February 21, 2024 - Quite a lot of Chianti (Must & Lees, Warren Street): I thought this was past its best, or at least it has a level of maturity that masks what I'm looking for in a Chianti Classico. Quite leathery with boot polish notes. Resolved, sweet and plummy on the palate - it's tasty but in quite a generic way for me.
October 15, 2022 - Holding on strong. Best Italian I've aged so far. Lovely aromas.
December 19, 2021 - PNP. Immediately the nose is apparent showing very aromatic essences of dark cherry, wild strawberry, sandalwood, pipe tobacco, balsamic, and iron.
In the mouth, it is quite gentle, now favoring elegance over power with a Burgundy-like texture that is even more refined since the last bottle a couple years ago, So lithe, so subtle, but not watery at all.
It is still quite fresh with the red cherry, cranberry, and then sour cherry fruit playing out in the mouth like an orchestrated symphony. Secondary flavors of sous bois, mushroom, are now present along with the typical leather and Tuscan earth notes found in these wines.
Finish is velvet, no prune or oxidized notes in this bottle, with most of the fine tannin resolved and not as drying as previous bottles. However, it is a bit short and lingers for less than 30 seconds on the tongue.
Overall, letting this bottle age to 15 years was a smart decision. I think it is right in the perfect zone where there is still freshness to the fruit profile, but also the aromas, flavors, and texture that only age provides. Drink now - 2026
October 21, 2021 - Rich black cherry, a touch of coffee, with leathery (but not old) finish. On the brawnier side of Chianti despite being 15, nice length. B+
March 26, 2021 - Purchased at the winery after a tour in October 2009. We had intended to drink it while in Italy, but we didn't, so we brought it home and saved it until it was mature. We almost made it. Drinking very well, but I suspect 2-3 more years might have generate a tiny bit of improvement.
Decanted just to deal with sediment, of which there was plenty stuck to the side of the bottle after lying label up in the cellar for the better part of 10 years. The cork was sound, tight and at most 2 mms of wine infused at the bottom. Came out clean without having to use a Durand.
I waited only a few minutes until we started drinking it, and it kept getting better with up to an hour of air, so I recommend a one hour decant.
After that hour, it was noticeably Chianti, which I find difficult to describe. Not very fruit driven. More earthy, but in a good way as opposed to dirty, with a forest floor herbal component and a little bit of dark fruit in the background. There was still some tannic bite open first taste but it disappeared after an hour. Smooth and easy to drink, making it nothing like young Chianti.
There is a characteristic I notice generically in Italian wine, which I have noticed blind in Aglianico, Chianti and even Barbera and occasionally nebbiolo. I used to assume it had to do with barrel choices, but a wine professional suggested to me that it was the somewhat roasted character of the pips from the hotter climate in Italy. I'm not sure, but it was definitely here in this wine and it added to the complexity. It is a roasted depth of flavor without any burnt character to it.
Whoever in Cellartracker reported that this wine was over the hill of on the down slope with prune flavors must have had a poorly stored bottle or a defective cork. This wine had no negative characteristics. Paired well with what could best be described as home made Beef Braciole made with marinara sauce mixed with Shitake mushrooms, over baked thin Japanese eggplant slices for low carbs and low calories.
Let your Chiantis age.
September 28, 2020 - This is big too, but more refined, black cherry and mocha with a bit of leather. B+
May 21, 2020 - Last bottle. Trending downhill. Still has good fruit, grip, and earthiness, but starting to get a hint of a pruney note. Time to drink these.
May 5, 2020 - Popped, poured, consumed over next 2 hours. Fruit is receding, chalky tannin still holding strong, non fruit flavors emerging, which I usually like, but based on this bottle, I’d say it hasn’t aged that well and seems to be on the decline.
April 15, 2020 - in looking back at my last CT Note (from 2013) I noted it was bottle #10 from the case and showed best! ... well hard for me to recall that taste, but I believe I can safely say this one showed even better.
I am happy to see how well this wine is aging, getting softer, more plush but with plenty of tannins to frame the very nice Sour Cherry fruit. Some secondary notes of underbrush, but still a fair amount of oak. Score given to reflect the QPR - which was great as this was from Premier Cru
December 9, 2019 - Picture book Chianti from Fontodi, incredibly young right now. Bouquet of sour cherries, palisander and nuts. The palate is slightly dominated by fresh acidity, the tannins are still demanding but fine and after all those years starting to integrate. Medium to full bodied it has quite an aftertaste which lingers for 40 seconds or more. Should easily hold for another decade.