Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass are port drenched cherries, pencil shavings, tobacco, toffee, balsamic, and cinnamon. Taste: silky, balanced, still fresh wine with currants, little dried cherry, tobacco, earth, dried herbs, and a spicy saline graphite satisfying finish. YUM! In the home stretch, drink. — 2 days ago

with Brenda

Ericsson

9.5

Super Tuscans are always a treat. Especially with some age in bottle. Needs time in the glass to aerate to scents of tobacco, spice, black fruit and cedar. Cheers. — 10 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Beautiful drinking Barbaresco with its red cherry, berry fruit, spice, licorice, dried herbs, rose petal & tobacco. — 6 days ago

Brian S

9.5

I love this producer whatever they make. So alive, fresh and beautiful. Could drink this all night! — 8 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Deep Ruby with aromas of red fruits and herb floral notes, aged 2 years in large Slavonian oak barrels. On the palate flavors of cherry and raspberry with notes of oak, citrus, white flower and earthy spice. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with slightly smoky earthy oak character. Great value! — 5 days ago

Tegan Marriott

9.2

Etna 🌋displayed here in it's most minimalistic version but the flavors are especially candid of it's distinct terroirs. I need to try some of the single vineyard versions after this entry level! — a day ago

Dave

9.2

Cherries, licorice, sage, earth, leather. Really really good. To quote the famous @Tom Garland YUM!!
Listening to Richard and Linda Thompson — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened a few hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of an hour alongside the 1999 Bartolo. The wine pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, dried roses, tar, truffle, old wood, dried green herbs, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. Lovely stuff. Compared to the ‘99, this leans a touch more on the elegant side. Delicious with controfiletto di wagyu Drink now with patience through 2048. — 18 days ago

Vanessa

9.4

There’s a quiet intensity to Valdicava that makes its way into each & every sip.

🪽 On the label is the depiction of an archangel with sword raised, and wings open, standing as a symbol of Brunello—a wine shaped by patience, precision & deep respect for place—both protective & powerful, grounded in tradition yet shaped with its own energy.

⛰️ 🌊 Valdicava is located on the slopes of Montosoli (a prized ‘cru’), in one of the coolest sectors of the Brunello appellation, enjoying both cooling & warming factors from the radiant sun, to the forests of Monte Amiata, to the breezes off the Tyrrhenian Sea…

🌱 The growing environment is characterized by tension, which is reflected in this wine holding equal parts strength & finesse.

👁️ It is medium garnet in color with pronounced, layered notes of black cherry, black raspberry, baked plum, boysenberry, cedar, cardamom, nutmeg, cigar box, clove, sweet tobacco, black licorice, fennel, olive tapenade, balsamic, dried oregano, wet earth, leather & peat moss.

👄 The palate is dry, with velvety tannins, a vibrant acidity, and warming, though not intrusive, alcohol at 13.5% ABV & a lingering finish.

👌 It has a bold profile softened with age; it is supple & polished, held together with a firm acidity, giving lift to the kaleidoscope of dynamic aromas & flavors.

🥂Cheers to wines offering a sensory window to a particular place & time.   — 5 days ago

with Deked1

Will Stanley

9.2

Second time trying this from the 2015 vintage, first enjoyed five years ago. This was my Christmas Day wine, when it’s always hard to really appreciate or concentrate on a wine what with everything else going on! I ordinarily go for familiar favourites from the Rhône, or aged Bordeaux. Anyway, this Brunello was still super macho, austere and in need of either more time in bottle or some very rustic, Tuscan food. Or both! — 19 days ago