4/19/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nice nose of bell pepper, red plum, dark plum, cassis. Smooth in the palate with a little coffee, chocolate, and aforementioned fruits. Round and generous with sufficient acid. Medium tannin and medium flavor intensity. I’ll be honest - I bought it for cooking tomorrow but this is a good wine for the price point.

4/17/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Deep, ruby appearance. Medium + nose stacked with black fruit - black cherry, black plum, blackcurrant. Very complex nose with dried herbs, cinnamon, wood, smoke, leather, and a floral element. The nose is muted and brooding at this stage but you can smell the intensity. On the palate, high acid, full body, pronounced intensity, and high + grippy but elegant tannin. Borderline unctuous on the palate. Red and black fruits come through on the palate. Long finish. I could drink this now but know it would be a crime to do so. Magnificent.

4/15/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pronounced nose of red cherry, dark cherry, roses, violet, blood, perfume, orange peel, sweet spice. Full bodied, pronounced intensity, high acid. High tannins that are fantastically fine and silky. This is an elegant vintage for Bricco delle Viole. The concentration is there but no overripeness in the fruits and a lot of freshness. Outstanding. Long finish. Already complex with significant room for further development.

4/7/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Note from day two. Pronounced exotic nose of blackberry, dark plum, cassis, forest floor, five spice. Some emerging tertiary notes of mushroom and leather which weren’t there on day one. Full bodied on the palate with plush, velvety mouthfeel, very ripe tannin, and long balanced finish. Outstanding. I think it’s drinking well at 15 years of age and happy to have opened my case at this point. The emerging tertiary character will evolve however so also happy to be drinking this over the next 15 years.

4/7/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

This has moved on quite a bit over last couple of years in a positive way. The character is very similar with strong earthy tones on the nose with balsamic & dark cherry but has put in some weight and added some balance. Bags of character on the palate with ripe, dusty tannin, high acid all in good balance. While you could hold onto this for many more years, personally I think another couple of years swill see this enter prime drinking window.

3/31/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pronounced nose of dark plum, red plum. Quite primary on day one but on day two the developing tertiary aromas merged of tobacco, leather, mushroom. Medium bodied on the palate, medium + acid. Less concentration of flavor on the palate than on the nose - perhaps medium +. Medium + tanning and medium + finish. A little hard to conclude on this. There are a lot of interesting components in a restrained package, but feel like it lacks some balance and concentration. It will certainly last longer but not sure it will necessarily improve from here.

3/29/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium + nose of tar, roses, black cherry, red and black plum, licorice, spice, herbal element with dried herbs and fennel. Just a little touch of VA now noticeable. High acid, high tannin, full bodied. Pronounced flavor intensity on the palate with very ripe fruit. Medium + finish. I think the vintage has compromised the complexity - very good wine but lacks some elegance and refinement. Compared to the Gavarini, it is a step up in this regard but tasted in isolation or versus great vintages the deficit is clear. But again, still very good.

3/29/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium ruby appearance. Medium + nose of cassis, blackcurrant, dark plum. Already some tertiary notes of leather, mushroom, tobacco. Medium + acid, medium + tannin. Full bodied with medium + flavor intensity. Flavor profile on the palate is a little brighter than on the nose with the plummy merlot character more pronounced. Medium + finish. Generally speaking, this fundamentally still retains the vibrant, voluptuous character of the wine I remember tasting just after bottling just further down the line in development. I think you can hold for another 10 years but it’ll be for a different experience, depending on preference, rather than one that is necessarily better.

3/24/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Honey, green apple, lime zest, honeysuckle, lemon, blossom, strong jasmine and jasmine tea component. Sweet on the palate. High but not searing acid. Medium + body, pronounced flavor intensity. Long finish. Painfully young but they’ll be magic in this in the course of time.

2/28/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium nose that is clearly more muted than the Gavarini. Darker profile with dark cherry, smoke, herbs, a little mint, balsamic notes, roses, soy sauce. High acid and silky tannin. Full body and intense flavour. For me, this tastes a notch above the Gavarini - noticably more elegant and refined. This is perhaps a reflection of individual site's specificity in responding to the 2011 conditions. Will need to try another bottle in next month or two to finalise opinion.

2/28/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pronounced nose of red cherry, iron, roses, violet, blood orange, dried herbs. High acid and tannin. Full body, intense flavour but a little one dimensional beyond the fruit. Powerful and long finish. This is good but lacks some complexity - perhaps (understandably) a product of the accelerated ripening and early picking.

2/18/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium ruby appearance. Medium + intensity nose of cassis, dark plum, blackcurrant leaf, tobacco, touch of mint. Some emerging tertiary aromas of leather, pencil lead. Very nice silky mouthfeel on the palate. Still a little tight. Full bodied. Medium + flavour intensity. Medium + acid. High, ripe, dusty tannin that as yet is not close to being fully resolved. Medium + finish that's just lacking some complexity at the moment. I'll drink another bottle in the short term as a little undecided on the expected evolution of this.

2/17/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium lemon appearance. Medium + intensity nose of lemon, lemon zest, lime, wet stone, crushed rock, blossom, touches of stone fruit including peach. Medium + body and packed, ripe fruit on the attack, creamy. High intensity of flavour. Gives the perception in the first half that it might be a little flabby but nothing of the sort - the high acid takes over in the second half building and building into a long, mineral finish of crushed rock.

2/9/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Dark ruby appearance. Medium + intensity nose balancing dark cherry and red cherry, dark plum, forest floor, blood orange, balsamic, leather, liqoirce. Prominent oak with vanilla. Medium + body. High acid. Medium + tannin. Medium + intensity on the palate. The overall sensation is one of freshness but that belies some structure, richness, and ripeness of fruit on the palate. Finish is medium +. Suitable fo further ageing (perhaps 5 years for this to really start to show well) and very good to borderline outstanding quality.

2/4/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nose of apple, ripe pear, honeysuckle. Well balanced acidity and sweetness with good minerality on the finish. Very good.

2/1/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium lemon appearance. Quite tropical on the nose with peach, caramel, bruised apple, pineapple, a little petrol. This was a touch oxidized but not overpoweringly so. Medium + acid, medium body, medium + & very salty finish. This improved significantly with time in the glass. Little bit unclear what to make of this given concerns over the bottle condition - still enjoyed it very much though so need to try another one.

2/1/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pale, lemon appearance. Medium + intensity nose of apple. lemon, lemon zest, pear, wet stones, sour cream. High acid, medium body, ripe fruit. Long finish with flint and crushed rock coming through with great purity.

1/27/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pale, lemon appearance. Medium - intensity nose. Aromas of apple, pear, grapefruit, cream. With air some more stone fruit comes through with peach, nectarine. Blossom. Some slight spice.

Dry on the palate. Medium + acid. Medium alcohol. Medium body. Medium flavor intensity. Sweetness on the finis with a hint of steely minerality and a little almond. Finish is medium. Quality is good - nice complexity on the nose but finish is a little short and the whole package feels a a little out of balance. Not suitable for further aging.

1/27/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pale, lemon appearance. Medium intensity nose with citrus (lemon, lime) and green fruit (green apple), slight herbaceous notes of grass, wet stones. Secondary aromas of yoghurt. Dry palate. Ripe fruit. Medium + acid, Alcohol is medium. Body is medium -. Medium flavor intensity. Medium finish.
Quality is good. Fine for an entry level but acid feels a little low, lacks some intensity and complexity on the nose and palate. Not suitable for further ageing, Didn’t like it as much as previous bottle.

1/14/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pronounced nose of licorice, red cherry, iron, licorice, black olive, topic, orange peel. On day one, extremely tight so VacuVin and saved till day two.

Completely different tasting experience on day two - so much better. High acid, full body, pronounced fruit intensity. Very high tannin but beautifully ripe and velvety. Long finish with layers of tobacco leaf. Outstanding on day two. Difficult to decide when to drink these - most likely will try the next one in 3-5 years but there is value in drinking them now for a youthful San Giuseppe experience. Certainly, I will keep 1 or 2 for the long term.

1/12/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium, ruby appearance. Slight signs of aging around the rim.
Pronounced nose of black cherry, black plum, red plum, black olive, vanilla, chocolate. Significant tertiary aromas of leather, earth, mushroom. A lot happening on the nose.
High acid, medium + (but very ripe and soft) tannin, full body, pronounced flavour intensity. In terms of flavour profile, more primary on the palate than on the nose. Medium + finish. Drank better on first day then second when it seemed a little tired.
Based on this bottle, I think this is drinking perfectly now. Still some primary fruit but enhanced by the tertiary complexity. Generally, I currently believe Valdicava shows best at this point along the aging curve. Excellent.

12/25/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Savage VA. Drank over a few days and didn't improve.

12/30/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nose of blackcurrant, dark plum, blueberry, white pepper. Vanilla, clove, and toast from the oak but well integrated. Shiraz comes through more in the palate then the nose. Full bodied, medium + tannin, medium + intensity of fruit. Medium + finish with sweet fruit. Drinking well now but I think toward the end of its peak years - just not sure it will gain complexity with more age. Excellent.

12/27/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Red cherry, dark plum, licorice. Mix of red and dark fruits so some dark cherry, black olive mixed in. Full bodied, high, ripe, velvety tannin, high acid, long finish. As always, this is an incredible Langhe Nebbiolo. I didn't taste them side by side but If I had, I think I'd prefer the 2021. Both fantastic and objectively little to split them but for me, the 2021 just has that slightly stronger sense of place which I think this wine is all about.

12/27/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nose of blackberry, raisin, clove, raspberry, dark plum, dark cherry. Super smooth tannin. Full body. Very clean - long finish. High alcohol but balanced. Medium acid. A little too ripe and concentrated for my tastes but I can see how some people would love this and can't deny the quality.

12/27/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Golden appearance. Nose of honey, bruised red apple, apricot, flowers. High acid balances the residual sugar. Very long finish with slightly oily texture, Outstanding.

12/26/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Some brett, dark plum, blackcurrant, black olive, earth, blackcurrant leaf, dried fruit, spice. High tannin. Full body. Medium acid. Medium intensity of fruit. Very good quality - fruit just lacking a little intensity on the palate to match the structure. Still fine but I suspect this was better 3-5 years ago.

12/26/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium + nose of butter, toast, crushed rock, white flowers, vanilla, peach, lemon peel, nectarine. Medium acid, medium body, medium + intensity, long, mineral finish. Improved in last 3-4 years.

12/25/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Nose of lemon, butter, chalk, toast, lime, steel cream. Superb balance on the palate. Medium bodied, medium + acid. Coats the palate and tongue with delicious fruit intensity.

1/3/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Red cherry, raspberry, thyme, burnt orange on the nose. Pronounced intensity of fruit on the palate. Very high acid and tannin. Objectively I’m not sure it’s better but what I love about this vintage, even more than the 2019 I had last week, is the representation of the Bricco Boschis MGA. You can really sense the heritage in the 2021. Outstanding Langhe Nebbiolo.

1/3/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Hard to get too much from the nose - or is that just the hotel cup….Nose of dark cherry, cola, dried herbs, high tannin, high acid. Typically rusticity but a more concentrated style.

1/3/2024 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Rich nose of bruised apple, red apple, distinct signs of lees aging with yoghurt, yeast. Very lively on the palate - clear signs of petillance. Medium + acid. Salinity and crushed rock on the palate. Medium + body. This is a real curiosity - and delicious at the same time.

12/23/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Mint, black pepper, soy, black olive, dried fruit - sultana, plum, blackberry. Medium acid. Very long finish. Unfortunately, got a little lost in the evening but superb to drink.

12/23/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour. Fantastic medium + nose of tobacco, leather, smoke, cassis, dark plum, blackcurrant. On the palate, it at first appears open for business with a super smooth, weightless quality but there's still a tight kernel of ripe fruit (which I find somewhat consistent in 05s) which needs to unwind. The tannin still needs to soften and integrate more also. Ok to drink now but I'd hold for another 5 years If I had another one. Excellent.

12/19/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Deep ruby colour. Medium + intensity nose. Black pepper, blackcurrant, black cherry, dark plum, earth, blackcurrant leaf, dried herb, clove, charred wood - a lot going on in the nose. Medium + acid, high tannin but superbly ripe, medium + body, medium + intensity. Long finish with sweet fruit. Got better on the 2nd day. 100% whole cluster and long maturation in French oak which really works for this wine. Outstanding Washington Syrah.

12/6/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pronounced nose of iron, red cherry, licorice, balsamic, earth, dried fruit. Very ripe on the attack with a sweet fruit profile. Fruit seems a little out of balance and disconnected from the acid & structure. Almost like fruit juice. Hmmm - on first showing I'm not a fan of this but will try again.

11/27/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium + nose of grass, peach, cream, pink grapefruit, crushed rock. Savory and lean on the palate, medium - body, but sweet fruit on the finish. Drank over 2 days and was much better on day one. Drinking very well as a pop n’ pour right now.

11/13/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Green apple, red apple, some slight reductive notes of struck match which add complexity, bordering on stone fruit this vintage with some nectarine, toasty oak. Impeccable balance on the finish. Fuller bodied with bright acidity. Lacks a little complexity, which is not from a criticism at this level. Drank over 2 days and was noticeably better on day one.

11/4/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

On the nose, lots of stone fruit with peach and nectarine. Pear notes. A little nuttiness - almond- hinting at the slight oxidation from the oak barrel portion. On the palate, fantastic steely minerality and fresh. I believe no maio on this creating a sharp, defined texture. Racy. More citrusy on the palate than the stone fruit on the nose. Very good quality.

10/28/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium nose of red cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, iron. Medium - tannin, medium intensity on the palate, medium - body, medium + acid. Reasonable complexity on the palate but a touch one dimensional. Good quality. Just lacking a little intensity.

10/23/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

3 Bordeaux Diploma Tasting: Medium purple appearance. Medium intensity nose. Aromas of black plum, black cherry, chocolate, coffee, vanilla. Dry palate with high everything across the board and long finish. Very good to outstanding quality. Lacks some complexity at this stage but I think that will develop with time. Look forward to checking back in on this in future years.

10/23/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

3 Bordeaux Diploma Tasting: Medium ruby appearance. Medium + intensity on the nose. Aromas of blackcurrant, black plum, leather, mushroom, cedar, vanilla. Dry palate of medium + intensity. High, soft, velvety tannin. Medium alcohol. Full bodied, medium + intensity palate, medium + finish. Very good quality. This is really classic Bordeaux in a good vintage and another excellent value.

10/23/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

3 Bordeaux Diploma Tasting: Deep ruby appearance. Medium + intensity on the nose. Aromas of blackcurrant, black plum, smoke, vanilla, leather, tobacco. Dry palate with medium+ acid. Medium + tannin and high alcohol. Medium + body, medium intensity of flavour, and medium + finish. I originally rated this as good quality and it was initially outclassed by the other 2 wines in this flight, but it definitely improved over time. In fact, drank over 3 days and I would say it got better every day developing more complexity. A bargain - very good.

10/1/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Light ruby appearance. Nose of red cherry, fennel, dried herbs, smoked meat, liqorice. Ever so slight cooked fruit aromas reflecting the vintage. Full body, high tannin, intense fruit, long finish. Drank this over 2 days. I feel it drank better with a very short decant on day one. On day two, it’d shut down a little with the fruit hiding behind a wall of structure. I really need to hold onto these now for a while. Next one in 2 years.

10/1/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Aromas of lemon, grass, cream, yeast, pear, apple, wet stone. Medium+ intensity. Medium - body, medium + acid, medium flavor intensity, long finish. Clearly more austere and lean than the 2015 and I think that sacrifices quality slightly in terms of intensity on the palate. Still very good quality though.

9/25/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

No formal note but this was pretty good with strong, classic, black pepper characteristic. Must write proper note on next bottle.

9/25/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Medium ruby appearance. Medium + intensity nose with red plum, black plum, black cherry, cinnamon, earth, mushroom, forest floor. A lot going on in the nose. High acid, high, ripe, smooth tannin, high alcohol. Full body with medium+ flavour intensity. Long finish. Borderline but I'd put this at outstanding quality - nice mix of primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas and flavours. Good intensity balanced by high acid and long finish. Enjoyed this significantly more than my previous bottle 3 years ago. While you could age this longer, I personally wouldn't and am happy I drank my last one at this 10-year mark.

9/25/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Pale ruby appearance. Medium intensity nose. Aromas of red cherry, red currant, raspberry, smoke, vanilla. Dry, high acid, medium + tannin, medium body, medium flavour intensity and finish. Quality is good - good balance of tanning, acid, and primary fruit. Lacks aromatic complexity and intensity.

9/4/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

On the nose, some red licorice, dark plums, sweet spice, some vanilla, some low level VA. Ripe core of silky fruit surrounded by smooth, high tannin, and medium acid. Solid as always.

9/4/2023 - OmiyaDrinker wrote:

Cassis, quite ripe on the nose, clove, blackcurrant, a little licorice. Fruit is still fresh creating a fruit forward profile - perhaps lacking a drop of acidity to balance. With air, a little tobacco and cedar come through on the nose. Overall, good - some hedonism to reflect the 09 vintage but lacking a little elegance and balance to elevate it.