1996 Brancaia Il Blu Toscana IGT

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 88.9 points

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  4/30/2018 - Bluespolo wrote: 88 Points

  Dopo circa due ore dall'apertura naso ancora piuttosto ossidato con sentori decisamente terziari, di sottobosco e funghi, sotto i quali emergono tracce di fruttato evoluto (prugne secche, ciliegie sotto spirito). solo dopo circa quattro ore il velo di riduzione e ossidazione si dirada lasciando spazio ad un frutto più integro, sempre prevalentemente nero, ed a una spezia piccante, sempre con un sottofondo di muschio. Al palato lievemente disarmonico, più fresco che tannico, con una struttura media, ed un finale di durata discreta ma non eccezionale. Da bere.

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  4/14/2017 - Bluespolo wrote: 88 Points

  Verticale di Brancaia di fine Millennio (Firenze): Da una Magnum. Aperto circa tre ore prima di servirlo. Colore e naso un po' velati. Ciliegie sotto spirito, cuoio tabacco e goudron. Intenso ma lascia l'impressione di essere un po' pesante. Sicuramente meno preciso del 95 e soprattutto del 97. Al palato la struttura ed il calore si fanno sentire, i tannini spingono ancora. meriterebbe di più se il finale si distendesse meglio.

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  1/21/2017 - forceberry wrote: 87 Points

  The wine was known simply as "Brancaia" with a blue label back in the 1990's. A blend of Sangiovese (50%), Merlot (45%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). 13% alcohol.
  
  Fully opaque and even somewhat cloudy blackish cherry red color. Pungent, smoky and somewhat unpleasant nose with pretty tertiary aromas of charred game, earthy funk, some unclean tones, a little bit of beef jerky and a hint of phenolic smoke. There doesn't seem to be any fruit left in the nose. The wine is much better and noticeably cleaner on the palate with flavors of sweet black cherries, strawberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of ripe red Merlot fruit, light sour cherry bitterness and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine is moderately high in acidity with quite light and supple tannins that contribute some texture to the mouthfeel but only very little grip. The finish is quite long, spicy and pretty savory with flavors of sour cherry bitterness, some raspberry juice tones, a little bit of coarse tannic grip, light beef jerky tones and a hint of earthiness. The wine seems to fall apart a little in the aftertaste.
  
  It feels like this vintage is a bit over its peak. The nose feels partly off and partly dead, but the wine is still fortunately surprisingly alive on the palate, although the wine still seems to be quite tertiary and already falling apart in the glass. This might've been a pretty wine in the past, but it feels like it has seen better days and probably was better off some 5-10 years ago - now, at 20 years of age the wine isn't holding up that well anymore. The wine isn't completely shot, though, which is why I think it's justifiable to rate the wine - just remember that it must've been a few notches better in the past.

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  2/18/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points

  Medium red with brown edges. Great nose with graphite, cedar, earth and black cherry fruit. A very nice black cherry and earth palate and a nice full finish with a bit of structure left. A very good fairly rich earthy wine.

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