Drank next to the 1997 Ridge Monte Bello. Both bottles were double decanted in the afternoon then brought to the Hawksmoor NYC.
Ornellaia: 65% Cab, 30% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc. The nose was a bit more expressive while decanting. Notes of raspberries, dried herbs, and wet earth. At the restaurant, a bit of barnyard crept in. Color had a maroon core that gradually lightened towards the edges. Looking at it next to the Ridge, it was obviously lighter in color. Wine was silky with tannins fully resolved. Dried red fruit, pomegranate seeds, oregano, and mushroom/earthy kind of taste. Still excellent.
Ridge MB: 85% Cab, 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Franc. Like the Ornie when decanting, the nose was full of eucalyptus, black licorice, and graphite which receded somewhat (may have been the restaurant) and let the crushed black cherry fruit to emerge. Color was mostly opaque. Much fuller-bodied than the Ornellaia with the dark cherry, blackberry, forest floor combo. Fantastic as always. A better match for the charcoal-grilled steaks.
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Italian Night in Jax (La Cena): Ok then, quite the jump up from our previous flight to this one but why not jump in with a bang. Poured next to a 95 Sassicaia and it was of course a debate on which is better. Both though were quite wonderful. This is well aged, still quite bright and happy with plenty of life left to it. Darker style. Something that’s almost a touch unctuous and makes you want to keep drinking it. It was lovely.
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:30 decant. At Ornellaia Zurich. Library release. Somewhat thinner than my prior bottle Too much oak. Touch of cherry, but the secondary flavors overwhelm the frui
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Decanted for a couple of hours before I tasted. This bottle was in excellent condition and the wine showed younger than I would have expected with some decent tannin still showing. Polished and silky, very easy to drink. A well made wine, though for me not as interesting as the Bordeaux wines next to it. Given how young this bottle showed, I'd probably hold well-stored bottles in hopes some more complexity emerges.
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deep purple red color, plums and herbs on the nose with a slight green streak, dried herbs, on the palate a grand and generous cherry and plum fruit with blueberry notes, lush, lavish, a bit of warmth on the tail end, good finish but lacking the scale of structure I would expect given the size of the fruit, this is a very showy and attractive drink right now and I would drink it in the near term as I think over time the scale of the fruit relative to the structure will lead this to get a bit pruny and overblown, but that prediction- assuming it is accurate- does not take away from the pleasure factor this wine shows right now.
***+, I would drink this within the next 5 years or so
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Opened tonight. The wine doesn’t feel the age it actually has. It is very herbaceous at the moment and feel a 10y.o wine with normal tertiary aromas going. The balance is just perfect, it really stands out. This bottle was superb! Can not wait to open another one.
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Online Blind Tasting #7: 1997 Horizontal: Note is based on a tasting sip in the morning on day one, ~4cl on the evening and 0,1l filled in a bottle and sealed with argon gas on the evening of day three. Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Clear, deep tawny color. Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose. Red fruit, tobacco, pepper, barbecued meat, leather, some animal notes. Complex, very deep, reminding me of left bank Bordeaux. Nice. Dry, beautiful high acidity, wonderfully integrated. 14% abv, not noticeable. High, fine, silky tannin. Medium+ body and flavors. On the palate red fruit (cherries), very salty and mineral, tobacco, spices, leather. Very fine and elegant. Wonderful tension and pressure! Silky texture. Very long, fruit driven, complex finish. Beautiful wine with still some potential for 3-5+ years. 94-95
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Sunday late afternoon with Cate, Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy episode on the tele, a bowl of Bolognese (with tomato paste!) and tagliatelle. This wine continues to impress. Still youthful color - opaque, dark maroon with little lightening at the edges. Aromas of black cherry fruit, tar, pink roses. Palate is velvety with beautiful red fruit. Great finish. Not as much acidity as I remember from previous bottles but still fresh. A bit of sediment left.
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Ornellaia always delivers and this 1997 was spectacular. Absolutely stunning from start to finish (especially the nose), this ranks among my favorite vintages of Ornellaia that I’ve tried. Reminded me of 1990 Pichon Baron with a slight Tuscan element to it.
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Decanted for just a bit, and then drank over one hour. Could not slow down in drinking it. Excellent bottle, owing to excellent storage - The cork was hardly wet. In its prime now, but will certainly hold for several more years (decades?). So smooth on the palate, but a but sour on the finish. Overall, a very fine effort that I will likely never have the opportunity to try again. Not bad for a non-event Tuesday night!
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The nose is extremely peppery. The spice will dominate the whole tasting.
The palate is very textured with an enveloping and silky touch. The juice is very dense there is wine for sure! Large chocolatey substance with a hint of cherry which loosens completely in the mouth, delivering a wide and sunny wine, carried by an exemplary balance. It’s noble and racy, and it takes that to endure such concentrated juice without falling into heaviness.
Big cocoa finish with always this spice present and an elegant oak that gives both energy and length.
Excellent, of a very high standard.
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Nez encore bien présent. Arômes de fruits rouges, de cuir et animal. Belle robe légèrement ambrée. En bouche, bel amalgame de baies rouges, de tabac et réglisse noire. Très bien équilibré avec tanins très émoussés. Excellent vin.
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Sweet red/black berry fruits, nice earthy aspect, good acidity, no good notes but did write "complex" and "good fruit/earth blend". Apparently I liked it, but as if often the case I should have spit more before getting to the last wine. :) Guessed Bordeaux blend Super-T w/a little sangiovese (b/c of the acidity, red berry fruits?). DD at Cotzen's.
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:45 decant Good balance, darker fruit with secondary flavors of tobacco and vanilla from the oak. . Had alongside a 2000 Poyferre. Both good but this was slightly better
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Magnificent. A 3 hour decat and a further 30mins sitting in the glass brought out a most silken aromatic bouquet and a wonderful full bodied balanced wine with a great length. While ready for drinking, there's enough fruit to carry on for at least 10yrs. I'd buy more if reasonably priced.
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Had been waiting for a special occasion to enjoy this bottle. A lovely Italian meal proved the perfect opportunity to crack this amazing wine. The cork was perfect, and the wine began immediwtely to evolve Spectacular balance and structure after 22 years shocked everyone at the table. The best red wine I have had in 6 months was my reward for the wait. This wine is ready to drink, but if stored well, there is no urgency.
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Vinetasters: 1997 Super Tuscans (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. What the hell -- smells like doubanjiang. Hot peppers?! A bit grassy and herbaceous too. Better on the palate, but that’s not saying much. Very prickly tannins; low acid, nothing commendable here. If this was flawed, I have no idea what’s wrong with it. My 11th, group's 12th.
a pleasure to try at age 22. dark ruby well integrated dark fruit, spice and coffee inflected, nice balance, seems younger than stated age, good not great and given the current tariff I would be a seller and not a buyer.
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Pretty classic Bordeaux-ish nose and palate. In a pretty nice spot, though I believe a tad bit past its prime, perhaps getting a bit tired, especially on the finish. None-the-less, still quite a bit to say, certainly enjoyable. Mature, herby, blue fruits. A good older friend past its youthful energy, but more interesting to hang out with in her maturity. If you have some, drink them within the coming 5-7 years and enjoy! If you do not have one, you'd be crazy to spend the $300+ to pick one up now.
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As always really delicious. In a great drinking window, but not really going anywhere any time soon. Darker fruits. Some more spicy character. More intense wine. It's very nice.
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Pulled three glasses by Coravin and left the wine to breathe for 45 minutes. Modest pencil lead nose. Soft velvety tannins followed by gorgeous layers of fruit. Long finish. Wine doesn't get much better than this.
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Wow... Still young, even thong 1997 was a warm year... Nose with a solid base of blackberries, middle with mature notes, top with rosemary and oregano... Taste with rounded acidity, massive dark fruit... Long lasting taste wiy´th bitter cherries... Really fantastic!... It can cellar for another 20 years, easily!
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This is simply excellent, chocolate, salty liquorice, barnyard notes, elegance, balance and convincing power in the same package. Someone might say fruit has dried and that the -97 is overpriced and not worth the hype and it is true that, for example, the -98 in more aromatic and, in a way, tastier than the -97 but I like both. Further, to me both -97 and -98 are clearly better than the -96 and -99 tasted recently.
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Mind blowing wine. Bought on release and stored at 55. Mature but no where near over the hill. Color was dark with notes of blackberries, currants and some hints of earth too. Tannins have integrated well also. Still has a lot of life, but seems to be in a prime drinking window right now.
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Definitely in the zone. The nose is more about mature beauty than the power of youth, with loam, rock moss, dead leaves, rich cassis fruit, brown spices. The elegance and maturity follow through to the full(-) body, with good, but seemingly waning acids; tannins still offering a bit of a gentle grip. In no danger of falling off tomorrow, but better get to them if you've got a bunch. recommended
Un vin impressionnant, que je voyais en rive droite bordelaise. C'est rond, et magnifiquement équilibré, avec une grande finesse de tanins. Un vin très élégant, d'une buvabilité exceptionnelle. Travaillé et d'apparence moderne, mais tellement agréable à boire. Grand vin. 95 pts
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I'm surprised I don't have more notes on this wine since I've had it a few times since 2010. The wine has gotten better and better each year, and I don't think it has plateaued yet.
Double decanted at Union Square Cafe. Great, youthful color for a 20 yr old bottle. Nose was fantastic and full of ripe cherry, kirsch, cedar, and tea leaves. Full-bodied, velvety with the sweet fruit with a long finish. Tannins aren't fully integrated. When it does, I think the wine will become even better. Definitely not declining. Paired with some rich pappardelle pasta and a braised lamb shank.
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Acker Holiday Auction (A Voce Madison): Always enjoy this wine. Bright red cherries, hints of white pepper. This was a pnp I think and it worked really well. Just in the perfect spot for this wine.
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double-decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Very ripe but not jammy, more like a little stewed prunes. Minty and a little eucalyptus, sweet fruit, a little smoky and woody. Still plenty of concentration on the palate. Drinking beautifully right now.
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Brazen, voluptuous entry, superficially attractive with ripe fruit and lush attack, but the its shortcomings come apparent to the point where the second half of the bottle starts to become an ordeal. Overripe fruit initially morphes into porty notes, magnified by chronically low acidity and lack of any offsetting refreshing cut, that you find in good Bordeaux. This lacks equilibrium and finesse, and is frankly a bit of a mess. It flatters to deceive. This represents poor value against good Bordeaux 2nd-5th growths.
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Tasted courtesy of MC2 alongside a 1997 Sassicaia. What a pleasure to be able to drink such great vintage of two great super tuscans side by side. The Ornellaia was not as expressive tonight as the Sassicaia, but perhaps just needed more time in the decanter to really reveal itself. I think this will still continue to evolve if cellared longer.
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Really wish we'd decanted this for longer. As it was, we decanted as soon as we arrived at the restaurant and prob poured about 1.5-2 hours later. The best sips of this wine were the last ones. Drank next to a 1997 Sassicaia which I initially preferred, but as this opened up over time I think it surpassed (whereas the last few sips of the Sassicaia were losing life, this was still opening up and improving). Big dark fruit and leather and standard Italian cab. Very good. Wish we had another. This wine is still going for at least 5 years.
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April Acker Auction (Marea): Prob my WOTD. This is in a great place right now and opened up nicely over time. In retrospect, maybe should have looked to decant it. Great black fruits, lovely spice, good leather tones. It's prob just on the backside of peak if I had to guess, but still drinking really well (although could be time to drink up).
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Tasted next to the 2013 pre-release. Good evolution in colour. Like around 2 years ago, the nose is again beautiful. Spicy, earthy, smoky with notes of ripe cassis fruit, eucalyptus, cedar. Quite ripe and generous on the palate, still elegant and balanced with good levels of acidity. The tannins are giving structure, but are soft and powdery. The length is impressive. No rush drinking this, but it is showing beautifully. 95-97
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aus der Halbflasche: recht weit entwickelt, deutlich tertiäre Aromen, Waldoden, Pilze, nicht mehr ganz der Fruchtdruck, etwas süßliche Tannine, sehr harmonisch mit mittlerem Körper und sehr guter Länge.
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decanted for 45 mins at Cut in LA (highly recommended). From the nose and the first sip it was perfection. One of the great super Tuscans I have had the pleasure of opening. Buy this and drink it on a special occasion. It will not disappoint.
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Drunk at Marco Brunello's house. Blackberry and violets coupled with tar and licorice. Intense wine, the least developed of the three; possibly the longest lived. On palate it comes across as quite dry and "dusty"
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Didn't decant but probably should have. Very Bordeaux on the nose with herbal cigar box. Brick in color. Fruit has faded but still present in the background giving an elegant old world flavor. Tobacco, herbs, pepper, dark fruit. Long long finish. Drank half out of the bottle then the second half after about two hours in the glass. Really was elegant beautiful wine after opening up. Blew away the 2001 Oreno
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Judgement of Sydney Blind Tasting: Cherry, earth, raspberry, spices as well as a little floral kick. Light-medium bodied palate, it has good carry and length. Soft tannins and comfortable fruit weight. Nearing its peak.
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A beautiful super Tuscan, still showing well but for my tastes it's starting to get a little tired. Some of the rich black fruit it was showing in it's youth it is now developing earthy wet leave aromas
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Dinner at Union Square in NYC with Bob M, I brought this one, drank next to an 06 Flaccianello. US restaurant is great on corkage (rare in NYC) and always treats you well when brining your own wines.
Decanted for about 30 minutes before drinking. Velvety maroon/red color. Nose was Bordeaux like after about an hour, giving up earth/leaves, pencil/graphite along with dark fruits and cedar. Gives plums, blackberry, figs, vanilla, currants and meat/savory flavors. Palate is incredibly smooth and elegant.
Ornellaia never dissapoints, in my experieince. This bottle was not different. Lucky to have a well stored sample of this vintage, ready noiw, should drink at this level through 2018, best guess. really special wine
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Decanted 1 hour. Fabulous. Deep red, balanced tannins with just a hint of sweetness. Smooth. It's in a middle place right now. Not young and bright but definitely will improve over the next 10 years. Hold.
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Slight discolouration, stunning nose, slightly evolved with tobacco, cedar, earth, herbs, graphite. Very round on the palate, good acidity, open. Great structure and balance, very, very long. Drinking beautifully but no rush at all. Superb. Now-2025+. 94-96
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Appearance: bright, clear garnet red Nose: balsamic jammy fruit mushroom Palate; balanced, soft tannins, balsamic pomegranate sensation , keep evolving in the glass & on the palate. Multilayer , big finish absolutely delicious bottle with many years left in it.
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Just delightful. Not vegetal/green initially (some other 1997 Super Tuscans and big Sangiovese wines can be). Fruit and spice right off the bat. Lovely balance.
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Mossy, green nose immediately upon opening. After an hour in the decanter, this wine blossomed and lost all it's vegetable notes and transformed into a hugely scented lush monster. Black currants and cherries, earthy loam and swirling floral and rose notes were always drifting up. Perfectly round with some fine tannins and good acid. Wine of the night among other 97's including Caymus SS; St. Jean Cinq Cepages, Heitz Bella Oaks, '10 Kathryn Hall Cab. Lucky me!
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Drinking well. Forest floor/earthy flavors. Our bottles benefited from being open an hour or so before drinking. A light decanting might speed the process.
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From wine list at La Forchetta Toronto. Decanted and served. Complex nose and even more complex palate beautiful dark fruit and mild spices. The wine is so balanced with a finish that lasts for over a minute. Love Ornellaia and this might be my best one yet!
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Consumed one night after a 1990 Pichon Baron, and these were kissing cousins. At first the Orny was all stalk and stem and tobacco with a full yet acidic palate. However over the course of 90 minutes it exploded and became both more ripe and more vegetal. BTW, I mean vegetal as a compliment -- herbal and stalky in the best way. Undeniably 1997. Quite approachable yet with ample silky tannins. Truly delicious.
Brought to a dinner party where popped and poured. Dark garnet. Nose of currant, cassis, violets, leather, earth. Velvety on the tongue with layers of sweet red currant fruit, plum, blackberry, and graphite coming together beautifully in a poised array. Hint of tobacco. Lower acidity, resolved tannins. Moderately-long finish with slow taper of whispery red plum and earth. One of those wines heading into middle age quite gracefully.
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heeft zich ontwikkeld tot een mooie wijn, klassieke indruk, veel inhoud, prettig drinkbaar, bordeaux stijl, licht fruitig, mooie rustige balans, nog volop in leven kan nog wel 10 jaar mee
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Jumps out of the glass with beautiful aromatics of ripe dark berries (black currant, dark cherries, blackberries), some nice earthy tones, coffee and dark chocolate. It has a full body without being heavy, lower-medium acidity and lower-medium tannins. Long finish. It's fully mature now, I don't see many reasons why to keep it longer. It's a beautiful, ripe, mature wine that really reminds you of a top-class Médoc. Really beautiful showing!
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Drank at Riva There was a lot of forest floor on the nose which blew off after a while. It is very complex and rich but I am not sure it has the legs to last much longer.
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Always thought Ornellaia being the only Super-Tuscany that is rather an exotic Medoc. This wine understands the cabernet. Third time I had the '97. Earth and spices. Deep, berries and rich tannins. Wait for the chocolade.
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decanted the bottle but couldn't wait to dig in so we polished off our first glasses before it had a chance to even start to open up. still opening and wishing we had just a little more patience or, better yet, had the freaking foresight to open ANOTHER bottle while we waited for this one to open. . . that's what you get when you're sitting waiting for Sandy to make landfall . .
cherries, a little bitter (but that could just be her attitude), its not heavy, chocolate, silk-ay . . .
ready to drink now and needs about an hour to open up . . .
kick ass bottle of wine . . enjoy!
SS out
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No detailed note, but this was very good, complex, smooth and satisfying, drinking perfectly now. I held its own and might have edged a 2001 Latour drunk from 375 alongside it.
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Plum, spice, vanilla, fall leaves, cedar nose on the cork and decant. First sip was amazing; plum, trace of roasted blackberry and fig, vanilla bean and crème brulee layered with some dark chocolate and crisp cedar through mid-back palate, giving way to dark fruit on the back end that lasted 40+ seconds. 2-3 more years of bottle age should completely settle the tannins, which are well enough integrated to enjoy today. Bold, big and powerful in an understated yet uniquely classy way - 96 with upside.
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Extremely rich, dark and meaty with a classic ornellaia nose of soy sauce. Still quite a lot of vanilla too on the palate but with a lovely spicy mid-palate.
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Bright ruby with brownish maroon hints of rust. Aromas of coffee, flowers, currant, dark chocolate, leather. The body is light and lively but gripping with dark cherry, currant, spice, bay leaf and meat flavors. Very smooth and silky texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.
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Urrbody in the club bring a Bordeaux varietal (Le Montmartre Bistro, London): Chocolatey, syrupy, jammy dark fruit. Pruney nose. Not much acid. Tannin lingers on the tongue long after swallowing. Not heavy, but cloying. Completely falls apart in the glass after two hours. Price adds insult to injury. Surprised to see so much love for this wine on CellarTracker--this wasn't an optimally stored bottle, but it wasn't flawed either.
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Double-decanted, not sure how long, and from a bottle that had not seen perfect storage. That said, this was not a good wine. The nose had some rich dark fruit, but mostly it was pruney and overripe, with a touch of green in the background, suggesting a hot vintage in which the sugars got high before the phenols got ripe. On the palate the wine was heavy and jammy, with a considerable lack of acid and definition, some loose fuzzy tannin, and significant heat on the back end. Exposure to air just made things worse and I poured out the rest of my second glass after one sip.
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Saying Goodby to Dave B (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): Fabulous wine with a Pauillac-like nose of currants, spice, leafy herbal note and tobacco with hint of green pepper. Palate is lively with an herbal spice element and other tertiary notes. Lengthy herbal finish with touch of complex fruit and stone. Great wine with a distinct Bdx-like element--amazing how much this reminded me of Pichon Lalande. Perfect balance. Fine polished tannins in the background but not too distracting. Great polished, complete wine, drinking well now but is probably not yet be at peak.
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While I am almost alway impressed with Ornellaia, this particular bottle was as stellar as the other vintages I have enjoyed. The 01 definitely was much better. This did have all the goodness of a typical bordeaux blend but the subtle cooking spices just weren't there and the cedar flavor from the barrels was just a bit much for my tastes. Still great wine and had a wonderfully long finish. Quite pricey for a 93 point wine.
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Decanted for one hour. Medium purple with a hint of bricking at the edges. Immediate nose of violets, cedar, plum, currant, and earth. Smooth, velvety attack of still bright plum and red currant fruit on the palate, layered with leather, moca, and an intriguing note of bell pepper. Acidity was notably quite fresh and tannins very well smoothed out. Finish was long and marked by sweet grip and many echoes of lovely red fruit. Always a favorite, this wine is evolving very well.
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An excellent wine, ready now and may be better still. Needed time to breathe and fantastic aromas of Bordeaux style co plenty from a 2nd growth equivalent
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An absolutely excellent bottle of wine, tasted side ny side with solaia 96. Both awesome, but prefer the ornellaia. Wine seemed still very young. If you have it, no hurry to drink it. But if you do give it am hour of air at the very min. 2 hours would be. Even better. A great wine, one of my favorites.
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A Great weekend in Athens; 2/12/2011-2/13/2011 (Athens, Greece): Decanted for 1 hour. Mild on the nose, reserved. Powerful , strong yet smooth on the palate as the tannins are well integrated. Our bottle had a bit of so2 on the palate at start. The least favourite of the night and in a way a disappointment. 91+ and not sure if time will help here
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Color; clear, bright red Nose; herbal, dark fruit, sweet tannins, wood Palate; Sweet, soft round tannins, complex mixed dark fruits, herbs, soil, mushrooms, long lasting packed with fruits, superb finish of a very mature yet youthful quality
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colore carico, con riflessi granato, si apre con sentori molto tipici del vitigno di maggioranza con peperone grigiato , frutto mora , tanti sentori di caffè, bocca polposa leggermente alcolica, con un finale fruttato e con un tannino presente e sottile, acidità buona.
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Deep red color. Fantastic nose of dark red berries, menthol, cassis, lead pencil. Wave after wave of pure blackcurrant, spices, minerals, red licorice and sweet tannins. Very brisk acids gave a brightness to the midpalate, but very well balanced. Then a super long lip smacking finish. Really in a good place right now. Still a lot of life left but if you have a few pop one now. Excellent with the grilled veal chop.
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Deep red. Raspberry blackberry strawberry on nose. Spicy pepper. Brambles. Menthol. Rich opulent. Fruity. Balanced. Bit of acidity. Soft tannins. Woody / earthy. High alcohol. Powerful. Bit fruitler than Bordeaux. Overall, a fab wine. Highly recommended.
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This bottle required 2 hours of decanting to arrvie at the perfect point. Great nose of cherries, violet, and a little spcie. The wine was beautiful, well balance great fruit on the front end of mostly cherries. really well integrated and a nice finnish.
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Amazing. Opened 2 hours before drinking and it was still a little tight. Magnificent structure with an alluring nose of fresh red fruit and plum. Well balanced tannins and beautiful deep garnet color. Just approaching its peak.
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Opened and poured into a glass for 30 minutes. Purple hue. Nose of plums, currant, earth, sandalwood, cedar. Feral, beautiful flavors of red currants, plum, raspberry, and leather lushly presented and accented by energizing acidity. Tannins quite smoothed out, finish long and grippy with echoes of lively red and black plum fruit. Aristocratic wine with undeniably hedonistic qualities reflecting the heat of the vintage, at or near peak.
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Fantastic nose! Gorgeous aromas of red berries, roses and cut flowers, cedar. Acidity was prominent but not astringent. Elegant mouthfeel though it felt a bit hollow on the palate and the finish was medium length. A great wine nonetheless. (Harry's Steak, NYC)
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NYC CT Offline (Harry's Steak, NYC): Marked by higher acidity than the US cabs this evening, this wine was just singing. The raspberry flavors jumped from the glass, yet the Cabernet components were all there. In a great place right now.
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Did a lot better than a 1997 Harlan Estate in a blind tasting (6 people). Nice well balanced wine with a good level of complexity, and a tasty array of flavors Should hold much longer.
Update: these were the wines in the blind tasting: 1 2006 Copain Pinot Andersen Valley ( Cerise ) Calif 2 2006 Brick House Ribbon Ridge Boulder Block Oregon 3 1996 Chehalem Pinot Rion Reserve Oregon 4 2002 Leonetti Reserve Cab Walla Walla Washington 5 1997 Smith Madrone Cab Spring Mountain Napa Valley Calif 6 1997 Ornelaia M.L.A. 7 2001 Yarden Cab El Rom Vinyard 8 1997 San Leonardo 9 1997 Harlen Cab Napa Valley
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1997 Ornellaia - Beautiful, sublime, sexy wine. Drinking incredibly well. Impeccable balance. 1997 Pavie-Macquin - despite what one might think of the 1997 vintage in Bordeaux, this wine was brilliant. 1997 Beringer Private Reserve - A perennial favourite. 1997 Lafite Rothschild - A barnyardy nose, which blew off with time. Great pedigree and structure. Lay down for 5 years.
1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque - my personal favourite of the tasting. A brilliant, complete wine - my favourite wine ever! 1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde - a beautifully made, delicious wine 1998 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle - Probably the only really good La chapelle made since the 1990 in my view 1996 Chateau de Fonsalette Reserve Cuvee Syrah - my second favourite of teh flight. Deep, dark, sweet, thick, amazing
All wines showed beautifully, and were drinking well.
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Excellent. Took over two hours for the tannins to settle down. Rich, ripe, but not overly so. Currant, some lead pencil. Certainly didn't taste like a Bordeaux or a Cali meritage. Probably liked the '01 slightly better, but this was outstanding.
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I am not a big lover of super Tuscans, they lack the "expression of terroir" for me, even though it sounds snobbish. Well made wine, but it could have come from any place on Earth and this is a huge drawback in my book.
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for me it was WOTN. Compared to 01 Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nuova.01 Harlan The Maiden, 2000 Cos D'Estournel and an 88 Barbaresco which was very good. I would still say that the Orn was the best of the bunch.
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What a beautiful wine this is! Opened + 30 air in bottle; deep purple with bricking on the edge, dark cherry & cassis on the nose. Silky rich mouth-feel with well integrated tannins - very balanced with the fruit. Black cherry with notes of plum & oak.
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Still fairly dark purple. Nose of cassis, black currant, a hint of eucalyptus, cedar scents. Lovely velvety texture on the palate, offering layers of currant, leather, plum, and blackberry fruit. Fresh and pure with moderate acidity, structured still with sweet, fine tannins. Balanced, nuanced finish with a bit of grip at the end. Very nice showing, especially when paired with prime rib.
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Ledbury lunch with Keith Prothero: Served blind: rich, ripe, with a fair bit of the farmyard, but so much savoury fruit underneath - a nice contrast to the oh so refined Vajra
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Drank at a London offline at St.Johns next to a 1988 Ch. Palmer. This took a couple hours to hit its stride, but once it did, it was fabulous. More elegant than the Palmer, with a silky mouthfeel and a long finish.
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Started off tight showing a heavy dose of black earth/tar on the nose and palate. Started to open after a couple hours of air to show some juicy plums and currants. Big and powerful, yet elegant and balanced, this could use a couple more years of age to show its true potential. 92++
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oh what a feeling, red brick typical of an older beauty, cherries excellent nose, cherry, oak, nice bouquet and long on the finish with texture and comples silkeness oh for mor of this to grow old with, plenty of tanins to cellar for another 10 years a real pleasure.
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Deep purple red color. A very seductive, perfumed nose upon opening. The first taste shows layers of fruit that completely integrates the underlying structure. So smooth, long and focused, it leads to an amazing finish. After a 2-3 hours decant...nose becomes reticent showing a more complex mineral-driven bouquet with hints of dust and cedar. The palate is fat and generous showing spicy black cherry, charred wood and a complexity of graphite and lead pencil that really lingers on the finish. The tannins have now firmed up and certainly make their presence known. The balance it showed upon opening is now lost. I wonder how this will age from here. [93-94]
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A little pleasant barnyard in the start. And then a lot of everything. Good cherries. Soft and elegant. Full bodied and a perfect balance. Pleasant oak. Still youthful bitterness. Give it enough air.
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1997 Tuscans w/ Burgundy Bob & The Boys (I Nonni, St. Paul): Strong gingerbread/spice cake on the nose. The palate is big and blocky, featuring coffee, oak, dark fruit, spice, and dried herbs. Long, tannic finish. Really oaky. This has gobs of power and concentration, but not much finesse.
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Decanted about 1/2 hour. Dark earthy nose with black cherry and some some menthol. Very dry and tannic wine. Lots of black fruits, vanilla and licorice. Long finish. Tannins really grip the mouth. Still has some years ahead.
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Wonderful wine, decanted for an hour which allowed the wine to breath and blow of the Italian funk. Smell was a nice dark fruit with hints of spice and vanilla. The tase was perfect, smooth lots of body reaming, espeso and dark choclate with a long long linger.
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Bud Starr's September Tasting (Bud Starr's Clayton, MO): This was an interesting wine to follow for crowd reaction. I'm a bit of a traditionalist and I loved it. Others panned it, not liking the volatility on the nose. For me, it just made the aromatics that much more approachable. There was a very pleasant mix of green, leafy scents and really ripe black plums. On the palate, it's big but fresh and balanced. There's great length in the finish here. I was impressed, as were a couple others, but this one did split the table.
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This is not a recent tasting note as I first had this wine in 2004 at a very nice little Italian restaurant in Surrey, and it was in immaculate condition. The phenomenal structure and balance of this extraordinary wine blew everyone at the table away, and has sat with me as the definitive Super-Tuscan experience ever since. So apologies for this not being a subjective rummage under the hood on nose/attack/finish but indulge me - for me this wine is a benchmark for a Tuscan superstar that is as memorable and fresh now as it was 4 years ago.
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Aerated in the glass for almost 3 hours. Lovely dark garnet color. Nose of mulling spices, currants, cedar, eucalyptus. Palate was a smooth, lush display of cool yet opulent plummy fruit, bright with acidity, and just plain delicious. Satisfying amount of grip to the midpalate with a long, evocative finish laced with fruit. Wow. As hedonistic a wine as I've had recently, and bearing the trademark flair of Italian cab blends.
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Private dinner with friends. (@ PVa): Soft, ripe and mature. Cedar. Beautiful soft acidity and a hint of sweetness. Long finish. Will remain on this level for some years.
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Had this with a kobe ribeye. Decanted about 4 hours before dinner (Chops Lobster House - Boca Raton). Tasted next to lobster bisque and complimented well. The wine was magnificant with the steak. So silky and smooth with a very long finish. The compexity of this wine always impresses me. This will still can age for years to come. I am glad I have more. Absolutely wonderful.
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Decantado por cerca de 1h. NM. Frutos negros mesclados com um toque elegante de madeira e um ligeiro 'adocicado' final. Complexos, intensos e envolventes aromas de tabaco, liquirizia, cravo-da-índia. Em boca tem uma elegância agressiva, que não nega a origem, com o álcool aparecendo um pouco no início. Ótima acidez, fruta, mineralidade e taninos ainda bastante evidentes. Final muito longo. Excepcional.
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Decantado por 1 hora. Aromas bordaleses intensos, pungentes e profundos de frutos negros, alcaçuz, especiarias (cravo) e tabaco. Na boca repete a intensidade com bastante complexidade e elegância mas sem negar a origem. Alta acidez, taninos numerosos e vivos, boa fruta e equilibrio. Em momentos lembra bordeaux e em outros vinho italiano. Final bastante longo. Excepcional
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Really ripe with black fruits and black licorice flavors along with a very earthy, decadent fruit profile. Quite ready to drink now in my opinion and a delicious drink.
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Allowed to breath for about thirty minutes without decanting and enjoyed with friends. Very slight bricking starting to occur, but still basically dark red. Currant and cherry on the nose and palate with hints of chocolate and cinnamon. The tannins are very much under control. Long finish. This wine lives up to its reputation and is perfect for drinking now.
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Decanted for only 45 minutes due to late hour. Fairly dark purple still. Nose of cassis, cedar, pencil lead, blackcurrants. Actually tasted younger than the last bottle consumed last year, with tight blackcurrant fruit and substantial tannins. Warmer, plummier notes emerged with time. Lovely finish, nice grip at the end. At age ten, still in the early part of its drinking window and a quality piece of work.
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Frankie opened a bottle of this beauty last weekend and it was really singing. Pretty floral nose of violets. Pristine fruit on the palate, with an elegant and smooth progression in the mouth. The wine gently flowed with a silky sway, and finished with impeccable balance. Seems to have entered its peak drinking window. A real treat and one of the wines of the year for me, so far.
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Excellent wine. No formal notes taken, but this was full, young, vibrant, with loads of thick, rich tannins, great fruit, and lots of structure. Clearly needs more time. Open next bottle in 5 years. Luscious, thick black fruit.
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Probably less about place and more about wine, but this is undeniably appealing. Lower acid, rich and well-balanced, new world style. Certainly no hurry, but hard to imagine it as a profoundly cellar-worthy wine. I will try to get to the rest of mine in the next five years.
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Well, I'm giving this an "excellent" score, which the wine deserves, but it is a disappointment. This wine was Bordeaux-like, yes. But not a top Bordeaux...more like a good 2nd or 3rd growth. But this won't age nearly as well. And that is just not good enough for a wine at this price. Or in this vintage. The wine is mostly ready to drink, but no great hurry. Maybe look at consuming all bottles in the next 5 years. Nice, mature, very ripe Cabernet fruit with complicating flavours of green pepper. Good mouthfeel. Medium finish.
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Dinner at La Zie with the NYC crew (New York, NY): Some herbal notes and a hint of raisin on the nose. The palate is just so explosively ripe, wow, almost a hint of powdered sugar. With time some very distinct notes of licorice come out, and the structure becomes apparent. The palate is gorgeous and with air takes on darker and darker notes of tobacco and black fruit. This rocks!
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Thinking it was probably too early to open the first bottle in the stash, we nonetheless cracked one to go with Tuscan beef. Decanted about 2 1/2 hours. Dark ruby-purple hue. Nose full of horse poop at first, which thankfully blew off revealing marionberry, cassis, and cedar scents. People began to take their first sips, and eyes got wide. Holy smokes this was good - cassis-laden smokey red fruits, velvety tannins, and a haunting 60-second finish - all in a well-balanced, textured whole. WOW. I wasn't expecting this degree of openness and frank hedonism. Wonderful experience!
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dense ruby with no rim showing extremly deep and complex nose right from the start and constantly evolving throughout the evening showing great future potential palate is full and powerful but elegant at the same time, still a bit too strong for brigitte taste
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Dinner with Jonathan Livny (Seattle, WA, USA): Ok, this is the real deal. The nose was very expressive and far more complex than I can depict in simple words. A Bordelaise nose of knockout minerals, iron, oregano, cedar, soil and earth. With more air this keeps getting more interesting and complex. The palate on this powerful and masculine wine is young and very tightly wound, but there is a lot of depth here. The finish is long and poignant with loads of dusty cassis. Yummy! 94+ with a lot of upward potential with more time to mature.
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4/29/2024 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
A very elegant wine, but it seems slightly past its peak; middle body, very nice nose, great nose; fruit a bit gone, yet great balance.
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3/4/2024 - DoubleD1969 wrote:
Drank next to the 1997 Ridge Monte Bello. Both bottles were double decanted in the afternoon then brought to the Hawksmoor NYC.
Ornellaia: 65% Cab, 30% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc.
The nose was a bit more expressive while decanting. Notes of raspberries, dried herbs, and wet earth. At the restaurant, a bit of barnyard crept in. Color had a maroon core that gradually lightened towards the edges. Looking at it next to the Ridge, it was obviously lighter in color. Wine was silky with tannins fully resolved. Dried red fruit, pomegranate seeds, oregano, and mushroom/earthy kind of taste. Still excellent.
Ridge MB: 85% Cab, 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Franc.
Like the Ornie when decanting, the nose was full of eucalyptus, black licorice, and graphite which receded somewhat (may have been the restaurant) and let the crushed black cherry fruit to emerge. Color was mostly opaque. Much fuller-bodied than the Ornellaia with the dark cherry, blackberry, forest floor combo. Fantastic as always. A better match for the charcoal-grilled steaks.
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1/31/2024 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Singing
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5/11/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Italian Night in Jax (La Cena): Ok then, quite the jump up from our previous flight to this one but why not jump in with a bang. Poured next to a 95 Sassicaia and it was of course a debate on which is better. Both though were quite wonderful. This is well aged, still quite bright and happy with plenty of life left to it. Darker style. Something that’s almost a touch unctuous and makes you want to keep drinking it. It was lovely.
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12/6/2022 - Bullsfan33 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at dinner at restaurant. Lots and lots of oak but soft and pleasing. Time to drink it now; hard to believe it will improve.
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5/30/2022 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
nice soft leathery dry.
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5/27/2022 - Kevnzworld wrote: 93 Points
:30 decant.
At Ornellaia Zurich. Library release.
Somewhat thinner than my prior bottle
Too much oak. Touch of cherry, but the secondary flavors overwhelm the frui
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12/15/2021 - B Paul wrote:
Decanted for a couple of hours before I tasted. This bottle was in excellent condition and the wine showed younger than I would have expected with some decent tannin still showing. Polished and silky, very easy to drink. A well made wine, though for me not as interesting as the Bordeaux wines next to it. Given how young this bottle showed, I'd probably hold well-stored bottles in hopes some more complexity emerges.
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12/14/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
decanted about 3 hours prior to tasting
deep purple red color, plums and herbs on the nose with a slight green streak, dried herbs, on the palate a grand and generous cherry and plum fruit with blueberry notes, lush, lavish, a bit of warmth on the tail end, good finish but lacking the scale of structure I would expect given the size of the fruit, this is a very showy and attractive drink right now and I would drink it in the near term as I think over time the scale of the fruit relative to the structure will lead this to get a bit pruny and overblown, but that prediction- assuming it is accurate- does not take away from the pleasure factor this wine shows right now.
***+, I would drink this within the next 5 years or so
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11/20/2021 - Hanibal wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed it, time to drink up close to end of plateau
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8/1/2021 - Sopravvento Matteo Melfa wrote: 95 Points
Opened tonight.
The wine doesn’t feel the age it actually has.
It is very herbaceous at the moment and feel a 10y.o wine with normal tertiary aromas going.
The balance is just perfect, it really stands out.
This bottle was superb! Can not wait to open another one.
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7/18/2021 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful. Hint of pepper.
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4/1/2021 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 94 Points
Online Blind Tasting #7: 1997 Horizontal: Note is based on a tasting sip in the morning on day one, ~4cl on the evening and 0,1l filled in a bottle and sealed with argon gas on the evening of day three.
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux
Clear, deep tawny color. Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose. Red fruit, tobacco, pepper, barbecued meat, leather, some animal notes. Complex, very deep, reminding me of left bank Bordeaux. Nice.
Dry, beautiful high acidity, wonderfully integrated. 14% abv, not noticeable. High, fine, silky tannin. Medium+ body and flavors. On the palate red fruit (cherries), very salty and mineral, tobacco, spices, leather. Very fine and elegant. Wonderful tension and pressure! Silky texture. Very long, fruit driven, complex finish. Beautiful wine with still some potential for 3-5+ years. 94-95
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3/28/2021 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Spectacular
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3/15/2021 - DoubleD1969 wrote:
Sunday late afternoon with Cate, Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy episode on the tele, a bowl of Bolognese (with tomato paste!) and tagliatelle. This wine continues to impress. Still youthful color - opaque, dark maroon with little lightening at the edges. Aromas of black cherry fruit, tar, pink roses. Palate is velvety with beautiful red fruit. Great finish. Not as much acidity as I remember from previous bottles but still fresh. A bit of sediment left.
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3/2/2021 - jhngo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Silky smooth.
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2/2/2021 - SonnyChiba wrote: 97 Points
Ornellaia always delivers and this 1997 was spectacular. Absolutely stunning from start to finish (especially the nose), this ranks among my favorite vintages of Ornellaia that I’ve tried. Reminded me of 1990 Pichon Baron with a slight Tuscan element to it.
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2/2/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for just a bit, and then drank over one hour. Could not slow down in drinking it. Excellent bottle, owing to excellent storage - The cork was hardly wet. In its prime now, but will certainly hold for several more years (decades?). So smooth on the palate, but a but sour on the finish. Overall, a very fine effort that I will likely never have the opportunity to try again. Not bad for a non-event Tuesday night!
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1/22/2021 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose is extremely peppery. The spice will dominate the whole tasting.
The palate is very textured with an enveloping and silky touch. The juice is very dense there is wine for sure! Large chocolatey substance with a hint of cherry which loosens completely in the mouth, delivering a wide and sunny wine, carried by an exemplary balance. It’s noble and racy, and it takes that to endure such concentrated juice without falling into heaviness.
Big cocoa finish with always this spice present and an elegant oak that gives both energy and length.
Excellent, of a very high standard.
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12/25/2020 - Patethel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nez encore bien présent. Arômes de fruits rouges, de cuir et animal. Belle robe légèrement ambrée. En bouche, bel amalgame de baies rouges, de tabac et réglisse noire. Très bien équilibré avec tanins très émoussés. Excellent vin.
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12/1/2020 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sweet red/black berry fruits, nice earthy aspect, good acidity, no good notes but did write "complex" and "good fruit/earth blend". Apparently I liked it, but as if often the case I should have spit more before getting to the last wine. :) Guessed Bordeaux blend Super-T w/a little sangiovese (b/c of the acidity, red berry fruits?). DD at Cotzen's.
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10/29/2020 - Kevnzworld wrote: 95 Points
:45 decant
Good balance, darker fruit with secondary flavors of tobacco and vanilla from the oak. . Had alongside a 2000 Poyferre. Both good but this was slightly better
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7/27/2020 - theharve wrote: 97 Points
tannic edge on opening gone after one hour, silky smooth at 1.5 house, what a wine. several years left, lucky to have a few more.
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7/3/2020 - jhngo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Funky and tannic.
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6/6/2020 - willfab60 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic. So complex and integrated. Best Ornellaia I have ever drank. Wish I had more.
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2/10/2020 - colin107 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Magnificent. A 3 hour decat and a further 30mins sitting in the glass brought out a most silken aromatic bouquet and a wonderful full bodied balanced wine with a great length. While ready for drinking, there's enough fruit to carry on for at least 10yrs. I'd buy more if reasonably priced.
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2/5/2020 - Greythorne Cellars wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful
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11/15/2019 - joshabramson wrote: flawed
Hard to say what was wrong exactly -- maybe slightly corked -- but this bottle was definitely off and had to go down the drain, unfortunately.
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10/31/2019 - dsiii wrote: 95 Points
Had been waiting for a special occasion to enjoy this bottle. A lovely Italian meal proved the perfect opportunity to crack this amazing wine. The cork was perfect, and the wine began immediwtely to evolve Spectacular balance and structure after 22 years shocked everyone at the table. The best red wine I have had in 6 months was my reward for the wait. This wine is ready to drink, but if stored well, there is no urgency.
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9/8/2019 - acyso wrote: 60 Points
Vinetasters: 1997 Super Tuscans (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. What the hell -- smells like doubanjiang. Hot peppers?! A bit grassy and herbaceous too. Better on the palate, but that’s not saying much. Very prickly tannins; low acid, nothing commendable here. If this was flawed, I have no idea what’s wrong with it. My 11th, group's 12th.
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6/26/2019 - soyhead wrote:
a pleasure to try at age 22.
dark ruby
well integrated dark fruit, spice and coffee inflected, nice balance, seems younger than stated age, good not great and given the current tariff I would be a seller and not a buyer.
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5/19/2019 - plamoise Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very cab-like, but softened with age. Still very powerful. Did use an aerator pourer.
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3/14/2019 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank at Don Angie restaurant in NYC. Rich, dark fruit. Well integrated tannins. Rich, and delicious. Very special wine, huge fan!
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2/9/2019 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Pretty classic Bordeaux-ish nose and palate. In a pretty nice spot, though I believe a tad bit past its prime, perhaps getting a bit tired, especially on the finish. None-the-less, still quite a bit to say, certainly enjoyable. Mature, herby, blue fruits. A good older friend past its youthful energy, but more interesting to hang out with in her maturity. If you have some, drink them within the coming 5-7 years and enjoy! If you do not have one, you'd be crazy to spend the $300+ to pick one up now.
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2/6/2019 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
Oppulence here - great wine, showy
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1/2/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
As always really delicious. In a great drinking window, but not really going anywhere any time soon. Darker fruits. Some more spicy character. More intense wine. It's very nice.
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8/19/2018 - winebuff037 wrote: 95 Points
Not need to decant, just straight from the bottle. Juicy, jammy with loads of fruits. Pair extremely well with salty, spicy Chinese food.
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5/12/2018 - HKdrinker Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pulled three glasses by Coravin and left the wine to breathe for 45 minutes. Modest pencil lead nose. Soft velvety tannins followed by gorgeous layers of fruit. Long finish. Wine doesn't get much better than this.
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4/10/2018 - Larry&Ron Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank with Pastor Kidd & Kate; Chip & Dawn at Lupo Verde.
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3/23/2018 - traxxx Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still strong at 20 years...45 min decant and this was glorious!
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2/14/2018 - zazoo wrote: 90 Points
Passed its prime . Still good but not great
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1/25/2018 - seppej Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow... Still young, even thong 1997 was a warm year...
Nose with a solid base of blackberries, middle with mature notes, top with rosemary and oregano...
Taste with rounded acidity, massive dark fruit... Long lasting taste wiy´th bitter cherries...
Really fantastic!... It can cellar for another 20 years, easily!
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11/10/2017 - Lype Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is simply excellent, chocolate, salty liquorice, barnyard notes, elegance, balance and convincing power in the same package. Someone might say fruit has dried and that the -97 is overpriced and not worth the hype and it is true that, for example, the -98 in more aromatic and, in a way, tastier than the -97 but I like both. Further, to me both -97 and -98 are clearly better than the -96 and -99 tasted recently.
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9/16/2017 - mcromain1021 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Mind blowing wine. Bought on release and stored at 55. Mature but no where near over the hill. Color was dark with notes of blackberries, currants and some hints of earth too. Tannins have integrated well also. Still has a lot of life, but seems to be in a prime drinking window right now.
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9/14/2017 - Peech Likes this wine: 93 Points
double-decanted for 1½ hours. Really smooth, with good acidity balance along with sweetness. A little smoky on the nose.
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8/5/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Definitely in the zone. The nose is more about mature beauty than the power of youth, with loam, rock moss, dead leaves, rich cassis fruit, brown spices. The elegance and maturity follow through to the full(-) body, with good, but seemingly waning acids; tannins still offering a bit of a gentle grip. In no danger of falling off tomorrow, but better get to them if you've got a bunch. recommended
https://ItalianWine.blog
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7/17/2017 - PLKMTK Likes this wine:
Decant essential. DW 2017
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6/29/2017 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Un vin impressionnant, que je voyais en rive droite bordelaise. C'est rond, et magnifiquement équilibré, avec une grande finesse de tanins. Un vin très élégant, d'une buvabilité exceptionnelle. Travaillé et d'apparence moderne, mais tellement agréable à boire. Grand vin. 95 pts
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6/4/2017 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 96 Points
Perfect to drink now ... on the top !
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5/10/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Casual (Mostly) Italian Wine Dinner with Friends (Ballaro - Highwood IL): Heat damaged. In 90/96/97/98 vertical.
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3/30/2017 - DoubleD1969 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm surprised I don't have more notes on this wine since I've had it a few times since 2010. The wine has gotten better and better each year, and I don't think it has plateaued yet.
Double decanted at Union Square Cafe. Great, youthful color for a 20 yr old bottle. Nose was fantastic and full of ripe cherry, kirsch, cedar, and tea leaves. Full-bodied, velvety with the sweet fruit with a long finish. Tannins aren't fully integrated. When it does, I think the wine will become even better. Definitely not declining. Paired with some rich pappardelle pasta and a braised lamb shank.
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1/14/2017 - Pmgold Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needed at least an hour decanting to start opening up.
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1/1/2017 - LARich wrote: 94 Points
Drink now!
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12/31/2016 - wineguy75 wrote: 92 Points
Disappointing for price point and producer reputation in a good Tuscan year. No further aging potential of this wine so on back end of its life.
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12/17/2016 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for an hour before dinner. Wonderful fruit and firm tannins. IMO has quite few years of life in front of it.
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12/14/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Acker Holiday Auction (A Voce Madison): Always enjoy this wine. Bright red cherries, hints of white pepper. This was a pnp I think and it worked really well. Just in the perfect spot for this wine.
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11/19/2016 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 94 Points
No formal notes taken. Robust fruit, cedar, and spice. Highly enjoyable. Still going strong.
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11/10/2016 - Trans-agri Likes this wine:
Fantastique; j'ai laisser décanter 3 - 4 heures. De la soie.
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11/9/2016 - la turque wrote: 98 Points
My last bottle. Drank at its peak. Gorgeous nose of black fruits, cedar, spice. Sublime balance and complexity. Very long finish. Gorgeous.
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10/20/2016 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
double-decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Very ripe but not jammy, more like a little stewed prunes. Minty and a little eucalyptus, sweet fruit, a little smoky and woody. Still plenty of concentration on the palate. Drinking beautifully right now.
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6/19/2016 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 88 Points
Brazen, voluptuous entry, superficially attractive with ripe fruit and lush attack, but the its shortcomings come apparent to the point where the second half of the bottle starts to become an ordeal. Overripe fruit initially morphes into porty notes, magnified by chronically low acidity and lack of any offsetting refreshing cut, that you find in good Bordeaux. This lacks equilibrium and finesse, and is frankly a bit of a mess. It flatters to deceive. This represents poor value against good Bordeaux 2nd-5th growths.
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4/29/2016 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Tasted courtesy of MC2 alongside a 1997 Sassicaia. What a pleasure to be able to drink such great vintage of two great super tuscans side by side. The Ornellaia was not as expressive tonight as the Sassicaia, but perhaps just needed more time in the decanter to really reveal itself. I think this will still continue to evolve if cellared longer.
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4/29/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Really wish we'd decanted this for longer. As it was, we decanted as soon as we arrived at the restaurant and prob poured about 1.5-2 hours later. The best sips of this wine were the last ones. Drank next to a 1997 Sassicaia which I initially preferred, but as this opened up over time I think it surpassed (whereas the last few sips of the Sassicaia were losing life, this was still opening up and improving). Big dark fruit and leather and standard Italian cab. Very good. Wish we had another. This wine is still going for at least 5 years.
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4/9/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
April Acker Auction (Marea): Prob my WOTD. This is in a great place right now and opened up nicely over time. In retrospect, maybe should have looked to decant it. Great black fruits, lovely spice, good leather tones. It's prob just on the backside of peak if I had to guess, but still drinking really well (although could be time to drink up).
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4/9/2016 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
opulent wine - Bordeaux grapes with that Italian nose just seems to work well in this case.
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3/3/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 96 Points
Tasted next to the 2013 pre-release. Good evolution in colour. Like around 2 years ago, the nose is again beautiful. Spicy, earthy, smoky with notes of ripe cassis fruit, eucalyptus, cedar. Quite ripe and generous on the palate, still elegant and balanced with good levels of acidity. The tannins are giving structure, but are soft and powdery. The length is impressive. No rush drinking this, but it is showing beautifully. 95-97
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1/25/2016 - Greythorne Cellars wrote:
Godly
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1/1/2016 - Plabella wrote: 94 Points
still vibrant dark fruit, coffee taste and more
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6/21/2015 - absolut wrote: 92 Points
aus der Halbflasche: recht weit entwickelt, deutlich tertiäre Aromen, Waldoden, Pilze, nicht mehr ganz der Fruchtdruck, etwas süßliche Tannine, sehr harmonisch mit mittlerem Körper und sehr guter Länge.
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5/23/2015 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
beautiful wine that stays in your mouth forever.
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5/18/2015 - khutchi2 Likes this wine: 96 Points
decanted for 45 mins at Cut in LA (highly recommended). From the nose and the first sip it was perfection. One of the great super Tuscans I have had the pleasure of opening. Buy this and drink it on a special occasion. It will not disappoint.
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5/15/2015 - Bandreas wrote: 92 Points
Drunk at Marco Brunello's house.
Blackberry and violets coupled with tar and licorice.
Intense wine, the least developed of the three; possibly the longest lived.
On palate it comes across as quite dry and "dusty"
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12/27/2014 - JS1056 wrote: 93 Points
Didn't decant but probably should have. Very Bordeaux on the nose with herbal cigar box. Brick in color.
Fruit has faded but still present in the background giving an elegant old world flavor. Tobacco, herbs, pepper, dark fruit. Long long finish.
Drank half out of the bottle then the second half after about two hours in the glass.
Really was elegant beautiful wine after opening up. Blew away the 2001 Oreno
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10/10/2014 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Platinum Tasting - Best of the Bests (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Generous, outstanding nose (B++/A-). Gorgeous palate (A-).
My #4, Group's #2 (70 pts). Tasted blind.
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9/30/2014 - Uncle John wrote: flawed
Corked!!
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9/20/2014 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Charleston III - the Weekend; 9/18/2014-9/20/2014 (Charleston SC - various locations incl. Red Drum, Halls, Circa 1886, and Kings Courtyard Inn): Wow was this good. Gave the '82 Grange a run for its money in WOTN. Excellent peppery flavor, nice cranberry, very young (despite having decanted). Beautiful wine.
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9/12/2014 - bigdogflow wrote: 90 Points
bottle was off. Definitely not at its best.
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8/29/2014 - fcxj wrote: 86 Points
Meh
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8/23/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
Judgement of Sydney Blind Tasting: Cherry, earth, raspberry, spices as well as a little floral kick. Light-medium bodied palate, it has good carry and length. Soft tannins and comfortable fruit weight. Nearing its peak.
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8/6/2014 - skibum819 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A beautiful super Tuscan, still showing well but for my tastes it's starting to get a little tired. Some of the rich black fruit it was showing in it's youth it is now developing earthy wet leave aromas
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7/28/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
Dinner at Union Square in NYC with Bob M, I brought this one, drank next to an 06 Flaccianello. US restaurant is great on corkage (rare in NYC) and always treats you well when brining your own wines.
Decanted for about 30 minutes before drinking. Velvety maroon/red color. Nose was Bordeaux like after about an hour, giving up earth/leaves, pencil/graphite along with dark fruits and cedar. Gives plums, blackberry, figs, vanilla, currants and meat/savory flavors. Palate is incredibly smooth and elegant.
Ornellaia never dissapoints, in my experieince. This bottle was not different. Lucky to have a well stored sample of this vintage, ready noiw, should drink at this level through 2018, best guess. really special wine
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6/28/2014 - plitton wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Fabulous. Deep red, balanced tannins with just a hint of sweetness. Smooth. It's in a middle place right now. Not young and bright but definitely will improve over the next 10 years. Hold.
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6/1/2014 - hebill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still drinking great...really nice example of Bolgheri
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5/8/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Slight discolouration, stunning nose, slightly evolved with tobacco, cedar, earth, herbs, graphite. Very round on the palate, good acidity, open. Great structure and balance, very, very long. Drinking beautifully but no rush at all. Superb. Now-2025+. 94-96
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4/4/2014 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Platinum Tasting - 1997 Brunellos and Super Tuscans (Tasted Blind) (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Generous nose, different from the other wines in this flight, fruity, some sweetness, some heat (B++/A-). Palate is also different from the other wines in this flight (B++/A-).
My #6, Group's #1 (50 pts). Tasted blind.
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2/26/2014 - Veritas 53 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Appearance: bright, clear garnet red
Nose: balsamic jammy fruit mushroom
Palate; balanced, soft tannins, balsamic pomegranate sensation , keep evolving in the glass & on the palate. Multilayer , big finish absolutely delicious bottle with many years left in it.
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2/20/2014 - YQUEM90 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just delightful. Not vegetal/green initially (some other 1997 Super Tuscans and big Sangiovese wines can be). Fruit and spice right off the bat. Lovely balance.
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1/14/2014 - Graddini wrote: 97 Points
Mossy, green nose immediately upon opening. After an hour in the decanter, this wine blossomed and lost all it's vegetable notes and transformed into a hugely scented lush monster. Black currants and cherries, earthy loam and swirling floral and rose notes were always drifting up. Perfectly round with some fine tannins and good acid.
Wine of the night among other 97's including Caymus SS; St. Jean Cinq Cepages, Heitz Bella Oaks, '10 Kathryn Hall Cab. Lucky me!
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12/27/2013 - georgeohr wrote:
Drinking well. Forest floor/earthy flavors. Our bottles benefited from being open an hour or so before drinking. A light decanting might speed the process.
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11/21/2013 - sooper65 wrote: 90 Points
all blackcurrants, rich, full on but lacking any real class
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10/8/2013 - Uncle John wrote: 97 Points
From wine list at La Forchetta Toronto. Decanted and served. Complex nose and even more complex palate beautiful dark fruit and mild spices. The wine is so balanced with a finish that lasts for over a minute. Love Ornellaia and this might be my best one yet!
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9/7/2013 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Consumed one night after a 1990 Pichon Baron, and these were kissing cousins. At first the Orny was all stalk and stem and tobacco with a full yet acidic palate. However over the course of 90 minutes it exploded and became both more ripe and more vegetal. BTW, I mean vegetal as a compliment -- herbal and stalky in the best way. Undeniably 1997. Quite approachable yet with ample silky tannins. Truly delicious.
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7/27/2013 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Brought to a dinner party where popped and poured. Dark garnet. Nose of currant, cassis, violets, leather, earth. Velvety on the tongue with layers of sweet red currant fruit, plum, blackberry, and graphite coming together beautifully in a poised array. Hint of tobacco. Lower acidity, resolved tannins. Moderately-long finish with slow taper of whispery red plum and earth. One of those wines heading into middle age quite gracefully.
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6/30/2013 - Biglama Likes this wine: 94 Points
heeft zich ontwikkeld tot een mooie wijn, klassieke indruk, veel inhoud, prettig drinkbaar, bordeaux stijl, licht fruitig, mooie rustige balans, nog volop in leven kan nog wel 10 jaar mee
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5/29/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Jumps out of the glass with beautiful aromatics of ripe dark berries (black currant, dark cherries, blackberries), some nice earthy tones, coffee and dark chocolate. It has a full body without being heavy, lower-medium acidity and lower-medium tannins. Long finish. It's fully mature now, I don't see many reasons why to keep it longer. It's a beautiful, ripe, mature wine that really reminds you of a top-class Médoc. Really beautiful showing!
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2/23/2013 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Riva
There was a lot of forest floor on the nose which blew off after a while. It is very complex and rich but I am not sure it has the legs to last much longer.
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1/31/2013 - Biglama Likes this wine: 92 Points
mooi glas, donkere tonen, koffie, donker fruit, bramen, chocolade, smaak is zacht en soepel, heerlijk drinkbaar nu, kan nog wel even mee
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1/17/2013 - Paui Likes this wine: 95 Points
Always thought Ornellaia being the only Super-Tuscany that is rather an exotic Medoc. This wine understands the cabernet. Third time I had the '97. Earth and spices. Deep, berries and rich tannins. Wait for the chocolade.
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10/28/2012 - SexySom & Santa wrote: 95 Points
decanted the bottle but couldn't wait to dig in so we polished off our first glasses before it had a chance to even start to open up. still opening and wishing we had just a little more patience or, better yet, had the freaking foresight to open ANOTHER bottle while we waited for this one to open. . . that's what you get when you're sitting waiting for Sandy to make landfall . .
cherries, a little bitter (but that could just be her attitude), its not heavy, chocolate, silk-ay . . .
ready to drink now and needs about an hour to open up . . .
kick ass bottle of wine . . enjoy!
SS out
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10/10/2012 - Peech wrote: flawed
corked but not undrinkable in my opinion. Grassy, vegetal, cardboard, a hint of sweetness, minerals. 88 points.
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9/29/2012 - mariolanza wrote: 95 Points
Simply awesome. Best value high end red wine around right now.
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5/28/2012 - Ibetian wrote:
No detailed note, but this was very good, complex, smooth and satisfying, drinking perfectly now. I held its own and might have edged a 2001 Latour drunk from 375 alongside it.
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5/27/2012 - punter wrote: 96 Points
Plum, spice, vanilla, fall leaves, cedar nose on the cork and decant. First sip was amazing; plum, trace of roasted blackberry and fig, vanilla bean and crème brulee layered with some dark chocolate and crisp cedar through mid-back palate, giving way to dark fruit on the back end that lasted 40+ seconds. 2-3 more years of bottle age should completely settle the tannins, which are well enough integrated to enjoy today. Bold, big and powerful in an understated yet uniquely classy way - 96 with upside.
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3/19/2012 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Extremely rich, dark and meaty with a classic ornellaia nose of soy sauce. Still quite a lot of vanilla too on the palate but with a lovely spicy mid-palate.
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2/14/2012 - la turque wrote: 97 Points
Beautiful, sublime, sexy wine. Drinking incredibly well. Impeccable balance.
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12/25/2011 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Bright ruby with brownish maroon hints of rust. Aromas of coffee, flowers, currant, dark chocolate, leather. The body is light and lively but gripping with dark cherry, currant, spice, bay leaf and meat flavors. Very smooth and silky texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.
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12/9/2011 - emkc wrote: flawed
Premox?? Disappointing.
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11/15/2011 - cooberp wrote: 86 Points
Urrbody in the club bring a Bordeaux varietal (Le Montmartre Bistro, London): Chocolatey, syrupy, jammy dark fruit. Pruney nose. Not much acid. Tannin lingers on the tongue long after swallowing. Not heavy, but cloying. Completely falls apart in the glass after two hours. Price adds insult to injury. Surprised to see so much love for this wine on CellarTracker--this wasn't an optimally stored bottle, but it wasn't flawed either.
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11/15/2011 - coremill wrote: 83 Points
Double-decanted, not sure how long, and from a bottle that had not seen perfect storage. That said, this was not a good wine. The nose had some rich dark fruit, but mostly it was pruney and overripe, with a touch of green in the background, suggesting a hot vintage in which the sugars got high before the phenols got ripe. On the palate the wine was heavy and jammy, with a considerable lack of acid and definition, some loose fuzzy tannin, and significant heat on the back end. Exposure to air just made things worse and I poured out the rest of my second glass after one sip.
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9/24/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 95 Points
Saying Goodby to Dave B (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): Fabulous wine with a Pauillac-like nose of currants, spice, leafy herbal note and tobacco with hint of green pepper. Palate is lively with an herbal spice element and other tertiary notes. Lengthy herbal finish with touch of complex fruit and stone. Great wine with a distinct Bdx-like element--amazing how much this reminded me of Pichon Lalande. Perfect balance. Fine polished tannins in the background but not too distracting. Great polished, complete wine, drinking well now but is probably not yet be at peak.
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8/6/2011 - wr12162 wrote: 95 Points
Drink now! Absolutely delicious...complex and smooth, from the first to the last.
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6/10/2011 - Champagneinhand wrote: 93 Points
While I am almost alway impressed with Ornellaia, this particular bottle was as stellar as the other vintages I have enjoyed. The 01 definitely was much better. This did have all the goodness of a typical bordeaux blend but the subtle cooking spices just weren't there and the cedar flavor from the barrels was just a bit much for my tastes. Still great wine and had a wonderfully long finish. Quite pricey for a 93 point wine.
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6/2/2011 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 96 Points
Complex, incredibly tasty
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5/28/2011 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Medium purple with a hint of bricking at the edges. Immediate nose of violets, cedar, plum, currant, and earth. Smooth, velvety attack of still bright plum and red currant fruit on the palate, layered with leather, moca, and an intriguing note of bell pepper. Acidity was notably quite fresh and tannins very well smoothed out. Finish was long and marked by sweet grip and many echoes of lovely red fruit. Always a favorite, this wine is evolving very well.
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4/21/2011 - mariolanza wrote: 92 Points
An excellent wine, ready now and may be better still. Needed time to breathe and fantastic aromas of Bordeaux style co plenty from a 2nd growth equivalent
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3/26/2011 - wallstreet wrote: 96 Points
An absolutely excellent bottle of wine, tasted side ny side with solaia 96. Both awesome, but prefer the ornellaia. Wine seemed still very young. If you have it, no hurry to drink it. But if you do give it am hour of air at the very min. 2 hours would be. Even better. A great wine, one of my favorites.
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3/9/2011 - PeterH wrote: 95 Points
Like velvet, yummy
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2/12/2011 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
A Great weekend in Athens; 2/12/2011-2/13/2011 (Athens, Greece): Decanted for 1 hour.
Mild on the nose, reserved. Powerful , strong yet smooth on the palate as the tannins are well integrated. Our bottle had a bit of so2 on the palate at start. The least favourite of the night and in a way a disappointment. 91+ and not sure if time will help here
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12/16/2010 - PeterH wrote: 94 Points
Quite tasty in a 'ripe' fashion
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11/19/2010 - G_H wrote: 93 Points
Less elegant and balanced than the 1995 but with a lot more power in the palate, great wine
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11/14/2010 - Veritas 53 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Color; clear, bright red
Nose; herbal, dark fruit, sweet tannins, wood
Palate; Sweet, soft round tannins, complex mixed dark fruits, herbs, soil, mushrooms, long lasting packed with fruits, superb finish of a very mature yet youthful quality
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10/18/2010 - vespa110 wrote: 91 Points
colore carico, con riflessi granato, si apre con sentori molto tipici del vitigno di maggioranza con peperone grigiato , frutto mora , tanti sentori di caffè, bocca polposa leggermente alcolica, con un finale fruttato e con un tannino presente e sottile, acidità buona.
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10/9/2010 - dgerst wrote: 95 Points
Deep red color. Fantastic nose of dark red berries, menthol, cassis, lead pencil. Wave after wave of pure blackcurrant, spices, minerals, red licorice and sweet tannins. Very brisk acids gave a brightness to the midpalate, but very well balanced. Then a super long lip smacking finish. Really in a good place right now. Still a lot of life left but if you have a few pop one now. Excellent with the grilled veal chop.
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10/6/2010 - PeterH wrote: 96 Points
Good, smooth, tasty, delicious. Got time with this one but gooood today.
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9/19/2010 - PC73 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep red. Raspberry blackberry strawberry on nose. Spicy pepper. Brambles. Menthol. Rich opulent. Fruity. Balanced. Bit of acidity. Soft tannins. Woody / earthy. High alcohol. Powerful. Bit fruitler than Bordeaux. Overall, a fab wine. Highly recommended.
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8/29/2010 - SteveHoch wrote: 93 Points
This bottle required 2 hours of decanting to arrvie at the perfect point. Great nose of cherries, violet, and a little spcie. The wine was beautiful, well balance great fruit on the front end of mostly cherries. really well integrated and a nice finnish.
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7/12/2010 - LARich wrote: 95 Points
Amazing. Opened 2 hours before drinking and it was still a little tight. Magnificent structure with an alluring nose of fresh red fruit and plum. Well balanced tannins and beautiful deep garnet color. Just approaching its peak.
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5/9/2010 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RUSSK WWatch 1997 Italian Tasting. My3rd place wine. Got better with air.
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2/13/2010 - bibendumrrb wrote:
Needed several hours to really open up. Lots of cherry.
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2/4/2010 - DougLee wrote: 94 Points
Opened and poured into a glass for 30 minutes. Purple hue. Nose of plums, currant, earth, sandalwood, cedar. Feral, beautiful flavors of red currants, plum, raspberry, and leather lushly presented and accented by energizing acidity. Tannins quite smoothed out, finish long and grippy with echoes of lively red and black plum fruit. Aristocratic wine with undeniably hedonistic qualities reflecting the heat of the vintage, at or near peak.
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1/22/2010 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic nose! Gorgeous aromas of red berries, roses and cut flowers, cedar. Acidity was prominent but not astringent. Elegant mouthfeel though it felt a bit hollow on the palate and the finish was medium length. A great wine nonetheless. (Harry's Steak, NYC)
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1/22/2010 - Deb293 wrote: 93 Points
NYC CT Offline (Harry's Steak, NYC): Marked by higher acidity than the US cabs this evening, this wine was just singing. The raspberry flavors jumped from the glass, yet the Cabernet components were all there. In a great place right now.
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11/28/2009 - Lorien wrote: 89 Points
Did a lot better than a 1997 Harlan Estate in a blind tasting (6 people). Nice well balanced wine with a good level of complexity, and a tasty array of flavors Should hold much longer.
Update: these were the wines in the blind tasting:
1 2006 Copain Pinot Andersen Valley ( Cerise ) Calif
2 2006 Brick House Ribbon Ridge Boulder Block Oregon
3 1996 Chehalem Pinot Rion Reserve Oregon
4 2002 Leonetti Reserve Cab Walla Walla Washington
5 1997 Smith Madrone Cab Spring Mountain Napa Valley Calif
6 1997 Ornelaia M.L.A.
7 2001 Yarden Cab El Rom Vinyard
8 1997 San Leonardo
9 1997 Harlen Cab Napa Valley
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11/17/2009 - la turque wrote: 96 Points
Two flights, ranked in order of performance:
1997 Ornellaia - Beautiful, sublime, sexy wine. Drinking incredibly well. Impeccable balance.
1997 Pavie-Macquin - despite what one might think of the 1997 vintage in Bordeaux, this wine was brilliant.
1997 Beringer Private Reserve - A perennial favourite.
1997 Lafite Rothschild - A barnyardy nose, which blew off with time. Great pedigree and structure. Lay down for 5 years.
1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque - my personal favourite of the tasting. A brilliant, complete wine - my favourite wine ever!
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde - a beautifully made, delicious wine
1998 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle - Probably the only really good La chapelle made since the 1990 in my view
1996 Chateau de Fonsalette Reserve Cuvee Syrah - my second favourite of teh flight. Deep, dark, sweet, thick, amazing
All wines showed beautifully, and were drinking well.
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11/7/2009 - kenthargis wrote: 94 Points
Excellent. Took over two hours for the tannins to settle down. Rich, ripe, but not overly so. Currant, some lead pencil. Certainly didn't taste like a Bordeaux or a Cali meritage. Probably liked the '01 slightly better, but this was outstanding.
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8/30/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
I am not a big lover of super Tuscans, they lack the "expression of terroir" for me, even though it sounds snobbish. Well made wine, but it could have come from any place on Earth and this is a huge drawback in my book.
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8/29/2009 - wallstreet wrote: 95 Points
for me it was WOTN. Compared to 01 Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nuova.01 Harlan The Maiden, 2000 Cos D'Estournel and an 88 Barbaresco which was very good. I would still say that the Orn was the best of the bunch.
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8/9/2009 - CMz wrote: 95 Points
What a beautiful wine this is! Opened + 30 air in bottle; deep purple with bricking on the edge, dark cherry & cassis on the nose. Silky rich mouth-feel with well integrated tannins - very balanced with the fruit. Black cherry with notes of plum & oak.
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8/8/2009 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Still fairly dark purple. Nose of cassis, black currant, a hint of eucalyptus, cedar scents. Lovely velvety texture on the palate, offering layers of currant, leather, plum, and blackberry fruit. Fresh and pure with moderate acidity, structured still with sweet, fine tannins. Balanced, nuanced finish with a bit of grip at the end. Very nice showing, especially when paired with prime rib.
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6/6/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93?. No formal notes.
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4/28/2009 - Rupert wrote:
Ledbury lunch with Keith Prothero: Served blind: rich, ripe, with a fair bit of the farmyard, but so much savoury fruit underneath - a nice contrast to the oh so refined Vajra
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3/6/2009 - otisabdul wrote: 94 Points
Drank at a London offline at St.Johns next to a 1988 Ch. Palmer. This took a couple hours to hit its stride, but once it did, it was fabulous. More elegant than the Palmer, with a silky mouthfeel and a long finish.
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3/6/2009 - keelegl wrote: 92 Points
Started off tight showing a heavy dose of black earth/tar on the nose and palate. Started to open after a couple hours of air to show some juicy plums and currants. Big and powerful, yet elegant and balanced, this could use a couple more years of age to show its true potential. 92++
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3/1/2009 - The Wine Guy wrote: 95 Points
oh what a feeling, red brick typical of an older beauty, cherries excellent nose, cherry, oak, nice bouquet and long on the finish with texture and comples silkeness oh for mor of this to grow old with, plenty of tanins to cellar for another 10 years a real pleasure.
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2/6/2009 - Kevin_C wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple red color. A very seductive, perfumed nose upon opening. The first taste shows layers of fruit that completely integrates the underlying structure. So smooth, long and focused, it leads to an amazing finish. After a 2-3 hours decant...nose becomes reticent showing a more complex mineral-driven bouquet with hints of dust and cedar. The palate is fat and generous showing spicy black cherry, charred wood and a complexity of graphite and lead pencil that really lingers on the finish. The tannins have now firmed up and certainly make their presence known. The balance it showed upon opening is now lost. I wonder how this will age from here. [93-94]
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2/6/2009 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
A little pleasant barnyard in the start. And then a lot of everything. Good cherries. Soft and elegant. Full bodied and a perfect balance. Pleasant oak. Still youthful bitterness. Give it enough air.
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12/15/2008 - Siggy wrote: 80 Points
1997 Tuscans w/ Burgundy Bob & The Boys (I Nonni, St. Paul): Strong gingerbread/spice cake on the nose. The palate is big and blocky, featuring coffee, oak, dark fruit, spice, and dried herbs. Long, tannic finish. Really oaky. This has gobs of power and concentration, but not much finesse.
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10/20/2008 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Decanted about 1/2 hour. Dark earthy nose with black cherry and some some menthol. Very dry and tannic wine. Lots of black fruits, vanilla and licorice. Long finish. Tannins really grip the mouth. Still has some years ahead.
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10/18/2008 - mcneil7 wrote: 97 Points
Wonderful wine, decanted for an hour which allowed the wine to breath and blow of the Italian funk. Smell was a nice dark fruit with hints of spice and vanilla. The tase was perfect, smooth lots of body reaming, espeso and dark choclate with a long long linger.
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9/9/2008 - BordeauxNut wrote: 97 Points
Bud Starr's September Tasting (Bud Starr's Clayton, MO): This was an interesting wine to follow for crowd reaction. I'm a bit of a traditionalist and I loved it. Others panned it, not liking the volatility on the nose. For me, it just made the aromatics that much more approachable. There was a very pleasant mix of green, leafy scents and really ripe black plums. On the palate, it's big but fresh and balanced. There's great length in the finish here. I was impressed, as were a couple others, but this one did split the table.
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8/13/2008 - Khamen wrote: 98 Points
This is not a recent tasting note as I first had this wine in 2004 at a very nice little Italian restaurant in Surrey, and it was in immaculate condition. The phenomenal structure and balance of this extraordinary wine blew everyone at the table away, and has sat with me as the definitive Super-Tuscan experience ever since. So apologies for this not being a subjective rummage under the hood on nose/attack/finish but indulge me - for me this wine is a benchmark for a Tuscan superstar that is as memorable and fresh now as it was 4 years ago.
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7/13/2008 - DougLee wrote: 95 Points
Aerated in the glass for almost 3 hours. Lovely dark garnet color. Nose of mulling spices, currants, cedar, eucalyptus. Palate was a smooth, lush display of cool yet opulent plummy fruit, bright with acidity, and just plain delicious. Satisfying amount of grip to the midpalate with a long, evocative finish laced with fruit. Wow. As hedonistic a wine as I've had recently, and bearing the trademark flair of Italian cab blends.
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7/5/2008 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Private dinner with friends. (@ PVa): Soft, ripe and mature. Cedar. Beautiful soft acidity and a hint of sweetness. Long finish. Will remain on this level for some years.
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4/5/2008 - wallstreet wrote: 95 Points
Had this with a kobe ribeye. Decanted about 4 hours before dinner (Chops Lobster House - Boca Raton). Tasted next to lobster bisque and complimented well. The wine was magnificant with the steak. So silky and smooth with a very long finish. The compexity of this wine always impresses me. This will still can age for years to come. I am glad I have more. Absolutely wonderful.
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3/5/2008 - mattiasjansson wrote:
Did not care for this at all. Bell pepper / green. Others didn't seem to mind as much. Would have rated low.
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3/5/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 89 Points
earthy nose, nice attack but alittle bitterness, chocolate finish
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3/5/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
not a strong showing for this wine, which i am usually a fan of, as well as this vintage. i don't know how much air it got...probably not much.
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3/5/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 90 Points
eRobert Parker Offline - Giacosa and other Italian Wine (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Blackberry, barnyard, earth, green bell pepper. Will balanced with good acidity. Nice finish but just a tad green. Has showed much better in the past.
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1/30/2008 - Vinho wrote: 94 Points
Decantado por cerca de 1h. NM. Frutos negros mesclados com um toque elegante de madeira e um ligeiro 'adocicado' final. Complexos, intensos e envolventes aromas de tabaco, liquirizia, cravo-da-índia. Em boca tem uma elegância agressiva, que não nega a origem, com o álcool aparecendo um pouco no início. Ótima acidez, fruta, mineralidade e taninos ainda bastante evidentes. Final muito longo. Excepcional.
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1/29/2008 - losvinhos wrote: 94 Points
Decantado por 1 hora. Aromas bordaleses intensos, pungentes e profundos de frutos negros, alcaçuz, especiarias (cravo) e tabaco. Na boca repete a intensidade com bastante complexidade e elegância mas sem negar a origem. Alta acidez, taninos numerosos e vivos, boa fruta e equilibrio. Em momentos lembra bordeaux e em outros vinho italiano. Final bastante longo. Excepcional
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12/25/2007 - tacman wrote: 94 Points
a beautiful wine (w/ osso bucco), balanced tannins and dark, dusty fruit with a definite chocolate finish (sadly my last bottle)
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8/7/2007 - dream wrote: 91 Points
Really ripe with black fruits and black licorice flavors along with a very earthy, decadent fruit profile. Quite ready to drink now in my opinion and a delicious drink.
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7/15/2007 - jag420 wrote: 96 Points
Allowed to breath for about thirty minutes without decanting and enjoyed with friends. Very slight bricking starting to occur, but still basically dark red. Currant and cherry on the nose and palate with hints of chocolate and cinnamon. The tannins are very much under control. Long finish. This wine lives up to its reputation and is perfect for drinking now.
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1/21/2007 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for only 45 minutes due to late hour. Fairly dark purple still. Nose of cassis, cedar, pencil lead, blackcurrants. Actually tasted younger than the last bottle consumed last year, with tight blackcurrant fruit and substantial tannins. Warmer, plummier notes emerged with time. Lovely finish, nice grip at the end. At age ten, still in the early part of its drinking window and a quality piece of work.
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9/22/2006 - otisabdul wrote: 95 Points
Frankie opened a bottle of this beauty last weekend and it was really singing. Pretty floral nose of violets. Pristine fruit on the palate, with an elegant and smooth progression in the mouth. The wine gently flowed with a silky sway, and finished with impeccable balance. Seems to have entered its peak drinking window. A real treat and one of the wines of the year for me, so far.
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8/11/2006 - trankin wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. No formal notes taken, but this was full, young, vibrant, with loads of thick, rich tannins, great fruit, and lots of structure. Clearly needs more time. Open next bottle in 5 years. Luscious, thick black fruit.
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2/25/2006 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Probably less about place and more about wine, but this is undeniably appealing. Lower acid, rich and well-balanced, new world style. Certainly no hurry, but hard to imagine it as a profoundly cellar-worthy wine. I will try to get to the rest of mine in the next five years.
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12/10/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote: 91 Points
Well, I'm giving this an "excellent" score, which the wine deserves, but it is a disappointment. This wine was Bordeaux-like, yes. But not a top Bordeaux...more like a good 2nd or 3rd growth. But this won't age nearly as well. And that is just not good enough for a wine at this price. Or in this vintage. The wine is mostly ready to drink, but no great hurry. Maybe look at consuming all bottles in the next 5 years. Nice, mature, very ripe Cabernet fruit with complicating flavours of green pepper. Good mouthfeel. Medium finish.
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9/17/2005 - winefool wrote: 95 Points
HDH Pre-auction tasting (Chicago Athletic Club): Full deep red color. Huge rich aroma. Wow, fantastic big rich spicy black fruit.
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8/9/2005 - Eric wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at La Zie with the NYC crew (New York, NY): Some herbal notes and a hint of raisin on the nose. The palate is just so explosively ripe, wow, almost a hint of powdered sugar. With time some very distinct notes of licorice come out, and the structure becomes apparent. The palate is gorgeous and with air takes on darker and darker notes of tobacco and black fruit. This rocks!
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7/10/2005 - DougLee wrote: 95 Points
Thinking it was probably too early to open the first bottle in the stash, we nonetheless cracked one to go with Tuscan beef. Decanted about 2 1/2 hours. Dark ruby-purple hue. Nose full of horse poop at first, which thankfully blew off revealing marionberry, cassis, and cedar scents. People began to take their first sips, and eyes got wide. Holy smokes this was good - cassis-laden smokey red fruits, velvety tannins, and a haunting 60-second finish - all in a well-balanced, textured whole. WOW. I wasn't expecting this degree of openness and frank hedonism. Wonderful experience!
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7/9/2005 - parrot wrote:
Big expectations as this was supposed to be my first Ornellaia 97' - CORKED
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6/13/2005 - wbini wrote: 95 Points
dense ruby with no rim showing extremly deep and complex nose right from the start and constantly evolving throughout the evening showing great future potential palate is full and powerful but elegant at the same time, still a bit too strong for brigitte taste
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12/14/2004 - Eric wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Jonathan Livny (Seattle, WA, USA): Ok, this is the real deal. The nose was very expressive and far more complex than I can depict in simple words. A Bordelaise nose of knockout minerals, iron, oregano, cedar, soil and earth. With more air this keeps getting more interesting and complex. The palate on this powerful and masculine wine is young and very tightly wound, but there is a lot of depth here. The finish is long and poignant with loads of dusty cassis. Yummy! 94+ with a lot of upward potential with more time to mature.
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12/14/2001 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Veneyardgate Wine Tasting: "So What Are These French Varietals Doing In Italy?" 5-11-17-8: 91/100.
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