January 8, 2017 - Better than I remember the last bottle from earlier this year. Dark, venous blood red. Lovely nose that is floral, with leather and slightly smoking dark red fruit. Delicious right on the PNP. Can't quite pin the fruit flavor, but it's really nice. Kind of like what red licorice might be like if made with a serious adult palate in mind. A little earthiness. Small amount of residual tannin. Medium acidity keeps it lively. Not-quite-full bodied. Nice intensity of flavor that haunts the mouth after swallowing. I really like this today.
March 29, 2016 - Really nice. Ready to drink but in no way in danger of falling off soon. Classic Aglianico. Preferred this to a 2004 Elena Fucci Titolo drunk at same time. 90pt, maybe 91-92 if you're a real Aglianico fan (me, not so much).
March 17, 2016 - Ready to drink after short decant, nicely balanced with plenty of fruit. Dark colour. Nose opened after the decant. However, for me the flaw was a stewed flavour which I found obtrusive.
January 2, 2016 - Light on the early palate, finishes lovely. Dark forest fruits, hint of balsamic. Smooth with the abundance of aging. Delicious.
March 15, 2014 - Aromas are soft and friendly, on the darker fruit spectrum, offering some sweet plum meat, licorice, gravel dust and charcoal. Even the earthy aromas are fairly sweet, though. Soft palate entry, almost on the thin side on the body, showing some tannins that build. Pretty soft and mellow, with light fruit flavors and not too much depth of flavor. Finish is spicy, tannic, tart, and again not overly deep or long. Pretty flat, overall. Rather a disappointment...
February 16, 2013 - Medium colour with brick tones. Beautiful nose with notes of raisins, spice and a background of rubber. Still robust tannins suggesting cellaring for 5+ more years. Bright acidity and spiciness. Notes of tomato and roasted veggies long finish with an unfortunate underlying bitterness. Will buy more and cellar.
December 3, 2012 - Decanted 2 hours and consumed over 4 hours; showed its best as I was finishing the bottle at hour 4, and was still improving. I concur with CT notes; give this one lots of breathing time for best results. Probably a 4 hour decant and a 9 hour consumption window would serve it best. Very earthy, old-world style with nose of a dirt clod in stewed prunes; I mean this in a good way, just be prepared for it. Best QPV of the year, and $20, drinks more like a premium $60 old-vine Chilean cab. It may be the Aglianico varietal, but this seems like it's built more for a heavy steak or lamb; not so much pasta marinara. This stuff is built like a brick s-house, and isn't going anywhere. In the very early stages of its peak window, but that window's going to be open for business for a long, long time. Drink now - 2022.
May 7, 2012 - good. better the next day. port-like. lots of prune and leather notes
June 9, 2011 - Dark red. Nicer nose then previous bottle, plum, earth and cedar. Nice dark fruit flavours and a soft fairly resolved finish. Drink up.
May 7, 2011 - Dark red. Slightly sweet dark fruit and earth nose, not at all interesting. Very soft dark fruit flavours and a slightly sweet soft finish. Tired and mediocre. As out of focus as the label pic.