I brought this bottle with me from Chicago for our DC Coast and Toast dinner last Friday. I had warned everyone ahead of time that this bottle might be cooked. They told me to bring it anyway. It was given to me by Frankie who has the extraordinarily generous habit of giving me bottles to try to get my opinion.

This wine is one of the 2 most respected pure sangiovese based supertuscans made. I had the concierge bring a plastic water pitcher and corkscrew to my room so I could decant it before dinner. I splash decanted it 4 hours before we drank it and poured it back into the bottle. it was moderately sedimented. I tried it when it was first opened and it was tart and one dimensional. My wife despised it at the time.

It was a deep red with only a trace of browning around the edges. It really opened up and was a completely different wine. I think it was among almost everyones top 3 of the night including my wife. I know Tannin Pig liked it. It was an elegant multifaceted wine with smooth integrated tannins. Medium to full bodied with a long finish. Notes of black cherry, chocolate, flowers and crushed raspberries. It had a velvety feel and was drinking very well at 16 years of age. 93 points.

VM

[ 09-23-2002, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Vino Me ]

VM,

I agree with you about the Fontalloro being one of the best sangiovese based ST on the market. I have never had the '86 but had the '97 and loved it. My other favorite is the Fontodi Flaccianello.

IW

Vino Me, for this wine I completely agree with your rating: It is a terroir-driven italian beauty and always amongst my favorite Sangiovese-wines. While the 1997 is extremly dense and extracted, I strongly recommend the 1998. It has not the 1997 power but it is very complex and incredibly elegant.

[ 09-24-2002, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: Marc ]

2-Fratoria Felsini Fontolloro '86 SuperTuscan thru VM via Frankie

There was fear this would be dead from the donor
Color:Barely aged;purple, thin watery rim
Aroma: Meat and earth, with blackberry
Flavor: Surprise, surprise. Cherry, hint of mint and earth. Turning quickly into something like swiss chard/hycama.
Interesting older Sangiovese. Have never had one that old. Suspect it would have merited a higher score 5-8 years ago, because you could tell it had the basics to develop this well. Would not appeal to everyone, nor ideal to drink on its' own, but excellent with food. Nice one VM
91 pts

once again my predilection toward snap judgements has proved my undoing, altho i certainly am glad that you enjoyed this vino. i should know by now that 45-60 min decant is not sufficient at all times. i'm glad that these wines weren't cooked and that my purchases weren't in vain. my tasting impression definitely was toward lady VM's tastes when i tried it, altho one dimensional was kind. my friend bought some more of the same, i'll have to see if he has any left.

cheers!

ps: perhaps if my work would let me have a life i'd be able to get back on these forums a little more regularly

IW- The Flacianello was the other sangiovese based Supertuscan I was refering to.

Frankie- I think the decanting was the key to this wine and the 1988 Flacianello. I made sure to try both of the wines you gave me with others to get multiple opinions. Nobody who tried either wine thought there was anything wrong with either. Of course, that could mean that you gave me the one good bottle of the bunch. Go over and take a vote in my "2000 post contest".

VM

VM

My TNs from the DC Coast & Toast thread...

Holy Crap. This wine was a totally different banana. And I’m not talking plantains! Seriously, this wine was a totally new experience for me. Charred nuts. Caramelized sugars? Some deep red fruits hiding under the surface. As it opened (I think VM splash decanted it and popped it back in the bottle before coming to the restaurant) in our glasses, it got in better balance I think – the nuttiness and fruit complemented each other really well and the caramelized I don’t know what to call it was weaving in and out and around your tongue. Wild stuff.

TJ rating 91.