Tempranillo tasting

Weygandt Wines, DC
Tasted Tuesday, September 28, 2010 by Faryan with 721 views

Introduction

All wines were opened 2.5 hours prior to service. I have a limited background in tempranillo but I decidedly liked the earlier, more old school LdH flights better than the newer bruisers.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 1999 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Butterscotch, toffee, macademia nuts and dark honey on the nose. There is a bracing amount of acidity on the palate which is quite counterbalanced from the oak driven suppleness on the nose. This leads to a somewhat angular finish, which should likely be tamed by food (wood grilled seafood maybe?). With more air, the wine adds a bit of heft and flesh. After revisiting several hours later, there is more sherry, butterscotch and mayonaise on the nose. A very nice young wine. Upside in 3-5 years.

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  • 2000 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 88 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Very intriguing for a rose. Lovely floral lift to the nose at first with peaches and lychees. It is bright but still delicate, an interesting duality. On the mouth, there is bright acidity but some butter, cherry and cheese elements. A real surprise for a rose.

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  • 2009 Bodega Dominio Buenavista / Veleta Tempranillo Rosé 72 Points

    Spain, Andalucía, Vino de la Tierra Contraviesa Alpujarra

    Extremely basic and lacking in charm. The wine smells of concord grape and astringency. On the palate there is some raciness and verve but the finish is so off-putting. It was drank alongside far more expensive wines, so to be fair, it was not in a proper class, but this is not a wine I would seek out. Perhaps the bottle was not correct as someone noted that it had not been stored optimally.

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Flight 2 (6 Notes)

  • 2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Crianza Viña Cubillo Flawed

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Opens a touch heavy and as the wine sits after being poured, there is a sense that the wine is likely flawed. With some swirling, some fruit emerges, but the flaw remains.

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  • 2000 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Intense nose with lots of earth and dark cherry elements. Has a floral element buried which can be sensed but is very shy. On the mouth, there is a refined cherry compote and good tannin and acidic balance.

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  • 2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Opens with creosote and cedar. Pronounced but not off-kilt. Smooth, buttery and toffee elements emerge with air. With swirling, more toffee and some buttery popcorn elements are pronounced. There is a nice tempranillo profile on the palate of cherry and cedar (via treatment) and an interesting finish. A bit simplistic on the palate but nice nevertheless.

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  • 2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    A refined nose with a nice pitch. hints of sweet spice and cherry. With more air, the sweet spice (nutmeg, cardamom) continues to flourish. Lots of lovely red fruit on the palate with a smooth and delicate finish. A high quality wine in a good drinking place.

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  • 2002 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    More complexity than the 01 but less refined at this juncture. Perhaps it just has more stuffing. Cedar, cherry and sweet tobacco. Some spice but again not as pronounced. Somewhat Bordeauxish with its character but decidedly tempranillo on the profile. On the mouth, there is strength and great depth, but still delicate. This is a wine with great upside.

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  • 2000 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 86 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Aberrant blueberry fruit. A touch jammy to my taste. Still has delicacy to i but its a bit buried under neath the polish. Less angular but perhpas overly worked on. Clearly a hedonistic wine, but how do they say...il porte le maquillage.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Grand and light meaty notes. Opens mercurial with its lovely orange crimson tinge. Very mooth and clearly old school in complexion and philosophy. With swirling, some very interesting fruit emerges: cherry and tons of apricot. The palate is beauitful with a high acidic pitch, but perhaps a bit out of touch on its own, requiring some food to pair. Finish a touch buttery as the remnance of its sleep in barrique pokes through. Complex and fun, but not profound. Nevertheless, a very elegant wine.

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  • 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    More clear and less barnyard driven than the Tondonia Gran Reserva. A bit more plush at first, but when the wine settles, it is a touch hollow on the nose. With swirling there is a vegetal quality that emerges (some beet root and tomato vine). With more air, there is some beautiful kirsch that is reticent to emerge. On the palate, there is a nice cherry element but it doesn't seem to ever put the pieces together. A wine with plenty of great facets but can't seem to quite work in harmony.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

Flight 5 (4 Notes)

  • 2003 Benjamin Romeo Rioja La Cueva del Contador

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Very portlike with searing heat. Raisiny, stewed plum and thick kirsch. Tons of rasberry and nutiness (think almond slivers) on the finish. Just way over the top. Lacks elegance.

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  • 2002 Bodegas LAN Rioja Edición Limitada 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    While very big, this wine has a nice pitch to the nose. Cherry, kirsch and hints of cedar. With more swirling, some pretty ground coffee and raspberry licorice come charging through. With time, I get notes of soufflee and mocha. The mouthfeel is nice but a bit brutish. I think it can integrate even more with bottle age so I'd hold. A solid wine.

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  • 2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Edición Limitada 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Like the 02 but more brutish and endowed. Needs time to mellow out but shows more stuffing and potential comparatively. More bright with the fruit pallate (cherry, kirsch, compote) but less complex and varied in its secondary nuance. There is some creosote which may blow off with more air, but it also borders on medicinal. Wait.

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  • 2006 Artadi Viñas de Gain

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Cherry, kirsch and cedar with a dosing of heat. Blueberry and oak on the mouth. Perhaps my palate was shot at this point but not my wheelhouse at all.

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