Frescobaldi, Chianti, Rufina Nipozzano Riserva

Wine-Pages.com Italian Wines Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham) : The nose has cooked, dark furniture polish and maybe, just maybe a hint of fruit. Sweet on the palate and there's no doubting this is cooked and maderised. On the other hand, this is the best bottle out of the four that I bought at auction a few years ago, and you can actually drink this without gagging. This started to grow on me, once you started (as David suggested) to think …

I'm afraid this wine has seen it's day. Brick red coloring with little or no nose to speak of. An easy drinking, simple wine. Food-friendly, at least friendly to the pizza we had for dinner. Medium body. Unassuming and a very average Chianti. One that probably should have been opened 2 or 3 years ago.

Much better to be had for this price. Very average for a Sangiovese wine.

Brick red with yellow colours on the rim. Dust on the nose. Plum, pepper with lively acidity. Medium to full bodied. Medium-long finish with herbal notes and tobacco. Tasted somehow best immediately after opening. Very food-friendly.

ABS SP Mondovino (ABS-SP) : Tradition and fidelity to it's appelation. Elegant and a mineral note from it's terroir. Great acidity. It's an ok chianti, no big deal but very good with food.

1999 was a strong vintage but this wine doesn't really show it. A really average Chianti. Was pleasant to drink but a poor value ... lots of better Chianti's at this price point.

Brown dead brick colour. VA nose of very sweet apricot kernels. Soft and feeling very old on the palate. I think I hear the undertakers polishing the hearse in readiness.

Bottle 120,609 of 150,000. Level: top shoulder. The cork appeared to be in good condition with a good seal, but snapped right at the last moment of drawing. A mature appearance reminiscent of a 40 year old tawny port, but not totally brown. A very cedary nose with acetone VA sweetness dominating the merest hint of fruit. On the palate, it's really very, very old and past it. Completely dead even. Not rated.

Noget lukket, måske potentiale, men ikke sikkert, at der er frugt nok. Smagte godt, men kunne ikke leve op til prisen. Så en meget positiv omtale af 2000 - kunne være sjovt at prøve den.

Dark and clear. Good legs. Herby, deep red fruits. Slightly medicinal, raisiny. Interesting. Zingy, good attack. Nice fruity, round mouth. Bitter chocolate finish. Quite new world. Tannins med., young wine. VG