Special wine for a special occasion — 4 years ago
Wow, what a nose. White chocolate and overripe pear leaps out at my from the glass, along with some beautiful earthy notes. Good residual that's well balanced by its acidity and floral/mineral notes. Complex and quaffable. — 8 years ago
Deep ruby color.
Aromas of black fruit, roasted bell pepper, roasted herbs, black olive.
Dry. Flavors of black olive, subtle blackberry, roasted rosemary, clove, licorice, peppercorn. Rich, velvety tannins.
Intensity: 5/5
Complexity: 4/5
Balance: 5/5
Finish: 5/5 — a month ago
Flirts with, but does not quite enter orange wine territory. The skins definitely make their presence felt, but there is also a range of citrus and flowers, a bit of nuttiness — 4 years ago
Surprisingly bright for its age with lemon curd and red apple and just a touch of oxidation to add depth. Bruised apple and lemon peel fruit on palate. — 6 years ago
Jay Kline
This was a pre-Parson Il Palazzone, back when Mario Bollag (now Terralsole) owned the property. Dick (Parson) invested a lot into Il Palazzone after 2000 and the estate’s reputation today is largely known under his stuardship.
Poured into a decanter about 2 1/2 hours prior to service to remove sediment and give this 28-year old some air. In the glass, the 1996 pours a deep garnet with a brown tinge and a near opaque core. Medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous, with some VA and notes of desiccated, red and black fruit: Morello cherries, strawberries, brambles, figs, along with leather, porcini, forest floor, espresso, and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (fully integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium, and the body is medium. White this freshened up with air (recommended), it is clearly in the sunset of its life. That being said, it has plenty of stories to tell. Drink now with a decant. — 18 days ago