Last tasting note in 2016. Lost in cellar for a while and glad I did. Great dark color, old world nose with savory and dark cherry fruit flavors. Soft mouth feel with a pretty, long finish. Not starting to taste old at all yet but I think much longer and it will. Started out nice with only a half hour of air and 4 hours later some tartness starting to creep in as fruit fades and tannins remain. Was great with my red sauce pasta dinner.
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shared with pat at selkirk manor. i continue to prune the cellar of bottles with past due drink by dates. previous tasting notes have shown this wine to have problems with funk and oxidation. tonight's bottle was true to form. however, as usual, unpleasant notes blew off quicklly. the wine continues to show dark fruit, dense nose and mouth feel. ample tannin continues to give it a youthful presentation. i am still most sensitive to dark cherry flavors. will enjoy remaining bottle with the first chill next Fall.
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Final of 6 bottles, last tasted 2 yrs ago. Lovely and mature Italian Maremma, paired with stuffed shells this evening. Charcoal, black fruits, tobacco, hot tar, and wet soil. Gritty Italian tannins are still present, showing a great backbone, with supporting acidity and a fairly long and savory finish. Drink now.
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shared with pat at selkirk manor. when last tasted 12/2019 there was an oxidative funkiness that needed time to blow off. tonite's bottle showed well. dark fruit, dense nose and mouth feel. ample tannin continues to give it a youthful presentation. i am most sensitive to dark cherry flavors. will enjoy remaining bottles in late 2021 to early 2022.
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Bottle #5 of 6, enjoyed with my wife's stuffed shells. This Super-Tuscan blend is super-tasty. No formal TN, but should drink nicely through 2021 or so. Super value as well.
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the second of two bottles brought to elena's christmas dinner. previously tasted this wine last may. a subsequent CT note suggested the wine was in decline so decided to re-visit. i still find the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. this bottle is slightly fresher than the first. however, there is still an oxidative raisin component which suggests rapid aging in the past few months. improves with air. the wine was well received. will attend to remaining bottles soon.
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the first of two bottles brought to elena's christmas dinner. previously tasted this wine last may. a subsequent CT note suggested the wine was in decline so decided to re-visit. i still find the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. however, there is an oxidative raisin component which suggests rapid aging in the past few months. improves with air. the wine was well received. will attend to remaining bottles soon.
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shared with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. had to open this bottle as there are widely varying opinions regarding drinking window. i found the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. improves with air. will be patient and wait a year or more before opening the next one.
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Opened last night, had a few glasses, placed bottle back int he cellar. TN is from today. This Maremma is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 25% Cab Sauv (Super Tuscan blend). Dark ruby at the core, fading to a medium ruby rim. The perfumed nose shows cooked blackberry pie, plum skin, wet gravel, and some dried tobacco leaf. The palate shows a full bodied wine, weighing in at 13.5% abv, with nicely balanced acidity, and a rather tense tannic structure, even after 9 years of bottle age. Flavors include blackberry jam, tart (unripened) plum, faint black licorice, wet gravel, and a touch of menthol for brightness. This is a sexy, delicious wine that is just now coming into it's own, and should drink nicely through 2025+. Currently needs food, based on the tannin level. Crazy value at $19 USD.
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Opened last night, TN is from tonite. Nose is faint, showing bright red cherry and apple fruit alongside wet soil and floral notes. The palate is more fun, with bright acidity shining through the red-fruited flavors, with vanilla, beet root, and orange peel. The tannins are still quite tense and noticeable, revealing good stuffing and structure for additional years of enjoyment. Drink this lovely Maremma from now through 2022. Great WFTM.
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Great sangiovese based super tuscan...plenty big but not overpowering. Leans old world in flavor profile and balance but still with a little finesse. Very enjoyable and is probably at peak right now.
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Took this wine to dinner at Bite in Milford. Very tasty, although had a bit of a corky aroma at first...seemed to blow off over an hour. Tobacco, earth, black cherry, nice acidity, and a med+ finish. Drink now through 2020.
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Decanted 1hr, drank with prosciutto, olive oil, lasagna, pate, veal, pork belly. Cab fruit is juicy but not overpowering, Sangiovese holds wonderful structure front to back, tannins are medium firm. Acids melded best with the fatty bites, guess that's the 'grip'. 9th bottle of the case, gets better n better as it ages, can't keep my hands off em!
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No notes but this was really enjoyable. Dark cherry, licorice and earth on the nose and palate with a rich, full-bodied, lush texture. Concentrated flavors with nice depth. Starting to show some age as the fruit is just a bit less fresh and vibrant than in previous bottles. As expected from a sangiovese-based wine, there is plenty of acidity and it is a terrific match to pasta and italian red sauces.
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A bit tannic, came around after an hour. Aroma shows ripe fruit, natch, but some spice and leather. Tasting dark fruit and some cocoa in the middle. After the hour, got a nice velvet finish. Can't wait to revisit in a couple more years.
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Opened a second bottle after deciding the first one was flawed and sure enough - this one was much, much better. Nice nose of mostly dark fruits, along with some licorice and earth. Fresh and vibrant on the palate with rich, ripe, deep, dark cherry fruit flavors along with some earth and herbs. Full bodied with soft edges, but also with plenty of structure and a very good, slightly edgy/acidic finish. Overall very nice, and showing no signs of premature aging or oxidation.
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Dried fruits with tar, licorice and damp earth on the nose - with the fruit mostly in the background. Very dark fruit - same as in prior bottles, but also with a lot more tar than I experienced previously. Medium to full body with a smooth, velvety texture and a decent finish. Not sure if it was this particular bottle or a matter of age as the fruit was a bit tired and slightly oxidized compared to previous bottles -- tasted like it was well past its prime. I will assume it was simply a bad bottle (and will not score), but who knows? I am going to open another bottle.
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Med purple color at core with a med ruby color at the rim. Nose is clean, developing, with med intensity aromas of plum, tart cherry, gravel, licorice, and moist soil. The palate is a dry wine, med body, med alcohol. The flavors are med intensity and include plum, cherry, then a medicinal and spicy note, some black pepper, and tobacco. The tannins are med(+) intensity and are dusty and a bit rustic, with nice supporting med acidity, leading into a med length finish that is nicely astringent and fresh. This is a good quality wine that is just entering into its drinking window. It should continue to improve for the next 5 years, and drink well through 2022 or so. Very nice WFTM.
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Ruby color, fresh cherry, berries and some chocolate and hints of tar. Full bodied with balanced acidity, silky tannins and fresh fruit. The finish is long and fresh. Much better balance than '06
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Very dark, rich, ripe sangiovese fruits - with some tar in the background. Super-smooth and velvety with a long finish and good acidity. Nothing complex or elegant, but a very enjoyable wine for all the rich, ripe fruit.
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Better on the PnP, a little side time has helped. Pretty red/floral nose. The green has gone. Black fruit, a bit of mineral, balanced tannin. Some length.
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This is a really scrumptious Italian red wine. The nose and palate offer plenty of balance and complexity. The full mid palate speaks cabernet while the nose offers a floral sangiovese/berry effect. After decanting a couple of hours, the palate starts getting that coating effect and the nose starts showing complex mints. Very well done!
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Just as dark as last time, the nose is bigger than I remember, and really complex. A nice attractive dustiness, plenty of blackberry and cassis, and plenty of herbal tones, with a nice creamy vanilla right down the middle. The palate has both solid black fruit - plums and blackberry - plus good savory notes of olive and pine needles, with some astringency and a trace of bitterness to round things out. There is lots of acidity and plenty of tannic structure, and this wine will easily last ten years, despite the relatively modest $19 price tag. I like this bottle as much as the first one, and the 2009 vintage is supposed to be even better. I may have to look into that.
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Dark but not completely opaque in the glass with still significant purpling, this wine has a good solid nose of blackberry, plum, bay leaf, and vanilla. The nose doesn't leap from the glass, but it is not shy, either. On the palate, the emphasis begins on dark black fruit, mostly black cherry and plum. The mid-palate has solid structure and a fair amount of astringency without being at all unpleasant, and the tannins are smooth and silky. The acidity is bright and helps the palate to recover, while the medium-long finish emphasizes notes of cocoa powder and dried herbs. Overall, this is an excellent Tuscan wine, and at the $19 price point, delivered, it is quite a nice QPR. This is 90+, and a very nice find from Garagiste.
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still not sure what I think about this wine...great initial taste and then what I swear was corkiness...put in fridge....next night could not decide if funky or corked and then my daughter polished off the rest before I got any...judgement reserved
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Very similar to a prior bottle - dark, rich, ripe fruits - mostly blackberry and plum. Mostly smooth edges with good structure and a kick of acidity on the finish. Good depth of flavor. There is a bit of stemminess / herbaceousness on the nose that I did not care for, but it is still a nice wine and a great QPR.
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Very nice. Very ripe black fruit with a little background funk. Big, smooth slightly green tannins and good acidity chime in on the finish. Fruit forward but balanced and with a little terroir.
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P&P at restaurant. Lighting did not permit color obs., but clearly very dark in the glass. Bouquet of coffee, sweet dark chocolate, black cherries, blackberries and baking spice pushing up from underneath. Dense sweet dark fruits combined with herbs, tobacco, and coffee on the palate makes for an interesting combination of sweet and savory along with velvety textural qualities. Medium-plus finish. I like this kind of wine, though I could see how some would call it too rich, or possibly over-the-top. Overall it paired well with traditional Italian cuisine but suffered in comparison to the '99 La Gerla Brunello Vigna Gli Angeli, which was outstanding. At 18, I wish I had bought a few more bottles.
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Dark maroon. Beautiful, smoky nose with some black fruit and spicy aromatics. Full bodied Sangiovese/Cab/Merlot. Black and red cherry flavors laced with mocha/bitter chocolate. Enough acidity to keep it balanced and frankly, delicious. Chewy tannins add some complexity to the finish. This received a short decant before serving and while it picked up some weight with air, it never became anything I'd describe as heavy. Just a very good Super Tuscan punching way above weight at only $17.
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I did not like this on the PnP--Green, menthol/eucalyptus nose and palate. That holds on the nose a half hour in, but the palate comes around: Bright, floral red/black fruit. A touch too tannic . In the end, I don't quite know what to think of this, though I'm generally a fan of the Maremma...
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OK...this is great...I'm sold....maybe bottle variation...but this bottle is wonderful. nose of plum, menthol and spice. great integration...blueberries, plum, spice, dust, tar...great integration and a long finish. should age a bit....but really like.
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Pop and pour and tasted with dried sausage and bread. Deep dark color. Nice nose of chocolate and cherries. A hinit of spice. There is a richness to the fruit; i do not get the prune/raisin compnent nor themiont component from the last bottle tasted. Rich and luxurious. Still remians a tasty wine.
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Lots of dark fruit with a medium to full body and smooth edges. Lots of depth to the flavors, but not much complexity. Just a bit rich and ripe for my palate, but overall an excellent QPR.
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Excellent wine. Drink one of the two bottles left out of the case. Now I'm wishing I would not have drank the other bottles as early as I did. The wine is much better than I remember from six months ago. Excellent mouth feel, lots of dark fruit an excellent finish. Will savor the final bottle before acquiring more. I agree with T_moderne opinion that there was nothing that made me think of Tuscany, more Umbrian or even Puglia.
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Pop and pour and served without food. Followed over two hours. Deep dark color and thick. The wine shows a deep and dark purple color. Sweet and savory nose of chocolate and cherries and spice. Showing a touch of prune/raisin and coffee notes as well. This has a minty touch too. Layers of sweet dark fruits envelop the mouth. Finishes with spice and a bit of tobacco but still with the elegant mouth-feel. Very rich and luxurious. Shows nothing that speaks to me of Tuscany, however.
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Value wines category: Purchased for @$16 at Wine Library. Fourth bottle opened out of a six pack, with relative consistency among bottles. On the nose, I get a fair amount of oak manifesting itself as coffe grinds and espresso, as well as a nice floral element. A somewhat hot, high alchohol wine that is saved by solid fruit and an elegant mouth feel. Overall, a good to very good wine that will benefit with a little more bottle age and should definitely be decanted if you want to drink now. I don't see Galloni's 93 point rating here, but he tends to hand out slightly inflated ratings IMO. 89+
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PnV. Similar to previous bottle but smoother with riper fruit. Really coming together. Nice mix of ripe cassis fruit and earthy mineral elements. Going to get some more.
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this bottle didn't live up to previous bottles, a little disjointed and touch harsh, missing some of the more complex aromatic qualities. Still solid for the price though...
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Popped and poured. Earthy, funky old world nose, but backed by lots of red fruit and spice. Lot of earthy flavors mixed with ripe cherry and other red fruits and spice, with gripping and drying tannins on a long finish, that is complemented with some cleaninsg acidity to keep it fresh, juicy and food friendly despite its size. There's also a lot of fruit hidden despite the funk and earth, and big tannins, and perhaps it's just a touch out of balance due to its youth, and I think it will come together nicely with a little more bottle age, or a longer decant. Still, was drinking quite nicely after an hour, especially if you don't mind tannins (which I don't). Extremely solid QPR at ~$16.
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5th Annual Burgers and Cabernets: Enjoyed non-blind at a tasting; provenance and handling unknown. Nose of cassis and oak, same on the palate. Very short oaky finish. Needs some time for the significant oak treatment to integrate, medium high tannin level. Overall not terribly complex and not my style but probably does appeal to a significant portion of the market. Not sure of the blend but would guess it is something close to 50/50 sangio/cab.
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This is a very nice vino. I must be crazy, but on the nose to me has the same smell that water has after you have boiled corn in the cob in it. Very, very vegetal. The fruit shows through nice as well. Over all I think this id drinking very well. Definitely will hold up in the cellar. I bought six but wish I had bought a case or two. Hopefully I'm able to leave half for tomorrow to see what happens. No promises.
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Wow! Terricotta, blackberry, tea and mineral. A long finsh with this vino is seeming very young. Illuminating and captivating. Complex and truly set for aging. Acid at the right level. Drink 2013 - 2025.
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PnP, Big lush wine. Plums and jammy dark fruit predominant flavor characteristics. a slight bit of heat on the finish. Tasty wine made in a style that I generally like. I will also say that this came off as a "heavy" wine. Only a couple of glasses had me full. Still an excellent QPR, and a rebuy at the $16 price tag that I paid.
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Rich, ripe, fruit-driven crowd pleaser with some Tuscan spice to keep it interesting. Sweet fruit (cassis, plums, raspberry) with some cocoa to darken the mix. Perhaps a bit fruity/syrupy, and some heat noticeable though not overwhelming. Reminds me of a priorat...or even a Zin-Carignan field blend (think Ridge with an extra dose of ripeness). Outstanding QPR, and although ultimately not in my own wheelhouse, I'm always looking for wines like this to serve to groups more accustomed to new-world wine.
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A nice drinking red, shows characteristics of plums, sweet licorice, insense and some noticeable rubber notes. Tannins are silky, and the finish is soft and silky. Overall a nice little wine. Give it some time to open up for the rubber notes to fade. (I could see the getting another point or two in a year) - (Drink 2012 - 2017) - JD87
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OK...I'm mixed....blind tasting I'd rate this higher thinking it was a zin, grenache, mouvedre mix from napa...like a carlisle or a linne calado. It's Italian. Hopefully that explains my base confusion. Huge fruit...nicely complex and integrated...hardly subtle. Electric blueberries and singing plums. tons of them. really a strange expression of italy!
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ST blend of 50% Sangioveto, 25% of Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot each. Tasted at 2nd Annual NYC Winter Wine Festival @ Best Buy Theater in Times Square, NYC.
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Earthy on the very pretty nose, almost Burg-like in its combination of funk and red fruit. Drying tannins on the Old World-inflected palate. Early for this but has definite value potential - tannic but not dense; red fruited. 88-90
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PnV into a decanter let breathe for about 1hr. Needs the air. Deep purple crimson not saturated. Plummy cassis aroma with a touch of earth and spicy oak. Medium weight fairly smooth with a bit of grip on the end. Mineral and earth with a touch of raspberry cassis. Short finish.
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Raw, sterile nose with chemical bouquet, fruit eeks out. Big and hot to the tongue. Good fruit with long finish. High acid at this time. I should have waited, if you can't decant.
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10/29/2023 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last tasting note in 2016. Lost in cellar for a while and glad I did. Great dark color, old world nose with savory and dark cherry fruit flavors. Soft mouth feel with a pretty, long finish. Not starting to taste old at all yet but I think much longer and it will. Started out nice with only a half hour of air and 4 hours later some tartness starting to creep in as fruit fades and tannins remain. Was great with my red sauce pasta dinner.
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3/1/2023 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared with pat at selkirk manor. i continue to prune the cellar of bottles with past due drink by dates. previous tasting notes have shown this wine to have problems with funk and oxidation. tonight's bottle was true to form. however, as usual, unpleasant notes blew off quicklly. the wine continues to show dark fruit, dense nose and mouth feel. ample tannin continues to give it a youthful presentation. i am still most sensitive to dark cherry flavors. will enjoy remaining bottle with the first chill next Fall.
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12/24/2021 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Final of 6 bottles, last tasted 2 yrs ago.
Lovely and mature Italian Maremma, paired with stuffed shells this evening.
Charcoal, black fruits, tobacco, hot tar, and wet soil.
Gritty Italian tannins are still present, showing a great backbone, with supporting acidity and a fairly long and savory finish.
Drink now.
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4/4/2021 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared with pat at selkirk manor. when last tasted 12/2019 there was an oxidative funkiness that needed time to blow off. tonite's bottle showed well. dark fruit, dense nose and mouth feel. ample tannin continues to give it a youthful presentation. i am most sensitive to dark cherry flavors. will enjoy remaining bottles in late 2021 to early 2022.
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1/1/2020 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Bottle #5 of 6, enjoyed with my wife's stuffed shells.
This Super-Tuscan blend is super-tasty. No formal TN, but should drink nicely through 2021 or so. Super value as well.
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12/25/2019 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
the second of two bottles brought to elena's christmas dinner. previously tasted this wine last may. a subsequent CT note suggested the wine was in decline so decided to re-visit. i still find the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. this bottle is slightly fresher than the first. however, there is still an oxidative raisin component which suggests rapid aging in the past few months. improves with air. the wine was well received. will attend to remaining bottles soon.
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12/25/2019 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
the first of two bottles brought to elena's christmas dinner. previously tasted this wine last may. a subsequent CT note suggested the wine was in decline so decided to re-visit. i still find the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. however, there is an oxidative raisin component which suggests rapid aging in the past few months. improves with air. the wine was well received. will attend to remaining bottles soon.
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8/15/2019 - mike410 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Two years since I last tasted this wine. Though it is still very good, it has lost some of the fruit and most likely on the decline.
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5/18/2019 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. had to open this bottle as there are widely varying opinions regarding drinking window. i found the wine to be on the young side with deep purple color and no fading at the rim. opulent nose with generous dark skin fruit which follows through to the palate. medium to full bodied. sustained finish. improves with air. will be patient and wait a year or more before opening the next one.
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1/22/2018 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 84 Points
great silky texture but too sweet, too fruity on first night.
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12/25/2017 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Opened last night, had a few glasses, placed bottle back int he cellar. TN is from today.
This Maremma is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 25% Cab Sauv (Super Tuscan blend).
Dark ruby at the core, fading to a medium ruby rim.
The perfumed nose shows cooked blackberry pie, plum skin, wet gravel, and some dried tobacco leaf.
The palate shows a full bodied wine, weighing in at 13.5% abv, with nicely balanced acidity, and a rather tense tannic structure, even after 9 years of bottle age. Flavors include blackberry jam, tart (unripened) plum, faint black licorice, wet gravel, and a touch of menthol for brightness.
This is a sexy, delicious wine that is just now coming into it's own, and should drink nicely through 2025+.
Currently needs food, based on the tannin level. Crazy value at $19 USD.
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11/10/2017 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnD let air for 30mins. Consistent with previous notes. Earthier than the 2009 which was drank alongside this. At its peak.
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5/14/2017 - mike410 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Getting so much better over time.
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3/14/2017 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Opened last night, TN is from tonite.
Nose is faint, showing bright red cherry and apple fruit alongside wet soil and floral notes.
The palate is more fun, with bright acidity shining through the red-fruited flavors, with vanilla, beet root, and orange peel.
The tannins are still quite tense and noticeable, revealing good stuffing and structure for additional years of enjoyment.
Drink this lovely Maremma from now through 2022.
Great WFTM.
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10/4/2016 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 89 Points
Pretty funky on opening. better the second day. a little too heavy.
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7/12/2016 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 92 Points
Great sangiovese based super tuscan...plenty big but not overpowering. Leans old world in flavor profile and balance but still with a little finesse. Very enjoyable and is probably at peak right now.
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3/25/2016 - drrobvino wrote: 90 Points
Took this wine to dinner at Bite in Milford.
Very tasty, although had a bit of a corky aroma at first...seemed to blow off over an hour.
Tobacco, earth, black cherry, nice acidity, and a med+ finish. Drink now through 2020.
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2/28/2016 - MikyP Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1hr, drank with prosciutto, olive oil, lasagna, pate, veal, pork belly. Cab fruit is juicy but not overpowering, Sangiovese holds wonderful structure front to back, tannins are medium firm. Acids melded best with the fatty bites, guess that's the 'grip'. 9th bottle of the case, gets better n better as it ages, can't keep my hands off em!
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3/1/2015 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
No notes but this was really enjoyable. Dark cherry, licorice and earth on the nose and palate with a rich, full-bodied, lush texture. Concentrated flavors with nice depth. Starting to show some age as the fruit is just a bit less fresh and vibrant than in previous bottles. As expected from a sangiovese-based wine, there is plenty of acidity and it is a terrific match to pasta and italian red sauces.
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10/25/2014 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 90 Points
Similiar to last note, a good value. www.winelx.com
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10/24/2014 - wirelesswine wrote: 89 Points
Nice food wine. Opened with pizza. Good tannin, this has life in it. Great buy.
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9/5/2014 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
lekker glas, heerlijk drinkbaar, mooie ronde tonen
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2/8/2014 - MikyP wrote: 86 Points
A bit tannic, came around after an hour. Aroma shows ripe fruit, natch, but some spice and leather. Tasting dark fruit and some cocoa in the middle. After the hour, got a nice velvet finish. Can't wait to revisit in a couple more years.
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1/15/2014 - melzar wrote: 88 Points
A little over the top and new world in style. Big wine, well made, but simple, one dimensional, and lacking in finesse. A good value.
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11/27/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Opened a second bottle after deciding the first one was flawed and sure enough - this one was much, much better. Nice nose of mostly dark fruits, along with some licorice and earth. Fresh and vibrant on the palate with rich, ripe, deep, dark cherry fruit flavors along with some earth and herbs. Full bodied with soft edges, but also with plenty of structure and a very good, slightly edgy/acidic finish. Overall very nice, and showing no signs of premature aging or oxidation.
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11/27/2013 - rickspicks wrote: flawed
Dried fruits with tar, licorice and damp earth on the nose - with the fruit mostly in the background. Very dark fruit - same as in prior bottles, but also with a lot more tar than I experienced previously. Medium to full body with a smooth, velvety texture and a decent finish. Not sure if it was this particular bottle or a matter of age as the fruit was a bit tired and slightly oxidized compared to previous bottles -- tasted like it was well past its prime. I will assume it was simply a bad bottle (and will not score), but who knows? I am going to open another bottle.
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10/4/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Med purple color at core with a med ruby color at the rim.
Nose is clean, developing, with med intensity aromas of plum, tart cherry, gravel, licorice, and moist soil.
The palate is a dry wine, med body, med alcohol. The flavors are med intensity and include plum, cherry, then a medicinal and spicy note, some black pepper, and tobacco. The tannins are med(+) intensity and are dusty and a bit rustic, with nice supporting med acidity, leading into a med length finish that is nicely astringent and fresh.
This is a good quality wine that is just entering into its drinking window. It should continue to improve for the next 5 years, and drink well through 2022 or so. Very nice WFTM.
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8/12/2013 - Jochems Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruby color, fresh cherry, berries and some chocolate and hints of tar. Full bodied with balanced acidity, silky tannins and fresh fruit. The finish is long and fresh. Much better balance than '06
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7/25/2013 - Mr T wrote:
this is in a good spot right now...opens pretty quickly and good ripe but balanced fruit
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5/19/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
Very dark, rich, ripe sangiovese fruits - with some tar in the background. Super-smooth and velvety with a long finish and good acidity. Nothing complex or elegant, but a very enjoyable wine for all the rich, ripe fruit.
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4/15/2013 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
Better on the PnP, a little side time has helped. Pretty red/floral nose. The green has gone. Black fruit, a bit of mineral, balanced tannin. Some length.
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2/17/2013 - mike410 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now. This is maturing much quicker than the '09. Nice fruit and long finish.
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10/16/2012 - ksde wrote: 91 Points
This is a really scrumptious Italian red wine. The nose and palate offer plenty of balance and complexity. The full mid palate speaks cabernet while the nose offers a floral sangiovese/berry effect. After decanting a couple of hours, the palate starts getting that coating effect and the nose starts showing complex mints. Very well done!
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10/2/2012 - Fateful Destiny wrote: 89 Points
Big wine. Decent concentration, but somewhat too big and too much alc for my general preferences.
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7/27/2012 - Fateful Destiny Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good wine, but there is something slightly disjointed with the acid and tannins in relation to the whole. Enjoyable, however.
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7/26/2012 - Phredd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just as dark as last time, the nose is bigger than I remember, and really complex. A nice attractive dustiness, plenty of blackberry and cassis, and plenty of herbal tones, with a nice creamy vanilla right down the middle. The palate has both solid black fruit - plums and blackberry - plus good savory notes of olive and pine needles, with some astringency and a trace of bitterness to round things out. There is lots of acidity and plenty of tannic structure, and this wine will easily last ten years, despite the relatively modest $19 price tag. I like this bottle as much as the first one, and the 2009 vintage is supposed to be even better. I may have to look into that.
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7/4/2012 - corkscrews wrote: 90 Points
A nose of sweet fruit and spice, dark garnet in color. A smooth full bodied Super Tuscan with cherry, tobacco, and layers of spice, very good blend.
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7/1/2012 - Phredd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark but not completely opaque in the glass with still significant purpling, this wine has a good solid nose of blackberry, plum, bay leaf, and vanilla. The nose doesn't leap from the glass, but it is not shy, either. On the palate, the emphasis begins on dark black fruit, mostly black cherry and plum. The mid-palate has solid structure and a fair amount of astringency without being at all unpleasant, and the tannins are smooth and silky. The acidity is bright and helps the palate to recover, while the medium-long finish emphasizes notes of cocoa powder and dried herbs. Overall, this is an excellent Tuscan wine, and at the $19 price point, delivered, it is quite a nice QPR. This is 90+, and a very nice find from Garagiste.
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6/17/2012 - Mr T wrote:
still not sure what I think about this wine...great initial taste and then what I swear was corkiness...put in fridge....next night could not decide if funky or corked and then my daughter polished off the rest before I got any...judgement reserved
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5/23/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
Very similar to a prior bottle - dark, rich, ripe fruits - mostly blackberry and plum. Mostly smooth edges with good structure and a kick of acidity on the finish. Good depth of flavor. There is a bit of stemminess / herbaceousness on the nose that I did not care for, but it is still a nice wine and a great QPR.
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5/21/2012 - Number51 wrote: 90 Points
Better experience this time. Plum and a bit of mixed greens on the nose. Nice dusty tannins.
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5/21/2012 - Number51 wrote: flawed
Badly corked.
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5/18/2012 - mike410 wrote: 91 Points
Well balanced. Long finish. Abundant berries and a hint of coffee. Well made and a beautiful drink.
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3/25/2012 - krmcgrath wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Very ripe black fruit with a little background funk. Big, smooth slightly green tannins and good acidity chime in on the finish. Fruit forward but balanced and with a little terroir.
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2/9/2012 - Biglama wrote: 90 Points
prima glas, mooi soepel drinkbaar, fruitigheid staat voorop, lekker sappig glas
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12/30/2011 - Vinacull wrote: 90 Points
P&P at restaurant. Lighting did not permit color obs., but clearly very dark in the glass. Bouquet of coffee, sweet dark chocolate, black cherries, blackberries and baking spice pushing up from underneath. Dense sweet dark fruits combined with herbs, tobacco, and coffee on the palate makes for an interesting combination of sweet and savory along with velvety textural qualities. Medium-plus finish. I like this kind of wine, though I could see how some would call it too rich, or possibly over-the-top. Overall it paired well with traditional Italian cuisine but suffered in comparison to the '99 La Gerla Brunello Vigna Gli Angeli, which was outstanding. At 18, I wish I had bought a few more bottles.
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11/12/2011 - Anthony Lombardi wrote:
Dark maroon. Beautiful, smoky nose with some black fruit and spicy aromatics. Full bodied Sangiovese/Cab/Merlot. Black and red cherry flavors laced with mocha/bitter chocolate. Enough acidity to keep it balanced and frankly, delicious. Chewy tannins add some complexity to the finish. This received a short decant before serving and while it picked up some weight with air, it never became anything I'd describe as heavy. Just a very good Super Tuscan punching way above weight at only $17.
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11/11/2011 - BrunelloBob wrote: 87 Points
I did not like this on the PnP--Green, menthol/eucalyptus nose and palate. That holds on the nose a half hour in, but the palate comes around: Bright, floral red/black fruit. A touch too tannic . In the end, I don't quite know what to think of this, though I'm generally a fan of the Maremma...
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11/7/2011 - jimitt01 wrote: 88 Points
Great everyday wine, perfect with pasta or pizza. really like the bottle for the price
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10/27/2011 - DesMarteau wrote: 92 Points
OK...this is great...I'm sold....maybe bottle variation...but this bottle is wonderful. nose of plum, menthol and spice. great integration...blueberries, plum, spice, dust, tar...great integration and a long finish. should age a bit....but really like.
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10/25/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour and tasted with dried sausage and bread.
Deep dark color. Nice nose of chocolate and cherries. A hinit of spice. There is a richness to the fruit; i do not get the prune/raisin compnent nor themiont component from the last bottle tasted. Rich and luxurious. Still remians a tasty wine.
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10/21/2011 - Billy Booze Bag Likes this wine: 89 Points
good value
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10/18/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Lots of dark fruit with a medium to full body and smooth edges. Lots of depth to the flavors, but not much complexity. Just a bit rich and ripe for my palate, but overall an excellent QPR.
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10/18/2011 - f4drvr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent wine. Drink one of the two bottles left out of the case. Now I'm wishing I would not have drank the other bottles as early as I did. The wine is much better than I remember from six months ago. Excellent mouth feel, lots of dark fruit an excellent finish. Will savor the final bottle before acquiring more. I agree with T_moderne opinion that there was nothing that made me think of Tuscany, more Umbrian or even Puglia.
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10/12/2011 - krmcgrath wrote: 90 Points
Dark, sweet fruit with a a lot spice and smooth tannins. This got better with time.
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9/28/2011 - Number51 wrote: 89 Points
It's quite okay, but not up to the expectation based on the score by Galloni.
However, I can see it becoming better.
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9/28/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour and served without food. Followed over two hours.
Deep dark color and thick. The wine shows a deep and dark purple color. Sweet and savory nose of chocolate and cherries and spice. Showing a touch of prune/raisin and coffee notes as well. This has a minty touch too. Layers of sweet dark fruits envelop the mouth. Finishes with spice and a bit of tobacco but still with the elegant mouth-feel. Very rich and luxurious. Shows nothing that speaks to me of Tuscany, however.
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9/12/2011 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnV. Consistent with previous notes. Great mix of ripe fruit and mineral elements.
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9/8/2011 - Jdog wrote: 89 Points
Pizza night with JC. Consistent notes with prior bottle. JC would rate 89-90.
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9/6/2011 - Jdog wrote: 89 Points
Value wines category: Purchased for @$16 at Wine Library. Fourth bottle opened out of a six pack, with relative consistency among bottles. On the nose, I get a fair amount of oak manifesting itself as coffe grinds and espresso, as well as a nice floral element. A somewhat hot, high alchohol wine that is saved by solid fruit and an elegant mouth feel. Overall, a good to very good wine that will benefit with a little more bottle age and should definitely be decanted if you want to drink now. I don't see Galloni's 93 point rating here, but he tends to hand out slightly inflated ratings IMO. 89+
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8/8/2011 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnV. Similar to previous bottle but smoother with riper fruit. Really coming together. Nice mix of ripe cassis fruit and earthy mineral elements. Going to get some more.
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7/28/2011 - Grape_ape wrote: 88 Points
hasn't lived up to the 1st bottle I had, but still a very solid QPR
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7/16/2011 - Grape_ape wrote: 88 Points
this bottle didn't live up to previous bottles, a little disjointed and touch harsh, missing some of the more complex aromatic qualities. Still solid for the price though...
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6/24/2011 - Grape_ape wrote: 90 Points
similar to previous notes. this is such a great value I went out and grabbed some more...
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5/20/2011 - jimitt01 wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine. Real good earthy mineral finish, definitely would buy again.
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5/18/2011 - boreddoughboy wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of stewed cherries give way to silky smooth wine with high acid and smokey finish. Will dig more in the near future.
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5/9/2011 - Grape_ape wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Earthy, funky old world nose, but backed by lots of red fruit and spice. Lot of earthy flavors mixed with ripe cherry and other red fruits and spice, with gripping and drying tannins on a long finish, that is complemented with some cleaninsg acidity to keep it fresh, juicy and food friendly despite its size. There's also a lot of fruit hidden despite the funk and earth, and big tannins, and perhaps it's just a touch out of balance due to its youth, and I think it will come together nicely with a little more bottle age, or a longer decant. Still, was drinking quite nicely after an hour, especially if you don't mind tannins (which I don't). Extremely solid QPR at ~$16.
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4/23/2011 - floydtp wrote: 87 Points
5th Annual Burgers and Cabernets: Enjoyed non-blind at a tasting; provenance and handling unknown. Nose of cassis and oak, same on the palate. Very short oaky finish. Needs some time for the significant oak treatment to integrate, medium high tannin level. Overall not terribly complex and not my style but probably does appeal to a significant portion of the market. Not sure of the blend but would guess it is something close to 50/50 sangio/cab.
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4/1/2011 - Green Pea wrote: 91 Points
This is a very nice vino. I must be crazy, but on the nose to me has the same smell that water has after you have boiled corn in the cob in it. Very, very vegetal. The fruit shows through nice as well. Over all I think this id drinking very well. Definitely will hold up in the cellar. I bought six but wish I had bought a case or two. Hopefully I'm able to leave half for tomorrow to see what happens. No promises.
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4/1/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
At Sabrinas
Wow! Terricotta, blackberry, tea and mineral. A long finsh with this vino is seeming very young. Illuminating and captivating. Complex and truly set for aging. Acid at the right level. Drink 2013 - 2025.
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3/21/2011 - Coupe 60 wrote: 88 Points
PnP, Big lush wine. Plums and jammy dark fruit predominant flavor characteristics. a slight bit of heat on the finish. Tasty wine made in a style that I generally like. I will also say that this came off as a "heavy" wine. Only a couple of glasses had me full. Still an excellent QPR, and a rebuy at the $16 price tag that I paid.
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3/19/2011 - Employee500 wrote: 91 Points
Rich, ripe, fruit-driven crowd pleaser with some Tuscan spice to keep it interesting. Sweet fruit (cassis, plums, raspberry) with some cocoa to darken the mix. Perhaps a bit fruity/syrupy, and some heat noticeable though not overwhelming. Reminds me of a priorat...or even a Zin-Carignan field blend (think Ridge with an extra dose of ripeness). Outstanding QPR, and although ultimately not in my own wheelhouse, I'm always looking for wines like this to serve to groups more accustomed to new-world wine.
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3/12/2011 - Coupe 60 wrote:
Mrs. Coupe really liked it...said it was an easy bottle to drink
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3/8/2011 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 87 Points
A nice drinking red, shows characteristics of plums, sweet licorice, insense and some noticeable rubber notes. Tannins are silky, and the finish is soft and silky. Overall a nice little wine. Give it some time to open up for the rubber notes to fade. (I could see the getting another point or two in a year) - (Drink 2012 - 2017) - JD87
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3/3/2011 - DesMarteau wrote: 91 Points
OK...I'm mixed....blind tasting I'd rate this higher thinking it was a zin, grenache, mouvedre mix from napa...like a carlisle or a linne calado. It's Italian. Hopefully that explains my base confusion. Huge fruit...nicely complex and integrated...hardly subtle. Electric blueberries and singing plums. tons of them. really a strange expression of italy!
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2/5/2011 - DRS-Inc wrote: 87 Points
ST blend of 50% Sangioveto, 25% of Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot each. Tasted at 2nd Annual NYC Winter Wine Festival @ Best Buy Theater in Times Square, NYC.
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1/22/2011 - Fdjicc1 wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured and the juice seemed ready to go. A good young drinking Super Tuscan in my opinion.
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1/11/2011 - boreddoughboy wrote: 90 Points
Liked it better than last time. Good juice.
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1/6/2011 - EMTAME wrote: 89 Points
May have a lot of potential but not showing an awful lot at this point. Tight and tannic, even with a lot of air.
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11/21/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 89 Points
Earthy on the very pretty nose, almost Burg-like in its combination of funk and red fruit. Drying tannins on the Old World-inflected palate. Early for this but has definite value potential - tannic but not dense; red fruited. 88-90
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11/19/2010 - df1962 wrote: 87 Points
PnV into a decanter let breathe for about 1hr. Needs the air. Deep purple crimson not saturated. Plummy cassis aroma with a touch of earth and spicy oak. Medium weight fairly smooth with a bit of grip on the end. Mineral and earth with a touch of raspberry cassis. Short finish.
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11/11/2010 - boreddoughboy wrote: 89 Points
Raw, sterile nose with chemical bouquet, fruit eeks out. Big and hot to the tongue. Good fruit with long finish. High acid at this time. I should have waited, if you can't decant.
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