2003 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero |
| Vintage | 2003 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Bodegas y Viñedos Alión (web) | ||
| Variety | Tinto Fino | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Region | Castilla y León | ||
| SubRegion | n/a | ||
| Appellation | Ribera del Duero | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 097985110183, 097985118059, 8436014251374, 8436014252234, 8437008527086 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2010 and 2022 (based on 57 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Bodegas Y Vinedos Alion on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 92 pts. in 225 notes) | |
| Tasted by dkwins on 10/19/2022 & rated 93 points: Two hour decant; near black, dried cork and pleasing ripe and rich fruit scent. Very smooth and drinking well now, but likely at, or passing prime. (3021 views) | |
| Tasted by Genghis88 on 8/24/2022 flawed bottle: Unfortunately this wine was not in fine form. It was not terrible just thin and weak. I did get a lot of raisins off the palate. The color was super faded brown in color. It would be unfair to give this wine a score at this point. Butcher and l'il Rob visiting (2125 views) | |
| Tasted by GFischmann on 7/23/2021 & rated 93 points: Still showing good fruit, acidity and tannins. Tertiary notes of earth and leather. Ate with steak and was a great match (4092 views) | |
| Tasted by bonedoc on 4/14/2021 & rated 94 points: No decant, drank over 2 hours w grilled steak. Lovely ripe red fruits, hints of licorice, the slightest hint of earth/brett, reminded me of an old world restrained style of CDP. Very enjoyable. (3422 views) | |
| Tasted by honest bob on 2/14/2021 & rated 92 points: From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Wierd CT TNs here since my previous note on 25.03.2018: looney-tunes, nothing like the wine in my glass. This wine in MY bottle smelled most expansively of superb blackberry/raspberry immeditately after opening and diminshed thereafter, although the menthol-eucalyptus-dark exotic spice undertow remained. Medium bodied (and therefore thinner than expected) it showed perfectly integrated, luxury oak treatment, lush (but slender) dark soft-fruit action and a wonderfully vibrant acidity. Tannins now fully resolved. Ideal pairing: rack of lamb with garlic. I slightly misjudged with highly spiced beef stew, but it was good nonetheless. Drink now-2025, with only a short decant for sediment. 92P (3669 views) | |
| Tasted by Deputy on 1/2/2021 & rated 92 points: Tastes like jam. Thought it would be ruined when I saw the cork had leaked a bit and then it broke off when opening. But nope. Delicious. (2262 views) | |
| Tasted by dougsmith on 11/13/2020 & rated 91 points: Deep ruby color. Tart blackberry on the nose with smoky chorizo elements. Full bodied and quite dry on the palate with good presence and length. Ripe tannins on the finish. (2274 views) | |
| Tasted by dkwins on 10/9/2020 & rated 93 points: I had forgotten about this wine, yet my notes are the same as 3 years ago. I decanted 90 minutes, but it was settled, smooth with none of the funk others describe. Very ripe and well integrated. (1403 views) | |
| Tasted by strijbosmh on 3/14/2020 & rated 95 points: When opening the bottle I was immediately struck by the very strong smell of sour cherries. After a 1h decant, still very pure nose of cherries and cassis, but also notes of cocoa and coffee and some leather. On the 2nd day (stored with cork in the fridge) this was just amazing. Almost a full bodied Burgundy grand cru made from Tempranillo . That's the only way I can describe this elegancy. Perfectly integrated tannins, fresh, lively and with a 60s finish. 2 bottles left. (2545 views) | |
| Tasted by acheng on 1/8/2020: Well, my last bottle and seems like it is not holding up that well. Mostly tertiary nose already but fruit still quite lovely on the palate. Given the vintage, I supposed it is what it is and no more. (1999 views) | |
| Tasted by bobbylion on 11/26/2019 & rated 94 points: Somewhere between 92-94 for me, so giving it the benefit of the doubt. Great wine with very strong barnyard initial smell - wasnt sure I loved it, but after a few sips and 30 min decant (the bottle was already coravined 3 weeks ago) I actually do love it. The taste is full of fruit and some salt. Big wine and 94 should do it justice. (2011 views) | |
| Tasted by pcwoz on 3/31/2019 & rated 94 points: 94++. Just keeps getting better. Lovely with more age. Smokey, cedar/tobacco. Cocoa? Rich red fruits (darker). Full but still holds freshness (2883 views) | |
| Tasted by ricard on 2/2/2019 & rated 96 points: Utterly compelling. Ridiculous. Profound. Tight and defined. Nuts and sweet spice and plums and prunes and treacle and utter beauty. "Particular scent of honeycomb" says a friend. "Thumbs up!" says another. I like the salinity alongside the caramel sensations. What a wine. So good. Chocolate and cocoa. Powerful but graceful. Assertive but demure. Serious but playful. Big but humble. Ultimately, colossal. (2722 views) | |
| Tasted by joshabramson on 11/29/2018 & rated 94 points: This wine continues to improve. In a very nice place right now, mature but vibrant, nice ripe fruit presented in an old world style. (2816 views) | |
| Tasted by jefiset on 6/3/2018 & rated 90 points: Tannin soyeux, vin évolué, prêt à boire maintenant. (4119 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 4/14/2018 & rated 92 points: Opened about two hours prior to drinking. This wine is showing well. plenty of tannin and acid to support further development. drink or hold. (3150 views) | |
| Tasted by honest bob on 3/25/2018 & rated 91 points: From 75cl, dried-out, porous cork broke during extraction, decanted 1 hour. Darkish purple with a hint of brown at rim. Exciting mixed spice, hot white pepper, and balsamic dark red fruit scent; lighter and more tinglingly acidic on the entry than expected (redcurrant); layered midpalate with an extraordinary range of ripe fruit - from redcurrant to morello to blackberry and back again, quite hard tannins draw attention to the super-hot vintage; long, satisfying finish with some residual drying tannins and high acidity. Ready to drink now with plenty of air time, but no hurry. An exciting, muscular (rather than delicious or charming) drink. A bottle with a perfect cork might show even better than this one did. 91P (2701 views) | |
| Tasted by pearlsdad on 2/18/2018 & rated 89 points: Maybe past prime. (2636 views) | |
| Tasted by jusuf on 1/27/2018 & rated 92 points: Powerful but simple is a good description. Lots of red fruit, mainly raspberry on the nose. A small hint of vanilla. No more. The palate is more developped and gives again red fruits but as well licorice and animal tones. Overall easy to drink and absolutely ok, just lacking complexity. (440 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 1/6/2018 & rated 92 points: Dark stewed prunes and olives with lots of pepper and spices. Glass-coating viscosity. Plenty of tannins left to give this a solid backbone. A big wine. (2508 views) | |
| Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 9/28/2017 & rated 92 points: Tasting of the Utrecht Wine Society (Utrecht, NL): Tasted blind. Lively, light, airy, elegant, firm but ripe tannins, very fresh for its vintage and age, light structure, flavoursome, originally chewy tannins are beautifully resolved, good length. A lovely wine. (3670 views) | |
| Tasted by bonedoc on 8/18/2017 & rated 94 points: popped cork, did not decant bc of age, waited an hour and drank over 2 additional hours. gorgeous ripe cherries, excellent balance, mature but not over the hill. fruit profile kind of reminded me of a mature CDP, but without the garrique and/or barnyard quality. drink now or over 3 yrs. (2459 views) | |
| Tasted by dkwins on 3/13/2017 & rated 93 points: Excellent wine. Decanted 90 minutes, but was more than enough, as I did not detect the harshness described by others. Rich, smooth, balanced tannins. Glad I waited, but no reason to delay drinking remaining bottles. (3950 views) | |
| Tasted by strijbosmh on 2/27/2017 & rated 91 points: Decanted 1.5hrs. Very dark rim with nearly black core. Some ash, cedar and cappuccino on the nose. Medium body with striking acidity,which adds to its freshness. Firm but well-integrated tannins. Ripe black cherries and a subtle touch of underbrush. Still needs 3-5 years, but beautiful already. (3483 views) | |
| Tasted by galewskj on 1/26/2017 & rated 88 points: Spanish Wines (Craigs group) (The Kenwood): Dusty tannins and sandalwood. The nose is stewed an vegetal. This was not my favorite. (3902 views) | |
| Tasted by nlal on 1/2/2017 & rated 50 points: Vine peak did hade gått för länge sen. Helt dött, blev odrucket tyvärr. (2974 views) | |
| Tasted by Yagil on 11/24/2016 & rated 95 points: Castilla y Leon tasting (at my home): P&P excellent ripe dry cherries fruits with leather-earhty notes fine firm tannins, well structured and complexed, excellent balance & harmony, requires time to open. An excellent wine! after 20 hours: the wine is at its peak!!! hedonistic. outstanding! it has it all! (3455 views) | |
| Tasted by joshabramson on 9/5/2016 & rated 93 points: I've been holding on to this bottle for 6-7 years now, trying not to open it too early. I feel like I've waited long enough, this is in a nice place now! It's still quite youthful, however, and I expect it will continue to mellow out over the next few years and potentially improve a bit. The fruit here is very nice and elegant. Nice mix of new world and old world flavors. Very good!! (2610 views) | |
| Tasted by shutto1992@gmail.com on 6/26/2016 & rated 93 points: In a great drinking window now. (2765 views) | |
| Tasted by portman63 on 6/7/2016 & rated 92 points: Full bodied and rich right from the opening. Had plenty of minerality and much fresher than I expected from such a hot vintage. Still had great plum essence without seeming jammy in the least bit. Fruit never waned over several hours and much more balanced than I could have hoped. (2718 views) | |
| Tasted by akov on 5/8/2016 & rated 92 points: Despite the hot and dry year, no effect on quality regarding this wine. Still youthful, beautiful aromas and integration of oak, acidity and tannins. Very long finish. Modern wine, but still in an European flavour. (3113 views) | |
| Tasted by texag96 on 4/28/2016 & rated 92 points: Drinking really nicely right now. (2737 views) | |
| Tasted by Blacksmith450 on 1/3/2016 & rated 92 points: En équilibre, belle puissance et quelle belle finale sur la cerise (4237 views) | |
| Tasted by fatboi on 11/20/2015 & rated 90 points: Didn't decant but drank over two days… a powerful and fresh wine. Fun and definitely better and more integrated on 2nd day. (3110 views) | |
| Tasted by EhrlichDY on 11/17/2015 & rated 93 points: Bought on release and stored in my cellar. Popped and poured with a steak dinner. No staining of wine up the cork at all. This wine was hitting on all cylinders. Great freshness and acidity. Bold spicy fruits. Gentle savory notes that should emerge to take over the profile with more time in the bottle. A pleasure to drink and a confirmation of why I buy and cellar wine. A lovely experience. (2918 views) | |
| Tasted by kingkanu on 11/8/2015 & rated 89 points: Mature and tasty wine, the acidity just about holding its own now. There's a little medium fine tannin and a nice texture in the mouth, there's a good depth of flavour, but lacks any real spark for me. (2690 views) | |
| Tasted by Harley1199 on 9/23/2015: La Rioja Alta GR Vertical Tasting (plus private dinner at La Piperna) (Lavinia - Madrid): Dammed vintage? Dammed critics! The vine and some enologist knew make their job. Only needing fifteen minutes to bloom up. Surprisingly this time doesn't showed mature but a teenager. Exuberant on the nose. Long and savoury palate. A delicatessen. For some, the best RdD ever, with a rioja-like acidity. Once again a great bottle. We are going to miss you Xavier... ¿Añada maldita? Malditos críticos. La viña y algunos enológos sí hicieron su trabajo. Solo necesitó de quince minutos para florecer. Sorprendentemente está vez no se mostró madura si no como una adolescente. Exuberante en nariz con una boca larga y sabrosa. Una joyitas. Para algunos, el mejor RdD que hayan probado jamás, con una acidez que recuerda a los Rioja. Una vez más una gran botella de Alión. Te vamos a echar de menos Xavier... (4710 views) | |
| Tasted by nbrue on 7/30/2015 & rated 93 points: This took 45 minutes in the decanter to open and then it was graphite, tobacco, leather and damp earth. My wife loved it and we were happy to share the last 1/2 bottle as our friends opted for the Aussie Shiraz. I am not as in love as Jay Miller but it was perfectly balanced and delicious. I'll drink the remaining bottles over the next 3-5 years. (2833 views) | |
| Tasted by Jojala on 5/9/2015 & rated 91 points: Last bottle of some 6. Quite nice but no regrets having drank this up. Better bottle than the previous in 2013. Balanced but could have been from anywhere. (3152 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 5/2/2015 & rated 89 points: Sweet core of fruit. Well balanced. Would expect this to remain at high level for another 5 years. (2625 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 4/27/2015 & rated 90 points: Deep in colour. Still very primary, although starting to mellow a bit. Touch of eucalyptus and violet on the nose. Lots of black currant on the palate. Long on the finish. (2624 views) | |
| Tasted by acheng on 3/13/2015 & rated 92 points: Glad I bought some even though it was not exactly best vintage. Toasty oak with incense, dark fruit and touch of salinity. Drinking at a good spot right now. Prices have been inching up. Sediments not a problem at least with this vintage. (2635 views) | |
| Tasted by SoCal on 2/22/2015: I agree with the other tasting notes on this one. It is in a great place and should be drunk soon. It exhibits a great balance of fruit and savory aspects. Very enjoyable but not a QPR. (2542 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 2/22/2015 & rated 92 points: Very consistent with prior notes. This is in a good place at the moment although I would note it deteriorated on day 2. (2002 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 2/18/2015 & rated 92 points: I think this wine is now in a good place for drinking. Nice balance. Lots of cassis and blackberry and blackcurrant on the nose and palate. The heat seems to have moderated on the finish, which is a good thing. Fairly rounded in the mouth. a good bottle. (2028 views) | |
| Tasted by jnewman77 on 1/31/2015: Certainly more of a modern styled Tempranillo, the nose is rich with cassis, black raspberry, tobacco, leather, damp earth, hints of vanilla. The palate is ripe, but maintains nice balance, and is relatively elegant. Quite nicely done and seems to be in early maturity now, but with years ahead of it. (2286 views) | |
| Tasted by MAA65 on 1/9/2015 & rated 95 points: Dark color, purple, deep, rich nose of plum, cherry, expresso, some tobacco. On palate concentrated but balanced,beautiful and balanced tannins, Spanish flare. Long rich finish. Beautiful bottle with many years to go. Sad it was my last bottle. Drank at Racion (2344 views) | |
| Tasted by Spirits for the Soul on 1/1/2015 & rated 92 points: Earthy - evokes memories of a root cellar, cigar box, old wood, meaty. Reminiscent of a freshly raked pile of dusty autumn leaves. I can appreciate why some would be put off by this nose, but it is a mature, complex old world bouquet. Blackberry and cassis are predominant with undertones of charcoal. Soft round tannins and a finish that lingers.... An expressive complex wine. Very enjoyable. (2078 views) | |
| Tasted by bonedoc on 8/10/2014 & rated 94 points: Nose reminds me go a Clarendon hills Syrah, olive/sweet boysenberry but is a softer version of these components on the palate. Very well balanced, drink over next 3 yrs. (3997 views) | |
| Tasted by rayq on 8/8/2014 & rated 92 points: not a formal note but from memory This had a youthful deep red colour an enticing spicy nose and was fruity and fleshy on the palate. It has lost some of the oak of youth but still exhibits mainly primary flavours. This was very enjoyable and a welcome experience after an unimpressive 95 last year 92 (2184 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 8/5/2014 & rated 91 points: Dark purple in colour. Lots of fruit on the palate. Blackberry and cassis. Still a really big wine. Needs more time to mellow (2933 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 7/12/2014 & rated 91 points: As before. (3003 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 7/12/2014 & rated 91 points: Good bottle. Balanced. Nice fruit. Rounded in the mouth. Drinking well. Several more years left. (2810 views) | |
| Tasted by andtheodor on 7/7/2014 & rated 89 points: Typically Ribera aromas of old wood, funk, scorched earth, vanilla, plum, soy, tobacco. Spicy, sour plum, pomegranate, licorice, good acidity, still firmly structured. There's elements here I like a lot and some I'm not so fond of like the rustic, somewhat charmless palate. Much better with grilled lamb than alone. Hard to envision this seeing any improvement with time. (3118 views) | |
| Tasted by sgamiz on 6/20/2014 & rated 90 points: Tasted a little young with surprisingly high acidity (2961 views) | |
| Tasted by J2K on 6/9/2014: Decent fruit, smooth and a little creamy, expected to be a little bigger, drink now (2368 views) | |
| Tasted by Villon on 5/19/2014 & rated 94 points: Beaucoup d'aciditié volatile encore une fois (certains parlent de bretts), je pense qu'on est avec un rhône nord un peu âgé. Très charmeur et élégant, belle profondeur, acidité légèrement déficiente, petit creux en milieu de bouche, finale un peu austère mais longue. Délicieux, je pense que ce vin est parvenu à son plateau, rien ne sert de l'attendre longtemps. (2494 views) | |
| Tasted by phil the agony on 5/19/2014 & rated 93 points: Bret léger,animal,spic and span vanillé... Je me croyais p-ê en Côte Rôtie. Très beau ! (2413 views) | |
| Tasted by PhilJ on 2/15/2014 & rated 90 points: Lovely vanilla notes to this very smooth and rounded wine. No rush but good to drink now. (3357 views) | |
| Tasted by carstenf on 12/1/2013 & rated 85 points: Metallic nose and dry and not charming taste. It was a big disp. Oh - what a shame. And I have from 04-09 in the cellar , hope the warm weather in 03 was to blame...... (3748 views) | |
| Tasted by jperez68 on 11/27/2013 & rated 94 points: Had to have this after I found out Spain had the #1 wine for 2013. Excellent example of a great rioja with earthy note not very fruit forward,some plum flavors and slight vanilla. Straight finish on the earthy notes great wine with lamb or a nice porter house you can even throw in some french fries ala americana.Roasted patatoes will go well. (3137 views) | |
| Tasted by Strikermax on 11/2/2013 & rated 92 points: Donkerpaars, verkleurend naar baksteen. Redelijk ontwikkelde neus met kersen, pruim, tabak. Vol, rond en geconcentreerd in de mond met donker fruit, pure chocolade en mokka. Lange afdronk met behoorlijk drogende tannines, waardoor de wijn wat uit balans is (na 7 uur in de karaf). De tweede dag zijn de tannines wat beter geïntegreerd en is de wijn gebalanceerder. (3337 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 10/25/2013 & rated 87 points: Rioja and Ribera (Cambio del Tercio): Curious dark, stinky nose. South African rubber from the bad old days. Blue black fruit. Smooth, a touch jammy. Thick. This should be labelled Malbec. Ribena is cheaper. Again, this could show reasonably with the right food, but coming at the end of an evening of mature Rioja is doing this no favours. *** (3960 views) | |
| Tasted by hdantas on 10/13/2013 & rated 89 points: 750 ML 13,5% Spain It was dying, but still alive! This bottle is from Cuba... We drunk with a perfect lunch. Very nice, typical RDDuero - NDA Vega S. Last year could be great! (3236 views) | |
| Tasted by zivagolee on 8/21/2013 & rated 92 points: Great wine. Needs about an hour to get the full experience and bring tannins down a bit. Nice oak, tobacco notes. (3273 views) | |
| Tasted by GrandeSerataFuori on 7/31/2013 & rated 88 points: Very good, but didn't wow me like past bottles. It seemed older than I thought it would. Certainly a food wine though. As soon as we started to eat, the wine started to improve. Lots of sediment. (3459 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 7/14/2013 & rated 92 points: My first of this bottling and my favorite tempranillo to date. Good balance, abundant fruit. Nice bottle. (3409 views) | |
| Tasted by WildeMeeuw on 7/13/2013 & rated 91 points: Kleur: Robijnrood Aroma / bouquet: Rijk, expressief aroma. Donker fruit, tabak, hooi, Smaak / Afdronk: Krachtig dik sap, krachtige maar prachtig rijpe tannines, drop, laurier, enorme lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Mooie wijn, nu goed drinkbaar, groot potentieel voor ontwikkeling. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100 Color: Ruby Aroma / bouquet: Rich, expressive aromas. Dark fruit, tobacco, hay, Taste / Finish: Powerful thick juice, powerful yet beautiful ripe tannins, licorice, laurel, enormous length General / potential:. Beautiful wine, now drinkable, great potential for development. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 16 + General / potential: 8 = 91/100 (3024 views) | |
| Tasted by bonedoc on 7/10/2013 & rated 94 points: Excellent concentration of dark cherries, pomegranate, sweet softened tannins, nicely structured and youthful. (3526 views) | |
| Tasted by Pedro G on 5/26/2013 & rated 91 points: Probably better than bottle drank couple of years ago. It seems austere, serious but adapting to all sort of meat foods. Elegant, not explosive, an easy wine to drink. Still an issue with the price for the quality comparing with other Riberas. (3143 views) | |
| Tasted by Gobi on 4/19/2013 & rated 95 points: A dark colored wine with an inky core,some age is apparent on the rim that shows a crimson hue that hints to some browning. Delicate floral aromas on the nose with plums, currants, cherries, coconut, espresso, sweet tobacco, roasted meats, burnt earth, vanilla pod, cinnamon, cloves, and crushed rocks. Dense flavors on the palate with dark cherries, plums, blueberries on the attack that leads to a midpalate filled with blackberries, raspberries covered in dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and acidity that keeps on going. The finish is long lasting, quite fresh, filled with sweet dark fruits, a balanced quantity of creamy vanilla, spices, crushed stones, and sappy tannins. A silky textured full bodied wine with delicious flavors, however the alcohol sticks out a bit on the finish, after ten years it still seems as young as it was on release! (3236 views) | |
| Tasted by Jojala on 3/31/2013 & rated 88 points: A why-not bottle of wine but just not delivering. It is medium bodied but feels somewhat thin. Bright acidity but lacking depth. Bad bottle? In any case a huge step down from my previous scoring of 94. One bottle left and no high expectations. Will give its some more years to develop nuances. (3205 views) | |
| Tasted by AllRed on 2/5/2013 & rated 94 points: Deep color. Lovely bouquet featuring red fruit, currants, mint, herbs/garrigue and a hint of vanilla. Has some tannin to integrate yet, but what is there is balanced by plenty of fruit. Has an abundance of fruit on the palate, along with earth and herb notes. Long finish. (4241 views) | |
| Tasted by NNV on 2/5/2013 & rated 91 points: Nice wine, good fruit, nice acid level, balanced. Not ethereal or amazing but happy have more. Can definitely see more bottle age. Representative of RDD. (3445 views) | |
| Tasted by thelostverse on 2/5/2013 & rated 90 points: I believe this was opened by steve8 at Adelle's with CWM. Black fruits with a hint of tobacco and leather. (2983 views) | |
| Tasted by itsallaboutwine on 1/3/2013: Great as usual but at peak for my personal taste. ++++ (1980 views) | |
| Tasted by Harley1199 on 11/15/2012: Historical & Vertical Alión Tasting (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Another exhuberant bottle to be enjoyed soon. Meaty. Little heady but Iliked. Anissete. Good memories from Cordova indeed. Otra botella exuberante para ser disfrutada pronto. Carnica. Un pocoembriagadora pero me gustó. Anís. Buenas memorias de Córdoba sin duda (5230 views) | |
| Tasted by DonWinspear on 8/18/2012 & rated 92 points: Complex nose of red fruit with additional notes of sandalwood, wet stone, tobacco. Palate is equally layered. Tannins are rich but not overpowering. The wine evolved over the hour or so we drank it. Eventually developing more old world characteristics. Nice long finish. (4366 views) | |
| Tasted by vcgagnon on 7/13/2012 & rated 93 points: Très bon. Encore jeune mais prêt à boire. (4502 views) | |
| Tasted by cubswinws on 4/14/2012 & rated 92 points: VEry nice. Strong fruit and earthy componet with excellent smoothness and depth. Drinking well now. (4935 views) | |
| Tasted by willthethrill on 3/31/2012 & rated 88 points: Tasted side by side with the 2004 in NYC. Dark cherry, but too tart and tannins too harsh. (5261 views) | |
| Tasted by Arthur Riedel on 2/17/2012: - Brick color with fast forming legs. It's in total harmony with a full body. Bright texture with a long finish. (4928 views) | |
| Tasted by jinks on 12/2/2011 & rated 89 points: Mandigo Spanish wines: Dark cherry, tobacco; fruity, tart, tannic (6847 views) | |
| Tasted by Periko on 11/27/2011 & rated 92 points: Consumed over two days. Day 1: dark crimson color, quite shy on nose, dark fruit, spice. Palate is smooth and fruity with just noticiable tannins at the back end palate. Day 2 is such an improvement. Nose is quite complex and very aromatic: orange peel, red mature fruit, forest floor, cinnamon, incense, tobacco, graphite, indian ink, all over layers and layers of fruit. Palate is even more smooth, medium bodied, black liquor fruit, medium acidity and a medium finish. (6051 views) | |
| Tasted by ŞarapTutkunları on 11/19/2011 & rated 89 points: Hafifçe mat,mor röfleleride olan koyu vişne renginde.Önde vişne,erik gibi olgun meyve ile birlikte,tarçın gibi tatlı baharat,tütün,kuru meyve,çikolata notaları mevcut.Damakta yumuşak,diri asitli,fıçı tanenleride hissediliyor.Orta uzunluktaki baharat ağırlıklı bitiminde asit canlılık katarken fıçıya ait nüanslar ve olgun meyve yapısı,modernist olduğunu düşündürüyor. (1565 views) | |
| Tasted by Ilker Ozdemir on 11/19/2011 & rated 89 points: Hafifçe mat,mor röfleleride olan koyu vişne renginde.Önde vişne,erik gibi olgun meyve ile birlikte,tarçın gibi tatlı baharat,tütün,kuru meyve,çikolata notaları mevcut.Damakta yumuşak,diri asitli,fıçı tanenleride hissediliyor.Orta uzunluktaki baharat ağırlıklı bitiminde asit canlılık katarken fıçıya ait nüanslar ve olgun meyve yapısı,modernist olduğunu düşündürüyor. (2191 views) | |
| Tasted by wurzel68 on 8/14/2011 & rated 86 points: Anfangs tief-aromatische, dunkle Nase von Gewürzen, Leder, Tabak, Pfeffer und Frucht, am Gaumen weich und voll; leider mit zunehmendem Luftkontakt wieder einmal in seine Komponenten zerfallend mit dominanter Säure und alkoholischer Note. Kann weiterhin nicht überzeugen! (6352 views) | |
| Tasted by SoCal on 8/6/2011: Black purple color in the glass with no signs of age. The nose was full of warm aromas, dark berries, chocolate, and toasty oak. The mouth feel was smooth and medium weight with med + acid. Overall this a very good wine, that certainly is showing sings of a warm vintage but it did not exhibit cooked flavors or port notes. Plus the acid in this wine prevented the the wine from becoming to round and without structure. I would say drink or hold. (6180 views) | |
| Tasted by danibus on 7/31/2011 & rated 92 points: This rocked again. At the limits of modern for me these days, but wow, lots of loamy earth and dark fruit, in balance despite the high alcohol that makes it plush rather than, well, alcoholic. (6393 views) | |
| Tasted by wm3395 on 4/14/2011 & rated 96 points: Vanilla, cream and dark berry's. This wine has aged beautifully. I initially thought the drinking window on this wine would peak in a couple of years but it seems that this one has many years to go. Drinks amazingly well now. (7624 views) | |
| Tasted by spretzer on 3/12/2011 & rated 92 points: Just firing on all cylinders now! Big, full mouthful. Great with rack of lamb. (7467 views) | |
| Tasted by L'Eveque on 2/20/2011 & rated 93 points: Maturing nicely this has come around and is long and smooth. Far better than I had anticipated. Consumed with food and decanted c. 1 hour. Very well balanced wine, great poise. (7495 views) | |
| Tasted by KVM on 12/14/2010 & rated 90 points: Very dark. prominent oak and dark cherries. A tasty and balanced mouthful of cherries. This has years of development ahead. (7773 views) | |
| Tasted by Jojala on 10/14/2010 & rated 94 points: Dinner wine. No decant, opended few hours before consumption. Best showing so far, beatifully balanced, full bodied, not too oaky. Real class. Tiny bit next day was a tad bitter. (8372 views) | |
| Tasted by wurzel68 on 10/3/2010 & rated 89 points: Viel Mokka, Schokolade, Leder, dunkle Beerenfrucht; leider weiterhin unausgewogen mit beherrschender Tannin- und Säurestruktur, die Frucht verblaßt; langsam auch keine Hoffnung auf Besserung mehr... (8413 views) | |
| Tasted by Pedro G on 9/18/2010 & rated 89 points: Excelent Ribera despite below expectations. Not the best quality price in the market. Sherry color, deep in nose, some chololate, nice in mouth, powerful with rounded tanins. Lenghty. A bit disappointed as not superior to several Riberas with half of the price. Probably needs some more time in bottle. (8384 views) | |
| Tasted by Miceri on 8/8/2010 & rated 95 points: Dark red; very deep and very fruity nose, ripe dark berries; soft, velvety, powerful, very fruity, some tannin present but not disturbing; nice long aftertaste, deep; very very nice and very tasty (8525 views) | |
| Tasted by obmoen on 8/1/2010 & rated 79 points: Veldig mye eik. På nese og i munn. Den overskygget den mørke frukten, plommene og hintet av tobakk som lå under. Søt frukt som harmonerte dårlig med den forholdsvis solide syren. Noe som gjorde at jeg tenkte den er syrejustert. Likevel var det noe som pirret meg med denne. Om jeg skulle finne ut hva det var, måtte jeg hatt fler. Det har jeg (heldigvis) ikke. Medium lang. Rotete i munn. (8603 views) | |
| Tasted by alion on 8/1/2010 & rated 92 points: Rich, creamy, dark plum / damson jam and heat from alcohol. Big wine. (8591 views) | |
| Tasted by FastTrack on 7/24/2010 & rated 90 points: in the nose: dark berries, and mocha. strong but harmonious tannins against the backdrop of notes of dark chocolate, long finish (8416 views) | |
| Tasted by alion on 7/17/2010 & rated 92 points: Less burnt and overpowering from alcohol than I remember. Damson fruit. Smooth. Very well made. Modern, extracted style. Lacks complexity of the 2004. 92 (8445 views) | |
| Tasted by Al-Vino on 6/13/2010 & rated 90 points: Solid...but lacking the type of depth and complexity one would expect from this price point. Hoping the 2004 in the cellar does more justice to the Alion brand. (8706 views) | |
| Tasted by spretzer on 5/30/2010 & rated 92 points: Drinking beautifully now with about 1 hour decant (8729 views) | |
| Tasted by sethmorgenlong on 4/26/2010: Deep color, high-ish viscosity. Upon opening the wine was tight, backwards and showing a bit of age; it was slightly h-ani-mal a la Burgundy/Rhone at first but not Brett, just bottle funk... As it opened the funk gave way to dark blue and black fruit, dry herbal notes, vanillins, leather, rootbeer and mulberry extract. Over the course of three hours it became plush with blue fruits, toasted anise, dry dill, cocoa butter on leather and dry, bitter chocolate; the tannins were soft and chewy; moderate acids were balanced with nice schwack of alcohol; moderate length and complexity, just what I would expect from a baby Vega. My impression is that wine has many years in front of it properly cared for, though it is enjoyable now. (9485 views) | |
| Tasted by nightfire on 4/12/2010 & rated 93 points: Superb Ribera. Already drinking very well but will continue to improve over the next couple of years. On the nose it's spices, red berries and hints of tobacco. In the mouth, it's a blockbuster, complex and rich with fruits, slight oakiness and a long and satisfying finish. (8555 views) | |
| Tasted by Tony T on 3/28/2010 & rated 94 points: What a fantastic wine! Everybody loved this one. A classic Ribera del Duero at its best. Still has firm tannins and a great future. I'm so happy to have more bottles of this vintage in storage. (8596 views) | |
| Tasted by James B on 3/20/2010 & rated 93 points: Wild exerience. From nose to finish, this screams spice and pepper, rather than fruit. Great with beef. Drinkable now, but still some tannins. Certainly far from the beaten path. (7731 views) | |
| Tasted by InflationHedge on 3/4/2010 & rated 94 points: Excellent. I wish I had my notes in front of me, but I'm glad I have a case of this and may try to pick up one more... (8311 views) | |
| Tasted by 3daywinereview.com on 2/27/2010 & rated 93 points: Minneapolis Wine Club Spanish Reds (Anna's House): Dark! On the nose black fruits, cedar, spice and leather. On the palate the wine is very intense and concentrated. Firm tannins and a medium to lengthy finish. This needs some cellar time to open up. 93+ (8865 views) | |
| Tasted by pcwoz on 1/20/2010 & rated 92 points: Fab Ribera del Duero. Dark fruits, spice, tobacco etc.... just great. A bit young, but really a great ine. I have some left and so will wait it out for a quite few years I think. At least 92. (6824 views) | |
| Tasted by wm3395 on 1/3/2010 & rated 95 points: Two bottles were opened late Dec. One decanted for one hour the other for three. This wine is a classic Ribera del Duero. I was surprised by the scores of the other CT users. These bottles were fantastic. I tasted my first bottle of the 2003 in the middle of 2008. It has improved nicely and drinks very well now but should gain more strength as it ages. I can see why a few reviews state it is over ripe. The tannins are definitely ripe but in a great way and one that is classic of the RdD. The structure of this wine is impressive and it is a better bottle than the 2002. The wine has a violet color with spice, cherry and plum on the palate. The finish is fantastic. Other flavors were prune, ripe berries and a touch a vanilla. The wine performed great alone but it is a fantastic dinner wine. The acidity and tannins are still solid. This wine should rink well for 15 or more years. (6813 views) | |
| Tasted by fatboi on 12/13/2009 & rated 89 points: Opened a lot faster than I thought it would. deep purple color. decanted but did not open or change much. very smooth and pleasant with food but not at all complex. think time will treat it well. (6904 views) | |
| Tasted by PatrikO on 10/12/2009 & rated 89 points: faded surprisingly quickly in the decanter, good but not great (7374 views) | |
| Tasted by Tony T on 9/17/2009 & rated 92 points: Only decanted for 30 minutes. Still a very young wine and needs more time. Has a lot of potential. I will wait for another 2-3 years before opening the next bottle even if I loved it already. (7291 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 8/25/2009 & rated 90 points: Very primary and ripe fruits. Needs more time to show its real merits. Textbook full bodied RdD which is not overdone. (6494 views) | |
| Tasted by kevin h on 8/3/2009 & rated 90 points: Needs more time. Youthful and very tannic at present. Chocolate, earth and a bit of blackcurrant - I would expect that to develop more with time. Soft and signs of a hot vintage but balanced and with good fruit. Will probably always be on the tannic side. (6582 views) | |
| Tasted by jasonh on 7/10/2009 & rated 88 points: Had this wine over about 6 hours. First glass out of the bottle, others out of the decanter. At first the aromas were more Rhone than RdD. Then I noticed the ripeness. Just seemed too ripe. At times I enjoyed some herbal/vegetal elements along with earth and asphalt but the prunes kept coming in. On the palate there were more ripe plums. At times it showed its balance and heft but at others it just tipped to too ripe. Lot's of complexity and the middle and finish as very appealing but at the front it just came on too strong. I expect more from this wine. I will say it did seem shut down and somewhat hidden but there was no hiding the occasional prune. I hope the 04 is dialed back down. (6533 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 7/9/2009: Great spice, fig, prune, classic elegance. I am much more impressed with this wine right now then I have been in the past. Driving acidity on the palate. Meaty on the back palate. Showing its Vega Sicilia origins with acid. (6148 views) | |
| Tasted by Capt M on 6/21/2009 & rated 92 points: Deep purple red. Nose of licorice, cherry and plum. Very supple wine, smooth, silky and elegant, showing great character of tempranillo and quality of fruit. Good length but not a lot of complexity, rather abundant fruit, berries and cherries. Polished, supple, elegant, with pedigree; I do wish it had more complexity. Great weight. (5518 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 6/21/2009: Utter and unalduterated pleasure. Deep, dark colour - fantastic nose of earthy, rich fruit - leather, vanilla. In the mouth this is deep rich sweet fruit - really intense but balanced with acidity and tannins. In a good place right now - rewards further time in the cellar - maybe 5-8 years, but this is a real g-spot of a wine right now. Young right now, but drinking some now is not a crime if you also have some to age. (5609 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul S on 6/20/2009 & rated 91 points: CT London Event (Hide Bar, Bermondsey, London): Performed a touch better than when I had it last year. Very nice nose - dark and smoky, with cigar and pepper notes along with sappy dark cherries and fragrant spice frills. Palate was still a little primary, dominated with sweet, sappy cherries and spice with more of the cigar smoke billowing about. Very modern, plush and smooth, but very nicely balanced. As Pjaines said, this wine is all about plesaure. Finish had good length, closing with a flourish of toasty tobacco and smoke. I think some time would help to round the wine out and give some complexity. (7270 views) | |
| Tasted by cos82 on 5/9/2009 & rated 90 points: Dark purple with plum and earth on the nose. I don't find the fruit that others have in this wine. Dense.palate of graphite, earth and cedar. A good wine, but it paled next to the 03 Numanthia. (5791 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 4/5/2009: Ooooh this is a sneaky little wine. straight out of the bottle this is full on fruit and quite aggresive but give it time and there is serious complexity here. Notes of meat, vanilla, balsamic, oak and very dark fruit give way to bitter chocolate and a super long finish. Not in the class of the 2004 but for 30 quid this is a pretty good wine. Needs a few years in the cellar but will age very well. Excellent (5671 views) | |
| Tasted by wpiers on 3/3/2009 & rated 92 points: Had this with a fine meal at the River Cafe (Calgary, not New York) with a nice leg of lamb. Very enjoyable, smooth on the palate with a strong note of black cherry. (5752 views) | |
| Tasted by Dagalaifus on 1/12/2009 & rated 94 points: Nice purple hue in the glass. Toasty oak and smoke in the nose. Medium-bodied with nice tobacco and red fruit in the mouth and abundant, but well-integrated tannins. A pleasure to drink after a long decant, and will surely improve with age. And, I think it pairs nicely with nearly every cheese (6161 views) | |
| Tasted by LWI on 1/1/2009 & rated 85 points: Dark. Sweet and sour, reminiscent of soy, moderate tannins. Full bodied, but a bit short and unbalanced. Cannot see how this should come together. (5647 views) | |
| Tasted by Tad GW on 12/31/2008: Wonderful wine. But wait 5 years. (5633 views) | |
| Tasted by spretzer on 12/30/2008 & rated 91 points: consumed with MAtt, Helena, David Solid. Could use some age. Matt & david's favorite (5576 views) | |
| Tasted by acheng on 12/6/2008 & rated 92 points: Dark robe of chocolate, mocha, plum, classy toasty oak, smoke and touch of all spice. Good acidity and firm tannin. Gets better in the glass. A fabulous showing tonight. 14.6% alcohol. On day 2, even better. Complex plummy. dark cherry, toasty oak and vanilla. Fabulous. Better than 2002 tasted last year. 93 points. (5891 views) | |
| Tasted by pbjosh on 11/9/2008 & rated 91 points: Even in a very hot year in a warm climate, an impressive wine. The fruit is a bit more on the roasted/baked side, the wine is rich and dark, but it is still quite pretty. Still some elements of freshness to the fruit to balance the rich roasted earth and pie fruit. On the palate a bit monolithic but balanced acid, great mouthfeel with some chalky tannins remaining. Finishes long with a bit of tannic clench. Not up to the 01 and 04, and pushes the boundaries of ripeness for me, but a great wine for the vintage and worth buying depending on price (I got it on closeout). (5349 views) | |
| Tasted by WildeMeeuw on 10/26/2008 & rated 90 points: 2003 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero (Spanje, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero Kleur:) Diep donkerrood, iets bruin-oranje randje Aroma / bouquet: Rijp rood en zwart fruit, dominante maar aangename houttonen, beetje metalig, zoethout / drop Smaak / Afdronk: Vol, klein zoetje, beetje metalig smaakje, veel structuur, zachte en ronde tannines, Algemeen / potentieel: Mooi glas, maar op dit moment niet op zijn top. Nog zeker een paar jaar geduld gunnen. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 10 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 90 (5195 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 10/15/2008: 100% tinto de fino and 100% new french. Again, really lovely black fruit. Rich in texture and power. A little bit over the top on price at $77 or so. Great wine but man that euro beat it around on price. (4828 views) | |
| Tasted by itsallaboutwine on 10/12/2008 & rated 93 points: Had it 3 times and think it's getting better.Big wine with more to come... I won't touch a bottle until 2012! (4203 views) | |
| Tasted by Alex H on 8/25/2008 & rated 86 points: Spanish Gems from World Class Producers (Caveau): Dark red. An extremely savory nose of salted duck soup with wolfberries and cooked berries. Savory flavours of satisfyingly ripe stewed blackberries with hints of tomatoes. Friendly approach and a smooth velvety finish. (5102 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul S on 8/16/2008 & rated 91 points: Spanish Gems from World Class Producers (Caveau, Singapore): The most modern of the Vega Sicilia wines - I am not sure whether this is a consequence of the wine-making, the vintage, or both. Very dark, inky purple. Ripe, plush nose, showing cassis fruit, cooked cherries and pepper tones. This translated into the palate, which was as ripe as would be expected from the colour and nose, and full of cassis and pepper tones. Surprisingly for 2003, this showed very fresh acid, almost a little sour and full of bite, which gave the wine a pleasant balance. Longish finish, very smooth, with just a hint of heat. Well-made wine, but in a really friendly, ripe, very forward style. (5204 views) | |
| Tasted by mreinitz on 7/23/2008 & rated 91 points: To me this is reminiscent of a new world pinot. Sour cherry and a hint of mushrooms mixed with black fruit on the palate A little sweet. Very pleasant. (4056 views) | |
| Tasted by SoCal on 4/30/2008 & rated 91 points: A nose of toasty oak and spice. On the palate Tobacco, Mocha, and a mix of berries The finish is strong with spicy cigar box. Overall very focused Ribera del Duero. The flavors are by no means unexpected or extraordinary for the area but they are much more refined and balanced than most. A smooth drink from attack to finish. What you are paying for is the elegance of the wine. A heavy weight boxer with velvet gloves. A great wine for spain. (4709 views) | |
| Tasted by MarcoAzevedo on 3/22/2008 & rated 90 points: This well know wine never disapoints. Soft tanins, complex but easy to drink. Tabbacco, mocca, red fruits and oak very well fit. Always a safe bet. (5095 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 2/22/2008 & rated 93 points: Dark red violet color; black fruit, blueberry and vaguely floral nose; nice, concentrated, lovely blueberry, black fruit with good acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (1818 views) | |
| Tasted by danibus on 2/16/2008 & rated 93 points: Great wine. Dark red fruit, plum, tobacco, and pepper. Focused and pure, with firm acidity and young but integrated tannins. I'm impressed with how the better Ribera estates managed the heat of '03, and this is a great example -- ripe, but not overripe or jammy. Plenty of oak, sure, but smooth and unobtrusive. An excellent value, and it'll just get better with time. (5308 views) | |
| Tasted by torourke on 2/16/2008 & rated 93 points: A wonderful wine, smooth, easy to drink, light but complex fruits like rasberry, blackberry and a slight hint of cherry. A well made wine that has plenty of time to mature but approachable now. (5566 views) | |
| Tasted by ColinR on 2/15/2008 & rated 96 points: Inky purple; intense wild blueberries, blackberries, tar, cedar, vanilla; concentrated berry, dark chocolate, smooth, medium-full body, good structure, beautiful balance, firm ripe tannins, lingering finish. Decanted 2 hrs. A great wine. The complex nose jumped out of the glass. On the palate there was a tremendous balance of concentration, refinement, body, acidity and tannin. Approachable now and should age gracefully. Worth its price. (5295 views) | |
| Tasted by Double-A on 12/4/2007 & rated 93 points: Blueberry, mineral, earth, licorice nose with toast and vanilla notes. Intense and firmly structured plate with very good balance and a long finish. Hold. 4.5/5 (853 views) | |
| Tasted by losvinhos on 11/29/2007 & rated 92 points: Dulçor evidenciando a safra. Ainda assim foi o vinho preferido da maioria. Complexo, rico, macio, elegante. Excelente. 92+ (5905 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 11/17/2007 & rated 92 points: Beautiful complex bouquet with blackberries, cassis and luxurious oak. Same tastes in the mouth. Pleasant sweetness, soft tannin and good acidity. Still a baby, but a very nice baby. (2363 views) | |
| Tasted by GrandeSerataFuori on 11/12/2007 & rated 92 points: Maybe a touch better than last night (different bottle, same Pinchos joint in San Sebastian). A hint of salty leather, rich plums and dried tobacco. This is a real beauty. (5791 views) | |
| Tasted by GrandeSerataFuori on 11/11/2007 & rated 91 points: What a year for Alion - I will grab a few more of these if i see em somewhere. Old world, salt and leather with the depth of modern powerhouse wines. A beauty! (5586 views) | |
| Tasted by losvinhos on 11/7/2007 & rated 92 points: Audozed por 9 horas e decantado por mais 3. Aromas de especiarias, café, floral intenso, cereja e esmalte. Na boca claramente muito novo ainda. Concentrado, muita fruta, com taninos bastante numerosos e acidez na medida. Reflete sim a safra quente que lhe confere algum "dulçor" e características de fruta em compota. Grande vinho, de extrema qualidade e elegância. Deve melhorar com o tempo. Excelente. 92+ (5649 views) | |
| Tasted by Vinho on 10/8/2007 & rated 91 points: PI. Impressões de aromas e gostos semelhantes, porém menos otimistas do que as da nota anterior. Potente e cheio de fruta, com notas tostadas em destaque e acidez moderada. Embora se tenha notícia de que a colheita foi antecipada para meados de setembro, reflete um pouco a safra solar, com fruta mais madura, quase em compota. Madeira ainda não totalmente integrada. 90-91(+?)O/E. (5900 views) | |
| Tasted by peternelson on 9/15/2007 & rated 92 points: Wine X: Brown burnt sienna color; creamy mix of drk berries, blk, forest, nice pleasant nose; very creamy blk frts in mth too, oak shows very nicely, nice fin. Grt. wine.* Creamy blkberry--good now! (2453 views) | |
| Tasted by Harley1199 on 8/25/2007: In Bodegas Campos restaurant of Cordoba with Annick. Everything that you expect of a wine of Vega Sicilia: flat, full of cocoa, of wet tobacco, of leather, of wood, of flavors to black fruits, of vanilla. .... even so was a matter of a wine very young that deserves a time laying down. The next bottle, not before 2.010 En el restaurante Bodegas Campos de Córdoba con Annick. Todo lo que se espera de un vino de Vega Sicilia: rotundo, lleno de cacao, de tabaco mojado, de cuero, de madera, de sabores a frutos negros, a vainilla.....aún así se trataba de un vino muy jóven que merece un tiempo en tumbado. La próxima botella, no antes del 2.010 (4286 views) | |
| Tasted by Vinho on 8/24/2007 & rated 92 points: Decantado por cerca de 1h. NM. Aromas de café, esmalte, frutos negros e cereja, com tostado bastante intenso. Seco, amargor moderado, boa acidez, concentrado, resinoso e mineral. Taninos muito numerosos e marcantes, ligeiramente secos. Lembra um pouco o Pintia de mesma safra. Qual terá sido o tipo de madeira e tostagem utilizados? Inegável qualidade, mas considerando as safras anteriores, o estilo deste não é o meu preferido. Tem algum potencial para evoluir e pode ser que melhore com o tempo em garrafa. 92+ptsE. (5836 views) | |
| Tasted by Thralow on 7/5/2007 & rated 93 points: Not as special as the first time. (6147 views) | |
| Tasted by Thralow on 6/19/2007 & rated 95 points: Outstanding, we have a new fondness for Spanish wines. (6451 views) |
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Bodegas y Viñedos AliónProducer websiteTinto FinoTinto Fino or Tinta del País is the local name in Ribera del Duero for Tempranillo, probably Spain’s most famous grape. The name relates to the early fruit ripening, ideal for the harsh continental climate and short growing season of the region.In Ribera del Duero Tempranillo yields smaller berries, loose clusters and tougher skin, which encourages more skin-to-juice contact and promotes full-bodied, powerful wines that still retain the grape’s renowned elegance. It’s a vibrant, aromatic variety that offers spicy, red fruit aromas and flavors. The combination of power and elegance represents Tempranillo’s signature in Ribera del Duero, and the region’s singular contribution to winemaking today. SpainVinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | WikipediaWine Map on weinlagen-info Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info. Castilla y LeónCastilla y León Wine (Turismo Castilla y León )Ribera del DueroEl Corazón del Duero - The Heart of Duero (Consejo Regulador de la D.O. Ribera del Duero) |