4 | Wine | Italy, 1999

"A well made effort. ...a bit plummy and jammy in aroma with good support from the oak of the casks and barrels, sweet and continuous in flavor, sizeable but round in texture, a modern interpretation of Montalcino but not to excess."

"The 1999 Taurasi Radici Riserva is simply beautiful. Sweet dried cherries, licorice, menthol and spices waft from the glass. Made in an elegant style, this complex Riserva shows some of the slightly advanced and oxidized flavors one might reasonably expect from 10 year-old wine, yet the balance is utterly compelling. The finish is long, sweet and ethereal, as pretty suggestions of mint come back to frame the wine beautifully."

"The 1999 Costa Russi is a soft, supple effort for the vintage, with a deeply nuanced nose and a rich core of sweet dark fruit buffered by prominent minerality on the seamless, long palate."

"Pure but reticent aromas of minerals and spices, with a deep woodsy sweetness. Then dense, lush and silky but youthfully backward. This powerfully minerally, spicy wine boasts fruit of steel. Finishes with big, broad, strong tannins and great length and grip." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Brooding aromas of currant, minerals, tobacco, truffle and earth; strong aspect of medicinal austerity. Suave, bright and young; offers an uncanny combination of sweetness and powerful structure. Very rich, mouthfilling wine with even more power and thrust than the young 2000. Finishes with very fine, sweet tannins and outstanding persistence." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The 1999 Sori Tildin is a knockout wine. It offers a classic, expressive nose of flowers and spices and somewhat austere profile of sweet red fruit, minerals and menthol on a mid-weight frame. It is the hardest of these wines to read today, but I found myself coming back to it often and discovering new nuances with each taste."