Fonterenza, Brunello di Montalcino

b-day (el asador) : 84 days lapse. Decanted into a quart mason jar at 9 am. Rebottled at noon. Drunk at El Asador (Springwells) at 8pm. A study in alluring tannins. Each strand/grain unlocks oak-fueled scented fronts of rose, raspberry, cacao, thyme, and ... complex systems! What a clastic thump of flattery and stoic reason. Transparent flavor. Antique structure. sz

298 days lapse. I'm taking this break in the heat as an opportunity to drink a big, oak flavored red with rib chop. This vintage is still as scented as it was, and yet only now am I ready to grasp how oak plays the role in powering those sensations—sweet, seasoned wood, steeped in violets and schaerbeek cherry liqueur. All of this is relaxed and transparent in flavor; illuminated and drinkable by the sip. Educated, annealed tannins are hopelessly involved …

Vinmesse. Mørk og kraftig, mandel. 995,-

I find this to be an aromatic treat. I hardly want to take a drink. It's transparent, luxuriant, and formed with meandering appeals to spice pudding, tea, cardamom, and citrus oil. A drink fits the smell. This is less immediately familiar territory for me. I wasn't ready for the clarity of conserved raspberries combined with forest litter, game jerky, cacao, and mushroom. All very illuminated in verdant sepia. Tannins are effortlessly rested, even as they organize bitter, rinsed gravel. 92-95. …

Lithic. Massive. Bitter Venezuelan chocolate. Lazy, sagging vines dotted with cassis, vanilla liquor, and licorice. Oak. Blueberries, hostage to geological constriction. Unending tannins, saturated deeply in the fabric, violently productive of scented spice and inky pulp. I've always adored this wine. I wonder if I opened this bottle a decade or two before it's ready. 96-99.

Aerated to decanter for 2 hours, and followed over 3 days. Organic farming since day 1, the fruit for this Brunello comes from a 1 hectare plot that the family had to receive an exception to be included in the BdM DOCG. That said, the exception was obviously merited. Clean and bright, with textbook Sangiovese character, structure, etc. This will likely hit peak in about 5 or so years. This was most complete on day 3. HOLD. highly recommended http://www.italianwine.blog

3 hour slo-o. Still very much on the young side, but displays great pedigree and potential. There is good fruit, nice balance and a lengthy finish. This is destined to be a great wine.

It has been a while since I've had a wine from Margherita and Francesca so I grabbed a few of these and wanted to check on a bottle. This was really intense and formidably structured. You could detect fruit, leather, earth, flowers and sundry attached to the frame, but it was unwilling to let them flutter outward. Kind of reminded me of young Bea Sagrantino in that it seemed like staring into a deep well where you can't see the …

Third Coast Soif (Chicago, IL) : Outstanding intensity and power here, the herbs and red fruit are out in full force, with a touch of reduction and a nice dusty element on the initial whiff. It's hard to enjoy this wine in the setting, but with a little meat, I've no doubt this would be an outstanding wine. One of my winners today.

100% Sangiovese fra Il Bosco på 1,2 hektar. Jordsmonn bestående av galestro, medium grov grus, leire og mye kalk. Galestro-stener på toppen. Skallkontakt i 30 dager. 42 måneder på botti. Varmere og tiltalende på duft med moden bringebær, kirsebær, mørkere tobakk, tørkede blomster og en flott kryddernerve. Pen fylde med litt varmere fruktfølelse. Kirsebær, tørket frukt, lakris og krydder. Noe tørket tobakkspreg på en lang utgang. Tanninene er meget stramme og overkjører frukten foreløpig. Dette medfører en ubalansert vin. Det …