94

Daniel Thomases

Vinous

Inky dark ruby to the rim. Roasted, superripe aromas of blackcurrant, road tar and graphite; warm and powerful. Massive and sumptuous on the palate, with succulent, sensual fruit. Enveloping tannins coat the mouth; the wine's great length promises a long life ahead. One of Chianti Classico's finest subzones is the "Conca d'Oro," or golden slopes, which begins at Fontodi to the east and stretches through Castello dei Rampolla and La Massa to Villa Cafaggio in the west. The first truly superior wine from this area was Villa Cafaggio's 1971 Chianti Classico Riserva, but these '97s are the best wines Stefano Farkas has ever made.

96

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

This is a stunning proprietary red wine offering. Powerful, concentrated, and well-endowed is the dark ruby/purple-colored 1997 Cortaccio. Aromas of sur-maturite (over-ripeness, but in a positive sense) emerge from this wine. It offers notes of espresso beans, chocolate, and jammy cassis/blackberry fruit. It is extraordinarily fat and juicy, with oodles of glycerin and concentrated fruit, full body, silky tannin, and a finish that lasts for 40 seconds. This is a terrific example of Cortaccio. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.