Drank this alongside the 1995 Uccelliera BdM. This was the winner of the two. It was a more complex wine while Uccelliera seemed to be a ways past it's peak. Albeit this one isn't getting any better and i would pop soon if you're sitting on any.
Paired well with lamb sugo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mmm, time has served this wine very well! Super classic notes of black tea and balsa. The palate is fully resolved, fresh, yet also dry and smoky, maybe a little roasted coffee, classically Brunello. Fresh cherries dance with leather and earth. Vibrant, long, mouthwatering, still a little firm yet really ready to enjoy. Wonderful!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Auction purchase. Cork barely bled through. A bit of funk and alcohol on the PnP. That fades to some pretty vibrant red fruit, then the wine goes flabby at 2+ hours.In my experience, the 1997s are winding down
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terrific. Shockingly fresh and vibrant for its age. Deep rich burgundy color with complex tannins. Smooth tannins, round mouthfeel, red/blue fruit, cigar and earth. Terrific Sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not a bad wine at all bout not myself style. Lush and most of the other character came from wood not age. Not my jam but definitely really well made wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great bottle!!! Still going strong after all these years. Fully developed and ready to drink. Deep rich color. loads of fully developed different fruits, and silky smooth to the taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served alongside the 90, which as expected was much more enjoyable and ready to drink. This wine is quite structured, and in spite of opening and decanting several hours in advance, it needs much more time. It has the basic qualities to last for another 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brunello di Montalcino Masterclass Led by Monica Larner (Taberna wine academy): Blind wine 3: Oak dominance nose, some cola, blackberries, vanilla, coffee notes and it opened up slowly to reveal sweet leather. Full on entry, a surprisingly robust wine at 17 years old, meaty, very structured and classic style on palate. Sweet and polished tannins, lengthy finish. Holding very well, at least for another 3-5 years. (92) My wine #5, group's #3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Preserved color with a clean lively young nose of dark fruits but just starting to develop some secondary notes. What's lacking is the concentration. This was easily the best of the 97s from my cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dim Sum Club at Park Palace (Park Palace, Grand Park Hotel): I enjoyed this very much. An unusual 1997, it was fresh and alive and seemingly just about stepping into its drinking window. It showed a really perfumed nose, with dried flowers, violets and sweet herbs ringed around a core of ripe black cherry, meat and earth aromas. Really pretty. There was some richness to the palate and a ripe plushness to its fruit on the attack, but this was overall really well balanced and elegant for a 1997, with clean flavours dark cherries and berries laced with supple acidity and fine tannins. While not altogether developed, it was also starting to show a decent amount of complexity, with a backdrop of earth, undergrowth and meat seasoned with slightly peppery spice and herb at the finish. A nice wine. Will probably get better over the next 5 years or so as well. Lovely pairing with roast duck.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was showing really well tonight. Very aromatic with strong secondary notes of leather/tar mixed in with dark fruit. Soft texture and a long finish with the dark fruit coming forth on the taste as well. I don't think this will improve any more and is at its peak. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Possibly leaning to a 92. Still youthful, dark cherry and smoke, with some tar, not a huge wine but balanced and terrific. This easily has another 3-5 years in it. Kind of sorry it's my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tief rubinrot; mittleres Bouquet mit viel Leder, Blaubeere, Cassis, Veilchen, Lakritz, etwas Holz, etwas Johannisbeere; am Gaumen fast süßliche Beerenfrüchte, feine, reichliche, minimal zehrende Tannine, gut harmonisierende Säure, extraktreich; langer Abgang; braucht weiter sehr viel Luft und ist am zweiten Tag fast besser! Vielschichtiger, voller Wein.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby/purple color and very youthful. Rich flavors of blackberry and cassis, with very firm tannins. This wine is not quite in balance yet, and is a bit brooding and backwards at the moment, but has terrific potential if the tannins smooth out and everything integrates. Long finish. I look forward to trying this again in 5 years - it could be really great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red edge. Young and vibrant with fine brunello nose and a decent finish. Good concentration and solid mid-palate. Tom thought it brungundian-like compared to barolo. First one of three. Plenty of time in front of this vintage. This producer is drinking better than the poggio antico
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red. Young color for its age. Good nose, and solid fruit. Not elegant, but a solid wine. Still has plenty of tannin, but is enjoyable now with about 30 minutes of air. A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Valentine's Day at Cesare's: Flawed, but - a good btl nevertheless. Arrived frozen with the cork popped up 1/3 of an inch...a Brunello popsicle. Let it sit for a few days, and opened. Great nose, with a ton of fruit and oak. On the palate, it came across full on the midpalate, but just a touch thin on the finish, but with a certain elegance commensurate with its '97 heritage. Score an 89, which given its mistreatment is a strong endorsement. After opening and tasting, brought the rest of the btl to Cesare's for the Valentine's festivities.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted one hour. A big mouthful of tar, licorice and dark cherry. Nose is beautiful. Tannins still a little ripe. Finishes very, very long. A complex, fascinating wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aging nicely, and no longer the big brute that it once was. Becoming more delicate and gaining focus and definition. Continuing to drink well, but still on the way up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It was two years since I last had this wine. Once again, I really enjoyed it. Still young, dense, and chewy, this is nowhere close to approaching maturity, but is not in a closed phase either. This is a powerful, but well balanced wine, with flavors of black cherries and currants with hints of smoke. Great now, but should continue to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the darkest 97 Brunello I've seen, deep purple bordering on black. I detected a touch of brett in the nose, but there's an underlying sweet aroma to the cherries and chocolate. Meaty, dark cherries, smoke and toasty sweet oak all on an extremely tannic finish. Very cabernet like for a brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/24/2024 - msayers1994 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Drank this alongside the 1995 Uccelliera BdM. This was the winner of the two. It was a more complex wine while Uccelliera seemed to be a ways past it's peak. Albeit this one isn't getting any better and i would pop soon if you're sitting on any.
Paired well with lamb sugo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2024 - winedr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding. Aged beautifully. Nose of cherry liquer, leather and some smoke. Just a classic aged Brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2022 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Mmm, time has served this wine very well! Super classic notes of black tea and balsa. The palate is fully resolved, fresh, yet also dry and smoky, maybe a little roasted coffee, classically Brunello. Fresh cherries dance with leather and earth. Vibrant, long, mouthwatering, still a little firm yet really ready to enjoy. Wonderful!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2020 - zackmayo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wonderful right out of the bottle. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2020 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Auction purchase. Cork barely bled through.
A bit of funk and alcohol on the PnP. That fades to some pretty vibrant red fruit, then the wine goes flabby at 2+ hours.In my experience, the 1997s are winding down
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2020 - SteelerFan wrote: 94 Points
Terrific. Shockingly fresh and vibrant for its age. Deep rich burgundy color with complex tannins. Smooth tannins, round mouthfeel, red/blue fruit, cigar and earth. Terrific Sangiovese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2019 - Siebs Cellar Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Well past its prime. Lacked any sense of vibrancy, fruit was flat and almost insipid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2016 - kenv Likes this wine: 90 Points
WCC Pre-2000 Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Sweet juicy simple, but eminently drinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2014 - liteagilis Does not like this wine:
Not a bad wine at all bout not myself style. Lush and most of the other character came from wood not age. Not my jam but definitely really well made wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2014 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle!!! Still going strong after all these years. Fully developed and ready to drink. Deep rich color. loads of fully developed different fruits, and silky smooth to the taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2014 - Jkeyes wrote: 86 Points
Past it's prime drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2014 - rnellans wrote: 92 Points
Served alongside the 90, which as expected was much more enjoyable and ready to drink. This wine is quite structured, and in spite of opening and decanting several hours in advance, it needs much more time. It has the basic qualities to last for another 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
Brunello di Montalcino Masterclass Led by Monica Larner (Taberna wine academy): Blind wine 3: Oak dominance nose, some cola, blackberries, vanilla, coffee notes and it opened up slowly to reveal sweet leather. Full on entry, a surprisingly robust wine at 17 years old, meaty, very structured and classic style on palate. Sweet and polished tannins, lengthy finish. Holding very well, at least for another 3-5 years. (92) My wine #5, group's #3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2014 - Montecalvo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at The Usual Suspects Tasting. Faired well but definitely getting to the end of its life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2013 - Montecalvo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Preserved color with a clean lively young nose of dark fruits but just starting to develop some secondary notes. What's lacking is the concentration. This was easily the best of the 97s from my cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2013 - WineDoctors wrote: 92 Points
soft tannins yield, leather to dark but crisp cherries, long finish, nice acid; with broccoli di rape, gruyere, maui onion flatbread
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2013 - johnbhamrick wrote: 92 Points
Fully developed and ripe for drinking. Very smooth taste going now with no after bite. Great legs and nose. Wish I had another case!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2013 - Lou wrote: 89 Points
This needs to open up for about 2 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2013 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Dim Sum Club at Park Palace (Park Palace, Grand Park Hotel): I enjoyed this very much. An unusual 1997, it was fresh and alive and seemingly just about stepping into its drinking window. It showed a really perfumed nose, with dried flowers, violets and sweet herbs ringed around a core of ripe black cherry, meat and earth aromas. Really pretty. There was some richness to the palate and a ripe plushness to its fruit on the attack, but this was overall really well balanced and elegant for a 1997, with clean flavours dark cherries and berries laced with supple acidity and fine tannins. While not altogether developed, it was also starting to show a decent amount of complexity, with a backdrop of earth, undergrowth and meat seasoned with slightly peppery spice and herb at the finish. A nice wine. Will probably get better over the next 5 years or so as well. Lovely pairing with roast duck.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2012 - schliecker Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was showing really well tonight. Very aromatic with strong secondary notes of leather/tar mixed in with dark fruit. Soft texture and a long finish with the dark fruit coming forth on the taste as well. I don't think this will improve any more and is at its peak. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2012 - Kento61 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well now. Dark fruits. Some leather in the nose. Well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/29/2012 - rnellans wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruits. Dark cherries, some leather in the nose. Good structure and fruit. Continues to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2012 - LARich wrote: 90 Points
Classic brunello in a great place. Soft mid-palate and smooth tannins. Blackberry, menthol, and cedar overtones.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Classic brunello. Wish I had many more. At least another few years of liefe left in this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2010 - Adrit wrote: 91 Points
Possibly leaning to a 92. Still youthful, dark cherry and smoke, with some tar, not a huge wine but balanced and terrific. This easily has another 3-5 years in it. Kind of sorry it's my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2010 - wurzel68 wrote: 91 Points
Tief rubinrot; mittleres Bouquet mit viel Leder, Blaubeere, Cassis, Veilchen, Lakritz, etwas Holz, etwas Johannisbeere; am Gaumen fast süßliche Beerenfrüchte, feine, reichliche, minimal zehrende Tannine, gut harmonisierende Säure, extraktreich; langer Abgang; braucht weiter sehr viel Luft und ist am zweiten Tag fast besser! Vielschichtiger, voller Wein.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2009 - SteelerFan wrote: 89 Points
Dark ruby/purple color and very youthful. Rich flavors of blackberry and cassis, with very firm tannins. This wine is not quite in balance yet, and is a bit brooding and backwards at the moment, but has terrific potential if the tannins smooth out and everything integrates. Long finish. I look forward to trying this again in 5 years - it could be really great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2009 - Montecalvo wrote: 93 Points
Dark red edge. Young and vibrant with fine brunello nose and a decent finish. Good concentration and solid mid-palate. Tom thought it brungundian-like compared to barolo. First one of three. Plenty of time in front of this vintage. This producer is drinking better than the poggio antico
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2009 - MC wrote:
Dark red. Young color for its age. Good nose, and solid fruit. Not elegant, but a solid wine. Still has plenty of tannin, but is enjoyable now with about 30 minutes of air. A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2009 - Lou wrote: 88 Points
Delicious and ready to drink, not a big wine but very pleasant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Valentine's Day at Cesare's: Flawed, but - a good btl nevertheless. Arrived frozen with the cork popped up 1/3 of an inch...a Brunello popsicle. Let it sit for a few days, and opened. Great nose, with a ton of fruit and oak. On the palate, it came across full on the midpalate, but just a touch thin on the finish, but with a certain elegance commensurate with its '97 heritage. Score an 89, which given its mistreatment is a strong endorsement. After opening and tasting, brought the rest of the btl to Cesare's for the Valentine's festivities.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2007 - Grinder wrote: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. A big mouthful of tar, licorice and dark cherry. Nose is beautiful. Tannins still a little ripe. Finishes very, very long. A complex, fascinating wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2007 - jerhardt wrote: 92 Points
Aging nicely, and no longer the big brute that it once was. Becoming more delicate and gaining focus and definition. Continuing to drink well, but still on the way up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2006 - jerhardt wrote: 93 Points
It was two years since I last had this wine. Once again, I really enjoyed it. Still young, dense, and chewy, this is nowhere close to approaching maturity, but is not in a closed phase either. This is a powerful, but well balanced wine, with flavors of black cherries and currants with hints of smoke. Great now, but should continue to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2003 - R2-D2 wrote: 93 Points
This is the darkest 97 Brunello I've seen, deep purple bordering on black. I detected a touch of brett in the nose, but there's an underlying sweet aroma to the cherries and chocolate. Meaty, dark cherries, smoke and toasty sweet oak all on an extremely tannic finish. Very cabernet like for a brunello.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2003 - Eric wrote: 85 Points
Somethat lean, tannic and disappointing. Closed down or just crappy as Parker suggests? Hmm...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment