Decanted for 30 minutes, but it took a bit longer to completely open, and shed a fair amount of sediment. The aromas were of dark cherry, oak and leather. The medium bodied palate showed the same dark cherry, oak and leather, along with a touch of spice. The acidity is nicely juicy but only a tad more than balancing, and the tannins are well integrated. Overall, not too different from the 2006 'regular' (not Tradizione) bottling that we had on 1/12/21. Might have been interesting to have had them side-by-side. Competent Brunello for ~$35 that should hold for a couple more years.
My last bottle of a half case purchased back in 2011. This has evolved beautifully over the years, putting on quite a bit of weight. Now very rich, velvety and bursting with ripe, delicious cherry and plum fruit. In its youth, this was a much different wine. Hard to believe that 5 years ago, I referred to this as "medium-bodied". Now seems almost modern in style, despite its being the "Tradizione" bottling from Vitanza. Another reminder to never underestimate the wonders that bottle age will do for well-made Tuscan wines. 50+5+12+17+8=92
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Couleur grenat. Nez plutôt discret : vieux cuir, poussière...de moisi, épices...sel de céleri, végétal...herbacé. En bouche : en premier...sec avec fruit dilué...amertume en finale...impression de déclin. After 30 minutes and with food, really opened up with sweet rich cherry and raspberry flavours...and spices with a medium finish. Quite impressive...from an 86 to a 90 within a couple of hours!
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my last bottle of the Vitanza was by far my favorite. Really hitting its stride at 10 years old. SHowing its varietal colors; a terrific food wine with medium body and without the cloying sweetness that I find in some 2006 Brunellos (like the Martina). Sad to see the last one and wish I had more
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Slowly decanted to remove sediment, let it breathe around an hour before serving. The Tradizione largely refers to the Slovenian oak treatment which brings a lovely spicy nature to the wine. Structured with balancing dark fruit to match the firm tannins & spicy oak. Full bodied, largely scaled wine with a push pull of plush texture & grippy tannins. The spiciness does lead to some brighter red fruit as this opens.
I kept this around a bit longer than I ever intended to. Brunello is something I don't buy in large quantity & I talk myself out of opening them and can ultimately forget I have them. I fully expected this to be way past prime, but the "traditional" elements here have produced a nicely aged wine with plenty of life ahead. It is on the powerful side of Sangiovese, but shows well with food and is something I would buy again if I see it on a shelf.
Tannins have receded to where this once muscular wine has been tamed. Tobacco, leather, and earth flavors around a cherry/plum core. Paired with traditional home-style lasagna. This wine is in an excellent stage now.
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Garnet color slightly turning toward brownish, light, almost white edges. Restricted nose of red cherries, wood, pencil lead, earth, minerals; medium body; the initial taste/attack is fresh and controlled; mid-palate is mouth-filling, tasty, fruity, nicely balanced, good acidity and tasty tannins; medium plus finish. Nice BdM (was fairly priced couple of years ago) and in its good drinking window, probably will be there for another 3 or 4 years, but may lose some of the fruitiness.
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Last and best bottle opened after a long night. A little darker color than expected. Tobacco, leather and licorice with cherry, citrus and a little cream on the nose. Very grippy palate, with tannins not yet resolved, but brisk acidity and cherry flavors. Just coming into its window, and should go another 10 years.
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Typical nose: earthy spice, cassis, cedar, tobacco leaf, and licorice. Subdued fruit flavors on the palate, red cherries and cassis, with medium body and drying tannins on a medium finish. A thin streak mid-palate and the Canadian price of $53 make it not great QPR tho a decenenough wine. Needs a bit more extraction to soar.
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Father in Laws´birthday: Discreet aromas of black fruits. Low intensity and persistence in the mouth. The Brunellos of Montalcino vary greatly in quality. This wine is in low class
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14.0% - Clear, med to deep garnet / clean, pronounced intensity - cassis, prune, tobacco, spicy, cedar & smoke / dry, med acidity, med to full body, high tannins (still a little coarse), pronounced intensity, med to long length. Decanted an hour... which allowed the palate to open up as much as the nose was suggesting. Some funky earthy tones came up which made me get out a gorgonzola to finish the meal.
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Consistent with my previous note. Dark in color with a beautiful nose which is dominated by floral and spice aromas. Medium-bodied, showing excellent depth to its sour cherry fruit along with excellent balance. The long, fruity finish ends with a touch of oak and silky smooth tannins. Not a blockbuster, but very refined and elegant. Tremendous quality for a $25 Brunello. 50+5+13+15+8=91
93WS is a bit too high IMO, still a very good wine, good typicity, very well-balanced but rather lacking in power. For drinking now and in the next 5-10 years.
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Quite dark in color with a powerful, complex nose of lillacs, lavender, black cherries, leather and spice. The floral aromas really predominate, which is quite unusual for a Brunello. Consistent with the prior vintage, the 2006 Tradizione is not a blockbuster Brunello, but offers plenty of complexity and excellent balance. Like the 2005, this also requires a good 2-3 hour decanting before it opens up and shows its stuff. The finish features polished tannins and a long aftertaste that is full of ripe, sweet fruit, with lots of spice and minerality. Very impressive for a young under $30 Brunello. 50+5+13+15+8=91
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1/17/2021 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes, but it took a bit longer to completely open, and shed a fair amount of sediment. The aromas were of dark cherry, oak and leather. The medium bodied palate showed the same dark cherry, oak and leather, along with a touch of spice. The acidity is nicely juicy but only a tad more than balancing, and the tannins are well integrated.
Overall, not too different from the 2006 'regular' (not Tradizione) bottling that we had on 1/12/21. Might have been interesting to have had them side-by-side. Competent Brunello for ~$35 that should hold for a couple more years.
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10/24/2019 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent... Went well with lamb stew. Spouse thought it was slightly past its prime, but seemed fine to me.
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12/5/2018 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle of a half case purchased back in 2011. This has evolved beautifully over the years, putting on quite a bit of weight. Now very rich, velvety and bursting with ripe, delicious cherry and plum fruit. In its youth, this was a much different wine. Hard to believe that 5 years ago, I referred to this as "medium-bodied". Now seems almost modern in style, despite its being the "Tradizione" bottling from Vitanza. Another reminder to never underestimate the wonders that bottle age will do for well-made Tuscan wines.
50+5+12+17+8=92
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10/20/2018 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 90 Points
Couleur grenat. Nez plutôt discret : vieux cuir, poussière...de moisi, épices...sel de céleri, végétal...herbacé. En bouche : en premier...sec avec fruit dilué...amertume en finale...impression de déclin.
After 30 minutes and with food, really opened up with sweet rich cherry and raspberry flavours...and spices with a medium finish. Quite impressive...from an 86 to a 90 within a couple of hours!
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1/31/2016 - 2caveman Likes this wine: 91 Points
my last bottle of the Vitanza was by far my favorite. Really hitting its stride at 10 years old. SHowing its varietal colors; a terrific food wine with medium body and without the cloying sweetness that I find in some 2006 Brunellos (like the Martina). Sad to see the last one and wish I had more
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1/7/2016 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine:
Slowly decanted to remove sediment, let it breathe around an hour before serving. The Tradizione largely refers to the Slovenian oak treatment which brings a lovely spicy nature to the wine. Structured with balancing dark fruit to match the firm tannins & spicy oak. Full bodied, largely scaled wine with a push pull of plush texture & grippy tannins. The spiciness does lead to some brighter red fruit as this opens.
I kept this around a bit longer than I ever intended to. Brunello is something I don't buy in large quantity & I talk myself out of opening them and can ultimately forget I have them. I fully expected this to be way past prime, but the "traditional" elements here have produced a nicely aged wine with plenty of life ahead. It is on the powerful side of Sangiovese, but shows well with food and is something I would buy again if I see it on a shelf.
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11/15/2015 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tannins have receded to where this once muscular wine has been tamed. Tobacco, leather, and earth flavors around a cherry/plum core. Paired with traditional home-style lasagna. This wine is in an excellent stage now.
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8/2/2015 - greidy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet color slightly turning toward brownish, light, almost white edges.
Restricted nose of red cherries, wood, pencil lead, earth, minerals; medium body; the initial taste/attack is fresh and controlled; mid-palate is mouth-filling, tasty, fruity, nicely balanced, good acidity and tasty tannins; medium plus finish.
Nice BdM (was fairly priced couple of years ago) and in its good drinking window, probably will be there for another 3 or 4 years, but may lose some of the fruitiness.
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7/20/2015 - curtr wrote: 88 Points
Not much there. Try 1 hour decant next time.
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10/26/2014 - bramwessel wrote:
Last and best bottle opened after a long night. A little darker color than expected. Tobacco, leather and licorice with cherry, citrus and a little cream on the nose. Very grippy palate, with tannins not yet resolved, but brisk acidity and cherry flavors. Just coming into its window, and should go another 10 years.
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10/12/2014 - curtr wrote:
Decant one hour. I did not get much from this bottle.
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5/10/2014 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 91 Points
No complaints here -- a really well made Brunello. Drank well upon opening, so no need to decant, and no need to keep any longer...
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3/16/2014 - neilemc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Typical nose: earthy spice, cassis, cedar, tobacco leaf, and licorice. Subdued fruit flavors on the palate, red cherries and cassis, with medium body and drying tannins on a medium finish. A thin streak mid-palate and the Canadian price of $53 make it not great QPR tho a decenenough wine. Needs a bit more extraction to soar.
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12/23/2013 - LFCHALA wrote: 86 Points
Father in Laws´birthday: Discreet aromas of black fruits. Low intensity and persistence in the mouth. The Brunellos of Montalcino vary greatly in quality. This wine is in low class
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9/1/2013 - SiR wrote: 90 Points
14.0% - Clear, med to deep garnet / clean, pronounced intensity - cassis, prune, tobacco, spicy, cedar & smoke / dry, med acidity, med to full body, high tannins (still a little coarse), pronounced intensity, med to long length.
Decanted an hour... which allowed the palate to open up as much as the nose was suggesting. Some funky earthy tones came up which made me get out a gorgonzola to finish the meal.
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3/1/2013 - mmoss wrote: 87 Points
Great nose but agreed with previous notes of watery and underwhelming. Bad QPR here.
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2/11/2013 - Bam_Man wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with my previous note. Dark in color with a beautiful nose which is dominated by floral and spice aromas. Medium-bodied, showing excellent depth to its sour cherry fruit along with excellent balance. The long, fruity finish ends with a touch of oak and silky smooth tannins. Not a blockbuster, but very refined and elegant. Tremendous quality for a $25 Brunello.
50+5+13+15+8=91
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10/25/2012 - yofog wrote: 91 Points
93WS is a bit too high IMO, still a very good wine, good typicity, very well-balanced but rather lacking in power. For drinking now and in the next 5-10 years.
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4/22/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 91 Points
Quite dark in color with a powerful, complex nose of lillacs, lavender, black cherries, leather and spice. The floral aromas really predominate, which is quite unusual for a Brunello. Consistent with the prior vintage, the 2006 Tradizione is not a blockbuster Brunello, but offers plenty of complexity and excellent balance. Like the 2005, this also requires a good 2-3 hour decanting before it opens up and shows its stuff. The finish features polished tannins and a long aftertaste that is full of ripe, sweet fruit, with lots of spice and minerality. Very impressive for a young under $30 Brunello.
50+5+13+15+8=91
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