Pale ruby in glass with garnet hues. Medium plus intensity on the nose. Cherries, menthol, roses and tar. High acidity and tannins that need time. Medium plus finish. Good potential. Hold next bottle for at least 2-3 years. Great qpr at $35.
Lovely lovely drop. Perfect with cheese board. At very start of long drinking window in my view. Superb heady nose of violets, roses and terracotta that increased in perfume with time in the glass. Still young and drying tannins that, of course, softened and rendered the mouthfeel fuller with food. The red cherry fruit and mid palate filled out 90 mins or so after opening.
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I should have bought more! Part of a Sangiovese night at a high end Italian restaurant in NYC. Slightly less acidic than the other 2 Sangiovese wines we had, and my favorite.
Popped and poured. Nice nose of bright red fruits. People commented that they could smell thecnose from across the room. Great mouthfeel with smooth well integrated tannins. Long finish. Red cherry, a little tar, spice and minerals. Really nice wine and the first bottle to be finished. Would definitely buy again.
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This was good from the start but better overnight. It’s also an improvement from my prior taste two years ago. Nonetheless it still has searing acidity and mouth drying tannins. The fruit however is light and juicy with a beautiful truffle backing. Solid for the price but needs a few more years.
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Decanted 4 hours before drinking. The nose has cranberries, bubblegum, and phenol. The palate has cherries, minerals, a bit of spice. There is a good backbone of acid. The tannins are young and prominent enough to dry your mouth (too powerful to drink without food). Wait a few years; this wine will improve. ABV 14%.
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An absolutely lovely mouthful of wine if you can forgive me for opening it too soon. What it expresses now will be repaid many times over if unlike me you can keep your mitts off it for another 5 years or so.
Transparent light cherry color that disguises the depths within. With about an hour of air and slow drinking, it's opening to reveal berry and cranberry fruit with intense leather, anise. mint and savory notes. Coiled and grippy on the palate, like a teenager saying "you can't dig me pops." The balance of fruit and tannic structure makes it possible to drink now with enjoyment if you don't mind having your jaws wired shut on the finish.
It is refreshing to see the community aligned with my theoretical drinking window plus or minus. This has the stuffing to go for a long time. Decant for a few hours if you plan to drink soon.
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Sottimano Barbaresco Cotta 2016 On the nose, some rose petals, orange peel, quite a strong hint of mint and menthol. It’s rather tight right now rather than singing. On the palate, still very tight but you can tell this wine is serious. Dark fruits and cherries with a great mid palate of bitter orange peel, thyme, herbs, mint, bitter orange, menthol, licorice. Good precision. I think it needs time. Now maybe 93/100
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A great Barbaresco. Fruit is outstanding. Beautiful acidity and fine tannins. A bit closed on the nose for me at this stage, but I think there is great potential here.
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Not surprisingly feels very youthful but there is so much to like here. Bright, pure fruit. Big structure fit for age and yet not brawny or clunky even so early in its life. All class and loads of upside.
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Ristorante Albergo Ca'Vittoria, Tigliole, couleur sombre, menthe, poire, orange, un nez envoûtant, presque un Barolo, bouche sur les fruits rouges, pleine et complexe, tannins encore dominants, attendre impérativement mais c’est un très beau vin, plus sur la puissance que sur l’élégance.
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Decanted three hours then back into the bottle for several more. Nowhere near ready but still somewhat approachable. Beyond the searing acidity and tannin is sweet/tart cherry, orange peel and mineral. A very elegant and effortless style.
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Great young bottle. Unusually open for a young wine, with vibrant fruit and a lovely and expressive nose. More open right now than the Fausani, also opened over the same two days. I am very happy I have a bunch more;
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A wow wine, already, and likely to improve from here. After tasting all of the new (2016) releases, including the late-release Basarin, I'm giddy with excitement; all have their own personalities, yet all are in the same class: world class. The best new release wines I've tasted from Sottimano in more than a decade; perhaps, ever. Brilliant. if you have several open one now and you won't be sorry just be sure to give it 30-60 minutes of air. Strong buy; drink thru 2045+, 14,0% abv. highly recommended
The nose was more compact, with intense minerality rushing up from the glass, followed by a mix of red and black fruits, savory spice and wild herbs. On the palate, I found a soft, rich expression, with fleshy dark red fruits, followed by brisk acids and spice with slow-mounting tannins saturating. The finish was long and structured, yet perfectly offset by lingering acids and spice with saturating tannin clinging to the cheeks.
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Nose had lots of flowers. (Can't smell the new oak- Yay) Great astringent tannins. This was way too young. Needs 8 years. Great texture but oak tannins crept in which was a turn off.
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Poured from Coravin. This is an extremely polished gorgeous Barbaresco, on the nose refined spices and violets. The palate has a surprising combination of red and dark fruit (!), which at least for me is very unusual in barbaresco. More spices, finely grained tannins. Very very classy.
Opened to breathe for 3h. Tons of vanilla, violets, and spices on the nose, the palate is tart cherries, but integrated with spices, oak, and tannis. Long long finish. 92/93
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Sports a good mix of depth and freshness on the palate, the bold dark purple/black fruit is tasty but very direct and kind of one note, though it shows nice black and white pepper accents. Shows fine, moderate tannins (for Barbaresco), and plus length. Can be enjoyed on its own, but better with food. The good, slightly elevated acidic freshness and pepper notes being key.
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Tasted at a trade tasting in NYC. From 50-70-year old vines. Native yeast fermentation and maceration for 25 days, aged for 24 months in custom French barriques (10-15% new) made by Francois Freres of Burgundy, half of this time on the lees. Unfined and unfiltered. Also very Barolo-like in this vintage. High tannin and acidity and needs a long time in the cellar. Big infant monster with a very long finish. My taste needed air and was very closed but I can tell this will blossom but I wouldn't touch a bottle for a decade.
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As for the ‘16 Cotta, this is the beast of the lineup. Here I found a dark and almost-herbal display of floral-laced wildberries with dusty spices, moist soil tones and hints of animal musk. Yet through it all, there a lift and finesse. On the palate, I was greeted by velvety textures, firmed up by tart red wild berry fruits, hints of balsamic, inner florals and finally grippy tannin. The finish was long and intense, showing its structure over all else, with lingering wild berries and spice. The Cotta should be lost in your cellar for a decade or two, and then watch out!
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1/14/2024 - Es7e2003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale ruby in glass with garnet hues. Medium plus intensity on the nose. Cherries, menthol, roses and tar. High acidity and tannins that need time. Medium plus finish. Good potential. Hold next bottle for at least 2-3 years. Great qpr at $35.
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8/18/2023 - ShakinSwedens Likes this wine:
Lovely lovely drop. Perfect with cheese board. At very start of long drinking window in my view. Superb heady nose of violets, roses and terracotta that increased in perfume with time in the glass. Still young and drying tannins that, of course, softened and rendered the mouthfeel fuller with food. The red cherry fruit and mid palate filled out 90 mins or so after opening.
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5/7/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
I should have bought more! Part of a Sangiovese night at a high end Italian restaurant in NYC. Slightly less acidic than the other 2 Sangiovese wines we had, and my favorite.
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4/22/2023 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Nice nose of bright red fruits. People commented that they could smell thecnose from across the room. Great mouthfeel with smooth well integrated tannins. Long finish. Red cherry, a little tar, spice and minerals. Really nice wine and the first bottle to be finished. Would definitely buy again.
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7/8/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
This was good from the start but better overnight. It’s also an improvement from my prior taste two years ago. Nonetheless it still has searing acidity and mouth drying tannins. The fruit however is light and juicy with a beautiful truffle backing. Solid for the price but needs a few more years.
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11/20/2021 - gfwetzel wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 4 hours before drinking. The nose has cranberries, bubblegum, and phenol. The palate has cherries, minerals, a bit of spice. There is a good backbone of acid. The tannins are young and prominent enough to dry your mouth (too powerful to drink without food). Wait a few years; this wine will improve. ABV 14%.
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9/11/2021 - bevetroppo Likes this wine: 92 Points
An absolutely lovely mouthful of wine if you can forgive me for opening it too soon. What it expresses now will be repaid many times over if unlike me you can keep your mitts off it for another 5 years or so.
Transparent light cherry color that disguises the depths within. With about an hour of air and slow drinking, it's opening to reveal berry and cranberry fruit with intense leather, anise. mint and savory notes. Coiled and grippy on the palate, like a teenager saying "you can't dig me pops." The balance of fruit and tannic structure makes it possible to drink now with enjoyment if you don't mind having your jaws wired shut on the finish.
It is refreshing to see the community aligned with my theoretical drinking window plus or minus. This has the stuffing to go for a long time. Decant for a few hours if you plan to drink soon.
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4/17/2021 - ceadsearc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sottimano Barbaresco Cotta 2016
On the nose, some rose petals, orange peel, quite a strong hint of mint and menthol. It’s rather tight right now rather than singing.
On the palate, still very tight but you can tell this wine is serious. Dark fruits and cherries with a great mid palate of bitter orange peel, thyme, herbs, mint, bitter orange, menthol, licorice. Good precision. I think it needs time. Now maybe 93/100
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3/14/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A great Barbaresco. Fruit is outstanding. Beautiful acidity and fine tannins. A bit closed on the nose for me at this stage, but I think there is great potential here.
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12/5/2020 - VettersVinos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not surprisingly feels very youthful but there is so much to like here. Bright, pure fruit. Big structure fit for age and yet not brawny or clunky even so early in its life. All class and loads of upside.
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10/19/2020 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still hard tannins but very good overall needs time
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9/18/2020 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 95 Points
Ristorante Albergo Ca'Vittoria, Tigliole, couleur sombre, menthe, poire, orange, un nez envoûtant, presque un Barolo, bouche sur les fruits rouges, pleine et complexe, tannins encore dominants, attendre impérativement mais c’est un très beau vin, plus sur la puissance que sur l’élégance.
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8/14/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Decanted three hours then back into the bottle for several more. Nowhere near ready but still somewhat approachable. Beyond the searing acidity and tannin is sweet/tart cherry, orange peel and mineral. A very elegant and effortless style.
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8/6/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Still lots of cherry and powerful fruit to it. A touch tighter and tense still.
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8/5/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Well that is delicious cherry fruit and then massive amounts of structure. Deeper, older vines, clay so lots more power. And that shows.
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4/13/2020 - Larslatour wrote: 94 Points
Great, fresh inspiring wine.
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2/23/2020 - Rechrom wrote: 94 Points
Great young bottle. Unusually open for a young wine, with vibrant fruit and a lovely and expressive nose. More open right now than the Fausani, also opened over the same two days. I am very happy I have a bunch more;
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1/22/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
A wow wine, already, and likely to improve from here. After tasting all of the new (2016) releases, including the late-release Basarin, I'm giddy with excitement; all have their own personalities, yet all are in the same class: world class. The best new release wines I've tasted from Sottimano in more than a decade; perhaps, ever. Brilliant. if you have several open one now and you won't be sorry just be sure to give it 30-60 minutes of air. Strong buy; drink thru 2045+, 14,0% abv. highly recommended
https://www.italianwine.blog
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11/8/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose was more compact, with intense minerality rushing up from the glass, followed by a mix of red and black fruits, savory spice and wild herbs. On the palate, I found a soft, rich expression, with fleshy dark red fruits, followed by brisk acids and spice with slow-mounting tannins saturating. The finish was long and structured, yet perfectly offset by lingering acids and spice with saturating tannin clinging to the cheeks.
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10/2/2019 - Fractalage Does not like this wine:
Nose had lots of flowers. (Can't smell the new oak- Yay)
Great astringent tannins. This was way too young. Needs 8 years.
Great texture but oak tannins crept in which was a turn off.
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9/25/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Poured from Coravin. This is an extremely polished gorgeous Barbaresco, on the nose refined spices and violets. The palate has a surprising combination of red and dark fruit (!), which at least for me is very unusual in barbaresco. More spices, finely grained tannins. Very very classy.
Opened to breathe for 3h. Tons of vanilla, violets, and spices on the nose, the palate is tart cherries, but integrated with spices, oak, and tannis. Long long finish. 92/93
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9/2/2019 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Sports a good mix of depth and freshness on the palate, the bold dark purple/black fruit is tasty but very direct and kind of one note, though it shows nice black and white pepper accents. Shows fine, moderate tannins (for Barbaresco), and plus length. Can be enjoyed on its own, but better with food. The good, slightly elevated acidic freshness and pepper notes being key.
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6/18/2019 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at a trade tasting in NYC. From 50-70-year old vines. Native yeast fermentation and maceration for 25 days, aged for 24 months in custom French barriques (10-15% new) made by Francois Freres of Burgundy, half of this time on the lees. Unfined and unfiltered. Also very Barolo-like in this vintage. High tannin and acidity and needs a long time in the cellar. Big infant monster with a very long finish. My taste needed air and was very closed but I can tell this will blossom but I wouldn't touch a bottle for a decade.
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3/13/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 95 Points
As for the ‘16 Cotta, this is the beast of the lineup. Here I found a dark and almost-herbal display of floral-laced wildberries with dusty spices, moist soil tones and hints of animal musk. Yet through it all, there a lift and finesse. On the palate, I was greeted by velvety textures, firmed up by tart red wild berry fruits, hints of balsamic, inner florals and finally grippy tannin. The finish was long and intense, showing its structure over all else, with lingering wild berries and spice. The Cotta should be lost in your cellar for a decade or two, and then watch out!
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2/9/2019 - similia wrote:
weniger Moschus als Basarin, gute Säure, etwas leichter.
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