Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1997 エレガントなブルネッロ・ディ・モンタルチーノ。 熟成により、酸もタンニンも果実味も高レベルで統合されている。 舌に引っ掛かる感じが一切ない滑らかな舌触りと、奥行きのある余韻。 料理が来る前にあっさり一杯飲んでしまった。 Elegant Brunello di Montalcino. The aging process has resulted in a high level of integration of acidity, tannins and fruit. Smooth on the tongue with no feeling of sticking to the tongue, and a deep finish. I easily drank a glass before the food arrived.
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Dark garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of orange rind, floral notes of violets, earthy/dusty notes, spices, herbs, leather, iron, some tar, clay, minerals & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with spices, herbs, cocoa, minerals & cedar/oak. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing but at 25 years old, it is at its pinnacle of development, so please drink up! Cork was clean & intact; fill up well above the shoulder in lower neck. An absolutely wonderful, aged Brunello.
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Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Brunello (@ RW): Beautiful, mature and complex bouquet with earth and forest floor. Same on the palate, chocolate, still some cherries, beautiful acidity, mild tannin and a long finish. Fully mature and beautiful wine. Definitely not too old yet.
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Monthly Boys' Wine Night (Eric's House, Hong Kong): Semi-opaque deep black-red colour. Nose is immediately gorgeous and welcoming...damp woodland soil, dried hillside thyme and basil, sun-baked earth. Palate is fresh acidic attack that then immediately unleashes rich, plummy, belly-filling and gorgeous black fruits. Still a baby but the tannins are already beautifully softened and produce a very rounded and succulent mouth texture. A really luxuriant finish. Knocking on the door of 94.
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Drank with dinner of Ribeye steaks. At first I thought that this might be showing it's age a bit as the initial predominant nose was a tad oxidative, but that blew off within the hour and revealed lots of lovely plum and red currant fruit remaining. Tannins are velvety soft and oak is beautifully integrated now but it still has good acidity and a wonderful finish and great length. Probably drink sooner than later but no desperate rush.
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Splash double decanted for sediment, then left open in bottle at the restaurant for about an hour. Initially got a lot of scorched earth and thought this was past peak, but it opened up nicely in my glass over the course of 30 minutes. Iron, leather, soft red fruit. Ended up as WOTN for me.
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Still very much in its window for consumption. It opened up and significant fruit emerged within 20 minutes. Enjoyed the bottled over a 2-3 hour period and it kept getting "younger" with time.
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Texas Wine School - Kings of Italy Class. This was the WOTN according to many of the tasters. Medium (+) to deep ruby, with a garnet hue. The nose is clean and developing, with ripe black berries, dried herbs, leather and sweet baking spices. Overall this wine seems younger than 22 years. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with excellent balance between the fruit and the structure. The acidity is medium (+), as are the tannins and the alcohol (13.5%). This is a very smooth, balanced and elegant wine, with a long, savory, balsamic finish. It has aged minimally since my tasting note of Dec. 2016, a testament to one of the best Montalcino vintages in the last 40 years and the importance of proper storage. Drink now through 2022?
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La Nuit des Garcons (Grill Restaurant, Hong Kong Country Club, Hong Kong): Drank blind - first in a big line-up of blind reds.Translucent ruby colour. Nose is lovely, lifted and fresh....alluring. Palate is sumptuous, silky and very sexy. So young and alive but the tannin has already softened enough to achieve a great equilibrium of tension and resolution. Really fabulous - perfect now but has 10 years ahead of it at this level or slightly better. 93+.
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While the fruit has started to fade this is still at a great place. Decanted just an hour before drinking the nose was full of dried fruit, dried flowers and forest. On the palate the red fruits still show thru with ripe strawberry and cherry. Finish fades too quickly but otherwise no complaints!
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Slightly (but obviously) oxidized nose. This is still together, but just barely. It was fine with the lamb, but is obviously past its prime by itself. Black cherries and plenty of herbs still intact (rosemary, thyme, maybe a hint of lavendar). Medium-full bodied and very silky. Drink. 87
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opened and decanted this based on other CT notes, Over ripe on the palate with a strong tar note on the finish. Not typical and not what I am looking for in a wine. I had just started collecting wine seriously around the time this vintage came out and some of the wine writers called this the vintage of the century. I am sure Karma will catch up with them. Good cooking wine
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DoubleD Fest (Carlsbad, California): Dark blood-ruby-brick red color. Classic bouquet of red cherries, leather, clay, stony soil. Similar on the palate, full body, seamless, nice tannic grip and acid backbone. Definitely from the land of Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.
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This wine is still in its prime, but who knows for how much longer. Big nose of red cherry, mushroom, licorice, and hints of forest floor. Big body, balanced and smooth, with a long finish. Kinda wish I had grabbed a few of them, but it definitely encourages me to keep my hands off my younger vintages!
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At a nice place. Good upon opening, but really improved after an hour. A fair amount of sediment, good dark color. Drink now, but will last several more years.
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Texas Wine School, Luxury Wines of Italy Class. Decanted a couple of hours. This was the WOTN according to most of the tasters. Consistent with my tasting note from December 2016.
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Possibly a bad bottle. Light and elegant like my prior bottles but seemed past it prime. Fruit long gone. Slight brown tinge to the red color. Not offensive but not affirmatively good either.
This was the WOTN according to many of the tasters. Medium (+) to deep ruby, with some garnet on the rim. The nose is clean and developing, with ripe black berries, some leather and baking spice. Overall this wine seems younger than what the label reflects. The acidity is medium (+), as are the tannins and the alcohol (13.5%). This is a very smooth, balanced and elegant wine. It appears to be at or past its peak but may nevertheless last another couple of years. This is a really impressive wine from one of the best vintages in the last 40 years.
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Not showing any adverse signs of age. Bright color and taste. Soft, medium to light mouthfeel. This is a somewhat restrained, elegant wine. No "wow" factor but fair value for quality.
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Smelled corked on opening and this persisted on the nose. Decanted and aerated. Despite the nose on the palate this is a lovely wine, complex, balanced and could age at least another 5 years (ruby red hue) and no port/madeira tones. Excellet Brunello and had the nose been better would have merited another point or so.
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Part of 1997 Tuscan tasting. Double decanted 2-3 hours before tasting. As with many of the others, drinking beautifully and still has some good years ahead.
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This wine punched above its weight. It was not spectacular but had a lot more fruit come out after decanting than I expected. This is a great brunello for the money.
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This bottle came off as almost muted aromatically. Red sour fruit with a raisiny accent dominated the palate -- would have guessed a mature rioja instead. Missing the uplifting aromas of lavender, dark chocolate. Monolithic and still tannic -- quite a different bottle from the one a year ago.
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It was a nice time going through this bottle with my friend Michael N. Optimal drinking 30-45 minutes from decant, with roundess of red fruit, cherry predominant, tannin and alcohol. Good strong minerality, tobacco, leather and dry clay notes. Graphite developing towards the end of it's evolution. A pleasure to drink. Probably would not hold these bottles much longer.
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Call it bottle variation, but this bottle was the best of the 3 by several lengths. It was racy, pure, long and seductive. Cherry, earth, menthol. Perfectly integrated tannin, acid and alcohol levels right to balance out the fruit. Everything you could ask for in a mature Brunello. Best wine I've had in a long time.
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In very good shape at the moment. Cork soaked 1/3, color holding fast with a dark brick red/ruby hue. I was fully expecting this to be a little more advanced than it was, but in fact the nose was kind of tight - the palate, too, so be sure to give this 90 minutes of aeration in decanter as the last glass was the best. Medium-bodied, well-lifted, red-fruited, with a nice balance of leather, scorched earth and dried herbs framing the sweet core of red fruits. We had it with BBQ chicken, but really, all I could think about was pairing it with some veal. 13,5% abv., drink thru 2020. recommended
Served non-blind after 2 hour slow-ox; be sure to decant for sediment.
https://italianwine.blog/
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Bright cherry, creme de menthe, and spices. Mildly acidic, especially at first, but improved by the second day. Medium to full bodied. Fruit forward. Wouldn't have guessed it was an 18 year old wine.
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I wouldn't call this New World but it had a bit more Flashiness! than a typical Brunello. The fruit flavors were very ripe but the leather and earthiness were in there as well. Needed much air to come around as it was fairly thin at pop 'n pour but the last of the bottle was medium to full bodied and very nice.
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A wonderful bottle of wine. Mature and sophisticated, with perfectly melded tannins adding sweetness and depth to an aged fruit. Jammy blueberries with hints of cedar and olive wood. The balance is just right from the first sip -- reminiscent of an elegant aged bordeaux yet unmistakably Tuscan. The color is deep without any degradation. Can easily last longer, but drinks impeccably now. Yet to meet a '97 that failed to impress.
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a meh wine. Competent, if I can use that term. Nothing wrong with it. Tasted nice. But nothing special, either. Ah well. My only bottle. No reason to add more. Can't see much upside in waiting on this one, either.
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Wonderful nose of wild berries and mocha. Long finish with nice after taste. One of those wines that you can taste in your mouth long after you finished drinking.
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Coravin 8/29/13. Medium ruby color with little bricking; prominent nose with red fruit, bright, slight earth with a fairly strong decomposing quality (little too much for me, and I like this stuff); palate has medium body, integrated tannins still providing structure, great midpalate acidity, still enough fruit to balance out the structure; finish is medium length, slightly short on fruit compared to residual tannins. A fairly decent wine, but doesn't live up to its reputation or price point so I would pass on buying. I like it slightly less now than at my last trial in 2011, and I would drink up soon as it's not likely to improve. 90- Coravin 8/30/13: Spot-on exactly like yesterday, starting at first pop-and-pour state and progressing through the exact same decomposing fruit phases over 30-60 minutes. Very exciting, since usually wines have degraded at least a bit by day 2. Still 1/2 bottle remaining. 9/10/13: Half bottle remaining when opened. Still nice, but not exactly the same. Not clearly oxidized, but doesn't have the funk that it did earlier and didn't develop in the same way. Difficult to assess what kind of change the Coravin had, but there appears to have been at least a small change. Will need to run some experiments with double bottles so that I can taste blind side by side.
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This wine is at its drinking peak. The oldest and the best Brunnello I have ever had. It went perfectly with pasta. I'm starting to age all my Brunellos 10 to 20 years after vintage because I believe that is when they are at their best.
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I'm going to totally agree with PKATZ "My last bottle and arguably the best. Mature but still vibrant." i was really concerned since it was supposed to be past its prime. But it was excellent. Smooth, fruity, dry, nice tannins, and great with tonight's dinner pasta with marinara .
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Nicely decanted prior to dinner. Preceded by a lovely bottle of Burgundy and salad. Beautifully paired with NY strip steak. Nose is surprisingly mellow, nothing overpowering here. SMOOTH as it courses over the palate, no tannin to hide the lovely deep dark berry flavor. Moderate to long finish of not overly ripe blackberries. This is not a heavy Napa cab, rather, a complex subtle mature red wine that is nicely balance in all aspects.
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Still somewhat tannic, but I'm not sure whether the fruit is going to hold up much longer. Three bottles over the past few years and three completely different experiences, although all three were purchased at the same time. Aging wine is a crapshoot.
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Leather and cherries on the nose. Smooth into the mouth, juicy, some mature notes, cherry, a little liquorice, a little acidity left, tannins have resolved nicely, decent length, loads of pleasure here. Maybe a little more time on this, but can't see any real improvement by doing so
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Very light colored with bricking; nose has bright floral and cherry fruit with hints of old world earth; palate is light bodied, has great acidity, fully integrated tannins, nice smooth cherry fruit; finish is medium length, balanced. A fully mature brunello, slightly thinner than most and missing the characteristic spiciness, but supremely enjoyable and at peak. Will finish my last bottle in the next year. 91-92
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Took this to a wine tasting with a theme of over the hill. It may be listed on cellar tracker as being at the edge of its life, but this bottle was still prime. Far more enjoyable than I expected.
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Carmine red. Some barnyard in the mature bouquet, with also red fruits and acidity. Full bodied and beautifully balanced wine with still some cherries, earthy impressions, firm but good acidity and tannin. Elegant and complex, mature wine which is a great pleasure to drink now and probably for another 3+ years.
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Nose of black cherry, some leather; palate of same, fruit sweeter after decanted 2 hours, background spice, everything in balance. Drinking fantastic now-- fans of saddle leather will probably want to wait 3+ years for the fruit to mellow further.
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Deep red color. Aromas of black cherries, smoke, leather and spices. Medium-bodied ripe fruit in the mouth with excellent structure, depth and length. Almost silky texture with ripe, well-integrated tannins. Still very fresh but elegant. A sauve, delicious wine to drink over the next 5 years.
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Popped the cork to give it a little air about 2 hours prior to serving. Really muted nose that never really came around. The palate started off much the same but after an hour in the glass the fruit started to build and there was some really nice black cherry fruit. The tannins are still present but this is an easy drink with food.
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Nose of Amarone, showing brick red around the rim. Markedly acidic, though this receded with time...I found that the fruit had faded, te wine was balanced and reserved. My guess is this bottle peaked 1-2 years ago. Certainly pleasant to drink, though i expected more from a '97 Brunello. My bottle of E. Fuligni '97 Brunello was much better
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Even better than the last, I will wait a bit on my final bottle. This was wonderful. Still a big brunello, but the character and finesse of these wines is tremendous.Consistant notes and flavors, but this one was just absolutely singing. Loved it/
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This is one of the best Brunellos's I've ever had!! Beautifully integrated with a noticable tannic backbone that help provide structure to the palate of smoke,anise and cigar box. It matched perfectly with Veal parm. I really wish I had more than one bottle. This may improve over the next couple of years but who cares, this is extremely nice now.
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Did not decant. Slight signs of bricking. Beguiling aromas of tar, flowers and tarragon changes with every whiff. This wine is alla bout the nose. It really came around since the last time I opened one. Medium bodied. Tannins fully integrated. Well-balanced. Medium long finish. Seemed to fade after about 2 hours. 92-93 pts in first hour.
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Noticably better than my last bottle, although this and the 2 left were from a different source.
The flavour profile was similar, but this was heavier in body (med+) and darker ruby. This bottle still seemed at peak and excellent, I wonder if the other bottle has poor storage and had "overaged". Lots of red fruit and earthinest. Great balance, smooth tannins, just an all around peaking brunello in my book.
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Steaks with Jim, Aiden and Jackdaw (Rothmann's steakhouse, NYC): The nose is shy at first, giving off more mineral than anything, maybe a whiff of smoke (or maybe that was the cigar smoke from outside the restaurant). On the palate, still rather tight, with tannin that is still firm yet giving the impression that it's about to release. Heavy liquorice and mineral on the palate, with bit of a creamy texture (the remnants of oak treatment?). I would age this another couple of years, and I think the the tannin will yield to a pretty interesting palate.
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dark purple berries, not too pronounced (but was decanted) elegant firm dry tannins with plenty of fruit. still young in 2004. has plenty of aging potential
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Clean Medium Ruby little to no rim variation it already looks delicious. Clean nose, medium intensity, red fruits (cranberry and red cherry), smoke, cloves and assorted sweet spice, a bit of leather maybe. Med body, med acid, med(-) to low tannin, med (-) alchohol, med (+) finish. sour red cherry smoke and cloves are the predominant flavors. There is some nice depth though with sweet spices a bit of game, licorice and maybe plum as well. This is very nice, the tannins are very light but rounded, this wine has balance good flavour and depth. It is very bright and lively, I honestly doubt that there is much room for improvement, the red fruit is just lovely. It is not quite an outstanding wine, but it is extremely good and seems to be drinking perfectly right now. Very very enjoyable. 89 + points, I would not hesitate to pull this out to drink with the wine geek crowd.
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Good, solid enjoyable Brunello. Any rough edges seem to have disappeared now, and the wine shows as "silky" in the mouth. The acidity (typical of Italian wine) makes this a fine choice at the table. Enjoyed this with some grilled sausage and rare roast beef. Drinking very well now.
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A Christmas Tasting in Maine (Bangor, Maine): This was firing on all cylinders as scents of cranberries, earth, cherries, and aromatic cheese wafted up from the glass. In the mouth there was lovely red fruits supported with good acidity and well rounded tannins that softened with time in the glass. An absolutely a stunning wine.
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Drank witha meal of Osso Bucco. Nice wine that takes awhile to open. Rather closed at first but over an hour or two evolved into a classic Brunello. Nice full mouth but a little flat. Nice fruit without that cloying jammy taste that can sometimes occur.
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Don't know about 96 points but this really blossoms with some air. Initially thin and giving little and then becomes quite rich and already nuanced. I will leave my other bottle for some time. This is becoming a very interesting wine. Lovely with turkey.
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I don’t agree with Parker on this wine. It was an excellent example of Brunello and had none of the irregular qualites he describes. I have had better Brunellos but this was a very good wine.
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Denver does Sangio: Deep cherry syrup notes and a nice dose of mint leafs on this lovely wine which is definitely ready to drink. The flavor profile is cleaner than the 2001 we have this evening. This is showing a lot leaner a profile in the mid palate than in it's youth. While the the finish is nice and big there is a high level of acidity present which makes me wonder if this has enough fruit to continue improving -my guess is not. Time to drink now
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BBQ Night at Keith's; 7/20/2008-7/22/2008 (NYC): 96 points tanzer...87 points parker... heh..guess who was right? J.S. of Wine Spectator. true sangio nose of leather and iron, minerally middle with cherry dominating, refreshing acidity. excellent wine that went trully well with the grilled meat. yay!
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tasted in two days. the first day the wine showed more evolved than the second day.
The second day it was a delicious glass of wine. great fruit, nice acidity and soft, integrated tannins. medium length. The nose (with some mushroom and under brush) is more evolved than the palate. The palate delivers nice fresh fruit, ticly acidity, licorice, plum and a hint of bayleaf.
I think the wine showed at its best that second day. I see no room for real imporovement, but it will hold 5 years easily.
ciao!
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Wine was very closed right after we opened it. After decanting an hour it turned out to be very smooth with subtle and delicious fruit. We really enjoyed this bottle.
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By far the best bottle yet of this inconsistent wine for this vintage. Dark ruby to the rim. Nose offers moderate complexity, black cherries, chocolate. Taste is smoothe, a little sweet, but pleasantly so. Lingering finish. Tremendous variability in the single 6-pack of this wine I bought from a great retailer, but this bottle was clearly outstanding.
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good bottle of wine, needs at least 2hrs of air, made the misake of opening and drinking. Yeast on the nose burned off to a rich long lasting brunello.
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This was quite tastey with grilled hamburgers. I think this wine should be consumed now as it doesn't seem to have the depth I expected when the 1997s were released.
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Another in the Great 1997 Brunello Hoax - I remember this being very highly rated by Tanzer's fly-by-night Italian reviewer and I'm glad to see that he hasn't resurfaced since. This is okay at best. Very soft, little structure and sweet on the finish. Nose is a bit roasted and seems much older than it should. Drink yesterday at the latest.
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This might not hits the heights that Brunello can reach, but it is a very enjoyable wine offering moderate complexity on the nose and a smoothe, clean, elegant taste. No hurry, but no reason to wait much more than a couple of years to drink my remaining bottles.
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Drank at Ultracollectibles dinner... fabulous! Fig & chocoalate on the nose, long finish. Followed the 1982 Gruaud Larose... paired with selection of 4 raviolis. side-by-side with 1997 Castello Giacolondo Brunello, which was good but not comparable.
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At Gramercy Tavern with Todd and Carla. A good but not great Brunello. Although generally well balanced, I found this rather restrained and unexciting. The others liked it more than me. I think it suffered from being pulled a few years too early.
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Some recent Italians; 10/1/2005-2/5/2006: This was a strange one, funny nose, that on occasional sniff seemed faulty in some way, not quite a corked aroma but not good. But on the palate it was magnificent, rich, aristocratic and well, pretty profound really. Dark fruit, leather, bitter chocolate and really sophisticated tannian made this one of the best 97 brunello's I've tried, but the nose took the edge of the magnificene. It was like watching a great movie or admiring a beautiful painting with a guy next to you who had serious odour issues. But damn it tatsed fine.
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medium to full bodied wine the fruit is lurking but needs coaxing. this wine was not decanted for long . needs an hour or two in advance.excellent wine but does not merit an outstanding score. i would say there is several years t ogo before this really unfolds.
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enjoyed at christmas dinner with grandma and grandpa pomponio, giulio, donna, frankie and ellen. i have to side with parker on this one. it is moving along at a pretty rapid pace. the beauty is in the nose with multiple layers of floral scents. modest mouth feel and short finish. however some residual tannnins suggest that it may hold for another year or two. warrants careful monitoring.
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This started out with a sharp green streak, but markedly improved with some time in the glass. Complex aromatics (the best feature of this wine). Nice earthiness and acidity, moderate fruit, a bit hard and lean on the finish.
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Some Recent Notes: Tuscany, Burgundy and St Julien; 8/11/2005-9/22/2005: After an tight unyielding bottle of this a year or so ago, this was much more promising. Quite horsey on the nose, underlying hint of fruit, but makes up for it on the palate where its richer tand kircshier than exdpected with lots of freshning acidity. Good but the constanti's better.
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Violet color on the lighter side with bricking on the edges. Nose of black cherries. A little more "hollow" in flavor than I would of expected, but complex and interesting.
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I think this is the first of the 1997 Brunellos to mature, and it really is drinking well. By drinking well I mean it's showing good fruit and structure, its in balance, and isn't overly tannic. On the palate, the wine shows typical notes of red cherries, plus darker notes of something akin or blackberries. There are hints of coffee in the background plus notes of dried straw. The 1997 Argiano has a perfect level of acidity, which harmonizes perfectly with the alcohol and tannin to produce a very balanced and now accessible wine. This wine really is all about structure, and thusly I think it will continue to drink well for at least 5 more years. This wine was decanted to remove sediment and doesn't need any extended decanting time at all. Wonderful Brunello. 92+ points.
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Lacking in personality, though an enjoyable bottle of wine with a good balance. I believe it is very close to its peak, which kind of worries me yet again about 97 BdMs. still .. tasty wine. Italian in style.
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Big Brunello tasting night. Grilled Tuscan lamb chops for dinner with some friends. What else would you drink? The line up was all 1997 vintage (not Reservas) and comprised Argiano, Tenuta Friggiali, Campogiovanni and Altesino Vendemmia. Each wine was good and and there was no consensus on a "best wine". The Argiano had it's supporters but I again found it a bit austere. I thought the Campogiovanni was the best; deep and full of fruit and tannins. I also preferred the Tenuta Friggiali over the Argiano. The Altesino was good but my least favorite as it seemed a bit bitter (but as it was the fourth bottle opened it probably was at a disadvantage). All in all these wines were great. I continue to wonder though when is the optimum time to drink thie vintage. The more I taste it, the more I think these may not have a long cellar life and they are very good right now.
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Makes me what to expand my cellar with more Brunello/Sangio. Pretty ruby color that shows the signs of age. Nose and tastes of leather and a hint of tobacco, possibly even cedar. Smells better than it tastes, but I am ok with that. Smooth finish, medium bodied. Very happy about it considering the price I paid for it (about 50% of current retail). I am not sure if this will last another three years, so I’d drink up.
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I found this wine to be a big let down. I was expecting deep concentrated fruit and tannins. Instead this bottle was rather flat and a bit thin. It wasn't just me, my tasting buddy had the same impression. Given the year, the producer and the price, I was surprised. I have a few more bottles and I will try another soon to see if this was an isolated event. If not, I'll drink all soon.
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We thought this was a wonderful wine. Rich, earthy nose and full in the mouth. Indeed, tobacco, with "deep" flavors. We loved it, ready to drink. Wish we had more.
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($50) Sweet minty vanilla and burnt sugar, dough, rich and plush. Sweet expansive fruit for Brunello. Red hard candy. Great concentration. Bit of mint in the finish. Likin' this.
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Very dark color. This will need a lot of time. Powerful tannins and very acidic now. Notes of cassis and chocolate with a very dry finish. This will be very good. 91-92.
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12/24/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bright cloudy ruby color. Cranberries on the nose. Notes of cranberries and pomegranate with crabapple crispness in the finish.
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11/3/2023 - Apollo_Creed wrote: 91 Points
Still holding together.
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10/21/2023 - gboue Likes this wine: 90 Points
Aged better than the last bottle. Tasted a touch spent, but still retained typical brunello flavors.
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3/30/2023 - guruguru Likes this wine: 94 Points
Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1997
エレガントなブルネッロ・ディ・モンタルチーノ。
熟成により、酸もタンニンも果実味も高レベルで統合されている。
舌に引っ掛かる感じが一切ない滑らかな舌触りと、奥行きのある余韻。
料理が来る前にあっさり一杯飲んでしまった。
Elegant Brunello di Montalcino.
The aging process has resulted in a high level of integration of acidity, tannins and fruit.
Smooth on the tongue with no feeling of sticking to the tongue, and a deep finish.
I easily drank a glass before the food arrived.
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10/14/2022 - gboue wrote: 86 Points
Past its prime but still enjoyable
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9/4/2022 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of orange rind, floral notes of violets, earthy/dusty notes, spices, herbs, leather, iron, some tar, clay, minerals & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with spices, herbs, cocoa, minerals & cedar/oak. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing but at 25 years old, it is at its pinnacle of development, so please drink up! Cork was clean & intact; fill up well above the shoulder in lower neck. An absolutely wonderful, aged Brunello.
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9/30/2020 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Brunello (@ RW): Beautiful, mature and complex bouquet with earth and forest floor. Same on the palate, chocolate, still some cherries, beautiful acidity, mild tannin and a long finish. Fully mature and beautiful wine. Definitely not too old yet.
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9/12/2020 - sababa1022 wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle. Bummer. Agree with notes of Demon Ethanol.
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8/31/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Monthly Boys' Wine Night (Eric's House, Hong Kong): Semi-opaque deep black-red colour. Nose is immediately gorgeous and welcoming...damp woodland soil, dried hillside thyme and basil, sun-baked earth. Palate is fresh acidic attack that then immediately unleashes rich, plummy, belly-filling and gorgeous black fruits. Still a baby but the tannins are already beautifully softened and produce a very rounded and succulent mouth texture. A really luxuriant finish. Knocking on the door of 94.
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5/8/2020 - navybrat wrote: 88 Points
Probably waited a bit too long.
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1/14/2020 - DemonC2H5OH wrote: 90 Points
Drank with dinner of Ribeye steaks. At first I thought that this might be showing it's age a bit as the initial predominant nose was a tad oxidative, but that blew off within the hour and revealed lots of lovely plum and red currant fruit remaining. Tannins are velvety soft and oak is beautifully integrated now but it still has good acidity and a wonderful finish and great length. Probably drink sooner than later but no desperate rush.
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10/28/2019 - JCGuthrie wrote: 93 Points
Splash double decanted for sediment, then left open in bottle at the restaurant for about an hour. Initially got a lot of scorched earth and thought this was past peak, but it opened up nicely in my glass over the course of 30 minutes. Iron, leather, soft red fruit. Ended up as WOTN for me.
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7/10/2019 - joswald94123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still very much in its window for consumption. It opened up and significant fruit emerged within 20 minutes. Enjoyed the bottled over a 2-3 hour period and it kept getting "younger" with time.
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5/7/2019 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 94 Points
Texas Wine School - Kings of Italy Class. This was the WOTN according to many of the tasters. Medium (+) to deep ruby, with a garnet hue. The nose is clean and developing, with ripe black berries, dried herbs, leather and sweet baking spices. Overall this wine seems younger than 22 years. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with excellent balance between the fruit and the structure. The acidity is medium (+), as are the tannins and the alcohol (13.5%). This is a very smooth, balanced and elegant wine, with a long, savory, balsamic finish. It has aged minimally since my tasting note of Dec. 2016, a testament to one of the best Montalcino vintages in the last 40 years and the importance of proper storage. Drink now through 2022?
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4/1/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, leather, and tobacco on the beautiful nose. Sark berries, underwood, and orange notes on the palate. Integrated tannins and good finish.
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2/18/2019 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 93 Points
La Nuit des Garcons (Grill Restaurant, Hong Kong Country Club, Hong Kong): Drank blind - first in a big line-up of blind reds.Translucent ruby colour. Nose is lovely, lifted and fresh....alluring. Palate is sumptuous, silky and very sexy. So young and alive but the tannin has already softened enough to achieve a great equilibrium of tension and resolution. Really fabulous - perfect now but has 10 years ahead of it at this level or slightly better. 93+.
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2/1/2019 - Thomas B wrote: 90 Points
While the fruit has started to fade this is still at a great place. Decanted just an hour before drinking the nose was full of dried fruit, dried flowers and forest. On the palate the red fruits still show thru with ripe strawberry and cherry. Finish fades too quickly but otherwise no complaints!
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4/30/2018 - Jimswinecellar Likes this wine:
Wine is still very drinkable. We decanted it and drank it about one hour later. Subtle fruits remain with earthy tones. Silky. Soft/no tannins.
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1/13/2018 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 87 Points
Slightly (but obviously) oxidized nose. This is still together, but just barely. It was fine with the lamb, but is obviously past its prime by itself. Black cherries and plenty of herbs still intact (rosemary, thyme, maybe a hint of lavendar). Medium-full bodied and very silky. Drink.
87
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1/13/2018 - MarcusNZ wrote: 84 Points
opened and decanted this based on other CT notes, Over ripe on the palate with a strong tar note on the finish. Not typical and not what I am looking for in a wine. I had just started collecting wine seriously around the time this vintage came out and some of the wine writers called this the vintage of the century. I am sure Karma will catch up with them.
Good cooking wine
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1/6/2018 - sababa1022 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking wonderfully!
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12/1/2017 - shurpa14 wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/16/2017 - PLKMTK wrote:
Cork issue; decant; fading but still okay 6/17; Drink up
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10/22/2017 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice surprise! Still enough fruit to balance the soft tannins. Probably won’t last much longer.
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10/7/2017 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasty like a previous bottle; lots of ripe cherry, leather, mushroom. Still well in a wonderful place.
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10/7/2017 - Javachip Likes this wine: 94 Points
DoubleD Fest (Carlsbad, California): Dark blood-ruby-brick red color. Classic bouquet of red cherries, leather, clay, stony soil. Similar on the palate, full body, seamless, nice tannic grip and acid backbone. Definitely from the land of Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.
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3/31/2017 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is still in its prime, but who knows for how much longer. Big nose of red cherry, mushroom, licorice, and hints of forest floor. Big body, balanced and smooth, with a long finish. Kinda wish I had grabbed a few of them, but it definitely encourages me to keep my hands off my younger vintages!
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3/1/2017 - bdeblank wrote: 91 Points
At a nice place. Good upon opening, but really improved after an hour. A fair amount of sediment, good dark color. Drink now, but will last several more years.
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2/6/2017 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 94 Points
Texas Wine School, Luxury Wines of Italy Class. Decanted a couple of hours. This was the WOTN according to most of the tasters. Consistent with my tasting note from December 2016.
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12/28/2016 - kronfeld wrote:
Possibly a bad bottle. Light and elegant like my prior bottles but seemed past it prime. Fruit long gone. Slight brown tinge to the red color. Not offensive but not affirmatively good either.
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12/16/2016 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was the WOTN according to many of the tasters. Medium (+) to deep ruby, with some garnet on the rim. The nose is clean and developing, with ripe black berries, some leather and baking spice. Overall this wine seems younger than what the label reflects. The acidity is medium (+), as are the tannins and the alcohol (13.5%). This is a very smooth, balanced and elegant wine. It appears to be at or past its peak but may nevertheless last another couple of years. This is a really impressive wine from one of the best vintages in the last 40 years.
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10/8/2016 - kronfeld Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not showing any adverse signs of age. Bright color and taste. Soft, medium to light mouthfeel. This is a somewhat restrained, elegant wine. No "wow" factor but fair value for quality.
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2/13/2016 - MattJ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smelled corked on opening and this persisted on the nose. Decanted and aerated. Despite the nose on the palate this is a lovely wine, complex, balanced and could age at least another 5 years (ruby red hue) and no port/madeira tones. Excellet Brunello and had the nose been better would have merited another point or so.
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2/5/2016 - Ron Slye wrote: 92 Points
Part of 1997 Tuscan tasting. Double decanted 2-3 hours before tasting. As with many of the others, drinking beautifully and still has some good years ahead.
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12/24/2015 - chefj79 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Could probably go another 10yrs. Drinking great now, however.
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11/28/2015 - jvstier1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine punched above its weight. It was not spectacular but had a lot more fruit come out after decanting than I expected. This is a great brunello for the money.
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8/15/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
This bottle came off as almost muted aromatically. Red sour fruit with a raisiny accent dominated the palate -- would have guessed a mature rioja instead. Missing the uplifting aromas of lavender, dark chocolate. Monolithic and still tannic -- quite a different bottle from the one a year ago.
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8/15/2015 - HoosierAmphorae Likes this wine: 93 Points
It was a nice time going through this bottle with my friend Michael N. Optimal drinking 30-45 minutes from decant, with roundess of red fruit, cherry predominant, tannin and alcohol. Good strong minerality, tobacco, leather and dry clay notes. Graphite developing towards the end of it's evolution. A pleasure to drink. Probably would not hold these bottles much longer.
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8/8/2015 - DRK III Likes this wine: 95 Points
Call it bottle variation, but this bottle was the best of the 3 by several lengths. It was racy, pure, long and seductive. Cherry, earth, menthol. Perfectly integrated tannin, acid and alcohol levels right to balance out the fruit. Everything you could ask for in a mature Brunello. Best wine I've had in a long time.
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6/22/2015 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
In very good shape at the moment. Cork soaked 1/3, color holding fast with a dark brick red/ruby hue. I was fully expecting this to be a little more advanced than it was, but in fact the nose was kind of tight - the palate, too, so be sure to give this 90 minutes of aeration in decanter as the last glass was the best. Medium-bodied, well-lifted, red-fruited, with a nice balance of leather, scorched earth and dried herbs framing the sweet core of red fruits. We had it with BBQ chicken, but really, all I could think about was pairing it with some veal. 13,5% abv., drink thru 2020. recommended
Served non-blind after 2 hour slow-ox; be sure to decant for sediment.
https://italianwine.blog/
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3/21/2015 - JuliannaD wrote: 93 Points
This is exactly what I expect in an aged Brunello, good texture, deep cherry, menthol, and leather flavors.
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3/20/2015 - DRK III Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bright cherry, creme de menthe, and spices. Mildly acidic, especially at first, but improved by the second day. Medium to full bodied. Fruit forward. Wouldn't have guessed it was an 18 year old wine.
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2/19/2015 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as the 10/11/10 bottle.
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11/25/2014 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I wouldn't call this New World but it had a bit more Flashiness! than a typical Brunello. The fruit flavors were very ripe but the leather and earthiness were in there as well. Needed much air to come around as it was fairly thin at pop 'n pour but the last of the bottle was medium to full bodied and very nice.
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10/21/2014 - ctjared Likes this wine:
drinking very well. wish I had more. all there is to love about brunello
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10/20/2014 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
A wonderful bottle of wine. Mature and sophisticated, with perfectly melded tannins adding sweetness and depth to an aged fruit. Jammy blueberries with hints of cedar and olive wood. The balance is just right from the first sip -- reminiscent of an elegant aged bordeaux yet unmistakably Tuscan. The color is deep without any degradation. Can easily last longer, but drinks impeccably now. Yet to meet a '97 that failed to impress.
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3/9/2014 - SteveHyde wrote: 89 Points
a meh wine. Competent, if I can use that term. Nothing wrong with it. Tasted nice. But nothing special, either. Ah well. My only bottle. No reason to add more. Can't see much upside in waiting on this one, either.
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12/1/2013 - vinko84 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful nose of wild berries and mocha. Long finish with nice after taste. One of those wines that you can taste in your mouth long after you finished drinking.
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11/29/2013 - Malibu wino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty dreamy stuff. At its peak. Buy it if you can find it. Slightly sweet chocolate and cherries. Tannins resolved. Gets better with every sip. Yum.
September 18, 2015 update: Still drinking beautifully. Harmonious, with red berries and chocolate. Very enjoyable.
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8/29/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin 8/29/13. Medium ruby color with little bricking; prominent nose with red fruit, bright, slight earth with a fairly strong decomposing quality (little too much for me, and I like this stuff); palate has medium body, integrated tannins still providing structure, great midpalate acidity, still enough fruit to balance out the structure; finish is medium length, slightly short on fruit compared to residual tannins. A fairly decent wine, but doesn't live up to its reputation or price point so I would pass on buying. I like it slightly less now than at my last trial in 2011, and I would drink up soon as it's not likely to improve. 90-
Coravin 8/30/13: Spot-on exactly like yesterday, starting at first pop-and-pour state and progressing through the exact same decomposing fruit phases over 30-60 minutes. Very exciting, since usually wines have degraded at least a bit by day 2. Still 1/2 bottle remaining.
9/10/13: Half bottle remaining when opened. Still nice, but not exactly the same. Not clearly oxidized, but doesn't have the funk that it did earlier and didn't develop in the same way. Difficult to assess what kind of change the Coravin had, but there appears to have been at least a small change. Will need to run some experiments with double bottles so that I can taste blind side by side.
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5/26/2013 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent nose of cherry and dark chocolate. Same on the palate, but more subtle against a backbone of acid and mature tannins.
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4/5/2013 - Brunello123 wrote: 95 Points
This wine is at its drinking peak. The oldest and the best Brunnello I have ever had. It went perfectly with pasta. I'm starting to age all my Brunellos 10 to 20 years after vintage because I believe that is when they are at their best.
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2/24/2013 - bobwire Likes this wine: 91 Points
I'm going to totally agree with PKATZ "My last bottle and arguably the best. Mature but still vibrant." i was really concerned since it was supposed to be past its prime. But it was excellent. Smooth, fruity, dry, nice tannins, and great with tonight's dinner pasta with marinara .
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2/2/2013 - rdswain wrote: 91 Points
still outstanding..hit of the dinner party. Very soft tannins, nice fruit. Wouldn't wait much longer to consume.
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1/24/2013 - pkatz wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle and arguably the best. Mature but still vibrant.
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1/23/2013 - wehouck Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nicely decanted prior to dinner. Preceded by a lovely bottle of Burgundy and salad. Beautifully paired with NY strip steak. Nose is surprisingly mellow, nothing overpowering here. SMOOTH as it courses over the palate, no tannin to hide the lovely deep dark berry flavor. Moderate to long finish of not overly ripe blackberries. This is not a heavy Napa cab, rather, a complex subtle mature red wine that is nicely balance in all aspects.
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12/30/2012 - jdinkin1 wrote: 93 Points
Great nose. Elegant with great mouthfeel.
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10/21/2012 - Old Joe wrote: 92 Points
lots of body, aroma and taste to go with it
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7/27/2012 - JJKinch wrote: 92 Points
Nice cherry fruit, spice, slight herb, anise/ menthol, earth, lingering finish. Nice acidity, tannins, really well integrated. Really enjoyable, 92+.
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7/1/2012 - pkatz wrote: 91 Points
Still somewhat tannic, but I'm not sure whether the fruit is going to hold up much longer. Three bottles over the past few years and three completely different experiences, although all three were purchased at the same time. Aging wine is a crapshoot.
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12/27/2011 - cjsavino wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color.
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12/21/2011 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
1997 Brunellos (Tasted Blind) (Tom's house in Palo Alto, California): Some funk. Good palate. Tasted blind.
My #3, Group's #6
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12/1/2011 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 92 Points
Superb, mature, fruit still there, great texture, balance (12/24)
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12/1/2011 - kingkanu wrote: 90 Points
Leather and cherries on the nose. Smooth into the mouth, juicy, some mature notes, cherry, a little liquorice, a little acidity left, tannins have resolved nicely, decent length, loads of pleasure here. Maybe a little more time on this, but can't see any real improvement by doing so
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11/11/2011 - dambrosio wrote: 90 Points
Our impression is that though the wine lacks the pallet and finish that we know it previously had. Decanted for 3 hours.
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10/24/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Very light colored with bricking; nose has bright floral and cherry fruit with hints of old world earth; palate is light bodied, has great acidity, fully integrated tannins, nice smooth cherry fruit; finish is medium length, balanced. A fully mature brunello, slightly thinner than most and missing the characteristic spiciness, but supremely enjoyable and at peak. Will finish my last bottle in the next year. 91-92
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10/24/2011 - ebrumby wrote: 93 Points
Took this to a wine tasting with a theme of over the hill. It may be listed on cellar tracker as being at the edge of its life, but this bottle was still prime. Far more enjoyable than I expected.
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10/6/2011 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Carmine red. Some barnyard in the mature bouquet, with also red fruits and acidity. Full bodied and beautifully balanced wine with still some cherries, earthy impressions, firm but good acidity and tannin. Elegant and complex, mature wine which is a great pleasure to drink now and probably for another 3+ years.
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9/19/2011 - David J Cooper wrote: 87 Points
Medium red. A very tight nose showing a bit of red fruit and spice. Very soft fruit flavours and a soft finish.
This wine was popped and poured, this could be a reason it didn't show any of the richness I expect from the vintage.
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4/5/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Consistent with previous notes. Plenty of life left here.
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3/27/2011 - pkatz wrote: 90 Points
Still big and burly. Totally unlike previous bottle.
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2/26/2011 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Nose of black cherry, some leather; palate of same, fruit sweeter after decanted 2 hours, background spice, everything in balance. Drinking fantastic now-- fans of saddle leather will probably want to wait 3+ years for the fruit to mellow further.
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1/4/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Recent comments are spot on. Silky tannins and gorgeous mouth feel. Drinking extremely well.
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10/11/2010 - hsacks wrote: 93 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of black cherries, smoke, leather and spices. Medium-bodied ripe fruit in the mouth with excellent structure, depth and length. Almost silky texture with ripe, well-integrated tannins. Still very fresh but elegant. A sauve, delicious wine to drink over the next 5 years.
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10/2/2010 - pkatz wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly light colored. Mellow and mature but not over the hill. Drink now.
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9/8/2010 - borneman wrote: 91 Points
Complex aromas after opened for an hour or so. Great flavors of saddle leather, primary fruits subdued. Silky tannins.
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4/26/2010 - premiercru1973 wrote: 90 Points
Great bottle at its peak (after my taste).
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1/3/2010 - keelegl wrote: 89 Points
Popped the cork to give it a little air about 2 hours prior to serving. Really muted nose that never really came around. The palate started off much the same but after an hour in the glass the fruit started to build and there was some really nice black cherry fruit. The tannins are still present but this is an easy drink with food.
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12/21/2009 - alamoave wrote: 89 Points
Fruit is now on the one-way downward path, so drink whatever is left soon. Still good structure if a tad acidic.
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12/18/2009 - davidselvia wrote: 87 Points
Primary fruit had already faded, but good nevertheless. Had this with Ryan & YY @ San Pietro in NYC (excellent!)
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11/15/2009 - rwatkin wrote: 87 Points
Nose of Amarone, showing brick red around the rim. Markedly acidic, though this receded with time...I found that the fruit had faded, te wine was balanced and reserved. My guess is this bottle peaked 1-2 years ago. Certainly pleasant to drink, though i expected more from a '97 Brunello. My bottle of E. Fuligni '97 Brunello was much better
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10/21/2009 - KWC3141 wrote: 93 Points
Even better than the last, I will wait a bit on my final bottle. This was wonderful. Still a big brunello, but the character and finesse of these wines is tremendous.Consistant notes and flavors, but this one was just absolutely singing. Loved it/
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10/10/2009 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
This is one of the best Brunellos's I've ever had!! Beautifully integrated with a noticable tannic backbone that help provide structure to the palate of smoke,anise and cigar box. It matched perfectly with Veal parm. I really wish I had more than one bottle. This may improve over the next couple of years but who cares, this is extremely nice now.
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10/6/2009 - nytiger wrote: 90 Points
nice nose and flavors
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8/24/2009 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Drank with Beef Provencal. Bricking on the rim. Dark cherry fruit, saddle leather a slight floral hint to boot. At its peak in my opinion.
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8/21/2009 - borneman wrote: 91 Points
Did not decant. Slight signs of bricking. Beguiling aromas of tar, flowers and tarragon changes with every whiff. This wine is alla bout the nose. It really came around since the last time I opened one. Medium bodied. Tannins fully integrated. Well-balanced. Medium long finish. Seemed to fade after about 2 hours. 92-93 pts in first hour.
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8/8/2009 - KWC3141 wrote: 91 Points
Noticably better than my last bottle, although this and the 2 left were from a different source.
The flavour profile was similar, but this was heavier in body (med+) and darker ruby. This bottle still seemed at peak and excellent, I wonder if the other bottle has poor storage and had "overaged". Lots of red fruit and earthinest. Great balance, smooth tannins, just an all around peaking brunello in my book.
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7/21/2009 - Pknut wrote:
Steaks with Jim, Aiden and Jackdaw (Rothmann's steakhouse, NYC): The nose is shy at first, giving off more mineral than anything, maybe a whiff of smoke (or maybe that was the cigar smoke from outside the restaurant). On the palate, still rather tight, with tannin that is still firm yet giving the impression that it's about to release. Heavy liquorice and mineral on the palate, with bit of a creamy texture (the remnants of oak treatment?). I would age this another couple of years, and I think the the tannin will yield to a pretty interesting palate.
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6/4/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 94 Points
dark purple berries, not too pronounced (but was decanted) elegant firm dry tannins with plenty of fruit. still young in 2004. has plenty of aging potential
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5/23/2009 - EricBe wrote: 88 Points
Not bad, definitly showing its age with a but of the rust color creeping in and that almost caramel (but not sweet) character
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5/18/2009 - KWC3141 wrote: 89 Points
Clean Medium Ruby little to no rim variation it already looks delicious.
Clean nose, medium intensity, red fruits (cranberry and red cherry), smoke, cloves and assorted sweet spice, a bit of leather maybe.
Med body, med acid, med(-) to low tannin, med (-) alchohol, med (+) finish. sour red cherry smoke and cloves are the predominant flavors. There is some nice depth though with sweet spices a bit of game, licorice and maybe plum as well.
This is very nice, the tannins are very light but rounded, this wine has balance good flavour and depth. It is very bright and lively, I honestly doubt that there is much room for improvement, the red fruit is just lovely. It is not quite an outstanding wine, but it is extremely good and seems to be drinking perfectly right now. Very very enjoyable. 89 + points, I would not hesitate to pull this out to drink with the wine geek crowd.
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3/12/2009 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
Good, solid enjoyable Brunello. Any rough edges seem to have disappeared now, and the wine shows as "silky" in the mouth. The acidity (typical of Italian wine) makes this a fine choice at the table. Enjoyed this with some grilled sausage and rare roast beef. Drinking very well now.
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1/4/2009 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
No specific tasting notes. Mature Argiano which was very good but not overly big nor powerful.
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12/22/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 94 Points
A Christmas Tasting in Maine (Bangor, Maine): This was firing on all cylinders as scents of cranberries, earth, cherries, and aromatic cheese wafted up from the glass. In the mouth there was lovely red fruits supported with good acidity and well rounded tannins that softened with time in the glass. An absolutely a stunning wine.
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12/20/2008 - mellison wrote: 93 Points
Drank witha meal of Osso Bucco. Nice wine that takes awhile to open. Rather closed at first but over an hour or two evolved into a classic Brunello. Nice full mouth but a little flat. Nice fruit without that cloying jammy taste that can sometimes occur.
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11/28/2008 - Mr T wrote:
Don't know about 96 points but this really blossoms with some air. Initially thin and giving little and then becomes quite rich and already nuanced. I will leave my other bottle for some time. This is becoming a very interesting wine. Lovely with turkey.
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10/24/2008 - johnwine wrote: 89 Points
I don’t agree with Parker on this wine. It was an excellent example of Brunello and had none of the irregular qualites he describes. I have had better Brunellos but this was a very good wine.
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10/5/2008 - nytiger wrote: 91 Points
fine nose and flavors, not a lot of power
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9/27/2008 - pepin503 wrote:
Sunset, w\ couple from wine tasting
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9/15/2008 - alamoave wrote: 90 Points
Very solid brunello; at its peak and should be consumed within the next 2-3 years; pop and pour
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9/12/2008 - MauriceE wrote: 90 Points
After being decanted this wine really opened up. Ripe fruit, fully integrated wood. Excellent with spicy game.
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9/7/2008 - mellison wrote: 93 Points
Drank at CT gathering. Very open and time to drink. Tannins have smoothed out with nice fruit that is not overpowering.
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9/1/2008 - bon vivant wrote: 93 Points
Denver does Sangio: Deep cherry syrup notes and a nice dose of mint leafs on this lovely wine which is definitely ready to drink. The flavor profile is cleaner than the 2001 we have this evening. This is showing a lot leaner a profile in the mid palate than in it's youth. While the the finish is nice and big there is a high level of acidity present which makes me wonder if this has enough fruit to continue improving -my guess is not. Time to drink now
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7/22/2008 - Mlermontov wrote: 91 Points
BBQ Night at Keith's; 7/20/2008-7/22/2008 (NYC): 96 points tanzer...87 points parker... heh..guess who was right? J.S. of Wine Spectator.
true sangio nose of leather and iron, minerally middle with cherry dominating, refreshing acidity. excellent wine that went trully well with the grilled meat. yay!
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5/4/2008 - lestergibo wrote: 93 Points
Amazingly ready to drink. Almost too rich to be a Brunello this early in its life.
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4/11/2008 - Scheper wrote: 90 Points
Just a short up date on this 1997 Brunello.
tasted in two days.
the first day the wine showed more evolved than the second day.
The second day it was a delicious glass of wine. great fruit, nice acidity and soft, integrated tannins. medium length.
The nose (with some mushroom and under brush) is more evolved than the palate. The palate delivers nice fresh fruit, ticly acidity, licorice, plum and a hint of bayleaf.
I think the wine showed at its best that second day. I see no room for real imporovement, but it will hold 5 years easily.
ciao!
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4/6/2008 - chbeaumont wrote: 90 Points
Smooth, tending towards rich.Supple. Lacks real stuffing. Fully mature.
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1/12/2008 - draperb wrote: 90 Points
Wine was very closed right after we opened it. After decanting an hour it turned out to be very smooth with subtle and delicious fruit. We really enjoyed this bottle.
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12/24/2007 - nytiger wrote: 90 Points
Fine color nose and flavors
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8/27/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
By far the best bottle yet of this inconsistent wine for this vintage. Dark ruby to the rim. Nose offers moderate complexity, black cherries, chocolate. Taste is smoothe, a little sweet, but pleasantly so. Lingering finish. Tremendous variability in the single 6-pack of this wine I bought from a great retailer, but this bottle was clearly outstanding.
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8/22/2007 - Ibetian wrote: flawed
Mildly corked
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8/5/2007 - cellarid wrote: 88 Points
Eh.
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7/22/2007 - 83AJ wrote: 85 Points
good bottle of wine, needs at least 2hrs of air, made the misake of opening and drinking. Yeast on the nose burned off to a rich long lasting brunello.
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5/25/2007 - Redteeth wrote:
This was quite tastey with grilled hamburgers. I think this wine should be consumed now as it doesn't seem to have the depth I expected when the 1997s were released.
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4/4/2007 - LoireFan wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and wish I had a couple more.
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4/1/2007 - cellarid wrote: 86 Points
Another in the Great 1997 Brunello Hoax - I remember this being very highly rated by Tanzer's fly-by-night Italian reviewer and I'm glad to see that he hasn't resurfaced since. This is okay at best. Very soft, little structure and sweet on the finish. Nose is a bit roasted and seems much older than it should. Drink yesterday at the latest.
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2/19/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
This might not hits the heights that Brunello can reach, but it is a very enjoyable wine offering moderate complexity on the nose and a smoothe, clean, elegant taste. No hurry, but no reason to wait much more than a couple of years to drink my remaining bottles.
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8/5/2006 - Gary wrote:
Drank at Ultracollectibles dinner... fabulous! Fig & chocoalate on the nose, long finish. Followed the 1982 Gruaud Larose... paired with selection of 4 raviolis. side-by-side with 1997 Castello Giacolondo Brunello, which was good but not comparable.
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7/9/2006 - LoireFan wrote: 92 Points
Wow! A great bottle.
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6/22/2006 - Employee500 wrote: 88 Points
Perfectly competent but completely uninspiring Brunello. Actually showing a touch of age...
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2/10/2006 - jerhardt wrote: 89 Points
At Gramercy Tavern with Todd and Carla. A good but not great Brunello. Although generally well balanced, I found this rather restrained and unexciting. The others liked it more than me. I think it suffered from being pulled a few years too early.
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1/28/2006 - The Wine Bum wrote:
Some recent Italians; 10/1/2005-2/5/2006: This was a strange one, funny nose, that on occasional sniff seemed faulty in some way, not quite a corked aroma but not good. But on the palate it was magnificent, rich, aristocratic and well, pretty profound really. Dark fruit, leather, bitter chocolate and really sophisticated tannian made this one of the best 97 brunello's I've tried, but the nose took the edge of the magnificene. It was like watching a great movie or admiring a beautiful painting with a guy next to you who had serious odour issues. But damn it tatsed fine.
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1/27/2006 - bibhau wrote:
Drinking very well,med-bodied, lovely finish-fruit, rated 91+
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1/17/2006 - darthvader wrote: 89 Points
medium to full bodied wine the fruit is lurking but needs coaxing. this wine was not decanted for long . needs an hour or two in advance.excellent wine but does not merit an outstanding score. i would say there is several years t ogo before this really unfolds.
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12/25/2005 - bacchus wrote: 92 Points
enjoyed at christmas dinner with grandma and grandpa pomponio, giulio, donna, frankie and ellen. i have to side with parker on this one. it is moving along at a pretty rapid pace. the beauty is in the nose with multiple layers of floral scents. modest mouth feel and short finish. however some residual tannnins suggest that it may hold for another year or two. warrants careful monitoring.
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12/9/2005 - Siggy wrote: 87 Points
This started out with a sharp green streak, but markedly improved with some time in the glass. Complex aromatics (the best feature of this wine). Nice earthiness and acidity, moderate fruit, a bit hard and lean on the finish.
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9/22/2005 - The Wine Bum wrote:
Some Recent Notes: Tuscany, Burgundy and St Julien; 8/11/2005-9/22/2005: After an tight unyielding bottle of this a year or so ago, this was much more promising. Quite horsey on the nose, underlying hint of fruit, but makes up for it on the palate where its richer tand kircshier than exdpected with lots of freshning acidity. Good but the constanti's better.
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8/23/2005 - bibhau wrote:
Pleasant light red in colour, nice fruit flavour and soft---rating 90
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5/16/2005 - borneman wrote: 88 Points
Violet color on the lighter side with bricking on the edges. Nose of black cherries. A little more "hollow" in flavor than I would of expected, but complex and interesting.
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5/15/2005 - D. Fulton wrote: 92 Points
I think this is the first of the 1997 Brunellos to mature, and it really is drinking well. By drinking well I mean it's showing good fruit and structure, its in balance, and isn't overly tannic. On the palate, the wine shows typical notes of red cherries, plus darker notes of something akin or blackberries. There are hints of coffee in the background plus notes of dried straw. The 1997 Argiano has a perfect level of acidity, which harmonizes perfectly with the alcohol and tannin to produce a very balanced and now accessible wine. This wine really is all about structure, and thusly I think it will continue to drink well for at least 5 more years. This wine was decanted to remove sediment and doesn't need any extended decanting time at all. Wonderful Brunello. 92+ points.
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5/14/2005 - Lorien wrote: 88 Points
Lacking in personality, though an enjoyable bottle of wine with a good balance. I believe it is very close to its peak, which kind of worries me yet again about 97 BdMs. still .. tasty wine. Italian in style.
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4/15/2005 - Redteeth wrote:
Big Brunello tasting night. Grilled Tuscan lamb chops for dinner with some friends. What else would you drink? The line up was all 1997 vintage (not Reservas) and comprised Argiano, Tenuta Friggiali, Campogiovanni and Altesino Vendemmia. Each wine was good and and there was no consensus on a "best wine". The Argiano had it's supporters but I again found it a bit austere. I thought the Campogiovanni was the best; deep and full of fruit and tannins. I also preferred the Tenuta Friggiali over the Argiano. The Altesino was good but my least favorite as it seemed a bit bitter (but as it was the fourth bottle opened it probably was at a disadvantage). All in all these wines were great. I continue to wonder though when is the optimum time to drink thie vintage. The more I taste it, the more I think these may not have a long cellar life and they are very good right now.
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3/15/2005 - AndrewH wrote: 90 Points
Makes me what to expand my cellar with more Brunello/Sangio. Pretty ruby color that shows the signs of age. Nose and tastes of leather and a hint of tobacco, possibly even cedar. Smells better than it tastes, but I am ok with that. Smooth finish, medium bodied. Very happy about it considering the price I paid for it (about 50% of current retail). I am not sure if this will last another three years, so I’d drink up.
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3/4/2005 - Redteeth wrote: 85 Points
I found this wine to be a big let down. I was expecting deep concentrated fruit and tannins. Instead this bottle was rather flat and a bit thin. It wasn't just me, my tasting buddy had the same impression. Given the year, the producer and the price, I was surprised. I have a few more bottles and I will try another soon to see if this was an isolated event. If not, I'll drink all soon.
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1/1/2005 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 92 Points
Deep med ruby w/orange tints, aromas of dark cherries, earth, nerbs, cinamon, cedar, sandalwood, scorched earth, peanuts, wow!, minerals, flowers, better w/air, cherry, flowers, blueberry, b3, a3, t3, brigh red fruit, floral, mineral flavors, has a nice satiny roundness threaded w/balanced structure, nice tangy finish, superb w/food, elegant, delicious, blackberry, cherry, lavendar, d2, nose similar but muted, adds porcini, funk, still very silky on palate, b2+, a2, t2, soft & tasty (6.5 - 7)
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9/6/2004 - EricBe wrote: 88 Points
Finally a good wine to go with our spaghetti. Full body, bit of cherry.
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6/6/2004 - vinzin wrote: 90 Points
Soft, yet full of fruit, tannins mellowed. Drank very easily, delicious. Wouldn't let it go many more years.
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3/27/2004 - Robbinson wrote: 92 Points
Light purple color, subtle berry aroma, modest body, but not too thin - nice fuit overtones, medium finish. A subtle, but delicious Brunello.
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12/31/2003 - amred wrote: 93 Points
We thought this was a wonderful wine. Rich, earthy nose and full in the mouth. Indeed, tobacco, with "deep" flavors. We loved it, ready to drink. Wish we had more.
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10/1/2003 - duchamp wrote: 91 Points
(from memory) Let it open for two hours but still tight as a drum, lots of meat but not much bouquet, more tannin than fruit, a bit disappointing
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11/2/2002 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($50) Sweet minty vanilla and burnt sugar, dough, rich and plush. Sweet expansive fruit for Brunello. Red hard candy. Great concentration. Bit of mint in the finish. Likin' this.
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10/18/2002 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Very dark color. This will need a lot of time. Powerful tannins and very acidic now. Notes of cassis and chocolate with a very dry finish. This will be very good. 91-92.
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