Proprietor Riccardo Cotarella's 1997 Montiano vino da tavola (100% Merlot, bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 12 months in new French oak) is fabulous. It displays multiple layers that build in the mouth, exploding at the back of the palate. From its opaque purple color, the huge sweet notes of chocolate, smoke, black fruits, and toast satiate the olfactory senses, yet please the mind's intellectual yearnings. Pure and powerful, yet brilliantly knit together with no hard edges and no sense of high alcohol or heaviness, this sensational wine is one of the finest Merlots made in Italy. Production was 1,000 cases. Anticipated maturity: now-2014. Robert Parker
Greg Ballington
Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog
A bit cloudy and medium garnet red. Layered nose with dried cherries, bark, and earthy. Medium tannins (5/10) and medium body. Ripe cherries on the palate, a little earthy, vegetal and herbs. Medium plus finish. Drink till 2020.
A bit cloudy and medium garnet red. Layered nose with dried cherries, bark, and earthy. Medium tannins (5/10) and medium body. Ripe cherries on the palate, a little earthy, vegetal and herbs. Medium plus finish. Drink till 2020.
9.2Beau Carson
Poured like sludge and smelled like pickles, but the palate was wonderful. Odd wine to say the least.
Poured like sludge and smelled like pickles, but the palate was wonderful. Odd wine to say the least.
8.6Tracy Hall
A little short and tart mid palate
A little short and tart mid palate
8.9Diane Heck
Past its prime sfortunatamente but offering an. exotic, ashy, rich and perfumy palate - definitely spicy-Halloweeny - a pleasure
Past its prime sfortunatamente but offering an. exotic, ashy, rich and perfumy palate - definitely spicy-Halloweeny - a pleasure
8.3Hien Phan
Dark fruit but a bit passed it's prime
Dark fruit but a bit passed it's prime
9.3Lars Kronlund
I've been collecting this wine since the 1996 vintage and I must say that there have been too many defective bottles to be worth it. As the picture shows, the cork on this bottle was soaked and the wine was undrinkable. I once had a whole case of the '99 vintage where every bottle had muddy stuff floating around in it. I contacted the producer via email about this, but never got a reply from them. It would be interesting to know if other people have had similar experiences, or if I have just been terribly unlucky with this particular wine.
I've been collecting this wine since the 1996 vintage and I must say that there have been too many defective bottles to be worth it. As the picture shows, the cork on this bottle was soaked and the wine was undrinkable. I once had a whole case of the '99 vintage where every bottle had muddy stuff floating around in it. I contacted the producer via email about this, but never got a reply from them. It would be interesting to know if other people have had similar experiences, or if I have just been terribly unlucky with this particular wine.
6.1Daron Watson
out the gate dark fruits, herbs, cigar box and tobacco on the nose ~ intense tart "razzle" fruit dominates mid palate w a wave of plum floating over ~ a well stored example fo sho!
out the gate dark fruits, herbs, cigar box and tobacco on the nose ~ intense tart "razzle" fruit dominates mid palate w a wave of plum floating over ~ a well stored example fo sho!
9.3WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.