3/23/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Jammy blackberry with cocoa, cinnamon, clove, violets, a bit of a sherry ozidative note that I don't care for but is not offensive either.

3/21/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

My limited experience with this winery so far has been good. I've like their brunellos a little younger and fresher as a whole. This 15yr is tasty with tight tannins to start and cherry,, cranberry and raspberry notes with soft earthiness but declines over time allowing some ethyl acetate to peek through.

3/21/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Really top notch table-type red. Well made and well balanced oak, cedar, pencil shavings, cherry, boysenberry, lavender, mushroom, leather. Very complex and great QPR.
Bigoli w/ spicy duck ragù as the pairing.

3/7/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Such a fantastic wine paired with coffee-rubbed steak and quinoa w/ avocado and lime. Acidity is smooth yet present, plum, pencil shavings, blackberry jam, spicy alcohol with crushed violets. Great Argentine Malbec.

2/9/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Black currant and cocoa were apparent with black plum and raspberry with a little more acidity than I expected from an American Cab. Medium full body.

1/25/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

13 years and still holding color well, deep garnet with rose petal, chocolate, raisin, cinnamon, sassafras, anise, grilled beef, marzipan... I could go on for a while. A LOT going on here.

1/21/2021 - downpantera Likes this wine:

I was certain that I was opening this too early but I was sitting on 4 bottles and was making boar rib ravioli so I wanted something sharp.
Decanted for about 90 min and this really expressed itself well. Firm acidity and tannins with bright cherry, red currant with big floral notes, chocolate and vanilla on the finish.
It literally makes my mouth water after sipping.
I guess I like young Brunello more than I though, or Bosco is just more approachable while young.

12/22/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Delicate but well structured, nice acidity earthy flavor notes with bits of red fruit and just enough tannins to balance.

12/20/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Cherry, mushroom, cola, anise.

12/7/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Wow, worth the wait. Full body, ruby color, med tannin, med- acid, mostly dry finish, more than many Napa Cabs. Blackberries, cassis, chocolate, herbs, plum.

11/25/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Big and bold but dry and tannic, more than I expected from a cali red. Didn't take tasting notes but really enjoyed it.

11/12/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Very tight and acidic, kinda flat upon opening but wow did this wine open up over the evening. Definitely decant this one for the best experience.

11/11/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Peach, pear, oak, vanilla, buttery, strong alcohol but it was served in a taller narrow glass rather than a shorter wider bowl. That could have intensified the booziness.

10/25/2020 - downpantera wrote:

Passable but not memorable nor worth the price. Very sweet, aromas of unfermented juice, raisiny, tinge of metallic coiny blood like character. Could be the bottle could get better with time.

10/10/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Absolutely lovely. Cherry, tobacco, leather, hints of spice. Medium body, high acidity. Quite flavorful and a great value.

10/7/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Rich and flavorful, big fruit, slight jamminess, low tannins, moderate acid, little barrel character. Fuller body than I expected. Would buy again.

9/22/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

I took a few months off of wine and this was the first bottle back. Rich velvety dark fruit, dried fruit with medium acidity and low tannins. Vaguely reminds me of petit sirah crossed with amarone. My palate is a little rusty though...

8/14/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Cherry and tobacco with oak depth and hints of boysenberry. Very nice indeed for an off year. First Valdicava and now I look forward to their Brunellos.

8/2/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Easy drinking flavorful wine. Peach is the dominant character with bits of lemon, mango and cantaloupe. Paired with grilled peaches, chicken, avocado and garden tomaotes.

7/8/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Very pale color, just the slightest hint of blush. Melon, fresh strawberry, lemon, kiwi. Firm acidity. Crisp finish.

6/28/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Initial aromas of blackberry, cassis, black pepper, gaminess, leather. Full body, medium acidity, medium tannins.

6/27/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Certainly a new world interpretation with big raspberry, cherry cola, charred oak, charcoal. A big pinot for sure.

6/21/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Wow, 10 years in the making this wine delivers on all aspects. Dark cherry, allspice, clay pot, tobacco, fig, delicious and still well structured. Firm acidity, firm tannins.

6/15/2020 - downpantera wrote:

A little past its prime as the fruit elements are dull and non-descript. Lots of earthiness, mushroom, wet soil, leather, slate, etc. Opens up a little as it sits in the glass but I do believe I held this too long.

6/8/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Quite a luscious texture, velvety and smooth. Oak is present but not harsh or overly dense. Vanilla and baking spices, pencil shavings and cedar. Cassis and blackberry dominate the fruit elements.
Paired with coffee-rubbed hanger steak, saffron cous-cous and garbanzos with dates. Malbec or Petit Sirah may have paired better but this did well. 3.5/5 on the pairing.

5/24/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Rich red fruit with strawberries, raspberry and a touch of red currant. Moderate spice notes of anise, allspice and cocoa. Vanilla and tobacco round it out. Lovely.

5/22/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Crushed violet, perfume, cocoa, allspice, leather, cassis, dark fruit, plum skin... damn complex if I do say so. Full body. Big acidity but well balanced, tannins have soften just enough in 7 years to be good right outta the bottle. Very satisfying.

5/21/2020 - downpantera wrote:

White peach, lemon, green apple, light body, firm acidity. A little out of balance for me.

5/18/2020 - downpantera wrote:

Not very impressive for the cost. Tannins were quite aggressive (read - astringent) and fruit was muted. Very tight. Opened up a little on day 2 so we'll revisit this in a year or two. No one flavor jumped out at me and I can't say I really enjoyed any of the glasses out of this bottle.

5/16/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Apricot, yellow apple, honeysuckle, lemon curd, minerals, wet stone. A bit tangy at first but really settled into a nice glass of wine on the second pour. Would have been mid 80s if judged only on glass #1.

5/13/2020 - downpantera wrote:

Raspberry, bitter chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, plum skins, firm tannins, bits of blackberries. Needs some more time imho. Good flavors but not harmonious.

5/11/2020 - downpantera wrote:

Funky touch of brett but a little bitter on the finish. Red plum and red currant, fresh leather, pencil shavings. Takes a bit of getting used to with the leathery element and the bitterness. I personally like the Brett funk.
There is also a note of green peppercorn, tea leaves, bay leaf, and some other herbal notes.

5/11/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Fantastic rosé for an afternoon on the sunny deck. Macerated strawberries, cantaloupe. Mostly dry, good balance b/w acid and fruit. Less acidity than many rosés.

5/9/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Deep flavor with plum jam, blackberry, cola, cinnamon, cocoa, moderate acid, full body.

5/7/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

PnP first glass; High acid to start, oak and berries came out a few minutes later. Rest of bottle decanted and about 1 hr in body became more tactile and acid softened a bit. Tannins firmed up and supported body, acid and berry notes. Subtle notes of cocoa powder, mushrooms, forest floor, raspberry and pomegranate and plum skins. A very nice wine today, I wanna check back in with this in about two years.

5/7/2020 - downpantera wrote:

May be an issue since it came from a grocery store but was held in cellar for a year after that before opening.

5/3/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Incredibly smooth and velvety with notes of apple, qhite peach and honey, semi dry with moderate acidity makes for a very refreshing and food friendly wine.

4/28/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Soft and refreshing, melon, peach, strawberry. A touch sweeter than I had hoped. Would buy again, good qpr for sure.

4/18/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Dried dark fruit, prune, raisin, dried cherry, with graphite, wet stone, hints of pepper and chocolate. A really tasty wine with a beautiful bouquet, luscious mouthfeel and a long finish. Medium low acid.

4/12/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Brick red, tart cherry, red currant, cigar box, pepper spice. Very floral - crushed violet, rose petal, lavender. Medium body, medium plus acidity. Alcohol is a bit fusel and distracting as it aerates.

4/10/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Cherry, juicy strawberry, touch of cedar. Approachable bright Barbara and a fine product through and through. Medium body and medium plus acidity, bright finish.

4/8/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Green apple, pear upfront on the nose. Rich oaky and light brioche & buttery mid palate with a medium full body, medium plus acidity and a fairly dry tangy finish.

4/5/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Juicy raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, big vanilla, oak, cinnamon and pencil shavings. Spicy aroma upon opening up. Slight wet stone on a medium full body and medium acid.

4/2/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Beautiful balance. Spicy black pepper, chocolate, cedar, crushed violets, plum skin, black raspberry. Keeps getting better and should age well another 5 years imho.

4/1/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Blackberry, plum, black pepper, forest floor, cinnamon, vanilla, acai, fairly full bodied with medium minus tannins, medium acidity.

3/26/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Rich velvety texture with lots of oak, baking chocolate, graphite, ash and vanilla with allspice notes. Heavy berry notes, blackberry, cranberries and black cherry. Firm drying tannins. My bottles had lots of sediment in it so be sure to decant.

3/23/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Plum, graphite, oak, bramble. Slightly long finish. Bright cranberry, red currants, and cinnamon aromas, full bodied. Tannins still medium-firm after 8 years.

3/8/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Rich berries and black fruit. Raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, even hints of crushed strawberry. Semi-dry with a medium low tannin and moderate oak, vanilla, chocolate ganache. Smooth alcohol.

3/5/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Well integrated blend with lots of berry flavor, semi-dry finish and soft tannins. Great QPR

2/16/2020 - downpantera Likes this wine:

Matured nicely with smooth berry notes, balanced tannins, bits of jammyness but dry enough to please.