A one hour decant. Paired with homemade beef & ricotta manicotti. Warm garnet in the glass. Spice & pepper then some fruit on the nose. Spice, cedar, anise, green olive, and wet stone on the front of the palate and then dark ripe fruit, tobacco, cocoa, and leather on a moderate/long dry finish. As the evening progressed, the ripe fruit became more pronounced. A really nice wine with red sauce pasta dishes.
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This was very enjoyable, beautiful fruit, cedar, and some drying tannins lurking in the background. A weird thing I did notice was how short the cork was. Was glad this had held up so well.
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Not a lot of fun for the first 3-4 hours open, it was so tannic and grippy. But it eventually released its fruit and found its groove with a bouquet of licorice, rasp/blackberry, pipe tobacco, cocoa, violets, and perfume. What I initially thought might be over the hill turned out to be simply reticent and shy and my patience was amply rewarded. This turned out to be spectacular again. 5+13+18+9= 95
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Split decision & as a result no points assigned. For me, anise, dried plum, a little red licorice. For my wife, molasses, and a hint of anise. I enjoyed it, she didn’t. 🤷🏼♂️
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Opened two hours prior to dinner. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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Consistent with previous note, and I must hold my last bottle until 2024+.
This went so well with a well-herbed and garlicked beef spaghetti. The sangiovese quality and full-bodied character is a natural for pasta, especially more hearty ones. Towards that end, this wine is quite rich and must see some oak. Drinking it by itself, the oak is evident, it was less obvious with the food. So this wine is probably a bit modern, but a great accompaniment to tomato-based pasta.
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Similar to my notes from March. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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Opened two hours prior to dinner. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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Opened by Mark. From the excellent 2010 vintage. I do not think this was decanted. Deep crimson color. Earthy nose. Dry and very old world in style with kirsch, leather and charred oak notes. I do not think there is any rush to drink this wine or many of the 2010 Brunello. 93 points.
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This went so well with a well-herbed and garlicked beef spaghetti. The sangiovese quality and full-bodied character is a natural for pasta, especially more hearty ones. Towards that end, this wine is quite rich and must see some oak. Drinking it by itself, the oak is evident, it was less obvious with the food. So this wine is probably a bit modern, but a great accompaniment to tomato-based pasta.
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Good, but not great. Classic brunello notes - cherry, cocoa, tobacco, dark fruits. But not particularly special. And to me, it's hot and for that reason, out of balance (the bottle says 15%, so there you go). The Le Lucere of the same vintage is a great wine and IMO well worth the premium over this bottle.
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An Impressive Brunello! Dark ruby red, expressive nose with prunes, loads of dark fruits, coffee, mocha, chocolate, plum, currants, blackberry, dry, firm, but smooth tannins, polished, very enjoyable, wish I had more.
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This wine is in a great spot right now. A lot of fruit on the noise. Great taste on first sip and smooth finish. We visited the winery on the first day of this harvest. Well worth the wait.
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This was the first bottle we opened from the cellar. It was well worth the wait! This wine is in a great spot right now. Classic old world style. Plenty of cherry fruit, well balanced acid, enough tannic backbone for a great mouth feel. Tobacco, mushroom forest floor funk to boot! Wish I had bought more than a case.
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Really nice place now. Great representation of Sangiovese. Great acid, nice cherries, smooth with a nice finish. Compliments food well but really stood up well on its own. If you are a Brunello lover you should try it—for the money it easily compares with $100+ American wines.
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While watching the Kobe and Gianna Bryant tribute, I wanted an Italian wine to commemorate the connection between Kobe and Italy and this wine was amazing, just like the Mamba. Profound bouquet with a lot of zippy red berries, mellow spices, light tobacco, roses, candy apple, and tangerine. A supple, medium-weight palate with the tannins much more integrated than 2 or 3 years ago. Bright and refreshing acidity. Medium length finish. 5+14+17+9= 95
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This Brunello at a good place right now, already showing some bricking but the fruits still very fresh and vibrant. Well integrated tannins. Cherry, mushroom tobacco , bramble on the palate. Reading reviews from 4 or 5 yeats ago confirm how much better is this wine. Not sure this one will have as long of a drinking window as other 2010's. If you have it it's very enjoyable now!"
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Drinking beautifully right now. Took 1/2 hour decant to open up fully, but is quite lovely. Cherry, baked earth, leather, burnt orange peel. All your faves! Has a good life to go but really showing well at this stage.
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Black fruit and earth aromas dominate. Bigger than traditional Brunello. Not typical sour cherry or leather markers at all. First 2010 I’ve had, so may be indicative of vintage. Acid, alcohol, and tannins well integrated. Long finish and can only get better with some age. Try again in ‘19.
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Hoping this would break my streak of bad wine. It did but very tight and needs a few more years. Lots of potential with bright cherry fruit but a lot of tannins that need to settle down to smooth out the finish. Has real potential in the future.
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This is evolving nicely! PnP, and it gained momentum over the hour we drank it. Nose gives off mushroom that fades into red berries. Body is rich and smooth with more red berries and black cherry with good acidity. Integrated tannins. Nice long finish. This was such a pleasure to drink now but seems like it’s got the stuff to keep going another 10 years. 93+
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Took quite awhile to open up and the tannins remain pretty dominant, though there was big improvement on day 2. A lot of nice elements are there, but it really deserves to be left alone for a few more years. Some 2010 BdM’s are ready and some aren’t. This aren’t. 5+12+16+9= 92, with 2 or 3 more points lurking.
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Very full Bodied (as expected from the 15% alcohool). Medium acidity. Very powerful tannins that still leave a bit of a tart feel on the long finish. Notes of wood, coffee and even some anise. It went very well with pasta with lamb ragu. Due to the intensity of the Tannins I would think the wine should mature for a few more years or at least be decanted for a couple of hours before being drunk.
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One of the best I've had from the 2010 Brunello vintage thus far. Full with fruit. Really dark color and rich/thick bodied. Tart fruit & raspberry. It also had a mineral and vegetal note that made it interesting without overpowering the sangiovese. I think it will get better with time, but I really enjoyed my first bottle.
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Slo-ox 8 hours. Straight forward dark fruit. Pleasant, but a bit disappointing for the vintage. I much prefer Le Lucere from year to year. B.W. likes this more than I.
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30 min decant. Nose was a little muted, with red berry and mushroom. Gorgeous rich body filled with cherries and raspberries. Balanced I'm acidity and silky tannins mesh well with the fruit with some licorice mingled in. A good 20+ second finish.
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I thought this was quite good. Initially I got an almost buttered popcorn scent on the nose, which I wasn't expecting. After that, nice red fruits and earth with great acidity. Really nice wine.
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This wines aroma was hard for me to recognize, the best I can describe it as coffee, spice, and soil. This is a strong ultra complex wine that I suspect will become spectacular in 3-5 years. There is so much going on with the intensity of the dark fruit, the earthiness of the soil, the rich coffee, and a hint of leather. All of these flavors set the tone for a complicated intense wine, that will leave you shaken not stirred.
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I suppose we didn't wait nearly long enough for this one, nor did we decant. Will hold the other for at least 3 years. Monolithic, dark sangio. This wine is a bigger, more modern style and well done, but lacked interest to me - maybe with time. Went best with intense garlic flavors. Early profile was smoke and tobacco, two hours later i found sweet raspberry and cherry notes.
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Fragrance of red fruits. Rich and complex. Layers after layers of cherries, dark berries, spices with good acidity and fine tannins. Medium to long finish. Really good BdM. A little too young but very enjoyable. I will wait at least two years to open another bottle.
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3/30/2024 - Mr. Slate Likes this wine: 92 Points
A one hour decant. Paired with homemade beef & ricotta manicotti. Warm garnet in the glass. Spice & pepper then some fruit on the nose. Spice, cedar, anise, green olive, and wet stone on the front of the palate and then dark ripe fruit, tobacco, cocoa, and leather on a moderate/long dry finish. As the evening progressed, the ripe fruit became more pronounced. A really nice wine with red sauce pasta dishes.
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9/24/2023 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
This was very enjoyable, beautiful fruit, cedar, and some drying tannins lurking in the background. A weird thing I did notice was how short the cork was. Was glad this had held up so well.
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12/22/2022 - fingers Likes this wine: 95 Points
Not a lot of fun for the first 3-4 hours open, it was so tannic and grippy. But it eventually released its fruit and found its groove with a bouquet of licorice, rasp/blackberry, pipe tobacco, cocoa, violets, and perfume.
What I initially thought might be over the hill turned out to be simply reticent and shy and my patience was amply rewarded. This turned out to be spectacular again.
5+13+18+9= 95
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10/18/2022 - Thomas B wrote:
Split decision & as a result no points assigned.
For me, anise, dried plum, a little red licorice.
For my wife, molasses, and a hint of anise.
I enjoyed it, she didn’t. 🤷🏼♂️
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6/1/2022 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened two hours prior to dinner. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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5/31/2022 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous note, and I must hold my last bottle until 2024+.
This went so well with a well-herbed and garlicked beef spaghetti. The sangiovese quality and full-bodied character is a natural for pasta, especially more hearty ones. Towards that end, this wine is quite rich and must see some oak. Drinking it by itself, the oak is evident, it was less obvious with the food. So this wine is probably a bit modern, but a great accompaniment to tomato-based pasta.
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4/24/2022 - Mericci815 wrote:
Good. Very tannic. Needed to be aged
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4/6/2022 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to my notes from March. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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3/26/2022 - markcic wrote: 92 Points
Opened two hours prior to dinner. Dark red fruit on the nose leading to a palate of dark cherry, red plums, licorice, tobacco and flavors of toasted wood. The finish is moderate to long and smooth. Really nice wine.
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3/18/2022 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Mark. From the excellent 2010 vintage. I do not think this was decanted. Deep crimson color. Earthy nose. Dry and very old world in style with kirsch, leather and charred oak notes. I do not think there is any rush to drink this wine or many of the 2010 Brunello. 93 points.
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2/4/2022 - TBR11 Likes this wine: 93 Points
elegant full bodied--a bit creamy in texture. Still young for a Brunello.
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8/26/2021 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
This went so well with a well-herbed and garlicked beef spaghetti. The sangiovese quality and full-bodied character is a natural for pasta, especially more hearty ones. Towards that end, this wine is quite rich and must see some oak. Drinking it by itself, the oak is evident, it was less obvious with the food. So this wine is probably a bit modern, but a great accompaniment to tomato-based pasta.
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5/20/2021 - shza wrote: 90 Points
Good, but not great. Classic brunello notes - cherry, cocoa, tobacco, dark fruits. But not particularly special. And to me, it's hot and for that reason, out of balance (the bottle says 15%, so there you go). The Le Lucere of the same vintage is a great wine and IMO well worth the premium over this bottle.
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7/18/2020 - Hawk94 Likes this wine: 94 Points
An Impressive Brunello! Dark ruby red, expressive nose with prunes, loads of dark fruits, coffee, mocha, chocolate, plum, currants, blackberry, dry, firm, but smooth tannins, polished, very enjoyable, wish I had more.
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7/5/2020 - MTwine66 wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyable, nice cherry fruit, dry classic Brunello.
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5/2/2020 - Garkar Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is in a great spot right now. A lot of fruit on the noise. Great taste on first sip and smooth finish. We visited the winery on the first day of this harvest. Well worth the wait.
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4/13/2020 - tadams66 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful wine. Needed 2 hours to open (at least). Fantastic fruit, structure and finish. This is a big wine. Will last many years.
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3/25/2020 - Blankje wrote: 95 Points
This was the first bottle we opened from the cellar. It was well worth the wait! This wine is in a great spot right now. Classic old world style. Plenty of cherry fruit, well balanced acid, enough tannic backbone for a great mouth feel. Tobacco, mushroom forest floor funk to boot! Wish I had bought more than a case.
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3/22/2020 - BigGDaddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really nice place now. Great representation of Sangiovese. Great acid, nice cherries, smooth with a nice finish. Compliments food well but really stood up well on its own. If you are a Brunello lover you should try it—for the money it easily compares with $100+ American wines.
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2/24/2020 - fingers Likes this wine: 95 Points
While watching the Kobe and Gianna Bryant tribute, I wanted an Italian wine to commemorate the connection between Kobe and Italy and this wine was amazing, just like the Mamba.
Profound bouquet with a lot of zippy red berries, mellow spices, light tobacco, roses, candy apple, and tangerine. A supple, medium-weight palate with the tannins much more integrated than 2 or 3 years ago. Bright and refreshing acidity. Medium length finish.
5+14+17+9= 95
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2/22/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 91 Points
This Brunello at a good place right now, already showing some bricking but the fruits still very fresh and vibrant. Well integrated tannins. Cherry, mushroom tobacco , bramble on the palate. Reading reviews from 4 or 5 yeats ago confirm how much better is this wine. Not sure this one will have as long of a drinking window as other 2010's. If you have it it's very enjoyable now!"
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2/11/2020 - prg435 wrote: 98 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. Took 1/2 hour decant to open up fully, but is quite lovely. Cherry, baked earth, leather, burnt orange peel. All your faves! Has a good life to go but really showing well at this stage.
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12/12/2019 - pecete wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/23/2019 - melissa01leonard@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Was not very good PNP. However, after decanting, it was delicious! I wish I would have decanted before having my first glass.
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12/23/2018 - connel20 Likes this wine:
Too early needs lots and lots of time
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9/2/2018 - JWNR wrote:
Needed time to air out, then pretty good.
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5/5/2018 - prg435 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Black fruit and earth aromas dominate. Bigger than traditional Brunello. Not typical sour cherry or leather markers at all. First 2010 I’ve had, so may be indicative of vintage. Acid, alcohol, and tannins well integrated. Long finish and can only get better with some age. Try again in ‘19.
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3/30/2018 - Vpmacedo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Brunello!
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2/10/2018 - Abbey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hoping this would break my streak of bad wine. It did but very tight and needs a few more years. Lots of potential with bright cherry fruit but a lot of tannins that need to settle down to smooth out the finish. Has real potential in the future.
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1/22/2018 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is evolving nicely! PnP, and it gained momentum over the hour we drank it. Nose gives off mushroom that fades into red berries. Body is rich and smooth with more red berries and black cherry with good acidity. Integrated tannins. Nice long finish. This was such a pleasure to drink now but seems like it’s got the stuff to keep going another 10 years. 93+
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11/9/2017 - fingers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took quite awhile to open up and the tannins remain pretty dominant, though there was big improvement on day 2. A lot of nice elements are there, but it really deserves to be left alone for a few more years. Some 2010 BdM’s are ready and some aren’t. This aren’t.
5+12+16+9= 92, with 2 or 3 more points lurking.
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5/21/2017 - AndreRibeiroChaves Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very full Bodied (as expected from the 15% alcohool). Medium acidity. Very powerful tannins that still leave a bit of a tart feel on the long finish. Notes of wood, coffee and even some anise. It went very well with pasta with lamb ragu. Due to the intensity of the Tannins I would think the wine should mature for a few more years or at least be decanted for a couple of hours before being drunk.
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3/7/2017 - niemiojas Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of the best I've had from the 2010 Brunello vintage thus far. Full with fruit. Really dark color and rich/thick bodied. Tart fruit & raspberry. It also had a mineral and vegetal note that made it interesting without overpowering the sangiovese. I think it will get better with time, but I really enjoyed my first bottle.
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1/21/2017 - BrunelloBob wrote: 89 Points
Slo-ox 8 hours. Straight forward dark fruit. Pleasant, but a bit disappointing for the vintage. I much prefer Le Lucere from year to year. B.W. likes this more than I.
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10/28/2016 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
30 min decant. Nose was a little muted, with red berry and mushroom. Gorgeous rich body filled with cherries and raspberries. Balanced I'm acidity and silky tannins mesh well with the fruit with some licorice mingled in. A good 20+ second finish.
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5/22/2016 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
I thought this was quite good. Initially I got an almost buttered popcorn scent on the nose, which I wasn't expecting. After that, nice red fruits and earth with great acidity. Really nice wine.
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4/8/2016 - Phoenix Rising Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wines aroma was hard for me to recognize, the best I can describe it as coffee, spice, and soil.
This is a strong ultra complex wine that I suspect will become spectacular in 3-5 years.
There is so much going on with the intensity of the dark fruit, the earthiness of the soil, the rich coffee, and a hint of leather.
All of these flavors set the tone for a complicated intense wine, that will leave you shaken not stirred.
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3/28/2016 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 88 Points
I suppose we didn't wait nearly long enough for this one, nor did we decant. Will hold the other for at least 3 years. Monolithic, dark sangio. This wine is a bigger, more modern style and well done, but lacked interest to me - maybe with time. Went best with intense garlic flavors. Early profile was smoke and tobacco, two hours later i found sweet raspberry and cherry notes.
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11/6/2015 - R. Hung Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fragrance of red fruits. Rich and complex. Layers after layers of cherries, dark berries, spices with good acidity and fine tannins. Medium to long finish. Really good BdM. A little too young but very enjoyable. I will wait at least two years to open another bottle.
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6/13/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Zachys Brunello 2010 Tasting: Dark fruit, toasty oak, hint of vanilla . Finishes with prominent teeth-scraping tannins at this stage. Needs cellaring.
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6/13/2015 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great open nose. Yet another dark and chewy solidly framed treat. Black fruit with something dark underneath. Long finish. Very nice indeed.
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1/25/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Great Wines of Italy Tasting 2015 -- Tuscany (NYC): Tasted very extracted, with some bitterness in the finish. Woody aromatics. Closed now.
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