12/22/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

medium ruby color; very alcoholic with sour plum and cherry notes on the nose; the wine was still very austere on the palate; the tannin was a bit harsh and the acidity was strong. Really too early to open this bottle. I feel this wine would have long aging potential.

12/22/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

ruby color; the winemaker was moderate to show the fruitiness and I smelted very balanced red fruits complexed with vanilla, tobacco, and chocolate. The wine was very smooth on the palate and the tannin was supple and well-integrated. The exuberant acidity and the cherry notes in the retronasal path showed its identity as Sangiovese.

12/22/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

Deep ruby color; besides dark fruits and some oakiness on the nose, I smelt medium floral notes which reminds me of some characters of Torrontes and Viognier (personally I didn't enjoy it). The wine on the palate was rich and mellow and with hints of sweet vanilla, and the acidity was relatively low which was out of my expectation. The tannin was high and it needs more time to become more smooth. The finish was not bad and the flavour can linger in the mouth for quite a while. Generally, this wine was different from my previous experience of Brunello both in aroma and taste point of view.

12/21/2012 - lixiaopangzi Likes this wine:

Dark ruby color; intense ripe blueberry and blackcherry complexed with vanilla and smokiness on the nose. It is very intense, rich and mellow on the palate; masculine-style of wine. The tannin is high, but it's silky, supple and well integrated with wine body, not as austere as those young bordeaux. Besides, the surprising sweetness of this wine on the palate actuallly reminded me of some high-quality Rioja, but its brighter acidity outweighed its charm of those Tempranillos. The finish was quite long and can last at least 30 sec in the mouth. Excellent bottle!

12/20/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

Medium ruby color. The nose was not overdone. Besides blueberry nose, I smelt hints of toffee and caramel. The body on the palate was light, with medium (+) tannin and acidity. Generally, it is a drinkable wine but does not have much charm.

12/18/2012 - lixiaopangzi Does not like this wine:

The most interesting characters of this wine to me were its surprising old-wine like rim color (slightly tawny), as well as its pronouncing and beautiful cherry-raspberry nose. Other than that, I cannot find anything more attractive. The wine didn't perform well on the palate. The structure was a bit diffuse, and the connection among wine body, tannin and acidity was loose, which made exuberant acidity protruding and a bit awkward. In addition, the bitterness in the aftertaste also made me uncomforatble. Generally, this wine was relatively simple and it does not have much complexity, but it should match food with heavy tomato sauce. Cellaring might help enhance the complexity of the wine.

12/17/2012 - lixiaopangzi Likes this wine:

deep ruby; besides pronouced dark fruits and some smokiness, I felt very strong truffle and "blue cheese??" aroma (too special, don't know how to describe it accurately) on the nose. At first, I doubted whether the bottle was flawed. Surprisingly, after swirling the glass for 2-3 mins, the aroma became very complex and I really enjoyed it. On the palate, the wine was full-bodied, luscious, complex and focused and with bright acidity. The tannin was slightly high, but beautifully integrated into the wine body. The truffle and "blue cheese" note was not pronouced in tongue, and it was well fused with dark fruits and oakiness. And the finish was surprisingly long. I love this bottle, and I believe it's gonna be more interesting after several years' storage.

12/15/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

Very adorable Light-gold color with medium intensity; for me, very strong cooked mushroom and baked fruits on the nose followed by hints of citrus and floral notes. Personally I don't like its first nose. But after swirling the glass for 2-3 mins, the cooked mushroom and baked fruits notes diffused and the aroma became more balanced and acceptable. Medium (+) acidity, plus medium body (not rich enough),13.5% Alcohol. The floral and citrus notes were more pronounced on the palate. The finish was not quite comfortable because of the bitterness which can even bounced back to my head after swallowing the wine. I think it is still too early to open it. Probably this wine will become more balanced after 5-6 years.

12/15/2012 - lixiaopangzi wrote:

Lemon color with medium(-) intensity; toasty, creaminess, mushroom and minerality came out first, followed by lime and floral notes after swirling. I think the wine is already in its developing stage, because comparing with my first-time tasting of this wine in Apr 2011 the fruitiness and freshness waned slightly but the toastiness and mushroom note became stronger. The aroma at the moment reminds me of some good-quality Margaret River Chardonnay such as Cape Mentelle and Leeuwin Art Series. But comparatively, this meursault is more elegant and withdrawn and no sulphur and flinty notes, not as outgoing as its Aussie equivalents which have strong flinty and tropical fruit notes. Furthermore, this wine is quite rich, rounded and mellow, plus medium acidity, in the mouth. All the aroma notes (toastiness, creaminess, mushroom, minerality, lime, etc) on the nose can also be felt on retronasal perception. 13% Alcohol. The rich finish can stay in the mouth for at least 20 seconds. Good bottle! This wine could be aged for 2-3 years to reach its maximum complexity, but I don't see any potential of long-term aging. Better drink it within 5 years.