Montalcino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
2016 opened December 2023. Drying cement on the nose. Really! I bet you never heard that description before! Initially, I couldn’t put a finger on it. The bouquet reminded me of something from my past. It wasn’t tobacco; it wasn’t earthy; it wasn’t leather. Then realized it’s the smell you encounter at a construction site after they pour a cement slab. That brought back memories! Other than fresh lumber drying cement was my favorite smell. 
Cassis on the front. The tannins are sort of watery, but there’s a lot of low menthol notes and high red clay notes which kick in on the mid palate that keep this wine from being boring. It has a long tart mineral finish that makes up for the weak tannic structure on mid palate. The pleasure of its finish outweighs its mundane opening. I’ll give this wine a 9.2 rating. The finish is 9.5. The nose is unique and it kicks off old memories for me, so I’ll give the nose and 9.5. The fruit on the front is OK, and I’ll give that an 8.8. The tannins aren’t very complex, and I’ll give those an 8.8. That averages out to 9.15. I rounded it up to 9.2.
2016 opened December 2023. Drying cement on the nose. Really! I bet you never heard that description before! Initially, I couldn’t put a finger on it. The bouquet reminded me of something from my past. It wasn’t tobacco; it wasn’t earthy; it wasn’t leather. Then realized it’s the smell you encounter at a construction site after they pour a cement slab. That brought back memories! Other than fresh lumber drying cement was my favorite smell. 
Cassis on the front. The tannins are sort of watery, but there’s a lot of low menthol notes and high red clay notes which kick in on the mid palate that keep this wine from being boring. It has a long tart mineral finish that makes up for the weak tannic structure on mid palate. The pleasure of its finish outweighs its mundane opening. I’ll give this wine a 9.2 rating. The finish is 9.5. The nose is unique and it kicks off old memories for me, so I’ll give the nose and 9.5. The fruit on the front is OK, and I’ll give that an 8.8. The tannins aren’t very complex, and I’ll give those an 8.8. That averages out to 9.15. I rounded it up to 9.2.