September 5, 2022 - Worn leather. Like the baseball glove (Rawlings) covering your face while you pitch little league. Hints of red fruit, bright cherry, though secondary relative to the awesome minerality throughout. The prettiest floral and perfume-y notes from a wine, to date. Over time, intriguingly, the fruit comes to play yet again, in a much bigger way — as a cherry licorice (alright… cherry twizzlers; we are discussing Halloween costumes as we sip, so it’s fitting). And, furthermore, the candied cherry notes shift towards burst sweet cherry tomato notes, eventually intertwined with cola. Mid-to-front palate salivating acidic sensation, 20-30 second finish. We will do the Babacarlo side-by-side with the Montebuono next time @ Locanda Vini e Olii
August 14, 2021 - Open for 4 hours then 2 hour decant. First thing I noticed is the amazing vibrant bright red colour. On the nose quite muted, some game. Much more expressive on the palette. It reminds me of a dessert I had recently at a 1 star restaurant called Northcote, juice soaked cherries, bakewell ice cream and cherry tuille. It has the juicy fruit, but also a pastry note and wonderful (to me) drying tannins.
After time in the glass some tar and woodsmoke on the nose. Gaminess no longer present. Christ, the game has returned. Now some cola. Still violent tannin. What a night for wines dancing about.
August 13, 2021 - Stood up for ten days. Four hour slow oxidation followed by a two hour decant. 3cm ullage with a perfect cork. Medium ruby fading to a pale garnet outer edge. Ultra complex and layered nose of tar, decayed autumn leaves, game, eucalyptus, red plum skin, damson, cassis soaked cherries, and sea salt flakes. Absolutely electric palate that’s so alive and fresh with a spectacular array of wild red berries and an utterly incredible salinity. There’s real intensity and concentration from the fruit - which has to have the greatest purity I’ve experienced in a wine exceeding 30 years - and the type of acidity that lets you know this wine is very much Italian. An exceptional wine from a ledgendary producer with the ability to age comfortably for many, many more years.
May 30, 2021 - Drank over 2 days.
This bottle has been left standing for weeks and the difference with the first bottle I opened shows. Wine was clear upon pouring and was a rather vibrant red.
On the nose, there was some funk and this was balanced with red fruits and yes, beansprouts.
First impressions from tasting was how pure-fruited it was considering its age. Nice acidity to it. Wow, this totally confounded expectations. Savoury finish added complexity. Wow, this is why they say each Lino Maga bottle is an inimitable experience.
Didnt lose anything on the 2nd day and received rave reviews from friends.
Going by this bottle, it is ready to drink and can last for a while yet.
October 14, 2020 - A blend of Croatina, Uva Rara, Ughetta (Vespolina) and Barbera sourced from the Montebuono Cru, all the fruit harvested simultaneously when Croatina is ready. Made in a very hands-off fashion: made with organically farmed fruit, fermented spontaneously in old oak casks, no temperature control, no additions, bottled unfiltered in the spring following the harvest with a small dose of SO2. 12,8% alcohol, 0,5 g/l residual sugar, 7,25 g/l acidity, 0,47 g/l VA and pH 3,25. Tasted in a Lino Maga 2015-1979 vertical.
Quite pale, very translucent and relatively youthful pomegranate color. Dusty, underwhelming, almost mute nose. Dull, short and metallic taste with a hint of earth.
Mildly corked. Darnage.
April 26, 2020 - Initially from Coravin: doesn't suit this. Just open the bottle and decant properly.
Leather/old books nose with a touch of a medicinal note too. Tart, acidic, fruit, really nice balance of freshness and maturity. Certainly something rustic about it, this bottle noticeably cleaner than the other I've had, though.
December 15, 2019 - First taste of this cult wine procured from a very well curated UK-based importer's flash offer.
@DerekDarthTaster and gang loved it and i was glad this did not disappoint.
Given the medicinal, herbaceous and leathery notes on the nose, this i admit is not a wine for everyone.
On the palette, it was classy with a touch of hedonism. Finely integrated tannins, earthy notes and a hint of red fruit.
Enjoyed this and will be looking to get more back vintages of this...
December 12, 2019 - Maison Dakota session with Asparagus gang. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Pop and poured. Drank from bottle over 1.5+ hours.
Appearance is NOT clear, very fine sediments, pale intensity, ruby colour with wide garnet rim. Thin legs.
Nose is dirtyy, with aromas of good funky earth, wet loam, wet cave/dank cellar, feral animals, fragrant mature red cherries compote. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (12.8%), melted though still somewhat textural tongue-coating integrated high tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of spice, ferrous iron, earth, old animal leather, wet undergrowth, loam, chalky minerality, sweet tea leaves, wait - where is the fruit? - yes still some red cherries somewhere in all that complex melange. Long finish.
Very very good quality. Chockful of character. Not too dirty - hits the sweet spot for me. Drink now! Love the story of Lino Maga.
Blend of Croatina, Uva Rara, Ughetta, and a bit of Barbera.
From the Montebuono cru, which is on the other side of the hill from the Barbacarlo cru monopole.
August 25, 2019 - Oltrepo Pavese Montebuono 1990 was the most unorthodox wine of the Italian wine lineup, made from Croatina, Uva Rara and Ughetta, most of which are 100 year old vines. Good weight but very medicinal and savoury leather. Tasted blind and had no clue where it was from. Anise spice, dark fruits, dried herbs and autumn notes. Funky medicinal wine, acquired taste… 2008? Somewhere lesser known in Italy? (70/100)
March 1, 2019 - Decanted half an hour before drinking. Very nuanced red fruit - cherry, raspberry, slight pastille feel, leather, floral notes - sharing many characteristics with a high quality aged Barbaresco to my taste. Lovely stuff ****