La Massa, Giorgio Primo, Toscana

Smooth just hit the right notes.

Nice intensity of dark fruits, leather, and spices. Very silky tannins with a savory finish. Ready to drink.

(55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot und 5% Petit Verdot. 14.5% Alkohol). Mittleres Rubinrot. Schon in der Nase sehr komplex mit klarer, reiner Frucht, schwarzer Johannisbeere, Schwarzkirsche, Brombeere, Pflaume, darüber getrocknete Kräuter und etwas Lakritze, mit mehr Luft auch Früchtetee, ein sehr komplettes, vielschichtiges Duftbild. Im Gaumen reiffruchtig und doch mit kühlem Kern, gut strukturiert, feinstes Tannin umgarnt die delikate Frucht, die Säure sitzt perfekt, verleiht Trinkfluss und Frische, der Wein ist wie eine Symbiose aus noblem Bordeaux und würzigem Chianti. …

Outstanding. Drank because it was getting too old. Very nice. Would buy this again. Was last bottle.

Drank side by side with the 2008 and they seemed very similar (color, nose and mouth). Of course, the 1996 was a little more opened and complex but remained a very big and concentrated wine. Another 1996 drunk earlier this year seemed much more evolved.

Encore bien coloré pour un vin de cet âge. Au nez, c'est relativement discret. On le passe en carafe et les arômes se révèlent un peu plus au fil de la soirée. En bouche, rien n'accroche mais il commence à manquer de fruits. C'est tout de même agréable même si on ne peut pas parler d'un grand vin. Il tient la route mais amorce son déclin.

Faint nose showing oak, cherry, berry, caramel, and a soy aspect. Mint and burnt cherry on the somewhat astringent palate. Pretty good, others liked this more than I.

Took several hours for the reductive funk of burnt rubber and cabbage to blow off. After that, a beautiful wine emerged. Excellent nose (sour cherries and mushrooms) and still plenty of acidity for a long finish. Drink on its own after having eaten lean red meat.

The colour is a deep bright ruby, with a slightly tawnying rim. On the nose it was very intense with cherry cough syrup, leather, sour cranberry, lavender, licorice and spice. This wine was still very primary with only a hint of age in the aromatics. On the palate this was a stunner, it had deep fruity nuances, classic sour cherry supporting a firm acid background and smart tannins. The finish was fairly long with dark sour fruit, and aggressive with …