February 20, 2024 - PnP that was ready to go and is totally in the zone. Consistent with the previous two bottles, this is delicious and offers good complexity. The cumbersome oak of its youth has integrated and now offers an ideal frame for the fruit acid as opposed to being front and center when this was released. Good+ purity, length. 14,5% abv. Now thru 2033. Easily recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
August 11, 2023 - Heavy handed with drying tannins and just a bit odd. A bit like those supermarket Riservas you find in Italy and Spain (reservas) that have all that extra tannin, smoke, oak, graphite, cigar box but none of the lift and fruit and verve and excitement you hope for, especially in this case- that should come from sangiovese.
Opened at 5:30 and still showing nothing worthy of the vintage or appelation at 9:30. Had far far better Rossos. Not flawed, but average in the extreme. I don’t really do point scores as I don’t have the training but this is nowhere near a 90 point wine in my view.
June 6, 2022 - From 75, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour off zero deposit(!) which made me suspicious: filtered and nuked? Best after 3 hours. Slight orange tint at rim indicates early maturity, and indeed the tannins are not too forbidding after an hour in the decanter. Forward, dark-fruit scent, initially very primary, but gaining considerable balsamic and herbal interest after 3 hours. (NB: do NOT P+P!) Glossy, rich, quite sweet, attractive entry. Mid-palate far too rich at present to be pleasurable for the likes of me. This could be almost anything from anywhere: good wine-making, good selection, excellent ripeness, glossy oak treatment—what's not to like? Well, I'd frankly prefer a bit more sense of place, and although this did emerge clearly as a Sangiovese as the evening advanced, it was far too similar to a recently-tasted, concentrated, glossy, modern-style Rioja (Roda Reserva 2017) and a concentrated, glossy, modern-style Merlot blend St. Emilion "Grand Cru" (Quinault L'Enclos 2005) for comfort. Retry in, or preferably after 2024, by when it will hopefully have lost some baby fat and might show a bit more character. 90-91(???)
February 4, 2021 - PnP. Consistent with the note of just 5 months ago. "{PnP} It's still early days for this, yet it's totally approachable on PnP. Didn't develop a huge amount of complexity, but from a pure enjoyment perspective, it's right where it needs to be, having shed a fair majority of its creamy, sweet oak. Served at 17,5C, the wine leads with dark red fruits, a fair sense of place, and a really well-balanced med+ bodied palate. Finish is ~ 30 seconds, the flavors tend toward rich, and the style certainly leans modern. That said, it was perfect with Peri-Peri chicken off the grill. 14,5% abv., drink now or over the coming decade. Easily recommended
http://www.italianwine.blog
October 9, 2020 - {PnP} It's still early days for this, yet it's totally approachable on PnP. Didn't develop a huge amount of complexity, but from a pure enjoyment perspective, it's right where it needs to be, having shed a fair majority of its creamy, sweet oak. Served at 17,5C, the wine leads with dark red fruits, a fair sense of place, and a really well-balanced med+ bodied palate. Finish is ~ 30 seconds, the flavors tend toward rich, and the style certainly leans modern. That said, it was perfect with Peri-Peri chicken off the grill. 14,5% abv., drink now or over the coming decade. recommended
http://www.italianwine.blog
June 26, 2020 - The tannins have smoothed a bit but there is still great potential. I’ll wait another year or two for my next taste.
April 27, 2017 - {winery visit} Excellent; needs several years to show its best. I was immediately in love with the freshness, energy and purity here. Bright citrus, red apple skin, soil, fresh cherry. Consistent with the hype surrounding 2010, this shows considerable structure and beauty. It's not the most elegant today (today it's more about the potential), but with another 3-4 years, and beyond, this is going to develop its potential, and the classiness within is going to emerge. HOLD. 2021-2038. highly recommended
February 28, 2016 - James Suckling - Great Wines of Italy (SF): A bit tighter - more tannic and slightly more overt oak than the regular 2010 BdM. Good but a bit closed. Dark dried cherry fruit.