1 | Wine | Tuscany Misc, 91 to 95 | Page 3

"The 2007 Ornellaia is remarkably open and accessible, very much in keeping with the personality of the vintage. Clean, minerally notes frame a core of silky, perfumed dark fruit, mocha, spices, licorice, grilled herbs and leather that impresses for its exceptional length. Tasted next to the 2007 Le Serre Nuove, the 2007 Ornellaia shows more muscle (from the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), but in terms of pure quality the wines are very close. The 2007 is not a big, massive Ornellaia, but rather a wine built on elegance and finesse, both of which are on full display."

"Explodes onto the palate with masses of rich, opulent fruit that caress the palate with gorgeous length and a seamless beauty that is hard to fully capture. Dark wild cherries, plums, spices, minerals and herbs develop in the glass. This is an especially bold, perhaps slightly uncharacteristic Sassicaia in its extroverted personality, but it is beautiful all the same. The inner perfume and sweetness carries through the long finish, where the sheer weight and glycerol of the fruit leaves a lasting impression."

"The 2007 is not a big, massive Ornellaia, but rather a wine built on elegance and finesse, both of which are on full display. ...The 2007 Ornellaia is remarkably open and accessible, very much in keeping with the personality of the vintage. Clean, minerally notes frame a core of silky, perfumed dark fruit, mocha, spices, licorice, grilled herbs and leather that impresses for its exceptional length. Tasted next to the 2007 Le Serre Nuove, the 2007 Ornellaia shows more muscle (from the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), but in terms of pure quality the wines are very close."

"The 2004 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice emerges from the glass with an intriguing array of smoke, licorice, honey, scorched earth and tar, all of which add considerable complexity to the fruit. This is an exotic, full-throttle style of Vin Santo, but there is more than enough freshness to balance some of the wine’s more opulent leanings. From time to time the volatile acidity (always present in sweet wines) sticks out a bit, which is the only thing that keeps the score from going higher."

"The 2007 Ornellaia is remarkably open and accessible, very much in keeping with the personality of the vintage. Clean, minerally notes frame a core of silky, perfumed dark fruit, mocha, spices, licorice, grilled herbs and leather that impresses for its exceptional length. Tasted next to the 2007 Le Serre Nuove, the 2007 Ornellaia shows more muscle (from the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), but in terms of pure quality the wines are very close. The 2007 is not a big, massive Ornellaia, but rather a wine built on elegance and finesse, both of which are on full display."

"A lively dark ruby, it is a vibrant effort bursting with expressive aromatics and layered, well-delineated fruit, showing much purity on the palate and closing with a long, finessed finish."

"The 2010 Perlato del Bosco explodes from the glass with the energy and sheer power that is typical of the year. Dark red berries, licorice and smoke are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. There is a sense of underlying tension here that is palpable, and that gives the wine much of its focus. This is a great vintage for Perlato del Bosco."

"Bright red-ruby. Ripe aromas of sweet red cherries macerated in alcohol, cedar, cinnamon and pepper. Suave and seamless, with soft, almost-overripe flavors of redcurrant jam, red plum syrup, stewed red plum and tobacco leaf. A very distinctive and much creamier than usual Tignanello, finishing with supple tannins and excellent length. Obviously the product of a warmer year, and though this outstanding Tignanello is a touch less refined than some recent standout vintages, it's hard to argue with its sweet, soft style and early drinking appeal. No need to cellar this too long."

"The medium-bodied 2005 Ornellaia shows plenty of delineation in its dark cherries, blueberries, spices, minerals and crushed rocks."

"Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of currant, new oak and fresh herbs, with hints of spices. Full-bodied, with very chewy tannins and an outstanding concentration of fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc."