Vinetasters: Sangiovese (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Others found this far more palatable than I did; this was mostly oxidized to death at this point. Hollowed out and browned.
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Prior bottle was nearly a year ago and my notes were generally consistent. Black cherry, along with earth, spices and leather notes on the nose. Medium bodied, perhaps slightly above with rounded and pretty black cherry upfront. Mid-body continues to contribute additional depth, but not as much as previously. Slight deeper black cherry, some brighter blackberry and a hint of plum show up here. Tart black and red cherry along with balanced tannins and acidity on the backside and finishes with earth, leather, spices and minerals. Overall, this wine continues to drink quite well, but it's a touch lighter and feels slightly more delicate (as opposed to velvety with excellent depth) than prior bottles. It should remain quite enjoyable for several more years, but the time to drink this wine is now as additional time won't result in a better wine.
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Prior bottle was 11 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot, perhaps even slightly improved. Nose again shows a lot of black cherry and floral notes, with background hints of spices, earth and leather. Between medium and full bodied with black cherry and blackberry upfront. Deepens nicely through the middle, showing slightly better depth than my prior bottle along with some darker black cherry and even plum notes. Tart black cherry with some red cherry highlights on the backside along with balanced tannins and acidity. Finish shows mineral notes, lingering blackfruit notes and just a touch of earth and spice. Felt like this bottle was slightly better balanced, had a touch more depth and just showed a small step above my immediately prior bottle, but I think that's simply positive bottle variation. Drinking at this level means I probably won't take a chance and I'll open my last bottle in Q4 2021, perhaps November.
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Still ruby red with a thin brick rim. Excellent use of decanting time, which was about 2 hours. Important to understand that Brunellos that are 15 years old need decanting time. The wine went from dried roses, Leather and cigar box upon opening to luscious dark red fruit 1.5 hours later. I find this with aged Brunello and Nebbiolo. Concentrated dark red berries and black plums. Long finish. In its peak window - drink the 06’s now till 2022. Outstanding.
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First bottle from a half case. Owned since 2013 and stored in a climate controlled cellar.
Noticeable bricking. The dinner guests estimated the wine from 12-15 years of age. Opened and allowed to slow ox for about 30 minutes. This provided adequate aeration for the first glass. Aromatically presented a predominant balsamic note with dried herbs including oregano and herb de Provence, and vanilla. On the palate the tannins are in the background where an energetic bead of acidity rides shotgun with a sweet morello cherry that leans toward a cherry cough syrup. In the mid palate a white pepper enters and carries the dried herb notes into the finish. Retains a vibrant thread of acidity that went well with dinner. Average length with nothing noteworthy.
Overall impression is a wine with good material, but the cough syrup sweetness detracted from my overall enjoyment. A guest for dinner enjoyed the sweetness so much I sent a bottle home with them.
Drinking my remaining stock now through 2026.
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Brick color on pouring. After 2 hour decant, dark almost ink black. Brooding, earthy, delicious with grilled prime ribeye, Brussels, Tuscan kale. After I finished, some left picked up a thick body and depth. Makes me think it could go a couple of years more...
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Still dark purple, only minor browning at the edges. Nose is a bit subdued, but there is faint saddle leather and baking spices.
In the mouth, the wine is more pronounced with delicate raspberry and red cherry that is fresh, lively and exacerbated by energetic acidity. Typical Tuscan earth and notes of sandalwood mix into the long finish that is silky smooth. Some minor dry tannins emerge late in the finish, but are not too distracting.
Excellent wine, so good. In a good drinking window right now, should hold for another 5-10 years. No sign of fading yet.
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Prior bottle was a bit over 2 years ago and this wine remains in an extremely good spot. Black cherry and floral notes on the nose along with just a bit of earth and leather. Medium bodied with a virtually unchanged fruit profile: black cherry and blackberry upfront, redfruit highlights towards the back along with tart red cherry and then minerals, light spices and hints of earth and leather. Mid-body wasn't quite as satiny as before, but the integration to the backside felt a touch more harmonious. Good acidity and fine grained tannins provide the needed backbone, but are in excellent balance with the fruit. This showing confirms to me that the wine is at peak. While it still has 2-3 years at this peak, based on how this has shown over the past two years, I probably won't push it beyond that. Next bottle for me will be Q1 2021.
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Brick red. Loose and not at all oily or viscous in the glass. The nose is really deep, with a brilliant smoky edge that channels up burning leaves for anyone who has traveled through the countryside in the fall. Gets the classic Florentine steak pairing right.
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Slight bricking. Did not throw off much sediment. Cherry and hints of blueberry. Leather, tobacco and earthy notes. Equally able to stand alone as pair with Italian fare. Put my bottle in the camp of mature and seemingly at peak, surprisingly so for Brunello at age 12. A joy to drink now.
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It has been just over two years since my prior bottle, but while the profile has remained virtually unchanged, the wine has integrated further and now seems very much at peak. Black cherry and floral on the nose with that touch of leather towards the back. Medium bodied and opened about two hours ahead of time, but I don't think it needed it. Drunk over the course of total of 4.5 hours and while initially soft, it regained complexity and depth with time. Black cherry and blackberry upfront with just enough tartness to provide liveliness. Mid-body is beautifully, satiny smooth with very good depth. Starts to bring in some redfruit notes towards the back, along with tart acidity and very fine grained tannins providing structure. Some leather, tobacco and integrated spices on the finish, with just enough tannin for this wine to feel complete. This is a truly enjoyable wine at this stage: great fruit, wonderful balance and enough structure to hold everything together. Based on the way these bottles have evolved over the past four years, it clearly has some time left, but this is peak. I don't see it gaining additional complexity or integration and I'm not taking the risk, given how enjoyably this showed tonight. Next bottle in July 2018.
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Our last bottle.. decanted at restaurant and got an hour+ to open up before entrees. Still nice core of fruit to balance the leathery tannins. Wonderful wine!!
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The Rotating Dinners, II.4: 2006 Brunello (Chicago, IL): I had this next to the Conti Constanti, and I preferred that wine by a hair. In contrast to the earthier, darker tones of that wine, this is a little lighter and focusses more on the red side of the fruit spectrum. The earthiness is toned down here as well, this is a lighter, more elegant wine, if not as deep. I do like the savoury tones on the palate here, which play very nicely off the tart red fruit.
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Black cherry and floral notes on the nose along with hints of tobacco and leather in the background. Medium to full bodied, but because it's so smooth through the middle, seems lighter than it actually is. Very similar notes to prior bottle from over two years ago (April 2014) show me this will be a long lived wine. Black cherry and wildberry upfront with wonderfully smooth density through the middle. Rich, but completely in balance, this wine just soars with great fruit balanced with nicely tart acidity. Acidity smooths the way into the finish which shows light tobacco and background leather notes along with a lot of mineral and floral qualities. The biggest difference from two years ago is the integration; all the different components just meshed so perfectly this time around. Given where the fruit and acidity currently are, I'll disagree with one of the recent reviews as I think this still has some time to go before peak. Considering how bright and fresh this wine is currently as it balances further, I'd expect more complexity and even more interest through the middle. Very excited to see how this wine evolves.
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Decanted for about an hour. Dark red with brick orange rim telling it's age. The nose was a bit tight but with some glass swirling picked up some tart cherry and under brush. Good legs with medium body and acidity. The tannins are well integrated and soft. Great pairing with pasta romanesqua, which had some pepper to it. The food pairing made this wine. Don't think it can stand alone very well. Can't imagine that this will improve any more with time. Probably need to get to drinking.
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94+ at Gary and Judy's: Exactly the same experience as my note 1.5 years ago : Fairly straightforward and tasty, with cherry, minerals and somewhat-firm tannins. This went well with pasta (shocking, I know).
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Decanted 1 hour. Opaque/dusk red color. Pleasant nose of cherries, red berries. Palate had a good balance. Cherrie, red/dark berries. Medium to long finish. Very nice.
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Bam_Man poured this at a tasting he hosted. The prettiest, most aromatic and luscious BdM bouquet I have experienced...ever. The fruit and spice drenched palate touches the senses in the best possible ways. I agree that the wine has entered its drinking window and will likely remain there for several years. Otherwise, I can add nothing to Bam_Man's fine note. A stunning wine!
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First one of these in almost three years. This has loosened up beautifully since last time. A bright, translucent garnet in color, lightening at the edge. Absolutely phenomenal on the nose. Gorgeous, powerful aromas of sweet cherry candy, flowers, earth and spice jump from the glass. Full-bodied and silky in texture, but elegant in weight. Wonderfully focused. There's such terrific depth and definition to the ripe, tangy cherry fruit, but without a lot of weight. The long, long finish is filled with juicy fruit and notes of mineral and spice. The tannins have softened noticeably and are as fine as silk. This is absolutely delicious and just so elegant and harmonious. One of the best Brunelli I have ever tasted, this is now in its prime and likely to stay there for the next few years. 50+5+14+18+9=96
Very good. Expressive nose of cherries . Well integrated tannins make this this an easy pour. Short finish, but not surprising for this grape. Not sure how long this will stay at its peak, but I doubt it will get much better.
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Cherry, violet and leather on the nose. At first, seemed red cherry focused and lighter than I was expecting. After being open for 90 minutes however, it evolved into a totally different bottle of wine. Much deeper and denser and still only hinting at flavor complexities to come. Now nearly totally black cherry focused with just a hint of red fruit in the background adding in earth, tobacco and leather notes on the finish. The balance was exceptional as was its richness. Very smooth throughout, almost like silk with fine grained tannins and good length on the finish. Drinking beautifully now, given air and time to open up.
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Light but not wimpy, this is a fruity wine that goes great with food and can stand on its own if needed. Long finish, good balance, good acid. Lots of years left, no danger of being over the hill.
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Dark in color for a brunello, with a touch of ageing at the rim. Not a whole lot of fruit here; with the main aromas being earth, rose, violet, leather, cherry, and tobacco. Clocking in at 13.5% ABV, this will appeal to those who enjoy that style. Tannins are fairly well integrated and this is a smoother style of brunello than most, especially at this young age. I enjoyed this far more than my wife. Not a whole lot going on with the finish.
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Still young. Medium dark red color, nice herb/earth nose. Fruit still bright, red cherry, tart plum, raspberry - missing some of the riper, dark fruit though. Some earth, leather, tarry notes coming through, but not fully developed yet. Fair balance, but this one needs more time. Long finish. I concur that this has a lot of potential. Would wait another 3-5 years for the next bottle. Great QPR.
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Nice nose of red fruits. Low key red/black fruit but beautifully balanced and very enjoyable. Nothing out of place, pretty in all respects. Went great with a sausage pizza.
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Very nice though lighter bodied than I'm accustomed with BdM. Nice notes of tart red cheery, raspberry, pipe tabbacco and aged leather. Lovely mouthfeel and finishing clean with plenty of acidity.
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This is quite a compelling Brunello. Cherries, licorice, leather and spice in the GRANDE nose and also on the palate. Structure is dense, yet superbly elegant. Minerality is bouncing ball with the M+ acids and M+ tannins. Simply vibrating! One btl to go: for the long haul in order to bring out some of the really interesting aromas that are currently Cinderella-sleeping. Wife: 92p. At La Verdura (Yokohama) and it married all courses :-) (475 Norwegian krona in Norway and half price in the US...)
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Non-blind. Decanted 1.5hrs. Beautiful red color with bricking. Nose grew considerably from opening to drinking. Tart cherries, earth and bitter almonds. On the palate this has high acid levels, not much tannin and a bitter touch in the end game. Started out as poorly as "hebill" describes it. Non-decanting can be a bummer :-) The myriad aromas include dark cherries, earth, sumi ink, licorice and leather. Slight glitch om the mid-palate but good length. Paired beautifully well with the evening's food at La Verdura in Yokohama. Am happy to have five more btls of this. Agreed with wifey on the score. Fantastic QPR!
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Wow! This is such a beautiful young Brunello. Has a powerful and absolutely gorgeous Tuscan nose of sour cherries, leather, spice and incense. On the palate, this wine is also impressive. Full-bodied, showing lots of dark cherry and spice flavor with a lively acidity and impeccable balance. The spicy, mineral-tinged finish is long, satisfying and complex. Very elegant and polished, yet just a bit tightly wound at this point. Patience will be rewarded here. With a few years in the cellar, I can see this eventually developing into a 95 pointer or even higher. Tremendous QPR for a low-production Brunello at around $36. 50+5+14+16+8=93
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Overall this was a big disappointment. I don't think the bottle was flawed but perhaps something was off. I decanted this for two hours and drank over a two hour period with a nice Italian sausage and pasta dinner that my wife made. The wine was harsh, with and without the food. Some good black fruit on the first taste, but the finish went towards the bitter side. It did not improve over the course of the meal or after the meal, even after having been open for several hours. I have been drinking Brunello for over a decade, young and old, and if this bottle is representative of this wine, then I would not buy or drink another one, especially for the money
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Young at this point, but showing great promise. Dark cherry and hints of spice and cigar box on the nose. Lovely flavour of cherry and spice with a good, decent finish. Worth checking out if you come across some.
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Decanted for three hours. Christmas eve dinner with homemade, authentic lasagna. Ruby coloring not quite extended to the edge of the glass. Nose of purple berries, plum, earthy undertones. Plum and cherry explosion. Hints of vanilla. Mid palate, flavor stays at the top of the tongue (not draped) with a wonderfully extended finish. Decant for a while if you need to get into this now but recommend waiting. I think this one has potential for a long cellar life. Great pairing with lasagna or pizza.
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Light body, tartness and acidity that I don't typically associate with brunello. Doesn't have the structure or tannins to suggest long term storage potential. Overall, disappointing. There are much better brunello's for the price.
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10/2/2022 - acyso wrote: flawed
Vinetasters: Sangiovese (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Others found this far more palatable than I did; this was mostly oxidized to death at this point. Hollowed out and browned.
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5/27/2022 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was nearly a year ago and my notes were generally consistent. Black cherry, along with earth, spices and leather notes on the nose. Medium bodied, perhaps slightly above with rounded and pretty black cherry upfront. Mid-body continues to contribute additional depth, but not as much as previously. Slight deeper black cherry, some brighter blackberry and a hint of plum show up here. Tart black and red cherry along with balanced tannins and acidity on the backside and finishes with earth, leather, spices and minerals. Overall, this wine continues to drink quite well, but it's a touch lighter and feels slightly more delicate (as opposed to velvety with excellent depth) than prior bottles. It should remain quite enjoyable for several more years, but the time to drink this wine is now as additional time won't result in a better wine.
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12/3/2021 - Eye Drink Reds Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great rustic Brunello that is ready to drink. Very balanced with dark red fruit, earth, and streak of minerality. Decant for 1 hour at least.
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6/6/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Prior bottle was 11 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot, perhaps even slightly improved. Nose again shows a lot of black cherry and floral notes, with background hints of spices, earth and leather. Between medium and full bodied with black cherry and blackberry upfront. Deepens nicely through the middle, showing slightly better depth than my prior bottle along with some darker black cherry and even plum notes. Tart black cherry with some red cherry highlights on the backside along with balanced tannins and acidity. Finish shows mineral notes, lingering blackfruit notes and just a touch of earth and spice. Felt like this bottle was slightly better balanced, had a touch more depth and just showed a small step above my immediately prior bottle, but I think that's simply positive bottle variation. Drinking at this level means I probably won't take a chance and I'll open my last bottle in Q4 2021, perhaps November.
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1/17/2021 - Bosbevok Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still ruby red with a thin brick rim. Excellent use of decanting time, which was about 2 hours. Important to understand that Brunellos that are 15 years old need decanting time. The wine went from dried roses, Leather and cigar box upon opening to luscious dark red fruit 1.5 hours later. I find this with aged Brunello and Nebbiolo. Concentrated dark red berries and black plums. Long finish. In its peak window - drink the 06’s now till 2022. Outstanding.
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12/13/2020 - COWineLover wrote: 91 Points
First bottle from a half case. Owned since 2013 and stored in a climate controlled cellar.
Noticeable bricking. The dinner guests estimated the wine from 12-15 years of age. Opened and allowed to slow ox for about 30 minutes. This provided adequate aeration for the first glass. Aromatically presented a predominant balsamic note with dried herbs including oregano and herb de Provence, and vanilla. On the palate the tannins are in the background where an energetic bead of acidity rides shotgun with a sweet morello cherry that leans toward a cherry cough syrup. In the mid palate a white pepper enters and carries the dried herb notes into the finish. Retains a vibrant thread of acidity that went well with dinner. Average length with nothing noteworthy.
Overall impression is a wine with good material, but the cough syrup sweetness detracted from my overall enjoyment. A guest for dinner enjoyed the sweetness so much I sent a bottle home with them.
Drinking my remaining stock now through 2026.
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9/13/2020 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brick color on pouring. After 2 hour decant, dark almost ink black. Brooding, earthy, delicious with grilled prime ribeye, Brussels, Tuscan kale. After I finished, some left picked up a thick body and depth. Makes me think it could go a couple of years more...
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7/17/2020 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still dark purple, only minor browning at the edges. Nose is a bit subdued, but there is faint saddle leather and baking spices.
In the mouth, the wine is more pronounced with delicate raspberry and red cherry that is fresh, lively and exacerbated by energetic acidity. Typical Tuscan earth and notes of sandalwood mix into the long finish that is silky smooth. Some minor dry tannins emerge late in the finish, but are not too distracting.
Excellent wine, so good. In a good drinking window right now, should hold for another 5-10 years. No sign of fading yet.
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7/12/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Prior bottle was a bit over 2 years ago and this wine remains in an extremely good spot. Black cherry and floral notes on the nose along with just a bit of earth and leather. Medium bodied with a virtually unchanged fruit profile: black cherry and blackberry upfront, redfruit highlights towards the back along with tart red cherry and then minerals, light spices and hints of earth and leather. Mid-body wasn't quite as satiny as before, but the integration to the backside felt a touch more harmonious. Good acidity and fine grained tannins provide the needed backbone, but are in excellent balance with the fruit. This showing confirms to me that the wine is at peak. While it still has 2-3 years at this peak, based on how this has shown over the past two years, I probably won't push it beyond that. Next bottle for me will be Q1 2021.
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5/29/2020 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 91 Points
Noticeable bricking color. Rich nose with ripe cherry and leather. Med body with moderate acidity. Slightly lacking in the texture. Long finish.
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9/3/2019 - revanness wrote: 96 Points
Ratnose--this is really special. 2 hour decant.
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9/2/2019 - eeeeeradicator wrote: 94 Points
Brick red. Loose and not at all oily or viscous in the glass. The nose is really deep, with a brilliant smoky edge that channels up burning leaves for anyone who has traveled through the countryside in the fall. Gets the classic Florentine steak pairing right.
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6/15/2019 - markcvino wrote: 93 Points
Mild bricking color, tremendous licorice on the nose and palate. Long finish with dark fruits. Classic aged Brunello perfect with lamb chops!
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10/6/2018 - KSWinegeek wrote: 92 Points
Bricking or brownish hues. Spice, earth on nose. Cherry flavors.
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9/13/2018 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Slight bricking. Did not throw off much sediment. Cherry and hints of blueberry. Leather, tobacco and earthy notes. Equally able to stand alone as pair with Italian fare. Put my bottle in the camp of mature and seemingly at peak, surprisingly so for Brunello at age 12. A joy to drink now.
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6/23/2018 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
It has been just over two years since my prior bottle, but while the profile has remained virtually unchanged, the wine has integrated further and now seems very much at peak. Black cherry and floral on the nose with that touch of leather towards the back. Medium bodied and opened about two hours ahead of time, but I don't think it needed it. Drunk over the course of total of 4.5 hours and while initially soft, it regained complexity and depth with time. Black cherry and blackberry upfront with just enough tartness to provide liveliness. Mid-body is beautifully, satiny smooth with very good depth. Starts to bring in some redfruit notes towards the back, along with tart acidity and very fine grained tannins providing structure. Some leather, tobacco and integrated spices on the finish, with just enough tannin for this wine to feel complete. This is a truly enjoyable wine at this stage: great fruit, wonderful balance and enough structure to hold everything together. Based on the way these bottles have evolved over the past four years, it clearly has some time left, but this is peak. I don't see it gaining additional complexity or integration and I'm not taking the risk, given how enjoyably this showed tonight. Next bottle in July 2018.
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5/24/2018 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Our last bottle.. decanted at restaurant and got an hour+ to open up before entrees. Still nice core of fruit to balance the leathery tannins. Wonderful wine!!
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5/21/2018 - KSWinegeek wrote:
Decanted. Cherry notes on nose and palate. Tannins are present and I think this could wine could use a few years.
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4/18/2018 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
The Rotating Dinners, II.4: 2006 Brunello (Chicago, IL): I had this next to the Conti Constanti, and I preferred that wine by a hair. In contrast to the earthier, darker tones of that wine, this is a little lighter and focusses more on the red side of the fruit spectrum. The earthiness is toned down here as well, this is a lighter, more elegant wine, if not as deep. I do like the savoury tones on the palate here, which play very nicely off the tart red fruit.
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8/19/2017 - Zorg wrote: 91 Points
Yummy, mature Brunello! Hard to say if it's got what it takes to go in to the next stage but I think it does.
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6/13/2017 - wiscgrad wrote: 92 Points
very nice mature brunello. haven't tried too many older brunellos, but this was quite tasty
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9/9/2016 - Jmdidday wrote: 92 Points
Earthy, some fruit left after 10 years
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6/11/2016 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black cherry and floral notes on the nose along with hints of tobacco and leather in the background. Medium to full bodied, but because it's so smooth through the middle, seems lighter than it actually is. Very similar notes to prior bottle from over two years ago (April 2014) show me this will be a long lived wine. Black cherry and wildberry upfront with wonderfully smooth density through the middle. Rich, but completely in balance, this wine just soars with great fruit balanced with nicely tart acidity. Acidity smooths the way into the finish which shows light tobacco and background leather notes along with a lot of mineral and floral qualities. The biggest difference from two years ago is the integration; all the different components just meshed so perfectly this time around. Given where the fruit and acidity currently are, I'll disagree with one of the recent reviews as I think this still has some time to go before peak. Considering how bright and fresh this wine is currently as it balances further, I'd expect more complexity and even more interest through the middle. Very excited to see how this wine evolves.
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5/14/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
See previous note.
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5/14/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour. Dark red with brick orange rim telling it's age. The nose was a bit tight but with some glass swirling picked up some tart cherry and under brush. Good legs with medium body and acidity. The tannins are well integrated and soft. Great pairing with pasta romanesqua, which had some pepper to it. The food pairing made this wine. Don't think it can stand alone very well. Can't imagine that this will improve any more with time. Probably need to get to drinking.
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4/24/2016 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
94+ at Gary and Judy's: Exactly the same experience as my note 1.5 years ago : Fairly straightforward and tasty, with cherry, minerals and somewhat-firm tannins. This went well with pasta (shocking, I know).
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12/26/2015 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Lovely wine
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9/6/2015 - poste244 wrote: flawed
Bouchonné :(
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6/12/2015 - Buick455 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Opaque/dusk red color. Pleasant nose of cherries, red berries. Palate had a good balance. Cherrie, red/dark berries. Medium to long finish. Very nice.
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5/16/2015 - DarinC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Early maturity and in a great place now. I agree with BAM_MAN's recent detailed notes on this wine. Excellent QPR! Second great bottle this year.
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3/23/2015 - Motz wrote: 96 Points
Bam_Man poured this at a tasting he hosted. The prettiest, most aromatic and luscious BdM bouquet I have experienced...ever. The fruit and spice drenched palate touches the senses in the best possible ways. I agree that the wine has entered its drinking window and will likely remain there for several years. Otherwise, I can add nothing to Bam_Man's fine note. A stunning wine!
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3/21/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 96 Points
First one of these in almost three years. This has loosened up beautifully since last time. A bright, translucent garnet in color, lightening at the edge. Absolutely phenomenal on the nose. Gorgeous, powerful aromas of sweet cherry candy, flowers, earth and spice jump from the glass. Full-bodied and silky in texture, but elegant in weight. Wonderfully focused. There's such terrific depth and definition to the ripe, tangy cherry fruit, but without a lot of weight. The long, long finish is filled with juicy fruit and notes of mineral and spice. The tannins have softened noticeably and are as fine as silk. This is absolutely delicious and just so elegant and harmonious. One of the best Brunelli I have ever tasted, this is now in its prime and likely to stay there for the next few years.
50+5+14+18+9=96
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11/6/2014 - gtonn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good. Expressive nose of cherries . Well integrated tannins make this this an easy pour. Short finish, but not surprising for this grape. Not sure how long this will stay at its peak, but I doubt it will get much better.
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9/8/2014 - revanness wrote: 92 Points
Decant and pour. Went down after 2 hours.
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9/4/2014 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very acceptable. Strong colour, good fruit nose. The grapes came through on the palate. Medium to long taste
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8/17/2014 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Fairly straightforward and tasty, with cherry, minerals and somewhat-firm tannins. This went well with pasta (shocking, I know).
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8/16/2014 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with last tasting
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8/15/2014 - Bottle-Talks wrote:
cherry licorice mineral spice
2014 - 2027
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4/26/2014 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cherry, violet and leather on the nose. At first, seemed red cherry focused and lighter than I was expecting. After being open for 90 minutes however, it evolved into a totally different bottle of wine. Much deeper and denser and still only hinting at flavor complexities to come. Now nearly totally black cherry focused with just a hint of red fruit in the background adding in earth, tobacco and leather notes on the finish. The balance was exceptional as was its richness. Very smooth throughout, almost like silk with fine grained tannins and good length on the finish. Drinking beautifully now, given air and time to open up.
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4/15/2014 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Light but not wimpy, this is a fruity wine that goes great with food and can stand on its own if needed. Long finish, good balance, good acid. Lots of years left, no danger of being over the hill.
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3/28/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark in color for a brunello, with a touch of ageing at the rim. Not a whole lot of fruit here; with the main aromas being earth, rose, violet, leather, cherry, and tobacco.
Clocking in at 13.5% ABV, this will appeal to those who enjoy that style. Tannins are fairly well integrated and this is a smoother style of brunello than most, especially at this young age.
I enjoyed this far more than my wife. Not a whole lot going on with the finish.
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2/11/2014 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still young. Medium dark red color, nice herb/earth nose. Fruit still bright, red cherry, tart plum, raspberry - missing some of the riper, dark fruit though. Some earth, leather, tarry notes coming through, but not fully developed yet. Fair balance, but this one needs more time. Long finish. I concur that this has a lot of potential. Would wait another 3-5 years for the next bottle. Great QPR.
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1/20/2014 - pismo45 wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose of red fruits. Low key red/black fruit but beautifully balanced and very enjoyable. Nothing out of place, pretty in all respects. Went great with a sausage pizza.
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10/19/2013 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
Very nice though lighter bodied than I'm accustomed with BdM. Nice notes of tart red cheery, raspberry, pipe tabbacco and aged leather. Lovely mouthfeel and finishing clean with plenty of acidity.
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7/28/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
This is quite a compelling Brunello.
Cherries, licorice, leather and spice in the GRANDE nose and also on the palate. Structure is dense, yet superbly elegant. Minerality is bouncing ball with the M+ acids and M+ tannins.
Simply vibrating!
One btl to go: for the long haul in order to bring out some of the really interesting aromas that are currently Cinderella-sleeping.
Wife: 92p.
At La Verdura (Yokohama) and it married all courses :-)
(475 Norwegian krona in Norway and half price in the US...)
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7/11/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
Non-blind. Decanted 1.5hrs.
Beautiful red color with bricking.
Nose grew considerably from opening to drinking. Tart cherries, earth and bitter almonds.
On the palate this has high acid levels, not much tannin and a bitter touch in the end game. Started out as poorly as "hebill" describes it. Non-decanting can be a bummer :-) The myriad aromas include dark cherries, earth, sumi ink, licorice and leather. Slight glitch om the mid-palate but good length.
Paired beautifully well with the evening's food at La Verdura in Yokohama. Am happy to have five more btls of this. Agreed with wifey on the score. Fantastic QPR!
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6/19/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 93 Points
Wow! This is such a beautiful young Brunello. Has a powerful and absolutely gorgeous Tuscan nose of sour cherries, leather, spice and incense. On the palate, this wine is also impressive. Full-bodied, showing lots of dark cherry and spice flavor with a lively acidity and impeccable balance. The spicy, mineral-tinged finish is long, satisfying and complex. Very elegant and polished, yet just a bit tightly wound at this point. Patience will be rewarded here. With a few years in the cellar, I can see this eventually developing into a 95 pointer or even higher. Tremendous QPR for a low-production Brunello at around $36.
50+5+14+16+8=93
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3/24/2012 - johnecase wrote: 86 Points
Overall this was a big disappointment. I don't think the bottle was flawed but perhaps something was off. I decanted this for two hours and drank over a two hour period with a nice Italian sausage and pasta dinner that my wife made. The wine was harsh, with and without the food. Some good black fruit on the first taste, but the finish went towards the bitter side. It did not improve over the course of the meal or after the meal, even after having been open for several hours. I have been drinking Brunello for over a decade, young and old, and if this bottle is representative of this wine, then I would not buy or drink another one, especially for the money
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12/28/2011 - geppetto wrote: 94 Points
Young at this point, but showing great promise. Dark cherry and hints of spice and cigar box on the nose. Lovely flavour of cherry and spice with a good, decent finish. Worth checking out if you come across some.
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12/24/2011 - StlAndy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for three hours. Christmas eve dinner with homemade, authentic lasagna. Ruby coloring not quite extended to the edge of the glass. Nose of purple berries, plum, earthy undertones. Plum and cherry explosion. Hints of vanilla. Mid palate, flavor stays at the top of the tongue (not draped) with a wonderfully extended finish. Decant for a while if you need to get into this now but recommend waiting. I think this one has potential for a long cellar life. Great pairing with lasagna or pizza.
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11/29/2011 - hebill wrote: 85 Points
Light body, tartness and acidity that I don't typically associate with brunello. Doesn't have the structure or tannins to suggest long term storage potential. Overall, disappointing. There are much better brunello's for the price.
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10/6/2011 - elise wrote: 88 Points
Closed nose and somewhat muted palate. Not quite what I was expecting. High fruit acid. Sour cherries/ currants.
I would buy it again at $30 and at $25 it might even become a go-to low end Brunello but at $38 it is not quite the value that I was hoping for.
Enjoyed with Scott Conant's pasta pomdoro, made at home of course, and it went well together.
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