Heavy sediment. Filtered and aeriated. Decanted 3 hours. Dark red, heavy fruit, chocolate, leather. A little past it's prime I'm afraid but still enjoyable with a nice cigar.
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Gift from a friend in June 2009 and this wine did not disappoint.
The bottle has rested in a cool cellar since gifting. Ullage was good and cork was in great shape. Decanted with slight sedimentation. Color was quite dark with a blood red/slight brownish tinge. Overall, it looks healthy and is alive.
Nose and palate were quite similar with elements of cherry, licorice, leather, iron(?) minerality, and a bit of red apple on the finish. Maybe even a touch of balsamic richness and shades dark chocolate. This wine has plenty of integrated tannins within the darker portfolio of flavors. Reached it's zenith of flavors at about 30 to 45 minutes since opening.
Exceeded expectation. Quite pleased. This 2001 is still in the zone, but should be consumed over the next few years. Curious how other 2001 BdMs are doing?
(Served along side some grilled lamb, baked potato, and French green beans.)
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Any wine would have tasted good this evening. First patio dinner after the lCovid-19 lock down at Positano. Dark red and ripe fruit, dark chocolate and touch of forest floor. Balanced and decent finish. Drinking well but still has room to improve.
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Too much New Year’s fun to remember any detailed notes, my apologies. I did want to post a note for those that have bottles remaining at how shockingly young this bottle was. Took an hour or more in the decanter to open. If I had any more I would definitely wait at least 2 - 3 years before opening if they have been stored properly.
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Opened and decanted for our New Year’s Eve Gathering. Another fairly typical Banfi Brunello, modern, less than exciting but acceptable with spicy Mexican food. Nothing terribly notable about it, my last bottle from the vintage.
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At it's peak for sure. Drink up. L'il Rob visiting
Ruddy red, full bodied.
*Producers notes (accurate but subdued due to vintage)
Aromas of violets and vanilla, with hints of licorice. Velvety palate, with tart-cherry fl avors and traces of spice. Well structured with supple tannins, superb concentration, and good acidity. Persistent finish.
**MAGNUMS ARE BETTER!!**
Smoked a Caldwell Blindman's Bluff
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Dark red/purple color with some citrus in the bouquet. Ripe dark fruits, round and dense, but nicely balanced. Lacking some elegance and freshness, but very enjoyable. Might hold up a bit longer, but probably time to drink up.
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On the nose: Cherry, fine tuned berries, blueberry. On the palate, "typical Italian", cherry, morello, fine tannins and a good balance. Medium + finish
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Happy to revisit this truly outstanding wine after five years. Decanted for sediment and still drinking beautifully. Ruby in color, medium plus to deep in intensity, with a little garnet at the rim. Decanted it for about an hour. The nose is clean and medium plus in intensity, with wonderful aromas of wild berries, dried black plum, forest floor, mint/pine and cigar box. The nose is developing. The palate is dry, with medium to medium plus acidity to keep it lively. The alcohol is medium, The tannins are medium plus and provide a firm backbone. The flavor intensity, body and length are medium plus. The flavors are consistent with the nose but a little bit more developed. This wine is at the peak of its drinking plateau, or perhaps has started its glide path, but it has quite a few years left. This wine is big, but with finesse and elegance. It confirms that 2001 is one of the top vintages in the last 20 years.
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Good for food-pairing (Tepanyaki). Althoug not as delicate and fragrant as its riserva, but with 80% similarity. However, choose between this and riserva, price taken into consideration, I will choose riserva.
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After running the Doay of Rememberance 5k at VT, DDB and I drive to Greensboro for dinner with the Souths and JFO. John Fodera and I finally meet. I had to take this wine and so glad I did. Full of ripe red-pitted fruits, particularly cherry and plum. Absolutely singing. And while not the star of the night, it was in the top echalon.
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Decanted for two hours; no sediment. Deep ruby red color with some bricking. Restrained nose of cherries, vanilla and leather. Medium-bodied, nice balance of tart dark fruits, acids and tannins on the palate. Medium length finish. Still drinking well, but if I had any more bottles, I would drink them in the next year.
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Bright red, astringent and tannic!! Still a big wine, but softening with notes of tart cherry, leather, green pepper, forest floor, mushroom, red currant, blueberry, and green tobacco. Very tart.
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Brick red color commensurate with it's age. Classic Brunello taste, well balanced with integrated tannins. Good length and structure, this wine is in mid-peak drinking window and can probably hold for another 3-4 years. Drink now.
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Medium to dark garnet. Nose of oaky vanilla, cherry and licorice. Round and chewy but somewhat unfocused. It seems neither elegant nor powerful, but also not flawed in any obvious way, just unremarkable.
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I drank this wine twice about 8 months apart using a corbin inert gas dispenser. The first time the wine was much better than the second. The wine is excellent and probably at the end of its drinking window so I recommend drinking it if you have any bottles in your cellar.
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Not quite what expected, Still seemed very young, dark, no bricking at all, aromas of barnyard, leather, some berry and prune. Smooth tannins, no bite at all, quite full bodied, more fruit on the palate than the nose. Not overly exciting, maybe this is past its prime? doesn't seem old though. No sediment in the bottle.
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Opened up nicely. Lots of dark cherries in mouth. Fruit was very present and so were the tannins. Could still be cellared another five years with no problem.
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Deep dark wine with medium body. Good nose followed by complex blended fruit with hints of coffee. No tannin. Excellent finish. Decanted the wine but should have let it sit for 30 minutes as what was left of the wine after a half hour was considerably more complex.
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Sorry, this may be a long note, a reminiscence even - when I came in here to post on this wine, I found that the last bottle I had was in August 08. Reading the note (8/23/08), I saw that I'd commented that I drank this with pasta all' Amatriciana - the same thing I'm making tonight. That coincidence (same wine, same food, 6+ years apart) set off my thoughts about that late summer, just after my first kid, who's now in 5th grade, started kindergarten. I don't know, maybe just my maudlin sentiments, but thinking about that sums up how wine and time are related - things change, age, but my kid's still my kid, I still love this wine and pasta with bacon and onions is still a favorite. Ok, so an actual TN - really nice nose of dark chocolate cherries, leather, maybe some cedar. On the palate, rich but not cloying mouthfeel and tastes of black fruit, dark cherries, hint of bitter turpentine or something like it on the finish but a juicy feeling that lasts for over a minute.
Just about the same as my last tasting 20 months ago. The difference is that the tannins seem pretty much resolved. A more soft and velvety wine now. Black cherry, blackberry, leather, some road tar some black pepper and cigar box. Rich, medium full bodied, Long finish.
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Mature Brunello aromas and flavors. Subdued nose; medium body, with mature dark fruit, balanced acidity, with evidence of oak, soft tannins and astringency on the finish. Probably at or a little past its prime.
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This has really developed and matured. The tannins are muted . Agree with others this is in a great place now. The ripe red fruits are in well balance with the acid and mild notes of leather and coffee.
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Ruby color with some brick at the rim. Very classic BdM aromas with black fruit, leather and a hint of cedar and allspice. Full bodied and well integrated with balanced acidity, refined tannins and some sweet fruit. Medium long finish.
This wine has matured nicely and is in an excellent place right now. Possibly the best regular BdM of Banfi of the last two decades. Most vintages barely get to the 90pt mark IMO and are significantly below their Poggio alle Mura. This vintage is a nice exception. Drink now-2016.
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Blood red on pouring. Scarlet, rust at edges after 4 hour decant. Subdued dark fruit, good minerality. Very balanced. Stunning with braised Iberico de bellota cheeks. At peak.
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Blind tasted from bottle but should be decanted. Plum, oak, chocolate and forest floor aromas had me thinking Bordeaux in a hot vintage. Smart acidity with toasty coffee on the palate and a tobacco finish. This had pedigree and is still somewhat closed. Looks like there is potential to gain weight and open up more. I found this quite tasty and elegant despite the evident oak treatment.
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En tillgänglig och bra Brunello! Mogen fin frukt, tjära, lakrits, örter, en aning choklad och ektoner. Fint koncentrerad med början till mognad. Bra frukt och tanniner som börjar integreras. Lång och fin eftersmak. Det var ett tag sedan jag drack Brunello och den här gjorde att man har lust att dricka mer.
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Decanted for 4 hours. Tight upon opening *Heavy tannins *Concentrated nose. Tasted for a point of reference. Ruby color, great legs. Poured clean. Drank with dinner. This is a food wine, medium full bodied once opened.n Good fruit. Legs held very well. Nose softened. Drink now but decant to allow wine to mellow.
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Big wonderful aroma upon opening, and here it stopped. I won't say flawed, but not as good as the others. Possibly passed it's time--but it came with big credentials. This one did not live up to expectations.
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Ruby on pouring. Decanted 4 hours. Bright, red fruits, milder earth, herb notes. Paired very well with sweeter course in fig dinner. Beautiful, balanced.
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Valerie made linguini with meat sauce so thought we would pair with Brunello. She prefers older, more gentle wines so i was hoping this was on the mark.
Was tight on the opening, nose was green/herbaceous, as it opened had more of a graphite/lead Bordeaux type nose. wasn't giving much on the nose even after an hour.
Dusted cherry, dark fruits, earth, pine/forest. Medium finish (light for a Banfi)
Generally I really like Castello Banfi BdM, this was a good but unexceptional version of the wine. may be going through a closed period? bottle not flawed but was off. May develop more but disappointing overall
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A good wine, but wouldn't be on my favorite Brunello list. Tasted blind, I think this wine would confuse a lot of people. Dark, with not an expressive nose. Good fruit, tannins reduced, but essentially zero on the finish department. My score is an average of my wife's and my assessment of the wine - she liked it a bit more than I did.
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After Sedition said me to let my Virginie 01 sleeping for a while, I decided to open this Brunello. Almost a third of CT's TNs are considering this Banfi as a mediocre BdM. I have to agree. Even coming from an excellent vintage as 2001 is. With air or without air, there isn't an easy solution. In fact, everything is there but, believe me, to few to be mentioned. Deception? Well, not really according with my expectatives. In my modest opinion, it isn't a question to hold or to drink up this bottle. Very far away from Col d'Orcia or from Casanova di Neri standards. Paired a vegetable rissoto, Parmesan style.
Después de que la Sedición me fíjese que no era la hora del Virginie 01, decidí abrir este Brunello. Casi un tercio de las notas de cata de Cellartracker consideran a este Banfi como un BdM mediocre. Estoy de acuerdo. Incluso viniendo de una añada excelente como lo es esta 2001. Con o sin aire, no hay una fácil solución. De hecho todo está ahí pero, créeme, demasiado poco como para ser mencionado. ¿Una decepción? Bueno, no realmente de acuerdo con mis expectativas. En mi modesta opinión, no es una cuestión de conservar o de beberse esta botella. Muy lejos de los estándares marcados por Col d'Orcia o por Casanova de Neri. Maridó un rissoto de vegetales al estilo parmesano.
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Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of a hint of leather, berries, raspberries and pepper. Flavors of berries, raspberries and a bit of cherry. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Deceiving. Right out of the bottle smelled as though it was 2 years too late, but the air helped it and settled it down. Verdict? Not that good right now, pretty boring, but for the price, not really out of line. Would defnitely drink Banfi Brunellos within the first 5-7 years next time for sure. Early life drinking I think has more depth and character than does aging for this particular wine.
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Exceeded my expectations! This wine is ready to drink. Perfect balance of fruit and tannins. Did not decant and opened up quickly. Paired with a grilled veal chop. Even though they made alot of this wine it is very good.
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- Medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, black currant and mushroom. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco and mushroom with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - First glass after an hour decanting and another after two - two was worth the wait. The full earthy nose with a hint of tobacco gave way to a pleasant surprise on the pallet, where the dry mushroom and black current flavor was enjoyed long aft the glass was back on the table.
A very good wine to drink now but should only improve for another 2 years.
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There was nothing wrong with this wine, but there wasn't anything great either. Bright cherry fruit, decent length and body. Very aromatic, but lacking in depth.
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Dark for Brunello. Not overly expressive nose. Nice fruit, balanced with still some tannic structure. Paired nicely with Chianti Risotto with grilled pork.
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A truly outstanding wine. I wish I had more. Ruby in color, medium plus to deep in intensity. Very little sign of garnet at the rim. Decanted it for about an hour. The nose is clean and medium plus in intensity, with wonderful aromas of wild berries, forest floor, mint, caramel, cigar box. The nose is developing. The palate is dry, with medium to medium plus acidity to keep it lively. The alcohol is medium, The tannins are medium plus and provide a firm backbone. The flavor intensity, body and length are medium plus. The flavors are consistent with the nose, and also include black wild berries, chocolate truffle, olive brine and leather. The mouthfeel is clean and luscious. The wine is in the beginning of its drinking plateau, and has quite a few years left. This is a really big and serious wine, but with a finesse and elegance that makes it very approachable. Really needs some savory grilled meats or aged cheese to really shine. This really makes me look forward to my other 2001 Brunellos and makes me take Banfi a lot more seriously.
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Decanted two hours before consumption, this wine shows dark color, bramble fruit on the nose, blackberry and spice on the palate with a long finish. A hint of char and integrated tannins on the finish. There are a few sweet cherry notes. Paired well with veal chops sautéed with dried sage and risotto.
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Nose opens to raisin, orange peel and aromatics. Color has started to fade. Orange flavor continues on first along with chocolate. Tannins are still firm. Long finish. Overall the wine is mildly bitter and is better with food than as a standalone.
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Some yellowing at the rim; a very dark garnet color. Aromas of violets, blackberry, some black cherry, leather, cigar box. Same flavors, along with some tar, black pepper and black currant. Fairly complex. Clean and luscious mouth feel. Tannins are somewhat resolved, but not totally so. Some tannic sting on the top of the tongue and back palate. The wine is just entering the beginning of its drinking plateau. A long and lingering finish. This is an excellent Brunello and pairs nicely with Andouille Sausage pasta, with mild spices. This food brought out blueberry in the flavors and finish. Has a few years left. Storage has been at 56 degrees.
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Day 1 - nice. Distinct notes of chocolate on both nose and palate, with a sense of tightness. Fell off a bit on Day 2, displaying a bit of a cooked impression.
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just about to hit the prime. This wine showed so much more fat than tried a couple of years ago that my impression of Banfi has changed. Beautiful violet, starting to have a slight rim on the edge. Deep mature nose of blueberry, wet earth, tar, and very well integrated tannin, and on the back end an uplifting strawberry taste is certainly a surprise, a very nice one indeed. I am actually surprised by its presence in the mid palate and the above mentioned uplifting character. A superb Brunello, certainly far better than expected a few years ago.
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My last bottle and while similar to last notes on 9/4/11 this bottle shows a great deal of tar on the nose (very cool). The palate has wonderful, mature dark fruits and an elegant finish. Very nice and good to leave on a strong showing.
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MuCh better than the last bottle; decent nose; decent amount of fruit ; decent balance... But that's the problem... The wine is decent, but nothing special...somewhat dull
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A little bit disappointing overall. Good fruit, minerality but lacked the depth and finish that I would like to see in a vintage of this quality. Medium bodied
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Medium bodied, garnet red color. Slightly subdued nose of cherry, cedar, earth, and spice. After ten years the tannins are subdued but well balanced. Good acidity with plenty of flavors of plums, berries, tobacco, leather, accentuated with some spiciness. Medium finish. Wine has a lot of finesse, drinking well right now
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Opened for an hour and decanted before we drank it. Balance favored earth and smoke rather than fruit. It got better at the end. This wine needs two hours before it gets really good.
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It has been almost 3 years to the date (9/6/08) since my last review of this wine and while many of the core attributes are similar to the last notes (earth, smoke and black pepper on the nose) everything is quite muted with the exception of the tannins. There are additive aromas of flowers but I don't think this has much more time given the dissipation of fruit. My last bottle will not go more than a couple months.
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Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Soft nose of violets, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, Bing cherries and currants. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink or hold.
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DAWGS July 2011 Wine Dinner (Aboca's Italian Grill- Richardson, TX): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nice Brunello nose, red fruit, tobacco, cassis. Palate is somewhat weak with some spice, red fruit and cola. Very tannic overall. I would hold for another year or so and hopefully it comes around.
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Poured through Soiree to accompany muffuletta, an odd pairing that didn't quite work out. Very subdued nose, mellow fruit and acidity. Just a bit of musky, leathery tannin remaining. As smooth and well-integrated as could be, but I'm not impressed at this price point. Drink it now if you have it.
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I had this exact vintage four years ago at Roy's Restaurant at The Inn at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach and it was fantastic. So it really pains me to report that this wine now is mediocre at best. Decanted for an hour which didn't seem to make much difference. Right off the bat, the nose was peculiar.... And it more or less went downhill from there. Just not up to snuff with the good Brunellos. Maybe it's past it's prime.
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Poured off a glass and let it sit for two hours. Should have decanted. Major funk at the beginning; and not a good funk either. Eventually blew off but the fruit never stepped forward enough for me. Wait a couple years to try the next.
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Dark color, cherry and plum on the palate with earth and tannins on the finish. Decanted two hours before serving, this wine opened up over the course of another hour. Wonderful nose and long finish. Wish we saved more than a couple ounces to track the progress. One bottle of three remain and that one will hopefully stay hidden for three or four years.
Smooth with veal scallopini but more tannic without food.
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great concentration. Not as much complexity or tertiary flavors as you would expect, but very enjoyable. Drink up, but you probably still have a couple of years to take care of the bottles you own. Try to have it with Lamb, I think it's a great pair!
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Decanted over one hour.Pretty restrained nose with some sous-bois.Nicely developed light bodied palate showing sous-bois,cedar and some dark fruit.Firm and resolving tannins.Very elegant but a little thin and muted overall.I had high expectations on this.
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A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark ruby in color. A delicious red, currants, blackberry, smoke, tea, spices, full bodied with a long finish, decanted for two hours.
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Dark red in color to the edge of a watery rim. Red fruit and licorice on the nose. Velvety smooth tanins - and a smooth mouthfeel. Dark red fruit on the aftertaste followed by a medium finish. Decamted only 30 minutes - could have been longer even for this 9 year old wine.
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Decanted for 6 hours just because. Prominent menthol/black licorice on the nose with some gamey meat. Not a whole lot of fruit coming through. Taste of dark cherry, plum and meat. I doubt that this will improve much with more age. It's drinkable, especially with the long decant, but nothing special.
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Drank on New Year's Eve. Decanted for 2 hrs. Dark ruby. Red and black cherries, scorched earth, hints of cassis. Mid-bodied with rich, opulent fruit, ultra-soft tanins and balancing acidity. Relatively short aftertaste is this wine's only draw-back. Otherwise, a very enjoyable Brunello at its peak.
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Lazy, Boozy Boxing Day afternoon (Edmund and Shuming's place @ the Marbella): A good wine from a strong vintage. In a bit of an awkward place at the moment, but some quality was really beginning to peep through after a couple of hours in the decanter. Still just a bit too oaky for my taste, with cedar wood, toast and lots of Milo cocoa powder on the nose. When you get past that, you get nice Brunello accents of smoked ham, savoury roasted meat, dark cherries, plums and powdered herbs. Lots of chewy firmness on the palate still, with firm, powdery tannins forming the backdrop for nice flavours of dark cherries, strawberries, sweet plums and meat, all held up by super-fresh acid. Finish was medium-length, with more fresh cherries, more ham, and lots of oaky notes of woody bark, mocha and cocoa powder lining the glass. I enjoyed this - but I think we broached it too young. Another 5-6 years at least.
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decanted about 3.5 hours before the initial pour ... nose was still slightly muted but started to open after about 30 minutes in the glass ... a real nice expression of Brunello on the palate ... the finish initially was a little quick but is now starting to linger ... imo, still a baby in the bottle so I will hold my remaining bottles for a few more years ... an excellent balanced wine, just short of being outstanding ... 89+
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This bottle was decanted for 1,5 hour but this was not enough. Very closed on both nose and palate, with shy scents of cherries, flowers and hints of liquorice. Also some subtle notes from toasted oak. Velvety, round, balanced with gentle tannins and very classy. It's also very food-friendly. Let's see how it's going to perform tomorrow (I've vaccued the rest and put it on the fridge). Now, I'm giving 88. 2nd day: it's more open now. It got better...specially on the nose that is more expressive now. It also got slightly better on the palate demonstrating more creamy texture and elegant tannic structure. But these subtle improvements are not enough to increase the score. I'm keeping the 88 points.
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Probably at it peak right now. Bold raspberry/subtle chocolate nose. Medium weight on the papalte with a nice fruit finish. Not too many tannins. A nice wine.
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Another great/classic Brunello. Let it breathe for about 2-3 hours before enjoying. However, I tasted it when I opened it and it was excellent. The time did nothing but make the wine more fragrant and complex. I thought this wine had tons of dark chocolate, and oak on the nose. The mouth was full of dark berry, mocha, salami, and oak. Very, very good. Wish I had more.
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On first opening, wine did not have much of a nose. Let it decant for 2 hours, and it began to open up. Some blueberries, and some porcinish (?) twist, typical of Brunello came through. There was good density to the wine, but, if lucky, it is still too young, closed down, and needs another 2-5 years. If not...well
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(1) Drank on Mother’s Day with rack of lamb after 2007 Stefania Syrah with Dennis, Mom & Monica. Tannins have softened somewhat at fruit has started to emerge a little since the last time I tried this but it still has a long life ahead of it. Very enjoy
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2 years later it aged just fine. This bottle aged and drank just like the champ that it is; full of fruit and flavor and everything that is always wished for. (92+)
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Unbelievable. Now, admittedly, I love Brunello over all others, but this was incredible. It is finally time to start drinking this one. Ordered at a restaurant. Decanted and let sit for about 30 minutes. Savored for 2 1/2 hours through several courses. Beautiful color. Cherry, currant, and clove. Velvety. Restrained flavor. Toasted oak. Classic old world. The longest finish I've experienced in several years. It made the food seem superfluous. We had several 2001's three years ago in Tuscany, but it was just too soon. Now I realize what we're in for as we start drinking the wines from this great vintage.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of black fruit and attic. Decent enough palate of muted blackberries and earth, but really quite an ordinary wine--nothing memorable about this at all. Fine chalky tannins on the finish. I was expecting a lot more, and at $50, an awful QPR.
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3 hours in decanter prior to consumption w/cured meats & stinky cheeses... very nice bottle of juice! Dark purple color just beginning to brick at the edges; nose of earth, tobacco, pepper and licorice. I disagree w/others regarding huge tannins still present & found this to be drinking nicely. Dark semi-tart cherry dominant with notes of currant and just a hint of anise. Long 30+ second finish.
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Drank this at an Italian restaurant with friends - the best way to have good wine. Wow. This one did not disappoint. Dark purple color, nose included earth, tobacco, pepper and licorice. Weighty, but still velvetly mouthfeel. This one had been decanted for about 3 hours and poured back in to the bottle before serving. Tannins were definitely "there" but firmly resolved letting flavor profile come centere stage. Deep, dark cherry, licorice, currant and some clove/cedar flavors abounded. Huge flavor explosion - but not "all fruit" by any means. On top of the cherry, tobacco and smokey/peppery hints were definitely present. Long 30+ second finish was very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
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Deep ruby hue. Nose had fine cigar tobacco with a juicy steak crusted in black pepper. Solid and strong mouthfeel. Tannins mellow by decanting, noticable but not harsh. Dark cherries dominate the front and mid palettes. Strong finish up to 30 seconds. Absolutly fantastic. Thanks Paul for bringing this to the restaurant.
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This wine opened as an 89 but finished as a 91. I think it's probably needing more time in the bottle...the tannins were MASSIVE. After about 3 hours open, it started to cool down slightly into a delicious red cherry, leather, anise, herbal, tannic, and blackberry nose, with predominantly red cherry and those massive tannins on the palate. There was also a bit of alcohol that resolved itself after an hour or two, but it opened up a bit harsh. Great fruitiness but not an extremely heavy or fleshy body. Even with all the tannin, it was drinking pretty smooth, so I think this wine's got a good future ahead of it in maybe 3-5 more years. This wine is pretty much why I love Brunello.
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Nice color. Nose has a hit of tar, black licorice, some smokiness and just a whiff of floral sent, like rose petals. Nice bright acidity with some sour cherr on the palate at first, which transitions to a milk chocolate and finishes with some mild tannins. Well integrated and structured, a good wine to pair with food.
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I agree with the previous reviewer of this wine. This 2001 is better than the '99'. Nose: Dark fruits are equally balanced by leather, earth and black pepper, and a hint of smoke. Palate: Subdued blackberry with a core of bright acidity making this fairly massive wine lively and food friendly. Tannins are present but restrained. This is a nice Brunello showing great balance and finesse.
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Had a 99 of this about 10 days ago, so thought an 01 would be an interesting comparison. Liked this one better, surprisingly (to me). Initial nose a little reticent with earth, licorice and cherry but after maybe an hour of air, nicely opened into a rich cherry, smokey, loamy, satisfying wine. On the palate, great acidity to go with structure to balance. Lots of flavors going on, hint of bacon (or is that the Amatriciana I just had?), fennel, cherry & earth.
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I'm with the few naysayers. For 50 bucks, this is awfully pedestrian. The nose shows pleasant cherry and chocolate, along with muted mushroom and licorice notes, but the palate just seems watery. The mid-length finish tastes like a fresh-baked brownie, which is nice, but that's the highlight of an otherwise boring wine. For me, it's hard to separate the quality and the score from the price tag in this instance, because there are so many other wines that I wish I'd bought instead. And I still don't "get" Sangiovese.
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This was a little dissappointing. Liked The 2001 Aglieta Brunello I had the other day much better. This seemed a little muted fruit wise and just didn't have any wow factor at all. It was pleasant to drink but would not repurchase at this price.
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Really liked this. Needs time but had twice in last month, once at Grape Street, once in LA at AOC. Excellent wine, big but nuanced. Will be awesome in a few years.
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Huge young Brunello which was a surprisingly popular wine at the event. Not up to the Jones 1997 or Shafer Hillside 1995, but it's young and not yet showing its stuff. Tied for bronze medal on the night and many compliments on it despite following after both of the two awesome cabs.
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I had dinner with Tsuchiya and Matsumi at La Villa and brought our bottle. It was a young wine, deep and inky. With a little bit of decanting, about 15 minutes, it showed its smooth texture and is very easy to drink.
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second bottle tried of this. first was thought to be corked by the three of us. this second bottle was not corked (the first was certainly corked after tasting this bottle). didn't like this. dry muted fruit barely there. thin palate, unidimensional and unimpressive. dull. finish flat. could be a bad bottle, i guess, but blah. didn't improve with time or food.
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Had this wine with a Strip Steak dinner and it definitely carried itself well. The wine is still very young, with a good aging potential - I would probably wait another year or two before opening another bottle. Dark red in color and some fruitiness just starting to come through in the taste. Structure was very strong. Excellent Brunello - especially for the price. Reminds me of dinners I had in Volterra.
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This bottle tasted a little funky when I first opened it. However, after about 30 minutes it, it developed a really nice smooth earthy and leathery flavor, with very subtle fruitiness. After an hour of decanting, it was absolutely delightful, well balanced, expressing its terroir while remaining approachable and drinkable. I have two more bottles, and will wait two more years to try the next one--it really feels like this will be a nice wine in a few years.
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Very good nose, nice character, dark red, good tannins and long aftertaste. With friends, drank it with some Parmesan cheese, they enjoyed it very much.
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Retailer tasting. I tried this early in the tasting and was not impressed so I came back at the end and sampled a second bottle which was opened. Consistent notes in each. A full bodied wine. On the dry side and lacking in fruit. It had a roasted character with thin red fruit and some coffee notes. Atypical for this wine. The lot the distributor was pouring from could have had poor storage but it was not blatantly heat damaged. 87 points.
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This wine has seriously closed down since the last bottle I had about a year ago. I knew I was popping this early, but even after 4 hours of decanted it was still tight. Beautiful deep ruby color, nothing on the nose, the palate had good concentration and grip, but everything else is asleep in this wine. Will hold scoring this wine and wait another couple of years to open my remaining bottles.
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Not a good bottle. Nothing special on the nose, palate was too acidic for my tastes completely masking the fruit. Seemed dead to me, although the finish wasn't bad.
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Poured at a tasting at The Wine Club SF: little to no nose; somewhat watery on the palate with an acidic, dry finish. Approachable now, but somewhat undistinguished. Well made but shut down? Fair
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Nose: posseses dark cherry, black licorice, asian spice, and sour berries. This nose is packing a serious punch
taste: this just really coats your mouth. Really getting the cherry and the black licorice on the finish. Also getting some mixed berries aspects too going on in both the initial taste and the finish.
overall: this is a great expression of brunello. It's an utterly beautiful wine now, and I can only imagine where it'll go in 5-10 years.
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Deep ruby color. Full tones of black fruit with hints of cedar and some floral tones. Medium-full bodied on the palate with good fruit and chewy tanines. Medium finish, slightly 'hot'. Could use some time to harmonise, but definetly not closed now. Actually quit enjoyable as it is (like many '01 BdM).
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Very tight on opening. This wine needs several more years to develop. After decanting for an hour the wine began to foreshadow what it will become. It was very complex with hints of dried fruit and a chalky after tast ethat lingered. The mouth feel was a bit sharp - no doubt the tannins still overpowering the overall taste. Give it three or four years to find its stride.
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The best brunello i've ever tasted! Very jammy and slightly tart dark fruit abounds. Peppery spices surround the fruit and a nice earthy undertone all structured very well. Took six hours of decanting but was very well worth the wait. In a world of really overpriced Italian wines I thought this was actually a good value.
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Obviously too young but had to try one :-) Dark dried fruit, silky, chocolate finish. Will wait a year before trying the next one as this will only get better.
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Blind tasting. Opened and served right away. Nice red/brownish colour. Mainly vegetal nose with hints of broccoli, cauliflower and earth. Earthy flavours of cedar box and fruit covered wood. Great acidity, balanced and smooth mouth feel with a nice finish that brings out flavours of mocha.
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Dark ruby/black colour. Very pretty nose of bacon/grilled meat, chocolate, black cherry, black plums, and sottobosco. Medium-full bodied, with replays from nose - chocolate, chocolate, cherry, plums, and blackberry. Great acidity and structure. Moderate-long finish, 40s, with black fruit. Will age gracefully. 92+ points.
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11/5/2023 - james.williams5599@gmail.com wrote:
***
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10/10/2021 - kenski Likes this wine: 91 Points
Heavy sediment. Filtered and aeriated. Decanted 3 hours. Dark red, heavy fruit, chocolate, leather. A little past it's prime I'm afraid but still enjoyable with a nice cigar.
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8/31/2021 - John Dunlap Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gift from a friend in June 2009 and this wine did not disappoint.
The bottle has rested in a cool cellar since gifting. Ullage was good and cork was in great shape. Decanted with slight sedimentation. Color was quite dark with a blood red/slight brownish tinge. Overall, it looks healthy and is alive.
Nose and palate were quite similar with elements of cherry, licorice, leather, iron(?) minerality, and a bit of red apple on the finish. Maybe even a touch of balsamic richness and shades dark chocolate. This wine has plenty of integrated tannins within the darker portfolio of flavors. Reached it's zenith of flavors at about 30 to 45 minutes since opening.
Exceeded expectation. Quite pleased. This 2001 is still in the zone, but should be consumed over the next few years. Curious how other 2001 BdMs are doing?
(Served along side some grilled lamb, baked potato, and French green beans.)
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6/11/2021 - Milos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Any wine would have tasted good this evening. First patio dinner after the lCovid-19 lock down at Positano. Dark red and ripe fruit, dark chocolate and touch of forest floor. Balanced and decent finish. Drinking well but still has room to improve.
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12/31/2020 - cob Likes this wine:
Too much New Year’s fun to remember any detailed notes, my apologies. I did want to post a note for those that have bottles remaining at how shockingly young this bottle was. Took an hour or more in the decanter to open. If I had any more I would definitely wait at least 2 - 3 years before opening if they have been stored properly.
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12/15/2020 - Jim B Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last one in the cellar and it did not disappoint. Took 45 min to open up but worth the wait.
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4/24/2020 - Jim B Does not like this wine:
I let this one get away, past it's window. Bad thing is have one let, maybe I'll get lucky.
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12/31/2019 - oldwines Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Opened and decanted for our New Year’s Eve Gathering. Another fairly typical Banfi Brunello, modern, less than exciting but acceptable with spicy Mexican food. Nothing terribly notable about it, my last bottle from the vintage.
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8/22/2019 - Nick T Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit past it’s time, but still showed great flavor once it opened up
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4/19/2019 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 90 Points
At it's peak for sure. Drink up.
L'il Rob visiting
Ruddy red, full bodied.
*Producers notes (accurate but subdued due to vintage)
Aromas of violets and vanilla, with hints of licorice. Velvety palate, with tart-cherry fl avors and traces of spice. Well structured with supple tannins, superb concentration, and good acidity. Persistent finish.
**MAGNUMS ARE BETTER!!**
Smoked a Caldwell Blindman's Bluff
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10/28/2018 - Jim B wrote: flawed
Bad from the minute it was open. Hope it was bad bottle, have a couple more in cellar.
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7/3/2018 - CHINACAT wrote: 92 Points
Dark red/purple color with some citrus in the bouquet. Ripe dark fruits, round and dense, but nicely balanced. Lacking some elegance and freshness, but very enjoyable. Might hold up a bit longer, but probably time to drink up.
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6/2/2018 - MinnesotaNice Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the tail end so drink up, don’t hold. Still very nice, solid BdM. Drank on its own and with seared steaks. Very enjoyable.
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5/5/2018 - hinterland wrote: 88 Points
Past peak, the window is closing, nice, but drink up!
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4/6/2018 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the nose: Cherry, fine tuned berries, blueberry.
On the palate, "typical Italian", cherry, morello, fine tannins and a good balance.
Medium + finish
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12/25/2017 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 96 Points
Happy to revisit this truly outstanding wine after five years. Decanted for sediment and still drinking beautifully. Ruby in color, medium plus to deep in intensity, with a little garnet at the rim. Decanted it for about an hour. The nose is clean and medium plus in intensity, with wonderful aromas of wild berries, dried black plum, forest floor, mint/pine and cigar box. The nose is developing. The palate is dry, with medium to medium plus acidity to keep it lively. The alcohol is medium, The tannins are medium plus and provide a firm backbone. The flavor intensity, body and length are medium plus. The flavors are consistent with the nose but a little bit more developed. This wine is at the peak of its drinking plateau, or perhaps has started its glide path, but it has quite a few years left. This wine is big, but with finesse and elegance. It confirms that 2001 is one of the top vintages in the last 20 years.
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10/14/2017 - knothoef wrote: 89 Points
Lot of vanilla. Very dark
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8/22/2017 - onboisduvin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good for food-pairing (Tepanyaki). Althoug not as delicate and fragrant as its riserva, but with 80% similarity. However, choose between this and riserva, price taken into consideration, I will choose riserva.
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4/15/2017 - timewithwine wrote:
After running the Doay of Rememberance 5k at VT, DDB and I drive to Greensboro for dinner with the Souths and JFO. John Fodera and I finally meet. I had to take this wine and so glad I did. Full of ripe red-pitted fruits, particularly cherry and plum. Absolutely singing. And while not the star of the night, it was in the top echalon.
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2/27/2017 - Deryl Likes this wine: 89 Points
Maybe a little past peak. Still nice, but drink up.
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12/7/2016 - _water.into.wine_ wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes as consumed during a work client dinner, but this was an excellent wine and probably the best of the three different bottles opened.
Still very youthful despite being 15 years old and many years ahead of it.
A great wine, that is ready to drink now.
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12/5/2016 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours; no sediment. Deep ruby red color with some bricking. Restrained nose of cherries, vanilla and leather. Medium-bodied, nice balance of tart dark fruits, acids and tannins on the palate. Medium length finish. Still drinking well, but if I had any more bottles, I would drink them in the next year.
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9/5/2016 - ckinv368 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright red, astringent and tannic!! Still a big wine, but softening with notes of tart cherry, leather, green pepper, forest floor, mushroom, red currant, blueberry, and green tobacco. Very tart.
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8/12/2016 - Stevey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brick red color commensurate with it's age. Classic Brunello taste, well balanced with integrated tannins. Good length and structure, this wine is in mid-peak drinking window and can probably hold for another 3-4 years. Drink now.
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8/1/2016 - Bloms wrote: 88 Points
Last bottle of many. Not flawed but seemed on the way down. Just ok.
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6/20/2016 - Deryl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine, drinking very well now. Decanted about an hour and it was singing and continued to improve.
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6/18/2016 - oldwines wrote: 88 Points
Medium to dark garnet. Nose of oaky vanilla, cherry and licorice. Round and chewy but somewhat unfocused. It seems neither elegant nor powerful, but also not flawed in any obvious way, just unremarkable.
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6/10/2016 - mydi wrote: 86 Points
Last bottle. Tasted ok but somewhat of a misty smell even after a few hours of letting in breathe. May have been showing its' age.
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6/10/2016 - jmottern Likes this wine: 91 Points
I drank this wine twice about 8 months apart using a corbin inert gas dispenser. The first time the wine was much better than the second. The wine is excellent and probably at the end of its drinking window so I recommend drinking it if you have any bottles in your cellar.
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6/10/2016 - 818wines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very fresh. No rush to drink, though it is very nice right now.
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4/21/2016 - dougie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Best of the 6.
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4/8/2016 - 818wines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep purple. Still very young and fresh. Drinking very well, but no rush.
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12/18/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: flawed
Consistent with prior notes, something was off with this bottle as well. Funk and herbacious. Fruit had faded
Perhaps just bad luck as other tasters have had better experience. We wound up dumping the bottle
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8/28/2015 - Ruubious wrote:
Not quite what expected, Still seemed very young, dark, no bricking at all, aromas of barnyard, leather, some berry and prune.
Smooth tannins, no bite at all, quite full bodied, more fruit on the palate than the nose. Not overly exciting, maybe this is past its prime? doesn't seem old though.
No sediment in the bottle.
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8/7/2015 - pdicorpo wrote: 91 Points
Great wine - nice to drink now or through 2018.
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5/3/2015 - Bcw1989 wrote: 91 Points
Opened up nicely. Lots of dark cherries in mouth. Fruit was very present and so were the tannins. Could still be cellared another five years with no problem.
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4/5/2015 - dougie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Major improvement since last one two years ago. Mature.
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2/12/2015 - ravbik wrote: 91 Points
Close to mature. Starring to brick
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1/25/2015 - NavyGrog wrote: 92 Points
Very oaky. A bit spicy. Decanted for three hours and paired with a Ancient Roman bean soup dish.
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12/27/2014 - jmottern Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark wine with medium body. Good nose followed by complex blended fruit with hints of coffee. No tannin. Excellent finish. Decanted the wine but should have let it sit for 30 minutes as what was left of the wine after a half hour was considerably more complex.
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12/9/2014 - mydi Likes this wine: 85 Points
Somewhat disappointing. Good, but the fruit is withering away. Very dry, waiting for the finish that never came.
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12/7/2014 - Squirreljam wrote: 92 Points
Sorry, this may be a long note, a reminiscence even - when I came in here to post on this wine, I found that the last bottle I had was in August 08. Reading the note (8/23/08), I saw that I'd commented that I drank this with pasta all' Amatriciana - the same thing I'm making tonight. That coincidence (same wine, same food, 6+ years apart) set off my thoughts about that late summer, just after my first kid, who's now in 5th grade, started kindergarten. I don't know, maybe just my maudlin sentiments, but thinking about that sums up how wine and time are related - things change, age, but my kid's still my kid, I still love this wine and pasta with bacon and onions is still a favorite.
Ok, so an actual TN - really nice nose of dark chocolate cherries, leather, maybe some cedar. On the palate, rich but not cloying mouthfeel and tastes of black fruit, dark cherries, hint of bitter turpentine or something like it on the finish but a juicy feeling that lasts for over a minute.
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11/23/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Just about the same as my last tasting 20 months ago. The difference is that the tannins seem pretty much resolved. A more soft and velvety wine now. Black cherry, blackberry, leather, some road tar some black pepper and cigar box. Rich, medium full bodied, Long finish.
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11/17/2014 - winepaw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mature Brunello aromas and flavors. Subdued nose; medium body, with mature dark fruit, balanced acidity, with evidence of oak, soft tannins and astringency on the finish. Probably at or a little past its prime.
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10/27/2014 - KSWinegeek wrote: 89 Points
Not much on the nose. Some dark fruit and spice notes on agreeable palate. Some acidity on finish with some oak notes.
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9/8/2014 - ravbik wrote: 93 Points
This has really developed and matured. The tannins are muted . Agree with others this is in a great place now. The ripe red fruits are in well balance with the acid and mild notes of leather and coffee.
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9/7/2014 - Jochems Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ruby color with some brick at the rim. Very classic BdM aromas with black fruit, leather and a hint of cedar and allspice. Full bodied and well integrated with balanced acidity, refined tannins and some sweet fruit. Medium long finish.
This wine has matured nicely and is in an excellent place right now. Possibly the best regular BdM of Banfi of the last two decades. Most vintages barely get to the 90pt mark IMO and are significantly below their Poggio alle Mura. This vintage is a nice exception.
Drink now-2016.
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8/23/2014 - LJT wrote: 90 Points
Very nice; paired with a 2001 Alle Mura; a little more open than the Alle Mura initially. Slight raisin taste later (not objectionable)
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7/21/2014 - King JR wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle. Seemed a bit flat. Maybe waited too long or it's in another "changing phase". Very smooth, but not terribly expressive or giving.
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7/14/2014 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Blood red on pouring. Scarlet, rust at edges after 4 hour decant. Subdued dark fruit, good minerality. Very balanced. Stunning with braised Iberico de bellota cheeks. At peak.
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5/2/2014 - canan wrote: 90 Points
An okay wine but a bit irrelevant and disappointing in its depth and profile.
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3/21/2014 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blind tasted from bottle but should be decanted. Plum, oak, chocolate and forest floor aromas had me thinking Bordeaux in a hot vintage. Smart acidity with toasty coffee on the palate and a tobacco finish. This had pedigree and is still somewhat closed. Looks like there is potential to gain weight and open up more. I found this quite tasty and elegant despite the evident oak treatment.
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3/20/2014 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 90 Points
En tillgänglig och bra Brunello!
Mogen fin frukt, tjära, lakrits, örter, en aning choklad och ektoner.
Fint koncentrerad med början till mognad. Bra frukt och tanniner som börjar integreras. Lång och fin eftersmak.
Det var ett tag sedan jag drack Brunello och den här gjorde att man har lust att dricka mer.
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3/20/2014 - Patrik H wrote: 89 Points
On the nose ,pigery, very "hidden"
On the palate, anise, walnut, soft tannins
Medium finish
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2/24/2014 - casaallora wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Tight upon opening *Heavy tannins *Concentrated nose. Tasted for a point of reference. Ruby color, great legs. Poured clean. Drank with dinner. This is a food wine, medium full bodied once opened.n Good fruit. Legs held very well. Nose softened. Drink now but decant to allow wine to mellow.
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2/16/2014 - voldar wrote: 90 Points
Delicate feminine, smokey, subtle, mild berry, very easy to drink, very good with food
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1/14/2014 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Delicate and best on day 3. Light in body and intensity but very pretty, integrated with nice finish. Good food wine.
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12/31/2013 - knothoef Likes this wine: 88 Points
gentle, smooth, ripe fruit. Dark purple.
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12/25/2013 - winegr wrote: 93 Points
No specific notes. Drank a while back and loved it after a bit of air. 92-93.
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11/30/2013 - Paul from the Oblong Table Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Big wonderful aroma upon opening, and here it stopped. I won't say flawed, but not as good as the others. Possibly passed it's time--but it came with big credentials. This one did not live up to expectations.
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11/11/2013 - wculpepper wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/9/2013 - PourSomeRed wrote: 92 Points
A big, Earthy Brunello with hints of Anise. Flavors are well integrated. Nice finish. I can's see this getting better than it is now.
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9/25/2013 - Carniolan Likes this wine: 93 Points
really yummy, tannic, hardly any sediment, just as good second day
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9/8/2013 - NeuroWine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ruby on pouring. Decanted 4 hours. Bright, red fruits, milder earth, herb notes. Paired very well with sweeter course in fig dinner. Beautiful, balanced.
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8/26/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 84 Points
Valerie made linguini with meat sauce so thought we would pair with Brunello. She prefers older, more gentle wines so i was hoping this was on the mark.
Was tight on the opening, nose was green/herbaceous, as it opened had more of a graphite/lead Bordeaux type nose. wasn't giving much on the nose even after an hour.
Dusted cherry, dark fruits, earth, pine/forest. Medium finish (light for a Banfi)
Generally I really like Castello Banfi BdM, this was a good but unexceptional version of the wine. may be going through a closed period? bottle not flawed but was off. May develop more but disappointing overall
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7/26/2013 - KSWinegeek wrote: 88 Points
A good wine, but wouldn't be on my favorite Brunello list. Tasted blind, I think this wine would confuse a lot of people. Dark, with not an expressive nose. Good fruit, tannins reduced, but essentially zero on the finish department. My score is an average of my wife's and my assessment of the wine - she liked it a bit more than I did.
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6/10/2013 - LJT wrote: 90 Points
Good fruit and aroma. Still young and youthful. Developed in the glass.
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4/6/2013 - Harley1199 wrote:
After Sedition said me to let my Virginie 01 sleeping for a while, I decided to open this Brunello.
Almost a third of CT's TNs are considering this Banfi as a mediocre BdM. I have to agree. Even coming from an excellent vintage as 2001 is.
With air or without air, there isn't an easy solution.
In fact, everything is there but, believe me, to few to be mentioned.
Deception? Well, not really according with my expectatives.
In my modest opinion, it isn't a question to hold or to drink up this bottle.
Very far away from Col d'Orcia or from Casanova di Neri standards.
Paired a vegetable rissoto, Parmesan style.
Después de que la Sedición me fíjese que no era la hora del Virginie 01, decidí abrir este Brunello.
Casi un tercio de las notas de cata de Cellartracker consideran a este Banfi como un BdM mediocre. Estoy de acuerdo. Incluso viniendo de una añada excelente como lo es esta 2001.
Con o sin aire, no hay una fácil solución.
De hecho todo está ahí pero, créeme, demasiado poco como para ser mencionado. ¿Una decepción? Bueno, no realmente de acuerdo con mis expectativas.
En mi modesta opinión, no es una cuestión de conservar o de beberse esta botella.
Muy lejos de los estándares marcados por Col d'Orcia o por Casanova de Neri.
Maridó un rissoto de vegetales al estilo parmesano.
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3/28/2013 - jeig Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dry, Medium-Full body. Berries, Spice
Wine at its peak, drink now.
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3/16/2013 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
S1 visits Dallas! Closing Cantata. (MoMo's, Forest Lane, Dallas, TX): WIML90
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of a hint of leather, berries, raspberries and pepper. Flavors of berries, raspberries and a bit of cherry. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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3/7/2013 - nclemens Likes this wine:
Very dry. Easy to drink. Enjoyable. Used some to cook drunken risotto and it was excellent. Didn't need any more age.
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3/7/2013 - RoseWater wrote: 86 Points
Deceiving. Right out of the bottle smelled as though it was 2 years too late, but the air helped it and settled it down. Verdict? Not that good right now, pretty boring, but for the price, not really out of line. Would defnitely drink Banfi Brunellos within the first 5-7 years next time for sure. Early life drinking I think has more depth and character than does aging for this particular wine.
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3/4/2013 - Bloms Likes this wine: 90 Points
When you get a bottle that's not defective it's an excellent wine! Odds seem to run about 50/50.
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1/13/2013 - twointow wrote: flawed
THIS HAS GONE OVER THE HILL. iF YOU HAVE IT, BETTER OPEN IT AND CHECK IT OUT QUICK..HOPEFULLY U WONT WASTE YOURS. LET IT BREATH AN HOUR, NO BETTER.
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1/12/2013 - M6asnits wrote: 88 Points
Smokey, currant, full
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10/22/2012 - PourSomeRed wrote: 86 Points
After an impressive nose, I was hoping for something incredible. What I got was a good Brunello.
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10/22/2012 - Darkcyd2332 wrote:
Bottle had turned
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9/8/2012 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Plush sour cherry Parmesan with uplifting acidity.
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8/19/2012 - Cortona5 wrote: 93 Points
Exceeded my expectations! This wine is ready to drink. Perfect balance of fruit and tannins. Did not decant and opened up quickly. Paired with a grilled veal chop. Even though they made alot of this wine it is very good.
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8/9/2012 - aof wrote: 89 Points
Reticent on the nose, chewy, angular, oaky and rather flabby and bereft of acidity or interest.
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7/21/2012 - Vinovine Likes this wine: 93 Points
- Medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, black currant and mushroom. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco and mushroom with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - First glass after an hour decanting and another after two - two was worth the wait. The full earthy nose with a hint of tobacco gave way to a pleasant surprise on the pallet, where the dry mushroom and black current flavor was enjoyed long aft the glass was back on the table.
A very good wine to drink now but should only improve for another 2 years.
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6/23/2012 - dougie wrote: 89 Points
Still seems to need more time. It did open up a bit after three hours.
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6/11/2012 - tom_wine wrote: 85 Points
There was nothing wrong with this wine, but there wasn't anything great either. Bright cherry fruit, decent length and body. Very aromatic, but lacking in depth.
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6/10/2012 - KSWinegeek wrote: 91 Points
Dark for Brunello. Not overly expressive nose. Nice fruit, balanced with still some tannic structure. Paired nicely with Chianti Risotto with grilled pork.
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5/27/2012 - TannicBeast wrote: 96 Points
A truly outstanding wine. I wish I had more. Ruby in color, medium plus to deep in intensity. Very little sign of garnet at the rim. Decanted it for about an hour. The nose is clean and medium plus in intensity, with wonderful aromas of wild berries, forest floor, mint, caramel, cigar box. The nose is developing. The palate is dry, with medium to medium plus acidity to keep it lively. The alcohol is medium, The tannins are medium plus and provide a firm backbone. The flavor intensity, body and length are medium plus. The flavors are consistent with the nose, and also include black wild berries, chocolate truffle, olive brine and leather. The mouthfeel is clean and luscious. The wine is in the beginning of its drinking plateau, and has quite a few years left. This is a really big and serious wine, but with a finesse and elegance that makes it very approachable. Really needs some savory grilled meats or aged cheese to really shine. This really makes me look forward to my other 2001 Brunellos and makes me take Banfi a lot more seriously.
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3/18/2012 - Sweet Nancy wrote:
Decanted two hours before consumption, this wine shows dark color, bramble fruit on the nose, blackberry and spice on the palate with a long finish. A hint of char and integrated tannins on the finish. There are a few sweet cherry notes. Paired well with veal chops sautéed with dried sage and risotto.
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3/3/2012 - juneau bob wrote: 89 Points
Nose opens to raisin, orange peel and aromatics. Color has started to fade. Orange flavor continues on first along with chocolate. Tannins are still firm. Long finish. Overall the wine is mildly bitter and is better with food than as a standalone.
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3/1/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Some yellowing at the rim; a very dark garnet color. Aromas of violets, blackberry, some black cherry, leather, cigar box. Same flavors, along with some tar, black pepper and black currant. Fairly complex. Clean and luscious mouth feel. Tannins are somewhat resolved, but not totally so. Some tannic sting on the top of the tongue and back palate. The wine is just entering the beginning of its drinking plateau. A long and lingering finish. This is an excellent Brunello and pairs nicely with Andouille Sausage pasta, with mild spices. This food brought out blueberry in the flavors and finish. Has a few years left. Storage has been at 56 degrees.
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2/6/2012 - 11mcraig wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of blackberry and black currant and has flavours of black currant - Good bottle...love Sangiovese!
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1/26/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Day 1 - nice. Distinct notes of chocolate on both nose and palate, with a sense of tightness. Fell off a bit on Day 2, displaying a bit of a cooked impression.
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12/24/2011 - cc-wein wrote: 92 Points
What a wonderful wine for a wonderful Christmas evening. Unfortunatly my last bottle.
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12/21/2011 - swyang wrote: 92 Points
just about to hit the prime. This wine showed so much more fat than tried a couple of years ago that my impression of Banfi has changed. Beautiful violet, starting to have a slight rim on the edge. Deep mature nose of blueberry, wet earth, tar, and very well integrated tannin, and on the back end an uplifting strawberry taste is certainly a surprise, a very nice one indeed. I am actually surprised by its presence in the mid palate and the above mentioned uplifting character. A superb Brunello, certainly far better than expected a few years ago.
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12/14/2011 - Mattshank wrote: 91 Points
My last bottle and while similar to last notes on 9/4/11 this bottle shows a great deal of tar on the nose (very cool). The palate has wonderful, mature dark fruits and an elegant finish. Very nice and good to leave on a strong showing.
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12/7/2011 - tewks wrote: 93 Points
Solid structure and very smooth with one hour opening. Went well with braised short ribs with balsamic glaze
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11/13/2011 - SMZ wrote: 88 Points
MuCh better than the last bottle; decent nose; decent amount of fruit ; decent balance... But that's the problem... The wine is decent, but nothing special...somewhat dull
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10/3/2011 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 90 Points
A little bit disappointing overall. Good fruit, minerality but lacked the depth and finish that I would like to see in a vintage of this quality. Medium bodied
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9/8/2011 - wmccone54 wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied, garnet red color. Slightly subdued nose of cherry, cedar, earth, and spice. After ten years the tannins are subdued but well balanced. Good acidity with plenty of flavors of plums, berries, tobacco, leather, accentuated with some spiciness. Medium finish. Wine has a lot of finesse, drinking well right now
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9/5/2011 - PourSomeRed wrote: 88 Points
Opened for an hour and decanted before we drank it. Balance favored earth and smoke rather than fruit. It got better at the end. This wine needs two hours before it gets really good.
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9/4/2011 - Mattshank wrote: 90 Points
It has been almost 3 years to the date (9/6/08) since my last review of this wine and while many of the core attributes are similar to the last notes (earth, smoke and black pepper on the nose) everything is quite muted with the exception of the tannins. There are additive aromas of flowers but I don't think this has much more time given the dissipation of fruit. My last bottle will not go more than a couple months.
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7/17/2011 - robertdtwo wrote: 90 Points
Smoke, thin mouthfeel...was hoping for a bit more at the ten-year mark.
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7/16/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
DAWGS August 2011 - Wines That Go With American Italian Food (Aboca's Italian, Richardson, TX): WIML90
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Soft nose of violets, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, Bing cherries and currants. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink or hold.
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7/16/2011 - floydtp wrote: 90 Points
DAWGS July 2011 Wine Dinner (Aboca's Italian Grill- Richardson, TX): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nice Brunello nose, red fruit, tobacco, cassis. Palate is somewhat weak with some spice, red fruit and cola. Very tannic overall. I would hold for another year or so and hopefully it comes around.
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6/7/2011 - yeastbeast wrote: 82 Points
Poured through Soiree to accompany muffuletta, an odd pairing that didn't quite work out. Very subdued nose, mellow fruit and acidity. Just a bit of musky, leathery tannin remaining. As smooth and well-integrated as could be, but I'm not impressed at this price point. Drink it now if you have it.
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5/28/2011 - sallison wrote: 87 Points
Ready to drink. Not getting any better. Smoke and earth may go a couple more years but why bother. Drink it up
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5/6/2011 - Jasper Hofman wrote: 90 Points
geproefd met de jongens
tweede dag echt geproefd. mooi gerijpt, chocola, kersen, lichte kruidigheid, vanille, iets gelikt, mooie wijn. had nog wel iets langer mee gekund ook.
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4/24/2011 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasant. Lots of leather. A bit drab. Quentessential Brunello, but not a lot going on perhaps.
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4/9/2011 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 91 Points
As good as it gets; no sign of over aging and was as smooth as you could wish for--and there is still another bottle in the cellar.
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3/25/2011 - deltacop wrote: 91 Points
tart cherry, light but pleasant. enjoyable!
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3/22/2011 - SMZ wrote: 84 Points
I had this exact vintage four years ago at Roy's Restaurant at The Inn at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach and it was fantastic. So it really pains me to report that this wine now is mediocre at best. Decanted for an hour which didn't seem to make much difference. Right off the bat, the nose was peculiar.... And it more or less went downhill from there. Just not up to snuff with the good Brunellos. Maybe it's past it's prime.
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3/13/2011 - dougie wrote: 89 Points
Poured off a glass and let it sit for two hours. Should have decanted. Major funk at the beginning; and not a good funk either. Eventually blew off but the fruit never stepped forward enough for me. Wait a couple years to try the next.
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2/16/2011 - Pimenta wrote: 93 Points
Excelente. Decantado por 2 hs, equilibrado e com ótima persistência. Taninos ajustados.
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12/18/2010 - Sweet Nancy wrote:
Dark color, cherry and plum on the palate with earth and tannins on the finish. Decanted two hours before serving, this wine opened up over the course of another hour. Wonderful nose and long finish. Wish we saved more than a couple ounces to track the progress. One bottle of three remain and that one will hopefully stay hidden for three or four years.
Smooth with veal scallopini but more tannic without food.
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11/11/2010 - parathesis wrote: 90 Points
Nice but uneventful. Nose is weak but overall it was light and pleasurable.
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10/29/2010 - Texas Pete wrote: 89 Points
Subtle nose of dark fruit carries through to the mouth. A bit thin with smoothed out tannins, medium finish. I expected a bit more from this vintage.
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10/14/2010 - Lombardi wrote: 90 Points
great concentration. Not as much complexity or tertiary flavors as you would expect, but very enjoyable. Drink up, but you probably still have a couple of years to take care of the bottles you own. Try to have it with Lamb, I think it's a great pair!
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10/14/2010 - Henman wrote: 88 Points
Decanted over one hour.Pretty restrained nose with some sous-bois.Nicely developed light bodied palate showing sous-bois,cedar and some dark fruit.Firm and resolving tannins.Very elegant but a little thin and muted overall.I had high expectations on this.
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7/6/2010 - corkscrews wrote: 91 Points
A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark ruby in color. A delicious red, currants, blackberry, smoke, tea, spices, full bodied with a long finish, decanted for two hours.
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4/9/2010 - wine2drink wrote: 91 Points
Dark red in color to the edge of a watery rim. Red fruit and licorice on the nose. Velvety smooth tanins - and a smooth mouthfeel. Dark red fruit on the aftertaste followed by a medium finish. Decamted only 30 minutes - could have been longer even for this 9 year old wine.
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3/14/2010 - scotty_b wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 6 hours just because. Prominent menthol/black licorice on the nose with some gamey meat. Not a whole lot of fruit coming through. Taste of dark cherry, plum and meat. I doubt that this will improve much with more age. It's drinkable, especially with the long decant, but nothing special.
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2/22/2010 - fhayek wrote: 86 Points
Drank a 0.375l bottle over 3 days.
Straight upon opening a deep and seducive smell: underwood, medicine, roasted chestnut, menthol; really nice.
On the palate lighter and thinner than the smell suggested. High amount of sticky tannins, not much acidity. Slightly watery on the mid-palate.
By no means a poor wine but not as complex or exciting as hoped (and priced).
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1/28/2010 - bwillia wrote: 87 Points
The most austere and flat of the three Brunellos tasted tonight. Muted nose and relatively charmless.
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1/4/2010 - Yiannis wrote: 90 Points
Drank on New Year's Eve. Decanted for 2 hrs. Dark ruby. Red and black cherries, scorched earth, hints of cassis. Mid-bodied with rich, opulent fruit, ultra-soft tanins and balancing acidity. Relatively short aftertaste is this wine's only draw-back. Otherwise, a very enjoyable Brunello at its peak.
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12/26/2009 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Lazy, Boozy Boxing Day afternoon (Edmund and Shuming's place @ the Marbella): A good wine from a strong vintage. In a bit of an awkward place at the moment, but some quality was really beginning to peep through after a couple of hours in the decanter. Still just a bit too oaky for my taste, with cedar wood, toast and lots of Milo cocoa powder on the nose. When you get past that, you get nice Brunello accents of smoked ham, savoury roasted meat, dark cherries, plums and powdered herbs. Lots of chewy firmness on the palate still, with firm, powdery tannins forming the backdrop for nice flavours of dark cherries, strawberries, sweet plums and meat, all held up by super-fresh acid. Finish was medium-length, with more fresh cherries, more ham, and lots of oaky notes of woody bark, mocha and cocoa powder lining the glass. I enjoyed this - but I think we broached it too young. Another 5-6 years at least.
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10/4/2009 - ny pete wrote: 89 Points
decanted about 3.5 hours before the initial pour ... nose was still slightly muted but started to open after about 30 minutes in the glass ... a real nice expression of Brunello on the palate ... the finish initially was a little quick but is now starting to linger ... imo, still a baby in the bottle so I will hold my remaining bottles for a few more years ... an excellent balanced wine, just short of being outstanding ... 89+
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10/2/2009 - vsbastosx wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was decanted for 1,5 hour but this was not enough.
Very closed on both nose and palate, with shy scents of cherries, flowers and hints of liquorice. Also some subtle notes from toasted oak. Velvety, round, balanced with gentle tannins and very classy. It's also very food-friendly.
Let's see how it's going to perform tomorrow (I've vaccued the rest and put it on the fridge). Now, I'm giving 88.
2nd day: it's more open now. It got better...specially on the nose that is more expressive now. It also got slightly better on the palate demonstrating more creamy texture and elegant tannic structure. But these subtle improvements are not enough to increase the score. I'm keeping the 88 points.
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7/25/2009 - j.knuth wrote: 89 Points
Just as good day 2...maybe better.
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7/24/2009 - ecnemergut wrote: 90 Points
Probably at it peak right now. Bold raspberry/subtle chocolate nose. Medium weight on the papalte with a nice fruit finish. Not too many tannins. A nice wine.
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6/22/2009 - AZ Cat wrote:
(2) Drank two bottles with Mom, Dad, Dennis and Bob for Father’s Day. Both seemed tight, not showing a lot. Probably still needs more age.
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6/20/2009 - BSteffes wrote: 94 Points
Another great/classic Brunello. Let it breathe for about 2-3 hours before enjoying. However, I tasted it when I opened it and it was excellent. The time did nothing but make the wine more fragrant and complex. I thought this wine had tons of dark chocolate, and oak on the nose. The mouth was full of dark berry, mocha, salami, and oak. Very, very good. Wish I had more.
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6/14/2009 - Forest Floor wrote: 85 Points
On first opening, wine did not have much of a nose. Let it decant for 2 hours, and it began to open up. Some blueberries, and some porcinish (?) twist, typical of Brunello came through. There was good density to the wine, but, if lucky, it is still too young, closed down, and needs another 2-5 years. If not...well
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5/10/2009 - AZ Cat wrote:
(1) Drank on Mother’s Day with rack of lamb after 2007 Stefania Syrah with Dennis, Mom & Monica. Tannins have softened somewhat at fruit has started to emerge a little since the last time I tried this but it still has a long life ahead of it. Very enjoy
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4/26/2009 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 92 Points
2 years later it aged just fine. This bottle aged and drank just like the champ that it is; full of fruit and flavor and everything that is always wished for. (92+)
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4/12/2009 - slippytoad wrote: 93 Points
Super dry but always a charmer
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4/11/2009 - mdenigris3 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking wonderfully right now. Bold, full nose and supple palette. Not a lot of tannins left in this bottle, not sure about continued bottle life?
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3/12/2009 - Mintex wrote: 95 Points
Unbelievable. Now, admittedly, I love Brunello over all others, but this was incredible. It is finally time to start drinking this one. Ordered at a restaurant. Decanted and let sit for about 30 minutes. Savored for 2 1/2 hours through several courses. Beautiful color. Cherry, currant, and clove. Velvety. Restrained flavor. Toasted oak. Classic old world. The longest finish I've experienced in several years. It made the food seem superfluous. We had several 2001's three years ago in Tuscany, but it was just too soon. Now I realize what we're in for as we start drinking the wines from this great vintage.
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2/6/2009 - thirstyman wrote:
nice - needs a little time.
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2/3/2009 - rockguit wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of black fruit and attic. Decent enough palate of muted blackberries and earth, but really quite an ordinary wine--nothing memorable about this at all. Fine chalky tannins on the finish. I was expecting a lot more, and at $50, an awful QPR.
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1/15/2009 - mtkutzman@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Wine was exquisite after 20-30 minutes to open.
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1/12/2009 - robertdtwo wrote: 92 Points
3 hours in decanter prior to consumption w/cured meats & stinky cheeses... very nice bottle of juice! Dark purple color just beginning to brick at the edges; nose of earth, tobacco, pepper and licorice. I disagree w/others regarding huge tannins still present & found this to be drinking nicely. Dark semi-tart cherry dominant with notes of currant and just a hint of anise. Long 30+ second finish.
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1/1/2009 - plasiter67 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this at an Italian restaurant with friends - the best way to have good wine. Wow. This one did not disappoint. Dark purple color, nose included earth, tobacco, pepper and licorice. Weighty, but still velvetly mouthfeel. This one had been decanted for about 3 hours and poured back in to the bottle before serving. Tannins were definitely "there" but firmly resolved letting flavor profile come centere stage. Deep, dark cherry, licorice, currant and some clove/cedar flavors abounded. Huge flavor explosion - but not "all fruit" by any means. On top of the cherry, tobacco and smokey/peppery hints were definitely present. Long 30+ second finish was very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
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12/30/2008 - tommers207@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby hue. Nose had fine cigar tobacco with a juicy steak crusted in black pepper. Solid and strong mouthfeel. Tannins mellow by decanting, noticable but not harsh. Dark cherries dominate the front and mid palettes. Strong finish up to 30 seconds. Absolutly fantastic. Thanks Paul for bringing this to the restaurant.
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12/25/2008 - mdenigris3 wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding. Drinking wonderfully now. Berry nose, tobacco pallette, smooth tanins.
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12/21/2008 - bmckenna wrote: 91 Points
This wine opened as an 89 but finished as a 91. I think it's probably needing more time in the bottle...the tannins were MASSIVE. After about 3 hours open, it started to cool down slightly into a delicious red cherry, leather, anise, herbal, tannic, and blackberry nose, with predominantly red cherry and those massive tannins on the palate. There was also a bit of alcohol that resolved itself after an hour or two, but it opened up a bit harsh. Great fruitiness but not an extremely heavy or fleshy body. Even with all the tannin, it was drinking pretty smooth, so I think this wine's got a good future ahead of it in maybe 3-5 more years. This wine is pretty much why I love Brunello.
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11/3/2008 - hcampana wrote: 85 Points
Retailer wine tasting (Lots of TNs incl. 05 Torre Muga, 05 Guado al Tasso, 06 Achaval Mirador, 05 Pintia, etc.) (Monterrey, Mexico): Not my style. Lacking fruit. Drying finish.
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11/2/2008 - JohnBlueLabel wrote: 90 Points
Nice color. Nose has a hit of tar, black licorice, some smokiness and just a whiff of floral sent, like rose petals. Nice bright acidity with some sour cherr on the palate at first, which transitions to a milk chocolate and finishes with some mild tannins. Well integrated and structured, a good wine to pair with food.
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9/20/2008 - SadEdjo wrote:
fruit foward plush
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9/6/2008 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
I agree with the previous reviewer of this wine. This 2001 is better than the '99'. Nose: Dark fruits are equally balanced by leather, earth and black pepper, and a hint of smoke. Palate: Subdued blackberry with a core of bright acidity making this fairly massive wine lively and food friendly. Tannins are present but restrained. This is a nice Brunello showing great balance and finesse.
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8/23/2008 - Squirreljam wrote: 91 Points
Had a 99 of this about 10 days ago, so thought an 01 would be an interesting comparison. Liked this one better, surprisingly (to me). Initial nose a little reticent with earth, licorice and cherry but after maybe an hour of air, nicely opened into a rich cherry, smokey, loamy, satisfying wine. On the palate, great acidity to go with structure to balance. Lots of flavors going on, hint of bacon (or is that the Amatriciana I just had?), fennel, cherry & earth.
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6/2/2008 - bluedog wrote: 92 Points
At Morton's. Smooth, nice, long finish.
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5/16/2008 - grapemaven wrote: 92 Points
Very nice youg brunello after 1 hour decant.
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4/28/2008 - rloomis wrote: 88 Points
tomato leaf, herb, lean blk olive and tar, red brick dust.
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3/12/2008 - Stephan O wrote: 87 Points
I'm with the few naysayers. For 50 bucks, this is awfully pedestrian. The nose shows pleasant cherry and chocolate, along with muted mushroom and licorice notes, but the palate just seems watery. The mid-length finish tastes like a fresh-baked brownie, which is nice, but that's the highlight of an otherwise boring wine. For me, it's hard to separate the quality and the score from the price tag in this instance, because there are so many other wines that I wish I'd bought instead. And I still don't "get" Sangiovese.
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2/20/2008 - beachnic wrote: 90 Points
This was a little dissappointing. Liked The 2001 Aglieta Brunello I had the other day much better. This seemed a little muted fruit wise and just didn't have any wow factor at all. It was pleasant to drink but would not repurchase at this price.
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2/16/2008 - KSTELIOU wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful even though still needs time, decanted for two hours before dinner
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2/3/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
Really liked this. Needs time but had twice in last month, once at Grape Street, once in LA at AOC. Excellent wine, big but nuanced. Will be awesome in a few years.
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1/20/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 94 Points
Mike/DaveR event at AOC.
Huge young Brunello which was a surprisingly popular wine at the event. Not up to the Jones 1997 or Shafer Hillside 1995, but it's young and not yet showing its stuff. Tied for bronze medal on the night and many compliments on it despite following after both of the two awesome cabs.
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1/7/2008 - easyrider wrote:
always good. this remains a staple of the brunello's
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12/31/2007 - 4iron wrote: 93 Points
tobacco, cedar box, graphite, blackcherry, plum, fig, forest twigs, kerosene. subtle oak, vanilla. dry. not ready to be drunk, but amazing potential.
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12/29/2007 - eiseis wrote: 91 Points
I had dinner with Tsuchiya and Matsumi at La Villa and brought our bottle. It was a young wine, deep and inky. With a little bit of decanting, about 15 minutes, it showed its smooth texture and is very easy to drink.
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12/26/2007 - jc-mmb wrote: 81 Points
second bottle tried of this. first was thought to be corked by the three of us. this second bottle was not corked (the first was certainly corked after tasting this bottle). didn't like this. dry muted fruit barely there. thin palate, unidimensional and unimpressive. dull. finish flat. could be a bad bottle, i guess, but blah. didn't improve with time or food.
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12/2/2007 - JamesSanders wrote:
Rich and nicely balanced, but appropriately youthful. Paired well with grilled strip steaks. Not much sangiovese character, though.
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11/20/2007 - Mushinski wrote: 92 Points
Had this wine with a Strip Steak dinner and it definitely carried itself well.
The wine is still very young, with a good aging potential - I would probably wait another year or two before opening another bottle.
Dark red in color and some fruitiness just starting to come through in the taste. Structure was very strong.
Excellent Brunello - especially for the price. Reminds me of dinners I had in Volterra.
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11/13/2007 - jjarrard wrote: 90 Points
This bottle tasted a little funky when I first opened it. However, after about 30 minutes it, it developed a really nice smooth earthy and leathery flavor, with very subtle fruitiness. After an hour of decanting, it was absolutely delightful, well balanced, expressing its terroir while remaining approachable and drinkable. I have two more bottles, and will wait two more years to try the next one--it really feels like this will be a nice wine in a few years.
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11/2/2007 - Stickan wrote: 91 Points
Very good nose, nice character, dark red, good tannins and long aftertaste. With friends, drank it with some Parmesan cheese, they enjoyed it very much.
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11/1/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 87 Points
Retailer tasting. I tried this early in the tasting and was not impressed so I came back at the end and sampled a second bottle which was opened. Consistent notes in each. A full bodied wine. On the dry side and lacking in fruit. It had a roasted character with thin red fruit and some coffee notes. Atypical for this wine. The lot the distributor was pouring from could have had poor storage but it was not blatantly heat damaged. 87 points.
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10/28/2007 - keelegl wrote:
This wine has seriously closed down since the last bottle I had about a year ago. I knew I was popping this early, but even after 4 hours of decanted it was still tight. Beautiful deep ruby color, nothing on the nose, the palate had good concentration and grip, but everything else is asleep in this wine. Will hold scoring this wine and wait another couple of years to open my remaining bottles.
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10/21/2007 - Jack wrote: 85 Points
Taste of the Vine 10/21 (Kierland): May be closed down. Seemed like good fruit.
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10/6/2007 - slippytoad wrote: 86 Points
Not a good bottle. Nothing special on the nose, palate was too acidic for my tastes completely masking the fruit. Seemed dead to me, although the finish wasn't bad.
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9/17/2007 - avwineguy wrote: 91 Points
Refined, Great mouth feel. Very nice blackberry onthe mid palate
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9/8/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Poured at a tasting at The Wine Club SF: little to no nose; somewhat watery on the palate with an acidic, dry finish. Approachable now, but somewhat undistinguished. Well made but shut down? Fair
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9/5/2007 - AZ Cat wrote:
Very good but drank way too young. Has a lot of potential.
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9/1/2007 - name wrote: 94 Points
nicely done brunello, classic and smooth
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8/30/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Nose: posseses dark cherry, black licorice, asian spice, and sour berries. This nose is packing a serious punch
taste: this just really coats your mouth. Really getting the cherry and the black licorice on the finish. Also getting some mixed berries aspects too going on in both the initial taste and the finish.
overall: this is a great expression of brunello. It's an utterly beautiful wine now, and I can only imagine where it'll go in 5-10 years.
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8/12/2007 - Jochems wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby color. Full tones of black fruit with hints of cedar and some floral tones. Medium-full bodied on the palate with good fruit and chewy tanines. Medium finish, slightly 'hot'.
Could use some time to harmonise, but definetly not closed now. Actually quit enjoyable as it is (like many '01 BdM).
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7/22/2007 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, RASPBERRIES AND BLUEBERRIES IN THE NOSE WITH SOME EARTHINESS. FLAVOR LIKE THE NOSE. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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6/30/2007 - odu83 wrote: 90 Points
Very tight on opening. This wine needs several more years to develop. After decanting for an hour the wine began to foreshadow what it will become. It was very complex with hints of dried fruit and a chalky after tast ethat lingered. The mouth feel was a bit sharp - no doubt the tannins still overpowering the overall taste. Give it three or four years to find its stride.
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5/12/2007 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 92 Points
When you buy the best it drinks like the best. (92)
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4/8/2007 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
I preferred this to the '01 Casanova di Neri.
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4/1/2007 - vivaitalia wrote: 94 Points
The best brunello i've ever tasted! Very jammy and slightly tart dark fruit abounds. Peppery spices surround the fruit and a nice earthy undertone all structured very well. Took six hours of decanting but was very well worth the wait. In a world of really overpriced Italian wines I thought this was actually a good value.
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3/20/2007 - Thomsen wrote: 85 Points
Very good but will be much better in a few years.
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3/17/2007 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
Obviously too young but had to try one :-) Dark dried fruit, silky, chocolate finish. Will wait a year before trying the next one as this will only get better.
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2/19/2007 - JOhlsson wrote: 90 Points
Red. Deep red berry fruit and tasty oak spice. Sweet fruit on the palate with good acidity and tannin backbone. ends with a slightly harsh mouthfeel.
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2/10/2007 - godx wrote: 91 Points
Blind tasting. Opened and served right away. Nice red/brownish colour. Mainly vegetal nose with hints of broccoli, cauliflower and earth. Earthy flavours of cedar box and fruit covered wood. Great acidity, balanced and smooth mouth feel with a nice finish that brings out flavours of mocha.
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9/25/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 86 Points
Ten Days in Tuscany (Tuscany): Tight nose, slightly hollow. Very full oaky attack, masks everything, solid tannins, hard to judge.
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9/21/2006 - futronic wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby/black colour. Very pretty nose of bacon/grilled meat, chocolate, black cherry, black plums, and sottobosco. Medium-full bodied, with replays from nose - chocolate, chocolate, cherry, plums, and blackberry. Great acidity and structure. Moderate-long finish, 40s, with black fruit. Will age gracefully. 92+ points.
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