WTN: Somewhat tired Vino Nobile Sangiovese

2001 Poliziano "Asinone" Vino Nobile de Montepulciano (Sangiovese...not Chianti and not Brunello! )

Dark ruby, almost black color with no real sign of bricking. However, the nose shows that somewhat acrid? lifted note which to me means the wine is a little old. This came from my off-site cellar, so storage on my part was not the issue. Alcohol and oak were a little high for Tuscany (14% abv). The palate confirms, but there is the remnants of good cherry fruit, some leather and tobacco notes. Not a bad wine, and we all finished the bottle, but would have been better if drunk at purchase three years ago. Not every Italian Sangiovese is an ager like Felsina or Fontodi or Castello di Ama Still, this was my first Vino Nobile, and it was not a "bad" wine by any means. 82 points.

[David M. Bueker]

I've never opened a Vino Nobile. I think I've had a total of 2 poured for me at tastings.

Brian
That's pretty disappointing from their top bottling! This really ought to (accroding to the hype) last a decade at a canter, but that said my limited experience with Poliziano hasn't been great and I recall getting an acrid note in their normale wine - possibly from 2001 or 2004.

That aside, I've found this region to be a very fruitful hunting ground in the past at the ~ £10-15 mark (say up to $25).

regards

Ian

Brian - I'm surprised you foudn this past due already. I have a small stash of 2000 Asinone's and the 3 I've had so far, most recently last fall, have showed very well, and ... young. I'm thinking these will still be good in 5 years as well, but I might not get the chance to find out, since I have about 1 a year.

i enjoy VNdM, but wish the prices were back like they were in the early 90's. Today, they are priced like lesser Brunello, when earlier, they were only a little above good Chianti.

Maybe I am just expecting too much? Bad bottle? Can't even blame my storage in this case, as Storage By George has pretty much perfect conditions. It just tasted tired to me????

Still...we drank a 1995 Felsina Rancia last summer and it was magnificently alive and had perhaps years to go!

Still...we drank a 1995 Felsina Rancia last summer and it was magnificently alive and had perhaps years to go!

I'm glad you said that as I just picked up a half dozen of the 1999 at auction!