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Poggio alle Mura 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 |
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No one has done more to raise the quality and profile of Montalcino wines than this estate’s American owners, the Mariani family. This particular single-vineyard offering tastes and smells ethereal, with an extraordinarily complex array of aromas and flavors.
This powerhouse Brunello burgeons with spiced plum, dried cherries, dried meat, and earthy clay. Hints of savory herb lie atop thick yet refined tannins, and the finish lasts as long as a Puccini crescendo.
"It offers more expressive aromatics along with darker, riper fruit and a richly-textured, layered feel on the palate owing to its greater concentration." 90
"Powerful and youthful nose, intense peppery fruit aromas with some depth and style. Round, full and spicy-sweet with soft, ripe fruit. 2-5 years." * * * * Highly Recommended
"Red-ruby. Spicy, musky aromas of sweet red berries and exotic spices and flowers. Sweet, lush and packed with fruit; seamless, suave and quite concentrated. This is quite layered and full but less heavy-handed than some past vintages. Finishes with suave tannins and excellent persistence." 92 - Outstanding
"...consistent and appealing reflection of authentic Brunello..."
“Loads of blackberry and currant on the nose with hints of cooked fruit. Full-bodied, silky and refined with a beautiful structure and refinement. Goes on for minutes. Best after 2009.” 94
“Year after year, Banfi delivers the goods with confidence and character. It’s a vibrant, ruby-colored wine with cherry, plum, vanilla, vanilla, coffee, wet slate and a strong mineral component offset by hints of green bean or rhubarb. A full, round wine with silky tannins that will flesh out further in 5-10 years.” Cellar Selection
"...This Brunello, to me, will age the longest among all the wines tasted. It's got a darker structure than the rest and on the palate, it has the essence of a Brunello with good freshness in the acidity as well as minerality. The legs are very long and the extraction is darker and deeper. And the finish is very long…this has great potential." 92
“WOW! This is a veritable feast of concentrated liquorice and smoke on the nose. Thankfully, the palate lives up to the expectations and even delivers more than you had bargained for: brambles, smoke, chocolate and a faint edge of herbs.”
“From a very hot vintage, a delicate, Christmas cake nose and palate with dried sweet fruit and sour plums. 2-15 years.” * * * *
“Offering a pleasing balance of fruit and floral aromas, this unfiltered Italian is big and brooding. The fruit aromas are augmented by cedar and cloves, and the flavor offers a big mouthful of ripe berry. Velvety smooth, with lush ripe tannins and good length on the spicy finish.”
“. . .broad, meaty aromas of black fruits and keeps that tone through the round, rich palate. Everything here is black and ripe, but there’s enough acid to produce a juicy mouthfeel. Finishes with licorice, fudge and mineral notes.” 92
“Impressive nose for the vintage, with loads of ripe fruit and beautiful flowers. Full-bodied and very velvety, with beautiful tannins. I love this. Best after 2006.” 93
“Full-bodied, with still firm tannins but with balance and structure that bode well for its future. An intense wine, already showing plums, currant and blackberry fruits on a generously smoky and herbal background. The wine needs time to show its elegance. Best from 2006-2018, perhaps longer.” 95
“There’s so much dense, grapey fruit in this wine when it’s first poured, the structure is completely hidden. Air helps sort the flavors out, extending the ripe fruit so the tannins become perceptible, allowing the detail to begin to show. This gains depth as it will over years in the cellar, a dark, modern style that needs age.” 90
“Coffee, chocolate and licorice aromas lead in a big, balanced, very long finishing wine of great elegance. From a small group of prized vineyards in the huge Banfi estate, this classic Brunello will reward cellaring.” * * * * *
“Bright full ruby. Black raspberry, black cherry, chocolate and sexy oak spices on the nose. Dense and sweet in the mouth; also highly concentrated but comes across as less monolithic than the “regular” bottling, with a flavor of sweet black cherry. Finishes with very suave tannins and excellent persistence.” 91 (+?)
"Banfi’s single-vineyard Brunello shines in ’99. It’s ruby/purple in color, with lush black-fruit aromas accented by vanilla, violets and licorice. Made in the so-called modern style, but with fine tannins and body. Some firm oak pops up late in the game, but if given a few years, that should be integrated. Good teeth on the finish suggest ageability." 93
"Deep ruby red-light purple with an aroma of blackberry, plum, subtle tobacco and oak. Medium-full to full-bodied with excellent concentration. Big finish with layers of fruit. Ripe, modern style of Brunello – very impressive. Cellar for 12-15 years." *****
"Not giving away much right now, but it’s deep and concentrated. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. A beauty. Give this time. To be released in October 2004. Best after 2006."
"Although not their current release, this fabulous wine is still widely available in San Francisco and on the East Coast. It's worth finding because at eight years of age it has a beautiful complexity as well as the signature Banfi suppleness. Not just fruity - - although there's still plenty of fruit - - there is an engaging earthiness and minerality. The wine has great depth and the uplifting quintessential Italian acidity. It's a great example of why Brunello deserves its revered reputation." 95
“Showed the beneficial effects of aging. It still has plenty of ripe cherry, good depth and notes of leather and spice, but the tannins are relaxing, and the wine is very well balanced.”
“Lovely aromas and intricate, delicate flavors.” Critics Gold
“Excellent - Rock-ribbed tannins and 24 months in oak (90% French, 10% Slovenian) lend Banfi’s single-vineyard Brunello almost intimidating structure, but the wine manages to be rich, warm and appealing despite its iron-like effect; in fact, the word “gorgeous” stands out at the top of my page of notes. It’s a tremendously vibrant mouthful of wine, dense and chewy, and bursting with currant, plum and raspberry tea flavors suffused with elements of dried baking spices and clean woody undertones. It could profitably rest until 2006 to 2010.”
“. . . positively loaded with floral notes and fruit characters of all descriptions. Toss in a plank or two of liqueury vanillin oak and a handful of baked earth, and you got one hell of a drink on your hands. Although the palate is still fairly tight, the immensity of the underlying fruit carries the drying, dusty tannins with great aplomb and slips down the palate effortlessly to a very long finish. Yet despite its power, the wine remains supremely elegant in structure. Want to know why people get so excited about Brunello? Grab a bottle of this and find out. Fantastic wine.”
"Deep cherry ruby with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and gives an impression of holding back; swishing brings forth cherry and forest berry fruit with slight sour bramble overtones and some underbrush; the overall impression is harmonious, but there will be more in the future. On the palate it’s full and rich, with pleasing slightly dusty cherry fruit laced with black currants and supported by smooth sweet tannins that gain definition from a slight burr and lead into a long warm slightly sour cherry finish with tannic underpinning. Quite nice, though very young, and is one of those wines one could drink young without feeling like a baby killer, though giving it the time it needs to reach at least teenagerhood will have its rewards. Drink it with a steak or a stew; by comparison with the 97 it is a little less powerful, though both are quite approachable. Well worth seeking out." **
"Black raspberry, cherry and cedar with a floral note; long finish with firm tannins and high acidity. Strong hard cheeses."
Tre Bicchieri
"Black-garnet hue. Youthful, complex aromas of brambly blackberry, smoke, Worcestershire, redwood, clove and black pepper. Sweet, focused flavors of blackberry, citrus peel, mint, tobacco and licorice. Long, peppery finish." 92
"Saturated ruby-red. Exotic raspberry, cassis and black cherry on the expressive nose. Layered and dense but tightly wrapped and in need of aging. Not particularly sweet, and currently quite tannic, but shows more finishing ripeness than the basic 1998 bottling." 86(+?)
"...this well-made Brunello has a surprisingly soft tannic component. The nose is dark berry but with cedar and anise. The palate is much brighter than the ’97 Poggio all’Oro, with red berry, cherry and fruit so bright and ripe it seems almost sweet. Fine finish. Excellent offering from a more difficult vintage. Kudos to Banfi...."
"The first result of clonal research was put into this cru Brunello, aged four years. Its nose was distinctive with tobacco, mocha and nutmeg. Layers upon layers of flavor paid tribute to the palate: chocolate, coffee and diluted violet, which leads to a rich, deep black fruity finish which lays like a petal on the tongue."
"Slightly earthy, with red cherry, a hint of tobacco and nice spice. Firm but manageable tannins. Juicy, fairly elegant and well balanced."
"Aromas of oak, currant, blackberry and black cherry continue as smooth, round, mouthfilling flavors with lots of spice, good acidity and fine tannins. The finish is medium-broad and medium-long and the oak is well integrated. The wine has good structure and depth and is better balanced than the regular Brunello. It needs three to five more years in the bottle to begin to show at its best." Very Nice
"Superconcentrated aromas, with loads of jam, almost raisin aromas, with hints of spices and flowers. Full-bodied, with good and refined tannins and a medium finish." 93
The color is deep, vibrant brick-red; lots of cedar, tobacco and dried spices in the nose, picking up notes of dried flowers; flavors of macerated and roasted currants and raspberries; just beautiful, so smooth, mellow and flavorful. Now through 2010 or ‘12.
"Deep black cherry ruby with black highlights and cherry rim. The bouquet is more aggressive than that of the 97 Poggio all’Oro, with some balsamic notes that mingle with moderate cherry and forest berry fruit, hints of leaf tobacco, and slight animal hair overtones. Harmonious. On the palate it’s full and quite round, with rich cherry and forest berry fruit that is very slightly sweet—this gives an idea of the richness of the must, and contributes to the roundness of the wine—supported by smooth sweet tannins that have a slight burr, and flow into a clean berry fruit finish that’s fairly long, with cedar-laced tannic notes that emerge with time. It’s elegant, and also a wine that will work well with what it’s served with rather than trying to take center stage by force. Modus in rebus; it is a Brunello, and it will require substantial fare—the obvious roasts come to mind, but the slight sweetness of the fruit will make it a good bet with drier meats as well, including those of a mixed boiled dinner or a pot roast. Worth seeking out; though it is drinkable now it will hold for at least a decade, and likely much longer." **
". . .was the wine of the year, heavenly scented with plums, cherries, and light herbs, intense and concentrated, dried extract of bing cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and slight vanilla and cigar smoke for accent. The 1998 was nearly as good."
"A classic Brunello smell with cherry, tar, rose oil, and traces of sandalwood. Not a thick entry, but deep fruit/earth tones, and a long, complex finish that’s more tart than tannic. A wine for the cellar. If drinking today, try it with duck confit." Exceptional
"...from a classic vintage that has proved one of Tuscany’s greatest, is lush and rich with smooth texture and dense, spicy fruit. It offers superb depth and lovely finesse. Here, we honor a stylish, modern approach to a century-old wine that has become a standard-bearer for Italian winemaking."
Prestige C: medium/full bodied; long finish with soft tannins A: currant, black cherry, vanilla, leather F: chocolate, dark cherry, earth P: grilled calfs liver with onions and prosciutto Key - C: General Characteristics, A: Aromas, F: Flavors, P: Pairings or Product Use
"This first release from the vineyard immediately surrounding Banfi's castle in Montalcino has a tight, focused intensity right in the middle of the wine. The currant scents embedded in the aroma build into a warm, gamey density on the palate, substantial enough to balance the active tannins, not yet matured beyond a black grapiness. This needs time for the fruit to absorb all the structural alcohol and tannin; for now it's firm, potent and lasting." 90
"...rich, ripe and lush, with that plum and dried rose petal nuance that comes from top-notch Sangiovese." ****(1/2)
"General Characteristics: Medium/full bodied; long finish with soft tannins. Aromas: Currant, black cherry, vanilla, leather. Flavors: Chocolate, dark cherry, earth."
"Deep crimson hue with a purple core. Mixed aromas of raspberry, red cherry, tobacco, cocoa and mint with a wisp of vanillin oak. Youthful acidity softens the big tannins and freshens rich flavors of raspberry, plum, earth, leather and a touch of flowers. Tar and spicy red fruit highlight the finish." 90
"Balanced, strawberry, cherry, red licorice aromas. Full-bodied, tannic, yet refined, with caressing texture. Long finish." 96
"Exceptional - The first vintage for this single-vineyard Brunello di Montalcino offers the tantalizing scents of old churches and smells and flavors of spice cake and macerated plums set into a beautifully integrated tannin structure that possesses the length and balance for four to eight years' aging."
"...luscious, full bodied, somewhat toasty Brunello, with layers of complexity and a very long finish. It tastes of berry jam, cedar, smoky oak, sage, and green olive." ***** Exceptional
"Saturated garnet with dark ruby reflections. Alluring nose of cinnamon, cedar, mint and iris. Wonderfully sweet in the mouth, with remarkably pure, fresh flavors of ripe plum, bing cherry and vanilla bean. Silky tannins and intriguing whiffs of cocoa and cassis on the lingering finish." 95
"...garnet ruby and has a rich, delicate bouquet in which wood deftly balances young cherry fruit. There's a lot going on in a graceful package, with excellent integration between wood and fruit. On the palate it combines richness and delicacy, with intense black cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that lead into a long clean finish with a deft youthful tannic underpinning." ***90
"This balanced red is built for aging. Loads of strawberry, cherry and red licorice aromas. Full-bodied and very tannic, yet refined and polished, with a caressing texture. Long, long finish. A masterpiece. Best after 2004." 96
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