Very enjoyable wine!

Big and Rich, not to be confused with the Country music band this wine is a whopper of a red. Lively acidity, full of flavours such as dark cherry, plum, raspberry, cedar and vanilla. A wonderful roundness on the palate and soft, well integrated tannins leading to a long finish.

(Tasted August 2011)

While the cherry and tannins are a little much at the moment, but it will likely become smoother with a some aging. The finish is very nice and the fruit is subtle. I'm banking on balance coming with age. My rating is based on potential.

Tasted Jan./12

iodine sourish finish

89
December 2011

Deep ruby in colour. Medium+ intensity, youthful nose of black currant and blackberry. There is a note of mintiness. Structured acidity and wound up tannins, just like a young Cabernet. Palate was a bit closed with a straightforward black fruit profile. Long length. Ready to enjoy but will improve and open up. Feb 2011

I am somewhat disappointed with this blended wine from Tuscany. Medium-bodied, with tastes of berries, cherry and spice. Decant it for an hour before drink and you will like it better. LCBO rated it 90+. i disagree with this rating. It is definitely be;pw 90. It is nice bit nothing out of the ordinary.

Tasted june 2011.

The 2008 Marchesi De' Frescobaldi Tenuta Di Castiglioni is medium bodied, with FRUITY to integrated notes of bretty/yogurty blueberry and some oak. Tannins are refined to tannic (decant for 30 min) and the finish is short to medium. It is quite disjoint, but should get better with age in the next 3-6 years. My impression: NOTHING SPECIAL, 86.5 - quite a disappointing Marchesi De' Frescobaldi product and perhaps that is why the LCBO re-released it (first released Oct30/10 then Feb19/11). It cannot compare to the 2006 or 2007 vintage, especially at this price - the LCBO stocks speak for them selfs. Tasted Nov/10.

If you would like to see wines I recommend and that are still available at the LCBO, please visit this link (listed in my profile):

http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy

Dark ruby in colour with medium minus intensity, but what intensity it has it is quite wonderful. Cedar, black & blueberries, wild strawberry, cherry & anise dominate. The taste isn't as nice as the nose. High acidity with med+ tannins makes this wine a little astringent. Med body, med length that shows cedar, leather, sour cherry & pomegranate. This wine should soften in the next 3-5 yrs. Decant & let it stand for an hour before drinking.

Score: 8/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 16/10.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Tasted 30 April 2011