1988 Castello di Ama L'Apparita Toscana IGT

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91.5 points

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  10/26/2022 - forceberry wrote: flawed

  100% Merlot from Vigna l'Apparita Cru in Chianti Classico, planted in 1982. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, macerated for a month with the skins, aged for 14 months in a combination of new and old French oak barriques (normally 50/50). 13% alcohol.
  
  Old, translucent maroon color with a pale, yellowish-orange rim. The nose is old and more oxidized than oxidative with aromas of pungent rancio, some soy sauce tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light beef jerky notes, a hint of earth and a touch of balsamic VA. The wine is old, pungent and tertiary on the palate with a medium body and tired flavors of prunes and raisins, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of earth, light tobacco notes, a hint of blood and a touch of balsamic VA. The mouthfeel is resolved and silky, but the high acidity and quite firm medium tannins still lend quite a bit of structure to the wine. The finish is old, tertiary and gently grippy with rather tired flavors of raisins and prunes, some soy sauce, a little bit of sharp rancio, light nuances of tobacco and a hint of earth.
  
  This is already going downhill - unlike the exceptional 1987 vintage that was tasted next to this. While still drinkable, there's quite little pleasure in drinking such a tired, old wine like this.

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  4/17/2017 - Lype wrote: flawed

  Oxidised.

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  1/5/2013 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 93 Points

  Private Winetasting: Castello di Ama 1988 (Private Location): Best wine of the evening. Dark violet, clear colors. Shows no signs of aging. Brilliant, clear, fruity nose and palate. Medium + finish. Still Young and fruity.

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  6/5/2010 - NicolaiS wrote: 95 Points

  Had my first encounter with Castello di Ama Vigna l'Apparita 1988 tonight. And what an encounter it was. This wine really impressed me. Color was pretty dark, nose was at first a bit to the (too) mature side, but after some air it really picked up and appeared very fresh. The nose was very complex with herbs, tar and coffee. Plums and herbs dominated the mouth, where it appeared incredibly fresh and in excellent balance. It had some sweetnes, but to me the coolnes and the herbs revealed its Tuscan heritage. There is not a lot of acidity, but there was quite a bit of tannins left. The finish was very long. Wow what a treat to try such a well stored wine.

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  1/29/2010 - martinp wrote:

  Bottle in perfect condition - high fill, in neck. Color very dark red, small loss of color at the rim but look very young. Nose is a bit out of balance at first but then finding its own feet, sweet dark plums, some herbs and hay, iron, iodine. In the mounth this is fresh fresh, more of them sweet plums and minerals, hay, round and pleasant but at the same time with a coolness and balance that makes this quite an interesting wine. Lot a lot of acidity but some tannins present and a fine delicate finish. Hmmm, interesting, very interesting. Bottles in mint condition like this is defineltely worth trying. The combination of the flesh of the grape and the balance of the vintage and the style is great.

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