1994 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 88.5 points

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  7/4/2020 - Truthinwine Likes this wine: 91 Points

  The 94 Banfi was opened with less than 30 minutes of decanting. I would have avoided a decant, as excessive air won’t help help this one, but the cork crumbled badly when opening so it was necessary. In the glass it still has more brick hues than brown and the aromas give all the earthy barnyard you’d expect from quality, mature Brunello. The palate profiled Montalcino sour cherry but declining acidity and thinning structure reveal a wine in its twilight. Soft and silky, and still with a story to tell, I would say this is ‘drink now‘ before the last of its magic fades.

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  3/15/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 86 Points

  My wife and I bought this at a neighborhood corner grocery store in Venice in 2000 for $20. 1994 was only an average to below average year in Tuscany. Drank this alongside the regular 1997 and the 1997 poggio alle mura at a friends house in Michigan. Decanted for 2 hours. Thinner than the 1997. Moderate acidity. Tart cherries and a little mushroom. This has seen better days. 86 points.

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  12/31/2010 - JuliannaD wrote: 88 Points

  Still drinking, but I agree with others that most of the good stuff has gone flat. Not bad though.

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  9/26/2010 - jeanluc07 wrote: 87 Points

  At best 87 (generous points) ; decanted for a couple hours. nose was OK but on midpalate, it as dead mited. No fruit oat all, mostly earth and some leather. Next day, it opened some but was a let down. Will stick with Barolo.

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  3/11/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 88 Points

  Nice medium garnet. Earthy funk blew off to reveal dark fruit and tobacco. Considerable acidity remains, and the tannins came forward strongly with air. A nice surprise, perhaps just slightly on the decline but drinking fairly well.

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