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Life DOES get better… when it starts with Ornellaia
There was a dinner last year we peons cannot imagine. Seventeen (count ‘em 17) vintages of Ornellaia in Bolghieri, that pioneering super-Tuscan of Cab and Merlot created by two great wine minds: Lodovico Antinori and Andre Tchellistcheff.
Parker’s Italian pal Antonio Galloni was there and lived to tell about it in words and 90s. It was fabulous from the start, 1985 (my birth year as a wine writer and one of my favorite vintages), now a 90 for Galloni. From succeeding years only a few dropped to 88 or 89; in the aughties it kept getting better. Look at these numbers:
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2000 – 95 pts.
- 2001 – 96 pts.
- 2002 – 93 pts.
- 2003 – 93 pts.
- 2004 – 95 pts.
- 2005 – 93 pts. (and a tre-biccheri winner)
- And 2006 the latest available… 97 POINTS!!!
2006 Ornellaia - $159.99
The 2006 Ornellaia (magnum) is a massive, towering masterpiece. There is awesome depth and richness to be found in the glass. Flowers, minerals, tar smoke and dark fruit are all woven in an intricate fabric of almost indescribable elegance and power. Tonight the 2006 Ornellaia is absolutely moving in its beauty and expressiveness. Vintage 2006 will go down as one of the all-time greats in Tuscany, and Bolgheri in particular, as all of that region’s benchmark wines are spectacular. The 2006 shows the intensity of the small berries that were harvested that year, with exceptional concentration, acidity and freshness, qualities that are precious and exceedingly rare when they are found in a single wine. In 2006 the final blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Simply put, the 2006 Ornellaia is a must-have bottle. 97/Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.
This is a break for procrastinators. If you put off buying Ornellaia in the past, now’s the time. The 2005 and 2006 are in stock at $159, a great cellar investment. You want more special? Try the all-Merlot 2006 Masseto from Ornellaia and a 99-pointer ($499 for a 750ml or 1.5L for 1,099, 3L – 2,999).
Too rich for you? Ornellaia has a bargain entry-level vehicle that’s mighty sleek and plush. Try the 2007 Le Volte, it puts Sangiovese with Cab and Merlot; luscious and only $29.99.
- Chris Sherman
Top 100 just arrived – 2007 Argiano NC
2007 Argiano NC ($19.99) Rated 91 Points, and #80 on Wine Spectator's Top 100.
Argiano’s 2007 NC ($19.99) is a Tuscan blend that shows exciting power, with the inherent sweetness of the Merlot component acting as a bridge between the firm earthiness of the Sangiovese, the spicy blackcurrant of the Cabernet and the warm red fruit of the Syrah. The result is a generous, round red wine for early to mid-term drinking with aromas of currant and generous fruit flavors, which are versatile enough to develop more depth in the bottle.
It is an excellent value and was chosen as one of the top 100 wines of the year by the Wine Spectator.
A surprise visit from Ferdinando Frescobaldi of Marchesi de Frescobaldi
From Italy to Tarpon Springs, Florida, Ferdinando Frescobaldi, President of Marchesi de Frescobaldi paid us a surprise visit this morning. Mr. Frescobaldi spent time chatting about wine with B-21 Proprietor, Bob Sprentall, and B-21′s Italy Correspondent, Steve Rayman. He also took the time to sign all of the Frescobaldi wines on our shelves. Yes, even the 2004 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo which incidentally is #15 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2009. Other bottles he signed include the 2006 Frescobaldi Giramonte Super Tuscan ($99.99), 2006 Frescobaldi Mormoreto Toscana ($59.99) and the 2006 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva ($19.99).
The Frescobaldi family has a 700-year history as wine merchants and growers in Tuscany. Thirty generations have dedicated themselves to the production of great Tuscan wines, with over 1,000 hectares of estate vineyards and nine estates and an unwavering commitment to quality. As one would suspect a wide range of wines are available from an estate of this size. Nippozzano is one of my favorites, what is one of yours?
BTW – 1st come, 1st serve on the bottles he signed today! To make sure you get the signed bottles, give us a call to order, or stop on by the store! (1-888-221-9463)