The flag ship wine of Castellare di Castellina: a blend of Sangiovese 85% and Malvasia nera 15%. Cherry, leather, red fruit, tobacco, prune, balsamic, medium plus body, great long Sangiovese acidic finish. In a great spot of its drinking window
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This has terrific balance and structure to go with generous fruit. Nice secondary oak in a supporting role. Very long finish. Drinks great day two. This has entered its drinking window and should stay there for at least 5 yrs. Great value too.
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First sniff: rosewater... fear of having nebbiolo in the glass (served blind). Afterwards, florals and red fruits emerged and a very light and elegant showing displayed fortunately.
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Turns out all this needed was some time. My last of 3 bottles and easily the best. Maybe it was because I had this wine second on the night, but it really just had so much savory complexity compared to the '15 Fontodi Classico just before it. The fruit also came out a bit more compared to last year. Just a pleasure with home made pizzas.
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Berries, oregano, sweet balsamic, coffee. High acidity, well-integrated tannins, medium body, 14% alcohol, very good balance. Gastronomic. Drink now or keep for 3-4 years.
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This continues to be an elegant wine, but it lacks a bit of energy for my palate to take it to the next level. The acid and fruit are a bit dull, however there are some nice savory flavors that came out, especially on day 2 when this wine started to hit its stride. So if you have remaining bottles, give it a good decant or come back in a couple of years. Drinking almost like an old school Italian version of Bordeaux rather than your typical bright Sangiovese. If you want punchy lifted fruit, this is not for you.
Edit: On day 3, this became a 91 point wine. We had it with burgers. That red fruited sangiovese started to come out and the various subtle spices were dancing together in the background instead of at the forefront. Maybe this wine still needs time.
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First of three bottles, decanted about 45 minutes in advance at Factory Kitchen. A lovely, but understated wine. The aromatics flow slowly but draw you in, as does the taste. A soft wine with a caressing mid palate of dark red fruits and savory earth flavors. Finish has a bit of spice and unresolved tannin. The texture is already showing that soft pillowy feel that you sometimes get with older wines. Drinking well now, though I’m curious to see where it goes.
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Red cherries, plums, tomato leaf, new leather and dried herbs. Medium + bodied, medium tannins. Pretty complex, but needs more time in the bottle to develop further interesting flavors. In a few years this will be great.
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PNP. Beautiful translucent pale ruby. Red berries, cherries, burnt earth, trace of hazelnuts. Bright, lively mouthfeel with fresh acidity that drives to a nice finish. Dense, deep flavors. A burgundian approach. This is real good stuff.
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Decanted an hour, should have been three. Smelled like a hamper of dirty socks for the first 30 minutes, then cleared up wonderfully. Nose and palate are so fresh. Red and dark sour fruit, leather, tobacco, with a cleansing floral spine running up its center. Palate is more red fruit, funkier than the nose, some savory elements.
Very enjoyable wine -- not huge, long or deep but possess great structure, balance, tone. Still young, though drinking fine with some air today and clearly will improve through the 2020s. Recommended.
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Consistent with the taste of a few weeks ago, but this time I got to spend some hours with it, and have it with a meal. The main takeaway here, for my palate: wait, at least a few years. Yes, it's delicious now, but really, opening one today is to miss out on many good things to come. Thru 2025. highly recommended
Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } My second time with this since release - I liked it then, I like it even more now. Understated, across the board, from the (lighter) color, to the aromatics and palate - each offers an exciting display full of place and grape(s). The addition of Malvasia Nera, and the choice to raise the wines in equal parts new and neutral oak is brilliant, in my opinion, and serve the wine very well; plenty of freshness, with an elegant, approachable structure. Drink now with aeration, or hold; likely to improve with mid-term cellaring. highly recommended
High-quality Italian wines tasting (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): medium intensity translucent red-purple with brown tones ripe fruits earthy-leathery nose with mushrooms notes medium bodied, firm tannins, good balance & harmony, lean structured, moderate complexity, earthy-veggie flavours, short finish & aftertaste
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2/3/2024 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 92 Points
The flag ship wine of Castellare di Castellina: a blend of Sangiovese 85% and Malvasia nera 15%. Cherry, leather, red fruit, tobacco, prune, balsamic, medium plus body, great long Sangiovese acidic finish. In a great spot of its drinking window
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4/15/2023 - kim@meko.ru Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good.
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1/6/2023 - ephorn Likes this wine: 95 Points
This has terrific balance and structure to go with generous fruit. Nice secondary oak in a supporting role. Very long finish. Drinks great day two. This has entered its drinking window and should stay there for at least 5 yrs. Great value too.
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2/18/2022 - Bradetti wrote:
Corked.
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6/24/2021 - Vinogan(s) Likes this wine: 92 Points
First sniff: rosewater... fear of having nebbiolo in the glass (served blind). Afterwards, florals and red fruits emerged and a very light and elegant showing displayed fortunately.
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6/22/2021 - Kris G wrote: 92 Points
A lightweight and very elegant showing of the Sangiovese grape with floral impressions, juicy red fruits and rosewater.
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3/12/2021 - Justin S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Turns out all this needed was some time. My last of 3 bottles and easily the best. Maybe it was because I had this wine second on the night, but it really just had so much savory complexity compared to the '15 Fontodi Classico just before it. The fruit also came out a bit more compared to last year. Just a pleasure with home made pizzas.
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5/11/2020 - larsmello Likes this wine: 92 Points
Berries, oregano, sweet balsamic, coffee. High acidity, well-integrated tannins, medium body, 14% alcohol, very good balance. Gastronomic. Drink now or keep for 3-4 years.
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5/2/2020 - Justin S wrote: 90 Points
This continues to be an elegant wine, but it lacks a bit of energy for my palate to take it to the next level. The acid and fruit are a bit dull, however there are some nice savory flavors that came out, especially on day 2 when this wine started to hit its stride. So if you have remaining bottles, give it a good decant or come back in a couple of years. Drinking almost like an old school Italian version of Bordeaux rather than your typical bright Sangiovese. If you want punchy lifted fruit, this is not for you.
Edit: On day 3, this became a 91 point wine. We had it with burgers. That red fruited sangiovese started to come out and the various subtle spices were dancing together in the background instead of at the forefront. Maybe this wine still needs time.
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4/4/2020 - SlimShaney Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I really dont get this light acidic no body stuff. The kind of wine that makes me wish I was drinking a real wine with some backbone and fruit.
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3/28/2020 - 2mwine wrote: 93 Points
Lovely
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2/1/2019 - Justin S Likes this wine: 91 Points
First of three bottles, decanted about 45 minutes in advance at Factory Kitchen. A lovely, but understated wine. The aromatics flow slowly but draw you in, as does the taste. A soft wine with a caressing mid palate of dark red fruits and savory earth flavors. Finish has a bit of spice and unresolved tannin. The texture is already showing that soft pillowy feel that you sometimes get with older wines. Drinking well now, though I’m curious to see where it goes.
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7/8/2018 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 87 Points
Red cherries, plums, tomato leaf, new leather and dried herbs.
Medium + bodied, medium tannins. Pretty complex, but needs more time in the bottle to develop further interesting flavors. In a few years this will be great.
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12/6/2017 - Eugenedinapoli Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP. Beautiful translucent pale ruby. Red berries, cherries, burnt earth, trace of hazelnuts. Bright, lively mouthfeel with fresh acidity that drives to a nice finish. Dense, deep flavors. A burgundian approach. This is real good stuff.
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11/14/2017 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a couple of hours of air, this was very fine and burgundy—like. This is not a vintage to store for a long time...for me it’s good right now.
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10/12/2017 - aero Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted an hour, should have been three. Smelled like a hamper of dirty socks for the first 30 minutes, then cleared up wonderfully. Nose and palate are so fresh. Red and dark sour fruit, leather, tobacco, with a cleansing floral spine running up its center. Palate is more red fruit, funkier than the nose, some savory elements.
Very enjoyable wine -- not huge, long or deep but possess great structure, balance, tone. Still young, though drinking fine with some air today and clearly will improve through the 2020s. Recommended.
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4/23/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Consistent with the taste of a few weeks ago, but this time I got to spend some hours with it, and have it with a meal. The main takeaway here, for my palate: wait, at least a few years. Yes, it's delicious now, but really, opening one today is to miss out on many good things to come. Thru 2025. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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4/8/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } My second time with this since release - I liked it then, I like it even more now. Understated, across the board, from the (lighter) color, to the aromatics and palate - each offers an exciting display full of place and grape(s). The addition of Malvasia Nera, and the choice to raise the wines in equal parts new and neutral oak is brilliant, in my opinion, and serve the wine very well; plenty of freshness, with an elegant, approachable structure. Drink now with aeration, or hold; likely to improve with mid-term cellaring. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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2/4/2017 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Drank at FOW&F Society Dinner. Young and needs air. An Outstanding wine.
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12/27/2016 - Yagil wrote: 87 Points
High-quality Italian wines tasting (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): medium intensity translucent red-purple with brown tones
ripe fruits earthy-leathery nose with mushrooms notes
medium bodied, firm tannins, good balance & harmony, lean structured, moderate complexity, earthy-veggie flavours, short finish & aftertaste
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