Grapelive Wine of the Day

By Kerry Winslow

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2005 CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscan Red. (Frescobaldi)
This dark and richly fruity Brunello is wonderfully open and smooth with ripe fruit and solid structure contrasts greatly with most Brunello’s of the vintage, making me give kudos to Frescobaldi for going for quality in a very tough year. That said it is not for the long haul or a blockbuster by any means, but it gives a lot considering the vintage and the competition. The color is opaque and purple and the nose is deep and perfumed, before a lush mouth of red berry, cherry, strawberry and plum fruits with touches of coco, lavender, herbs, licorice, hay and tobacco leaf. While this wine tastes cleanly modern, it retains classic Sangiovese character and even has a acidic kick. Given air it tightens up and the tannins become more aggressive, but it still begs to be drunk now, so enjoy this very good 2005 while the 2001 and 2004 sleep in the cellar and you wait for the 2006’s to show up late this Spring of 2011.
($75 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive


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