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Comments on my notes

(38 comments on 33 notes)

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Red
2007 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova Sangiovese
9/2/2023 - WhineEnthusiast wrote:
80 points
So weird/ disappointing. 2 bottles, both pristine, great corks. One tasted like great brunello (though with a touch of raisin I probably wouldn’t otherwise note/comment on) the other tasted like raisiny desert wine. Wish i could say the latter had gone bad-but it didn’t seem like a corked bottle. Just bad wine. Take the notes of bottle variation from others here very seriously.

Ive been laying a lot of CdN TN down and this makes me very nervous… hopefully just confined to 07.

One was a 93, one a 70
  • swapdoc commented:

    9/5/23, 8:15 AM - do you remember from whom did you buy this bottle?

Red
2009 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova Sangiovese
Same raisiny aroma as when tasted in 2015. Over ripe fruit. This wine was selling at a discount in '15 for now obvious reasons.
  • swapdoc commented:

    8/15/22, 8:21 AM - Zachys.

Red
2016 Tenuta degli Dei Cavalli Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend
2016: Bourdeaux vs Tuscany: A bright, pretty wine. Fresh, juicy merlot that shows red currant and refreshing acidity. Not the more typical chocolate and earthy taste profile. Unique and very appealing.
  • swapdoc commented:

    11/4/20, 5:26 AM - That explains the taste profile. Drinks more like a cab. Got the incorrect blend from the store people. Thx.

  • swapdoc commented:

    11/4/20, 1:03 PM - Have seen occasional discrepancies among various sources in the past. Here's the description of the Dei '15 mix: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Alicante Bouschet

    https://www.weinemotionen.de/de/cavalli-2015-0-75-l-tenuta-degli-dei-toskana.html

  • swapdoc commented:

    6/14/21, 3:04 PM - Thx!

  • swapdoc commented:

    6/15/21, 7:44 AM - yes

Red
2003 Château d'Issan Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
11/12/2020 - swapdoc wrote:
A cab-dominant wine palate. Aromas of a tomato leaf, leather, cedar; mostly savory palate with some currant and cherry sweetness in the finish. The maturing fruit highlights the wine's acidity. No need to wait.
  • swapdoc commented:

    4/26/21, 6:12 AM - Drank over 5 hrs without decanting. Had several bottles on different occasions last year; same general notes apply.

Red
2012 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto Toscana IGT Red Bordeaux Blend
2/18/2020 - pgb67 wrote:
91 points
One of my favorite Italian wines because it of its consistency - with notes of red plum, fig and cherry, accented by tobacco and spice. This picked up steam over time and seems to have plenty of life left. Good acidity and overall flavor.
  • swapdoc commented:

    2/18/20, 11:42 AM - delicious indeed.
    https://www.bbr.com/products-20128015675-2012-guidalberto-tenuta-san-guido-tuscany

Red
2007 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso Sangiovese
9/7/2019 - guido23 Likes this wine:
92 points
Nice Brunello - pretty classic at first but became a little modern over time. Nice tannins, robust flavor, but a little lean on the finish. Popped and poured; consumed half immediately and half 24 hours later.
  • swapdoc commented:

    9/12/19, 8:35 AM - tasting more complexity the next day; more focused, better acid balance, more nuanced oak. '01 cicala came to mind. how did you see it?

Red
2007 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Cerretta Nebbiolo
9/10/2019 - swapdoc wrote:
Glad to had tasted this wine in its youth. Mature now, with just a hint of aromatic complexity peaking though mostly integrated muted fruit. Woody flavors dominate, tea-like tannins, linear mature fruit; lacks complexity and vibrancy. Seems to have aged too quickly compared to the still evolving '01. Hot vintage? Too much oak?
  • swapdoc commented:

    9/12/19, 6:27 AM - Maybe I should drink this with moose next time around...

Red
2010 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco Nebbiolo
Piedmont -- Aldo Conterno Winery Visit: 6 wks on the skins, 32 month in wood (?). An amazing wine. Spicy, rich nose of sap, roses, meat. Long, with a gorgeous balance between mineral wild berry juice, ripe fruit, and integrated though present tannins. Complex nose, soil close to Cicala in composition, rich in blue magnesium. Conterno did produce Gran Bussia in ’10; yet Romirasco is GS, for all practical purposes. Tasting ’10 Romirasco next to ’06 Gran Bussia (70% Romirasco, 15% each of Colonello and Cicala) shows just what a tremendous value Romirasco is. This wine should be and will be selling for the price of GS – grab it while you can. The best ’10 Barolo I’ve tasted. Described Aldo Conterno Baroli in the past as Burgundian in style, but this is different. The heft, viscosity is more reminiscent of a Guigal single vineyard Cote Rotie. Galloni is simply off the mark with this gem.
  • swapdoc commented:

    6/3/19, 6:12 AM - Clearly they did; thanks for the correction. I must have misinterpreted wine maker's comments.

White
2015 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill
8/8/2018 - BenBlu Likes this wine:
92 points
After having enjoyed 6 bottles of this over the past few months I am going to back paddle a little bit with my score. Previous note still largely holds but probably after drinking this a couple more times I feel that the slight lack of further evolution in the glass with air, a touch (too) high alcohol for my personal preference (although this is hardly noticeable) prevents me from holding onto my initial very enthusiastic score. This is remains a great Chardonnay with fabulous QPR and gives immense and immediate pleasure whenever you unscrew the cap - with no bottle variation. Going to let my other case rest now and cracking into it next summer.
  • swapdoc commented:

    8/9/18, 6:24 AM - Agree. Properly cooled, this wine evokes an old world chardonnay; a touch warmer, and the overall sweetness, ripeness, and heat begin to peek through.

Red
2000 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra Nebbiolo
A gorgeous wine. Aroma of fruit, beef broth, liquor. Big dollop of dark sweet cherry accented by walnut and earthy aroma, finishing with a lift from a minty afterglow. Vibrant, fresh, complex, balanced, mature and delicious.
  • swapdoc commented:

    4/2/18, 1:50 PM - I did not decant this bottle, opened with dinner.

Red
2010 Castillo de Cuzcurrita Rioja Señorío de Cuzcurrita Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
4/21/2017 - Papies wrote:
Tasted at 38k feet courtesy of BA. No given due to altitude.
Bright and fresh, young fruit, oaky but not overoaked, chocolate feel, ripe fruited, black cherry, good acidity too. Young for sure but approachable and probably better now than in the future. A modern mid range Rioja with all its good and bad. Felt like an 87-88
  • swapdoc commented:

    1/8/18, 6:42 PM - Haven't tasted the '09, but '06 is just opening up. Modern - yes, but typicity (if that is a word) is beginning to come through as well.

White
2012 Laurent Tribut Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet Chardonnay
Acidity is gone. A tired white grape juice with some lemony undertones on the nose. Past prime or a damaged bottle.
  • swapdoc commented:

    11/7/17, 1:44 PM - Then a bad bottle indeed.

Red
2013 Pecchenino Barolo San Giuseppe Nebbiolo
{Grandi Langhe, 2017} Wow, such an impressive wine. In the past, I've gravitated toward Le Coste as my favorite of their (two) Barolo wines, but it's becoming harder to choose a favorite, as the quality of their Barolo offerings just continues to get better, their touch is light, yet the result, substantive. An elegant wine that will need several years in the cellar before it's truly ready to face the world, and even then, it'll just be getting going. There are now 3 Barolo offerings: San Giuseppe, Le Coste and Bussia, and I'm an enthusiastic buyer of each one. highly recommended

https://www.ItalianWine.blog
  • swapdoc commented:

    9/12/17, 7:58 AM - Not familiar with this producer, but intrigued. What other producer does this wine remind you of, if any?

Red
2013 Foradori Teroldego Morei Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
2/29/2016 - rossi.wine wrote:
92 points
Dark core with a slightly purple rim. Rather sweet and plush on the nose at first - ripe berry fruit, cherries, violets, spices, crushed stones.
On the palate rather soft and feminine. The tannins are providing grip but are quite unobtrusive, bright but well integrated acidity, nice minerality and vibrant, pure fruit. Fresh, lively with a lingering finish. Intriguing. 91-92+
  • swapdoc commented:

    5/22/17, 1:52 PM - Use some of the same wine vocabulary, but had to have seen your note prior to penciling mine...

Red
2011 Mocali Brunello di Montalcino Vigna delle Raunate Sangiovese
1/26/2017 - swapdoc wrote:
Tinge of violet in the color. Black cherry taste, juicy and mineral wine. Stylistically recalls Maremma based sangiovese -- plums, dusty cherry, maybe simple but smooth mid section, juicy finish with echoes of berries and bright fruit; thinking of Poggio Valente '12, Cepparello '11 style of wine making. Not surprisingly, Mocali makes several Maremma based wines. Some residual finishing tannins but an easy drinking wine now. Still immature, but there is nothing that recalls rich but flat, fruit forward, candy wine that is a hallmark of some '11 wines.
  • swapdoc commented:

    1/27/17, 5:52 AM - I'm not that familiar with this producer -- let me know your take on this wine. I've noticed that I am often tolerant of oak manipulated wines and am trying to calibrate my palate. That said, the wood influence here was quite tame compared to the recently tasted La Serena '11 brunello.

Red
2004 Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore SuperTuscan Blend
Sea breeze kissed cabernet, soft and supple. Completely resolved tannins. Some cab franc on the nose, mixed with cassis, flowers, cedar and a hint of toasty oak. Drinks easily. A perfectly aged mild cabernet; actually 40% cab, 40% merlot, 20% cab franc. Thank you Chris for this enjoyable bottle.
  • swapdoc commented:

    1/5/17, 5:23 AM - Couldn't agree more. What Cepparello is to a Tuscan sangiovese.

Red
2010 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
10/17/2016 - Tim Heaton wrote:
See swapdoc's note of July 2015, he/she nailed it. I'll be opening a 2011 soon, and I've got fingers crossed. A nice wine, just not a special, or soulful wine.

Aerated 3 hours in decanter, served non-blind.

https://italianwine.blog/
  • swapdoc commented:

    10/18/16, 6:07 AM - The wine seems a bit controversial; a few people like it quite a bit. Unfortunately, I've been disappointed with his style of wine making before -- didn't care for his '07 wine either. That seems to be also in line with the general consensus. Thanks for confirming that what I've tasted here was not a total fluke. It's a 'he' by the way.

Red
2010 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
5/3/2016 - swapdoc wrote:
Wanted to like this wine more than I actually did. This wine stood out as intensely mineral and skewed toward plum and blueberry aromatics upon release, but now shows a touch of bitter Slavonian oak and a closed, non-expressive generic red fruit. Layered, sweet and perfumed dark cherry fruit is lurking deep in the background. Needs time for the wood to integrate fully.
  • swapdoc commented:

    5/3/16, 1:17 PM - Brunello for me is also enjoyable quite young as well as mature -- the young nuanced fruit is unique, complex and often less tannic than other varieties. The wine often shuts down several years after the release, as may be the case here.

Red
2010 Poggio al Casone La Cattura Toscana IGT Teroldego
2/12/2016 - CTAnderson Likes this wine:
88 points
I really enjoy this Trader Joe's find. Unlike most "Super Tuscan's," this mostly Sangiovese (80%) blends with Syrah for a very balance wine that does not shy away from the fruit, but balances with body and sufficient tannins. I would even venture to say this could lay down a couple more years.
  • swapdoc commented:

    4/20/16, 7:53 AM - Made with mostly a Dolomite grown variety, 85% Teroldego, 15% Syrah.
    http://fringewine.blogspot.com/2011/04/teroldego-trentino-and-tuscany-italy.html

Red
2010 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli Sangiovese
Altesino Winemaker Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): Young and brash wine, with a profile of bright red fruits, pomegranate. Feral aromatics are front and center here. The wine is supple, dancing on the palate, showing hazelnuts, succulent berries. Plenty of length and minerality here; playful but too tannic to fully enjoy now.
  • swapdoc commented:

    4/6/15, 7:59 AM - The description was not meant to be deroqatory, more akin to a 'petrol' aromatics some find in riesling. I liked this wine, but I can see how this analogy may be seen as unkind. I don't recall tasting this aromatic streak in a Brunello before, though I've seen it from a number of nebbiolo producers. It could be a by-product of a style of wine making and seems a mark of recent Altesino releases. The feral connection resonated with me; maybe you can suggest a different description?

  • swapdoc commented:

    2/22/16, 11:06 AM - How's calling it the aroma of musk or peony instead?

Red
2001 Roberto Voerzio Barbera d'Alba Riserva Vigneto Pozzo dell'Annunziata
1/7/2016 - shaw wrote:
87 points
Sokolin resold some juice that(likely) wasn't stored well. Let down.
  • swapdoc commented:

    1/29/16, 1:53 PM - I'm a buyer at the Sokolin prices for a few magnums.

  • swapdoc commented:

    2/1/16, 6:52 AM - Offering to buy 2 magnum for $99 each from you (Sokolin's price. If you're in a larger NYC area and interested, please let me know.

White
2012 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Burklin Estate Pfalz
Relatively dry riesling, with good refreshing acidity. Juicy, but ultimately simple -- missing the complexity and excitement. Also, tasting echoes of a somewhat oxidized bland white grapes in the finish, taking this unremarkable experience a notch lower still.
  • swapdoc commented:

    12/21/15, 5:19 AM - Don't recall just how dry this was, sorry.

Red
2011 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri Sassicaia Red Bordeaux Blend
6/24/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Bodega Chacra and Tenuta San Guido Dinner with Piero Incisa della Rocchetta: Tight and focused wine. Soft and fragrant palate, with some blueberry aromatics. Finishes tannic now. Needs time.
  • swapdoc commented:

    7/9/15, 7:00 AM - I don't know Sassicaia wines all that well. The '11 feels to me that it has the fruit to further improve over the next 5-7 yrs or longer, depending on how mature you like your wines.

Red
2010 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
1/20/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:
90 points
Benvenuto Brunello 2015 (2010 Brunello di Montalcino) (Gotham Hall, NYC): The nose showed ripe red fruits with spice and dried leaves in a pretty, perfumed style. On the palate, it was youthful with tart berry, herbs and spice, yet it lost some momentum toward the close. Its structure showed more in the finish, which seemed clipped. This may gain weight and depth with time, but for now it remains an incredibly pretty Brunello on the nose.
  • swapdoc commented:

    7/8/15, 7:20 PM - Just tasted La Poderina and liked it a lot. Recall being impressed at the Benvenuto, particularly since I didn't cafe much for '07. Hopefully all of the grapes come from the same source, as it is hard to top the bottle I have in front of me. JS was right on the timing -- drinking beautifully now, hard to imagine it getting more complex without losing that flowery sensual feel.

Red
2010 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
7/6/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
At the '15 Benvenuto tasting I liked the substantial feel of this wine, tasting it next to the rich, smoky, mineral '10 Madonna delle Grazie. Perhaps I was tasting some of the glamor of the single vineyard wine in this Brunello. On its own, this wine is less compelling, missing the energy often associated with '10 vintage. The red fruit is solid and framed by the soaked barrel aromatics, yet missing the sappy edginess of the single vineyard wine. The wine making style is reminiscent of Conti Costanti; the overall impression is of a less multifaceted, less intriguing wine. In the midsection, found craving for more minerality and that volatile aromatic complexity that is often, though not solely, associated with the Southern expression of Brunello. Approachable now -- finishes a little tannic, but without any off-putting astringency.
  • swapdoc commented:

    7/7/15, 6:47 AM - Tried to imagine what this would taste like in 10y; couldn't quite picture it. Not the 'dark and stormy' Tenuta Nuova style, not the wood infused Altero, not Talenti -- will have to wait and see. With Costanti, my immediate response was not to touch it for a decade -- not here though.

Red
2010 Damilano Barolo Lecinquevigne Nebbiolo
1/26/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Great Wines of Italy Tasting 2015 -- Piedmonte (NYC): Young and tannic. Brighter fruit than Cannubi, lighter as well. Missing the tight core.
  • swapdoc commented:

    6/8/15, 9:09 AM - I would. If you like your Balolo fruity and young, I'd still wait a few years for the wine to put on some weight and complexity. May shut down after 3-5 yrs to re-emerge as a more integrated and mature wine after 8-10 yrs.

Red
2004 Silvio Grasso Barolo Bricco Luciani Nebbiolo
5/15/2014 - Herbs48 wrote:
Took 1 glass using Coravin 5/14/14.
  • swapdoc commented:

    7/2/14, 9:41 AM - How was it?

Red
1994 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
A fully mature, excellent wine that is in a prime drinking spot now, just needs an hour or more to fully open up. The fruit is just delicious and the tannins provide a classic Pauillac structure. There is just enough sour notes to offset the fullness of ripe cherries, cassis. Long and full, no drying at all now. I enjoyed this wine more than a number of '95s.
  • swapdoc commented:

    1/2/14, 10:01 AM - Bought as futures based on the press -- they got it right in this case. Recall '95 also well reviewed, though never had a chance to try.

Red
2008 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello Nebbiolo
Great Wines of Italy Tasting (Baroli) (NYC): Mineral and supple, reminded me of a ripe burgundy or a young gymnast's body.
  • swapdoc commented:

    12/18/13, 1:49 PM - Poetic license. Stay with the burgundy part.

Red
2007 Casa E. di Mirafiore Barolo Nebbiolo
A disappointing effort overall. The wine is unfocused, with little structure, made to be drunk early and tastes to me somewhat artificial. There is certainly some sweetness in the palate but it feels forced and emphasized at the expense of the overall harmony. The wine was drunk over 4 hours, and though gradually continuing to improve, it never really revealed the perfume and dazzle of the nebbiolo. There are many better and more genuine entry barolos in the market at $30. Have to disagree with the critics on this one.
  • swapdoc commented:

    12/18/13, 10:28 AM - You won't like my new note -- didn't find this wine as offensive this time around. Have to call it as I see it.

Red
2010 Fattoria Galardi Terra di Lavoro Roccamonfina IGT Aglianico
9/24/2013 - swapdoc wrote:
Tasted this wine for the first time and did not share in the general excitement. The fruit is bright and long, bit of menthol, mineral. The overall taste has a vegetive hint of green peppers that reminded of a ripe cab franc -- something I didn't find very appealing. Will wait to retaste.
  • swapdoc commented:

    9/25/13, 8:01 AM - Would cellar this for 4+ years, as I generally prefer the complexity of fully developed wines. This wine can easily be enjoyed now, but I will cellar my bottles. It is possible that my bottle was atypical ('06 Barbi brunello is another example that comes to mind) -- I tasted this wine only once at a larger tasting.

Red
2004 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Sangiovese
7/13/2013 - cgebh@hotmail.com wrote:
70 points
Decanted for over an hour ... Undrinkable, acidic aftertaste ... too much alcohol ... bad bottle?
  • swapdoc commented:

    7/16/13, 7:21 AM - how come?

Red
1995 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
3/1/2013 - Margauxguy wrote:
94 points
Stunning, just coming into the drink window. Leather, cassis, structure, dark berry, round, opulent. Love this wine. If anybody wants to sell, I am a buyer. Starting to develop spec and smoke, some pencil lead and cedar. Gorgeous wine, at .25 of the price of a 1st growth
  • swapdoc commented:

    3/7/13, 9:08 AM - May have remaining a half a case or so. Would be looking to sell. Bought as futures, celllared from day 1. email at swapdoc@aol.com

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