5/31/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, medium-full black red with a pink hue, no sediment. Open on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruit, flowers and smoke. Medium-bodied, pure and well-balanced on the palate without being too round. Not as tannic as lighter Bordeaux reds tend to be. Rather basic for a 2nd growth but still a good wine. Drink over the next ten years. 90+

5/17/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

375 ml bottle, decanted for two hours. Bright medium red with an orange rim, no sediment. Red fruit, cherries, flowers and firm oak on the nose. Medium-full on the palate, the oak is quite dominant considering the process (20 % in used barrels for 24 months, 80 % in larger botti). On the second day the oak feels more subdued even though the fruit has become quite thin as well. A good wine for the price. 90+

4/27/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Clear, medium gold color, no sediment or tartaric crystals. Lemon, honey, nutmeg and candied sugar on the nose. Medium-bodied and balanced on the palate but rather basic. The aftertaste is strongly reminiscent of crème brûlée. A good early drinking Sauternes. 89.

4/27/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

Magnum bottle, decanted for three hours. Clear, full garnet with a red rim, some fine-grained sediment. Open and classically styled on the nose with aromas of cassis, plums, oak, cedar, chocolate and flowers. Medium-full on the palate with lots of fresh fruit and clean acidity, the tannins are still strong but not overpowering. The aftertaste is long, juicy and pleasantly acidic. Pair with meats now or wait for a few years. 91+

11/29/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Clear, full red with an orange rim, some sediment. Cassis, sweet cherries, pencil shavings, tobacco and decaying leafs on the nose. Classic St. Estèphe in style and fairly complex but not especially exciting. Medium-bodied, fresh and slightly bitter on the palate, the fruit has held up fairly well. Dry tannins on the finish. A nice effort for the vintage. Drink over the next few years. 91

1/19/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Shiny and clear, full ruby red with an orange rim, some sediment. Initially somewhat dry and closed on the nose but eventually opened up in glass to reveal a complex bouquet of cherries, herbs, roses, smoke and earth. Full-bodied, intense and surprisingly young on the palate with firm tannins and slight bitterness. Paired well with lamb fillet but I wouldn't drink it on its own yet. Wait 5-10 years. 93+

1/19/2013 - Rubicante wrote:

First decanted for three hours, then poured back to bottle for two hours. Clear, shiny, light golden color, no tartaric crystals. Citrus fruit, apple, mineral notes, white pepper and sweet oak on the nose. Initially restrained on the palate but impeccably structured and elegant. Becomes more powerful with time and lasts long in the glass. The aftertaste is clean, long and fruity. Already very enjoyable and has great potential. 94+

10/26/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Clear, medium red with a pink rim, no sediment. Fresh and fruity with aromas of cherries and smoke, somewhat subdued. Light-bodied but not delicate on the palate, no flaws but nothing special either. Decent QPR. 89+-

8/11/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour and enjoyed over four hours. Gleaming red with a brown hue that fades to a translucent rim, little black sediment. Initially sweet and tightly woven aromatically on the nose. After decanting it opened to reveal a constantly evolving bouquet of cherries, raspberries, roses, pine resin, tobacco and mineral notes. On the palate it's medium-bodied and the tannins have integrated. Although the wine is balanced, it has an unusual sappy texture and some excess warmth. The finish is pure and long. Drink over the next five years. 94+/-

8/24/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Slightly corked upon opening but cleared off almost completely afterwards. Clear red with a purple hue, some sediment. Warm and open on the nose with aromas of cassis, kirsch, earth, spices and oak. Decently balanced but still surprisingly tannic on the palate. Cassis and oak linger on the long finish. A decent wine but in this case it seemed unlikely to benefit from further cellaring. 89+/-

6/29/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, medium red with a light orange rim, no sediment. Open and fresh on the nose with aromas of red berries, spices and oak. Medium-bodied and balanced on the palate with a good acidic bite and clean tannins. Long but a bit dry on the finish. Should keep well or improve over the next ten years. 91+

7/6/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Saturated black red, almost clear with a bit of sediment. Sweet and open on the nose with aromas of cassis, dark fruits, anise and lots of oak. Modernly styled but the amount of fruit is on the low side compared to the tannins and the apparent smoothness seems somewhat forced. Might get better in a few years if the fruit persists. 88+(?)

6/15/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, almost opaque garnet with a purple rim, high viscosity, has a bit of sediment. Has a dark, intense and somewhat hot impression on the nose with aromas of cherries, flowers, earth, spices, licorice and oak. Full and initially very fruit-forward on the palate but the overall structure is still correct. The aftertaste is pleasantly acidic. Already an enjoyable wine but it's likely to improve with a few more years in the cellar. 91+

5/13/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, medium red with an orange rim, no sediment. Somewhat accessible on the nose with aromas of cherries, leather, white pepper and a sour Brunello-like feel. Medium-bodied and fruit-forward on the palate, quite tannic towards the end. Already drinkable but needs to be paired with food. 90+

5/11/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Almost opaque black with a purple rim, quite viscous, little fine sediment. Warm and quite open on the nose with aromas of ripe dark fruit, coffee, mint, vanilla and herbs. Full-bodied and balanced on the palate but feels somewhat forced and lacking in character. Blackberries on the aftertaste. Drinkable now and could benefit from a few years in the cellar. 90+/-

5/5/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Almost clear, dark red with a purple hue, some fine sediment. Open, intense and initially somewhat hot on the nose, becomes more mellow in the glass. Has aromas of ripe dark fruit, vanilla, earth, liquorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied but heavily oaked and a touch low on acidity, regardless the wine works well with dark meats. Might improve from a few more years in the cellar. 91+

5/4/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Black red with a purple rim, clear, lots of sediment and tartaric crystals. Dark, earthy, and firm on the nose with cassis, plum and black pepper aromas. Still tannic on the palate but enjoyable, the fruit will likely fade out before the tannins budge. Pair with meats over the next few years. 89-

5/4/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

NV but the cork was marked 2006. Clear, bright yellow with a long-lasting mousse, small bubbles. Rich and vinous on the nose with aromas of fresh apples, lemon, brioche and oaked Chardonnay. Full, pure and mineral on the palate with sufficient acidity and good length. Excellent as it is but might benefit from a few years in the cellar. 91+

4/28/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Odd beige/brown growth ring design on the label to remind about the vinification in oak. Clear light yellow, strong mousse with medium-sized bubbles. Deep citrus fruit with apple-like notes, dry oak and bread on the nose. Balanced on the palate when chilled but gradually loses its freshness in glass as the toasted aromas take over, somewhat sweet considering the amount of sugar. A step above most NV Champagnes but not stylistically to my liking. 91+-

4/7/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Dark red, clear with little sediment. Ripe dark fruit, cassis, herbal notes and earth on the nose. Medium-bodied on the palate with lively fruit, fresh Cabernet Franc acidity and clean tannins. Pleasantly tannic on the aftertaste. Great QPR and seems to have some aging potential left. I'm suspecting the previous bottle was somewhat faulty. 89+

4/6/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for four hours. Light-medium red with a pink hue, clear, medium viscosity. At first somewhat dark and oaky on the nose but with decanting opened to reveal floral notes, red fruit and spices. Light and balanced on the palate, quite simple but the mouthfeel is lovely. The aftertaste is clean and pleasantly acidic. Not sure how this will age but it should be interesting to follow for at least a decade. 90+-

4/6/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Full ruby red with a purple hue, clear and quite viscous. Open on the nose with ripe fruit, sweet oak, vanilla, liquorice, black pepper and floral notes. Fresh and balanced on the palate, somewhat dry towards the end. The style is reminiscent of Numanthia but lighter. The aftertaste is pleasantly acidic. Drink over the next few years while it's fresh. 90+-

2/4/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Light-medium golden yellow, clear, medium viscosity. Surprisingly heavy on the nose with lots of botrytis, honey, apricot and saffron. Medium-bodied, sweet and fruity on the palate, could use some more acidity. Mostly botrytis notes on the aftertaste. Decent Sauternes for the price. 89

2/4/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Cork had seeped halfway but the wine had not suffered at all. Decanted for three hours. Medium-full dark red with a slightly brown hue, clear with a small amount of sediment. Concentrated, fruity and somewhat hot on the nose with aromas of cherries, leather, earth and black pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate with lovely acidity and firm tannins. The aftertaste is long, tannic and earthy. A few steps behind the best Barolos but still good and has some aging potential. 91+

1/7/2012 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Dark red with an orange rim, clear with some sediment and tartaric crystals. Mainly Bordeaux-style on the nose with cassis, plums, cherries, leather and earth. Medium-full on the palate with sweet fruit, firm tannins and a correct level of acidity. The aftertaste is long and clean but somewhat restrained. Could benefit from a few more years in the cellar but I think the fruit will fade out long before the tannins really soften up. Drink over the next ten years. 92+

12/3/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Full black-red with a purple rim, clear with no sediment. Clean and elegant on the nose with cassis, forest floor, herbs and floral notes. Medium-full on the palate with fresh acidity and surprisingly integrated tannins. Still classic in style and on the light side for an '05 Bordeaux. The aftertaste is quite long with dark fruit, sour notes and sweet oak. Enjoyable already and should drink well for at least two decades. 92+

11/12/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Medium amber color, high viscosity, clear with some tartaric crystals. Honey, orange, melon, candied figs and spices on the nose. Sweet and oily on the palate, somewhat lacking in acidity but seemed to gain depth and richness in the glass. Medium finish with a slight bitterness that contrasts the overall sweetness nicely. Enjoy over the next ten years. 93+

11/12/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Full garnet color with a purple hue, gleaming and clear with no sediment. Still somewhat restrained on the nose with ripe red fruit, spices, liquorice, ganache and gamy notes. Grenache seems to show the most at the moment. Medium to full bodied and balanced on the palate, impressively long with refreshing acidity and high-quality tannins. The aftertaste is long but simple for now. Paired well with entrecôte but definitely needs more time in the cellar. 93++

10/29/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Opaque black red, purple towards the rim, some fine sediment. Open, big and surprisingly cool on the nose despite the 15,5% abv, crushed blackberries, tobacco, chocolate and anise. Soft, sweet and fruit forward on the palate, the tannins show more on the aftertaste. Might gain some interesting qualities with a few years of cellaring but I wouldn't count on it. Great with grilled meats as it is. 93+(?).

8/27/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, dark red with a garnet rim, some sediment and tartaric crystals. The nose is already exciting and quite elegant with gamy aromas, olives, iron, floral notes and soft red fruit. On the palate it's medium-bodied and at the moment quite tannic, but the overall balance is good for the vintage. Enjoy over the next ten years. 92+

8/27/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Clear, almost opaque dark garnet, some sediment. The aromatic qualities are starting to open up nicely with intense dark fruit, lots of spice, vanilla oak and earth on the nose, relatively soft and tame despite the 15 % abv. Modernly styled but identifiable as a Spanish wine, full-bodied and fruit forward on the palate with firm but pleasant tannins. Decant and enjoy with grilled meats now or wait for a few years. 91+

8/6/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

No formal notes. The impression was similar to that of the previous bottle four moths ago. 91+-

7/23/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Medium-full black to ruby red color, clear with a tiny amount of sediment. Powerful and slightly hot on the nose (14,5 % abv) with dark cherries, liquorice, earth, tobacco and youthful acidity. I liken the overall impression more to a Brunello or a traditional Chianti than a Super-Tuscan. Medium-bodied and balanced on the palate, the tannins are still quite strong. Not a crowd–pleaser but will definitely satisfy friends of the style. Decant and enjoy now or try medium-term cellaring. 92+

7/22/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Clear, light yellow with medium viscosity. Lemon, apple, sweet tropical fruits, flowers, mushrooms and earth on the nose. Medium-bodied and balanced on the palate with proper acidity, pure fruit, high-quality oak and a mineral mouthfeel. Acidity and lemon linger on the long aftertaste. Enjoyable already but will show entirely different facets of itself over the next 20 years. 91+

6/25/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Opaque purple with a ruby rim, clear with some sediment and fine-grained tartaric crystals. Somewhat open on the nose with ripe cherries, blackberries, leather, graphite and sweet oak. Full-bodied, intense and overall a big wine on the palate but not as overpowering or tannic as I had thought. The aftertaste is surprisingly sweet and fruity. Decant and pair with meats now or wait for 5-10 years. 91+

6/24/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Full dark red with a brown hue, clear with no sediment. Open on the nose with cherries, liquorice, red berries and slight oxidation. Raisin notes show more as the wine gets warmer as does the 14,5 % abv although it's not that high for an Amarone. On the palate it's getting low on fruit and oak but the acidity is of good quality and works well when paired with meats and cheeses. Good length on the sour finish. Drink over the next few years. 90-

6/24/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Pale yellow with a heavy mousse. Strong and rustic on the nose with apple and citrus notes, autolysis and flowers. Rough but pleasant on the palate with apple-like acidity and good depth. A vinous, direct Champagne that should be drunk with food over the next few years. A bottle of Millésimé 1995 I had last year was already losing some of its charm. 91+-

6/24/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Almost opaque ruby red with a garnet rim, some sediment and tartaric crystals. Ripe, dark fruit and cherries on the nose followed by oak, meat, smoke and spices. Full-bodied on the palate, the overall feel is somewhat dry but not harsh any more, the tannins slightly dominate towards the end. Long, pure finish. I'm not an expert on Tignanello but I doubt the longevity of this vintage, if I had more I'd drink them over the next five years. 91+

6/19/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. Clear dark red with a purple hue, some sediment. Open on the nose with cassis, iron, spices and dusty oak. On the palate it's pure and quite nicely balanced, the tannins still dominate the overall impression. Decent value for the '05 prices, should improve from a few years of cellaring. 89+

6/18/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours. Slightly dull, dark red with little sediment. Earthy, dark and hot on the nose, some dry cassis, blueberries and plums. Medium bodied on the palate with decent quality fruit and surprisingly soft tannins for its age, somewhat thin towards the end. The tannins show more on the dry aftertaste. Decant and drink with food now or try waiting for a few years. 87+-

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

The cork gave us a scare with seepage up to 1 mm from the top but luckily the wine was far from faulty. Light-medium brick color with some ruby hue remaining in the center, fades to orange towards the rim, very glossy, medium viscosity. After several hours of decanting and some time in the glass, the wine was completely opened and held on strong to the end. The nose was classic but exciting mature Bordeaux with sweet fruit, earth, stone, mushrooms, gunpowder, cigar tobacco and a distinct cola aroma (the first time I've encountered that in a wine). Medium-full on the palate with a perfect level of acidity, completely integrated tannins in the background and some sweetness towards the end. The mouthfeel was unique, without better words I'd describe it as a Cos d'Estournel brought to Graves. The aftertaste goes on for over a minute bringing layers of pure oak, gunpowder, mineral notes and lingering acidity. The best wine I've had to date and it might not even be at its peak yet. 97+

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Medium red with and orange rim, very glossy, medium viscosity. The nose starts out quite mute even after several hours of decanting and some time in the glass but gradually opened up to a elegant mature nose of dark red fruit, cassis, cedar, pencil shavings, black tea and olives. Full-bodied on the palate, balanced but the acidity is a bit low compared to the overall weight. The aftertaste is long and dry with the oak showing the most. Properly cellared bottles should be fine for several years but I don't see room for improvement here. 94-

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Light-medium garnet, fades from orange to transparent towards the rim, glossy, low viscosity. Unassuming on the nose at first but opens up to a complex bouquet of subdued cassis, cedar, charred oak, earth, tobacco, meat and floral notes. Medium-bodied and warm on the palate with lively, almost sharp, acidity and intense fruit. The aftertaste is long and pure but not as exciting as the wine was as a whole. Not declining yet but I find Léoville Las Cases more suitable to drink with less age on it. Drink over the next few years. 93+/-

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Light-medium garnet, fades to orange towards the rim, glossy. The nose is constantly evolving in the glass with intense with earth, sweet cassis, spices, vanilla, cedar and pencil shavings. Mature and full-bodied on the palate with rich fruit, vibrant acidity and mouth-filling tannins, incredibly youthful for its age. The aftertaste is long and dry in a pleasant way. Should hold for several years easily. 92+

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Surprisingly youthful dark garnet color, the hue holds up to the rim. Overall a dark impression on the nose with cassis, blackberries and licorice. Slightly aggressive and volatile if sniffed strongly. On the palate it's balanced but again surprisingly young and firm, good length with tannins showing more towards the end. Should improve with some aging if the fruit holds. 90+

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Light-medium garnet, fades slowly to orange. Alcohol shows on the even after aeration, aside that the nose is nice and complex with cassis, cedar, leather and herbal notes. Medium-bodied and round on the palate, the balance holds to the end, good length. A relatively 'easy' wine. Could evolve further in short term cellaring. 91+

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Medium garnet/red, orange at the rim, glossy. Cassis, cherries and tobacco on the nose, doesn't have the warmth the other wines in the set had. On the palate it starts sweet and carries on firm with vibrant acidity and tannins but becomes thin towards the end. A bit impure on the aftertaste. Drink over the next few years. 88+-

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Dark red, fades to brick red towards the rim, somewhat glossy. Pure dark fruit, blackberries, enjoyable herbal notes and high quality oak on the nose, alcohol shows a little. Mature but still a firm feel on the palate, has a slightly hollow phase towards the end. Aftertaste is pure and quite long. Drink over the next few years. 90+-

11/5/2010 - Rubicante wrote:

Dark red, fades from brick red to translucent towards the rim. Sweet cassis, red fruit and cedar on the nose, recognizable St. Estèphe style. Surprisingly mellow for its age and a bit watery towards the end, oak reminds of Rioja. Aftertaste is quite basic and short. Drink up. 89-

5/21/2011 - Rubicante wrote:

Decanted for one hour. No formal notes. Opened up quite fast and was again a solid performer. See previous notes. 92+