7 months on oak, 3 months in bottle. Winemaker mentioned focusing on matching between different levels of grapes for balance.
Intense ruby red in glass.
Nose of Black pepper, thyme. Reminiscent of a Syrah.
Winemaker mentioned focus on balancing between different parcels of grapes.
Palate driven by sour cherry.
Not a standout to me at this point.

Dry summer although not nearly as debilitating as 2022 is now.
Barrel aging: 36 months in 16-33-54 hl barrels made of Allier oak.
Bottle aging: at least 6 months.
Colour
Brillant Ruby Red with garnet reflections
Powerful nose but elegant. Complex nose of blacker fruit, raspberry, saddle leather.
Lighter in body but elegant. Totally integrated tannins. Striking how accessible, like many of the 2017’s now unlike say the 2016’s.

7,000 bottles.
Barrel aging: 36 months in 16-25-33 hl barrels made of Allier oak.
Bottle aging: 6-8 months.
Less accessible nose than the 2017 estate bottle.
Hints of of vanilla and chocolate.
Palate of redder fruit.

Slow ox no decant
Surprisingly light bodied, garnet with fair amount of translucency
Complex nose: leather then licorice
P: mushroom, chocolate
Integrated tannins
elegance but lacking power as another note suggests
Starts very fresh Yet down hill fast
Menu Artisanal Spaghetti , Fresh Goat Cheese, Tried Cherry Tomatoes, Black Garlik, Basil, Organic Rabbit filled with Spinach & Olives, almonds and Dried Cappers, Marinated Zucchini with Thyme.

* A young wine served by restaurant staff with decant
* Ruby medium intensity. Slight garnet tinge
* Closed Nose initially gave Cherry but that closed further still :
* Palate: tannic,
* Home made parpardelle in Wild boar ragout
* Seemed like it opened after we drank it!

I have but one note from the evening that the tannins are well integrated now. Recommend drinking!

Very Ruby. No garnet
Medium-Light body
Cherry
Dry
Medium integrated tannins.

Magnum
Champagne of the trip. A forgotten about vintage according to our benefactor (forgotten by the market as well as forgotten by him!). Fortunately all intact including lovely bubbles.
Beautiful deep gold from shipping it’s age.
Nose gave off all sorts of funk leading one to think it was corked but palate reflected perfect provenance and care.
60% chard, 40% Pinot noir.
Wonderful experience to share this aged beauty amongst friends overlooking the Mointalcino vineyards from atop the mountain at Villa a Tolli.

Birthday celebration in Montalcino called for the best and our benefactor of the evening over-delivered. A magnum of Montalcino’s finest from the early 90’s, impossible to find these days…
Cork broke upon opening but wine intact. Significant sediment. Slow ox added to the adventure….

Delicate and totally refined, an elegant wine for an elegant party. Exquisite really. I remember it kept changing throughout the night, never staying the same but never diminishing. Fruit still there from start to long strong finish. Cherry, chocolate, local herbs, smoke. Reminiscent perhaps of a top burgundy.
Wine of the trip. Lucky us!

Orange wine style although more lemon-gold than orange because they avoid over oxidizing. Matured in terracotta vessels (pic uploaded).
Nice balance of acidity. Citrus but not overpowering.
91 for effort.

Stainless steel fermentation
Every day drinking winblend of Sangiovese and Shiraz
Shiraz very evident

Comes from an “easier soil”
Wonderful hints of cherry & vanilla spice
33 euro list price

Vanilla spice
Challenging vintage - more for rosso than for Brunello
Very elegant
Ready to drink, as many of the 2017’s are

3 years in oak, one in cement, and 16 months in bottle.
I don’t recall being ready to drink.

Way to early to drink and therefore impossible to score.
Nasmed for the bonsai training system, this a very unusual wine. Vine density is significantly increased beyond the Brunello rules (62,500 vines per hectare) and therefore this single varietal of Sangiovese is awarded the IGT classification. This forces roots much deeper yielding what certainly seems a denser wine. Also, while much of Le Ripi has a unique clay soil, it would appear that this single vineyard as more unique soil than the rest.
They normally recommend 10+ years before sampling.

Rosso is all they rage now, deservedly so. This one from the Potazzine ladies is incredibly well balanced for a 2020. This one and the Mastrojanni are the top Rosso’s from the trip. Grab some before they climb further in price!

Stainless fermentation 20-30 days
7 month stainless steel aging
6 months bottle

Young, tart, fresh. Not a bottle I will seek out but great to try.

2017 was warmest vintage before now, but they had a good (mild) winter. Also nice harvest after mid of Aug.
More rounded. More heavy with alcohol. Can still smell more wood
Shows what you can do in a bad vintage / complicated vintage.
Ready to drink now. Can drink for 10 years (according to the producer).

2016 balanced vintage really nice, although first bottle was oxidized (they opened in advance for us, perhaps too early).
Nose of chocolate. Totally balanced, acidity higher, ripening slow. Better aging capabilities - can go for another 15 years (according to producer).

A 5 star vintage (slightly warmer than 2016).
Peppery, vanilla
More alcohol, fuller body, can age much longer
Reserva can be subjective. This one more wood (partly because smaller vessel).
Smaller qty 2,966 bottles. Largest reserve batch ever was 3,300. Target 3,000

Lemon color
Very Oak, vanilla: 6 months new oak before barrel
Toffee
90% Chardonnay, 10% greceto (sp?) local grape
Very French style
Paired with lean white fish at Osteria del Tasso (Guido), Pietrasanta

Magnum
Peach in glass. Hints of lemon with subtle red fruit. Elegant.
High QPR. Recommended!