First of my 2 bottles was just okay, not off (although a slight hint of being corked). By way of comparison not nearly as good (as the good bottle) of '03 Fuligni of a few nights previous. Guessing it's just past it's prime and window for Pertimali much shorter for "off" vintages.
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Quite aromatic with plenty of wood, with especially intense cedar tones. Sweet and spicy, savory, and sharp. Powerful acidity, with fruit that seems a little bit faded. Nice wine, and it it seems as good as it's ever going to be. Drink up.
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3 hours: leather and red fruits 4 hours: leather and raspberry 5 hours: aroma of funky dirty socks and flavors of wet leather and lingonberries; worth the wait
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Wow this may be my best ever bottle of Sangiovese. Pop and pour. The color is deep garnet with no signs of age. On the nose graphite, cherry fruit, and vanilla. The palate shows beautiful balance with delicate flavors or current, slightly tart cherry, mushroom, and eucalyptus. This wine is just mouthwatering with an elegant integrated flavor profile and a long finish. I don't drink a lot of Sangiovese but have to believe this is at peak. Even so it seems to have the stuffing to go years longer. Unfortunately my last bottle of this beauty.
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Wow, in a wonderful place right now. The more 2003s I have from this region, the more I continue to be impressed. Not only is this packing freshness, it's packing a nice balance of elegance and substance, too. The middle is broad, the flavors run deep; certainly average+ complexity. If you've got some, it's time to look at one. Just lovely and a true pleasure. A few very good year yet ahead. highly recommended
Served non-blind, one hour in wide-bottom decanter. Cork and fill nearly new.
This wine is in a good place and drinking beautifully. It needed about 30 minutes to settle down after opening. The color was garnet with a slight brownish tinge. Flavors were bright and the balance was excellent. Cherry and current flavors and a bit of mellow tannin. I would say this wine is at its peak. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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This is surprisingly good. I'm surprised because I presume that 2003 was a hot vintage in Italy as it was in France, and this is now a 14 year old wine – I was quite expecting something baked dry or prune like. Instead this has good acid, plenty of tannin still an enjoyable wine with some complexity of age.
If your bottle is in a good cellar (and the cork gods are kind) then you can enjoy this over the next decade.
13.5% ABV. Sealed with cork.
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Two years since my previous bottle of this Brunello. After a two hour decant, it was ready to go with grilled filet mignon and fresh vegetables. The barnyard funk of past years has settled down into an earthy depth that adds mysterious depth to the experience. Dark berries, mushrooms, cedars, and leathers all take their turns on the palate. Yet the overall sense is that the specific land on which these grapes were grown has become inextricable from the look, smell, taste, texture, and finish of this wine.
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Camphor on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, bitter tobacco, and a smooth liqueur-like finish that manages to avoid being jammy. After a dozen years, this has become a really nice warm-year Brunello. It isn't roasted or over the top, although it also doesn't have the balance of a cooler year; still it manages to be elegant. Better than expected, and at under $40/bottle it was a bargain. At the current $50+ prices I would not be a buyer -- there are too many other equally good wines at that price.
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This is my last bottle of a case and I regret having consumed any of them before now. This wine has just opened up and the flavors of cherry and earth are on full display even when first opened. I think this wine has 10 years left and I will definitely buy more of this vintage.
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Dark cherry, leather and earth - with the fruit is a bit flat, starting to dry out and showing some age. Terrific balance, medium-bodied and totally seamless -- really easy to drink. A bit shy on the mid-palate, but finishes big, with lots of bold fruit and a nice jolt of bright acidity. I think it is fully mature and with no upside to holding further.
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Consistent note. Opened several hours before consuming. Transferred to decanter an hour before dinner. Accompanied a Tuscan-style rare rib-steak. Marriage made in heaven. The wine was sublime. Appearance shows some deep garnet/bricking, appropriate for the age. Beautiful nose of spices, red fruits and cedar. Impeccable balance, with the acidity, fruit and tannin all nicely in check. A very, very beautiful wine. My last bottle. Bravo!
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A wonderful surprise, given recent experiences with a few corked 01s and my reservations about the 03 vintage in general. This wine was really rocking, the warmth and chewiness of the tannins resolving into a more structured wine than I would have expected. This wine was more structured than some of the adjacent vintages, spicy, early, red nosed, and expressing all that I love about Pertimali in this accessible (and value priced) vintage
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Opened several hours before consuming. Transferred to decanter an hour before dinner. Accompanied a Tuscan-style rare rib-steak. Marriage made in heaven. The wine was sublime. Appearance shows some deep garnet/bricking, appropriate for the age. Beautiful nose of spices, red fruits and cedar. Impeccable balance, with the acidity, fruit and tannin all nicely in check. A very, very beautiful wine. Drink now or within the next 5 years.
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My first bottle of this wine. Postponed opening one based on CT notes. Well, patience paid off. Tonight this bottle is drinking well. Opened about 2 hours before dinner with a little taste about an hour in. I would say it takes this wine at least an hour to strut its stuff. The color is a dark garnet with a little bit of a brownish tinge. The nose shows pepper, black cherry, fig and a bit of earthiness. On the palate the flavors are well integrated and the acidity and tannins are in balance. Soft tannin, cherry and pepper on the palate. Medium finish. I know it's going to go well with the spaghetti in about 5 minutes. IMHO this wine is just entering prime time and I am looking forward to my remaining bottles.
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Moo. Baa. Eeeh-awwh. (Barnyard sounds) For two hours after decanting, the nose of this Brunello gave off barnyard reek that was so strong, it was impossible to sip. By hour three, the barnyard gave way to ancient tar pits. By hour four, the nose was merely unsettling. By hour five, I had the courage to sip, but the fruits were still held in powerful grip by titanic tannins. So the 88 is for Day 1, and only so high because this wine deserves kudos for taking my senses on a wild journey over the course of a night. Stay tuned for Day 2...Day 2, same but less time in the barnyard...Day 3 this wine finally hits its stride allowing layers of cassis to emerge to full excellence. Lesson learned: Don't drink this wine until two days after I've opened the bottle.
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Must have taken on weight during the past year as this was a bigger wine than a prior bottle. Still a bit primary with fruit flavors of dark cherry, but also with some secondary flavors of leather, earth and smoke in the background. Nice finish that extends the palate. Still just a bit young to my palate, with good upside .
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Interesting from reading other reviews, it seems like this is really coming into its own. Opened two hours before, but just to breath in the bottle, no decanting. Excellent fruit balance and complexity, a very elegant wine and this isn't even the best vintage apparently.
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Bought a half case at a great price for one of my favorite Brunello producers. Only a couple left and they have all been really good, despite the hot vintage. Dark cherries, earthy, herbs, minerals, a bit smokey. Delicious.
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Drank with an amazing home made ricotta gnocchi with a parmesan / tomato sauce. The wine was a very good match. The nose is intense, with Asian spices (cloves, cumin) and black fruits. The fruit / acid balance is beautiful, and the wine has a very long finish. Drinking well now.
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The first of five bought on closeout this winter for just over $20/btl. This rested in the cellar for 2 months after shipping and was dbl. decanted back into the bottle to slo-ox for 2 hours before serving with pasta and red sauce with sautéed baby eggplant and pork braciole. Given the problematic 2003 vintage (extreme heat and Brunellogate scandal), I wasn't expecting too much from this. What a wonderful surprise. This classically styled 13.5 ABV Brunello was showing very well and paired perfectly with dinner. I found no hint of the cooked aroma and flavor or the heat that I was concerned for nor did I pick up hints of anything other than Sangiovese. I found dried cherries, tart red plums, new leather, tobacco, licorice, and mushroom with very good structure, delineation, and balance. I love surprises like this. It should drink very well for the next 5-7 years.
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This was a perfect match with an Osso Bucco. Great earthy flavors of cherries, mushroom, leather, oak, soy and licorice. Medium bodied with great balance, good depth and nice complexity. Smooth, slightly lean texture and a long, earthly finish. Neither a "blockbuster" or an elegant wine, but rather somewhere in the middle. I loved the lean texture, nice balance and earthy, complex flavors.
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Cherries, mushrooms and Leather, just wonderful. Drank alone, but this would pair with ragu or any mushroom dish that you have. Hell, drink it with a steak. Really nice. Must be crazy bottle variation or poor storage because I get no heat or pruniness at all. Really pure flavors in fact.
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Dark colour and matching nose of leather, soya sauce and prunes and some VA. Soft attack with dark fruit and meat, but finishing firm and medium length.
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After pouring into glass, the nose is all barnyard funk and little else. After 90 minutes of waiting, dark berries and earthy loam emerge. The palate is still tight. Two hours later, a finess of aromas emerges (initial funk now long gone). On the palate, layers of black berries, spice, licorice and cacao coat the tongue. This is deep and delectable.
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Big, dark, with substantial oak. Licorice, balsamic, soy, strawberry, oriental spice palate with more wood, ash, incense and pine resin on the finish. I like the weight and concentration but the oak is kind of intrusive. Still very enjoyable and might round out with time.
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Kinda woody, but has great focus and structure. Flavors leaning towards the teriyaki, but not too much to be overpowering. Good juice, might wait a little on this, but it is certainly drinking ok now. I don't think it'll be a long term wine but should be good for 5 or 10 years.
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Beautiful Brunello. A bouquet of sweet cherry tobacco, ripe strawberry and dried flowers. Same flavor profile and the body, finish, and smoothness of the wine was excellent.
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This was just delicious. After a short breathing spell it was smooth as silk and delightful. The words tobacco and leather came to mind but only because I read them in wine notes. There was nothing at all as strong as those substances about the elegant and light suggestion of those flavors in the wine. Alas, when I realized how much I liked it, it was all gone. I need to try this again. I would guess it will still be this good for some time to come, as it tasted youthful. I really appreciate the notes on this site that helped me choose it. My son also told me it was his favorite.
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Textbook brunello brownish-purple color, with an evolving nose that started out feminine with sweet crushed berries, but transitioned to a more dirty/brooding spicy black cherry profile. Hard edged tannins give way to slightly flabby flavors of plum, cigar, and musty earth, with some tarry tannin bite on the finish. Over time, the tannins might strip out the fruit, which even now have a stewed nature. Nevertheless, the wine was structured and more serious than your less heralded, standard sangiovese bottlings.
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Dark red, mahoganey edge. Raw meat, tar and black currant odours. Black fruit, cooked fruit flavours. Medium length and a comfortable grip. Ready today, but the last glass was the best glass.
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taste: medium/full bodied with hard edged tannins that give into tones of smoked meats, black fruits, dark red cherries, and bits of liqueur notes
overall: good, but this certainly had a insanely hot vintage profile. Not as expressive as it was back in august, it probably needed more air, but being at a big tasting, its just hard to do something like that. Will certainly need some down time to soften up the tannins a bit, but they are very hard and it feels like they're the type of tannins that won't ever really go away, or if they do, the fruit will be long past stripped
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nose: very interesting nose filled with perfumes, black cherries, anise, tar, roasted herbs, and even some purple florals. There are also bits of roasted meat tones. A muscular nose with dense aromatics
taste: Good classic feel with black cherries, anise, tar, and roasted herbs. Nice firm and chewy tannins, but they aren't overbearing at all
overall: a very interesting and different brunello from a classic producer. An exotic brunello with good tannins and acidity along with a interesting black cherry attack and a finish of anise+roasted herbs. This is my first experience with the 03 brunellos and its interesting. This isn't one of the controversial wines and shows what pure sangiovese can bring in a very hot vintage
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12/5/2022 - rpfaffjr Likes this wine: 89 Points
First of my 2 bottles was just okay, not off (although a slight hint of being corked). By way of comparison not nearly as good (as the good bottle) of '03 Fuligni of a few nights previous. Guessing it's just past it's prime and window for Pertimali much shorter for "off" vintages.
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5/11/2020 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
Quite aromatic with plenty of wood, with especially intense cedar tones. Sweet and spicy, savory, and sharp. Powerful acidity, with fruit that seems a little bit faded. Nice wine, and it it seems as good as it's ever going to be. Drink up.
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4/18/2020 - boegemann Likes this wine: 92 Points
3 hours: leather and red fruits
4 hours: leather and raspberry
5 hours: aroma of funky dirty socks and flavors of wet leather and lingonberries; worth the wait
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9/3/2019 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 91 Points
Shared with Kate at the Beacon. Gorgeous, mature, fulsome Brunello. Dark and delightful.
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8/15/2019 - bon vivant wrote: 95 Points
No official TN but a wonderful bottle at an excellent place
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8/4/2019 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Nose: B++ Palate: B++/A-
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7/30/2019 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautifully sophisticated with flowers, cherry and bright hint of rasberry and bay leaf. Mmm mmm good. It will not get better.
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11/13/2018 - Chrisinroch wrote:
lovely nose, elegant wine but maybe a bit faded.
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12/25/2017 - brianakrin wrote: 91 Points
Very good,one hour decant,drink
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12/11/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow this may be my best ever bottle of Sangiovese. Pop and pour. The color is deep garnet with no signs of age. On the nose graphite, cherry fruit, and vanilla. The palate shows beautiful balance with delicate flavors or current, slightly tart cherry, mushroom, and eucalyptus. This wine is just mouthwatering with an elegant integrated flavor profile and a long finish. I don't drink a lot of Sangiovese but have to believe this is at peak. Even so it seems to have the stuffing to go years longer. Unfortunately my last bottle of this beauty.
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7/9/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Wow, in a wonderful place right now. The more 2003s I have from this region, the more I continue to be impressed. Not only is this packing freshness, it's packing a nice balance of elegance and substance, too. The middle is broad, the flavors run deep; certainly average+ complexity. If you've got some, it's time to look at one. Just lovely and a true pleasure. A few very good year yet ahead. highly recommended
Served non-blind, one hour in wide-bottom decanter. Cork and fill nearly new.
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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1/8/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is in a good place and drinking beautifully. It needed about 30 minutes to settle down after opening. The color was garnet with a slight brownish tinge. Flavors were bright and the balance was excellent. Cherry and current flavors and a bit of mellow tannin. I would say this wine is at its peak. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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1/7/2017 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is surprisingly good. I'm surprised because I presume that 2003 was a hot vintage in Italy as it was in France, and this is now a 14 year old wine – I was quite expecting something baked dry or prune like. Instead this has good acid, plenty of tannin still an enjoyable wine with some complexity of age.
If your bottle is in a good cellar (and the cork gods are kind) then you can enjoy this over the next decade.
13.5% ABV. Sealed with cork.
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1/9/2016 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 91 Points
Two years since my previous bottle of this Brunello. After a two hour decant, it was ready to go with grilled filet mignon and fresh vegetables. The barnyard funk of past years has settled down into an earthy depth that adds mysterious depth to the experience. Dark berries, mushrooms, cedars, and leathers all take their turns on the palate. Yet the overall sense is that the specific land on which these grapes were grown has become inextricable from the look, smell, taste, texture, and finish of this wine.
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9/8/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with spaghetti. Open this at least one hour before drinking. Very nice with lots of years remaining. The last sip was the best.
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5/16/2015 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Camphor on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, bitter tobacco, and a smooth liqueur-like finish that manages to avoid being jammy. After a dozen years, this has become a really nice warm-year Brunello. It isn't roasted or over the top, although it also doesn't have the balance of a cooler year; still it manages to be elegant. Better than expected, and at under $40/bottle it was a bargain. At the current $50+ prices I would not be a buyer -- there are too many other equally good wines at that price.
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5/9/2015 - brianakrin wrote: 91 Points
Soft, dark, sweet but enuf structure.some spice. Drinking well,no hurry
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2/22/2015 - shutto1992@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is my last bottle of a case and I regret having consumed any of them before now. This wine has just opened up and the flavors of cherry and earth are on full display even when first opened. I think this wine has 10 years left and I will definitely buy more of this vintage.
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2/14/2015 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry, leather and earth - with the fruit is a bit flat, starting to dry out and showing some age. Terrific balance, medium-bodied and totally seamless -- really easy to drink. A bit shy on the mid-palate, but finishes big, with lots of bold fruit and a nice jolt of bright acidity. I think it is fully mature and with no upside to holding further.
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11/25/2014 - Vasily Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice but you need to let it open and breathe for a few hours. First day was good but Excellent on 2nd day. Dark plum, cherry, cedar notes.
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10/3/2014 - la turque wrote: 94 Points
Consistent note. Opened several hours before consuming. Transferred to decanter an hour before dinner. Accompanied a Tuscan-style rare rib-steak. Marriage made in heaven. The wine was sublime. Appearance shows some deep garnet/bricking, appropriate for the age. Beautiful nose of spices, red fruits and cedar. Impeccable balance, with the acidity, fruit and tannin all nicely in check. A very, very beautiful wine. My last bottle. Bravo!
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9/23/2014 - baroloboy55 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A wonderful surprise, given recent experiences with a few corked 01s and my reservations about the 03 vintage in general. This wine was really rocking, the warmth and chewiness of the tannins resolving into a more structured wine than I would have expected. This wine was more structured than some of the adjacent vintages, spicy, early, red nosed, and expressing all that I love about Pertimali in this accessible (and value priced) vintage
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9/4/2014 - la turque wrote: 95 Points
Opened several hours before consuming. Transferred to decanter an hour before dinner. Accompanied a Tuscan-style rare rib-steak. Marriage made in heaven. The wine was sublime. Appearance shows some deep garnet/bricking, appropriate for the age. Beautiful nose of spices, red fruits and cedar. Impeccable balance, with the acidity, fruit and tannin all nicely in check. A very, very beautiful wine. Drink now or within the next 5 years.
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5/4/2014 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first bottle of this wine. Postponed opening one based on CT notes. Well, patience paid off. Tonight this bottle is drinking well. Opened about 2 hours before dinner with a little taste about an hour in. I would say it takes this wine at least an hour to strut its stuff. The color is a dark garnet with a little bit of a brownish tinge. The nose shows pepper, black cherry, fig and a bit of earthiness. On the palate the flavors are well integrated and the acidity and tannins are in balance. Soft tannin, cherry and pepper on the palate. Medium finish. I know it's going to go well with the spaghetti in about 5 minutes. IMHO this wine is just entering prime time and I am looking forward to my remaining bottles.
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2/8/2014 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 88 Points
Moo. Baa. Eeeh-awwh. (Barnyard sounds) For two hours after decanting, the nose of this Brunello gave off barnyard reek that was so strong, it was impossible to sip. By hour three, the barnyard gave way to ancient tar pits. By hour four, the nose was merely unsettling. By hour five, I had the courage to sip, but the fruits were still held in powerful grip by titanic tannins. So the 88 is for Day 1, and only so high because this wine deserves kudos for taking my senses on a wild journey over the course of a night. Stay tuned for Day 2...Day 2, same but less time in the barnyard...Day 3 this wine finally hits its stride allowing layers of cassis to emerge to full excellence. Lesson learned: Don't drink this wine until two days after I've opened the bottle.
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1/18/2014 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Must have taken on weight during the past year as this was a bigger wine than a prior bottle. Still a bit primary with fruit flavors of dark cherry, but also with some secondary flavors of leather, earth and smoke in the background. Nice finish that extends the palate. Still just a bit young to my palate, with good upside .
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12/28/2013 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Another really nice bottle. Too bad, only one left.
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12/24/2013 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 93 Points
Interesting from reading other reviews, it seems like this is really coming into its own. Opened two hours before, but just to breath in the bottle, no decanting. Excellent fruit balance and complexity, a very elegant wine and this isn't even the best vintage apparently.
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7/17/2013 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Bought a half case at a great price for one of my favorite Brunello producers. Only a couple left and they have all been really good, despite the hot vintage. Dark cherries, earthy, herbs, minerals, a bit smokey. Delicious.
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6/27/2013 - la turque wrote: 93 Points
Drank with an amazing home made ricotta gnocchi with a parmesan / tomato sauce. The wine was a very good match. The nose is intense, with Asian spices (cloves, cumin) and black fruits. The fruit / acid balance is beautiful, and the wine has a very long finish. Drinking well now.
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6/9/2013 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 92 Points
The first of five bought on closeout this winter for just over $20/btl. This rested in the cellar for 2 months after shipping and was dbl. decanted back into the bottle to slo-ox for 2 hours before serving with pasta and red sauce with sautéed baby eggplant and pork braciole.
Given the problematic 2003 vintage (extreme heat and Brunellogate scandal), I wasn't expecting too much from this. What a wonderful surprise.
This classically styled 13.5 ABV Brunello was showing very well and paired perfectly with dinner. I found no hint of the cooked aroma and flavor or the heat that I was concerned for nor did I pick up hints of anything other than Sangiovese. I found dried cherries, tart red plums, new leather, tobacco, licorice, and mushroom with very good structure, delineation, and balance. I love surprises like this.
It should drink very well for the next 5-7 years.
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2/16/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
This was a perfect match with an Osso Bucco. Great earthy flavors of cherries, mushroom, leather, oak, soy and licorice. Medium bodied with great balance, good depth and nice complexity. Smooth, slightly lean texture and a long, earthly finish. Neither a "blockbuster" or an elegant wine, but rather somewhere in the middle. I loved the lean texture, nice balance and earthy, complex flavors.
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1/13/2013 - Dasbird Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now. Nice, full flavor.
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12/16/2012 - grape man wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of strawberry, raspberry and black currant. It's balanced with a medium body. Polished texture with a long finish.
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9/9/2012 - Chrisinroch wrote: 93 Points
Cherries, mushrooms and Leather, just wonderful. Drank alone, but this would pair with ragu or any mushroom dish that you have. Hell, drink it with a steak. Really nice. Must be crazy bottle variation or poor storage because I get no heat or pruniness at all. Really pure flavors in fact.
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5/7/2012 - crazedmountainbiker wrote: 90 Points
not the best, not the worst. A little worried after first taste, but opened up nicely, drink now.
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5/4/2012 - WDK wrote: 82 Points
Not a good wine. Flavors of prunes and alchohol make this one of the worst brunellos I've had.
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4/30/2012 - farinas Likes this wine: 91 Points
distinctively brunello on the nose with heavy oak and packed plum, full body and aggressive on the palate with a chest Rankin's on the finish
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9/8/2011 - Old Course 72 wrote: 89 Points
Brooding to start, needs time but rounds to a racey complex layered leatherish berry middle with lingering finish.
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8/26/2011 - RoryMcI wrote: 91 Points
Was much better on day 2. Left in fridge overnight so that it was chilled the next day. Then left it was up naturally. It was lovely
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8/16/2011 - mikeaukenbals wrote: 91 Points
drinking well now
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7/13/2011 - KVM wrote: 90 Points
Dark colour and matching nose of leather, soya sauce and prunes and some VA. Soft attack with dark fruit and meat, but finishing firm and medium length.
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5/2/2011 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 89 Points
After pouring into glass, the nose is all barnyard funk and little else. After 90 minutes of waiting, dark berries and earthy loam emerge. The palate is still tight. Two hours later, a finess of aromas emerges (initial funk now long gone). On the palate, layers of black berries, spice, licorice and cacao coat the tongue. This is deep and delectable.
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4/30/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 91 Points
Big, dark, with substantial oak. Licorice, balsamic, soy, strawberry, oriental spice palate with more wood, ash, incense and pine resin on the finish. I like the weight and concentration but the oak is kind of intrusive. Still very enjoyable and might round out with time.
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4/28/2011 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
Kinda woody, but has great focus and structure. Flavors leaning towards the teriyaki, but not too much to be overpowering. Good juice, might wait a little on this, but it is certainly drinking ok now. I don't think it'll be a long term wine but should be good for 5 or 10 years.
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12/18/2010 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful Brunello. A bouquet of sweet cherry tobacco, ripe strawberry and dried flowers. Same flavor profile and the body, finish, and smoothness of the wine was excellent.
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11/26/2010 - mathwonk wrote:
This was just delicious. After a short breathing spell it was smooth as silk and delightful. The words tobacco and leather came to mind but only because I read them in wine notes. There was nothing at all as strong as those substances about the elegant and light suggestion of those flavors in the wine. Alas, when I realized how much I liked it, it was all gone. I need to try this again. I would guess it will still be this good for some time to come, as it tasted youthful. I really appreciate the notes on this site that helped me choose it. My son also told me it was his favorite.
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11/19/2010 - PennQuinn wrote: 90 Points
Solid Brunello, ready to drink now. Probably could hold this flavor profile 3-5 more years but I can't see it getting much better than now.
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10/8/2010 - KVM wrote: 88 Points
Typical nose of smoke, dark fruit, tobacco. A little hot and hard. Opened and softened over a couple hours to be very enjoyable
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4/2/2010 - pgb67 wrote: 90 Points
Textbook brunello brownish-purple color, with an evolving nose that started out feminine with sweet crushed berries, but transitioned to a more dirty/brooding spicy black cherry profile. Hard edged tannins give way to slightly flabby flavors of plum, cigar, and musty earth, with some tarry tannin bite on the finish. Over time, the tannins might strip out the fruit, which even now have a stewed nature. Nevertheless, the wine was structured and more serious than your less heralded, standard sangiovese bottlings.
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3/24/2010 - KVM wrote: 89 Points
No reason to wait on this 2003. Really ready today
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2/24/2010 - KVM wrote: 89 Points
Dark red, mahoganey edge. Raw meat, tar and black currant odours. Black fruit, cooked fruit flavours. Medium length and a comfortable grip. Ready today, but the last glass was the best glass.
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2/18/2010 - Weston3220 wrote: 90 Points
A: Masculin, Toasted Cocoa Nibs
T: Big Massive, Tannins, Tart Dark Fruit
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1/22/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Mark De Grazia selections: 05 Barolos, 04 Brunellos, 06 Barbarescos (MK, Chicago IL): nose: dark, brooding, and meaty nose with somewhat stewed tones of black fruits, herbs, dark red chrerries, and liqueur tones
taste: medium/full bodied with hard edged tannins that give into tones of smoked meats, black fruits, dark red cherries, and bits of liqueur notes
overall: good, but this certainly had a insanely hot vintage profile. Not as expressive as it was back in august, it probably needed more air, but being at a big tasting, its just hard to do something like that. Will certainly need some down time to soften up the tannins a bit, but they are very hard and it feels like they're the type of tannins that won't ever really go away, or if they do, the fruit will be long past stripped
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11/8/2008 - vinole wrote: 91 Points
Crown Fall 08 Upscale Tasting (Boca Raton, FL): Medium body, smooth, lush dark cherry fruit that is drinking nicely now.
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8/3/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
nose: very interesting nose filled with perfumes, black cherries, anise, tar, roasted herbs, and even some purple florals. There are also bits of roasted meat tones. A muscular nose with dense aromatics
taste: Good classic feel with black cherries, anise, tar, and roasted herbs. Nice firm and chewy tannins, but they aren't overbearing at all
overall: a very interesting and different brunello from a classic producer. An exotic brunello with good tannins and acidity along with a interesting black cherry attack and a finish of anise+roasted herbs. This is my first experience with the 03 brunellos and its interesting. This isn't one of the controversial wines and shows what pure sangiovese can bring in a very hot vintage
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