Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 2010

Date of Tasting: 13 May 2016

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR80

Web: http://www.lemacchiole.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 94/100
Critics' Opinion: JS - 95/100, FS - 95/100, WA - 96/100, WE - 97/100, AG - 97/100, WS - 93/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: Dark ruby.

Aroma: Sweet oak, coffee, cassis, floral and spices.

Palate: Deep and full in the mouth. Sweet and smooth but somewhat rigid tannins with balance acidity. Notes of black berries and spices. 

Somewhat modern but lovely. It is accessible at this stage but more time in bottle should be a reward. Otherwise, pop up an hour before sipping. Its strong structure will support long aging. Accompany with rich food to enjoy. Cheers.

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Date of Tasting: 3 June 2016

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.valdicava.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 96/100
Critics' Opinion: JS - 99/100, WA - 93/100, AG - 94/100, WS - 96/100, CT - 94/100

Appearance: Bright and deep ruby.

Aroma: Orange peel, olive, dark cherry, earth and mushroom.

Palate: Medium-full bodied. Structured with silkily fine tannins. Vibrant acidity that balance out with time. Fruits and herbs. Long finish.

Definitely a gorgeous bottle of Brunello. This is something unique. Starting to be accessible but will live its life for long. Love the earthy tone while fruits and acidity still support its structure. Elegant one. It is hard indeed to keep my hands off. Grazie!!!

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Date of Tasting: 15 August 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR40

Web: http://www.casanovadineri.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 94/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 96/100, JS - 96/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: Bright deep red.

Aroma: Excellent nose of cherry and dried fruits. Saline. Rosemary. A bit of earth.

Palate: Bright acid with indicated red cherry and raspberry. Layers of spices. Rather full texture but fine tannins. Some of mineral. Velvety and long lasting.

Not as big and the Tenuta Nuova range but consist of elegance and finesse instead. Beautiful, vibrant, and lingering. Not so modern but still somewhat in between. Oak, yes a bit. Chocolate, umm....traceable. A few years more and it may be at its drinking window range. Not a bad idea at all to stock up this beauty. Sante!!!

Marchesi de Frescobaldi Tenuta di Castelgiocondo Lamaione 2008

Date of Tasting: 26 July 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Merlot

Alcohol: 15%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR60

Web: http://www.frescobaldi.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 92/100, JS - 93/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: Dark purplish red.

Aroma: Sweet dark fruits and licorice with touches of herbs and smokiness. Breeze of cool mint.

Palate: Big and dense but velvety. Sweet and smooth tannins. Persistent flavour of fruit notes. Lingering but not complex.

Exciting? Might be not. Enjoyable? Oh, yes. To me, it is not a wow wine. It seems to lack characters but nice aroma and not overwhelmed with oak. Nevertheless, its silkiness and feminine side of this Merlot based red wine from Tuscany should make it a wonderful pair with rich dishes. Lamaione 2008 is now accessible. I did pop it up an hour before consumption and it was at satisfaction. Not much of acidity to support, hence, not over a decade to go perhaps for this one.

Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 2009

Date of Tasting: 15 April 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Chianti Classico DOCG

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR50

Web: http://www.fontodi.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 94/100, AG - 95/100, WS - 90/100, JS - 95/100, FS - 93/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: Dense red

Aroma: Tobacco, tar, oak, spices, and mild red berries

Palate: Rich and full. Fine dusty but sweet and velvety tannins. Notes of ripe fruits. Hint of vanilla, tea, and mushroom. Fresh acidity.

Fresh but energetic at the same time. Flaccianello range of Fontodi may be great but Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo, on the other hand, cannot be overlooked. It is almost as impressive with complexity but more reasonable priced. However, the overall structure is more like hybrid: not traditional nor modern. Enjoy with rich dishes now and 10 years to go.

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore 2005

Date of Tasting: 6 April 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Bolgheri DOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR150

Web: http://www.ornellaia.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 95/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 93/100, AG - 93/100, WS - 95/100, WE - 97/100, FS - 95/100, JS - 95/100, JR - 18.5/20, DC - 18/20, CT - 93/100

Appearance: Dark violet ruby

Aroma: Sweet violet and currant, exotic spices, black tea leaves

Palate: Velvety tannins and structure. Opulent but feminine. Dark fruits note and complexity persists lengthily.

Beautiful wine, this Ornellaia 2005 is. It is drinking wonderfully now and perhaps a decade more. If you have one, do not hesitate to pop up now and enjoy with red meat dishes. This is not the kind of big and powerful Super Tuscan bordeaux blend. On the other hand, it exhibits more of mouthwatering silky structure and finesse. Ones would enjoy it with a meal and ones would even be happy to sip it alone slowly through the night. I would be one of the later kind in the case. Salute to this beautiful craft!!!

Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 2006

Date of Tasting: 7 November 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.antinori.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, AG - 92/100, WS - 93/100, WE - 94/100, FS - 92/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: ruby red

Aroma: red fruits, rosemary and spices with mild floral aromas

Palate: Somewhat rich and dense on the texture. Sweet ripe red fruits and mild citrus notes of sangiovese. Crisp with racy acidity. Earthy and oaky incorporated. Fine tannins.

A nice bottle of well-known producer that is currently drinking nicely and should live a decade more. Pairing this with lamb or even tomato based pasta would compliment each other well. Not so much of elegant but vibrant and powerful. A blend with cabernet sauvignon and a touch of cabernet franc seem to play its role remarkably. Kind of like the volume and complexity of aroma there. However, the price tag is a questionable one. Anyway, it is still a good experience. Salute!!!!

Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno 2010

Date of Tasting: 9 September 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: ~ 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ THB2,000

Web: http://www.tenutasetteponti.it/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 9/10
Professional Rating: WA - 96/100, WS - 94/100, JS - 96/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: dark purplish ruby

Aroma: complex bouquet of ripe dark berries, black pepper, tobacco and graphite, and vinegar

Palate: exciting sweet red and black fruits and herbs. refined and supple. silky but masculine tannins and impressive length. 

Simply beautiful and gorgeous at excellent price comparing to many other Super Tuscan and Bordeaux. Wonderfully crafted. It was rich and structured. Sleek and sexy but enormous at the same time. Long live ahead so you better stock up. Salute!!!!!!

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve IGT 2005

Date of Tasting: 26 April 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB3,000

Web: http://www.fontodi.com/
Chubby Score: 92/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, AG - 94/100, WS - 94/100, JR - 17.5/20, CT - 93/100

Appearance: dark ruby

Aroma: complex forest floor of cedar, spices, and black fruits

Palate: medium-full bodied with beautiful and lingering finish. integrate tannins. it exhibits class and depth. on the palate, it shows integrated cherries, oak, and dried spices. notable acid.

This is a nice bottle that drinks well right now and a decade to go. It possesses some generous perfume of fruits and profound elegance. Not so much of the power. The 2005 is not quite my style but it shows superb with pizza and non-cream based pasta.

Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi Maremma 2004

Date of Tasting: 24 March 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Alicante

Alcohol: 14.0%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB4,000

Web: http://www.fattorialepupille.it/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 8/10
Professional Rating: WA - 96/100, AG - 96/100, WS - 97/100, WE - 95/100, JR - 18.5/20, CT - 94/100

Appearance: crimson red

Aroma: redcurrants in the aroma pool of spices, vanilla, and rose

Palate: meaty body of a big guy, strong and powerful. fine sweet and noticeable tannins. earth, tobacco, oak, and leather also present. elegant Super Tuscan. ripe red cherry and plum on the main palate. 

This is a beautiful wine. It possesses the power of cabernet sauvignon as well as the aroma of merlot. The sophisticated but yet subtle tannins are lively and dazzling. It is pretty much enjoyable but I suspect that a few more years of cellaring should do it a good job as grains of tannins are still there. It should live wonderfully for at least a decade to go. I shall return to this Saffredi next year to see how it develops.

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2006

Date of Tasting: 27 March 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 15.0%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB6,000 - THB8,000

Web: http://www.ornellaia.com/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 6/10
Professional Rating: WA - 97/100, AG - 97/100, WE - 97/100, FS - 95/100, WS - 95/100, JR - 18.5/20, CT - 94/100

Appearance: purple inky red

Aroma: ripe dark fruits and licorice, smoky with minimum floral and menthol

Palate: juicy, sweet, and dense. big and delicious but unlike the American style of big. elegant also lies within. dark berries with balanced acidity. long and thick jams with oak and spices followed by mocha. complexity lies within. it sings harmoniously with rich flavour.

Needless to say, this is a great quality bottle of super Tuscan that has probably just started to reveal its true value. It shall live a decade to go. Promising and exciting bottle. This is a food wine and shall compliment well with roasts and games.

Tua Rita Rosso dei Notri IGT 2011

Date of Tasting: 11 January 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 50% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB750 - THB1,000

Web: http://www.tuarita.it/
Chubby Score: 90/100
Value for money: 8/10
Professional Rating: WA - 89/100, WE - 90/100, JS - 89/100, CT - 88/100

Appearance: dark ruby

Aroma: currants and forest floor

Palate: sweet cherry with quite dense palate touch but maintaining silkiness. also shows sweet spices as well as little touch of herbs, florals, and cinnamon. soft tannins and quite well structured acidity and balance. medium length on the finish.

Not a particular touchy wine but this is a good one for table wine for me. It should go pretty well with flavourful dishes and should be enjoyable during the next few years. A good value for money indeed.

Gaja Ca'Marcanda Magari IGT 2009

Date of Tasting: 26 January 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,500 - THB2,500

Web: n.a.
Chubby Score: 90/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, WS - 92/100, FS - 92/100, CT - 91/100

Appearance: deep and dark garnet/violet

Aroma: ripe cherries and plums with floral and cloves notes and hint of coffee and dark chocolate

Palate: full, big, and rich on the body. Fine tannins. A little sweet dark berries and spices of Merlot characters. A touch of oak and bitter dark chocolate. Long length on the finish.

I don't think it is quite there just yet. The bottle seems to shut itself down though showing some promising characters. Fruits do not just yet exhibit wonderfully. I shall keep the rest for a few more years before another examination.

Felsina Fontalloro IGT 2007

Date of Tasting: 7 December 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,750 - THB2,500

Web: http://www.felsina.it/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 9/10
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, WS - 92/100, FS - 93/100, ST - 96/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: rich ruby

Aroma: herbs, tobacco, black fruits, and soft aroma of tea, balsamic, and cinnamon

Palate: ripe and dark violet with packed flavours of blueberry, prune, and raspberry, rich and long with silky and refined tannins, medium-full bodied style, elegant, fine, and fresh, balance and crisp acidity

We decanted Felsina Fontalloro 2007 for 3 hours before serving. Just by the aroma, I have already fallen in love with this wine. It was so wonderful. Different bouquets came one after one. So complex and stylish. The sweetness and silkiness were all there. We had this along with creamy base pasta and we did not regret at all. This is an outstanding wine that would live another decade. Enjoy it now. Really good food companion, it is. Raise many more glasses, I should!!!!!!!

Tenuta Sette Ponti Poggio al Lupo Maremma 2009

Date of Tasting: 3 August 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (~75%), Alicante (~20%), Petit Verdot (~5%)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,200 - THB2,000

Web: http://www.tenutasetteponti.it/
Chubby Score: 89/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: WS - 89/100

Appearance: opaque red/violet

Aroma: tea, cedar, dark berries, and phenol

Palate: ripe dark fruit such as cherry and plum with spices and herbs notes, mocha and espresso to the background, big, dark, and dense with firm tannins, very dry, full body

This is a big guy that is still shy. I would guess that this lad needs to rest for a few more years before showing the potential for a decade. Need to wait for tannins to integrate and fruit flavour to shine. If you do not like something really big, this is perhaps not the one for you. It will sure need something right to along side such as steak, roasted red meat, and rich flavour cheese.

Isole e Olena Collezione de Marchi Syrah 2006

Date of Tasting: 21 September 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Syrah

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,900 - 2,500 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: n.a.
Chubby Score: 91/100
Value for money: 6/10
Professional Rating: WA - 91/100, WS - 92/100, ST - 89/100, FS - 91/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: thick ruby

Aroma: floral and herbal which followed by red fruits

Palate: fresh and bright with dark fruits on the palate, spicy and peppery, earthy and tar, smoky and meaty, fabulous integrity and well balanced, big big body with smooth tannins, long and lingering

Upon popping the bottle, sulphur suddenly hit on my nose and I was not well impressed. However, as time went by it developed the aromatic and complex perfume up quickly. This bottle of syrah is indeed a big and powerful guy. It can be a little tight at an early stage of drinking at this point in time. Let it breathe some air before serving would be a nice consideration. Anyway, enjoy it over a decade. Gorgeous indeed. I personally would like to see how it develops. Salute!!!!!

Orma 2008 by Tenuta Sette Ponti

Date of Tasting: 23 April 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Indicaziione Geografica Tipica (IGT)

Expect to Pay: THB2,000 - 3,000 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://www.tenutasetteponti.it/
Chubby Score: 92/100
Value for money: 8/10
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, JS - 95/100, WE - 93/100

Appearance: rich, thick, and fathomless purplish ruby

Aroma: beautiful fragrant of licorice, cassis, tabacco, and berries

Palate: so long, so deep, and so complex. layers of dark berries, chocolate, and spices dominant followed by plums, figs, and leather. full bodied with soft and elegant tannins. a touch of promising sweetness.

So much potential and pleasure for this bottle of Bordeaux style by Tenuta Sette Ponti. Flavours are well integrated. At this point, it is big and bold with oakiness but well structured. Cellar it a little while to soften and it would be so delightful for a decade.  A wonderful bottle for cellar indeed. Cheersssss!!!!!!!!!

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2006

Date of Tasting: 12 June 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Expect to Pay: THB3,000 - 4,500 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://www.casanovadineri.it/
Chubby Score: 95/100
Value for money: 9/10
Professional Rating: WA - 95/100, WS - 95/100, JS - 100/100, WE - 97/100

Appearance: dark ruby/garnet

Aroma: explosive notes of spiciness, cherry, and cinnamon

Palate: depth and length are so long, smooth and silky touches, dry tannins with so much strength, mild acidity, medium-full bodied style, loads of massive ripen cherry and plum flavours, complex and elegant after-taste, tobacco and herbs and licorice.

Such a powerful bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. They are all there in one bottle: elegant, complexity, sensational and yet stunningly powerful. A wonderful bottle that ones should not miss. Lucky that I have more in stock. The very best of Sangiovese grapes can be found in this bottle of Casanova di Neri. If you see it, don't miss the opportunity to grab some. It is now soon to shaking off its shyness and revealing its true potential. So can be enjoy now and the next decade or so. Many many glasses should be raised!!!!!