In a perfect place, but likely age longer. Color is deep and clear. No bricking. Nose is quite complex and beautiful! Good density and mouthfeel. Fruit is vibrant and lingers on. Great with pasta at Spago in Bellagio.
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Wow. Awesome. Still lots of tannnins and fruit left. Very powerful and typical tuscan. Can last 10-20 years still. I would wait minimum 5 years if I had more bottles left.
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Mmm this is good! Needs to be decanted, growing and opening after an hour. Generous sweet black fruits, christingle: burnt orange and cloves, accompanied by very pure menthol. Cigar, tobacco. Long, complex. Drinking now, will last for years.
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Dark red color, beautiful nose of dark cherries, forest floor, tobacco. Good mix of primary and tertiary notes on the palate. Well built structure, pressure, tension - black cherries. Lasting very long and you get what you expect: a great wine at its peak now and for a few more years...
If there was an ode to the simple pleasures of abusive drinking then this might be it; Ornellaia, horny liar, always gets you higher, etc.
I feel lucky to have had two bottles of this vintage in recent years and it fully justifies its place in the ranks of the great wines of the world.
You need to decant this and give it about 6-8 hours to breathe before you see the best it has to give. I found it actually hit its peak after being left overnight in the decanter (yes, I am a lazy swine). I suspect that the less enthusiastic reviews may come from bottles that have not been given enough time to breathe. Early on it is very tannic, dominated by forest floor and dried herb and black olive.
Once it has time to breathe up you get all of the secondary, savoury aspects mentioned but also this core of quite lovely, plush dark fruit, almost wine gum.
The intensity and length are exemplary and the tannins are very fine, albeit in great quantity and they are so beautifully ripe that they almost have a sweetness to them. As I slither into decrepitude, I seem to be moving more and more to wines with a lot of savoury and textural focus and ripe tannins become a thing of beauty for me.
This is food wine par excellence and it worked an absolute treat with Roast Beef Rib in a crust of dried thyme, salt, pepper and Juniper berries. Test cricket and Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain in the breaks made a near perfect day on 27 December.
This wine hasn't changed much since last time I had it (Christmas 2019) and I think it probably has many years left at this level, but it is in such a good place now that I see all the risks of cellaring as being on the downside and I don't see much reason to cellar further. If it were under screw cap, I would feel more confidence in holding, though I still would not see much point.
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Drank together with 2001 Altesino Alte d'Altesi at a long overdue lunch at Bymark. Deep garnet in colour. Dark red and black fruit, spice and tobacco complexity. Palate was balanced, tannins soft and well integrated. Long finish. This has years ahead of itself. I struggle to compare the two wines. The Ornellaia showed more complexity and depth in the end but the Altesi gave me more immediate pleasure and a more appropriate food accompaniment.
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ancora super carico, grosso, 21 anni non ne hanno smorzato gli angoli, ne alleggerito il volume in bocca, sempre molto importante. Il naso tipico, grande prugna, boisé marcato, spezie. In bocca c’è la potenza, ma non l’eleganza. Un vino sicuramente ben fatto, ma non è il mio vino.
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Bright fruit on cassis and plum with spice, chocolate and leather. Intense and elegant at the same time.
Palate of magnificent intensity with a silky touch. The fruit is pure with earthy aromas and in the second wave flavors of sweet spices and tobacco. It's balanced with a longline acidity that stretches the juice and gives a lot of pleasure. The wine is tasty, just on its shelf of maturity. Great finish full of nobility, which opens gently to gain cocoa intensity over a superb length.
A great Bolgheri.
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lots of sediment in the bottle, dark and still slightly opaque. stunning super tuscan nose of stewed fruit, plum, cassis, spice, v earthy. palate is more of the same… big, hearty, bold, fruity and savoury. sensory overload in the best way. acidic pop mid palate and healthy tannic grip on the long finish. outstanding. based on tonight’s performance, there’s still likely a year or two left at peak.
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Stewed plum, blackberry compote, cassis, with cherry blossom, leather, and chocolate. Still signing with vibrant acidity though this brightness mutes within an hour, so would not overdo the decant. With time the deep dark fruit on the nose really dominates. Full bodied and tons of fruit on the palate, balanced with chewy earthy and leather notes. Delicious on its own, may be overpowered by a heavy meal. Drink now and over the next few years. Thanks again to #1or#2 for sharing this bottle with us.
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Un vin assez Bordelais, une certaine richesse, une texture et une matière intéressante, des tannins encore bien présents mais avec un beau touché soyeux, c’est encore assez jeune malgré les 20 ans, très bien mais ce n’est pas grand surtout compte tenu du millésime très qualitatif. 92-93
Very Bordeaux style wine, rich with a good texture, good structure, the tannins are still there but they have a nice silky feel, still very young despite the age, very good bottle but not great. 92-93
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Tasted double blind alongside the Solaia 2004. Both wines showed still rather young and will need more time to hit their peaks. The Solaia (94 pts) showed quite ripe with even some raisiny notes I don’t particularly like. Still, it slightly edged out the Ornellaia (93 pts) today as it was more open and slightly more complex. The Ornellaia however, showed more elegance and grace, a cooler, purer profile and should certainly reach a higher high once mature (easily in the 96-98 point range like the fantastic 1998).
TN: Medium expressive nose with a beautiful minerality, some tobacco and a hint of brett and mainly dark fruits. Not a super exciting nose. On the palate there is again this cool, fresh style with lots of minerality, herbs, tobacco and ripe but fresh dark fruits. A touch more fruit and sweetness would have been great but my impression is that it is a matter of time until this sweetness will be back. Medium complexity today but you could sense that there is more. The structure was fine with soft tannins and a well-integrated and rather high acidity. Medium+ length.
Decanting: Decanted for 3-4 hours. As it wasn’t me who decanted it I don’t know if more or less would have been better.
I have oft remarked that I have never had a great Ornellaia - good to very good but never great. The 2001 comes very close to greatness and I think younger vintages will indeed hit that mark under Axel's guidance.
Very nice warm (14.5%) big and rich, fruitcake, leather and cedar on the first taste. It is way more developed than an equivalent Bordeaux, really quite tertiary - more developed than I had hoped for. Alongside the tertiary notes the wine displays full bodied plum and fruit of the forest. Good acidity and tannin, together still providing grip and back bone. An initial slight gloopiness (reminiscent of an extracted Aussie Shiraz) had reduced after an hour of air. Long and complex. Drink now as I fear the fruit will recede and what will be left behind will not be so attractive.
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hit all the high notes for me. Beautifully integrated tannins, abundant dark fruit, structure and power. not over the hill at all. Should last 5 years more for sure. Perfect with bistecca alla fiorentina.
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Wow...what a powerful wine. This is no where near its peak. Double decanted 4 hrs before dinner and it was still developing 2 hours later. Lovely dusty nose, bit closed but full of fruit. Quite a fair bit of tannins that actually increased as time went on. Its a fruit driven wine that gives, and gives and gives that has a lengthy full finish. Would drive through rich pasta dish or steak but did not overwhelm light dishes either. Given 01 was a wet year, the wine did not suffer from the vintage. Its a great wine that will benefit from at least another 5 yrs aging. A super, Super Tuscan.
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Fantastic and great wine. Really came alive after an hour decant. Thrilling after 3 hours. Gorgeous lush fruit perfect tannin and acid. Beautiful expression of Tuscany at its best, better than any 01 Bordeaux but also confusingly reminiscent.
This wine keeps getting better with age. Popped and poured. The nose is just gorgeous and complex with black currant, tobacco, and leather. The palate is remarkably youthful at twenty years and the wine appears to be at early maturity. The palate shows layers of flavors of black fruit, tobacco and minerals rolling into a long finish. This will continue to improve.
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Uncorked for 2hrs but not decanted...tasted blind with group of 8. Initially there was funk on the nose which got better but never became pretty or delicate. Taste had youthful energy w/o any strong tannins. Lots of sentiment that should have been filtered. Overall just ok and certainly not distinguishable as Italian.
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So many notes on this wine. I have had it many times but this was my last, and best bottle.Just right now, and for the next ten years. Great wine making here.
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Decanted for 45 minutes- a wine that is in its prime and supremely balanced- this had a very nice finish with the cab sauv clearly representing this blend. No reason to wait but this will hold easily for a decade. Paired perfectly with bolognese and chicken stuffed with spinach and ricotta. Revisit 2025.
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Aerated in decanter 90 minutes; helpful. In top form, pretty much checking all the boxes. Rich, balanced, with a great depth, and persistence to the dark fruits, purple flowers. Should hold for years. Impressive. highly recommended
From riedel Bdx glass. From a freshly opened OWC, cellared since release. Garnet to rim, no fading at all. Nose of roasted earth/soil, cherry liqueur, cassis, menthol, anise, burned hazelnut. After two hours decant this is perfectly seamless on the palate, great mouthfeel, medium+ acid, medium but integrated tanning and long finish. Incredible, would suggest 1 hour decant for maximum pleasure.
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Magnifique couleur soutenu, brillante, sombre, très jeune malgré ses presque 20 ans, nez parfaitement équilibré, nez de rosée, entrée de forêt, chocolat, caramel, parfaitement mûr, très légère évolution, envoûtant, ne demande qu’à être pris en bouche, attaque franche, fruitée, aucune verdeur, fruité, parfaitement mûr, magnifique tannins ronds, encore présents et promettant un très beau potentiel, magnifique, grandiose, pour l’instant, le plus beau vin de ce confinement
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Slow oxed for three hours then decanted for 20 min. Lovely classic nose of black currant, black cherry and a touch of tobacco. The wine is full bodied and concentrated with just a tad of age showing. Ripe black and red fruits, with hints of tobacco and earth rolling up into a long satisfying finish. This is really terrific and can continue to age for at least a decade.
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Dark somber opulent wine, with pronounced flavors of prunes, wet tobacco, earth, eucalyptus, mint and a hint of truffles. It is well developed now and at its tertiary peak. Drink it now! Just wanted to add an important point that however esteemed this wine is, it is no higher on the quality scale than an average vintage of a second cru of Bordeaux. Lacks complexity and finesse to propel it into the higher rankings.
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Grosses Kino, noch so frisch und jung, leider die letzte Flasche, hat wahrscheinlich noch die beste Zeit vor sich. Der 07er eine Woche zuvor oder dieser, welcher passt mir besser? Beide!
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Very potent nose, assorted berries, some herbs, judicious oak. Palate is still showing a firm but cohesive mouthfeel and structure, long ripe red fruit finish. in a lovely spot
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The wine looks dark red, almost brick colored. On the nose strawberry and black currant (cassis). On the palate strawberry, dark red fruit, black pepper, tea, bell pepper, licorice and chocolate. Full bodied wine with nice smooth tannins. Given the drinking window I reckon it won't get any better than this. Drank this with Ragu Cinghiale - tradtional wild boar ragu from Tuscany (perfect match).
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A wine I have every Christmas while skiing ...... It's been interesting to watch it develop. As of Dec-18 it was certainly fully mature but showing no signs of being on a decline. To my mind it's a plateau that it will sustain for some time to come. A very enjoyable wine, classic in it's construction and beginning to acquire more tertiary interest. I know they say the Ornellaia's are getting better and better but so long as the recent vintages achieve the level of the 2001 all will be well with the world....
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Rich and can certainly be enjoyed but too much acidic lime .... why am I the only one that gets lime sometimes in reds? I must have said that 20+ times in 1500 reviews. Maybe others call it limestone, that's so much more intellectual.
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Stunning, stunning, stunning, stunning......brief decant and consumed alongside Bordeaux from 2000. This was the WOTN - and it wasn't even close. What else to say?
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Delicious. Dark, rich, long and strong! A great pleasure but no rush on his one. I think it is still on an upward slope and fruit will hold well for years.
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Absolutely stunning - best wine of the day and one-upped the close second best, Cos D 2004. Dark chocolate, black fruits, tobacco bitterness. So complex, luscious and seductive. Long and warm finish with a slight bitter coffee aftertaste. Felt so at home. The Cos D was elegant but the Ornellaia kept pushing boundaries. Unforgettable. Drinking at its peak now, and probably will hold for a couple more years
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Amazing. Had side by side with 96 Chateau Margaux (see note) however this stood almost punch for punch. On the nose, tabacco, oak and black fruits. At open, prior to decant I found it to be a little green but that settled away within 20 minutes. Lovely black fruits dominated by currant on the palate. Super long finish. This was an absolute gem. Perfect level of maturity, however, I think there is lots of life left (10+ years). What a beautiful wine and an absolute treat. Merry Christmas!
95+
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Short decant. Youthful color. Terrific nose with black currant, chocolate and flowers. The palate is driven by layers of black fruits, tobacco and chocolate cake. There is a lot of structure and tannin here which make me think this is still maturing and needs more time to strut its stuff but it’s already delicious so I think this will be a spectacular wine in five to ten years
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A very powerful wine which has not aged an inch. After an hour and a half of decanting, this is still a bit closed. The wine has a terrific nose of black fruit, tobacco. The palate is concentrated and focused if a little tannic. Black fruits, cassis, earth and minerals. There is a purity here that reflects the wines breeding. This wine is still early in its maturation curve and needs another 5 to 10 years to really show its stuff. At that time it may very well warrant a higher score.
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Backbone tannins indicate a long future. Never the less, a wonderful wine right now with a careful decant and enough air. Great way to celebrate a 30th. At Pane e Vino, the hands down best restaurant in Santa Barbara.
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Sat decanted for 1/2hr...In glass was initially tight, but you could tell nose would open with a little more time...Another 1/2hr nose came around nicely. Dark red fruit, full bodied flavors...Wine of the evening...
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Still quite deep and dark of colour. Complex nose of blood plum, cassis, tobacco, sweet cedar and purple flowers. It is glossy in the mouth with concentrated fruit flavours and plenty of savoury nuance. For a wine of good size it is impeccably proportioned and balance is outstanding. Tannins are sweet and spherical and length is impressive. A very classy wine that is still extremely youthful.
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Dark red. Very intense concentrated nose, Furniture polish, black cherry and menthol. As I swirl and sniff I detect a hint of what should become cedar box. Delicious rich black cherry and menthol flavours. The finish is very tannic and tastes like Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a baby. Not as Bordeaux like as Sassicaia. More new world. It had a lot in common with the 2001 Don Melchor served earlier in the night.
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nose - floral, oak, cinnamon, and with airtime the funk emerged and got stronger mouth - powerful dark fruit, piercing and potent, yet elegant with nice minerality. with time in the glass this kept on getting better. tasted blind and certainly preferred over the '01 Masseto.
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Massive, almost black in colour. On the nose plenty of dark fruits with quite a lot of oak. Full bodied, with dark, sweet fruit and quite tannic. Still elegant in it´s richness and also very long. A great wine!
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Outstanding wine!! The great 2001 vintage in Tuscany is holding up very well as this was the best Ornellaia I've ever had. Flavor explosion yet extremely balanced all the way through. Perfect tannins and very long finish. I believe this bottle is entering the early stages of it's drinking window but still has many yrs left to develop.
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1967 Dinner with FV and Friends: Olives, blackberry, raspberry, spice, dark violet florals on the nose. Seriously beautiful on the palate, great purity of fruit there while also still being perfumed and pretty. Really great length, this is delicious and should become even better with more time.
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Blackberry, blackcurrant, lavender and charcoal. Intense, balanced, dense tannin structure, terrific length. This is still very youthful and yet to take on much developed complexity. When it does, look out. Suggest leaving for 10 years or so. This delivered on its high price and reputation. (96 Superb wine)
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Cork in pristine condition. Had bottle upright for 24 hours, and decanted through a strainer to catch sediment. Slow o'd for 6 hours before drinking.
Wine was clear, dark, purple with no visible signs of aging. Great nose of dark chocolate, black berries, cigar box, the nose lasted for the entire evening. Taste had plenty of fruit but with some oak poking through and tannins had resolved and was only playing a supporting role. Finish was long. Very much in balance and I would say into the start of its peak drinking window. Should stay here for a number of years to come.
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So we've had this bottle at least seven times. Always been one of my favorite wines. This bottle though was not quite as good. Don't think it was a question of bottle variation. Nothing was particularly wrong with it. Just didn't have the freshness and pizazz of previous bottles. Could be entering a different phase of its life or perhaps it was bottle variation.
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Toujours très bon, il était une petite coche en dessous cette fois-ci. Un peu plus d'oxydation et peut-être un soupçon de bouchon qui lui enlevait de sa superbe habituelle.
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Our last 2001 of the year. Rich and delicious, as always. Noted some darker fruits than previous bottle. No less fresh, but I'm wondering if there is a slow change happening at this point and the wine may be entering a slightly different phase in its evolution. Still very highly recommended.
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Smooth, balanced and silky with a soft caressing finish with a bit of tannins and notes of cassis and wood. Not as complex as it should be at this age.
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So this is a tough one to rate. Have been fortunate enough to have had this wine twice earlier in the year, including at C's bday in SF. This bottle was still very nice, good fruit, nothing flawed. Nonetheless, it wasn't as exuberant or as lush as the two previous bottles. Finish didn't go on as long either. Still wonderful, but not blow your mind great like the others.
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Ce grand vin ne déçoit jamais: Il est beau, il sent bon et la bouche se régale à chaque gorgée. Décanté pendant deux heures avant le service, il commençait à peine à se révéler. Dommage que le prix ne cesse de monter...
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My first Ornellaia. Decanted 2 hours. Super dark and youthful looking. Wonderful texture, beautiful dark cherry fruit with hints of tobacco, leather. olive, and some gaminess. The fruit was balanced by grippy tannins and minerality that preserved its youthfulness. Fantastic companion to the variety of dishes we ordered. Having said this, I wasn't blown away given the hefty price tag. Just sayin'...
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Very strong, ultra-ripe nose with notes of cassis and black plums. Quite full and ripe on the entry with a decadent opulence and flavors of black fruits and bitter chocolate. The finish saves the wine with good tannic grip and good mineral crunch. Just over the edge on ripeness for me so I can't take this all that seriously. Confirms for me why I collect Nebbiolo for aging over other alternatives in Italy.
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Mognad, men mycket frukt och kraft kvar. Torkad frukt, källare, fat toner, riktigt stort vin, fantastisk balans och karaktär, stor kropp, långt slut! Perfekt kombination av mognad och kraftfull fruktighet!!
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Perfectly stored, cork was a bit soft with some red colouring but fine.
An amazing wine and drinking wonderfully. A really pretty nose of black fruit and tobacco. Very well balanced on the palate with thick fruit and 14.5% alcohol. Round character with flavours of cassis laced with cherry with overtones of pencil shavings giving the wine an earthiness profile that is quite lovely. Colour remains purple to the eye but looks can be deceiving, this wine is tasting amazingly refined now. I suggest 2021 for those with confidence in their cellar. Superb!
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this was fantastic. such a pretty nose. decanted for about 30 minutes and started drinking right away. a bit of Ch Margaux in this to me - floral, some earth, light tobacco hints - really gorgeous perfume. feminine and perfect weight in the mouth with a long long finish. I could drink this all night long...
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Deep ruby red, still purplish on the edges, nice nose of currants and red fruits, still surprisingly tight, nice acidity and tannins. Started to show better after some time in the glass. No rush to drink if you have some left. Hold for a few more years.
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from Mag and together with a 2006 Sassicaia (also Mag), 3hr decant. Ornellaia with a clear head start - fantastic nose and evolving a lot in the glass but also clearly less reserves compared to the Sassicaia which took a while but then showed its full potential. Very interesting comparison, no ,clear winner but Ornellaia definitely ready to drink while Sassicaia can stay in the cellar for several more years...
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This was a tremendous bottle. Absolutely loved it. Notes of graphite, licorice. Full bodied, lush, long finish, in such a great spot. Would highly recommend.
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structure:close to gd; intensity:gd; depth:close to gd; acidity:close to gd; complexity:close to gd; energy of fruits:gd
conclusion:it taste much better with the help of decanting tis time.showing sign of integration but cn be better.stil hve abudant sweet fruits here blending with some earthy notes.i reckon tis bttl shud nd another 3-5 yrs time to reach full maturity.94+
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First Big Wine night of 2015 (Extra Space): Aired in decanter for about an hour+. Tasted blind Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, cedarwood, blueberry, blackberry, dark cherry, blackcurrant. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, firm medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, earth, sweet capsicum, blackcurrant, blackberry, dark cherry. Long finish. Very good quality. Nice to drink now, but can still improve a bit more with more integration over the next 2-3 years. Felt very Bordeaux-like, with a more ripe edge to it than most. Clearly Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc.
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This drank beautifully at NYE dinner 2014 alongside a CA cabernet, a Grand Cru St.-Emilion & a Aussie cabernet/shiraz. Had more in common with the Bordeaux than the others. Proof that Tuscany can do Bordeaux blends.
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Did not enjoy this bottle as my last one. Seemed a bit off to me. Color didn't look right and was cloudy. The wine tasted of yeast and had a very short finish.
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Bright ruby turning crimson at the rim with an effervescent nose of eucalyptus, currants, dried herbs, tobacco. The palate is full-bodied, boldly-flavored on 14.5% alcohol yet gorgeously silky with bright acidity. Flavors of dark cherry, black currant, licorice, cigar box, espresso, cowhide leather, toffee, and dried oregano form the core. Very balanced, graceful, layered, and elegant. Rivals the 2007, but with more finesse and grace. Has a 1-minute finish on ultra-refined tannins with hints of mint, caramel and vanilla. Beautiful! One of the best from Ornellaia. Drink now with a 15-minute decant until 2021. 97+
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Deep garnet colored with a very expressive and charecterful nose which has tertiary aromas but is still very vibrant and youthful. Cedar nuances together with earthy notes, pronounced herbaceousness and savory characters like soy sauce, tobacco leaves, bitter chocolate and spices from oak. Full-bodied with firm youthfull tannins, and high but balancing acidity, it has deep flavour which combines ripe fruit with savoriness. It has the potential to develop further but it drinks beautifully now. Complex, powerful, big withoug being heavy and great with food. A remarkable wine!
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Drank alongside the Dominus from the same vintage, this was a totally different wine and the company was divided with Stefanos prefering the more angular and savory character of Ornellaia and Yiannis (not me) voting for the roundness and harmony of Dominus. I finally decided to score both wines 95 since they were both great, each in its own right. Dark garnet color. Nose reminiscent of a high end left bank Bordeaux with cedar, red and darker cherry, capsicum, spice, earty and meaty scents and noticeable oak (oak integration is a point were Dominus had clearly the edge). Full-bodied with firm and slightly drying tannins, big fruit, power and medium to high acidity. Very long aftertaste. Clearly further from its peak compared to the Dominus, more savory, less sweet but almost equally enjoyable, especially with the roasted lamb we were having for dinner.
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TN form day 2. Initially poured then decanted for a couple hours, the rebottled- recorked overnight.
Youthfully powerful with ripe cassis, stony fruits, some chocolate, fresh tobacco leaves, and some spice. Dense, and I like Jeremy's "creamy" descriptor, yet the flavors are not heavy. Still youthfully powerful and while it has layers already and will develop more over time, it lacks nuance at present. Impressive? Yes, very much so, but it's lacking a bit of subtlety at this point in time. This is very well done and has the sweetness and depth of fruit that I love in this region's Bordeaux varietal wines. I have little doubt it will develop into a very special wine, but for me this is several years from peak. A beautiful, well proportioned Italian-Bordeaux wine that's only fault now is youth (for this admitted necrophile). If you like primary power with some early secondary changes, it is in a great spot right now with a decant, but I will let my remaining bottles sit for several years. 94+
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Dense and creamy, bursting with cassis fruits threaded with tobacco. There's a pleasant floral perfume as the wine breathes and it is beautifully crafted, with no hair out of place and a long finish carried by sweet, spherical tannins.
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Enough tasting notes have been written about this wine and I'd only add that it has firmly entered its drinking window and will reside there happily for at least another 5-7 years. Lovely wine, drinking nicely, in a way that is delicious and not terribly challenging for those less familiar with wine.
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Tett som blekk. Fruktig og ganske massiv nese samtidig som den har elegansen på plass. Solbær, blåbær og lær. Intens og kjølig i munn. Godt integrerte fat. Solid tanninstruktur med rikelig både av frukt- og fattanniner. Kaffe og sjoko i finnish. Flott syre og god balanse. Lang. Utvikler seg flott. Denne ble dekantert kl 16:00 og var fortsatt i positiv utvikling klokken 01:00.
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Had this with grilled tenderolin file and just picked chanterelles. Nose is loaded with cigar box, dried plums, ripe banana and some leather. Taste is powerful, yet elegant with banana, plums, tobacco and black pepper. Some lovely minerals in the end that even balance with the packed heat in this one. I must say that this was painfully young and I regret opening this at this stage. In 10 years I think I would rate this at least 95. Still, this was the best red I have drunk so far. Wounderful!
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This is a great wine.It has garnet color and a nose full of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and black currant (cassis).Mouth is also full of black currant (cassis), blackberry, and vanilla.Medium-full bodied with an excellent balance.The silky texture gives an extra elegance while it finishes long with a very long aftertaste. I think that 3-5 years from now will improve it.Great wine-great effort.
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- Brick color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - Rich aroma and full bodied that was consumed with Italian seasoned steaks after breathing five hours. Second bottle drunk next afternoon having breathed for 24 hours and was much smoother and had better legs and body.
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Tappo perfetto intriso solo nella prima parte e ben morbido. Colore profondo, aroma deciso con richiamo di frutti di bosco maturi. In bocca è perfetto nella parabola di invecchiamento e richiama subito una decisa sensazione di potenza. Richiama una decisa nota di mirtilli e di cioccolato. Buona la durata finale. La nota di estrema potenza lo fa quasi un vino da masticare. Perfect cap soaked in the first part, well soft. Deep color, aroma with hints of ripe berries. In the mouth is perfect in the parable of aging and immediately brings a strong sense of power. Recall a strong touch of blueberry and chocolate. Good expiration date. The note of extreme power makes it almost a wine gum.
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Madonna di Campilio Ski Trip; 1/18/2013-1/19/2013 (Madonna di Campilio): Young, very early in its drinking window. We decanted it for 30 minutes (restaurant purchase) but ot did very little to "relax" this wine. Dark dense in colour. Youthfull. The nose is open, bordeaux-esque, quite a bit of sweet notes from the oak. On the palate it is young and tannic, sharp and reserved. The density of fruit is there and has the stuffing to go a long way but at this stage it is not very giving. An old school supertuscan that requires aging. A low 92 from us at the moment but has a lot way to go and for sur ewill improve. 92+ and wait a few more years.
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A very polished wine that is also big and rich with ripe cassis and black cherry fruit. Thick and viscious with a plush, smooth texture and thoroughly ripe tannins. Really improved after a 2-hr double-decant. This is an impressive Ornellaia that is still fairly primary and it should show improved nuance and complexity on the finish as it ages further. 93+
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No formal notes. Drank at CinCin. Not as open as the 2001 Solaia and showing a bit more new worldish. More oak showing as well. Primary and riper fruits. Needs 5+ years. Excellent. 90+
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Medium garnet color. Nose shows some development but the wine is still far from peak. Nose is rather shy and exhibits sweet spice, black berry fruit together earthy and leather tones. Palate is very fine indeed with fine black tea, leather, licorice and wet forest floor flavors along the ripe berry fruit and the Tuscan earthiness. Flavors are expanding, there is tremendous intensity and length on the finish. Very good Ornellaia with aging potential.
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Ruby with a garnet rim with an evolved nose offering mature earthy aromas and meat around a core of black currants and chocolate. Oak is very well integrated. Big on palate but with grace and finesse offering freshness and fine-grained rounded tannins. Complex and multi-layered. ready to drink will keep for another decade at least.
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(Tenuta dell' Ornellaia vertical by Oenocosmos) Slightly evolved color, with a rather garnet hint. Mild in the nose, notes of fruits, earth. Feels evolved in the mouth too, tea leaves, leather, licorice and earth again. Medium aftertaste
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Lush, extravagant aromas with a New World character of ultra ripe fruit, lots of oak and plenty of dark chocolate. Still very fresh and somewhat primary on palate, also still rather oak-driven, I would expect this will pick up nuance and complexity over the next decade.
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Decanted for one hour. Complex nose that opened over 2 hours. The palate was layered with beautiful dark fruit spicy minerality and a long finish. Very smooth. A great wine to celebrate 15 years with my lovely wife.
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Decanted and drank over 2hrs. Nose opened up after a while to reveal deep dark fruits, some coffee and chocolate notes as well. The palate was dense and matched the nose. Plenty of tannin but the fruit is there to match. This is a huge wine and needs plenty of time. Try again in a few years.
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great but nt fantastic when drnk side by side with penfold grange.tis bttl realli nd time.i hve a feeling tat it wil nve eclipse grange 02.it lacks the finess n the superb intensity comparison to grange 02.i bought tis bttl arnd 320 sin dollars which i find is nt value for money based on tasting nw.tis bttl wil definitly improve in time,but i stil tink it does nt hve the finess frm grange 02 even if give time.in the meantime,i shall wait n c.
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A truly sensational wine that is nearing it's peak. Opulent without wearing it's celebrity status on it's sleeve. A wine to be appreciated slowly over the the course of a nice dinner. Has plenty of grip to extend it's prime drinking window by another decade.
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Fantastic wine! Very expressive nose with ceddar, cassis, red cherry, coffee, earthy minerality, sweet spice and nicely integrated oak. Med/full bodied with firm but excellent tannins, rich and bright fruit and balancing acidity. Persistent aftertaste. Great to drink now but will probably improve over the next decade.
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Expressive nose with nice new oak integration revealing blackcurrants, blackberries, coffee, chocolate with charcoal notes. Savoury and complete in palate with bright acidity and firm, clay textured tannins that balance generous alcohol and medium full body.Suberb concentration and solid structure with a slightly vegetal finish. Enoyable from now and forl at least 8 years more.
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decanted 1 hour. evloved in glass over 2 hours. Deep ruby, aromas of black fruit, oak, little earthiness. Tannins have softened, nice balace, long finish.
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Lovely wine, still young by my standards. It had an expansive nose with both oak and fruit obvious. It probably peaked at about the 2 hour mark after opening. Tannic at first, it softened quite a lot after an hour or so. It definitely had an earthy character to it as well as red and black fruit but seemed to be still evolving and somewhat non-descript at times. It may be better the next day as some other reviewers noted but I couldn't tell you since it was gone by then. Wonderful with lamb tenderloin!
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Super Tuscan evening (Raab at Burgatta): Dark red-black color Rich developed secondary leathery spicy aroma Rich dense full-body tannic structured balanced harmonious med after-taste
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I don't think I have met anyone who enjoys wine who does not appreciate Ornellaia. This vintage is a broad-shouldered, giant of a wine and is quite captivating. Still developing yet already seductive and voluptuous. Will be interesting to see its progress over the years and one suspects it will be rated higher as, hopefully, everything comes into alignment
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Decanted ; Color; bright, clear deep dark red nose; perfumed, cooked dark fruits, complex, Palate; oak, vanilla, sweet spices, cooked dark fruits, pomegranate. closed tight a very big flavor full body wine , not ready keep another 10 years before drinking
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Hedonistic Diner, Part 2 (Restaurant Le Défi, Sprang-Capelle): This was a very instructive eye-opener for me. Though ultra-international and modern in style, it was very obvious to me that it was NOT from Napa. No sweetness, mouthwatering acidity, very spicy, sweet tobacco, used leather. Very distinguished and classy. Slightly drying and chalky but ripe and showy tannines. A talented and extremely promising youngster! 18.5/20
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Not many notes; see my previous one. I did not bring this bottle. A still youthful and firm wine. Beautiful and complex and very sexy. Wait a few more years.
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Tasted this wine along a rather long period of time: Right after opening the bottle, hints of caramel and earthiness ruled in the nose. The taste was somewhat tight and spicy, tight tannins. After 2 hrs of decanting, the tannins became more round, but the taste started to get more spicy, vinegary. The taste followed the pickles. On the following day, after some 20 hrs from the opening, the wine had opened up even more; the vinegar and spicy attack was gone and the earthiness stepped in front. The wine improved significantly, and for this reason, the wine truly showed its greatness via complexity. Need to try this again, with some good veal stew perhaps.
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Beautiful bouquet with ripe fruits and beautiful smoky oak. On the palate good ripe fruits, chocolate and ripe and soft tannin with plenty of power. The wine is very well balanced, but needs more time to show its real merits. Wait 4+ years.
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Splash decant, and with apologies to the TX ofliners in San Antonio this weekend. Tight but meaty, mineral nose of cassis with a lifted earthy complexity. Plenty of licoric and spice on the attack but with a rampant tannic spine. A very backwards Ornellaia but potentially a spectacular effort. Harder to get to grips with than the approachable 2000 and 2003 and far more structured than the beatiful but slightly soppy 1997. I can see where Paul S is coming from with his "Pauillac" comment but this is unmistakably Tuscan. Really grippy long finish delivering that Ornellaia sugar paper note in spades. At 14.5% it's heady but beautifully balanced. Overall a bit monolithic at the moment but a stunning, terroir-driven Ornellaia. It's not quite ready (and will last for at least another 15 on this showing), but a benchmark. Ornellaia grows up with style. 95+
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Beautiful and generally well integrated. Not my favorite vintage, but still blows most other super tuscans out of the water. Would love to open another right now.
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A fantastic wine. Brought to restaurant and only decanted for an hour or so. Rich and balanced. I had a bottle 18 months ago and the wine has developed well over that time. Still improving.
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An excellent wine. Definitely needs to be decanted for 1 or 2 hours before. Had half the bottle last night and the rest today. It got even better 24 hours later.
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gorgeous nose of ripe dark fruit, complex and full bodied but finds a nice balance, love the minerality streak in the mouth. Prefer this over the Solaia from the same year.
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Sotheby's Pre-Auction Tasting (Sotheby's, New York): This was young in appearance, with a red fruit nose somewhere between a young bordeaux and a middle-aged CA cab. This was consequently a great bridge between the old world and new world portions of the tasting (good choice by Sotheby's in terms of the order and layout of the wines). Had a hard time figuring out the palate and would like to try it again down the road.
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Notes from memory, forgot my notes on the table. Nice bordeaux nose, but muted. This shows it have all it takes but you have to beat it a lot to get it to talk. I'll let the rest sleep for a few more years!
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Drank at the office - Eddee's bottle. Beautiful nose as it was splased into the decanter, with dark cassis notes wafting up into the room. The little tipple I used to clean out the decanter showed some toasty vanilla and hints of mocha from the oak, dark chocolate and lurking dark fruits. There was a high-toned, almost metallic minerality floating around somewhere in there as well, along with more of the dark cassis and berries buried in a little layer of loam. A little tight now, but very lush, very classy, and very nicely integrated. On the palate - wow. Tight again, but what fantastic balance! The cleanest and purest of cassis fruit wed to a flow of fresh, palate cleaning acidity and the very finest of tannic structures that just coats the mouth with a thin layer of grip. Very weighty and concentrated - quite a bit of extraction. It is tight here too, but superb integration throughout. A little bit of smoke, pencil shavings and tobaco leaf peeps around at the edges and a touch of bitter chocolate at the end. The wine closed in a gently resolving, but long finish that starts off with a touch of bitter chocolate and fades into wet leaf. More to come in an hour's time - need to give this guy some time to perfect his Pauillac imitation.
After a bit of time, that beautiful poise and balance seems to go atsray somewhat. Tannins have come to the fore somewhat, alcohol and acid sticks out rather awkwardly.Some heat swirled about rather distractingly.The wine then went through several phases - sweet vanilla essence came to the forefront, and then cassis notes. It took awhile to settle, but when it did it was really nice. Nose was all savoury wet leaf and undergowth along with plums and cassis and wafting Italian herbs. Palate had more of the clean, rich black fruit with elegant freshness, a touch of bitter chocolate and bramble and a plush finish with more tobacco leaf. It seemed a bit shorter then when we first started, but still left a nice impression. All in all, excellent, intriguing, but not entirely mind-blowing. Very young though - it may well get there in a decade or so. 93-94 at the moment.
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Had this wine twice in the past 3 years. Solid bdx-esc nose of blackberry and pain-grille and pencil shavings with the same replays on the palate. Smells and taste like a well-made classic bordeaux. Closed up soon after some time in the glass with an acidic and tannic structure. Needs quite a few more years to flesh out. 5+ Nice long fresh blackberry finish.
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20th Anniversary for Ornellaia (Crowne Plaza Hotel, Rome): From Magnum. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Dark, fading to garnet at rim; sediment. Earthy, minerally nose. High acidity, high alcohol, high/smooth tannins. Not as perfectly balanced as the others in the flight, with some components sticking out awkwardly. Very weighty on the palate, heavy body, concentrated.
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best bottle of anything to date. Unbelievable flavors with subtle hint of everything from vailla, chocolte to italian spice. once a fantastic bargain @$140 now almost impossible to acquire so so much for the 04- vintages, I'll let you know on the good st juliens of '00 with in two years.
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Classy and young with gorgeous flavors of slate, graphite and blackberries. Incredibly elegant and smooth and fairly big-boned with a deep, dark finish. Perhaps the most complete Ornellaia I've tried. Incredible to drink now but should improve for 5-10 more years. At Babbo, NYC. 94+
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NSMFW November Meeting (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Purple opaque color. A WOW nose of blackberry and cassis, slight cedar. Palate of intense briary fruits and cassis, smoke, violets, tobacco. Dense, thick mouthfeel and huge mouthwatering tannins. A baby but incredible. My WOTN.
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Elegância, finesse, complexidade, profundidade, estrutura, potencial, equilibrio, frescor, vivacidade, persistência. O que mais se pode querer num vinho? Excepcional. 95-96+
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Decantado por cerca de 4 horas. Corte de cabernet sauvignon (65%), merlot (30%) e cabernet franc (5%). NM. Aromas extremamente elegantes e complexos, com incomum profundidade. Apesar de bastante novo, situa-se naquele adorável rol dos vinhos que conseguem mesclar modernidade (grande concentração de fruta, potência) e características clássicas de um grande vinho: complexidade, finesse e, sobretudo, equilíbrio. Taninos finíssimos mas numerosos, com madeira elegante e bem dosada. Destaca-se ainda pela textura extremamente sedosa, aveludada e final de boca delicioso, interminável. Um dos melhores tintos que provei este ano. Estupendo. Excepcional.
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Dudes, Big and young, I decanted at the resturant, should have decanted before and carried, needs an hour or two, but great balance , nose, very primary now, i'll look for more and wait a few more years, to try again.
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Never disappointing. This remains one of my favorite Italian wines. Spring allergy season makes it difficult to pinpoint flavors and scents but the balance here is what stands out. Developing nicely.
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Rich, heady, plush on the nose and palate. Stacked with copious amounts of dark fruits. Clearly this wine has a great future and it drinks very well today. However, it really is quite one dimensional at the moment and I wonder whether it will ever develop greater complexity and, dare I say it, soul. I would never have picked it as a cab - indeed, it was a lot like the allegrini amarone I had last week...
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INCREDIBLY DENSE WINE. NOSE WENT FOR FOREVER, WITH DEEP BERRY FRUITS, NEVER STOPPED GETTING BETTER AND CLEARLY NEEDS SEVERAL MORE YEARS. VERY COMPLEX AND A LONG LINGERING FINISH.
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Decanted for about 45 minutes before the first sip then drank over the course of 1.5 hrs. Strong nose of red peppers w/ hints of red and black cherries jumps from the glass. Over the course of the next hour, the pepper scents and flavors blew off allowing more the red fruit and cassis flavors to shine. This wonderful wine unfolded nicely, and I think I'll be waiting a couple of years before cracking another one.
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Montreal Offline: Bordeaux and blends (Restaurant Chez Christophe): Tasted blind: Very deep ruby red. Nice beautiful floral nose with tar and a mixed basket of red fruits. Great mouth-feel, balance of tannins and acidity. Nice medium plus length. My WOTN #2, (Guessed this was Italian before the bag came off).
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Some Tuscans (Kungsholmen, Stockholm): Black currant, cedar, anise, marzipan (sweet oak?), espresso, and lots more going on in this big nose. Rich, full-bodied, harmonious with well-shaped, slick tannins and a long aftertaste. Very good now but still too young. Will probably be superb in a few years.
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Had this wine three different times in the past two months. Twice over dinner at Abboccato Restaurant in NYC (including their final bottle), and once at a Daniel Schuster wine tasting event in NYC, which was in a vertical of 2000, 2001 and 2002 Ornellaia. I enjoyed it very much, especially after decanting and consuming with the main course (pork). The last gulp was the best; very complex wine that opens up like a bandit with some air time. I give a slight edge for the 2000 in drinking today, but the 2001 is probably a superior keeper because it seems to have more chapters to tell that haven't come out yet.
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A well-balanced powerhouse out of the bottle. After 3 hours decanting a really streamlined nose showing cherry, some Bolgheri green notes, and earth undertones - not nearly as forward. Tight and, of course, very young but I get more of a sense of underlying fruit here than I've had before with the usually fairly tame Ornellaia. Well balance all the way through to the slightly coarse tannic finish that should allow for plenty of improvement with age. ****-/5 out of the bottle, ***/5 after decanting which really put this in a shell.
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Best of the Best Wine Class, Fall 05 (Farmington Community & Senior Center, Unionville, CT): Deep black-ruby in color. Ah Cabernet…this would have better followed the Margaux, but c'est la vie. Sweet, fragrant perfume of vanilla, black currant, anise, cloves, new leather, and wet earth. Terrific mouthful of kirsch and smoky black fruits, wrapped inside a luscious, creamy texture. Admirable balance of components and a minute-plus finish rounded out with sweet, fine tannins. Very approachable and fun to drink now, this would clearly hold it's own with a Medoc classified growth.
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From recent memory. On the occasion of a big birthday, we cracked on this bad boy and decanted for 4 hours. What an unbelievable treat! This wine, made in the most modern of styles, literally jumps out of the glass with black fruit and faint floral notes that I attribute to the Cab Franc. There is black pipe tobacco, asphalt and wet leaves mixed in with cassis, black cherries and oily leather. It was incredibly mouthfilling, balanced and round, with delicious mid palate and 90+ second finish. My only knock was a bit of heat that is to be expected. I do not think that this will have the longevity of a first growth but with the way that it is drinking right now, I really don't care.
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Italian Wine Primer (Rainbow Room, NYC): ($150) Deep purple color. Cabernet Franc dominant on the nose with peppers, leather, minimal fruit. Concentrated Bordeaux Blend, though obvious international influence. On the palate intense tannins, chocolate, dark fruit. Very young, but enjoyable nevertheless
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1/27/2024 - Bz21 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fab!!! Elegant. Spicy. Winner.
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1/20/2024 - heathenone@msn.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
In a perfect place, but likely age longer. Color is deep and clear. No bricking. Nose is quite complex and beautiful! Good density and mouthfeel. Fruit is vibrant and lingers on. Great with pasta at Spago in Bellagio.
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10/2/2023 - Leidersdorff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Awesome. Still lots of tannnins and fruit left. Very powerful and typical tuscan. Can last 10-20 years still. I would wait minimum 5 years if I had more bottles left.
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5/17/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mmm this is good! Needs to be decanted, growing and opening after an hour. Generous sweet black fruits, christingle: burnt orange and cloves, accompanied by very pure menthol. Cigar, tobacco. Long, complex. Drinking now, will last for years.
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2/10/2023 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark red color, beautiful nose of dark cherries, forest floor, tobacco. Good mix of primary and tertiary notes on the palate. Well built structure, pressure, tension - black cherries. Lasting very long and you get what you expect: a great wine at its peak now and for a few more years...
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2/4/2023 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spectacular. Perfectly balanced. Well blended. Very vibrant. Cherry and plum. Great finish. An excellent example!
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12/27/2022 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 96 Points
If there was an ode to the simple pleasures of abusive drinking then this might be it; Ornellaia, horny liar, always gets you higher, etc.
I feel lucky to have had two bottles of this vintage in recent years and it fully justifies its place in the ranks of the great wines of the world.
You need to decant this and give it about 6-8 hours to breathe before you see the best it has to give. I found it actually hit its peak after being left overnight in the decanter (yes, I am a lazy swine). I suspect that the less enthusiastic reviews may come from bottles that have not been given enough time to breathe. Early on it is very tannic, dominated by forest floor and dried herb and black olive.
Once it has time to breathe up you get all of the secondary, savoury aspects mentioned but also this core of quite lovely, plush dark fruit, almost wine gum.
The intensity and length are exemplary and the tannins are very fine, albeit in great quantity and they are so beautifully ripe that they almost have a sweetness to them. As I slither into decrepitude, I seem to be moving more and more to wines with a lot of savoury and textural focus and ripe tannins become a thing of beauty for me.
This is food wine par excellence and it worked an absolute treat with Roast Beef Rib in a crust of dried thyme, salt, pepper and Juniper berries. Test cricket and Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain in the breaks made a near perfect day on 27 December.
This wine hasn't changed much since last time I had it (Christmas 2019) and I think it probably has many years left at this level, but it is in such a good place now that I see all the risks of cellaring as being on the downside and I don't see much reason to cellar further. If it were under screw cap, I would feel more confidence in holding, though I still would not see much point.
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11/5/2022 - Malarky997 wrote: 91 Points
Almost bitter aftertaste
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11/4/2022 - Milos Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank together with 2001 Altesino Alte d'Altesi at a long overdue lunch at Bymark. Deep garnet in colour. Dark red and black fruit, spice and tobacco complexity. Palate was balanced, tannins soft and well integrated. Long finish. This has years ahead of itself. I struggle to compare the two wines. The Ornellaia showed more complexity and depth in the end but the Altesi gave me more immediate pleasure and a more appropriate food accompaniment.
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11/1/2022 - fadincvaros wrote: 90 Points
ancora super carico, grosso, 21 anni non ne hanno smorzato gli angoli, ne alleggerito il volume in bocca, sempre molto importante. Il naso tipico, grande prugna, boisé marcato, spezie. In bocca c’è la potenza, ma non l’eleganza. Un vino sicuramente ben fatto, ma non è il mio vino.
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10/29/2022 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bright fruit on cassis and plum with spice, chocolate and leather. Intense and elegant at the same time.
Palate of magnificent intensity with a silky touch. The fruit is pure with earthy aromas and in the second wave flavors of sweet spices and tobacco. It's balanced with a longline acidity that stretches the juice and gives a lot of pleasure. The wine is tasty, just on its shelf of maturity. Great finish full of nobility, which opens gently to gain cocoa intensity over a superb length.
A great Bolgheri.
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3/22/2022 - #1 or #2? wrote: 95 Points
lots of sediment in the bottle, dark and still slightly opaque. stunning super tuscan nose of stewed fruit, plum, cassis, spice, v earthy. palate is more of the same… big, hearty, bold, fruity and savoury. sensory overload in the best way. acidic pop mid palate and healthy tannic grip on the long finish. outstanding. based on tonight’s performance, there’s still likely a year or two left at peak.
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3/22/2022 - Uncle Victor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stewed plum, blackberry compote, cassis, with cherry blossom, leather, and chocolate.
Still signing with vibrant acidity though this brightness mutes within an hour, so would not overdo the decant. With time the deep dark fruit on the nose really dominates. Full bodied and tons of fruit on the palate, balanced with chewy earthy and leather notes. Delicious on its own, may be overpowered by a heavy meal. Drink now and over the next few years. Thanks again to #1or#2 for sharing this bottle with us.
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12/16/2021 - Mario17 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Un vin assez Bordelais, une certaine richesse, une texture et une matière intéressante, des tannins encore bien présents mais avec un beau touché soyeux, c’est encore assez jeune malgré les 20 ans, très bien mais ce n’est pas grand surtout compte tenu du millésime très qualitatif. 92-93
Very Bordeaux style wine, rich with a good texture, good structure, the tannins are still there but they have a nice silky feel, still very young despite the age, very good bottle but not great. 92-93
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8/17/2021 - awaxenberg wrote: 94 Points
Unbelievable drank at lillia in NYC
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8/7/2021 - Ralf Jung Likes this wine: 91 Points
Already clear signs of aging
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6/23/2021 - Cailles wrote: 93 Points
Tasted double blind alongside the Solaia 2004. Both wines showed still rather young and will need more time to hit their peaks. The Solaia (94 pts) showed quite ripe with even some raisiny notes I don’t particularly like. Still, it slightly edged out the Ornellaia (93 pts) today as it was more open and slightly more complex. The Ornellaia however, showed more elegance and grace, a cooler, purer profile and should certainly reach a higher high once mature (easily in the 96-98 point range like the fantastic 1998).
TN: Medium expressive nose with a beautiful minerality, some tobacco and a hint of brett and mainly dark fruits. Not a super exciting nose. On the palate there is again this cool, fresh style with lots of minerality, herbs, tobacco and ripe but fresh dark fruits. A touch more fruit and sweetness would have been great but my impression is that it is a matter of time until this sweetness will be back. Medium complexity today but you could sense that there is more. The structure was fine with soft tannins and a well-integrated and rather high acidity. Medium+ length.
Decanting: Decanted for 3-4 hours. As it wasn’t me who decanted it I don’t know if more or less would have been better.
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5/19/2021 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I have oft remarked that I have never had a great Ornellaia - good to very good but never great. The 2001 comes very close to greatness and I think younger vintages will indeed hit that mark under Axel's guidance.
Very nice warm (14.5%) big and rich, fruitcake, leather and cedar on the first taste. It is way more developed than an equivalent Bordeaux, really quite tertiary - more developed than I had hoped for. Alongside the tertiary notes the wine displays full bodied plum and fruit of the forest. Good acidity and tannin, together still providing grip and back bone. An initial slight gloopiness (reminiscent of an extracted Aussie Shiraz) had reduced after an hour of air. Long and complex. Drink now as I fear the fruit will recede and what will be left behind will not be so attractive.
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3/20/2021 - Mchiarot Likes this wine: 94 Points
hit all the high notes for me. Beautifully integrated tannins, abundant dark fruit, structure and power. not over the hill at all. Should last 5 years more for sure. Perfect with bistecca alla fiorentina.
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2/4/2021 - salua wrote: 96 Points
Wow...what a powerful wine. This is no where near its peak. Double decanted 4 hrs before dinner and it was still developing 2 hours later. Lovely dusty nose, bit closed but full of fruit. Quite a fair bit of tannins that actually increased as time went on. Its a fruit driven wine that gives, and gives and gives that has a lengthy full finish. Would drive through rich pasta dish or steak but did not overwhelm light dishes either. Given 01 was a wet year, the wine did not suffer from the vintage. Its a great wine that will benefit from at least another 5 yrs aging. A super, Super Tuscan.
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1/12/2021 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic and great wine. Really came alive after an hour decant. Thrilling after 3 hours. Gorgeous lush fruit perfect tannin and acid. Beautiful expression of Tuscany at its best, better than any 01 Bordeaux but also confusingly reminiscent.
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12/29/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine keeps getting better with age. Popped and poured. The nose is just gorgeous and complex with black currant, tobacco, and leather. The palate is remarkably youthful at twenty years and the wine appears to be at early maturity. The palate shows layers of flavors of black fruit, tobacco and minerals rolling into a long finish. This will continue to improve.
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12/25/2020 - Paul-SA wrote: 95 Points
Inky, metallic, fruit and herbs. Delicious
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12/19/2020 - wa2ofd wrote:
Uncorked for 2hrs but not decanted...tasted blind with group of 8. Initially there was funk on the nose which got better but never became pretty or delicate. Taste had youthful energy w/o any strong tannins. Lots of sentiment that should have been filtered. Overall just ok and certainly not distinguishable as Italian.
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12/3/2020 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
So many notes on this wine. I have had it many times but this was my last, and best bottle.Just right now, and for the next ten years. Great wine making here.
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11/28/2020 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes- a wine that is in its prime and supremely balanced- this had a very nice finish with the cab sauv clearly representing this blend. No reason to wait but this will hold easily for a decade. Paired perfectly with bolognese and chicken stuffed with spinach and ricotta. Revisit 2025.
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5/29/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Aerated in decanter 90 minutes; helpful. In top form, pretty much checking all the boxes. Rich, balanced, with a great depth, and persistence to the dark fruits, purple flowers. Should hold for years. Impressive. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine: 95 Points
From riedel Bdx glass. From a freshly opened OWC, cellared since release.
Garnet to rim, no fading at all.
Nose of roasted earth/soil, cherry liqueur, cassis, menthol, anise, burned hazelnut.
After two hours decant this is perfectly seamless on the palate, great mouthfeel, medium+ acid, medium but integrated tanning and long finish.
Incredible, would suggest 1 hour decant for maximum pleasure.
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4/11/2020 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 99 Points
Magnifique couleur soutenu, brillante, sombre, très jeune malgré ses presque 20 ans, nez parfaitement équilibré, nez de rosée, entrée de forêt, chocolat, caramel, parfaitement mûr, très légère évolution, envoûtant, ne demande qu’à être pris en bouche, attaque franche, fruitée, aucune verdeur, fruité, parfaitement mûr, magnifique tannins ronds, encore présents et promettant un très beau potentiel, magnifique, grandiose, pour l’instant, le plus beau vin de ce confinement
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1/26/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
Slow oxed for three hours then decanted for 20 min. Lovely classic nose of black currant, black cherry and a touch of tobacco. The wine is full bodied and concentrated with just a tad of age showing. Ripe black and red fruits, with hints of tobacco and earth rolling up into a long satisfying finish. This is really terrific and can continue to age for at least a decade.
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1/10/2020 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark somber opulent wine, with pronounced flavors of prunes, wet tobacco, earth, eucalyptus, mint and a hint of truffles.
It is well developed now and at its tertiary peak.
Drink it now!
Just wanted to add an important point that however esteemed this wine is, it is no higher on the quality scale than an average vintage of a second cru of Bordeaux. Lacks complexity and finesse to propel it into the higher rankings.
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12/30/2019 - MM29 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Grosses Kino, noch so frisch und jung, leider die letzte Flasche, hat wahrscheinlich noch die beste Zeit vor sich. Der 07er eine Woche zuvor oder dieser, welcher passt mir besser? Beide!
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12/3/2019 - Stefan75 wrote: 95 Points
From DMag, red fruit but also some good evolvement into, no tertiary notes yet in this format, best Ornellaia I had so far
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12/1/2019 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Ad Hoc Christmas Celebration (Noble Rot Restaurant, Wellington, New Zealand): Beautiful Bordeaux lookalike. Harmonious, very Cabernet, textbook structure, fabulous breed, length, and layered complexity. A wine that absolutely delivers, and lives up to its reputation.
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11/22/2019 - AWBryce wrote:
Very potent nose, assorted berries, some herbs, judicious oak. Palate is still showing a firm but cohesive mouthfeel and structure, long ripe red fruit finish. in a lovely spot
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10/7/2019 - roelronken Likes this wine: 95 Points
The wine looks dark red, almost brick colored. On the nose strawberry and black currant (cassis). On the palate strawberry, dark red fruit, black pepper, tea, bell pepper, licorice and chocolate. Full bodied wine with nice smooth tannins. Given the drinking window I reckon it won't get any better than this. Drank this with Ragu Cinghiale - tradtional wild boar ragu from Tuscany (perfect match).
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9/28/2019 - daved Likes this wine: 98 Points
Absolutely singing right now. The finest super-tuscan I ever had the pleasure of drinking.
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9/3/2019 - BillyNelson Likes this wine: 93 Points
A wine I have every Christmas while skiing ...... It's been interesting to watch it develop. As of Dec-18 it was certainly fully mature but showing no signs of being on a decline. To my mind it's a plateau that it will sustain for some time to come. A very enjoyable wine, classic in it's construction and beginning to acquire more tertiary interest. I know they say the Ornellaia's are getting better and better but so long as the recent vintages achieve the level of the 2001 all will be well with the world....
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6/20/2019 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
gorgeous, ripe, wonderful mature character perfectly balanced
Double decanted 7 hrs prior
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6/11/2019 - jonleerhp Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous, integrated and velvety mouthfeel. Black currant, cherry, spice box. Lovely wine and shows why this wine is so coveted. Wish I had more
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5/24/2019 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich and can certainly be enjoyed but too much acidic lime .... why am I the only one that gets lime sometimes in reds? I must have said that 20+ times in 1500 reviews. Maybe others call it limestone, that's so much more intellectual.
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3/23/2019 - Kingdoberman wrote: 96 Points
Drinking perfectly right now. Strong nose of red fruit and cassis. Very long finish that is like velvet.
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2/28/2019 - sdsull wrote: 99 Points
Stunning, stunning, stunning, stunning......brief decant and consumed alongside Bordeaux from 2000. This was the WOTN - and it wasn't even close. What else to say?
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2/9/2019 - SteelerFan wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Dark, rich, long and strong! A great pleasure but no rush on his one. I think it is still on an upward slope and fruit will hold well for years.
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12/28/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 99 Points
this was an unbelievable wine that we were fortunate to drink with family at Bricco this x-mass holiday 2018
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12/25/2018 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely stunning - best wine of the day and one-upped the close second best, Cos D 2004. Dark chocolate, black fruits, tobacco bitterness. So complex, luscious and seductive. Long and warm finish with a slight bitter coffee aftertaste. Felt so at home. The Cos D was elegant but the Ornellaia kept pushing boundaries. Unforgettable. Drinking at its peak now, and probably will hold for a couple more years
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12/25/2018 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing. Had side by side with 96 Chateau Margaux (see note) however this stood almost punch for punch. On the nose, tabacco, oak and black fruits. At open, prior to decant I found it to be a little green but that settled away within 20 minutes. Lovely black fruits dominated by currant on the palate. Super long finish. This was an absolute gem. Perfect level of maturity, however, I think there is lots of life left (10+ years). What a beautiful wine and an absolute treat. Merry Christmas!
95+
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11/19/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Grüner Veltliner & Super Tuscan Tasting (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Tasted blind. Mature but lively appearance; mature nose, vinous, warm and glowing, attractive; fresh and structured palate, some juicy fruit, spices and earth; good resonance and length. Good rather than great.
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11/19/2018 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Grüner Veltliner & Super-Tuscans @ VINEUM (Vineum, Rotterdam): Tasted blind @ VINEUM. Not a great bottle this probably, a bit disappointing when we knew it was 2001 Ornellaia. Too mature already? Again, could be just this bottle...
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11/3/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
Short decant. Youthful color. Terrific nose with black currant, chocolate and flowers. The palate is driven by layers of black fruits, tobacco and chocolate cake. There is a lot of structure and tannin here which make me think this is still maturing and needs more time to strut its stuff but it’s already delicious so I think this will be a spectacular wine in five to ten years
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9/20/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is a fabulous wine. Beautiful dark fruit, well integrated tannins, earthy yet silky full body with great mouth feel.
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6/17/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
A very powerful wine which has not aged an inch. After an hour and a half of decanting, this is still a bit closed. The wine has a terrific nose of black fruit, tobacco. The palate is concentrated and focused if a little tannic. Black fruits, cassis, earth and minerals. There is a purity here that reflects the wines breeding. This wine is still early in its maturation curve and needs another 5 to 10 years to really show its stuff. At that time it may very well warrant a higher score.
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6/15/2018 - sbbulldog wrote:
Backbone tannins indicate a long future. Never the less, a wonderful wine right now with a careful decant and enough air. Great way to celebrate a 30th. At Pane e Vino, the hands down best restaurant in Santa Barbara.
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3/11/2018 - hargy Likes this wine: 90 Points
very muted both on the nose and the palate - has miles to go - leave
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3/10/2018 - wa2ofd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sat decanted for 1/2hr...In glass was initially tight, but you could tell nose would open with a little more time...Another 1/2hr nose came around nicely. Dark red fruit, full bodied flavors...Wine of the evening...
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2/25/2018 - johnh1001 wrote: 93 Points
If taste of blind, I would've thought this was a Rhone. Nice ripe red and black fruit. Touch of raisin.
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2/16/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Still quite deep and dark of colour. Complex nose of blood plum, cassis, tobacco, sweet cedar and purple flowers. It is glossy in the mouth with concentrated fruit flavours and plenty of savoury nuance. For a wine of good size it is impeccably proportioned and balance is outstanding. Tannins are sweet and spherical and length is impressive. A very classy wine that is still extremely youthful.
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1/27/2018 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Dark red. Very intense concentrated nose, Furniture polish, black cherry and menthol. As I swirl and sniff I detect a hint of what should become cedar box. Delicious rich black cherry and menthol flavours. The finish is very tannic and tastes like Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a baby. Not as Bordeaux like as Sassicaia. More new world. It had a lot in common with the 2001 Don Melchor served earlier in the night.
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1/7/2018 - soyhead Likes this wine:
nose - floral, oak, cinnamon, and with airtime the funk emerged and got stronger
mouth - powerful dark fruit, piercing and potent, yet elegant with nice minerality. with time in the glass this kept on getting better. tasted blind and certainly preferred over the '01 Masseto.
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12/19/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
This wine could not have been better. It was elegant and beautifully crafted. Black fruit, minerality and structure.
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12/1/2017 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 94 Points
Massive, almost black in colour. On the nose plenty of dark fruits with quite a lot of oak.
Full bodied, with dark, sweet fruit and quite tannic. Still elegant in it´s richness and also very long. A great wine!
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9/25/2017 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Lots of fruit and tannins. Needs at least 5 more years, maybe more.
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9/5/2017 - MatthewVino Likes this wine: 97 Points
Outstanding wine!! The great 2001 vintage in Tuscany is holding up very well as this was the best Ornellaia I've ever had. Flavor explosion yet extremely balanced all the way through. Perfect tannins and very long finish. I believe this bottle is entering the early stages of it's drinking window but still has many yrs left to develop.
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8/20/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
1967 Dinner with FV and Friends: Olives, blackberry, raspberry, spice, dark violet florals on the nose. Seriously beautiful on the palate, great purity of fruit there while also still being perfumed and pretty. Really great length, this is delicious and should become even better with more time.
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7/6/2017 - G.M. wrote: 96 Points
Blackberry, blackcurrant, lavender and charcoal. Intense, balanced, dense tannin structure, terrific length. This is still very youthful and yet to take on much developed complexity. When it does, look out. Suggest leaving for 10 years or so. This delivered on its high price and reputation. (96 Superb wine)
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7/2/2017 - deejay81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork in pristine condition. Had bottle upright for 24 hours, and decanted through a strainer to catch sediment. Slow o'd for 6 hours before drinking.
Wine was clear, dark, purple with no visible signs of aging. Great nose of dark chocolate, black berries, cigar box, the nose lasted for the entire evening. Taste had plenty of fruit but with some oak poking through and tannins had resolved and was only playing a supporting role. Finish was long. Very much in balance and I would say into the start of its peak drinking window. Should stay here for a number of years to come.
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6/30/2017 - kenthargis wrote: 87 Points
So we've had this bottle at least seven times. Always been one of my favorite wines. This bottle though was not quite as good. Don't think it was a question of bottle variation. Nothing was particularly wrong with it. Just didn't have the freshness and pizazz of previous bottles. Could be entering a different phase of its life or perhaps it was bottle variation.
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5/25/2017 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Best Ornellaia I've had. Fully bodied, deep cherry fruit.
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5/6/2017 - millesime66 wrote: 92 Points
Toujours très bon, il était une petite coche en dessous cette fois-ci. Un peu plus d'oxydation et peut-être un soupçon de bouchon qui lui enlevait de sa superbe habituelle.
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1/2/2017 - kenthargis wrote: 94 Points
Our last 2001 of the year. Rich and delicious, as always. Noted some darker fruits than previous bottle. No less fresh, but I'm wondering if there is a slow change happening at this point and the wine may be entering a slightly different phase in its evolution. Still very highly recommended.
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12/29/2016 - Sirmika wrote: 91 Points
Schon über den Zenit. Nichts besonderes mehr.
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11/27/2016 - BaroloRob wrote: 93 Points
Needs more time to resolve tannins.
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11/6/2016 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in Washington, CT -- this was lovely. Still quite young, definitely needs a few hours of air. Rich fruit, firm structure, really solid stuff!
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8/15/2016 - Lype Likes this wine:
Very attractive and good, a strong vintage for Ornellaia and drinking well now.
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7/21/2016 - millesime66 wrote: 94 Points
Encore une coche de plus que pour la dernière: quel vin magnifique et resté bien jeune! Tiendra encore 5 ans et +.
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6/2/2016 - dream wrote: 88 Points
Smooth, balanced and silky with a soft caressing finish with a bit of tannins and notes of cassis and wood. Not as complex as it should be at this age.
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2/15/2016 - kenthargis wrote: 94 Points
So this is a tough one to rate. Have been fortunate enough to have had this wine twice earlier in the year, including at C's bday in SF. This bottle was still very nice, good fruit, nothing flawed. Nonetheless, it wasn't as exuberant or as lush as the two previous bottles. Finish didn't go on as long either. Still wonderful, but not blow your mind great like the others.
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1/31/2016 - millesime66 wrote: 93 Points
Ce grand vin ne déçoit jamais: Il est beau, il sent bon et la bouche se régale à chaque gorgée. Décanté pendant deux heures avant le service, il commençait à peine à se révéler. Dommage que le prix ne cesse de monter...
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12/19/2015 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first Ornellaia. Decanted 2 hours. Super dark and youthful looking. Wonderful texture, beautiful dark cherry fruit with hints of tobacco, leather. olive, and some gaminess. The fruit was balanced by grippy tannins and minerality that preserved its youthfulness. Fantastic companion to the variety of dishes we ordered. Having said this, I wasn't blown away given the hefty price tag. Just sayin'...
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11/4/2015 - dream wrote: 88 Points
Very strong, ultra-ripe nose with notes of cassis and black plums. Quite full and ripe on the entry with a decadent opulence and flavors of black fruits and bitter chocolate. The finish saves the wine with good tannic grip and good mineral crunch. Just over the edge on ripeness for me so I can't take this all that seriously. Confirms for me why I collect Nebbiolo for aging over other alternatives in Italy.
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10/31/2015 - zazoo wrote: 98 Points
So good.....
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9/9/2015 - Markus IWC wrote: 96 Points
Mognad, men mycket frukt och kraft kvar. Torkad frukt, källare, fat toner, riktigt stort vin, fantastisk balans och karaktär, stor kropp, långt slut! Perfekt kombination av mognad och kraftfull fruktighet!!
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7/25/2015 - Happy Sommelier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfectly stored, cork was a bit soft with some red colouring but fine.
An amazing wine and drinking wonderfully. A really pretty nose of black fruit and tobacco. Very well balanced on the palate with thick fruit and 14.5% alcohol. Round character with flavours of cassis laced with cherry with overtones of pencil shavings giving the wine an earthiness profile that is quite lovely. Colour remains purple to the eye but looks can be deceiving, this wine is tasting amazingly refined now. I suggest 2021 for those with confidence in their cellar. Superb!
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6/21/2015 - winelover1808 wrote: 95 Points
this was fantastic. such a pretty nose. decanted for about 30 minutes and started drinking right away. a bit of Ch Margaux in this to me - floral, some earth, light tobacco hints - really gorgeous perfume. feminine and perfect weight in the mouth with a long long finish. I could drink this all night long...
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3/29/2015 - ben3723 wrote: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly but can still last at least another 3-5 years. Paired well with venison & NY strip.
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3/14/2015 - vinaigre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby red, still purplish on the edges, nice nose of currants and red fruits, still surprisingly tight, nice acidity and tannins. Started to show better after some time in the glass. No rush to drink if you have some left. Hold for a few more years.
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2/17/2015 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 94 Points
from Mag and together with a 2006 Sassicaia (also Mag), 3hr decant. Ornellaia with a clear head start - fantastic nose and evolving a lot in the glass but also clearly less reserves compared to the Sassicaia which took a while but then showed its full potential. Very interesting comparison, no ,clear winner but Ornellaia definitely ready to drink while Sassicaia can stay in the cellar for several more years...
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2/10/2015 - SteelerFan wrote: 96 Points
Terrific wine. Dark ruby color, great nose. Cedar, leather, smooth tannins and deep berry. Long finish. Very much ready, but should be no rush.
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1/11/2015 - kenthargis wrote: 96 Points
This was a tremendous bottle. Absolutely loved it. Notes of graphite, licorice. Full bodied, lush, long finish, in such a great spot. Would highly recommend.
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1/7/2015 - clairenclarence wrote: 94 Points
decant 1 hr
nose;vanilla,spice,plum,coffee bean
structure:close to gd; intensity:gd; depth:close to gd; acidity:close to gd; complexity:close to gd; energy of fruits:gd
conclusion:it taste much better with the help of decanting tis time.showing sign of integration but cn be better.stil hve abudant sweet fruits here blending with some earthy notes.i reckon tis bttl shud nd another 3-5 yrs time to reach full maturity.94+
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1/7/2015 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 94 Points
First Big Wine night of 2015 (Extra Space): Aired in decanter for about an hour+. Tasted blind
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, cedarwood, blueberry, blackberry, dark cherry, blackcurrant. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, firm medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, earth, sweet capsicum, blackcurrant, blackberry, dark cherry. Long finish.
Very good quality. Nice to drink now, but can still improve a bit more with more integration over the next 2-3 years.
Felt very Bordeaux-like, with a more ripe edge to it than most. Clearly Cabernet Sauvignon dominant.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc.
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1/7/2015 - ed-d Likes this wine: 92 Points
This drank beautifully at NYE dinner 2014 alongside a CA cabernet, a Grand Cru St.-Emilion & a Aussie cabernet/shiraz. Had more in common with the Bordeaux than the others. Proof that Tuscany can do Bordeaux blends.
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12/17/2014 - mike410 wrote: flawed
Did not enjoy this bottle as my last one. Seemed a bit off to me. Color didn't look right and was cloudy. The wine tasted of yeast and had a very short finish.
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11/7/2014 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 97 Points
Bright ruby turning crimson at the rim with an effervescent nose of eucalyptus, currants, dried herbs, tobacco. The palate is full-bodied, boldly-flavored on 14.5% alcohol yet gorgeously silky with bright acidity. Flavors of dark cherry, black currant, licorice, cigar box, espresso, cowhide leather, toffee, and dried oregano form the core. Very balanced, graceful, layered, and elegant. Rivals the 2007, but with more finesse and grace. Has a 1-minute finish on ultra-refined tannins with hints of mint, caramel and vanilla. Beautiful! One of the best from Ornellaia. Drink now with a 15-minute decant until 2021. 97+
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7/14/2014 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet colored with a very expressive and charecterful nose which has tertiary aromas but is still very vibrant and youthful.
Cedar nuances together with earthy notes, pronounced herbaceousness and savory characters like soy sauce, tobacco leaves, bitter chocolate and spices from oak.
Full-bodied with firm youthfull tannins, and high but balancing acidity, it has deep flavour which combines ripe fruit with savoriness.
It has the potential to develop further but it drinks beautifully now.
Complex, powerful, big withoug being heavy and great with food.
A remarkable wine!
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7/12/2014 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank alongside the Dominus from the same vintage, this was a totally different wine and the company was divided with Stefanos prefering the more angular and savory character of Ornellaia and Yiannis (not me) voting for the roundness and harmony of Dominus. I finally decided to score both wines 95 since they were both great, each in its own right. Dark garnet color. Nose reminiscent of a high end left bank Bordeaux with cedar, red and darker cherry, capsicum, spice, earty and meaty scents and noticeable oak (oak integration is a point were Dominus had clearly the edge). Full-bodied with firm and slightly drying tannins, big fruit, power and medium to high acidity. Very long aftertaste. Clearly further from its peak compared to the Dominus, more savory, less sweet but almost equally enjoyable, especially with the roasted lamb we were having for dinner.
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6/13/2014 - cct wrote: 94 Points
TN form day 2. Initially poured then decanted for a couple hours, the rebottled- recorked overnight.
Youthfully powerful with ripe cassis, stony fruits, some chocolate, fresh tobacco leaves, and some spice. Dense, and I like Jeremy's "creamy" descriptor, yet the flavors are not heavy. Still youthfully powerful and while it has layers already and will develop more over time, it lacks nuance at present. Impressive? Yes, very much so, but it's lacking a bit of subtlety at this point in time. This is very well done and has the sweetness and depth of fruit that I love in this region's Bordeaux varietal wines. I have little doubt it will develop into a very special wine, but for me this is several years from peak. A beautiful, well proportioned Italian-Bordeaux wine that's only fault now is youth (for this admitted necrophile). If you like primary power with some early secondary changes, it is in a great spot right now with a decant, but I will let my remaining bottles sit for several years. 94+
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6/8/2014 - Frommen wrote: 96 Points
Lovely juice. Minerals, structure and finesse.
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5/21/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Dense and creamy, bursting with cassis fruits threaded with tobacco. There's a pleasant floral perfume as the wine breathes and it is beautifully crafted, with no hair out of place and a long finish carried by sweet, spherical tannins.
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12/8/2013 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Enough tasting notes have been written about this wine and I'd only add that it has firmly entered its drinking window and will reside there happily for at least another 5-7 years. Lovely wine, drinking nicely, in a way that is delicious and not terribly challenging for those less familiar with wine.
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8/4/2013 - obmoen wrote: 94 Points
Tett som blekk. Fruktig og ganske massiv nese samtidig som den har elegansen på plass. Solbær, blåbær og lær. Intens og kjølig i munn. Godt integrerte fat. Solid tanninstruktur med rikelig både av frukt- og fattanniner. Kaffe og sjoko i finnish. Flott syre og god balanse. Lang. Utvikler seg flott. Denne ble dekantert kl 16:00 og var fortsatt i positiv utvikling klokken 01:00.
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6/29/2013 - Dovberg wrote: 94 Points
Had this with grilled tenderolin file and just picked chanterelles. Nose is loaded with cigar box, dried plums, ripe banana and some leather. Taste is powerful, yet elegant with banana, plums, tobacco and black pepper. Some lovely minerals in the end that even balance with the packed heat in this one. I must say that this was painfully young and I regret opening this at this stage. In 10 years I think I would rate this at least 95. Still, this was the best red I have drunk so far. Wounderful!
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4/28/2013 - ntanik Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a great wine.It has garnet color and a nose full of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and black currant (cassis).Mouth is also full of black currant (cassis), blackberry, and vanilla.Medium-full bodied with an excellent balance.The silky texture gives an extra elegance while it finishes long with a very long aftertaste. I think that 3-5 years from now will improve it.Great wine-great effort.
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4/8/2013 - rh marcin wrote: 94 Points
- Brick color.
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4/8/2013 - rh marcin wrote:
- Brick color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - Rich aroma and full bodied that was consumed with Italian seasoned steaks after breathing five hours. Second bottle drunk next afternoon having breathed for 24 hours and was much smoother and had better legs and body.
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4/7/2013 - mezzasega wrote: 96 Points
Tappo perfetto intriso solo nella prima parte e ben morbido. Colore profondo, aroma deciso con richiamo di frutti di bosco maturi. In bocca è perfetto nella parabola di invecchiamento e richiama subito una decisa sensazione di potenza. Richiama una decisa nota di mirtilli e di cioccolato. Buona la durata finale. La nota di estrema potenza lo fa quasi un vino da masticare.
Perfect cap soaked in the first part, well soft. Deep color, aroma with hints of ripe berries. In the mouth is perfect in the parable of aging and immediately brings a strong sense of power. Recall a strong touch of blueberry and chocolate. Good expiration date. The note of extreme power makes it almost a wine gum.
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1/19/2013 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Madonna di Campilio Ski Trip; 1/18/2013-1/19/2013 (Madonna di Campilio): Young, very early in its drinking window. We decanted it for 30 minutes (restaurant purchase) but ot did very little to "relax" this wine. Dark dense in colour. Youthfull. The nose is open, bordeaux-esque, quite a bit of sweet notes from the oak. On the palate it is young and tannic, sharp and reserved. The density of fruit is there and has the stuffing to go a long way but at this stage it is not very giving. An old school supertuscan that requires aging. A low 92 from us at the moment but has a lot way to go and for sur ewill improve. 92+ and wait a few more years.
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12/17/2012 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very polished wine that is also big and rich with ripe cassis and black cherry fruit. Thick and viscious with a plush, smooth texture and thoroughly ripe tannins. Really improved after a 2-hr double-decant. This is an impressive Ornellaia that is still fairly primary and it should show improved nuance and complexity on the finish as it ages further. 93+
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12/8/2012 - godx wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes. Drank at CinCin. Not as open as the 2001 Solaia and showing a bit more new worldish. More oak showing as well. Primary and riper fruits. Needs 5+ years. Excellent. 90+
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11/2/2012 - Stefanos T. wrote: 94 Points
Medium garnet color. Nose shows some development but the wine is still far from peak. Nose is rather shy and exhibits sweet spice, black berry fruit together earthy and leather tones. Palate is very fine indeed with fine black tea, leather, licorice and wet forest floor flavors along the ripe berry fruit and the Tuscan earthiness. Flavors are expanding, there is tremendous intensity and length on the finish. Very good Ornellaia with aging potential.
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10/30/2012 - Dokken wrote: 97 Points
Ruby with a garnet rim with an evolved nose offering mature earthy aromas and meat around a core of black currants and chocolate. Oak is very well integrated. Big on palate but with grace and finesse offering freshness and fine-grained rounded tannins. Complex and multi-layered. ready to drink will keep for another decade at least.
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10/29/2012 - kostaslonis wrote: 91 Points
(Tenuta dell' Ornellaia vertical by Oenocosmos) Slightly evolved color, with a rather garnet hint. Mild in the nose, notes of fruits, earth. Feels evolved in the mouth too, tea leaves, leather, licorice and earth again. Medium aftertaste
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10/29/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 95 Points
Ornellaia Tasting organized by Oenocosmos (Vezenes Restaurant, Athens, Greece): Evolved and complex nose with blackberries, earthy minerality, meaty scents, chocolate and moccha. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins, rich fruit, balancing acidity and a very long aftertaste. To drink now or cellar for 5+ years.
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10/14/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Lush, extravagant aromas with a New World character of ultra ripe fruit, lots of oak and plenty of dark chocolate. Still very fresh and somewhat primary on palate, also still rather oak-driven, I would expect this will pick up nuance and complexity over the next decade.
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10/2/2012 - Uncle John wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour. Complex nose that opened over 2 hours. The palate was layered with beautiful dark fruit spicy minerality and a long finish. Very smooth. A great wine to celebrate 15 years with my lovely wife.
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9/23/2012 - Rocko1960 wrote: 93 Points
bought this wine on trip to Italy in 2008 on trip with inlaws and mary ann and randy in cinquterra
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5/31/2012 - Matt1973 wrote: 96 Points
Drank at the Drawing room, Hong Kong OMG! This is amazing, plenty of life left too. Rich, lush and fruity, long finnish too.
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4/22/2012 - johnh1001 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and drank over 2hrs. Nose opened up after a while to reveal deep dark fruits, some coffee and chocolate notes as well. The palate was dense and matched the nose. Plenty of tannin but the fruit is there to match. This is a huge wine and needs plenty of time. Try again in a few years.
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3/19/2012 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Crazily deep, dark, rich, spicy and thick fruit. Became very dry on the finish and clearly needs more time. Question is what will it become at age 30?
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3/10/2012 - clairenclarence wrote: 93 Points
great but nt fantastic when drnk side by side with penfold grange.tis bttl realli nd time.i hve a feeling tat it wil nve eclipse grange 02.it lacks the finess n the superb intensity comparison to grange 02.i bought tis bttl arnd 320 sin dollars which i find is nt value for money based on tasting nw.tis bttl wil definitly improve in time,but i stil tink it does nt hve the finess frm grange 02 even if give time.in the meantime,i shall wait n c.
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2/2/2012 - MauriceE wrote: 97 Points
At a "Best of Tuscany 2001" tasting this was exceptional. It outclassed even Masseto! A wow wine.
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1/18/2012 - Al-Vino wrote: 93 Points
A truly sensational wine that is nearing it's peak. Opulent without wearing it's celebrity status on it's sleeve. A wine to be appreciated slowly over the the course of a nice dinner. Has plenty of grip to extend it's prime drinking window by another decade.
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1/8/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic wine! Very expressive nose with ceddar, cassis, red cherry, coffee, earthy minerality, sweet spice and nicely integrated oak. Med/full bodied with firm but excellent tannins, rich and bright fruit and balancing acidity. Persistent aftertaste. Great to drink now but will probably improve over the next decade.
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1/8/2012 - Dokken wrote: 96 Points
Expressive nose with nice new oak integration revealing blackcurrants, blackberries, coffee, chocolate with charcoal notes. Savoury and complete in palate with bright acidity and firm, clay textured tannins that balance generous alcohol and medium full body.Suberb concentration and solid structure with a slightly vegetal finish. Enoyable from now and forl at least 8 years more.
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12/14/2011 - mike410 wrote: 95 Points
Fruit bomb after 10 years. This wine still has a few years before reaching it's peak. Very smooth, and very well balanced. Outstanding.
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11/12/2011 - G_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
10 Years Tasting (The same wines now and in 10 years) (Martin's House): Lots of cinnamon, round, soft and long. Very well balanced from start to finish. This is at it's peak now but might have less than 10 years of life ahead...
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11/11/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 96 Points
Nose of truffles, fruit, some suis bois. On the palate exploding flavours of cassis, herbs, coffee, chocolate, silky tannins. Quite spectacular.
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11/10/2011 - cabber wrote: 97 Points
decanted 1 hour. evloved in glass over 2 hours. Deep ruby, aromas of black fruit, oak, little earthiness. Tannins have softened, nice balace, long finish.
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10/15/2011 - oldwines wrote: 94 Points
Lovely wine, still young by my standards. It had an expansive nose with both oak and fruit obvious. It probably peaked at about the 2 hour mark after opening. Tannic at first, it softened quite a lot after an hour or so. It definitely had an earthy character to it as well as red and black fruit but seemed to be still evolving and somewhat non-descript at times. It may be better the next day as some other reviewers noted but I couldn't tell you since it was gone by then. Wonderful with lamb tenderloin!
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6/16/2011 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Super Tuscan evening (Raab at Burgatta): Dark red-black color
Rich developed secondary leathery spicy aroma
Rich dense full-body tannic structured balanced harmonious med after-taste
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4/30/2011 - pjaines wrote:
Cambridge University / CellarTracker Dinner (Pembroke College, Cambridge): Wow, this is young right now. Really big nose and sweet fruit bit woven with fine tannins. Quite a chewy toffee-like finish - this needs some time, but really has the making of a great wine.
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3/5/2011 - Whistler wrote: 94 Points
I don't think I have met anyone who enjoys wine who does not appreciate Ornellaia. This vintage is a broad-shouldered, giant of a wine and is quite captivating. Still developing yet already seductive and voluptuous. Will be interesting to see its progress over the years and one suspects it will be rated higher as, hopefully, everything comes into alignment
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11/12/2010 - Veritas 53 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted ;
Color; bright, clear deep dark red
nose; perfumed, cooked dark fruits, complex,
Palate; oak, vanilla, sweet spices, cooked dark fruits, pomegranate. closed tight a very big flavor full body wine , not ready keep another 10 years before drinking
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8/20/2010 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Hedonistic Diner, Part 2 (Restaurant Le Défi, Sprang-Capelle): This was a very instructive eye-opener for me. Though ultra-international and modern in style, it was very obvious to me that it was NOT from Napa. No sweetness, mouthwatering acidity, very spicy, sweet tobacco, used leather. Very distinguished and classy. Slightly drying and chalky but ripe and showy tannines. A talented and extremely promising youngster! 18.5/20
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8/20/2010 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Not many notes; see my previous one. I did not bring this bottle. A still youthful and firm wine. Beautiful and complex and very sexy. Wait a few more years.
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8/4/2010 - sembefu wrote: 92 Points
Tasted this wine along a rather long period of time:
Right after opening the bottle, hints of caramel and earthiness ruled in the nose. The taste was somewhat tight and spicy, tight tannins. After 2 hrs of decanting, the tannins became more round, but the taste started to get more spicy, vinegary. The taste followed the pickles.
On the following day, after some 20 hrs from the opening, the wine had opened up even more; the vinegar and spicy attack was gone and the earthiness stepped in front. The wine improved significantly, and for this reason, the wine truly showed its greatness via complexity. Need to try this again, with some good veal stew perhaps.
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6/1/2010 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful bouquet with ripe fruits and beautiful smoky oak. On the palate good ripe fruits, chocolate and ripe and soft tannin with plenty of power. The wine is very well balanced, but needs more time to show its real merits. Wait 4+ years.
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5/20/2010 - Khamen wrote: 95 Points
Splash decant, and with apologies to the TX ofliners in San Antonio this weekend. Tight but meaty, mineral nose of cassis with a lifted earthy complexity. Plenty of licoric and spice on the attack but with a rampant tannic spine. A very backwards Ornellaia but potentially a spectacular effort. Harder to get to grips with than the approachable 2000 and 2003 and far more structured than the beatiful but slightly soppy 1997. I can see where Paul S is coming from with his "Pauillac" comment but this is unmistakably Tuscan. Really grippy long finish delivering that Ornellaia sugar paper note in spades. At 14.5% it's heady but beautifully balanced. Overall a bit monolithic at the moment but a stunning, terroir-driven Ornellaia. It's not quite ready (and will last for at least another 15 on this showing), but a benchmark. Ornellaia grows up with style. 95+
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4/17/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful and generally well integrated. Not my favorite vintage, but still blows most other super tuscans out of the water. Would love to open another right now.
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4/9/2010 - cabber wrote: 96 Points
A fantastic wine. Brought to restaurant and only decanted for an hour or so. Rich and balanced. I had a bottle 18 months ago and the wine has developed well over that time. Still improving.
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4/6/2010 - rahimi wrote: 94 Points
An excellent wine. Definitely needs to be decanted for 1 or 2 hours before. Had half the bottle last night and the rest today. It got even better 24 hours later.
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11/23/2009 - Red Loki wrote: 92 Points
An excellent wine but a little less developed than a similar bottle we tasted. Needs more time to flesh out.
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11/19/2009 - PatrikO wrote: 95 Points
gorgeous nose of ripe dark fruit, complex and full bodied but finds a nice balance, love the minerality streak in the mouth. Prefer this over the Solaia from the same year.
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6/10/2009 - TheBusiness724 wrote: 90 Points
Sotheby's Pre-Auction Tasting (Sotheby's, New York): This was young in appearance, with a red fruit nose somewhere between a young bordeaux and a middle-aged CA cab. This was consequently a great bridge between the old world and new world portions of the tasting (good choice by Sotheby's in terms of the order and layout of the wines). Had a hard time figuring out the palate and would like to try it again down the road.
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1/24/2009 - vinaigre wrote: 94 Points
Notes from memory, forgot my notes on the table.
Nice bordeaux nose, but muted. This shows it have all it takes but you have to beat it a lot to get it to talk.
I'll let the rest sleep for a few more years!
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1/9/2009 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Drank at the office - Eddee's bottle. Beautiful nose as it was splased into the decanter, with dark cassis notes wafting up into the room. The little tipple I used to clean out the decanter showed some toasty vanilla and hints of mocha from the oak, dark chocolate and lurking dark fruits. There was a high-toned, almost metallic minerality floating around somewhere in there as well, along with more of the dark cassis and berries buried in a little layer of loam. A little tight now, but very lush, very classy, and very nicely integrated. On the palate - wow. Tight again, but what fantastic balance! The cleanest and purest of cassis fruit wed to a flow of fresh, palate cleaning acidity and the very finest of tannic structures that just coats the mouth with a thin layer of grip. Very weighty and concentrated - quite a bit of extraction. It is tight here too, but superb integration throughout. A little bit of smoke, pencil shavings and tobaco leaf peeps around at the edges and a touch of bitter chocolate at the end. The wine closed in a gently resolving, but long finish that starts off with a touch of bitter chocolate and fades into wet leaf. More to come in an hour's time - need to give this guy some time to perfect his Pauillac imitation.
After a bit of time, that beautiful poise and balance seems to go atsray somewhat. Tannins have come to the fore somewhat, alcohol and acid sticks out rather awkwardly.Some heat swirled about rather distractingly.The wine then went through several phases - sweet vanilla essence came to the forefront, and then cassis notes. It took awhile to settle, but when it did it was really nice. Nose was all savoury wet leaf and undergowth along with plums and cassis and wafting Italian herbs. Palate had more of the clean, rich black fruit with elegant freshness, a touch of bitter chocolate and bramble and a plush finish with more tobacco leaf. It seemed a bit shorter then when we first started, but still left a nice impression. All in all, excellent, intriguing, but not entirely mind-blowing. Very young though - it may well get there in a decade or so. 93-94 at the moment.
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5/15/2008 - mimik wrote: 94 Points
Had this wine twice in the past 3 years. Solid bdx-esc nose of blackberry and pain-grille and pencil shavings with the same replays on the palate. Smells and taste like a well-made classic bordeaux. Closed up soon after some time in the glass with an acidic and tannic structure. Needs quite a few more years to flesh out. 5+ Nice long fresh blackberry finish.
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5/13/2008 - Barbara B wrote: 89 Points
20th Anniversary for Ornellaia (Crowne Plaza Hotel, Rome): From Magnum. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc.
Dark, fading to garnet at rim; sediment. Earthy, minerally nose. High acidity, high alcohol, high/smooth tannins. Not as perfectly balanced as the others in the flight, with some components sticking out awkwardly. Very weighty on the palate, heavy body, concentrated.
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5/10/2008 - vinaigre wrote: 95 Points
Very deep ruby red, nice bordeaux nose of pencil, cedar, oak, strawberries. Nice palate of fruits with a nice balance and great finish.
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2/29/2008 - Champagneinhand wrote: 97 Points
best bottle of anything to date. Unbelievable flavors with subtle hint of everything from vailla, chocolte to italian spice. once a fantastic bargain @$140 now almost impossible to acquire so so much for the 04- vintages, I'll let you know on the good st juliens of '00 with in two years.
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12/15/2007 - dream wrote: 94 Points
Classy and young with gorgeous flavors of slate, graphite and blackberries. Incredibly elegant and smooth and fairly big-boned with a deep, dark finish. Perhaps the most complete Ornellaia I've tried. Incredible to drink now but should improve for 5-10 more years. At Babbo, NYC. 94+
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11/15/2007 - cgrimes wrote: 95 Points
NSMFW November Meeting (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Purple opaque color. A WOW nose of blackberry and cassis, slight cedar. Palate of intense briary fruits and cassis, smoke, violets, tobacco. Dense, thick mouthfeel and huge mouthwatering tannins. A baby but incredible. My WOTN.
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10/8/2007 - losvinhos wrote: 96 Points
Elegância, finesse, complexidade, profundidade, estrutura, potencial, equilibrio, frescor, vivacidade, persistência. O que mais se pode querer num vinho? Excepcional. 95-96+
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10/4/2007 - Vinho wrote: 96 Points
Decantado por cerca de 4 horas. Corte de cabernet sauvignon (65%), merlot (30%) e cabernet franc (5%).
NM. Aromas extremamente elegantes e complexos, com incomum profundidade. Apesar de bastante novo, situa-se naquele adorável rol dos vinhos que conseguem mesclar modernidade (grande concentração de fruta, potência) e características clássicas de um grande vinho: complexidade, finesse e, sobretudo, equilíbrio. Taninos finíssimos mas numerosos, com madeira elegante e bem dosada. Destaca-se ainda pela textura extremamente sedosa, aveludada e final de boca delicioso, interminável. Um dos melhores tintos que provei este ano. Estupendo. Excepcional.
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6/6/2007 - Paully wrote: 97 Points
Dudes, Big and young, I decanted at the resturant, should have decanted before and carried, needs an hour or two, but great balance , nose, very primary now, i'll look for more and wait a few more years, to try again.
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5/6/2007 - gr8r84u wrote: 97 Points
Never disappointing. This remains one of my favorite Italian wines. Spring allergy season makes it difficult to pinpoint flavors and scents but the balance here is what stands out. Developing nicely.
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3/4/2007 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Rich, heady, plush on the nose and palate. Stacked with copious amounts of dark fruits. Clearly this wine has a great future and it drinks very well today. However, it really is quite one dimensional at the moment and I wonder whether it will ever develop greater complexity and, dare I say it, soul. I would never have picked it as a cab - indeed, it was a lot like the allegrini amarone I had last week...
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12/3/2006 - buckeye76 wrote: 99 Points
INCREDIBLY DENSE WINE. NOSE WENT FOR FOREVER, WITH DEEP BERRY FRUITS, NEVER STOPPED GETTING BETTER AND CLEARLY NEEDS SEVERAL MORE YEARS. VERY COMPLEX AND A LONG LINGERING FINISH.
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10/27/2006 - Pablo T wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for about 45 minutes before the first sip then drank over the course of 1.5 hrs. Strong nose of red peppers w/ hints of red and black cherries jumps from the glass. Over the course of the next hour, the pepper scents and flavors blew off allowing more the red fruit and cassis flavors to shine. This wonderful wine unfolded nicely, and I think I'll be waiting a couple of years before cracking another one.
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9/15/2006 - vinaigre wrote: 93 Points
Montreal Offline: Bordeaux and blends (Restaurant Chez Christophe): Tasted blind:
Very deep ruby red. Nice beautiful floral nose with tar and a mixed basket of red fruits. Great mouth-feel, balance of tannins and acidity. Nice medium plus length.
My WOTN #2, (Guessed this was Italian before the bag came off).
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9/2/2006 - magnord wrote: 93 Points
Some Tuscans (Kungsholmen, Stockholm): Black currant, cedar, anise, marzipan (sweet oak?), espresso, and lots more going on in this big nose. Rich, full-bodied, harmonious with well-shaped, slick tannins and a long aftertaste. Very good now but still too young. Will probably be superb in a few years.
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5/26/2006 - anacapa1 wrote: 94 Points
Had this wine three different times in the past two months. Twice over dinner at Abboccato Restaurant in NYC (including their final bottle), and once at a Daniel Schuster wine tasting event in NYC, which was in a vertical of 2000, 2001 and 2002 Ornellaia. I enjoyed it very much, especially after decanting and consuming with the main course (pork). The last gulp was the best; very complex wine that opens up like a bandit with some air time. I give a slight edge for the 2000 in drinking today, but the 2001 is probably a superior keeper because it seems to have more chapters to tell that haven't come out yet.
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12/4/2005 - psmith wrote:
A well-balanced powerhouse out of the bottle. After 3 hours decanting a really streamlined nose showing cherry, some Bolgheri green notes, and earth undertones - not nearly as forward. Tight and, of course, very young but I get more of a sense of underlying fruit here than I've had before with the usually fairly tame Ornellaia. Well balance all the way through to the slightly coarse tannic finish that should allow for plenty of improvement with age. ****-/5 out of the bottle, ***/5 after decanting which really put this in a shell.
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11/29/2005 - ERoss wrote: 96 Points
Best of the Best Wine Class, Fall 05 (Farmington Community & Senior Center, Unionville, CT): Deep black-ruby in color. Ah Cabernet…this would have better followed the Margaux, but c'est la vie. Sweet, fragrant perfume of vanilla, black currant, anise, cloves, new leather, and wet earth. Terrific mouthful of kirsch and smoky black fruits, wrapped inside a luscious, creamy texture. Admirable balance of components and a minute-plus finish rounded out with sweet, fine tannins. Very approachable and fun to drink now, this would clearly hold it's own with a Medoc classified growth.
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8/19/2005 - waynomo wrote: 93 Points
T. Really enjoyed.
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7/20/2005 - johnnywebs wrote: 95 Points
From recent memory. On the occasion of a big birthday, we cracked on this bad boy and decanted for 4 hours. What an unbelievable treat! This wine, made in the most modern of styles, literally jumps out of the glass with black fruit and faint floral notes that I attribute to the Cab Franc. There is black pipe tobacco, asphalt and wet leaves mixed in with cassis, black cherries and oily leather. It was incredibly mouthfilling, balanced and round, with delicious mid palate and 90+ second finish. My only knock was a bit of heat that is to be expected. I do not think that this will have the longevity of a first growth but with the way that it is drinking right now, I really don't care.
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1/22/2005 - 97mjr wrote:
Italian Wine Primer (Rainbow Room, NYC): ($150) Deep purple color. Cabernet Franc dominant on the nose with peppers, leather, minimal fruit. Concentrated Bordeaux Blend, though obvious international influence. On the palate intense tannins, chocolate, dark fruit. Very young, but enjoyable nevertheless
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