Decanted for three hours and began opening after about two. Black cherry, potpourri, eucalyptus, and pipe tobacco on the nose. Never fully blossomed so a longer decant is likely necessary. Red raspberry, milk chocolate, with a green herbal streak in the mouth but the still-firm tannins dominate. Medium/light weight with a tannic mouth-drying finish. This needs more time and I will hold my other bottles for 3 years minimum in hopes the tannins will calm down. 91 now with a few points of headroom with further aging.
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Total wow and in a perfect spot. Still very brawny yet elegant with dark fruit, that Barolo nose and some blood orange, still somewhat tannic, long finish. Long life ahead I would think.
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Decanted 4 hours. Medium ruby with orange hue, long slow legs, 👃 very complex with tree barks, charcoal, leather, graphite, nectarines , licorice , cherries, wet forest floor. Dry, full body, very acidic!, very grippy tannins, light/medium burn on throat, well balanced nectarines, tangerines, apricots, cherries. Beautiful to drink now.
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Started out as a tannic monster (after 17 years!) so we decanted for an hour or so. After a while the tannins receded and more cherry came out. Magnificent!
Decanted 5 hours. Nose shows flowers, menthol, a little red fruits. Angular, it has sharp acidity and grippy tannins. Eucalyptus, cherries, forest floor, oak on the ending. Feels like the tannins will not resolve easily. Might improve some with time but - for now - I would enjoy this with good to match.
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This wine was allowed to breathe for over 2 hours in a decanter and it still has enormous fruit, tannins (subdued), fined, truffle, toast, and screaming for dark chocolate. Complex aromas of earthy mixed herbs, floral and classic Nebbiolo. I should have opened it earlier, much earlier like 6-8 hours ago.
Undecided. Gave this a 4 hour decant in the duck. Still had tannins that were omnipresent. Fruit is there, but Nebbiolo is a harsh mistress sometimes. I could pick out the quality in this wine, but oh at what a price, not just the poor QPR either. I am moving back my drinking window and hope that this is better integrated in the future (2-4 years)
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Decanted for 30mins. Deeper and richer colour than expected for a 2005 Barolo, only the garnet colour hinting at its age. The nose is rich and powerful, although perhaps a touch warm. Palate is still very tannic, coating the mouth with dusty tannins and very dry, high acidity, but there’s still quite a bit of red fruit to render it pleasant. Nice long finish with cherries, porcini mushrooms, red spices and some tobacco notes coming through. Pleasant, but needs a bit more time to mellow, or else best with food.
Edit : left half a bottle overnight and this is much better integrated. The tannins are still there but have moderated substantially, and now fit the wine well, while the heat has died down, leaving a much smoother nose and palate, allowing the delicious red cherry, roasted tomatoes, mushroom, tobacco and long spicy finish to take centre stage. Marked up from 91 to 93 on the back of the overnight showing so giving it an average.
Hold or give this at least a 5hr decant.
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Decanted 1.5 hr. Very dark ruby, long legs, on 👃 balanced notes of dried prunes, ripe cherries, wet forest floor, cashews, graphite, some leather. Quite dry, highly acidic, strong frontal tannins, medium to full body, slightly burning finish with tangerine & ripe cherries. Good to drink now.
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Medium garnett with medium intensity developed aromas of violet, raspberry, blackberry, nutmeg, mushroom, forest floor, anise, fig, and molasses. Tar, and orange peel. The pallet is well balanced with great complexity and medium body and tannins. The finish is decent but wish it was longer. It’s clearly an appointment its evolution where the secondary and tertiary flavors are more prominent than the fruit.
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this has 93-95 potential for me, but simply too young at this point... tannin and structure was simply masking what it could be for now... I did see the note saying the fruit had faded but I think (and HOPE) its simply in the background
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Dark red turning to crimson around the edges. Soaring aromas of dark florals, reddish black fruits, woodsmoke, hint of tobacco/earth on the nose. Structured but balanced in the mouth showing sweet and smoky crushed dark berries/plums, licorice, medium acidity, fine tannins and a long floral and tar inflected finish.
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Slow Ox this the night before in the bottle and then decant 3 hours before serving. A big Barolo night with this one taking top rank. A luscious, full body weight, a long finish and beat the Pira 2010 VR by the immense fruit weight even though it was 5 year older. A well constructed, complex wine and evokes memories of the Nebbiolo grapes, truffles, rich earthy aroma, sweet spice, tobacco, chocolate streaming in your palate. Great wine. The thing is, this 2005 can still keep, I think 5+ years more.
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This is an interesting, even compelling, wine. A big boy wine with dark, deep power yet still elegant, even deft. Trending toward the darker end of the spectrum in the mouth, on the nose it is rose, tar and a bit of pine, even pine tar. Flavors of dark cherry, anise, and sagebrush. A strikingly vivid acidity that really carries the wine long into the finish. Exceptional.
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Barolo at RPM Steak (RPM Steak - Chicago, IL): Flashy nose with ripe fruit and nice tar elements. Super dense, ripe and fleshy fruit cloaks the still-firm tannin. A fun now and reasonably ready but a step behind the 04 & 06 side by side.
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Took a few hrs of air to open up. Black currant, red peppercorns, blackberries. Tasty but wasn't as aromatic or multidimensional as I expected. Still very nice.
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A different bottle after it was open an hour. Delicious. Dark fruit flavors, a little tar. drinking very smoothly without harsh tannins and a long finish.
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The tannins are still way in the forefront of this powerful and fruity Barolo. Gorgeous notes of cherry cola and chocolate, but this needs 4-5 years more in the bottle to really sing.
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This was everything I love in Barolo. Nearly 1 hour decant. At first a bit tight but really singing after 90 minutes. Feminine and floral .Roses and a bit of tar!
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Decanted but did not throw any sediment to speak of. Needed about 15 minutes to be ready to drink and was absolutely stunning after 2 hours. There was a little bit of floral on the nose, and hints of tar on the palate, but both of those were recessive. Rich red berry fruit and stony mineral flavors dominate this. Still a lot of acidity providing structure. Awesome now, and one wonders what it will become.
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Strawberry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, and dark berry fruit, with notes of tar, savory herbs, and earth, with strong tannins on the medium to long finish and good acidity. This is very early in its drinking window, and nowhere near its peak, although it's already enjoyable. The Cellartracker drinking window looks too short. This was a very good value at a little over $60.
Don't know much about Barolos. Decanted about two hours. Fairly dense. More full bodied than I anticipated. Muted but rich dark fruit (guess I expected a lighter cherry style wine). Decent finish. Drank at Vandal.
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Barolo Ginestra: This wine is brutally young, i would have guessed 2010 or younger. Everything you expect from a Monforte Barolo. Bouquet of violets, tar, cherries and some tobacco. The tannins are so young and demanding, i will not touch my remaining 2 bottles before 2025.
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Domenico Clerico Pajana 2005 (96), Light ruby color with a denser core, touch of charred meat black cherry fabulous palate great structure.
Gaja Barbaresco 2005 (94), Fragrant bouquet of roses and mineral, great subtle complexities.
Domenico Clerico Ciabot 2005 (93), Same color as the Pajana, floral bouquet rose petal Pine tar dark fruits fleshier, meatier wine than 2, tight dry finish.
Elio Grasso Gavarani Chiniera, 2013 (92), Translucent Ruby color, same as the Gaja, nose of cherries fairly simple medium acity delicate well balanced.
Paola Scavino Monvigliero 2010 (90), I think this was a little off, several tasters noted a plastic or latex aroma. The wine was soft with strawberry notes.
Gaja was wotn with 4 out of 5 choosing as their #1. Pajana ws 2nd, Elio Grasso and Domenico Clerico tied for 3rd.
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Blind N. Italian at Chevalier: Full, dense and rich nose is showing some age/maturity to the red cherry with an intense herbal note. Palate is quite dry with huge tannins that make themselves known right away. Nice brightness to the maturing, complex fruit. Needs time to come into balance.
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Opened by Dan. Red purple color. Aromas of wet earth. Notes of tar, cherries, charred oak and mushrooms. Round texture. More approachable than the 2008 but did not have the deep character of the 1997. This too should benefit from additional aging. 93 points.
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CWM gathering with VinT (Adelle's): Courtesy of Dan, and my favorite of the three vintages of this wine tasted tonight. Aromas of rose, tar, currants and cherry. Fairly firm and tannic, though there is good underlying fruit and spice qualities. Long finish.
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Notes after 60+ minutes. Abv ~14.5. Decanted as there’s a lot of sediment and wine blossomed with air. Accompanied by a 2 pound grilled CAB ribeye over live red oak. Brick color and opaque, nose is intensely savory, celery seed, dried cherry, muted potpourri and dried rose and earthiness or carmelized tar, with flavors of same, medium plus intensity and acid supporting the frame, still tannic and drying, and medium plus finish. Really a treat to contemplate its nuanced and savory qualities and in a good window hold the next bottle another year or so. 93.
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This did not sit in decanter nearly long enough, but the quality was obvious. Always love Clerico, despite the sometimes overpowering new oak, but this was just starting to hit its secondary phase.
Cedar, cigar tobacco, black truffles, potpourri, dried roses, orange peel, mocha, roasted mushrooms, compost, and aggressive tannins. My major complaint on this bottle was that the tannins were almost too much to handle, especially for a 13-year-old Barolo. I partially blame that on my friend not having the patience to decant longer, or at least double decant, but I also blame it on the high percentage of new barrique that Clerico used to use. Still needs a lot of time to integrate.
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Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, cherry, black cherry, saddle leather, and rose. Palate: Medium bodied, black cherry, black olive, and leather, nice tannic grip and acidic back-bone, earth and spice appear in the back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by tar, cherry and leather. This is a wonderful Barolo just entering it's drinking window.
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Wow, stunning showing, huge expressive nice loaded with spice, mocha, cigar box, sweet black cherry. Fresh and loaded with fruit and earth on the palate, Yum.
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First drank in Vong's Kitchen in Alila Hotel Jakarta. Took me by surprise. Decanted for 15 mins and then served. Most developed among the clerico wines I have from the same period. Excellent bouquet of classic Barolo, Complex, accessible, with medium tannins. Cant resist now, but I'll wait for 2-3 years if possible.
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Drinking beautifully with a good hour in the decanter. Aromas of black fruits, leather, tar, flowers. Lovely depth of flavours with sweet fruit balanced by soft tannins and fresh acidity. Drink over the next 15 years.
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Classic Barolo flavours of cherry, rosehip, tar, roses. My bottle had possibly been kept a little warm for a few years because maturity was evident but not to the point of pre-mature defect. Brown tinge to the rim. Lots of tannins and good acidity. Would have like to have more bottles.
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a great wine, still a lot of tannins, good acidity, only little first signs of maturity. beautiful in the nose (ginestra), elegant, long. keep for more years.
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Brookie and I had this bottle, opened for an hour, not decanted, with lasagna and pesto linguine. We both love this label and have had other vintages, all of which are consistently very good. The previous flavor notes are pretty consistent with what we experienced. Dark fruit, leather for sure, tar, cedar, the slightest hint of chocolate, etc. I feel the tannins are starting to integrate, but since the restaurant did not have a decanter, it's a bit difficult to gauge what a couple of hours of air would have done. This is a well made, classy wine, and can easily cellar for another 5-7 years, probably longer. No bricking, complex nose, powerful, pairs well with heavy, acidic, Italian food, steak, roast.
I deliberately did not read professional reviews prior to rating this wine. But, now that I have, I see that Galloni and Suckling rate this bottle 96 and 95. I suspect that if I drank this bottle again in a few years and decanted it, I would agree. This bottle retails for $80. I would classify it as a real bargain considering the quality and potential upside at age 11.
I asked Brookie for her opinion, and she was reluctant to give me a rating or any opinions. She did say that she would not give the bottle a very high rating because she was mad at me that night, and that may have affected her perception. She didn't say why she was mad at me, and I have found from past experience that inquiring isn't always the best policy.
This is a bottle that drinks above it's price point, in my opinion. Good luck finding an $80 bottle from Bordeaux or Burgundy that would match this. Never in one million years would the U.S. produce this bottle for the same money. I plan to buy as many as I can find and afford and would probably not open another one for several years. This is a big, dense, powerful wine with many years of evolution ahead.
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Granato con qualche lampo rubino. Classico nell’evoluzione dei profumi, ancora contraddistinto da profilo fruttato di amarena ed arancia sanguinella, che vira poi verso la speziatura orientale, la rosa (nettissima), la carne arrosto. Bocca profonda e massiccia, molto cioccolatosa, certamente iper moderna, forse un po’ troppo
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Tasted blind. Very intense and bitter. A monster wine with big oak. Tastes mature—fruit is an afterthought—yet it has strong tannins that need more time to develop. Very meaty, tarry, and leathery in aroma, with licorice and hints of roses and tapenade. Some similarities to Barolo, but this would be a monster Barolo. I don't know what else it could be!? Not at all ready to drink; needs a decade? This wine is not appealing to me tonight, though it is obviously a big, expensive wine. I just am not in the mood for a wine that tastes like motor oil marinated in leather. Rating: NR.
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Decant, solids in the bottle. Rose & violet, with a touch of decaying fruit. Slightly pruned, would prefer cleaner fruit. Powdery tannins, still holding some grip. High acidity, unmistakably Nebbiolo, not the easiest drink without food.
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The color is quite dark (for a Barolo) with a touch of orange at the rim. Noise: Tar, licorice, dark cherries, roses, oak, tobacco, leather, smoke... Really nice! Palate: Lots of tannins and acid but I find them well balanced. Dark fruits, cherries, dark chocolate... Long and dry with some bitter cherries at the end. A powerful Barolo that will develop for many years. A style of wine that I am very fond of. Wish I had a few more bottles...
The fragrant nose of rubber and rose petals had me excited for the palate, but it didn't quite live up to the promise. Perfectly drinkable and quite pleasant but the fruit seemed a bit flat, it lacked complexity and the juicy zing I've experienced from other Barolo's, and it finishes with stick to the roof of your mouth palate drying tannins. Maybe this isn't a perfect bottle? It's worth checking-in now, but I'll hold off opening another bottle for at least a year.
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The 2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is a dark ruby red in the glass with a little in the way of sediment in the bottle. It is extremely aromatic with tar right from the start that dominates over the floral notes and red fruits. Aromas near and then a little further away from the glass are quite different, which can provide hours of pleasure in itself. A little later in the evening the aromas turned pleasantly smoky. On the palate, this is intense, full-bodied and fruit-driven with decent acidity levels and cheek-packing tannins. There is considerable depth and complexity here. As well as dark fruits, there is a hint of chocolate. The finish is extremely long with some lingering bitter cherry at the end. This is a powerful, masculine Barolo that is drinking well now if it is allowed 2-3 hours in the decanter. However, it will certainly benefit from further cellaring and should gain in complexity. I’ll try to hold off opening another of these for around 2 years and would expect the evolution to continue longer after that. This is still a youthful Barolo that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. For now I rate this outstanding Barolo a 95 but with further upside and with an expected drinking life of 10+ years from now.
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Almost full body and more forward for a Barolo, this is a tannic beast that will probably kill another 10 years without a glitch. Darker fruits, menthol, oregano and new oak are the aromas it evokes. On the palate, some licorice, fresh cut rose petals, round yet thick tannins and some vanillin. Finishes medium and could pair great with a rich braised oxtail or short ribs. Always a consistent and well priced Barolo that packs a punch.
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Floral aromas emerge on decanting. Reasonable body, generous fruits and slight sweetness are present from the very start. The wine had thrown some sediment but it is still a nice deep red with no signs of bricking. After a bit of a wait, the wine bodies out and gains complexity with dark fruits, well-rounded tannins and a medium acidity all in great balance. Long finish. This is an outstanding example of the vintage, and it is entering a nice place now but likely has further to evolve over the coming five years (if you have the patience) and should provide considerable enjoyment for another 10+ years after that.
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Dark garnet color. Very pretty and complex nose of dark cherries, plum, menthol, tar, some smoke and some dark chocolate. On the palate there is already a lot of aromatic complexity like dark fruits again, tar/minerals, some spices (licorice, cloves) and some dried sweet flowers. It's full-bodied and dense but incredibly silky, has medium-high tannin that is velvety but present, and a great medium-high acidity. Very long finish. Another 2005 that is already showing some beautiful complexity but I would still give it a few years before it hits the peak. What a beautiful Barolo! (95+)
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Very pretty and aromatic, with gorgeous notes of spice, flowers and pine forest on the nose. Full-bodied and rich, but silky in texture. Big and chewy, offering a tangy mouthful of ripe cherry and strawberry fruit, with plenty of chocolate, oak and licorice on the long, mouth-puckering finish. A big, powerful Barolo that manages to display a surprising sense of elegance. Still needs a bit more time though for the tannins and oak to fully integrate. Paired very nicely with Kerry's pork ragu. 50+5+13+17+8=93
Served with steak, this is a robust, full bodied, meaty tannic Barolo. while approachable now this can easily stay another 10 years before opening up with softer tannins and subtle notes of flavor.
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Similar notes as my previous bottle. I slow o'd it for 3 hours and enjoyed over the following 3 hours. It didn't really hit its stride until the 5 hour mark after opening but it was quite nice with notes of leather, smoke and dark berry early and notes of cherry and strawberry at the 5 hour mark. At the 5 hour mark, it really seemed to come together and the fruit came forward.
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at opening nice dark fruit, some tar and menthol, the palate starts quite supple but after 30 minutes the wines closes and the tannins become very well present, this needs another 5 years to blossom....
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Slow-o for 4 hours, then decant. Dark ruby throughout. No signs of age. Somewhat reticent nose of cherry liquor and smoke/ash. Palate of full on fruit overlaid with a persistent pleasant smokiness. Tannins seemed strong into medium to medium long finish. Overall, a very nice wine that felt tight, powerful and a little rough. Will wait to age others.
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Three hours in decanter was not nearly enough, but honestly, this just needs bottle rest - a decade would be a good start. Brilliant perfumes, medium toward full-bodied, with plenty of fresh, lively acids. The tannins are slightly sweet and very fine-grained. In something of an awkward phase between primary and secondary development. This is well crafted, and has a good future ahead of it, though it's way too early to open now. Enjoyable, but far from special - that should come with time. Not something I would ever buy or cellar.
Aerated in decanter 3 hours, return to bottle and served non-blind.
https://italianwine.blog/
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Opened several hours before enjoying as recommended by the winery. A great Barolo for sure, with intense notes of spice, menthol and dark fruit which followed suit on the lush round palate. An awesome wine which is drinking great right now. I can't wait to enjoy my other bottle.
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Coravin sample. This young Barolo is marching along its developmental stage with soem delineation between fruit and complex aromas already at play. Has lots of tannins so patience is still required but the the potential already at display. Hold for another 3 years
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Opened in the am and tried double Vinturi and it smelled great. Then used Vinturi on entire bottle, re bottled and put back in Cave. By evening it totally shut down. Major Mistake!
Best Bottle Dinner at The Steakhouse in Lachen. We drank this Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2005 next to a bottle of Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto 2005. We poured the wine into a decanter, served the first glass after about 30 minutes and consumed the bottle over a period of about four hours. The medium- to full-bodied Domenico Clerico offered cherry, rose petal, rosewater, some chocolate and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, black tea, high slightly tart acidity and high tannin, with very good length.
Compared to the Giacosa Le Rocche del Falletto the Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin Ginestra was riper, darker and fuller whereas the lighter-colour, lighter-bodied Giacosa was the more balanced and clearly the much more elegant wine of the two. The Domenico Clerico seemed simpler and almost plump in comparison and was clearly outshone by the class of the Giacosa. I am sure that the Domenico Clerico would have shown better if we hadn’t paired it with the superb Giacosa though.
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Pretty dark garnet color. Amazing nose of dark cherries, menthol, tar, some smoke and some roasted coffee kind of thing. On the palate there is already quite a lot of aromatic complexity like dark fruits again, dark chocolate, tar/minerals, some spices (licorice) and some dried sweet flowers. It's full-bodied and dense but incredibly velvety in texture, has medium-high tannin that is silky but present, and a great medium-high acidity. Very long finish. I would probably still give it a few years before it hits the peak, but it's already a very beautiful and complex Barolo from one of the best Crus. Life is good!
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The nose showed incredible depth with rich blackberry and black cherry, matched by a minty pine nettle freshness, tar and holiday spice. It spread across the palate like velvety, weighty yet smooth, leaving a coating of licorice infused dark fruits on everything it touched. Beneath the massive intensity lingered fine tannin and balanced acidity, promising good things to come. At this time the finish is all about expectations, as the fruit turns bitter and tart, awaiting the day that this wine's structure eases back. Very impressive.
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94 Aromatic nose of pine, tar, leather. Fabulous mid-palate with layers of textured dark fruits and a solid finish. Delicious now but will be fun to follow over the years.
really nice fruit forward wine at this point with a bit of licorice, tar and spice; full bodied with lots of depth and complexity just waiting to come together and please above and beyond; a star in the making.
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Tried at Underbelly in Houston. No time to decant, so this aromatic wine was too young, too tannic and tight. Lots of promise, but it needs to age a few more years of a very long decanting period.
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Color was a not quite pale garnet. Nose was bright red fruit and crushed sweet tarts with a floral component. Palate with clean, focused red fruit with great acidity balancing the richness. Can't overemphasize the tannins. Then a long finish. Great wine.
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This really benefitted from an 8 hour decant. Upon opening it was gritty and lean – almost like a Chianti. Very dry tannins as well. After the decant it was very smooth with a nose of crushed flowers and pomegranate fruit with cloves, vanilla and chalky dry earth. Very smooth and very polished wine. Very high quality.
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Brilliant, aromatic but insanely tannic- sucks all of the moisture out of your mouth and gums and coats your teeth. The flavors are intense featuring blood orange and liqorice among others. Clearly could use some more time but very interesting even at this stage.
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Full bodied, dark garnet colored, subdued black cherry, blackberry, dusty rose petals with hint of leather and touch of smoke with black fruits on the lingering tannin finish.
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Seductive, elegant wine. Rich, deep red in the glass. Subtle bouquet of roses, violets and other florals. In the mouth -lush, spicy red fruit, licorice, rose petals. Subtle cedar notes. Nicely balanced. Served with quail risotto.
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Churchill's: 2005 Barolo (Maumee, OH): Wow, this was good. Awesome nose, leading in to a structured and fiercely hard palate. Incredibly elegant and delicious. $80
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taste: big tannins with high acidity that show off the youth of the wine. Deep and plush tones of dark red cherries, mints, spices and some bits of red fruits. Very balanced with some power behind it, but it isn't overdone
overall: a great young wine. Its closed up a slight bit since I had it last year. It still shows a lot of potential that will need some time to really show. The aromas and flavors have real good depth and should be a lot of fun when they mature some more
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taste: Very young, but at the same time very lush with rich and deep tones of roses, all sorts of red cherries, cinammon, and tar. Very big acidity and tannins that are almost overwhelming
overall: this has the ability to be a very special wine. Will need some good down time before it unleashes its full potential, but it has rock star qualitites to it
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Piemonte OL: Clerico (Monforte d'Alba): Barrel tasting. Very tannic, harsh, drying (expected, of course); high acidity, moderate alcohol. Big oak on the nose and palate (two years in 80-90% new oak), with insinuations of lovely fruits waiting for their turn. It’ll be a long wait, but worth it.
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1/8/2024 - npettit wrote: 91 Points
Past its prime, drink up
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1/3/2024 - drmarclevine wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for three hours and began opening after about two. Black cherry, potpourri, eucalyptus, and pipe tobacco on the nose. Never fully blossomed so a longer decant is likely necessary. Red raspberry, milk chocolate, with a green herbal streak in the mouth but the still-firm tannins dominate. Medium/light weight with a tannic mouth-drying finish. This needs more time and I will hold my other bottles for 3 years minimum in hopes the tannins will calm down. 91 now with a few points of headroom with further aging.
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1/1/2024 - rlu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tannin galore! fruit still young, opened 5-10 years too early. and at the same time wondering, if these tannins will ever embed.
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12/20/2023 - 100pp wrote: 98 Points
Elegant, layered with menthol, almond and rose petal. Drank from a magnum.
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11/21/2023 - jcha24 wrote:
Still slightly tannic but drinking well. This was the best of the 3 bottles I had.
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9/26/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 95 Points
Total wow and in a perfect spot. Still very brawny yet elegant with dark fruit, that Barolo nose and some blood orange, still somewhat tannic, long finish. Long life ahead I would think.
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5/28/2023 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a treat!
Med dark red.
Swollen tannic structure that can only be admired, but open for business for those of you who prefer young fruit.
Rich, beautiful, classically pure and seriously delicious. There is future potential for the patient ones with cellars and a stash.
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3/3/2023 - norsktorsk wrote: 96 Points
This took a little time to open but then. was quite elegant.
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2/10/2023 - bucktooth22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Medium ruby with orange hue, long slow legs, 👃 very complex with tree barks, charcoal, leather, graphite, nectarines , licorice , cherries, wet forest floor. Dry, full body, very acidic!, very grippy tannins, light/medium burn on throat, well balanced nectarines, tangerines, apricots, cherries. Beautiful to drink now.
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12/30/2022 - Rezy13 wrote:
Friday Blind Tasting $100+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Very dark core with larger rusty rim; raisins, chunky, balsamic, tanned leather, medicinal, very tannic and brutish structure; Clerico?
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12/20/2022 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Started out as a tannic monster (after 17 years!) so we decanted for an hour or so. After a while the tannins receded and more cherry came out. Magnificent!
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12/10/2022 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 5 hours. Nose shows flowers, menthol, a little red fruits. Angular, it has sharp acidity and grippy tannins. Eucalyptus, cherries, forest floor, oak on the ending. Feels like the tannins will not resolve easily. Might improve some with time but - for now - I would enjoy this with good to match.
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11/21/2022 - dannyg Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine was allowed to breathe for over 2 hours in a decanter and it still has enormous fruit, tannins (subdued), fined, truffle, toast, and screaming for dark chocolate. Complex aromas of earthy mixed herbs, floral and classic Nebbiolo. I should have opened it earlier, much earlier like 6-8 hours ago.
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10/28/2022 - Highlander wrote:
Undecided. Gave this a 4 hour decant in the duck. Still had tannins that were omnipresent. Fruit is there, but Nebbiolo is a harsh mistress sometimes. I could pick out the quality in this wine, but oh at what a price, not just the poor QPR either. I am moving back my drinking window and hope that this is better integrated in the future (2-4 years)
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9/30/2022 - Hendmo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 30mins. Deeper and richer colour than expected for a 2005 Barolo, only the garnet colour hinting at its age. The nose is rich and powerful, although perhaps a touch warm. Palate is still very tannic, coating the mouth with dusty tannins and very dry, high acidity, but there’s still quite a bit of red fruit to render it pleasant. Nice long finish with cherries, porcini mushrooms, red spices and some tobacco notes coming through. Pleasant, but needs a bit more time to mellow, or else best with food.
Edit : left half a bottle overnight and this is much better integrated. The tannins are still there but have moderated substantially, and now fit the wine well, while the heat has died down, leaving a much smoother nose and palate, allowing the delicious red cherry, roasted tomatoes, mushroom, tobacco and long spicy finish to take centre stage. Marked up from 91 to 93 on the back of the overnight showing so giving it an average.
Hold or give this at least a 5hr decant.
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7/31/2022 - absolut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Kirsche, Süßholz , Tabak. Nach 2 Std Belüftung voll da. Klasse Struktur und Länge
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7/28/2022 - dannyg Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of my top 3 Barolo to pick!
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7/8/2022 - bucktooth22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 1.5 hr. Very dark ruby, long legs, on 👃 balanced notes of dried prunes, ripe cherries, wet forest floor, cashews, graphite, some leather. Quite dry, highly acidic, strong frontal tannins, medium to full body, slightly burning finish with tangerine & ripe cherries. Good to drink now.
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6/4/2022 - lewisrise wrote: 94 Points
Medium garnett with medium intensity developed aromas of violet, raspberry, blackberry, nutmeg, mushroom, forest floor, anise, fig, and molasses. Tar, and orange peel. The pallet is well balanced with great complexity and medium body and tannins. The finish is decent but wish it was longer. It’s clearly an appointment its evolution where the secondary and tertiary flavors are more prominent than the fruit.
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4/4/2022 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
this has 93-95 potential for me, but simply too young at this point... tannin and structure was simply masking what it could be for now... I did see the note saying the fruit had faded but I think (and HOPE) its simply in the background
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2/23/2022 - devraj Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red turning to crimson around the edges. Soaring aromas of dark florals, reddish black fruits, woodsmoke, hint of tobacco/earth on the nose. Structured but balanced in the mouth showing sweet and smoky crushed dark berries/plums, licorice, medium acidity, fine tannins and a long floral and tar inflected finish.
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2/1/2022 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Another incredible bottle. This one, while incredible, still seemed to be holding back. I wish I had a lot more of these....
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1/7/2022 - npettit wrote: 90 Points
Past it’s prime
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11/28/2021 - jjhsom Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agree w/notes about black cherry, sahebrush, some tobacco/tar. Very Enjoyable after an hour open.
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11/11/2021 - dannyg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Slow Ox this the night before in the bottle and then decant 3 hours before serving. A big Barolo night with this one taking top rank. A luscious, full body weight, a long finish and beat the Pira 2010 VR by the immense fruit weight even though it was 5 year older. A well constructed, complex wine and evokes memories of the Nebbiolo grapes, truffles, rich earthy aroma, sweet spice, tobacco, chocolate streaming in your palate. Great wine. The thing is, this 2005 can still keep, I think 5+ years more.
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5/31/2021 - randyjc wrote: 95 Points
This is an interesting, even compelling, wine. A big boy wine with dark, deep power yet still elegant, even deft. Trending toward the darker end of the spectrum in the mouth, on the nose it is rose, tar and a bit of pine, even pine tar. Flavors of dark cherry, anise, and sagebrush. A strikingly vivid acidity that really carries the wine long into the finish. Exceptional.
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5/18/2021 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 94 Points
Same.
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4/27/2021 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Barolo at RPM Steak (RPM Steak - Chicago, IL): Flashy nose with ripe fruit and nice tar elements. Super dense, ripe and fleshy fruit cloaks the still-firm tannin. A fun now and reasonably ready but a step behind the 04 & 06 side by side.
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4/11/2021 - Rond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning! I gave this a two-hour decant. Dark fruit and cherry, with a hint of tobacco. Well-rounded and complex. I wish I had more.
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3/14/2021 - Rond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyable, but still seems a bit closed, even after an hour decant. Might need more time to round out.
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2/15/2021 - dk563 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took a few hrs of air to open up. Black currant, red peppercorns, blackberries. Tasty but wasn't as aromatic or multidimensional as I expected. Still very nice.
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2/10/2021 - ConnIntChicago Likes this wine:
Flowers on the nose and tar on the palate
Resolved tannins black fruit and long finish
Should last many more years
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1/17/2021 - BGK810 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A different bottle after it was open an hour. Delicious. Dark fruit flavors, a little tar. drinking very smoothly without harsh tannins and a long finish.
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1/16/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 93 Points
The tannins are still way in the forefront of this powerful and fruity Barolo. Gorgeous notes of cherry cola and chocolate, but this needs 4-5 years more in the bottle to really sing.
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10/25/2020 - stofken wrote: 92 Points
nose with leather, rose. Quite refined and supple in the mouth, no drying tannins as the 2004 is currently showing. Drink now-5 years
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8/27/2020 - bjlcrucrazy Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was everything I love in Barolo. Nearly 1 hour decant. At first a bit tight but really singing after 90 minutes. Feminine and floral .Roses and a bit of tar!
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3/18/2020 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
A knockout.
Decanted but did not throw any sediment to speak of. Needed about 15 minutes to be ready to drink and was absolutely stunning after 2 hours. There was a little bit of floral on the nose, and hints of tar on the palate, but both of those were recessive. Rich red berry fruit and stony mineral flavors dominate this. Still a lot of acidity providing structure. Awesome now, and one wonders what it will become.
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3/4/2020 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Strawberry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, and dark berry fruit, with notes of tar, savory herbs, and earth, with strong tannins on the medium to long finish and good acidity. This is very early in its drinking window, and nowhere near its peak, although it's already enjoyable. The Cellartracker drinking window looks too short. This was a very good value at a little over $60.
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12/20/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN): Small taste. Will likely benefit from more time, but not bad at all right now. I think this had 2 hours of air. 91+ to 92(+)pts.
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12/4/2019 - robferguson1 wrote: 94 Points
Great but still young , not a heavy wine, but superbly long , which is really what it is all about.
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2/19/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Don't know much about Barolos. Decanted about two hours. Fairly dense. More full bodied than I anticipated. Muted but rich dark fruit (guess I expected a lighter cherry style wine). Decent finish. Drank at Vandal.
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2/15/2019 - Klugi Wine wrote: 96 Points
Barolo Ginestra: This wine is brutally young, i would have guessed 2010 or younger. Everything you expect from a Monforte Barolo. Bouquet of violets, tar, cherries and some tobacco. The tannins are so young and demanding, i will not touch my remaining 2 bottles before 2025.
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2/9/2019 - Arcturus wrote: 93 Points
4 Barolo/1 Barbaresco blind tasting. 2 hour decant. (My score in parenthesis)
Domenico Clerico Pajana 2005 (96), Light ruby color with a denser core, touch of charred meat black cherry fabulous palate great structure.
Gaja Barbaresco 2005 (94), Fragrant bouquet of roses and mineral, great subtle complexities.
Domenico Clerico Ciabot 2005 (93), Same color as the Pajana, floral bouquet rose petal Pine tar dark fruits fleshier, meatier wine than 2, tight dry finish.
Elio Grasso Gavarani Chiniera, 2013 (92), Translucent Ruby color, same as the Gaja, nose of cherries fairly simple medium acity delicate well balanced.
Paola Scavino Monvigliero 2010 (90), I think this was a little off, several tasters noted a plastic or latex aroma. The wine was soft with strawberry notes.
Gaja was wotn with 4 out of 5 choosing as their #1. Pajana ws 2nd, Elio Grasso and Domenico Clerico tied for 3rd.
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2/2/2019 - Nanda wrote:
Blind N. Italian at Chevalier: Full, dense and rich nose is showing some age/maturity to the red cherry with an intense herbal note. Palate is quite dry with huge tannins that make themselves known right away. Nice brightness to the maturing, complex fruit. Needs time to come into balance.
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2/2/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind Northern Italian Wine (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Blind tasting, small glass, brief note. Slightly more black vs red cherry with anise and allspice. Rich with good density. Finishes with a sweet character that didn't thrill me, although others enjoyed it quite a bit.
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12/10/2018 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Dan. Red purple color. Aromas of wet earth. Notes of tar, cherries, charred oak and mushrooms. Round texture. More approachable than the 2008 but did not have the deep character of the 1997. This too should benefit from additional aging. 93 points.
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12/4/2018 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
CWM gathering with VinT (Adelle's): Courtesy of Dan, and my favorite of the three vintages of this wine tasted tonight. Aromas of rose, tar, currants and cherry. Fairly firm and tannic, though there is good underlying fruit and spice qualities. Long finish.
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11/3/2018 - lgomberg Likes this wine:
Notes after 60+ minutes. Abv ~14.5. Decanted as there’s a lot of sediment and wine blossomed with air. Accompanied by a 2 pound grilled CAB ribeye over live red oak. Brick color and opaque, nose is intensely savory, celery seed, dried cherry, muted potpourri and dried rose and earthiness or carmelized tar, with flavors of same, medium plus intensity and acid supporting the frame, still tannic and drying, and medium plus finish. Really a treat to contemplate its nuanced and savory qualities and in a good window hold the next bottle another year or so. 93.
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10/29/2018 - bkc1428 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This did not sit in decanter nearly long enough, but the quality was obvious. Always love Clerico, despite the sometimes overpowering new oak, but this was just starting to hit its secondary phase.
Cedar, cigar tobacco, black truffles, potpourri, dried roses, orange peel, mocha, roasted mushrooms, compost, and aggressive tannins. My major complaint on this bottle was that the tannins were almost too much to handle, especially for a 13-year-old Barolo. I partially blame that on my friend not having the patience to decant longer, or at least double decant, but I also blame it on the high percentage of new barrique that Clerico used to use. Still needs a lot of time to integrate.
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9/8/2018 - MikeATL wrote: 93 Points
Lovely perfumed nose with a lot of nuance. Ripe red and black fruit and spice but impeccably balanced by acidity and tannin, drinking great now.
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9/8/2018 - prasm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, cherry, black cherry, saddle leather, and rose. Palate: Medium bodied, black cherry, black olive, and leather, nice tannic grip and acidic back-bone, earth and spice appear in the back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by tar, cherry and leather. This is a wonderful Barolo just entering it's drinking window.
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7/3/2018 - danstrings Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow, stunning showing, huge expressive nice loaded with spice, mocha, cigar box, sweet black cherry. Fresh and loaded with fruit and earth on the palate, Yum.
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7/1/2018 - Aglenardi Likes this wine: 93 Points
First drank in Vong's Kitchen in Alila Hotel Jakarta. Took me by surprise. Decanted for 15 mins and then served. Most developed among the clerico wines I have from the same period. Excellent bouquet of classic Barolo, Complex, accessible, with medium tannins. Cant resist now, but I'll wait for 2-3 years if possible.
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4/17/2018 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Very solid stuff.
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4/5/2018 - la turque wrote: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully with a good hour in the decanter. Aromas of black fruits, leather, tar, flowers. Lovely depth of flavours with sweet fruit balanced by soft tannins and fresh acidity. Drink over the next 15 years.
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3/6/2018 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Darker core with dull aged orange rim; oak, wilted rose, tar galore, meaty, rusty, sandalwood, big rich and dense, sandpaper tannin; called Clerico.
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2/23/2018 - MWiking wrote: 93 Points
fantastiskt vin, börjar komma fram ordentligt!
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2/10/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 96 Points
great wine beautiful forward fruit relaxed tannins dark fruit
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1/25/2018 - Plabella wrote: 88 Points
bottle was tainted
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11/11/2017 - norsktorsk wrote: 95 Points
great nose. needs air. I would wait another 5 years min.
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9/6/2017 - Sethbo11 wrote: 92 Points
Great nose. Still early. Cloyingly dry finish.
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8/30/2017 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 94 Points
Awesome, but barely into its prime. 14.5%
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6/26/2017 - MWiking wrote: flawed
Cork 😭
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4/27/2017 - jrick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Barolo flavours of cherry, rosehip, tar, roses. My bottle had possibly been kept a little warm for a few years because maturity was evident but not to the point of pre-mature defect. Brown tinge to the rim. Lots of tannins and good acidity. Would have like to have more bottles.
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3/6/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 94 Points
this is a great Barolo with menthol and dark fruit
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1/1/2017 - rlu Likes this wine: 94 Points
a great wine, still a lot of tannins, good acidity, only little first signs of maturity. beautiful in the nose (ginestra), elegant, long. keep for more years.
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12/30/2016 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brookie and I had this bottle, opened for an hour, not decanted, with lasagna and pesto linguine. We both love this label and have had other vintages, all of which are consistently very good. The previous flavor notes are pretty consistent with what we experienced. Dark fruit, leather for sure, tar, cedar, the slightest hint of chocolate, etc. I feel the tannins are starting to integrate, but since the restaurant did not have a decanter, it's a bit difficult to gauge what a couple of hours of air would have done. This is a well made, classy wine, and can easily cellar for another 5-7 years, probably longer. No bricking, complex nose, powerful, pairs well with heavy, acidic, Italian food, steak, roast.
I deliberately did not read professional reviews prior to rating this wine. But, now that I have, I see that Galloni and Suckling rate this bottle 96 and 95. I suspect that if I drank this bottle again in a few years and decanted it, I would agree. This bottle retails for $80. I would classify it as a real bargain considering the quality and potential upside at age 11.
I asked Brookie for her opinion, and she was reluctant to give me a rating or any opinions. She did say that she would not give the bottle a very high rating because she was mad at me that night, and that may have affected her perception. She didn't say why she was mad at me, and I have found from past experience that inquiring isn't always the best policy.
This is a bottle that drinks above it's price point, in my opinion. Good luck finding an $80 bottle from Bordeaux or Burgundy that would match this. Never in one million years would the U.S. produce this bottle for the same money. I plan to buy as many as I can find and afford and would probably not open another one for several years. This is a big, dense, powerful wine with many years of evolution ahead.
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12/9/2016 - Plabella Likes this wine: 95 Points
big with full body wine dark fruit
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10/20/2016 - MWiking wrote: 93 Points
tycker detta vin börjar komma runt knuten och öppna upp lite men det kan säkert bli ändå bättre, 93 för dagens performance
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10/10/2016 - Ludi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Granato con qualche lampo rubino. Classico nell’evoluzione dei profumi, ancora contraddistinto da profilo fruttato di amarena ed arancia sanguinella, che vira poi verso la speziatura orientale, la rosa (nettissima), la carne arrosto. Bocca profonda e massiccia, molto cioccolatosa, certamente iper moderna, forse un po’ troppo
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9/14/2016 - rmalloy wrote:
Tasted blind. Very intense and bitter. A monster wine with big oak. Tastes mature—fruit is an afterthought—yet it has strong tannins that need more time to develop. Very meaty, tarry, and leathery in aroma, with licorice and hints of roses and tapenade. Some similarities to Barolo, but this would be a monster Barolo. I don't know what else it could be!? Not at all ready to drink; needs a decade? This wine is not appealing to me tonight, though it is obviously a big, expensive wine. I just am not in the mood for a wine that tastes like motor oil marinated in leather. Rating: NR.
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7/30/2016 - PaulHig wrote: 92 Points
Decant, solids in the bottle. Rose & violet, with a touch of decaying fruit. Slightly pruned, would prefer cleaner fruit. Powdery tannins, still holding some grip. High acidity, unmistakably Nebbiolo, not the easiest drink without food.
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6/3/2016 - Lasseth61 Likes this wine: 95 Points
The color is quite dark (for a Barolo) with a touch of orange at the rim.
Noise: Tar, licorice, dark cherries, roses, oak, tobacco, leather, smoke... Really nice!
Palate: Lots of tannins and acid but I find them well balanced. Dark fruits, cherries, dark chocolate... Long and dry with some bitter cherries at the end.
A powerful Barolo that will develop for many years. A style of wine that I am very fond of.
Wish I had a few more bottles...
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2/3/2016 - bullmrkt wrote: 91 Points
The fragrant nose of rubber and rose petals had me excited for the palate, but it didn't quite live up to the promise. Perfectly drinkable and quite pleasant but the fruit seemed a bit flat, it lacked complexity and the juicy zing I've experienced from other Barolo's, and it finishes with stick to the roof of your mouth palate drying tannins. Maybe this isn't a perfect bottle? It's worth checking-in now, but I'll hold off opening another bottle for at least a year.
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1/13/2016 - ChristP Likes this wine: 95 Points
The 2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is a dark ruby red in the glass with a little in the way of sediment in the bottle. It is extremely aromatic with tar right from the start that dominates over the floral notes and red fruits. Aromas near and then a little further away from the glass are quite different, which can provide hours of pleasure in itself. A little later in the evening the aromas turned pleasantly smoky. On the palate, this is intense, full-bodied and fruit-driven with decent acidity levels and cheek-packing tannins. There is considerable depth and complexity here. As well as dark fruits, there is a hint of chocolate. The finish is extremely long with some lingering bitter cherry at the end. This is a powerful, masculine Barolo that is drinking well now if it is allowed 2-3 hours in the decanter. However, it will certainly benefit from further cellaring and should gain in complexity. I’ll try to hold off opening another of these for around 2 years and would expect the evolution to continue longer after that. This is still a youthful Barolo that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. For now I rate this outstanding Barolo a 95 but with further upside and with an expected drinking life of 10+ years from now.
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12/24/2015 - PaulHig wrote:
Rich, ripe and modern Barolo. The antithesis of my other wine that night 2004 Monprivato. I think I prefer the Monprivato today.
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11/8/2015 - MWiking wrote: 92 Points
Kan gått ligga i källaren ett par år till. Jättegott men kommer bli bättre med tiden 92>
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11/1/2015 - Dave Canada wrote: 88 Points
Just too damn ripe....and too much damn oak.
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9/7/2015 - danstrings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Showing great -- inky dark, juicy black fruit, espresso, tarry goodness. Balanced and braced with acidity/freshness but still hedonistic.
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7/11/2015 - Meneley wrote:
Earl grey tea, rose with beautiful tannins, grippy. Long finish. LO
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5/13/2015 - farinas wrote: 92 Points
Almost full body and more forward for a Barolo, this is a tannic beast that will probably kill another 10 years without a glitch. Darker fruits, menthol, oregano and new oak are the aromas it evokes. On the palate, some licorice, fresh cut rose petals, round yet thick tannins and some vanillin. Finishes medium and could pair great with a rich braised oxtail or short ribs. Always a consistent and well priced Barolo that packs a punch.
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4/24/2015 - ChristP Likes this wine: 95 Points
Floral aromas emerge on decanting. Reasonable body, generous fruits and slight sweetness are present from the very start. The wine had thrown some sediment but it is still a nice deep red with no signs of bricking. After a bit of a wait, the wine bodies out and gains complexity with dark fruits, well-rounded tannins and a medium acidity all in great balance. Long finish. This is an outstanding example of the vintage, and it is entering a nice place now but likely has further to evolve over the coming five years (if you have the patience) and should provide considerable enjoyment for another 10+ years after that.
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4/6/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark garnet color. Very pretty and complex nose of dark cherries, plum, menthol, tar, some smoke and some dark chocolate. On the palate there is already a lot of aromatic complexity like dark fruits again, tar/minerals, some spices (licorice, cloves) and some dried sweet flowers. It's full-bodied and dense but incredibly silky, has medium-high tannin that is velvety but present, and a great medium-high acidity. Very long finish. Another 2005 that is already showing some beautiful complexity but I would still give it a few years before it hits the peak. What a beautiful Barolo! (95+)
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1/27/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very pretty and aromatic, with gorgeous notes of spice, flowers and pine forest on the nose. Full-bodied and rich, but silky in texture. Big and chewy, offering a tangy mouthful of ripe cherry and strawberry fruit, with plenty of chocolate, oak and licorice on the long, mouth-puckering finish. A big, powerful Barolo that manages to display a surprising sense of elegance. Still needs a bit more time though for the tannins and oak to fully integrate. Paired very nicely with Kerry's pork ragu.
50+5+13+17+8=93
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1/4/2015 - PaulHig wrote: 94 Points
Still tight and tannic, long decant or leave for 2-3 years. Good richness, pure fruit, much more to come, must wait longer!
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12/13/2014 - alabunka wrote: 92 Points
Served with steak, this is a robust, full bodied, meaty tannic Barolo. while approachable now this can easily stay another 10 years before opening up with softer tannins and subtle notes of flavor.
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9/22/2014 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar notes as my previous bottle. I slow o'd it for 3 hours and enjoyed over the following 3 hours. It didn't really hit its stride until the 5 hour mark after opening but it was quite nice with notes of leather, smoke and dark berry early and notes of cherry and strawberry at the 5 hour mark. At the 5 hour mark, it really seemed to come together and the fruit came forward.
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9/21/2014 - stofken Likes this wine: 93 Points
at opening nice dark fruit, some tar and menthol, the palate starts quite supple but after 30 minutes the wines closes and the tannins become very well present, this needs another 5 years to blossom....
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9/8/2014 - Chiantihound wrote: 91 Points
Slow-o for 4 hours, then decant. Dark ruby throughout. No signs of age. Somewhat reticent nose of cherry liquor and smoke/ash. Palate of full on fruit overlaid with a persistent pleasant smokiness. Tannins seemed strong into medium to medium long finish. Overall, a very nice wine that felt tight, powerful and a little rough. Will wait to age others.
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8/23/2014 - MattB72 wrote: 93 Points
took 2 hrs to open. great wine. glad i have 2 more
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7/12/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Three hours in decanter was not nearly enough, but honestly, this just needs bottle rest - a decade would be a good start. Brilliant perfumes, medium toward full-bodied, with plenty of fresh, lively acids. The tannins are slightly sweet and very fine-grained. In something of an awkward phase between primary and secondary development. This is well crafted, and has a good future ahead of it, though it's way too early to open now. Enjoyable, but far from special - that should come with time. Not something I would ever buy or cellar.
Aerated in decanter 3 hours, return to bottle and served non-blind.
https://italianwine.blog/
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6/9/2014 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened several hours before enjoying as recommended by the winery. A great Barolo for sure, with intense notes of spice, menthol and dark fruit which followed suit on the lush round palate. An awesome wine which is drinking great right now. I can't wait to enjoy my other bottle.
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3/8/2014 - farinas Likes this wine:
Coravin sample. This young Barolo is marching along its developmental stage with soem delineation between fruit and complex aromas already at play. Has lots of tannins so patience is still required but the the potential already at display. Hold for another 3 years
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1/11/2014 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Opened in the am and tried double Vinturi and it smelled great. Then used Vinturi on entire bottle, re bottled and put back in Cave. By evening it totally shut down. Major Mistake!
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12/5/2013 - PSPatrick wrote: 90 Points
Best Bottle Dinner at The Steakhouse in Lachen. We drank this Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2005 next to a bottle of Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto 2005. We poured the wine into a decanter, served the first glass after about 30 minutes and consumed the bottle over a period of about four hours. The medium- to full-bodied Domenico Clerico offered cherry, rose petal, rosewater, some chocolate and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, black tea, high slightly tart acidity and high tannin, with very good length.
Compared to the Giacosa Le Rocche del Falletto the Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin Ginestra was riper, darker and fuller whereas the lighter-colour, lighter-bodied Giacosa was the more balanced and clearly the much more elegant wine of the two. The Domenico Clerico seemed simpler and almost plump in comparison and was clearly outshone by the class of the Giacosa. I am sure that the Domenico Clerico would have shown better if we hadn’t paired it with the superb Giacosa though.
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11/15/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty dark garnet color. Amazing nose of dark cherries, menthol, tar, some smoke and some roasted coffee kind of thing. On the palate there is already quite a lot of aromatic complexity like dark fruits again, dark chocolate, tar/minerals, some spices (licorice) and some dried sweet flowers. It's full-bodied and dense but incredibly velvety in texture, has medium-high tannin that is silky but present, and a great medium-high acidity. Very long finish. I would probably still give it a few years before it hits the peak, but it's already a very beautiful and complex Barolo from one of the best Crus. Life is good!
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11/13/2013 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose showed incredible depth with rich blackberry and black cherry, matched by a minty pine nettle freshness, tar and holiday spice. It spread across the palate like velvety, weighty yet smooth, leaving a coating of licorice infused dark fruits on everything it touched. Beneath the massive intensity lingered fine tannin and balanced acidity, promising good things to come. At this time the finish is all about expectations, as the fruit turns bitter and tart, awaiting the day that this wine's structure eases back. Very impressive.
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9/13/2013 - Arcturus wrote: 94 Points
94 Aromatic nose of pine, tar, leather. Fabulous mid-palate with layers of textured dark fruits and a solid finish. Delicious now but will be fun to follow over the years.
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6/18/2013 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 92 Points
really nice fruit forward wine at this point with a bit of licorice, tar and spice; full bodied with lots of depth and complexity just waiting to come together and please above and beyond; a star in the making.
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4/13/2013 - danstrings Likes this wine: 90 Points
Showing better than the last bottle, still some odd bricking in color and a teeny bit of funk, but nice fruit and black olive-y goodness here.
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4/11/2013 - danstrings wrote: flawed
Ugg, "maderized", saw heat, some fruit lurks beneath but this one was cooked.
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4/20/2012 - StainedGlass wrote:
Tried at Underbelly in Houston. No time to decant, so this aromatic wine was too young, too tannic and tight. Lots of promise, but it needs to age a few more years of a very long decanting period.
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3/29/2012 - dkoontz wrote: 95 Points
Color was a not quite pale garnet. Nose was bright red fruit and crushed sweet tarts with a floral component. Palate with clean, focused red fruit with great acidity balancing the richness. Can't overemphasize the tannins. Then a long finish. Great wine.
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3/19/2012 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 94 Points
This really benefitted from an 8 hour decant. Upon opening it was gritty and lean – almost like a Chianti. Very dry tannins as well. After the decant it was very smooth with a nose of crushed flowers and pomegranate fruit with cloves, vanilla and chalky dry earth. Very smooth and very polished wine. Very high quality.
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1/9/2012 - christiaan Likes this wine: 94 Points
this is great now, is gonna get much better in time
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11/19/2011 - Pointchaser wrote: 93 Points
Brilliant, aromatic but insanely tannic- sucks all of the moisture out of your mouth and gums and coats your teeth. The flavors are intense featuring blood orange and liqorice among others. Clearly could use some more time but very interesting even at this stage.
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9/18/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 89 Points
Full bodied, dark garnet colored, subdued black cherry, blackberry, dusty rose petals with hint of leather and touch of smoke with black fruits on the lingering tannin finish.
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2/4/2011 - cibreo wrote: 95 Points
Seductive, elegant wine. Rich, deep red in the glass. Subtle bouquet of roses, violets and other florals. In the mouth -lush, spicy red fruit, licorice, rose petals. Subtle cedar notes. Nicely balanced. Served with quail risotto.
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8/21/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 93 Points
Churchill's: 2005 Barolo (Maumee, OH): Wow, this was good. Awesome nose, leading in to a structured and fiercely hard palate. Incredibly elegant and delicious. $80
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3/8/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Robert Houde Wines Portfolio feat. Marc De Grazia selections (Ritz-Carlton, Chicago IL): nose: more tightly wound then previously, but still showing off great depth and richness with beautiful tones of dark red cherries, red florals, mints, herbs and a bit of spices
taste: big tannins with high acidity that show off the youth of the wine. Deep and plush tones of dark red cherries, mints, spices and some bits of red fruits. Very balanced with some power behind it, but it isn't overdone
overall: a great young wine. Its closed up a slight bit since I had it last year. It still shows a lot of potential that will need some time to really show. The aromas and flavors have real good depth and should be a lot of fun when they mature some more
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3/3/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 92 Points
quite enjoyable
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1/22/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Mark De Grazia selections: 05 Barolos, 04 Brunellos, 06 Barbarescos (MK, Chicago IL): nose: massively deep and loaded nose filled with red cherries, herbs, roses, spices, cinammon, and tar. extremely balanced with layer upon layer revealing itself
taste: Very young, but at the same time very lush with rich and deep tones of roses, all sorts of red cherries, cinammon, and tar. Very big acidity and tannins that are almost overwhelming
overall: this has the ability to be a very special wine. Will need some good down time before it unleashes its full potential, but it has rock star qualitites to it
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11/10/2006 - Barbara B wrote:
Piemonte OL: Clerico (Monforte d'Alba): Barrel tasting. Very tannic, harsh, drying (expected, of course); high acidity, moderate alcohol. Big oak on the nose and palate (two years in 80-90% new oak), with insinuations of lovely fruits waiting for their turn. It’ll be a long wait, but worth it.
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