• PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 points

    February 8, 2024 - Another wonderful bottle of L202/15, this was decanted 90 minutes before dinner in a narrow decanter (so not maximum air). The wine is wonderfully perfumed, with luxurious ripe dark fruits, leather, earth and exotic spices. It has nice acidity and fine tannins, and is a silky, smooth, balanced food wine. Outstanding QPR. Drink to 2030+.

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  • rsbeck wrote: 92 points

    February 1, 2024 - Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. Similar to previous, developing well, should continue to cruise effortlessly in the cellar.

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  • PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 points

    December 23, 2023 - This wine (L202/15) is now in its peak drinking window, the wine is sublime. Decanted one hour before dinner, this is a great expression of Sangiovese, and of the Monsanto house style: balanced and smooth, savory, with firm acidity and biggish but integrated tannins, perfect with a big dinner, with red and dark fruits, and a long finish. Classic CCR, and a great QPR.

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  • dgcaldwell wrote: 89 points

    February 13, 2023 - Definitely decant. Needed two hours. Good structure and acid.

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  • PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 92 points

    December 31, 2022 - Decanted for 90 minutes. When I first looked at and tasted this wine, I was shocked by its youth, tension and vibrancy, and I immediately checked to see if I had taken the wrong vintage off the shelf. Well, it is the 2012, but it’s lotto 203/15, and it is different from the previous bottlings. It’s higher-toned, less dense and with almost no sweetness on the mid-palate. It has fabulous aromatics, tremendous structure, and should drink well to 2035. A succulent, balanced, delicious food wine. Outstanding QPR.

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  • deetz Likes this wine: 92 points

    November 2, 2022 - Really comes unto itself after an hour or so decanting. Aromas of tomato leaf, terracotta pot, rhubarb, Rainier cherries, charcoal, sweet herbs, dried roses, decaying wood, dark chocolate.

    Palate a bit austere with a hint of bitterness at first but that quickly smoothed over. Medium+/high acidity, taut tannins, a lot more cherry on the palate, some cocao.

    Drinking well, but still tight upon first opening. This should continue to develop for the rest of the decade. It's hard to imagine many other wines delivering this QPR, especially with this level of ageability.

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  • PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 92 points

    October 6, 2022 - Two hour decant. Another fine bottle of the L202/15, this seemed slightly lighter than the previous two bottles, otherwise the same. Savory, complex, very aromatic, silky, balanced, medium+ body, long finish. Excellent QPR. Drink to 2028?

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  • rsbeck wrote: 91 points

    July 20, 2022 - Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. Very solid traditional style Chianti with nice balance, reasonable complexity, and an inviting finish. Drinking well and should cruise in the cellar.

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  • Boda wrote: 96 points

    June 24, 2022 - The wine was spectacular, great fruit, soft tannins, beautifully balanced. None of the bitterness of Sangiovese. This presented like a super Tuscan that would sell for a much higher price.

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  • merryberry Likes this wine: 92 points

    June 5, 2022 - Aged cherry red. Strawberry pie, mulled spice, and forest nose. Medium bodied, raspberries, cherries for days, fully integrated tannins, a touch of heat, baking spices, and medium to long perceptively sweet finish. Outstanding.

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