March 29, 2023 - What a treat to revisit this wine so many years later, and after a '98 Alzero no less. This came across as less exuberant than the 98, but this was also a 750 vs the 98 in magnum. More balanced, more restrained, and less flamboyant today. Quite delicious and probably the better choice for pairing with food.
February 13, 2023 - I never had this wine before and, having tasted it, never tasted one like it. So this tasting note is cursed by an utter lack of context to put this wine into, so take it with a grain of salt. As for the wine itself, it is made from Cabernet Franc, but the grapes are air-dried like Amarone. On the nose I got toffee and fig--a nose that, if blind, I'd say perhaps a Port or other dessert wine. Then, on the palate, you get those Port-like notes, but the fruit came off as totally dry because there was so much acidity. Eternal finish. Now, did I get any Cabernet Franc character? No. This wine is showcasing the winemaking more than the varietal. But it is a fascinating, intellectual wine to linger over. I think if I ever taste it again, blue cheese would be a very interesting partner. Thank you for sharing this, Mark!!
October 28, 2022 - Quintarelli Tasting (Frederiksberg): Very sweet and dense but also a huge acidity. A "wild" wine with lots of personality.
April 23, 2022 - nothing wrong here. A beautiful wine. very pretty. floral, delicate and delicious. very nice delicate fruit. Not enough acid to stand up to be ideal for heavy meat, but did ok. WOuld be perfect alone or with cheese. Could sip for hours.
October 18, 2019 - This was poured with minimal decanting at a local Italian restaurant and it was spectacular. The colour on this was mid deep purple with a nose of dark berries. When tasting this I was completely thrown off guard by the sweetness of this. It was almost like a mild version of Port with a ton of dark berries, some prunes and a hint of cherry flavours. The tannins and acidity were certainly there but not overly strong and this wine had a very long finish to it. I would not have ever guessed this to be a Cabernet Franc based wine and this was certainly in my top 3 bottles that I have had this year. Just spectacular!
September 1, 2019 - Wow now this was a surprise. Not sure what I was expecting but given its age of 22 yrs I figured it would show those classic leather and tobacco notes. Nope. If someone told me I was drinking a young amarone or a port I would not have been surprised. Notes of blackberry, tar, some pencil shaving and vanilla. Dry, med+ body, med acidity, smooth tannins. Quite an experience.
August 26, 2018 - Simply spectacular. Cherries, prunes, forest floor, resin, tobacco, tar, asphalt. Long finish...... very long. This wine evolved over the course of an hour. 97pts. Ready now, but can go longer, probably much longer.
April 6, 2018 - The highlight of a tasting of Amarones from Quintarelli, Dal Forno and Tomasso. Certainly sweet and intense but so well balanced with freshness, vigour and a long finish
October 17, 2015 - Super ripe and medicinal this doesn't really show Cab Franc character, more in line with an Amarone there is a lot of herbs and very ripe fruit; palate shows some raisin, great acid, subtle structure, higher alcohol though holds it well, red and darker fruit profile, finish literally lasts for minutes, one of the longest wines I've ever had; really takes me back to Verona; don't expect Cheval Blanc because this is a big wine not for the faint of heart, some really sweet fruit and a good bit of residual; this wine reminds me of the people that love Campari and Aperol so much.
October 11, 2015 - Continues to drink beautifully with no sign of decline.