September 27, 2022 - First surprise - very delicate and fragrant smell. Forest floor, mint, licorice, black fruits and coffee
Second surprise - this " thing" is loaded with 100 pounds of coffee ( that's my wife so likes it!). From my point of view is too much. Also vanilla, toast and tobacco ( can you imagine this kind of mix!?). But wait...
this sh÷#+*t has so long finish... my oh my... coffee ( of course), black cherry ( wow!), black chocolate ( mamma Mia), cinnamon, spice and... attention please - soft, but chewy tannins ( unbelievable after 22 years).
How about acidity you ask me. Oh yes it's here from first second to the last one, but it's so perfectly melted then you can forget about it.
One more digression - this bottle contains 13% of alcohol, newer editions of the same wine are with 14.5%. I'm very happy with 13%, but because more sugar is ( for what ever reason) in new wines, it has to " balanced" by more alcohol.
This is my so-so theory why red wines come dangerously close to Porto wine
March 1, 2017 - Pflaume, Reife Blaubeere und Kirsche, dazu etwas Bitterschokolade. Toll gereift und sehr rund und samtig momentan. Großartig und macht richtig Spaß der 2000er aktuell.
June 22, 2013 - Dark, almost black. Look young. Nice, a bit closed smell, hint of vanilla and pepper. On the palate: Smooth start, spicy in the middle, vert long aftertaste. Vert good, but not outstanding. I guess it stays around this level the next 5 years, but it will probably not improve. Thus- drink now.
September 21, 2011 - Decanted half of the bottle and drank over 2h. This wine does not look and taste like 11 years old at all. Dark garnet with a very thin light rim. Nice dark fruit nose, lots of dark fruit also on the palate, some vanilla and still rather tannic. Ok finish.
Over the 2h the wine changed quite a bit but never really seemed balanced. Upon opening there is clearly heat on the mid-palate, later some bitter notes, and the palate tastes quite "rough" and primary. Not really my kind of wine, if I had more, would hold for another 2 years and give it a try. 88-89
Rest of bottle is nicer and definitively more balanced after 2 days in the fridge. Nice chocolate on mid-palate and sweet finish. A solid 90 now but still not a must buy given it's around USD 40-50.
May 30, 2011 - Non-offensive, but not interesting. Oaky super Tuscan.
November 25, 2009 - 91 - 92 Very good Ready to drink
June 14, 2009 - Had this with veal chop, paired well (feared it would be too strong, but was ok) Only had one bottle of this and opened it at the right time (for my taste). Oak is fully integrated. Beautiful showing, with tobacco, leather, spice, berry, cherry, prunes and almond paste. Lead pencil after a couple of hours. It still has the power of youth, but already shows the secundary characteristics. Silky, but with strong tannins. Focussed and fresh. Long 20-25seconds finish and a long lingering aftertaste of reglisse. Will surely hold for a number of years, but if I had more, I would drink them in the next 2 years. Bravo 91-92
January 17, 2008 - Silky, jammy wine....heavy Italian super Tuscan. Berry, mint, basil...some tea. Powerfull and some years still ahead. Herbs and a lot of flesh.
September 19, 2005 - Winery Visit and Tasting - Avignonesi (Cortona, Tuscany, Italy): Tasted at the winery; 85% Merlot; 15% cabernet; There is way too much oak in this wine for my palate. It had cloves on the nose with wild berries and dark chocolate flavors along with a touch of balsamic on the finish. There is also a high amount of acidity in this wine that threw off its balance. Others liked this wine more than I did.
August 14, 2005 - Nose on opening is beautiful Italian Supertuscan. Reminiscent of a high merlot content Sassicaia. After decanting for about a half-hour, the fruit really came out. Black and blue berries. However a tight astringent finish, typical of my experience with most Merlot, was evident over the course of an hour. Had this with Pork Jowel & Truffle pasta & Lamb tenderloin.