Next up in my search is four bottles of the 1998 vintage. The Brunello Consorzio has awarded it with 4 stars.
Based only on these four bottles I can concur with the Consorzios assessment of the vintage. And there seem to be no hurry drinking these. Good, since I have some more to taste...
1998 Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Caparzo
A fine, elegant, somewhat mature nose with notes of sweet red cherries, plums, rosemary, tobacco and warm tiles. Very, very fine. After a while lots of floral notes emerge.
The taste is as elegant as the nose with pure, fresh Sangiovese fruit and notes of forest floor, dried flowers, hard cherry candy, spice and licorice. This has a fine nerve and complexity. A long, fine, elegant finish. Has started its way to maturity. A really fine bottle of wine. More info here.
91p (tasted 2012/10)
1998 Brunello di Montalcino Alessandro III, Il Patrizio
A fully mature, open, warm nose greets you, with notes of cooked red cherries, pipe tobacco, warm floor tiles and balsamic vinegar. A fine warmth, but not that much depth.
The taste is big, steady and warm with lots of sweet cherry fruit, soft tannins and a long, warm finish. Notes of cherry jam with some vanilla, tobacco and undergrowth is noticable on the palate. This is for drinking sooner than later. Good but without real complexity.
85p (tasted 2012/10)
1998 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne, Donatella Cinelli Colombini
The Prime Donne from Colombini is selected by a tasting panel composed of four female tasters. I don´t know if its the female touch, but this is a stunning wine. The nose is just wonderful with its depth, concentration and gorgeous fruit. Lovely aromas of sweet and sour cherries, violets, dried flowers, balsa wood, veal meat and a Tuscan dirt road. A cool warmth, if you get that... Red currants. There is a lot going on here, and all of it is good. This has started to mature but have a long way to go.
The taste is tight, focused and fresh as a daisy, with gorgeous cherry fruit and notes of licorice, violets, dried flowers, spice and forest floor. The tannins leaves a nice mark of themselves in the finish. A gorgeous wine. I could use more bottles of this! More info here.
94p (tasted 2012/10)
1998 Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Valdicava
A stunning label on this bottle! The nose is big, warm and with beginning maturity. Notes of vinegar cooked cherries, licorice, moist undergrowth, meat stock and a scent of a bonfire in a distance. There is a lot of power in this one. After a while in the glass there is a strong perfumed note that emerges. Impressive in small doses, but need to come together.
The taste is big, tight and intense with sweet dark fruit, perky tannins and a long warm finish. Notes of warm herbs, tobacco, balsamic vinegar, leather and road dust. This still needs some time in the cellar to really get it together, but the material is there. More info here.
88p (tasted 2012/10)
No comments:
Post a Comment