A full bodied and really rich old vine Grenache (with 20% mourvèdre). Ripe with a great concentration of flavours. Plums, cherry liqueur, garrigue, crushed rock, violets, melted liquorice, pepper corns and so much more. This has seen mostly concrete and really confirms to me my preference on how a great southern Rhône wine should be made. — a year ago
From the get-go, the 2016 Brunello from Fattoria dei Barbi is an attractive, forthcoming wine showing all the hallmarks of a great vintage, which of course 2016 was - in Montalcino as in Tuscany, Italy, Europe, indeed the world so it seems. It is oaked in a barrel
Quite pale garnet in colour, the wine has pretty aromas of rose petal, dry cherry, cranberry, with some lavender, dark chocolate, and coffee bean.
The palate is firm, juicy, with a well of macerated cherry and kirsch liqueur to go with savoury characteristics of aged meat and herbs. Acidity is high, but this is enjoyable now with a good decant - it will of course age very well too.
— 3 years ago
Popped and poured; consumed over a three hour period. No formal notes. The 2015 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco pours a deeper garnet color with a translucent core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is currently bursting with red and dark fruits: blackberries, Luxardo cherry, pomegranate, green herbs, red flowers, green herbs, and tar. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. The notes on the nose are confirmed. The finish is long and savory. Really compelling stuff in the context of the night. I think the 2015’s are drinking so well right now. Unfortunately, this is my last bottle of the “classico” but I’ll be on the hunt for more if I can score at a good price. Drink now if you’re going to allow for some evolution in the glass or enjoy through 2035. — a year ago
Ruby-red. Oak-spiced red berry liqueur, cherry, pipe tobacco and vanilla aromas are complemented by a smoky topnote. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, displaying velvety texture and plush black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and fruitcake flavors. Shows impressive depth as well as energy, especially for a hot vintage, and finishes with repeating cherry and spice notes and harmonious tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2021)
— 4 years ago
In the pocket w/long life ahead: solid Napa CS - usually priced out of these wines, but I picked this up years ago and decided to see where it was: super inky, not a sign of age, very generous fragrant nose right away, lots of [chambord] liqueur like blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry, cassis, and well integrated oak. Rich luscious viscous on palate, finely grained tannins, loads of fruit from nose and a lengthy finish. Perfect w/ribeye — a year ago
Delicious. A sentimental favorite winery for my wife and me, Freemark’s reds are, in my experience, consistently top notch. Nose has sweet Luxardo cherry, rich humus, just a tad of barrel spice, stony crushed gravel, and sniffably tangy acids. Round and full-flavored, it’s got smoky cassis fruit that is clingy and turns minerally/savory as the finish progresses. Soft textured and balanced. Just a joy to drink. — 3 years ago
Roman Ochocki
Never disappoints. Deep nose: liqueur cherry & plum. But "deeper": caramel brownie - caramel, dark chocolate & gingerbread note. — 6 months ago