Jay Kline

9.4

This is my 3000th tasting note on Delectable so I suppose I should celebrate by opening something fun. Flaccianello? Ovviamente!

While it’s labeled an IGT and colloquially considered a Super Tuscan, Flaccianello delle Pieve could legally be labeled as a Chianti Classico Riserva. However, Giovanni Manetti of Azienda Agricola Fontodi opts not to do so (despite the fact that he’s the current Chairman of the Conzorsio). The name, “Flaccianello delle Pieve” comes from the eponymous single-vineyard; the original source of grapes. However, around the turn of the millennium, Flaccianello became a blend of Fontodi’s best fruit throughout the estate. Over all the years, despite the changes in fruit source and aging regimen, Flaccianello remains 100% Sangiovese and 100% Panzano in Chianti.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2011 pours a deep, translucent garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and dried Morello cherry, raspberries, red flowers, leather, mushrooms, cigar box, menthol, organic earth and wonderful fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acidity. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, delicious and warming as the alcohol is pretty elevated. But whoa…what a beauty.

Okay, yeah…this is a modern take on Chianti Classico but my goodness, this is undeniably delicious and unabashedly Italian. Back in 2011, Flaccianello was aged in a combination of barriques from Troncais and Allier, all 100% new; an era that was arguably the most modern for this wine. Over the last 10 or so years however, there has been a shift towards less time in new barrique and large casks have now been introduced for the last six months of cellar aging. While I look forward to trying some of these more contemporary examples, I am very impressed with this 2011 and expect it will continue to show well through 2035. — 9 months ago

Patricia Schnitzer

8.9

May 2021. Purchased LB Marathon August 2020 60% Syrah, 30% Carignan, 10% Grenache. Black rip fruit plus a bit of spice. Well balanced. Excellent QPR. — 4 years ago

Raun Kupiec

9.0

Super fragrant perfumed blossomed. Detectable grape. Very mellow. Delicious. — a year ago

Bonnie Chu

8.9

50/50 can sauv & plavac Mali. Def recognizably cabby. Silkier then straight plavac — 2 years ago

Shangliao Sun

9.0

Medium ruby color, concentrated black cherry and ripe plum aroma, medium sweet entry, but getting drier afterwards. Good balance on the palate. Tannin medium plus, but the texture is polished. It kinda feels like a blend between Rhône Grenache and Puglia Primotivo. — 3 years ago

with Agnieszka

Matt Forbes

9.4

Great with steak — 6 years ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Lemon and grapefruit accents, medium body, nice acidity, enjoyed as our “pre-lunch” morning aperitif (since Alba is Latin for Dawn, seemed appropriate to drink as a morning wine). — 2 years ago

Milos Milosevic

9.3

By far the best vintage of Vranac Barrique — 2 years ago

Milos Milosevic

9.5

Absolutely fantastic and great to the palate. This 2016 vintage is smooth like a honey. Great! — 3 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

8.9

This afternoon I have opened the 2015 Soljans Estate Barrique Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir.

On the nose I am able to get ripe cherry, strawberry jam, cola, ckove, mushroom, some funk, wet leaves and forest floor.

On the palate there is ripe cherry, raspberry, cranberry, plum, clove, mushroom and an earthy component.

This wine is medium bodied with medium acidity and medium sandy tannins with a long earthy finish. I hope everyone's weekend went well and are doing well? We look forward to a wonderful week ahead and as always please stay healthy and safe. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago