Second bottle after a few days, Slightly better i.e. fresher than the first one. Needs time to breathe. Better on day two. Again hints of heat (dried fruit), dark fruits and a charming "sweetness". pretty tight knit and with a good grip on the palate but surprisingly short on the finish. This will last some more years but won´t improve, so drink up.
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This took a while to open up. At first, rather soft and a touch brooding. with time , the acidity came into play and gave the darker fruits a well rounded feel. An excellent bottle of wine and would have been a a wine of the night of not for tasting next to the 82 Taurasi.
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We enjoyed this bottle on the night before Thanksgiving, 2007. Acquired from a trustes source from an Italian cellar and showed to be relatively unevolved, dark, still a bit primary. Dark, spicy, brooding sangio. Good minerality. We had an 88 Percarlo at the same time, and that was more toasted and forward. I will want to hold my second bottle for several years, because these bottles still have a vey alluring future before them.
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Very slight hint of bricking (was this just because I was expecting it?). Wine is clearly past its peak which just just underscores the fineness. Oak showed through a little, but just an entrancing and indescribable nose with hints of perfume, tar, and pencil shavings. Mouth mellowed from inital acidity to a smooth contained tartness. Drink this if you have it. I'm tempted to go back for the double magnum of '93. Just a side note, the cork was almost perfectly evenly wetted for about 1cm and dry after that. Pulled out half on first try.
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My last bottle of this vintage. Poured half into a split, corked it and put it in the fridge. Decanted the other half. Modest amount of sediment. The color was very primary, with no bricking and an intensity to the purple-ruby notes that belied its age. The nose on the wine was lovely. Rich, earthy, coffee and leather, black fruits with a touch of spice. In the mouth, it was further developed than the appearance suggested. Perfectly integrated, soft, holding together well. Sweet fruit still lingering, but secondary and tertiary flavors predominate, with a kick of acid in the background. A very nice bottle, all things considered. I think I paid about $35 at auction. It will certainly hold for a while longer, but this deserves to be enjoyed pretty soon.
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For pre-1990 TN week on the MS board, opened this 88 Fontalloro. Color is deep ruby red with hints of bricking at the rim. Nose is showing more secondary aromas of aged Sangiovese than primary fruit, with sous bois, spice, wet leather, smoke. Initially, while still a little cool, the wine is still delivering a wonderful melange of berry fruit, earthy tones, acid, and tanin. On the finish it's the acid that stands out--still showing its origins as a food wine. Over time as the wine warms a bit, the fruit loses some color and vibrancy, acid is more pronounced, and the finish becomes a bit vegetal. If you own any of these, it's time. I have only a few 88 SuperTuscans, including a mag of Flacianello, and I'll make a point to get to it soon.
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12/11/2021 - Dancing with bottles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second bottle after a few days,
Slightly better i.e. fresher than the first one. Needs time to breathe. Better on day two. Again hints of heat (dried fruit), dark fruits and a charming "sweetness". pretty tight knit and with a good grip on the palate but surprisingly short on the finish.
This will last some more years but won´t improve, so drink up.
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12/7/2021 - Dancing with bottles Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still in good condition, although this seems to be a rather weak bottle. Red and dried fruits, dense inner core, low acid, finishes a bit short
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11/20/2021 - Joseph Grassa Likes this wine:
Mature and maybe past it's peak but this still has lots of life in it.
started drinking at 3 hours, but it improved over the next 3+.
Dark tart cherry, leather, balsamic, hints of hazelnut that only started to show at about the 5 hour mark, a touch of anise and iron as well.
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10/18/2019 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 92 Points
Still going strong. Doing Sangiovese proud.
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9/12/2017 - lolo66 wrote: 94 Points
This took a while to open up. At first, rather soft and a touch brooding. with time , the acidity came into play and gave the darker fruits a well rounded feel. An excellent bottle of wine and would have been a a wine of the night of not for tasting next to the 82 Taurasi.
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1/20/2015 - elledeca wrote:
Fontalloro vertical: very nice, mature but full of life, with red fruit, flowers, herbs and some balsamic notes. WOTN for me.
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2/26/2011 - j45 wrote:
Still firm and tannic upon opening. I drank this over three evenings, and my last glass was the best. Plenty of life left in the tank.
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1/20/2008 - baroloboy55 wrote: 92 Points
We enjoyed this bottle on the night before Thanksgiving, 2007. Acquired from a trustes source from an Italian cellar and showed to be relatively unevolved, dark, still a bit primary. Dark, spicy, brooding sangio. Good minerality. We had an 88 Percarlo at the same time, and that was more toasted and forward. I will want to hold my second bottle for several years, because these bottles still have a vey alluring future before them.
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8/29/2006 - Stampy wrote: 91 Points
Very slight hint of bricking (was this just because I was expecting it?). Wine is clearly past its peak which just just underscores the fineness. Oak showed through a little, but just an entrancing and indescribable nose with hints of perfume, tar, and pencil shavings. Mouth mellowed from inital acidity to a smooth contained tartness. Drink this if you have it. I'm tempted to go back for the double magnum of '93. Just a side note, the cork was almost perfectly evenly wetted for about 1cm and dry after that. Pulled out half on first try.
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10/9/2005 - SteveHyde wrote:
My last bottle of this vintage. Poured half into a split, corked it and put it in the fridge. Decanted the other half. Modest amount of sediment. The color was very primary, with no bricking and an intensity to the purple-ruby notes that belied its age. The nose on the wine was lovely. Rich, earthy, coffee and leather, black fruits with a touch of spice. In the mouth, it was further developed than the appearance suggested. Perfectly integrated, soft, holding together well. Sweet fruit still lingering, but secondary and tertiary flavors predominate, with a kick of acid in the background. A very nice bottle, all things considered. I think I paid about $35 at auction. It will certainly hold for a while longer, but this deserves to be enjoyed pretty soon.
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11/30/2004 - SteveHyde wrote:
For pre-1990 TN week on the MS board, opened this 88 Fontalloro. Color is deep ruby red with hints of bricking at the rim. Nose is showing more secondary aromas of aged Sangiovese than primary fruit, with sous bois, spice, wet leather, smoke. Initially, while still a little cool, the wine is still delivering a wonderful melange of berry fruit, earthy tones, acid, and tanin. On the finish it's the acid that stands out--still showing its origins as a food wine. Over time as the wine warms a bit, the fruit loses some color and vibrancy, acid is more pronounced, and the finish becomes a bit vegetal. If you own any of these, it's time. I have only a few 88 SuperTuscans, including a mag of Flacianello, and I'll make a point to get to it soon.
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