Color: black with red highlights. Viscous legs Nose: medium/full intensity. Very alcoholic aroma that masks whatever dark fruit exists. Body/flavor: medium/full body. No longer balanced with noticeable tannins. Alcohol predominates the flavors Aftertaste: short and hot
Agree with other commentators -- sadly wine is over the hill
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Following up on prior note that was based on tasting via Coravin. Pretty good, but needs some serious decanting as it throws off some heat at opening. (Also, quite a bit of sediment.). The heat does not dissipate completely, which js too bad as it detracts from the fruit. Red fruit most predominant. Red figs, ripe red peach, sugared plum, quince paste, along with notes of eucalyptus and cracked pepper. Medium tannins, long finish. Drinking well now. Not sure how much longer this will last.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First taste from Coravin sampling. I have been sitting on these since release, abs had tried a bottle early on and L found it not quite ready for prime time. Five years later, I am exploring this one again. First impressions: somewhat unbalanced. Packs a lot of power, and it is focused but a bit wild, gritty and earthy, but in a pleasant way. Lots of red fruit, spices, some mustiness and pronounced acidity. Not sure if this needs more time in the cellar to integrate better. I am planning to come back to this and explore with proper decanting. So, TBC.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberries floating above a gentle underlayer of leather and tobacco, with complex herbs (mint and more), minerals, sweet ripe cherries, appealing bitterness, flowers, spices, soy sauce--dense and rich, with a beautiful and almost endless aftertaste that eventually resolves in sweet licorice. Tannins are distinctly present but not unpleasant. A combination of power and elegance. If short of cellar space, don't hesitate to drink now--it's wonderful!-- but, if you have the space, this will probably be even better in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jon R loves this wine/producer This got at least 2 hours of decanting but still gritty/tannic and not enough fruit Hope I like future vintages that I own better
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
These last two bottle of a half-case were deliciously mature, the tannins very fine and the fruit coming forward. A decade of age seems to put it squarely in its drinking window—which, I if I had more, I would expand by a couple of years. 91-92
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby garnet. Pronounced aromas of dark fruit, black pepper, roses, allspice, and leather. Intense penetration of fruit on the palate with vibrant acids and strong integrated tannins, complex aromatic structure with a very long and powerful finish. Carries its 15% alcohol well.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much more structured and tannic than the recent 2014. It would have benefitted greatly from a long decant. After a few hours, more dark fruit emerged. This needs cellar time and seems like it has the goods to reward it.
Almost New World in its weight and intensity. Purplish red at the rim, opaque and nearly black at the center. Still very primary on the nose, with brambly purple and black fruit notes dominating. Fruit is pronounced on the mouth, but it's very well structured, with a lovely, strong finish that calls you back. Years to go, but a very pleasant youthful drink right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of blackcurrants, black fig, anise, tar, roses, and a hint of white pepper. Deep salty tannic sweet fruit on the palate, crusty and delicious, gritty tannins on the savory acid finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Alot of structure, big tannins that have mellowed across 9 years. Blackberries, prunes and bramble. Mineral backbone, smoke, and dry earth. A wonderful grape and wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bottle # 2 of 5 I bought at auction. As good as the first one! This wine has alot of structure to it,and a fair amount of sediment in the bottle. Wild Blackberry, tobacco, leather, tar, and licorice. I predict I will continue to enjoy this wine in the years ahead!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Roses, blackberries, black figs, black pepper, tar on the nose, with some alcoholic heat. Sweet tannic fruit on the palate with a lovely crisp acid frame. Excellent with kofta.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An interesting wine and flavor profile. Aglianico grape. Quite bold and very dry, firm chewy tannins. Dark and red fruits, smoke and tar, tobacco, minerals, licorice. Alot of sediment. This one has plenty of life ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over 3 days, vacuum sealed and chilled in between. Tannins actually got harsher! Lots of sediment. Probably needed more cellar time than I gave it..
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Poured through screened aerator. Dark and impenetrable in the glass. Earth and tobacco dominated the nose, black plum would be my fruit description on the tongue. Tannins are not harsh, but obviously present. A bold wine that went well with pizza, but called for small sips on its own. 15% alcohol.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I last had one of these back in 2014 and vowed to let my remaining bottles rest a bit so the tannins could soften.
6 years later... Tannins are fully resolved. There's a huge amount of sediment in the bottle, but standing it upright for a day before careful decanting let me get ~80% of the liquid out with no sediment in it. The wine had a plush silky texture. The acids have softened a bit since my last bottle (by my recollection). Fruits starting to fade a bit.
A pretty good bottle tonight, but I'd drink up the rest of these in the next few years: I don't think they'll get any better, and I'm fairly confident that they'll only get worse from here on out, by my palate.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the nose and intense melange of red fruit, crushed rock, chocolate, and cardamom. Harmonic resonance of penetrating red fruit and ringing tannins on a coiled spring of acid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My second '11 and thankfully not corked like the last! Black licorice, plum, smoke, cacao and other spices. Lovely Aglianico, in the middle of it's evolution.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first bottle of Titolo. Full bodied, at first a little heavy / heady but opened up well after a few hours double decant. Tastes like a wine from a hot vintage, but still with nice depth and purity of fruit and clearly a well made Aglianico. I like it, I think I would like it more in a few years and perhaps not the best vintage, but nothing to discourage me from following this wine
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Time has been good to this wine, easing the rough edges in bottles past. Characteristically Southern Italian terroir with bright acidity balanced against the soil. Light to medium bodied.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black plums, anise, tar, cigar smoke, violets on the expressive nose. Complex evolution on the palate, with a deep concentration of clear sweet tannic fruit at the front, a rich bitter chocolate base in the mid palate moving into an emerging anise back note on a firm lingering acid finish. Powerful and kaleidoscopic. Excellent with barbecued dry rubbed ribs.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Expressive aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, black pepper, espresso, and lilacs. Dark delicious fruit on the palate, with a fragrant sweet acid intensity and a deep integrated tannic base, salty fruit-driven tannic finish with a light acid echo. Full, fleshy, and structured. Excellent with vitello tonnato and pan seared artichoke hearts, carrots, and zucchini.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dry heath, thyme, black pepper, dark fruit, creamed corn, tar on the deeply expressive nose. Dense saladito fruit on the palate with gritty tannins, intense umami balance of fruit, acid, and tannin on the back. Irreducible, erratic, dense, and wild. 50 + 17 + 18 + 8 = 93.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
the scoop is that this bottle was lost, until one day it appeared. I'm starting to sound like someone I know, ahem; But not complaining. VR got me into this. nose - singing. high toned plum fruit, with a touch of spice mouth - fresh berry explosion followed by a wall of tannin. fresh and and alive. with the acidity to boot, this wine is balanced on all sides and tragically young. piercing. hold
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Retasted this over a 5 day period. Elena Fucci's Titolo is a very reliable high quality Aglianico from a volcanic terroir. Opaque black to the edge, with an aromatic black cherry, blackberry, and scorched wood. The sip leads with an upfront and powerful acidity, closest to sour cherry. Sloshing the wine around the mouth brights out a strong and astringent tannin that slowly becomes more rounded. The best part of the taste is the swallow, where tannin, fruit, and acid integrate well and the mouthfeel shows signs of becoming lush. Enjoyable enough to drink now but needs about 4 more years of bottle age to reach its peak of quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is drinking really well now. Certainly has the guts to hold, but seems like it's finally into its drinking window. Has a wild charm with acid and tannins all over the place and a certain southern Italian herbal/volcanic x-factor. The nose is magic.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red, black cherry, bit of aged red fruit, earth, vanilla in both nose and palate. Balanced, light sweetness in the fruit, moderate tannin showing up in finish, full body. Kept expecting it to evolve a bit but never did--that said quite enjoyable with brined/grilled pork chops from start to finish.
MNB: Lesser Italian Reds (Home (Noe st)): (blind) Dark ruby color. Dull. Earthy nose - amaro herbs, black dried cherry, slight brett. Dark fruit as well. Possible pyrazines? Almost like cab coffee grounds - probably from oak. Dry, full-bodied, 15% alcohol (correct), high acid, high tannins - chewy and full, hints of new oak - 30% (actually 100% new French oak for 12 months).
This is awesome. Savage and highly structured with the strong acid cleaning out the tannins.
Fruit on the finish is amaro and black cherry liqueur with a hint of raisinated black cherry.
- Amarone - seems to fit. - Sagrantino - fruit character isn't dark enough. Too acid-focused. - Dolcetto - acid is too high - Aglianico - acid is too high - Primitivo - way too big and tannic and dark.
Call: 2013 Amarone Actual: 2011 Aglianico di Vulture - $30! Analysis: This is pretty earthy for Amarone - not as sweet on the palate. But overall this is hard to tell. Impressive for the price!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe iron if that means anything... Linear, stone, and dark yet virbrant fruit up front. Stone and bright fruit in the nose, ash but nice. Showing very well but plenty to offer going forward.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Le millésime était 2024 sous le bouchon, nul par ailleurs mention du millésime sur la bouteille. Simple, fruit noirs qui s’est un peu éteint ou bouteille off?, peu de longueur. Correct sans plus. RQP ***
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
We brought this to a tasting and served it (after a 2 1/2-hour double decant) with lamb meatballs in our homemade tomato sauce. I was surprised at the oak character of this wine; the label tells that the wine was aged in 100% French oak, but the wine presented flavors that I associate with American oak....Bourbonish notes. It had just enough acidity and tannins to mate with the dish. The oak is proud yet; it wasn't objectionable, but I don't know if it will settle down sufficiently to wed to the fruit, before the latter recedes into the mist. Overall pleasant, though.
Edit: I should also note that this bottle threw more sediment than any bottle of wine I have ever opened (probably close to 1/4 cup!). The double decant was thus necessary for more than one reason.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent et superbe. Une bouche de cerise confite au départ. S'en suit des fruits noirs avec une belle lonngueur. Tannins moyennement corsés, laisse une belle impression de fruits qui tapissent les papilles. Encore aussi bon le lendemain. RQP ****
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beast of a wine Big fruit and tannin that paired well with lamb chops Can go years to mellow tannins but great Aglianico tar and smoke now and full fruit
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Poured it for blind tasting, and most were able to identify it as Italian. Quite big and rich, but balanced, with hot stone, tar, and loads of black cherry and berry. Ample tannins. Glad to have a couple more of these. I think they'll be great with steaks or... probably steaks.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose - nice smoky dark cherry fruit, olive Mouth - round mouthfeel, plush, expansive sappy dark and red fruits, reminiscent of a compote. Really superb esp with an hour of air. long tannic finish. I had the '05 recently it seemed over the hill, making me think that these delicious bottles should be consumed in their relative youth. yet this has vibrancy and tannic life. good stuff.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Off the hook stellar. Leather and then tobacco with a fruit base and medium (ok, medium short) finish. Graphite and tannins on the finish. Couldn't be happier with it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Leather, pencil shavings, white pepper, black cherry. A tannic, tart beast. Day 2 still tannic, but richer and less mouth drying. I would hold these for another 3 - 5 years. Day 3. Now we're getting somewhere. Drinkable, very dense.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I thought this was going to pair well with delicate Italian - but it was too big a wine - and just simply felt out of place. Not sure why this wine was created.
(2 hour decant, tasted at Oinoscent, bottle brought by Mike) Quite thick color and some sediment in the bottle. The nose is thick too, med to high intensity. The alcohol is more than evident (15%), red and black ripe fruit, some overripe to dried black fruit notes, currant and cherries. There are Brett notes as well, leather, dusty oaky but not overpowering, rustic altogether with some fruit in alcohol, cherry liquer. The nose gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect. In the palate, massive ripe fruit notes, cherry and currant pulp, alcohol kick, chewy tannins, oak is more evident, med body, Brett comes with the second wave to dominate the palate. Quite the monster of a wine, definitely needs time in a decanter, a wine for food and with a long time to grow. Outstanding quality, drink later than now
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful, massive wine with depth, character and style. Opulent dark red fruit, graphite, tar. Palette coating with inky saturation. All that said...it is far too young. Let it sleep. It will turn into a 94+
7-18-8-8
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very bright and young. Incense, clove, licorice, dark fruits. Mouth drying tannins. Great wine, but needs lots of time or lots of air. Day 2 update, much better on day 2. Deep, settled and rich. +1.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cerise confite mêlée de cet terre retournée caractéristique de l'aglianico. Une bonne profondeur, acidité nette, tanins fermes. Pour moi, le tout est gâché par un élevage trop rond, presque guidoune. Dommage, il a de beaux attraits. Les amateurs de vins modernes devraient apprécier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Inky dark ruby. Bitter chocolate, raspberry jam, violets, pungent undergrowth, some alcohol heat on the nose. Tongue coating tannic fruit on the palate with a long echoing finish. It doesn't have all these strong elements pulling together at the moment, but I'm looking forward to that happening. 50 + 18 + 17 + 7.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at merchant tasting. Similar note to the one date 9/7/2014 but it's showing even better today. Beautiful aromatics of tobacco, smoke, sweet red berries, minerality (like wet stone/ash/volcanic soil), and some pepper. It's medium-fulll bodied with beautifully fresh medium-high acidiyt and medium+ tannin that is perfectly silky. Great length. A super impressive Aglianico that combines southern power with amazing elegance.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened 24 hours ago but it's drinking quite a bit more seemlessly tonight. The first night it was a little hard and tight, but today reveals more. The aromas now very pleasing and balanced, showing tart, juicy red fruits, and tons of graphite and gravel. Really lovely and elegant right now. Nice soft, nearly elegant entry even if it's immediately showing it's tightness. Puckering tannins are also immediate, but there's still plenty of red fruits and tannic structure. Nice balanced acid as well. Initial puckering on the finish and here it's still showing fairly tight. Rich and lush, but lots of tight tannins and acid. I think this will age quite well. I think it's time to check in with a 2005 again to see how that one's coming along. A lovely wine, but wait for day two on early consumption. 90+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fun! Lots of acidity and tannin structure so this will age very well. White pepper on the nose, complex palate with a biteyness that is quite appealing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still a baby, with powerful drying tannins. However, there's great complexity underneath, with cherries, rose petal, and wet rocks on the palette. Let it breathe for 3 hours or so (or let it sit in the cellar for a while) and you'll be rewarded.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hmm… This is really interesting wine. Lots going on flavor-wise, and it's rich without being heavy. I think this is due to the lively acidity, which is a really rare and pleasant thing in such a big wine. The tannins are still coarse, so even though this wine smells and tastes great, the texture is not really to my liking right now. Will the wine soften and smooth out as it ages? If it does, this stuff will be fabulous. If not, it will remain very good. Either way, I'm glad to have more in the cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very complex, but needs cellar time or lots of air.
Day 2 update. The tannins have settled a bit, but are still persistent and mouth drying. Still has a high level of acidity. Drinkable on day 2. Raspberry, tart cranberry, tobacco and earth. More backward then other '11 Aglianicos I've had.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Stunningly pure aromatics of sweet spices, minerality (think wet rocks), ash, dark red fruits. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is present, but very good quality. Excellent length. I love the weightless and fresh style of the wine a lot. A fantastic Aglianico! (93+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/15/2024 - CPSchoeff Does not like this wine:
Tasted blind and called it tired and some astringency on the finish. Fruit is all raisins and cooked old fruit with some savory notes.
I rated it 7th of 9 in the blind lineup and the group of eight had it just barely 2nd place. Amazing how different palates can be!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2023 - benloeb66 wrote:
Too old. Too old. Too bad. We’ll see where it goes after decanting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2023 - BrianPA wrote: 88 Points
Flat, muted fruit, ok but I waited too long. My bad
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2023 - OldwineinVT Likes this wine: 86 Points
Garagiste selection. 15% ABV
Color: black with red highlights. Viscous legs
Nose: medium/full intensity. Very alcoholic aroma that masks whatever dark fruit exists.
Body/flavor: medium/full body. No longer balanced with noticeable tannins. Alcohol predominates the flavors
Aftertaste: short and hot
Agree with other commentators -- sadly wine is over the hill
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2023 - guitarguy wrote: 88 Points
Drink any time, plenty of sediment, chunky and angular. I’m not sure what it had left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2023 - sanjuanlewis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2022 - Aris1a wrote: 90 Points
Following up on prior note that was based on tasting via Coravin. Pretty good, but needs some serious decanting as it throws off some heat at opening. (Also, quite a bit of sediment.). The heat does not dissipate completely, which js too bad as it detracts from the fruit. Red fruit most predominant. Red figs, ripe red peach, sugared plum, quince paste, along with notes of eucalyptus and cracked pepper. Medium tannins, long finish. Drinking well now. Not sure how much longer this will last.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2022 - Aris1a Likes this wine: 90 Points
First taste from Coravin sampling. I have been sitting on these since release, abs had tried a bottle early on and L found it not quite ready for prime time. Five years later, I am exploring this one again. First impressions: somewhat unbalanced. Packs a lot of power, and it is focused but a bit wild, gritty and earthy, but in a pleasant way. Lots of red fruit, spices, some mustiness and pronounced acidity. Not sure if this needs more time in the cellar to integrate better. I am planning to come back to this and explore with proper decanting. So, TBC.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2022 - SpenceP wrote: 94 Points
Blackberries floating above a gentle underlayer of leather and tobacco, with complex herbs (mint and more), minerals, sweet ripe cherries, appealing bitterness, flowers, spices, soy sauce--dense and rich, with a beautiful and almost endless aftertaste that eventually resolves in sweet licorice. Tannins are distinctly present but not unpleasant. A combination of power and elegance. If short of cellar space, don't hesitate to drink now--it's wonderful!-- but, if you have the space, this will probably be even better in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2022 - partymonk Likes this wine: 92 Points
red/purple in color. nose- rich, vanilla, oaky, new world, big fruit. palate- bit sour, red fruit, dry, medium tannins, oaky
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Jon R loves this wine/producer
This got at least 2 hours of decanting but still gritty/tannic and not enough fruit
Hope I like future vintages that I own better
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2021 - prism wrote: 91 Points
These last two bottle of a half-case were deliciously mature, the tannins very fine and the fruit coming forward. A decade of age seems to put it squarely in its drinking window—which, I if I had more, I would expand by a couple of years. 91-92
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2021 - elevwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tannins still firm, wine lasted into third day. A bit of green bitterness persisted, but otherwise a solid Aglianico.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2021 - prism wrote: 91 Points
Age has improved this flavorful Aglianico, featuring fine powdery tannins and cedar notes. best bottle yet; two to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2021 - Villon wrote: 92 Points
Excellent
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2021 - oldcabman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Three hour decant - so happy we did!
Full bodied, bit of tannin bite, but not out of proportion to the black fruit, oak and leather. Very well made!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby garnet. Pronounced aromas of dark fruit, black pepper, roses, allspice, and leather. Intense penetration of fruit on the palate with vibrant acids and strong integrated tannins, complex aromatic structure with a very long and powerful finish. Carries its 15% alcohol well.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2021 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Much more structured and tannic than the recent 2014. It would have benefitted greatly from a long decant. After a few hours, more dark fruit emerged. This needs cellar time and seems like it has the goods to reward it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/31/2021 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last bottle of this wine auction purchase. Time to try some more Aglianico. Black cherry, white pepper, smoke. Great with Texas barbecued meats.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2021 - tedcholl wrote: 89 Points
Starting it's decline but still a very nice wine. Cherry, earthy notes, leather, minerals. I'll need to drink my last bottle soon.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2021 - JamesSanders Likes this wine: 92 Points
Almost New World in its weight and intensity. Purplish red at the rim, opaque and nearly black at the center. Still very primary on the nose, with brambly purple and black fruit notes dominating. Fruit is pronounced on the mouth, but it's very well structured, with a lovely, strong finish that calls you back. Years to go, but a very pleasant youthful drink right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Big wine still with gobs of fruit and probably could have used a decant but we were thirsty
nice drink on a Monday night
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2021 - ravbik wrote: 89 Points
Medium to full bodied red
Rough edges and moderate tannins
Cherries, plums, leather, smoke,
Has life left
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of blackcurrants, black fig, anise, tar, roses, and a hint of white pepper. Deep salty tannic sweet fruit on the palate, crusty and delicious, gritty tannins on the savory acid finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 91 Points
Alot of structure, big tannins that have mellowed across 9 years. Blackberries, prunes and bramble. Mineral backbone, smoke, and dry earth. A wonderful grape and wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2020 - prism wrote: 90 Points
Black cherry, anise, and sage. Nice.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bottle # 2 of 5 I bought at auction. As good as the first one! This wine has alot of structure to it,and a fair amount of sediment in the bottle. Wild Blackberry, tobacco, leather, tar, and licorice. I predict I will continue to enjoy this wine in the years ahead!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2020 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Roses, blackberries, black figs, black pepper, tar on the nose, with some alcoholic heat. Sweet tannic fruit on the palate with a lovely crisp acid frame. Excellent with kofta.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 90 Points
An interesting wine and flavor profile. Aglianico grape. Quite bold and very dry, firm chewy tannins. Dark and red fruits, smoke and tar, tobacco, minerals, licorice. Alot of sediment. This one has plenty of life ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2020 - NavyVet6874 wrote:
Drank over 3 days, vacuum sealed and chilled in between. Tannins actually got harsher! Lots of sediment. Probably needed more cellar time than I gave it..
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2020 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Poured through screened aerator. Dark and impenetrable in the glass. Earth and tobacco dominated the nose, black plum would be my fruit description on the tongue. Tannins are not harsh, but obviously present.
A bold wine that went well with pizza, but called for small sips on its own. 15% alcohol.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2020 - mid_palate Likes this wine:
I last had one of these back in 2014 and vowed to let my remaining bottles rest a bit so the tannins could soften.
6 years later... Tannins are fully resolved. There's a huge amount of sediment in the bottle, but standing it upright for a day before careful decanting let me get ~80% of the liquid out with no sediment in it. The wine had a plush silky texture. The acids have softened a bit since my last bottle (by my recollection). Fruits starting to fade a bit.
A pretty good bottle tonight, but I'd drink up the rest of these in the next few years: I don't think they'll get any better, and I'm fairly confident that they'll only get worse from here on out, by my palate.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2020 - Nbkat8 wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly good wine, really enjoyed this. Nice complex structure with tight crips tannins throughout. Great now and built to last a few more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2020 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
On the nose and intense melange of red fruit, crushed rock, chocolate, and cardamom. Harmonic resonance of penetrating red fruit and ringing tannins on a coiled spring of acid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2020 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine:
My second '11 and thankfully not corked like the last! Black licorice, plum, smoke, cacao and other spices. Lovely Aglianico, in the middle of it's evolution.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2020 - Guillaume-en-égypte Likes this wine: 90 Points
My first bottle of Titolo. Full bodied, at first a little heavy / heady but opened up well after a few hours double decant. Tastes like a wine from a hot vintage, but still with nice depth and purity of fruit and clearly a well made Aglianico. I like it, I think I would like it more in a few years and perhaps not the best vintage, but nothing to discourage me from following this wine
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2020 - Dale Rattles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Time has been good to this wine, easing the rough edges in bottles past. Characteristically Southern Italian terroir with bright acidity balanced against the soil. Light to medium bodied.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2020 - ex-sommelier wrote: flawed
Corked! Not super bad, you could feel some great palate presence and stuff going on, but enough TCA on there to ruin the experience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2019 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black plums, anise, tar, cigar smoke, violets on the expressive nose. Complex evolution on the palate, with a deep concentration of clear sweet tannic fruit at the front, a rich bitter chocolate base in the mid palate moving into an emerging anise back note on a firm lingering acid finish. Powerful and kaleidoscopic. Excellent with barbecued dry rubbed ribs.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2019 - prism wrote: 90 Points
From memory, this was very good. Characteristically Southern Italian. On the young side. Drink or, preferably hold for at least a year or two,
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2019 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Expressive aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, black pepper, espresso, and lilacs. Dark delicious fruit on the palate, with a fragrant sweet acid intensity and a deep integrated tannic base, salty fruit-driven tannic finish with a light acid echo. Full, fleshy, and structured. Excellent with vitello tonnato and pan seared artichoke hearts, carrots, and zucchini.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2019 - soyhead wrote:
graphite, blackberry, full bodied, fleshy and fresh
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2018 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dry heath, thyme, black pepper, dark fruit, creamed corn, tar on the deeply expressive nose. Dense saladito fruit on the palate with gritty tannins, intense umami balance of fruit, acid, and tannin on the back. Irreducible, erratic, dense, and wild. 50 + 17 + 18 + 8 = 93.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2018 - soyhead Likes this wine:
the scoop is that this bottle was lost, until one day it appeared. I'm starting to sound like someone I know, ahem; But not complaining. VR got me into this.
nose - singing. high toned plum fruit, with a touch of spice
mouth - fresh berry explosion followed by a wall of tannin. fresh and and alive. with the acidity to boot, this wine is balanced on all sides and tragically young. piercing. hold
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2018 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Almost Port like, raisins and chocolate dominate. Very syrupy - not to my liking.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2018 - Mossrose wrote: 92 Points
Retasted this over a 5 day period. Elena Fucci's Titolo is a very reliable high quality Aglianico from a volcanic terroir. Opaque black to the edge, with an aromatic black cherry, blackberry, and scorched wood. The sip leads with an upfront and powerful acidity, closest to sour cherry. Sloshing the wine around the mouth brights out a strong and astringent tannin that slowly becomes more rounded. The best part of the taste is the swallow, where tannin, fruit, and acid integrate well and the mouthfeel shows signs of becoming lush. Enjoyable enough to drink now but needs about 4 more years of bottle age to reach its peak of quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2018 - SnowMeadow Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is drinking really well now. Certainly has the guts to hold, but seems like it's finally into its drinking window. Has a wild charm with acid and tannins all over the place and a certain southern Italian herbal/volcanic x-factor. The nose is magic.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2018 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank over three nights, Coravin. Just amazing, per other notes...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2018 - wayfarer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red, black cherry, bit of aged red fruit, earth, vanilla in both nose and palate. Balanced, light sweetness in the fruit, moderate tannin showing up in finish, full body. Kept expecting it to evolve a bit but never did--that said quite enjoyable with brined/grilled pork chops from start to finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
8/27/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
MNB: Lesser Italian Reds (Home (Noe st)): (blind)
Dark ruby color. Dull.
Earthy nose - amaro herbs, black dried cherry, slight brett. Dark fruit as well. Possible pyrazines? Almost like cab coffee grounds - probably from oak.
Dry, full-bodied, 15% alcohol (correct), high acid, high tannins - chewy and full, hints of new oak - 30% (actually 100% new French oak for 12 months).
This is awesome. Savage and highly structured with the strong acid cleaning out the tannins.
Fruit on the finish is amaro and black cherry liqueur with a hint of raisinated black cherry.
- Amarone - seems to fit.
- Sagrantino - fruit character isn't dark enough. Too acid-focused.
- Dolcetto - acid is too high
- Aglianico - acid is too high
- Primitivo - way too big and tannic and dark.
Call: 2013 Amarone
Actual: 2011 Aglianico di Vulture - $30!
Analysis: This is pretty earthy for Amarone - not as sweet on the palate. But overall this is hard to tell. Impressive for the price!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2018 - brinko99 wrote: 92 Points
Ripe iron if that means anything... Linear, stone, and dark yet virbrant fruit up front. Stone and bright fruit in the nose, ash but nice. Showing very well but plenty to offer going forward.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2018 - JohnRachelWine wrote: 89 Points
This wine should be drunk now. Needs good opening time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2018 - Vince_chip wrote: 88 Points
Le millésime était 2024 sous le bouchon, nul par ailleurs mention du millésime sur la bouteille.
Simple, fruit noirs qui s’est un peu éteint ou bouteille off?, peu de longueur. Correct sans plus.
RQP ***
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2017 - Rhone Rick wrote: 92 Points
Pinch of amarone & of nero d'avola it felt like....very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2017 - Swaggering Beaunie Likes this wine:
We brought this to a tasting and served it (after a 2 1/2-hour double decant) with lamb meatballs in our homemade tomato sauce. I was surprised at the oak character of this wine; the label tells that the wine was aged in 100% French oak, but the wine presented flavors that I associate with American oak....Bourbonish notes. It had just enough acidity and tannins to mate with the dish. The oak is proud yet; it wasn't objectionable, but I don't know if it will settle down sufficiently to wed to the fruit, before the latter recedes into the mist. Overall pleasant, though.
Edit: I should also note that this bottle threw more sediment than any bottle of wine I have ever opened (probably close to 1/4 cup!). The double decant was thus necessary for more than one reason.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2017 - ravbik wrote: 90 Points
Complex medium to full body. More acidic and austere from before . Need to eat a fatty meal to balance this
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2017 - soyhead wrote:
Excellent and lively ripe plum, cornucopia of red and dark fruits in actuality, quite dry with long tannins. Excellent!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2017 - Vince_chip Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent et superbe. Une bouche de cerise confite au départ. S'en suit des fruits noirs avec une belle lonngueur. Tannins moyennement corsés, laisse une belle impression de fruits qui tapissent les papilles. Encore aussi bon le lendemain.
RQP ****
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2017 - Mr T wrote:
Beast of a wine
Big fruit and tannin that paired well with lamb chops
Can go years to mellow tannins but great Aglianico tar and smoke now and full fruit
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2017 - nectar14 Likes this wine:
Poured it for blind tasting, and most were able to identify it as Italian. Quite big and rich, but balanced, with hot stone, tar, and loads of black cherry and berry. Ample tannins. Glad to have a couple more of these. I think they'll be great with steaks or... probably steaks.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2016 - soyhead Likes this wine:
Nose - nice smoky dark cherry fruit, olive
Mouth - round mouthfeel, plush, expansive sappy dark and red fruits, reminiscent of a compote. Really superb esp with an hour of air. long tannic finish. I had the '05 recently it seemed over the hill, making me think that these delicious bottles should be consumed in their relative youth. yet this has vibrancy and tannic life. good stuff.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2016 - Rhone Rick wrote: 93 Points
Off the hook stellar. Leather and then tobacco with a fruit base and medium (ok, medium short) finish. Graphite and tannins on the finish. Couldn't be happier with it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2016 - Mootsie wrote: 90 Points
Leather, pencil shavings, white pepper, black cherry. A tannic, tart beast. Day 2 still tannic, but richer and less mouth drying. I would hold these for another 3 - 5 years.
Day 3. Now we're getting somewhere. Drinkable, very dense.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2016 - fitchbuck wrote: 90 Points
I thought this was going to pair well with delicate Italian - but it was too big a wine - and just simply felt out of place. Not sure why this wine was created.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/3/2016 - metldr Likes this wine: 88 Points
Interesting wine. Strong flavors of the earth, like tobacco and tar. Not especially fruity. Needs more time to develop.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2016 - kostaslonis wrote: 90 Points
(2 hour decant, tasted at Oinoscent, bottle brought by Mike)
Quite thick color and some sediment in the bottle.
The nose is thick too, med to high intensity. The alcohol is more than evident (15%), red and black ripe fruit, some overripe to dried black fruit notes, currant and cherries. There are Brett notes as well, leather, dusty oaky but not overpowering, rustic altogether with some fruit in alcohol, cherry liquer. The nose gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
In the palate, massive ripe fruit notes, cherry and currant pulp, alcohol kick, chewy tannins, oak is more evident, med body, Brett comes with the second wave to dominate the palate. Quite the monster of a wine, definitely needs time in a decanter, a wine for food and with a long time to grow.
Outstanding quality, drink later than now
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2015 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful, massive wine with depth, character and style. Opulent dark red fruit, graphite, tar. Palette coating with inky saturation. All that said...it is far too young. Let it sleep. It will turn into a 94+
7-18-8-8
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2015 - FransS wrote: 90 Points
Like the '10 but with more fruit and a bit more polished; a really good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2015 - SnowMeadow Likes this wine:
Tasty but needs more time. Even with hours of air it was still tight. Will be great in a few more years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2015 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very bright and young. Incense, clove, licorice, dark fruits. Mouth drying tannins. Great wine, but needs lots of time or lots of air.
Day 2 update, much better on day 2. Deep, settled and rich. +1.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2015 - ant-1 wrote:
Cerise confite mêlée de cet terre retournée caractéristique de l'aglianico. Une bonne profondeur, acidité nette, tanins fermes. Pour moi, le tout est gâché par un élevage trop rond, presque guidoune. Dommage, il a de beaux attraits. Les amateurs de vins modernes devraient apprécier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2015 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Inky dark ruby. Bitter chocolate, raspberry jam, violets, pungent undergrowth, some alcohol heat on the nose. Tongue coating tannic fruit on the palate with a long echoing finish. It doesn't have all these strong elements pulling together at the moment, but I'm looking forward to that happening. 50 + 18 + 17 + 7.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at merchant tasting. Similar note to the one date 9/7/2014 but it's showing even better today. Beautiful aromatics of tobacco, smoke, sweet red berries, minerality (like wet stone/ash/volcanic soil), and some pepper. It's medium-fulll bodied with beautifully fresh medium-high acidiyt and medium+ tannin that is perfectly silky. Great length. A super impressive Aglianico that combines southern power with amazing elegance.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2015 - clubs wrote: 91 Points
PNP 91
2nd night 92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2015 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 90 Points
Opened 24 hours ago but it's drinking quite a bit more seemlessly tonight. The first night it was a little hard and tight, but today reveals more. The aromas now very pleasing and balanced, showing tart, juicy red fruits, and tons of graphite and gravel. Really lovely and elegant right now. Nice soft, nearly elegant entry even if it's immediately showing it's tightness. Puckering tannins are also immediate, but there's still plenty of red fruits and tannic structure. Nice balanced acid as well. Initial puckering on the finish and here it's still showing fairly tight. Rich and lush, but lots of tight tannins and acid. I think this will age quite well. I think it's time to check in with a 2005 again to see how that one's coming along. A lovely wine, but wait for day two on early consumption. 90+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2015 - JohnRachelWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank while hosting friends so no notes but we really enjoyed this bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 90 Points
Fun! Lots of acidity and tannin structure so this will age very well. White pepper on the nose, complex palate with a biteyness that is quite appealing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2015 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine but complex. Layers of red fruit, flowers, and earthy notes. Firm tannins. Will benefit from time in the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2015 - ovenmitt wrote: flawed
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2015 - Russfeit Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still a baby, with powerful drying tannins. However, there's great complexity underneath, with cherries, rose petal, and wet rocks on the palette. Let it breathe for 3 hours or so (or let it sit in the cellar for a while) and you'll be rewarded.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2014 - mid_palate Likes this wine:
Hmm… This is really interesting wine. Lots going on flavor-wise, and it's rich without being heavy. I think this is due to the lively acidity, which is a really rare and pleasant thing in such a big wine. The tannins are still coarse, so even though this wine smells and tastes great, the texture is not really to my liking right now. Will the wine soften and smooth out as it ages? If it does, this stuff will be fabulous. If not, it will remain very good. Either way, I'm glad to have more in the cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2014 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very complex, but needs cellar time or lots of air.
Day 2 update. The tannins have settled a bit, but are still persistent and mouth drying. Still has a high level of acidity. Drinkable on day 2. Raspberry, tart cranberry, tobacco and earth. More backward then other '11 Aglianicos I've had.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2014 - toineton wrote: 91 Points
Very rich (red and black fruits, spices) and very young!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2014 - Rhone Rick wrote: 93 Points
Nutmeg and dark red fruit, balanced and medium long finish. Just excellent. Will drink over several years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted @ big Italy tasting. Stunningly pure aromatics of sweet spices, minerality (think wet rocks), ash, dark red fruits. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is present, but very good quality. Excellent length. I love the weightless and fresh style of the wine a lot. A fantastic Aglianico! (93+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2014 - jgresham wrote: 92 Points
Rich and luscious. Tannins mellow but not integrated yet. Time in cellar to reach peak, maybe 3-5 years, but reajlly good now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment