Légère déception sur cette cuvée.Robe bien évoluée.Bouquet d'intensité moyenne qui offre des senteurs de sous-bois,de terre mouillée de fruits rouges (cerise,framboise).La bouche est relativement souple avec 80% CS en cépage majoritaire.Longueur finale bonne sans être grandiose.J'en attendais beaucoup plus vu la qualité globale du millésime et de surcroit je ne suis pas certain que des années supplémentaires en cave vont le bonifier davantage.A boire.
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From magnum , a good wine, holding up well, a full spine with muted fruit but fruit nonetheless. Easily recognizable as Italian style. I was given a recent vintage of this makers chianti , I am looking forward to trying that sooner than I waited on this.
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Guido L note very instructive. In a very nice mature spot but feels like it will hold here. Well integrated blend of dark fruit, herbs, touch of plum, tar and cedar, resolved tannin, medium finish. Drinking v well.
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It seemed slightly ripe on the nose, although it did not show this on the palate. Black cherry, blackberry, chocolate. Tannins still present but melted down during the hours of drinking. Ready to drink.
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Black fruit bomb in nose, red in palate. Strong oak gets stable after 20-30 mins of breathing, and then it’s just spectacular. Blackberry, cherry, plum, tobacco, vanilla in nose with intensity. Soft medium tannin and velvety texture make this great. Though sangiovese is not main variety in the bottle, the small portion shows the tuscan character with gentle acidity, and makes it distinguishable from Bordeaux blend.
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The '04 Sammarco is a beautiful wine that appears to be just turning the corner and nearing maturity, while still featuring plenty of energy and richness. I found the nose to be dark and rich yet fresh and nicely perfumed with slightly jammy dark red to black berry fruit, tobacco, violet, mint, and graphite. On the palate, I found it to be light weight and fresh, yet with less pronounced primary fruit than the nose suggested. I found tobacco, dark red fruit tones, graphite, and minerals. The acidity level was medium to high, and the texture was slightly creamy yet also nearly weightless, almost a bit like a fine Nebbiolo, with fine-grained tannins that are largely integrated at this stage. The finish was medium in length with tobacco, graphite, and minerals.
I thought the aromatics of the '04 Sammarco were a bit more interesting than the palate, with the wine appearing more primary and rich in the aromatics, and the palate a touch light. But it's a fantastic wine either way.
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Typical bouquet of Cabernet with blueberries, grilled peppers with a bit of funk. Lush, silky palate, immediately on, juicy, sweet but also good amount of acidity, very well balanced, with a long finish with herbs and minerals.
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Another beautiful bottle of this. Deep sweet and sour dark fruit, leather, elderflower, smoke, graphite, deep minerality with lead pencil, also some cigar box/cedar wood and dark chocolate. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity, medium+ tannin that is present but excellent quality. There is also an element of creaminess that is balanced beautifully by the freshness. Long finish with plenty of tension and complexity. A superb Sammarco and at age 16 it‘s still going strong. Wow I love this. I can‘t wait until the other great vintages like 2010 are hitting their drinking window. No rush in drinking this, it's even better on day 2 and from my perspective, has another 5-10 years of drinking window. Impressive.
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Tasted from a bottle opened and decanted the previous day, this showed absolutely no signs of oxidation! Totally intense, with thick and Italianate tannins, the wine showed more refinement, but was still slightly monolithic. The wine is all muscle, with mustard seed notes to the (fabulous) Cabernet fruit. Not to be confused with Bordeaux, this is a wine of uncommon power that many would rate higher than me, but if you are looking for transparency in wine, this might not be the first port of call. 92+
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Visitors from Wellington brave the Queensberry hills (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): Drunk after two transcendent Cabernet-dominant wines (from 1995), this came across as monolithic, but extremely intense. Lip-smacking acids, huge tannins, intense and closed cabernet fruit with a notable green olive note add up to a rather direct, but unsubtle experience. Perhaps the wine needs more time to resolve, but it strikes me that the wine will always have this unrelenting, one(loud) note personality. I have saved half the bottle in an open decanter to try with 24 hours exposure to air, to see what happens. 90 points for its obvious intensity, and quality of fruit, but lovers of Bordeaux would be advised to look elsewhere.... In perfect condition and I imagine will age for decades... 87 - 90?
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Brought to E&K's for dinner outside. Last bottle of the '04 Sammarco and it was fabulous, as it has been before. Just a great balance of lively fruit, acidity, some subtle tuscan herbs. Love the mid-weight and food versatility of this wine. The was a noticeable streak of oak initially but that wore off with a bit of air. Still lots of life in the '04, but sadly I have no more. Great stuff.
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Bouquet of ripe berries, spices and some roasted red peppers and beets, a bit of funk. Great palate, lush, fresh and sweet, some dark fruit elements, good amount of acidity, spicy finish. Tastes more like a Tuscan wine than a French or US cabernet. In a great spot to drink. No need to wait, although with air it grows still a bit.
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Short decant and ready. Loads of black fruit, with quite some acidity, counterbalanced by tannin sweetness, very silky feel with some structure, a long finish. Second night, similar to first night. The interplay of acidity, silkiness, tannins and sweetness keeps this very interesting and satisfying.
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Brought to Fiorella for dinner with B&A. Beautiful bottle, consistent with previous notes. This was drinking very nicely with a bit of air. Manages to deftly balance lively fruit with zippy acidity that gives it a lot of lift while still having substance. Great with a range of foods. Wish I had bought a bunch more at $47 years ago! Terrific stuff.
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Pretty dark ruby/purple color. some air. Open and elegant nose of blueberries, some black cherries, elderflowers, cigar tobacco, sweet spices, coffee, cedar wood, also some licorice, as well as some dark chocolate. It's medium-full bodied, dense but almost weightless. There is still medium+ tannin that is super silky and a beautiful medium+ acidity adding freshness. Great length. A super elegant, complex and silky Sammarco that is peaking right now but will drink beautifully over the next 10 years or so. What a beauty!
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Brought to Lucano for H's graduation party. Consistent with previous notes, this bottle drank very nicely. Was decanted for about 15-20 min before we started drinking and opened up a bit more from there. Tannins are still present and this wine will probably integrate more and smooth out with additional age. But it was very enjoyable now with a decant. Nice fruit, great acidity, and a firm dry finish. Pairs very well with a variety of foods, which is one of the things that I love about Sammarco. It can work with a nice fatty piece of meat and also with more acidic foods like pasta with a tomato sauce. Its versatility makes it great to bring to a restaurant like Lucano. No hurry to drink these certainly, but I wouldn't avoid it either.
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Decanted for 3 hours, and continued to open during the meal. With only 5% Sangiovese, this wine took on most of its qualities from the Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red fruits, cassis, earth, and graphite in a medium plus body. Acidity is nicely balanced, but the tannins are a bit 'grippy', so plan for several hours of aeration. Somewhat reminiscent of Left Bank (hi Cab) Bordeaux, as opposed to California Cab (Napa or Paso), and you have to remind yourself that this is Italian! Will continue to develop, then hold, for several more years, at least.
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Great blend of CS and Sangiovese, earth, graphite, licorice, dark cherries, medium to full body, ready to drink, soft tannins, note of dark chocolate, beautiful strong finish!
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Still very young and firm, we should have decanted but did not have the time. Firm and with a grip also ripe and strong wine and true to the 2004 vintage. Definitely on the modernist side but with restraint and good value for money. 91
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Finally coming into a drinking window, but still a ton of structure left. My guess is another 5 years will do this wine some good. Really like what this producer has been doing the last 10 years.
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In a perfect place right now, offering a marriage of freshness with the benefits of some age - having had time to draw out the more complete character(s) of the varieties and site. These folks are serious about quality, and if you're looking for something off the beaten path, something of a breath of fresh air after having been traveling the wine road for some time, you owe it to yourself to find this wine, or at least their wines. Yes, it will last, but I think you'll only be trading one thing for another if you wait. I need more. I do. highly recommended
Aerated to decanter 4 hours; continued to unfold right through the last sip. Robust elegance.
https://italianwine.blog/
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About an hour of slow ox. Drank over 2.5 hours. Gorgeous, deep nose. Dried cherries. Dust. Really getting into a sweet spot to drink. Medium body and length. Well composed, but not terribly deep, finish.
Easy buy at $65 (assuming you can buy well-stored bottles with over a decade of age on them).
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Zweifellos ein großer Wein mit viel Potential! Nur ist er noch, oder zumindest im Moment aromatisch ein wenig eindimensional!! Auch 5 h in der Karaffe halfen da nicht. Hoffentlich ist er einfach nur zu jung! Nächste Flasche 2020! 92 P++
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Decanted for a good hour. Useful at this stage. For nicol that tried it blind this had a bit of a new Bordeaux style, good ripenes, complementary oak. Young and fresh but on the giving side and definitely worth a go but give it some time to evolve. A proper little number and worth every penny of its 30£. Drink from now. 90-92
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Decanted for 4 hours. Very elegant and with well integrated oak and lovely cherries on the nose. The palate is medium body with with dark fruits with a nice balance between the Sangiovese and the grip and finish of the Cabernet.
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This is a CabSav/Sangiovese blend. Dark garnet. Nose of tobacco, dark fruit, spices, pine, clay. On the palate still quite youthful with strong tannins and acidity. Medium bodied with good fruit stuffing in the background, needed a good 2h in the decanter to open up. Nice aromatic length. This is built for the long haul so waiting won't hurt here. If you drink now, serious decanting is advisable.
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Medium ruby/purple Color. First slightly holding back but opening up with some air. Beautiful and elegant nose of blueberries, some black cherries, elderflowers, sweet spices, a touch of smoke/toasted oak, cigar and some tobacco. On the palate there are also notes of tobacco leaf, some herbs and also some licorice, as well as some dark chocolate. It's medium+ bodied but dense and has a pretty weightless mouthfeel. There is still medium-high tannin but it's super silky and a beautiful medium+ acidity adding freshness. Great length. A super elegant and refined Sammarco that drinks like pure silk despite the structure. Wow! It might even get a little better with a few more years in bottle. (96+)
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A week in Tuscany (and Lots of wines); 10/19/2015-10/21/2015 (Tuscany, Italy): After again whiffing on a couple of 2010's I ordered that were not available (the 09's were), I settled on this off the list at Cum Quibus in San Gimignano. A truly great dining experience with a nice wine list. This was 60 Euros IIRC. We had a slow dinner, so we opted not to use the aerator that was offered. The wine opened up beautifully. I have not liked this wine that much in the past finding it over oaked, but with 11 years from vintage, the oak has integrated, and the wine is seemingly at peak with years left. Mostly Sangiovese with a little international stuff. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is cassis, tobacco, slight licorice and just a hint of cigar box. On the palate, this is soft with layers of fruit and earthiness. Great balance. Each sip requires contemplation and then another sip. A great match with food. It delivered way above expectations in terms of complexity and integration. A great dining experience.
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Needs its time to develop, would suggest maybe a 30 minute decant. Opened for some friends and we just had a quick try so not a true TN (Thus no rating). Still a touch of oak. The wine is surprisingly young but not difficult of austere. Just a dry edge. Quite a rich ripe fruit, very supertuscuan in a way , modernist touch of course but quite a solid wine. We have a few more bottles so will comment fully next time. But definitely decant now and just about in its drinkign window
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From memory. Opened and decanted 3 hours +. Muted nose of mature leather, dried fruit. Palate was balanced with nice fruit and tar nuances, good acidity. Long finish.
Had alongside a 2004 Napa Cab. Ladies preferred the Cab, but the difference was strikingly and unexpected. I thought this would be new-world modern, but was classic order Bordeaux profile.
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We all thought this was fantastic. Very old world in style. Nice notes of tobacco and cedar box, with just enough dark fruits to keep it approachable. Nicely integrated and round tannins.
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Consumed w brisket on Xmas day. Solid wine. Wine has integrated nicely and has good structure and length. Fruit remains and more rustic flavors have developed but are just ok but not extraordinarily developed. Wine was enjoyable and will look forward to next bottle but was hoping for that something just a bit more.
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Rubino violaceo denso e impenetrabile. Marasche immerse nel pepe e salsa di soia. Naso nettissimo e precisissimo, suadente e ruffiano.... prepara a una bocca che non conferma ancora le aspettative.... dal frutto rotondo spicca ancora un' acidità un pó brusca e un tannino nervoso, ancora troppo asciugante che pregiudica la lunghezza del finale. Un vino con bella potenzialità, da aspettare ancora diversi anni. Comunque buonissimo, richiede aria e cibo
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Battle of the Bordeaux Blends 2 (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about an hour and drank over 2+ hours. Appeaance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of soy sauce, hazelnut, earth, and red fruit. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine high tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of dark cherries and sour red cherries. Initially quite tight and only opened up with more air in the decanter. Developed perfumed Indian spices on the nose. Long finish. Very good quality. Quite obviously an Italian blend with Sangiovese. This is still young now and could develop more over the next 10 years. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Sangiovese.
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Jetzt langsam antrinkbar. Braucht aber sehr viel Luft. Zu Beginn wie verschlossen leicht süßlich, Tannine spürbar hinten raus. Nach 2-3 Stunden zeigt er langsam was er kann. Sehr schön strukturiert, dunkelbeerig, kräftiger tanninbiss. Große Gläser verwenden! Besser in 2,3 Jahren.
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Coravin taste-off: 07 Conn Valley Reserve, 08 O'Shaughnessy Howell, 04 Rampolla Sammarco.: Very aromatically challenged and tight initially. Eventually it started to come out of its shell and show better, and I might have waited longer but I finished my sample. This is lightest of the 3, definitely more Bordeaux-like than CA, with lots of tobacco and herbs around a core of red fruit. Lighter bodied, but elegant and classy. No heat to speak of. Tannins still a little grippy and likely to improve over time, but not sure how much. Should go well with a variety of dishes, including perhaps some lighter fare than a steak, maybe duck or veal perhaps.
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Started off a little woody but after a few hours the wine showed more dark cherry, soft tannins, but a weak mid palate. If the palate didn't disappear so quickly, it would have been a 93.
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I don't agree with previous notes on this wine. It's oak dominated. No terroir what so ever. It could be from anywhere. But there is good material underbeneath. The 2 years in barrique is to much, it ruined an otherwise good wine. I think from 2007 the time in oak is half, 12 months. So the winemaker is probably doing the right thing. I looking forward to tast them.
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Notes consistent w/RJFoss' below. This took hours in the decanter before it was ready for business but once there, it was gorgeous Tuscan Cabernet. Terroir-driven, wonderful structure, herbs and a touch of mint on the palate. Agree with waiting at least two more years before popping the next one. Tremendous QPR here
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Really well-done. Complex, captivating flavors of currants, blackberries, herbs. Amazingly distinctive flavors. Very cabernet-driven. Almost reminds me of an Italian countryside - terroir-driven, super long finish, and smooth, but noticeable tannins, even after a 2-hour decant. Needs a bit of time to integrate.
Just starting to show some promise, but with so much life ahead. I won't open #2 for 3 years. Probably best in 2020?
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wow, grandioser Wein für Cab-Fans; allerdings viel zu jung. enorme Potenzialverschwendung, Tannine sehr präsent, grandiose Mundfülle. nächste Flasche 2015?
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Just is starting to come out of it's shell. Some slight bricking in the colour at the edges of the glass. The nose was slightly reserved with some floral notes and the typical black fruit. The taste was balance, and again just a touch reserved, but there was some graphite and cigar along with the red plum fruit hiding in the back. For clarification, this estate is not near Sassicaia or Ornellaia, but rather in Panzano in Chianti (conco d'oro).
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No decant; 45 minutes air in oversized bdx glass. Overly-overly funky tart cherry blew out of the glass upon first pour; so heavy that I wondered if I might have gotten ahold of a bad bottle, but I came back later to find that it had blown off and lovely musty/mineral fruit remained. I was unfamiliar with this producer, and bought on retailer's promise that the vineyard was located between Ornellaia and Sassicaia. A lovely expression of the region, but I found the lack of a lingering finish to be a detriment at this price point.
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taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity with big and chewy tannins and savory tones of dark red cherries, dark red fruits, currants and roasted herbs
overall: this is obviously young and in need of serious time. There is a great savory quality to the wine right now and it should really have something to show in a few years
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Nice intensity and nose. Slightly oaky. Beautiful fruit: currant and raspberry with hints of oregano and thyme, yet again slightly too much oak. Tannins are still powerful but smooth at the same time. Wine will age easily another four years but is already very enjoyable now. Complex mouthful and eminent character altogether.
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Multifaceted nose offers currant, flowers, tobacco and licorice. on palate: Full-bodied, with fine tannins, it scores high in terms of intensity, complexity and ends with fresh, menthol nuances on the long finish
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Via: The Big Red Tour (Boston, MA): Very ripe in style. Not doubting it's a very nice bottle of wine, but I'm not seeing much in the way of identity here. Or a reason to drop $150 for this unless it's for the name. 89-91
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At Castello Rampolla. Still so young, with good acidity, structure and awesome potential. 90% Cabernet Sauvingnon, 5% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese. Had alongside the d'Alceo, which may eventually be better, but right now, the Sammarco is slightly preferred. Extremely long finish. This wine needs time -- from past experience, Sammarco with at least 10 years of aging is an amazing wine, from an amazing biodynamic producer and one of the greatest wineries (based on terrior, production, methodology and location) in the world. 92-96
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2/25/2024 - Dionysos55 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Légère déception sur cette cuvée.Robe bien évoluée.Bouquet d'intensité moyenne qui offre des senteurs de sous-bois,de terre mouillée de fruits rouges (cerise,framboise).La bouche est relativement souple avec 80% CS en cépage majoritaire.Longueur finale bonne sans être grandiose.J'en attendais beaucoup plus vu la qualité globale du millésime et de surcroit je ne suis pas certain que des années supplémentaires en cave vont le bonifier davantage.A boire.
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12/22/2023 - jsebiri wrote:
From magnum , a good wine, holding up well, a full spine with muted fruit but fruit nonetheless. Easily recognizable as Italian style. I was given a recent vintage of this makers chianti , I am looking forward to trying that sooner than I waited on this.
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6/17/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 92 Points
Guido L note very instructive. In a very nice mature spot but feels like it will hold here. Well integrated blend of dark fruit, herbs, touch of plum, tar and cedar, resolved tannin, medium finish. Drinking v well.
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5/14/2023 - Guido L. wrote: 92 Points
It seemed slightly ripe on the nose, although it did not show this on the palate. Black cherry, blackberry, chocolate. Tannins still present but melted down during the hours of drinking. Ready to drink.
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1/14/2023 - brett228 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black fruit bomb in nose, red in palate. Strong oak gets stable after 20-30 mins of breathing, and then it’s just spectacular. Blackberry, cherry, plum, tobacco, vanilla in nose with intensity. Soft medium tannin and velvety texture make this great. Though sangiovese is not main variety in the bottle, the small portion shows the tuscan character with gentle acidity, and makes it distinguishable from Bordeaux blend.
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8/1/2022 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bouquet of ripe blackberries, blueberries, spices, which also reflect in the palate. Juicy, structured, with a nice finish with dissolving tannins.
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10/14/2021 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine: 94 Points
The '04 Sammarco is a beautiful wine that appears to be just turning the corner and nearing maturity, while still featuring plenty of energy and richness. I found the nose to be dark and rich yet fresh and nicely perfumed with slightly jammy dark red to black berry fruit, tobacco, violet, mint, and graphite. On the palate, I found it to be light weight and fresh, yet with less pronounced primary fruit than the nose suggested. I found tobacco, dark red fruit tones, graphite, and minerals. The acidity level was medium to high, and the texture was slightly creamy yet also nearly weightless, almost a bit like a fine Nebbiolo, with fine-grained tannins that are largely integrated at this stage. The finish was medium in length with tobacco, graphite, and minerals.
I thought the aromatics of the '04 Sammarco were a bit more interesting than the palate, with the wine appearing more primary and rich in the aromatics, and the palate a touch light. But it's a fantastic wine either way.
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4/10/2021 - Édifice wrote: 95 Points
Typical bouquet of Cabernet with blueberries, grilled peppers with a bit of funk. Lush, silky palate, immediately on, juicy, sweet but also good amount of acidity, very well balanced, with a long finish with herbs and minerals.
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2/20/2021 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Another beautiful bottle of this. Deep sweet and sour dark fruit, leather, elderflower, smoke, graphite, deep minerality with lead pencil, also some cigar box/cedar wood and dark chocolate. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity, medium+ tannin that is present but excellent quality. There is also an element of creaminess that is balanced beautifully by the freshness. Long finish with plenty of tension and complexity. A superb Sammarco and at age 16 it‘s still going strong. Wow I love this. I can‘t wait until the other great vintages like 2010 are hitting their drinking window.
No rush in drinking this, it's even better on day 2 and from my perspective, has another 5-10 years of drinking window.
Impressive.
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10/9/2020 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
Tasted from a bottle opened and decanted the previous day, this showed absolutely no signs of oxidation! Totally intense, with thick and Italianate tannins, the wine showed more refinement, but was still slightly monolithic. The wine is all muscle, with mustard seed notes to the (fabulous) Cabernet fruit. Not to be confused with Bordeaux, this is a wine of uncommon power that many would rate higher than me, but if you are looking for transparency in wine, this might not be the first port of call. 92+
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10/8/2020 - Marc wrote: 90 Points
Visitors from Wellington brave the Queensberry hills (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): Drunk after two transcendent Cabernet-dominant wines (from 1995), this came across as monolithic, but extremely intense. Lip-smacking acids, huge tannins, intense and closed cabernet fruit with a notable green olive note add up to a rather direct, but unsubtle experience. Perhaps the wine needs more time to resolve, but it strikes me that the wine will always have this unrelenting, one(loud) note personality. I have saved half the bottle in an open decanter to try with 24 hours exposure to air, to see what happens. 90 points for its obvious intensity, and quality of fruit, but lovers of Bordeaux would be advised to look elsewhere.... In perfect condition and I imagine will age for decades... 87 - 90?
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9/11/2020 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brought to E&K's for dinner outside. Last bottle of the '04 Sammarco and it was fabulous, as it has been before. Just a great balance of lively fruit, acidity, some subtle tuscan herbs. Love the mid-weight and food versatility of this wine. The was a noticeable streak of oak initially but that wore off with a bit of air. Still lots of life in the '04, but sadly I have no more. Great stuff.
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4/4/2020 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bouquet of ripe berries, spices and some roasted red peppers and beets, a bit of funk. Great palate, lush, fresh and sweet, some dark fruit elements, good amount of acidity, spicy finish. Tastes more like a Tuscan wine than a French or US cabernet. In a great spot to drink. No need to wait, although with air it grows still a bit.
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7/27/2019 - Haze78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always a pleasure to drink a bottle of matured Sammarco. Dark berries, herbs, silky. Love this wine!
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5/11/2019 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Short decant and ready. Loads of black fruit, with quite some acidity, counterbalanced by tannin sweetness, very silky feel with some structure, a long finish. Second night, similar to first night. The interplay of acidity, silkiness, tannins and sweetness keeps this very interesting and satisfying.
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11/16/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought to Fiorella for dinner with B&A. Beautiful bottle, consistent with previous notes. This was drinking very nicely with a bit of air. Manages to deftly balance lively fruit with zippy acidity that gives it a lot of lift while still having substance. Great with a range of foods. Wish I had bought a bunch more at $47 years ago! Terrific stuff.
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7/14/2018 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pretty dark ruby/purple color. some air. Open and elegant nose of blueberries, some black cherries, elderflowers, cigar tobacco, sweet spices, coffee, cedar wood, also some licorice, as well as some dark chocolate. It's medium-full bodied, dense but almost weightless. There is still medium+ tannin that is super silky and a beautiful medium+ acidity adding freshness. Great length. A super elegant, complex and silky Sammarco that is peaking right now but will drink beautifully over the next 10 years or so. What a beauty!
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6/24/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought to Lucano for H's graduation party. Consistent with previous notes, this bottle drank very nicely. Was decanted for about 15-20 min before we started drinking and opened up a bit more from there. Tannins are still present and this wine will probably integrate more and smooth out with additional age. But it was very enjoyable now with a decant. Nice fruit, great acidity, and a firm dry finish. Pairs very well with a variety of foods, which is one of the things that I love about Sammarco. It can work with a nice fatty piece of meat and also with more acidic foods like pasta with a tomato sauce. Its versatility makes it great to bring to a restaurant like Lucano. No hurry to drink these certainly, but I wouldn't avoid it either.
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11/25/2017 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours, and continued to open during the meal. With only 5% Sangiovese, this wine took on most of its qualities from the Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red fruits, cassis, earth, and graphite in a medium plus body. Acidity is nicely balanced, but the tannins are a bit 'grippy', so plan for several hours of aeration. Somewhat reminiscent of Left Bank (hi Cab) Bordeaux, as opposed to California Cab (Napa or Paso), and you have to remind yourself that this is Italian! Will continue to develop, then hold, for several more years, at least.
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11/24/2017 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great blend of CS and Sangiovese, earth, graphite, licorice, dark cherries, medium to full body, ready to drink, soft tannins, note of dark chocolate, beautiful strong finish!
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11/14/2017 - Chiantihound wrote: 92 Points
Really nice. Starting to show Bordeaux like mushroomey excellence but still youthful. Find some softness from the Merlot? Who knows. Very nice.
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9/7/2017 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Still very young and firm, we should have decanted but did not have the time.
Firm and with a grip also ripe and strong wine and true to the 2004 vintage. Definitely on the modernist side but with restraint and good value for money. 91
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6/30/2017 - DarinC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Finally coming into a drinking window, but still a ton of structure left. My guess is another 5 years will do this wine some good. Really like what this producer has been doing the last 10 years.
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12/20/2016 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
In a perfect place right now, offering a marriage of freshness with the benefits of some age - having had time to draw out the more complete character(s) of the varieties and site. These folks are serious about quality, and if you're looking for something off the beaten path, something of a breath of fresh air after having been traveling the wine road for some time, you owe it to yourself to find this wine, or at least their wines. Yes, it will last, but I think you'll only be trading one thing for another if you wait. I need more. I do. highly recommended
Aerated to decanter 4 hours; continued to unfold right through the last sip. Robust elegance.
https://italianwine.blog/
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8/12/2016 - pommard1969 Likes this wine: 94 Points
wahnsinn, würde am liebsten drin baden..nase wunderbar, wechselt jede minute. der gaumen wünscht sich noch weitere 3-5 jahre.
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7/31/2016 - elledeca wrote:
Fairly transparent, nose of plum, herbs, cassis. Still very tannic with bitter cedary finish. Wait
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7/24/2016 - ageverett Likes this wine: 94 Points
About an hour of slow ox. Drank over 2.5 hours. Gorgeous, deep nose. Dried cherries. Dust. Really getting into a sweet spot to drink. Medium body and length. Well composed, but not terribly deep, finish.
Easy buy at $65 (assuming you can buy well-stored bottles with over a decade of age on them).
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7/24/2016 - champussi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Zweifellos ein großer Wein mit viel Potential! Nur ist er noch, oder zumindest im Moment aromatisch ein wenig eindimensional!! Auch 5 h in der Karaffe halfen da nicht. Hoffentlich ist er einfach nur zu jung! Nächste Flasche 2020!
92 P++
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4/3/2016 - jsebiri wrote:
nice wine , plenty of body , decent nose , not multi dimensional unfortunately , strong taste , italian , less fruit than i would have expected .
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3/31/2016 - cabber wrote: 94 Points
Cabernet Tasting 2001 - 2007 (Manhattan Beach, CA): Medium body, nice nose of black fruit. Clean and balanced. Can taste the sangiovese on the finish and mouthfeel. Nice
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1/6/2016 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for a good hour. Useful at this stage.
For nicol that tried it blind this had a bit of a new Bordeaux style, good ripenes, complementary oak. Young and fresh but on the giving side and definitely worth a go but give it some time to evolve. A proper little number and worth every penny of its 30£. Drink from now. 90-92
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12/24/2015 - bablues wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Very elegant and with well integrated oak and lovely cherries on the nose. The palate is medium body with with dark fruits with a nice balance between the Sangiovese and the grip and finish of the Cabernet.
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12/24/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Virtually identical tasting note to the one dated October 2015. Wow what a beauty!. Everybody loved the freshness, silkiness and complexity.
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11/29/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
This is a CabSav/Sangiovese blend. Dark garnet. Nose of tobacco, dark fruit, spices, pine, clay. On the palate still quite youthful with strong tannins and acidity. Medium bodied with good fruit stuffing in the background, needed a good 2h in the decanter to open up. Nice aromatic length. This is built for the long haul so waiting won't hurt here. If you drink now, serious decanting is advisable.
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11/28/2015 - Jurgens wrote: 90 Points
Drink all you hav now.Nice but price/value is not good
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10/21/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Medium ruby/purple Color. First slightly holding back but opening up with some air. Beautiful and elegant nose of blueberries, some black cherries, elderflowers, sweet spices, a touch of smoke/toasted oak, cigar and some tobacco. On the palate there are also notes of tobacco leaf, some herbs and also some licorice, as well as some dark chocolate. It's medium+ bodied but dense and has a pretty weightless mouthfeel. There is still medium-high tannin but it's super silky and a beautiful medium+ acidity adding freshness. Great length. A super elegant and refined Sammarco that drinks like pure silk despite the structure. Wow! It might even get a little better with a few more years in bottle. (96+)
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10/20/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 97 Points
A week in Tuscany (and Lots of wines); 10/19/2015-10/21/2015 (Tuscany, Italy): After again whiffing on a couple of 2010's I ordered that were not available (the 09's were), I settled on this off the list at Cum Quibus in San Gimignano. A truly great dining experience with a nice wine list. This was 60 Euros IIRC. We had a slow dinner, so we opted not to use the aerator that was offered. The wine opened up beautifully. I have not liked this wine that much in the past finding it over oaked, but with 11 years from vintage, the oak has integrated, and the wine is seemingly at peak with years left. Mostly Sangiovese with a little international stuff. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is cassis, tobacco, slight licorice and just a hint of cigar box. On the palate, this is soft with layers of fruit and earthiness. Great balance. Each sip requires contemplation and then another sip. A great match with food. It delivered way above expectations in terms of complexity and integration. A great dining experience.
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6/20/2015 - Papies wrote:
Needs its time to develop, would suggest maybe a 30 minute decant.
Opened for some friends and we just had a quick try so not a true TN (Thus no rating). Still a touch of oak. The wine is surprisingly young but not difficult of austere. Just a dry edge. Quite a rich ripe fruit, very supertuscuan in a way , modernist touch of course but quite a solid wine. We have a few more bottles so will comment fully next time. But definitely decant now and just about in its drinkign window
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5/4/2015 - Chiantihound wrote: 92 Points
From memory. Opened and decanted 3 hours +. Muted nose of mature leather, dried fruit. Palate was balanced with nice fruit and tar nuances, good acidity. Long finish.
Had alongside a 2004 Napa Cab. Ladies preferred the Cab, but the difference was strikingly and unexpected. I thought this would be new-world modern, but was classic order Bordeaux profile.
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1/3/2015 - tastark Likes this wine:
We all thought this was fantastic. Very old world in style. Nice notes of tobacco and cedar box, with just enough dark fruits to keep it approachable. Nicely integrated and round tannins.
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12/25/2014 - JBVino wrote:
Consumed w brisket on Xmas day. Solid wine. Wine has integrated nicely and has good structure and length. Fruit remains and more rustic flavors have developed but are just ok but not extraordinarily developed. Wine was enjoyable and will look forward to next bottle but was hoping for that something just a bit more.
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11/30/2014 - Jurgens wrote: 92 Points
Execelent balance. keep few years more
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10/9/2014 - galenico wrote: 91 Points
Rubino violaceo denso e impenetrabile. Marasche immerse nel pepe e salsa di soia. Naso nettissimo e precisissimo, suadente e ruffiano.... prepara a una bocca che non conferma ancora le aspettative.... dal frutto rotondo spicca ancora un' acidità un pó brusca e un tannino nervoso, ancora troppo asciugante che pregiudica la lunghezza del finale.
Un vino con bella potenzialità, da aspettare ancora diversi anni.
Comunque buonissimo, richiede aria e cibo
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9/15/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points
Battle of the Bordeaux Blends 2 (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about an hour and drank over 2+ hours.
Appeaance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of soy sauce, hazelnut, earth, and red fruit. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine high tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of dark cherries and sour red cherries. Initially quite tight and only opened up with more air in the decanter. Developed perfumed Indian spices on the nose. Long finish.
Very good quality. Quite obviously an Italian blend with Sangiovese. This is still young now and could develop more over the next 10 years.
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Sangiovese.
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8/10/2014 - absolut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Jetzt langsam antrinkbar. Braucht aber sehr viel Luft. Zu Beginn wie verschlossen leicht süßlich, Tannine spürbar hinten raus. Nach 2-3 Stunden zeigt er langsam was er kann. Sehr schön strukturiert, dunkelbeerig, kräftiger tanninbiss. Große Gläser verwenden! Besser in 2,3 Jahren.
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7/24/2014 - rebs1 wrote: 91 Points
same as previous note
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7/11/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin taste-off: 07 Conn Valley Reserve, 08 O'Shaughnessy Howell, 04 Rampolla Sammarco.: Very aromatically challenged and tight initially. Eventually it started to come out of its shell and show better, and I might have waited longer but I finished my sample. This is lightest of the 3, definitely more Bordeaux-like than CA, with lots of tobacco and herbs around a core of red fruit. Lighter bodied, but elegant and classy. No heat to speak of. Tannins still a little grippy and likely to improve over time, but not sure how much. Should go well with a variety of dishes, including perhaps some lighter fare than a steak, maybe duck or veal perhaps.
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5/11/2014 - rebs1 wrote: 91 Points
Started off a little woody but after a few hours the wine showed more dark cherry, soft tannins, but a weak mid palate. If the palate didn't disappear so quickly, it would have been a 93.
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2/22/2014 - AndersHed wrote: 90 Points
I don't agree with previous notes on this wine. It's oak dominated. No terroir what so ever. It could be from anywhere. But there is good material underbeneath. The 2 years in barrique is to much, it ruined an otherwise good wine. I think from 2007 the time in oak is half, 12 months. So the winemaker is probably doing the right thing. I looking forward to tast them.
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12/27/2013 - FastTrack wrote: 93 Points
nose: more black currant and Indian spices than last time; still full-bodied, with fine and - now - soft tannins and a long, clean finish.
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10/23/2013 - nortonnose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Notes consistent w/RJFoss' below. This took hours in the decanter before it was ready for business but once there, it was gorgeous Tuscan Cabernet. Terroir-driven, wonderful structure, herbs and a touch of mint on the palate. Agree with waiting at least two more years before popping the next one. Tremendous QPR here
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9/21/2013 - RyanJames Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really well-done. Complex, captivating flavors of currants, blackberries, herbs. Amazingly distinctive flavors. Very cabernet-driven. Almost reminds me of an Italian countryside - terroir-driven, super long finish, and smooth, but noticeable tannins, even after a 2-hour decant. Needs a bit of time to integrate.
Just starting to show some promise, but with so much life ahead. I won't open #2 for 3 years. Probably best in 2020?
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8/30/2013 - absolut Likes this wine: 92 Points
wow, grandioser Wein für Cab-Fans; allerdings viel zu jung. enorme Potenzialverschwendung, Tannine sehr präsent, grandiose Mundfülle. nächste Flasche 2015?
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3/23/2013 - S_stas wrote: 93 Points
Just is starting to come out of it's shell. Some slight bricking in the colour at the edges of the glass. The nose was slightly reserved with some floral notes and the typical black fruit. The taste was balance, and again just a touch reserved, but there was some graphite and cigar along with the red plum fruit hiding in the back. For clarification, this estate is not near Sassicaia or Ornellaia, but rather in Panzano in Chianti (conco d'oro).
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2/13/2013 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
No decant; 45 minutes air in oversized bdx glass. Overly-overly funky tart cherry blew out of the glass upon first pour; so heavy that I wondered if I might have gotten ahold of a bad bottle, but I came back later to find that it had blown off and lovely musty/mineral fruit remained. I was unfamiliar with this producer, and bought on retailer's promise that the vineyard was located between Ornellaia and Sassicaia. A lovely expression of the region, but I found the lack of a lingering finish to be a detriment at this price point.
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9/12/2011 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Maverick Wine Co.'s Grand Tour 2011 (OneSixtyBlue, Chicago IL): nose: While the nose is on the tight side, it's very savory and quintessentially tuscan with tones of dark red cherries, dark red fruits, spice tones and currants
taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity with big and chewy tannins and savory tones of dark red cherries, dark red fruits, currants and roasted herbs
overall: this is obviously young and in need of serious time. There is a great savory quality to the wine right now and it should really have something to show in a few years
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6/6/2011 - Fantomas Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice intensity and nose. Slightly oaky. Beautiful fruit: currant and raspberry with hints of oregano and thyme, yet again slightly too much oak. Tannins are still powerful but smooth at the same time. Wine will age easily another four years but is already very enjoyable now. Complex mouthful and eminent character altogether.
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3/21/2010 - FastTrack Likes this wine: 93 Points
Multifaceted nose offers currant, flowers, tobacco and licorice. on palate: Full-bodied, with fine tannins, it scores high in terms of intensity, complexity and ends with fresh, menthol nuances on the long finish
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2/17/2009 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Via: The Big Red Tour (Boston, MA): Very ripe in style. Not doubting it's a very nice bottle of wine, but I'm not seeing much in the way of identity here. Or a reason to drop $150 for this unless it's for the name. 89-91
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3/20/2008 - win wrote: 94 Points
At Castello Rampolla. Still so young, with good acidity, structure and awesome potential. 90% Cabernet Sauvingnon, 5% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese. Had alongside the d'Alceo, which may eventually be better, but right now, the Sammarco is slightly preferred. Extremely long finish. This wine needs time -- from past experience, Sammarco with at least 10 years of aging is an amazing wine, from an amazing biodynamic producer and one of the greatest wineries (based on terrior, production, methodology and location) in the world. 92-96
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