3/5/2024 - tony8 wrote:

$32 bottle. thin for Barolo, but plenty of flavor. Typical Barolo notes: leather, orange zest and some spice. Tannins are light for Nebbiolo. Would again for this price.

12/25/2023 - tony8 wrote:

I think this is my first 95+ rating. Typically more an old world drinker. This was perfect. Core of dark red fruit with floral, cedar and eucalyptus notes flowing in length. Not typical of most Napa fruit bombs. Paired with duck and filet mignon.

12/16/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Good luck trying to beat this at the 18-20 dollar price range. Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah. Solid fruit with typical Tuscan character on the back end. Perfect pizza wine.

11/4/2023 - tony8 wrote:

First time having this producer and a domestic Grenache. Prefer this any day over most California Cab Sauv. I am usually a Tuscan red drinker and this fits that bill. Light in color but packs a punch(14.4% ABV). Fruit forward with menthol notes. Not overly complex, but sometimes that is OK. Paired well with wedge salad, cacio e Pepe and a dry aged cheeseburger.

11/3/2023 - tony8 wrote:

On the nose dark fruit and stone. Up front with jammy feel but not overload. Black Pepper and Tea. Good acidity. Would go well in a variety of foods.

10/21/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Full body. Dark red fruit, cedar, Italian spices. First time having the 2019 and reminds me of 2016. In fine drinking shape right now but would benefit for another 3-7 years. Paired with a ribeye perfectly.

10/15/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Enjoyed this with Veal Chop Parm. Lighter than the blend would suggest. Core fruit but good layers of a typical Tuscan. Would buy again

10/10/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Traditional barolo. Light in color but packs a punch in body. High and firm in tannins. Cherry and leather all day. Good Value in the 30-40 dollar range

8/11/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

My second vintage of Tig. Think i preferred this over the 2016. I found the 2016 a little too tight after opening whereas the 2018 was ready to drink. Classic wine and really a crowd pleaser. paired with Burgers

5/28/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Solid offering. I think i preferred the 2018 over the 2016. Nothing flashy but a solid IGT. If anything lacks in complexity

5/26/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Good Brunello not great. less fruit more earth driven. not as muscular and heavy tannins from other producers I've had in this vintage.

5/26/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Amazing wine for the price. Was able to snag a couple bottles for 33 USD at my local wine store. red cherry, layers of tobacco and Italian dust. Not the best brunello i have had, but best for the price. these 2016s are LEGIT

4/21/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Had this at Rezdora in NY. Significantly darker expression of sangiovese compared to 100% chiantis or other IGTs. Loads of earthy notes with a backbone of dark red fruit. PnP. Steal for the 20-25 dollar price range.

4/9/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Medium to full body Brunello. Dried cherry, oregano, and cedar. Good balance in this one with the acidity a bit down compared to other brunellos I have had which doesn’t demerit this wine at all. Didn’t need time to decant and enjoyed right away. Very concentrated wine with no real orange tint even with the 12+ years of age. In it’s prime window right now and probably has 3-5 more years at its peak.

3/15/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Dried red cherry, Stone, rosemary and thyme. tannins are a bit of a roller coaster ride not in a bad way. Paired with a ribeye. Thinking that it would have been better with a veal dish or even hearty pasta.

2/11/2023 - tony8 wrote:

red and black fruit. I get a lot of bell pepper and black pepper on the nose as well as different spices. Smooth finish with good tannin structure. Medium plus body. Paired with a ribeye steak and caramelized onions. Good value for Napa Cab. Drink now thru 2029.

1/28/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Had this at Novita in NYC. This wine opened up right away with little to no time to open up. Fully transparent with a crimson/brick color. Typical Brunello smell and taste. One of the better brunellos I’ve had. Good balance and clearly old style with the terrior in full focus. Paired with mushroom salad, pasta with black truffle, pasta with lamb/pork sausage. Excellent

1/25/2023 - tony8 wrote:

Had this at a tasting in Manhattan. Terroir driven wine. Looks more like a light body Italian or Pinot. Had this against 9 other wines and this stood out. Old world style but extremely complex.

1/17/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. First time ever having Lebanese wine and was impressed. This wine looks dark, but comes off on the palate quite light in body. Medium plus and good acidity. Good structure in tannins as well. Old world style. I sense some Bordeaux and Maremma influence here. Ready to drink now.

1/16/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

very floral on the nose. red fruit, Earthy, Leather, and Tobacco. Medium body and high acidity. I could see the acidity being an issue for some, but not for me. certainly a wine that needs some acidic food to pair. Pizza, red sauce classics, chicken/veal. Probably could wait another 2-3 years before reaching prime drinking.

1/1/2023 - tony8 Likes this wine:

balance in fruit and earth. Really enjoyed the blend. Good acidity which I wasn't expecting. Paired with duck breast. Ready to drink

12/25/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Great Entry level supertuscan. These 2019s are really solid. Balance in these wines is quite incredible. Good to drink now or let set for 2-5 years.

12/27/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Really good Super Tuscan. Doesn't break the bank. Blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab Sav. Good balance of fruit, leather, mushroom and acidity.

12/25/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Enjoy this Altesino. I would say it could have had a had more secondary notes. I did a 2 hour decant. So perhaps needed more time with air or more time in bottle. Won't open another bottle for at least 2 years.

12/18/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Good, but a little too heavy in body and alcohol for my taste in a typical Chianti

12/2/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Had this in Dallas at Al Biernats. Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese. Quite an interesting super Tuscan Looks and smells like more Bordeaux then Tuscany. Plum, sweet Basil/mint and licorice. To me this is a steak wine as I think it’s a bit to concentrated for pasta or pizza. Good balance with a long smooth finish. Silky tannins. Drinks well now but could benefit from another 2 years.

11/15/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Great balance on this wine. This wine isn’t heavy at all. Dark red fruit with black tea notes. Would definitely buy again. Paired with chicken tacos

11/12/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Probably the biggest wine I’ve had. Lot of different grapes in this one. Was better after a few hours 15.8 ABV is no joke

10/24/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Preferred the 2017 over the 2019. Acidity is a bit too high for me right now. Perhaps some more time in the bottle will benefit. If you are opening now I would advise to have this with some red sauce dish, pizza, or cheese to go with the high pH.

9/18/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Good but a tad to sweet for my palate. I had this after high end chianti and might have been the reason for my low rating.

9/18/2022 - tony8 wrote:

50/50 cab sav, cab franc. Dark red fruit with some mint and medicinal notes. Super fresh with a good leave acidity. This is quite versatile from a pairing stand point. Hearty pastas, steak, veal to dark chocolate. Great value for the 30 dollar range.

8/2/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Above average nothing special to me. I prefer the Duckhorn Merlot.

7/29/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Some of the best value I have ever had. Red fruit with herbs and spices. I get a lot of mint and oregano. Super smooth. For less than 25 dollars it’s going to be hard to find much better. Had with pasta, sausage and dark chocolate. Dark chocolate was the best pairing

7/21/2022 - tony8 wrote:

Would agree that this brunello needs a bit more time to come into form, but dam this is really nice now. 1st day had a glass after a one hour decant. Red fruit with herbs, cigar box and minerals. Had another glass a full day afterwards. So much more going on nose. Floral notes coming across and much easier to drink. Tough to not open now but another 5 years bumps this up to 96+.

7/3/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Never heard of Castello di Ama until my recent visit to Florence. Had this bottle at La Giostra with some pastas/risottos and a florentine steak.. This for me is some of the best Chianti Classico I have ever had. The combination of power from the fruit and layers of leather, toasted bread, and dried herbs. Showing all the attributes of the great 2016 vintage. It was so good I grabbed 6 bottles in Siena to bring back home to the states. Certainly easy to drink now, but thinking this has serious potential 5 years down the road. If you can find this bottle from 2016 BUY!

2/27/2022 - tony8 Likes this wine:

Was pleasantly surprised by this bottle. Had this bottle in my cellar for over a year and now is the right time to drink. Plenty of healthy fruit, but a solid backbone of mushroom and leather. Paired very well with some chicken thighs, asparagus and sweet potato. Felt very italian in weight.