Super expressive in the nose, with cherries, dried flowers, oak. Wow. Nice acidity to balance the tannins, some medicinal notes, belle pepper, tons of black cherries, tomato vine, coffee beans; ending our long with aromatic wood. Wow such a wine! Great spot now, secondary notes are definitely emerging but it’s still young and vibrant. Drink now or hold - no rush here. We had it with homemade ragout and penne - was perfect!
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2nd bottle of case. Decanted 2.5hrs snd followed another 3. Exceptional cab with Tuscan acidity and earth. Still very young fruit with tannins mellowing and secondary flavours just beginning to develop. No rush on these - will benefit at least another 5 years, likely 10.
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Decanted and drank over 2 hours w pizza. Surprisingly light, bright and elegant in style. Delicious, but not what I was expecting based on the pro reviews.
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When you have 50 people at a holiday party it is definitely and excuse to open a 3.0. This is a very nice wine which was opened 5 hours prior to the start of the party. The nose is all fruit going to a palate of berries, plums, cherries, pipe tobacco and coffee. A moderate to long finish which was very smooth.
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Impressively mineral and dark fruited out of the bottle smelling of castle basement and blueberry. With air also dried strawberry, dust, oak spice and cedar. Both powerful and elegant.
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Very enjoyable wine. The nose is fruit going to a palate of berries, plums, cherries, pipe tobacco and coffee. A moderate to long finish which was very smooth.
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Saffredi is a great Super Tuscan, a blend of 60 % CS, 30 % CS and 10 % PV: cherry, plum, prune, graphite, blackberry, tobacco, leather, medium plus body and good long finish.
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Opened last night. I just don't understand it. This bottle is yet another I have had that completely underwhelms and disappoints. Cork was in good shape, the wine was a strong ruby red, but it shows very little of anything on the nose; almost no fruit at all. Palate wasn't any better. Just flat all the way around. Is it possible this is just closed up tight at ten years of age? Ouch. I am rating this since there is no obvious defect. 5-10-14-6: 85/100.
Balanced and complex bouquet of cassis, toasted black licorice and clove, smoked herbs, leather and earthy gravel. The palate is powerful, deep and long with fresh acidity, spices and ripe black fruits coming through in a full-bodied structure. Some bite at the edges. Still young and evolving. Finish is clean and lingering with grilled sausages and blackcurrants. A touch of new world Cabernet charm. Decant for an hour before drinking. Letting this wine continue to age will smoothen the texture and result in greater harmony. 92-93 pts.
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Opened last night, and finished today. This is a beauty. Dark ruby, no lightening at the rim. Viscous. A real beauty of a nose, with a veritable smorgassboard of nuanced aromas. Iron, game, saddle leather, you name it. Drinks the same way, so pretty, elegant and sexy, but plenty of power and richness. Very well made, probably approaching peak, but many years ahead of it. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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Beautiful wine, and right in its drinking window. Dark dark ruby red, and viscous in the glass. The nose is extra-special. Aromas I have not smelled before in a red- cotton candy, caramelized apple, dark chocolate, and a hint of cassis. The palate on point. Fresh, soft tannins, lingering just the right amount of time. Very subtle, delicate, and delicious. I’ll drink my last bottle in 2023.
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Popped and poured, this is clearly rounding into shape. Dark, dark red, viscous, with an almost but not quite brownish rim. Nose becoming richly fragrant, with flowery red fruit. Tannin resolving nicely, though still in evidence, this is glassy and glossy, nicely ripe but with good balance and lots of red fruit. Probably just entering its drinking window, this should provide great pleasure for many years to come. Excellent. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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Double-decanted. Leather, dark cherry, menthol and other herbal elements. Pretty intense with a strong presence, but couldn’t really impress with elegance and precision. Also a bit too much acidity in the mix on the palate.
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Medium-dark ruby. This is still a baby and full of grapey primary flavors. Blue and black fruits on the nose as well as some herbal shadings and plenty of creosote and new charred oak. The palate echoes the nose. This has seamless but very present tannin. This really needs several more years to lose it's primary quality and gain some complexity. Drink 2024-2028+ 93?? df 8.9
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Lost a good amount of the wood treatment early on in its life leaving behind a very nice fruity texture. Still some tannins to digest but beginning to become approachable with a good decant.
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Subsequent notes on this wine from over three years ago. Deep, dark purple-garnet, opaque in color with no signs of aging. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, black currants & blackberries with overtones of dusty/earthy & floral notes of roses & violets, mint, spices, cocoa, minerals & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied, with very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush & dense, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with dark cocoa, spices, herbs, minerals & a slight hint of vanilla. Lingering silky smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing & even at 8 years of age, it should continue to develop further with additional aging. Indicative blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. An absolutely wonderful wine which has developed quite nicely with time.
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This was quite solid and showing well. Dryness on the finish, nice fruit up front though a bit congested at first but opened up over a couple of hours. Worth decanting. Expressive, good concentration, structured, but yielding well now with the bit of bottle age. Will likely improve further with another few years.
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One hour decant. Somewhat subtle nose of cherry, rose and spice. Great mouthfeel with very fine tannins. Earthy with a minerality aspect. Sweet red fruits. Good finish. Really opened up around the 2 hour mark. This is a very nice wine that is drinking beautifully. While not cheap I think it is punching above its price point. Would buy again. 95+
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Drinking great with an hour decant and warmth. I'm confident it will continue to improve for at least another decade before plateauing. If you have multiple bottles, don't fear opening one or more now, as they won't be wasted. I'm now out of mine and envy those of you who will see this evolve further.
Big, juicy tannins, nice acidity, firm and long finish. Still very youthful, would expect this to improve over the next 5 years, but I’m enjoying it now with a bit of air.
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This was so delicious. Decanted four hours before serving, rich, expressive but very refined. I can’t think this will improve much further, but it has so much stuffing and structure it will hold for a very long time. Hugely recommended.
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Elegant, refined, balanced wine that is entering its peak drinking period. Despite 14.5% ABV, it is still very fresh and not at all heavy. Benefits from an hour in the decanter. Solid effort.
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Clear deep ruby with garnet starting to show; clean medium plus nose of slight balsamic, dried plums, jammy cassis, leather and wood; dry; high acidity; medium plus tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is slightly tarter with addition of cocoa; medium plus finish; acidity dominated the palate and made the flavours seem less intense; hopefully going through a transformative period; wanted to give it a higher score but couldn’t
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Big, juicy tannins, nice acidity, firm and long finish. Still very youthful, would expect this to improve over the next 5 years, but I’m enjoying it now with a bit of air.
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Very intense and rich plum, blueberry, earthiness, leather and dark fruit flavours. Acidity and oak influences are well integrated and balanced. It gets even better with a bit of air. It is suitable for drinking now, but will improve with cellaring.
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A bit blown away by how good this is. A perfect super Tuscan Bordeaux blend for me because you do have the blackberry fruit profile and slight primary fruit sweetness but you also have the most wonderful acidic backbone to the wine to go along with it. Gorgeous nose and length
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Gave this a quick 30min decant which would have been enough in theory but couldn't get rid of the cork stain. The cork itself was dry as a bone, broke and crumbled calling for enhanced surgical skills for removal. While only marginal and the wine otherwise structurally in splendid shape, I can't score this unfortunately. Apart from that, there was ripe red berry fruit, ripe cherries. First aging noted of scorched earth and wet leather can be found as well if you swirl patiently. Fresh palate with vibrant acidity and firm tannin but with a soft touch. Ignoring the cork stain this would have been somewhere around 95, on a par with where I scored the 2013 consistently in the past (when not corked). In terms of pleasure the 2013 should rank above the 2015 and 2010 and will likely only be surpassed by the 2016 in the last 10 vintages or so. But with this bottle corked and a clearly inferior quality of cork used, the last bottle (from a different case) also corked, a worrying pattern is emerging. The structure is definitely there for long term aging and there is clearly further complexity potential with tertiary aromatics. But cork failure seems a pretty material risk here. Best to drink down inventory more or less regularly rather than sit on it for ever, in my view.
I try to be strict and rather conservative. But wow. Blew me away. What a gorgeous hedonistic wine. Round, full, creamy and purest expression of Sangiovese. Drink now or hold 5+ years easily. Very well made.
This was really good, wonderful cabernet nose, velvety mouthfeel, just the after taste a bit short to be a truly great wine. This was the WOTN or many casual wine drinkers today.
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This Saffredi reminded me of Leoville Poyferre. It’s so darn sexy and well managed. Silky and clearly a crowd pleaser. It lacks a sense of place (I’ve been a huge fun of pre-2010 vintages), but it’s so good that I can hardly complain. Dense, lots of pepper in the mouth, very balanced with no hard edge, and no sediment at all. This is in a great spot for me.
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Followed my own advice and again gave it a 1.5 decant which still works perfectly I found. Once more this showed how strong of a vintage 2013 was for Saffredi. Getting heavier on on earthy and leathery notes which reminded me more of a St-Julien Bordeaux. Ripe dark cherries and hints of herbs. Good balance and fresh but maybe a tad too much acidity on the palate as the only thing one could criticize.
The 2013 again proved a crowd pleaser und was univocally the wine of the day at a casual May day BBQ. The performance was consistent with my last two encounters and once again showed that the 2013 is punching noticeably above its usual weight (e.g. 2010 91PR, 2016 93PR).
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Pop and pour: smokey, oaky nose with floral notes. On the palate, medium body and acid, fine tannin. Lots of flavour; herbs, dirt, berries, with iron on the finish. Tannins are firmer in the finish. Almost like a big Tempranillo.
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Reading all the other reviews I thought I had the wrong wine. Our experience was different. Very light. Very light in color. Probably the lightest Bordeaux blend I've ever had. Looked like a Pinot Noir. Initially a bit sour. Fresh. After an hour it mellowed out. Very dry. Minerality. Rose pedals at the beginning. Tobacco and a bit of leather now. Dried fruits. We get the potential. But I recommend waiting for several years to open. Or open it very early.
Delicious but imho not at the level of the 2015. The 2013 is more feminine in style but extremely high quality. Great and enjoyable wine but the finish is lacking.
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Decanted for 1.5h which seemed quite the right amount. The nose immediately lures you in. Dark berries like blackberry and black currant. Smokey oakyness, black pepper, sweet spices, some mocca. All in perfect harmony. Dense yet still fresh on the palate with again good balance and a medium+ finish. Had this with dinner guests and this was univocally liked - so much so that I felt compelled to open a second bottle which turned out to be corked, unfortunately...
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Opened last night. Very dark, glossy appearance, with big-time legs. Compared to last tasting, beginning to develop some secondary nuances like saddle leather, fall leaves and underbrush. Still full and rich in the mouth, but less tannic, less massive, and more approachable. Fruit is present, but still needs years to fully reveal its obvious but (for now at least) somewhat hidden charms. That said, not quite as impressive as previous bottles. Hope it is just in a dumb phase, because it showed massive fruit in earlier tastings. 5-12-16-9: 92/100.
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P'n Poured at an Italian restaurant with my wine group. My favorite out of 5 Italian reds, and maybe the WOTN. I think this will get better with age, but I was just dying to try one. I think it is at the very beginning of its drinking window.
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Deep, dark purple-garnet, opaque in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, black currants & blackberries with overtones of dusty/earthy & floral notes, mint, spices, cocoa, minerals & a hint of cedar & vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied, with very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush, ripe fruit flavors of sweet dark cherries, blackberries & plums with dark cocoa, spices, herbs, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing should continue to develop further with additional aging. Indicative blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. A lovely wine!
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This was opened last night. Pales in comparison to previous bottles. Has good dark red color, and good red fruit in both nose and mouth, with some nice, gritty, grainy tannins, but lacks the power, richness and majesty of earlier bottles. Dumb phase? What's up with this? 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
very important -- this wine evolves after a few hours. do not open pour and drink. my first sip was disappointing, but then with air and as the wine warmed up, it was a lot better. dont think its 98 pts though.
Nice surprise! After a good five hours in the decanter this wine was singing. Medium-body, sweet tannins, elegant, fresh with beautiful dark and some red fruit aromas, clean and precise. Some hints of herbal aromas. Not overly complex at this young age but a pleasure to drink (and drink more and more). 95 points.
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P: MF, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY off-set by some very, VERY finely tannic PUCKER which slowly morphs into quite a LONG, very, VERY slightly tannic/puckerish finish with notes of bitterSWTNESS. NEEDS until '20, then drinking for a GOOD 5 yrs more. FABULOUS stuff! :) 98 pts WA, 96 Suckling, 94 Falstaff Magazine, 93 Luca Gardini, 92-95 Vinous, & Silver @ '16 Decanter World Wine Awards. [This vendor's $63.95 is @ the head of the wine-searcher class.]
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Tasted during a WA event "a matter of taste" walk about, so no tasting notes, only occasional impressions. Nice and round, good volume and freshness, I don't see much aromatic complexity beyond dark fruit and oak.
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Vin évidement trop jeune, carafé plus de 5h. Bordeaux blend d’italie, comme mes collègues l’aspect boisé est un peu dérangeant pour moi. La couleur est très foncé, il y a des surtout des arômes de fruits noirs et épices. La longueur est bonne sans plus et le vin vas probablement développer plus de complexité avec le temps. Bon vin, mais sans plus!
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Un boisé que je trouve (vulgaire) qui se retrouve dans pratiquement tous les assemblages bordelais hors Bordeaux, masque pratiquement tout du vin. Je trouve ca déplaisant et fait en sorte que je n'ai pas le goût d'aller plus loin avec ce vin. Rendu là, Mas la Plana est supérieur et beaucoup d'autres vins mieux faits a une fraction du prix.
Á voir les "ratings" 93-94 ... des gens sur ce vin, vous devriez boire du Bordeaux de temps en temps.
1,5/5
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Au nez on a le mélange bordelais sans doute. À l'aveugle j'avais dit majoritairement cab mais un américain ou bien un Bordeaux décevant. C'est bon mais encore une fois pour le prix ça se fait démolir par Bordeaux. Longueur moyenne et manque de puissance.
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Nice nose of red fruits and earthy spices. Quite full and intense with a boatload of acidity and delicious flavors of red earth and crunchy leathers. Finishes with dry, thinner tannins and lots of great spice and licorice notes. This will age on it's acidity but it doesn't have nearly the depth or class of the '13 Fontodi Sorbo tasted a few days ago. Still, it's a great Italian version of a Bordeaux blend that should be at its best in just a few more years. 90+
Tuscan Tasting (Zachy's DC): Christ, this wine blew me away! I had never heard of this producer before, but I’m listening now. Gorgeous waves of red fruits on the nose along with tobacco, leather, incense. Structured so well but vibrant and refreshing, the mouthfeel is so pure and focused. Cherries and velvety plums with lots of leather, sage, tobacco, mint, rhubarb – so much to unpack for many years in the cellar.
A delicious wine. The sweetness of blueberry, the minerality and the aromatics of a fleshy dark cherry. Soft yet weighty texture, plums, tea, and almost a shiraz-like opulence. The petit verdot masterfully adds heft and silkiness to this Merlot and Cab blend. Feeling the glow and bitter-sweet dark chocolate finish yet devoid of tannins; I like drinking this wine now, with the dark fruit and long mineral finish being the stars of this show.
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Expressive nose - flowers, dark fruit, spices, oak. Wonderful acidity, ripe fruit, polished tannins. Superbly well balanced. Spicy, very long finish. Excellent. 94-95+
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Dark, saturated ruby. Ripe, super sweet nose of pure (not overripe) purple, black and blue fruits. Full-bodied and very dense. Plenty of tannin and a surprising amount of acid for a wine of this size and ripeness. This is really light on its feet with a saline minerality. Even after several hours and multiple decantations, this is still just starting to unfurl. Given its size, density, high acidity, minerality and overall balance and purity, this should age exceptionally well. I find this rather unforgiving and tangy at this juncture. This needs at least 4-6 years to soften and gain some complexity. Drink 2022-2028+ 93+ df 9.1
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Opened last night. This is a massive wine that needs a lot of time. It was too big and tannic last night, 24 hours later it is drinkable. Very attractive dark ruby. Now, the massive wall of tannin has retreated and the nose can really shine. Very attractive, very complex, currant, red and black fruit, graphite, and a nice oak complement. Brooding, smoky. In the mouth it is fab, with a majesty and richness only the really great wines have. Impeccable balance and complexity, with no detectable flaws. This is still huge (there's only so much a little air can do), and it is infanticide to drink now, but the greatness shines through. Put this away for at least five years and you are in for a treat. No doubt the fruit is massive enough to survive the massive tannins and oak. If you want to try this earlier, make sure you have got a helluva good, meaty foil. 5-14-19-10: 98/100.
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50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Lovely nose - ripe dark fruit, spices, tobacco, earth, minerality. Hints of oak. Wonderful mouthfeel: very generous and round, the acidity is very well integrated, the tannins provide structure without sticking out. Very long and intense finish. Again a real standout. 94-95+
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Compared to the Poggio Valente '11 this wine showed more power and less fruit. The wine needs a lot of air to open. I'm not a fan of long cask ripening, although this wine combines a certain charm with real power; a wine for the lovers.
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Undeniably delicious and drinking amazingly well given the age. I mean, the tannins are incredible! So smooth and silky that you barely even notice they're there! Structure and texture are impeccable. Flavours of dark cherry and chocolate. A modern-style wine for sure. Alcohol is noticeable at 14.5% but not too bad. I find it really lacks personality though. Whilst technically great, the flavours do not lift it out of the crowd enough to justify the price (60 CHF).
Last glass of the night from Coravin. White pepper, nutmeg and cloves. If it's this good now then I can't imagine how good it will be good in 5-10 years. Absolutely sensational. Hands down better than the 2011 Sassicaia I had last weekend. If you can get some buy it now!!
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VERY young and primary, but not excessively tannic. Fresh new vanilla-tinged oak and black fruits on the nose. Some burning embers and a hint of earth and spice. Medium-full bodied and moderately tannic at present. This seems very well put-together with excellent purity and a long finish. Quite silky. Not nearly as tannic as many great Tuscan Cabernets can be. Excellent minerallity. Give it 2-3 years to develop and drink until age 12-15. 93+ df 9.1
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Dark fruit on the nose, some oak, spices, tobacco, floral notes. Rich and gentle. On the palate again superbly well balanced, very ripe and round tannins, wonderful fruit, well integrated acidity and a spicy, very persistent finish. Again amazingly approachable for such a young wine. Silky and vibrant. Tannins are just a drying towards the finish at this stage. Very impressive. 94-95+
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Floral on the nose, showing lovely depth and richness of ripe dark fruit, spices, tobacco, smoky oak. On the palate again rich and generous, but not at all overdone. There is good acidity and grip, the tannins are very ripe and polished. Spicy, very persistent finish. Wow, this is so well balanced and lovely already. Fantastic wine and today at this very early stage my favourite compared to the other “Super Tuscans” without even taking into account that it is less than half the price of most of those. 94-95+
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3/28/2024 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Super expressive in the nose, with cherries, dried flowers, oak. Wow. Nice acidity to balance the tannins, some medicinal notes, belle pepper, tons of black cherries, tomato vine, coffee beans; ending our long with aromatic wood.
Wow such a wine! Great spot now, secondary notes are definitely emerging but it’s still young and vibrant. Drink now or hold - no rush here. We had it with homemade ragout and penne - was perfect!
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12/25/2023 - Skotto Likes this wine: 95 Points
2nd bottle of case. Decanted 2.5hrs snd followed another 3. Exceptional cab with Tuscan acidity and earth. Still very young fruit with tannins mellowing and secondary flavours just beginning to develop. No rush on these - will benefit at least another 5 years, likely 10.
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12/23/2023 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hours w pizza. Surprisingly light, bright and elegant in style. Delicious, but not what I was expecting based on the pro reviews.
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12/14/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 93 Points
When you have 50 people at a holiday party it is definitely and excuse to open a 3.0. This is a very nice wine which was opened 5 hours prior to the start of the party. The nose is all fruit going to a palate of berries, plums, cherries, pipe tobacco and coffee. A moderate to long finish which was very smooth.
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11/23/2023 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 94 Points
Impressively mineral and dark fruited out of the bottle smelling of castle basement and blueberry. With air also dried strawberry, dust, oak spice and cedar. Both powerful and elegant.
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11/17/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable wine. The nose is fruit going to a palate of berries, plums, cherries, pipe tobacco and coffee. A moderate to long finish which was very smooth.
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8/6/2023 - rpfaffjr wrote: 93 Points
Not corked like last one! Really good wine. Will save the remaining 2 for a few more years and buy more as opportunities come up.
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8/2/2023 - paujokal Likes this wine: 93 Points
At a great spot with many years still to go.
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6/29/2023 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 92 Points
Saffredi is a great Super Tuscan, a blend of 60 % CS, 30 % CS and 10 % PV: cherry, plum, prune, graphite, blackberry, tobacco, leather, medium plus body and good long finish.
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3/9/2023 - MicklethePickle wrote: 85 Points
Opened last night. I just don't understand it. This bottle is yet another I have had that completely underwhelms and disappoints. Cork was in good shape, the wine was a strong ruby red, but it shows very little of anything on the nose; almost no fruit at all. Palate wasn't any better. Just flat all the way around. Is it possible this is just closed up tight at ten years of age? Ouch. I am rating this since there is no obvious defect. 5-10-14-6: 85/100.
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12/20/2022 - WilD wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for more than 4 hrs and still harsh. Fine nose but on the palate it is muted and a little dry on the finish.
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12/17/2022 - rpfaffjr wrote: flawed
Corked. Bummer.
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11/11/2022 - Psdycp wrote: 92 Points
Balanced and complex bouquet of cassis, toasted black licorice and clove, smoked herbs, leather and earthy gravel. The palate is powerful, deep and long with fresh acidity, spices and ripe black fruits coming through in a full-bodied structure. Some bite at the edges. Still young and evolving. Finish is clean and lingering with grilled sausages and blackcurrants. A touch of new world Cabernet charm. Decant for an hour before drinking. Letting this wine continue to age will smoothen the texture and result in greater harmony. 92-93 pts.
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9/23/2022 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened last night, and finished today. This is a beauty. Dark ruby, no lightening at the rim. Viscous. A real beauty of a nose, with a veritable smorgassboard of nuanced aromas. Iron, game, saddle leather, you name it. Drinks the same way, so pretty, elegant and sexy, but plenty of power and richness. Very well made, probably approaching peak, but many years ahead of it. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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8/25/2022 - Waël Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful wine, and right in its drinking window. Dark dark ruby red, and viscous in the glass. The nose is extra-special. Aromas I have not smelled before in a red- cotton candy, caramelized apple, dark chocolate, and a hint of cassis. The palate on point. Fresh, soft tannins, lingering just the right amount of time. Very subtle, delicate, and delicious. I’ll drink my last bottle in 2023.
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8/3/2022 - Harrie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicely in its drinking window
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6/1/2022 - Goodjob! Likes this wine: 93 Points
J’adore ce Bordeaux blend. Fruit, finesse et complexité sont au rendez-vous. Sera encore meilleur dans quelques années. 93+
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4/22/2022 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured, this is clearly rounding into shape. Dark, dark red, viscous, with an almost but not quite brownish rim. Nose becoming richly fragrant, with flowery red fruit. Tannin resolving nicely, though still in evidence, this is glassy and glossy, nicely ripe but with good balance and lots of red fruit. Probably just entering its drinking window, this should provide great pleasure for many years to come. Excellent. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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11/21/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Double-decanted. Leather, dark cherry, menthol and other herbal elements. Pretty intense with a strong presence, but couldn’t really impress with elegance and precision. Also a bit too much acidity in the mix on the palate.
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11/14/2021 - WineGuyX wrote: 93 Points
Medium-dark ruby. This is still a baby and full of grapey primary flavors. Blue and black fruits on the nose as well as some herbal shadings and plenty of creosote and new charred oak. The palate echoes the nose. This has seamless but very present tannin. This really needs several more years to lose it's primary quality and gain some complexity. Drink 2024-2028+ 93?? df 8.9
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11/1/2021 - Es7e2003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby in glass. Violets, blackberry, minerality and cigar box. Medium plus acidity and tannins. Wonderful balance. Nice long finish.
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10/6/2021 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lost a good amount of the wood treatment early on in its life leaving behind a very nice fruity texture. Still some tannins to digest but beginning to become approachable with a good decant.
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8/22/2021 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 95 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from over three years ago. Deep, dark purple-garnet, opaque in color with no signs of aging. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, black currants & blackberries with overtones of dusty/earthy & floral notes of roses & violets, mint, spices, cocoa, minerals & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied, with very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush & dense, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with dark cocoa, spices, herbs, minerals & a slight hint of vanilla. Lingering silky smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing & even at 8 years of age, it should continue to develop further with additional aging. Indicative blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. An absolutely wonderful wine which has developed quite nicely with time.
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8/5/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
This was quite solid and showing well. Dryness on the finish, nice fruit up front though a bit congested at first but opened up over a couple of hours. Worth decanting. Expressive, good concentration, structured, but yielding well now with the bit of bottle age. Will likely improve further with another few years.
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7/25/2021 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 95 Points
One hour decant. Somewhat subtle nose of cherry, rose and spice. Great mouthfeel with very fine tannins. Earthy with a minerality aspect. Sweet red fruits. Good finish. Really opened up around the 2 hour mark. This is a very nice wine that is drinking beautifully. While not cheap I think it is punching above its price point. Would buy again. 95+
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6/15/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking great with an hour decant and warmth. I'm confident it will continue to improve for at least another decade before plateauing. If you have multiple bottles, don't fear opening one or more now, as they won't be wasted. I'm now out of mine and envy those of you who will see this evolve further.
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6/6/2021 - WilD wrote: 94 Points
Big, juicy tannins, nice acidity, firm and long finish. Still very youthful, would expect this to improve over the next 5 years, but I’m enjoying it now with a bit of air.
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5/3/2021 - Mr Armes Likes this wine: 98 Points
This was so delicious. Decanted four hours before serving, rich, expressive but very refined. I can’t think this will improve much further, but it has so much stuffing and structure it will hold for a very long time. Hugely recommended.
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2/19/2021 - streethawk Likes this wine: 95 Points
Elegant, refined, balanced wine that is entering its peak drinking period. Despite 14.5% ABV, it is still very fresh and not at all heavy. Benefits from an hour in the decanter. Solid effort.
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1/30/2021 - acemson Likes this wine:
Heavy but nice.
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11/22/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Again a very good bottle. Still young but ready to drink. 93 pts. at the moment.
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11/20/2020 - MM29 wrote: 93 Points
Nach 1 Stunde Luft schon schön, da kommt aber noch mehr- ich würde mindestens 3 Jahre warten
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10/10/2020 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Clear deep ruby with garnet starting to show; clean medium plus nose of slight balsamic, dried plums, jammy cassis, leather and wood; dry; high acidity; medium plus tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is slightly tarter with addition of cocoa; medium plus finish; acidity dominated the palate and made the flavours seem less intense; hopefully going through a transformative period; wanted to give it a higher score but couldn’t
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9/25/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big flavor profile of blackberry, licorice, and smoky tobacco. Thought it was excellent.
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8/30/2020 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big, juicy tannins, nice acidity, firm and long finish. Still very youthful, would expect this to improve over the next 5 years, but I’m enjoying it now with a bit of air.
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8/25/2020 - vinhslee Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very intense and rich plum, blueberry, earthiness, leather and dark fruit flavours. Acidity and oak influences are well integrated and balanced. It gets even better with a bit of air. It is suitable for drinking now, but will improve with cellaring.
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5/26/2020 - DonDon wrote: 94 Points
A bit blown away by how good this is. A perfect super Tuscan Bordeaux blend for me because you do have the blackberry fruit profile and slight primary fruit sweetness but you also have the most wonderful acidic backbone to the wine to go along with it. Gorgeous nose and length
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4/26/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Improved a lot since my last bottle 3 years ago (91 pts). Still pretty young but already very good. 93(-) pts. at the moment.
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4/18/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: flawed
Gave this a quick 30min decant which would have been enough in theory but couldn't get rid of the cork stain. The cork itself was dry as a bone, broke and crumbled calling for enhanced surgical skills for removal. While only marginal and the wine otherwise structurally in splendid shape, I can't score this unfortunately. Apart from that, there was ripe red berry fruit, ripe cherries. First aging noted of scorched earth and wet leather can be found as well if you swirl patiently. Fresh palate with vibrant acidity and firm tannin but with a soft touch. Ignoring the cork stain this would have been somewhere around 95, on a par with where I scored the 2013 consistently in the past (when not corked). In terms of pleasure the 2013 should rank above the 2015 and 2010 and will likely only be surpassed by the 2016 in the last 10 vintages or so. But with this bottle corked and a clearly inferior quality of cork used, the last bottle (from a different case) also corked, a worrying pattern is emerging. The structure is definitely there for long term aging and there is clearly further complexity potential with tertiary aromatics. But cork failure seems a pretty material risk here. Best to drink down inventory more or less regularly rather than sit on it for ever, in my view.
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4/13/2020 - tbuysse Likes this wine: 98 Points
I try to be strict and rather conservative. But wow. Blew me away. What a gorgeous hedonistic wine. Round, full, creamy and purest expression of Sangiovese. Drink now or hold 5+ years easily. Very well made.
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3/8/2020 - micsauer Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was really good, wonderful cabernet nose, velvety mouthfeel, just the after taste a bit short to be a truly great wine. This was the WOTN or many casual wine drinkers today.
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11/10/2019 - ajeeja Likes this wine: 94 Points
This Saffredi reminded me of Leoville Poyferre. It’s so darn sexy and well managed. Silky and clearly a crowd pleaser. It lacks a sense of place (I’ve been a huge fun of pre-2010 vintages), but it’s so good that I can hardly complain. Dense, lots of pepper in the mouth, very balanced with no hard edge, and no sediment at all. This is in a great spot for me.
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7/27/2019 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Terrific structure and finish. Have one bottle left. Will save for several years
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6/21/2019 - sirpat00 wrote: flawed
First nose was faulty, some improvement after a short while in the glass and then full blown corked, unfortunately.
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5/1/2019 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Followed my own advice and again gave it a 1.5 decant which still works perfectly I found. Once more this showed how strong of a vintage 2013 was for Saffredi. Getting heavier on on earthy and leathery notes which reminded me more of a St-Julien Bordeaux. Ripe dark cherries and hints of herbs. Good balance and fresh but maybe a tad too much acidity on the palate as the only thing one could criticize.
The 2013 again proved a crowd pleaser und was univocally the wine of the day at a casual May day BBQ. The performance was consistent with my last two encounters and once again showed that the 2013 is punching noticeably above its usual weight (e.g. 2010 91PR, 2016 93PR).
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4/26/2019 - soyhead wrote:
bottle was opened night prior -cornucopia of red fruit, very juicy, easy drinking.
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3/29/2019 - Plusvini Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and pour: smokey, oaky nose with floral notes. On the palate, medium body and acid, fine tannin. Lots of flavour; herbs, dirt, berries, with iron on the finish. Tannins are firmer in the finish. Almost like a big Tempranillo.
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2/9/2019 - happytom wrote: 89 Points
Reading all the other reviews I thought I had the wrong wine. Our experience was different. Very light. Very light in color. Probably the lightest Bordeaux blend I've ever had. Looked like a Pinot Noir. Initially a bit sour. Fresh. After an hour it mellowed out. Very dry. Minerality. Rose pedals at the beginning. Tobacco and a bit of leather now. Dried fruits. We get the potential. But I recommend waiting for several years to open. Or open it very early.
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12/17/2018 - UFGators Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious but imho not at the level of the 2015. The 2013 is more feminine in style but extremely high quality. Great and enjoyable wine but the finish is lacking.
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11/17/2018 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 1.5h which seemed quite the right amount. The nose immediately lures you in. Dark berries like blackberry and black currant. Smokey oakyness, black pepper, sweet spices, some mocca. All in perfect harmony. Dense yet still fresh on the palate with again good balance and a medium+ finish. Had this with dinner guests and this was univocally liked - so much so that I felt compelled to open a second bottle which turned out to be corked, unfortunately...
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7/8/2018 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened last night. Very dark, glossy appearance, with big-time legs. Compared to last tasting, beginning to develop some secondary nuances like saddle leather, fall leaves and underbrush. Still full and rich in the mouth, but less tannic, less massive, and more approachable. Fruit is present, but still needs years to fully reveal its obvious but (for now at least) somewhat hidden charms. That said, not quite as impressive as previous bottles. Hope it is just in a dumb phase, because it showed massive fruit in earlier tastings. 5-12-16-9: 92/100.
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2/17/2018 - DrZett wrote: 92 Points
A little too young imo - but this will be a real beauty with some more years.
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2/7/2018 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
P'n Poured at an Italian restaurant with my wine group. My favorite out of 5 Italian reds, and maybe the WOTN. I think this will get better with age, but I was just dying to try one. I think it is at the very beginning of its drinking window.
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2/4/2018 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, dark purple-garnet, opaque in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, black currants & blackberries with overtones of dusty/earthy & floral notes, mint, spices, cocoa, minerals & a hint of cedar & vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied, with very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush, ripe fruit flavors of sweet dark cherries, blackberries & plums with dark cocoa, spices, herbs, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing should continue to develop further with additional aging. Indicative blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. A lovely wine!
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1/30/2018 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was opened last night. Pales in comparison to previous bottles. Has good dark red color, and good red fruit in both nose and mouth, with some nice, gritty, grainy tannins, but lacks the power, richness and majesty of earlier bottles. Dumb phase? What's up with this? 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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1/1/2018 - gpritsch wrote: 92 Points
very important -- this wine evolves after a few hours. do not open pour and drink. my first sip was disappointing, but then with air and as the wine warmed up, it was a lot better. dont think its 98 pts though.
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12/30/2017 - HelloHelloHello wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic. Violet on the nose. Ton of red fruits, fresh. Great now.
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11/11/2017 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
Nice surprise! After a good five hours in the decanter this wine was singing. Medium-body, sweet tannins, elegant, fresh with beautiful dark and some red fruit aromas, clean and precise. Some hints of herbal aromas. Not overly complex at this young age but a pleasure to drink (and drink more and more). 95 points.
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11/11/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [Various Reds & 3 Whites] for 11/10/17: 14.5% ABV; 60% CS, 30% Merlot, & 10% C.F.
N: Vanilla atop earth & cherries
P: MF, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY off-set by some very, VERY finely tannic PUCKER which slowly morphs into quite a LONG, very, VERY slightly tannic/puckerish finish with notes of bitterSWTNESS. NEEDS until '20, then drinking for a GOOD 5 yrs more. FABULOUS stuff! :) 98 pts WA, 96 Suckling, 94 Falstaff Magazine, 93 Luca Gardini, 92-95 Vinous, & Silver @ '16 Decanter World Wine Awards. [This vendor's $63.95 is @ the head of the wine-searcher class.]
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10/22/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted during a WA event "a matter of taste" walk about, so no tasting notes, only occasional impressions. Nice and round, good volume and freshness, I don't see much aromatic complexity beyond dark fruit and oak.
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10/14/2017 - nmichaud1 wrote:
Vin évidement trop jeune, carafé plus de 5h. Bordeaux blend d’italie, comme mes collègues l’aspect boisé est un peu dérangeant pour moi. La couleur est très foncé, il y a des surtout des arômes de fruits noirs et épices. La longueur est bonne sans plus et le vin vas probablement développer plus de complexité avec le temps. Bon vin, mais sans plus!
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10/14/2017 - Jean-Philippe M Does not like this wine:
Un boisé que je trouve (vulgaire) qui se retrouve dans pratiquement tous les assemblages bordelais hors Bordeaux, masque pratiquement tout du vin. Je trouve ca déplaisant et fait en sorte que je n'ai pas le goût d'aller plus loin avec ce vin. Rendu là, Mas la Plana est supérieur et beaucoup d'autres vins mieux faits a une fraction du prix.
Á voir les "ratings" 93-94 ... des gens sur ce vin, vous devriez boire du Bordeaux de temps en temps.
1,5/5
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10/13/2017 - Etienne U3R wrote:
Au nez on a le mélange bordelais sans doute. À l'aveugle j'avais dit majoritairement cab mais un américain ou bien un Bordeaux décevant. C'est bon mais encore une fois pour le prix ça se fait démolir par Bordeaux. Longueur moyenne et manque de puissance.
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10/6/2017 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 91 Points
A well made dark, rich and full-bodied Italien Bordeaux blend which still shows it’s Italien roots. Best with food.
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9/22/2017 - Romol Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Pretty young at the moment. A very good wine but it needs a few more years. 91+ pts.
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9/14/2017 - mike410 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Too young. Potential to be a 95 in a few years.
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8/15/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice nose of red fruits and earthy spices. Quite full and intense with a boatload of acidity and delicious flavors of red earth and crunchy leathers. Finishes with dry, thinner tannins and lots of great spice and licorice notes. This will age on it's acidity but it doesn't have nearly the depth or class of the '13 Fontodi Sorbo tasted a few days ago. Still, it's a great Italian version of a Bordeaux blend that should be at its best in just a few more years. 90+
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7/15/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points
Tuscan Tasting (Zachy's DC): Christ, this wine blew me away! I had never heard of this producer before, but I’m listening now. Gorgeous waves of red fruits on the nose along with tobacco, leather, incense. Structured so well but vibrant and refreshing, the mouthfeel is so pure and focused. Cherries and velvety plums with lots of leather, sage, tobacco, mint, rhubarb – so much to unpack for many years in the cellar.
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6/30/2017 - DarinC Likes this wine: 91 Points
A good drink, but will definitely improve in 5-8yrs. Petit Verdot and Cab shine. 91+
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5/19/2017 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
A delicious wine. The sweetness of blueberry, the minerality and the aromatics of a fleshy dark cherry. Soft yet weighty texture, plums, tea, and almost a shiraz-like opulence. The petit verdot masterfully adds heft and silkiness to this Merlot and Cab blend. Feeling the glow and bitter-sweet dark chocolate finish yet devoid of tannins; I like drinking this wine now, with the dark fruit and long mineral finish being the stars of this show.
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4/8/2017 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Expressive nose - flowers, dark fruit, spices, oak. Wonderful acidity, ripe fruit, polished tannins. Superbly well balanced. Spicy, very long finish. Excellent. 94-95+
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3/27/2017 - WineGuyX wrote: 93 Points
Dark, saturated ruby. Ripe, super sweet nose of pure (not overripe) purple, black and blue fruits. Full-bodied and very dense. Plenty of tannin and a surprising amount of acid for a wine of this size and ripeness. This is really light on its feet with a saline minerality. Even after several hours and multiple decantations, this is still just starting to unfurl. Given its size, density, high acidity, minerality and overall balance and purity, this should age exceptionally well. I find this rather unforgiving and tangy at this juncture. This needs at least 4-6 years to soften and gain some complexity. Drink 2022-2028+ 93+ df 9.1
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3/24/2017 - Ianthemac Likes this wine: 97 Points
Outstanding. As per last note but even better. Tannins still chewy but nothing taking away from an incredible wine. It doesn't get much better.
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2/10/2017 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 98 Points
Opened last night. This is a massive wine that needs a lot of time. It was too big and tannic last night, 24 hours later it is drinkable. Very attractive dark ruby. Now, the massive wall of tannin has retreated and the nose can really shine. Very attractive, very complex, currant, red and black fruit, graphite, and a nice oak complement. Brooding, smoky. In the mouth it is fab, with a majesty and richness only the really great wines have. Impeccable balance and complexity, with no detectable flaws. This is still huge (there's only so much a little air can do), and it is infanticide to drink now, but the greatness shines through. Put this away for at least five years and you are in for a treat. No doubt the fruit is massive enough to survive the massive tannins and oak. If you want to try this earlier, make sure you have got a helluva good, meaty foil. 5-14-19-10: 98/100.
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1/23/2017 - KeithSurg wrote: 93 Points
Nicely balanced, mineral-driven cab blend. Silky, but prominent tannins. Already approachable, but likely to improve.
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11/18/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Lovely nose - ripe dark fruit, spices, tobacco, earth, minerality. Hints of oak. Wonderful mouthfeel: very generous and round, the acidity is very well integrated, the tannins provide structure without sticking out. Very long and intense finish. Again a real standout. 94-95+
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11/1/2016 - FransS wrote: 91 Points
Compared to the Poggio Valente '11 this wine showed more power and less fruit. The wine needs a lot of air to open. I'm not a fan of long cask ripening, although this wine combines a certain charm with real power;
a wine for the lovers.
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9/8/2016 - therussianalias Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Spicy unripe blackened fruit with over-toasted oak. High alcohol palate.
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9/3/2016 - 99tollap wrote: 93 Points
Undeniably delicious and drinking amazingly well given the age. I mean, the tannins are incredible! So smooth and silky that you barely even notice they're there! Structure and texture are impeccable. Flavours of dark cherry and chocolate. A modern-style wine for sure. Alcohol is noticeable at 14.5% but not too bad. I find it really lacks personality though. Whilst technically great, the flavours do not lift it out of the crowd enough to justify the price (60 CHF).
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9/2/2016 - Ianthemac Likes this wine: 96 Points
Last glass of the night from Coravin. White pepper, nutmeg and cloves. If it's this good now then I can't imagine how good it will be good in 5-10 years. Absolutely sensational. Hands down better than the 2011 Sassicaia I had last weekend. If you can get some buy it now!!
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6/16/2016 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 93 Points
VERY young and primary, but not excessively tannic. Fresh new vanilla-tinged oak and black fruits on the nose. Some burning embers and a hint of earth and spice. Medium-full bodied and moderately tannic at present. This seems very well put-together with excellent purity and a long finish. Quite silky. Not nearly as tannic as many great Tuscan Cabernets can be. Excellent minerallity. Give it 2-3 years to develop and drink until age 12-15. 93+ df 9.1
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6/4/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Dark fruit on the nose, some oak, spices, tobacco, floral notes. Rich and gentle. On the palate again superbly well balanced, very ripe and round tannins, wonderful fruit, well integrated acidity and a spicy, very persistent finish. Again amazingly approachable for such a young wine. Silky and vibrant. Tannins are just a drying towards the finish at this stage. Very impressive. 94-95+
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3/3/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Floral on the nose, showing lovely depth and richness of ripe dark fruit, spices, tobacco, smoky oak. On the palate again rich and generous, but not at all overdone. There is good acidity and grip, the tannins are very ripe and polished. Spicy, very persistent finish. Wow, this is so well balanced and lovely already. Fantastic wine and today at this very early stage my favourite compared to the other “Super Tuscans” without even taking into account that it is less than half the price of most of those. 94-95+
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12/14/2015 - Kris G Likes this wine: 92 Points
new fruity style
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