WTN: Frescobaldi Chinati Rufina Nipozzano Reserva 2005

Marchesi De Frescobaldi
Tuscany

I used to drink this quite often, back in the early days when the price was in the mid teens. Once it hit the high teens and above, I stopped buying. Was in my local LCBO tonight and noticed they had a bunch of these marked down to $17.45 (Canadian), from $21.75, so I thought, why not?

Good cherry red in the glass.

Drying, woody, with that lovely combination of earth, smoke and leather that I love and that I, rightly or wrongly, associate with Italian reds.

Full in the mouth, sour cherry, red currant, raspberry, earthy, quite tangy, drying, leather, medium weight, smoky.

Tangy, mouthwatering, leather and earth on the finish.

Was rather disappointed with this, even at the sale price. Much too drying and tart.

I guess you really can't go home again.

After some disappointing Frescobaldi brunellos, I've decided to avoid them (and other big shot producers like them) from now on. Small is beautiful.

I too was disappointed with this wine. On the other hand, I loved the 2004 and must have gone through two cases (not alone and not at once).

Met a customer in DeVines downtown who told me that the `05 was a big bust. Told him about Bruce`s experience!

Marchesi De Frescobaldi
Tuscany

I used to drink this quite often, back in the early days when the price was in the mid teens. Once it hit the high teens and above, I stopped buying.

Yep, same here.

[Jenise]

I bought a few bottles at Costco in the belief that I couldn't go wrong. I was wrong!

After some disappointing Frescobaldi brunellos, I've decided to avoid them (and other big shot producers like them) from now on. Small is beautiful.

The question is what is small? None of my 4 favorite Tuscan producers (Montevertine, plus the 3 Fs- Felsina, Fontodi, and Fonterutoli) are especially small to my knowledge, as far as production. Maybe the difference is they don't have production across a lot of different appellations.