February 6, 2023 - Where to start - a Sisseck wine for the proletariat that rewards keeping a cellar. The silky creamy spicy mouthfeel is what grabs me. The plum and roasted earth aromas and flavors remain buoyed on this intact evolved structure and are afforded focused continuance on the wine’s healthy acidity. For 20$ and a dedicated conscientious mobile cellar this pedestrian wine pleases.
January 15, 2023 - Drink really really well, sour cherry and plum, licorice and leather, polished tannins, good acidity and long drying finish. Mouthwateringly good.
March 24, 2017 - I was stunned this thing still had life in it. But it definitely did.
Cork and fill were great. Wine had a foundation of tart cherry with some balancing earthy flavors and a little tannin still hanging around.
Enjoyable bottle and very impressive that a 21 year old Crianza is still pleasurable to drink.
January 16, 2016 - “G8 summit – A journey on the Duero-Douro-River” (blind), Wine 14: The wine showed ripe red fruit, leather, tobacco, spices, clove and smoke on the nose. On the palate the medium-bodied, reasonably balanced wine showed red and some dark fruit, chocolate, tobacco and clove, with medium-plus acidity, medium-level tannin, some heat from the alcohol and very good length. Once revealed as Hacienda Monasterio I felt underwhelmed. My first bottle of Hacienda Monasterio, but if this 1997 is a benchmark for Hacienda Monasterio’s quality the wine seems overrated and overpriced to me.
November 20, 2015 - An uncomplex but agreeable and easy drinking wine with moderate fruit and length.
January 8, 2015 - The elusive great bottle. This wine has been somewhat inconsistent over the years, but this bottle was excellent. Time to drink.
October 17, 2013 - PnP. Has really developed nicely since last noted in 2005. The cherry candy elements have turned to dark cherry and it's much more savory. The palate has good fruit presence, silky tannins and light acidity; feels integrated and has some textural complexity. Paired really well with fabada beans from Asurias with chorizo and morcilla. This could go years yet, but this was sadly my last bottle.
February 23, 2013 - Deep crimson, nice cinnamon spiced black cherry and piney aromas and flavors; lively tannins on palate; cellared at 55F since purchase.
February 16, 2013 - Pristine bottle from case carefully cellared since acquisition which may account in some measure to the outstanding performance of this wine tonight; deep dulling crimson with a smidge of amber at edge and 1-2 mm meniscus in moderately bright light against white background; urgent linear nose of cedar and blood; takes off to an even higher plain on the palate with tart plummy raspberry wash with final layer of nice tannins stretching all the good stuff out.
March 3, 2012 - I'm drinking a 1996 Hacienda Monasterio, pretty serious stuff but still too oaky (I tried this on release and passed due to the wood). It's very good even with the oak - seemless with pitch-perfect fruit - but the finish is all drying oak and the nose has coconut and oak-chest smells overshadowing the fruit... The oak does fade with air, and some nice minty-medicinal-iodine-minerally-dusty-earthy fruit emerges. Yes, the bouquet has become lovely now. Excellent concentration without being excessive. Finish remains oaky.