Tasting Note                          

92      2000 Poliziano Vino Nobile de Montepulciano 6/3/05 ($19)

Color: Very deep garnet with enough brown to indicate approaching maturity, but no clearing. (4.0) Bouquet: Concentrated cherry, balsamic vinegar (in a positive way), black pepper, cigarbox and pistachio. Very solid, but does have some dry tannins. (3.5) Body: Light heavyweight with impressive concentration for the price. Excellent acid/tannin structure with good fruit, but could use even a bit more to meet the tannic backbone. (3.0) Flavor: Delicious cherry fruit, pistachio and cigarbox showing after 1.5 hours of air. Very tasty. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but a bit more reserved. Still long. (2.5)
Overall: What a serious wine for such a modest price and from a slightly off vintage, no less. It does have a firm tannic structure, but also has the stuffing to meet. This may be the best vintage of this wine that I have had. It has the ability to improve in the next 1-3 years, if the fruit outlasts the tannin. Excellent now if you give it air. (16.0)