Planning Session (Brad's Place, St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 2+ glasses over 2.5 hours. This was pretty much good to go on pouring, though i do think it improved over the first hour. Deep red cherry fruits, lots of charcoal, with tobacco, black raspberry, dried earth and gravelly minerality, with subtle anise and now more medium plus bodied. Tannins are contained and medium grained. Very good 92+pts.
Will make it to 20 easily. Reminds me why Fontalloro is one of my favorites year to year - the nose knows. Sangio personality, well rounded acidity, with plenty of tannin.
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Tonight w/ Nita's homemade Pizza. Well at age 17/18 I remain pleased I never added addl vintages of this. Records say I still have 2 more. Ugh! For me, this is dense & lacking any sense of refinement. It does have some complexity but just doesn't rock me. I gave it plenty of air with a 3hr slow-ox but I should have decanted it as its loaded w/ sediment. Thought I could manage the sediment with careful same directional pours but I still ended up tossing the last 2-3 inched in the btl out. Hoping my records are wrong and the last 2btls listed in CT no longer exist :). I remain a Chianti lover of many basic classico but not these more expensive cuvees.
Runner-up at a blind Sangiovese tasting. Still powerful fruity - mainly cherries - surrounded by smooth leathery and earthy notes. Tannins are still present and nice acidity hints at some additional shelf life (~3-5 years?). Last bottle but lucky to have some younger vintages of the Fontalloro in my cellar. Opened the bottle c. 1 hour before we started the tasting. Given the development during the event, I suggest either decanting or opening the 2006 Fontalloro 2h+ before the wine pleasuredome.
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Half-bottle. Earthy aroma with tones of oak and nuts. Well balanced acidity, polished tannins and a dark fruited length which keeps going and going. Nice! Drink now.
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Wow, still an excellent bottle. Great with some bread, cheese, and meats, didnt quite have the body to stand up with my pasta carbonara, but still an excellent wine. Glad I have 3 left, but will drink them before the end of 2023.
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This bottle was not as good as the previous one. The wine needs 1h of decant to come to full life. Immediately after opening there was a touch of overripeness in the nose, but that disappeared after an hour. Red cherry, blackberry, plum, some dried fruit and spice.
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This wine was outstanding. The last of my three bottles, alas, and the only one drunk at optimum. Cherries, black cherries and only a hint - more of an afterthought - of leather and tobacco. Perfectly poised between the fruit, the very fine tannins that still do their job to perfection, and the freshness. Perfect harmony, I'd say, and a testament to the potential of Sangiovese. Decanted for less than an hour before serving.
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Oaky on the nose, medicinal nose after slow ox for 12 hours in the bottle, very high acidity with tons of spice. Pretty straightforward wine... Definitely need some food with it... Not a bad wine but not great either.
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Vinetasters: Sangiovese (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Some sweetness from the fruit, but also showing some browning from the oxidation of the fruit. A bit of a volatile note with a distinct hit of Sharpie marker and other aldehydic components (like cherry extract). A bit of alcohol on the finish as well.
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Very füll wine. Just about balanced. Perfect Cork, PNP and drank over 2 days. All dark fruits, musky earhy touch. Pretty intense and showing no signs of beeing over the hill. Complements a sturdy stew imo. One of the most mouthfilling sangiovese I've had so far.
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Much better than our last bottle four years ago. This is a juicy and spicy red with black acidic cherries and lots of spicy oak flavors. It is very dry with a racy acidity and a bit herbal on the finish. It is still slightly tannic, but pairs really well with a bistecca. I imagine this will drink well another 5-8 years as it still tastes very young. - 91 points
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double-decanted to travel. still darkly-colored w/clear violet rim; classic nose of sage, underbrush, wild cherry & woodspice; fairly fleshy palate weight for the genre; sweet & ripe tart black & red cherries, savory herbal qualities, some barrel notes, characteristic acids & fine length. showing well.
ricotta & herb - stuffed crêpes baked w/passata & parmesan
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Luis Italian Wine Tasting at Broder's: PnP - This wine almost seemed more Chianti-like than the Chianti that was drank along side it. I thought this started out too acidic, but later calmed down in the glass. The nose started showing some rose petal, cherry and spice. The palate followed suit with the addition of dark fruit, a little menthol and some earthiness. A very pleasant wine that will likely improve, IMO, with some additional cellar time. Note, the tannins were well hidden, and if they were fading, it may impact the way this wine further evolves. 90-91 for my palate today.
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Italians at Broder's (Broder's Pasta Bar, Minneapolis): Very dark red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour plus next to the '90 CCR. Wish I'd have had the time to decant this. It was still introverted and slightly medicinal on opening, though it didn't take real long to start to open up and flesh out. This nose offers lots of dark fruits, black raspberry, baked cherry, cherry cough syrup, eucalyptus, and dried flowers. The palate is bigger with a full body, black raspberry, black cherry, deep mineral essence, savory and spiced with dusty medium tannins. Give this a little air to wake it up.
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This is dark full and ripe, and initially comes across as a little international - ripe and lacking a little tannins and acidity. A little lacking in zip, but fine dusty tannins and a longish currant and dark cherry fruit finish. This is not super complex but nicely balanced, lack of acidity makes me think that drinking up was a good idea.
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Hmm... more than five years since my last bottle. Pnp. Immediately upon opening this is showing those slightly oxidative and musty medicinal notes I often get in ripe, mature Sangiovese (eg. Tenuta Nuova, Ciacci BdM). With more air those notes fade a little but never disappear. You are left with rich and round dark fruit, with good depth. Medium tannins are still almost covered by the fruit. Medium (-) finish. This modern, ripe and extracted style of Sangiovese is not my kind. A bit of a shame in the great 06 Tuscan vintage as I recall a lovely, classic and red fruited 08 Fontalloro over dinner in Rome many years ago. Even if this is your kind of Sangiovese, I would drink up as this will only get more oxidative from here.
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Terrific! Ready to go. I agree with Galloni's note on this wine. Sweet cherry fruit, damp earth, dusty tannins are present. Lovely balance. Very long finish.
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Still quite youthful with its deep ruby color, complex scent of ripe black cherries, black currants, leather, and wet leaves. Structure gets reacher with oxigenation. Velvet but vivid tannins, pleasant acidity and some spices in the aftertaste. A couple of years still ahead in its best drinking window
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Very good and still youthfull 100% sangiovese. Deep ruby color. Intense aromas of ripe black cherries, black currants, chocolate, leather, tobacco. Rich structure and weight. Full bodied. Structured tanins, medium+ acidity, plenty of fruit. Long finish with touch of chocolate. Excelent wine in the begining of drinking window.
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Opened, but did not decant, 1.5 hours before dinner. Dark red color with a slight meniscus. Great nose - tobacco, red currants, sour cherry, meditteranean herbs, mineral. On palate, medium body, medium+ acidity, integrated tannins and very long finish. Sweet cherry, black cherry, tobacco and strawberry (almost Zin like) flavor profile. Has aged beautifully. 93-94 range. Last bottle unfortunately. Need to try future vintages starting 8-10 years from vintage date.
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Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. 100% Sangiovese. Stunning nose of black fruits, tar, licorice and leather. Full bodied with medium to strong acidity. Exceedingly lush and polished. Well balanced. Black cherry, tobacco, roaster herbs and earth on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with ever so silky tannins. Tremendous wine that paired brilliantly with a simple dish of spaghetti and meatballs. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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PNP at cellar temp. Tight out of the bottle, but with 30 minutes of air this showed dark, concentrated fruit with coffee/mocha on the nose. The fruit is very ripe and concentrated but just short of showing any hot year/overripe character. Very high quality wine that drank well after an hour, shut down a bit after two hours. Throws some sediment so be sure to decant. Enjoyable now but will be better with a few more years to further open up and soften the ripe tannin just a bit. A-/A
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Beautiful red and dark fruit nuanced with licorice, forest floor and spice, and a slight hint of leather showing its age. Tannin is still firmly present but integrated. Entering a great drinking window with 5-7 years left.
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This time, I decanted about six hours ahead, and I still find the wine quite unyielding. There is plenty of dark red fruit, but also a good amount of unintegrated tannins. Loads of flavor intensity, with solid acidity and excellent structure overall. I would give this more time.
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Depp garnet core. Very little sediment. Medium-intense nose of violets and cherry, showing surprisingly little development. Dry, medium-bodied, still tannic, with balanced acidity. Plenty of dark red fruit (mainly cherry), with a dark chocolate finish. Unfortunately, I popped and poured this one; I'm confident it would improve with a few hours of air. Very well structured, but seems to me like it needs more time for the tannins to integrate fully.
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With thunder rolling in the not too distant distance and crackling meatballs cooking in the pan, I have the pleasure of sniffing through a glass of this wine, a designation that I've yet to try in any vintage. It's a joyous experience given the intensity of pure flavors coming through on the bouquet - ahi blood (sweaty iron), rose-hips, crushed flowers, cookie-dough and some nondescript but pure, tangy and brier-patch evoking purple berry fruits. It has a piercing intensity on the palate that calls to mind insect blood or leathery ink swathed in femto-fine silt of tannin residuals. Sour, dry Sangiovese fruit layers on top of the super-bitter entry, paving a weighty path to the unrelenting finish. This is medium bodied on the whole, but seems to swing with the heavy weights in terms of flavor intensity. The nose is extraordinarily nice, and I believe this 13 year old wine begs for time to aerate, which makes me want to dig out a decanter for tonight.
Wow, this is wine drinking really well with nearly 13 years of age! Drank over 4 days and it held up well, showing amazing consistency from day to day. This wine is in perfect harmony - about as well balanced as a wine can be. Soft supporting tannins; dark cherry, plum and spices; and abundant acidity. Medium-long finish. A truly delightful surprise from the cellar, I'd say this will last at least another 5 years - though I'm not sure it will get any better than it is right now.
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Pure class effort from Fèlsina. Quite mature Sangiovese but will stay for another 10 years. Have all the benchmark quality for this wine: balance, pure sangiovese fruit with very well integrated oak. Full bodied with the typical mature tannins, and a very long finish. And compared to other super tuscans, good value.
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Note from 4 days under Art Preserve a 1.5 liter. Nose orange blossom, citrus, sage, violets and strawberry whirl. Palate is generous and lively even after 13 years. Palate is developed and surprisingly decent with dark berry, leather, orange rind, sage and spices. Lingering on the palate for a good 15 seconds. Seen that the 16 is Available in market. May pick up another 1.5L for a party in 10 years.
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This bottle was absolutely on fire after about an hour in the decanter and evolved over the subsequent hour and a half. Still retaining richness and fruit while secondary characteristics fly from the glass in near-perfect harmony with one another. Tannins are just softening and this is in a very, very good place now if you prefer this balance; probably another few years yet during which I would expect further evolution. Wow. I thought this would be good but it absolutely knocked my socks off.
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Decanted and drank over 1 hour w sausage mushroom pasta. Dark purple, concentrated black cherry, beef, iron notes. Silky and textured, long lingering finish. This wine continues to overperform in a modern style for the price.
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Toujours bien en forme, cette maison fait toujours du beau, pas mal de constance dans leur travail. Nez sur les fruits rouge, l`anis et les herbes. En bouche, encore une belle acidité avec des cerises griottes, de la réglisse, du poivre et un peu de tabac. Les tanins sont fins et la finale bien longue. Superbe.
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The first thing...and the last...is the stunning amount of structure and electric acidity. Surprising for a wine that's over a decade old. The oak is almost perfectly integrated, so there's a even balance between fruits like plum and blackberry and sour cherry & light tobacco and vanilla. The flavor profile on this is receding, but justifiably, and it's a very pleasing wine - even on day 2! Buy, drink, and don't hesitate to hang on to this for a few more years.
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Really need to read my prior notes before pulling bottles. Searching for a 2006 Brunello I had pegged as nearing end of life, found this and went why not. Turns out was matching this with the same dish as two months ago. Same reaction! This is still a little young and does not need to br drunk up. If you do however, you will find a lovely wine, ripe and balanced with nice crisp acidity. Powerful and intense. I used to think that Sangiovese did not age much past 7 years - but that was mainly based on the ripe 2000 vintage. This is still singing at 12 years of age and I wish I had more of this.
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Still tight and vibrant, but starting to open up. Aired for an hour or two. Showing well - with a solid fruit core to balance the hefty acidity and tannins.
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Très beau encore une fois, simlaire aux autres. Belle fraicheur, beau fruit et belle acidité. Assez long avec des relents mentholée en finale. Bien aimé.
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Still deep red, but starting to show some maturity
The nose is dominated by sour cherries with some spices and hints of vanilla, which indicates the oak is well integrated.
Good concentration and length with the cherry fruit dominating on the palate, well balanced and starting ot drink well, but should improve over the next 3-5 years
A very good vintage from this consitently good producer.
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Wow. This was superb and still young. After a 2006 Brunello that seemed tired, decided to open this, but need not have bothered for a few years. This was young, rich and vibrant. Nice acidity but also depp dark cherry and berry fruit, long with fine tannins. Worked great with chicken saltimbocca. Excellent wine, really complete.
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Deep ruby color, almost black cherry like, opaque center, ruby to red rim, clear and bright. Nose is forest floor, licorice, pepper and spice, and black fruits. It has complexity and depth but still gives an impression of tautness. On the palate, the tautness is evident. There is tight but ripe black cherry fruit, more pepper, dried flowers, a hint of graphite towards the finish. The wine tastes youthful but evolving after a half hour of air. With another hour, the core of ripe cherry and plum fruit is more evident, and has an underpinning of raisin or prune. Bring on the food.......
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Started out tight but opened up on the second piece of margarita/pesto pizza. Definitely fruity with cherries, blueberries and tobacco. It's got legs and tannin and definitely will make me sleep well. The body is medium/full. It has a medium finish. Would also go well with steak or even veal but tonight was pizza night.
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A great Sangiovese! Dark red with almost no brick rim, delicate aromas of cherries, nuts, leather, spices and oak. Full-bodied and elegant with nice acidity, exceptional fruit and a quite tannic finish. Long aftertaste. Wow!
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P n p. From a 375. Poured thru aerator. Notable bricking. Plenty of sed. Sour cherries, earth, herbs n spice. Mid palate soft. Paired w pesto pizza n Cesar salad. In a good place tonight. Ready to go, not sure what time will do for this.
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Evident bricking on rim. Earthy aromas with stewed prunes. Rich oak, red plums, prunes, tobacco and refreshing orange peel acidity on the finish. Still lively. Tannins somewhat dry and chalky but they make the mouth water. If I had any of these I would be happy to wait another couple of years. 92+
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Appealing nose with black cherries, spices from oak, tar and some mineralities. Oak much better integrated than some years ago. Despite 14,5% abv not hot or stewed. Already quite enjoyable but still a bit restrained.
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Valentines with the SLDS - February 2018 Tasting: Blackcurrant, cherry, pepper and some light herbs on the nose. The palate has good flow and a nice balance of primary and aged character, this is hitting its drinking window right now.
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This is a phenomenal wine. The nose isn't giving off too much besides some cherries and some slight hints of earthy tobacco, on the old world side. The palate is what is striking. Excellent mount-feel with some more maraschino cherries, some tobacco and black licorice. Tannins are still present and I would say this has a number of years left. If the nose was giving off a little more this would be in the 95-96 range for my taste. Makes me wonder why I don't drink more Sangiovese wines.
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Quite fruity and mellow in the nose, ripe apples, berries, cherries, mints, and tobacco leaves; also fruity and mellow, dark berries and light wood spices on the palate with some resolved tannins; long finish; overall, 92-93 points; it had evolved quite nicely over the years.
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Popped, poured, consumed over 90 minutes. Started out nice, but a tiny bit tight and rough. Opened up and rounded out beautifully within 15 minutes. This is a lovely expression of 100% Sangiovese from Berardenga. Excellent complexity and fruit intensity, while retaining its mouth watering freshness and elegance through an expanding and lingering finish.
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A l'ouverture, le nez est ouvert, assez baroque, presque nouveau monde, mais la bouche est droite, c'est costaud sans déviation, mais encore tendu. Le vin en a encore beaucoup sous la pédale, il aurait été peut-être meilleur dans deux-trois ans, mais malgré çà, il était excellent : le bois est parfaitement intégré, le vin est très bien équilibré, il a une bonne longueur. Belle bouteille.
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A powerful wine, high extraction, red acidic berries, vegetal tobacco notes and some oak tannins, a hint of licorice, a bit chunky and angular, quite muscular right now, not as elegant as I had hoped, still slightly tannic on the finish. Needs food, preferably red meat. I will wait another 2 years for my next bottle and hope for further refinement. - 89+ points
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PnD let air for 2hrs. Depth and structure with all the hallmarks of what makes Sangiovese great (potentially great) coming together with depth complexity and harmony. Would decant for a shorter period of time if I had another bottle. Drank alongside the 2007 and this was better but not by much.
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Fighting the remnants of a cold but I'm clear enough to give this a fair shake. 2 hr decant & back into blt. Dark garnet red. Upon opening it had a very fresh floral nose that evolved picking up some smoky dark fruit & spice. Palate is more placid & open than expected. Thankfully, not as cloaked in oak as expected! Herbal & green leaf tobacco, cherry, licorice & mineral. All in all, very enjoyable but should improve substantially as the oak further fades to the background. Don't drink this now w/o a decant. I still prefer the Felsina CCR which shows almost the same depth w/o the oak & sells for $20-$30 less. I stopped buying this cuvee after this vintage because of the oak. I have 3 more. My hope is that as these gain more btl age they may offer more upside. I'll try my next btl in 2020.
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Wirkt im Gegensatz zur letztjährigen Flasche gealtert: An der Nase Röstaromen, Mokka, Beerenfrucht, Veilchen und erdige Noten; am Gaumen aber ist die Frucht weiter abgeschmolzen, das Tannin wirkt etwas stumpfer und der Abgang ist etwas zehrend.
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decanted one hour, another 1.5 hours in the glass. deep garnet-colored, clear ruby rim; fairly intense red-fruited nose, herbal, cracked pepper & spice, oak shadings maybe a touch prominent; med+ weight; fine sangiovese attack on the palate, spicy, herbal & green leaf tobacco, acids are fine & not too dominant, moderately astringent wood tannins dominate the finish. a good drink w/appropriate food; maybe a couple years to the best integration, but the oak will always be there, scratching the finish.
Decanted for just over one hour. White pepper, herbs (tarragon? bay leaves?), cherry and red currant on the nose. Hints of tobacco as well. Very pleasant and feels open and inviting. High acidity and well defined tannins. A bit of dryish grit texture-wise but full of flavor and balances well. The fruit tastes like a mix of cherry, red currant and strawberry. Will be nice to see where this goes.
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Very elegant and balanced! Nice cherry sangiovese fruit and a refreshing acidity. The oak and tannins are nicely intermixed in the long and complex finish.
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Outstanding wine. Beautiful fruit! Great nose, so smooth. Popped and poured and it was delicious. Smooth tannins, not that intense. But nice medium-long finish.
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Seemed at the end of its drinking window to me. The wine seemed one dimensional and fading this time around. Could be attributed to the small format bottles I suppose. This the last of a 6 bottle stash of 375's I bought on a whim. Fèlsina has always been good to me, but this final bottle missed the mark.
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So, yet another confirmation that a bunch of new oak and Sangiovese is not for me. And, another reminder that style is much more important than points when searching for wine you like. I love Sangiovese, but to me the oak taints this otherwise high quality fruit (that I would prefer with a gentler extraction). Above all it adds a bunch of woody tannins that only makes you feel like you're licking on an ice cream-spatel. This has loads of time to develop, there's fruit, fine acidity and nice minerality. Will probably keep and develop for another decade. I'm happy this is my last bottle, though.
Medium-dark garnet. Nose of red fruit, earth, spices. Enters the palate with ripe fruit and lively acidity. Not very complex but nice overall with good typicity. The tannins are one rustic side though. Wait another 2-3 years.
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Third time having the 06 Fontalloro, last bottle almost one year. The 06 vintage from Tuscany is still not entirely ready in my eyes. Decanted two hours and poured back into bottle. Still the wine was a bit tight when poured at restaurant. Opened towards the end of the dinner so 3h decant is still more like it. Fairly dark garnet, red and black fruit, earth. Elevated acidity. Not overly complex in my eyes. Medium finish. This is a nice Sangiovese and might still have a bit of upside but having had this now three times still don't really see Galloni's 94 points here. 91+
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Decanted for 2 hours, returned to the original bottle and consumed 3 hours later. Beautiful rich dark Sangiovese fruit with medium acidity and firm but fine tannins. The finish and the wine in general became softer and more open as the wine warmed from cellar temperature.
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Lots of Italians and a couple others (Cleveland): I knew this would be young, but I thought that was a good place to start with the reds. The bottle had been opened and allowed to breathe for 12 hours. Deep ruby in color. The nose is really nice cherries, dark cherries, slight charred wood and a bit of tea leaves. It actually is drinking well if young. Open and plush. Delicious. Black cherries, licorice and a bit of tarragon notes. Nice acidity but not as strong as I might have expected. Certainly more approachable than I might have guessed. I went back for a taste later in the night and it really showed nice layering.
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Very nice. Decanted and let rest briefly before supper. Lots of solids came out. Deep color in the decanter and in the glass. Lots of flavor with a nice mouth feel. Dark red fruits and earthiness. Pleasant sweet fruity nose. Lot of persistence in the after taste.
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Bu avec Bulle et Headless au resto AVV Sballo de Sherbrooke! Un beau Sangio, nez sur le balsam, l’anis et les petits fruits rouge. En bouche, belle acidité, assez ample et dense, il en couvre large avec des tannins charnus et assez long…superbe accord avec les Agnolotti!
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Drinking really well right now with aeration and 30 minute decant. Full bodied but with soft tannin structure and balanced acidity. Nice minerality on the nose and on the finish. Cherry/plum fruit is still very present suggesting quite a few years left.
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While enjoyable, the 2006 Fontalloro did not show its colors tonight. Double decanted ~90 minutes before serving and consumed over another 90 minutes. Muted on both the nose and palate although its significant structure is reassuring. Perhaps in a "dumb" phase, the Fontalloro did open a bit towards the end of our dinner so for those of you thinking about opening a bottle in the near future, I'd recommend a ~3 hour decant.
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Disappointed. Worried. Have a lot of this. Closed off, not in any way rewarding. Usually like this a lot. Nowhere near where I hoped it would be at this point. PNP so maybe that's the issue? But liked it much less than last year.
Loads of sediment. Dark purple in color. Plum , tobacco, earth and licorice on nose. Tannic with way too much vanilla and oak on finish. Doesn't taste like a Sangiovese.
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Decanted for 1 hour and drank over the next 2 hours. Dark purplish to crimson rim. Bouquet of red and dark fruits, cherries, orange marmalade and spices. Tart red and dark cherries and liquorice on the front palate. Has a good acidity. Supple and refined sweet tannins. Persistent finish with notes of tabacco, tar, chocolate and vanilla.
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Last Minute Dinner (Craftsman, Mpls): Very dark/purple red color. Aerated into glasses from bottle; drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Well, there's plenty to like here, the black fruit is silky and seductive with creme de cassis, very dark raspberry, huckleberry, smoke, and earthy minerality. The palate has a rich and energetic appeal that seems lifted, black fruits that are layered nicely with a silky texture and appealing round tannins that make you notice them but grab you, dusty, spiced long finish. Really nice, youthful, but clearly approachable, primary but oh so tasty. This can last a long time, but don't be afraid to crack a bottle. 93(+)pts.
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Free-flow Wagyu Beef Dinner and drinks (EN Dining Bar + Pine Close): Pop and poured. Tasted blind. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby with garnet tinge. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with initial barnyard and smelly socks which blew off, leaving aromas of vanilla, licorice, mint, black cherries, and slight green herbs. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, massive high wall of tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of black cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, tobacco, cassis, licorice. Long finish. Very good quality. Sure, this is a well made wine. However, this sure as hell doesn't taste like a typical 100% Sangiovese. To make a general statement, this is probably what you could call a big and bold modern international style. The high tannins are pretty harsh on the palate. This should have been aired in the decanter at least 3 hours. Has what it takes to age another 5+ years. Hopefully the tannins soften. Not my preferred style.
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Italian wine tasting at local retailer: Dark garnet with translucent rim. Deep dark fruits, herbs, a touch of chocolate, less tight than I remember my bottle a few months ago. Perhaps does not require a very long decant (?)
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This is still a very wonderful wine brimming with Sangiovese sweet, dark fruit. It is so clean and pure that it takes the one's breath away. Drinking really well now and showing no signs of let up.
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Braucht Zeit, um sich zu entfalten. Intensive Lakritz-/Veilchen-, Pflaumen-, Beeren- und Schokoaromen, etwas Graphit und vegetabile Unternoten; am Gaumen mittlerer Körper, kräftige Säure und zupackende fein- bis eher mittelkörnige Tannine, gute Länge, lecker!
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There seems to be plenty of potential here, but this is still very young and not giving an awful lot at the moment. Needs time for the tannins to settle down and the parts to come together. I don't plan to open my other bottle for 3+ years.
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Decanted 2h and drank over the following 1.5h. Dark garnet with a thin translucent rim. Beautiful, accurately drawn sweet red and black fruit, herbs, menthol, earth. Initially a little tight, but was a perfect match to a slightly spicy pasta at home. Fine to medium tannins. Medium finish. Disagree with some of the comments which seem to imply that this is not ready to drink, it is, but shows best with a 2-3h decant. This is a Sangiovese at the beginning of it's drinking window and not a Merlot after all, and will always have a somewhat rough and tannic edge.
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Drank a glass after finishing the remains of Fontodi Chianti Classico, which is a favorite of mine. This was certainly a step up in class. Delicious with a nice structure. Really well made. Balance is much better than the last time I had this.
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Not in a particularly good place right now. Aromas blurred by oak, tannins woody, lacks elegance. Wait for a long time (at least 5-8 yrs) and pray for the best.
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Needs air. Better on night two, but man was it good on night one as well. Really nice fruit followed by nice tannin. This one will cellar for another 10-15 years.
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Didn't show as well this time, excellent attack, but lacking mid-palate fruit to warrant a higher score. Structure, requires significant food to balance.
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Decanted and drank over 90 min. Beautiful floral nose with smooth tannins, nice balance and lingering seductive finish. Looking forward to my next bottle!
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Fontalloro levererar en fylligare Chianti än vad som vanligtvis associeras med genren. Mognande, men i högsta grad njutbar. Syror M++ och tanniner M+. Italiensk konstitution.
Om all Chianti var på detta viset, så skulle jag också köpa och dricka utanför Toscana :-)
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Drank with friends at home-- paired with flank steak, Jersey tomatoes an Jersey corn. This wine was as smooth as it gets, fully balanced with a lingering finish. Wish I had more.
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From magnum. 6 hrs open, decanted prior to serving. Lots of character, beginning to open up, but still a long way to go. Quite dark, almost black, no transparency, but still fresh with correct acidity. Liked it a lot, next bottle in 2-4 yrs. Went well with grilled duckbreast and cabbage. (90-93 pts).
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Drank a Magnum this time with an Italian dinner party. Everyone raved. Open for 7 hours prior to drinking. A sip at the beginning was evidence that it was going to be good with luscious dark fruit and gripping tannins. When we drank hours later it was as smooth as silk with the flavors all still there. This was my only magnum but I thankfully still have several regular bottles.
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Хорошее вино с тонами вишни и какао в аромате, с насыщенными темными фруктами во вкусе. Округлое, полнотелое с шелковистыми продолжительными танинами. Единственное, мне кажется, что я открыл его рановато, есть своеобразная приглушенность, необходимо время для раскрытия.
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Delicious wine. Sweet ripe fruit w notes of beef, bordeaux like nose and finish w mineral highlights. Drank well after pop and pour 20 min later. Drink now or within 3-4yrs.
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Magnum bottle: Very tight and closed the first couple of hours in the decanter after opening. Served it after 6 1/2 hours @18 degr, in the decanter and it really open up. The best wine of the evening with plenty of red berries, soft tannins and great balance.
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Similar to my previous note from a few years ago. This has budged a bit and is slightly more accessible and involving, but is still a bit tight and unyielding. Honestly, this is one of those wines that you might just want to lose in your wine cabinet for about another ten years. It's too structured and tight right now, but will only continue to open up over time and ten years might be the sweet spot.
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This will be an excellent wine in another year or more. I agree with other notes that this is far more typical of the region and less in the style of previous Fontalloro we have had. Tight, young, not giving up much even after four hours. Was too closed off at the restaurant so brought it home to sip while reading and still not opened. Complex, many different notes, quite tannic. Glad I have a lot as I think this has a decade to go
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The 2006 Fontalloro has really integrated it's oak, providing much more of a classic expression of Sangiovese. Dark red fruits, spice, cedar and saline minerals filled the senses . On the palate i found tart cherry fruit, which saturated the taste buds, with a hint of herbs and spice. Vibrant acidity lent a true Tuscan Sangio experience. The finish was staying with tart cherry clinging to the palate.
I didn't expect this performance tonight, as Fontalloro is usually the most internationally styled of the Felsina portfolio. However, on this night, I tasted nothing but high quality Sangiovese fruit.
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Excellent vin vin profond et dense avec de la chair. Nez puissant sur les cerises, les prunes et l`encens. En bouche, ample et complexe. Des canneberges et des cerises noires avec de l`anis et du laurier. Tannins bien enrobés et très long et suave. De mieux en mieux ce vin.
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At the start lean and acidic, but two hours in decanter made a big difference. Very concentrated wine that at times showed more like a new world cabernet then at other like a Sangiovese wine. No hurry here.
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Two-hour decant really helped. Tons of lush fruit without being Big. Bright and rich but also funky. Simply delicious with enough tannic structure to go another 6-8 years if the fruit lasts. Beautiful but in no way singular. Better in 2015. 93-94
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Cherry, tobacco and spice flavors on a medium body. Acidity is high- and calls for food. This is especially important now as the pronounced tannins are still a bit harsh. Would let rest for at least 2 more years to let the tannins mellow. Still, quite a nice wine that should get even better with time.
Thanks Thomas!
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Opened with appetizers of cheddar & breads/crackers. Didn't get a nose/bouquet. Big to medium body wine, still pretty tannic with dark fruit present. Enjoyable, not a huge mouthful, moderate length finish. Delicious with the marinated flank steak. Could last another 5 years.
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Dang. I thought I had more bottles of this - decanted for 1 hour before pouring back into bottle and taking to a restaurant. Was not able to take good notes and if you want to drink this decant for 3+ hours our wait a few more years. Without food the tannins are too harsh still but with food it's very nice - menthol, cherry, rosemary on nose & palate - medium body, high acids & very long finish- this needs time. It really improved with airtime - 93+ [rating reflects where it should be in a few years].
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Dark translucent ruby, seems very dark for Sangiovese. The nose took a while to open up, but then I got cherries and herbs, maybe rosemary and mint. Quite earthy on the palate, with restrained red fruit. Pronounced acidity. Tannins are soft. Tasty bottle of wine!
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I think this wine never really got to the optimal temperature. Very fragrant cherry and leather nose. The wine seemed either too tight and not open, too cold or just too young. Certainly not the best Italian wine I have had recently but I suspect on a different day it would better live up to its nose.
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NY/NJ WLTV Offline at SD26 on 12/12/12 (SD26, NYC): Red cherry and savory charred meat on the nose. Similar on the palate. Medium body with medium high to high tannin and acid. Very nice bottle of Sangiovese.
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Unattractive for quite some time after opening; graphite, minerals, and oak with barely noticeable dark fruits in the barnyard nose; the palate was very dense and primitive with anise, cassis, green pepper, licorice, and tight tannins; would only give this wine 87 points at this stage; after breathing in the decanter for 30 minutes, it improved quite a lot; more floral and fruity notes in the nose; the palate also became creamier, fruitier, mellower, and less tannic, but still rather primitive, so only 2 points higher; after another 30 min in the decanter, viola! most of the bad stuff had subsided; sweet dark fruits and pencil shavings dominated the nose with fresh mint, pine, and roses in the background; the palate became much more mature and mellower with a solid structure full of dark fruits, exotic spices, and softened tannins; finally, quite enjoyable and well deserved 90+ points; will not touch this wine for 2-3 years at least; and using a decanter is probably a must, unless you don't mind waiting for it to slowly evolve in the bottle for long hours; some potential to improve in the future thanks to the high acidity.
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Truly an outstanding wine. Dark, rich and full bodied for a Sangio, but not lacking in pure Sangio character with dark cherry and great acidity. Very silky mouthfeel....extremely classy, aristocratic wine. Reminiscent of top-vintage Tignanello, but I think I prefer this.
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This wine a bit too young right now but it´s really nothing special for the money. A bit unbalanced and no really interesting flavors coming through. It works much better if you pair it with the right food.
It will live for a long time without no doubt though.
It will never be an amazing wine but it will propably be really good if you save it until 2017.
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I decanted the wine for 90 minutes, poured it back into the bottle and consumed it over three days. It offered a nice nose with minerals, floral notes, lavender, cherry, blackberry, tar, chocolate, tobacco, cigar smoke and spices. On the palate the medium-bodied wine showed lots of sour cherry, minerals, earthy notes, mushrooms, spices, chocolate, tobacco and some coffee, backed by high acidity and high, fine, dusty tannins. A great expression of pure Sangiovese from the Chianti region. The wine drank consistently well over all three days. I loved it and will stock up. Good aging potential. Start drinking in 2013.
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We really love this wine. After a decant and one hour breathing period, this wine really strutted its stuff. It had a very fragrant nose of flowers and spices. It possessed a beautiful deep purple color. There was no mistaking this wine for anything but Sangiovese.
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Sure, a good redwine but nothing spectacular. Cherries, as with all redwines from Italy. For those who like Italian redwines, try Poliziano. Cheaper, and I would say better. Opened the bottle a night in advance.
The 2006 Fattoria can be enjoyed now or stored for many years. Had a 95 the other week, and that bottle was still fine, however maybe it lacked some fruit.
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Only really needed ½ to 1 hour of air to show a striking nose of exotic spices, lavender (and other flowers) and dark berries leading to dark berries on the mouth with great acidity and tannin structure. It paired great with grilled filet mignon. Between hours 2 and 3, the nose changed and only really showed riper fruit notes which were nice but not as interesting as the earlier notes. A really cool sangio that was very impressive.
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Needs to sleep. Tight with spice, cherry, mild funk and earth. Concentrated and firm tannins. Medium finish that will evolve with time. Hold for 5 years. 90-94.
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I just poured a glass out of the bottle immediately after opening it. I see a deep ruby color and a wine that has good legs and taste. Slightly tannic immediately after tasting--but it swiftly disappears. Much better than I expected, and I am glad that I still have 10 bottles to drink. A real pleasre for the money!!!
Poured out of the bottle and through aerator. Deep color and pleasant nose. Nice blend of fruits and tanins that are smooth and easy to drink. A very good value at the $23 I paid per case.
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I think I just committed infanticide. This is serious Sangiovese, but at the moment it's very primary and tannic. Nice freshness on the nose (and it took a while for it to open up), cherries and earth on the palate, tannins became really noticeable after a while. I'll let the other bottle sleep for a few years.
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Dark in color. Day 2 review with black olives, leather, spice, cherry, blueberries and earth. Complex and super balanced wine. This should improve over time. Wonderful wine.
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Decanted for an hour and a half before pouring. Incredible, impeneritrable dark color, and pours a bit like chocolate sauce. Aromas are of a chocolate covered fig, stewed fruits, and oak wood syrup. Doesn't smell like Sangiovese at all to me... Goopy as hell on the nose. Tastes like candy as it touches my tongue, but pretty quickly wood tannins begin dominating my palate and covering up the fruit. After just 10 seconds in the mouth my whole mouth feels wounded. Grippy wood and berry soup on the finish, and the alcohol comes through in spades. This tastes like melted chocolate ice cream with Brandy poured on top. Chas says, "This is Italian wine for people who don't like Italian wine." And I agree... they're trying to make this taste like California wine. This tastes like a modern Cabernet from anywhere to me. Disappointing. At least a glass got me drunk.
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Rich red fruit nose with cedar, cigar box, strawberry ice cream, and cocoa. Big body, quite heavy on the palate, not particularly reminding me of Sangiovese. The palate shows plums, dark red fruit, pomegranate, wet tobacco, dark chocolate, dry wood and rocks. Some tart fruit and drying tannins cling to the tongue in the finish. This is a very modern style for Sangiovese, lots of extract and weight and flavors that I can easily say I would not pick this out as Sangio in a blind line-up.
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The nose showed sweet cherry soda, medicinal herbs and coco powder. On the palate, an intense wave of cherry fruit wrapped the senses in sweet tannins, with a hint of savory beef reduction sauce in a full, velvety expression. The finish was gorgeous and haunting as notes of spiced cherry clung to the palate. This wine was pleasing on every level.
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8/10 - Still pretty young. The slightly bitter tannins do get in the way every now and then, but has lessened considerably. Floral aroma notes with lots of sweet red cherries, some chocolates and hints of dusty earth. Very plush and polished mouthfeel and generally well integrated with some nice acidity. Could do with some additional time to settle, like the tannins, the wine was occasionally jarring at times. A very enjoyable wine nonetheless
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This will certainly improve with additional age and is showing cherry, minerals, leather, spice and floral notes. Really balanced wine and great overall structure. Medium finish. Drink over the next decade. 93+
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Nose first reduced but after 1 hour intense with cherries and chocolate. Palate so balanced with great concentration,sweetness and fruit. So much energy and a long finish with well-integrated acidity. On the young side, but showing well now.
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Needed 1 1/2-2 hours of air (after pouring off a glass) to show the nose I was expecting. At first the nose was dominated by leather but at around the 2 hour mark it showed dark berries, chocolate and leather which was great. A nice rich nose leading to a medium bodied wine with great tannin and acidity. A great sangio.
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This wine is always an extreme pleasure. The floral intensity of the Sangio is amazing on the nose with a delicate touch of oak. It seems less oaky to me than in the past. The wine is very dark and concentrated. This pops with ripe red fruits – like eating pure, ripe farm stand cherries with some baking spices and a ton of red roses. Felsina’s dedication and passion for Sangiovese is really noticeable in their wines, especially Fontalloro.
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Closed down - you can see the outline of a great wine (nail polish / black olives / rose on nose & cherry/sour cherry on palate with very grippy tanins and a very long finish). As usual I should have read CT before opening this bottle.
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Shy to start, but picked up elegant notes of dark cherries, milk chocolate, cinnamon, anise and forest floor with air contact. Medium-bodied, with present but elegant tannins. Delicious now, particularly if decanted, but would benefit from at least another 2-4 years of cellaring.
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initial tight tannins and tart fruit required a decanter; over the first evening the fruit softened a little with each sip; on night #2 there are soft,gentle sweet cherries without tannins and with a nutty chocolate flavor; years to go on this beauty
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truly a WOW wine right now if you let it breathe. initially aromatically challenged. the first sniffy sniff was giving NOTHING. then POW ... a vibrant bouquet of red fruits, cinnamon spice and a touch of mother earth. a silky smooth mouth feel of distinct Tuscan Sangio flavors. still packs a bit of a chewy tannic punch. an extremely long finish. it will be hard to keep from popping another bottle but I will test my patience. cheers.
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2 - 2.5 hour decant; cherries, chocolate and smoke OTN. Second bottle about as good as the first of two months ago; perfect accompaniment to Fiorentina.
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delicious, but young. ample nose of red fruit, earth, spice, flowers. deep red color, mouthwatering acidity on the palate giving way to dark red fruit and spice. wish I had more.
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Mother's Day Dinner: mesquite grilled, dry rubbed rib eye and marinated veggies. Decanted for nearly two hours. Agree with prior assessment: beau coup de cedar,but also big cinnamon, chocolate/raspberry notes. Marvelous, full bodied mouthful, tasting of cherries and bittersweet chocolate. Nice finish, plenty of supple tannins to lean on for another 5 years. Yum.
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Another .375 . Must be going dumb. Much more closed, with harsh tannins. Dusty soil overtones, fruit now pretty much hidden. 86 tonight, maybe 92 hopefully when it comes around in a few years, hence a charitable 89.
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Nose of dark fruits, black cherry with powdered sugar, dried herbs. Very very thick cherry and strawberry fruit on the entry, massive spice, almost viscous, excellent subtle herbaceous notes, well integrated oak. The finish has mouthcoating tannins that are grippy and drying, but is noticeably extended and floral in nature. I had this with herb salad evoo/balsamic and was positively shocked when every green thing on my plate took on more flavor after a sip of this. Great acid. Seems to have great stuffing, easy 92+.
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Served three bottles at dinner party - decanted for six to seven hours beforehand. Very tannic and leathery immediately after opening bottle, more approachable after an hour, but when served after six hours it opened up substantially. Quite balanced and structured, good roundness in the mouth, nice tannins and moderate fruit. Very substantial without being too heavy. Very impressive wine altogether. Well received by guests. Will save the rest for another year or so.
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from a 375ml: I have to say that I'm simply enjoying this wine...it's complex, it's got depth on the nose and the palate...and I'd gladly drink this again....not sure it's worth the price tag though.
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To me, this isn't as structured and interesting as the Rancia. This seems more modern and polished and plush. That said, still excellent with nice acidity and some underlying minerality and complexity that are really nice. But for my taste, I'd take the more traditional style Rancia or maybe even the Riserva to this based on complexity and the pure beauty of old school sangiovese. Still an excellent wine, but can't imagine many vintages where I would prefer this style to its siblings.
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Others seemed to think this ready or open to drink according to their notes, but not for me. Decanted the prior night for an hour but never really opened, although hinted at what was there....very deep and rich but not heavy..but still tight and tannic...tonight a bit more open, but still not really there...I will leave the rest alone for some years
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This is a superb fontalloro. There was a rising tide of opinion (with which I concurred) that after the supertuscan honeymoon period was done with, the rancia had replaced fontalloro as the top sangiovese dog at felsina (certainly true in 2004/2005). This one though might just turn the tide (disclaimer: have not tasted 2006 rancia yet). A great nose of dark fruits (violet, plum), smoke, earth and licorice. Great balance, purity and intensity on palate - again dark fruit and licorice dominate. long(ish) finish. the best fontalloro since.....ever?
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Again from a half-bottle. This didn't sing like the last two. Still a pretty wine, but without the intense stuffing. I enjoyed it but it didn't thrill.
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Took about 5 hours to loosen up, but once it did the nose had expressive red florals, tar, bitter chocolate, and currants. At about 8 hours of air, the palate is firm, but relaxed from where it began. Thought this was a very nice wine with really attractive flavors of brambles, raspberries, dried rose petals, and crushed rocks. Very impressive wine.
From a half bottle. Some development from the last time, and beginning to show aome complexity. Of course still a baby. Ripe succulent blackberry and cherry top notes, with chocolate and espresso on the bottom. Definitely an international style, but who cares? Delicious.
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Dusty sweet red fruits, saw dust and barnyard on the nose. On the palate i found strawberry fruit and fig with minerals and herbs. It was at one soft yet drying with fine tannins. A good bottle that should be even better with time.
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Expressive nose. Smooth, fine tannins, full bodied, excellent Sangio fruit with overall balance. Really nice. Will get better with additional bottle age. Rating will improve I'm sure.
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Dark purple in color with nose of smoke, meat, and roasted herbs. Polished on entry but the tannins rob the wine of much pleasure leading to a herby finish. I did get some licorish fruit after much coaxing. 89 today but should improve in couple of years.
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Blind Old World with Il Cane Rosso pizza (Il Cane Rosso pizza, Dallas): Blind Red 3 - Dark garnet translucent. Aromas of old wood and sour cherry dust - very Tuscan smelling. Medium full bodied tart and tangy, redolent of sour cherries. Young, rather tannic with aggressive acidity. I got close on this one. Not my favorite though. 88-90?
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Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of berries, cherries, dust and a hint of florals. Rich flavors of berries and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink or hold into the medium term.
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Sweet, bright, pure red fruit (bing cherry)...rich, expressive, a little Christmas spice. This is all about the clean, well-delineated red Sangio fruit. There is plenty of acidity to keep the wine from sagging while highlighting/framing the fruit.....The wine shows enough tannin but not quite the darkness I typically crave in the best Tuscan Sangiovese. I miss real dark/black cherry or savory flavors (soy, leather, etc.) That may be purely a function of baby fat that will change as the wine settles down a bit. In any event, what is here is delicious....and I plan to load up at $36 a pop. At the LEAST, it should be great to drink (and watch) over the next 4-7 years while waiting for the Rancia to come around, and it's quite possible that this will develop some complexity as the primary fruit diminishes a bit.
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This would seem to have a lot of potential... It was tight for an hour+ despite decanting. Eventually reveals tar, spice, dark cherry/berry notes/flavors. Serious tannins need some more time to settle/resolve.
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Really hard to rate this as it's really not ready to be drunk yet. Highly structured and powerful; clearly a good wine, but far before it's time. I'll sit on my other two for at least another five years.
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Dense smooth black berries, smoke, minerals and a touch earth. Seamless and powerful, with strong but round tannins. Feels more polished and open (perhaps even more flamboyant) than the Rancia. Would love to compare the two 10 years down the line. Day 2 - Not as good, fell flat a little and was more grapey and tannins were coarse
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My fourth go at this wine, first tasted at the NYC Wine Experience in October '09. This time from half-bottle. Opened last night, quickly sealed and vacuum pumped. First impression last night a well made but somewhat oaky and conventional, albeit excellent Sangiovese. Tonight, a powerhouse, almost over the top with good acidity and ripe sweet fruit. This needs time to settle down. Could be truly amazing in another year or two.
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Tremendous but clearly in need of more time. The bouquet promises layers of fruit, tar and dark herbs and the palate delivers from the attack all the way through the finish with no holes or let downs. It was a knockout with grilled leg of lamb and white beans.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries, flowers and plums. Flavors of black berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold for the short term and then drink over the medium term. Needs some more time in bottle to round out in my opinion.
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Wine Spectator's 2009 Top 100 Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had tar, smoke, black currant, cherry, and a little licorice at the end. The palate had herbs, tar, blackberry, black currant, and some licorice on the finish.
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However stylewine I prefered the 2006 Fontalloro to the Rancia as it was more open, accessible, very powerfull and more easy to understand and enjoy. The wine had very good fruit, balance and a long finish (93).
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5/1/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Planning Session (Brad's Place, St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 2+ glasses over 2.5 hours. This was pretty much good to go on pouring, though i do think it improved over the first hour. Deep red cherry fruits, lots of charcoal, with tobacco, black raspberry, dried earth and gravelly minerality, with subtle anise and now more medium plus bodied. Tannins are contained and medium grained. Very good 92+pts.
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3/30/2024 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Will make it to 20 easily. Reminds me why Fontalloro is one of my favorites year to year - the nose knows. Sangio personality, well rounded acidity, with plenty of tannin.
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1/6/2024 - chablis28 wrote: 88 Points
Tonight w/ Nita's homemade Pizza. Well at age 17/18 I remain pleased I never added addl vintages of this. Records say I still have 2 more. Ugh! For me, this is dense & lacking any sense of refinement. It does have some complexity but just doesn't rock me. I gave it plenty of air with a 3hr slow-ox but I should have decanted it as its loaded w/ sediment. Thought I could manage the sediment with careful same directional pours but I still ended up tossing the last 2-3 inched in the btl out. Hoping my records are wrong and the last 2btls listed in CT no longer exist :). I remain a Chianti lover of many basic classico but not these more expensive cuvees.
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10/29/2023 - AudunG wrote: 91 Points
Dark and dense color and aromas. A lot of cool fruit on the palate, with plenty of tannins. Needs more time to soften the tannins.
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9/28/2023 - luHar1423 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Runner-up at a blind Sangiovese tasting. Still powerful fruity - mainly cherries - surrounded by smooth leathery and earthy notes. Tannins are still present and nice acidity hints at some additional shelf life (~3-5 years?).
Last bottle but lucky to have some younger vintages of the Fontalloro in my cellar.
Opened the bottle c. 1 hour before we started the tasting. Given the development during the event, I suggest either decanting or opening the 2006 Fontalloro 2h+ before the wine pleasuredome.
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8/23/2023 - Vinobc wrote: 93 Points
Muted on opening, this opened up nicely with soft dried fruit and wonderful balance.
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8/18/2023 - Bullsgate Likes this wine: 92 Points
Half-bottle. Earthy aroma with tones of oak and nuts. Well balanced acidity, polished tannins and a dark fruited length which keeps going and going. Nice! Drink now.
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7/7/2023 - Spartan517 wrote: 92 Points
Wow, still an excellent bottle. Great with some bread, cheese, and meats, didnt quite have the body to stand up with my pasta carbonara, but still an excellent wine. Glad I have 3 left, but will drink them before the end of 2023.
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7/3/2023 - Guido L. wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was not as good as the previous one. The wine needs 1h of decant to come to full life. Immediately after opening there was a touch of overripeness in the nose, but that disappeared after an hour. Red cherry, blackberry, plum, some dried fruit and spice.
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3/12/2023 - olemski wrote: 92 Points
This wine was outstanding. The last of my three bottles, alas, and the only one drunk at optimum. Cherries, black cherries and only a hint - more of an afterthought - of leather and tobacco. Perfectly poised between the fruit, the very fine tannins that still do their job to perfection, and the freshness. Perfect harmony, I'd say, and a testament to the potential of Sangiovese. Decanted for less than an hour before serving.
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3/11/2023 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of plums, tobacco and wet wool. Concentrated and broad shouldered, with rather coarse tannins. Impressive, but lacks some elegance.
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12/5/2022 - lltl2021 wrote: 88 Points
Oaky on the nose, medicinal nose after slow ox for 12 hours in the bottle, very high acidity with tons of spice. Pretty straightforward wine... Definitely need some food with it... Not a bad wine but not great either.
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10/29/2022 - Sue Mc wrote:
Coravin 1.5 glass, 29 Oct 22
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10/2/2022 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Vinetasters: Sangiovese (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Some sweetness from the fruit, but also showing some browning from the oxidation of the fruit. A bit of a volatile note with a distinct hit of Sharpie marker and other aldehydic components (like cherry extract). A bit of alcohol on the finish as well.
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8/28/2022 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely, enjoyed with a nice steak dinner.
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6/12/2022 - Dr Ivan wrote: 90 Points
Very füll wine. Just about balanced. Perfect Cork, PNP and drank over 2 days. All dark fruits, musky earhy touch. Pretty intense and showing no signs of beeing over the hill. Complements a sturdy stew imo. One of the most mouthfilling sangiovese I've had so far.
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5/8/2022 - MC wrote:
Decanted 30 minutes. Ripe red fruit, nice concentration. In its window but going to hold for a long time. Very enjoyable. A-
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2/6/2022 - isbjoern wrote: 91 Points
Much better than our last bottle four years ago. This is a juicy and spicy red with black acidic cherries and lots of spicy oak flavors. It is very dry with a racy acidity and a bit herbal on the finish. It is still slightly tannic, but pairs really well with a bistecca. I imagine this will drink well another 5-8 years as it still tastes very young. - 91 points
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12/15/2021 - pigdaddy wrote: 92 Points
double-decanted to travel. still darkly-colored w/clear violet rim; classic nose of sage, underbrush, wild cherry & woodspice; fairly fleshy palate weight for the genre; sweet & ripe tart black & red cherries, savory herbal qualities, some barrel notes, characteristic acids & fine length. showing well.
ricotta & herb - stuffed crêpes baked w/passata & parmesan
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9/16/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Luis Italian Wine Tasting at Broder's: PnP - This wine almost seemed more Chianti-like than the Chianti that was drank along side it. I thought this started out too acidic, but later calmed down in the glass. The nose started showing some rose petal, cherry and spice. The palate followed suit with the addition of dark fruit, a little menthol and some earthiness. A very pleasant wine that will likely improve, IMO, with some additional cellar time. Note, the tannins were well hidden, and if they were fading, it may impact the way this wine further evolves. 90-91 for my palate today.
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9/16/2021 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Italian wines on Broders patio (Broders Patio): Slight medicinal quality, dried herbs, plum and dark cherry. This wine seemed to improve in the glass.
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9/16/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Italians at Broder's (Broder's Pasta Bar, Minneapolis): Very dark red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour plus next to the '90 CCR. Wish I'd have had the time to decant this. It was still introverted and slightly medicinal on opening, though it didn't take real long to start to open up and flesh out. This nose offers lots of dark fruits, black raspberry, baked cherry, cherry cough syrup, eucalyptus, and dried flowers. The palate is bigger with a full body, black raspberry, black cherry, deep mineral essence, savory and spiced with dusty medium tannins. Give this a little air to wake it up.
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7/10/2021 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
This is dark full and ripe, and initially comes across as a little international - ripe and lacking a little tannins and acidity. A little lacking in zip, but fine dusty tannins and a longish currant and dark cherry fruit finish. This is not super complex but nicely balanced, lack of acidity makes me think that drinking up was a good idea.
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6/4/2021 - pavel_p wrote:
Hmm... more than five years since my last bottle. Pnp. Immediately upon opening this is showing those slightly oxidative and musty medicinal notes I often get in ripe, mature Sangiovese (eg. Tenuta Nuova, Ciacci BdM). With more air those notes fade a little but never disappear. You are left with rich and round dark fruit, with good depth. Medium tannins are still almost covered by the fruit. Medium (-) finish.
This modern, ripe and extracted style of Sangiovese is not my kind. A bit of a shame in the great 06 Tuscan vintage as I recall a lovely, classic and red fruited 08 Fontalloro over dinner in Rome many years ago. Even if this is your kind of Sangiovese, I would drink up as this will only get more oxidative from here.
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2/26/2021 - winemaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific! Ready to go. I agree with Galloni's note on this wine. Sweet cherry fruit, damp earth, dusty tannins are present. Lovely balance. Very long finish.
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1/28/2021 - olracx62 wrote: 92 Points
Still quite youthful with its deep ruby color, complex scent of ripe black cherries, black currants, leather, and wet leaves. Structure gets reacher with oxigenation. Velvet but vivid tannins, pleasant acidity and some spices in the aftertaste. A couple of years still ahead in its best drinking window
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12/3/2020 - Livonietisr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good and still youthfull 100% sangiovese. Deep ruby color. Intense aromas of ripe black cherries, black currants, chocolate, leather, tobacco. Rich structure and weight. Full bodied. Structured tanins, medium+ acidity, plenty of fruit. Long finish with touch of chocolate. Excelent wine in the begining of drinking window.
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10/17/2020 - Janstan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Leather, cherry tobacco. Went well with meatballs and angers hair
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10/16/2020 - MC wrote:
Decanted 90 minutes. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the last I tried. Good, dark fruit. Concentrated, but just not showing a lot right now. A-?
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10/13/2020 - europat55 wrote: flawed
From 375ml
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10/1/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great. Splash decant. Cherry on the palate. Soft and smooth.
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9/27/2020 - Lemmy-W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened two hours before consumption. Great nose with tobacco, berries. Smooth tannins. Really enjoyed it.
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9/21/2020 - CWilliam wrote:
Opened, but did not decant, 1.5 hours before dinner. Dark red color with a slight meniscus. Great nose - tobacco, red currants, sour cherry, meditteranean herbs, mineral. On palate, medium body, medium+ acidity, integrated tannins and very long finish. Sweet cherry, black cherry, tobacco and strawberry (almost Zin like) flavor profile. Has aged beautifully. 93-94 range. Last bottle unfortunately. Need to try future vintages starting 8-10 years from vintage date.
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9/13/2020 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. 100% Sangiovese. Stunning nose of black fruits, tar, licorice and leather. Full bodied with medium to strong acidity. Exceedingly lush and polished. Well balanced. Black cherry, tobacco, roaster herbs and earth on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with ever so silky tannins. Tremendous wine that paired brilliantly with a simple dish of spaghetti and meatballs. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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8/23/2020 - jeffstolte@gmail.com wrote:
Decant for 1-2 hours. Still good.
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8/22/2020 - guitarkim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent
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7/9/2020 - tim m wrote: 93 Points
This was drinking wonderfully. PNP, nice red fruit, silky tannin, long finish. Nice.
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2/22/2020 - MC wrote:
PNP at cellar temp. Tight out of the bottle, but with 30 minutes of air this showed dark, concentrated fruit with coffee/mocha on the nose. The fruit is very ripe and concentrated but just short of showing any hot year/overripe character. Very high quality wine that drank well after an hour, shut down a bit after two hours. Throws some sediment so be sure to decant. Enjoyable now but will be better with a few more years to further open up and soften the ripe tannin just a bit. A-/A
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12/26/2019 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful red and dark fruit nuanced with licorice, forest floor and spice, and a slight hint of leather showing its age. Tannin is still firmly present but integrated. Entering a great drinking window with 5-7 years left.
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11/24/2019 - floating_cellar wrote: 90 Points
needs more time. Decanted 3 hours and was still tight throughout the night. Won't open for another 5 years.
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11/10/2019 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 88 Points
This time, I decanted about six hours ahead, and I still find the wine quite unyielding. There is plenty of dark red fruit, but also a good amount of unintegrated tannins. Loads of flavor intensity, with solid acidity and excellent structure overall. I would give this more time.
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11/3/2019 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 89 Points
Depp garnet core. Very little sediment. Medium-intense nose of violets and cherry, showing surprisingly little development. Dry, medium-bodied, still tannic, with balanced acidity. Plenty of dark red fruit (mainly cherry), with a dark chocolate finish. Unfortunately, I popped and poured this one; I'm confident it would improve with a few hours of air. Very well structured, but seems to me like it needs more time for the tannins to integrate fully.
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10/12/2019 - lewisrise wrote: 93 Points
nose of cedar and blackberry. Dark cherry with an earthy finish
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9/28/2019 - z_willus_d wrote: 94 Points
With thunder rolling in the not too distant distance and crackling meatballs cooking in the pan, I have the pleasure of sniffing through a glass of this wine, a designation that I've yet to try in any vintage. It's a joyous experience given the intensity of pure flavors coming through on the bouquet - ahi blood (sweaty iron), rose-hips, crushed flowers, cookie-dough and some nondescript but pure, tangy and brier-patch evoking purple berry fruits. It has a piercing intensity on the palate that calls to mind insect blood or leathery ink swathed in femto-fine silt of tannin residuals. Sour, dry Sangiovese fruit layers on top of the super-bitter entry, paving a weighty path to the unrelenting finish. This is medium bodied on the whole, but seems to swing with the heavy weights in terms of flavor intensity. The nose is extraordinarily nice, and I believe this 13 year old wine begs for time to aerate, which makes me want to dig out a decanter for tonight.
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9/4/2019 - snowstrm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, this is wine drinking really well with nearly 13 years of age! Drank over 4 days and it held up well, showing amazing consistency from day to day. This wine is in perfect harmony - about as well balanced as a wine can be. Soft supporting tannins; dark cherry, plum and spices; and abundant acidity. Medium-long finish. A truly delightful surprise from the cellar, I'd say this will last at least another 5 years - though I'm not sure it will get any better than it is right now.
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8/31/2019 - JanFoss60 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pure class effort from Fèlsina. Quite mature Sangiovese but will stay for another 10 years. Have all the benchmark quality for this wine: balance, pure sangiovese fruit with very well integrated oak. Full bodied with the typical mature tannins, and a very long finish. And compared to other super tuscans, good value.
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6/12/2019 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Note from 4 days under Art Preserve a 1.5 liter. Nose orange blossom, citrus, sage, violets and strawberry whirl. Palate is generous and lively even after 13 years. Palate is developed and surprisingly decent with dark berry, leather, orange rind, sage and spices. Lingering on the palate for a good 15 seconds. Seen that the 16 is Available in market. May pick up another 1.5L for a party in 10 years.
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6/1/2019 - Rossodio wrote: 94 Points
This bottle was absolutely on fire after about an hour in the decanter and evolved over the subsequent hour and a half. Still retaining richness and fruit while secondary characteristics fly from the glass in near-perfect harmony with one another. Tannins are just softening and this is in a very, very good place now if you prefer this balance; probably another few years yet during which I would expect further evolution. Wow. I thought this would be good but it absolutely knocked my socks off.
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5/21/2019 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Similaire aux autres bus, super gouleyant et bien bon.
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4/12/2019 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and drank over 1 hour w sausage mushroom pasta. Dark purple, concentrated black cherry, beef, iron notes. Silky and textured, long lingering finish. This wine continues to overperform in a modern style for the price.
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3/3/2019 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Toujours bien en forme, cette maison fait toujours du beau,
pas mal de constance dans leur travail.
Nez sur les fruits rouge, l`anis et les herbes.
En bouche, encore une belle acidité avec des cerises griottes,
de la réglisse, du poivre et un peu de tabac.
Les tanins sont fins et la finale bien longue.
Superbe.
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3/3/2019 - JohnnyandtheNors Likes this wine: 90 Points
The first thing...and the last...is the stunning amount of structure and electric acidity. Surprising for a wine that's over a decade old. The oak is almost perfectly integrated, so there's a even balance between fruits like plum and blackberry and sour cherry & light tobacco and vanilla. The flavor profile on this is receding, but justifiably, and it's a very pleasing wine - even on day 2! Buy, drink, and don't hesitate to hang on to this for a few more years.
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1/4/2019 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Really need to read my prior notes before pulling bottles. Searching for a 2006 Brunello I had pegged as nearing end of life, found this and went why not. Turns out was matching this with the same dish as two months ago. Same reaction! This is still a little young and does not need to br drunk up. If you do however, you will find a lovely wine, ripe and balanced with nice crisp acidity. Powerful and intense. I used to think that Sangiovese did not age much past 7 years - but that was mainly based on the ripe 2000 vintage. This is still singing at 12 years of age and I wish I had more of this.
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12/30/2018 - olemski wrote: 91 Points
Still tight and vibrant, but starting to open up. Aired for an hour or two. Showing well - with a solid fruit core to balance the hefty acidity and tannins.
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11/21/2018 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needed some air
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11/21/2018 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Très beau encore une fois, simlaire aux autres.
Belle fraicheur, beau fruit et belle acidité.
Assez long avec des relents mentholée en finale.
Bien aimé.
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11/17/2018 - Orso58 wrote: 91 Points
Still deep red, but starting to show some maturity
The nose is dominated by sour cherries with some spices and hints of vanilla, which indicates the oak is well integrated.
Good concentration and length with the cherry fruit dominating on the palate, well balanced and starting ot drink well, but should improve over the next 3-5 years
A very good vintage from this consitently good producer.
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11/11/2018 - thebonnydooner wrote: 93 Points
Wow. This was superb and still young. After a 2006 Brunello that seemed tired, decided to open this, but need not have bothered for a few years. This was young, rich and vibrant. Nice acidity but also depp dark cherry and berry fruit, long with fine tannins. Worked great with chicken saltimbocca. Excellent wine, really complete.
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11/3/2018 - Mark van Delft Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Wine event Bo: 85 - Tannins to the max, even after a 4 hours decant, disappointing, acidic, dry, red forrest fruit, medium body, off bottle?
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11/1/2018 - Helenachuck Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby color, almost black cherry like, opaque center, ruby to red rim, clear and bright. Nose is forest floor, licorice, pepper and spice, and black fruits. It has complexity and depth but still gives an impression of tautness. On the palate, the tautness is evident. There is tight but ripe black cherry fruit, more pepper, dried flowers, a hint of graphite towards the finish. The wine tastes youthful but evolving after a half hour of air. With another hour, the core of ripe cherry and plum fruit is more evident, and has an underpinning of raisin or prune. Bring on the food.......
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9/19/2018 - wineamateur Likes this wine:
Nicely mature but still early maturity. Fresh and subtle but with lovely sweetness and purity of fruit and a delicate spice
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8/18/2018 - LadyLion44 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Started out tight but opened up on the second piece of margarita/pesto pizza. Definitely fruity with cherries, blueberries and tobacco. It's got legs and tannin and definitely will make me sleep well.
The body is medium/full. It has a medium finish. Would also go well with steak or even veal but tonight was pizza night.
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8/16/2018 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée!
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8/11/2018 - JanFoss60 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A great Sangiovese! Dark red with almost no brick rim, delicate aromas of cherries, nuts, leather, spices and oak. Full-bodied and elegant with nice acidity, exceptional fruit and a quite tannic finish. Long aftertaste. Wow!
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7/2/2018 - Polarper Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still lovely but need a good dose of air to open up. Mature and balanced.
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4/19/2018 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 91 Points
P n p. From a 375. Poured thru aerator. Notable bricking. Plenty of sed. Sour cherries, earth, herbs n spice. Mid palate soft. Paired w pesto pizza n Cesar salad. In a good place tonight. Ready to go, not sure what time will do for this.
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4/1/2018 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 92 Points
Evident bricking on rim. Earthy aromas with stewed prunes. Rich oak, red plums, prunes, tobacco and refreshing orange peel acidity on the finish. Still lively. Tannins somewhat dry and chalky but they make the mouth water. If I had any of these I would be happy to wait another couple of years. 92+
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3/20/2018 - Balthasar wrote: 92 Points
Appealing nose with black cherries, spices from oak, tar and some mineralities. Oak much better integrated than some years ago. Despite 14,5% abv not hot or stewed. Already quite enjoyable but still a bit restrained.
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2/26/2018 - Uncle John wrote: 93 Points
Dark rich Sangiovese fruit with a touch of acidity and smooth tannins. This is drinking vey well now.
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2/14/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Valentines with the SLDS - February 2018 Tasting: Blackcurrant, cherry, pepper and some light herbs on the nose. The palate has good flow and a nice balance of primary and aged character, this is hitting its drinking window right now.
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1/1/2018 - Polarper wrote: 93 Points
Lovely with no sign of fadimg. Still has time left.
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12/24/2017 - bablues wrote: 94 Points
This is a phenomenal wine. The nose isn't giving off too much besides some cherries and some slight hints of earthy tobacco, on the old world side. The palate is what is striking. Excellent mount-feel with some more maraschino cherries, some tobacco and black licorice. Tannins are still present and I would say this has a number of years left. If the nose was giving off a little more this would be in the 95-96 range for my taste. Makes me wonder why I don't drink more Sangiovese wines.
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12/16/2017 - CWang wrote: 92 Points
Quite fruity and mellow in the nose, ripe apples, berries, cherries, mints, and tobacco leaves; also fruity and mellow, dark berries and light wood spices on the palate with some resolved tannins; long finish; overall, 92-93 points; it had evolved quite nicely over the years.
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11/25/2017 - rsbeck wrote: 93 Points
Second bottle. Similar notes. Consistent performer.
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11/25/2017 - rsbeck wrote: 93 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over 90 minutes. Started out nice, but a tiny bit tight and rough. Opened up and rounded out beautifully within 15 minutes. This is a lovely expression of 100% Sangiovese from Berardenga. Excellent complexity and fruit intensity, while retaining its mouth watering freshness and elegance through an expanding and lingering finish.
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10/30/2017 - vinum bonum wrote:
A l'ouverture, le nez est ouvert, assez baroque, presque nouveau monde, mais la bouche est droite, c'est costaud sans déviation, mais encore tendu. Le vin en a encore beaucoup sous la pédale, il aurait été peut-être meilleur dans deux-trois ans, mais malgré çà, il était excellent : le bois est parfaitement intégré, le vin est très bien équilibré, il a une bonne longueur. Belle bouteille.
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10/6/2017 - isbjoern wrote: 89 Points
A powerful wine, high extraction, red acidic berries, vegetal tobacco notes and some oak tannins, a hint of licorice, a bit chunky and angular, quite muscular right now, not as elegant as I had hoped, still slightly tannic on the finish. Needs food, preferably red meat. I will wait another 2 years for my next bottle and hope for further refinement. - 89+ points
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8/1/2017 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Black core with brown rim; softer silkier, Italian, fennel, brown sugar, aged, past peak but still drinkable; past.
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5/12/2017 - df1962 Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnD let air for 2hrs. Depth and structure with all the hallmarks of what makes Sangiovese great (potentially great) coming together with depth complexity and harmony. Would decant for a shorter period of time if I had another bottle. Drank alongside the 2007 and this was better but not by much.
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5/2/2017 - riesnut wrote: 90 Points
Not as refined as last time I had it. Felt dull and dusty. Still has a nice herbal profile. Could have peaked perhaps?
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4/29/2017 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8/10 - Still young but drinking well now. Sweet red fruit with soft tannins and good acidity.
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4/1/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Fighting the remnants of a cold but I'm clear enough to give this a fair shake. 2 hr decant & back into blt. Dark garnet red. Upon opening it had a very fresh floral nose that evolved picking up some smoky dark fruit & spice. Palate is more placid & open than expected. Thankfully, not as cloaked in oak as expected! Herbal & green leaf tobacco, cherry, licorice & mineral. All in all, very enjoyable but should improve substantially as the oak further fades to the background. Don't drink this now w/o a decant. I still prefer the Felsina CCR which shows almost the same depth w/o the oak & sells for $20-$30 less. I stopped buying this cuvee after this vintage because of the oak. I have 3 more. My hope is that as these gain more btl age they may offer more upside. I'll try my next btl in 2020.
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2/7/2017 - KSWinegeek wrote: 88 Points
Beautiful color. Probably would be a great wine except that there is way too much oak.
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1/22/2017 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wirkt im Gegensatz zur letztjährigen Flasche gealtert: An der Nase Röstaromen, Mokka, Beerenfrucht, Veilchen und erdige Noten; am Gaumen aber ist die Frucht weiter abgeschmolzen, das Tannin wirkt etwas stumpfer und der Abgang ist etwas zehrend.
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12/17/2016 - rhit wrote:
A little oaky for my taste until day two. Tasty cherry and graphite flavor nonetheless. Solid.
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12/15/2016 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
decanted one hour, another 1.5 hours in the glass. deep garnet-colored, clear ruby rim; fairly intense red-fruited nose, herbal, cracked pepper & spice, oak shadings maybe a touch prominent; med+ weight; fine sangiovese attack on the palate, spicy, herbal & green leaf tobacco, acids are fine & not too dominant, moderately astringent wood tannins dominate the finish. a good drink w/appropriate food; maybe a couple years to the best integration, but the oak will always be there, scratching the finish.
penne w/cavalo nero & 'nduja, lemon & cream; just zippy enough
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11/25/2016 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
in good drinking shape
delicious fruit and earth
early in it's drinking window
why wait?
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10/22/2016 - riesnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for just over one hour. White pepper, herbs (tarragon? bay leaves?), cherry and red currant on the nose. Hints of tobacco as well. Very pleasant and feels open and inviting. High acidity and well defined tannins. A bit of dryish grit texture-wise but full of flavor and balances well. The fruit tastes like a mix of cherry, red currant and strawberry. Will be nice to see where this goes.
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10/15/2016 - Larre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very elegant and balanced! Nice cherry sangiovese fruit and a refreshing acidity. The oak and tannins are nicely intermixed in the long and complex finish.
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10/10/2016 - King JR wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding wine. Beautiful fruit! Great nose, so smooth. Popped and poured and it was delicious. Smooth tannins, not that intense. But nice medium-long finish.
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10/2/2016 - jrglm wrote: 87 Points
Seemed at the end of its drinking window to me. The wine seemed one dimensional and fading this time around. Could be attributed to the small format bottles I suppose. This the last of a 6 bottle stash of 375's I bought on a whim. Fèlsina has always been good to me, but this final bottle missed the mark.
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6/4/2016 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Short decant. Beautiful nose with plum and cherry. Soft and silky on the palate. Lots of fruit left.
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5/7/2016 - Rollerball wrote: flawed
Flawed wine. Corked.
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4/17/2016 - Billy Swan wrote:
So, yet another confirmation that a bunch of new oak and Sangiovese is not for me. And, another reminder that style is much more important than points when searching for wine you like. I love Sangiovese, but to me the oak taints this otherwise high quality fruit (that I would prefer with a gentler extraction). Above all it adds a bunch of woody tannins that only makes you feel like you're licking on an ice cream-spatel. This has loads of time to develop, there's fruit, fine acidity and nice minerality. Will probably keep and develop for another decade. I'm happy this is my last bottle, though.
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4/12/2016 - jcgarcia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured from a 375. Leather. tar. A hint of oxidation. Nice tannins. Little bit of lead pencil. Good wine. Short finish.
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4/6/2016 - hselte wrote: 92 Points
From magnum. Magnificent!
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3/5/2016 - joet626 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Outstanding bottle. Delicious flavors and very well-balanced.
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2/13/2016 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better day two. Needs at least two hours to open. Beautiful soft red fruit on the palate.
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1/2/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 91 Points
Medium-dark garnet. Nose of red fruit, earth, spices. Enters the palate with ripe fruit and lively acidity. Not very complex but nice overall with good typicity. The tannins are one rustic side though. Wait another 2-3 years.
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1/2/2016 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 91 Points
Third time having the 06 Fontalloro, last bottle almost one year. The 06 vintage from Tuscany is still not entirely ready in my eyes. Decanted two hours and poured back into bottle. Still the wine was a bit tight when poured at restaurant. Opened towards the end of the dinner so 3h decant is still more like it. Fairly dark garnet, red and black fruit, earth. Elevated acidity. Not overly complex in my eyes. Medium finish. This is a nice Sangiovese and might still have a bit of upside but having had this now three times still don't really see Galloni's 94 points here. 91+
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12/28/2015 - Uncle John wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, returned to the original bottle and consumed 3 hours later. Beautiful rich dark Sangiovese fruit with medium acidity and firm but fine tannins. The finish and the wine in general became softer and more open as the wine warmed from cellar temperature.
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12/13/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Lots of Italians and a couple others (Cleveland): I knew this would be young, but I thought that was a good place to start with the reds. The bottle had been opened and allowed to breathe for 12 hours. Deep ruby in color. The nose is really nice cherries, dark cherries, slight charred wood and a bit of tea leaves. It actually is drinking well if young. Open and plush. Delicious. Black cherries, licorice and a bit of tarragon notes. Nice acidity but not as strong as I might have expected. Certainly more approachable than I might have guessed. I went back for a taste later in the night and it really showed nice layering.
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12/12/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 85 Points
Not a fan. The oak masks typical Sangiovese character. Very closed wine. Will allow more time before next opening
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11/30/2015 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby color. No detailed TN taken but a lovely, focused red cherry on the palate. Dusty floral aromas as well.
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11/26/2015 - drwinenut wrote: 94 Points
This is really starting to come around. The 06's are stiil closed, and hard to get to. This Fontalloro went well before dinner. Big wine, juicey
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11/14/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Plush and sophisticated with tannins a little rougher than ideal and with a long swoon-inducing finish of macerated dried fruits.
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10/29/2015 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. Decanted and let rest briefly before supper. Lots of solids came out. Deep color in the decanter and in the glass. Lots of flavor with a nice mouth feel. Dark red fruits and earthiness. Pleasant sweet fruity nose. Lot of persistence in the after taste.
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10/4/2015 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Bu avec Bulle et Headless au resto AVV Sballo de Sherbrooke!
Un beau Sangio, nez sur le balsam, l’anis et les petits fruits rouge.
En bouche, belle acidité, assez ample et dense, il en couvre large avec des tannins charnus et assez long…superbe accord avec les Agnolotti!
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9/17/2015 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking really well right now with aeration and 30 minute decant. Full bodied but with soft tannin structure and balanced acidity. Nice minerality on the nose and on the finish. Cherry/plum fruit is still very present suggesting quite a few years left.
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8/22/2015 - olemski wrote: 91 Points
Still youthful and slightly closed.
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8/1/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
A good amount of near-perfect fruit with nice density and feel, nice spice, but the tannins dry out a little on the finish.
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7/19/2015 - Tig78 wrote: 89 Points
While enjoyable, the 2006 Fontalloro did not show its colors tonight. Double decanted ~90 minutes before serving and consumed over another 90 minutes. Muted on both the nose and palate although its significant structure is reassuring. Perhaps in a "dumb" phase, the Fontalloro did open a bit towards the end of our dinner so for those of you thinking about opening a bottle in the near future, I'd recommend a ~3 hour decant.
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6/1/2015 - capacious wrote: 85 Points
Disappointed. Worried. Have a lot of this. Closed off, not in any way rewarding. Usually like this a lot. Nowhere near where I hoped it would be at this point. PNP so maybe that's the issue? But liked it much less than last year.
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6/1/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 88 Points
Loads of sediment. Dark purple in color. Plum , tobacco, earth and licorice on nose. Tannic with way too much vanilla and oak on finish. Doesn't taste like a Sangiovese.
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5/1/2015 - Wardyn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and drank over the next 2 hours. Dark purplish to crimson rim. Bouquet of red and dark fruits, cherries, orange marmalade and spices. Tart red and dark cherries and liquorice on the front palate. Has a good acidity. Supple and refined sweet tannins. Persistent finish with notes of tabacco, tar, chocolate and vanilla.
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4/26/2015 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Showy red fruit and good acidity. this Italian wine was perfectly nice on its own, and of course went well with food.
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4/25/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Last Minute Dinner (Craftsman, Mpls): Very dark/purple red color. Aerated into glasses from bottle; drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Well, there's plenty to like here, the black fruit is silky and seductive with creme de cassis, very dark raspberry, huckleberry, smoke, and earthy minerality. The palate has a rich and energetic appeal that seems lifted, black fruits that are layered nicely with a silky texture and appealing round tannins that make you notice them but grab you, dusty, spiced long finish. Really nice, youthful, but clearly approachable, primary but oh so tasty. This can last a long time, but don't be afraid to crack a bottle. 93(+)pts.
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4/24/2015 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Free-flow Wagyu Beef Dinner and drinks (EN Dining Bar + Pine Close): Pop and poured. Tasted blind.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby with garnet tinge. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with initial barnyard and smelly socks which blew off, leaving aromas of vanilla, licorice, mint, black cherries, and slight green herbs. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, massive high wall of tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of black cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, tobacco, cassis, licorice. Long finish.
Very good quality. Sure, this is a well made wine. However, this sure as hell doesn't taste like a typical 100% Sangiovese. To make a general statement, this is probably what you could call a big and bold modern international style. The high tannins are pretty harsh on the palate. This should have been aired in the decanter at least 3 hours. Has what it takes to age another 5+ years. Hopefully the tannins soften.
Not my preferred style.
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4/12/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Pervasive, deep, energetic, and a little spicy.
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4/11/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Italian wine tasting at local retailer: Dark garnet with translucent rim. Deep dark fruits, herbs, a touch of chocolate, less tight than I remember my bottle a few months ago. Perhaps does not require a very long decant (?)
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3/13/2015 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is still a very wonderful wine brimming with Sangiovese sweet, dark fruit. It is so clean and pure that it takes the one's breath away. Drinking really well now and showing no signs of let up.
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2/28/2015 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Braucht Zeit, um sich zu entfalten. Intensive Lakritz-/Veilchen-, Pflaumen-, Beeren- und Schokoaromen, etwas Graphit und vegetabile Unternoten; am Gaumen mittlerer Körper, kräftige Säure und zupackende fein- bis eher mittelkörnige Tannine, gute Länge, lecker!
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2/19/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
There seems to be plenty of potential here, but this is still very young and not giving an awful lot at the moment. Needs time for the tannins to settle down and the parts to come together. I don't plan to open my other bottle for 3+ years.
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2/15/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2h and drank over the following 1.5h. Dark garnet with a thin translucent rim. Beautiful, accurately drawn sweet red and black fruit, herbs, menthol, earth. Initially a little tight, but was a perfect match to a slightly spicy pasta at home. Fine to medium tannins. Medium finish.
Disagree with some of the comments which seem to imply that this is not ready to drink, it is, but shows best with a 2-3h decant. This is a Sangiovese at the beginning of it's drinking window and not a Merlot after all, and will always have a somewhat rough and tannic edge.
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2/7/2015 - nschmidt wrote: 92 Points
Drank a glass after finishing the remains of Fontodi Chianti Classico, which is a favorite of mine. This was certainly a step up in class. Delicious with a nice structure. Really well made. Balance is much better than the last time I had this.
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2/5/2015 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOW!!! One of the best tuscans I've had in a long time. ... sad sad sad.. I only got two glasses, and it was my only bottle.
pnv'd & decanted.. then poured.. bouquet came out very quickly.. tasted 45 mins in and it was already amazing.
Great wine.
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1/13/2015 - Finare Vinare wrote:
Not in a particularly good place right now. Aromas blurred by oak, tannins woody, lacks elegance. Wait for a long time (at least 5-8 yrs) and pray for the best.
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1/1/2015 - wineduggery wrote: 89 Points
Has lost much of it's youthful fruit intensity, but does not yet have prominent secondary flavors.
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11/23/2014 - tim m wrote: 93 Points
Needs air. Better on night two, but man was it good on night one as well. Really nice fruit followed by nice tannin. This one will cellar for another 10-15 years.
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11/11/2014 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Didn't show as well this time, excellent attack, but lacking mid-palate fruit to warrant a higher score. Structure, requires significant food to balance.
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10/31/2014 - folsomarndt wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 90 min. Beautiful floral nose with smooth tannins, nice balance and lingering seductive finish. Looking forward to my next bottle!
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9/13/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fontalloro levererar en fylligare Chianti än vad som vanligtvis associeras med genren. Mognande, men i högsta grad njutbar. Syror M++ och tanniner M+. Italiensk konstitution.
Om all Chianti var på detta viset, så skulle jag också köpa och dricka utanför Toscana :-)
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8/23/2014 - gew71walsh wrote: 94 Points
Drank with friends at home-- paired with flank steak, Jersey tomatoes an Jersey corn. This wine was as smooth as it gets, fully balanced with a lingering finish. Wish I had more.
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8/10/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Holding steady; has not changed much since September 2013.
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6/28/2014 - JesperR wrote:
From magnum. 6 hrs open, decanted prior to serving. Lots of character, beginning to open up, but still a long way to go. Quite dark, almost black, no transparency, but still fresh with correct acidity. Liked it a lot, next bottle in 2-4 yrs. Went well with grilled duckbreast and cabbage. (90-93 pts).
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5/28/2014 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank a Magnum this time with an Italian dinner party. Everyone raved. Open for 7 hours prior to drinking. A sip at the beginning was evidence that it was going to be good with luscious dark fruit and gripping tannins. When we drank hours later it was as smooth as silk with the flavors all still there. This was my only magnum but I thankfully still have several regular bottles.
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5/18/2014 - Korolev_mv wrote: 92 Points
Хорошее вино с тонами вишни и какао в аромате, с насыщенными темными фруктами во вкусе. Округлое, полнотелое с шелковистыми продолжительными танинами. Единственное, мне кажется, что я открыл его рановато, есть своеобразная приглушенность, необходимо время для раскрытия.
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4/24/2014 - lkorsh wrote:
- Brick color.
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4/23/2014 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Delicious wine. Sweet ripe fruit w notes of beef, bordeaux like nose and finish w mineral highlights. Drank well after pop and pour 20 min later. Drink now or within 3-4yrs.
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4/6/2014 - Tahan wrote: 92 Points
Magnum bottle: Very tight and closed the first couple of hours in the decanter after opening. Served it after 6 1/2 hours @18 degr, in the decanter and it really open up. The best wine of the evening with plenty of red berries, soft tannins and great balance.
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3/27/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Similar to my previous note from a few years ago. This has budged a bit and is slightly more accessible and involving, but is still a bit tight and unyielding. Honestly, this is one of those wines that you might just want to lose in your wine cabinet for about another ten years. It's too structured and tight right now, but will only continue to open up over time and ten years might be the sweet spot.
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2/23/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
This will be an excellent wine in another year or more. I agree with other notes that this is far more typical of the region and less in the style of previous Fontalloro we have had. Tight, young, not giving up much even after four hours. Was too closed off at the restaurant so brought it home to sip while reading and still not opened. Complex, many different notes, quite tannic. Glad I have a lot as I think this has a decade to go
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2/7/2014 - kennyg wrote: 90 Points
Just starting to come around at 1 hr. Tart cherries, strong tannin backbone, good acidity. Hold for at least a age more years. Will be great
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1/6/2014 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The 2006 Fontalloro has really integrated it's oak, providing much more of a classic expression of Sangiovese. Dark red fruits, spice, cedar and saline minerals filled the senses . On the palate i found tart cherry fruit, which saturated the taste buds, with a hint of herbs and spice. Vibrant acidity lent a true Tuscan Sangio experience. The finish was staying with tart cherry clinging to the palate.
I didn't expect this performance tonight, as Fontalloro is usually the most internationally styled of the Felsina portfolio. However, on this night, I tasted nothing but high quality Sangiovese fruit.
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12/21/2013 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Excellent vin vin profond et dense avec de la chair.
Nez puissant sur les cerises, les prunes et l`encens.
En bouche, ample et complexe. Des canneberges et des cerises noires avec de l`anis et du laurier.
Tannins bien enrobés et très long et suave.
De mieux en mieux ce vin.
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12/21/2013 - burgbob wrote: 92 Points
At the start lean and acidic, but two hours in decanter made a big difference. Very concentrated wine that at times showed more like a new world cabernet then at other like a Sangiovese wine. No hurry here.
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9/29/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Two-hour decant really helped. Tons of lush fruit without being Big. Bright and rich but also funky. Simply delicious with enough tannic structure to go another 6-8 years if the fruit lasts. Beautiful but in no way singular. Better in 2015. 93-94
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8/25/2013 - bugdoced wrote: 87 Points
tight,tight ,tight;more aging time will benefit ;will try again in about a year
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8/11/2013 - CMN wrote: 90 Points
Cherry, tobacco and spice flavors on a medium body. Acidity is high- and calls for food. This is especially important now as the pronounced tannins are still a bit harsh. Would let rest for at least 2 more years to let the tannins mellow. Still, quite a nice wine that should get even better with time.
Thanks Thomas!
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8/5/2013 - Guia wrote: 92 Points
Opened with appetizers of cheddar & breads/crackers. Didn't get a nose/bouquet. Big to medium body wine, still pretty tannic with dark fruit present. Enjoyable, not a huge mouthful, moderate length finish. Delicious with the marinated flank steak. Could last another 5 years.
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8/2/2013 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
Dang. I thought I had more bottles of this - decanted for 1 hour before pouring back into bottle and taking to a restaurant. Was not able to take good notes and if you want to drink this decant for 3+ hours our wait a few more years. Without food the tannins are too harsh still but with food it's very nice - menthol, cherry, rosemary on nose & palate - medium body, high acids & very long finish- this needs time. It really improved with airtime - 93+ [rating reflects where it should be in a few years].
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5/14/2013 - ccsargent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark translucent ruby, seems very dark for Sangiovese. The nose took a while to open up, but then I got cherries and herbs, maybe rosemary and mint. Quite earthy on the palate, with restrained red fruit. Pronounced acidity. Tannins are soft. Tasty bottle of wine!
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5/11/2013 - nytiger Likes this wine: 93 Points
top example of Tuscan wine, rich nose flavors and finish
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4/20/2013 - fjv3 wrote: 93 Points
Better as it opened up. A little early for this bottle.
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4/16/2013 - jlaws7lh wrote: 91 Points
Good, but not great. I was hoping for more. At the same time, I did enjoy it. Heavy on the cherry flavor.
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3/10/2013 - rhpolk wrote: flawed
Flawed.
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2/23/2013 - pikemasterflash wrote: 91 Points
I think this wine never really got to the optimal temperature. Very fragrant cherry and leather nose. The wine seemed either too tight and not open, too cold or just too young. Certainly not the best Italian wine I have had recently but I suspect on a different day it would better live up to its nose.
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1/15/2013 - nschmidt wrote: 90 Points
Nice tasting sangiovese but quite acidic. I can't imagine drinking without food.
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1/7/2013 - jtinto wrote: flawed
Glad I drank five bottles of this previously or I never would have known how good this can be. This bottle is flawed, but it's not obvious.
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12/31/2012 - PFra wrote: 92 Points
Red and black berries, granite, long tannic finish. Young but delicious.
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12/30/2012 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 90 Points
initially tight but opened quickly;tart berries on the nose but a richness with balanced earth
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12/12/2012 - amgryger wrote:
NY/NJ WLTV Offline at SD26 on 12/12/12 (SD26, NYC): Red cherry and savory charred meat on the nose. Similar on the palate. Medium body with medium high to high tannin and acid. Very nice bottle of Sangiovese.
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12/1/2012 - CWang wrote: 91 Points
Unattractive for quite some time after opening; graphite, minerals, and oak with barely noticeable dark fruits in the barnyard nose; the palate was very dense and primitive with anise, cassis, green pepper, licorice, and tight tannins; would only give this wine 87 points at this stage; after breathing in the decanter for 30 minutes, it improved quite a lot; more floral and fruity notes in the nose; the palate also became creamier, fruitier, mellower, and less tannic, but still rather primitive, so only 2 points higher; after another 30 min in the decanter, viola! most of the bad stuff had subsided; sweet dark fruits and pencil shavings dominated the nose with fresh mint, pine, and roses in the background; the palate became much more mature and mellower with a solid structure full of dark fruits, exotic spices, and softened tannins; finally, quite enjoyable and well deserved 90+ points; will not touch this wine for 2-3 years at least; and using a decanter is probably a must, unless you don't mind waiting for it to slowly evolve in the bottle for long hours; some potential to improve in the future thanks to the high acidity.
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10/21/2012 - bugdoced wrote: 91 Points
enjoyed the cherry aroma and taste;ok to wait on this one but pretty good now
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10/14/2012 - weinmatt wrote: 92 Points
Tasty, but not ready. Without the aerator, very backward. Leaving my other two bottles a while.
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10/3/2012 - Employee500 wrote: 94 Points
Truly an outstanding wine. Dark, rich and full bodied for a Sangio, but not lacking in pure Sangio character with dark cherry and great acidity. Very silky mouthfeel....extremely classy, aristocratic wine. Reminiscent of top-vintage Tignanello, but I think I prefer this.
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9/28/2012 - Sevencircles wrote: 88 Points
This wine a bit too young right now but it´s really nothing special for the money. A bit unbalanced and no really interesting flavors coming through. It works much better if you pair it with the right food.
It will live for a long time without no doubt though.
It will never be an amazing wine but it will propably be really good if you save it until 2017.
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9/5/2012 - Sevencircles wrote: 88 Points
This wine has got some nice fruit and youthfull spicy tones but it´s not worth the money here in Sweden. Will improve over time but not much.
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8/19/2012 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
I decanted the wine for 90 minutes, poured it back into the bottle and consumed it over three days. It offered a nice nose with minerals, floral notes, lavender, cherry, blackberry, tar, chocolate, tobacco, cigar smoke and spices. On the palate the medium-bodied wine showed lots of sour cherry, minerals, earthy notes, mushrooms, spices, chocolate, tobacco and some coffee, backed by high acidity and high, fine, dusty tannins. A great expression of pure Sangiovese from the Chianti region. The wine drank consistently well over all three days. I loved it and will stock up. Good aging potential. Start drinking in 2013.
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8/7/2012 - lvjohn wrote: 94 Points
We really love this wine. After a decant and one hour breathing period, this wine really strutted its stuff. It had a very fragrant nose of flowers and spices. It possessed a beautiful deep purple color. There was no mistaking this wine for anything but Sangiovese.
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7/23/2012 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
gorgeous red & black cherry fruits - some sweet, some sour - floral nuances, just a hint of sweetness, and a nice backbone of acidity. just lovely.
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7/22/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote: 88 Points
so-so, and a little raisiny.
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7/3/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 90 Points
Sure, a good redwine but nothing spectacular. Cherries, as with all redwines from Italy.
For those who like Italian redwines, try Poliziano. Cheaper, and I would say better.
Opened the bottle a night in advance.
The 2006 Fattoria can be enjoyed now or stored for many years. Had a 95 the other week, and that bottle was still fine, however maybe it lacked some fruit.
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7/2/2012 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 94 Points
Only really needed ½ to 1 hour of air to show a striking nose of exotic spices, lavender (and other flowers) and dark berries leading to dark berries on the mouth with great acidity and tannin structure. It paired great with grilled filet mignon. Between hours 2 and 3, the nose changed and only really showed riper fruit notes which were nice but not as interesting as the earlier notes. A really cool sangio that was very impressive.
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5/28/2012 - gordoh wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding. Good now.
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5/11/2012 - j30 wrote: 88 Points
375 btl. Nose of sour plum and raisins, with sharp acidity in the mouth. Finished with chunky tannins. Too aggressive and needs time.
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4/20/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote:
Needs to sleep. Tight with spice, cherry, mild funk and earth. Concentrated and firm tannins. Medium finish that will evolve with time. Hold for 5 years. 90-94.
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4/14/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
I just poured a glass out of the bottle immediately after opening it. I see a deep ruby color and a wine that has good legs and taste. Slightly tannic immediately after tasting--but it swiftly disappears. Much better than I expected, and I am glad that I still have 10 bottles to drink. A real pleasre for the money!!!
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3/29/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 92 Points
Poured out of the bottle and through aerator. Deep color and pleasant nose. Nice blend of fruits and tanins that are smooth and easy to drink. A very good value at the $23 I paid per case.
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3/14/2012 - ccsargent wrote:
I think I just committed infanticide. This is serious Sangiovese, but at the moment it's very primary and tannic. Nice freshness on the nose (and it took a while for it to open up), cherries and earth on the palate, tannins became really noticeable after a while. I'll let the other bottle sleep for a few years.
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2/19/2012 - vinodolphin wrote: 92 Points
Opened for 6 hours which was wonderful as the tannins smoothed and lucious fruit emerged. Will be better in a few years but we enjoyed it today.
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2/4/2012 - KNasr wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful color and nose, palate lingered for 30 seconds, I wish I drank this 5 years from now, it would do with a few more years on it.
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1/30/2012 - nicefish wrote: 92 Points
Deep and delicious. Cherry, plum and spice on the nose. Lovely fruit. A long and chewy finish.
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1/17/2012 - Mango wrote: 94 Points
Very young flavour wiht cherries and oak. The taste is full of fruit and oak. Loads of acid backing up the wine. Can be storred for many years.
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1/13/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Dark in color. Day 2 review with black olives, leather, spice, cherry, blueberries and earth. Complex and super balanced wine. This should improve over time. Wonderful wine.
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1/6/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 83 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half before pouring. Incredible, impeneritrable dark color, and pours a bit like chocolate sauce. Aromas are of a chocolate covered fig, stewed fruits, and oak wood syrup. Doesn't smell like Sangiovese at all to me... Goopy as hell on the nose. Tastes like candy as it touches my tongue, but pretty quickly wood tannins begin dominating my palate and covering up the fruit. After just 10 seconds in the mouth my whole mouth feels wounded. Grippy wood and berry soup on the finish, and the alcohol comes through in spades. This tastes like melted chocolate ice cream with Brandy poured on top. Chas says, "This is Italian wine for people who don't like Italian wine." And I agree... they're trying to make this taste like California wine. This tastes like a modern Cabernet from anywhere to me. Disappointing. At least a glass got me drunk.
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1/6/2012 - gripNsip wrote: 88 Points
Rich red fruit nose with cedar, cigar box, strawberry ice cream, and cocoa. Big body, quite heavy on the palate, not particularly reminding me of Sangiovese. The palate shows plums, dark red fruit, pomegranate, wet tobacco, dark chocolate, dry wood and rocks. Some tart fruit and drying tannins cling to the tongue in the finish. This is a very modern style for Sangiovese, lots of extract and weight and flavors that I can easily say I would not pick this out as Sangio in a blind line-up.
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1/3/2012 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose showed sweet cherry soda, medicinal herbs and coco powder. On the palate, an intense wave of cherry fruit wrapped the senses in sweet tannins, with a hint of savory beef reduction sauce in a full, velvety expression. The finish was gorgeous and haunting as notes of spiced cherry clung to the palate. This wine was pleasing on every level.
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12/26/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8/10 - Still pretty young. The slightly bitter tannins do get in the way every now and then, but has lessened considerably. Floral aroma notes with lots of sweet red cherries, some chocolates and hints of dusty earth. Very plush and polished mouthfeel and generally well integrated with some nice acidity. Could do with some additional time to settle, like the tannins, the wine was occasionally jarring at times. A very enjoyable wine nonetheless
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12/25/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
This will certainly improve with additional age and is showing cherry, minerals, leather, spice and floral notes. Really balanced wine and great overall structure. Medium finish. Drink over the next decade. 93+
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12/19/2011 - jtinto Likes this wine: 93 Points
This has reached that magical point where the fruit is primary, but secondary flavors have developed as well. Really love where this is at right now.
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12/16/2011 - Whitman wrote: 93 Points
Nose first reduced but after 1 hour intense with cherries and chocolate. Palate so balanced with great concentration,sweetness and fruit. So much energy and a long finish with well-integrated acidity. On the young side, but showing well now.
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12/15/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Classic, beautiful Sangiovese. At $45 this is one of the best values in Tuscany.
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12/12/2011 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 93 Points
Needed 1 1/2-2 hours of air (after pouring off a glass) to show the nose I was expecting. At first the nose was dominated by leather but at around the 2 hour mark it showed dark berries, chocolate and leather which was great. A nice rich nose leading to a medium bodied wine with great tannin and acidity. A great sangio.
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11/21/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 95 Points
Same as previous note
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11/16/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 94 Points
This wine is always an extreme pleasure. The floral intensity of the Sangio is amazing on the nose with a delicate touch of oak. It seems less oaky to me than in the past. The wine is very dark and concentrated. This pops with ripe red fruits – like eating pure, ripe farm stand cherries with some baking spices and a ton of red roses. Felsina’s dedication and passion for Sangiovese is really noticeable in their wines, especially Fontalloro.
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11/8/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 90 Points
From vague memory. This wasn't giving much, but still pleasant.
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10/16/2011 - CWilliam wrote:
Closed down - you can see the outline of a great wine (nail polish / black olives / rose on nose & cherry/sour cherry on palate with very grippy tanins and a very long finish). As usual I should have read CT before opening this bottle.
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9/18/2011 - Li6 wrote: 92 Points
Shy to start, but picked up elegant notes of dark cherries, milk chocolate, cinnamon, anise and forest floor with air contact. Medium-bodied, with present but elegant tannins. Delicious now, particularly if decanted, but would benefit from at least another 2-4 years of cellaring.
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8/30/2011 - bugdoced wrote: 92 Points
initial tight tannins and tart fruit required a decanter; over the first evening the fruit softened a little with each sip; on night #2 there are soft,gentle sweet cherries without tannins and with a nutty chocolate flavor; years to go on this beauty
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7/30/2011 - ny pete wrote:
truly a WOW wine right now if you let it breathe.
initially aromatically challenged. the first sniffy sniff was giving NOTHING.
then POW ... a vibrant bouquet of red fruits, cinnamon spice and a touch of mother earth.
a silky smooth mouth feel of distinct Tuscan Sangio flavors.
still packs a bit of a chewy tannic punch. an extremely long finish.
it will be hard to keep from popping another bottle but I will test my patience. cheers.
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7/24/2011 - neuron wrote: 94 Points
2 - 2.5 hour decant; cherries, chocolate and smoke OTN. Second bottle about as good as the first of two months ago; perfect accompaniment to Fiorentina.
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6/24/2011 - alamoave wrote:
Popped and poured; not rated - closed for business
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5/21/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle of wine as always - I love the intensity and purity of the Sangio fruit in this wine. Excellent terroir as well.
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5/9/2011 - burr Likes this wine: 93 Points
delicious, but young. ample nose of red fruit, earth, spice, flowers. deep red color, mouthwatering acidity on the palate giving way to dark red fruit and spice. wish I had more.
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5/8/2011 - neuron wrote: 95 Points
Mother's Day Dinner: mesquite grilled, dry rubbed rib eye and marinated veggies. Decanted for nearly two hours. Agree with prior assessment: beau coup de cedar,but also big cinnamon, chocolate/raspberry notes. Marvelous, full bodied mouthful, tasting of cherries and bittersweet chocolate. Nice finish, plenty of supple tannins to lean on for another 5 years. Yum.
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5/6/2011 - blancdeblancs wrote:
peppery, roasted meat otn, lots of cedar. incredible grip and minerality. really luscious and tasty enough to enjoy now---a wow-wine!
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4/29/2011 - essconsults wrote: 89 Points
Another .375 . Must be going dumb. Much more closed, with harsh tannins. Dusty soil overtones, fruit now pretty much hidden. 86 tonight, maybe 92 hopefully when it comes around in a few years, hence a charitable 89.
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4/21/2011 - jtinto Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with previous.
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4/15/2011 - kenhoeve wrote: 92 Points
Nose of dark fruits, black cherry with powdered sugar, dried herbs. Very very thick cherry and strawberry fruit on the entry, massive spice, almost viscous, excellent subtle herbaceous notes, well integrated oak. The finish has mouthcoating tannins that are grippy and drying, but is noticeably extended and floral in nature. I had this with herb salad evoo/balsamic and was positively shocked when every green thing on my plate took on more flavor after a sip of this. Great acid. Seems to have great stuffing, easy 92+.
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3/28/2011 - HKDavid wrote: 93 Points
Served three bottles at dinner party - decanted for six to seven hours beforehand. Very tannic and leathery immediately after opening bottle, more approachable after an hour, but when served after six hours it opened up substantially. Quite balanced and structured, good roundness in the mouth, nice tannins and moderate fruit. Very substantial without being too heavy. Very impressive wine altogether. Well received by guests. Will save the rest for another year or so.
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3/27/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 92 Points
Almost identical to the 07 but the nose is less lush and the oak seems more in your face in 2006. Otherwise, exact same tasting note as 07.
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3/24/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 92 Points
from a 375ml: I have to say that I'm simply enjoying this wine...it's complex, it's got depth on the nose and the palate...and I'd gladly drink this again....not sure it's worth the price tag though.
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2/20/2011 - winegr wrote: 92 Points
To me, this isn't as structured and interesting as the Rancia. This seems more modern and polished and plush. That said, still excellent with nice acidity and some underlying minerality and complexity that are really nice. But for my taste, I'd take the more traditional style Rancia or maybe even the Riserva to this based on complexity and the pure beauty of old school sangiovese. Still an excellent wine, but can't imagine many vintages where I would prefer this style to its siblings.
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2/13/2011 - jrglm wrote: 92 Points
Rich and robust Sangiovese.
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2/7/2011 - pinotwinelover wrote: 93 Points
This has all the right stuff just too young. Opened and decanted 5 hours it started to show very well and was wonderful.
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2/2/2011 - Mr T wrote:
Others seemed to think this ready or open to drink according to their notes, but not for me. Decanted the prior night for an hour but never really opened, although hinted at what was there....very deep and rich but not heavy..but still tight and tannic...tonight a bit more open, but still not really there...I will leave the rest alone for some years
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2/1/2011 - il_diavolo wrote: 93 Points
This is a superb fontalloro. There was a rising tide of opinion (with which I concurred) that after the supertuscan honeymoon period was done with, the rancia had replaced fontalloro as the top sangiovese dog at felsina (certainly true in 2004/2005). This one though might just turn the tide (disclaimer: have not tasted 2006 rancia yet). A great nose of dark fruits (violet, plum), smoke, earth and licorice. Great balance, purity and intensity on palate - again dark fruit and licorice dominate. long(ish) finish. the best fontalloro since.....ever?
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1/9/2011 - Mark162 wrote: 88 Points
A solid Chianti-style wine. dark fruits, tannins. opened up after several hours. probably needs another 5 years.
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1/4/2011 - essconsults wrote: 91 Points
Again from a half-bottle. This didn't sing like the last two. Still a pretty wine, but without the intense stuffing. I enjoyed it but it didn't thrill.
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12/24/2010 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Took about 5 hours to loosen up, but once it did the nose had expressive red florals, tar, bitter chocolate, and currants. At about 8 hours of air, the palate is firm, but relaxed from where it began. Thought this was a very nice wine with really attractive flavors of brambles, raspberries, dried rose petals, and crushed rocks. Very impressive wine.
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12/20/2010 - bwine wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit and licorice. Clearly has loads of potential, but the tannins are too dominant for me right now. Will try again in a couple of years.
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12/4/2010 - snaff wrote: 92 Points
Rich and multi-faceted, this is a powerful leathery wine with mocha, dark cherry and fig swirling on the mid palette.
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11/8/2010 - essconsults wrote: 94 Points
From a half bottle. Some development from the last time, and beginning to show aome complexity. Of course still a baby. Ripe succulent blackberry and cherry top notes, with chocolate and espresso on the bottom. Definitely an international style, but who cares? Delicious.
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10/2/2010 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dusty sweet red fruits, saw dust and barnyard on the nose. On the palate i found strawberry fruit and fig with minerals and herbs. It was at one soft yet drying with fine tannins. A good bottle that should be even better with time.
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9/9/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
I was a bit disappointed with this. It definitely needs way more time to open up. Highly structured, a bit tart and uninvolving for my taste.
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9/4/2010 - xtian wrote: 91 Points
Smooth very delicious, yet not as concentrated or strong as I had hoped.
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8/29/2010 - ir4an wrote: 89 Points
Really bold. Nice
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7/21/2010 - jtinto Likes this wine: 93 Points
Expressive nose. Smooth, fine tannins, full bodied, excellent Sangio fruit with overall balance. Really nice. Will get better with additional bottle age. Rating will improve I'm sure.
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7/11/2010 - G Kapoor wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple in color with nose of smoke, meat, and roasted herbs. Polished on entry but the tannins rob the wine of much pleasure leading to a herby finish. I did get some licorish fruit after much coaxing. 89 today but should improve in couple of years.
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5/6/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 89 Points
Blind Old World with Il Cane Rosso pizza (Il Cane Rosso pizza, Dallas): Blind Red 3 - Dark garnet translucent. Aromas of old wood and sour cherry dust - very Tuscan smelling. Medium full bodied tart and tangy, redolent of sour cherries. Young, rather tannic with aggressive acidity. I got close on this one. Not my favorite though. 88-90?
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4/28/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 93 Points
Longboard does Dallas (Campania in Dallas, TX): WIML93
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of berries, cherries, dust and a hint of florals. Rich flavors of berries and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink or hold into the medium term.
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4/27/2010 - Employee500 wrote: 94 Points
Sweet, bright, pure red fruit (bing cherry)...rich, expressive, a little Christmas spice. This is all about the clean, well-delineated red Sangio fruit. There is plenty of acidity to keep the wine from sagging while highlighting/framing the fruit.....The wine shows enough tannin but not quite the darkness I typically crave in the best Tuscan Sangiovese. I miss real dark/black cherry or savory flavors (soy, leather, etc.) That may be purely a function of baby fat that will change as the wine settles down a bit. In any event, what is here is delicious....and I plan to load up at $36 a pop. At the LEAST, it should be great to drink (and watch) over the next 4-7 years while waiting for the Rancia to come around, and it's quite possible that this will develop some complexity as the primary fruit diminishes a bit.
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4/18/2010 - Grinner wrote: 92 Points
This would seem to have a lot of potential... It was tight for an hour+ despite decanting. Eventually reveals tar, spice, dark cherry/berry notes/flavors. Serious tannins need some more time to settle/resolve.
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3/9/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Really hard to rate this as it's really not ready to be drunk yet. Highly structured and powerful; clearly a good wine, but far before it's time. I'll sit on my other two for at least another five years.
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3/7/2010 - Hazeo wrote: 93 Points
Dense smooth black berries, smoke, minerals and a touch earth. Seamless and powerful, with strong but round tannins. Feels more polished and open (perhaps even more flamboyant) than the Rancia. Would love to compare the two 10 years down the line.
Day 2 - Not as good, fell flat a little and was more grapey and tannins were coarse
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2/27/2010 - essconsults wrote: 95 Points
My fourth go at this wine, first tasted at the NYC Wine Experience in October '09. This time from half-bottle. Opened last night, quickly sealed and vacuum pumped. First impression last night a well made but somewhat oaky and conventional, albeit excellent Sangiovese. Tonight, a powerhouse, almost over the top with good acidity and ripe sweet fruit. This needs time to settle down. Could be truly amazing in another year or two.
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1/9/2010 - greenblanket wrote:
Tremendous but clearly in need of more time. The bouquet promises layers of fruit, tar and dark herbs and the palate delivers from the attack all the way through the finish with no holes or let downs. It was a knockout with grilled leg of lamb and white beans.
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11/29/2009 - elbosco wrote: 93 Points
Clear garnet. Smoke, toasty oak and pleasantly sour cherries. Smooth tannins and nice mouthfeel. Should be better in a couple of years.
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11/28/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
A few Saturday afternoon tasting notes...11/28/2009: WIML92-93
Tasted November 28. 2009 at a retail tasting.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries, flowers and plums. Flavors of black berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold for the short term and then drink over the medium term. Needs some more time in bottle to round out in my opinion.
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11/28/2009 - mmurry wrote: 93 Points
Wine Spectator's 2009 Top 100 Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had tar, smoke, black currant, cherry, and a little licorice at the end. The palate had herbs, tar, blackberry, black currant, and some licorice on the finish.
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3/26/2009 - FJB wrote: 93 Points
However stylewine I prefered the 2006 Fontalloro to the Rancia as it was more open, accessible, very powerfull and more easy to understand and enjoy. The wine had very good fruit, balance and a long finish (93).
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