1978 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 88.9 points

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  5/4/2022 - SWHighlander wrote: flawed

  Cloudy, oxidized rusty. Fruit all gone. Way past it’s prime.

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  10/19/2021 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points

  13% alcohol. Tasted in Barbi Brunello 2010-1968 vertical.
  
  Moderately dark and somewhat opaque syrupy-brown color with a luminous reddish hue. The nose feels somewhat oxidative and quite tertiary with slightly pungent aromas of soy sauce, some sweet syrupy tones, light fruity notes of cherries, dried figs and raisins, a little bit of gamey meat, a balsamic hint of VA and a touch of nutty rancio. On the palate the moderately full-bodied wine feels similarly oxidative, but with quite a bit of balancing fruit, lending a nice illusion of sweetness to the taste. There are flavors of oxidative rancio and beef jerky, sweet notes of raisins and prunes, some wizened sour cherry tones, a little bit of balsamic VA, light mushroomy tones and a hint of syrupy richness. The structure feels still relatively tightly-knit, thanks to the moderately high acidity and still rather firm and grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and quite tertiary with complex and somewhat oxidative flavors of raisins and prunes, some earth, a little bit of sharp rancio, light ferrous notes of blood and a hint of soy sauce.
  
  This wine managed to be quite lovely for one short moment, but it lost its most vibrant fruit notes in mere moments and after some 10 minutes of so the oxidative nuances had overrun most of the youthful nuances. However, the wine didn't fall apart immediately, but managed to feel very enjoyable for such an old wine for a good period of time - only after another half an hour or so the wine really fell apart completely. The wine was still very different to the other lesser (ie. more oxidative / oxidized) vintages, which were just old and flat from the get-go. This wine managed to offer a good dead of pleasure even after it started to turn tertiary, which is why I'd say this wine isn't going downhill yet, but is still on its plateau of maturity, or just past it. One just should be aware, however, that the wine really doesn't call for much aeration, but instead should be drunk very soon after it is decanted off the sediment. No point in aging this any further as I don't see any room for any additional development; drink now or soon in the future.

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  10/29/2020 - Oscaro Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Väldigt fin mörk färg, Blöt källare, unket och skog, brieost.
  Brett och hög syra, ordentliga tanniner fortfarande. Lite röd frukt och lite skog men väldigt skitig. Blev bättre med lite tid i glaset och en del av stall-doften började försvinna. Finns en madeira-liknande sötma till den men inte där än. En del balsamico och blommighet växer fram med tid. Mycket bättre än jag trodde även om man hellre skulle druckit den för 10 år sedan.

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  5/3/2018 - sharonandroland wrote: 88 Points

  Lots of VA. Not in good shape.

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  2/17/2018 - _water.into.wine_ wrote:

  Given to my brother in law for his 40th (born in 78). Drank with all 4 brother in laws with moose and deer on the BBQ.
  
  A great experience but the wine was quite sweet and oxidised. Unfortunately past it's prime.

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