Community Tasting Note

mflesh wrote:

Saturday, November 26, 2011 - Fantastic all around. Wine was uncorked, showing about a 6mm cork bleed all around. There was a dark stain on the cork, no sediment. Wine was all floral bouquet up front - rose pedals, cherry, strawberry. Beautiful bouquet on the nose. The wine poured a darker color but the color indicated that the wine would continue to be a lighter Brunello di Montalcino. Proven wrong - the initial taste was significantly darker than the nose suggested. Floral bouquet on the nose did not translate to the palate. Instead, some darker toasty oak, cherry, slight licorice, and even light tobacco with very stiff tannins at the back was what I was tasting. Wine was not heady in the least. Even in 2011, this 2003 brunello was rather tight, and took a very long while to open. IMO I'm not sure it had enough time to open, as the wine was consumed (quite rapidly I might add) with a nice filet mignon, mashed potatoes and asparagus. The steak softened the tannins considerably, making the fruit last longer. Dark cherry, licorice, and some BIG pepper spice appeared in the finish that lingered until the next sip. I'd give this one a 90 without food, but with a good high protein food pairing to counteract the stiff, rigid tannic structure, this wine goes to a 92.5....so I'll round to 93. Very complex, lovely. I'd like to see what 2 more years will do to this wine.

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