red color. Nose has toasty oak, black cherry, leather, very earthy, carmel. The palate follows and is fairly balanced, medium weight, ok acid, round tannins.
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9/23/2011 - APatHB wrote: 92 Points
We had this with pasta and red sauce. Let this wine decant for 2 hours at least. Definitely improved over the course of the night. Enjoy!
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9/18/2011 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Modern, international style with mixed berries, plum, anise, cedar, and violets on the nose. Medium-full bodied, with ripe red fruit, vanilla, and sweet spices on the palate. Firm tannins and moderate acidity. Not exactly a classic Chianti, but tasty nonetheless.
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9/16/2011 - APatHB wrote: 91 Points
Very very nice.. This was the appetizer wine. Very nice and mellow, smooth flavors all around.. Will definitely buy more.
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9/12/2011 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Maverick Wine Co.'s Grand Tour 2011 (OneSixtyBlue, Chicago IL): nose: fairly plush on the nose with red fruits, berries, herbs and spice tones. Very good depth, but slightly ripe
taste: medium bodied with medium acidity. Plump feel with forward tones of red fruits, berries, and spice tones
overall: An excellent CCR. Is more forward and slightly ripe, but with good balance and depth on both the nose and palate
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9/12/2011 - rhanke wrote: 85 Points
fair
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9/12/2011 - Le_Gaspesien wrote: 95 Points
Impressionnant dans un test a l'aveugle il m'a carrement impresionner et vraiment le meilleur contre bcp d'autres grands vins !
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9/6/2011 - PSPatrick wrote: 87 Points
We ordered the wine at Caffée Lepanto in Greve/Chianti. The wine showed Mon Chéri, yogurt, vanilla and cocoa on the nose, with more air also rose water. On the palate the wine offered red fruits, sour cherry, vanilla, mocha, cocoa, and with more air also marzipan. The medium- to full-bodied wine was modern in style. All in all the wine was quite O.K. and delivered for the price, but was far from being memorable or even spectacular. 87+
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9/6/2011 - mr21cbs wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. A bit more
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9/3/2011 - mr21cbs wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Sour cherries, raspberries, leather. Good length and memorable finish. Agreed that it tasted a bit new world for a Chianti, but we found it to be a pleasant distinction to some very mediocre
Chiantis we have had over the years. Unfortunately only one more bottle left.
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8/27/2011 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very good. Soft red berry fruit, leather, a little flabby perhaps. Smooth. Medium length finish.
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8/17/2011 - Sethbo11 wrote: 84 Points
Jack O'Brien nailed it below - this is a Chianti for New World wine drinkers. The fruit and oak kill the traditional Sangiovese nose. The mouthfeel is a little closer to the mark but still lacking character. Nowhere near a Brunello or even a well made Rosso in my opinion.
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8/7/2011 - revanness wrote: 91 Points
This keeps getting better. Decant not required.
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8/6/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Quite dark in the glass for a chianti. Nose of black cherry and licorice with a touch of espresso. Palate has slightly edgy hard tannins, but nice fruit concentration with a darker fruit profile, low but plentiful acidity, and nice complexity. Finishes with a slightly bitter edge, crisp mineralogy and tart cherry pit. Quite nice for the price and should settle down and improve in the next few years. Slightly modern style with plentiful oak.
Really opened up on day 2, with beautiful slightly candied but complex red fruit pushing forward, and the tannin structure moving to the back. Should be great in 3-5yrs.
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7/31/2011 - bugdoced wrote: 87 Points
tasted better with food than without
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7/24/2011 - cobystilp wrote: 90 Points
Very young. Took on character as it sat in the bottle over three days. Should improve. Hold others for a while. Right now its not worth the tariff.
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7/20/2011 - Rob MacKay wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly good for $22. Has a nice mix of acidity and weight but doesn't get too heavy. Great food wine.
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7/16/2011 - DTWOB wrote: 87 Points
Popped, decanted and poured. First glass was with a cheeseburger and chips. The food is masking the taste - will let it set awhile and try again later.
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7/15/2011 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 90 Points
A very fresh Chianti that evolves in the glass with ripe cherry, licorice and some sweet pipe tobacco. Really soft and light on the palate and finish. Drink it with cheese or cured meats. (Best from 2011-2016)
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7/12/2011 - Garfield wrote: 91 Points
Really beautiful wine.
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7/9/2011 - jdoakpark wrote: 89 Points
Good
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7/9/2011 - pols wrote: 89 Points
a nice wine , but nothing special
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6/30/2011 - archambault wrote:
WS : 93; SAQ :
Robe exhibant une couleur rouge cerise plutôt intense. Nez aux accents dolive noire, de laurier et de chêne grillé. Le tout est également agrémenté par des subtils parfums de bois de rose et de mûre. Laissez-vous charmer par ce nectar sec exprimant une agréable fraîcheur et muni de tannins soyeux. Le tout est également agrémenté par des flaveurs d'épices. Il dévoile une texture ample qui se prolonge dans une finale assez soutenue.
Accord vin et mets
Menu suggéré Cuisson / Préparation Sauce / Garniture
Viande rouge : agneau grillé sauce aux tomates
Pâtes : macaroni, spaghetti al dente pesto aux tomates séchées
Charcuteries : terrine de gibier sans préparation sans accompagnement
Observations visuelles
Teinte : Rouge cerise Intensité : Foncée
Observations olfactives
Intensité : Intense Complexité : Complexe Famille(s) d'odeurs : Animale , Balsamique , Boisée , Fruitée , Épicée , Florale
Observations gustatives
Acidité : Vive Intensité : Intense Persistance : Longue
Corps : Corsé Tannins : Fermes Texture : Grasse
Sucre : Sec Famille(s) d'arômes : Boisée , Empyreumatique , Épicée , Fruitée
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6/24/2011 - lumpyelbow wrote:
No formal notes but was very, very good
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6/22/2011 - raydawgone wrote: 92 Points
Cherries jubilee with cedar box. Nice, rounded tannins. Paired well with spicy pasta.
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6/17/2011 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Great fruit aromas and flavors. Lots of cherry. Cigar box and oak notes. Enjoyed by all.
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6/11/2011 - GEMon wrote: 93 Points
This wine changed a bit during the few hours it was open. Towards the end, we smelled scents of berries and currants with hints of leather and caraway seeds. Tastes of cherries (that grew less tart as it opened), currants, and caraway with nice tannins and a long finish.
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6/5/2011 - dekay wrote: 88 Points
Opened up after an hour or so. Light cherry, smoke leading to a lean but structured palate with moderate acidity and light tannins. Not much beyond that. Better with food; not interesting for sipping.
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6/4/2011 - mjsherwin68 Likes this wine: 89 Points
smooth with a bunch of red fruit.
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5/26/2011 - WDSteers wrote: 89 Points
cherry and smoke. improving from last tasting.
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5/22/2011 - scaredone wrote: 88 Points
A pretty average Chianti, not in the same league as the 06, the fruit was there but the finish was short, tannins not integrated well. I'm not sure time will help it.
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5/15/2011 - korkd wrote: 89 Points
Served at a tasting of 7 Chianti's (all 2007). Initially it was slightly less favored to the classico version, however as it opened up became more complex.
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5/8/2011 - Redline325 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Nose was muted but I could pick out plum and blackcherry. Concentrated but not jammy mouthfeel, smooth tannins and very little oak. Balanced but holding back, could have passed as a Brunello. Not typical Chianti but a wonderful wine that will benefit from cellaring. I will buy again and hold for 2-3 years.
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5/5/2011 - pinotwinelover wrote: 88 Points
Falls a bit short but this wine was meant for food. the nice acidity carries on well with any italian dish. On its own heavy mineral component and earth. probably many with a taste for rich Calif style wines would not find this to their style
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5/2/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 88 Points
Objectively, this wine is really well made. Personally, I think this is off the mark for a Chianti Riserva. The international fruit seems to really clobber the delicate Sangio flavors and aromas which seem to be in constant conflict with one another both on the palate and in the bouquet. A little too much oak as well. This is definitely made for the American palate but seems more fruit-forward and lacks the earthy / minerality component that I fancy in Tuscan wines.
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4/26/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
this had a pretty excellent nose of warm vanilla, soft cherries and raspberries, and some nice spice notes. the mouth wasn't as exciting as the nose, and the finish was less impressive. everything turned a bit too earthy and "dirty" for me given how promising the nose was. i don't have much experience with chianti, so maybe this is "proper." it did ok with homemade lasagna.
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4/9/2011 - MJTed wrote: 89 Points
Gorgeous Chianti for the money. Red cherries, plum and some oak. lush mouthfeel but young and structured.
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4/8/2011 - bathbill wrote: 91 Points
Nice Chianti - as others have mentioned 3-4 hrs. of breath.
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4/1/2011 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened to air for 7 hours. Too soon to drink in my opinion. A little disjointed but everything is there. Really like that there is no over oaking in this bottle. Tannins really rough right now. Wait a year or more for next bottle. This is going to be very good.....
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3/28/2011 - dmoes wrote: 88 Points
Nice and soft, good with pizza!
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3/26/2011 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
RUSSK Not as friendly as the 2006. Pleasant but mild aromatics. Less sweet. Slightly carbonic tasting. Wait another yr or 2 b/f opening the others.
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3/25/2011 - Badgermitch wrote: 90 Points
Very nice Chianti
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3/25/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Minerals, floral, cherry and spices. Good balance to the wine and soft tannins. Medium finish.
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3/23/2011 - df1962 wrote: 92 Points
PnVnD let air for 4 hours. Deep rich Chianti red not saturated with a red rim. Earth porcini and sour cherry aromas. Medium (-) weight with pleasantly rough espresso tannins. Nice zippy cranberry mid-palate. Great typically Chianti flavors of porcini and dried sour cherry with additional complex notes of sage and coffee. Way better than the 2006. Like it a lot and will buy more.
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3/18/2011 - JOsgood wrote:
Really good last night and the oak has integrated nicely in the last few months. This is a terrific value and a pleasure to drink.
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3/16/2011 - joshwoodward wrote: 89 Points
The last bottle I had of this was sitting on a couch, and I didn't like it. This time, I used half of it with a Bolognese sauce, and had it with dinner, and that made a big difference. It wasn't necessarily any better, but the food definitely made this a much more enjoyable wine. Still very red, very structured and slightly lean, but it was very tasty in context. $25
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3/13/2011 - boreddoughboy wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit nice oak and awesome fruit. Really lovin it. Holding well at day 2.
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3/11/2011 - vintage_whine wrote: 89 Points
short on the finish, but nice red fruit and earth, med+ acidity, oak is clearly present
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3/2/2011 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 90 Points
Sweet cherries and stewed plums on the nose. Smooth almst creamy on the palate with composed tannins on the finish. Drank over two days and certainly developed on second day.
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2/23/2011 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
Sandro, fifth generation of the wine making family who founded Fattoria Viticcio near Greve, nailed it again. Crisp, clean, rich, and flavorful, this beautiful Chianti Classico tasted wonderful with aged Tuscan pecorino, olives, rustic salami and Italian bread. Magnifico!
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2/20/2011 - WineKnurd wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine. Decanted and paired with pesto-sauced pizzas my wife and I made for our 2 year anniversary. Classic Chianti cherries and leather with nice hints of anise and aromatic cedar wood from the oak. Still rustic but had a nice slice of refinement which did not completely overpower the grilled veggies on the pizza. I may be biased because of the occasion, but this wine restored my faith in well made Chainti. $22/pop, Overall Rating: A-
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2/20/2011 - Sethbo11 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Nose of tart cherries, spearmint, fig and black licorice. Taste is more towards the acidic side. Long finish that gets drier the longer it sits. I think this will age well but it's probably a little young now.
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2/16/2011 - muredskin14 wrote: 91 Points
Consistent notes with previous bottle
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2/15/2011 - ThirdBottle wrote: 90 Points
Really liked their meritage blend better than the chianti.
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2/12/2011 - korkd wrote: 93 Points
Wow, a huge Chianti, more fruit than most, a hint of oak. Decanted for 1hr+ and drank with chicken parm. Smooth with a long finish.
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2/5/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely lovely the second day!
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1/29/2011 - The Wine Guy wrote: 92 Points
This wine is young and at the moment and shut down without decanting. decanted for two hours and drank over the next 1. wonderful fruit hidding under firm tanins that give this wine the opportunity to age well for 10 plus years. long smooth finsh, rasberry, cheery, soft spice and notes of vanilla and oak. This first taste hid all the flavors that opened up and frankly finished the bottle prior to its full potential. do yourself a favor and cellar it for several years of allow plenty of time to open up.
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1/29/2011 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured through Vinturi. Nice little Chianti for 24 bucks. Sweet cherries, some earth and a touch of vanilla/oak. Might be a bit reticent at this age but no harsh edges. Juicy, acidic mouthfeel.
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1/28/2011 - SWLS wrote: 92 Points
Nose of raspberry, surprisingly fruity; on tasting, wine was smooth, full but restrained, with nice acidity; excellent balance; mix of savory with fruit/vanilla notes; nice finish; pleasant dryness; a particularly well-balanced Chianti
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1/17/2011 - nittanyjack wrote: 86 Points
Needs time. Opened an hour ahead then poured in decanter. Deep color. Reticent nose and palette, even with food. Way behind the 06.
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1/16/2011 - cyc wrote: 89 Points
Also seemed overrated to me. It had a nice, long finish, but overall too much acid for my tastes.
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1/16/2011 - JacksonLee wrote: 88 Points
seemed overrated to me...bright cherry fruit, not much depth..did not decant and will definitely hold or decant next bottle.
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1/7/2011 - jwolf99 wrote: 90 Points
Did not decant. Should probably do so next time.
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1/6/2011 - muredskin14 wrote: 92 Points
Pretty garnet color to peer through the bottom of my glass. Nice pronounced nose of black cherries and dusty tobacco leaf which lead to a wine that can be described as powerful and firm, yet a little undistinguished fruit & spice in the mouth. Great structure and lasting finish. Overall a very nice Chianti that is of a friendlier style for a modern palate, yet powerful enough for all to appreciate. Nice value IMHO.
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1/1/2011 - Grillgod wrote: 90 Points
Very elegant with dark berries and plum. Not much fruit on its own but outstanding with food. Will lie down 2nd bottle and hope a little more power and richness develop, but love the flavor profile. 90+ if a stronger finish develops.
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12/28/2010 - JOsgood wrote:
Drank well with pizza and pasta. More earthy than the first bottle. Has a nice finish with a good frame of acidity. The base Chianti is the better value.
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12/28/2010 - the godfather wrote:
This was good, lots o acid, didn't have the oak treatment I recall
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12/24/2010 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
I love this Chianti. Decanter for two hours this time. Notes very similar to the previous outstanding bottle. But this was shared with Kate and Nate at dinner, which made it all the more special. And in anticipation of a visit to Viticcio in Greve next January. Bravissimo!
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12/23/2010 - Johnny C NYC wrote: 92 Points
Full ruby fruit with hint of cotton candy and dust; a nice effort that should age well. 50/5/12/17/8
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12/23/2010 - CWilliam wrote:
My wife threw away my notes - from memory, this was good but not exceptional (I loved the '04 of this wine). Nose had great aromatics but a little thin on the palate - will hold remaing bottles for 2012+. 87-89 range which should improve with time.
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12/22/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 84 Points
Decanted two hours. Tart tart tart black cherries. Very tannic, slightly lean. This is everything I don't like about Chianti, with none of the weight or tar I'd expect of a good CCR. Very disappointing given the ratings here. I do think this has room to improve - I'm going to sit on my other bottle for a few years. $25
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12/18/2010 - JOsgood wrote:
Really like this wine. There is some oak but it is well integrated. Long and dry on the finish.
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12/18/2010 - the godfather wrote:
bordering on modern, I really like this stuff
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12/6/2010 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
Molto bene. This Viticcio Chianti Classico Reserva is living up to its reputation. Bright and cheery, yet deep and rich. Garnet in the glass. The nose invites indulgence, with notes of of spice, earth, flowers, and fruit -- and I detect a hint of biscotti. The palate carries perky acidity, with interplay of cherries and raspberries, followed by a light touch of fig at the end. Though only hefting a light medium body, the finish lingers for quite a while without any heaviness of a dense coating. Smooth and superior. Bravo.
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11/24/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Aromas of minerals, spice, coffee, cherry and floral. The palate is fresh and lively with good acidity. Minerals, cherry, floral, spice and leather. Medium and multi-layered finish. This is one of the best Chianti wines of the year I sampled and at the price the best!
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10/20/2010 - ELSandIF wrote: 92 Points
excellent
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10/13/2010 - ELSandIF wrote: 93 Points
great nose; smoother than most chiantis
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