4/16/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

From the looks of it, this is a very well-stored bottle filled to the top shoulder. I popped and poured the bottle, and from the first snip, there was incredible perfume on the bouquet, surpassing any Unico's I have tried in the past other than 1989. Compared to the older Bordeaux I have had, this has a lot more fruit on the nose and on the palate. It is red fruited not focussed on cedar or smoke like older Bordeaux would be at this stage. It took some time to put on weight in the glass. I drank it for over two hours, and it never seemed that it would fall over. It is a real treat and a testament to the age-ability and finesse that Unico can deliver. That being said, think this would probably have been at peak 10-15 years back. Very much look forward to trying my lone bottle of 1962.

4/13/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Drinking extremely well. Whereas Renzo Marinai’s wine couple of weeks back was more extracted this is transparent, mild extraction and no new oak Sangiovese. Drank over 3 days; no loss of fruit within those days, best on day 2 & 3. Think this will be easily last another decade if not more.

4/5/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

When Giacosa is on, it is really on! This hit like a freight train after about 10-12 other wines. Such a unique and seductive experience. Immediately Giacosa but didn’t think it was a red label. Drinking at peak but many years ahead.

4/5/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Almost fully resolved. Drinking very well. Had a very clear G. Mascarello signature. The wines from stable 01 to 08 are so well made with a stronger red-fruited signature.

4/5/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Rating for two bottles of this at the same sitting from two different source, 1 decanted for 2 hours, other just popped and poured. The one decanted was gloriously lifted, pretty but still carrying great structure for long term aging. The one popped and poured was tight. Average score at 94. Decanted one at 95

4/6/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

The previous note captures this well. Very elegant but compact and structured at the same time. Not ready for prime time but a good glimpse into a glorious future.

3/31/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Dark colored Chianti; 100% Sangiovese that saw significant new oak treatment. Typicity is very clear from the first pour. Beautifully herbs, dark cherry and licorice with some mocha from the new oak. New oak not fully integrated although with air it receded into the background. Think this is going to be fantastic (+2 points) once the oak fully integrates. Received low scores for AG. Don’t fully agree with the scoring because this is drinking wonderfully currently and it is very very far from hitting its peak; probably atleast 10-15 years.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

It's the same bottle as Melvin. Drinking well. I didn't manage to follow it over time, either. It is definitely my type of wine, a bolder, more concentrated burgundy but oozing terroir, very easily recognizable as Bonnes Mares.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. Strong wine, was able to guess the vintage and plot for this. But agree with Melvin that for the vintage and plot, it came across a bit on the leaner side.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs wrote:

Same bottle as Melvin. Served next to 99 D.Laurent Bonnes Mares by chance. But whereas most guesses for the Laurent BM were mid to late 2000s, this was in the 80s. Very evolved, bad storage conditions not undrinkable.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs wrote:

Same bottle as Melvin. Quite evolved for 1996. The 1985 Jadot Bonnes Mares had more life to it than this one. My personal feeling not the best storage given the 1997 last year was so vibrant.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs wrote:

Same bottle as Melvin. Really not my type of wine. Came across as a bit subdued, lean, and a bit boring for my palate. Everyone else seemed to like it as their WOTN.

3/17/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. Everyone had this pegged as a Bonnes Mares. Very textural wine, for me the WOTN. Had a bit more depth and pedigree than other wines on the night for me.

3/2/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Terroir at the forefront, still drinking terribly young but so much character and poise. Unmistakeably, a Barolo of some pedigree. Still about a decade away from maturity. Probably scoring can increase by 2 points for so.

3/2/2024 - Dibbs wrote:

Post modern Nebbiolo trying to be more like Pinot. For my palate, failing in both. Tasted disjointed with a weird bitterness in the finish.

2/18/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. His note captures this wine very well. For added context on the bottle, as it was mine. Opened at 6 pm and left in the fridge standing till 10 pm (first pour), decanted, and finished the bottle at 12:30am (last glass). This needs a good 2 hours in the decanter to show well at the current stage—long, long life ahead, aging more like a 1st growth Bordeaux than other Brunellos.

1/14/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Melvin’s note captures this wine perfectly.

1/14/2024 - Dibbs Does not like this wine:

Natural wine. It straddled between funky and pleasurable for a long time but finally landed on funky. NR

1/14/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Didn’t know much about the producer or the wine. Opened with some non wine friends. Very very reductive at opening. New oak? Never decanted Beaujolais before but this was screaming for it. Decanted after the first pour. About an hour later, beautiful lifted nose of red cherry and hint of liquorice. On the palate linear, structured and complex with an impressive length. Only got better over the 3 hours and a slight sweetness added to the complexity of the final product. Absolutely perfect wine for the evening.

1/7/2024 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

This one didn't hit the highs of the last bottle, and think few will, but this was damn tasty. It is an entirely different wine from the more recent Sassicaias. This was deep and brooding when opened and was in the decanter for about 2 hours before it started to open up. There is refinement and restraint of old-school winemaking. This is one damn tasty wine and still years from hitting peak. This bottle didn't hit the fifth gear of splendor that our last bottle did; maybe it needed more air to open up. Drink now with a 1-2 hour decant or hold for about 5 years.

12/30/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Tastes much younger than it is. Was a bit wild at first pour but settled down very fresh and attractive. Elegantly red fruited, I didn’t think Cornas at first but was in Northern Rhone.

12/30/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

A true privilege to have this bottle. Didn’t quite meet its legendary status but was a fantastic bottle nonetheless.

12/30/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Wonderful wine. This got mistaken for a masculine vosne at our table. But the olives and bacon fat emerged after a while in the glass. Sublime wine. Chave and Jamet are two of my favorite Northern Rhone producers, and both are my top wines for the year.

12/30/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Guesses for this was all over the place from Barbaresco to Burgundy, but then someone called it Spanish. Decanted for 2 hours and it got more and more elegant with air. I think the cool vintage really brings out the red fruited nature of the Tempranillo. I think this wine got 200% oak which is now beautifully integrated. But with a lower oak regime these wines are going to be absolutely remarkable. I believe that is a change that the winery has made recently.

12/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. Disagree with his note, I am more in agreement with NickA’s note on this wine. Drinking beautifully now but with a very Tuscan touch.

12/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. Perfect expressions of Graves, still drinking young. The first bottle I opened had a higher degree of elegance this one was missing but great showing nonetheless.

12/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same wine as Melvin’s. Fantastic wine. Very true to its terroir, showing the power of the plot.

12/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as Melvin. Fantastic wine. Dominus always delivers

12/16/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

I was pretty sauced by the time this wine came around. Remember liking it but nothing more than that. NR

12/16/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

2nd time having this wine within a week but this time from a 750ml. This was a phenomenal showing much stronger than the one last week from 1.5L.
If this wasn’t Italian themed evening, I would call it a right bank Bordeaux blend that uses more Cabernet than merlot. Terrific wine that has everything going for it and we caught it at perfect peak last night. Would love to have more and more of this.

12/16/2023 - Dibbs wrote:

Not my style fully. A bit too glossy and polished for my liking. Doesn’t feel rustic enough, no edges on it either. But undoubtedly a well made wine that can go atleast another 10 years. Cool vintage suited Solaia I think here.

12/16/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Fantastic showing! Cerbaiona has always been more of a miss than a hit for me. But tonight it was showing in all its glory. This is pretty ready for prime time.

12/16/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Fantastic showing. Beautiful Giacosa in perfect form. Nice Giacosa VA on opening, the tannins are still there even after 2 hour decant. With more air, it became more and more delicate and red fruited. By the end of the night, it was in a perfect spot to drink. These have a long way to go still.

12/10/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Surprise of the night for me. Didn't expect this to overperform as much as it did. It is drinking at its peak with beautiful verve and expression. Truly world-class wine at a fraction of the price of Champagnes. Rich and intense with some honeyed and caramelized notes. Exactly how I prefer my sparkling. This was a joy.

12/10/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Drinking very very young still. A lot of stuffing to go over many years. Too early to show its depth but clearly shows its class already

12/10/2023 - Dibbs wrote:

Served blind, easily identified as Nebbiolo from Barolo. This wasn't decanted. Massive tannic structure, with high acidity, it couldn't have been anything else other than Nebbiolo. We couldn't spend too much time with this bottle, unfortunately. Especially without the decant, for me, it never truly came around.

12/10/2023 - Dibbs wrote:

Probably too young to have been opened. Massive dose of oak on the nose and palate. Extremely reductive. So much so that there was no fruit at all to be found. My feeling is way too young to be drunk therefore NR.

12/10/2023 - Dibbs wrote:

Served blind, identifiable as a Bordeaux Blanc. Has a good amount of stuffing for another few years. Drinking at peak in my opinion.

12/10/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

From 1.5L. Very much agree with the note from DCWino. In the intervening years since his note, the wine has matured into its slightly past peak, in my opinion. It is still a fantastic example of an Italian Bordeaux blend still being true to its terroir and native region. I was very quickly in Italy and Tuscany, what I couldn't figure out fully was if there was a bit of Sangiovese in it or not. Drink now or within the next 3-5 years.

12/3/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

For the price, really delivers an unparalleled experience. Paired with some spiced prawns and Japanese curry over rice. Worked very well with them and changed quite a bit over the 4 hour drinking experience. I would say this could easily be cellared for another 5 years but too delicious not to drink now.

11/27/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Probably the best Valpo from Dal Forno tasted in recent memory. Took about an hour to open up in the glass. Such fantastic persistence and youth are shown on the palate without being overripe. The Amarone takes about 30 years to come around but the Valpo is ready by 15-17 years and way cheaper. Get as much as you want of these because it still have at least 10 years left.

11/11/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

So pretty, floral, charming and gorgeous. Really really enjoyed this wine.

11/11/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Still probably few years away from primetime but starting to hit its stride. Beautifully constructed Brunello, gonna be exceptional in about 7-10 years

11/11/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Altare delivers again. Fantastic wine, can go for decades still. Not representative of Barbera in anytraditional sense. Very much built like a Bordeaux wine. For me lacking a bit in acidity and expressiveness that the Barolo delivers on.

11/5/2023 - Dibbs wrote:

This bottle felt as if the fruit was fading vs the structure. The structure is there for at least another 2 decades but the fruit is mostly gone; a very 96 problem.

10/29/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

I am a big Laurent fan. Very easy drinking wine, agree with Melvin that it doesn't deliver the plot well. 98 vintage should be drunk up now. 96 GE is an excellent wine, but this one is not as much. The pricing for this was a quarter of the MG CV.

10/29/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

The current prices for this are absolutely insane. This is a good wine but not worth the current markup. That being said, not sure how much burgundy is actually worth the markup.

10/29/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Drinking so well already. Was ready from the get-go. Melvin's note good representation of the wine.

10/29/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Same bottle as the previous two reviewers. Absolutely fantastic wine and only got better as the night went on.

10/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine:

Still a baby but have started to be giving now. Very serious wine, and it wears it well. Layers and layers of dark cherry fruit with a remarkable intensity. This is absolutely my kind of burgundy wine and made to age for decades. Will try to get more bottles of this. Retaste in 3 years or so