1999 La Carraia Umbria Fobiano
Red Blend
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332 Tasting Notes
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11/15/2021 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
A single-vineyard Bordeaux-blend from Orvieto, Umbria, made with Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), planted on volcanic soil. Macerated with the skins for three weeks, aged for a year in French oak barriques. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Moderately opaque black cherry color with an evolved figgy hue. Fragrant, evolved and rather Bordelais nose with aromas of wizened red plums, some ripe blackcurrant, a little bit of leathery funk, light pipe tobacco notes, a hint of toasty oak spice, a touch of dried figs and a distinctive, savory whiff of turmeric. The wine is evolved, moderately full-bodied and beautifully textural on the palate with quite mature yet still vibrant flavors of juicy red plums, some leathery tones, a little bit of wizened figs, light notes of pipe tobacco, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of licorice root. The structure relies firmly on the high acidity, but there's still of friendly and quite resolved tannins that lend some welcome grip to the palate. The finish is evolved, textural and somewhat grippy with long, pleasantly developed flavors of wizened figs and sweet red plums, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light leathery tones, a hint of licorice and a sweet touch of toasty oak spice.
A delightful, pleasantly evolved and surprisingly Bordelais Super-Umbrian red. My first guess was a Saint-Émilion from the 1990's, but when that guess was a miss, I guessed that this was Fobiano 1999 - a wine I had had only a week before and which had a distinctive Bordeaux air to it, so it was still haunting in the back of my head. Still - and consistently - a terrific red, feeling not unlike a warmer-vintage Right Bank Bordeaux with some age. Probably will keep for a long time, but I suspect any further development is going to be limited. Drink or keep. A bargain at 15€.
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11/5/2021 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
A single-vineyard Bordeaux-blend from Orvieto, Umbria, made with Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), planted on volcanic soil. Macerated with the skins for three weeks, aged for a year in French oak barriques. 13% alcohol.
Slightly translucent black cherry color with an evolved maroon hue. Evolved, somewhat sweet-toned and very attractive nose with aromas of prunes and wizened black cherries, some leathery notes, a little bit of licorice, light lifted nuances of anise, a hint of balsamic richness and a touch of sweet pipe tobacco. The wine feels silky, moderately evolved and quite full-bodied on the palate with dry yet quite rich flavors of wizened black cherries, some ripe dark plums, a little bit of old dusty leather, light tobacco notes, subtly oaky hints of cacao nibs and woody pencil shavings and a touch of juicy blackcurrants. Good sense of structure, thanks to the high acidity and ample yet quite resolved and friendly medium tannins. The finish is long, gently grippy and quite evolved with slightly sweet-toned flavors of wizened red plums and ripe black cherries, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of licorice root and savory wood spice, light Cab notes of juicy blackcurrant, a hint of old leather and a touch of brooding, sweet oak.
A wonderfully evolved and very balanced Super-Umbrian that is surprisingly serious for a random Bordeaux blend from a region known for their white wines. Although the wine has a vague feel of a mature Bordeaux from a warm vintage, there's also a rather notable influence from the Italian terroir, making the wine feel perhaps more similar to Super-Tuscan reds rather than classic Bordeaux reds. Yet still, there's a good chance this wine wouldn't feel that out of place in a tasting of 1990's Right-Bank reds. It is in a terrific spot right now, and while I don't the wine to evolve much - or at all - from here, I doubt it will fall apart anytime soon. At just 15€, this wine was really a bargain.
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5/1/2016 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 88 Points
Still pleasant with hints of dark fruit and earth. Lighter Thani expected and by the second day it was definitely done. If you have these, drink now!
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12/25/2010 - Anonymous Likes this wine: 90 Points
It's good but not getting any better. New world style red that's medium bodied with red and black fruit, some tobacco and earth and a moderate finish.
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5/29/2010 - pilot360 wrote: 75 Points
There is a green streak that never went away, even on day 2.. Very Smells of wet concrete and fruit trying to get through. poor aftertaste, bitter.
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