Assertive tannins followed by full bodied fruit. A voluptuous body once you get passed the initial tannins. A beautiful melange of brambly blackberries and red fruit. Nice complexity. Very enjoyable.
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This wine is not yet ready to even begin drinking. Yes I am referring to the 2008 vintage, which is hard to believe. This after a quick double decant to clear the sediment. 91 points for lots of promise.
Castello dei Rampolla, d’Alceo, dégustation verticale | Caratello | 5 septembre 2021 | Dolder, Zürich Dégustation verticale de 10 millésimes de « d’Alceo » du Castello dei Rampola (Vigna d’Alceo jusqu’en 1998). Globalement, une très belle dégustation pour ce vin phare du domaine (assemblage de 85% de Cabernet Sauvignon et de 15% de Petit Verdot). Si les millésimes 1996, 1998 et 2000 étaient un peu trop évolués pour moi, les 2006 et 2010 étaient absolument magiques. Bonnes notes également pour les 2015 et 2016 qui sont promis à un très bel avenir. Je suis par contre un peu plus sceptique sur les 2003, 2008 et 2014 qui ne m’ont pas véritablement emballé. 2008 : sombre, un peu alcoolique au nez, tannins durs, un peu séchards, clair manque d’équilibre, pas sûr que les tannins ne s’arrondissent avec le temps, clairement en retrait des 2006 et 2010.
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Gorgeous Brdx blend from the heart of Chianti Classico area, Panzano. Ready to drink after opened for a day. Last sips after 6 days. Amarena cherry, cassis, flowers on the nose. Dusty tannins and long taste.
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Not nearly ready to drink yet. Tannic and tight. That said, the underlying raw materials are very promising. Beautiful nose of blackberry and eucalyptus. Great acidity and freshness. Dark brooding fruit with figs. Needs another 10 years. Coravin sample.
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Opening: powerful pugnant nose. Blackberry galore. Already a lot going on on the palet, but monolothic. Black fruit is in the foreground, medium+ acidity, m+ tannin. Length of 30 seconds. Decanting now 8 hours before dinner...
Great showing. The wine opened up nicely with decant. Drinks like a very fine left bank bordeaux. Pure, decisive, intense, long.
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Quick note from a 2008 bdx varietal tasting -Bdx in structure and most of the prominent flavors with just a touch of tomato leaf letting you know it’s a Italian.
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Wine eight of nine, all 2008 Bordeaux varieties (also tasted the following evening):
The outlier of the flight, and the only wine that showed too young. Veritably powerful! Packing medium plus acid and medium plus to high tannin. Built for the long haul. Decidedly promising, wholly unyielding.
Even on the second day, while somewhat more open, it begged for no less than another decades' rest.
Off-the-chain substance and quality. 95-97...98?
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Coravin taste. Big, big nose with lots of dark fruit and herbs and some oak. Also big on the palate and still young, but one can see that it is starting to come into form. Still think this will be better several years down the road, though. Has it all going on, with great potential.
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If you are open to some garnet ass, and I mean in an Old Worldly good way, then grab this one. By ass I mean it's got that barnyardiness some can't get past. These are the folks I never invite over when serving big Bordeaux - a wine like this is a waste on them. This one offers layers of fruit, clove and the things we all love - oh, it just tastes good. The wine has a 30-40 second finish. Needs steak to really enjoy. Cranking up the grill, now.
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Drank over three days, sampling it alongside the 21 wines for which I entered CT notes immediately preceding this one. This wine stood out! A densely packed, brooding, structured, veritably magnificent offering. Though it opened nicely with air, it requires years to show its best. While most of the 21 were 8-15 year wines, this one should last 25-30+ years. It features the pure elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by the perfume of Petit Verdot, stunning terroir scents and tastes, a bracing mouthfeel, and a finish that does not quit.
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Dark purple. Expressive nose of the full spectrum of blue fruit (blue and blackberry, cassis) with a strong pine tree undertone as well, the CabSav shines through. Hits the palate with dense and ripe fruit and racy acidity as well, different to Medoc and Napa in both mouth feel and aromatics. A terroir driven wine with a sense of place and an excellent expression of a Bdx blend. Decant or wait till 2018. 95-96
Amazing wine but a bit to early to drink.. Unless you decant it for a good few hours... Im definitly keeping the rest of the bottles a few more years in the cellar before i open the next one...
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Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Restraint but very sophisticated nose of blackberries, cassis, sweet spices, some earth and coffee, as well as some elderflowers. It's full-bodied and super dense but without being heavy, has medium-high acidity providing freshness and medium-high tannin adding grip. Very long finish. A very elegant and powerful Alceo, but with a great sense of harmony. I would still put it away for a few more years and than watch the magic happen...
Tasted @ Vinitaly 2013. Almost black purple color. Impressive nose of dark fruits, blackberries, some coffee, black currant and spices. More on the modern side in style, but very balanced and not overextracted. Beautiful aromatics on the palate of dark fruits, black currants, some spices, chocolate. Very complex. Huge body and great lenghts. Usually I prefer the Sammarco (for it's personality) but this time they are both up in the sky...
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2/24/2024 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Assertive tannins followed by full bodied fruit. A voluptuous body once you get passed the initial tannins. A beautiful melange of brambly blackberries and red fruit. Nice complexity. Very enjoyable.
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10/12/2023 - El_Dougo Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is not yet ready to even begin drinking. Yes I am referring to the 2008 vintage, which is hard to believe. This after a quick double decant to clear the sediment. 91 points for lots of promise.
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7/13/2023 - brasstab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not quite as transcendent as the last time. A little oxidized on the nose. But the mid and the finish were pretty spectacular.
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9/5/2021 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 91 Points
Castello dei Rampolla, d’Alceo, dégustation verticale | Caratello | 5 septembre 2021 | Dolder, Zürich
Dégustation verticale de 10 millésimes de « d’Alceo » du Castello dei Rampola (Vigna d’Alceo jusqu’en 1998). Globalement, une très belle dégustation pour ce vin phare du domaine (assemblage de 85% de Cabernet Sauvignon et de 15% de Petit Verdot). Si les millésimes 1996, 1998 et 2000 étaient un peu trop évolués pour moi, les 2006 et 2010 étaient absolument magiques. Bonnes notes également pour les 2015 et 2016 qui sont promis à un très bel avenir. Je suis par contre un peu plus sceptique sur les 2003, 2008 et 2014 qui ne m’ont pas véritablement emballé.
2008 : sombre, un peu alcoolique au nez, tannins durs, un peu séchards, clair manque d’équilibre, pas sûr que les tannins ne s’arrondissent avec le temps, clairement en retrait des 2006 et 2010.
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7/10/2020 - Castello della Gatta wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous Brdx blend from the heart of Chianti Classico area, Panzano. Ready to drink after opened for a day. Last sips after 6 days. Amarena cherry, cassis, flowers on the nose. Dusty tannins and long taste.
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12/7/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Not nearly ready to drink yet. Tannic and tight. That said, the underlying raw materials are very promising. Beautiful nose of blackberry and eucalyptus. Great acidity and freshness. Dark brooding fruit with figs. Needs another 10 years. Coravin sample.
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11/16/2019 - CharlatanDario wrote: 96 Points
Opening: powerful pugnant nose. Blackberry galore. Already a lot going on on the palet, but monolothic. Black fruit is in the foreground, medium+ acidity, m+ tannin. Length of 30 seconds. Decanting now 8 hours before dinner...
Great showing. The wine opened up nicely with decant. Drinks like a very fine left bank bordeaux. Pure, decisive, intense, long.
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8/1/2019 - Marcus Vin Rouge Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice dark fruit on the nose, layers of spice. Dark fruit/black current and spice. Soft integrared tannins. Great wine to drink now and 5 years.
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5/24/2019 - bajayngo wrote:
Quick note from a 2008 bdx varietal tasting -Bdx in structure and most of the prominent flavors with just a touch of tomato leaf letting you know it’s a Italian.
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4/26/2019 - Motz wrote: 96 Points
Wine eight of nine, all 2008 Bordeaux varieties (also tasted the following evening):
The outlier of the flight, and the only wine that showed too young. Veritably powerful! Packing medium plus acid and medium plus to high tannin. Built for the long haul. Decidedly promising, wholly unyielding.
Even on the second day, while somewhat more open, it begged for no less than another decades' rest.
Off-the-chain substance and quality. 95-97...98?
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3/2/2019 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding! Well worth the wait. Very balanced.
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11/5/2018 - soyhead wrote:
limited notes - showing great--excellent balance, big fruit without being over the top. Has lots of life still.
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2/16/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coravin taste. Big, big nose with lots of dark fruit and herbs and some oak. Also big on the palate and still young, but one can see that it is starting to come into form. Still think this will be better several years down the road, though. Has it all going on, with great potential.
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6/2/2017 - brasstab Likes this wine: 100 Points
Over-the-top brilliant. Delicious on every level. Great fruit, acid and spine, with power that enchants but doesn't overwhelm. Get it!
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5/8/2017 - Dough Boy wrote: 94 Points
If you are open to some garnet ass, and I mean in an Old Worldly good way, then grab this one. By ass I mean it's got that barnyardiness some can't get past. These are the folks I never invite over when serving big Bordeaux - a wine like this is a waste on them. This one offers layers of fruit, clove and the things we all love - oh, it just tastes good. The wine has a 30-40 second finish. Needs steak to really enjoy. Cranking up the grill, now.
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1/8/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice wine and soft mouthfeel with long finish. Delightful
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6/18/2015 - Motz wrote: 96 Points
Drank over three days, sampling it alongside the 21 wines for which I entered CT notes immediately preceding this one. This wine stood out! A densely packed, brooding, structured, veritably magnificent offering. Though it opened nicely with air, it requires years to show its best. While most of the 21 were 8-15 year wines, this one should last 25-30+ years. It features the pure elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by the perfume of Petit Verdot, stunning terroir scents and tastes, a bracing mouthfeel, and a finish that does not quit.
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5/4/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Dark purple. Expressive nose of the full spectrum of blue fruit (blue and blackberry, cassis) with a strong pine tree undertone as well, the CabSav shines through. Hits the palate with dense and ripe fruit and racy acidity as well, different to Medoc and Napa in both mouth feel and aromatics. A terroir driven wine with a sense of place and an excellent expression of a Bdx blend. Decant or wait till 2018. 95-96
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1/7/2015 - Midde wrote:
Amazing wine but a bit to early to drink.. Unless you decant it for a good few hours... Im definitly keeping the rest of the bottles a few more years in the cellar before i open the next one...
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9/8/2014 - Leoville_2012 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted along with the 08. More fruit forward and accessible. Great wine as well.
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9/7/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Restraint but very sophisticated nose of blackberries, cassis, sweet spices, some earth and coffee, as well as some elderflowers. It's full-bodied and super dense but without being heavy, has medium-high acidity providing freshness and medium-high tannin adding grip. Very long finish. A very elegant and powerful Alceo, but with a great sense of harmony. I would still put it away for a few more years and than watch the magic happen...
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6/8/2014 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
Russk. One of my WOTN at wizards. Some Petite verdot.
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4/8/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted @ Vinitaly 2013. Almost black purple color. Impressive nose of dark fruits, blackberries, some coffee, black currant and spices. More on the modern side in style, but very balanced and not overextracted. Beautiful aromatics on the palate of dark fruits, black currants, some spices, chocolate. Very complex. Huge body and great lenghts. Usually I prefer the Sammarco (for it's personality) but this time they are both up in the sky...
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