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Ten Days in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tasted September 25, 2006 by Russell Faulkner with 933 views
Introduction
Brief notes from our holiday in Southern Tuscany, staying around 10km from Montalcino.
I am no expert on these wines, and can count my previous tastes of Montalcino wines on the fingers of one hand. This was not really a 'wine trip' but I think I did quite well!
Flight 1 - Wines in the Villa / Restaurants (9 notes)
All these wines were taken with local food either at our Villa or local restaurants. Almost all were decanted and suitable glasses used. Decants were generally an hour for Rosso, two to four for Brunello.
Red
2004 Fattoria dei Barbi Rosso di Montalcino
84 points
13% €12
Translucent ruby, muted nose of dark fruit. Initial jarring acidity leads on the attack, followed by woody herbs and light cherry, seems slightly hollow on midpalate but nice fresh fruit. A decent wine that with time in the glass developed an interesting savoury caramel element.
Translucent ruby, muted nose of dark fruit. Initial jarring acidity leads on the attack, followed by woody herbs and light cherry, seems slightly hollow on midpalate but nice fresh fruit. A decent wine that with time in the glass developed an interesting savoury caramel element.
Red
2004 Podere Salicutti Rosso di Montalcino
84 points
14% €14
A light ruby, slight purpling to rim. A ripe but not jammy nose of plum and damson. Shows forthright acidity with rounded tannin that gets more prominent and less rounded on the finish, a hint of woodsmoke and black cherry, which grew with time
A light ruby, slight purpling to rim. A ripe but not jammy nose of plum and damson. Shows forthright acidity with rounded tannin that gets more prominent and less rounded on the finish, a hint of woodsmoke and black cherry, which grew with time
Red
2001 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino
92 points
13.5% €25
Slight sign of seepage on the cork. Dark purple, impenetrable has a sheen on the surface.Aromatic nose of vanilla, indian ink and blackcurrent. Very lush fruit attack and great texture - reminded me of Sine Qua Non Syrahs in that respect. Black cherry, ripe but not over sweet, after the first flush of fruit a serious grippy tannic underbelly appears, acidity is lighter but still fresh. Despite the modern style, there are clear 'Brunello' signs - I could not confuse this with a 'common; grape. Tannins firmed up on day 2.
Slight sign of seepage on the cork. Dark purple, impenetrable has a sheen on the surface.Aromatic nose of vanilla, indian ink and blackcurrent. Very lush fruit attack and great texture - reminded me of Sine Qua Non Syrahs in that respect. Black cherry, ripe but not over sweet, after the first flush of fruit a serious grippy tannic underbelly appears, acidity is lighter but still fresh. Despite the modern style, there are clear 'Brunello' signs - I could not confuse this with a 'common; grape. Tannins firmed up on day 2.
Red
2001 Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino
93 points
14% €24
Medium depth garnet, ruby rim. Lovely savoury burnt earth and rust nose - an old tractor. Savoury elements lead the attach too, crisp winter leaves, some dried porcini, medium body with great translucent fruit, sour cherry and fresh grape, high acidity shows on the finish where the tannins show more. An excellent wine. Tannins grew a little more aggressive as the last drops were poured.
Medium depth garnet, ruby rim. Lovely savoury burnt earth and rust nose - an old tractor. Savoury elements lead the attach too, crisp winter leaves, some dried porcini, medium body with great translucent fruit, sour cherry and fresh grape, high acidity shows on the finish where the tannins show more. An excellent wine. Tannins grew a little more aggressive as the last drops were poured.
Red
2004 Fazi Battaglia Chianti Le Gaggiole Fassati
80 points
12.5% €5
Dark translucent ruby, slightly lifted nose, stinging acidity, rustic, gritty. Has its place though.
Dark translucent ruby, slightly lifted nose, stinging acidity, rustic, gritty. Has its place though.
Red
1999 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino
89 points
14% €25
Mid ruby, warm summer fruits on the nose, a hint of old fags. Quite rounded acidity seems to be just on the ripe side, with faint burnt aromas and a hint of heat to the (slightly tannic) finish. A good more traditional style, lighter weight wine, restrained.
Mid ruby, warm summer fruits on the nose, a hint of old fags. Quite rounded acidity seems to be just on the ripe side, with faint burnt aromas and a hint of heat to the (slightly tannic) finish. A good more traditional style, lighter weight wine, restrained.
Red
2004 Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino
87 points
13.5% €11
A hint of aniseed and fresh crushed raspberry and strawberry and smoke, high acid, very fresh bright fruit solid tannin, medium weight and enjoyable.
A hint of aniseed and fresh crushed raspberry and strawberry and smoke, high acid, very fresh bright fruit solid tannin, medium weight and enjoyable.
White
2004 Azienda Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Le Vaglie
82 points
12.5% €6
Not certain this is the right producer
Pale lemon, a hint of fresh rose, rounded texture, grass, apricot and fresh lemon. Nice enough
Not certain this is the right producer
Pale lemon, a hint of fresh rose, rounded texture, grass, apricot and fresh lemon. Nice enough
Red
2000 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
91 points
Purple - ruby
Forest pine smoke and brooding dark cherry. Palate shows very deep layers of fruit, quite amodern fruit profile but without the oak, full acidity and osft tannin, clearly quite young, very good.
Forest pine smoke and brooding dark cherry. Palate shows very deep layers of fruit, quite amodern fruit profile but without the oak, full acidity and osft tannin, clearly quite young, very good.
Flight 2 - Tenuta Carpazo (7 notes)
The first, and my favourite trip. Carpazo is just North of Montalcino, along a very long winding gravel path. The winery is very modern, built a few years ago. A brief tour of the facilities before a tasting in the tasting room. Oddly, here as at the two other visits, wine was the same price or more than local wine shops. Carpazo seems to be a more traditional style, though they have made some more modern wines, for commercial reasons. The tour and tasting were free.
Red
2004 Tenuta Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino
87 points
13.5%
A hint of cigar butt and winter fruits, high acidity with medium density tannins, a little short. Some nice savoury style, not overly ripe, a bit warm on finish.
A hint of cigar butt and winter fruits, high acidity with medium density tannins, a little short. Some nice savoury style, not overly ripe, a bit warm on finish.
Red
2003 Tenuta Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino
87 points
14%
From 7hl french oak barrels. Very sweet oak on nose, not very toasty though. Fully, ripe, plummy, overblown and slightly stewed fruit, not really my style but is well enough balanced.
From 7hl french oak barrels. Very sweet oak on nose, not very toasty though. Fully, ripe, plummy, overblown and slightly stewed fruit, not really my style but is well enough balanced.
Red
2003 Tenuta Caparzo Cà del Pazzo Toscana IGT
84 points
14%
50% Sangiovese 50% Cabernet, from Barrique
Again very sweet oak, some dried herbs - menthol.
Very silky texture, lots of blackcurrent, a little heavy, very solid tannins. I like the texture but find it clumsy.
50% Sangiovese 50% Cabernet, from Barrique
Again very sweet oak, some dried herbs - menthol.
Very silky texture, lots of blackcurrent, a little heavy, very solid tannins. I like the texture but find it clumsy.
Red
2001 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino
90 points
13.5%
Nice bright translucent ruby. Earth and old holborn, nice medium weight, an eegant but complex wine, with light sweet fruit, high acidity and solid tannins, very good.
Nice bright translucent ruby. Earth and old holborn, nice medium weight, an eegant but complex wine, with light sweet fruit, high acidity and solid tannins, very good.
Red
1999 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
91 points
13.5%
Noticably darker than the Brunello, much more powerful nose, burnt leaves. The palate is less full blown with medium acidity and great fruit profile. The density of the nose is initially very offputting but the palate shows much better. Score reflects the assumption the nose will calm.
Noticably darker than the Brunello, much more powerful nose, burnt leaves. The palate is less full blown with medium acidity and great fruit profile. The density of the nose is initially very offputting but the palate shows much better. Score reflects the assumption the nose will calm.
Red
2001 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa
93 points
14%
Back to a lighter colour, with a soft nose packed full of raspberry and orange peel. Again a very elegant wine, though more powerful, very rounded with a solid acid backbone. Quite a traditional style with subduded oak.
Back to a lighter colour, with a soft nose packed full of raspberry and orange peel. Again a very elegant wine, though more powerful, very rounded with a solid acid backbone. Quite a traditional style with subduded oak.
Red
1999 Tenuta Caparzo Cà del Pazzo Toscana IGT
88 points
50% Cabernet, 40% Sangiovese, 10% Syrah.
Only made in 1999 and in magnum, this bottle open 3 days.
Quite inky, some burnt earth, a little reductive. Well made.
Only made in 1999 and in magnum, this bottle open 3 days.
Quite inky, some burnt earth, a little reductive. Well made.
Flight 3 - Castello Banfi (6 notes)
Banfi is an enormous operation, the scale of which I had never seen before, hundreds of massive steel tanks, 7,000 300l barrels etc... The tastign was in their large US style tasting room, and cost €10 for the Sangiovese and €10 for the supertuscans. All very boring really.
Red
2004 Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino
84 points
Quite foresty, full fruit and toasted oak, acisity a bit disjoined, very juicy.
Red
2001 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
86 points
Tight nose, slightly hollow. Very full oaky attack, masks everything, solid tannins, hard to judge.
Red
2001 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura
87 points
Inky. Dark dry oak very overpowering, smooth with soft tannins, some nice sweet fruit but very overpriced.
Red
2001 Castello Banfi Sant' Antimo Cum Laude
86 points
Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah
Dense purple, oak and plummy but not jammy aromas, overmade.
Dense purple, oak and plummy but not jammy aromas, overmade.
Red
2001 Castello Banfi Summus
87 points
40% Sang 40% cab 20% Syrah
Black, fragrant fruit but lacking freshness, ready to drink with light tannins, but overmade.
Black, fragrant fruit but lacking freshness, ready to drink with light tannins, but overmade.
Red
2001 Castello Banfi Excelsus
88 points
60% cab 40% Merlot
Toasty coffee and jammy fruit, forthright, borderline astringent tannin, a bit boring.
Toasty coffee and jammy fruit, forthright, borderline astringent tannin, a bit boring.
Flight 4 - Fattoria dei Barbi (3 notes)
A very quick tour and a rushed tasting, the wines left me a little confused.
Red
2004 Fattoria dei Barbi Morellino di Scansano Vivaio dei Barbi
82 points
Light ruby, some oak and soft light fruit, not enough body to balance the acidity, disgointed.
Red
1999 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino
87 points
Slightly whiffy, some brett, a bit wild. Medium weight, with fresh raspberry and some earthyness on finish, a slightly volitile air to it though.
Red
1998 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Fiore
91 points
Again a little horsey, but a nice perfumed fruit style, low oak, smokey nose. A hint of sweetness with bright cherry aromas, medium to full body, pretty good, especially if oak calms more.
Closing
So some interesting wines. When bought locally there are some excellent values, and prices in the UK on some of the wines do not seem too much higher.
This trip realll opened my eyes to Brunello, and I think we tasted a good variety of styles.