Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
€ 206,00 NO VAT (private collection)
La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barolo Vürsù Vigneto Campè DOCG
€ 134,00 NO VAT (private collection)
€ 28,00 NO VAT (private collection)
The 2021 Le Difese is redolent of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, lavender, spice and sweet pipe tobacco. Medium in body yet nicely layered, the 2021 is impeccably balanced. It is also a sheer delight to taste at this early stage. In many vintages, Le Difese is a fruity, forward wine, but the 2021 has a nervy feeling of classicism that is hugely appealing. It’s one of my favorite recent vintages. As it has been for some time, Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate and Sangiovese purchased from several properties in Chianti Classico, with the energy of Sangiovese very much driving the feel in this vintage.
6 in stock
The 2017 Barolo is gracious, perfumed and very nicely lifted. An effusive, floral bouquet opens first, followed by a rush of red berry fruit. Nervous, a bit wiry at this stage, the 2017 is going to need at least a few years to fully open, but all the elements are in place to allow that to happen. Maria Teresa Mascarello's Barolo is one of the most elegant and restrained wines of the year. It's not an immediately impressive or captivating wine at this stage. The purity of the flavors is just striking, though. Give it a few years to blossom.
The 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young Sassicaias I can remember tasting, certainly on par with anything in recent memory. The preference here is picking on the earlier side relative to many neighboring properties, which is one of the reasons Sassicaia is always a wine of refinement more than opulence. At the same time, Sassicaia can be light. Not in 2021. All the elements came together during a long growing season to produce a rich, deep wine that marries textural intensity with classicism. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and spice all race across the palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine's textural intensity and sheer power. The 2021 is one of the most concentrated Sassicaias on record. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% in twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. That approach worked well in 2021. In a word: magnificent.
The 2016 Sassicaia is one of the most powerful, imposing young Sassicaias I can remember tasting. Explosive and vibrant with stunning depth, the 2016 possesses off-the-charts aromatic intensity, richness and structure, all in a mid-weight style that is so distinctive. Plum, lavender, rose petal, spice and mint all build into the explosive, deep finish in this potent wine.
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