2003 Villa Dievole La Vendemmia Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy. 12.5% alcohol. $19.99 at Chef Center, Paramus. Imported by Dievole USA, Manhasset, NY. I liked this last time I tasted it last summer, but it has become harsh and unpleasant over the last ten months -- at least this bottle did. Deep red color, deep hue, intense cherry aroma with hints of earth and spice; strong single note taste of cherries that Janet didn't like last time, and which came across as harsh and unpleasant for me. The harshness persisted in the finish, it's only "virtue" being its unusually long length. Chef Center has a very nice policy of refunding full price for any wine we don't like, but in the event we poured it out -- we had, after all, tasted the wine once and sort of liked it on a split decision between Janet and me. 1*.
Note: The best part of this bottle is still the winery's tasting note: "The Vendemmia usually starts life in a secretive way and then, still in her youth, she concedes velvety fruit of composite grape characters." http://www.dievole.it/
Regards, Bob