Quintarelli Giuseppe, Alzero Cabernet Franc, Veneto

A very special wine for sure. Decanted and served and really at this age it’s just for aesthetics . The wine is 16.5% alc but carries it well and has a lovely set of aromatics , cocoa, rich dark fruits and light spice. It definitely starts very well but this is a wine for 4 people not 2. On our case shared between 2 it became a proper fight with our palate and it ends up being quite too much …

2011 vintage

Robe très dense, compacte. Le nez est agréable: café, cerise confites. en bouche, c'est vraiment mais alors vraiment sucré. Il y a équilibre, et une belle extraction. Mais on est sur le porto tellement l'acidité est absente.

1997 vintage

The last of 3 bottles bought in 2019. Probably the most elegant of the three. I use "elegant" for a wine that has gone through appassimento with caution, but this was truly elegant. Not high-toned or lifted on the nose, but with a deep, evocative nose with a hint of alcohol. On the palate was cherry liquor with some fresh and cooked red fruits. It had a remarkable intensity that lingered and a fantastic length on the palate. My only …

2006 vintage

Intense collab b/t robitussin cherry and a pack of newports.

1997 vintage

After opening, I could immediately smell a tiny bit of oxidation of the wine on the nose. On the palate, it came across as very sweet, with no acidity and unbalanced, but the sweetness covered the mistakes, so to speak. It got way worse over the next couple of days with further maderizing. Reading many of the previous reviews, I think many reviewers also had oxidization but rationalized it as an Amarone style wine. Quintarelli doesn't drink sweet unless it …

1997 vintage

Never tasted anything quite like it. Brightness of Ripasso with Amarone structure, but very distinctive cab franc notes. Finish went on for days.

1997 vintage

Decanted 90 minutes before service. In the glass, auburn at the rim, clear, dark maroon at the core. On the nose, blueberries, cherries, and a bit of graphite. On the palate, silky and laden with roasted cherries, currants, and plum, light on its feet initially but settling in on the midpalate with some density. The tannins are smooth and well-integrated, but remain assertive on a long finish. Our prior bottle had a much more bipolar personality, alternating between an oxidative …

2006 vintage

Cocoa, red berry jam and a hint of orange peel on the nose. Warm, borderline sweet sensation in the mouth. Long & demanding finish, with a touch of bitterness. New to amarone, take it all with a grain of salt.

2011 vintage

Immensely complex on the nose: cooked red and black fruits, paprika and sweet red pepper jelly, dried flowers, licorice, dark chocolate... thick and unctuous on the palate, borderline syrupy, but it is not without balance and freshness. The finish is extraordinary and features a gorgeous lengthy note of cocoa powder. Very interesting stuff. Will be worth following many more years. This will be best when paired carefully.

2006 vintage

Slow to open. Heavy fennel early taste. After 2.5 hr decant, everything came together for an extraordinary wine.

2006 vintage

What a treat to revisit this wine so many years later, and after a '98 Alzero no less. This came across as less exuberant than the 98, but this was also a 750 vs the 98 in magnum. More balanced, more restrained, and less flamboyant today. Quite delicious and probably the better choice for pairing with food.

1997 vintage

I never had this wine before and, having tasted it, never tasted one like it. So this tasting note is cursed by an utter lack of context to put this wine into, so take it with a grain of salt. As for the wine itself, it is made from Cabernet Franc, but the grapes are air-dried like Amarone. On the nose I got toffee and fig--a nose that, if blind, I'd say perhaps a Port or other dessert wine. Then, …

1997 vintage

Quintarelli Tasting (Frederiksberg) : Very sweet and dense but also a huge acidity. A "wild" wine with lots of personality.

1997 vintage

nothing wrong here. A beautiful wine. very pretty. floral, delicate and delicious. very nice delicate fruit. Not enough acid to stand up to be ideal for heavy meat, but did ok. WOuld be perfect alone or with cheese. Could sip for hours.

1997 vintage

Second bottle, about a year part. This came across a bit too heavy and sweet, next to the Sassicaia and Salon. Probably needs to be consumed by itself for better pleasure like the previous note.

2006 vintage

pop and pour with a wild boar ragu. great pairing.

2006 vintage

Decanted 90 minutes before service. In the glass, 80% maroon, 20% auburn. On the nose, blueberries, graphite, a hint of cinnamon, and a reductive note of prune. On the palate, what a tease - initially, a heavy, almost port-like attack, and at about the point where you're getting frustrated because port is not what you wanted with dinner, a hard turn away to an incredibly silky palate and a riot of herbal notes, led by parsley. After that head fake, …

2006 vintage

Initially pungent but quickly settling down and showing very seductive, even elegant aromas of blackcurrant, prune, deep herbs, a touch of sea breeze, roses! very pure and without a touch of oak. Pure and powerful entry, nice mid palate if concentration; when you think this is going to stay here; it accelerating again ans gaining more depth and power; yet remains light on its feet given such power and alcohol. Just a touch of herbs and sweetness at the very …

2006 vintage

Sinilar notes as last time, gained a lot with air, good balance despite the sweetness in the palate

2006 vintage

My first review for CT. I have been lurking and using CT reviews to buy for a while, so here goes.. This is really an astounding wine, I thought it would be too raisiny and too heavy for food but was proved very wrong. This wine was for my wife's bday celebration. She likes big, bold, and fruit-heavy wines, so picked the Alzero 2006. Double decanted for around 24 hr. Over the decant time the oak which was quite prominent …

2006 vintage

This was poured with minimal decanting at a local Italian restaurant and it was spectacular. The colour on this was mid deep purple with a nose of dark berries. When tasting this I was completely thrown off guard by the sweetness of this. It was almost like a mild version of Port with a ton of dark berries, some prunes and a hint of cherry flavours. The tannins and acidity were certainly there but not overly strong and this wine …

1997 vintage

Wow now this was a surprise. Not sure what I was expecting but given its age of 22 yrs I figured it would show those classic leather and tobacco notes. Nope. If someone told me I was drinking a young amarone or a port I would not have been surprised. Notes of blackberry, tar, some pencil shaving and vanilla. Dry, med+ body, med acidity, smooth tannins. Quite an experience.

1997 vintage

First time trying Quintarelli, I totally understand the hype now. This was incredible juice. Wonderful complexity right on the nose - dark berry fruit, some ripe, some stewed. Plum, licorice, cigar box, shaved dark chocolate, black truffles and some Middle Eastern spices. Hints of bell pepper in the background. Full, rich, plump body, but has this beautiful lightness that just makes you want to drink it like cranberry juice. Flawless balance, the 16% abv is unnoticeable and still amazes me …

2006 vintage

Pear, forest floor, meaty porcini, malt, medicinal, the wine is overly sweet in the palate though

2006 vintage

Simply spectacular. Cherries, prunes, forest floor, resin, tobacco, tar, asphalt. Long finish...... very long. This wine evolved over the course of an hour. 97pts. Ready now, but can go longer, probably much longer.

1997 vintage

As a Quintarelli fan of long standing, I find the Alzeros incredibly fascinating. This magnum was in perfect shape, and despite a long decant, needed more time. I suggest holding these for 2-5 years but if opened now, letting them sit for 4 hours. The richness of the Cabernet franc is evident,as is the difference between the Corvina-led Amarone and the Alzero amarone. The Alzero has much less of an angular edge, less chcolate and leather and more rich earth, …

2006 vintage

The highlight of a tasting of Amarones from Quintarelli, Dal Forno and Tomasso. Certainly sweet and intense but so well balanced with freshness, vigour and a long finish

1997 vintage

pop n pour nose:fresh new wood,slight raisiny,herb,ripe plum,chocolate,slight cherry,green capsicum.lots of freshness palate:elegance with superb texture.incredible intensity.awesome freshness which reflect lots of vibrancy.freaking long finish.its a pity finishing has some alcohol heat notes:sweet cherry,sweet herbs,sweet liqourice,rapsberry,black tea,plum,black cherry,rasins

2006 vintage

My gosh. This was amazing and worth every cent spent. Pop and poured. Drank from bottle over 1.5 hours. Friday late night at Tim's place. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, brilliant ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of fresh herbs, bell peppers, licorice, sweet oak spice, toffee, red cherries, raisins. Developing. On the palate, dry, bright high acidity, high alcohol (16%) that's actually not very apparent, ultra-fine velvety high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with …

2006 vintage

Perfekt!

2006 vintage

Wow - this was a winner and definitely the WOTN. Pnp - open and ready for business. Just really well integrated and mouth coating. Dark fruits with earthiness, leather, pencil box. After the Patrimo which I really liked, this one just stole the show. Lots of life ahead for this as it is just entering the drinking window - but you won't be disappointed if you opened one in the near future either.

2006 vintage

Super ripe and medicinal this doesn't really show Cab Franc character, more in line with an Amarone there is a lot of herbs and very ripe fruit; palate shows some raisin, great acid, subtle structure, higher alcohol though holds it well, red and darker fruit profile, finish literally lasts for minutes, one of the longest wines I've ever had; really takes me back to Verona; don't expect Cheval Blanc because this is a big wine not for the faint of …

1997 vintage

Continues to drink beautifully with no sign of decline.

1997 vintage

I am a decades- long Quintarelli devotee and this is one of his greats. But not his greatest, an honor given to the riserva Amarone and reccioto which are rarely seen these days; these wines provide more complexity, variation n flavor and a slightly better viscosity( less).The Alzero needs 4-5 hours of decanting, and unfolds like chocolate velvet with dark cherry, tar, and a bit of purple plum all over the tongue. The nose is equally rich, with deep oak, …

1997 vintage

Italian Tasting with some Old Quintarelli and Emidio Pepe Wines (St. Paul, MN) : Very dark red/purple color, clear 1mm meniscus. Drank 2oz tasting pour over 20 minutes. Sweet on the nose and especially the palate, hot, plum, blackberry liqueur, kirsch, spicy, candied, sweet palate, raisin, caramel finish. Dessert wine material, tough to pair. I gotta agree with KStoddard, not really in my wheelhouse. 89-90pts

1997 vintage

Pablo's WW tasting at Council Oak. Feet, tannin, saw dust. The WOTF.

1997 vintage

No formal notes taken. This is an absolutely divine wine. The greatest Quintarelli wine I've ever tasted (and I've tasted a few). The nose was so complex and its finish is insane ... literally hanging on to the palate for minutes. The 1997 Alzero will truly defy time and will easily cellar for another 50 years. Not cheap at close to 500$ a pop. However, if your lucky to find it and have the means of affording it by all …

1997 vintage

This may well be the perfect wine. This wine has it all, sensual bouquet, impeccable balance, lush fruit, and what I like to call sweet elegance on the palate and finish. There is no cloying sweetness here, just a round and delicious wine. It is the ultimate expression of what wine can be. Words can not do the wine justice, it must be tasted to be experienced. If you are going to spend a few hundred dollars on a bottle …

1997 vintage

Honorary Quintarelli Tasting (Copenhagen) : Impressive youthful complexity on the nose packed with blood-like aromas and earthiness. Some sweetness also showing with coffee and other oak-like aromas but overall it is very powerful. Extremely wild acidity hits on the palate with an overripe sweet fruit but also a completely massive wall of acidity and tannins. At its current state it is really a massive and extreme wine in all its potency but to me still a beautiful and very well …

1997 vintage

I have had and enjoyed this wine numerous times. I was therefore surprised that this bottle drank a little green the first night. But the second night, everybody's ears really perked up.

1997 vintage

What a wine. I have had the 1997 Alzero on at least 1/2 dozen occasions and it is always memorable. It is pure, balanced, deep, rich, etc., etc, etc. This was the final Cab Franc last night at our wine group dinner. The others, 2007 Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grezeaux; 2005 Clos Rougeard Samur-Champigny, Les Poyeux; 1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses; 1986 Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrieres were spectacular, but alas they were no match for the …

1997 vintage

KYD #1.1 : Compact and dense dark sweet cherry nose with a beautiful black pepper edge. The nose is also quite floral and has a lot of violets and pine tree. Some black the also coming through (bergamotte). The palate is still extremely primary and is just packed with dark cherry fruit with a hint of vanilla but a lot of freshly ground black pepper. The acidity is also off the charts and really holds the sweetness in check and …

1997 vintage

Northern Italian Dinner at Our House : The most controversial wine of the night. Served with a huge slice of Parmesan Reggioano, Mike and Don loved it, Stpehanie did not, but liked it witht eh Panna Cotta. This wine is multilayered, complex with anise, coffee, chocolate, cassis and sweet dark fruit. The structure is terrific, with the density of a port, but more midweight. Very interesting, very good, not something I would drink often, but it is a great wine.

1997 vintage

Birthday Bash with Pig (Chicagoland) : Chocolate and port. Sweet sense to the nose. Big, full bodied wine. Fine tannins. Still very young. Delicious.

1997 vintage

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Quintarelli Giuseppe, Alzero Cabernet Franc, Veneto

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