5/5/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

I thought this was an excellent wine and felt less "forced" than some Sottimano of prior years. Not sure it's a style change or a one -off. Gracious nose of dark cherry and earth. Elegant and complex on the palate with distinct savoury component - black cherry with tar, smoke, forest floor influences. Very appealing and interesting.

5/4/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

Second bottle, both stored since release.
Colour a touch golden, would have preferred lighter, but it’s not premox leaning just from colour.
The palate lacks the zip I would expect from Roulot, bit dense, bit clumsy.
Overall after two bottles I would say definitely get rid of this wine in the market if you own it.

2/29/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

I will drink and enjoy this but didnt love it - I feel it is a bit broad and imprecise, definitely some oak treatment and alcohol poking. But the depth and power to the yellow fruit is there, definitely high quality wine - just wished for a bit more acidity and precision.

2/15/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

Brilliant bottle that is mature but drinking well. The (black) fruit is there but it's the tertiary aromas that get you....ash, cedar, pencil lead. Extremely long with everything in balance. A wow wine, and I do think you would say that blind too (sometimes hard to avoid label drinking with these).

2/15/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

Dark smooth fruit, drinking well. Thought both alcohol levels and oak impact were well managed here (not always the case in Napa high end), though ultimately it's not a particularly interesting wine - but quite enjoyable nonetheless.

1/11/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

getting better, more resolved, less "tense". Sweet and dense red/black fruit, lovely balance. Very nice

1/6/2024 - il_diavolo wrote:

Not quite right (or if “right” really disappointing) - seemed too mature (without being oxidised).

12/14/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

if you taste a lot of blowsy Chablis from the warm renditions in 18-19-20 (like I have) this is a breath of fresh air and back to true Chablis. Yes its not super complex as you would expect at this level, but the sea and oyster influences complement the lime in a very Chablis way.

12/5/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Yellow colour and also yellow citrus fruit coming through on palate, oak notes, good depth for village level. Very enjoyable in quite a ripe, blowsy style. If you want Meursault you get Meursault here !

12/3/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Elegant, mix of red and dark fruit with some earthy undertones. Not super complex but very nice to drink. A perfect restaurant wine list wine (and that's how I came across it). If you enjoy the very tertiary elements of top BDX this may not be for you, but if you have to buy a 2013 this many not be a bad choice.

12/3/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Elegant, classic but lacking depth and complexity. Maybe a tiny bit better than the last bottle I rated 90pts but could not recommend this at the price, given other choices. The weak vintage shows.

11/27/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Clearly too early to pass judgement (score should have a ?) but for me missing that freshness I have enjoyed in other 2019s - just a bit burly right now. A no- thanks for the cellar for now.

10/25/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Intense apricot aromas - sweet without being cloying. This is big but balanced. Great.

9/26/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

great and perfumed red berry nose, elegant on palate, again mostly red fruit. Perhaps lacks a bit of oomph/structure but very much aligned with the winemaker style favouring elegance.

7/22/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Premox, nearly drinkable, but all dark caramel

7/8/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Clearly a warm vintage Barolo on the modern side - the latter not based on oak but the dense mouthfeel. Very ripe and seductive - sweet cherry, plum and licorice. Very good as long as you are aware of the context.

6/30/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Quite nice though on balance a bit more New World than Sancerre. Bold, rich, sweet and a bit oaky. Will satisfy SB fans, if not exactly complex.

4/25/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Saline, lime, stones. Tastes fresh (under DIAM). Not super complex but really solid at PC level. Ready to drink but doesn’t feel like its about to go downhill tomorrow, so will drink remaining bottles with patience over next 18-24 months.

4/16/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Trademark low acidity Chardonnay nose. On palate similarly apple, pear, pineapple, oak/almond notes. A touch of heat but not majorly distracting. Decent for a US chardonnay but a good reminder why I stopped buying many of them in terms of QPR given style.

3/20/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Drinking well but may improve for more tertiary flavours in next 5-10 years. At this point still a bit glossy/modern with plenty of oak showing. I think this is good at its price point but definitely a bit pushed stylistically

2/26/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Great from the nose onwards, crushed dense fruit on the nose. Interestingly for a strong vintage leans a bit red for me but intoxicating: wild strawberry and redcurrant. Scorched earth on finish. Memorable wine.

2/13/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

almond, papaya, lemon cream. high quality but on the sweet/tropical side and starting to be heavier on the palate. Still a crowd-pleaser but would drink over the next 12-18 months personally.

2/11/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Lemon, lime, stones. Drinking youthfully. Very good.

2/6/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

yellow fruit, almonds/nuts, slightly bitter on finish. Just OK.

2/6/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

deep straw colour, touch herbal on nose, bit of honey wax on palate. think this is a style thing (it being a bit oxidative) but I dont love it, though it is of good quality. I dont see the ageability of a Valentini in these Pepe whites (and a recent 2015 was oxidised and borderline drinkable).

2/6/2023 - il_diavolo wrote:

Nicely mellowed, bordering on mature but still alive for sure , dark cherry, tobacco, licorice. Very smooth and pleasant, bit hard to place in terms of origin.

12/30/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Unique and interesting expression of Trebbiano, though clearly impacted by the small barrique ageing. I wish I drank this 2-3 years ago - I feel it is starting a slight downwards slope, though still intriguing to drink. Deep golden colour - smells and tastes “better” than the colour. Complex aromas of coconut, papaya and candied dried fruit (Panettone-like fruits). Very good if you are Ok with the style. An Italian SQN white ?

12/25/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Greatly perfumed nose of cherries and strawberry. Red berry aromas with light spices on palate. Not huge depth or length, but very appealing and elegant, and really pretty good at this “village” level

12/19/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Pleasant but slightly over the hill. Prunes, mushroom, chestnut and licorice. Interesting but really should have been drunk 3-5 years ago

11/29/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Minerals, earth, dark fruit. Just a tad simple to be honest, and I was slightly disappointed

9/19/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

totally oxidised.

8/28/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Again this is aiming (I think) for an elegant style of Brunello, leaning red fruited, freshness over power. Not hugely complex and can do with a couple more years of smoothing out tannins, but is decent QPR and enjoyable.

7/24/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Translucent red. A savoury, red fruited Brunello favouring elegance and balance over power. Lighter than most 2016s. I think it's pretty good as long as you dont expect a blockbuster.

7/18/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Lemon and oak. Rich but classy. Trademark white burgundy. Probably close to PC level.

7/2/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Word of caution that these Jobard natural cork closed wines can be quite variable at this age - some bottles are definitely ageing faster than this one. This one though was a good example of this wine at its peak - the matchstick reduction is still present but blends well overall with the yellow fruit (even if the reduction is perhaps the primary thing you notice). Even the good bottles seems to have peaked so time to drink up I think.

7/1/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Two more premoxed bottles - one completely foul and un-drinkable the other one just bad. Sorry if you own any of these

6/27/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

outstanding champagne - strikes good balance between vinous-ness and bubbles. Complex with real energy and cut, aromas of west stones and citrus. Drinking well but no rush either.

5/5/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Nice showing with violet and cherry. Perhaps modest depth for a 2016 but not bad at the Classico level. Would not re-buy just as I think there are better choices even at the Classico level for its price point, but would be happy with it as a daily drinker nebbiolo fix

5/5/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Likely can go higher in time score-wise, but at this point the alcohol is poking out a bit more than I'd like, with also some distracting caramel that I don't love in Nebbiolo. But the fruit is concentrated as you expect from a 2016 (fruit concentration the hallmark of 2016s) with great depth, power and structure. Definitely a wine that needs to be left to find its potential over time - drinking it in the next 5 years (if not next 10 years) is surely a waste.

4/16/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Creamy but not overdone. Light butter and yellow fruit - in good balance. You may not call it Burgundy but I find it very well done considering many other new world Chardonnays exhibit more sweetness and warmth.

4/16/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Light greenish colour, nose of mango and mint. Both refreshing and sweet on palate with greenish mango and passion fruit flavours. Will tick many boxes if you are looking for a quintessential Marlborough SB.

3/29/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Dense and rich. Lots of chocolate on the nose. Cassis, baking spice and chocolate on palate. Classy long finish. A bit warm and high alcohol feeling. A classy wine that would go well with steak, though on balance overpriced and not very distinctive.

3/26/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Very good if perhaps feel the warm vintage a bit. Mellow warm dark fruit with tobacco and cedar. Drinking well and no need to wait.

3/14/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Dark ruby colour, very good dark fruit and liquorice nose. Sweet liquorice on palate. Has aged well, if in a modern Barolo way.

3/11/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Fresh, herbal nose. Fresher than the Amari from the south of Italy and also less sweet, but maybe also slightly less complex. Definitely emanates an alpine, mountain feel with main aromas being pine needle and orange peel on the finish. Significantly less alcohol ABV than most mainstream Amari

2/24/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Drinkable but advanced for sure. Colour is too dark and flavours are heavy.

1/7/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Outstanding, “solar”, silky red fruited gem. Elegance and power in that trademark Nebbiolo way. Shockingly open to be honest. Possibly the best PdB I have ever tasted young. 96-98 pts.

1/7/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Compared to the Asili this is way more closed on the nose and somewhat less giving on the palate. Coiled up and powerful, grainy tannins. The fruit is red and black - this has potential but less solar than the Asili and needs time - 5 years at least I guess. 92-95 pts

1/1/2022 - il_diavolo wrote:

Translucent ruby colour. Herby nose with red fruit. Strawberry and spices on palate. This is very true to the Burlotto house style, with upside, though probably not up there with the best vintages. 91+

12/23/2021 - il_diavolo wrote:

Similar to last bottle but better, sweet red cherry, minerals, utter finesse on nose and palate. Super showing. 94-95