Might have gotten a 94 if I was eating lasagne! But it was still tasty with spicy napa cabbage and T bone. Smooth tannins. Tobacco, dried roses, dried cherries. Like it!
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Awesome bottle of wine which has aged brilliantly. Decanted off substantial sediment. Nice dark fruit, dried fruit, and still juicy. Aged mellowed tannins and acidity provided balance.
(Decanted for half an hour) Deep red colour with a brick red hue and a maturing nose showing leather, oak and cherry morello and a touch of vanilla. Intense palate showing warmth with smoothing tannins and morello sweetness in a balanced and pleasant way. Showing very well with a sirloin steak tonight. (Best 2021-2031)
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(Decanted for one hour) Brick red colour with a mature nose showing leather, cherries and minerals and softened tannins on the palate starting to show some tertiary notes underneath the warm and sweetened finish. (Best 2016-2036)
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One year later and a lot of the secondary and tertiary characteristics are starting to show through. A lot more dried cherry dried strawberry dried raspberry leather oak anise brown spices and of course the characteristic orange rind on the nose. Definitely time to drink these puppies up and enjoy with some rich hearty gamy meals.
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(Decanted for one hour) Dark red colour with a mature nose showing leather, violets and some herbs in a delicious way. Nice maturity showing a fruity sweetness and fully evolved tannins on the well balanced palate. This is drinking very nicely right now matching a creamy potato gratin with fillet of lamb perfectly tonight. Excellent! (Best 2016-2031)
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Very fresh taste, paired well with a grilled London Broil in a merlot sauce. Elegant taste of dark fruits with just a tad of acidity in the back of the throat. Very approachable now, you could age longer, but not sure there is a need to. Cheers!
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(Decanted in the glass for half an hour) Deep red colour with a maturing nose showing eucalyptus, chocolate, coffee and pine wood in a delicious way. Very intense palate showing warm fruit and smoothing tannins and with a lengthy finish. This is drinking very well right now, but no rush as it should keep for many more years. (Best 2016-2031)
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From magnum: Dark color- almost no bricking. Nose dark cherry and slight earth. Taste- dark plums and modest tannins. Superbowl Sunday delight. Served with grilled Italian sausage- mild n hot. Side of prime NY steaks as well. This wine held up to all that at 15 years old. Would not hold this wine much longer. Did not fall off and end of bottle- just slide into the night - each glass getting less interesting.
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Has matured since last tasting but it is still delicious. Lovely bouquet, full bodied. Raspberry, licorice, baking spices. Long finish. Drink now-2023.
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Gang of 5 in Covid19 times; Chianti Classico (@ RW): Beautiful and expressive bouquet with stable smells, oak and earthy impressions. On the palate juicy dark and red berries, cherries, chocolate and oak, mocha and firm acidity. Beautiful wine.
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Upon opening, the wine was initially disjointed and hot. Within 30 minutes, it harmonized, developing balance with dark cherry flavors on the palate. A fine Chianti good with food that still has some grip in the mid-palate.
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(Decanted for half an hour before dinner) Deep red colour with a brick red hue. Warm red fruit, minerals and chocolate on the broad nose. Nice and balanced palate still showing tannins and primary fruit in a fresh style and with an intense finish. This is still showing very youthful and need decanting to open up. (Best 2021-2036)
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Deep dark brooding wine. Dark chewy and bitter berries, earthy on the finish with drying slightly chewy tannins that bring on a bitter chocolate finish. Some licorice, balsamic notes as well.
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Wine spectator Top 100 2009 at #5. Part of in-store inventory that I brought home with me when I sold my store. Blend of Sangiovese/Cabernet/Petite Verdot. About $60.00. Popped and poured. Color: ruby red with just the slightest hint of browning on the rim and medium legs. Nose already has secondary characteristics of sandal wood, orange rind, cedar, cigar box, wet saddle leather and earthy loam/truffles along with the classic berry/cherry nose. The palate was smoothly balanced with black licorice,dried maraschino cherries., orange rind and cedar. Ultra smooth tannin's, cherry and licorice component combine successfully for an outstanding Castello Di Brolio. Cellared since purchase in 2009. Pair with classic spaghetti, aged Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Caprese salad or a roasted veggie antipasto plate will work well. I want to try with a lasagna bolognese.
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Time to drink up. This one is reaching the end of the line. Not aa complex as last bottle from a year ago. Cedar and cigar box are prevalent. Got some dried meats and earthy nitew but not near what previous bottle notes indicate. It was a good run.
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Robe rubis foncé, presque opaque. Nez de réglisse, de cerises, de cola et de cendre. Bouche avec une acidité encore bien présente et des tannins pas encore tout à fait fondus. Longue finale sur les fruits noirs et la cerise. La prochaine dans deux ans.
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Brick colored. Mature with quite some acidity and tannins left. Cherries and much licorice combined with pine and thyme. Good to not too heavy meat dishes.
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Great rich nose, plum, dark berries. Medium bodied, good acidity and very smooth, leaning towards darker fruits an d plum, some oak. Somewhat less impressing on the palate than on the nose, feels a bit thin and one-dimensional on the mid-palate. Good with food.
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Deep red colour with brick red hue and a maturing nose showing truffle, wet soil and dried fruit. Evolved on the palate with smoothing tannins, leather and a nice long finish with fruit drying up, but still drinking very nicely. (Best 2016-2026)
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Amazing and SO Delicious....still tastes so young! Floral nose, full bodied, and complex - loads of wonderful berry flavors, licorice, touch of sweetness, hint of spice. Secondary characteristics are just beginning to form. Great balance & structure along with a very long finish. An excellent food wine. There are still some fine tannins, so no hurry on these. One of the best chiantis I've ever had.
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Fantastisk vin från en bred producent! Fylligt och komplext och mognaden gör nu att det övergår i en palett av tobak och vanilj. Helt enkelt fantastiskt och enligt min smak nu på topp.
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This wine was downright jammy...which was shocking to me. I have been sitting on this bottle for years and had no experience with it before. Ricasoli being such a heralded classic producer it caught me by surprise that this wine really presented such a modern extracted profile. There were hints of the typical sangiovese secondary notes of leather and forest floor but not enough to compete with massive red jammy fruit...and not nearly enough acidity for my taste. A surprising disappointment for me. We drank a half a bottle of Poggerino CC Riserva along side that I opened primarily to use in the tomato sauce I made for dinner and it showed a lot better at a fraction of the price and a few years less bottle age.
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Decanted two hours before pairing with pasta, spicy marinara and Italian sausage. A beautiful medium+ ruby in the glass, with shimmering sides showing off the glycerin and alcohol. Wonderful nose of dark cherries, raspberry, sandalwood, and oak spices. Medium+ intensity and concentration, with a long finish that flashes hints of licorice and violet. Really nicely balanced, as silky as many Brunello, and with excellent acidity that bodes well for further development. This was outstanding!
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4 hour decant. On initial opening, amazing aromas of cassis, blackberry, and plum on the nose. Tasted thin and closed at first. Re-tasted after 2 hours with more floral notes on nose and fine tannins. After 5 hours, has opened up on the palate with good acidity and medium body. Some fruit. Would not be in a rush to drink this if I had another bottle.
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Intense fruity scent of cherries and licorice. Taste not quite as intense and with a lot of acidity and long lasting tannins. Preferred the not so acidic year 2001.
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Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } Consistent with the bottle of just a few months ago, this was nice. As in good with cheeseburgers nice. Perhaps the editors that fawned over this on release can re-taste it today, and maybe learn something. Which is to say, there's another couple of dozen wines (from this region/vintage) I'd have had on this short list of 'great wines' before this one. A decent value in today's secondary market; not something I would seek out.
Excellent extensive nose of dark cherries, integrated oak, very inspiring and inviting, still a lot of fruit. A bit of licorice entering after 2 hours in the glass. The taste is perfectly balanced, smooth but not velvety tannines, good grip, very tasty, good accidity, and a long, long finnish. One of the best Chianti's I've had for many years. Drank to duck, celeriac puré with a port and red wine sauce with sour cherries. Not bad at all...
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This is nicely within the sweet spot of its drinking window. Did not decant but gave it a good splash-pour into the glass. Aromas and flavors continue to be to totally consistent with previous bottles but tannin and acid have scaled back to make for excellent, effortless tasting. Cherries dominate with slightest licorice tone to it. Cigar box, leather, earth and dried herbs all distinct and nicely layered on a long, savory finish. Had with chicken parmesan. Drinking window is right in that this will be in its sweet spot for only another year or two.
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This feels like it's in a sweet spot now and drinking well. It's sumptuous, there is beautiful acidity along with radiant red fruit. I'm realizing these high-acidity wines are likely not my style though. I can see the beauty but I think I need a bit more firmness to the profile. This will will appeal to many though.
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Tannins are finally settled. I remember drinking my first bottle years ago and it was a tannic beast. Deep purple still, it is earthy with sour cherries and graphite. Good QPR. One bottle left, I'll probably drink that over the next 2-3 years.
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From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes. As previously recorded. Drying tannins still evident at the finish. A Sangiovese on the qualitative level of an excellent Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois from a good year. Not exactly a great QPR, but who expects that from a Tuscan classic? 89-90P
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Color holding to a medium ruby, no sign of age. Aromas are quite earthen at first, but with some moderate air this takes on subtle red fruit nuances, blended with soil and some dried herbs. Not sure I would have guessed this as CC in a blind - seemed to have a modern slant to it that slightly muddles the flavors and aromas. I had been planning on holding this for at least 3 more years, but I'm quite glad I didn't as I just don't see the potential for extended cellaring. Medium>full-bodied, moderate finish, acids(-). Drink now, with 30-60 minutes of aeration. 14,0% abv.
PnP, served with cheeseburgers during game 7 of the WS - at least one will be long remembered :D
https://italianwine.blog/
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Terrific stuff with at least 10 years ahead of it. This is a rich modern style Chianti. Gorgeous cherry, blackberry fruit with hints of earthy undertones. Rich mouthfeel. Great acid backbone and med long finish.
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Dark red, rather modern approach. Berries, cedar wood some spice in the nose. Impressive mouthfeel. Serve a bit chilled, too much warmth brings up some alcohol. Still lots of (very fine) tannins. Clearly on the young side. Decant it for an hour or two - or wait a few years. Has enough stuffing for 10 years or so. On the other side - with 2 hours of decanting it's a great experience now with easily one or two points more. As always with Chianti it is very food friendly.
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WS 96 blackberry, with hints of vanilla and flowers, along with black licorice and crushed berries. Full-bodied, with wonderfully caressing, ultrafine tannins.
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A bright, juicy was ne that manages to be earthy, dusty, and spicy as well. Tannins are integrated now, and it's a delicious and well structured wine. Has years yet, but probably at peak and ready now.
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Wow, this surprised me on how young and vibrant this wine was. A little more modern style with the cherry fruit and then came the anise, forest floor and mushrooms. Very tasty wine and glad I bought 2 of these last year. No rush to open these. I did try this wine about 16 months ago and I thought it was peaking soon, based on this bottle there is still a lot of hill to climb. Well done!
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Sour cherries, anise, mushroomy. Still has some grip, although not like the austere wine it was four years ago. Developing nicely. 45 second finish. Two more bottles, so I'll continue to follow this one.
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First bottle in 14 months and consistent with my note from back then. Maybe just slightly better than last time. Dark and opaque in the glass, displaying a gorgeous nose of cedar, leather, spice and flowers. Full-bodied, very rich and loaded with dark cherry and blackberry fruit character. Ultra-modern in style, this is so incredibly rich and like liquid cashmere in texture. Shows tremendous depth and intensity on the mid-palate. Finishes very long, with smooth, velvety tannins that caress the palate for almost a minute. Drinks more like a top-tier Super-Tuscan than a Chianti Classico, but who cares when it's this good? 50+5+13+17+8=93
Beeyootiful. 3-hour decant. Deep garnet with a medium clear rim. Just starting to show a little bricking. Mushroom like nose on the open. Strawberries and broiled meats on a somewhat muted nose. Sweet red fruits with fine tannins and perfect acidity-bright but not intrusive. Easy 45 second finish. Lovely wine and perfect pairing with salami, taleggio, bread, and a main course if beef capelettis. Last bottle. Glad I waited on it after my first taste in 2013. In a perfect drinking spot.
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Stunning Chianti. Paired perfectly with Baked Ziti. Decanted for an hour. Enjoyed over another 2. For me...this would be what a Chianti Classico should be. Cant imagine it getting any better.
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Red colour with a brick red hue. Mature nose showing mushrooms, meat broth and cherries. Mature palate showing clove and star anise. Very nice, but maturing very quickly compared to other Chianti Classico from the same vintage.
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From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour, during which it lost some unpleasant barnyard notes and generally opened up well. Rich, earthy balsamic scent; slender entry develops well with ripe red fruit on the mid palate and fine redcurrant-pip tannins on the grippy finish. Long, resonant, very fine. I don't want to use that annoying adjective "burgundian", but this does have a stylistic resemblence to the very finest red burgs I have tried... Ready now, no hurry at all. 91P
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Fantastic wine!Fresh on nose with black berries, dark berries, a touch of aniseed and blanced oak. Well balanced and fresh taste, a lot of taste and roasted nuts.
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(From half bottle) Mature nose showing leather, soil and violets in a very nice and lovely way. Nic palate with lots of fruit and softening tannins. Yet it feels like the bottle size has been making it mature quickly which makes it feel less integrated.
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One and a half hours in decanter. Aroma: earth, coal. Palate: tannic, ashes, dried blood, plum, dried fruit, licorice. Challenging, and I'm not sure what I mean by that. It's not a wine that is ever in the background. (jubilation)
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There is a professional wine idiot who says the drinking window on this ended in 2014.Let me be clear he is an idiot. Here we are May of 2015 and this is drinking beautifully. I think is has at least five more years of life and truly wish I had bought more. Delightful bottle of wine.
(Magnum) Dark red colour with a brickred hue. Mature nose showign black currant, leather, stables and coffee. Nice and mature palate showing a lot of fruit and leather, sweet cherries and an austere cherry stone finish.
Was very good together with grilled entrécôte!
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PnD let air for 1hr. Dark for Chianti crimson purple. Route macerated cherry raspberry and espresso on the nose. Medium weight with prominent ripe Cheryl skin tannins. Nicely ripe cherry espresso fennel on the palate. A touch leathery. Delicious but drink up.
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My sixth bottle of this vintage and this time we are talking oak, oak and more oak. Needs 6 days for the oak to integrate, although it is still present even then. By day 6 the wine has also shed its abundant, crowdpleasing vanillafruit, and turned light and slightly elegant.
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Typical Chianti nose with lots of dark berries, cedar and earth. Shows sign of maturity and have an excellent balance between fruit, tannins and acidity. According to my palate I would say that this is peaking now. Might hold well for one or two more years.
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First bottle from a half case purchased in 2010. Quite youthful-looking for its age, this is a very dark, semi-opaque magenta in color. Be sure to give this at least an hour of air time. Right upon opening, this is extremely bright and acidic. Once it opens up, it shows an absolutely phenomenal nose. Gorgeous, powerful aromas of blackberries, violets, vanilla and earth jump from the glass. Full-bodied, but not as big or heavy as its dark, brooding color would suggest. Lots of tangy, sour cherry and red currant fruit character. Very fresh and nicely balanced, with a lively acidity. The long, tangy finish offers a juicy mouthful of ripe, dark fruit along with hints of dried herbs and spice. The velvety tannins are integrating beautifully. Very modern in style, (80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot) this drinks more like a Super-Tuscan than a Chianti Classico. At around $50, this does not offer a tremendous QPR, but it is still an absolute delight. 50+5+13+16+8=92
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dark with ruby rim, perfumed with pretty berry and gingerbread aromas, velvet texture, superb balance, delivers a dry, elegant mix of ripe cherries, fresh herbs, smoke, dried flowers and berries on the palate, long, lingering sangiovese finish, the acidity keeps up with the concentration and complexity, amazing, nice match with braised beef short ribs
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This was the best Chianti I've ever had. Medium-full bodied. Integrated tannins. Medium acidity. Thick red fruit on the palate. The finish is very enjoyable with dried cherry and hints of tar. Drinking well now.
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Dark inky black with normal streaking, a general fruity nose tilting towards cherry but the overall effect is subdued. On taste it is full and rich with flavours of cherry, strawberry and tobacco. Tannins are fine but alive and well, acidity is right, this wine has years to go.
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Opened for Thanksgiving pairing. Deep red inky coloring. Superb bouquet of florals and perfumed cherry. Solid acidity and structure on a medium body, with plenty of cherry and leathery notes. Good pairing for the various foods. Nose reminded me of a the '97 Gaja Sperss but not as potent. On day two under vac-u-vin, quite cherry pronounced, on the tart/acidic side. Good food pairing, needs a little more fruit/sweetness to stand alone.
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Cherry and cassis dominated with impressive depth and concentration. Looooong finish for a Chianti. I don't see the WS rating and #5 WOTY award, but impressive nonetheless.
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From a bottle Coravined 2 months ago. Lovely aromas and flavors of dark red cherry fruit, but this wine is definitely entering a period of hibernation. Modern, but very Sangiovese in flavor. Great pure finish. Lots of extract but mellow tannins. It should evolve nicely and be worthy of a revisit in 5 years.
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Rubis foncé, presque opaque. Nez de fruits noirs, cerises, balsamique, anis et cendre Beau gros fruit juteux à l'attaque. La bouche est opulente avec une acidité caractéristique. Les tannins sont encore très jeunes et costauds. Longue finale. En accord avec le commentaire de Thewiz. Ce vin doit attendre encore au moins 4 ans avant que les tannins se fondent avec l'ensemble.
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I thought this was an excellent Chianti a couple years ago, and this bottle was even better. Very nice balance of fruit with relatively mellow tannins and a little oak in the background. Definitely ready. This vintage has never disappointed, and I will want to compare with a couple 2006 bottles from other Chianti producers I still have left.
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(Decanted for four hours Before drinking.) Dark red colour with a bluered hue. The nose is youthful with sunripe sweet cherries, coffee, chocolate and sous bois. The palate is youthful showing austere tannines and a powerful nice long finish. A lot of fuit left and nice tannines.
Needs several years more of cellaring. Went fine with the grilled sirloin steak, but the tannines should be softened more.
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Dark ruby. Nose of blackberry pie. Medium body with intense flavor of blackberry. Medium-full extraction, with a firm structure. Lots of acidity make this really tasty and food-friendly. Wish I had more.
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Loads of dark red and black fruit saturate the palate beginning to end. Fine tannins show up on the medium finish. Negligible evolution with ample air time in the glass. It seems like it's closing down somewhat but I suspect it will be better in 3-5 years.
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Decanted for an hour. Dark color and fruit on the nose. A beautiful Chianti Classico with balanced dark fruit, acidity and fine tannins. Great vintage for Brolio.
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Har nu nått en bra balans och är nu ett komplext vin som är typiskt för sin region. Kommer att hålla många år ännu men i min smak är det på topp redan nu.
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This is drinking very nice right now. Nice amount of acidity, tannins have softened quite a bit and the finish is really long. Did not decant, however the wine got better with air so I would suggest an hour or so in the decanter.
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Tasty wine with primarily dark cherries, plums and some vanilla oak that was fairly well integrated. Overall, lacked complexity and somewhat forward, but good acidity made for a nice drink.
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A youngish cellar induced me to uncork this one for Christmas. I like a more mature Chianti, so that's influencing my overall rating. Decanted for an hour using Vinturi and served with capelletis with a Northern Italian red sauce and pecorino. Garnet in glass; very thin, clear watery rim. Raspberries on the nose with a little farmyard funk. Cherries on the palate. High acidity. Tannins not yet integrated. Developed notes of cola and vanilla on the very long finish lasting 30-45 seconds. Tasted second day: Nose subdued, somewhat better integration but still tannic, slightly sweet, shorter finish. I'll wait at least 3 years to pop my other bottle.
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Even better than my previous bottle. Possibly the best Chianti Classico I've ever had. Incredible balance between sweet ripe red fruit and freshness from Sangiovese with vanilla mocha element from the well integrated oak. At its peak right now.
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Gotta say I really enjoyed this wine. Used aerator but minimal decant and wine was really open and drinking well. Nice backbone of acidity and freshness yet medium to full bodied with an elegant, smooth finish. Wish I had more at this price point.
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Enjoyed at the Heath's. Tougher tannins than the 2003, but a broader, more generous fruit profile as well. Cherry, plum, sandlewood, leather and wet stone. Paired well with the bolognese.
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this is a show off for the sangiovese grape variety... cheesy, honey flavours, mature even. yes, black berry, dark cherry, plums and strawberry, cedar, cigar box, leather and pencil lead, lots of herbs, maybe a bit of licorice... lucious, full, rich, concentrated, deep, extremely well balanced 10 years ahead fine tobacco leaves in the end, dark chocolate and a super finish with dusty tannins (try out Modus Ruffino 2007) 5min+ finish... reminds me of a good super tuscan/bordeaux which is believe me or not : not only in bella italia but one of the best wines in the world... P.S. wow, cola!
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Bought this b/c it was on WS's top 100 list and WS gave it 96 pts. And it may be as good as Chianti Classico Riserva can be with great fruit of blackberry and cherry, black licorice, cola and tar, with a floral hint. Wonderful balance. A very clean style of Chianti, but still with good body. I also recently drank a Volpaia Coltassala, which is also a CC Riserva, and between these 2 excellent wines, this Barone Ricasoli is better -- and making me re-think that you have to drink Brunello's or Super Tuscan's to have great Itallian wine.
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Gorgeous display of Chianti. No age showing. Very elegant but super extraction. Immediately recognizable as Italian with dark rustic raspberries, dark cherries, road tar, rusty nail. The palate is well endowed but absolutely in harmony with great acidity on the back end. A fantastic wine that will only improve greatly with some age. Highly recommended and I can see why Spectator ranked this so highly in their annual Top 100.
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A reminder why Chianti is so good with Italian food. Perfectly matched with tomato sauce. The balance of acidity, fruit and tannin was very nice. This had a nice QPR
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Astonishingly good. This is a Chianti?? The favorite at our (blind) Tuscan tasting. The smooth complexity and balance had everyone thinking Super Tuscan.
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From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour. Gorgeous balsamic perfume with herbs (oregano?) and evidently ripe red fruit; more slender and generally less exciting in the mouth than expected. Bright red cherry/redcurrant entry starts off well (if thin) but the redcurrant-pip tannins rather dominate the mid-palate and finish for my taste right now. I guess these should resolve well given another 1-2 years. No hurry to drink up. I mis-matched this with lasagne; the bechamel killed the wine and vice-versa. Next time with grilled lamb chops and aromatic herbs should be great... 89(+?)P
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Color was a deep claret. Moderate body. Long duration. Initial predominant flavors were earthy, cherry and lemon/citrus. Opened into a more earthy cherry and oregano flavors.
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Color: Ruby w/ thin salmon miniscus Smell: Earth, granite, lavendar, and dried red fruits Taste: Plum, prunes, tobacco, fig Overall: This is showing much more wramth on the nose and palate than I remember. I'm wondering if the bottle was stored well...but the cork shows no signs of seepage. So I'm left to wonder if this is a reflection of the vintage. My guess is that 2006 was warmer than I thought and with this wine it may be better to consume in the near future. Medium body, med+ acidity, med+ fruit, and above average complexity. Excellent to very good.
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Très bon vin, bien affirmé. A l'odorat une forte sensation de chene se dégage. Des tannins précis qui collent adorablement au palais. Recommande fortement.
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Big red fruit on the nose, agree with the herbs and some light earth. Shy initially, with (relative) restraint on the palate. Attractive balance and finesse. Some tart acids on the back end. Would benefit from more bottle aging. We'll see where this goes with slo-ox.
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Superbe nez sur les cerises, le tabac et l'anis..belle complexité! En bouche, profond et complexe. Cerises noires, cèdre et anis avec de belles notes d'herbes. Les tannins sont fins et bien enrobés et il y a une belle acidité. Très long et savoureux. Superbe Chianti!!!
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One of the best wines I've had in the last few years. I had four bottles, drank them all in the last two years and enjoyed immensely. The wine has enormous fruit in the nose and taste but also earthy flavors and it truly changed my opinion of what chianti classico could be. This is a transformational bottle of wine and highly recommended.
Bottle variation. This is my third bottle from this vintage and I must say that the quality variation is far from acceptable. With this third bottle the fruit was rather sour. The wine was medium bodied and the nose was acceptable. Overall, it was a disappointment.
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Deep red crimson colour. Nose of red/black fruits quite rich and very concentrated for a Chianti. Palate has richness with less of the dried herb/almond character often found with Chianti. More new world in style but certainly accessible now especially if breathed for one to 2 hours before drinking. Best drunk in 4+ years and then for the next 6 to 10 years.
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Wine has entered a good drinking window. It's an important Chianti with a good structure and texture although quite american in style.
Eye: Medium dark Ruby red, medium high legs
Nose: Intense opening of red and black berries showing some maturity, and some vanilla touches showing the choices made in the use of wood.The nose then evolves showing cedar, tar and balsamic notes.
Mouth: weighty and round opening (too round a touch sweety...) well integrated tannins but lacking some acidity in the closing.
Overall a very good wine in a very good moment confirming the reviews it got in the past. For my taste it lacked a bit of the Sangiovese character.
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This wine is drinking well now. Paired with broccolini, penne, hot Italian sausage, and tomato basil sauce. Cherry flavors and velvet tannins. Earlier samples were still rough, but this is flowing well now.
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Excellent pairing with tomato sauce and meat balls. Blackberry mixed with some earth tones on the nose. Smooth with no harsh notes. A great wine for outdoor dining at the end of summer.
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A bit closed both on the nose and the palate, but obviously more mature than last time and with a full body. After a few minutes in the glass a lovely, full nose. The palate is rather stylish and sophisticated, almost close to complex, and not too fruity, which is good. The wine is still rather tannic. One of the best Italian wines I have had, and obviously a lot different from last time. 6 or 7 seven bottles left. This can turn into something very rewarding.
Day 4: Still a bit tanic and not yet completey open. This wine can take quite a few years in the cellar. Day 7-9: Just fine, but still a bit tanic, and with mature notes.
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Not as breathtaking as my first bottle but i still really love this wine. Incredible fruit aroma and earthy tannins. The best chianti classico ive ever had
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and strawberry. It's balanced and has flavours of raisin, strawberry jam and black currant with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Two more in the cellar, this is a beautiful wine.
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Warm aromas with berries and a hint of oak. More of the same in the mouth. Spicy oak, dark, warm and huge. More like a Brunello from a warm year than a Chianti Classico.
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Drank over the course of the evening. Nose was full of cherry and rose scents. Lots of red fruit on the palate, with lengthy soft tannins, and chalky finish. I can see how many could love this wine, probably not my favorite, but very good none the less. Will hold my other bottle for a while before trying it again.
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My last bottle, what a pity! Because this is beautiful both on the nose and palate. Still young but perfect to drink now so why wait. I can write a lot about black fruit and tannins but if you have a bottle and never tried it... do it and you won´t be dissapointed. And if you can find some more... buy some more.
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Atypical chianti - new world profile. Dark red, highly extracted color to the rim. Ripe cherries, strawberry licorice and vanilla on the nose. Ripe Italian cherries and sweet red licorice (think twizzlers) on the palate. Definitely oaked. Very enjoyable wine but no sense of terroir whatsoever. If I were rating as a Chianti Classico I would flunk it...as a new world red it would be a bargain. Let's call it an 88 ( a score I have always associated with either uncertainty or conflict).
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This is a magnificent bottle. I would call it Chianti Classico meets international winemaking. It manages to have both typical red fruit and freshness of Sangiovese with darker fruit and mocha/vanilla flavours of a more modern and riper style of winemaking. Improves greatly with some air but is wonderful right after opening.
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Lovely nose right after opening, but the palate is quite thin in comparison to the 2001 and 2003 vintages. The cherries are sour and after circa 5 hours of air and 1 hr decant there is no real improvement. The fruit is alright, but not more, and the wine is still quite thin.
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Dark color. Blackberry, tobacco and vanilla. Dark chocolate too. Full bodied. Powerful but unbstrusive tannins. Finish lingers on chocolate, coffee and dark cherries. Long and powerfull. America meets chianti. It would most likely drink even better in 5 yrs.
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little if any regional or varietal character here, but i can't say it wasn't a tasty drink. mainly cocoa powder and coffee bean on the snoot with more of a roly-poly roasty chocolate cherry quality in the mouth. ripe, but with some cut — not too heavy — and with tannins that shower down ever so gently. the kinds of things that make up a high-scoring wine. i would have liked a little more sangiovese funk, earthiness, something, just something to give it more personality. so, not the most inspiring wine, but it has its charms.
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Amazine nose and flavor of fruits. I'm seen others say cherry or strawberry and I would agree. I've never had such a fruit feel to a chianti before. A distinctive bottle of wine, which is what drives my high score. Went well with bean chili but also could stand up on its own just as well.
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Very dark fruit that reeks of very ripe cherries. Thought i was having an overripe California. After 1 hr it reallypops and gives fully ripe cherries that transform into mature rasins. Chianti and Brunello lovers will enjoy this. Its probably got 5 more good years.
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Color: Bright, clear red Aroma: Sweet cherry Flavor: Cherry Body: Medium - Full Balance: Still some tannins Finish: Medium Summary: Excellent - Will be a great food wine. Still has another 10 years of goodness.
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Decanted for two hours. This wine has developed quite a bit since our last bottle a year ago. Wonderful raspberry, herbs, and leather. Drinking well now but will continue to improve.
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from 0,375 bottle; decanted for 3 hours in advance (remember not to pop and pour wines of this calibre; at this age, even from half bottle, they are fast asleep and really need time); deep dark cherry red, even some purple along the rim noticeable. initially, upon opening, really closed not giving much but at dinner a beautiful profound nose of violets, roses, cherries, some oak emerged. powerful taste, full bodied, some lofty tannins and acidity will ensure this wine to live for many more years; in half bottle I believe the wine needs 2-3 more years to reach peak; form magnum or double magnum, i am afraid, another 10 to 15 years will be necessary. outstanding, definitely a wine to enjoy with food. 92 for now but with upward potential whenever the tannins have settled down, in 10-15 years from now..., unfortunately.
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Decanted for about 90 minutes before drinking with homemade pizza. Aroma of earthiness, strawberry and a hint of cocoa. Taste is really heavy on the strawberry and red raspberry, along with some dark chocolate. Pretty acidic around the mid-palate and into the finish. This seems like it's just lacking something. Certainly not a very good QPR based on this showing.
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Beautiful Chianti Classico but doesn't stand out which you would expect given the price point. We decanted it 2 hours before serving with veal osso bucco.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Relatively consistent with previous tasting notes. Cherries, cedar, leather and earth throughout. Dried herbs as well. Had with Christmas Eve fish and pasta dinner.
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Lovely nose: rich and opulent with smooth oak and ripe but not jammy dark fruit with dark chocolate and some forest floor. Still very big in the mouth but not overdone; the ripe cherries and chocolate was nicely balanced by fresh Sangiovese acidity which reined in the more massive elements. This seems to have a bright future but is a little on the simple side for me to score higher.
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A big intense CC. Needs lots of air, but has all the pieces I look for in a fine wine. Deep ruby color, nose of blackberry jam, good concentration and a long balanced finish. Probably will be better in 3-5. Great with marinara sauce.
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#5 on 2009 Top 100....always an excellent wine, still smooth with aromas of vanilla, berries, and a hint of black licorice. Has wonderfully refined tannins with a nice long finish. I still have a 3L bottle that I can't wait to drink!!
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, black currant, chocolate and coffee. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco, black currant and raisin with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Very nice on the nose and with a long and full taste.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry and black currant. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Great Chianti, as good as any that my wife and I had in Tuscany last fall. Highly recommend
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Pop and pour but improved with time in the glass and 1st half bottle drunk over 2 hours. Moderate nose at opening improved quickly to a complex fusion of dark berry and cherry fruit with cigar box and earth. Palate added notes of spiciness that didn't for me include licorice (as mentioned below), herbacious notes and long finish. Nicely balanced and fine tannins. Excellent.
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Probably should have waited a couple of years on this, though thankfully have 2 left with which to do just that. Still pretty oaky and, frankly, just plain "bigger" than I'd normally want out of a sangiovese. Still has some nice sour cherry-ish fruit lurking under the oak, and was pleasant overall, but disappointing from a QPR point of view.
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Long Lunch at Home with Friends (Pine Close): Solid stuff - quite clearly the wine of the day for me. Modern-leanings aside, this bottle is a testament to how far Chianti has come over the past decade or so. Still young of course, but it was showing as much quality as a young Brunello that might cost twice as much. It started out with a touch sweet oak on the nose, a whiff of tobacco smoke, and then sweet aromas of dark cherries and fresh berries seasoned with bits of bramble and dried herbs, very nice. The palate had lots of lovely juicy freshness along with a dusting of fine, powdery tannins, and pure, deep flavours of dark cherries and berries wreathed with a bit of fried flowers and fruit. There was a nice purity to it all, so that the fruit came across ringingly clear, almost Brunello-like again. The long finish showed a mouthfull of ripe fruit and bramble, with some dried herbs bringing up the very rear. Lovely stuff, and it proved a surprisingly good pairing with a touch of Epoisses. No harm in drinking now, but this is still a baby and has all the fruit and structure in the world to age gracefully in the long term. Glad I have a few more tucked away.
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Powerful nose, cherry and honey, dark colour. It still needs a few years although we didnt decant it and it would help smooth it out. Very big for a Chianti.
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Intense nose aromas of ripe cherries, ripe currants, honey, hints of chocolate and smoke. Upholding its nose notes on the palate, fruits, blackcurrants, oak, balanced acid and tannin. One of the promising vintage since 2001. Less complex and character compared to 2001 vintage, potential cellaring for 5-6 years. I have to mention that it is very 'French' style in terms of nose and character, untypical of chianti of sangiovese grapes. Is the Barone moving this wine to 'French' appeals? 成熟樱桃、巧克力蜂蜜和烟。 上颚口感柔順,温和充滿黑醋栗、橡木. 平稳丹宁酸。 自比2001年以来, 這支酒一点點也不失望. 可保守较5-6年。 非常‘法国’样式.
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Popped and poured - wondered what the fuss was - and 15 minutes later the lovely cigar box aroma and hint of toasted wood kicked in! Lovely drinking with pleasing acid of sour cherries and not yet fully integrated tannins. Looks like it could age quite well for a few more years.
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Very open seems to be in a good phase. I only decanted for 20 minutes but the wine was ready to go. . Great balance, lots of cherry fruit with some earth. Outstanding richness and sweetness. Perhaps a bit too oaky but not distrurbingly. Great wine!
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Decanted 2hrs, very good, nice mix of old and new world, good balance, agree with one note more like a super tuscan than a chianti. I wonder if this producer had a barrel or two that was extra good that they bottled and held out for the wine press. Thus suckling's 96 pts, based on this bottle can't see this scoring that high, never the less very solid vino. 91+
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While I think Suckling's 96 was a bit much, this is really nice. Pop and pour through Vinturi, drank over 3 hours. Smooth with the tannins getting smoother over the last year. Lots of sour cherry with just a hint of oak on it now. Hint of graphite as well.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours and drank over another 2 hours. Alcohol muted the nose for a while, but cherries and cigar box finally came through. Flavors of sour cherry, leather and earth dominated. Notes of dried herbs and even something akin to bourbon came through, although that could be due to the alcohol. An excellent wine. Was even better with Italian food. Had with homemade sauce, stuffed shells and meatballs.
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Bought this last night on our way to BYO restaurant at the suggestion of the store owner. $60 bucks for a Chianti seemed really high, but he swore by this. being trusting I figured "why not"? Closed out of the restaurant so home we went to make a feleto sauce, my wife is an amazing cook. Anyway opened and decanted for about an hour and half as we prepared dinner. We were both blown away by this wine. Tasted more like a Super Tuscan than even the best Reserva Chianti's i have tasted. Coats you tongue as soon as it hits your mouth. Great nose and a deep red color in the glass. A long long finish. I'd rather have this than Ornellaia. Highly recommended.
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Nose and taste Rich,good structure but still young. sour cherry - unmistakeably a sangiovese - sur cherry but good and pleasing tanks to notes of cacao, plums, vanilla.
Not a 96p as found in WineSpectator. But a very nice bottle of wine.
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sweet, graphite, cherries, nice acidity, not much of a nose after a 2 hour decant. definitely needs to decant. paired with spaghetti and meatballs. could age for 20 years.
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Great dark fruit and leather with excellent acidity. Medium bodied and very drinkable right now, though it seems to have plenty of potential to age. Drank this as the first of several bottles, without decanting. Could see rating it even higher with some time and attention. At any rate, definitely a great alternative to Brunellos that need years of cellaring before hitting their prime.
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Beautiful wine that was best on the second night. This baby needs decanting but the quality sangiovese shines through. Plum and cherries on the nose with a deep rich palate that goes on for some time. A touch of acidity/tannin but overall a nice balance between old and new world. This will be better in 2-3 years. WS-96,#5/top 100 2009.
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Still young. Good concentration, but lack complexity for now. Time will tell if it is going to improve. Maybe 91-92 in future. There might be better values in the same price range of chianti.
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Drank from a half bottle. Wonderful nose and acidic in the mouth. Very good but Will gain further in integration over time. Will keep my Magnum much more time...
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Dense and very young. Withdrawn, but showing a lot of substance and structure. In scale, a very impressive Chianti that requires a substantial amount of time in the cellar.
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A smoking good bottle of Chianti. The nose starts it off with gorgeous red and black berry notes, along with violets, minerals, and a whiff of earth. In the mouth, focused, concentrated, and extremely pure. The layers of fruit, floral, and earth just sing. Quite acidic at the moment and showing refined tannins, this needs some time, but it's an absolute delight with great concentration and balance. A-/A
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Nose - just lovely. Mildly tannic. Lots going on. Abit of raisin. Redcurrent, blackberry, lots of fruit. Palette - Lots of fruit. Medium full body. Redcurrent, blackcurrent. Lovely now, will be fantastic in years. Score 93 or even 94, given lovely nose and drinkability now. Only issue is that it could use abit of tannin, to ensure good aging. I might take a point off for that. But I won't. Very drinkable now, and I enjoyed it.
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Italian Sangiovese - Pure Sangiovese or Blend? (Extra Space Boon Keng): Alcohol : 14% 95% Sangiovese, 3% CS, 2% Merlot. On your face aromas of sour cherry, leathery and society with dark ripe fruits and alcohol that attacking my nose. The palate is clearly better and approachable with its ripe dark fruits which remain vibrant and good by its lively acidity. Just a tad simple and shortish. Buy - No.
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Notes are from day 2. Nose: Currants, coffee beans, hint of flowers, as well as a hint of almond paste. Palate: Currants/red berries - both tart and sweet - on the attack. Mid-palate features tons of acidity and tannins, as well as hints of anise, juicy red berries, and dark chocolate. Finish is short to medium and has hints of pencil lead.
While I am not a frequent drinker of chianti, mostly due to the generally tart and lighter wines I encounter, this wine is right in my wheelhouse. The drinking window hasn't really opened for this wine yet, but all the elements are there - fruit, acidity, tannins. I'd have to chalk up Mr. Bond's notes to bottle variation because the bottle I had, although being a little tight, showed plenty of the stuffing that makes for an excellent wine.
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The 2006 Chianti vintage has produced truly excellent wines. This is NOT one of them. Tight, flavorless this wine has little to offer save the hope that cellaring may raise it to average among its 2006 peers. Decanting was a waste of time. Finish was weak, overpowered by damage done by the initial tart, bitterness on the palate. Three hours and it never opened or gave a hint of improvement. So many great '06 sangiovese blends (many at half this price) - this was barely drinkable, ruined a great meal - bottles left on table. Suggesting this is a Top 100 wine is flat-out delusional. What could they have been tasting?
30 min decant before tasting. Cherry nose that moved towards black fruit the longer it was open. Silky smooth with some cherry and then moving towards blackberries on the palate. Definitely brunello-like in its nose. really enjoyable wine, and i think it will be even better in a year or 2.
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Had in Positano at three sisters, had no time to open up but it was still delicious if not elegant wine... very easy to enjoy, medium bodied and pure class.. pisses me off chantis like this are largely ignored. worth every bit the money relative to most average Brunello... but I know people love the bigger wines
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Opened and let slow-o for a couple hours while preparing dinner. Really expressive both on the nose and palate with black cherry, vanilla and spice. The mouth feel is ultra silky with good depth and concentration. I would not have guessed Chianti if served blind but it doesn’t really matter to me as this is just well made wine.
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Nose : confit blackcurrent, oak, coffee,liquorice, a bit overwhelming. In the mouth, oaky, woody character are predominant. The wine lacks minerality and balance. It is also very young, it might change with time. To me, this is just too much "parker" style and too modern. Do not really appreciate it.
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3/15/2024 - DaleW wrote:
Black cherries, dried cherry, saddle leather, nice sandalwood finish. Very nice mature Chianti. B+
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2/4/2024 - Alfaro wrote: 96 Points
Hitting it's stride!
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12/7/2023 - MarkRichards Likes this wine: 91 Points
Might have gotten a 94 if I was eating lasagne!
But it was still tasty with spicy napa cabbage and T bone.
Smooth tannins. Tobacco, dried roses, dried cherries.
Like it!
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6/26/2023 - Tracy Stuart wrote: 82 Points
Tasted with Joe. Good casual Italian food wine.
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5/20/2023 - RichD2 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Awesome bottle of wine which has aged brilliantly. Decanted off substantial sediment. Nice dark fruit, dried fruit, and still juicy. Aged mellowed tannins and acidity provided balance.
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5/19/2023 - thewiz Likes this wine: 92 Points
(Decanted for half an hour)
Deep red colour with a brick red hue and a maturing nose showing leather, oak and cherry morello and a touch of vanilla. Intense palate showing warmth with smoothing tannins and morello sweetness in a balanced and pleasant way. Showing very well with a sirloin steak tonight.
(Best 2021-2031)
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11/27/2022 - mikepgh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Holding up well, despite published drinking window. Wish I had a few more.
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4/10/2022 - thewiz Likes this wine: 91 Points
(Decanted for one hour)
Brick red colour with a mature nose showing leather, cherries and minerals and softened tannins on the palate starting to show some tertiary notes underneath the warm and sweetened finish.
(Best 2016-2036)
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2/12/2022 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 93 Points
One year later and a lot of the secondary and tertiary characteristics are starting to show through. A lot more dried cherry dried strawberry dried raspberry leather oak anise brown spices and of course the characteristic orange rind on the nose. Definitely time to drink these puppies up and enjoy with some rich hearty gamy meals.
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10/30/2021 - thewiz Likes this wine: 94 Points
(Decanted for one hour)
Dark red colour with a mature nose showing leather, violets and some herbs in a delicious way. Nice maturity showing a fruity sweetness and fully evolved tannins on the well balanced palate. This is drinking very nicely right now matching a creamy potato gratin with fillet of lamb perfectly tonight. Excellent!
(Best 2016-2031)
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5/29/2021 - Bag1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very fresh taste, paired well with a grilled London Broil in a merlot sauce. Elegant taste of dark fruits with just a tad of acidity in the back of the throat. Very approachable now, you could age longer, but not sure there is a need to. Cheers!
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4/3/2021 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
(Decanted in the glass for half an hour)
Deep red colour with a maturing nose showing eucalyptus, chocolate, coffee and pine wood in a delicious way. Very intense palate showing warm fruit and smoothing tannins and with a lengthy finish. This is drinking very well right now, but no rush as it should keep for many more years.
(Best 2016-2031)
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2/13/2021 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Still very youthful; Bright notes of red cherry, red plum, tobacco, baking spices and coco. Very nice Black Rooster.
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2/7/2021 - SCM Fan Likes this wine: 91 Points
From magnum: Dark color- almost no bricking. Nose dark cherry and slight earth. Taste- dark plums and modest tannins. Superbowl Sunday delight. Served with grilled Italian sausage- mild n hot. Side of prime NY steaks as well. This wine held up to all that at 15 years old. Would not hold this wine much longer. Did not fall off and end of bottle- just slide into the night - each glass getting less interesting.
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1/5/2021 - wine4ever Likes this wine:
Has matured since last tasting but it is still delicious. Lovely bouquet, full bodied. Raspberry, licorice, baking spices. Long finish. Drink now-2023.
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9/14/2020 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Gang of 5 in Covid19 times; Chianti Classico (@ RW): Beautiful and expressive bouquet with stable smells, oak and earthy impressions. On the palate juicy dark and red berries, cherries, chocolate and oak, mocha and firm acidity. Beautiful wine.
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9/13/2020 - Zunga Likes this wine: 90 Points
Upon opening, the wine was initially disjointed and hot. Within 30 minutes, it harmonized, developing balance with dark cherry flavors on the palate. A fine Chianti good with food that still has some grip in the mid-palate.
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9/4/2020 - ClaytonDave wrote:
Donated.
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1/17/2020 - thewiz Likes this wine: 92 Points
(Decanted for half an hour before dinner)
Deep red colour with a brick red hue. Warm red fruit, minerals and chocolate on the broad nose. Nice and balanced palate still showing tannins and primary fruit in a fresh style and with an intense finish. This is still showing very youthful and need decanting to open up.
(Best 2021-2036)
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1/1/2020 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark brooding wine. Dark chewy and bitter berries, earthy on the finish with drying slightly chewy tannins that bring on a bitter chocolate finish. Some licorice, balsamic notes as well.
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11/9/2019 - AURUM Likes this wine:
Good bottle of Chianti. From magnum. Quite consitent with my notes two years ago.
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10/28/2019 - SCosgrove Likes this wine: 87 Points
Really amazing
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10/12/2019 - nm10 wrote: 93 Points
Tannins are finally tamed. Still has good fruit and is now developing substantial tertiary flavours. Would drink now.
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8/17/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 92 Points
A serious Chianti. Nice acidity. Tannins are still pretty grippy. Not sure when they will resolve. Dark berries and nice complexity.
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7/19/2019 - Risky Likes this wine: 92 Points
Heavy texture, dark berry, complex and smooth, Slightly tart on the second day even though we pumped air out of the bottle to store overnight.
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5/19/2019 - Yagil wrote: 90 Points
Tuscan premium wines tasting by Moran Assor (Wine List, 57 Jaffa St., Haifa): Deep ruby Med aromas intensity Developed Dry, high acidity, med+ tannins, high abv, med+ body, med flavors intensity consistent with the nose, med+ finish Drink now - though can age few years more
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4/23/2019 - Risky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Heavy dark berries, slightly tart, smooth; better with food than without, only needed about 30 minutes of aeration
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1/26/2019 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine spectator Top 100 2009 at #5. Part of in-store inventory that I brought home with me when I sold my store. Blend of Sangiovese/Cabernet/Petite Verdot. About $60.00. Popped and poured. Color: ruby red with just the slightest hint of browning on the rim and medium legs. Nose already has secondary characteristics of sandal wood, orange rind, cedar, cigar box, wet saddle leather and earthy loam/truffles along with the classic berry/cherry nose. The palate was smoothly balanced with black licorice,dried maraschino cherries., orange rind and cedar. Ultra smooth tannin's, cherry and licorice component combine successfully for an outstanding Castello Di Brolio. Cellared since purchase in 2009. Pair with classic spaghetti, aged Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Caprese salad or a roasted veggie antipasto plate will work well. I want to try with a lasagna bolognese.
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12/1/2018 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Time to drink up. This one is reaching the end of the line. Not aa complex as last bottle from a year ago. Cedar and cigar box are prevalent. Got some dried meats and earthy nitew but not near what previous bottle notes indicate. It was a good run.
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12/1/2018 - RichardU71 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderfully elegant and meduim bodied.
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10/19/2018 - pomelo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Robe rubis foncé, presque opaque. Nez de réglisse, de cerises, de cola et de cendre. Bouche avec une acidité encore bien présente et des tannins pas encore tout à fait fondus. Longue finale sur les fruits noirs et la cerise. La prochaine dans deux ans.
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10/8/2018 - Risky wrote: 85 Points
Taste slightly tart and slightly like prunes. Better with food.
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10/7/2018 - Vandiner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully.
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10/6/2018 - df1962 wrote: 92 Points
PnD violently.
Depth blance freshness and complexity. So delicious.
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9/16/2018 - Gustavo Brambila Likes this wine: 89 Points
Time to drink up. I should have opened this 2yrs ago.
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9/1/2018 - Hoogey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brick colored. Mature with quite some acidity and tannins left. Cherries and much licorice combined with pine and thyme. Good to not too heavy meat dishes.
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7/6/2018 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great rich nose, plum, dark berries. Medium bodied, good acidity and very smooth, leaning towards darker fruits an d plum, some oak. Somewhat less impressing on the palate than on the nose, feels a bit thin and one-dimensional on the mid-palate. Good with food.
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6/21/2018 - thewiz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep red colour with brick red hue and a maturing nose showing truffle, wet soil and dried fruit. Evolved on the palate with smoothing tannins, leather and a nice long finish with fruit drying up, but still drinking very nicely. (Best 2016-2026)
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5/30/2018 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing and SO Delicious....still tastes so young! Floral nose, full bodied, and complex - loads of wonderful berry flavors, licorice, touch of sweetness, hint of spice. Secondary characteristics are just beginning to form. Great balance & structure along with a very long finish. An excellent food wine. There are still some fine tannins, so no hurry on these. One of the best chiantis I've ever had.
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3/25/2018 - megropolis wrote:
slightly corked
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3/17/2018 - eljocco Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastisk vin från en bred producent! Fylligt och komplext och mognaden gör nu att det övergår i en palett av tobak och vanilj. Helt enkelt fantastiskt och enligt min smak nu på topp.
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1/22/2018 - SICILIAN-SOLE wrote: 85 Points
This wine was downright jammy...which was shocking to me. I have been sitting on this bottle for years and had no experience with it before. Ricasoli being such a heralded classic producer it caught me by surprise that this wine really presented such a modern extracted profile. There were hints of the typical sangiovese secondary notes of leather and forest floor but not enough to compete with massive red jammy fruit...and not nearly enough acidity for my taste. A surprising disappointment for me. We drank a half a bottle of Poggerino CC Riserva along side that I opened primarily to use in the tomato sauce I made for dinner and it showed a lot better at a fraction of the price and a few years less bottle age.
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9/1/2017 - wicozani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted two hours before pairing with pasta, spicy marinara and Italian sausage. A beautiful medium+ ruby in the glass, with shimmering sides showing off the glycerin and alcohol. Wonderful nose of dark cherries, raspberry, sandalwood, and oak spices. Medium+ intensity and concentration, with a long finish that flashes hints of licorice and violet. Really nicely balanced, as silky as many Brunello, and with excellent acidity that bodes well for further development. This was outstanding!
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8/24/2017 - Risky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great complex deep berry notes, and even better the 2nd night (after being stored under vacuum seal without refrigeration)!
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7/8/2017 - MikePVD wrote: 92 Points
4 hour decant. On initial opening, amazing aromas of cassis, blackberry, and plum on the nose. Tasted thin and closed at first. Re-tasted after 2 hours with more floral notes on nose and fine tannins. After 5 hours, has opened up on the palate with good acidity and medium body. Some fruit. Would not be in a rush to drink this if I had another bottle.
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4/16/2017 - Hoogey wrote: 89 Points
Intense fruity scent of cherries and licorice. Taste not quite as intense and with a lot of acidity and long lasting tannins. Preferred the not so acidic year 2001.
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4/8/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } Consistent with the bottle of just a few months ago, this was nice. As in good with cheeseburgers nice. Perhaps the editors that fawned over this on release can re-taste it today, and maybe learn something. Which is to say, there's another couple of dozen wines (from this region/vintage) I'd have had on this short list of 'great wines' before this one. A decent value in today's secondary market; not something I would seek out.
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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4/8/2017 - AURUM Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent extensive nose of dark cherries, integrated oak, very inspiring and inviting, still a lot of fruit. A bit of licorice entering after 2 hours in the glass.
The taste is perfectly balanced, smooth but not velvety tannines, good grip, very tasty, good accidity, and a long, long finnish. One of the best Chianti's I've had for many years. Drank to duck, celeriac puré with a port and red wine sauce with sour cherries. Not bad at all...
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3/25/2017 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is nicely within the sweet spot of its drinking window. Did not decant but gave it a good splash-pour into the glass. Aromas and flavors continue to be to totally consistent with previous bottles but tannin and acid have scaled back to make for excellent, effortless tasting. Cherries dominate with slightest licorice tone to it. Cigar box, leather, earth and dried herbs all distinct and nicely layered on a long, savory finish. Had with chicken parmesan. Drinking window is right in that this will be in its sweet spot for only another year or two.
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3/23/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
This feels like it's in a sweet spot now and drinking well. It's sumptuous, there is beautiful acidity along with radiant red fruit. I'm realizing these high-acidity wines are likely not my style though. I can see the beauty but I think I need a bit more firmness to the profile. This will will appeal to many though.
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2/12/2017 - nm10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tannins are finally settled. I remember drinking my first bottle years ago and it was a tannic beast. Deep purple still, it is earthy with sour cherries and graphite. Good QPR. One bottle left, I'll probably drink that over the next 2-3 years.
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1/30/2017 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 93 Points
from mag, so for 1.5 hours before elk steak dinner, wonderful sangio profile, drinking beautifully
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1/27/2017 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes. As previously recorded. Drying tannins still evident at the finish. A Sangiovese on the qualitative level of an excellent Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois from a good year. Not exactly a great QPR, but who expects that from a Tuscan classic? 89-90P
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1/22/2017 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1-2 hours. Dark Sangiovese fruit with moderate acidity and a smooth finish. A Beautiful Chianti Classico in it's prime.
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1/13/2017 - fedro Likes this wine: 92 Points
from .375 wonderful, complex nose and textbook chianti. in its prime
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12/21/2016 - Winiac wrote: 90 Points
Sweet and ripe fruit. Full bodied and well balanced. The sediment is not bitter at all, you could even shake the bottle for a fuller wine!
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11/24/2016 - alba_br wrote: 90 Points
Excellent
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11/2/2016 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Color holding to a medium ruby, no sign of age. Aromas are quite earthen at first, but with some moderate air this takes on subtle red fruit nuances, blended with soil and some dried herbs. Not sure I would have guessed this as CC in a blind - seemed to have a modern slant to it that slightly muddles the flavors and aromas. I had been planning on holding this for at least 3 more years, but I'm quite glad I didn't as I just don't see the potential for extended cellaring. Medium>full-bodied, moderate finish, acids(-). Drink now, with 30-60 minutes of aeration. 14,0% abv.
PnP, served with cheeseburgers during game 7 of the WS - at least one will be long remembered :D
https://italianwine.blog/
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9/29/2016 - Bluecharm wrote: 94 Points
Terrific stuff with at least 10 years ahead of it. This is a rich modern style Chianti. Gorgeous cherry, blackberry fruit with hints of earthy undertones. Rich mouthfeel. Great acid backbone and med long finish.
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8/9/2016 - snoerre Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red, rather modern approach. Berries, cedar wood some spice in the nose. Impressive mouthfeel. Serve a bit chilled, too much warmth brings up some alcohol. Still lots of (very fine) tannins. Clearly on the young side. Decant it for an hour or two - or wait a few years. Has enough stuffing for 10 years or so. On the other side - with 2 hours of decanting it's a great experience now with easily one or two points more. As always with Chianti it is very food friendly.
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7/8/2016 - Fatso wrote:
WS 96 blackberry, with hints of vanilla and flowers, along with black licorice and crushed berries. Full-bodied, with wonderfully caressing, ultrafine tannins.
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6/25/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. Anise, black friut, medium body. Went great with our turkey lasagna tonight. Primo..
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5/1/2016 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
A bright, juicy was ne that manages to be earthy, dusty, and spicy as well. Tannins are integrated now, and it's a delicious and well structured wine. Has years yet, but probably at peak and ready now.
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4/5/2016 - acristiani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Red fruit, earthiness, cut grass and herbs, vainilla; savory tannins, layered, blast of fruit gives way to herbs, oak and a lenghty finish.
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3/26/2016 - VinoPKM wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this surprised me on how young and vibrant this wine was. A little more modern style with the cherry fruit and then came the anise, forest floor and mushrooms. Very tasty wine and glad I bought 2 of these last year. No rush to open these. I did try this wine about 16 months ago and I thought it was peaking soon, based on this bottle there is still a lot of hill to climb.
Well done!
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3/6/2016 - nm10 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sour cherries, anise, mushroomy. Still has some grip, although not like the austere wine it was four years ago. Developing nicely. 45 second finish. Two more bottles, so I'll continue to follow this one.
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3/5/2016 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
First bottle in 14 months and consistent with my note from back then. Maybe just slightly better than last time. Dark and opaque in the glass, displaying a gorgeous nose of cedar, leather, spice and flowers. Full-bodied, very rich and loaded with dark cherry and blackberry fruit character. Ultra-modern in style, this is so incredibly rich and like liquid cashmere in texture. Shows tremendous depth and intensity on the mid-palate. Finishes very long, with smooth, velvety tannins that caress the palate for almost a minute. Drinks more like a top-tier Super-Tuscan than a Chianti Classico, but who cares when it's this good?
50+5+13+17+8=93
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12/28/2015 - Uncle John wrote: 91 Points
Not decanted and it did not show as well as previous bottles. Still a very nice bottle of Chianti.
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12/25/2015 - Jonny d Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beeyootiful. 3-hour decant. Deep garnet with a medium clear rim. Just starting to show a little bricking. Mushroom like nose on the open. Strawberries and broiled meats on a somewhat muted nose. Sweet red fruits with fine tannins and perfect acidity-bright but not intrusive. Easy 45 second finish. Lovely wine and perfect pairing with salami, taleggio, bread, and a main course if beef capelettis. Last bottle. Glad I waited on it after my first taste in 2013. In a perfect drinking spot.
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12/24/2015 - BSteffes Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning Chianti. Paired perfectly with Baked Ziti. Decanted for an hour. Enjoyed over another 2. For me...this would be what a Chianti Classico should be. Cant imagine it getting any better.
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12/11/2015 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red colour with a brick red hue. Mature nose showing mushrooms, meat broth and cherries. Mature palate showing clove and star anise. Very nice, but maturing very quickly compared to other Chianti Classico from the same vintage.
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11/19/2015 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour, during which it lost some unpleasant barnyard notes and generally opened up well. Rich, earthy balsamic scent; slender entry develops well with ripe red fruit on the mid palate and fine redcurrant-pip tannins on the grippy finish. Long, resonant, very fine. I don't want to use that annoying adjective "burgundian", but this does have a stylistic resemblence to the very finest red burgs I have tried... Ready now, no hurry at all. 91P
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11/7/2015 - erwing Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine!Fresh on nose with black berries, dark berries, a touch of aniseed and blanced oak. Well balanced and fresh taste, a lot of taste and roasted nuts.
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10/30/2015 - thewiz wrote: 90 Points
(From half bottle) Mature nose showing leather, soil and violets in a very nice and lovely way. Nic palate with lots of fruit and softening tannins. Yet it feels like the bottle size has been making it mature quickly which makes it feel less integrated.
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10/5/2015 - BlancdeBlanc Likes this wine: 89 Points
One and a half hours in decanter. Aroma: earth, coal. Palate: tannic, ashes, dried blood, plum, dried fruit, licorice. Challenging, and I'm not sure what I mean by that. It's not a wine that is ever in the background. (jubilation)
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9/9/2015 - ProfByron Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Cosmetic over oaked Sangiovese aroma. Extracted palate with acid and tannin but fruit has fallen away.
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8/4/2015 - themki wrote: 92 Points
Licorice and dark fruit developing but this 2006 is still a baby
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8/2/2015 - thewiz wrote: flawed
Flawed
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5/30/2015 - Lush in Katy Likes this wine: 92 Points
There is a professional wine idiot who says the drinking window on this ended in 2014.Let me be clear he is an idiot. Here we are May of 2015 and this is drinking beautifully. I think is has at least five more years of life and truly wish I had bought more. Delightful bottle of wine.
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5/15/2015 - thewiz Likes this wine: 91 Points
(Magnum) Dark red colour with a brickred hue.
Mature nose showign black currant, leather, stables and coffee. Nice and mature palate showing a lot of fruit and leather, sweet cherries and an austere cherry stone finish.
Was very good together with grilled entrécôte!
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5/11/2015 - Vandiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine drinking beautifully. Nothing rough about this; silky, balanced, round but with acidity. Went great with Penne alla Vodka.
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5/9/2015 - df1962 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnD let air for 1hr. Dark for Chianti crimson purple. Route macerated cherry raspberry and espresso on the nose. Medium weight with prominent ripe Cheryl skin tannins. Nicely ripe cherry espresso fennel on the palate. A touch leathery. Delicious but drink up.
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4/5/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 91 Points
My sixth bottle of this vintage and this time we are talking oak, oak and more oak. Needs 6 days for the oak to integrate, although it is still present even then. By day 6 the wine has also shed its abundant, crowdpleasing vanillafruit, and turned light and slightly elegant.
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3/28/2015 - Highmountain Likes this wine: 93 Points
Typical Chianti nose with lots of dark berries, cedar and earth. Shows sign of maturity and have an excellent balance between fruit, tannins and acidity. According to my palate I would say that this is peaking now. Might hold well for one or two more years.
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3/7/2015 - Vandiner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous. Serious Chianti. Lots of fife ahead.
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3/7/2015 - df1962 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Unbelievably complex and delicious. Huge fruit with a meaty soy note. Exotic aromas. A grand cru of Chianti.
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1/11/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
First bottle from a half case purchased in 2010. Quite youthful-looking for its age, this is a very dark, semi-opaque magenta in color. Be sure to give this at least an hour of air time. Right upon opening, this is extremely bright and acidic. Once it opens up, it shows an absolutely phenomenal nose. Gorgeous, powerful aromas of blackberries, violets, vanilla and earth jump from the glass. Full-bodied, but not as big or heavy as its dark, brooding color would suggest. Lots of tangy, sour cherry and red currant fruit character. Very fresh and nicely balanced, with a lively acidity. The long, tangy finish offers a juicy mouthful of ripe, dark fruit along with hints of dried herbs and spice. The velvety tannins are integrating beautifully. Very modern in style, (80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot) this drinks more like a Super-Tuscan than a Chianti Classico. At around $50, this does not offer a tremendous QPR, but it is still an absolute delight.
50+5+13+16+8=92
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1/2/2015 - whits Likes this wine: 94 Points
dark with ruby rim, perfumed with pretty berry and gingerbread aromas, velvet texture, superb balance, delivers a dry, elegant mix of ripe cherries, fresh herbs, smoke, dried flowers and berries on the palate, long, lingering sangiovese finish, the acidity keeps up with the concentration and complexity, amazing, nice match with braised beef short ribs
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1/1/2015 - WineCPA wrote: 93 Points
This was the best Chianti I've ever had. Medium-full bodied. Integrated tannins. Medium acidity. Thick red fruit on the palate. The finish is very enjoyable with dried cherry and hints of tar. Drinking well now.
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12/24/2014 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
So good. Notes very consistent with previous bottles, but acidity has scaled back a bit allowing more ripe fruits to show.
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12/6/2014 - scaredone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark inky black with normal streaking, a general fruity nose tilting towards cherry but the overall effect is subdued. On taste it is full and rich with flavours of cherry, strawberry and tobacco. Tannins are fine but alive and well, acidity is right, this wine has years to go.
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11/27/2014 - Senso-beak wrote: 89 Points
Opened for Thanksgiving pairing. Deep red inky coloring. Superb bouquet of florals and perfumed cherry. Solid acidity and structure on a medium body, with plenty of cherry and leathery notes. Good pairing for the various foods. Nose reminded me of a the '97 Gaja Sperss but not as potent. On day two under vac-u-vin, quite cherry pronounced, on the tart/acidic side. Good food pairing, needs a little more fruit/sweetness to stand alone.
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11/17/2014 - wineduggery Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cherry and cassis dominated with impressive depth and concentration. Looooong finish for a Chianti. I don't see the WS rating and #5 WOTY award, but impressive nonetheless.
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11/9/2014 - SMZ wrote: 91 Points
Excellent, still drinking well.
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10/3/2014 - kickdog wrote: 94 Points
Awesome! Full bodied, licorice flavors, chasis notes and hints of leather. Great QPR. Wish I had more of this lucious Chianti. It was delicious.
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9/9/2014 - DarinC Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a bottle Coravined 2 months ago. Lovely aromas and flavors of dark red cherry fruit, but this wine is definitely entering a period of hibernation. Modern, but very Sangiovese in flavor. Great pure finish. Lots of extract but mellow tannins. It should evolve nicely and be worthy of a revisit in 5 years.
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8/31/2014 - themki wrote: 92 Points
Impressive terroir but still a little harsh
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8/29/2014 - LFCHALA wrote: 91 Points
Good wine. Powerful. Full bodied. Delicious flavors and great acidity. I think it will improve with another 5 years of aging.
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7/20/2014 - pomelo wrote: 91 Points
Rubis foncé, presque opaque.
Nez de fruits noirs, cerises, balsamique, anis et cendre
Beau gros fruit juteux à l'attaque. La bouche est opulente avec une acidité caractéristique. Les tannins sont encore très jeunes et costauds. Longue finale.
En accord avec le commentaire de Thewiz. Ce vin doit attendre encore au moins 4 ans avant que les tannins se fondent avec l'ensemble.
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7/13/2014 - tim m wrote: 91 Points
This is really in it's drinking window now. Pop'd and poured with pizza. The wine was open soon enough, tannins fine but present, really nice.
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6/22/2014 - Old John Likes this wine: 92 Points
I thought this was an excellent Chianti a couple years ago, and this bottle was even better. Very nice balance of fruit with relatively mellow tannins and a little oak in the background. Definitely ready. This vintage has never disappointed, and I will want to compare with a couple 2006 bottles from other Chianti producers I still have left.
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5/31/2014 - thewiz Likes this wine: 91 Points
(Decanted for four hours Before drinking.)
Dark red colour with a bluered hue.
The nose is youthful with sunripe sweet cherries, coffee, chocolate and sous bois.
The palate is youthful showing austere tannines and a powerful nice long finish. A lot of fuit left and nice tannines.
Needs several years more of cellaring. Went fine with the grilled sirloin steak, but the tannines should be softened more.
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5/4/2014 - WDK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby. Nose of blackberry pie. Medium body with intense flavor of blackberry. Medium-full extraction, with a firm structure. Lots of acidity make this really tasty and food-friendly. Wish I had more.
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5/3/2014 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red wine. Nice red wine. This was nice with a fresh tomato sauce.
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4/19/2014 - DarinC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Loads of dark red and black fruit saturate the palate beginning to end. Fine tannins show up on the medium finish. Negligible evolution with ample air time in the glass. It seems like it's closing down somewhat but I suspect it will be better in 3-5 years.
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3/30/2014 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Dark color and fruit on the nose. A beautiful Chianti Classico with balanced dark fruit, acidity and fine tannins. Great vintage for Brolio.
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3/30/2014 - eljocco Likes this wine: 94 Points
Har nu nått en bra balans och är nu ett komplext vin som är typiskt för sin region. Kommer att hålla många år ännu men i min smak är det på topp redan nu.
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3/16/2014 - tim m wrote: 92 Points
This is drinking very nice right now. Nice amount of acidity, tannins have softened quite a bit and the finish is really long. Did not decant, however the wine got better with air so I would suggest an hour or so in the decanter.
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3/11/2014 - wineaux2 wrote: 89 Points
Tasty wine with primarily dark cherries, plums and some vanilla oak that was fairly well integrated. Overall, lacked complexity and somewhat forward, but good acidity made for a nice drink.
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12/31/2013 - Zonk wrote: 93 Points
Silky smooth chianti.Cherry along with a bit of darker fruit. Oak has receded a bit which definitely helps.
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12/26/2013 - Jonny d Likes this wine: 90 Points
A youngish cellar induced me to uncork this one for Christmas. I like a more mature Chianti, so that's influencing my overall rating. Decanted for an hour using Vinturi and served with capelletis with a Northern Italian red sauce and pecorino. Garnet in glass; very thin, clear watery rim. Raspberries on the nose with a little farmyard funk. Cherries on the palate. High acidity. Tannins not yet integrated. Developed notes of cola and vanilla on the very long finish lasting 30-45 seconds. Tasted second day: Nose subdued, somewhat better integration but still tannic, slightly sweet, shorter finish. I'll wait at least 3 years to pop my other bottle.
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12/8/2013 - Filippo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Even better than my previous bottle. Possibly the best Chianti Classico I've ever had. Incredible balance between sweet ripe red fruit and freshness from Sangiovese with vanilla mocha element from the well integrated oak. At its peak right now.
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11/10/2013 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Note consistent with previous bottles; still high level of acidity but tannins are rounding out
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10/8/2013 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gotta say I really enjoyed this wine. Used aerator but minimal decant and wine was really open and drinking well. Nice backbone of acidity and freshness yet medium to full bodied with an elegant, smooth finish. Wish I had more at this price point.
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10/7/2013 - Ricky99 wrote: 90 Points
Wonderfully dry and full bodied.. toasty flavors - just a beauty with some red sauce, garlic, etc...
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10/4/2013 - Sundbyberg wrote: 80 Points
My fourth bottle of this vintage and three out of four have been sour, so also this one.
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9/22/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed at the Heath's. Tougher tannins than the 2003, but a broader, more generous fruit profile as well. Cherry, plum, sandlewood, leather and wet stone. Paired well with the bolognese.
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9/17/2013 - Monsieur le Comte wrote: 96 Points
a serious wine!
lean back!
this is a show off for the sangiovese grape variety...
cheesy, honey flavours, mature even.
yes, black berry, dark cherry, plums and strawberry, cedar, cigar box, leather and pencil lead, lots of herbs, maybe a bit of licorice...
lucious, full, rich, concentrated, deep, extremely well balanced
10 years ahead
fine tobacco leaves in the end, dark chocolate and a super finish with dusty tannins (try out Modus Ruffino 2007)
5min+ finish...
reminds me of a good super tuscan/bordeaux which is
believe me or not : not only in bella italia but one of the best wines in the world...
P.S. wow, cola!
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9/17/2013 - Bobo N wrote: 94 Points
Bought this b/c it was on WS's top 100 list and WS gave it 96 pts.
And it may be as good as Chianti Classico Riserva can be with great fruit of blackberry and cherry, black licorice, cola and tar, with a floral hint. Wonderful balance. A very clean style of Chianti, but still with good body. I also recently drank a Volpaia Coltassala, which is also a CC Riserva, and between these 2 excellent wines, this Barone Ricasoli is better -- and making me re-think that you have to drink Brunello's or Super Tuscan's to have great Itallian wine.
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9/16/2013 - ctjared wrote:
Consistent. Fruity. Dusty tannins.
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8/28/2013 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous display of Chianti. No age showing. Very elegant but super extraction.
Immediately recognizable as Italian with dark rustic raspberries, dark cherries, road tar, rusty nail.
The palate is well endowed but absolutely in harmony with great acidity on the back end.
A fantastic wine that will only improve greatly with some age. Highly recommended and I can see why Spectator ranked this so highly in their annual Top 100.
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8/12/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
A reminder why Chianti is so good with Italian food. Perfectly matched with tomato sauce. The balance of acidity, fruit and tannin was very nice. This had a nice QPR
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7/10/2013 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 95 Points
Astonishingly good. This is a Chianti?? The favorite at our (blind) Tuscan tasting. The smooth complexity and balance had everyone thinking Super Tuscan.
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7/1/2013 - WDK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opaque ruby, highly extracted and full body. Ripe berry flavor leads to a long tasty finish with good structure. Hard to stop drinking this.
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6/25/2013 - The Wine Sherpa Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice as expected. Good nose with that old world must. Great fruit. Went ok with some pizza.
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6/23/2013 - redknife wrote: 92 Points
a solid chianti had it with pizza.
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6/21/2013 - ctjared Likes this wine:
This is fantastic right now.
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6/21/2013 - slippytoad wrote: 91 Points
Nice chianti, quite complex.
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6/1/2013 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ready. Reserved nose. Bramble burnt raspberry and herbs on the taste. A very nice chianti
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5/25/2013 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour. Gorgeous balsamic perfume with herbs (oregano?) and evidently ripe red fruit; more slender and generally less exciting in the mouth than expected. Bright red cherry/redcurrant entry starts off well (if thin) but the redcurrant-pip tannins rather dominate the mid-palate and finish for my taste right now. I guess these should resolve well given another 1-2 years. No hurry to drink up. I mis-matched this with lasagne; the bechamel killed the wine and vice-versa. Next time with grilled lamb chops and aromatic herbs should be great... 89(+?)P
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5/24/2013 - cyak Likes this wine: 88 Points
Color was a deep claret. Moderate body. Long duration. Initial predominant flavors were earthy, cherry and lemon/citrus. Opened into a more earthy cherry and oregano flavors.
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5/23/2013 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Color: Ruby w/ thin salmon miniscus
Smell: Earth, granite, lavendar, and dried red fruits
Taste: Plum, prunes, tobacco, fig
Overall: This is showing much more wramth on the nose and palate than I remember. I'm wondering if the bottle was stored well...but the cork shows no signs of seepage. So I'm left to wonder if this is a reflection of the vintage. My guess is that 2006 was warmer than I thought and with this wine it may be better to consume in the near future. Medium body, med+ acidity, med+ fruit, and above average complexity. Excellent to very good.
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5/17/2013 - Mon Cellier wrote: 91 Points
Très bon vin, bien affirmé. A l'odorat une forte sensation de chene se dégage. Des tannins précis qui collent adorablement au palais. Recommande fortement.
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5/6/2013 - FinMB wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable midrange chianti.
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3/29/2013 - Tag01 wrote: 92 Points
Not much of Chiantimdrinker myself but this is very good.
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3/9/2013 - Brunellobuddy wrote: 94 Points
- Ruby color.
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3/8/2013 - Chaz Bham wrote: 87 Points
Big red fruit on the nose, agree with the herbs and some light earth. Shy initially, with (relative) restraint on the palate. Attractive balance and finesse. Some tart acids on the back end. Would benefit from more bottle aging. We'll see where this goes with slo-ox.
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3/4/2013 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Superbe nez sur les cerises, le tabac et l'anis..belle complexité!
En bouche, profond et complexe. Cerises noires, cèdre et anis avec de belles notes d'herbes.
Les tannins sont fins et bien enrobés et il y a une belle acidité. Très long et savoureux.
Superbe Chianti!!!
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3/3/2013 - Chris Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of the best wines I've had in the last few years. I had four bottles, drank them all in the last two years and enjoyed immensely. The wine has enormous fruit in the nose and taste but also earthy flavors and it truly changed my opinion of what chianti classico could be. This is a transformational bottle of wine and highly recommended.
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2/19/2013 - olalar wrote: flawed
Had some dusty notes and a hint of basement. No rating.
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2/6/2013 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Needs at least 1 hour of air and then great chianti appears.
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1/27/2013 - Serge Birbrair Likes this wine:
chocolate on the nose, the wine is ready for serious business
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12/26/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 77 Points
Bottle variation.
This is my third bottle from this vintage and I must say that the quality variation is far from acceptable.
With this third bottle the fruit was rather sour.
The wine was medium bodied and the nose was acceptable.
Overall, it was a disappointment.
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12/22/2012 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
HWZ wine lunch on Saturday afternoon (The University Club): Dark ruby red with youthful hue in contrast to the Verbena BdM, rich and powerful entry.
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12/15/2012 - samh00 wrote: 89 Points
Deep red crimson colour. Nose of red/black fruits quite rich and very concentrated for a Chianti. Palate has richness with less of the dried herb/almond character often found with Chianti. More new world in style but certainly accessible now especially if breathed for one to 2 hours before drinking. Best drunk in 4+ years and then for the next 6 to 10 years.
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11/12/2012 - SMZ wrote: 90 Points
Haven't had many Chianti's so it's hard for me to have much confidence rating this wine... But I enjoyed it.
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11/9/2012 - Junedog1 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking nicely now. Good chianti with nice fruit and earthy flavors. Closed finish but nice even tannins.
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11/1/2012 - olalar wrote: 90 Points
Similar impression as last time. Drinks nicely now.
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10/25/2012 - Sarastro Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wine has entered a good drinking window. It's an important Chianti with a good structure and texture although quite american in style.
Eye: Medium dark Ruby red, medium high legs
Nose: Intense opening of red and black berries showing some maturity, and some vanilla touches showing the choices made in the use of wood.The nose then evolves showing cedar, tar and balsamic notes.
Mouth: weighty and round opening (too round a touch sweety...) well integrated tannins but lacking some acidity in the closing.
Overall a very good wine in a very good moment confirming the reviews it got in the past. For my taste it lacked a bit of the Sangiovese character.
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9/26/2012 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 93 Points
This wine is drinking well now. Paired with broccolini, penne, hot Italian sausage, and tomato basil sauce. Cherry flavors and velvet tannins. Earlier samples were still rough, but this is flowing well now.
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9/23/2012 - Wine Poor wrote: 92 Points
Excellent pairing with tomato sauce and meat balls. Blackberry mixed with some earth tones on the nose. Smooth with no harsh notes. A great wine for outdoor dining at the end of summer.
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9/21/2012 - Mon Cellier wrote: 93 Points
Un vin très bien structure avec des tannins fermes. Un goût non discutable dans le coulissement aux papilles. S'embelli dans son vieillissement.
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9/3/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 92 Points
A bit closed both on the nose and the palate, but obviously more mature than last time and with a full body. After a few minutes in the glass a lovely, full nose. The palate is rather stylish and sophisticated, almost close to complex, and not too fruity, which is good. The wine is still rather tannic.
One of the best Italian wines I have had, and obviously a lot different from last time.
6 or 7 seven bottles left. This can turn into something very rewarding.
Day 4: Still a bit tanic and not yet completey open. This wine can take quite a few years in the cellar.
Day 7-9: Just fine, but still a bit tanic, and with mature notes.
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9/2/2012 - Chris wrote: 93 Points
Not as breathtaking as my first bottle but i still really love this wine. Incredible fruit aroma and earthy tannins. The best chianti classico ive ever had
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8/20/2012 - Gustavo Brambila wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and strawberry. It's balanced and has flavours of raisin, strawberry jam and black currant with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Two more in the cellar, this is a beautiful wine.
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8/15/2012 - pereik wrote: 87 Points
Warm aromas with berries and a hint of oak. More of the same in the mouth. Spicy oak, dark, warm and huge.
More like a Brunello from a warm year than a Chianti Classico.
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7/29/2012 - GNorton wrote: 90 Points
Drank over the course of the evening. Nose was full of cherry and rose scents. Lots of red fruit on the palate, with lengthy soft tannins, and chalky finish. I can see how many could love this wine, probably not my favorite, but very good none the less. Will hold my other bottle for a while before trying it again.
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7/28/2012 - gesusser wrote: 90 Points
fully agree w GNorton; hold the rest for a year
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7/9/2012 - Kriz wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle, what a pity! Because this is beautiful both on the nose and palate. Still young but perfect to drink now so why wait. I can write a lot about black fruit and tannins but if you have a bottle and never tried it... do it and you won´t be dissapointed. And if you can find some more... buy some more.
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6/21/2012 - n2wine wrote: 92 Points
A very good Italian wine. Lots of dark fruit and tobacco flavors.
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5/24/2012 - unionst wrote: 88 Points
Atypical chianti - new world profile. Dark red, highly extracted color to the rim. Ripe cherries, strawberry licorice and vanilla on the nose. Ripe Italian cherries and sweet red licorice (think twizzlers) on the palate. Definitely oaked. Very enjoyable wine but no sense of terroir whatsoever. If I were rating as a Chianti Classico I would flunk it...as a new world red it would be a bargain. Let's call it an 88 ( a score I have always associated with either uncertainty or conflict).
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5/15/2012 - Filippo wrote: 94 Points
This is a magnificent bottle. I would call it Chianti Classico meets international winemaking. It manages to have both typical red fruit and freshness of Sangiovese with darker fruit and mocha/vanilla flavours of a more modern and riper style of winemaking.
Improves greatly with some air but is wonderful right after opening.
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5/13/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 78 Points
Lovely nose right after opening, but the palate is quite thin in comparison to the 2001 and 2003 vintages. The cherries are sour and after circa 5 hours of air and 1 hr decant there is no real improvement. The fruit is alright, but not more, and the wine is still quite thin.
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4/14/2012 - leonardo_de_araujo wrote: 92 Points
Dark color.
Blackberry, tobacco and vanilla.
Dark chocolate too.
Full bodied. Powerful but unbstrusive tannins.
Finish lingers on chocolate, coffee and dark cherries.
Long and powerfull.
America meets chianti.
It would most likely drink even better in 5 yrs.
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4/1/2012 - frank hertz wrote:
little if any regional or varietal character here, but i can't say it wasn't a tasty drink. mainly cocoa powder and coffee bean on the snoot with more of a roly-poly roasty chocolate cherry quality in the mouth. ripe, but with some cut — not too heavy — and with tannins that shower down ever so gently. the kinds of things that make up a high-scoring wine. i would have liked a little more sangiovese funk, earthiness, something, just something to give it more personality. so, not the most inspiring wine, but it has its charms.
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3/13/2012 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 93 Points
Stunning blend that opened up quickly in the decanter...smooth tannins and long finish.
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2/26/2012 - Chris Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazine nose and flavor of fruits. I'm seen others say cherry or strawberry and I would agree. I've never had such a fruit feel to a chianti before. A distinctive bottle of wine, which is what drives my high score. Went well with bean chili but also could stand up on its own just as well.
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2/12/2012 - kelliher3 wrote:
Drank during the 2010 "small Silver Oak" party.
Great Chianti
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2/9/2012 - boreddoughboy wrote: 91 Points
Very dark fruit that reeks of very ripe cherries. Thought i was having an overripe California. After 1 hr it reallypops and gives fully ripe cherries that transform into mature rasins. Chianti and Brunello lovers will enjoy this. Its probably got 5 more good years.
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1/20/2012 - ersmith Likes this wine: 93 Points
Color: Bright, clear red
Aroma: Sweet cherry
Flavor: Cherry
Body: Medium - Full
Balance: Still some tannins
Finish: Medium
Summary: Excellent - Will be a great food wine. Still has another 10 years of goodness.
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1/14/2012 - Raintree Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. This wine has developed quite a bit since our last bottle a year ago. Wonderful raspberry, herbs, and leather. Drinking well now but will continue to improve.
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1/13/2012 - rremiker wrote: 92 Points
Pure joy....silky and smooth, perfect right now.
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1/13/2012 - costamalfitana wrote: 92 Points
from 0,375 bottle; decanted for 3 hours in advance (remember not to pop and pour wines of this calibre; at this age, even from half bottle, they are fast asleep and really need time);
deep dark cherry red, even some purple along the rim noticeable. initially, upon opening, really closed not giving much but at dinner a beautiful profound nose of violets, roses, cherries, some oak emerged. powerful taste, full bodied, some lofty tannins and acidity will ensure this wine to live for many more years; in half bottle I believe the wine needs 2-3 more years to reach peak; form magnum or double magnum, i am afraid, another 10 to 15 years will be necessary. outstanding, definitely a wine to enjoy with food.
92 for now but with upward potential whenever the tannins have settled down, in 10-15 years from now..., unfortunately.
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1/13/2012 - Kriz wrote: 93 Points
93 points again. Brilliant now. Present tannins but delicious! Leather, spices and some sweetness like cooked beetroot. Yummy yummy....
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1/6/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for about 90 minutes before drinking with homemade pizza. Aroma of earthiness, strawberry and a hint of cocoa. Taste is really heavy on the strawberry and red raspberry, along with some dark chocolate. Pretty acidic around the mid-palate and into the finish. This seems like it's just lacking something. Certainly not a very good QPR based on this showing.
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12/31/2011 - Katie&Mike wrote: 89 Points
Beautiful Chianti Classico but doesn't stand out which you would expect given the price point. We decanted it 2 hours before serving with veal osso bucco.
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12/26/2011 - tdcd@comcast.net wrote: 89 Points
Too young? Decanted for ample time but never opened up.
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12/24/2011 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Relatively consistent with previous tasting notes. Cherries, cedar, leather and earth throughout. Dried herbs as well. Had with Christmas Eve fish and pasta dinner.
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12/12/2011 - lumpkins wrote: 92 Points
full bodied wine with dark berry, black cherry notes. silky tannins, long finish.
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12/12/2011 - olalar wrote: 90 Points
Drank from bottle without decant - was too wody. Needs some more time or a longer decant.
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11/5/2011 - Yngve wrote: 89 Points
A good wine. Good fruit and a real Tuscan wine. Good before, during and after eating. Somewhat simpler than what I expected.
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11/2/2011 - Capt Cutlass wrote: 92 Points
Lovely nose: rich and opulent with smooth oak and ripe but not jammy dark fruit with dark chocolate and some forest floor. Still very big in the mouth but not overdone; the ripe cherries and chocolate was nicely balanced by fresh Sangiovese acidity which reined in the more massive elements. This seems to have a bright future but is a little on the simple side for me to score higher.
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10/30/2011 - WDK wrote: 94 Points
A big intense CC. Needs lots of air, but has all the pieces I look for in a fine wine. Deep ruby color, nose of blackberry jam, good concentration and a long balanced finish. Probably will be better in 3-5. Great with marinara sauce.
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9/30/2011 - JAMESMOBB wrote: 96 Points
#5 on 2009 Top 100....always an excellent wine, still smooth with aromas of vanilla, berries, and a hint of black licorice. Has wonderfully refined tannins with a nice long finish. I still have a 3L bottle that I can't wait to drink!!
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9/11/2011 - thewiz wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, black currant, chocolate and coffee. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco, black currant and raisin with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Very nice on the nose and with a long and full taste.
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8/14/2011 - 11mcraig wrote: 92 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry and black currant. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Great Chianti, as good as any that my wife and I had in Tuscany last fall. Highly recommend
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7/28/2011 - Empirate wrote: 94 Points
Pop and pour but improved with time in the glass and 1st half bottle drunk over 2 hours. Moderate nose at opening improved quickly to a complex fusion of dark berry and cherry fruit with cigar box and earth. Palate added notes of spiciness that didn't for me include licorice (as mentioned below), herbacious notes and long finish. Nicely balanced and fine tannins. Excellent.
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7/21/2011 - Sycamore wrote: 88 Points
Probably should have waited a couple of years on this, though thankfully have 2 left with which to do just that. Still pretty oaky and, frankly, just plain "bigger" than I'd normally want out of a sangiovese. Still has some nice sour cherry-ish fruit lurking under the oak, and was pleasant overall, but disappointing from a QPR point of view.
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7/11/2011 - Kriz wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful Chianti! Black Cherry, Cedar, tobacco and very nice tannins making this wine complete. Very, very good!
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6/11/2011 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Long Lunch at Home with Friends (Pine Close): Solid stuff - quite clearly the wine of the day for me. Modern-leanings aside, this bottle is a testament to how far Chianti has come over the past decade or so. Still young of course, but it was showing as much quality as a young Brunello that might cost twice as much. It started out with a touch sweet oak on the nose, a whiff of tobacco smoke, and then sweet aromas of dark cherries and fresh berries seasoned with bits of bramble and dried herbs, very nice. The palate had lots of lovely juicy freshness along with a dusting of fine, powdery tannins, and pure, deep flavours of dark cherries and berries wreathed with a bit of fried flowers and fruit. There was a nice purity to it all, so that the fruit came across ringingly clear, almost Brunello-like again. The long finish showed a mouthfull of ripe fruit and bramble, with some dried herbs bringing up the very rear. Lovely stuff, and it proved a surprisingly good pairing with a touch of Epoisses. No harm in drinking now, but this is still a baby and has all the fruit and structure in the world to age gracefully in the long term. Glad I have a few more tucked away.
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6/5/2011 - scaredone wrote: 91 Points
Powerful nose, cherry and honey, dark colour. It still needs a few years although we didnt decant it and it would help smooth it out. Very big for a Chianti.
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6/1/2011 - dedrislee wrote: 92 Points
Intense nose aromas of ripe cherries, ripe currants, honey, hints of chocolate and smoke. Upholding its nose notes on the palate, fruits, blackcurrants, oak, balanced acid and tannin. One of the promising vintage since 2001. Less complex and character compared to 2001 vintage, potential cellaring for 5-6 years. I have to mention that it is very 'French' style in terms of nose and character, untypical of chianti of sangiovese grapes. Is the Barone moving this wine to 'French' appeals?
成熟樱桃、巧克力蜂蜜和烟。 上颚口感柔順,温和充滿黑醋栗、橡木. 平稳丹宁酸。 自比2001年以来, 這支酒一点點也不失望. 可保守较5-6年。 非常‘法国’样式.
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5/13/2011 - VinoVoyeur wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured - wondered what the fuss was - and 15 minutes later the lovely cigar box aroma and hint of toasted wood kicked in! Lovely drinking with pleasing acid of sour cherries and not yet fully integrated tannins. Looks like it could age quite well for a few more years.
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5/7/2011 - olalar wrote: 91 Points
Very open seems to be in a good phase. I only decanted for 20 minutes but the wine was ready to go. . Great balance, lots of cherry fruit with some earth. Outstanding richness and sweetness. Perhaps a bit too oaky but not distrurbingly. Great wine!
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5/6/2011 - wineshaman wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2hrs, very good, nice mix of old and new world, good balance, agree with one note more like a super tuscan than a chianti. I wonder if this producer had a barrel or two that was extra good that they bottled and held out for the wine press. Thus suckling's 96 pts, based on this bottle can't see this scoring that high, never the less very solid vino. 91+
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4/8/2011 - Zonk wrote: 93 Points
While I think Suckling's 96 was a bit much, this is really nice. Pop and pour through Vinturi, drank over 3 hours. Smooth with the tannins getting smoother over the last year. Lots of sour cherry with just a hint of oak on it now. Hint of graphite as well.
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3/25/2011 - Eatngrapes wrote: 91 Points
Good solid wine - a bit young
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3/15/2011 - ralevine wrote:
rated #5 of 2009
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3/5/2011 - aof wrote: 93 Points
Brooding nose, complex, fine balance and lifting acidity with a longish finish. On the modern end of wine making, nonetheless impressive.
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2/21/2011 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours and drank over another 2 hours. Alcohol muted the nose for a while, but cherries and cigar box finally came through. Flavors of sour cherry, leather and earth dominated. Notes of dried herbs and even something akin to bourbon came through, although that could be due to the alcohol. An excellent wine. Was even better with Italian food. Had with homemade sauce, stuffed shells and meatballs.
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2/13/2011 - oneo-philatlist wrote: 95 Points
Bought this last night on our way to BYO restaurant at the suggestion of the store owner. $60 bucks for a Chianti seemed really high, but he swore by this. being trusting I figured "why not"? Closed out of the restaurant so home we went to make a feleto sauce, my wife is an amazing cook. Anyway opened and decanted for about an hour and half as we prepared dinner. We were both blown away by this wine. Tasted more like a Super Tuscan than even the best Reserva Chianti's i have tasted. Coats you tongue as soon as it hits your mouth. Great nose and a deep red color in the glass. A long long finish. I'd rather have this than Ornellaia. Highly recommended.
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1/31/2011 - Mr.Hashimoto wrote: 92 Points
Great with food, tasty wild italian cherries. $50 seems a bit steep.
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1/27/2011 - Andbravin wrote: 92 Points
Dark red-purple color.
Nose and taste Rich,good structure but still young. sour cherry - unmistakeably a sangiovese - sur cherry but good and pleasing tanks to notes of cacao, plums, vanilla.
Not a 96p as found in WineSpectator. But a very nice bottle of wine.
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1/26/2011 - Nedder_travels_the_world wrote: 95 Points
sweet, graphite, cherries, nice acidity, not much of a nose after a 2 hour decant. definitely needs to decant. paired with spaghetti and meatballs. could age for 20 years.
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1/21/2011 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great dark fruit and leather with excellent acidity. Medium bodied and very drinkable right now, though it seems to have plenty of potential to age. Drank this as the first of several bottles, without decanting. Could see rating it even higher with some time and attention. At any rate, definitely a great alternative to Brunellos that need years of cellaring before hitting their prime.
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1/2/2011 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful wine that was best on the second night. This baby needs decanting but the quality sangiovese shines through. Plum and cherries on the nose with a deep rich palate that goes on for some time. A touch of acidity/tannin but overall a nice balance between old and new world. This will be better in 2-3 years. WS-96,#5/top 100 2009.
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12/23/2010 - Mile-End Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still young. Good concentration, but lack complexity for now. Time will tell if it is going to improve. Maybe 91-92 in future. There might be better values in the same price range of chianti.
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12/1/2010 - gbgpatrik wrote: 90 Points
Drank from a half bottle. Wonderful nose and acidic in the mouth. Very good but Will gain further in integration over time. Will keep my Magnum much more time...
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11/25/2010 - ludwigbpm wrote: 90 Points
Sans notes
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11/8/2010 - W.Simons wrote:
Dense and very young. Withdrawn, but showing a lot of substance and structure. In scale, a very impressive Chianti that requires a substantial amount of time in the cellar.
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11/7/2010 - King JR wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, beautiful nose. Great value. Needs a little more time. Will wait another year.
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10/30/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
A smoking good bottle of Chianti. The nose starts it off with gorgeous red and black berry notes, along with violets, minerals, and a whiff of earth. In the mouth, focused, concentrated, and extremely pure. The layers of fruit, floral, and earth just sing. Quite acidic at the moment and showing refined tannins, this needs some time, but it's an absolute delight with great concentration and balance. A-/A
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10/16/2010 - Highmountain wrote: 89 Points
Red purple with a very good nose of blackberries, cedar and earth. Still to young to drink, rough tannins and a too rough structure. Needs more time.
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9/21/2010 - Jhcwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose - just lovely. Mildly tannic. Lots going on. Abit of raisin. Redcurrent, blackberry, lots of fruit. Palette - Lots of fruit. Medium full body. Redcurrent, blackcurrent. Lovely now, will be fantastic in years. Score 93 or even 94, given lovely nose and drinkability now. Only issue is that it could use abit of tannin, to ensure good aging. I might take a point off for that. But I won't. Very drinkable now, and I enjoyed it.
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9/18/2010 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
Italian Sangiovese - Pure Sangiovese or Blend? (Extra Space Boon Keng): Alcohol : 14%
95% Sangiovese, 3% CS, 2% Merlot. On your face aromas of sour cherry, leathery and society with dark ripe fruits and alcohol that attacking my nose. The palate is clearly better and approachable with its ripe dark fruits which remain vibrant and good by its lively acidity. Just a tad simple and shortish. Buy - No.
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7/31/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
One of the most amazing noses I've experienced - seriously memorable. A great wine, but clearly needs more time.
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7/26/2010 - Ricky99 wrote: 91 Points
Pretty Jammy fruits and nice balance
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7/4/2010 - gunpwdr wrote: 93 Points
Notes are from day 2. Nose: Currants, coffee beans, hint of flowers, as well as a hint of almond paste. Palate: Currants/red berries - both tart and sweet - on the attack. Mid-palate features tons of acidity and tannins, as well as hints of anise, juicy red berries, and dark chocolate. Finish is short to medium and has hints of pencil lead.
While I am not a frequent drinker of chianti, mostly due to the generally tart and lighter wines I encounter, this wine is right in my wheelhouse. The drinking window hasn't really opened for this wine yet, but all the elements are there - fruit, acidity, tannins. I'd have to chalk up Mr. Bond's notes to bottle variation because the bottle I had, although being a little tight, showed plenty of the stuffing that makes for an excellent wine.
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6/13/2010 - Mr. Bond wrote: 70 Points
The 2006 Chianti vintage has produced truly excellent wines. This is NOT one of them. Tight, flavorless this wine has little to offer save the hope that cellaring may raise it to average among its 2006 peers. Decanting was a waste of time. Finish was weak, overpowered by damage done by the initial tart, bitterness on the palate. Three hours and it never opened or gave a hint of improvement. So many great '06 sangiovese blends (many at half this price) - this was barely drinkable, ruined a great meal - bottles left on table. Suggesting this is a Top 100 wine is flat-out delusional. What could they have been tasting?
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5/23/2010 - ths wrote: 89 Points
Cherry, fruit forward, quite nice. Finishes weakly however, not what you'd expect at this price point.
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5/21/2010 - Zonk wrote: 92 Points
30 min decant before tasting. Cherry nose that moved towards black fruit the longer it was open. Silky smooth with some cherry and then moving towards blackberries on the palate. Definitely brunello-like in its nose. really enjoyable wine, and i think it will be even better in a year or 2.
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5/19/2010 - The Tourist wrote: 93 Points
Had in Positano at three sisters, had no time to open up but it was still delicious if not elegant wine... very easy to enjoy, medium bodied and pure class.. pisses me off chantis like this are largely ignored. worth every bit the money relative to most average Brunello... but I know people love the bigger wines
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5/12/2010 - Agucab wrote: 90 Points
Opened at wtsa Amarillo. Nice on the nose, fruit forward, complimented the humus well.
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3/8/2010 - monkeylug wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for two hours. Quite a delicious wine.
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2/5/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 89 Points
Very nice, great nose. Full-flavored palate, extracted right up to the line crossing into slight bitterness, but not going over. 88-90
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1/30/2010 - keelegl wrote: 93 Points
Opened and let slow-o for a couple hours while preparing dinner. Really expressive both on the nose and palate with black cherry, vanilla and spice. The mouth feel is ultra silky with good depth and concentration. I would not have guessed Chianti if served blind but it doesn’t really matter to me as this is just well made wine.
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11/9/2009 - jpijg wrote:
Nose : confit blackcurrent, oak, coffee,liquorice, a bit overwhelming. In the mouth, oaky, woody character are predominant. The wine lacks minerality and balance. It is also very young, it might change with time. To me, this is just too much "parker" style and too modern. Do not really appreciate it.
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