Garnett with orange rim. Very floral nose mingling with old furniture, muted cherry, and leather. Is this Rioja? So smooth with a clean flow that caresses the palate ending with a tart cherry suffused finale that lingers. In a perfect drinking window. Very good for the vintage.
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Last of 4 bottles, the first of which was sampled 10 years ago. Gorgeous translucent ruby purple. Explosive nose of leather, luscious Bing cherry, lilting florals, saline, earth. Layers of delectable black cherry grounded in fine earth, leather, and hints of balsam on the satin-textured palate. Moderated tannin and still-bright acidity. Longer finish of spicy cherry, black olive, iron specks, and whispery plum. Fresh, exuberant, and integrated at age 24. Brilliant showing.
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Medium-deep, garnet in color with clearing & bricking at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes of violets, savory spices, cocoa/espresso, minerals, tar, leather and a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, cranberries & blueberries with spices, herbs, tar, minerals, coffee & a hint of oak. Long lingering elegant finish. Drinks quite well at present & at 24 years of age it is at its peak of development, so drink up. Fill at lower portion of neck; cork was clean & intact.
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Rusty garnet. Nose of pungent beef blood, dried cherry, earth, iodine, hothouse flowers. Layers of spicy red cherry, plum, deep earth, and holiday cake. Moderately brisk acidity and smoothed, dusty tannin. Long finish of autumnal red cherry cut with granular earth and fine stone. Beautiful and aging well.
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Getting towards the end of a case bought on release. The nose here is quite complex, with earthy black and red fruit. Still has decent acidity and good persistence - really spreads out on the palate. Fully mature, so I don’t see any potential for further improvement here, but very nice to catch a bottle at this point in it’s journey.
My better half is making chicken Marsala tonight, and this should make for a nice pairing, although it isn’t bad right now with some sharp provolone 🍷😎
I've been drinking through my 99's over the past year or so as most of them have struck me as being fully mature. This wine has earthy black & red fruit on the nose, and is medium-bodied on the palate with good persistence. Not on the downslope by any means, but I also don't see any further upside, so I personally have this tabbed as drink sooner as opposed to later.
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Just opened this for a taste before dinner tonight, along side the 2001 Pertimali. I have a preference for the Pertimali on opening, as it’s showing some sour cherry fruit with lively acidity. The Ciacci is more a mix of black and red fruits, and compared to the other wine seems a little straight forward on the palate. We’ll see if it opens up with food.
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Just opened this to pair with some leftover chicken Marsala - drinking nicely, with red fruits and good acidity on the palate. Probably at or near peak, but giving no indication that it will be going downhill anytime soon, so consider this drink or hold.
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Sangiovese Study (chicago, IL): This bottle had seen better days. There was some sour cherry and raspberry notes, but there was also a good bit of soy/balsamico tones with dusty notes as well. The palate felt a bit stripped and the acidity was astringent. Too bad as I was really looking forward to it
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From a bottle opened earlier this week. Earthy red and black fruit on the nose - the kind of nose that speaks of Brunello.
Seamless and savory on the palate - fully mature, but no reason why well-stored bottles can’t provide drinking pleasure for another 5-10 years. In retrospect, ‘99 has been a very good Brunello vintage.
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I bought three cases of this on release - in retrospect, probably a little crazy, but this has been a decent wine over the years, and in the last couple years, the wine has settled into a comfortable maturity. In my opinion, at 20 years of age, definitely a drink now wine.
Seamless and expansive on the palate, decent acidity and good persistence. A mixture of black & red fruit on both the palate and nose, with a light touch of funk on the nose for some additional complexity. This vintage, along with the 2001, are both drinking very well right now.
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decanted one hour (after standing for several days, modest sediment remained in bottle). dark garnet red, paling to umber at the rim; intense nose devoted to wild landscape, sage, dark soil, mineral, w/a concentrated pool of dried pit fruit; med+ weight; very solid & intense, again emphasizing soil & minerality, followed by dense dried sour cherry & great acidity, enough structure for sustainability. expressive & holding up well.
rigatoni with duck livers, chanterelles & guanciale
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Fully mature, seamless on the palate, decent acidity for lift, earthy black cherry on the nose. I don't see any further upside, but this also doesn't feel like it's in decline, so if you have it, drink or hold. I'll be planning on drinking most of the rest of my stash over the next 3-5 years.
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Celebrating a couple of birthdays with family. Ordered Italian takeout from Little Star in Albany, so I decided to open 2 nice Italian wines (had this along side a 2000 Scavino Barolo Cannubi). Decanted two hours before serving. Dark in color. Black cherries and a hint of smoke on the nose. Dark plums, sweet soy and a touch of cocoa on the palate. Seems very smooth and elegant for a BdM. Delicious now, but I'm not sure how much longer it will remain this good.
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Well, at least the cork came out intact - much better than the bottle I opened last month ;^)
Mature nose with black & red fruits, beef broth, a hint of funk - a lot going on with the nose here.
Seamless on the palate, fully mature fruit that fans out with good persistence and enough acidity after 20+ years to provide lift. I would think this is pretty much at peak right now, although this probably has enough left in the tank for another decade of drinking pleasure.
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The cork literally disintegrated as I tried to remove it, so I had to decant the wine.
Despite that mishap, this is fully mature and drinking well. Good persistence and adequate acidity. A complex nose with earthy red & black fruits and a little background funk as well.
The acidity is a little volatile, but other than that, probably drinking as well as it will at this point, and over the next 3-5 years.
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Opened as part of a comparison tasting with 2017 Pride Sangiovese. Minimal fruit on nose; spice and earth predominated. Baking spices on the palate along with dried cherries and red fruit.
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Only slightly outclassed tonight by the 1999 Soldera Riserva BdM. This was somewhat lighter and lifted in comparison to the Soldera. I loved this. I have one more left. No real hurry to drink.
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Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of barnyard, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of red berries, red cherries and red raspberries. Bright acidity, resolved tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink now with a little air in the bottle. Don't decant.
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A structured wine with dark strawberry fruit, florals, perfume, and a sense of stoniness. Good acidity keeps it fresh. Good balance and depth. Finishes with chewy tannins. Drinking well with time in hand.
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Musky red and black fruits with a menthol note make for an attractive nose on opening.
Seamless and expansive on the palate - hard to envision this getting any better at this point. Great persistence on the finish - sweet & sour blackberry - this is really drinking well today.
1999 is probably my favorite Brunello vintage right now for wines that are in the zone, and this bottle is no exception.
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This is noticeably darker in the glass than the Pertimali I just tried. The nose here is slightly muddled - vaguely pleasant, but nothing in focus.
Seamless on the palate, with good persistence. Ripe yet tart black & red fruit, this is interesting. I prefer the Pertimali at first glance, but this wine has the potential to pull itself together and improve.
Gorgeous, but still very primary imo. Pop and pour, maybe should have decanted. Wonderful nose of bright red and black fruit, sandalwood, blood orange, roses. On the palate, black fruit, a touch of tar, more cigar notes, fantastic acidity, with more rose and still some real tannin on the finish. For my palate, this would benefit from 5 to 10 more years, but it is very enjoyable right now.
With a few hours open, an interesting pine/mint note appears on the nose, and follows through on the palate. Beautiful evolution.
Day 3 open: excellent today. Soft and refined with pure brunello essence...
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Translucent ruby in the glass; earthy red & black fruit with a dash o' funk as well - interesting nose.
Good acidity, more red-fruited on the palate, decent persistence. Pretty good on a Tuesday night, and maybe my favorite vintage for current consumption.
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Second Sunday Group: 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): The cork had been pulled & reinserted prior to the tasting but I do not know if it was decanted or simply allowed to breathe for a while. A quick taste before we departed. Faded crimson color with notes of red plum, dark berry and raisin with an underlying sandalwood note. Red berry fruit on the palate with soft dusty tannins and a pleasant finish.
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PnP. Thick, viscous wine with bitter cherries, mocha and damp forest. Felt surprisingly young and improved as we went through the bottle. Not high in finesse but a lovely mouthful all the same.
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Similar in color to the 2001; the nose on this popped & poured wine is a little unfocused right now - nothing objectionable, but nothing overly noteworthy either.
More red-fruited and less open than the 2001 - this comes across as the younger wine, and is less accessible right now than a couple of other '99's I've had in the past few months like Caparzo and Pertimali. The fruit here even comes across somewhat tart - we'll see if this opens up and relaxes a bit with dinner.
indigo color with slightest caramel coloring on the edges. Nose with light honey, dark cherries, faint aroma of plasticity -- other tasters likened it to the smell of new (not worn!) tennis shoes/tires though this was less obvious to me. Palate with slight caramel, red fruits, tea flavors. still fresh and drinking well now but don't think this will develop much further, would drink now. 92 pts
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Purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet wine flaunts a gorgeous bouquet of Bing cherries, red currants, allspice, cocoa and cigar box. Medium-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (14%) and with soft residual tannins, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays nicely dense on the mid-palate. Closing with impressive length, there is no doubt that this one has found its sweet spot. It should be at its best over the next 2-3 years. Drink now-2020.
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decanted 1.5 hours (*zero sediment still! is this wine filtered?). still quite garnet to the core w/pink rim; saddle leather, dried sour cherry preserves, black spice, lots of soil; med weight, a bit leaner than the last bottle; fruit is direct & at that point nearing maturity, concentrated & intense wild sour cherries, assertive acids that demand food & amplify the slightly pucker-ey finish. better than fine w/supper, will it develop further?
rigatoni w/ragu of red wine-braised turkey thigh, glazed cippollini onions & wild-foraged oyster mushrooms
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Day 2 note from a bottle opened at DeLorenzo's Pizza in Trenton last night (definitely worth the trip!).
Darker translucent ruby in the glass, with a very complex nose that has a lot going on; more black fruits than red, a dash o' funk - for lack of better words, a brooding nose.
The acidity here really focuses the wine on the palate - nice length on the finish. We had this last night with a 2009 Stella di Campalto BdM that we both preferred (no TN), but this is still drinking well.
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Double decanted then 1+ hours of slo-ox. Not enough, as it took a bit more time to open fully. Nose of cigar box, followed by a palate of red cherries, leather, earth, cedar and a touch of spice. The tannins were well integrated, and the acidity made for a well balanced wine. As good as the previous bottle in June. No reason to hold - drink in next 2 years or so.
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Cellared for a dozen years. Brunello was kind of a big deal when I bought these. Doesn't interest me so much anymore. Admittedly this isn't the best age to drink this, with the fruit having lost a lot of freshness and faded to an autumnal cast without yet having taken the next step to actual maturity. And it does show some sophistication at least in terms of texture - it has a billowing, mouthfilling presence. It's more plump than a Brunello from Biondi-Santi (my fave) though. Segues from a red- to black-fruit complexion over the course of the bottle and I was hoping it would also freshen up a bit or show some more definition, but it mostly stayed in a holding pattern. Needs at least a few more years to pick up some more development - hope there is some more personality there when it does.
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Sangio night (Osteria Langhe): Open ~45 minutes before tasting. Full nose is dense and concentrated with layers of dried plum, herbs and spice. Palate is smooth with medium body fruit and a mature profile. Nice acidity keeps it fresh and persistent. Nice spice character along with the dried plums. Not overly complex, but in harmony and full of character.
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From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Nearly a decade on from my previous bottle –oops, I waited too long. Despite perfect storage this has turned into a red-brown, acid-crabby, old oak-spoiled, old-school wine, like a not very successful old-school Rioja. 20-year old Bodegas Paternina Banda Azul, anyone? Nope, I thought not. The redeeming points are a balsamic, herbal warmth on the nose and gentle, even noble residual sweetness on the entry. But the tannic carapace at the finish is tongue-puckering and the acid afterburn less than enjoyable. Will hold at this modest level for a couple of years, but this might be one to give as a generous present to a Sangiovese-masochist rather than to open yourself in expectation of pleasure from a wine you paid 36 Euro for, 12 years ago. Even at today's interest rates, that was a BAD deal. (85)-86P
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Maybe a shade lighter than the 2001; less going on here with the nose, with red fruits and a savory accent that is somewhat enticing.
Fresh, lean, red-fruited, medium-bodied. This is nice, but it is interesting just how different the two vintages are side-by-side. While this is the older wine, it drinks younger right now (also popped & poured).
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Tasted at PnP -- too rough. Benefited from a two hour decant that absolutely rounded the edges and added substance to this fine Brunello. I'd have to agree with many of the TNs here -- red cherries, leather, earth, and a touch of spice. The tannins were well integrated, and the acidity made it a great match for the mustard-cognac basted lamb chops. Not sure how much longer these can provide this level of enjoyment (3 - 4 years?), so drink up.
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Replacement xtra bottle that I luckily bought as the f$%#*g 1999 Fanti was corked. Brickish red in color. Lifted aromas of tobacco, forest floor, licorice and muted black cherries. Medium bodied on the palate with brisk acidity, sweet-tart crushed cherries, licorice, leather and wet leaves on the finish. If this representative drink up over the next 3-5 years.
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Decanted for two hours. Tasty, and with very fine, interesting tannins, but a little dull overall. Very mature and, IMO, nearing the end of its effective life. Drink up.
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A couple shades darker at the core than the Altero, lightening out to translucence on the rim; interesting nose that I would difficulty describing accurately other than to say that it "feels autumnal" - this was also popped & poured, and may just need some air to freshen it up.
Similarly smooth on the palate, although this wine is more of a black and red fruit mixture than the Altero - to be honest, it had been a few years since I had checked in on any '99 Brunello, and I am pleasantly surprised how well the Caparzo, Altero and this wine have all shown this week. Like my comment regarding the Altero, if you have this in the cellar, do yourself a favor and check out a bottle soon.
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Delicious. Decanted about 45 minutes. Deep ruby color, medium body, nose of cherry, floral, tobacco, earth. Nice balance and food friendly acidity. Paired nicely with swordfish and Greek side dishes.
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Generous full nose has aged red fruit with prominent earth notes and a hint of spice. Palate is medium-to-full bodied with chewy red fruit. Good suave tannin and still-crunchy acidity. Nice complexity of flavor as the red fruit is clearly mature with plenty of earth-driven notes. At peak ... my best bottle yet.
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The wine exhibited a ruby red hue in the glass with a complex and intense bouquet, while the palate displayed a full-bodied wine comprised of wonderful purity, complexity and focus. It finished with length and elegance.
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Blind Tasting in Astoria: ripe, lush fruit, this was most like a cab/bdx blend. very deep structure. perhaps in need of time. some herbs and iron with more time. this was very powerful - again surprised to see this as brunello.
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This wine is drinking really well. Color shows medium transparent ruby with some bricking on the edge. Popped and poured and then sampled over 4 hours. This wine will hold for years yet, but it is in its drinking window with delightful balance. The tannins and acids provide grip and interest. Red fruits, balsam, earth and a long savory finish.
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decanted one hour (essentially zero sediment). brilliant dark red; herbs, mint, coffee bean, pipe tobacco, pure dark red cherry beneath all the savory aromatics; med+ weight; intense dark sour cherry, menthol, cedar, turned earth, persistent, long & vibrant. in its window of deliciousness, w/lots of gas in the tank.
grilled quail, lemon-balsamic glaze; choice local spring veg (gold & chioggia beets, hakurei turnips, green & wax beans, cauliflower, favas, radishes, grilled spring onions & radicchio), basil & mint, shaved parm, sorghum-sherry vinaigrette
1/28/2015 decanted one hour. deep garnet fading to umber rim; as special as previous bottle, w/dynamic spice cake, tobacco & wild cherry aromatics; very pure & balanced; to my palate, at apogee, w/refined structure to go on for a considerable time (92)
risotto w/tuscan kale pesto, chorizo, roasted kuri squash, tuscan kale & hazelnuts
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Nose of sweet tobacco, earth, and a hint of cedar. Nicely between dusty old world and fruit presence in an new world wine. Well integrated and medium body. Fully mature and did not need decanting (taste before you consider decanter). Average finish and lost a few points on this. Drinking very well now, possibly at its best but may have a few good years left. If you have several, open one now!
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Delicious! Clearly ready to drink right now. Very fragrant nose. Absolutely delicious on the palate; bright red fruit predominating. The finish was subtle but delightful. Went very well with Judy's bracchiole and sun-dried tomato risotto!
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Slow o'd for ~6 h. Dark ruby red in color. Captivating aromas of pipe tobacco, dark cherries, licorice, dusty soil and violets on the nose. A medium bodied palate shows good depth to the ripe dark crushed berries, earth, tobacco, medium+ acidity and a licorice tinged finish.
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Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acid and chewy tannins. While the feel is on the bigger and youthful side, it's well balanced and youthful with dark red cherries, licorice, dark red berries, violets, roasted herbs, and some spice notes.
Overall: A lovely and young wine. There is good density, depth, and intensity to it. While it is more intense, it still shows off a savory side with excellent balance across the nose and palate.
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Brunello di Montalcino: Viene introdotto come la possibile sintesi dei terroir di Montalcino, vigna molto soleggiata ma anche molto alta che dona buone maturità aromatiche. Profondo e austero, mentolato, idea di profondità sotto alla terra, una caverna, minerale verticale, foglie umide, china, caffè in polvere, un vino boschivo, e anche un po' schivo, da cercare. Più complesso che intenso. Vibra come un vino giovanissimo tra il frutto croccante che sublima in sale e poi di nuovo in agrume. Lunghissimo.
An afternoon of Pasta and Italians (Vince & Lisa's): Really in a nice place mature, but with lots of life left. A nose of tea leaves, dried cherries, some fresh cherries and loam. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, complex and layered. Cherries, dried cherries, forest floor. Nice balance. Good acidity. Works well with food. Got better with air and even a bit younger.
Two hours of air. Medium body, medium acid, lush medium tannins Heavy notes of earth, very slight barnyard, mushrooms, just-lit match of sulfur (but truly in a good sense...I think it was more from mineral/earth notes, not from actual sulfur). Still completely vibrant with plenty of fruit coming forward - stewed cherries, raspberries. Long finish.
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This wine never disappoints, and this bottle was exceptional. So much going on, and tons of power. Terrific juice. and a relative bargain in the Brunello world.
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Brought to Christina's (Ketchum), popped and poured. Dark garnet-ruby. Beautiful nose of dried flowers, cherry, red plum, earth, and leather, with an interesting component of soy joining in later. Savory flavors of burnished cherry, plum, char, and saline on the palate with energizing acidity and rounded, firm tannins. Long finish of red cherry, anise, and satisfying sweet grip. The meal and the wine married perfectly. I suspect this Brunello will only improve.
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Unfortunately, this one got lost in the shuffle of a large party with a lot of wine. Not the awesome experience of the last bottle I had of this in April, but still excellent at the very least. Like all great wines, best to enjoy in a more focused manner. Black cherry is the only thing that I really recall of this wine from last night.
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What a great wine! Getting close to the fabulous '97 from this producer, and way ahead of most wines that came out of this vineyard since (with perhaps '06 getting back on track again...).
Deep ruby/red color with no sign of ambering yet. Beautiful aromas of dark cherry, sweet tobacco and dried herbs and some red licorice and wet earth evolving in the glass. Full bodied with smooth, well integrated, tannins and a great acidity balance with some sweetness of fruit. The finish keeps on lingering and remains fresh throughout.
This is some graceously aged classic Brunello. It will most certainly last for many years to come, and might even develop a bit more complexity. Drink now - 2019 (NB this is based on a Magnum bought directly in Montalcino a few months back).
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On the initial entry, I note the smoothness of the sides and some pine forest on the palate. After an hour, I wonder whether the fruit is waning, as it's not showing much fruit, especially vis. past bottles. At three hours, the fruit is back. The palate has tightened up, but is more effusive, with raspberries and dark chocolate, and is pretty impressive now. There is good red and dark fruit, nice acids and structure on the finish, good vibrant fruit, juicy, but kept back by good structure. This has really blossomed with four hours of air and is quite nice. Long, juicy, cherry finish. Didn't hold up well overnight, with the fruit having receded. I would give this a good decant, and drink it in one night.
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Gorgeous, medium-full nose of spice, herbs, tarry red fruit. Palate bursts with juicy red fruit and tea notes. Smooth fruit with resolved tannin and an underlying kick of acidity. Strong through the mid-palate into a medium+ finish. Really nice brunello that seems to be in stride. See no reason to hold any longer.
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Very good showing. Lively, young palate of red fruits (cherries, raspberry, red currant and later, in line with Sangio, more sour cherry), tea and a tarry, asphalt-like undercurrent. The oak has integrated well, although there is still a dark, California-like aspect to the palate, i.e., ripe fruit, velour tannins (when velvety tannins smooth out somewhat), and oak. While the sides have been smoothed with cellar age, there is still tannin which, along with the healthy acidity, will allow for years longer. I've had mixed results with Ciacci's Pianrosso - some have been excellent, some (like the '01 and '99 at a dinner with Fernando and JM back in the summer of 2008) have been sloppy, oaky messes. This bottle was very enjoyable. I opened it Friday night, sipped some leftovers on Saturday and again on Sunday, and, very surprisingly, there was no degradation.
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I had actually meant to grab a 1997, but wow oh wow is this 1999 absolutely singing right now. Soaring aromatics with an amazing base note of tobacco and pine. The palate is about as close to Burgundy as Sangiovese will ever get, really showing amazing delicacy and precision with gorgeous cherry and tea notes.
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Absolutely beautiful multilayered typical brunelli. Dark cherries, black overipe plums, spice, leather, bark, olives, ripe tannins, etc etc. The whole package here. Impeccable acid balance. Hard to imagine this wine has ever drunk better or ever will drink better than it is drinking today. Really spot on, sexy, clean and pure expression of brunello at its best. I wish I had a case!
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Iron, violet, cherry, beef jus, smoky incense tones on the nose. High-toned, bright fruit, fresh aromatics. Bright, maturing, and approachable on the palate. Cranberry fruit with a touch of perfume, seaweed, minerals. Great stuff.
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Very classical and in a strong tannic year with aging potential. This is hardly a babe that is teething. Good structure , racy dark cherry fruit body, spme tar and leather , dark roses and a long enough finish. A little straddle between a classic style and a modern powderful one. Good potential.
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Pre-CNY Lunch at Brian's (Moonbeam View): This had been sitting in the decanter for a couple of hours before I got to it. I thought it was very good indeed - a slight step up from the 2001 Argiano that we had alongside. The nose was still a bit tight, but it showed classic BdM notes of slightly dried blackberries, strawberries, and plums wreathed with notes of dusty earth, smoke and dried Italian herbs, all patted down with damp earthy aromas. A bit reticent there, but I thought that the palate was quite lovely, with its deep black fruited flavours shading from black cherries to plums. Plump, fleshy, but these were couched in firm but still super fine tannins and wonderfully balanced with juicy acidity. It had a pretty finish too, with some flowery accents wed to the black fruited undertones. Like the Argiano, this is still very young, but there is a lot going on here and I am sure it will be a beautiful wine given enough time in the bottle. One to try in say another 5 to 6 years.
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In the 2.2 years since my last bottle, this seems to have shed some weight and intensity. Still shows deep cherry fruit, tobacco and Sangio herbs, but a step down in intensity and more relaxed. Both the oak and the tannins have molded well into the palate. The finish is surprisingly impressive, as if the focus has shifted from palate to finish. No criticisms here, just mellower than expected and it's somewhat surprising that a '99 Brunello of this stature seems to be at a peak, or has plateaued, already.
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The fourth bottle in about four years, this might have been the best. The 99 just seems really at ease after about 15-20 minutes (those first few minutes are another thing entirely). Lovely fruit, plenty of relaxed acid and a hint of tannic backbone to keep things together. The fruit is typical sangiovese cherry, but softened by time and some oak.
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A deep ruby red, very classy, rich, and smooth. Good acidity and Sangiovese character. As is commonly noted about Ciacci, the wine has power yet is elegant. I bought these not long after drinking (and enjoying) the 1997 in Montalcino, but this bottle was, if anything, better. It is more fresh and balanced, the difference between a peach that is perfectly ripe (the '99) and one that is luscious but just a tad overripe (the '97).
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Slow-O 4 hours. PurpleDrank's notes are the same as my own, basically. This continued to add weight and complexity with each successive pour. Some wines have a subconscious control mechanism that makes you drink more slowly, adding time to savor and contemplate, this is such a wine. Drink thru 2019, recommended.
Beautiful, bold nose - smoke, red fruit, flowers and spice. Palate is unlike the nose in that its medium bodied and has soft elegance. Well balanced with acidity and fine tannin. Nice complex flavor profile - bringing together mature red fruit, spice, sun-dried tomato. Medium plus finish.
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Silky, sleek, sexy Brunello. Beautiful incense tones, red fruit, cherries, floral and expressive. Rich but restrained with great acidity makes it awesome with food or solo. Loved this.
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Poppy at Campania (Campania in Dallas, TX): Tasted non blind. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Slightly tight nose of leather, black berries, rose petals and white pepper. Flavors of berries and cherries. Bright acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with some slow oxygenation or continue to hold into the medium term. 93-94?
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Tasted at Otis' Cellar Diminishment Party. Second time I've had this vintage and this wine has improved since I last had it. This was an outstanding bottle and rivaled the 1997 Siro Pacenti at this event. Very earthy and chewy with primarily blcak cherry notes. It had a dry lipsmacking and long finish. Not as ggod as the classic 1997 Ciacci but wonderful noentheless. 93 points.
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Lunch at Rothmann's with Bruce. This was an excellent showing for the '99 Ciacci Pianrosso, light years better than a bottle a year ago (same venue with James and Fernando, when this wine showed simple and oaky). Lots to enjoy here - great Sangio cherry fruit, good balance, with the underlying richness than differentiates Brunello from Chianti, along with sweet leather, sweet tannin, plenty of acidity and terrific length, focus and richness. Didn't need more than an hour or so in the glass to open up and show its charms. A solid showing.
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Solid brunello, with supple texture and mouthfeel, and modern style fruit profile. Nothing terribly distinctive about it however. Could use some angularity. Best after 45 minutes of air.
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Elegant, supple, and delicious. LEather, dark brooding fruits, some nuttiness, earthy well drained soil elements (thin of excellent compost) and some herb or plant I could not begin to describe. Maybe even a wiff of balsamico. Great bottle of wine. 92pts.
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If only all 92-point wines were this good ; ) Really, this is textbook Brunello, elegant, sophisticated, balanced, understated and beautiful. Cherries with hints of rose petals, leather and tar. Great finish. Absolutely gulpable, this 1.5 L lasted about 30 minutes with 4 people.
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Open a bottle evening (chez Shannon and David): Although I don't think this touched the Margaux or the Clos Fourtet last night, it was clearly a very good wine. The only deduction (and a sizeable for me) is that I found it near impossible to identify this as Brunello, even after the wine was revealed. It had old world acid and structure, but the fruit and viscosity could have been from anywhere in the new world. Just a bit to too oily. That said, I still think it's very good and certainly NOT overoaked, which gives me hope that between the good acid levels, the structure, the ample fruit, and the low oak, this should gel into a very good wine down the road.
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Open that Bottle Night 2009 Austin (Austin, TX): Hopefully these are in a phase because the last two bottles weren't up to expectations. It tasted like good wine from almost anywhere although its acid structure screamed Italy. Our additional bottles will stay in the cellar in hopes of improvement.
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Give this several hours of air. On the nose this is rich and deep with red fruits, sweet loamy earth, leather, lots of cocoa powder, herbs and dust. On the palate bountiful acidity marries to a ton of sweet fruit with a fair shake of remaining tanning though nothing obtrusive. This has a lot of stuffing and will need several more years to really shine. You can drink now if you want the sweet fruit, or wait 3-5 years for maturity and more complexity. In comparison to the 01 this shows a touch riper and fleshier and a touch less pure. I might slightly prefer the 01. Both are excellent on an absolute level and particularly for their cost.
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No rating; A lovely nose but completely muted on the palate; This did not taste like the same wine tasted at the winery and a previous bottle. Not much on the palate (little fruit) but heavy oak tasting like coffee. A puzzling bottle, probably not flawed but something was going on.
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Wine-Pages.com Italian Wines Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A very curious, refined nose with some redness and lots of honey (thanks Emma). Very ripe fruit on the attack, feeling very silky. But then it falls away quickly (yet another wine to fall away too quickly), ending up with just grippy tannins, without anything to sustain them.
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Pop and pour. Beautiful, complex nose of cherries, tar, smoke and flowers. Great red fruit and floral flavors (at least what I imagine flowers would taste like!). Drying tannins on the finish. Really great wine that still needs a few years.
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Aerated for three hours in a decanter. Tar, chocolate and crushed cherries on the generous nose. Very good extraction with a full body and deep flavors. Multi-dimensional and juicy, with a long finish displaying tones of smoke and earth. From now until 2015.
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Supple and seductive, this bottle of Brunello drank well with no decanting (though it improved over the evening in the glass). Dark fruits, a little mineral and slight hints of soy proved to be a great match with Peking Duck.
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Terrific Brunello...lovely nose with plums and hint of lavendar coming through, round mouthfeel and long finish. Decanted and then poured, seemed to be opening up but certainly has major long term potential
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I donated this to a Tuscan Wine dinner my cousin and I hosted for a Farmington Land Trust auction event. It was decanted for 4 hours before serving which helped becuase the 1st sip was very closed. The wine followed a Vernaccia (white), Chianti, and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. It was a stunner, smooth and seductive with a nose of cherry fruit and earthiness. It caressed the palate and paired wonderful with a rosemary/garlic roast pork loin. We as hosts only had a small glass each but we were very glad to see the reactions from the guests who were experiencing their first Brunello.
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Italian Night at Wally's (Barrington, IL): Bright amber red. Initially subdued nose of chocolate and prunes opens with time in the glass. Tight, restrained dark fruit struggle to show their stuff. Solid core of acid and tannin. This is shut down for business - but has the stuffing to come through. Don't touch for another couple of years. (4+12+16+8=90+)
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Seattle Tasting Group does Italy (Bellevue, WA): Clearly the class of the flight. Tar and roses on the nose, delicate, with some juniper or pine. Mmm, juicy and briary on entry, really mouthfilling. Lavender/violet notes spread within the mouth. This is a joy to drink, a really dynamic, complex wine.
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With an hour or so of air, drinking very well. Nose isn't there yet -- just hints of leather, cherry, and some funk -- but ripe, rich, and rollicking in the mouth. I love the interplay of the very ripe fruit and brisk, bright, acids. Even with a good bit of air, still quite tannic and plenty of room to grow, but fun and delicious now.
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This was lugged back from our Tuscany trip in Sep-05 and we shared it with good friends who are taking the same trip in May-06. I tasted a sip on opening and was a bit worried because it was nothing special. However, I planned to decant for 2-3 hours before we served it so I hoped it would open up. Well after our Colli Senesi Chianti opener we sat down to sliced tenderloin with herbed olive oil and the Brunello. It got the "wow" from the guests as the savored the long finish and the spicy nose. Overall reminds us why we are big Brunello fans. They can be big but still pair well with hearty fare.
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At Colvin Run Tavern, showed much less open and accessible than a bottle a few months ago. Tight nose with cedary/mineral smells. In the mouth, constricted and compressed and cramped. This needed decanting tonight and was clearly just too young. Having had 4 of these since release, I think this may be shutting down now for a bit.
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93 with potential. Dark, clear purple in color throwing slight sediment. Tasted and purchased at the winery this was a terrific Brunello Riserva. Clearly this needs years but sometimes you have to find out just how many. The nose was spicy with dark fruit and earthy notes. The flavors included blackberry and more earth (stones?). Oddly this finished much like a nebbiolo with the floral roses and tar. The finish is notable for its length - about 30 seconds. Bravo CP.
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I like this wine a lot just because it tastes good. I'm not sure it's really "brunello" per se, but very, very, fun to drink. Spicy red fruit nose with still some wood showing, zingy ripe red fruit, truffle, woodsy flavors and a nice long finish. I'm sure it will get better, but made a lovely wine to go with a seared tuna salad and marrinated veggies.
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For those who put their faith in Daniel Thomases (the new Italian reviewer for the WA), let this wine be a lesson to you. He wrote of this wine: "One of the best Ciacci's to date". Only if you haven't tried the 1997 (a vintage which he claims is falling apart very quickly). This 1999 is a very good wine but cannot hold a torch to the 1997. No formal notes. 90-91 points.
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Medium-dark ruby colour with synthetic aromas of acetone and varnish. Also notes of vanilla, cocoa, and black plum. Full-bodied, with currant, spice, cocoa, tar. Moderate length finish, 30s, with black fruit.
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Tasted at Otis' Cellar Diminishment Party; A great nose of plums and spices. Clearly very young and in need of years of aging. Complex and interesting but not a traditional Brunello style.
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Decanted for two hours before pouring, this Brunello is remarkable for its seamlessness of flavor and suave texture without any rough edges or rusticity. On the palate it conveys beautifully integrated red-berry flavors with the slightest impression of raw, untoasted wood lurking in the background. The flavors are almost Chianti-like, yet with noble elegance and restraint and no tannic coarseness. A Burgundian Brunello, this performs beautifully now and can only improve by showing something, anything, on the nose.
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8/11/2023 - SirFred wrote: 93 Points
Garnett with orange rim. Very floral nose mingling with old furniture, muted cherry, and leather. Is this Rioja? So smooth with a clean flow that caresses the palate ending with a tart cherry suffused finale that lingers. In a perfect drinking window. Very good for the vintage.
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6/9/2023 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Last of 4 bottles, the first of which was sampled 10 years ago. Gorgeous translucent ruby purple. Explosive nose of leather, luscious Bing cherry, lilting florals, saline, earth. Layers of delectable black cherry grounded in fine earth, leather, and hints of balsam on the satin-textured palate. Moderated tannin and still-bright acidity. Longer finish of spicy cherry, black olive, iron specks, and whispery plum. Fresh, exuberant, and integrated at age 24. Brilliant showing.
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3/12/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium-deep, garnet in color with clearing & bricking at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes of violets, savory spices, cocoa/espresso, minerals, tar, leather and a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, cranberries & blueberries with spices, herbs, tar, minerals, coffee & a hint of oak. Long lingering elegant finish. Drinks quite well at present & at 24 years of age it is at its peak of development, so drink up. Fill at lower portion of neck; cork was clean & intact.
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5/14/2022 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Rusty garnet. Nose of pungent beef blood, dried cherry, earth, iodine, hothouse flowers. Layers of spicy red cherry, plum, deep earth, and holiday cake. Moderately brisk acidity and smoothed, dusty tannin. Long finish of autumnal red cherry cut with granular earth and fine stone. Beautiful and aging well.
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5/14/2022 - Bob H wrote:
Getting towards the end of a case bought on release. The nose here is quite complex, with earthy black and red fruit. Still has decent acidity and good persistence - really spreads out on the palate. Fully mature, so I don’t see any potential for further improvement here, but very nice to catch a bottle at this point in it’s journey.
My better half is making chicken Marsala tonight, and this should make for a nice pairing, although it isn’t bad right now with some sharp provolone 🍷😎
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7/14/2021 - Bob H wrote:
I've been drinking through my 99's over the past year or so as most of them have struck me as being fully mature. This wine has earthy black & red fruit on the nose, and is medium-bodied on the palate with good persistence. Not on the downslope by any means, but I also don't see any further upside, so I personally have this tabbed as drink sooner as opposed to later.
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3/27/2021 - Bob H wrote:
Just opened this for a taste before dinner tonight, along side the 2001 Pertimali. I have a preference for the Pertimali on opening, as it’s showing some sour cherry fruit with lively acidity. The Ciacci is more a mix of black and red fruits, and compared to the other wine seems a little straight forward on the palate. We’ll see if it opens up with food.
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3/13/2021 - Bob H wrote:
Just opened this to pair with some leftover chicken Marsala - drinking nicely, with red fruits and good acidity on the palate. Probably at or near peak, but giving no indication that it will be going downhill anytime soon, so consider this drink or hold.
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1/23/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: flawed
Sangiovese Study (chicago, IL): This bottle had seen better days. There was some sour cherry and raspberry notes, but there was also a good bit of soy/balsamico tones with dusty notes as well. The palate felt a bit stripped and the acidity was astringent. Too bad as I was really looking forward to it
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1/16/2021 - Bob H wrote:
From a bottle opened earlier this week. Earthy red and black fruit on the nose - the kind of nose that speaks of Brunello.
Seamless and savory on the palate - fully mature, but no reason why well-stored bottles can’t provide drinking pleasure for another 5-10 years. In retrospect, ‘99 has been a very good Brunello vintage.
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12/30/2020 - Bob H wrote:
I bought three cases of this on release - in retrospect, probably a little crazy, but this has been a decent wine over the years, and in the last couple years, the wine has settled into a comfortable maturity. In my opinion, at 20 years of age, definitely a drink now wine.
Seamless and expansive on the palate, decent acidity and good persistence. A mixture of black & red fruit on both the palate and nose, with a light touch of funk on the nose for some additional complexity. This vintage, along with the 2001, are both drinking very well right now.
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11/11/2020 - pigdaddy wrote: 93 Points
decanted one hour (after standing for several days, modest sediment remained in bottle). dark garnet red, paling to umber at the rim; intense nose devoted to wild landscape, sage, dark soil, mineral, w/a concentrated pool of dried pit fruit; med+ weight; very solid & intense, again emphasizing soil & minerality, followed by dense dried sour cherry & great acidity, enough structure for sustainability. expressive & holding up well.
rigatoni with duck livers, chanterelles & guanciale
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11/2/2020 - Bob H wrote:
Opened for a wine dinner tonight.
Fully mature, seamless on the palate, decent acidity for lift, earthy black cherry on the nose. I don't see any further upside, but this also doesn't feel like it's in decline, so if you have it, drink or hold. I'll be planning on drinking most of the rest of my stash over the next 3-5 years.
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8/29/2020 - mhudes Likes this wine: 92 Points
Celebrating a couple of birthdays with family. Ordered Italian takeout from Little Star in Albany, so I decided to open 2 nice Italian wines (had this along side a 2000 Scavino Barolo Cannubi). Decanted two hours before serving. Dark in color. Black cherries and a hint of smoke on the nose. Dark plums, sweet soy and a touch of cocoa on the palate. Seems very smooth and elegant for a BdM. Delicious now, but I'm not sure how much longer it will remain this good.
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7/4/2020 - Bob H wrote:
Well, at least the cork came out intact - much better than the bottle I opened last month ;^)
Mature nose with black & red fruits, beef broth, a hint of funk - a lot going on with the nose here.
Seamless on the palate, fully mature fruit that fans out with good persistence and enough acidity after 20+ years to provide lift. I would think this is pretty much at peak right now, although this probably has enough left in the tank for another decade of drinking pleasure.
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6/15/2020 - Bob H wrote:
The cork literally disintegrated as I tried to remove it, so I had to decant the wine.
Despite that mishap, this is fully mature and drinking well. Good persistence and adequate acidity. A complex nose with earthy red & black fruits and a little background funk as well.
The acidity is a little volatile, but other than that, probably drinking as well as it will at this point, and over the next 3-5 years.
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3/14/2020 - cct wrote: flawed
TCA
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12/25/2019 - gschneider Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super wine. Was aged but still very alive. This has at least 5 more years. Fruit was still very prominent, dried cherries and plum. Really fantastic.
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11/2/2019 - OakvilleGrade757 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened as part of a comparison tasting with 2017 Pride Sangiovese. Minimal fruit on nose; spice and earth predominated. Baking spices on the palate along with dried cherries and red fruit.
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10/30/2019 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superb
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10/8/2019 - winemaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Only slightly outclassed tonight by the 1999 Soldera Riserva BdM. This was somewhat lighter and lifted in comparison to the Soldera. I loved this. I have one more left. No real hurry to drink.
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9/12/2019 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good indeed. Slightly outclassed by the 1999 Fanti BdM tonight.
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8/26/2019 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of barnyard, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of red berries, red cherries and red raspberries. Bright acidity, resolved tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink now with a little air in the bottle. Don't decant.
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8/3/2019 - cct wrote: 91 Points
A structured wine with dark strawberry fruit, florals, perfume, and a sense of stoniness. Good acidity keeps it fresh. Good balance and depth. Finishes with chewy tannins. Drinking well with time in hand.
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7/31/2019 - Bob H wrote:
Musky red and black fruits with a menthol note make for an attractive nose on opening.
Seamless and expansive on the palate - hard to envision this getting any better at this point. Great persistence on the finish - sweet & sour blackberry - this is really drinking well today.
1999 is probably my favorite Brunello vintage right now for wines that are in the zone, and this bottle is no exception.
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7/28/2019 - robmatic wrote: 93 Points
Quite mature now, but really still drinking beautifully. Olive and leather, dried cherry, power and grace all in one. Exceptional bottle.
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6/1/2019 - Bob H wrote:
This is noticeably darker in the glass than the Pertimali I just tried. The nose here is slightly muddled - vaguely pleasant, but nothing in focus.
Seamless on the palate, with good persistence. Ripe yet tart black & red fruit, this is interesting. I prefer the Pertimali at first glance, but this wine has the potential to pull itself together and improve.
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1/28/2019 - robmatic wrote: flawed
Mildly corked bottle, but we drank it anyway, wasn't too bad. Definitely lots of potential lurking underneath the cork taint.
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11/12/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic mature Brunello. Velvet in the mouth. Superb.
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11/9/2018 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Gorgeous, but still very primary imo. Pop and pour, maybe should have decanted. Wonderful nose of bright red and black fruit, sandalwood, blood orange, roses. On the palate, black fruit, a touch of tar, more cigar notes, fantastic acidity, with more rose and still some real tannin on the finish. For my palate, this would benefit from 5 to 10 more years, but it is very enjoyable right now.
With a few hours open, an interesting pine/mint note appears on the nose, and follows through on the palate. Beautiful evolution.
Day 3 open: excellent today. Soft and refined with pure brunello essence...
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10/23/2018 - Bob H wrote:
Translucent ruby in the glass; earthy red & black fruit with a dash o' funk as well - interesting nose.
Good acidity, more red-fruited on the palate, decent persistence. Pretty good on a Tuesday night, and maybe my favorite vintage for current consumption.
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1/14/2018 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): The cork had been pulled & reinserted prior to the tasting but I do not know if it was decanted or simply allowed to breathe for a while. A quick taste before we departed. Faded crimson color with notes of red plum, dark berry and raisin with an underlying sandalwood note. Red berry fruit on the palate with soft dusty tannins and a pleasant finish.
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12/18/2017 - phynes wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Thick, viscous wine with bitter cherries, mocha and damp forest. Felt surprisingly young and improved as we went through the bottle. Not high in finesse but a lovely mouthful all the same.
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10/28/2017 - Bob H wrote:
Similar in color to the 2001; the nose on this popped & poured wine is a little unfocused right now - nothing objectionable, but nothing overly noteworthy either.
More red-fruited and less open than the 2001 - this comes across as the younger wine, and is less accessible right now than a couple of other '99's I've had in the past few months like Caparzo and Pertimali. The fruit here even comes across somewhat tart - we'll see if this opens up and relaxes a bit with dinner.
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8/5/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
indigo color with slightest caramel coloring on the edges. Nose with light honey, dark cherries, faint aroma of plasticity -- other tasters likened it to the smell of new (not worn!) tennis shoes/tires though this was less obvious to me. Palate with slight caramel, red fruits, tea flavors. still fresh and drinking well now but don't think this will develop much further, would drink now. 92 pts
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7/16/2017 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another terrific bottle. Fully mature. Tannins are resolved. Lovely sappy cherry earth leather and balsam. Time to drink these!!
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2/5/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet wine flaunts a gorgeous bouquet of Bing cherries, red currants, allspice, cocoa and cigar box. Medium-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (14%) and with soft residual tannins, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays nicely dense on the mid-palate. Closing with impressive length, there is no doubt that this one has found its sweet spot. It should be at its best over the next 2-3 years. Drink now-2020.
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12/30/2016 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
decanted 1.5 hours (*zero sediment still! is this wine filtered?). still quite garnet to the core w/pink rim; saddle leather, dried sour cherry preserves, black spice, lots of soil; med weight, a bit leaner than the last bottle; fruit is direct & at that point nearing maturity, concentrated & intense wild sour cherries, assertive acids that demand food & amplify the slightly pucker-ey finish. better than fine w/supper, will it develop further?
rigatoni w/ragu of red wine-braised turkey thigh, glazed cippollini onions & wild-foraged oyster mushrooms
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12/18/2016 - Bob H Likes this wine:
Day 2 note from a bottle opened at DeLorenzo's Pizza in Trenton last night (definitely worth the trip!).
Darker translucent ruby in the glass, with a very complex nose that has a lot going on; more black fruits than red, a dash o' funk - for lack of better words, a brooding nose.
The acidity here really focuses the wine on the palate - nice length on the finish. We had this last night with a 2009 Stella di Campalto BdM that we both preferred (no TN), but this is still drinking well.
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11/26/2016 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted then 1+ hours of slo-ox. Not enough, as it took a bit more time to open fully. Nose of cigar box, followed by a palate of red cherries, leather, earth, cedar and a touch of spice. The tannins were well integrated, and the acidity made for a well balanced wine. As good as the previous bottle in June. No reason to hold - drink in next 2 years or so.
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10/26/2016 - awinestory wrote: 92 Points
Very fresh and youthful! Garnet color, aromas of dark cherry and chocolate, silky tannins, vibrant acidity. Focused structure and long finish.
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10/18/2016 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Cellared for a dozen years. Brunello was kind of a big deal when I bought these. Doesn't interest me so much anymore. Admittedly this isn't the best age to drink this, with the fruit having lost a lot of freshness and faded to an autumnal cast without yet having taken the next step to actual maturity. And it does show some sophistication at least in terms of texture - it has a billowing, mouthfilling presence. It's more plump than a Brunello from Biondi-Santi (my fave) though. Segues from a red- to black-fruit complexion over the course of the bottle and I was hoping it would also freshen up a bit or show some more definition, but it mostly stayed in a holding pattern. Needs at least a few more years to pick up some more development - hope there is some more personality there when it does.
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9/18/2016 - wa2ofd Likes this wine: 88 Points
Last one...should have let sit a bit before it was devoured...
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8/4/2016 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Sangio night (Osteria Langhe): Open ~45 minutes before tasting. Full nose is dense and concentrated with layers of dried plum, herbs and spice. Palate is smooth with medium body fruit and a mature profile. Nice acidity keeps it fresh and persistent. Nice spice character along with the dried plums. Not overly complex, but in harmony and full of character.
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7/17/2016 - honest bob wrote: 86 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Nearly a decade on from my previous bottle –oops, I waited too long. Despite perfect storage this has turned into a red-brown, acid-crabby, old oak-spoiled, old-school wine, like a not very successful old-school Rioja. 20-year old Bodegas Paternina Banda Azul, anyone? Nope, I thought not. The redeeming points are a balsamic, herbal warmth on the nose and gentle, even noble residual sweetness on the entry. But the tannic carapace at the finish is tongue-puckering and the acid afterburn less than enjoyable. Will hold at this modest level for a couple of years, but this might be one to give as a generous present to a Sangiovese-masochist rather than to open yourself in expectation of pleasure from a wine you paid 36 Euro for, 12 years ago. Even at today's interest rates, that was a BAD deal. (85)-86P
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7/5/2016 - Bob H Likes this wine:
Maybe a shade lighter than the 2001; less going on here with the nose, with red fruits and a savory accent that is somewhat enticing.
Fresh, lean, red-fruited, medium-bodied. This is nice, but it is interesting just how different the two vintages are side-by-side. While this is the older wine, it drinks younger right now (also popped & poured).
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6/25/2016 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at PnP -- too rough. Benefited from a two hour decant that absolutely rounded the edges and added substance to this fine Brunello. I'd have to agree with many of the TNs here -- red cherries, leather, earth, and a touch of spice. The tannins were well integrated, and the acidity made it a great match for the mustard-cognac basted lamb chops. Not sure how much longer these can provide this level of enjoyment (3 - 4 years?), so drink up.
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4/17/2016 - gthelen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hour and drank over several days. Plenty of unwavering power with no hard edges. Very enjoyable.
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2/19/2016 - wa2ofd Likes this wine:
Just terrific this evening!
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2/16/2016 - devraj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Replacement xtra bottle that I luckily bought as the f$%#*g 1999 Fanti was corked. Brickish red in color. Lifted aromas of tobacco, forest floor, licorice and muted black cherries. Medium bodied on the palate with brisk acidity, sweet-tart crushed cherries, licorice, leather and wet leaves on the finish. If this representative drink up over the next 3-5 years.
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1/21/2016 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another terrific bottle. Fully mature. Lovely.
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10/11/2015 - prism wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for two hours. Tasty, and with very fine, interesting tannins, but a little dull overall. Very mature and, IMO, nearing the end of its effective life. Drink up.
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9/14/2015 - Bob H Likes this wine:
A couple shades darker at the core than the Altero, lightening out to translucence on the rim; interesting nose that I would difficulty describing accurately other than to say that it "feels autumnal" - this was also popped & poured, and may just need some air to freshen it up.
Similarly smooth on the palate, although this wine is more of a black and red fruit mixture than the Altero - to be honest, it had been a few years since I had checked in on any '99 Brunello, and I am pleasantly surprised how well the Caparzo, Altero and this wine have all shown this week. Like my comment regarding the Altero, if you have this in the cellar, do yourself a favor and check out a bottle soon.
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6/6/2015 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Dark scarlet. Nose of dried cherry, leather, earth. On the palate earthy tones, sweet cherry and plum. Lots of grip. Delicious.
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2/22/2015 - cabber Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious. Decanted about 45 minutes. Deep ruby color, medium body, nose of cherry, floral, tobacco, earth. Nice balance and food friendly acidity. Paired nicely with swordfish and Greek side dishes.
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1/17/2015 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Generous full nose has aged red fruit with prominent earth notes and a hint of spice. Palate is medium-to-full bodied with chewy red fruit. Good suave tannin and still-crunchy acidity. Nice complexity of flavor as the red fruit is clearly mature with plenty of earth-driven notes. At peak ... my best bottle yet.
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12/1/2014 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
The wine exhibited a ruby red hue in the glass with a complex and intense bouquet, while the palate displayed a full-bodied wine comprised of wonderful purity, complexity and focus. It finished with length and elegance.
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9/13/2014 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious wine showing some tertiary characteristics.
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9/10/2014 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
Blind Tasting in Astoria: ripe, lush fruit, this was most like a cab/bdx blend. very deep structure. perhaps in need of time. some herbs and iron with more time. this was very powerful - again surprised to see this as brunello.
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8/26/2014 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is drinking really well. Color shows medium transparent ruby with some bricking on the edge. Popped and poured and then sampled over 4 hours. This wine will hold for years yet, but it is in its drinking window with delightful balance. The tannins and acids provide grip and interest. Red fruits, balsam, earth and a long savory finish.
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6/8/2014 - pigdaddy wrote: 92 Points
decanted one hour (essentially zero sediment). brilliant dark red; herbs, mint, coffee bean, pipe tobacco, pure dark red cherry beneath all the savory aromatics; med+ weight; intense dark sour cherry, menthol, cedar, turned earth, persistent, long & vibrant. in its window of deliciousness, w/lots of gas in the tank.
grilled quail, lemon-balsamic glaze; choice local spring veg (gold & chioggia beets, hakurei turnips, green & wax beans, cauliflower, favas, radishes, grilled spring onions & radicchio), basil & mint, shaved parm, sorghum-sherry vinaigrette
1/28/2015 decanted one hour. deep garnet fading to umber rim; as special as previous bottle, w/dynamic spice cake, tobacco & wild cherry aromatics; very pure & balanced; to my palate, at apogee, w/refined structure to go on for a considerable time (92)
risotto w/tuscan kale pesto, chorizo, roasted kuri squash, tuscan kale & hazelnuts
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5/25/2014 - spineguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of sweet tobacco, earth, and a hint of cedar. Nicely between dusty old world and fruit presence in an new world wine. Well integrated and medium body. Fully mature and did not need decanting (taste before you consider decanter). Average finish and lost a few points on this. Drinking very well now, possibly at its best but may have a few good years left. If you have several, open one now!
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5/17/2014 - cmiller Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious! Clearly ready to drink right now. Very fragrant nose. Absolutely delicious on the palate; bright red fruit predominating. The finish was subtle but delightful. Went very well with Judy's bracchiole and sun-dried tomato risotto!
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4/29/2014 - devraj Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow o'd for ~6 h. Dark ruby red in color. Captivating aromas of pipe tobacco, dark cherries, licorice, dusty soil and violets on the nose. A medium bodied palate shows good depth to the ripe dark crushed berries, earth, tobacco, medium+ acidity and a licorice tinged finish.
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3/27/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Chicago Italian Lovers round 9- 99 Brunellos for the first anniversary of the group (Vinci, Chicago): Nose: Very young and intense with dark red cherries, licorice, red fruits, dark red berries, perfumes, and some violets. While there is intensity to the fruit, it is far from overdone with real depth and layering.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acid and chewy tannins. While the feel is on the bigger and youthful side, it's well balanced and youthful with dark red cherries, licorice, dark red berries, violets, roasted herbs, and some spice notes.
Overall: A lovely and young wine. There is good density, depth, and intensity to it. While it is more intense, it still shows off a savory side with excellent balance across the nose and palate.
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2/11/2014 - paolonardi wrote: 93 Points
Brunello di Montalcino: Viene introdotto come la possibile sintesi dei terroir di Montalcino, vigna molto soleggiata ma anche molto alta che dona buone maturità aromatiche. Profondo e austero, mentolato, idea di profondità sotto alla terra, una caverna, minerale verticale, foglie umide, china, caffè in polvere, un vino boschivo, e anche un po' schivo, da cercare. Più complesso che intenso. Vibra come un vino giovanissimo tra il frutto croccante che sublima in sale e poi di nuovo in agrume. Lunghissimo.
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12/10/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
An afternoon of Pasta and Italians (Vince & Lisa's): Really in a nice place mature, but with lots of life left. A nose of tea leaves, dried cherries, some fresh cherries and loam. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, complex and layered. Cherries, dried cherries, forest floor. Nice balance. Good acidity. Works well with food. Got better with air and even a bit younger.
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11/6/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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8/17/2013 - TheWinedown Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two hours of air. Medium body, medium acid, lush medium tannins Heavy notes of earth, very slight barnyard, mushrooms, just-lit match of sulfur (but truly in a good sense...I think it was more from mineral/earth notes, not from actual sulfur). Still completely vibrant with plenty of fruit coming forward - stewed cherries, raspberries. Long finish.
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6/10/2013 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
This wine never disappoints, and this bottle was exceptional. So much going on, and tons of power. Terrific juice. and a relative bargain in the Brunello world.
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4/29/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Otis at my 50th birthday party. No formal notes. 92-93 points.
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2/9/2013 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Brought to Christina's (Ketchum), popped and poured. Dark garnet-ruby. Beautiful nose of dried flowers, cherry, red plum, earth, and leather, with an interesting component of soy joining in later. Savory flavors of burnished cherry, plum, char, and saline on the palate with energizing acidity and rounded, firm tannins. Long finish of red cherry, anise, and satisfying sweet grip. The meal and the wine married perfectly. I suspect this Brunello will only improve.
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12/30/2012 - Neurowine1 wrote: 89 Points
Unfortunately, this one got lost in the shuffle of a large party with a lot of wine. Not the awesome experience of the last bottle I had of this in April, but still excellent at the very least. Like all great wines, best to enjoy in a more focused manner. Black cherry is the only thing that I really recall of this wine from last night.
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12/27/2012 - Jochems Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a great wine! Getting close to the fabulous '97 from this producer, and way ahead of most wines that came out of this vineyard since (with perhaps '06 getting back on track again...).
Deep ruby/red color with no sign of ambering yet. Beautiful aromas of dark cherry, sweet tobacco and dried herbs and some red licorice and wet earth evolving in the glass. Full bodied with smooth, well integrated, tannins and a great acidity balance with some sweetness of fruit. The finish keeps on lingering and remains fresh throughout.
This is some graceously aged classic Brunello. It will most certainly last for many years to come, and might even develop a bit more complexity. Drink now - 2019 (NB this is based on a Magnum bought directly in Montalcino a few months back).
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12/24/2012 - PFra wrote: 90 Points
Light red berry, mineral, soft and pure fruit, more evolved than expected.
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12/13/2012 - Pknut wrote:
On the initial entry, I note the smoothness of the sides and some pine forest on the palate. After an hour, I wonder whether the fruit is waning, as it's not showing much fruit, especially vis. past bottles. At three hours, the fruit is back. The palate has tightened up, but is more effusive, with raspberries and dark chocolate, and is pretty impressive now. There is good red and dark fruit, nice acids and structure on the finish, good vibrant fruit, juicy, but kept back by good structure. This has really blossomed with four hours of air and is quite nice. Long, juicy, cherry finish. Didn't hold up well overnight, with the fruit having receded. I would give this a good decant, and drink it in one night.
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11/17/2012 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Gorgeous, medium-full nose of spice, herbs, tarry red fruit. Palate bursts with juicy red fruit and tea notes. Smooth fruit with resolved tannin and an underlying kick of acidity. Strong through the mid-palate into a medium+ finish. Really nice brunello that seems to be in stride. See no reason to hold any longer.
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6/17/2012 - spineguy wrote: 90 Points
Refined but lacked concentration.
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6/2/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
No decant.
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4/27/2012 - Pknut wrote:
Very good showing. Lively, young palate of red fruits (cherries, raspberry, red currant and later, in line with Sangio, more sour cherry), tea and a tarry, asphalt-like undercurrent. The oak has integrated well, although there is still a dark, California-like aspect to the palate, i.e., ripe fruit, velour tannins (when velvety tannins smooth out somewhat), and oak. While the sides have been smoothed with cellar age, there is still tannin which, along with the healthy acidity, will allow for years longer. I've had mixed results with Ciacci's Pianrosso - some have been excellent, some (like the '01 and '99 at a dinner with Fernando and JM back in the summer of 2008) have been sloppy, oaky messes. This bottle was very enjoyable. I opened it Friday night, sipped some leftovers on Saturday and again on Sunday, and, very surprisingly, there was no degradation.
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4/16/2012 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
I had actually meant to grab a 1997, but wow oh wow is this 1999 absolutely singing right now. Soaring aromatics with an amazing base note of tobacco and pine. The palate is about as close to Burgundy as Sangiovese will ever get, really showing amazing delicacy and precision with gorgeous cherry and tea notes.
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4/9/2012 - Neurowine1 wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely beautiful multilayered typical brunelli. Dark cherries, black overipe plums, spice, leather, bark, olives, ripe tannins, etc etc. The whole package here. Impeccable acid balance. Hard to imagine this wine has ever drunk better or ever will drink better than it is drinking today. Really spot on, sexy, clean and pure expression of brunello at its best. I wish I had a case!
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2/25/2012 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Iron, violet, cherry, beef jus, smoky incense tones on the nose. High-toned, bright fruit, fresh aromatics. Bright, maturing, and approachable on the palate. Cranberry fruit with a touch of perfume, seaweed, minerals. Great stuff.
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1/22/2012 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Very classical and in a strong tannic year with aging potential. This is hardly a babe that is teething. Good structure , racy dark cherry fruit body, spme tar and leather , dark roses and a long enough finish. A little straddle between a classic style and a modern powderful one. Good potential.
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1/21/2012 - Mingmong wrote: 91 Points
Spice, dark red florals perfumed nose. Soft gentle red cherries and strawberries. Supple tannins, and plummy finish. Would benefit from more time.
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1/21/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Pre-CNY Lunch at Brian's (Moonbeam View): This had been sitting in the decanter for a couple of hours before I got to it. I thought it was very good indeed - a slight step up from the 2001 Argiano that we had alongside. The nose was still a bit tight, but it showed classic BdM notes of slightly dried blackberries, strawberries, and plums wreathed with notes of dusty earth, smoke and dried Italian herbs, all patted down with damp earthy aromas. A bit reticent there, but I thought that the palate was quite lovely, with its deep black fruited flavours shading from black cherries to plums. Plump, fleshy, but these were couched in firm but still super fine tannins and wonderfully balanced with juicy acidity. It had a pretty finish too, with some flowery accents wed to the black fruited undertones. Like the Argiano, this is still very young, but there is a lot going on here and I am sure it will be a beautiful wine given enough time in the bottle. One to try in say another 5 to 6 years.
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11/21/2011 - Pknut wrote:
In the 2.2 years since my last bottle, this seems to have shed some weight and intensity. Still shows deep cherry fruit, tobacco and Sangio herbs, but a step down in intensity and more relaxed. Both the oak and the tannins have molded well into the palate. The finish is surprisingly impressive, as if the focus has shifted from palate to finish. No criticisms here, just mellower than expected and it's somewhat surprising that a '99 Brunello of this stature seems to be at a peak, or has plateaued, already.
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11/5/2011 - matteovino wrote: 92 Points
The fourth bottle in about four years, this might have been the best. The 99 just seems really at ease after about 15-20 minutes (those first few minutes are another thing entirely). Lovely fruit, plenty of relaxed acid and a hint of tannic backbone to keep things together. The fruit is typical sangiovese cherry, but softened by time and some oak.
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10/2/2011 - MJHDC wrote:
A deep ruby red, very classy, rich, and smooth. Good acidity and Sangiovese character. As is commonly noted about Ciacci, the wine has power yet is elegant. I bought these not long after drinking (and enjoying) the 1997 in Montalcino, but this bottle was, if anything, better. It is more fresh and balanced, the difference between a peach that is perfectly ripe (the '99) and one that is luscious but just a tad overripe (the '97).
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9/15/2011 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Slow-O 4 hours. PurpleDrank's notes are the same as my own, basically. This continued to add weight and complexity with each successive pour. Some wines have a subconscious control mechanism that makes you drink more slowly, adding time to savor and contemplate, this is such a wine. Drink thru 2019, recommended.
https://italianwine.blog/
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8/24/2011 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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7/25/2011 - krispi wrote:
A bit disappointed. Tired, slightly oxidized. Maybe an off bottle
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7/23/2011 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful, bold nose - smoke, red fruit, flowers and spice. Palate is unlike the nose in that its medium bodied and has soft elegance. Well balanced with acidity and fine tannin. Nice complex flavor profile - bringing together mature red fruit, spice, sun-dried tomato. Medium plus finish.
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6/18/2011 - gukarl wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding!
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1/6/2011 - otisabdul wrote: 90 Points
Smooth and integrated. Ready to drink. Lovely violet notes.
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10/25/2010 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Silky, sleek, sexy Brunello. Beautiful incense tones, red fruit, cherries, floral and expressive. Rich but restrained with great acidity makes it awesome with food or solo. Loved this.
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9/22/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poppy at Campania (Campania in Dallas, TX): Tasted non blind. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Slightly tight nose of leather, black berries, rose petals and white pepper. Flavors of berries and cherries. Bright acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with some slow oxygenation or continue to hold into the medium term. 93-94?
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12/31/2009 - jaimetown wrote: 91 Points
Dark berry fruit flavors, giving way to some black tea elements. Losing some of the lush texture, but gaining complexity - drinking nicely.
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9/19/2009 - taiwanreef wrote:
Zu Hannes 40 verkostet, hat ihn erkannt, 2 Stunden dekantieren, nicht so dicht wie 97
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9/11/2009 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at Otis' Cellar Diminishment Party. Second time I've had this vintage and this wine has improved since I last had it. This was an outstanding bottle and rivaled the 1997 Siro Pacenti at this event. Very earthy and chewy with primarily blcak cherry notes. It had a dry lipsmacking and long finish. Not as ggod as the classic 1997 Ciacci but wonderful noentheless. 93 points.
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8/24/2009 - Winetex wrote: 92 Points
92+
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8/13/2009 - Pknut wrote:
Lunch at Rothmann's with Bruce. This was an excellent showing for the '99 Ciacci Pianrosso, light years better than a bottle a year ago (same venue with James and Fernando, when this wine showed simple and oaky). Lots to enjoy here - great Sangio cherry fruit, good balance, with the underlying richness than differentiates Brunello from Chianti, along with sweet leather, sweet tannin, plenty of acidity and terrific length, focus and richness. Didn't need more than an hour or so in the glass to open up and show its charms. A solid showing.
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6/27/2009 - otisabdul wrote: 90 Points
Solid brunello, with supple texture and mouthfeel, and modern style fruit profile. Nothing terribly distinctive about it however. Could use some angularity. Best after 45 minutes of air.
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4/20/2009 - Pool Boy wrote: 92 Points
Elegant, supple, and delicious. LEather, dark brooding fruits, some nuttiness, earthy well drained soil elements (thin of excellent compost) and some herb or plant I could not begin to describe. Maybe even a wiff of balsamico. Great bottle of wine. 92pts.
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3/1/2009 - Employee500 wrote: 92 Points
If only all 92-point wines were this good ; ) Really, this is textbook Brunello, elegant, sophisticated, balanced, understated and beautiful. Cherries with hints of rose petals, leather and tar. Great finish. Absolutely gulpable, this 1.5 L lasted about 30 minutes with 4 people.
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2/28/2009 - steffenpelz wrote:
Open a bottle evening (chez Shannon and David): Although I don't think this touched the Margaux or the Clos Fourtet last night, it was clearly a very good wine. The only deduction (and a sizeable for me) is that I found it near impossible to identify this as Brunello, even after the wine was revealed. It had old world acid and structure, but the fruit and viscosity could have been from anywhere in the new world. Just a bit to too oily. That said, I still think it's very good and certainly NOT overoaked, which gives me hope that between the good acid levels, the structure, the ample fruit, and the low oak, this should gel into a very good wine down the road.
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2/28/2009 - Winetex wrote:
Open that Bottle Night 2009 Austin (Austin, TX): Hopefully these are in a phase because the last two bottles weren't up to expectations. It tasted like good wine from almost anywhere although its acid structure screamed Italy. Our additional bottles will stay in the cellar in hopes of improvement.
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2/23/2009 - pbjosh wrote: 93 Points
Give this several hours of air. On the nose this is rich and deep with red fruits, sweet loamy earth, leather, lots of cocoa powder, herbs and dust. On the palate bountiful acidity marries to a ton of sweet fruit with a fair shake of remaining tanning though nothing obtrusive. This has a lot of stuffing and will need several more years to really shine. You can drink now if you want the sweet fruit, or wait 3-5 years for maturity and more complexity. In comparison to the 01 this shows a touch riper and fleshier and a touch less pure. I might slightly prefer the 01. Both are excellent on an absolute level and particularly for their cost.
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1/26/2009 - mightykwan wrote: 88 Points
solid wine, but nothing to knock you over. Agree with the previous taster that said it was missing some depth. I would drink what you've got now.
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11/21/2008 - Employee500 wrote: flawed
corked magnum :(
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8/18/2008 - Winetex wrote:
No rating; A lovely nose but completely muted on the palate; This did not taste like the same wine tasted at the winery and a previous bottle. Not much on the palate (little fruit) but heavy oak tasting like coffee. A puzzling bottle, probably not flawed but something was going on.
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6/13/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 83 Points
Wine-Pages.com Italian Wines Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A very curious, refined nose with some redness and lots of honey (thanks Emma). Very ripe fruit on the attack, feeling very silky. But then it falls away quickly (yet another wine to fall away too quickly), ending up with just grippy tannins, without anything to sustain them.
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5/12/2008 - rsepulve wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Beautiful, complex nose of cherries, tar, smoke and flowers. Great red fruit and floral flavors (at least what I imagine flowers would taste like!). Drying tannins on the finish. Really great wine that still needs a few years.
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4/10/2008 - GPujia wrote: 88 Points
Good Brunello...dark fruits abound, smooth wine. Missing depth of flavor, but a good experience. Would probably go for the reserve next time.
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2/29/2008 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Didn't take formal notes, but this made a positive impression. It is drinking well now, though I'm sure it will have many fine years ahead.
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2/21/2008 - Maestro wrote: 92 Points
Aerated for three hours in a decanter. Tar, chocolate and crushed cherries on the generous nose. Very good extraction with a full body and deep flavors. Multi-dimensional and juicy, with a long finish displaying tones of smoke and earth. From now until 2015.
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11/16/2007 - jaimetown wrote: 91 Points
Supple and seductive, this bottle of Brunello drank well with no decanting (though it improved over the evening in the glass). Dark fruits, a little mineral and slight hints of soy proved to be a great match with Peking Duck.
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8/14/2007 - 1800kidney wrote: 92 Points
Terrific Brunello...lovely nose with plums and hint of lavendar coming through, round mouthfeel and long finish. Decanted and then poured, seemed to be opening up but certainly has major long term potential
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3/24/2007 - Arch57 wrote: 93 Points
I donated this to a Tuscan Wine dinner my cousin and I hosted for a Farmington Land Trust auction event. It was decanted for 4 hours before serving which helped becuase the 1st sip was very closed. The wine followed a Vernaccia (white), Chianti, and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. It was a stunner, smooth and seductive with a nose of cherry fruit and earthiness. It caressed the palate and paired wonderful with a rosemary/garlic roast pork loin. We as hosts only had a small glass each but we were very glad to see the reactions from the guests who were experiencing their first Brunello.
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2/15/2007 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Italian Night at Wally's (Barrington, IL): Bright amber red. Initially subdued nose of chocolate and prunes opens with time in the glass. Tight, restrained dark fruit struggle to show their stuff. Solid core of acid and tannin. This is shut down for business - but has the stuffing to come through. Don't touch for another couple of years. (4+12+16+8=90+)
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12/1/2006 - honest bob wrote: 85 Points
Very disappointing. Sweet and flabby, no structure. Try again in 3 years when sweetness has reduced. 85P
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11/4/2006 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Poured at a retailer tasting. Ruby color. Smoky plum, leather and rose petal aromas. Full bodied with dark fruit, plum and brown sugar flavors.
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10/29/2006 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Seattle Tasting Group does Italy (Bellevue, WA): Clearly the class of the flight. Tar and roses on the nose, delicate, with some juniper or pine. Mmm, juicy and briary on entry, really mouthfilling. Lavender/violet notes spread within the mouth. This is a joy to drink, a really dynamic, complex wine.
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10/3/2006 - TomH wrote: 92 Points
Very good, three more years till prime
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8/15/2006 - Doug House wrote:
With an hour or so of air, drinking very well. Nose isn't there yet -- just hints of leather, cherry, and some funk -- but ripe, rich, and rollicking in the mouth. I love the interplay of the very ripe fruit and brisk, bright, acids. Even with a good bit of air, still quite tannic and plenty of room to grow, but fun and delicious now.
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4/29/2006 - Arch57 wrote: 92 Points
This was lugged back from our Tuscany trip in Sep-05 and we shared it with good friends who are taking the same trip in May-06. I tasted a sip on opening and was a bit worried because it was nothing special. However, I planned to decant for 2-3 hours before we served it so I hoped it would open up. Well after our Colli Senesi Chianti opener we sat down to sliced tenderloin with herbed olive oil and the Brunello. It got the "wow" from the guests as the savored the long finish and the spicy nose. Overall reminds us why we are big Brunello fans. They can be big but still pair well with hearty fare.
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3/17/2006 - Doug House wrote:
At Colvin Run Tavern, showed much less open and accessible than a bottle a few months ago. Tight nose with cedary/mineral smells. In the mouth, constricted and compressed and cramped. This needed decanting tonight and was clearly just too young. Having had 4 of these since release, I think this may be shutting down now for a bit.
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1/4/2006 - Winetex wrote: 93 Points
93 with potential. Dark, clear purple in color throwing slight sediment. Tasted and purchased at the winery this was a terrific Brunello Riserva. Clearly this needs years but sometimes you have to find out just how many. The nose was spicy with dark fruit and earthy notes. The flavors included blackberry and more earth (stones?). Oddly this finished much like a nebbiolo with the floral roses and tar. The finish is notable for its length - about 30 seconds. Bravo CP.
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1/3/2006 - Doug House wrote:
I like this wine a lot just because it tastes good. I'm not sure it's really "brunello" per se, but very, very, fun to drink. Spicy red fruit nose with still some wood showing, zingy ripe red fruit, truffle, woodsy flavors and a nice long finish. I'm sure it will get better, but made a lovely wine to go with a seared tuna salad and marrinated veggies.
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9/8/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
For those who put their faith in Daniel Thomases (the new Italian reviewer for the WA), let this wine be a lesson to you. He wrote of this wine: "One of the best Ciacci's to date". Only if you haven't tried the 1997 (a vintage which he claims is falling apart very quickly). This 1999 is a very good wine but cannot hold a torch to the 1997. No formal notes. 90-91 points.
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8/27/2005 - futronic wrote: 89 Points
Medium-dark ruby colour with synthetic aromas of acetone and varnish. Also notes of vanilla, cocoa, and black plum. Full-bodied, with currant, spice, cocoa, tar. Moderate length finish, 30s, with black fruit.
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8/27/2005 - Winetex wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at Otis' Cellar Diminishment Party; A great nose of plums and spices. Clearly very young and in need of years of aging. Complex and interesting but not a traditional Brunello style.
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8/27/2005 - otisabdul wrote: 91 Points
Great nose of violets, wild blackberries and suede. Very closed on the palate. Will try my next bottle after 2009.
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10/24/2004 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours before pouring, this Brunello is remarkable for its seamlessness of flavor and suave texture without any rough edges or rusticity. On the palate it conveys beautifully integrated red-berry flavors with the slightest impression of raw, untoasted wood lurking in the background. The flavors are almost Chianti-like, yet with noble elegance and restraint and no tannic coarseness. A Burgundian Brunello, this performs beautifully now and can only improve by showing something, anything, on the nose.
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