Kunne nok tatt denne for en Barolo , sure kirsebær og tobakk i fataromaene. Bærer sine 17 år godt, Elisabeth skjønte ikke at det var en vin med betydelig alder. Lett sødme i en lang ettersmak, dette er veldig godt!
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Double-decanted around 90 minutes before the beef cheek ragu was served, and certainly had the stuffing to stand up to a robust meal. Quite a bit less tannin than last year's bottle, but still some oak to frame the ink-deep fruit. Wafts of balsam and garrigue, too, and a hint of truffle to emphasise that this wine's character is Tuscany-meets-Pomerol. 15% alcohol but that didn't detract at all. Delicious stuff, and there's more to come.
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At peak, this is a delightful combination of traditional and (mostly) modern. It’s somewhat glossy and oaky-smooth but has a definite undertow of grit and dirt. Not profound but very easy to appreciate and not overdone.
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A blockbuster well aged, powerful and muscular Sangiovese from Panzano in Chianti. Farmed from organic grapes, aged in barriques for 20 months. Deep ruby colour. Medium+ intensity dense and rich aroma of dusty cherries, dried herbs, cold cuts, earth, tobacco, licorice, hint of chocolate, spices. Full body, concentrated and dense structure produces a mouthful of ripe and opulent smoky, spiced and herbal black fruit flavours, saline touches, pronounced grippy and gritty tannins, long smoky and herbal finish.
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Tuscany WIMPS #169 29th September 2023 (La Trompette, Chiswick): This feels on the young side; palate has notes of sweet chestnut, caper, redcurrant, liquorice and bresaola. Palate is a little closed for the first couple of hours in the glass but at the end of the meal there is a bit more there. Some red fruits and partially resolved tannins; one for the future
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This wine continues to drink very well. Very concentrated and well balanced fruit, notes of cherry, mocha, graphite, and black raspberry. The tannins are still prominent but well integrated, with good mouthfeel and long finish.
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Robe évoluée.Bouquet fantastique d'intensité,rempli de notes de terre mouillée,de prunes,de cerises noires,de pierres chaudes.C'est magnifique et les narines ne s'en lassent pas.Le palais est également à la hauteur avec une trame compacte mais d'une élégance raffinée,d'une souplesse inimaginable composant avec des tanins complètement fondus.Le vin est en phase de maturité complète et ce serait dommage de lui demander d'autres année de vieillissement.IL faut en profiter maintenant et dans les 2-3 ans qui viennent.Longueur satisfaisante mais pas phénoménale ce qui atténue un peu la cotation finale à mes yeux.Grand vin néanmoins.
Cork solid, and bouquet fora second upon opening. Beautiful fruit, fresh as a daisy, and this at 17 years. Tannins resolved and integrated. Stunning. Tuscan wines at this level are world class. Fruit was the star, just so succulent from this sangiovese grape. last one, and felt this could age further. But as it is really in top form now, I would open these now instead of risking a step back if consumed 5-10 years down the road. But wouldn't be surprised if the wine proved me wrong. Wine has increased in price by 75% and I don't think I'll see another. but inspired me to look for another toscana, and bought an Isole y Olena Cepparello to try down the line. Had this opened and had a small glass it for over a week and it never ever faltered, and the fruit was just as good as upon first day opened. Even better. This wine lived up to its praise.
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Big and pretty with tons of fruit and a touch of gravel. Likely at peak now. I’d drink these up because it seems they may fall apart before they develop much secondary flavor.
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- Intense and open nose with lots of dark berries, plums and wild berries, plus some liquorice, vanilla and provoncial herbs. In the tertiary spectrum there are aromas of slightly meaty and leathery flavours. - The palate is also very intense, pushing forward immediately and the dark fruit with hints of graphite and wet tar as well as a herbal coating, dark chocolate. The tannins are still medium to medium plus, not yet fully integrated and this Flaccia still has quite a bit of weight. However, the acidity is absolutely present as a backbone and although the freshness is currently somewhat lacking, this makes me feel positive. The Flaccia scores today with its great flavour complexity. - In my opinion, it should be decanted for 2 hours or more. Can also be stored for another 5 years with the hope of a little more freshness. - 93 points with potential for 96+
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First of 2 ($112.50) from a recent purchase via a large online consolidator. On the nose and palate, wild, vibrant notes of mixed red berries and currants, black plums, dried Mediterranean spices, anise, wildflowers, forest floor including mushrooms, earthy minerality, and on the end, increasing over time, mocha. Medium garnet, medium to full bodied, medium to thick legs. Intense acidity which mostly integrates with air, medium+ tannins, no heat. Off the charts complexity, length and persistence. Vintage after vintage, no wine roars out of the bottle like Flac, not unlike that surly Aladdin coming out of the lamp after centuries of captivity in the immortal Bugs Bunny cartoon. The elements are as compartmentalized as Bill Clinton’s personal life and his political one, yet, wistful recaller of the 20th century that I am, they likewise seem to work together, however they may seem, with an appealing fractiousness. With a couple of hours of air, more or less, this grows up and (mostly) calms down, but it’s definitely not wearing blue and brown, a still fiercely engaging quaff that demands you pay attention to it, engage with it, a perfect cure for this wine drinker for Caymus, Rombauer and even the cult cabs at higher price points which flood the zone with vanilla, alcohol and oak. Arguably and incrementally the best Flac I’ve had in a bottle I owned (I’ve had pours of the ‘16 at tastings, which will be epic, probably surpassing this at some point, but it’s still too much like drinking water from a firehose, even if it is very, very good water), it’s still certainly of a kind with other vintages—I truly believe I could pick out Flac in a lineup with myriad sangios—but is just a bit more of everything good than others I’ve had, and I’ve had many. While I loved drinking this wine on its own, if being grabbed by the lapels—remember lapels?—and shaken isn’t so much your thing, this wine is, surprise, surprise, just stellar with food, first spaghetti and meatballs then mixed grill. The last glass on night 2–what, you didn’t really think that this would make it to a third night, did you?—burned like a Roman, or Tuscan, as the case may be, candle, making me think that in the near to medium term, this is more likely to get a bit better than worse and may last as long as our planet is habitable (CT window risibly short). A wonderful emblem of my beloved Tuscany in my beloved Italy, not the Tuscany of the jam-packed Uffizi in July and overflowing tour buses, but the Tuscany of the Palio, ridiculously distinctive, untamed, mesmerizing. Like this wine? I loved it. 97-98+
This cuvee has become one of my special wines over the years, and this was a particularly meaningful bottle, coming on the second anniversary of my rebirthday, with that date, 2 years ago, celebrated with nothing stronger than a cupcake with a candle in the midst of a long period of forced abstinence and accompanied by the nursing staff of the Palo Alto spa and medical clinic singing a desultory happy birthday (the first anniversary was a lot happier, spent on a warm afternoon on my deck with great CT friends cyclist and A_M drinking C. Coast Rhones). What better way to spend this anniversary than a quiet dinner with my wife, with a vinified beverage which appreciated my reflective mindset. Stay healthy, my friends.
Attractive bouquet of dark berries, dark and red cherries, cherry candy, crushed stones, spices, undergrowth. Full, structured palate with sweet, salty, fresh elements, nicely balanced, dark berries and cherries, leading to a long finish with still some tannins, yet relatively resolved, mineral notes, spices. Has the 2006 signature. Dark for a Chianti but still with quite an acidic bite. Feels still young but a pleasure to drink.
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Joel's Tuscan Lunch (The wilds of Kent): 3rd time having this vintage and really feel this is starting to hit its stride. On the nose savoury meaty nose, saddle leather, dark cherry, terracotta. Palate is phenomenal result deep rich red cherry but blue fruit too. Excellent depth but balance with good acidity and very long finish. I have a couple more bottles that I'll hold for now. A treat!
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Tuscan Lunch chez Joel (Kent countryside, UK): An aged Flacc is always a treat and this bottle didn't disappoint. Charming and captivating nose showing red and blue fruits with a smidgen of liquorice in the background. Medium to full bodied and more red fruited (sour cherries?) on the midpalate. Balance and class in abundance. Whilst in its drinking window and a real treat now, I think it will be even better in another 5 to 10 years as in my experience this may ramp up the aromatics into the upper stratosphere.
Joel's Tuscan Lunch (A farmhouse in leafy Kent): This really hit the spot, although it's possible that another 2-3 years to clear up the tannins completely would make it even better. Really deep, pure Sangiovese nose, with bright red fruit, balsamic notes and some savour. Leather, spice and liquorice on the palate, and really long. Although the tannins made me feel that the wine was barely ready (this was definitely a less refined wine than Flaccianello is in recent vintages), I actually preferred it soon after opening, rather than the less impactful but more elegant form it took with more air.
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This wine is excellent after 4-4.5 hours of air. (Definitely needs 4 hours). Make sure to decant carefully because there is a lot of sediment. Once opening up, it's a full bodied, balanced, and complex little monster with quite a bit going on. Lacks the purity I like (or I'd give it a higher score). I have a magnum of the 06 left which I'll try in 5+ years. I can't imagine it won't improve with time and definitely not over the hill.
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Blind pair with 06 CCR Vigna del Sorbo. This is more somewhat more concentrated and much more full throttle with bolder, riper fruit though it all is nicely in proportion with the structure. Still quite primary and ahead of it's peak drinking window, though its approachable and providing pleasure already.
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Paired wonderful with white truffles dinners at Otto e Mezzo, on 11/30 and then on 12/7. Went especially well with heaps of white truffles shaved table side personally by Umberto
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Opened 3 hours before serving, slow ox in the bottle, and decided to decant it 20 min before to get rid the sediment and accelerate the ox process.
Dark ruby red, dense.
The nose is a fantastic tale of blue berry, red cherry and dark fruit notes, ripe but not over mature. China, liqorice, tyhme, rosemery. After so many years after my last bottle I expected some more tertiary notes but there were just hints and no more. Very precise. Didascalic.
Very interesting in the mouth, velvet touch in spite of the surprising dense tannins, still grippy but never rough. Didn't expect them to be still so present even though perfectly integrated. Good acidity promising many years of evolution and cleaning the mouth after every sip.
Very long!
I have one last bottle and will keep it some more to see how it evolves in the tertiary realm but the wine is a true joy to drink now given the right time to ox and would recomend to do so.
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Leather, mocha, sandalwood, wet forest floor on the nose. Porcini, rose, and solid dose of pomegranate on the flavor. Still a long finish with fine tannins. Enjoy.
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Finally opened after 3-4 Coravin tappings, first one jan 2021. Still more than ok despite having been mistreated by changing storage and temperature a number of times over the last two years.
You will either be impressed with this massive Sangiovese or you despise it. The iron-like tannins grip the tongue and palate in a vice grip. Fortunately, the intense core of ripe black fruit buffers them such that they are not overly bitter. Lots of charcoal. Potent acidity. Uncivilized and feral. It shows exceptionally young for its age and its evolution will be interesting. A great match for a pork ragù pasta.
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SLDS July 2022: Earthy, blueberries, raspberry and a light touch of oak still. Palate is quite savoury but with good medium bodied fruit still pushing through. Really nicely composed wine.
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Intense floral aromas, flavors of cherry, plum, and sweet spice. Touches of oak and vanilla are not intrusive. A seamless wine with many years in its prime window.
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Stellar wine in the sweet spot. Still had a decent amount of tannins so this will probably easily last another 5 years. But there's no harm in drinking these now.
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This was very good, and surprisingly young. We drank this in a flight of 06 Castell’in Villa Poggio Delle Rose and Montevertine Le Pergole Torte. To me, the Le Pergole Torte was the most elegant, this was the most structured and the Castell’in Villa was the most interesting. All seemed youthful and all were delicious. I hold my last bottle of this for a long time.
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Super tannic, even 16 years in. Wow. Very deep and rich in every respect. Incredible, super-long finish, just gorgeous. This one was in the WS top 10 back in 2009 and deservedly so.
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Dried cherry, plum skin, mushroom, cedar, dried rose petals and turned earth are up front. Soft texture with firm Italian acid on the back half. Some smoky oak to the fruit. Quiets out fast in the glass. Intense tannins. Pruney flavors on the finish. A good wine overall but a slight disappointment for the price/prestige. Have one more and I hope it’s better. A weird showing. Hopefully an off bottle.
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2 hour decant before it was ready to go. Very solid tannic backbone that was surprisingly pleasant. Lighter dark fruit slightly dusty. Very well structured and went well with a big southern Italian meal.
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It was alright, but I was really expecting a lot from it based on reviews and score. TONS of sediment. I'd have suspected heat damage, but this has been cellared since I got it on release. Anyway: right out of the bottle, totally restrained on nose and pallet, but a little oxidation coming thru. No surprise there, so I gave it a 2 hr decant. Let the dust (literally) settle. Tasted at 2 hours, still pretty dead. Some prunes, raisin and tart cherry, still a little tannin, buy just not showing much fruit and dead on the finish, with an only medium nose. I thought maybe this just needed a lot of time to open, so I poured it back into the (rinsed) bottle, leaving off still more sediment, put the cork back. Tried again the next day (14 hours later): meh. More fruit than yesterday, but still just prunes, raisin and sour cherry, and not much of it. It wasn't bad, just not great. This bottle was at or just past its prime. If you've been waiting on it, I'd suggest opening one and see what you think. It ain't going to get better.
Dark brick red, showing nicer aged colour. Initially a bit harsh on the palate but tannins mellowed down after 30mins. Ripe red plums on the palate, some leather tertiary flavours coming through with medium intensity and finish. Lovely drink.
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Decanted for 3 hours and drank over the course of the evening. Quite good with Tuscan Steak and pasta. Complex flavors starting including ripe red fruit and earthy tones.
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Tuscany WIMPS; 9/30/2021-10/1/2021 (La Trompette): Nose of dark cherry, tobacco, tomato leaf, cigar box Palate of rich red and blue cherry, some blueberry, violets, a little tea, strong teeth coating tannins. Long finish.
Think this is drinking really well now but has lots of time
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Similar to my tasting note from 2019, but even better with more age. This is the first Flaccianello that I’ve had that I truly enjoyed. Honestly, the base Fontadi Chianti Classico is better than some Flaccianellos that I’ve had. It never seems to fully mature, but tonight it shined!
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Dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): I just never luck out with this wine. This one was a little volatile on the nose. The palate was worse -- thin (as in lacking in flavour) and disjoint. The fruit that is there is stewed and not particularly pleasant. And as I remarked, this wine just tasted sour. Possibly heat-damaged?
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Brick red in color. Full bodied Soy sauce. Wet rocks. Damp wool Dry. Unctuous. Long finish. Earthy woody finish. Wow. What can I say. This wine rocks hard!!!! Thanks John.
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Cristal and Fontodi Flaccianello plus Riverain and Schrader (served blind) (Foretti's in Corona Del Mar): This was my least favorite of the four Flaccianello we did as a combined flight (included 2010, 2012 and 2015). The 2006 started out with what I perceived to be an oaky, clovey nose. The fruit seemed raisiny to me, with a fig note, too. I thought, hmm, this may turn out to be too ripe for my tastes. With air, this started to gather an older world quality, with aged notes of cedar, spice box, etc. Overall, this was fine but it was crushed by the quality of the 2015.
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Blind tasting of six top level Tuscan wines with friends. My favorite of the six wines, but the group liked it much less (only 5th place of 6). Maybe because it was the first Sangiovese only wine in the line-up. This was a very juicy wine with quite a bit of toasty oak and the classy cherry + forest soil flavors. Silky tannins, fresh and without any signs of age. This is a very pretty wine, but it needs food to show all it has to offer. - 93 points
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Just gorgeous. Intense thick red color - no bricking. Unctuous in the mouth - dried cherries with lesser notes of tobacco, coffee and chocolate. Harmonious acids and fully integrated tannins. Near perfect balance. Just delightful.
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Fantastic wine! Deeply coloured and fragrant, still a long way from full maturity. Powerful, yet very well balanced with high alcohol barely noticeable, smooth and full texture. Dominant aromas tobacco, cherry and raw meat. Exquisite!
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Not the bottle I was expecting. After drinking the 2008 Flaccianello a couple of years ago I expected to find something similar but more mature and with a less rough tannin. I found a good wine but only in the mouth, a lot of fruity (cherries) but without the classic hints of leather and tobacco. Nose also not as intense as I expected. Reading other tasting notes I think it was probably a problem of conservation of the bottle, taken by a private collector a few months ago.
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Had over dinner comparing it with a Le Pergole Torte. Compared to that it can across as very masculine and full. Really needs the steak with it. Almost new world in style. Tobacco, pepper, cherries. I preferred the Le Pergole.
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Solid. A little sweet with grainy tannins but in a great spot right now. Don’t think it will get much better but will maintain. Long luscious finish. Black fruit and sweet oak notes.
In a good spot. Still broading and full of energy. Tannins mellowed down a bit but still present. Vibrating fruit, leather, smoke and liquorice. Fabulous bottle.
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Huge wine. Big, very dark, chewy tannins softened up a bit with air, but still yourthul and primary. Needs a few hours of air if drinking today, otherwise try again in 5-10 years.
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Tékkað á nokkrum vínum með Coravin. (Njálsgata 6): Eina vínið í þessu Coravin smakki sem var eldra en 2015. Mig langaði að sjá hver staðan á því væri. Tekinn 1,5 dl með Coravin. Frekar ljóst til meðaldökkt. Farið að verða smá brúnt í jöðrum. Í nefinu: Apótekaralakkrís til að byrja með. Þungur og höfugur ilmur. Frekar flottur. Mikill ferskleiki þegar smakkað á víninu. Frábært jafnvægi. Allt á sínum stað og ekkert sem vantar. Talsvert botnfall. Borgar sig líklega að umhella þegar vínið verður opnað. Frábært vín. Ég er ekki viss um að vínið batni neitt úr þessu en ætti að geta haldist á þessu róli í 5-10 ár.
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What a nose on this. Dark cherries, roasted meat, and balsamic. It is quite tannic, showing that delicious core of dark cherries, with mushrooms, beef, and bell pepper. Long tannic finish.
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A great wine. Even some of the guest who had no idea about wine labels gravitated to this wine. It’s a cliche but it’s the iron fist in a velvet glove.
So much power and it’s also almost 15% alc, but drinks as a medium weight wine due to the balance of the acidity and tannins. Turning leathery now, but that dark cherry core is still there.
Could easily go another 10+ years.
So glad I was talked into buying these 10 years ago, as they cost a lot more these days.
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I really don't get this and some of the other cult 100% Sangiovese from the region... IMHO this would be a nice $70 bottle, I don't understand the super high rating and price... it's pretty unremarkable and one dimensional.
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Aus dem Holz- und Vanillemonster wird langsam der Superwein, den die Bewertungen der Fachleute angekündigt haben...nochmals ein paar Jahre und dann haben wir vielleicht die 99 Punkte...auf jeden Fall jetzt noch viel Luft gönnen
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OK Tuscan, but I continue not to understand the very high ratings this wine always receives. Seems to me quite heavy-handed, with a bit too much in the way of tannins and oak. I have had several better regular chiantis in this very good vintage year, and would recommend holding this one longer if you happen to have it.
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Nose: Savoury smokiness, thyme, old leather, not much fruit.
Palate: Dark plum then sour cherry and black tea. Generous mouthfeel that washes over the tongue then pulls in the sides with gripping acidity. Tannins envelop the whole mouth and the heat of the 15% is notable. There is a tiny hint of bitterness on the end of the finish (if you can have an end of a finish)
Some of the punchiness softened with time in the glass and this was really enjoyable with food but has not moved on much of late. I’ll sit on the last two bottles.
Overall this is great intense Sangiovese with Flaccianello earning its reputation as a wine that needs a fair bit of ageing!
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A good but not great bottle. Nice fruit, good balance, but bit of a bitter note on the finish detracted slightly. Could be losing a bit of fruit in my passive cellar, or could be some bottle variation, I hope, as I have more.
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This is a spectacular Sangiovese. Decanted for 2 hours, then drank over the next 1.5 hours with a blue cheese and marmalade encrusted ribeye. Continued to evolve throughout the meal—great expressions of cherry with notes of leather and tobacco, with wonderful balance and structure, and a finish for days. Really enjoyable wine.
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Drank with Razza pizza at Eric's. Significant sediment to deal with. More powerful than the Biondi-Santi Brunello of the same vintage and less elegant. Delicious but all of us preferred the Brunello.
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Amazing wine - loads of dark fruit, oak, nicely integrated tannins. This wine is complex and extremely satisfying. A bit more complex than my first bottle I consumed in 2016. I doubt this wine has peaked.
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Big nose of sandalwood, balsamic, black cherries, leather, roasted meat... Tannins are still present, but with underlying fresh black fruit, roasted steak juice... delicious, but requires 5-10 more years to be at peak.
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This was nice but I think it would’ve been best to wait a couple more years. Lots of nice dark fruit but it still seemed a bit tight. Pretty much just popped and poured and drank over the course of about 3 hours.
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15% abv. This was powerful and tannic on pnp. Clear garnet color, red staining of tears. Huge nose of bright red fruit, plum, definite whiff of alcohol, wood, green leaf. Med body. Vibrant acid, chewy tannins, very lean but still strikingly sensual mouthfeel - obvious this is well made wine built for long, long haul. Tart cherry, leather, green pepper, tobacco on palate. I predict this has 25 years of great drinking left. Needs very long decant, or just wait another 5 years...
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Excellent condition. Lots of dark fruit, smoke, and chocolate. Tannins on this have not completely integrated yet. Best on night three. This still has some upside.
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Fabulous wine. Dark, ripe, black fruit. Lots of complexity. Full bodied. Tannins are super round and ripe. Lots of complexity. Probably near peak - but will last 5 years or more.
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Had this on two occasions over the summer. The first one was on the margin a bit better. Nonetheless much for muchness. Packed with fruit, deep garnet colour and a Tuscan at its best. Real swagger.
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Nez terreux avec des notes de feutre, de cerises et de cuir, des notes de bouillon de boeuf qui m’ont fait redouter l’oxydation (ce n’était pas le cas). Bouche ronde et pleine, épicée, une puissance bien domptée. C’est gouteux, extrait, assez long, sans complexité particulière, finale relativement équilibrée. C’est pas mauvais, dans un style extrait, mais pas meilleur qu’un Chianti de 50$. Je ne comprends rien à ces notes glorieuses. 89 pts
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1hr decant, drank with homemade carbonara. Kirsch, licorice, pencil lead. The 06 and 07 of this wine are a little heavy for my palate but singing pretty good and doubt it improves much (though, I have some more so will hope that I am wrong).
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Looking at recent notes, I'm going against the current on this wine. A solid ruby red in color. Sharp red fruit, cherry, pepper on the nose. The palate is quite different. The fruit is muted, cherries, spice, leather, some roast meats. The tannins are dusty, good acidity, decent balance. Finishes a bit short. Nice, may need a long decant, but there was little change over time so I doubt it. Chalk it up to my leaden palate, but I'm not overwhelmed.
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Sour cherry, kirsch and leather in the nose , with sottobosco and automn leaves. Black cherries, spices on the palate with a solid mineral backbone. Very long, very fine.
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2 hour decant allowed this magnificent Tuscan red to open. Smooth as glass excellent with villettosaltimbocca. 1st of 5. No need to rush to open next bottle
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Coravin sample. Started out with a sour cherries nose and taste but evolved very nicely into more autumn leaves mature notes. Very good fruit, slight earth notes. Very good acidity, integrated tannin. Drinks very well now and another 5 years.
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Bouquet very dark-fruited, raisins, schnaps, somewhat masking more elegant scents underneath. Very lush and full, grippy, ripe palate, dark-fruited, with enough acidity. A powerhouse with structure and grip, one can still feel the oak and the tannins, typical for a more „modern“ style 2006 Italian wine. In my view, the wine and the better 2006 Tuscans and Baroli in general can still benefit potentially significantly from more time, but already in a good phase. Great wine, with upside if it manages to calm down and integrate a bit more.
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Opened to breathe 1h before dinner, and decanted at the Bottle Inn, Hermosa Beach. Big, bold, and delicious, consistent with my previous notes, but outshone by the '98 barolo. Perfect pairing with osso bucco.
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This is one of the best balanced and complex wines I have had the pleasure of tasting. Lush cherry and Christmas cake nose that flows into a multi layered taste. A gem.
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Not blind, Reminding me to a great Bordeaux with more fruit and refreshing acidity. Cherries, some tobacco and great acidity structure. Decanted for 3,5 hours. At least 10 more years. 94+
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I know, I know, I said there was no rush to drink these, but damn they are good! Tonight this took 2h in a decanter to show its best, with opulent blackberries emerging from the brambly oak mineral and tannins. Great heft and fun to pair with barbeque chicken! I will try to keep my hands of my few remaining bottles.
I like the 2006 much better than the 2004 vintage. There is a great concentration and purity of fruit and stuffing in the 2006. While still very primary with many years left on it, it was drinking great with my meal. While the tannin structure is firm, the tannin is not offensive as long as you pair this wine with a fatty/salty meal. Decanted for 1 hour.
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At a transition point. Still tight at first but the acid and tannins are coming together. Most notably, it is finally starting to show more complex notes of leather and floral elements. It appears to be just blossoming. Rising at this point. Really good but has potential to be great.
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Italy at its best...dark, plum-like fruit with intense licorice finish on the palate. Terrific complexity with notes of Tuscan earth, olive and floral scents. Super smooth with tannins nicely integrated into he fruit. This wine has clearly entered its drinking window.
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Dark purple. Slightly strange nose redolent of chlorine-laced swimming pools. What??? Not how I remember the several vintages of majestic Flaccianello I enjoyed a decade or so ago, around various tables and at the estate. The palate is more vinous, but still nothing that impressive: low tannin, medium acidity (a faint balsamic tang) and a rather boring berry soup of flavours. A remarkable 15% alcohol. Initially I rated this mid/upper 80s, but decided I would remove that and rate it as defective. I'm not sure what the defect is, but the mighty Flaccianello is not supposed to be like this... Cork, 15%.
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The nose was dark with soaring aromatics, displaying savory herbs, grilled meats, crushed black cherry, olive, sweet smoke and exotic spice. On the palate, I found soft textures with a savory expression of crushed black cherry, saline-minerals, rosemary, earth tones, and masses of dried inner floral tones. The finish was long and spicy showing dried cherries, saturating minerality, sous bois and lingering fine tannin. What a beautiful wine, and just entering its drinking window.
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Opened to breathe for an hour which was enough. Just a huge wine, with lots of black fruit, mineral, gravel and tannins. Such a pleasure with my Chinese take out. On day two it is slightly diminished from the previous night, but not by much. Overall this is really holding its own. Consistent with my previous notes.
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Singing on day 1, still very good on day 2. Tasted next to the Vigna del Sorbo this feels as always a little rounder, lusher, more „modern“ but a really excellent showing. Usually my heart is with the Vigna del Sorbo, but this is really good. Super ripe notes of plum, dark and dark red cherries, licorice, some spices, also a touch of graphite. It‘s full-bodied and powerful, with medium-high tannin (that is very good quality) and medium+ acidity. Good length. Very good showing.
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Well I blew it and accidentally brought this wine instead of a much more appropriate 1985 Cote Rotie I had planned to pair with Brad's stew. How the hell did I do that??? This was not suppose to be opened until my upcoming pizza night scheduled for Feb. So, a couple years ago I was smitten with another one of these that someone else brought to a dinner, un-decanted. So, to be safe I decanted mine for nearly 3 hours, got rid of the sediment and put back in the btl for Brad's dinner. Scratching my head because unlike the btl from Dec 2016, 2 years ago. this was a tannic, oak dominated modern mess. The semi opaque ruby red color is much darker than you would expect for sangiovese due to the oak treatment. Tonight's btl was pretty much everything I don't enjoy about oak driven sangiovese. Toss in a little chianti bitterness and I was hugely disappointed! Especially after wasting my time decanting the crap out of it.
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Great bottle. Double decanted; great balance and spectacular palate. Cherries, savory notes, herbs. Vibrant, with a clean and long finish. Youthful, but with some nuance of age. Great with food, great by itself, hitting on all cylinders.
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Grüner Veltliner & Super Tuscan Tasting (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Tasted blind. Youthful appearance, just starting to brown at the edges; good depth on the nose with lovely cassis fruit, glossy, fresh and expressive; full bodied and concentrated palate, rich tannic structure, complex and deep flavours, both rounded and mineral, meaty; slightly light finish, but good persistence.
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Grüner Veltliner & Super-Tuscans @ VINEUM (Vineum, Rotterdam): Tasted blind @ VINEUM. Identified Sangiovese correctly, so already with Flaccianello in mind...This 2006 was very good, a lot better then the 2007 in the same flight. Especially when tasting it later again after the blind tasting was over, it really gained in presence!
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Dark strawberry fruit, stony and deep, with bitter chocolate, and it feels hot to me. I do not enjoy his style of sangiovese. Fun throttle and for me lacking subtlety. A huge hit at the table, so take this with a grain of salt. Maybe this comes around in 15 years, but I would not choose to drink this wine now and would not choose to cellar it to find out.
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Starting to mature. Muted ruby with slight bricking. Cinnamon and dried cranberry on the nose. Grilled beef, blackberry, and cocoa on the flavor from the oak integrating with the still strong tannins. Finishes forever. Enjoy.
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Decanted for 3h at home, intending to compare with Sassicaia 05 from last night. Soft nose of mineral, leather, on the palate, the minerality and tonight monolithic blackberries are really intense, backed up by fine cottony tannins and acid on the finish. Definitely in the same league as the Sassicaia but not better (at least not for me), except in terms of QPR! Paired well with juicy kielbasa.
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Took this to a restaurant with Otis and our wives. Third time I have had this wine. Decanted 3 hours before dinner. Heavy sediment. Deep crimson color without any bricking. Firm tannins. Loaded with dark red and black fruit with some smoke and leather on the finish. Just really drinking well at 12 years old with no signs of fading. This is right up there with the best vintages of Flaccianello that I have had and that includes the 1988, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2007. 96 points.
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With further contemplation can see where some might say this is still not at peak, given the bold tannin finish, but it is tremendous after at least an hour decant, which smooths out the slightly bitter tang at open.
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Decanted for 1-2h at the Bottle Inn, Hermosa Beach. Expansive nose, balanced red and black fruit, tannins, and slight acid in the finish. Fantastic, consistent with previous notes. Awesome for oceanside contemplation with osso buco.
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Decanted for about an hour before dinner and then drank 1/2 of bottle. Corked and put in fridge till finished 2 days later. Wine was good but never great, never really unwound that much or strutted its stuff. Sorry to say it remained a bit austere and slightly bitter. Some comfort in Ian's and Antonio's view about the longevity here and I guess best to just leave this thing alone, like it's classic Bordeaux. Not entirely sure Sangiovese ever becomes personal favorite
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Was only able to get a limited impression in a spectacular flight with the '94 Pontet-Canet and 2004 Magrez Cab, but this held its own quite well. Modern, Cab-like yet unmistakably Sangiovese also. Rich and long as a Chicago winter. Great wine
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Wonderful nose of plum, herb, a bit of leather and violet. Great full palate with dark cherry. Finish is a bit clipped with an slight acid tang, which detracts a bit and keeps this from outstanding. Slight bricking at the rim. Not sure where tis is going or whether this is a representative bottle. Remains excellent right now.
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First one of these in almost exactly three years. Much, much better than last time (91 pts, 2/28/15). Either this has miraculously transformed into a stunner since then, or more than likely, the previous bottle was just a little "off". A beautiful, opaque, dark purple in color, beginning to lighten around the edge. Almost the color of eggplant skin. Earthy, yet complex on the nose, with hints of flowers, baking spice, leather and barnyard. Full-bodied and rich. This is a powerful, mouth-coating Sangiovese, jam-packed with black cherry, plum and boysenberry fruit. Displays tremendous depth and intensity. Nicely balanced, with a moderate acidity and just a touch of oak. Finishes very long, with silky tannins and lingering notes of coffee, tobacco and mineral. Powerful, complex and delicious. Ultra-modern in style, yet perhaps the ultimate expression of Tuscan Sangiovese. 50+5+13+19+9=96
Decanted for 1h at 1862 Restaurant in Philly. Consistent with my previous note, this was a vibrant medley of delicious red fruit, some spice, mineral, and plush tannins. Huge nose of red fruit and mineral. Fantastic! With beef wellington.
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Blind "20 Questions" wine Dinner (Jason and Mariellen's): 45 minute decant. Drank blind, the 5 of us were unable to determine its origin. Which is not surprising, because it does not appear to be a traditional Italian wine, at least not right now. This is modern, with mint and big big tannins. There is "only" sufficient acidity for balance, you could drink this by itself. I struggle with Italian wines, and I struggled with this one.
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Drinking Blind at Jason's (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple color. 45 minutes decant, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. I failed miserably, along with everyone else on this. I guess we knew it was fairly young, but would never have pegged this as Sangiovese tonight. The nose shows mint, big fruits, blue fruits, blueberry, oak, black fruits, big robust tannins, full bodied. Quite youthful this evening and not as expressive as a pop and pour previously. 92+ to 93pts.
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Third time I taste this wine in the last seven years, it is immensely drinkable now although far away from full maturity. We had it together with two great Brunellos and the differences were very obvious. The Brunellos with 36 months in oak were more oxidative whereas Flaccianello with only 18, but presumably newer barrels, was more on the fruity side with more obvious new oak. Concentrated, sweet and complex, with velvety texture, solid structure and great finish. So, it's not a typical/traditional Sangiovese but instead showcases to what heights this grape can climb with modern treatment.
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Rich, dark blood red starting to turn to brown. Dense core. (4)
Explosive nose of forest floor, anise, dried fruits. Lovely and has that Italian red character that I love. (13)
Bright entry on the palate with the acid jumping from the glass. Extremely drying tannins. They are plush though. Medium body. The acids and tannins are coming together but it has some room to integrate more. Dried red fruits but more earthiness. A little heat on the finish. (17)
This has a lot going on. It would probably benefit from a decant and food. Something to balance the acidity. It’s still a little rough on the edges but coming together. I think it could age for many more years. (7)
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This wine hardly ever disappoints. One of the very best Italien 100% Sangiovese wines. Now in it’s drinking window, with plenty of time left. Best with food like osso bucco or brasato or some pasta.
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Man do I wish I had more bottles of this stuff. Hard red candy on the nose along with violets, some garrigue, and expensive perfume. Eaten with Italian food (of course) last night, just a fantastic match for the richness of the meats and acidity and tartness of the tomato sauces, we flew through this bottle in record time. Highly recommend!
First bottle of the lot and boy it did not disappoint. Still very young, you can easily wait 5 years. But with food it comes alive. You will taste the just marvelous 2006 vintage coming through. Intensely concentrated, yet full of life and pleasure. I am a lucky man to hold 11 more of this trophy wine.
consistent with my note of six months ago "I've had this wine about a dozen times since it was released - I've liked it every time; this afternoon was no different. Funny thing about this wine, I've had it in large formats, too, and it's always had at least some amount of approachability, regardless of if it was tasted 6 years ago, or 6 hours ago. That's not to say it's totally open, it's not, or rather, it's still developing. This needs time to reach its zenith, but is (and consistently has) available now; in 8-12 years, this will be singing some very high notes indeed. Lovely, and should see another 15 years with nice results. highly recommended
this was served non-blind, and, iirc, it was opened and double-decanted an hour or so before service. The best has yet to come here, so HOLD.
Decanted for 2h. This is fantastic! Mineral, red fruits, herbs, oak on the nose, a little heat too but aromatic and complex. The palate is solid black and red fruit, done right. Well balanced with oak, earth, leather, mineral. Chewy tannins are softening but not (yet) soft. Nice acid too. Finish lasts forever. Quite a package, built to last. Today with grilled smoky burgers and brats.
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The 2006 Flaccianello della Pieve is a dark and beautiful beast, with ripe black cherry, dark wood tones, plum, sweet florals and spice, as it seems to gain richness the longer it spend in the glass. This is a soft and silky expression with ripe black fruit in the foreground, leading to spices and sweet herbs. The finish is long with fine tannin coating the senses, yet never overwhelming, due to a gorgeous display of mint, orange peel and sweet herbs. Anyone with the 2006 in their cellar should be quite happy with what’s in store for them down the road.
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Have we had this blind we would have been tricked its a modern barolo. Modernist twist of course here of course, good oak but used well, good ripe fruit, cherry notes. Just a touch of tar and this would have been a barolo! We were expectign this to be an average wine but it impressed us with its full profile and good depth. a very solid 92-93
Still very young. Nice nose of damp earth, dark fruits and a nutmeg note. Tannins still very prevalent but not harsh. Will wait at least 2 years before opening any additional bottles.
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Medium garnet color turning orange crimson rust at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose is so elegant and ethereal with notes of smoked herbs, black tea, cedar and meat over black fruits. The palate is full-bodied, dry and silky in texture. Flavors of blackberry, peppercorn, dried meat, charcoal, espresso, and toasted oak frame the core. Utterly balanced and lifted by its bright acidity, this is perfectly set up for a long, sustained finish with elegant, dusty tannins. Best from Fontodi so far. Drink now until 2032. 97+
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Brauchte erst eine Weile Luft zum Atmen. Dann entwickeln sich Sauerkirsch- und Pflaumenaromen, Veilchen, Zigarrenbox, mineralische und sekundär-erdige Töne. Weicher Wein mit geschmeidigem, feinen Tannin; leider etwas zehrend und alkohollastig im langen. sonst hervorragenden Abgang.
Decanted 1.5 hours and should have decanted twice that. Took a while to show it's stuff, but once it did, this was a wonderful wine. Black cherries. plums, licorice, coffee, and some floral in the nose. Black cherries, plums, currants, and some minerality in the flavor. Nice acidity, great structure, and a very long finish.
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Drank at a restaurant , but it came from my cellar. We decanted it and gave it an hour and drank over the next two hours. Absolutely terrific with the various appetizers and pasta dishes, even better with the Osso Bucco. Dark red , saline, moderately intense tannins, and obviously still in the early phase of its drinking window. Enough acidity to balance the fruit and and stand up to the food. Ripe cherry, some vanilla, mineral, and grilled herbs. Lovely finish.
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This bottle seemed a bit more primary than prior bottles at first. Seemed fruit was a bit more brambly and upfront, from memory. Brought this to accompany what promised to be some savory Italian fare (no disappointment there). Crowd was mixed on it, but...we came back to it later (after the Spottswoode) and it redeemed itself!
Will let remaining mags and 750s rest a bit, this still has a way to go, I think it will settle a bit
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Tasted right out of the cellar and was disappointed. Not much there. Color seemed on the verge of bricking. I have had this in my cellar since 2010. So I double decanted and let it warm to room temp and left it another 3 hours. Everything was different then. Very nice, deep color, medium bodied, noticeable tannins. Not sure if my bottles will last too much longer, probably drink over the next 3-4 years.
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Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } I've had this wine about a dozen times since it was released - I've liked it every time; this afternoon was no different. Funny thing about this wine, I've had it in large formats, too, and it's always had at least some amount of approachability, regardless of if it was tasted 6 years ago, or 6 hours ago. That's not to say it's totally open, it's not, or rather, it's still developing. This needs time to reach its zenith, but is (and consistently has) available now; in 8-12 years, this will be singing some very high notes indeed. Lovely, and should see another 15 years with nice results. highly recommended
Not as rich and expressive as the last bottle. This had a vibrant nose of blackberry, chocolate, and espresso. Medium-bodied with good acid. Tannins have resolved a bit.
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Seven years ago (wow...) I posted this at a 98 and one of the top five wines I've ever tasted. That list is a lot deeper now, but the score isn't too far off. What a soaring, terrific wine that has everything in the right place.
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Very good but too tannic, hard and crunchy to be a great experience. Even on day two it was v tight. Opened up w cheese later nicely but I think she needs 5-10 years to hit her stride.
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Drank with many other wines at a tasting so did not focus a lot on this bottle. It was good but had a little too much tart fruit imho. Bright red and tart fruit cranberry strawberry with lots of herbs, still has good grip. Variety correct.
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Opened to breathe for about 30 min or so, evolved nicely up to 2h after opening. Aromatic nose, faint leather and oak, compost. The palate is bright and red fruit, bright red cherry, earthy leather, plenty of acid, and chewy tannins. A complex, full bodied red, tonight with grilled venison chops. In its drinking window, still plenty of life.
Pumped down overnight. This held up remarkably well, just as tasty on Day 2. If anything the tannins are a bit softer.
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This was "the" absolute pleasant surprise of the evening! It's pedigree is well know and deserved but I cringed when we learned it had not been decanted. Thus, I expected this to be relatively tannic and oak dominated since its aged in smaller barrels but wow, this was amazing tonight! This was a PnP and great??? I'll take it! Color is darker than you would expect for sangiovese due to the oak treatment but that's were the negative impact of the oak ends. This was stunning, complex, velvety - yet lifted, classy and showing the greatness that sangiovese can deliver. R&Rler and I were chuckling about how the market generally under values sangiovese making them an excellent value at every price point. I couldn't be more delighted to own 3 of these already myself. The odd things is I thought I bought mine very well but this is still available for only $25 more than I paid for it back in 2010. I may grab 1 or 3 more. Before you go out buy more $250 Napa Cult cab on recent release you owe to yourself to try one of these 10yr old 2006s! For me, a much better experience at over 1/2 the price.
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Mixed WTDS at The Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. On the surface, I would have expected this wine to need more air, but on a PNP basis, this was just firing on all gears with no need to breathe. Very interesting to see all the other notes talking about this wine needing air - which I don't doubt, but this bottle defied the odds. Quite amazing from the start, this was extremely aromatic with that classic well heeled Sangiovese nose, red and black fruits on the nose, cedar, spice. On the palate the fruit is out front with an impressive mix of black and red fruits along with a serious streak of blue fruit. Tannins are very fine and work quite well with our roasted boar pappardelle. This is just a touch of alcohol that needs to integrate.
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Drinking beautifully with a 45 minute decant. There is a lot of sediment in this wine (at least in our bottles) so a careful decant is advised. The silky texture of this wine is amazing.
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Takes some to time to open, long decant necessary. Dark Ruby, slight rim variation of garnet. (with air get towards purple) Nose of dust, cherries, sage, slight oxidation. Blackberries, dark cherries, nice acidity. Bright and dark (if that makes sense) Not sure what to think here, expectations were very high. Took some time to open up, when it did, brooding dark fruits, macerated cherries, looong finish, big chewy soft tannins. However that window was relatively short and the wine started to shut down again and go mute. Maybe its just in a odd age place right now..Saw the potential in that window and want more of that...interesting for sure...
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A very nice bottle of Flaccianello. However, even after decanting for 3 hours, it did not really open up. I would keep cellaring it for another couple of years.
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Served blind, I had no idea what this was. Initially showed a big, ripe aromatic of fruit and a little bloody. Olive? I kept guessing and swirling and it continued to evolve., Dark wine, good density, nice acidity, tangy. Tar. With more air, it leaned down some and also tightened up. Probably has many years left to age and evolve and we finished it all over dinner so nothing to revisit.
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Concentrated wine in all facets including color tannins. Fairly opaque deep Crimson color. There's a forest floor and hint of barnyard aroma. The attack is about sandalwood and the aggressive gritty tannins with some leather or rawhide. The red fruit is light and takes a backseat to the other components. Drying on the finish. It's a very nice wine but it needs lots of cellar time and more air when serving. At 10 years of age it's still showing as extremely youthful. Probably last another 20 years, no problem.
Outstanding full-bodied Sangiovese. Concentrated without being fruit forward. Very well done. Needed min one hour of decanting time to strut its stuff. This is NOT a pop and pour wine.
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At Vic's Restaurant NYC, great food, excellent staff, corkage friendly place...Second wine of the evening, decanted for about an hour drank over 90 minutes. Decant really helped the wine open...
From prior notes:..."dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish..."
Really nice and consistent with recent tasting. Tannins were a little firmer on these bottles than I remembered last bottles. A sign that this has a long way to go if one has the discipline to cellar them...Beautiful wine, nice to write this one for tasting note #2000!
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Søte bær, litt maling, noe rosin, og touch av urter eller tørka fiken. Frisk i munnen, med diskret syre og flott tanninstruktur. Ungt preg, litt sjure tanniner i avslutningen, som ellers har preg av plomme. God fylde gjennom hele smakskurven. Herlig vin!
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At Le Coq Rico in flatiron, great place for a Parisian version of roasted chicken...Brought this from my cellar, drank next to an 07 Peter Michael Les Pavots. Decanted for about 30 minutes, drank over 90 minutes
Borrowing from notes from 2014:..."dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish..."
This is a beautiful wine...expressive bouquet, great fruit, secondary characteristics showing nicely. It has softened a bit (from memory) since last tasted. Fruit characteristics are similar but now softer on mid plate. Should hold at this level for a while, best guess is it continues to improve for another 5 years and cellars 10 past that...
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Tuscany 2006 Ten years after. (@ SvdV): Extremely beautiful and luxurious bouquet with perfectly integrated oak, cedar, dark forest fruits and esp. blackcurrants and blackberries. On the palate a start with the same ripe dark berries, sweet spices, a firm amount of good and fresh acidity as well as soft, but firm tannin. Good bitterness and a bit drying in the finish. This wine is in its young maturity stage now. No problem cellaring this until 2020+. Great wine!
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Fine Wine Room Opening (Acker Merrall): One of my favorite wines of the night - the Bordeaux was too thin and the California was too much and this hit that nice in the middle spot. Fruit and spice and quite a strong tannic structure this was really looking to be drunk with food (meat) and paired quite well with a slice of bacon. Almost an unctuous wine. Enjoyable.
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Decanted two hours. Dark red pretty much to the rim still. Youthful, with tannic grip. Wonderful nose of earth, herbs, some flowers and dark fruits. Full palate with cherry and savory notes and some roasted meat. Outstanding. Clean and very long, great finish. This will improve, it is a great bottle for the next decade.
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Definitely needs at least a couple of hours of decanting at this point. Very powerful and full-bodied for Sangiovese with good accompanying acidity. Disappointing for the price.
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Drank blindly for my guest. A deep and fine wine with tannins tobacco, cigar box. Full of power and vivacity, a technic and mineral style. Far to early, a shame. 94-95
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As part of our usual Christmas Eve tradition, we headed out for dinner. Thank you to the team and crew at Piccolino’s for being open and fixing up a great meal. I brought the Sangiovese as I was intending to have the Veal Oso Bucco. Instead my son in law, Ryan and I enjoyed it. He had the lamb Oso Bucco, but I gave into the Lobster Cannelloni in lobster bisque sauce. So how did that work?
Dark opaque inky purple out of the decanter (30 minutes). My son and his friend made fun of me while I was looking smelling and tasting, but the grief was worth it. I did not get the overwhelming tannins as some other had suggested. It was well balanced. It had an easy lavender smell, but the other florals seemed a bit elusive. It is a medium bodied pour. Not thick and jammy and not too thin. A grand name, Fontodi is 100 % Sangiovese and is in a very serious growing area just about 15 miles south of Florence. This wine had the acidic feel to it, but was subtle like the acid you feel when enjoying a roasted pepper. That taste, a long with Italian herbs (went home and sniffed several to match-got thyme and oregano), and earthy clay, but plenty of fruit to round it out. Very complex and would agree that this is not done aging.
I can strongly recommend this wine. If you want to see the classic countryside of this vintner, Google Map Panzano In Chianti FI, Italy
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Blind tasted and guessed a Sangiovese but expected something very young. This was dark and powerful yet packed with crunchy acidity and freshness, the 15% alcohol was no where to be seen, could have been a Loire Cab Franc. So much going on here, wish I had some of these in my cellar - either wait or give it lots of air and watch out for the copious sediment. Thanks GG!
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100 percent Sangiovese. Massive tannin and very dark and brooding. This is a real brute. Big tannic finish that has a lot of integrating yet. Concentrated and structured. A long long life ahead of this. Try in 2020. When this comes together and the massive tannin integrate this will be a beauty.
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Un vin qui est assez vieux mais jeune...(vous me suivez ??). Encore boisé et un peu fermé.Des fruits noirs et un peu de vanille dans la bouche. Je me croyais en CaliCab et bien non ! 91 pts mais va survivre un bon bout je crois.10 ans du moins.
Quelqu'un a déja bu du très vieux ??
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Very dark colour. Ripe dark berries, just a hint of fine oak spice, a blend of intense cassis and some light earthy notes. Mainly primary fruit but has a little complexity. Intensely flavoured, youthful zest, very pure ripe berries with a background hint of savoury earthy complexity. Finish is a little coarse but main impression is the lush rich palate. Could be more interesting and deserves a few more years to see where it goes.
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Ignore me here. I am trying to delete this review. I entered here by mistake- this was to be a review on Felsina Fontollaro and I can't figure out how to delete.
well decanted , this was still very primary. with food it helped but was hoping for it to be a bit more approachable by now. I'm hoping the fruit becomes more expressive otherwise all the hype will prove ill founded. 1 case left will leave alone for at least 2 years
Friday Night Double Blind Mondo $100+ (Bin 75): Black core with thin garnet rim; new oak is strong, cinnamon, spice, tobacco, anise, dried red and dark fruit, dried red apple, big, rough hewn, tannic, SuperTuscan, long spice finish; good but needs more time.
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Unfortunately, I found this wine did not live up to expectations. Still dark and youthful-looking, but perhaps it's now in its "dormant" phase. Pretty aromas of crushed dark berries, flowers and spice. Full-bodied, but not as rich or powerful as I had expected - though not as tannic either. Offers a subtle, layered palate of sour cherry and blackberry fruit, along with notes of spice and a moderate acidity. Nicely balanced, with a long, dry finish that features velvety tannins - but also a noticeable amount of oak. A very elegant and polished Sangiovese, but not quite the great wine we were expecting. I have three of these left and am hoping that this one was perhaps just slightly "off". 50+5+12+16+8=91
COMPLEX WINE WITH LAYERS AND LAYERS OF FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. BLACK CHERRIES, PLUMS, BLACKBERRIES AND HINTS OF CHOCOLATE. LONG FINISH, MANY YEARS LEFT IN THIS BOTTLE
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Tightly wound and a bit bitter, this wine is in an awkward stage and needs more time in the cellar. Very dark, like the skin on black cherries. Nose is elegant and fairly complex, showing tobacco and black plums, creosote, violets. Perhaps a hint of bacon fat. But on the palate a generous tongue-lashing of tannins and serious acidity currently veils the tart/sweet fruit. Fairly long mineral-inflected finish. My rating could be low: not an easy time to taste this wine, and it could benefit from two hours in a decanter.
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At Union Square Cafe in NYC with Bob M, he brought this one. We drank next to a 97 Ornellaia.
Decanted for about 30 minutes, dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish. Big and plush on the mid palate, sign that this is still young.
This is a powerful wine, still very young but I did find it accessable. Interesting to drink it next to a 97 Ornellaia, which shows what these wines can become with age. This should continue to evolve for 10+ years and drink well long after...
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I seem to be trying this every 2 years, which is a fun way to watch a wine evolve. The nose still has some sour cherry and tar, but the floral component is being replaced a bit by tobacco and leather, which I find quite nice. Lots of bright acidity up from with that tart cherry, also a leather component, touch of oak and some pomegranate. Finishes with a creaminess and still big tannins. Incredibly well structured and well crafted wine. Will see if I can resist opening another for 2 more years. Based on the tannins and acidity, you can see this lasting easily another 20 years.
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Massive out of bottle with huge griping tannin on the finish. There is a big earthy cherry fruit nose that you can smell as you pour it from the bottle. Very complex with an explosion of flavour on the finish. Still a baby, don't even think about this one for 3 to 5 more years. It will only improve. With this kind of structure and balance this is a gem.
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Decanted for 2 hours and enjoyed with grilled NY strips - did not take formal notes. Dark red color / dirt / tobacco / sour cherry / black cherry on nose. Tobacco / sour cherry / cherry on the palate. Stout tannins, high acidity and a very long finish. Hard to drink without food. To me this was still not ready but went well with steaks. 92-93+
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Beautiful bottle of wine, heading into a great drinking window. Bright cherry fruit and herbs on the nose, tart cherry and dark berry with some savory notes on the palate, long and clean on the finish. Good acidity, tannins still apparent but softening. Great with food and alone, drinks best at the end of the bottle, many years left.
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Decanted for two hours. A slight garnet that is thick, then the colour shows crimson along the edge. Black cherry, menthol, white pepper, terra cotta, baked stone and soy sauce. Evident layers and toasted oak, the intellectual palate that is propitious on all levels; really showing velvet confection. So long and almost New World. Amazing fruit throughout the composition. Drink 2015 - 2030.
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Very dark red --- Nose nutty, earthy, leather, herbs, plum, elegant wood notes, dried flowers, sour cherry --- Palate fresh, fantastic acidity, sour cherry, touch vanilla, concentrated --- Finishes rather long on fruity charachter, elegant tartness, minerality and some tea. Like a volcano close to eruption. Loaded, concentrated and powerful. Captivating masterpiece of Sangiovese.
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Superbe vin de cette grande maison. Frais, gouteux et bien équilibré. Nez sur le menthol, les cerises et les épices. En bouche, c'est bien éuilibré et profond. Des cerises, de l'anis et du poivre en parfaite symbiose avec l'acidité. Long et frais en finale. J'AIME!
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Very dark purple, almost opaq. Youthful but complex nose of soy sauce, coffee, dark chocolate, dark cherry, damp earth, leather and sweet spices. Oak is noticeable and needs time to integrate. On the palate it is full-bodied, dense and creamy-textured with firm tannins, big fruit and balancing acidity. Aftertaste is very long but leaves an oaky impression. Definitely a great wine but still very young. I do not intend to touch my other bpttle for at least a decade.
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Very dark garnet color. Decanted four hours and has finally come around. This wines really needs a few more years to fully hit its stride. Fuming aromas of perfume, black cherry, blackberry, mocha, vanilla, and oak. The balance is the standout feature with expressive aromatics, loads of fruit, fine tannins, and ample acid. Tons of structure for the long haul. Just a sexy fantastic wine on the palate that we all need to experience. Long ripe tannic finish leaves your mouth begging for more. 96
Derin yakut.Ön burun kiraz ,böğürtlen,menekşe, otsu baharat var.Yine topraksı. Arkadan kahve tonları ve zamanla tütün çıkıyor.Mint, bu tadımda nerdeyse tüm sangiovese'lerde ortak payda .Tüm bunların hepsi katman, katman burnunuza geliyor.Fıçı entegrasyonuda başarılı.Damakta, inanılmaz derinlikli.Tam gövdeli.Çok sağlam yapılı . Yumuşak ama yuvarlak değil.Gayet diri asitli.Meyve tanen entegrasyonu ideal.Gerçekten kompleks bir şarap.
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Derin yakut.Ön burun kiraz ,böğürtlen,menekşe, otsu baharat var.Yine topraksı. Arkadan kahve tonları ve zamanla tütün çıkıyor.Mint, bu tadımda nerdeyse tüm sangiovese'lerde ortak payda .Tüm bunların hepsi katman, katman burnunuza geliyor.Fıçı entegrasyonuda başarılı.Damakta, inanılmaz derinlikli.Tam gövdeli.Çok sağlam yapılı . Yumuşak ama yuvarlak değil.Gayet diri asitli.Meyve tanen entegrasyonu ideal.Gerçekten kompleks bir şarap.
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At Kevin D's house, dinner was great, he was very generous with his cellar.
From a magnum, had been open 2 hours when I had the opportunity to taste this. Still very youthful wine. Nose was rich, violet/floral, some sweetness, cedar, mocha. Palate is lush and full, tannins are fading a bit
Very good wine, my WOTN. Should keep adding complexity. this was a great vintage, as good as this was, can't help thinking it will get much better with a few more years.
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Clos du Stavanger monthly wine club - bring a bottle tasting - August 2013 (Stavanger): Sweet and sour nose with rose hips, violets and tea that led us to nebbiolo when served blind. With air, it evolves more towards a Bordeaux. A magic nose that keeps changing with air while keeping the very high concentration and vibrancy. The palate is enormously powerful, yet in perfect balance. Lots and lots of fruit, and a finish that lasts forever while it keeps hammering on the front of the tongue. Fantastic wine that is still so very young.
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Very closed. Nose was very muted at first though did open up to reveal hints of complex herbs, cedar and (surprisingly) citrus notes. In the mouth, the wine was serious and flat. The weight was good but the wine lacked transparency and depth.
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Still extraordinarily youthful. But tannins starting to resolve as it enters the front of its drinking window. Deep and rich it's a really striking crowd pleaser. Still worth waiting on the rest of the case. One a year from here on in.
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Wow!! This was truly amazing! The WS-99 and WA-97 are very warranted. The wine seems to be only now entering a fabulous drinking phase. The nose had mocha, vanilla, wonderful fruits - just a garden a fabulousness! The palate was rich, very smooth tannins with a perfect amount of bite. Over a three hour period this wine went through many changes, as a great wine should! If you can get your hands on this vintage, do it - well worth the price!
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This is one of the best expressions of Sangiovese. Intense and authentic. The depth and tannin are in its own class. Although young it shows complexity and finish that screams magnifico!! The dark berry fruit shines and layered with spice, vanilla, and slappy tannin. With age this will evolve and be epic.
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The nose initially seemed just a little closed, but I finally got aromas and flavors of black cherry, leather, roasted coffee, a touch of licorice, pepper, herbs and oak. Big rich and full bodied; intense and concentrated fruit. The tannins are not totally resolved, but fairly soft at this point. Great structure and balance. A long, long finish of 30+ seconds. Consumed at the SAFW Reunion II.
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It performed less well than I expected it to, slightly tannic, limited fruit and just somewhere out of balance. I think this is in an odd place right now, but you see the potential it has clearly a 93-96 point wine when it is in full swing
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Drank my first bottle at the Grown dinner on Kauai. Not decanted. This still needs time in the bottle. Firm tannins. Dark crimson color. Notes of rich black cherries and some coffee. Full bodied. Lots of potential. 95+ points.
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I have a case of the 2006 and decided to try a bottle to gauge its progress. Opened up and decanted for 2hrs prior to tasting. Had a great red fruit nose. On tasting found the wine to be hugely tannic, mouth puckering in fact, but the fruit is there. Im sure this wine will evolve over the years to come and turn into a thing of beauty . Personally I am going to leave the remaining bottles for at least another 3+ years as those tannins are bullying the fruit for now. 95 point wine from 2016
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I was dissaponted. I decanted it for 2 hours. It wasnt corked or flaw - I was not sure. I know that some bottles of the same wine and vintage have different qualitiy. I still have 2 in my cellar. I will try them within the next two years.
I already had the 2007 and the 2008 which were very pleasant an in the 93-94 point range. We will see,
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Last bottle maybe bottle shocked after shipping. This bottle drank in Rome and was exceptional after only 1 hour of air. Tannins were softer and took a back seat to the extracted ripe rep fruit and Panzano perfume. Delicious.
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Really excellent power red. Intense, but black fruit prevails over tannin and acidity. Oaky, but not too much. No bitterness or weediness despite the 100% Sangiovese.
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Double decanted as the first sip from the bottle was very tannic. It had a decent nose of leather and fruit but it was not explosive as a 99 pt wine should be. On the palate there was a sour component to the fruit that was more noticeable in the first glass that we had without food. Overall a decent effort but a bit of a let down. At least I have another bottle which I will hold for 4-5 years at least to see if this improves.
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Starting out very nice (92 pts) with a superbly focused sangiovese smell and taste, though slightly closed down. 15% isn't felt at all. Dark colour, typical and concentrated cherries, herbs and liquorice. BUT - 3 hours later the wine completely collapsed and smelled of nothing. FAR FAR away from 99 pts (WS) and very closed at this moment, but definitely has potential. Try next bottle in 2017.
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Double decanted 2-3 hours through a venturi and through an aerator into decanter back into bottle same way. Wow , just wow! Leather, cherry tobacco. Old world but new world also..very aeromatic. This wine will age for years and I believe will start coming into maturity around 2015-2016 and last for 10 plus years after that.
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Wow all this hype. I source bottles at a premium, wait for a special occasion, and decanted for 4 hours just to realize that we wasted the bottle. It is not even close to being ready. Don't make my mistake.
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- Crimsom color and aromas of black currant. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Well balanced, great fruit,voluptuous, but still young.
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Deep ruby with a narrow & lively garnet rim. Youthful with red fruit, leather, chocolate, epresso roast and new oak notes on the nose. Savoury on palate with a combination of energetic acidity and robust/earthy tannins that balance amazingly high alcohol and almost full body. Impressive concentration on mid-palate promises a long life. Not ready yet, needs at least 8 years for tannins to mellow and integrate. Very long, outstanding Sangiovese.
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Tasted blind and then drank over lunch with friends. Hands down the best wine of the bunch, but way too young. A new (to me) expression of sangiovese, very dark in color, with ripe cherry, orange peel, leather, smoke and earth. Full-bodied, dense, with very firm tannins that need time, very rich but fresh fruit and high acidity. Very long, persistant finish. A future masterpiece.
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This is a masterpiece although very young still. Notes more or less consistent with last time I tasted the wine (18/5/2010) with the addition of an ethereal orange zest note on the nose and better integration of oak. I copy from my last tasting note: Very deep ruby colour with a purple rim. Very deep red and black fruit aromas and fine minerallity. Oak is quite evident and has not integrated yet. Ink, vanilla and sweet spices also evident. Has some earthiness also. In the mouth it is rich with big chunky tannins which are still astringent. A wine at its infancy. Flavour profile of blackcurrants, ink and plums. Concentrated, rich, and powerfull. A wine that impresses.
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Hands-down my new favorite wine. Wish I could afford cases of it. Strawberries. Some oak. Jammy without actually having up-front fruit. I don't know how to describe the tannins other than they sparkled on my tongue. The taste was complex and lingered on my palate for a surprisingly long time. Truly, this is the nectar of the gods. When you see in pictures Bacchus having a party with his satyrs and other friends... and the magical wine from Olympus is flowing... it's this stuff. To quote Ferris Bueller: "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."
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Dark ruby color with very aromatic nose. Very focused palate with red fruit flavors but still tight, and racy with firm, sweet tannins. Very long length and pleasant finish. Needs another 3-4 years to polish in the bottle.
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Ruby, medium body, loads of fruit. Tannins are firm. Opened two bottles on Thanksgiving and finished the second bottle the next day. Was getting better. Suggest several hours decant now, but better to wait. Will be stunning in a couple years.
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wow!!!! absolutely great! had more cab sauv characteristics than i was expecting. lots of fruit but very well integrated and a fantastic silky texture on the palate and a longgggggg finish.
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Amazing still!! Wine bled through the cork but it hadnt been long enough to affect it. Was great to enjoy it with someone on my level with wine knowledge
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Just what it should be, extraverted, powerful, even muscular, blackcurrent, distinctive due to it's 100% sangiovese fruit. What it's not is complex or subtle, but that's not what I want in every wine.
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This wine is loaded! Everything you would want in a Tuscan wine. Beautifully balanced full styled. Only problem, it needs time. Lots of time. This was infanticide to drink now. The tannins won't let half of the potential this wine has shine through. Please wait. My next bottle will be in five years.
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A real winner. Definitely modern style, packed with ripe dark red fruit and controlled oak. The tannins are softening but there's still a bit of harshness on the finish to round out in the future. Terrific wine if you're not a terroir fanatic.
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waaay too young with square structure, iron and green herb winning out over the primary cherry and currant; might have guessed there was a little cab sauv added; 90+ points and needs years to come around
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Lukket og rig på tanniner, fremragende duft af lakridsrod, duften af noget i vente....om mange år. En anelse skuffet over en ellers hyped og anmelderrost vin.
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This is simply the best super tuscan I have ever had. Nice acidity, goes fantastic with tomato based dishes. Long, long finish. So balanced. Need to air for a couple hours.
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Rounding into shape wonderfully. Very intense and mouth filling but no fruit bomb. Spicy Sangiovese. Mouth filling, gutsy, satisfying. Great match for grilled venison with balsamic veal stock sauce. Surprising amount of gritty sediment for a young wine.
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Enjoyed after only minimal decanting. Still had significant tannins (well integrated). Although still good young, this will be great in another 5 years.
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Nice nose with some floral component, tar and sour cherry. This is a big brooding wine. Sour cherry, oak, spice and BIG tannins at the end. Didn't want to wait to try this, but I am going to try and hold out and not touch this for another few years. Should be spectacular in the future. Outstanding now.
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And so we move from 2004 Ornellaia to 2006 Flaccinallo. 100% sangiovese from one of the finest vineyards in Tuscany. This is a different beast entirely. Ornellaia is all about exhuberance, hedonism and throwing TVs out of windows. This fella is sultry, deep and intriguing. Really sexy nose. Deep and spicy this is hard to pick out as a pure varietal - you're almost thinking a smokey cali cab with lots of oak. Very creamy (the oak I'm guessing). Palate is pure sangiovese, although you have to say it's a sangiovese buffed to a highly polished sheen. It's a big wine but you get a real sense of elegance on the palate - quite a modern style of brazen fruit and oak, but there's something lurking behind all the flash. Real complexity here and the promise of something astounding to come if you have the patience. 5 years? 10? Real mineral tang on the extraordinarily grippy finish. Not ready by a factor but a tremendous wine in the making. Drink now if you like them sexy but a bit brutal, in 5 if you're a new world advocate, and in 10+ if you like black and white movies with Marlene Dietrich. 94+
For profile an alternate worth looking at would be Altesino's Montosoli, but this probably has the edge and the price is about the same
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Young and full of potential, but it's superb quality is still obvious. Shows loads of oak on the nose right now, along with dark berry, earth, and spice notes. In the mouth, plush, concentrated, and very silky. The balance, concentration, and mouth feel are what stand out about this wine right now. Plenty of forward fruit, but there is lurking complexity just waiting to unleash, but it's masked by the oak and structure. Tannins are very fine. Just needs time to unwind. A
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Still tightly wound up, but all of the elements are there to havethis be a blockbuster in a few years. The fruit was well integrated with the tannin and the freshness of the acidity. beautiful blood red color in the glass. Will buy more to cellar for 5-10 years.
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Clear, deep ruby colour suggesting a youthful experience and what an unforgettable one! Amazing richness of flavours with fresh red and black berries, charming violet notes as well as an earthy undertone, liqorice, leather and tobacco flavours laced with mint. Silky and elegant on the palate with an inviting balance of tannins, acidity and fruitiness. Charming. Best of the night.
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Dark red. Aroma of fresh bread, ground pepper. On the palate, green peppers, black pepper. Eearth and damp wood Taste. Very cool and very present tannins.
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what a wine this is ! intense nose of dark fruits with more than a slight hint of oak. On the palate it is incredibly concentrated and dense but oh so long. Power more than finesse. Will be great to see how this develops - my guess is that when it shelves some of the excessive opulence it will be regal ! stark contrast to the 2004 I tasted at the same stage - this seems richer and the 2004 perhaps more classic and reticent ?
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Tasted at the 15/5/2010 Decanter magazine Masterclass on Tuscany headed by Steven Spurrier. Very deep ruby colour with a purple rim. Very deep red and black fruit aromas and fine minerallity. Oak is quite evident and has not integrated yet. Ink, vanilla and sweet spices also evident. Has some earthiness also. In the mouth it is rich with big chunky tannins which are still astringent. A wine at its infancy. Flavour profile of blackcurrants, ink and plums. Concentrated, rich, and powerfull. A wine that impresses. Tasted after the 2006 Cepparello to which I gace the same score. The wines are completely different in style though. Where Cepparello offers finesse, Flaccianello offers power. Yet both were impressive.
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Deep purple, floral nose. Smoky plums with bright cherries behind it. Some hints of chocolate. Well balanced, nice aciidty, sweet tannins with immense structure. Nice long finish.
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For the price it's one of the best wines I've tasted...very smooth going down. Had a little sentiment at the bottem, but it was overlooked due to the flavor.
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125$ at costco. was curious to try this "blockbuster". there was a fair amount of old world minerality balanced nicely with vibrant wet stones and red fruit especially raspberries. tasty but not lush or persistent enough to make me say wow.
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Decanted for approx. 6 hours prior to tasting. The color was very dark, almost black. I had tasted this wine on 2 other occasions (1st at the winery with Giovanni Manetti in May, 2009 and again in NYC in October). Each of the previous tastings were superior to this one. I feel the wine is completely closed down right now. Even with the long exposure to air, the wine was not yielding anything on the nose or the palate. A wall of tannins are all you taste currently. The '01 showed many of the same signs at about the same stage of development. I won't be touching these again for at least 8-10 years.
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Decanted for two hours and enjoyed over the next five hours.
This wine has a inky garnet core with a dense ruby rim. Deep blackberry coats the aromas that are lined with ripe red cherries, dried black cherries, and pencil lead. There is also a distinct minerality that persistently elevates the scent. On the palate it is lively with precise acidity driving pure crushed red cherry over more subtle nuances of milk chocolate, blackberry jam, and raspberry coulis. The tannins are strong and mouth coating, but well balanced between grape and wood. The finish clears a minute easily.
At the moment, this strikes as one of the top five wines I've ever tasted. Really beautifully integrated flavours with precise texture and depth that show this wine can be enjoyed intensely now but also has a lot to offer as it will dynamically age over a long time to come.
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I did this one for Greg blind and he guessed it was a Priorat. This new release is still showing a lot of new oak (vanilla and toast and creamy texture), so it's hard to see the sangiovese underneath. But based on the development of the 2004, I'm confident this vintage will be a great success as well. There's no doubt about the impressive concentration of black fruit, but it is somewhat anonymous at this early stage.
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This was beautiful, mineral and deeply fruited with forward ripe tannins framed in subtle oak and taming acid. It could be perfect someday. Right now it's too primary.
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Opening this wine now was a big mistake. Even after several hours open, this wine is way to young. Tried it the second night, and still felt like it needed air. I would hold on to this another 3-5 years before opening another. Try again in 2012.
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Dark almost black wine, huge nose of alcohol, toasty oak, coffee notes, mint, dark fruit and wallops of vanilla. Over time, the nose expressed a bit more fruit with black cherries and some sweet dark plums emanating from the nose. The palate was rather closed but what structure. As KSCO2 mentioned, a wall of tannins greet the unprepared drinker floating on a sea of alcohol. There is elegance and great power to this wine, almost smelt like a Croze-Hermitage in the beginning but it found more elegance as the night went on. Long tannic finish with dark fruit. A bruiser for sure but I'd love to revisit this wine in say 6-8 years from now. 95+
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Gorgeous color and viscosity. A monster of a wine upon initial opening, with gripping tannins. Splash decanted 3 hours and the beast settled into a beautiful bottle. Deep, opulent aromas of dark berries, menthol and spice. A big. fresh, viscous, full-bodied mouth feel with the big berry taste and menthol coming through to the palate. Tannins became nicely integrated at this point (especially for for such a baby) and everything was quite balanced. It's all there. Medium-long finish. It was remarkably noticeable that, at the four hour + mark, the tannins rose up and completely devoured any remaining fruit. This bottle showed well and continuously evolved in glass the entire time (as one would expect at this point). Time will surely reward those who cellar. A blockbuster of a wine indeed.
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Flaccianello Frenzy @ Paul B. (Netherlands): (blind) Thicker, denser, obviously more modern than previous wine. Very primary black fruit aromas, smoky peat, rose petals. Very concentrated and lots of acidity, accompanied by fatty, treacly tannines. After the unveiling everybody at the table was surprised, that this wine did make it to the tasting after all. Furthermore nobody recognised it as a Flaccianello... Seemed to have a different, more contemporary style than the other one's. Or could that be explained by its age? 17.5/20
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Picked up a bottle on recent trip to Atlanta on impulse, having just read the WS review and rating, I stumbled across it in a wine shop. The proprietor at the wine store offered to call the restaurant where we were having dinner and they charged a $15 corkage fee so we took the wine to the restaurant rather than back to the hotel room. I have paid a whole lot more for a whole lot less, at $100 this wine would never be considered a bargain but I was not disappointed. The wine is a beautiful purple/garnet color, as the wine opened up its complexity began to show, strawberry and spice notes and gentle tannins.
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The 2006 Flaccianello however is another legend in the making. A huge blockbuster that fills the palate with a looong finish. This is hard to beat…. (95)
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4/5/2024 - Victor P Likes this wine: 92 Points
Kunne nok tatt denne for en Barolo , sure kirsebær og tobakk i fataromaene. Bærer sine 17 år godt, Elisabeth skjønte ikke at det var en vin med betydelig alder. Lett sødme i en lang ettersmak, dette er veldig godt!
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3/17/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Double-decanted around 90 minutes before the beef cheek ragu was served, and certainly had the stuffing to stand up to a robust meal. Quite a bit less tannin than last year's bottle, but still some oak to frame the ink-deep fruit. Wafts of balsam and garrigue, too, and a hint of truffle to emphasise that this wine's character is Tuscany-meets-Pomerol. 15% alcohol but that didn't detract at all. Delicious stuff, and there's more to come.
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3/2/2024 - Eckie wrote: 93 Points
Brought from my cellar to Oliva Rotterdam, for dinner with friends. Very good, though a bit backward.
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2/28/2024 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
At peak, this is a delightful combination of traditional and (mostly) modern. It’s somewhat glossy and oaky-smooth but has a definite undertow of grit and dirt. Not profound but very easy to appreciate and not overdone.
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1/20/2024 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 95 Points
A blockbuster well aged, powerful and muscular Sangiovese from Panzano in Chianti. Farmed from organic grapes, aged in barriques for 20 months. Deep ruby colour. Medium+ intensity dense and rich aroma of dusty cherries, dried herbs, cold cuts, earth, tobacco, licorice, hint of chocolate, spices. Full body, concentrated and dense structure produces a mouthful of ripe and opulent smoky, spiced and herbal black fruit flavours, saline touches, pronounced grippy and gritty tannins, long smoky and herbal finish.
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11/14/2023 - RayOB wrote: 90 Points
Drank at 67
Fully mature but still alive
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10/18/2023 - Gas Station Wine Guy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stellar bottle.
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9/29/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tuscany WIMPS #169 29th September 2023 (La Trompette, Chiswick): This feels on the young side; palate has notes of sweet chestnut, caper, redcurrant, liquorice and bresaola. Palate is a little closed for the first couple of hours in the glass but at the end of the meal there is a bit more there. Some red fruits and partially resolved tannins; one for the future
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8/7/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 97 Points
This wine continues to drink very well. Very concentrated and well balanced fruit, notes of cherry, mocha, graphite, and black raspberry. The tannins are still prominent but well integrated, with good mouthfeel and long finish.
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8/7/2023 - Dionysos55 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Robe évoluée.Bouquet fantastique d'intensité,rempli de notes de terre mouillée,de prunes,de cerises noires,de pierres chaudes.C'est magnifique et les narines ne s'en lassent pas.Le palais est également à la hauteur avec une trame compacte mais d'une élégance raffinée,d'une souplesse inimaginable composant avec des tanins complètement fondus.Le vin est en phase de maturité complète et ce serait dommage de lui demander d'autres année de vieillissement.IL faut en profiter maintenant et dans les 2-3 ans qui viennent.Longueur satisfaisante mais pas phénoménale ce qui atténue un peu la cotation finale à mes yeux.Grand vin néanmoins.
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8/5/2023 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cork solid, and bouquet fora second upon opening. Beautiful fruit, fresh as a daisy, and this at 17 years. Tannins resolved and integrated. Stunning. Tuscan wines at this level are world class. Fruit was the star, just so succulent from this sangiovese grape. last one, and felt this could age further. But as it is really in top form now, I would open these now instead of risking a step back if consumed 5-10 years down the road. But wouldn't be surprised if the wine proved me wrong. Wine has increased in price by 75% and I don't think I'll see another. but inspired me to look for another toscana, and bought an Isole y Olena Cepparello to try down the line. Had this opened and had a small glass it for over a week and it never ever faltered, and the fruit was just as good as upon first day opened. Even better. This wine lived up to its praise.
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7/28/2023 - Limbus Lafayette wrote: 91 Points
This wine has hit its peak and may be on the downside. I will drink my other bottles relatively soon.
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7/17/2023 - orange boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
great fun wonderful with meat
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7/11/2023 - Topper wrote: 95 Points
Big and pretty with tons of fruit and a touch of gravel. Likely at peak now. I’d drink these up because it seems they may fall apart before they develop much secondary flavor.
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6/29/2023 - J_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
- Intense and open nose with lots of dark berries, plums and wild berries, plus some liquorice, vanilla and provoncial herbs. In the tertiary spectrum there are aromas of slightly meaty and leathery flavours.
- The palate is also very intense, pushing forward immediately and the dark fruit with hints of graphite and wet tar as well as a herbal coating, dark chocolate. The tannins are still medium to medium plus, not yet fully integrated and this Flaccia still has quite a bit of weight. However, the acidity is absolutely present as a backbone and although the freshness is currently somewhat lacking, this makes me feel positive. The Flaccia scores today with its great flavour complexity.
- In my opinion, it should be decanted for 2 hours or more. Can also be stored for another 5 years with the hope of a little more freshness.
- 93 points with potential for 96+
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5/10/2023 - Smerkow Likes this wine: 98 Points
So damn good. Perfect timing to drink !! BOLD but so smooth
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4/8/2023 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
First of 2 ($112.50) from a recent purchase via a large online consolidator. On the nose and palate, wild, vibrant notes of mixed red berries and currants, black plums, dried Mediterranean spices, anise, wildflowers, forest floor including mushrooms, earthy minerality, and on the end, increasing over time, mocha. Medium garnet, medium to full bodied, medium to thick legs. Intense acidity which mostly integrates with air, medium+ tannins, no heat. Off the charts complexity, length and persistence. Vintage after vintage, no wine roars out of the bottle like Flac, not unlike that surly Aladdin coming out of the lamp after centuries of captivity in the immortal Bugs Bunny cartoon. The elements are as compartmentalized as Bill Clinton’s personal life and his political one, yet, wistful recaller of the 20th century that I am, they likewise seem to work together, however they may seem, with an appealing fractiousness. With a couple of hours of air, more or less, this grows up and (mostly) calms down, but it’s definitely not wearing blue and brown, a still fiercely engaging quaff that demands you pay attention to it, engage with it, a perfect cure for this wine drinker for Caymus, Rombauer and even the cult cabs at higher price points which flood the zone with vanilla, alcohol and oak. Arguably and incrementally the best Flac I’ve had in a bottle I owned (I’ve had pours of the ‘16 at tastings, which will be epic, probably surpassing this at some point, but it’s still too much like drinking water from a firehose, even if it is very, very good water), it’s still certainly of a kind with other vintages—I truly believe I could pick out Flac in a lineup with myriad sangios—but is just a bit more of everything good than others I’ve had, and I’ve had many. While I loved drinking this wine on its own, if being grabbed by the lapels—remember lapels?—and shaken isn’t so much your thing, this wine is, surprise, surprise, just stellar with food, first spaghetti and meatballs then mixed grill. The last glass on night 2–what, you didn’t really think that this would make it to a third night, did you?—burned like a Roman, or Tuscan, as the case may be, candle, making me think that in the near to medium term, this is more likely to get a bit better than worse and may last as long as our planet is habitable (CT window risibly short). A wonderful emblem of my beloved Tuscany in my beloved Italy, not the Tuscany of the jam-packed Uffizi in July and overflowing tour buses, but the Tuscany of the Palio, ridiculously distinctive, untamed, mesmerizing. Like this wine? I loved it. 97-98+
This cuvee has become one of my special wines over the years, and this was a particularly meaningful bottle, coming on the second anniversary of my rebirthday, with that date, 2 years ago, celebrated with nothing stronger than a cupcake with a candle in the midst of a long period of forced abstinence and accompanied by the nursing staff of the Palo Alto spa and medical clinic singing a desultory happy birthday (the first anniversary was a lot happier, spent on a warm afternoon on my deck with great CT friends cyclist and A_M drinking C. Coast Rhones). What better way to spend this anniversary than a quiet dinner with my wife, with a vinified beverage which appreciated my reflective mindset. Stay healthy, my friends.
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4/7/2023 - Édifice Likes this wine: 96 Points
Attractive bouquet of dark berries, dark and red cherries, cherry candy, crushed stones, spices, undergrowth. Full, structured palate with sweet, salty, fresh elements, nicely balanced, dark berries and cherries, leading to a long finish with still some tannins, yet relatively resolved, mineral notes, spices. Has the 2006 signature. Dark for a Chianti but still with quite an acidic bite. Feels still young but a pleasure to drink.
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3/17/2023 - Norwegian Commandeur Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. A round, fantastic wine. Succulent, fruity on the palate. Long finish. Italian going up against Bordeaux and winning.
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3/3/2023 - Radders12345 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Joel's Tuscan Lunch (The wilds of Kent): 3rd time having this vintage and really feel this is starting to hit its stride.
On the nose savoury meaty nose, saddle leather, dark cherry, terracotta.
Palate is phenomenal result deep rich red cherry but blue fruit too. Excellent depth but balance with good acidity and very long finish. I have a couple more bottles that I'll hold for now. A treat!
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3/3/2023 - fussyeater Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tuscan Lunch chez Joel (Kent countryside, UK): An aged Flacc is always a treat and this bottle didn't disappoint. Charming and captivating nose showing red and blue fruits with a smidgen of liquorice in the background. Medium to full bodied and more red fruited (sour cherries?) on the midpalate. Balance and class in abundance. Whilst in its drinking window and a real treat now, I think it will be even better in another 5 to 10 years as in my experience this may ramp up the aromatics into the upper stratosphere.
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3/3/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Joel's Tuscan Lunch (A farmhouse in leafy Kent): This really hit the spot, although it's possible that another 2-3 years to clear up the tannins completely would make it even better. Really deep, pure Sangiovese nose, with bright red fruit, balsamic notes and some savour. Leather, spice and liquorice on the palate, and really long. Although the tannins made me feel that the wine was barely ready (this was definitely a less refined wine than Flaccianello is in recent vintages), I actually preferred it soon after opening, rather than the less impactful but more elegant form it took with more air.
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1/28/2023 - WhinyWiner Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is excellent after 4-4.5 hours of air. (Definitely needs 4 hours). Make sure to decant carefully because there is a lot of sediment. Once opening up, it's a full bodied, balanced, and complex little monster with quite a bit going on. Lacks the purity I like (or I'd give it a higher score). I have a magnum of the 06 left which I'll try in 5+ years. I can't imagine it won't improve with time and definitely not over the hill.
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1/18/2023 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Blind pair with 06 CCR Vigna del Sorbo. This is more somewhat more concentrated and much more full throttle with bolder, riper fruit though it all is nicely in proportion with the structure. Still quite primary and ahead of it's peak drinking window, though its approachable and providing pleasure already.
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1/6/2023 - bgriffi1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine. Opened and drank - next time will decant Sonus even better. Great balance of fruit and tannin.
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12/7/2022 - ghanbai Likes this wine: 96 Points
Paired wonderful with white truffles dinners at Otto e Mezzo, on 11/30 and then on 12/7. Went especially well with heaps of white truffles shaved table side personally by Umberto
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12/3/2022 - Sarastro Likes this wine: 97 Points
Opened 3 hours before serving, slow ox in the bottle, and decided to decant it 20 min before to get rid the sediment and accelerate the ox process.
Dark ruby red, dense.
The nose is a fantastic tale of blue berry, red cherry and dark fruit notes, ripe but not over mature. China, liqorice, tyhme, rosemery. After so many years after my last bottle I expected some more tertiary notes but there were just hints and no more. Very precise. Didascalic.
Very interesting in the mouth, velvet touch in spite of the surprising dense tannins, still grippy but never rough. Didn't expect them to be still so present even though perfectly integrated. Good acidity promising many years of evolution and cleaning the mouth after every sip.
Very long!
I have one last bottle and will keep it some more to see how it evolves in the tertiary realm but the wine is a true joy to drink now given the right time to ox and would recomend to do so.
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11/19/2022 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 97 Points
Leather, mocha, sandalwood, wet forest floor on the nose. Porcini, rose, and solid dose of pomegranate on the flavor. Still a long finish with fine tannins. Enjoy.
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9/17/2022 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine:
Finally opened after 3-4 Coravin tappings, first one jan 2021. Still more than ok despite having been mistreated by changing storage and temperature a number of times over the last two years.
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8/2/2022 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
You will either be impressed with this massive Sangiovese or you despise it. The iron-like tannins grip the tongue and palate in a vice grip. Fortunately, the intense core of ripe black fruit buffers them such that they are not overly bitter. Lots of charcoal. Potent acidity. Uncivilized and feral. It shows exceptionally young for its age and its evolution will be interesting. A great match for a pork ragù pasta.
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7/20/2022 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS July 2022: Earthy, blueberries, raspberry and a light touch of oak still. Palate is quite savoury but with good medium bodied fruit still pushing through. Really nicely composed wine.
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7/2/2022 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Intense floral aromas, flavors of cherry, plum, and sweet spice. Touches of oak and vanilla are not intrusive. A seamless wine with many years in its prime window.
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5/21/2022 - ghanbai Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely a bargain compared to Napa cab! Intoxicating nose, smooth silky body, hauntingly long finish
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4/25/2022 - Gas Station Wine Guy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stellar wine in the sweet spot. Still had a decent amount of tannins so this will probably easily last another 5 years. But there's no harm in drinking these now.
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4/24/2022 - Outplaying Likes this wine:
This was very good, and surprisingly young. We drank this in a flight of 06 Castell’in Villa Poggio Delle Rose and Montevertine Le Pergole Torte. To me, the Le Pergole Torte was the most elegant, this was the most structured and the Castell’in Villa was the most interesting. All seemed youthful and all were delicious. I hold my last bottle of this for a long time.
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3/13/2022 - Chris Likes this wine: 95 Points
Super tannic, even 16 years in. Wow. Very deep and rich in every respect. Incredible, super-long finish, just gorgeous. This one was in the WS top 10 back in 2009 and deservedly so.
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3/12/2022 - rjmp96 wrote: 92 Points
Dried cherry, plum skin, mushroom, cedar, dried rose petals and turned earth are up front. Soft texture with firm Italian acid on the back half. Some smoky oak to the fruit. Quiets out fast in the glass. Intense tannins. Pruney flavors on the finish. A good wine overall but a slight disappointment for the price/prestige. Have one more and I hope it’s better. A weird showing. Hopefully an off bottle.
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3/4/2022 - The_Cat wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet red animal notes typical wet dog from Sangiovese full bodied still present tannins and long lingering finish
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2/20/2022 - spineguy Likes this wine: 94 Points
2 hour decant before it was ready to go. Very solid tannic backbone that was surprisingly pleasant. Lighter dark fruit slightly dusty. Very well structured and went well with a big southern Italian meal.
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2/12/2022 - redrammer wrote: 92 Points
It was alright, but I was really expecting a lot from it based on reviews and score. TONS of sediment. I'd have suspected heat damage, but this has been cellared since I got it on release.
Anyway: right out of the bottle, totally restrained on nose and pallet, but a little oxidation coming thru. No surprise there, so I gave it a 2 hr decant. Let the dust (literally) settle. Tasted at 2 hours, still pretty dead. Some prunes, raisin and tart cherry, still a little tannin, buy just not showing much fruit and dead on the finish, with an only medium nose.
I thought maybe this just needed a lot of time to open, so I poured it back into the (rinsed) bottle, leaving off still more sediment, put the cork back.
Tried again the next day (14 hours later): meh. More fruit than yesterday, but still just prunes, raisin and sour cherry, and not much of it.
It wasn't bad, just not great. This bottle was at or just past its prime. If you've been waiting on it, I'd suggest opening one and see what you think. It ain't going to get better.
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2/12/2022 - Dwongl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark brick red, showing nicer aged colour. Initially a bit harsh on the palate but tannins mellowed down after 30mins. Ripe red plums on the palate, some leather tertiary flavours coming through with medium intensity and finish. Lovely drink.
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1/6/2022 - benny wrote: 96 Points
Popped and poured. In a great spot now.
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11/7/2021 - carlsport Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours and drank over the course of the evening. Quite good with Tuscan Steak and pasta. Complex flavors starting including ripe red fruit and earthy tones.
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10/17/2021 - benny wrote: 95 Points
next time will decant for 2 hours
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9/30/2021 - Radders12345 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tuscany WIMPS; 9/30/2021-10/1/2021 (La Trompette): Nose of dark cherry, tobacco, tomato leaf, cigar box
Palate of rich red and blue cherry, some blueberry, violets, a little tea, strong teeth coating tannins. Long finish.
Think this is drinking really well now but has lots of time
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9/25/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to my tasting note from 2019, but even better with more age. This is the first Flaccianello that I’ve had that I truly enjoyed. Honestly, the base Fontadi Chianti Classico is better than some Flaccianellos that I’ve had. It never seems to fully mature, but tonight it shined!
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9/15/2021 - acyso wrote: flawed
Dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): I just never luck out with this wine. This one was a little volatile on the nose. The palate was worse -- thin (as in lacking in flavour) and disjoint. The fruit that is there is stewed and not particularly pleasant. And as I remarked, this wine just tasted sour. Possibly heat-damaged?
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8/18/2021 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
@Tutto Restaurant
Brick red in color. Full bodied
Soy sauce. Wet rocks. Damp wool
Dry. Unctuous. Long finish. Earthy woody finish.
Wow. What can I say. This wine rocks hard!!!!
Thanks John.
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7/5/2021 - Uncle John wrote: 94 Points
Great but next time decant for 2 hours.
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6/25/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Post Coravin still just killer. All dusty cherry and tomato. Such a bright nose. The one Super Tuscan I actually dig
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6/25/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Cristal and Fontodi Flaccianello plus Riverain and Schrader (served blind) (Foretti's in Corona Del Mar): This was my least favorite of the four Flaccianello we did as a combined flight (included 2010, 2012 and 2015). The 2006 started out with what I perceived to be an oaky, clovey nose. The fruit seemed raisiny to me, with a fig note, too. I thought, hmm, this may turn out to be too ripe for my tastes. With air, this started to gather an older world quality, with aged notes of cedar, spice box, etc. Overall, this was fine but it was crushed by the quality of the 2015.
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6/20/2021 - isbjoern wrote: 93 Points
Blind tasting of six top level Tuscan wines with friends. My favorite of the six wines, but the group liked it much less (only 5th place of 6). Maybe because it was the first Sangiovese only wine in the line-up. This was a very juicy wine with quite a bit of toasty oak and the classy cherry + forest soil flavors. Silky tannins, fresh and without any signs of age. This is a very pretty wine, but it needs food to show all it has to offer. - 93 points
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6/3/2021 - Fuel55 wrote: 95 Points
Just gorgeous. Intense thick red color - no bricking. Unctuous in the mouth - dried cherries with lesser notes of tobacco, coffee and chocolate. Harmonious acids and fully integrated tannins. Near perfect balance. Just delightful.
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5/30/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Dark red, gorgeous nose, drank with take out pastas, with great cherry fruits ,
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5/30/2021 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic wine! Deeply coloured and fragrant, still a long way from full maturity. Powerful, yet very well balanced with high alcohol barely noticeable, smooth and full texture. Dominant aromas tobacco, cherry and raw meat. Exquisite!
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5/29/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just knock your socks off good. Dusty cherry, tomato, oregano, potpourri. Easily bested an ‘08 Vietti Brunate. Now-2030
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5/17/2021 - bgrimm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Worth waiting if you're able to get a perfectly stored bottle. Still powerful and potential for 10+ years. An absolut pleasure with Short Ribs :).
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4/30/2021 - phgnan wrote: 88 Points
Not the bottle I was expecting. After drinking the 2008 Flaccianello a couple of years ago I expected to find something similar but more mature and with a less rough tannin. I found a good wine but only in the mouth, a lot of fruity (cherries) but without the classic hints of leather and tobacco. Nose also not as intense as I expected. Reading other tasting notes I think it was probably a problem of conservation of the bottle, taken by a private collector a few months ago.
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4/13/2021 - chadslater Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had over dinner comparing it with a Le Pergole Torte. Compared to that it can across as very masculine and full. Really needs the steak with it. Almost new world in style. Tobacco, pepper, cherries. I preferred the Le Pergole.
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4/2/2021 - mimik Likes this wine: 95 Points
Solid. A little sweet with grainy tannins but in a great spot right now. Don’t think it will get much better but will maintain. Long luscious finish. Black fruit and sweet oak notes.
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3/24/2021 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking very well right now. Dark fruits with a subtle tannic finish. Delicious.
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3/13/2021 - Haze78 Likes this wine: 96 Points
In a good spot. Still broading and full of energy. Tannins mellowed down a bit but still present. Vibrating fruit, leather, smoke and liquorice. Fabulous bottle.
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2/21/2021 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huge wine. Big, very dark, chewy tannins softened up a bit with air, but still yourthul and primary. Needs a few hours of air if drinking today, otherwise try again in 5-10 years.
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1/24/2021 - bitdrerik wrote: 95 Points
Tékkað á nokkrum vínum með Coravin. (Njálsgata 6): Eina vínið í þessu Coravin smakki sem var eldra en 2015. Mig langaði að sjá hver staðan á því væri. Tekinn 1,5 dl með Coravin.
Frekar ljóst til meðaldökkt. Farið að verða smá brúnt í jöðrum. Í nefinu: Apótekaralakkrís til að byrja með. Þungur og höfugur ilmur. Frekar flottur. Mikill ferskleiki þegar smakkað á víninu. Frábært jafnvægi. Allt á sínum stað og ekkert sem vantar. Talsvert botnfall. Borgar sig líklega að umhella þegar vínið verður opnað. Frábært vín. Ég er ekki viss um að vínið batni neitt úr þessu en ætti að geta haldist á þessu róli í 5-10 ár.
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1/23/2021 - Diane (LI) wrote:
What a nose on this. Dark cherries, roasted meat, and balsamic. It is quite tannic, showing that delicious core of dark cherries, with mushrooms, beef, and bell pepper. Long tannic finish.
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1/17/2021 - chadslater Likes this wine: 95 Points
A great wine. Even some of the guest who had no idea about wine labels gravitated to this wine. It’s a cliche but it’s the iron fist in a velvet glove.
So much power and it’s also almost 15% alc, but drinks as a medium weight wine due to the balance of the acidity and tannins. Turning leathery now, but that dark cherry core is still there.
Could easily go another 10+ years.
So glad I was talked into buying these 10 years ago, as they cost a lot more these days.
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1/9/2021 - alba_br Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excelente muito bom
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1/6/2021 - rraaffaa wrote: 90 Points
I really don't get this and some of the other cult 100% Sangiovese from the region... IMHO this would be a nice $70 bottle, I don't understand the super high rating and price... it's pretty unremarkable and one dimensional.
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12/29/2020 - MM29 wrote: 95 Points
Aus dem Holz- und Vanillemonster wird langsam der Superwein, den die Bewertungen der Fachleute angekündigt haben...nochmals ein paar Jahre und dann haben wir vielleicht die 99 Punkte...auf jeden Fall jetzt noch viel Luft gönnen
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12/24/2020 - Old John wrote: 92 Points
OK Tuscan, but I continue not to understand the very high ratings this wine always receives. Seems to me quite heavy-handed, with a bit too much in the way of tannins and oak. I have had several better regular chiantis in this very good vintage year, and would recommend holding this one longer if you happen to have it.
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12/22/2020 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Drinking terrifically now with softer tannins and great balance. Some secondary notes emerging. Quite a pleasant surprise.
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12/5/2020 - docdavid Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great nose lots of fruit currant blackberries
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11/17/2020 - Radders12345 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours
Colour: Dark ruby
Nose: Savoury smokiness, thyme, old leather, not much fruit.
Palate: Dark plum then sour cherry and black tea. Generous mouthfeel that washes over the tongue then pulls in the sides with gripping acidity.
Tannins envelop the whole mouth and the heat of the 15% is notable.
There is a tiny hint of bitterness on the end of the finish (if you can have an end of a finish)
Some of the punchiness softened with time in the glass and this was really enjoyable with food but has not moved on much of late. I’ll sit on the last two bottles.
Overall this is great intense Sangiovese with Flaccianello earning its reputation as a wine that needs a fair bit of ageing!
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11/15/2020 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
A good but not great bottle. Nice fruit, good balance, but bit of a bitter note on the finish detracted slightly. Could be losing a bit of fruit in my passive cellar, or could be some bottle variation, I hope, as I have more.
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11/14/2020 - jbs712 Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is a spectacular Sangiovese. Decanted for 2 hours, then drank over the next 1.5 hours with a blue cheese and marmalade encrusted ribeye. Continued to evolve throughout the meal—great expressions of cherry with notes of leather and tobacco, with wonderful balance and structure, and a finish for days. Really enjoyable wine.
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11/8/2020 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with Razza pizza at Eric's. Significant sediment to deal with. More powerful than the Biondi-Santi Brunello of the same vintage and less elegant. Delicious but all of us preferred the Brunello.
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11/6/2020 - spendergast Likes this wine: 97 Points
Amazing wine - loads of dark fruit, oak, nicely integrated tannins. This wine is complex and extremely satisfying. A bit more complex than my first bottle I consumed in 2016. I doubt this wine has peaked.
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10/5/2020 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Big nose of sandalwood, balsamic, black cherries, leather, roasted meat... Tannins are still present, but with underlying fresh black fruit, roasted steak juice... delicious, but requires 5-10 more years to be at peak.
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9/9/2020 - Wine Sparty wrote: 92 Points
This was nice but I think it would’ve been best to wait a couple more years. Lots of nice dark fruit but it still seemed a bit tight. Pretty much just popped and poured and drank over the course of about 3 hours.
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9/3/2020 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 95 Points
15% abv. This was powerful and tannic on pnp. Clear garnet color, red staining of tears. Huge nose of bright red fruit, plum, definite whiff of alcohol, wood, green leaf. Med body. Vibrant acid, chewy tannins, very lean but still strikingly sensual mouthfeel - obvious this is well made wine built for long, long haul. Tart cherry, leather, green pepper, tobacco on palate. I predict this has 25 years of great drinking left. Needs very long decant, or just wait another 5 years...
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8/16/2020 - Matt T wrote: 95 Points
Excellent condition. Lots of dark fruit, smoke, and chocolate. Tannins on this have not completely integrated yet. Best on night three. This still has some upside.
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8/6/2020 - AV2012 wrote: 91 Points
From magnum it was Big, bold and juicy. A touch young and I would hold it for some more years for optimal form.
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7/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote: 96 Points
Fabulous wine.
Dark, ripe, black fruit. Lots of complexity. Full bodied. Tannins are super round and ripe. Lots of complexity. Probably near peak - but will last 5 years or more.
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7/21/2020 - sbern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for a few hours. Smooth, fruits almost gone, tannins subdued. I think this is ready for drinking, probably at its peak - drink up soon.
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7/16/2020 - bordeauxmartini wrote: 94 Points
Had this on two occasions over the summer. The first one was on the margin a bit better. Nonetheless much for muchness. Packed with fruit, deep garnet colour and a Tuscan at its best. Real swagger.
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6/7/2020 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Nez terreux avec des notes de feutre, de cerises et de cuir, des notes de bouillon de boeuf qui m’ont fait redouter l’oxydation (ce n’était pas le cas). Bouche ronde et pleine, épicée, une puissance bien domptée. C’est gouteux, extrait, assez long, sans complexité particulière, finale relativement équilibrée. C’est pas mauvais, dans un style extrait, mais pas meilleur qu’un Chianti de 50$. Je ne comprends rien à ces notes glorieuses. 89 pts
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6/7/2020 - EM_MB Likes this wine: 92 Points
3 hour slow ox. At its peak I believe. Needs food to shine. Delishous, super dry, presumably at peak.
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4/30/2020 - TMacpherson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very fruity with bold mouthfeel. In a perfect place right now. Drink up!
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4/24/2020 - NathalieKodiak Likes this wine: 93 Points
1hr decant, drank with homemade carbonara. Kirsch, licorice, pencil lead. The 06 and 07 of this wine are a little heavy for my palate but singing pretty good and doubt it improves much (though, I have some more so will hope that I am wrong).
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4/15/2020 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 93 Points
Great color of red fruit. Nose is alcoholic. Sangiovese dark fruit is outstanding. Great structure in the tannins.
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3/8/2020 - Gen NY Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent, drinking well after 2 hours slow ox and 30 mins in Decanter.
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2/25/2020 - gotwine wrote: 90 Points
Charles C speaks for me but I will be more generous with points -disappointing.
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2/7/2020 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 87 Points
Looking at recent notes, I'm going against the current on this wine. A solid ruby red in color. Sharp red fruit, cherry, pepper on the nose. The palate is quite different. The fruit is muted, cherries, spice, leather, some roast meats. The tannins are dusty, good acidity, decent balance. Finishes a bit short. Nice, may need a long decant, but there was little change over time so I doubt it. Chalk it up to my leaden palate, but I'm not overwhelmed.
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2/1/2020 - BNWM Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sour cherry, kirsch and leather in the nose , with sottobosco and automn leaves. Black cherries, spices on the palate with a solid mineral backbone. Very long, very fine.
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1/19/2020 - Gen NY wrote: flawed
Corked, but if you ignored the smell the wine was structured with layers of fruit and creosote.
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1/11/2020 - gesusser Likes this wine: 95 Points
2 hour decant allowed this magnificent Tuscan red to open. Smooth as glass excellent with villettosaltimbocca. 1st of 5. No need to rush to open next bottle
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1/9/2020 - jfmontreal Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Drinking very well now.
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11/30/2019 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coravin sample. Started out with a sour cherries nose and taste but evolved very nicely into more autumn leaves mature notes. Very good fruit, slight earth notes. Very good acidity, integrated tannin. Drinks very well now and another 5 years.
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11/28/2019 - KSWinegeek wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with previous tastings. Beautiful, elegant, sophisticated wine.
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11/22/2019 - llindahl Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful red fruit with cherries on top. Smoooth tannins and acidity balancing the act. A very,very good wine!
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11/18/2019 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light body, cherries, long finish with lots of good tannins, funky nose blew off after an hour.
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11/16/2019 - Édifice Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bouquet very dark-fruited, raisins, schnaps, somewhat masking more elegant scents underneath. Very lush and full, grippy, ripe palate, dark-fruited, with enough acidity. A powerhouse with structure and grip, one can still feel the oak and the tannins, typical for a more „modern“ style 2006 Italian wine. In my view, the wine and the better 2006 Tuscans and Baroli in general can still benefit potentially significantly from more time, but already in a good phase. Great wine, with upside if it manages to calm down and integrate a bit more.
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11/14/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened to breathe 1h before dinner, and decanted at the Bottle Inn, Hermosa Beach. Big, bold, and delicious, consistent with my previous notes, but outshone by the '98 barolo. Perfect pairing with osso bucco.
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11/5/2019 - wss Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is one of the best balanced and complex wines I have had the pleasure of tasting. Lush cherry and Christmas cake nose that flows into a multi layered taste. A gem.
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10/26/2019 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 95 Points
No formal notes but I recalled I had high expectations from the critic ratings, and that they were mostly justified.
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10/21/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not blind,
Reminding me to a great Bordeaux with more fruit and refreshing acidity. Cherries, some tobacco and great acidity structure. Decanted for 3,5 hours. At least 10 more years. 94+
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9/15/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
I know, I know, I said there was no rush to drink these, but damn they are good! Tonight this took 2h in a decanter to show its best, with opulent blackberries emerging from the brambly oak mineral and tannins. Great heft and fun to pair with barbeque chicken! I will try to keep my hands of my few remaining bottles.
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9/7/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1h, this is beautiful and bold, consistent with my previous notes. Chewy tannins, no rush to drink these.
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8/23/2019 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank with steak dinner at Chuck and Fran’s. Full bodied Sangiovese that was the favorite of some.
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8/15/2019 - Waedi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slight oxidation notes in the nose, but not while drinking. Tannins are still present. Luckily my last bottle.
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7/31/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I like the 2006 much better than the 2004 vintage. There is a great concentration and purity of fruit and stuffing in the 2006. While still very primary with many years left on it, it was drinking great with my meal. While the tannin structure is firm, the tannin is not offensive as long as you pair this wine with a fatty/salty meal. Decanted for 1 hour.
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7/19/2019 - jim_crane Likes this wine:
At a transition point. Still tight at first but the acid and tannins are coming together. Most notably, it is finally starting to show more complex notes of leather and floral elements. It appears to be just blossoming. Rising at this point. Really good but has potential to be great.
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6/18/2019 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Italy at its best...dark, plum-like fruit with intense licorice finish on the palate. Terrific complexity with notes of Tuscan earth, olive and floral scents. Super smooth with tannins nicely integrated into he fruit. This wine has clearly entered its drinking window.
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6/8/2019 - alba_br Likes this wine: 95 Points
Maravilhoso. Equilibrado.
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6/2/2019 - Duncan wrote: flawed
Dark purple. Slightly strange nose redolent of chlorine-laced swimming pools. What??? Not how I remember the several vintages of majestic Flaccianello I enjoyed a decade or so ago, around various tables and at the estate. The palate is more vinous, but still nothing that impressive: low tannin, medium acidity (a faint balsamic tang) and a rather boring berry soup of flavours. A remarkable 15% alcohol. Initially I rated this mid/upper 80s, but decided I would remove that and rate it as defective. I'm not sure what the defect is, but the mighty Flaccianello is not supposed to be like this... Cork, 15%.
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6/1/2019 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. 2 hours in it was really lovely. Black and red fruits. Some forest floor. Great acidity balance. Smooth. 30+ second finish.
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5/28/2019 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent bottle. Ready to drink with short decant.
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3/5/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 96 Points
The nose was dark with soaring aromatics, displaying savory herbs, grilled meats, crushed black cherry, olive, sweet smoke and exotic spice. On the palate, I found soft textures with a savory expression of crushed black cherry, saline-minerals, rosemary, earth tones, and masses of dried inner floral tones. The finish was long and spicy showing dried cherries, saturating minerality, sous bois and lingering fine tannin. What a beautiful wine, and just entering its drinking window.
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2/23/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened to breathe for an hour which was enough. Just a huge wine, with lots of black fruit, mineral, gravel and tannins. Such a pleasure with my Chinese take out. On day two it is slightly diminished from the previous night, but not by much. Overall this is really holding its own. Consistent with my previous notes.
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2/18/2019 - kenthargis wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic bottle. Worth the wait and going to wait with my second bottle a few years. Long, complex wine that just keeps going in the mouth.
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2/1/2019 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice dark colour and no browning on the edges. Big fruit on the nose but a bit rough on the finish. Don’t think this gets any better. Drink up
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1/25/2019 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Singing on day 1, still very good on day 2. Tasted next to the Vigna del Sorbo this feels as always a little rounder, lusher, more „modern“ but a really excellent showing. Usually my heart is with the Vigna del Sorbo, but this is really good. Super ripe notes of plum, dark and dark red cherries, licorice, some spices, also a touch of graphite. It‘s full-bodied and powerful, with medium-high tannin (that is very good quality) and medium+ acidity. Good length. Very good showing.
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1/17/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 87 Points
Well I blew it and accidentally brought this wine instead of a much more appropriate 1985 Cote Rotie I had planned to pair with Brad's stew. How the hell did I do that??? This was not suppose to be opened until my upcoming pizza night scheduled for Feb. So, a couple years ago I was smitten with another one of these that someone else brought to a dinner, un-decanted. So, to be safe I decanted mine for nearly 3 hours, got rid of the sediment and put back in the btl for Brad's dinner. Scratching my head because unlike the btl from Dec 2016, 2 years ago. this was a tannic, oak dominated modern mess. The semi opaque ruby red color is much darker than you would expect for sangiovese due to the oak treatment. Tonight's btl was pretty much everything I don't enjoy about oak driven sangiovese. Toss in a little chianti bitterness and I was hugely disappointed! Especially after wasting my time decanting the crap out of it.
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1/16/2019 - SteveHyde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous a bit more rustic, tannic than the 06 Pergole Torte, but a great achievement.
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11/30/2018 - nchexal wrote: 86 Points
Really not great, super tannic, bouquet is nice but tastes like lemon flavored socks. Everyone at the table hates it.
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11/23/2018 - Rechrom wrote: 96 Points
Great bottle. Double decanted; great balance and spectacular palate. Cherries, savory notes, herbs. Vibrant, with a clean and long finish. Youthful, but with some nuance of age. Great with food, great by itself, hitting on all cylinders.
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11/19/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Grüner Veltliner & Super Tuscan Tasting (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Tasted blind. Youthful appearance, just starting to brown at the edges; good depth on the nose with lovely cassis fruit, glossy, fresh and expressive; full bodied and concentrated palate, rich tannic structure, complex and deep flavours, both rounded and mineral, meaty; slightly light finish, but good persistence.
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11/19/2018 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Grüner Veltliner & Super-Tuscans @ VINEUM (Vineum, Rotterdam): Tasted blind @ VINEUM. Identified Sangiovese correctly, so already with Flaccianello in mind...This 2006 was very good, a lot better then the 2007 in the same flight. Especially when tasting it later again after the blind tasting was over, it really gained in presence!
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11/12/2018 - cct wrote:
Dark strawberry fruit, stony and deep, with bitter chocolate, and it feels hot to me. I do not enjoy his style of sangiovese. Fun throttle and for me lacking subtlety. A huge hit at the table, so take this with a grain of salt. Maybe this comes around in 15 years, but I would not choose to drink this wine now and would not choose to cellar it to find out.
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10/30/2018 - chadslater Likes this wine:
Big and needs food - tannins and acidity. Some secondary tobacco coming in. Still got a few years to go.
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9/19/2018 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 95 Points
Starting to mature. Muted ruby with slight bricking. Cinnamon and dried cranberry on the nose. Grilled beef, blackberry, and cocoa on the flavor from the oak integrating with the still strong tannins. Finishes forever. Enjoy.
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9/15/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 3h at home, intending to compare with Sassicaia 05 from last night. Soft nose of mineral, leather, on the palate, the minerality and tonight monolithic blackberries are really intense, backed up by fine cottony tannins and acid on the finish. Definitely in the same league as the Sassicaia but not better (at least not for me), except in terms of QPR! Paired well with juicy kielbasa.
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9/10/2018 - Vino Me wrote: 96 Points
Took this to a restaurant with Otis and our wives. Third time I have had this wine. Decanted 3 hours before dinner. Heavy sediment. Deep crimson color without any bricking. Firm tannins. Loaded with dark red and black fruit with some smoke and leather on the finish. Just really drinking well at 12 years old with no signs of fading. This is right up there with the best vintages of Flaccianello that I have had and that includes the 1988, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2007. 96 points.
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9/8/2018 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at dinner with friends. Beautiful sangiovese flavors in a full bodied style. Ready to go.
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8/4/2018 - chadslater Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent - drinking well now. Powerful with grippy tannins in the background, needs food to shine. Black fruits.
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6/15/2018 - ddingley Likes this wine: 95 Points
With further contemplation can see where some might say this is still not at peak, given the bold tannin finish, but it is tremendous after at least an hour decant, which smooths out the slightly bitter tang at open.
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5/24/2018 - patwjr wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Still too young. Nice fruit though some drying tannins on the finish.
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5/21/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1-2h at the Bottle Inn, Hermosa Beach. Expansive nose, balanced red and black fruit, tannins, and slight acid in the finish. Fantastic, consistent with previous notes. Awesome for oceanside contemplation with osso buco.
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5/15/2018 - Mr T wrote:
Decanted for about an hour before dinner and then drank 1/2 of bottle. Corked and put in fridge till finished 2 days later. Wine was good but never great, never really unwound that much or strutted its stuff. Sorry to say it remained a bit austere and slightly bitter. Some comfort in Ian's and Antonio's view about the longevity here and I guess best to just leave this thing alone, like it's classic Bordeaux. Not entirely sure Sangiovese ever becomes personal favorite
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5/9/2018 - ddingley Likes this wine: 95 Points
Was only able to get a limited impression in a spectacular flight with the '94 Pontet-Canet and 2004 Magrez Cab, but this held its own quite well. Modern, Cab-like yet unmistakably Sangiovese also. Rich and long as a Chicago winter. Great wine
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4/1/2018 - Rechrom wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful nose of plum, herb, a bit of leather and violet. Great full palate with dark cherry. Finish is a bit clipped with an slight acid tang, which detracts a bit and keeps this from outstanding. Slight bricking at the rim. Not sure where tis is going or whether this is a representative bottle. Remains excellent right now.
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3/22/2018 - KSWinegeek wrote: 95 Points
Elegant, smooth, flavorful. Just a beautiful wine.
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2/25/2018 - Bam_Man wrote: 96 Points
First one of these in almost exactly three years. Much, much better than last time (91 pts, 2/28/15). Either this has miraculously transformed into a stunner since then, or more than likely, the previous bottle was just a little "off". A beautiful, opaque, dark purple in color, beginning to lighten around the edge. Almost the color of eggplant skin. Earthy, yet complex on the nose, with hints of flowers, baking spice, leather and barnyard. Full-bodied and rich. This is a powerful, mouth-coating Sangiovese, jam-packed with black cherry, plum and boysenberry fruit. Displays tremendous depth and intensity. Nicely balanced, with a moderate acidity and just a touch of oak. Finishes very long, with silky tannins and lingering notes of coffee, tobacco and mineral. Powerful, complex and delicious. Ultra-modern in style, yet perhaps the ultimate expression of Tuscan Sangiovese.
50+5+13+19+9=96
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1/23/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 1h at 1862 Restaurant in Philly. Consistent with my previous note, this was a vibrant medley of delicious red fruit, some spice, mineral, and plush tannins. Huge nose of red fruit and mineral. Fantastic! With beef wellington.
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1/20/2018 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Blind "20 Questions" wine Dinner (Jason and Mariellen's): 45 minute decant. Drank blind, the 5 of us were unable to determine its origin. Which is not surprising, because it does not appear to be a traditional Italian wine, at least not right now. This is modern, with mint and big big tannins. There is "only" sufficient acidity for balance, you could drink this by itself. I struggle with Italian wines, and I struggled with this one.
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1/17/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Drinking Blind at Jason's (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple color. 45 minutes decant, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. I failed miserably, along with everyone else on this. I guess we knew it was fairly young, but would never have pegged this as Sangiovese tonight. The nose shows mint, big fruits, blue fruits, blueberry, oak, black fruits, big robust tannins, full bodied. Quite youthful this evening and not as expressive as a pop and pour previously. 92+ to 93pts.
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1/9/2018 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 97 Points
Third time I taste this wine in the last seven years, it is immensely drinkable now although far away from full maturity. We had it together with two great Brunellos and the differences were very obvious. The Brunellos with 36 months in oak were more oxidative whereas Flaccianello with only 18, but presumably newer barrels, was more on the fruity side with more obvious new oak.
Concentrated, sweet and complex, with velvety texture, solid structure and great finish.
So, it's not a typical/traditional Sangiovese but instead showcases to what heights this grape can climb with modern treatment.
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1/8/2018 - jim_crane Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich, dark blood red starting to turn to brown. Dense core. (4)
Explosive nose of forest floor, anise, dried fruits. Lovely and has that Italian red character that I love. (13)
Bright entry on the palate with the acid jumping from the glass. Extremely drying tannins. They are plush though. Medium body. The acids and tannins are coming together but it has some room to integrate more. Dried red fruits but more earthiness. A little heat on the finish. (17)
This has a lot going on. It would probably benefit from a decant and food. Something to balance the acidity. It’s still a little rough on the edges but coming together. I think it could age for many more years. (7)
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1/7/2018 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine hardly ever disappoints. One of the very best Italien 100% Sangiovese wines. Now in it’s drinking window, with plenty of time left. Best with food like osso bucco or brasato or some pasta.
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12/17/2017 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 96 Points
Man do I wish I had more bottles of this stuff. Hard red candy on the nose along with violets, some garrigue, and expensive perfume. Eaten with Italian food (of course) last night, just a fantastic match for the richness of the meats and acidity and tartness of the tomato sauces, we flew through this bottle in record time. Highly recommend!
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12/12/2017 - CCSchlaepfer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fabulous wine. Drinking great now. The structure and balance of the this wine is incredible. Wish I had more in my cellar
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11/30/2017 - Eckie wrote: 97 Points
First bottle of the lot and boy it did not disappoint. Still very young, you can easily wait 5 years. But with food it comes alive. You will taste the just marvelous 2006 vintage coming through. Intensely concentrated, yet full of life and pleasure. I am a lucky man to hold 11 more of this trophy wine.
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11/4/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
consistent with my note of six months ago "I've had this wine about a dozen times since it was released - I've liked it every time; this afternoon was no different. Funny thing about this wine, I've had it in large formats, too, and it's always had at least some amount of approachability, regardless of if it was tasted 6 years ago, or 6 hours ago. That's not to say it's totally open, it's not, or rather, it's still developing. This needs time to reach its zenith, but is (and consistently has) available now; in 8-12 years, this will be singing some very high notes indeed. Lovely, and should see another 15 years with nice results. highly recommended
this was served non-blind, and, iirc, it was opened and double-decanted an hour or so before service. The best has yet to come here, so HOLD.
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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10/28/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 2h. This is fantastic! Mineral, red fruits, herbs, oak on the nose, a little heat too but aromatic and complex. The palate is solid black and red fruit, done right. Well balanced with oak, earth, leather, mineral. Chewy tannins are softening but not (yet) soft. Nice acid too. Finish lasts forever. Quite a package, built to last. Today with grilled smoky burgers and brats.
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10/20/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Opened by Allred. Just as good as when I last had this in 2012 with similar notes. 95 points.
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10/18/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 97 Points
The 2006 Flaccianello della Pieve is a dark and beautiful beast, with ripe black cherry, dark wood tones, plum, sweet florals and spice, as it seems to gain richness the longer it spend in the glass. This is a soft and silky expression with ripe black fruit in the foreground, leading to spices and sweet herbs. The finish is long with fine tannin coating the senses, yet never overwhelming, due to a gorgeous display of mint, orange peel and sweet herbs. Anyone with the 2006 in their cellar should be quite happy with what’s in store for them down the road.
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9/28/2017 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Have we had this blind we would have been tricked its a modern barolo.
Modernist twist of course here of course, good oak but used well, good ripe fruit, cherry notes. Just a touch of tar and this would have been a barolo! We were expectign this to be an average wine but it impressed us with its full profile and good depth. a very solid 92-93
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9/4/2017 - KSWinegeek wrote: 95 Points
Elegant wine that drinks beautifully now, but still has the tannins to last longer. Prefer this vintage to the 2001, 2005 and 2007.
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8/28/2017 - Longboarder wrote: 90 Points
Still very young. Nice nose of damp earth, dark fruits and a nutmeg note. Tannins still very prevalent but not harsh. Will wait at least 2 years before opening any additional bottles.
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8/26/2017 - AllRed wrote:
Cellar diminishment party - brief note. Tannic and form. Dark fruit. Needs time.
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8/24/2017 - shutto1992@gmail.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lovely wine.
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7/18/2017 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 97 Points
Medium garnet color turning orange crimson rust at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose is so elegant and ethereal with notes of smoked herbs, black tea, cedar and meat over black fruits. The palate is full-bodied, dry and silky in texture. Flavors of blackberry, peppercorn, dried meat, charcoal, espresso, and toasted oak frame the core. Utterly balanced and lifted by its bright acidity, this is perfectly set up for a long, sustained finish with elegant, dusty tannins. Best from Fontodi so far. Drink now until 2032. 97+
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6/25/2017 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brauchte erst eine Weile Luft zum Atmen. Dann entwickeln sich Sauerkirsch- und Pflaumenaromen, Veilchen, Zigarrenbox, mineralische und sekundär-erdige Töne. Weicher Wein mit geschmeidigem, feinen Tannin; leider etwas zehrend und alkohollastig im langen. sonst hervorragenden Abgang.
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6/14/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours and should have decanted twice that. Took a while to show it's stuff, but once it did, this was a wonderful wine. Black cherries. plums, licorice, coffee, and some floral in the nose. Black cherries, plums, currants, and some minerality in the flavor. Nice acidity, great structure, and a very long finish.
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6/10/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark blackberry, dusty cherries, med tannin, med high acid, wonderful. Grilling herbs. Nose could be left bank Bordeaux. Palate is all Sangiovese
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6/10/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank at a restaurant , but it came from my cellar. We decanted it and gave it an hour and drank over the next two hours. Absolutely terrific with the various appetizers and pasta dishes, even better with the Osso Bucco. Dark red , saline, moderately intense tannins, and obviously still in the early phase of its drinking window. Enough acidity to balance the fruit and and stand up to the food. Ripe cherry, some vanilla, mineral, and grilled herbs. Lovely finish.
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4/24/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
"Boston Wine Dinner #3 with Mirela/Brad/Helgo...Todd a no-show...:( (Prezza - Boston North End): Second of the bigger reds. Slow oxed for about 2 hours prior to drinking. Prior notes: "dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish..."
This bottle seemed a bit more primary than prior bottles at first. Seemed fruit was a bit more brambly and upfront, from memory. Brought this to accompany what promised to be some savory Italian fare (no disappointment there). Crowd was mixed on it, but...we came back to it later (after the Spottswoode) and it redeemed itself!
Will let remaining mags and 750s rest a bit, this still has a way to go, I think it will settle a bit
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4/19/2017 - geneswine wrote: 94 Points
Tasted right out of the cellar and was disappointed. Not much there. Color seemed on the verge of bricking. I have had this in my cellar since 2010. So I double decanted and let it warm to room temp and left it another 3 hours. Everything was different then. Very nice, deep color, medium bodied, noticeable tannins. Not sure if my bottles will last too much longer, probably drink over the next 3-4 years.
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4/15/2017 - Something Special Likes this wine:
Drank April 15, 2017. Flavourful and tannic but still needs to come together. Wait 2-4 years.
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4/8/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): { OperaWine2017, Verona } I've had this wine about a dozen times since it was released - I've liked it every time; this afternoon was no different. Funny thing about this wine, I've had it in large formats, too, and it's always had at least some amount of approachability, regardless of if it was tasted 6 years ago, or 6 hours ago. That's not to say it's totally open, it's not, or rather, it's still developing. This needs time to reach its zenith, but is (and consistently has) available now; in 8-12 years, this will be singing some very high notes indeed. Lovely, and should see another 15 years with nice results. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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4/2/2017 - Matt T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as rich and expressive as the last bottle. This had a vibrant nose of blackberry, chocolate, and espresso. Medium-bodied with good acid. Tannins have resolved a bit.
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3/6/2017 - SevenDayMile wrote:
Seven years ago (wow...) I posted this at a 98 and one of the top five wines I've ever tasted. That list is a lot deeper now, but the score isn't too far off. What a soaring, terrific wine that has everything in the right place.
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2/23/2017 - jmoon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good but too tannic, hard and crunchy to be a great experience. Even on day two it was v tight. Opened up w cheese later nicely but I think she needs 5-10 years to hit her stride.
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2/13/2017 - scott w Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank with many other wines at a tasting so did not focus a lot on this bottle. It was good but had a little too much tart fruit imho. Bright red and tart fruit cranberry strawberry with lots of herbs, still has good grip. Variety correct.
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2/13/2017 - BaroloRob wrote: 93 Points
92 day 1, 93 day 2.
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2/10/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted at Garth's. Outstanding! Consistent with my previous note.
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12/30/2016 - redknife Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank around two months ago so no tasting notes.
Very good, drank with the Friday lunch crowd at Houstons
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12/12/2016 - skurtz wrote: 93 Points
Opened to breathe for about 30 min or so, evolved nicely up to 2h after opening. Aromatic nose, faint leather and oak, compost. The palate is bright and red fruit, bright red cherry, earthy leather, plenty of acid, and chewy tannins. A complex, full bodied red, tonight with grilled venison chops. In its drinking window, still plenty of life.
Pumped down overnight. This held up remarkably well, just as tasty on Day 2. If anything the tannins are a bit softer.
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12/6/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 95 Points
This was "the" absolute pleasant surprise of the evening! It's pedigree is well know and deserved but I cringed when we learned it had not been decanted. Thus, I expected this to be relatively tannic and oak dominated since its aged in smaller barrels but wow, this was amazing tonight! This was a PnP and great??? I'll take it! Color is darker than you would expect for sangiovese due to the oak treatment but that's were the negative impact of the oak ends. This was stunning, complex, velvety - yet lifted, classy and showing the greatness that sangiovese can deliver. R&Rler and I were chuckling about how the market generally under values sangiovese making them an excellent value at every price point. I couldn't be more delighted to own 3 of these already myself. The odd things is I thought I bought mine very well but this is still available for only $25 more than I paid for it back in 2010. I may grab 1 or 3 more. Before you go out buy more $250 Napa Cult cab on recent release you owe to yourself to try one of these 10yr old 2006s! For me, a much better experience at over 1/2 the price.
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12/6/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Mixed WTDS at The Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. On the surface, I would have expected this wine to need more air, but on a PNP basis, this was just firing on all gears with no need to breathe. Very interesting to see all the other notes talking about this wine needing air - which I don't doubt, but this bottle defied the odds. Quite amazing from the start, this was extremely aromatic with that classic well heeled Sangiovese nose, red and black fruits on the nose, cedar, spice. On the palate the fruit is out front with an impressive mix of black and red fruits along with a serious streak of blue fruit. Tannins are very fine and work quite well with our roasted boar pappardelle. This is just a touch of alcohol that needs to integrate.
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10/25/2016 - spendergast Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 1 hour. A wonderful wine. Very dense layered fruit with notes of plum, spice, and black cherries. Nicely balanced with long finish.
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10/17/2016 - Winetex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully with a 45 minute decant. There is a lot of sediment in this wine (at least in our bottles) so a careful decant is advised. The silky texture of this wine is amazing.
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10/5/2016 - navybrat Likes this wine: 93 Points
Strong.
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10/4/2016 - JKelly05 wrote:
Takes some to time to open, long decant necessary.
Dark Ruby, slight rim variation of garnet. (with air get towards purple)
Nose of dust, cherries, sage, slight oxidation.
Blackberries, dark cherries, nice acidity. Bright and dark (if that makes sense)
Not sure what to think here, expectations were very high. Took some time to open up, when it did, brooding dark fruits, macerated cherries, looong finish, big chewy soft tannins.
However that window was relatively short and the wine started to shut down again and go mute.
Maybe its just in a odd age place right now..Saw the potential in that window and want more of that...interesting for sure...
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10/1/2016 - Tony T Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very nice bottle of Flaccianello. However, even after decanting for 3 hours, it did not really open up. I would keep cellaring it for another couple of years.
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9/9/2016 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Served blind, I had no idea what this was. Initially showed a big, ripe aromatic of fruit and a little bloody. Olive? I kept guessing and swirling and it continued to evolve., Dark wine, good density, nice acidity, tangy. Tar. With more air, it leaned down some and also tightened up. Probably has many years left to age and evolve and we finished it all over dinner so nothing to revisit.
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9/8/2016 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club (Maro Grill, Laguna Beach): Blind: guessed Tuscan Sangiovese
Concentrated wine in all facets including color tannins. Fairly opaque deep Crimson color. There's a forest floor and hint of barnyard aroma. The attack is about sandalwood and the aggressive gritty tannins with some leather or rawhide. The red fruit is light and takes a backseat to the other components. Drying on the finish. It's a very nice wine but it needs lots of cellar time and more air when serving. At 10 years of age it's still showing as extremely youthful. Probably last another 20 years, no problem.
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9/5/2016 - domco wrote: flawed
SUCH a bummer. Was so looking forward to it and the bottle was clearly flawed. :(
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9/4/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is just getting better and better. Wonderful. Drink or hold
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7/24/2016 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding full-bodied Sangiovese. Concentrated without being fruit forward. Very well done. Needed min one hour of decanting time to strut its stuff. This is NOT a pop and pour wine.
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6/11/2016 - ctjared wrote:
remember not being impressed
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6/9/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 96 Points
At Vic's Restaurant NYC, great food, excellent staff, corkage friendly place...Second wine of the evening, decanted for about an hour drank over 90 minutes. Decant really helped the wine open...
From prior notes:..."dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish..."
Really nice and consistent with recent tasting. Tannins were a little firmer on these bottles than I remembered last bottles. A sign that this has a long way to go if one has the discipline to cellar them...Beautiful wine, nice to write this one for tasting note #2000!
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5/6/2016 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Søte bær, litt maling, noe rosin, og touch av urter eller tørka fiken. Frisk i munnen, med diskret syre og flott tanninstruktur. Ungt preg, litt sjure tanniner i avslutningen, som ellers har preg av plomme. God fylde gjennom hele smakskurven. Herlig vin!
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5/2/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 96 Points
At Le Coq Rico in flatiron, great place for a Parisian version of roasted chicken...Brought this from my cellar, drank next to an 07 Peter Michael Les Pavots. Decanted for about 30 minutes, drank over 90 minutes
Borrowing from notes from 2014:..."dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish..."
This is a beautiful wine...expressive bouquet, great fruit, secondary characteristics showing nicely. It has softened a bit (from memory) since last tasted. Fruit characteristics are similar but now softer on mid plate. Should hold at this level for a while, best guess is it continues to improve for another 5 years and cellars 10 past that...
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4/29/2016 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Tuscany 2006 Ten years after. (@ SvdV): Extremely beautiful and luxurious bouquet with perfectly integrated oak, cedar, dark forest fruits and esp. blackcurrants and blackberries. On the palate a start with the same ripe dark berries, sweet spices, a firm amount of good and fresh acidity as well as soft, but firm tannin. Good bitterness and a bit drying in the finish. This wine is in its young maturity stage now. No problem cellaring this until 2020+. Great wine!
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4/5/2016 - Filippo wrote: 95 Points
Incredible. A marriage made in heaven between Sangiovese elegance and modern winemaking.
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3/2/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Fine Wine Room Opening (Acker Merrall): One of my favorite wines of the night - the Bordeaux was too thin and the California was too much and this hit that nice in the middle spot. Fruit and spice and quite a strong tannic structure this was really looking to be drunk with food (meat) and paired quite well with a slice of bacon. Almost an unctuous wine. Enjoyable.
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2/27/2016 - Rechrom wrote: 96 Points
Decanted two hours. Dark red pretty much to the rim still. Youthful, with tannic grip. Wonderful nose of earth, herbs, some flowers and dark fruits. Full palate with cherry and savory notes and some roasted meat. Outstanding. Clean and very long, great finish. This will improve, it is a great bottle for the next decade.
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2/10/2016 - wineduggery wrote: 92 Points
Definitely needs at least a couple of hours of decanting at this point. Very powerful and full-bodied for Sangiovese with good accompanying acidity. Disappointing for the price.
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12/29/2015 - dead puddle wrote:
Drank blindly for my guest. A deep and fine wine with tannins tobacco, cigar box. Full of power and vivacity, a technic and mineral style. Far to early, a shame. 94-95
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12/24/2015 - ewineguy wrote: 93 Points
As part of our usual Christmas Eve tradition, we headed out for dinner. Thank you to the team and crew at Piccolino’s for being open and fixing up a great meal. I brought the Sangiovese as I was intending to have the Veal Oso Bucco. Instead my son in law, Ryan and I enjoyed it. He had the lamb Oso Bucco, but I gave into the Lobster Cannelloni in lobster bisque sauce. So how did that work?
Dark opaque inky purple out of the decanter (30 minutes). My son and his friend made fun of me while I was looking smelling and tasting, but the grief was worth it. I did not get the overwhelming tannins as some other had suggested. It was well balanced. It had an easy lavender smell, but the other florals seemed a bit elusive. It is a medium bodied pour. Not thick and jammy and not too thin. A grand name, Fontodi is 100 % Sangiovese and is in a very serious growing area just about 15 miles south of Florence. This wine had the acidic feel to it, but was subtle like the acid you feel when enjoying a roasted pepper. That taste, a long with Italian herbs (went home and sniffed several to match-got thyme and oregano), and earthy clay, but plenty of fruit to round it out. Very complex and would agree that this is not done aging.
I can strongly recommend this wine. If you want to see the classic countryside of this vintner, Google Map Panzano In Chianti FI, Italy
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11/24/2015 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blind tasted and guessed a Sangiovese but expected something very young. This was dark and powerful yet packed with crunchy acidity and freshness, the 15% alcohol was no where to be seen, could have been a Loire Cab Franc. So much going on here, wish I had some of these in my cellar - either wait or give it lots of air and watch out for the copious sediment. Thanks GG!
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11/6/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 93 Points
Dark and brooding. Still very tight and concentrated. Needs 5+ years.
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9/26/2015 - Poisey Likes this wine: 96 Points
100 percent Sangiovese. Massive tannin and very dark and brooding. This is a real brute. Big tannic finish that has a lot of integrating yet. Concentrated and structured. A long long life ahead of this. Try in 2020. When this comes together and the massive tannin integrate this will be a beauty.
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9/21/2015 - Javatrader wrote: 95 Points
Nose of smoky violets, perfumed cedar, plum, blackberries and other dark fruits
Earthy, black cherry, perfumey taste, smooth and silky tannins
Delightful
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9/8/2015 - phil the agony wrote: 91 Points
Un vin qui est assez vieux mais jeune...(vous me suivez ??).
Encore boisé et un peu fermé.Des fruits noirs et un peu de vanille dans la bouche.
Je me croyais en CaliCab et bien non !
91 pts mais va survivre un bon bout je crois.10 ans du moins.
Quelqu'un a déja bu du très vieux ??
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8/13/2015 - LaberMeier Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Surprisingly inharmonic. Nothing compared to other vintages I had. Tasted in a group of 4, and all thought the same.
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8/9/2015 - Vini Ciclismo wrote: 90 Points
Very dark colour.
Ripe dark berries, just a hint of fine oak spice, a blend of intense cassis and some light earthy notes. Mainly primary fruit but has a little complexity.
Intensely flavoured, youthful zest, very pure ripe berries with a background hint of savoury earthy complexity. Finish is a little coarse but main impression is the lush rich palate. Could be more interesting and deserves a few more years to see where it goes.
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7/27/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this is a big wine. Double decanted and then 2 hours before serving. Wait a couple more years for this to finish integrating.
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6/1/2015 - capacious Likes this wine:
Ignore me here. I am trying to delete this review. I entered here by mistake- this was to be a review on Felsina Fontollaro and I can't figure out how to delete.
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5/16/2015 - kernel wrote: 90 Points
well decanted , this was still very primary. with food it helped but was hoping for it to be a bit more approachable by now. I'm hoping the fruit becomes more expressive otherwise all the hype will prove ill founded. 1 case left will leave alone for at least 2 years
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5/3/2015 - grafstrb wrote:
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 minutes --
NOSE: intense florals – violets; very primary; blackberry; clean.
BODY: inky color of great depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: earthy; blackberry; primary; needs time.
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4/24/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Friday Night Double Blind Mondo $100+ (Bin 75): Black core with thin garnet rim; new oak is strong, cinnamon, spice, tobacco, anise, dried red and dark fruit, dried red apple, big, rough hewn, tannic, SuperTuscan, long spice finish; good but needs more time.
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3/6/2015 - Gymnvali Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly dry. Not many tannins. Dark cherry. A little sour. Brilliant complexity.
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2/28/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Unfortunately, I found this wine did not live up to expectations. Still dark and youthful-looking, but perhaps it's now in its "dormant" phase. Pretty aromas of crushed dark berries, flowers and spice. Full-bodied, but not as rich or powerful as I had expected - though not as tannic either. Offers a subtle, layered palate of sour cherry and blackberry fruit, along with notes of spice and a moderate acidity. Nicely balanced, with a long, dry finish that features velvety tannins - but also a noticeable amount of oak. A very elegant and polished Sangiovese, but not quite the great wine we were expecting. I have three of these left and am hoping that this one was perhaps just slightly "off".
50+5+12+16+8=91
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2/24/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 96 Points
COMPLEX WINE WITH LAYERS AND LAYERS OF FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. BLACK CHERRIES, PLUMS, BLACKBERRIES AND HINTS OF CHOCOLATE. LONG FINISH, MANY YEARS LEFT IN THIS BOTTLE
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2/1/2015 - tim m wrote: 95 Points
Needs some air to open up fully. The tannin is still a little strong, but there's no denying this is a beautiful wine. Super long.
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1/27/2015 - G_H wrote: 92 Points
Nice, balance, great acidity, cherries, nice length, oak started to be well integrated, but not as monumental as I would expect.
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12/29/2014 - Sarastro wrote: 94 Points
Young and powerful.
Great acidity, elegant tannic structure for a wine thatstill is at the beginning of its evolution.
Primary notes still very present. Lots of notes of moka and chocolate following the intense dark fruit opening.
Plenty of potential, I'll keep my other bottles for a few years more.
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12/12/2014 - G_H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite a high level of acidity, very italian in style, still too young
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12/7/2014 - KPB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tightly wound and a bit bitter, this wine is in an awkward stage and needs more time in the cellar. Very dark, like the skin on black cherries. Nose is elegant and fairly complex, showing tobacco and black plums, creosote, violets. Perhaps a hint of bacon fat. But on the palate a generous tongue-lashing of tannins and serious acidity currently veils the tart/sweet fruit. Fairly long mineral-inflected finish. My rating could be low: not an easy time to taste this wine, and it could benefit from two hours in a decanter.
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10/25/2014 - vinoballo wrote: 92 Points
Ready to drink but a few more years couldn't hurt.
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10/11/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sensational. Balanced. Should age beautifully, although difficult not to drink now.
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7/28/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
At Union Square Cafe in NYC with Bob M, he brought this one. We drank next to a 97 Ornellaia.
Decanted for about 30 minutes, dark purple/maroon color. Nose shows as a young wine, dark cherry, earth, pine, coffee, soy. Palate repeats with dark/red fruits and a nuanced finish. Big and plush on the mid palate, sign that this is still young.
This is a powerful wine, still very young but I did find it accessable. Interesting to drink it next to a 97 Ornellaia, which shows what these wines can become with age. This should continue to evolve for 10+ years and drink well long after...
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7/13/2014 - JohnBlueLabel wrote: 94 Points
I seem to be trying this every 2 years, which is a fun way to watch a wine evolve. The nose still has some sour cherry and tar, but the floral component is being replaced a bit by tobacco and leather, which I find quite nice. Lots of bright acidity up from with that tart cherry, also a leather component, touch of oak and some pomegranate. Finishes with a creaminess and still big tannins. Incredibly well structured and well crafted wine. Will see if I can resist opening another for 2 more years. Based on the tannins and acidity, you can see this lasting easily another 20 years.
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7/13/2014 - Cphofmann Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, rich garnet color, spice and violets on the nose. Big velvety tannins. Beautiful wine, not at its peak but delicious all the same.
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6/25/2014 - BOB P wrote: flawed
flawed
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5/7/2014 - Niagara wrote: 94 Points
Really nice. May be just my bottle, but this seems to be coming into its drinking window now.
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4/26/2014 - wine maestro wrote: 93 Points
50th Birthday Party Tasting
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4/19/2014 - rdelf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very well structured, tannic but smooth.
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4/19/2014 - Poisey Likes this wine: 97 Points
Massive out of bottle with huge griping tannin on the finish. There is a big earthy cherry fruit nose that you can smell as you pour it from the bottle. Very complex with an explosion of flavour on the finish. Still a baby, don't even think about this one for 3 to 5 more years. It will only improve. With this kind of structure and balance this is a gem.
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4/19/2014 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and enjoyed with grilled NY strips - did not take formal notes. Dark red color / dirt / tobacco / sour cherry / black cherry on nose. Tobacco / sour cherry / cherry on the palate. Stout tannins, high acidity and a very long finish. Hard to drink without food. To me this was still not ready but went well with steaks. 92-93+
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3/14/2014 - Rechrom wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful bottle of wine, heading into a great drinking window. Bright cherry fruit and herbs on the nose, tart cherry and dark berry with some savory notes on the palate, long and clean on the finish. Good acidity, tannins still apparent but softening. Great with food and alone, drinks best at the end of the bottle, many years left.
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1/25/2014 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for two hours. A slight garnet that is thick, then the colour shows crimson along the edge. Black cherry, menthol, white pepper, terra cotta, baked stone and soy sauce. Evident layers and toasted oak, the intellectual palate that is propitious on all levels; really showing velvet confection. So long and almost New World. Amazing fruit throughout the composition. Drink 2015 - 2030.
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1/19/2014 - Winetex wrote: 93 Points
Lots of sediment but I really like this wine. Beautiful Sangio.
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1/19/2014 - Midde wrote: 92 Points
Im gonna let these bottles cellar a few more years before i start drinking them.
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1/17/2014 - mhensel wrote: 94 Points
Very dark red --- Nose nutty, earthy, leather, herbs, plum, elegant wood notes, dried flowers, sour cherry --- Palate fresh, fantastic acidity, sour cherry, touch vanilla, concentrated --- Finishes rather long on fruity charachter, elegant tartness, minerality and some tea. Like a volcano close to eruption. Loaded, concentrated and powerful. Captivating masterpiece of Sangiovese.
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1/2/2014 - maxima Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superbe vin de cette grande maison. Frais, gouteux et bien équilibré.
Nez sur le menthol, les cerises et les épices.
En bouche, c'est bien éuilibré et profond.
Des cerises, de l'anis et du poivre en parfaite symbiose avec l'acidité.
Long et frais en finale. J'AIME!
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12/31/2013 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very dark purple, almost opaq. Youthful but complex nose of soy sauce, coffee, dark chocolate, dark cherry, damp earth, leather and sweet spices. Oak is noticeable and needs time to integrate. On the palate it is full-bodied, dense and creamy-textured with firm tannins, big fruit and balancing acidity. Aftertaste is very long but leaves an oaky impression. Definitely a great wine but still very young. I do not intend to touch my other bpttle for at least a decade.
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12/25/2013 - sdr wrote: 92 Points
Deep, dark, brooding. Powerful impact on the palate. All black fruits and an iron spine, yet the tannins are smooth, not bitter.
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12/23/2013 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well now, good fruit, nice earthy tones. Lacks a little depth, but maybe this will develop over time. Everyone enjoyed.
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11/19/2013 - WDSteers wrote: 94 Points
wonderful pine needle and cedar nose with eucalyptus, licorice, sour cherry palate and clean mod long finish.
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11/11/2013 - gigmoney Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious with 3 hours of air. Really has me pondering if I should jump deep into Tuscany
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11/4/2013 - G-Man555 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking even better then last year, maturing, but still a decade or more of life. Don't know if I can wait.
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9/18/2013 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very dark garnet color. Decanted four hours and has finally come around. This wines really needs a few more years to fully hit its stride. Fuming aromas of perfume, black cherry, blackberry, mocha, vanilla, and oak. The balance is the standout feature with expressive aromatics, loads of fruit, fine tannins, and ample acid. Tons of structure for the long haul. Just a sexy fantastic wine on the palate that we all need to experience. Long ripe tannic finish leaves your mouth begging for more. 96
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9/2/2013 - ŞarapTutkunları wrote: 95 Points
Derin yakut.Ön burun kiraz ,böğürtlen,menekşe, otsu baharat var.Yine topraksı. Arkadan kahve tonları ve zamanla tütün çıkıyor.Mint, bu tadımda nerdeyse tüm sangiovese'lerde ortak payda .Tüm bunların hepsi katman, katman burnunuza geliyor.Fıçı entegrasyonuda başarılı.Damakta, inanılmaz derinlikli.Tam gövdeli.Çok sağlam yapılı . Yumuşak ama yuvarlak değil.Gayet diri asitli.Meyve tanen entegrasyonu ideal.Gerçekten kompleks bir şarap.
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9/2/2013 - Ilker Ozdemir wrote: 95 Points
Derin yakut.Ön burun kiraz ,böğürtlen,menekşe, otsu baharat var.Yine topraksı. Arkadan kahve tonları ve zamanla tütün çıkıyor.Mint, bu tadımda nerdeyse tüm sangiovese'lerde ortak payda .Tüm bunların hepsi katman, katman burnunuza geliyor.Fıçı entegrasyonuda başarılı.Damakta, inanılmaz derinlikli.Tam gövdeli.Çok sağlam yapılı . Yumuşak ama yuvarlak değil.Gayet diri asitli.Meyve tanen entegrasyonu ideal.Gerçekten kompleks bir şarap.
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8/11/2013 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very dark wine, deep dark berries, full bodied, coffee, vanilla-- terrific wine worth every drip! Another popular bottle at dinner.
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8/8/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
At Kevin D's house, dinner was great, he was very generous with his cellar.
From a magnum, had been open 2 hours when I had the opportunity to taste this. Still very youthful wine. Nose was rich, violet/floral, some sweetness, cedar, mocha. Palate is lush and full, tannins are fading a bit
Very good wine, my WOTN. Should keep adding complexity. this was a great vintage, as good as this was, can't help thinking it will get much better with a few more years.
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8/1/2013 - abbulf wrote:
Clos du Stavanger monthly wine club - bring a bottle tasting - August 2013 (Stavanger): Sweet and sour nose with rose hips, violets and tea that led us to nebbiolo when served blind. With air, it evolves more towards a Bordeaux. A magic nose that keeps changing with air while keeping the very high concentration and vibrancy. The palate is enormously powerful, yet in perfect balance. Lots and lots of fruit, and a finish that lasts forever while it keeps hammering on the front of the tongue. Fantastic wine that is still so very young.
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7/7/2013 - JSOL wrote: 90 Points
Very closed. Nose was very muted at first though did open up to reveal hints of complex herbs, cedar and (surprisingly) citrus notes. In the mouth, the wine was serious and flat. The weight was good but the wine lacked transparency and depth.
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6/1/2013 - drunkstar wrote: 93 Points
Still extraordinarily youthful. But tannins starting to resolve as it enters the front of its drinking window. Deep and rich it's a really striking crowd pleaser. Still worth waiting on the rest of the case. One a year from here on in.
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5/29/2013 - King JR wrote: 97 Points
Wow!! This was truly amazing! The WS-99 and WA-97 are very warranted. The wine seems to be only now entering a fabulous drinking phase. The nose had mocha, vanilla, wonderful fruits - just a garden a fabulousness! The palate was rich, very smooth tannins with a perfect amount of bite. Over a three hour period this wine went through many changes, as a great wine should! If you can get your hands on this vintage, do it - well worth the price!
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2/6/2013 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
It just keeps getter sweeter and more integrated with the passage of time. Too "modern" for Barry, though.
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1/28/2013 - JJamba Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is one of the best expressions of Sangiovese. Intense and authentic. The depth and tannin are in its own class. Although young it shows complexity and finish that screams magnifico!! The dark berry fruit shines and layered with spice, vanilla, and slappy tannin. With age this will evolve and be epic.
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1/26/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 95 Points
The nose initially seemed just a little closed, but I finally got aromas and flavors of black cherry, leather, roasted coffee, a touch of licorice, pepper, herbs and oak. Big rich and full bodied; intense and concentrated fruit. The tannins are not totally resolved, but fairly soft at this point. Great structure and balance. A long, long finish of 30+ seconds. Consumed at the SAFW Reunion II.
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1/19/2013 - Pavan wrote: 92 Points
Concentrated wine that needs at least 3 more years of cellaring
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12/16/2012 - JohnBlueLabel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully integrated, with similar profiles to last note.
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12/10/2012 - G_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
It performed less well than I expected it to, slightly tannic, limited fruit and just somewhere out of balance. I think this is in an odd place right now, but you see the potential it has clearly a 93-96 point wine when it is in full swing
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11/6/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Drank my first bottle at the Grown dinner on Kauai. Not decanted. This still needs time in the bottle. Firm tannins. Dark crimson color. Notes of rich black cherries and some coffee. Full bodied. Lots of potential. 95+ points.
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10/11/2012 - oldvinewine wrote: 95 Points
I have a case of the 2006 and decided to try a bottle to gauge its progress. Opened up and decanted for 2hrs prior to tasting. Had a great red fruit nose. On tasting found the wine to be hugely tannic, mouth puckering in fact, but the fruit is there. Im sure this wine will evolve over the years to come and turn into a thing of beauty . Personally I am going to leave the remaining bottles for at least another 3+ years as those tannins are bullying the fruit for now. 95 point wine from 2016
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10/6/2012 - _Xenon wrote: 88 Points
I was dissaponted. I decanted it for 2 hours. It wasnt corked or flaw - I was not sure. I know that some bottles of the same wine and vintage have different qualitiy. I still have 2 in my cellar. I will try them within the next two years.
I already had the 2007 and the 2008 which were very pleasant an in the 93-94 point range. We will see,
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9/23/2012 - winelovr2001 wrote: 93 Points
A great win
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9/22/2012 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as recent note, but tannin more evident.
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9/5/2012 - S_stas wrote: 95 Points
Last bottle maybe bottle shocked after shipping. This bottle drank in Rome and was exceptional after only 1 hour of air. Tannins were softer and took a back seat to the extracted ripe rep fruit and Panzano perfume. Delicious.
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8/12/2012 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really excellent power red. Intense, but black fruit prevails over tannin and acidity. Oaky, but not too much. No bitterness or weediness despite the 100% Sangiovese.
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7/26/2012 - Arch57 wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted as the first sip from the bottle was very tannic. It had a decent nose of leather and fruit but it was not explosive as a 99 pt wine should be. On the palate there was a sour component to the fruit that was more noticeable in the first glass that we had without food. Overall a decent effort but a bit of a let down. At least I have another bottle which I will hold for 4-5 years at least to see if this improves.
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7/22/2012 - VINO DUO wrote: 98 Points
OPENED SLOWLY TO PURE VELVET... WONDERFUL!!
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7/16/2012 - lhickey wrote: 96 Points
Brought tears to my eyes. As good as I had hoped.
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7/8/2012 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RussK Dal Forno tasting at Phil and Carol's. Simone brought from brown bag.
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6/22/2012 - klino wrote: 89 Points
Starting out very nice (92 pts) with a superbly focused sangiovese smell and taste, though slightly closed down. 15% isn't felt at all. Dark colour, typical and concentrated cherries, herbs and liquorice. BUT - 3 hours later the wine completely collapsed and smelled of nothing. FAR FAR away from 99 pts (WS) and very closed at this moment, but definitely has potential. Try next bottle in 2017.
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5/20/2012 - cepageyakima wrote: 98 Points
Double decanted 2-3 hours through a venturi and through an aerator into decanter back into bottle same way. Wow , just wow! Leather, cherry tobacco. Old world but new world also..very aeromatic. This wine will age for years and I believe will start coming into maturity around 2015-2016 and last for 10 plus years after that.
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5/9/2012 - S_stas wrote: 93 Points
Wow all this hype. I source bottles at a premium, wait for a special occasion, and decanted for 4 hours just to realize that we wasted the bottle. It is not even close to being ready. Don't make my mistake.
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4/7/2012 - G-Man555 wrote: 95 Points
- Crimsom color and aromas of black currant. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Well balanced, great fruit,voluptuous, but still young.
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4/3/2012 - Dokken wrote: 95 Points
Deep ruby with a narrow & lively garnet rim. Youthful with red fruit, leather, chocolate, epresso roast and new oak notes on the nose. Savoury on palate with a combination of energetic acidity and robust/earthy tannins that balance amazingly high alcohol and almost full body. Impressive concentration on mid-palate promises a long life. Not ready yet, needs at least 8 years for tannins to mellow and integrate. Very long, outstanding Sangiovese.
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4/2/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind and then drank over lunch with friends. Hands down the best wine of the bunch, but way too young. A new (to me) expression of sangiovese, very dark in color, with ripe cherry, orange peel, leather, smoke and earth. Full-bodied, dense, with very firm tannins that need time, very rich but fresh fruit and high acidity. Very long, persistant finish. A future masterpiece.
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4/1/2012 - Stefanos T. wrote: 95 Points
This is a masterpiece although very young still. Notes more or less consistent with last time I tasted the wine (18/5/2010) with the addition of an ethereal orange zest note on the nose and better integration of oak. I copy from my last tasting note: Very deep ruby colour with a purple rim. Very deep red and black fruit aromas and fine minerallity. Oak is quite evident and has not integrated yet. Ink, vanilla and sweet spices also evident. Has some earthiness also. In the mouth it is rich with big chunky tannins which are still astringent. A wine at its infancy. Flavour profile of blackcurrants, ink and plums. Concentrated, rich, and powerfull. A wine that impresses.
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3/4/2012 - drunkstar wrote:
Still too young but boy what a wine. Yummy bitterness of Sangiovese with a long long finish.
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2/27/2012 - JaimeZX wrote: 96 Points
Hands-down my new favorite wine. Wish I could afford cases of it.
Strawberries. Some oak. Jammy without actually having up-front fruit.
I don't know how to describe the tannins other than they sparkled on my tongue.
The taste was complex and lingered on my palate for a surprisingly long time.
Truly, this is the nectar of the gods. When you see in pictures Bacchus having a party with his satyrs and other friends... and the magical wine from Olympus is flowing... it's this stuff.
To quote Ferris Bueller: "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."
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2/9/2012 - clarktoews wrote: 96 Points
very consistent qith the last bottle. just great
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2/1/2012 - rdsboca wrote: 95 Points
Italians at Mario's Osteria (Mario's Osteria): Wow was this wine sexy. Bright red cherry fruit, a nice tartness and extremely well balanced. A wee baby but special.
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12/22/2011 - Winiac wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby color with very aromatic nose. Very focused palate with red fruit flavors but still tight, and racy with firm, sweet tannins. Very long length and pleasant finish. Needs another 3-4 years to polish in the bottle.
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11/28/2011 - cabber wrote: 94 Points
Ruby, medium body, loads of fruit. Tannins are firm. Opened two bottles on Thanksgiving and finished the second bottle the next day. Was getting better. Suggest several hours decant now, but better to wait. Will be stunning in a couple years.
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10/31/2011 - SevenDayMile wrote:
Still magnificent as in my previous notes. Every time I start to lose my faith in Sangiovese, bottles like this bring me right back around.
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10/13/2011 - clarktoews wrote: 97 Points
wow!!!! absolutely great! had more cab sauv characteristics than i was expecting. lots of fruit but very well integrated and a fantastic silky texture on the palate and a longgggggg finish.
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10/9/2011 - JAMESMOBB wrote: 99 Points
Amazing still!! Wine bled through the cork but it hadnt been long enough to affect it. Was great to enjoy it with someone on my level with wine knowledge
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8/20/2011 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just what it should be, extraverted, powerful, even muscular, blackcurrent, distinctive due to it's 100% sangiovese fruit. What it's not is complex or subtle, but that's not what I want in every wine.
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7/12/2011 - sreisgolf wrote: 95 Points
This wine is loaded! Everything you would want in a Tuscan wine. Beautifully balanced full styled. Only problem, it needs time. Lots of time. This was infanticide to drink now. The tannins won't let half of the potential this wine has shine through. Please wait. My next bottle will be in five years.
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6/30/2011 - rdsboca wrote: 90 Points
Big fruit forward wine with a serious acidic finish. Needs food.
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6/19/2011 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
A real winner. Definitely modern style, packed with ripe dark red fruit and controlled oak. The tannins are softening but there's still a bit of harshness on the finish to round out in the future. Terrific wine if you're not a terroir fanatic.
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5/30/2011 - mtavarozzi wrote:
Neither Italian nor interesting.
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5/15/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
waaay too young with square structure, iron and green herb winning out over the primary cherry and currant; might have guessed there was a little cab sauv added; 90+ points and needs years to come around
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4/2/2011 - hon2 wrote: 91 Points
Each time this wine convinces through an enormous array of flavours ranging from rasperries to mild tobacco notes.
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4/2/2011 - kellersc wrote: 94 Points
Great lingering taste. Well balanced. A little fruity. Some notes of oak. Really a great wine, especially for the price.
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3/18/2011 - hon2 wrote: 95 Points
A truly fantastic wine which gets better the longer it's decanted.
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3/17/2011 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RUSSK a week later. Thick, deep, beautiful. Aromatic. 92+
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3/12/2011 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RUSSK WSW@Mustang Italian BB. Top Tier. 92-. Would have rated higher, but still young.
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2/20/2011 - tmadsen wrote: 91 Points
Lukket og rig på tanniner, fremragende duft af lakridsrod, duften af noget i vente....om mange år. En anelse skuffet over en ellers hyped og anmelderrost vin.
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2/13/2011 - tim m wrote: 95 Points
This is simply the best super tuscan I have ever had. Nice acidity, goes fantastic with tomato based dishes. Long, long finish. So balanced. Need to air for a couple hours.
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2/1/2011 - WDSteers wrote: 92 Points
way too early. fantastic structure but too young to drink even after hours of decanting
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1/16/2011 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rounding into shape wonderfully. Very intense and mouth filling but no fruit bomb. Spicy Sangiovese. Mouth filling, gutsy, satisfying. Great match for grilled venison with balsamic veal stock sauce. Surprising amount of gritty sediment for a young wine.
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12/28/2010 - Limbus Lafayette wrote: 96 Points
Enjoyed after only minimal decanting. Still had significant tannins (well integrated). Although still good young, this will be great in another 5 years.
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12/22/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 94 Points
This is a big wine. Huge fruit profile of cherry and blackberry. Still quite tannic but awesome flavors explode in your mouth. Revisit in 5+ years.
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12/5/2010 - JohnBlueLabel wrote: 94 Points
Nice nose with some floral component, tar and sour cherry. This is a big brooding wine. Sour cherry, oak, spice and BIG tannins at the end. Didn't want to wait to try this, but I am going to try and hold out and not touch this for another few years. Should be spectacular in the future. Outstanding now.
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11/11/2010 - Khamen wrote: 94 Points
And so we move from 2004 Ornellaia to 2006 Flaccinallo. 100% sangiovese from one of the finest vineyards in Tuscany. This is a different beast entirely. Ornellaia is all about exhuberance, hedonism and throwing TVs out of windows. This fella is sultry, deep and intriguing. Really sexy nose. Deep and spicy this is hard to pick out as a pure varietal - you're almost thinking a smokey cali cab with lots of oak. Very creamy (the oak I'm guessing). Palate is pure sangiovese, although you have to say it's a sangiovese buffed to a highly polished sheen. It's a big wine but you get a real sense of elegance on the palate - quite a modern style of brazen fruit and oak, but there's something lurking behind all the flash. Real complexity here and the promise of something astounding to come if you have the patience. 5 years? 10? Real mineral tang on the extraordinarily grippy finish. Not ready by a factor but a tremendous wine in the making. Drink now if you like them sexy but a bit brutal, in 5 if you're a new world advocate, and in 10+ if you like black and white movies with Marlene Dietrich. 94+
For profile an alternate worth looking at would be Altesino's Montosoli, but this probably has the edge and the price is about the same
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10/30/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
Young and full of potential, but it's superb quality is still obvious. Shows loads of oak on the nose right now, along with dark berry, earth, and spice notes. In the mouth, plush, concentrated, and very silky. The balance, concentration, and mouth feel are what stand out about this wine right now. Plenty of forward fruit, but there is lurking complexity just waiting to unleash, but it's masked by the oak and structure. Tannins are very fine. Just needs time to unwind. A
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9/20/2010 - Edzo wrote: 96 Points
Still tightly wound up, but all of the elements are there to havethis be a blockbuster in a few years. The fruit was well integrated with the tannin and the freshness of the acidity. beautiful blood red color in the glass. Will buy more to cellar for 5-10 years.
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9/18/2010 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 95 Points
Clear, deep ruby colour suggesting a youthful experience and what an unforgettable one! Amazing richness of flavours with fresh red and black berries, charming violet notes as well as an earthy undertone, liqorice, leather and tobacco flavours laced with mint. Silky and elegant on the palate with an inviting balance of tannins, acidity and fruitiness. Charming. Best of the night.
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8/22/2010 - JBroll wrote: 94 Points
Denne supervinen fra Fontodi smakte jeg sammen med noen venner og fikk en fantastisk vinsmakingsopplevelse og en god start på årets sommerferie.
Vinen har skåret 99 poeng hos Wine Spectator og 96 poeng hos The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker), og fikk Gullmedlaje i Decanter World Wine Awards 2009.
Smak av kirsebær, plommer, lakris, fransk eik og mineraler. Vinen har fantastisk balanse og friskhet med lang og dvelende ettersmak av ren frukt.
Drue: 100% Sangiovese
2006 årgangen er fremdeles ung og kan tåle å ligge i minst 10-12 år.
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7/5/2010 - il_diavolo wrote: 93 Points
notes similar to prior - this is an opulent version of flacc that resembles the 2001.
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6/17/2010 - fm449789 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red. Aroma of fresh bread, ground pepper. On the palate, green peppers, black pepper. Eearth and damp wood Taste. Very cool and very present tannins.
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5/30/2010 - il_diavolo wrote: 94 Points
what a wine this is ! intense nose of dark fruits with more than a slight hint of oak. On the palate it is incredibly concentrated and dense but oh so long. Power more than finesse. Will be great to see how this develops - my guess is that when it shelves some of the excessive opulence it will be regal ! stark contrast to the 2004 I tasted at the same stage - this seems richer and the 2004 perhaps more classic and reticent ?
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5/18/2010 - Stefanos T. wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at the 15/5/2010 Decanter magazine Masterclass on Tuscany headed by Steven Spurrier. Very deep ruby colour with a purple rim. Very deep red and black fruit aromas and fine minerallity. Oak is quite evident and has not integrated yet. Ink, vanilla and sweet spices also evident. Has some earthiness also. In the mouth it is rich with big chunky tannins which are still astringent. A wine at its infancy. Flavour profile of blackcurrants, ink and plums. Concentrated, rich, and powerfull. A wine that impresses. Tasted after the 2006 Cepparello to which I gace the same score. The wines are completely different in style though. Where Cepparello offers finesse, Flaccianello offers power. Yet both were impressive.
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3/24/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 94 Points
Deep purple, floral nose. Smoky plums with bright cherries behind it. Some hints of chocolate. Well balanced, nice aciidty, sweet tannins with immense structure. Nice long finish.
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3/21/2010 - ssfox10 wrote: 95 Points
For the price it's one of the best wines I've tasted...very smooth going down. Had a little sentiment at the bottem, but it was overlooked due to the flavor.
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3/1/2010 - mike l. wrote: 91 Points
125$ at costco. was curious to try this "blockbuster". there was a fair amount of old world minerality balanced nicely with vibrant wet stones and red fruit especially raspberries. tasty but not lush or persistent enough to make me say wow.
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2/15/2010 - Longboarder wrote:
Decanted for approx. 6 hours prior to tasting. The color was very dark, almost black. I had tasted this wine on 2 other occasions (1st at the winery with Giovanni Manetti in May, 2009 and again in NYC in October). Each of the previous tastings were superior to this one. I feel the wine is completely closed down right now. Even with the long exposure to air, the wine was not yielding anything on the nose or the palate. A wall of tannins are all you taste currently. The '01 showed many of the same signs at about the same stage of development. I won't be touching these again for at least 8-10 years.
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2/10/2010 - SevenDayMile wrote: 98 Points
Decanted for two hours and enjoyed over the next five hours.
This wine has a inky garnet core with a dense ruby rim. Deep blackberry coats the aromas that are lined with ripe red cherries, dried black cherries, and pencil lead. There is also a distinct minerality that persistently elevates the scent. On the palate it is lively with precise acidity driving pure crushed red cherry over more subtle nuances of milk chocolate, blackberry jam, and raspberry coulis. The tannins are strong and mouth coating, but well balanced between grape and wood. The finish clears a minute easily.
At the moment, this strikes as one of the top five wines I've ever tasted. Really beautifully integrated flavours with precise texture and depth that show this wine can be enjoyed intensely now but also has a lot to offer as it will dynamically age over a long time to come.
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1/9/2010 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
I did this one for Greg blind and he guessed it was a Priorat. This new release is still showing a lot of new oak (vanilla and toast and creamy texture), so it's hard to see the sangiovese underneath. But based on the development of the 2004, I'm confident this vintage will be a great success as well. There's no doubt about the impressive concentration of black fruit, but it is somewhat anonymous at this early stage.
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1/4/2010 - mebydef wrote: 97 Points
This was beautiful, mineral and deeply fruited with forward ripe tannins framed in subtle oak and taming acid. It could be perfect someday. Right now it's too primary.
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12/7/2009 - Giladog wrote:
Opening this wine now was a big mistake. Even after several hours open, this wine is way to young. Tried it the second night, and still felt like it needed air. I would hold on to this another 3-5 years before opening another. Try again in 2012.
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11/15/2009 - mimik wrote: 95 Points
Dark almost black wine, huge nose of alcohol, toasty oak, coffee notes, mint, dark fruit and wallops of vanilla. Over time, the nose expressed a bit more fruit with black cherries and some sweet dark plums emanating from the nose. The palate was rather closed but what structure. As KSCO2 mentioned, a wall of tannins greet the unprepared drinker floating on a sea of alcohol. There is elegance and great power to this wine, almost smelt like a Croze-Hermitage in the beginning but it found more elegance as the night went on. Long tannic finish with dark fruit. A bruiser for sure but I'd love to revisit this wine in say 6-8 years from now. 95+
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11/15/2009 - KSC02 wrote: 95 Points
Gorgeous color and viscosity. A monster of a wine upon initial opening, with gripping tannins. Splash decanted 3 hours and the beast settled into a beautiful bottle. Deep, opulent aromas of dark berries, menthol and spice. A big. fresh, viscous, full-bodied mouth feel with the big berry taste and menthol coming through to the palate. Tannins became nicely integrated at this point (especially for for such a baby) and everything was quite balanced. It's all there. Medium-long finish. It was remarkably noticeable that, at the four hour + mark, the tannins rose up and completely devoured any remaining fruit. This bottle showed well and continuously evolved in glass the entire time (as one would expect at this point). Time will surely reward those who cellar. A blockbuster of a wine indeed.
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10/22/2009 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
2009 Wine Spectator NYWE Grand Tasting (Marriott Marquis, Times Square, NYC): leather, black fruit, sage. nice, medium(+) finish
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10/21/2009 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RUSSK WW at Sage. Nice nose. Great mouth feel. Good fruit. Still a bit tight. Wait 5 years. $100 WS99pts.
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10/3/2009 - jkoenen wrote: 90 Points
Flaccianello Frenzy @ Paul B. (Netherlands): (blind) Thicker, denser, obviously more modern than previous wine. Very primary black fruit aromas, smoky peat, rose petals. Very concentrated and lots of acidity, accompanied by fatty, treacly tannines. After the unveiling everybody at the table was surprised, that this wine did make it to the tasting after all. Furthermore nobody recognised it as a Flaccianello... Seemed to have a different, more contemporary style than the other one's. Or could that be explained by its age? 17.5/20
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9/25/2009 - Pinot Evil wrote:
Picked up a bottle on recent trip to Atlanta on impulse, having just read the WS review and rating, I stumbled across it in a wine shop. The proprietor at the wine store offered to call the restaurant where we were having dinner and they charged a $15 corkage fee so we took the wine to the restaurant rather than back to the hotel room. I have paid a whole lot more for a whole lot less, at $100 this wine would never be considered a bargain but I was not disappointed. The wine is a beautiful purple/garnet color, as the wine opened up its complexity began to show, strawberry and spice notes and gentle tannins.
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7/26/2009 - FJB wrote: 95 Points
The 2006 Flaccianello however is another legend in the making. A huge blockbuster that fills the palate with a looong finish. This is hard to beat…. (95)
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