7/3/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Raspberry, candied violet, plum, tobacco, orange, crushed flowers, some menthol, perfume - a lot going on in the nose. Very ripe on the palate and the alcohol is of course very high but well balanced with medium+ acid. On the palate, some savory elements come through mixing with the crushed ripe berries. Velvety tannin structure. I’m able to pick these up cheaply for under SGD$100 and at that price they are very interesting wines to try. However, at the more usual retail price (driven by scarcity) I would not be a buyer.

1/29/2011 - Briangray77 wrote:

This is the first time this has happened but this Barolo was CORKED!!! I'm sure it would have been a great wine but man it was undrinkable. In a way I'm glad I got to experience that, but why did it have to be a barolo:(

5/19/2022 - OaktownRush Likes this wine:

Lots going on on the nose, eucalyptus and coffee grounds with some dark fruit underneath — expressive and bold on the nose. The palate has slightly powdery tannins, some dark berries framed with some sweetish oak driven notes (maybe?), the tannins sort of grab and and hold but have some ripeness that masks them a bit. It’s maybe a little more impressive on the nose, but it’s a killer value either way — I like this a lot. I think it’s comparable to some Ridge single vineyard wines. Would love to have more of this.

10/8/2022 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nice nose of dark cherry, leather, clove, dark plum. Well balanced on the palate with ripe fruit, some balsamic and herbs. Huge tannin on the finish with some heat from the alcohol. Juicy acidity. This is good, and I think it’ll improve and soften for 3-4 years, but personally I see no real reason to wait on these nor on Brunello generally.

Supplemented in response to comments:

Personally, I don’t think there is significant upside in aging Brunello. If we talk short-term aging, yes there’ll be softening but I think the essence of enjoyment is found in the vibrancy of their youth. There’s of course nothing wrong with drinking them 10-12 years after vintage (and If I had free choice between a 16 and a 10 today, I might choose the latter), but the upside is relatively marginal vs. the opportunity lost in storage cost/space. As a caveat to this, my palate enjoys austerity so this might not be true of others. It is a preference.

If we talk longer term aging (say 15 years+), my view is that Brunello doesn't belong among the world's great wines where such patience is rewarded. This is an opinion, but one I hold loosely, as I hope to have an experience that changes my mind.

8/1/2022 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine:

As some other tasters have recently commented this was very closed with a wall of tannins, some dense red fruit, pepper but not much else. Very interesting that the ‘17 we drank some months ago was ravishingly open for business while the ‘12 (with more bottle age) needs time (or this bottle). Score withheld.

6/4/2022 - OmiyaDrinker Likes this wine:

Tremendous nose of bacon, animal fat, Vegetable component (grilled pepper), blackcurrant, dark cherry, sweet spice, smoke, charcoal, chocolate mint ice cream!?. Fascinating on the palate - first half is all rich fruit and black olive with super smooth, velvery mouthfeel. That mouthfeel continues to envelop the mid-palate and finish but the flavour profile is replaced by salinity, crushed rocks, and shellfish into a super long, juicily acidic finish. This is exceptional. I think this is drinking well now but benefits from a couple of hours decanting. That said, I'm going to wait another 5 years to drink one of my two remaining bottles as I want to enjoy this through the course of it's life. The subsequent bottle may be another 5-10 years after that.

1/17/2020 - John Nezlek wrote:

Note: I use a scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.

This wine is really starting to come into its own. Very good fruit, well-balanced with just enough acidity.
I definitely need to hold some of these.

9/11/2021 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

On the nose, some brett, animal hide, plum, black currant leaf. Smooth on the palate, fruit forward, with a medium + sweet finish. Certainly ripe but just enough acid to keep it fresh. However, on 1st tasting I wouldn’t say this hasn't developed quite as well as I’d hoped or is in a slightly funny place at the moment with a distinct hole in the mid-palate. Will revisit the note after it gets some air....
Ok. This rounded out fantastically with an hour of two of air. Satisfyingly dense with waves of flavour. Hard to be sure, but I would say this is ready to drink with a small decant or could hold for a couple more years but not much more than that.

6/19/2021 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Tar, roses, smoked meat, black olive, liqorice - sophisticated and stylish nose. Lovely balance of sweet fruit and savory complexity on the palate. The sweetness is certainly surprising driven by ripe fruits of the forest. This is all balanced by a spine of acidity. Robust structure with ripe, velvety tannin. This wine has just softened into its drinking window but it’s right at the very start of that curve. I think this will be fantastic in 10 years and well beyond.

3/25/2021 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Red cherry, fennel, roses, forest floor - very nice, bright nose. Plump fruit on the attack which is well complemented by juicy acidity. Medium + tannin but kept in the background. Overall, really delicious to drink now.

Left for a 2nd day of tasting which led to some opening up. On the nose, some damson aromas with notes verging on umeboshi - really intriguing. Generally speaking, seemed sweeter on day 2 particularly on the long, sweet, iron-driven finish. I think this wine goes into the group of delicious, crowd pleasing Barbaresco.

8/11/2018 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Melon, stony minerality, beeswax, lime zest, Off dry but very savory flavor profile through the mid-palate and finish. Perhaps lacking a little acidity due to warmth of vintage.

6/4/2017 - OmiyaDrinker Does not like this wine:

Yet Another Wine Group: Cote Rotie & Cornas: Masses of sweet vanilla on the nose. Christmas cake aromas with caramel, white pepper. Many new oak characteristics on the palate also. The Cornas characteristic is there but masked by the makeup of the oak. This seemed completely out of place in this lineup and while the quality is evident I don't like this at all. I felt annoyed drinking this.

10/18/2020 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nice nose of bacon, dark cherry, dark plum, black currant. Really smooth on the palate with juicy acidity on the finish. Enough to keep this interesting but paired with Tremendous drinkability. I expected this to be a bolder wine requiring time - I’m glad it’s not. Really good stuff.

10/1/2020 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Tar, burnt rubber, ash, black currant, dark plum, shaved pencil, vanilla turning into toffee, forest floor, moist bark. Delicious fruit on the palate, super intense busting blackberries but with a savoury umami component of animal fat. Very dense in the mid-palate. Components aren't integrated as yet but each of them is sensational. The finish almost rains on your palate. Wow.

5/16/2020 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

This is brilliant. Exotic mix of dark and red fruits - Plums, cranberry, leather, bramble, sweet toasty oak. Very sharp fruit on the palate and that’s the line this balances - ripe fruit with bracing acidity. The 2001 and 1964 are my benchmarks for this wine and I think this is, or will be, in the category of those wines. I can absolutely see why some wouldn’t love it but for me, this is great stuff. From experience, I know this will pair with pretty much any food also. Very drinkable now but wait 5 years for further upside.

5/19/2019 - Schweigaard wrote:

Nose is about as good as Syrah can get. Deep dark perfume. Freshly milled pepper, blackberries, blackcurrant, flowers, fenalår. Layer upon layer, but balanced and tethered. Clean and harmonious in the mouth as well. Fresh and relatively quaffable with pleasing tannins. There's good depth in the fruit, and it's long.

10/13/2018 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

I honestly believe this is an April fools day joke that the rest of the world has not let me in on. I like to think I’m reasonably open-minded about wine & taste but I can’t understand how people like this yet alone understand the almost universal acclaim. This wine is an abomination.

7/23/2013 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nice brunello. Still quite primary but this will be really good in 5 years.

12/16/2017 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

No. The oak just ruined this for me and felt it completely misses the point.

6/26/2017 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Family trip to Rioja - June 2017; 6/20/2017-6/26/2017 (Rioja): Immaculate bottle and cork. Tawny, orange colour. Nose of sour cherry, saddle leather, dried sultana. Still very much alive in the palate and while fully resolved willl continue to drink well for at least another 10 yeas. First impression is an aged Barolo (in a good way) but the sour cherry component on the finish characterises it. Excellent. Testament to the power of provenance and great vintage. Drank at El Portal in Ezcaray.

6/23/2017 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Family trip to Rioja - June 2017; 6/20/2017-6/26/2017 (Rioja): Tasted a little tired and thin to me. Honey, lemon peel, fresh and light style and had the classic LdH Bodega aromas. I much preferred the 07 Gravonia I had the day before but don't know whether this was just bottle variation / mood etc. Must drink more to find out!

1/1/2016 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Dark purple appearance. Clean fresh nose of pure, cassis fruit with some clove and medicinal, fennel character. Silky fruit and fine tannins. Very tight at present but should improve in a few years. Rightly or wrongly, I always compare this to the Ornellia 2nd wine of Le Serre Nuove and never think this comes of well in comparison given they are at a similar price point. For me, It's worth paying a little more for the Le Serre Nuove although this doesn't of course have to be an either / or.

8/8/2015 - OmiyaDrinker Likes this wine:

Medium, purple appearance. Noticeable bricking around the rim. Fantastic nose, almost Barolo like, with violets, cherry, tar, and leather. No way I would pick this if tasted blind. Lovely fruit up front, well balanced, and long finish with deep acidity. Drinkable now but this is going to be even better in another 3 years and will continue to improve for at least another 10 after that. A wine to get excited about especially given the price.

12/24/2013 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Superb nose that reminded me of an acidic Super tuscan - cranberry, cassis, metalic. Smooth and creamy profile with slight hole in mid-palate. Interesting spice - hint of clove. Long finish but just a little asringent and sharp.

4/10/2013 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nice stuff but suffered a bit against the Flacianello 09 we tasted side by side. No shame in that but I would spend a bit more for the Flacianello or signifcantly less for "regular" Chianti Classico (e.g. Fontodi's regular bottling).

10/20/2012 - OmiyaDrinker Likes this wine:

Lia and Shiu 1st Birthday: Lost my notes unfortuntely but was super.