10 Caparzo [Rosso di Montalcino] Served cool over two days. Purchased recently. Light garnet ruby. Medium to light bodied, not much legs despite stated 13.5% abv on label. I pick up cough syrup, sour cherries on the nose, also on the first day I get some VA, a tickle on the tongue that blows off on day 2. Lightening on the edges, 15 seconds of finish, no tannin really. Has just a touch of sour acidity after one finishes dinner, when food/fats are not there to balance flavors out. I do not think I would let this go age further. I pick up sage/mint on the palate. Most of the 2010 Tuscan wines Iāve tasted Iād be happy to drink again, even if I might not buy more or allocate cellar space to some examples. This is probably one of the first where I would just shrug my shoulders and try something new or different. I hope its bigger brothers, the Brunelloās, are deeper than this. I guess others like this more than I do; maybe it was better on release. Itās a B for my palate. The SO did like it though, normally our palates are in sync, but recently weāve had divergent views on some wines.
My notes on the 2016 Caparzo [Rosso di Montalcino] are very similar to my impressions of the 2010, several years ago. This too was served cool over two days. Light garnet ruby. Medium bodied, 13.5% abv on label. I pick up sweet cherries on the nose and then a touch of rhubarb. Lightening on the edges, same 15 seconds of finish, not much grip here. Compared to the high regard WB and professionals have of 2016 Tuscan sangiovese, this is āokā nothing to remember. Interestingly, just like the 2010, my SO quite liked it and threw back a full glass with no memory/preconceptions of what this should/could be. In some ways, its handy to have a cross check like that, as she liked it, and noted that a lighter, earlier drinking wine is useful around the house too. Again Iād slide into the B line of my ledger.
Thanks for the notes here. Have you had this wine closer to release? Would be interesting to see what your thoughts are of it when it is a bit younger - curious if this is just something that should be drank 1-2 years after release.
I have never been impressed with Caparzoās Brunello, but some readers may be interested in knowing that Zachys has the '15 Brunello on sale for $35. (The La Casa is also āon saleā.)
The Brunello is a rather low-end example of Brunello, but is also quite varietally-correct, traditional, elegant, consistent, drinkable young, and at the very lowest-end of the Brunello price range (often available for $29-$32 at Costcoā¦I believe they have recently had the '13 and '15 for $29 and $33, respectively). I donāt think itās a wine that anyone should expect to really be āimpressed withā, yet it is still a very solid, food-friendly Brunello and reasonably priced. While itās not one of my favorites, I would certainly not flag it as being a weak/poor wine or as something to avoid. I do like the La Casa more, but it is certainly in a similarly Burgundian, soft-spoken style as compared to many more burly Brunello.
With the Brunello itself being such an early-drinking, accessible style of wine, I would certainly have assumed the Rosso must be a wine intended to be consumed quite soon after release, with a focus on fresh fruitā¦I would not have expected anyone to have an epiphany drinking it 10 years after the vintage.
It might have been a little unclear but I had the 2010 at age 5, and the 2016 at age 4. Iād think those are reasonably close to release, no? Rosso typically comes out 2-3 years after the vintage right?
Ahājust noticed that the original post was from 2015 and the 2016 note was new. Makes sense. I just assumed you were one of those folks who are willing to age anything! (Not that Iām above that in the name of a āscience experimentā).
I tend to find Caparzoās wines good, affordable, but rarely exciting. The 2018 RDM is exceptional though, one of the more impressive releases from them in some time. Can be found for under $20
Yup you are correct about typical release timelines for these. The 2018 Caparzo RDM is the current release and has been on the market here since earlier this year. Certainly wouldnāt expect one to decline that much by age 4. I think Iāll pick up a 2018 soon to see how it is doing - unfortunately wonāt be able to compare to past vinatages - curious as to whether these fade quicker than normal or just arenāt as impressive from the get go.
Yup you are correct about typical release timelines for these. The 2018 Caparzo RDM is the current release and has been on the market here since earlier this year. Certainly wouldnāt expect one to decline that much by age 4. I think Iāll pick up a 2018 soon to see how it is doing - unfortunately wonāt be able to compare to past vinatages - curious as to whether these fade quicker than normal or just arenāt as impressive from the get go.