April 1, 2024 - PnP, about an hour after pulling the cork. Dark coloring w a nice grip on the stems. Nose shows dark fruit with earthy notes and a pleasing purity.
The heavy Merlot component (51%)) makes this imminently approachable, with enough tannins to provide layering and a good 20+ second finish.
We paid eiither $17 or $21 for this, an absolute screaming deal. Buy more on next visit to Spire.
March 2, 2024 - Coravin'd a glass of this earlier in the week but it was notably better tonight right out of the bottle. Strawberry, red cherry, and a slight mushroom funk on the nose. Tannins were seamlessly integrated with darker red fruit across the palate, showing sufficient structure to last for several years.
Just an amazing value for $21.
March 1, 2024 - Coravined a glass earlier in the week and pulled the cork tonight. Much more approachable as a pnp vs my earlier coravin. Strawberry, red cherry on the nose along w an odd but not off-putting mushroom-like funk.
Really well balanced across the palate; red fruits, continue and while the tannins are completely integrated, there's still plenty of structure remaining, indicating a long runway ahead.
51% Merlot / 31% Cab Franc / 17% CS / 1% PV
Great value for $21
February 5, 2024 - Blue and red fruit . , coffee grounds.
Drinking Great
January 7, 2024 - This is really hitting its stride right now. No longer the tannic monolith that it was three years ago. Powerful, intoxicating aromas of crushed, dark fruits, dried herbs and Tuscan earth on the nose. Full-bodied and rich - but not overdone at all. Bursting with ripe plum, blackberry and dark currant fruit matched beautifully to a moderate acidity. There is excellent depth on the mid-palate and a long, fruit-filled finish that features subtle notes of violets and iron. Exquisitely balanced, complex and long. A real Tuscan gem.
50+5+13+17+8=93
January 1, 2024 - Heavy body, very fruit forward with dark berries
November 23, 2023 - Poor stems too tough to discern
October 3, 2023 - Once again, the wait is worthwhile. A year or so ago this was ambiguous and aimless. Now, albeit +45 minutes in a decanter, the wine is stepping out. Two consistent bottles of dusty dark red aromatics with olive, dark cocoa and sage filled the glass and palate with rich layered fruit and a grippy tannic bite. Not a sipper but an ideal match for simple flatbreads with goat feta, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and Kalamata olives. This is coming around nicely.
July 12, 2023 - Pop and pour. Black cherry and modest alcohol on the nose. Really easy to drink and extremely satisfying. Heavier than I'd expect at this price point and age.
Medium tannins grip the front to mid palate longer than your expect given their weight. There's dark fruit in the background behind young oak. This $21 is among the best values I've ever spent on a bottle and cork.
Three days after pulling the cork and this is still very enjoyable. While it softened up as one would expect, it doesn't seem shallow or flabby at all. Really great wine for the $.
February 28, 2023 - Coravan'd a glass a few nights ago and pulled the cork last night. While the wine has lost depth and complexity on night two, still solid and very good value for the $21 paid.