maybe just starting to creep past peak drinking? It's thinned down and picked up some tertiary aromatics. Quite a good wine, quite noticeably Sicilian with that terroir aspect that makes their wines read a little bit like Nebbiolo. Pop to drink with food.
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Time has really transformed this wine - 6 years ago I remember it as a bit of a beast. Today it has matured into a delicious example of a Bordeaux blend with a rustic Italian edge. A food wine that will please those who like their reds hearty.
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Clear, dark purple color with some discoloration on edges. Ripe cherries, leather, spices, vanilla. Wine is dry, balanced, good acidity. Medium+ body, medium aftertaste.
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A bottle purchased separately, so probably not from the same case as last week's bottle, was very similar, but not quite the same. In particular, unlike last week's bottle, tannins, although present, were not especially prominent. Cherries, bitter acidity, a hint of chocolate, a faint hint of licorice, raspberries in the long aftertaste. Goes beautifully with food, even very spicy food (yes, it was put to that test). This bottle made sense as a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend in a way that the previous bottle did not. No change in overall score. This bottle was probably at its peak and, if your bottles are like this one, they should remain there for at least five years, probably longer.
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Black cherries, leather, spices, bitter acidity and tannins, with an exceptionally long aftertaste. A very distinctive wine--if I didn't know, I would never have identified it as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I'm not sure whether this wine will improve with more age or merely change--either way, it should stay in good shape for at least six years, probably significantly longer.
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PnP, left for about 20 minutes in glass. Dark red, no sign of age. Nose of blackberry, bramble fruit, black forest chocolate, juniper, vanilla flower, dark plum skin, coffee bean and powdery tannins. Palate introduces sharper dark fruits (blackcurrant), cherry, earthy flavours, espresso and a light savoury spice (sage). Finnish is tannic and medium length, has an earthy, peaty finish you'd get from a great single malt. A really complex, deep and unusual flavour profile. This could go another five years, plenty of structure and development left. Delicious.
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Finished my second and last bottle from this vintage. In 2015 was tight, too acidic and unimpressive. Two years later, the first immediate pour gave optimistic hints at what’s to come and after 30 minutes was very impressive, salty-sweet with just the right acidity and smooth tannin's.
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Decanted for an hour; minimal sediment. Lovely clear ruby color. Flowery spicy cherry and vanilla on the nose. A complex mix of medium-bodied red fruit on the palate with soft tannins and a good level of acids that extend the finish to well over a minute. What's not to like? This wine has it all and is drinkable by itself or with most foods. Great QPR at $33. Probably will be drinking well for another decade
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muscular and complex flavors. The tannin is well refined and integrated. A beautiful wine with grilled portobello mushrooms with fine balsamic vinegar.
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Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Youthful and concentrated bouquet with cherries and good herbs and spices. On the palate some chocolate, spiciness, a touch of sweetness balanced by good acidity and round tannin. Overall a beautiful and well balanced wine with a good length. Still youthful. No problem storing this until at least the end of the decade. 91+
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Brought to a wine dinner. I really love the sweet spiced aromatics on this, which are exotic and alluring. Ripe but prominent tannins carrying complex exotic berry, cassis, herbs, spice, mineral flavors. I like the odd squat bottle too. No, not as serious as 96 points, but quite unique and nice.
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On the nose I get black licorice, blackberry, coffee, perfume, balsamic vinegar (not in a bad way). On the palate, blackberry, brambleberry, leather,blueberry coffee cake.
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A stunner, the 2010 Maldafrica will probably benefit from a few more years in the cellar but it drinks beautifully tonight too. Lovely red fruit, stony minerals like cold granite and a stunning acidity. Amazing texture and a 45+ second length on the finish. For a more technical description, please see my previous TNs on this effort.
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Grenat intense avec disque rubis. Premier nez plutot animal, viande fumé qui évolue vers des fruits noires. En bouche, attaque fraiches sur les fruits rouges croquants, acidité et tanins bien présents tout en assez facile d'approche. Bonne longueur. Astringence en fin de bouche. Beaucoup de potentiel. La prochaine devrait attendre encore quelques années (2 a 5 ans je dirais). ----- Superbe au jour 2, avec des tanins moins agressant et du beau fruits et une belle dose d'acidité.
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An absolutely stunning effort made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a slight amount of Frappato as the "dot over the i". The first impression is very intense, flowery and clean with the nose full of red berries, citrus zest, mint and green strawberries. There is also fresh herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. This nose is just amazing and it keeps improving the more air the wine gets. The palate is just as good with a very outspoken and vivid acidity integration will improve with time, but there is certainly enough structure to compensate. Tannins are not very vocal, but they linger on in the backend. This is a lovely wine, which will benefit from being paired to food. Will last for years in the cellar.
A beautiful earthy nose of dark cherry, herbs, leather and tobacco leads way to a balanced palate that reveals much of same along with a lingering tart licorice note that fades nicely on the finish.
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As brilliant as during last tastings. Fresh and crisp acidity, magnificently balanaced fruit and a great. Promise for the future. This wine is light on its feet with superb elegance, while at the same time it has a more powerful side. Quite lovely. For more detailed and technical notes, please see my previous TNs.
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Just as most Italian Cabernet blends, the Maldafrica delivers an experience of elegance and an intriguing acidity. It is surely not a light bodied wine, but the taster might think so at first. There is a lot of power if you just serve the wine to heavier foods. I am still quite amazed about how this wine grows with air. There is a constant stream of impressions and they seem to be shifting constantly. The nose offers up classy red currant, cherry, leather, dark chocolate, lemon zest and after a few hours a beautiful scent of dried flowers emerges. The palate is totally integrated but still has a lot of structure. I am confident this wine will age nicely if given the chance.
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As lovely as during last tasting (please refer to my previous note for a more technical description). The most intriguing part of this wine is how it grows with air. There is a constant array of different flavours reaching the nostrils and it seems to be shifting constantly. Red currant, sour cherry, herbs, old leather, cacao, citrus zest, dried flowers - a lovely complexity for sure!
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An absolutely marvelous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a whiff of Frappato from star producer Azienda Agricola Cos. The first impression is that of an intense, flowery, clean nose full of red berries, a whiff of mint, citrus zest, green strawberries and fresh herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. This nose is to die for - and it just gets better the more air the wine gets. The palate is just as good with a very outspoken and vivid acidity it perhaps lacks integration at present - but there is certainly enough structure to compensate. Tannins are not very vocal, but the acidity and overall structure certainly compensates. This is a lovely wine, which I am sure will behave very differently if served to foods where acidity is handled correctly. Has years to go in the cellar. Wow. (score is 94+)
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11/24/2023 - hankj wrote: 90 Points
maybe just starting to creep past peak drinking? It's thinned down and picked up some tertiary aromatics. Quite a good wine, quite noticeably Sicilian with that terroir aspect that makes their wines read a little bit like Nebbiolo. Pop to drink with food.
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1/9/2021 - wirelesswine wrote: 91 Points
Time has really transformed this wine - 6 years ago I remember it as a bit of a beast. Today it has matured into a delicious example of a Bordeaux blend with a rustic Italian edge. A food wine that will please those who like their reds hearty.
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11/13/2020 - Livonietisr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clear, dark purple color with some discoloration on edges. Ripe cherries, leather, spices, vanilla. Wine is dry, balanced, good acidity. Medium+ body, medium aftertaste.
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7/13/2020 - whudock Likes this wine: 89 Points
muscular, but lacking finesse and balance
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4/13/2020 - SpenceP wrote: 94 Points
A bottle purchased separately, so probably not from the same case as last week's bottle, was very similar, but not quite the same. In particular, unlike last week's bottle, tannins, although present, were not especially prominent. Cherries, bitter acidity, a hint of chocolate, a faint hint of licorice, raspberries in the long aftertaste. Goes beautifully with food, even very spicy food (yes, it was put to that test). This bottle made sense as a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend in a way that the previous bottle did not. No change in overall score. This bottle was probably at its peak and, if your bottles are like this one, they should remain there for at least five years, probably longer.
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4/8/2020 - SpenceP wrote: 94 Points
Black cherries, leather, spices, bitter acidity and tannins, with an exceptionally long aftertaste. A very distinctive wine--if I didn't know, I would never have identified it as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I'm not sure whether this wine will improve with more age or merely change--either way, it should stay in good shape for at least six years, probably significantly longer.
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11/22/2019 - Livonietisr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purple color. Dark fruit, spice, vanilla. Medium bodied. Silky tanins, good level of acidity. Long.
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3/23/2018 - benjaminpaul wrote: 92 Points
PnP, left for about 20 minutes in glass. Dark red, no sign of age. Nose of blackberry, bramble fruit, black forest chocolate, juniper, vanilla flower, dark plum skin, coffee bean and powdery tannins. Palate introduces sharper dark fruits (blackcurrant), cherry, earthy flavours, espresso and a light savoury spice (sage). Finnish is tannic and medium length, has an earthy, peaty finish you'd get from a great single malt. A really complex, deep and unusual flavour profile. This could go another five years, plenty of structure and development left. Delicious.
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9/20/2017 - DDicaprio Likes this wine: 94 Points
Finished my second and last bottle from this vintage. In 2015 was tight, too acidic and unimpressive. Two years later, the first immediate pour gave optimistic hints at what’s to come and after 30 minutes was very impressive, salty-sweet with just the right acidity and smooth tannin's.
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11/13/2016 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nez plutôt discret, mures, framboises, un peu d'épices.
En bouche, beau fruits croquants, mi-bouche un peu confituré, tanins fondus, bonne longueur.
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7/13/2016 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour; minimal sediment. Lovely clear ruby color. Flowery spicy cherry and vanilla on the nose. A complex mix of medium-bodied red fruit on the palate with soft tannins and a good level of acids that extend the finish to well over a minute. What's not to like? This wine has it all and is drinkable by itself or with most foods. Great QPR at $33. Probably will be drinking well for another decade
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6/25/2016 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
muscular and complex flavors. The tannin is well refined and integrated. A beautiful wine with grilled portobello mushrooms with fine balsamic vinegar.
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10/17/2015 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Youthful and concentrated bouquet with cherries and good herbs and spices. On the palate some chocolate, spiciness, a touch of sweetness balanced by good acidity and round tannin. Overall a beautiful and well balanced wine with a good length. Still youthful. No problem storing this until at least the end of the decade. 91+
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10/1/2015 - MindMuse wrote: 93 Points
Brought to a wine dinner. I really love the sweet spiced aromatics on this, which are exotic and alluring. Ripe but prominent tannins carrying complex exotic berry, cassis, herbs, spice, mineral flavors. I like the odd squat bottle too. No, not as serious as 96 points, but quite unique and nice.
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5/20/2015 - Tequilahal Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasty, dark purple, spicy without a hint of tannins. Highly recommended for a Sicilian wine.
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5/18/2015 - Cadby wrote: 92 Points
2010 Azienda Agricola Cos Sicilia Maldafrica ++++ $35
Cedar & tobacco, terribly young & delicious. Spice & tannic driven
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2015/05/2010-azienda-agricola-cos-sicilia.html
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1/24/2015 - kylerogers wrote: 92 Points
On the nose I get black licorice, blackberry, coffee, perfume, balsamic vinegar (not in a bad way).
On the palate, blackberry, brambleberry, leather,blueberry coffee cake.
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1/12/2015 - wirelesswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasting great, very young. Should benefit from cellaring
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1/3/2015 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A stunner, the 2010 Maldafrica will probably benefit from a few more years in the cellar but it drinks beautifully tonight too. Lovely red fruit, stony minerals like cold granite and a stunning acidity. Amazing texture and a 45+ second length on the finish. For a more technical description, please see my previous TNs on this effort.
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12/17/2014 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 90 Points
Grenat intense avec disque rubis.
Premier nez plutot animal, viande fumé qui évolue vers des fruits noires.
En bouche, attaque fraiches sur les fruits rouges croquants, acidité et tanins bien présents tout en assez facile d'approche. Bonne longueur. Astringence en fin de bouche. Beaucoup de potentiel. La prochaine devrait attendre encore quelques années (2 a 5 ans je dirais).
-----
Superbe au jour 2, avec des tanins moins agressant et du beau fruits et une belle dose d'acidité.
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11/14/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
An absolutely stunning effort made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a slight amount of Frappato as the "dot over the i". The first impression is very intense, flowery and clean with the nose full of red berries, citrus zest, mint and green strawberries. There is also fresh herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. This nose is just amazing and it keeps improving the more air the wine gets. The palate is just as good with a very outspoken and vivid acidity integration will improve with time, but there is certainly enough structure to compensate. Tannins are not very vocal, but they linger on in the backend. This is a lovely wine, which will benefit from being paired to food. Will last for years in the cellar.
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11/2/2014 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful earthy nose of dark cherry, herbs, leather and tobacco leads way to a balanced palate that reveals much of same along with a lingering tart licorice note that fades nicely on the finish.
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10/10/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
As brilliant as during last tastings. Fresh and crisp acidity, magnificently balanaced fruit and a great. Promise for the future. This wine is light on its feet with superb elegance, while at the same time it has a more powerful side. Quite lovely. For more detailed and technical notes, please see my previous TNs.
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9/5/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just as most Italian Cabernet blends, the Maldafrica delivers an experience of elegance and an intriguing acidity. It is surely not a light bodied wine, but the taster might think so at first. There is a lot of power if you just serve the wine to heavier foods. I am still quite amazed about how this wine grows with air. There is a constant stream of impressions and they seem to be shifting constantly. The nose offers up classy red currant, cherry, leather, dark chocolate, lemon zest and after a few hours a beautiful scent of dried flowers emerges. The palate is totally integrated but still has a lot of structure. I am confident this wine will age nicely if given the chance.
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7/24/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
As lovely as during last tasting (please refer to my previous note for a more technical description). The most intriguing part of this wine is how it grows with air. There is a constant array of different flavours reaching the nostrils and it seems to be shifting constantly. Red currant, sour cherry, herbs, old leather, cacao, citrus zest, dried flowers - a lovely complexity for sure!
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7/17/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
An absolutely marvelous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a whiff of Frappato from star producer Azienda Agricola Cos. The first impression is that of an intense, flowery, clean nose full of red berries, a whiff of mint, citrus zest, green strawberries and fresh herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. This nose is to die for - and it just gets better the more air the wine gets. The palate is just as good with a very outspoken and vivid acidity it perhaps lacks integration at present - but there is certainly enough structure to compensate. Tannins are not very vocal, but the acidity and overall structure certainly compensates. This is a lovely wine, which I am sure will behave very differently if served to foods where acidity is handled correctly. Has years to go in the cellar. Wow. (score is 94+)
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6/27/2014 - Livonietisr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very young, but after 3 hours of decanting very good.
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