Dark red with mild bricking on the edges. Nose of tobacco, cedar, berry stems and maple syrup. Needed at least two hours to open up. Nice blackberry fruit, moderately tannic, graphite, and savory herbs with a sour cherry finish. Drank with pasta, Italian sausage s and nd Parmesan. Good match with the food.
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Blind tasting of six top level Tuscan wines with friends. More elegant than the Giusto di Notri 2007 we tasted before. Quite soft and spicy, velvety tannins, excellent depth, chocolate notes, fine acidity, super-elegant and no signs of age yet. Great wine. At peak. Group ranked it 1st place of 6. - 93 points
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- intensive Aromen mit ersten (doch recht präsenten) Reifenoten von saftiger Pflaume, Brombeeren, krauterwürzig (Minze oder Eukalyptus) was eine bezaubernde Frischer verleiht. Zudem Vanille, Schokolade und Kaffee. Begleitet wird das ganze von tertiären Aromen von feuchtem Laub, Pilz, Leder, etwas fleischig. - Im Mund präsent und bebend, verlockende Säure, mittel+ reife Tannine, mittel+ Körper, langer Abgang und intensive Tertiäraromen von Kaffe und Mokka aber auch eine durchdringende Frische mit Pflaumen, etwas Erdbeeren und dunkle Kirschen, Backpflaumen und wenig Zimt. - Diese Flasche muss jetzt getrunken werden, ohne grosses Vorgeplänkel. Machte richtig Spass im Glas!
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there's much to like here, even tho wood treatment is less my style these days; decanted & consumed over several hours, seems to be at a strong place in its evolution; more enticing on palate than nose (earthy, farmey), red currant, tangy preserved sour cherry, long; good to go for now, or longer, but feel like the oak will show more as fruit softens.
rigatoni in veal bolognese
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Delicious! The 2006 has a black/garnet hue, slightly amber tint on the rim. A perfumed black cherry nose with beeswax and red licorice. Sweet yet tart and enrobed in a sort of satiny glove. The finish is fairly short. Highly recommended if you own this: a wine at its peak.
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Pnp, but let breathe for about 20 minutes before consuming. This wine is drinking phenomenally! It may be at maturity, and may not get any better - but it is drinking great now for sure. I also don't think this is going to fall off of a cliff anytime soon. Just great fruit and secondary notes (with a long finish) all throughout the meal, pairing great with meat sauce. Drank just as good at the end of a 2-hour meal as it did in the beginning.
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A very nice wine, fully mature. I bought 12 and have 5 left - I kind of get what other reviewers are saying about the last bottles being better but I think it's just entered it's next phase - not necessarily on the decline, but much more tertiary in character..... It has lots of stuffing left in it, I'm not going to rush too much but would otherwise generally agree that time has come to drink rather than hold.
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This wine was okay but not nearly as good as the first bottle drunk in 2017. Based only on my three bottles things are going downhill pretty fast fr this wine.
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This bottle has matured nicely and drank well, my quibble is the distracting precense of Cabernet which although provides some additional complexity, for me takes away a wine where the Sangiovese should be champion. It’s a pity, because the fruit in the wine is fantastic. Really just depends on your tastes and what you are after.
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Env 70$ Sangiovense, merlot, cab sau. Avec joue de veau braisées. Robe violacée avec disque tire vers le pourpre Nez plutôt discret somme toute, cerise, mure, pas très toscan. Bouche bcp plus intéressante, bcp moins acide qu'un Italien laisserai présagé, impression de cherry coke et mures. Tannins soyeux, belle longueur et d'excellents amers un peu chocolatés. Miam. Au total, nez moyen mais bouche sublime. À son plateau de mes goûts. ***1/2
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Bought from the winery upon release and cellared at 59 degrees. This typifies the type of wine that I used to like, but no longer do. The color is very dark, nearly opaque, showing no signs of age at all. Its fruit is very dark, heavy and extracted. It has a very strong black licorice element and little else. Remind me a bit of the Australian Shiraz wines of the same era. The quality is there, but I don’t enjoy the style very much anymore.
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Tuscany 2006 (Winicjatywa): deep ruby colour; very good. nose: milk plus milk chococlate; sweet and pleasant; some alcohol sticks out. taste: robust; good high acidity; large tannins volume; cherries, black cherries, plums; bitterish finish.
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Unsurprisingly no change from 8 or 9 months ago. Drinking at peak and a great side-by-side with a napa bordeaux blend. Showed off the earthier salinity and vibrancy of the Sangiovese. Still 95 points and definitely ready to drink. Probably best over the next 5 years -2024.
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Schwarze farbe mit leicht orangenen Rändern. Duft nach Johannisbeere. Kühl, etwas zitrus, Kräuter, Tabak, orange, leder, olive, noch tannin, aber nicht mehr störend. Balancierte Säure, elegant, mittlerer Körper. Mittel-langer Abgang.
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For my palate, this is drinking brilliantly now. Tannins have softened but the fruit is still strong. Dark cherries mix with other dark fruit flavors, some tobacco, milk chocolate. Absolutely lovely now - 92 points
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Drinking at its precipice, this elegantly plush wine has layers of symmetrical depth and complexity. Chill and muscular; suave, beautiful, and actually interesting with some of those mature scents and tones juxtaposed against the still voluptuous perfectly ripe, dark and red fruits.
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Wonderful wine, a real treat. Medium ruby red, darker core. Very alive, sill lots of cherries, and some darker fruits. Complex aromas arise as well, very complete picture in the nose. Lingers in the mouth, long, persistent, has some power but is built much more on elegance. Very complete wine, very much in balance and focused. A super tuscany, but so different than what one might expect as it is still sangiovese based. I do not think Tuscany goes very much better, only different. I really enjoy this one and I am happy to have 2 bottles left. Following this wine for a few years now and currently in a sweet spot. Still has a substantial amount of tannins so I expect it to go strong for some years to come. Matches greatly with food, serve it to more straightforward dishes - thinking more steak or grilled vegetables than a stew or pasta.
This is not my preferred style of wine from Tuscany. I prefer my Sangiovese in a more traditional style that showcases its strengths. This is plush, oaky, ripe, viscous, etc. You can definitely taste the Merlot/Cab influence here. It is tasty, but I prefer a CC, CCR or Brunello.
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Dark red color, black fruits , earth , balsamic, great acidity that paired very well with the fatty food, balanced , just at the beginning of the drinking window
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Had this with Kerrry's chicken Marsala, and as expected, it was an excellent pairing. Needs almost an hour of air to show its best. So beautiful and complex on the nose. Intense, beguiling aromas of Tuscan earth, plums, spice and flowers fill the glass. Full-bodied, but very elegant in weight and texture. Offers a juicy mouthful of delicious plum, dark cherry and raspberry fruit, with a lively acidity. The Sangiovese in the blend gives this such a nice lift. Beautifully balanced. Finishes with excellent length and lingering notes of spice, leather and mineral. So delicious, elegant and refined. Patience has really paid off here. Yet another example of what wonders bottle aging will do for a very well-made Toscana. 50+5+14+17+8=94
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Just over three years since last note, not as silky as the prior note would suggest. Volatile. Predominantly Sangiovese with Merlot and Cabernet. Mocha, blackberry, and black cherry. Less settled than recalled.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Deep core with maroon rim; oak balm, dark red fruit, mushroom, cedar, red cherry, roses, slight medicinal, very viscous, dried roses, high toned, ripe, tobacco; delicious, wanted to go Brunello but talked onto a more modern Barolo.
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Color: garnet Nose: earth, leather, gigs Taste: black currant, fig, mushroom, leather The fruit has faded and secondary flavors are lingering. Finish is medium with round tanins. I do not see this wine evolving and further...drink up!! I have two more I'll be looking to consume this year.
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Still young. Decanted 1 hour and enjoyed over 2. Super saturated, pure aromas of mineral, dark cherry, kirsch, cranberry and spice. Medium to full bodied on the palate with moderate tannin, high acid, sweet cherry and a dry finish. Great with a chicken liver, heart and mushroom paparadelle. Try again in 3 years. Very surprised this is still so primary!
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Red fruits, sandalwood, spices in the nose. Delicate on the palate, hints of Marzipan, berries. Not heavy at all, but vibrant and mouthfilling. Goes down wonderfully and lets you linger for the next sip. Tight in the beginning, so give it some air - one hour decanting will help. Tastes Young, will be great for 10 more years. Wonderful wine.
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Spontaneous wine-quartet (at Chanoch Reichenberg): quality ripe dark fruits aroma with earthy-leather notes soft tannins, well balanced, very good harmony, nicely structured, medium complexity, already mature and ready to drink
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lots of sangiovese in this cab blend - earthy, higher acidity. big, very old world but the higher fruit notes and acidity let you know its not a bordeaux. quite tasty but needs time to open.
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almost ten years old and plenty of heft - tons of earth and funk overlay this red wine that has a medium+ body. Smooth finish. needs a good decant but really enjoyed the old world in this. a slightly higher acidity profile reveals the sangiovese in this super tuscan. tremendous QPR.
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Color: Ruby with minimal bricking Smell: Initially this didn't give anything. After 4 hours in the decanter it showed hints of earth, tobacco, graphite, and dried red fruits. This seems to still need more time. Taste: Red & blue fruits with hints of mushroom. Overall: This appears to be at a stage where it isn't showing all it did in it's youth. I think it will show better with another 2-4 years in the cellar. Excellent.
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Opaque dark cherry colour, with a nose of tar, menthol, some capsicum, dark berries, liquorish. Very complex, mostly Sangiovese with a wiff of cabernet. The palate is deliciously friuited with a wall of tannin, ripe and ready to drink. Excellent.
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Excellent Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark berry flavors of cassis and black cherries mix with tobacco, tar, menthol and garrigue herbs, fine acidity, an elegant almost cool climate style, still remarkably tannic. Very well-structured and aromatically complex wine but needs 2-3 more years of bottle age for the tannins to soften. - 92 points
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Very good, with a solid core of menthol, tar, roses, and strawberry. Still dense and rich and looking to live many more years, but the tannins are settled and silky now.
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3 hour decant. Still a bit tight and has lots of life left. Will be cellaring my last bottle for 5 more years. That said, very impressed with the structure and body of this 2006. Great dark fruit, leather and minerals. Medium acid
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Casa de Gilbo (Boston): Decanted 2 hours, consumed the six hours following. Notes of dark cherries, dark chocolate and herbaceous flowers emerged on both the nose and palate. Moderate structure on the back end, I expect this to hit is prime drinking window in the next 5 years or so. A very good wine, bordering on great. Though, it was totally overshadowed by others on this night.
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91-92 pts. A good Tuscan wine - extremely new world in style, very fruit forward with ripe fruits on the nose and palate. Reminded me of some of the Zapata wines from Argentina, not your traditional Tuscan wine here. Very ripe blue fruits on the palate, lush and smooth - great texture, primary fruit though. Mid-palate transition was decent, into a finish that in the beginning had some minty flavors (which I normally am not a fan of) that were decent on this wine though. However, those flavors disappeared after some time in the bottle and it began to close down a bit. Towards the end I felt like I was drinking a mid-range Argentina Malbec. It was less exciting, but overall smooth and fruit forward. A nice wine that is probably priced appropriately, but not so worthy of the big scores I have seen it receiving.
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Dark purple/red in colour. Aromas of cherries, dark berries, licorice, sage, and a nice floral element. I would say merlot is primary still. Replays of the fruit from the aromas. Maybe add in some stewed plums as the wine opened up. Drying, dusty tannins. Medium to full bodied. Nice overall structure. Medium acidity. Nice bit of minerality , salinity , and a medium to long finish. Overall a very enjoyable wine.
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Very tight, dense and loaded with dark cherries flavors with hints of chocolate. There is a lot potential here that needs time to unravel. At this stage the Sangiovese plays second fiddle to the Merlot.
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Opened 1h prior to serving. More power and depth than I recall from 3 years back. This is quality stuff, albeit a bit one dimensional. Youthful, slightly steely palate. Not at all heavy wine. Next and final bottle in 2018 or so.
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This shutdown over three hours. Aromas receded, tannin became stronger and the acid asserted itself. Not much pleasure now. Good balance, polished, round and modern. Lots of dry extract. Try again in two years. This should be very good.
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Very dark colour. Strong nose with deep tanin but very nice with stone fruit. In mouth, it is still a young but drinkable wine. Secondary aroma! A bit modern style with a lack of finest to fully reach my expectations. Drink now to 2020.
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Note to self - read your own TNs before popping a bottle on impulse! This is still an impenetrable toddler. You have to look hard for the merlot behind the sangiovese - if anything this reminds me of a huge barrel sample Brunello. Big tannins not so much "grippy" as "reach down your throat and rip out your trachaea". I really do think there's some real potential in here but it's not giving much up right now. Lots of oak needs time to integrate. This wine is still being made in the bottle. When it's finished it could well be great, but right now it's still work in progress and rather challenging. Possibly a little over-extracted? Once again popped 5 years too early...
Trying to put a score on it would be like trying to score the handling of a posh car after peeking down the exhaust pipe
EDIT : +24 hours recorked on counter. Much of the sangiovese dominance has slunk away to give the richer, rounder profile of the blend. Still rather disjointed with some spiky tannins. Once again, hold for at least 3 years. Will try to listen to myself this time...
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Italian Night (Binny's Lincoln Park): Didn't live up to the hype. Really rusty and "nail driven." Muted fruit. Still some nice depth. If this were a $25 wine, I'd be satisfied, but not at this price.
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You will note other reviewers using words such as "chewy" and "silky" to describe the palette of this wine (the second of the two bottles Richard and I drank at Caravaggio). I am not sure I would use these words, but I would definately say that I was not crazy about this wine, but I cannot find words that describe precisely what didn't work for me so chewy will have to suffice...maybe murky?
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Lovely wine. Very expressive bouquet revealing lots of cherries and lilac, and the palate has a nice silky mouthfeel while preserving the sangiovese acidity to confer the necessary structure. Plenty of bright red fruit character, yet the wine is wonderfully balanced. Long lingering finish...paired beautifully with lamb loin.
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1 hour decant to see where this may go. Opaque crimson. Nose is very meaty with strong black olive and cherry-stone notes. Unsurprisingly very tight and a little heady but intriguing. Very full bodied with powerful acidity and formidable structure. At this stage the sangiovese is dominating the merlot with muted fruit and a pronounced mineral tang on the medium finish. Struggling to get much from this other than the over-riding impression it's in it for the long haul. At the moment it's all about structure and some pretty chewy tannins. Don't even think about it for another 3-4 years at least, but all the signs are there that this will age into something rather good if the fruit manages to beat its way out of its restraining coccoon. Not going to score this toddler but I won't be at all surprised if it ends up somewhere in the low 90s. Hard work at the moment.
EDIT : revisit after an extended 48 hours of aeration in an open decanter. Still mounds of acidity in here but there's finally a sign of some very ripe fruit and a smooth, rich mid-palate. Some plum, fig and (appropriately) Xmas pudding/dried fruit spice (no I haven't just had the left-over pud!). Sangiovese is still dominant and the concentration is admirable, but long aeration is no short-cut for proper bottle aging in this one. Potentially excellent but we'll only really know from 2015+
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7/17/2023 - SteelerFan wrote: 89 Points
Good but not great at this stage.
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9/10/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This did need some air time to be at its best. Agree otherwise with the previous note. Still finishes with dusty cherry and pleasant tartness
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8/31/2021 - rustyRudy wrote: 90 Points
Dark red with mild bricking on the edges. Nose of tobacco, cedar, berry stems and maple syrup. Needed at least two hours to open up. Nice blackberry fruit, moderately tannic, graphite, and savory herbs with a sour cherry finish. Drank with pasta, Italian sausage s and nd Parmesan. Good match with the food.
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8/7/2021 - schway wrote: 92 Points
Nice. Spice, herbs, mineral well integrated wood. In drinking window
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6/20/2021 - isbjoern wrote: 93 Points
Blind tasting of six top level Tuscan wines with friends. More elegant than the Giusto di Notri 2007 we tasted before. Quite soft and spicy, velvety tannins, excellent depth, chocolate notes, fine acidity, super-elegant and no signs of age yet. Great wine. At peak. Group ranked it 1st place of 6. - 93 points
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10/30/2020 - J_H wrote: 95 Points
- intensive Aromen mit ersten (doch recht präsenten) Reifenoten von saftiger Pflaume, Brombeeren, krauterwürzig (Minze oder Eukalyptus) was eine bezaubernde Frischer verleiht. Zudem Vanille, Schokolade und Kaffee. Begleitet wird das ganze von tertiären Aromen von feuchtem Laub, Pilz, Leder, etwas fleischig.
- Im Mund präsent und bebend, verlockende Säure, mittel+ reife Tannine, mittel+ Körper, langer Abgang und intensive Tertiäraromen von Kaffe und Mokka aber auch eine durchdringende Frische mit Pflaumen, etwas Erdbeeren und dunkle Kirschen, Backpflaumen und wenig Zimt.
- Diese Flasche muss jetzt getrunken werden, ohne grosses Vorgeplänkel. Machte richtig Spass im Glas!
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10/26/2020 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
decanted one hour. this is at optimal point, balanced, oak less prominent, consume near term.
prime ribeye; classic caesar salad
1/10/01 decanted one hour. a bit more exaggerated oak tonight; 'sexy' nose; younger & showing more tannins.
will drink the remainder over the next 2 years.
little white beans, spicy sausage meatballs, escarole, parm (91)
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10/6/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as last note. Quality wine, just not my preferred style.
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4/11/2020 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
there's much to like here, even tho wood treatment is less my style these days; decanted & consumed over several hours, seems to be at a strong place in its evolution; more enticing on palate than nose (earthy, farmey), red currant, tangy preserved sour cherry, long; good to go for now, or longer, but feel like the oak will show more as fruit softens.
rigatoni in veal bolognese
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3/19/2020 - KPB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious! The 2006 has a black/garnet hue, slightly amber tint on the rim. A perfumed black cherry nose with beeswax and red licorice. Sweet yet tart and enrobed in a sort of satiny glove. The finish is fairly short. Highly recommended if you own this: a wine at its peak.
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2/21/2020 - flwinos wrote: 93 Points
Pnp, but let breathe for about 20 minutes before consuming. This wine is drinking phenomenally! It may be at maturity, and may not get any better - but it is drinking great now for sure. I also don't think this is going to fall off of a cliff anytime soon. Just great fruit and secondary notes (with a long finish) all throughout the meal, pairing great with meat sauce. Drank just as good at the end of a 2-hour meal as it did in the beginning.
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10/20/2019 - BillyNelson Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very nice wine, fully mature. I bought 12 and have 5 left - I kind of get what other reviewers are saying about the last bottles being better but I think it's just entered it's next phase - not necessarily on the decline, but much more tertiary in character..... It has lots of stuffing left in it, I'm not going to rush too much but would otherwise generally agree that time has come to drink rather than hold.
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10/5/2019 - dsimmons wrote: 88 Points
This wine was okay but not nearly as good as the first bottle drunk in 2017. Based only on my three bottles things are going downhill pretty fast fr this wine.
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7/27/2019 - antkorbel Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle has matured nicely and drank well, my quibble is the distracting precense of Cabernet which although provides some additional complexity, for me takes away a wine where the Sangiovese should be champion. It’s a pity, because the fruit in the wine is fantastic. Really just depends on your tastes and what you are after.
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7/20/2019 - Avicenne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Env 70$
Sangiovense, merlot, cab sau.
Avec joue de veau braisées.
Robe violacée avec disque tire vers le pourpre
Nez plutôt discret somme toute, cerise, mure, pas très toscan.
Bouche bcp plus intéressante, bcp moins acide qu'un Italien laisserai présagé, impression de cherry coke et mures. Tannins soyeux, belle longueur et d'excellents amers un peu chocolatés. Miam.
Au total, nez moyen mais bouche sublime. À son plateau de mes goûts.
***1/2
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6/22/2019 - erictayl wrote: 90 Points
Bought from the winery upon release and cellared at 59 degrees. This typifies the type of wine that I used to like, but no longer do. The color is very dark, nearly opaque, showing no signs of age at all. Its fruit is very dark, heavy and extracted. It has a very strong black licorice element and little else. Remind me a bit of the Australian Shiraz wines of the same era. The quality is there, but I don’t enjoy the style very much anymore.
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5/8/2019 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 89 Points
Best after an hour or two of air. Loads of acidity demand food. Liked my last bottle in January 2017 better.
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2/22/2019 - Jeffyboy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tuscany 2006 (Winicjatywa): deep ruby colour; very good. nose: milk plus milk chococlate; sweet and pleasant; some alcohol sticks out. taste: robust; good high acidity; large tannins volume; cherries, black cherries, plums; bitterish finish.
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2/9/2019 - Rollerball wrote:
Unsurprisingly no change from 8 or 9 months ago. Drinking at peak and a great side-by-side with a napa bordeaux blend. Showed off the earthier salinity and vibrancy of the Sangiovese. Still 95 points and definitely ready to drink. Probably best over the next 5 years -2024.
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12/27/2018 - MM29 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicht dekantiert - schöne Genussphase. Einfach richtig gut.
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12/23/2018 - Isobel goudi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Schwarze farbe mit leicht orangenen Rändern. Duft nach Johannisbeere. Kühl, etwas zitrus, Kräuter, Tabak, orange, leder, olive, noch tannin, aber nicht mehr störend. Balancierte Säure, elegant, mittlerer Körper. Mittel-langer Abgang.
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12/21/2018 - t.c.green Likes this wine: 92 Points
At it's peak, soft with great balance, perfect with seafood pasta with red sauce, would even stand up well to pork loin with rosemary
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12/14/2018 - isbjoern Likes this wine: 92 Points
For my palate, this is drinking brilliantly now. Tannins have softened but the fruit is still strong. Dark cherries mix with other dark fruit flavors, some tobacco, milk chocolate. Absolutely lovely now - 92 points
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10/24/2018 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal note, a great bottle of well made, somewhat aged supertuscan with real depth and complexity.
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5/31/2018 - Rollerball wrote: 95 Points
Drinking at its precipice, this elegantly plush wine has layers of symmetrical depth and complexity. Chill and muscular; suave, beautiful, and actually interesting with some of those mature scents and tones juxtaposed against the still voluptuous perfectly ripe, dark and red fruits.
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5/15/2018 - snoerre Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful wine, a real treat. Medium ruby red, darker core. Very alive, sill lots of cherries, and some darker fruits. Complex aromas arise as well, very complete picture in the nose. Lingers in the mouth, long, persistent, has some power but is built much more on elegance. Very complete wine, very much in balance and focused. A super tuscany, but so different than what one might expect as it is still sangiovese based. I do not think Tuscany goes very much better, only different.
I really enjoy this one and I am happy to have 2 bottles left. Following this wine for a few years now and currently in a sweet spot. Still has a substantial amount of tannins so I expect it to go strong for some years to come. Matches greatly with food, serve it to more straightforward dishes - thinking more steak or grilled vegetables than a stew or pasta.
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2/18/2018 - despore wrote: 92 Points
Lovely.
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12/5/2017 - winemaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is not my preferred style of wine from Tuscany. I prefer my Sangiovese in a more traditional style that showcases its strengths. This is plush, oaky, ripe, viscous, etc. You can definitely taste the Merlot/Cab influence here. It is tasty, but I prefer a CC, CCR or Brunello.
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10/16/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 89 Points
Needs time to open and get to dark fruit, nice cherry and earthy notes
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10/11/2017 - Gian wrote: 90 Points
Dark red color, black fruits , earth , balsamic, great acidity that paired very well with the fatty food, balanced , just at the beginning of the drinking window
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10/6/2017 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had this with Kerrry's chicken Marsala, and as expected, it was an excellent pairing. Needs almost an hour of air to show its best. So beautiful and complex on the nose. Intense, beguiling aromas of Tuscan earth, plums, spice and flowers fill the glass. Full-bodied, but very elegant in weight and texture. Offers a juicy mouthful of delicious plum, dark cherry and raspberry fruit, with a lively acidity. The Sangiovese in the blend gives this such a nice lift. Beautifully balanced. Finishes with excellent length and lingering notes of spice, leather and mineral. So delicious, elegant and refined. Patience has really paid off here. Yet another example of what wonders bottle aging will do for a very well-made Toscana.
50+5+14+17+8=94
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8/20/2017 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Just over three years since last note, not as silky as the prior note would suggest. Volatile. Predominantly Sangiovese with Merlot and Cabernet. Mocha, blackberry, and black cherry. Less settled than recalled.
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8/1/2017 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Deep core with maroon rim; oak balm, dark red fruit, mushroom, cedar, red cherry, roses, slight medicinal, very viscous, dried roses, high toned, ripe, tobacco; delicious, wanted to go Brunello but talked onto a more modern Barolo.
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7/5/2017 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still surprisingly young. Will be interesting if this improves with more time on its side.
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3/6/2017 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
We were 3: 91-92-93 ratings given. Blackberry, plum and blueberry. Chocolate finale.
Acidity on the finish. Some like it , some don't.
I like it !
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1/29/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first of three and this wine was drinking very well. Balanced with bright fruit and some secondary development.
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1/22/2017 - smahk wrote: 90 Points
Color: garnet
Nose: earth, leather, gigs
Taste: black currant, fig, mushroom, leather
The fruit has faded and secondary flavors are lingering. Finish is medium with round tanins. I do not see this wine evolving and further...drink up!! I have two more I'll be looking to consume this year.
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11/19/2016 - kdsipe wrote: 91 Points
Still young. Decanted 1 hour and enjoyed over 2. Super saturated, pure aromas of mineral, dark cherry, kirsch, cranberry and spice. Medium to full bodied on the palate with moderate tannin, high acid, sweet cherry and a dry finish. Great with a chicken liver, heart and mushroom paparadelle. Try again in 3 years. Very surprised this is still so primary!
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9/26/2016 - jocelyng wrote: 91 Points
91-92. Perfect now.
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2/29/2016 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beginning to show its stuff. Much better than one year ago.
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2/8/2016 - snoerre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red fruits, sandalwood, spices in the nose. Delicate on the palate, hints of Marzipan, berries. Not heavy at all, but vibrant and mouthfilling. Goes down wonderfully and lets you linger for the next sip.
Tight in the beginning, so give it some air - one hour decanting will help. Tastes Young, will be great for 10 more years. Wonderful wine.
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12/23/2015 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Spontaneous wine-quartet (at Chanoch Reichenberg): quality ripe dark fruits aroma with earthy-leather notes
soft tannins, well balanced, very good harmony, nicely structured, medium complexity, already mature and ready to drink
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12/12/2015 - winelover1808 wrote: 91 Points
lots of sangiovese in this cab blend - earthy, higher acidity. big, very old world but the higher fruit notes and acidity let you know its not a bordeaux. quite tasty but needs time to open.
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11/14/2015 - winelover1808 wrote: 92 Points
almost ten years old and plenty of heft - tons of earth and funk overlay this red wine that has a medium+ body. Smooth finish. needs a good decant but really enjoyed the old world in this. a slightly higher acidity profile reveals the sangiovese in this super tuscan. tremendous QPR.
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9/9/2015 - nickpelletier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aging nicely. Some spice, fruits and nice leather feel.
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3/21/2015 - irish95 wrote: 94 Points
So great. Exactly what Bordeaux grapes and Sangiovese should taste like. Drink now!
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12/28/2014 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Color: Ruby with minimal bricking
Smell: Initially this didn't give anything. After 4 hours in the decanter it showed hints of earth, tobacco, graphite, and dried red fruits. This seems to still need more time.
Taste: Red & blue fruits with hints of mushroom.
Overall: This appears to be at a stage where it isn't showing all it did in it's youth. I think it will show better with another 2-4 years in the cellar. Excellent.
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12/28/2014 - antkorbel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opaque dark cherry colour, with a nose of tar, menthol, some capsicum, dark berries, liquorish. Very complex, mostly Sangiovese with a wiff of cabernet. The palate is deliciously friuited with a wall of tannin, ripe and ready to drink. Excellent.
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11/18/2014 - isbjoern wrote: 92 Points
Excellent Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark berry flavors of cassis and black cherries mix with tobacco, tar, menthol and garrigue herbs, fine acidity, an elegant almost cool climate style, still remarkably tannic. Very well-structured and aromatically complex wine but needs 2-3 more years of bottle age for the tannins to soften. - 92 points
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8/29/2014 - ETD wrote: 91 Points
The wine was due. Start losing the momentum.
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7/22/2014 - smphelps wrote: 93 Points
Very good, with a solid core of menthol, tar, roses, and strawberry. Still dense and rich and looking to live many more years, but the tannins are settled and silky now.
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7/3/2014 - pjbeans wrote: 93 Points
3 hour decant. Still a bit tight and has lots of life left. Will be cellaring my last bottle for 5 more years. That said, very impressed with the structure and body of this 2006. Great dark fruit, leather and minerals. Medium acid
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4/9/2014 - junglejuice wrote: 91 Points
Casa de Gilbo (Boston): Decanted 2 hours, consumed the six hours following.
Notes of dark cherries, dark chocolate and herbaceous flowers emerged on both the nose and palate. Moderate structure on the back end, I expect this to hit is prime drinking window in the next 5 years or so. A very good wine, bordering on great. Though, it was totally overshadowed by others on this night.
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3/13/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
91-92 pts. A good Tuscan wine - extremely new world in style, very fruit forward with ripe fruits on the nose and palate. Reminded me of some of the Zapata wines from Argentina, not your traditional Tuscan wine here. Very ripe blue fruits on the palate, lush and smooth - great texture, primary fruit though. Mid-palate transition was decent, into a finish that in the beginning had some minty flavors (which I normally am not a fan of) that were decent on this wine though. However, those flavors disappeared after some time in the bottle and it began to close down a bit. Towards the end I felt like I was drinking a mid-range Argentina Malbec. It was less exciting, but overall smooth and fruit forward. A nice wine that is probably priced appropriately, but not so worthy of the big scores I have seen it receiving.
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3/5/2014 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple/red in colour. Aromas of cherries, dark berries, licorice, sage, and a nice floral element.
I would say merlot is primary still. Replays of the fruit from the aromas. Maybe add in some stewed plums as the wine opened up. Drying, dusty tannins. Medium to full bodied. Nice overall structure. Medium acidity. Nice bit of minerality , salinity , and a medium to long finish. Overall a very enjoyable wine.
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11/2/2013 - Drankard wrote:
Very tight, dense and loaded with dark cherries flavors with hints of chocolate. There is a lot potential here that needs time to unravel. At this stage the Sangiovese plays second fiddle to the Merlot.
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5/11/2013 - Jojala wrote: 91 Points
Opened 1h prior to serving. More power and depth than I recall from 3 years back. This is quality stuff, albeit a bit one dimensional. Youthful, slightly steely palate. Not at all heavy wine. Next and final bottle in 2018 or so.
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4/12/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Indybob. Did not take any formal notes on this wine but thought it was very good. 92 points.
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11/3/2012 - kdsipe wrote: 90 Points
This shutdown over three hours. Aromas receded, tannin became stronger and the acid asserted itself. Not much pleasure now. Good balance, polished, round and modern. Lots of dry extract. Try again in two years. This should be very good.
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9/26/2012 - arnaud.jacopin wrote: 92 Points
Very dark colour. Strong nose with deep tanin but very nice with stone fruit. In mouth, it is still a young but drinkable wine. Secondary aroma! A bit modern style with a lack of finest to fully reach my expectations. Drink now to 2020.
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10/16/2011 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK Jim's post-BB party. Toptier. Med to full bodied. Nice fruit/acid balance. Tannins in check. Not that earthly.
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8/26/2011 - Employee500 wrote: 91 Points
Lots of potential, but too "busy" right now...dense and non-transparent. Dark fruit and tannin is all that shows, with some sweetness and spice.
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8/6/2011 - Fantomas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice nose of blackberry and plum. Silky smooth attack, balanced tannins and fruit, hints of chocolate and thyme with medium length.
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2/21/2011 - jeanluc07 wrote:
opened this way too soon. tanic, acidic and fruits were closed in. potental here but will have to wait . no points given.nxt open will be 2014-15
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10/1/2010 - Khamen wrote:
Note to self - read your own TNs before popping a bottle on impulse! This is still an impenetrable toddler. You have to look hard for the merlot behind the sangiovese - if anything this reminds me of a huge barrel sample Brunello. Big tannins not so much "grippy" as "reach down your throat and rip out your trachaea". I really do think there's some real potential in here but it's not giving much up right now. Lots of oak needs time to integrate. This wine is still being made in the bottle. When it's finished it could well be great, but right now it's still work in progress and rather challenging. Possibly a little over-extracted? Once again popped 5 years too early...
Trying to put a score on it would be like trying to score the handling of a posh car after peeking down the exhaust pipe
EDIT : +24 hours recorked on counter. Much of the sangiovese dominance has slunk away to give the richer, rounder profile of the blend. Still rather disjointed with some spiky tannins. Once again, hold for at least 3 years. Will try to listen to myself this time...
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9/9/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 87 Points
Italian Night (Binny's Lincoln Park): Didn't live up to the hype. Really rusty and "nail driven." Muted fruit. Still some nice depth. If this were a $25 wine, I'd be satisfied, but not at this price.
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7/2/2010 - willthethrill wrote: 89 Points
You will note other reviewers using words such as "chewy" and "silky" to describe the palette of this wine (the second of the two bottles Richard and I drank at Caravaggio). I am not sure I would use these words, but I would definately say that I was not crazy about this wine, but I cannot find words that describe precisely what didn't work for me so chewy will have to suffice...maybe murky?
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3/11/2010 - g-mango wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine. Very expressive bouquet revealing lots of cherries and lilac, and the palate has a nice silky mouthfeel while preserving the sangiovese acidity to confer the necessary structure. Plenty of bright red fruit character, yet the wine is wonderfully balanced. Long lingering finish...paired beautifully with lamb loin.
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1/29/2010 - astroman wrote:
2006 Italy Tasting: Earthy on the palate good density, toffee. Not much on the nose.
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12/24/2009 - Khamen wrote:
1 hour decant to see where this may go. Opaque crimson. Nose is very meaty with strong black olive and cherry-stone notes. Unsurprisingly very tight and a little heady but intriguing. Very full bodied with powerful acidity and formidable structure. At this stage the sangiovese is dominating the merlot with muted fruit and a pronounced mineral tang on the medium finish. Struggling to get much from this other than the over-riding impression it's in it for the long haul. At the moment it's all about structure and some pretty chewy tannins. Don't even think about it for another 3-4 years at least, but all the signs are there that this will age into something rather good if the fruit manages to beat its way out of its restraining coccoon. Not going to score this toddler but I won't be at all surprised if it ends up somewhere in the low 90s. Hard work at the moment.
EDIT : revisit after an extended 48 hours of aeration in an open decanter. Still mounds of acidity in here but there's finally a sign of some very ripe fruit and a smooth, rich mid-palate. Some plum, fig and (appropriately) Xmas pudding/dried fruit spice (no I haven't just had the left-over pud!). Sangiovese is still dominant and the concentration is admirable, but long aeration is no short-cut for proper bottle aging in this one. Potentially excellent but we'll only really know from 2015+
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