December 16, 2023 - Last bottle was definitely off…this one was excellent. Showing some nice tertiary characteristics from aging. Nice acidity, tannins have softened, nice structure to support further aging. Drink by 2030.
April 8, 2023 - This was delightful. Dark Brunello with alluring nose and a wonderful structure. Montalcino earth, cherry, orange peel, spices, and minerality with a long finish. With air this softened and the oak and fruit became dominant. This was a treat, drink soon!
December 24, 2022 - Dark and intense aged Brunello. Dried plum, dried cherry, dried blackberry, pipe, tobacco, forest floor, licorice root, and potpourri. Developed, without too many more years to enjoy before everything has faded. Medium plus acid. Medium plus body. Fine grained texture to the medium plus tannins that become pleasantly chewy.
May 27, 2022 - Brunello Friday night at ESBK. Tasted blind. Drank in Grassl 1855.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of fragrant Tuscan earth, toast oak, dark leather, dark red cherries, black cherries, perfumed spices. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (15%), rounded high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with enveloping layer of creamy oak, black cherries, very ripe dark red plums, dark red cherries, sweet oak spices, dark leather, licorice, sweet earth. Long plummy finish.
Good quality. Just very slight difference from the previous sample I tried. Maybe a touch fresher. Still big serious modern-styled Brunello anyways.
July 15, 2021 - Vintage Tuscany Zoom tasting. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of dark leather, dark red cherries, black cherries, perfumed spices, vanilla oak, hints of truffle and earth and Tuscan dust. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (15%), grippy puckery high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with enveloping layer of creamy vanilla oak, black cherries, dark red plums, dark red cherries, sweet spices, dark leather, balsamic, earth with hint of emerging truffle. Long grippy puckery finish.
Good quality. Serious modern-styled Brunello - perfect drinking now with air. Somehow I feel it doesn't have the balance for more ageing. Better to drink up soon. Style could rub some the wrong way.
July 15, 2021 - Medium garnet in the glass. The nose is showing full development, but the palate still has some life to go, not much though. Ripe strawberries, tobacco, dried herbs & mushrooms are the name of the game here. Tannins are ripe, unassertive and complemented by a moderate acidity. Finishes off soft and smooth. Drink up if you have this in your cellar.
December 16, 2020 - Decanted three hours and served at a wine dinner. Paired well with Braised Venison Osso Bucco. Outstanding reception.
October 23, 2020 - I prefer normal Brunellos over riservas because of the obnoxious oaking as evidenced here. Huge vanilla and sweetness on the nose, translates into an unnatural sweetness on the palate. High acidity and polished tannins, the very ripe 15% ABV shows through.
August 16, 2020 - My last bottle. Excellent showing, and I think drinking at peak now and the next 3-4 years as the fine tannins are almost entirely resolved.Fragrant and complex palate with sweet dried fruit, leather, medicinal notes, no oxidization at all. Very good length.
May 16, 2020 - Consistent with last bottle. This has the dark ripe fruit of 2007 but it’s nicely balanced by elevated acidity. A very good 07 BdM, better than almost all of the Annatas, but there are even better Riservas in 07