Azienda Agricola San Giuseppe Brunello di Montalcino Stella di Campalto Riserva

SangioFest V (Lincoln Square) : 07 | 10R | 15 Amore | 18 Cielo. Even with several hours of air, this was the most brooding in the flight. The quality is there, for sure, but needs 5-10+ years to shed some of its muscle and come together.

2010 vintage

Opened at Acquerello in SF. Decanted and enjoyed. Was lovely to try this again after 1.5 years or so, and this was entirely consistent with previous bottles. These are still very young and really need a lot of air to coax out some more red fruited and floral notes; the concentration here is huge and these will still need a long time to fully mature and start showing off what it is hiding underneath. Would recommend revisiting in 5+ years …

2010 vintage

Coppo dinner at CHL. Drank in Grassl Cru. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour with garnet edge. Legs. Nose is clean, little shy medium- intensity, with aromas of licorice, elegant red cherries, red plum, minerality, with more air potpourri and deep floral rosewater. Developed. On the palate, dry, lovely high acidity, medium alcohol (13.5%), fine medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet licorice, elegant red cherries, strong red plum, sweet floral spice, cinnamon, stony minerality. …

2010 vintage

Good but not as fresh as the same bottle 2 years ago which was incredible. I hoped for the same great experience serving it to a friend who enjoys big Cal Cabs. Did not slow ox. Light browning on the rim. In balance, just not as memorable.

2010 vintage

SangioFest, Volume IV "Merry Christmas 2010 Denise and Mike" (Chicago, IL) : This drinks a lot darker than the other wines in the flight; I had remarked a few years ago on the red fruit here, but I think the palate profile of the newer wines is even more red and post-modern. This in contrast feels like a throwback wine at this point, with a relatively dark profile, and plenty of stern, big tannins. Still needs time to resolve; hopefully …

2010 vintage

Random day with friends - B, K and M : Pop and pour. Initially not easy to approach, bottle decant. After finishing another bottle of burg in around 1-1.5 hours, much more opened up. So powerful that it is almost like a super tuscan. The flavour profile is still red fruit driven. Still 5-10 more years potential at least. Gift from B.

2010 vintage

Opened at Moon Bay in HK. Slow-oxed for 8 hours before sharing. Completely correct decision to slow-ox this for a long time, because this wine really needs the air. Was still initially tight upon first pour, but with a bit of time in the glass it really started to blossom. Amazing red fruit coming through, overlaid on top of huge structure mixed with the elegance of the house style. A wonderful wine and consistent with my previous experiences with this …

2010 vintage

Leap Day Lunch (Ciao Bella, Mpls) : Very dark red color. This had a double decant and slow-O for 3.5hrs. Drank a glass over an hour. Hi toned and lifted on the nose and palate, exotic spices, dakr fruits, leather, red cherry, balsamic, anise and damp foret floor. The palate is full bodied, coiled, black cherry, blackberry liqueur, anise, coarse minerality and a touch of lacquer and bitters on the finish. Complex and compelling, likely has more to reveal. 93+(+)pts …

2010 vintage

Old Guys Lunch @ Ciao Bella today. My btl Double decant 3-1/2hrs b4 leaving for venue & slow-oxed in Burg glass & btl till departure for venue. Stunning btl w/ remarkable; fruit purity, intensity, complexity & lift! The structure was in check, but this always felt like a thoroughbred Stallion ready to buck me off. Nothing could be assumed but thankfully, the anticipated pleasure arrived w/ time in my glass over our long leisurely lunch. A '13 Canalicchio di Sopra …

2010 vintage

Opened in Otto e Mezzo in HK. Double decanted, then slow-oxed, but then I decided to decant this as I felt like it needed more air. This bottle didn't perform quite as well as my previous one from about 10 days ago, despite giving it a bit more air. The signature sweet, floral, cherry nose wasn't quite as intense as from before, which was surprising given the fact I breathed it more. However, what was noticeable was that the tannins …

2010 vintage

Opened at the Lobster Bar in HK. Slow-oxed for an hour, and then double-decanted to help speed things along. Enjoyed over dinner. I was wary about how much air this would need, especially as Stella herself says that the 2010 needs some time to breathe before enjoying. Had a small glass after an hour of slow-ox, and it was still quite closed, so decided to double-decant. This was definitely the right decision. With enough air, this really blossomed into a …

2010 vintage

Surprisingly big and powerful for a wine from Stella, which is to say still delicate compared to its peers. Reminded me quite a bit of Rayas '09 in its density of powerful spice notes on the palate with a sense of balance, despite showing a fair bit of alcohol.

2010 vintage

The Stella Riserva was the clear standout for me in a lineup of 2010 Brunello. This wine stood out for the sweetness of the fruit and the incredible finesse of the wine, with the wine being concentrated in fruit but showing almost no tannin at all. The nose was beautiful with an intense perfume of mint, sweet, hard-candy like red berry fruit, and red floral tones. On the palate, the wine was concentrated but so finessed with almost no perception …

2010 vintage

Heavier than any Stella wine with more fruit and alcohol that feels much higher than the listed ABV - a bit over the top and one I didn’t mind as a change up but the alcoholic hit from even a glass or two is considerable - lacks the soft, feminine quality one often finds in her wines - NR because it’s so atypical

2010 vintage

Sangiovese study, Volume II (Chicago, IL) : Gorgeous red fruit on the nose with a purity that very few of the other wines managed to get. Next to the 2011, which I felt was drinking better, this was clearly the more tannic and brooding wine. On the palate, the tannins really clamp down hard on the finish, but given the sheer amount of stuffing here, there's no doubt that aging would be beneficial here. The only concern is losing that …

2010 vintage

Another glass of this about 48 hours after it was initially poured; from magnum. I always find it interesting how varying Sangiovese can be in terms of displaying red and/or black fruits on the nose from one vintage to the next. And while I normally find that Stella's wines lean red, in this vintage the black fruit is front & center on the nose, although the red fruits do become more pronounced on the palate. This is a beautiful wine. …

2010 vintage

Delicious

2010 vintage

Gorgeous! Hard to imagine this getting any better, although who’s to say what the next five years will bring in terms of the wine’s development. Red and black fruit and herbs on the nose, expansive on the palate- life is good 👍

2010 vintage

Wow . We were there 8 years ago to celebrate my wife's birthday. Stella gave us a tour and explained how she is trying to be fully organic; will only harvest when the moons align etc. As an aside she bought the vineyard from the papal portfolio. I guess popes many centuries ago figured this was a great location. What a wine she has delivered. So far the best Brunello we ever tasted. Smooth, sensual, long lasting taste. if you …

2010 vintage

Definitely will want to decant this one for several hours. Elegant and big at the same time, paired well with leg of lamb over a bed of rosemary.

2010 vintage

Sublime and a benchmark for all Brunellos

2010 vintage

This bottle is not as appealing as the previous sample. It is more backward and tight. Lots of underlying goodies that have yet to be unleashed. It needs a proper 2-3 hour decanting at least if you consume now.

2010 vintage

Stunning! Medium bodied and super elegant Brunello. This will be long lived and will only get better with time. Will wait at least 3 years to crack open the next bottle in the case.

2010 vintage

Light and silky. Dry fruity with a clean finish. A subtle and aromatic nose.

2010 vintage

Decanted and followed over 4 hours. Delicious, silky and extremely light-handed for a Brunello. Lovely. Ideally needs a couple more years of bottle age, but no regrets drinking now.

2010 vintage

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Azienda Agricola San Giuseppe Brunello di Montalcino Stella di Campalto Riserva

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