Excellent note from Greg and I would concur wholeheartedly.
Gerald, I’d say delicate dishes. Pasta with a meat sauce, fish with a hearty prep or a roast pork or lamb.
I went to a Monsanto tasting many years ago at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. Had the 68 and it was outstanding. I bought some as a result as it is my wife’s birth year and there isn’t a lot to choose from that we enjoy. We had a bottle two years ago and its was clearly aging but still had some life. In general they age very, very well and are also very good.
JD
As of last night, there’s a single bottle of the 68 left at the Lincoln Park Binny’s.
Corey: Don’t forget to post a tasting note. It may be a while before I get to open one of these.
Nick: Thanks for the pairing ideas.
Ya gotta have rabbit ragu with pappardelle. Make sure the rosemary is a fresha.
Rabbit sounds great with this.
I grabbed another bottle of the 77 just in case one is a dud. In fact, I got it at another binnys location from the cellar, where it has sat for a few years since they got it.
Anyone try the '95 Il Poggio lately?
I had many bottles of the original release of the '68 back in the late eighties. Their American broker was a good friend and a big mentor for me with Italian wines (Tom Abruzzini) back then. I remember how rich and exotic they were, even back then and thought they could live forever. Would love to try it today.
I had a 95 and it was a total dud. I believe Monsanto was in a down period in the 90s (though not the fine 1990 itself).
FWIW, I recently read how much Tanzer likes the 06, 94+ is a tre serious score from him. This review is free on the web, so I am reproducing it here, I found it very interesting/enabling…
94(+?) Points | Stephen Tanzer’s IWC - February 2013
(90% sangiovese and 10% canaiolo nero and colorino del Valdarno; pH 3.33; total acidity 6.00 g/l; dry extract 32.5 g/l; 14% alcohol): Dark ruby-red; the dark tones of virtually all the wines from the Il Poggio vineyard are perhaps due not just to the terroir but also to the presence of some colorino, a teinturier variety. Aromas of violet and licorice and a whiff of excess alcohol complicate dark cherry and underbrush on the nose. Then much more marked by red fruit flavors (redcurrant, sour red cherry) on the palate, with a saline element contributing complexity. Finishes long and smooth, with a bright floral overlay and a lingering note of vanillin oak. This was the first Il Poggio aged in 500-liter tonneaux instead of smaller barriques. A classic, complex, graceful wine that is clearly the product of a long, slow growing season. I find that it only began opening up in 2012, a sure-fire sign of a great Il Poggio, which is characteristically shut down and tight in its first few years of life. The canaiolo nero/colorino component is almost always a blend of 7% canaiolo neronero and 3% colorino.
Great score on those '77s, it’s a phenomenal bottle of Chianti and really a-typical of the vintage in general. The 1977 Il Poggio has to be the wine of the vintage. Also, at that price–amazing. Great score.
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1977 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (10/13/2010)
Vintage Chianti Tasting at Tolani (Tolani): The 1977 Monsanto, Il Poggio showed vibrant and fresh aromas reminding my of autumn with dried cherry, allspice and baked pie crust. On the palate, I found sweet cherry tobacco and cedar on a balanced and delicate frame. The finish was medium-long with red fruit and hint of copper penny. Simply an amazing bottle of wine. (95 pts.)
I just received an offer for the 1977, here in the UK. A bit north of $200, ex-cellar. Binny’s pricing looks good!
Brady, they were “end of bin” items. Don’t remember the original price, but once in awhile we run into great deals there.