10/01R/96/90. While the Riserva offers a step up in concentration it is also seriously structured. A 6-7 hour slow-ox isn't nearly enough air for a wine of this stature and age. If the Normale requires 30 years, add another 10+ for the Riserva?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sangiovese study (Chicago, IL): Brutally tannic and massively scaled. "It's the youngest 20-year old wine I've ever tasted," is kind of a spot-on description. On the nose, some wisps of fruit, but far more dust and leather, in a good way. Fully unresolved, even now. Good material on the palate, even if it seems to be eclipsed by all the tannins. Mostly a question of drinking potential at this point; it seems wasteful to open bottles of this right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
99/01 Brunello Showdown Night. Tasted semi-blind. Drank in Conterno Sensory. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of dark red cherries, vegetal undergrowth earth, soil, faint violets. Developing. On the palate, dry, very high acidity, medium alcohol (13.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of orange peel, red cherries, ripe red berries, leather, background earth. Long finish. Very very good quality. Elegant style. Still lots of inherent freshness despite some soil earth notes already on nose. Many more years of development to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Biondi-Santi Riserva wine dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): This was a smashing wine - equal to great bottles of 2004 Biondi-Santi Riserva and Soldera on the same flight, but singing with a slightly different timbre. The nose on this was the most reserved of its flight, with notes of dusty, earthy and mineral at the fore, and then dark cherries garlanded by a little spice, a little wild herb, and a touch of dried flowers, all this backed with a hint of meatiness. A beautiful nose, but certainly more reserved than its younger brother from 2004. The palate immediately struck my with its purity and elegance. Noble and masculine, with a real quiet complexity to it; there was just so much going on - black cherries, dusty earth, herb, and then a gentle seasoning of spice - all riding on a bed of teeth-coating, powdery tannin into a lovely finish. Higher toned, brighter, maybe even a bit tighter than 2004 - this felt a little less luscious and higher strung at first, but opening up all the time with lovely expressions of fruit and spice - this was a wine that just sung with a lovely clarity. Superb stuff, with its best years way ahead of it too. Like the 2004, I would love to try it again in a decade or so.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
4/23/2022 - Nanda wrote:
10/01R/96/90. While the Riserva offers a step up in concentration it is also seriously structured. A 6-7 hour slow-ox isn't nearly enough air for a wine of this stature and age. If the Normale requires 30 years, add another 10+ for the Riserva?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2022 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Sangiovese study (Chicago, IL): Brutally tannic and massively scaled. "It's the youngest 20-year old wine I've ever tasted," is kind of a spot-on description. On the nose, some wisps of fruit, but far more dust and leather, in a good way. Fully unresolved, even now. Good material on the palate, even if it seems to be eclipsed by all the tannins. Mostly a question of drinking potential at this point; it seems wasteful to open bottles of this right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2021 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 95 Points
99/01 Brunello Showdown Night. Tasted semi-blind. Drank in Conterno Sensory.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of dark red cherries, vegetal undergrowth earth, soil, faint violets. Developing.
On the palate, dry, very high acidity, medium alcohol (13.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of orange peel, red cherries, ripe red berries, leather, background earth. Long finish.
Very very good quality. Elegant style. Still lots of inherent freshness despite some soil earth notes already on nose. Many more years of development to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2019 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Biondi-Santi Riserva wine dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): This was a smashing wine - equal to great bottles of 2004 Biondi-Santi Riserva and Soldera on the same flight, but singing with a slightly different timbre. The nose on this was the most reserved of its flight, with notes of dusty, earthy and mineral at the fore, and then dark cherries garlanded by a little spice, a little wild herb, and a touch of dried flowers, all this backed with a hint of meatiness. A beautiful nose, but certainly more reserved than its younger brother from 2004. The palate immediately struck my with its purity and elegance. Noble and masculine, with a real quiet complexity to it; there was just so much going on - black cherries, dusty earth, herb, and then a gentle seasoning of spice - all riding on a bed of teeth-coating, powdery tannin into a lovely finish. Higher toned, brighter, maybe even a bit tighter than 2004 - this felt a little less luscious and higher strung at first, but opening up all the time with lovely expressions of fruit and spice - this was a wine that just sung with a lovely clarity. Superb stuff, with its best years way ahead of it too. Like the 2004, I would love to try it again in a decade or so.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2019 - axisx Likes this wine: 96 Points
A massive wine. Opened one day earlier and still tight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment