Medium garnet with bricking Aromatics medium. Some dill/American oak. Earth. Dry red plum. Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained. Alcohol medium. Red cherry and chalk. Dry wood Finish has medium length. Balanced Nice, almost 20 year old Rioja. Still has nice fruit and structure, but not too complex and American oak is integrated/fading. Can drink or hold
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Medium garnet with some bricking. Rim clearing, unfiltered. Aromatics medium +. American oak of coconut, dill, and subtle vanilla. Earth and barn leather. Old dusty cherry. Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained on upper teeth and gums. Alcohol medium. Red and dark cherry. Finish has a medium length. Balanced. Nice almost 2 decade old Rioja. Tannins are well integrated at this stage. Don't think aging potential is fully past, but I'd drink now. Still with nice fruit on the palate but little left on the nose.
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Color: very dark purple to black Nose: intense deep complex aromas. Lots of dried dark fruit and berries. Some woody characteristics Body/flavor: full body; complex lush flavors; very fruit forward, but well-balanced. Touch of smoke. Some tannins Aftertaste: lingering finish.
In my opinion, the wine still has time to age further. But you can enjoy now!
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An outstanding aged wine. Better than the last bottle. Totally great right out of the bottle ..... zero decant and this was just a terrific fruit forward expression with such balance that it reminded me of a great young VS Unico. Black cherry notes followed by a forest floor of flavor. I found truffle and some found blackberries which were just perfect in my tasting.
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I totally agree with the last 2 notes, such a surprise. I had 6 bottles and this last one was by far the best I drank over the last 5 years. I should have kept them all but didnt realize this $10 2004 bottle of wine could get better. Keep or drink, you will be very pleasantly surprised.
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Wonderful surprise from a wine i have been holding onto for over 5 years. Complex nose with red and dark fruits; very muted oak. Tasted great on pop and pour and did not change much over time in the glass. Rich red fruits, plum, moderate finish. Very happy and look forward to the remaining bottles. A steal at $11 a bottle.
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I assume almost everyone drank this way to young...including me! I drank one in 2012, not even close to prime time. This one was clearly in a better place. The cork was perfect which helped this btl hold up. It has btl age with fruit and tannins in a good place. It was exactly as expected, a dry dusty Rioja, cheap, to boot. Drink or hold another 4yrs.
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Sadly my last bottle, superb Rioja. Nose of sour cherries and coffee, just enough fruit left to make it delicious, at peak or slightly beyond, drink them up. No decant needed. Enjoy !!
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'Twas a nice bottle; afraid I waited too long on this one. Hints of cherry upfront, but then watery thin thru the middle, with some astringency at the end. For about 5 minutes I had some hope it would put on a little weight in the glass, and it did just a little - but it's still dilute and thin. Bummer. Drinkable, but nowhere near the beauty it once was ...
UPDATE: Hmm, much to my surprise, the rest of the bottle, sitting on the counter (under vacu-vin) for the last 3 days, seems to have put on just a touch of weight and some more of the fruit has emerged. It's still a bit light, but no longer tastes dilute and thin. Upping the score a few points.
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really gone downhill in the last 9 month. Decanted for 30 minutes which was a mistake. Nice cherry flavor, but almost no complexity. Tannins have almost disappeared, leaving it somewhat flat. Pleasant, but nothing special. Drink now.
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2+ years of cellar storage improved this immensely. Opened at blind tasting of Spanish wines and at P&P the nose of red fruit, spice,leather, and a hint of cigar box were present. Within 30 minutes, it was the favorite among 15+ wines. Very well balanced, with soft, well integrated tannins on the palate. Glad to have 5 more cellared.
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Beautifully balanced, with fruit, acid and tannins all progressing together and certainly meeting expectations for a more classic style. Darker, savory secondary flavors and aromas are already adding attractive complexity. Very good at this point, potentially excellent in coming years but I would suggest its just coming into its prime drinking window and will drink well for another decade if stored properly.
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Evolving and developing complexity. Fruit has faded quite a lot...predominant cherry notes with smoke and oak. Still has tannins to go for another 3-4 years.
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Dark hued. Cherry and cedar on the nose. Flavors of red fruit, tobacco and smoke. Fruit is fading fast and the secondary flavors are ascending. Paired well with a chicken, olive and preserved lemon tagine.
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Definitely more nuanced than the bottle I had 18 months ago. Red fruit, some leather, acid, moderate tannin. Drinking window is closing. Enjoy it soon.
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Pnp through Nuance Wine Finer. Getting more on the nose this time. Dark red fruit, a little heat and a little oak. Notes otherwise fairly similar -- On the palate, meaty with moderate tannins, healthy (but not overwhelming dose of oak). The finish is very tart though, and throws off the balance. For the price, a decent wine, but nothing to write home about. 87-pts. Aloha!
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Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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OK this one is really inexpensive $12.35. Definitely a great buy for the price and although not exactly what you would expect in a rioja it was solid with good tannins and nothing off. I would recommend it for the price.
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Decanted 1 1/2hrs and was perfect right away, with an incredible nose and terrific balance of dried plum, cherries, cigar box, and baking spice. Firm tannins that didn't overpower but pushed it through the long finish. about 2hrs after decanting the nose started to deteriorate and the flavors were more muted, although the finish persisted. Next time will decant less and drink sooner. Amazing just like the other bottles. I will miss this when it's all gone.
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popped and poured, maybe should have decanted, but let warm to room temp in glass 30+min before tasting. Light and soft a hint of earthiness on the nose along with red fruit. Cherry on the palate. The fruit is just week, not sure how aging will help. Will finish the other bottles I have off soon
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Similar comments to last bottle (7/2013). Celebrated return from Spain. Probably still on a high, but this is one very nice wine (especially for price), with balance and smoothness.
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Pure enjoyment. This really must be decanted at least an hour, preferably more as it started out thin and closed. After 1 1/2 hours this presented with a terrific balance with dried plum, cherries, cigar box, and baking spice. Firm tannins that didn't overpower but pushed it through the finish. A little tight on the back end still, but perfect with food...served with paella.
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Opened two hours before serving as part of 2004 Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva tasting.
Dense purple with garnet rim. Earthy cassis plum and cherry nose. Medium weight with plush tannins. Blackberry pastille cassis and coffee flavours. Would be great with lamb chops. My second favourite of the night (Tracey's #1).
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Great balance of tanin and acid. very smooth and comfortable to drink. Have had two different dinner parties with this wine and it was a hit both times. At its peak
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I have enjoyed more than a case of this easy drinking Rioja. Tonight's bottle seems to be showing signs of fatigue. The wine is still enjoyable with a bit of mint, tobacco, cranberry, and spice, but the acidity is fading and the finish is pretty flat. I will look to finish up my remaining bottles before year's end.
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Much softer than before, was concerned at first not enough acid, however a late breaking dose of oak tannins crept in to accompany the fruit. Drinking well.
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Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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PnV. Light burgundy in color with just a hint of bricking. Very translucent with wide legs. Reticent nose of red fruits and mushrooms. Cherries on the palate with a light texture and fairly drying tannins. Med+ finish. Nice wine, but I'm just not seeing this as a 90-pointer. I'm starting to wonder if something happened during shipping.
Tasted in a Riedel Vinum Tempranillo glass at about 68°F.
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Pleasant aromas of red fruit, red licorice and mushrooms. The palate largely matches, with the fruit taking a larger role and substituting meat for the mushrooms. This wine certainly came full circle- this is my last bottle and every bit as good as my first. Integrated medium tannins/acid. I think this will last through its tenth birthday but drink sooner rather than later.
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Nicely balanced with lots of Rioja flavors of fruit and herbs. Pretty much at it's peak but like many Riservas, there's lots of life left to it. It is a very pretty wine and great value for the money, plus it goes with just about every food and occasion.
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Once again this proved to be spectacular. Decanted 3 hours and drank following another 2004 Spanish temp. This wine is ready right now and should hold for at least 3-5 more years. big flavors of black fruit, leather, truffles, and tar. Mid pallet has a soft warm spice that balances out the the huge flavors at the start. Has a medium length juicy finish.
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- Garnet color and aromas of blackberry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and walnut with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a medium finish.
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A fine Spanish Tempranillo with dark purple color, multi-flavor aroma, and smooth complex taste and aftertaste. Pared well with grilled chicken & sweet potatoe.
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Leather with a little dark fruit on the nose. Excellent balance and integration. Complex and evolves in the mouth. Drinking very well now and likely for the next year or two. Probably one the three best QPR wines I've had in the last year. Easily worth double or more the $11.50 I paid.
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Decanted this for 2 hours which really helped it clear the initial "funk" on the nose that we experienced with the previous bottle. Still a nice deep purple in the glass, but definitely hinted to "old world" on the nose. On the palate the wine displayed nice dark fruit flavors with just a hint of black olive and some earth. Medium-length finish - but very smooth.
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Very enjoyable bottle -- across two days. Fairly flavorful with some dry tannins, but not too dry. I did not find it quite as smooth as some others did, but it was very enjoyable. Excellent QPR.
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Decanted 2 hrs before tasting. Very aromatic and bursting with cheries, red fuit, and floral notes. Full bodied and soft around the rim. Very well intergrated flavors of red currant, red plumb, pipe tobacco, and cedar. The finish is medium length and a summery of the earlier flavors. This is a hard one to put down. We enjoyed with a traditional paella dish.
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After drinking the couple of ounces left in this bottle I told my wife I didn't want to drink any other wine. It's that good. I do have several bottlesof the 2004, but I opened a bottle of the 2005 to compare. My first impression is that it isn't as good, but I'll write a tasting note when I finish it.
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Drinking beautifully. I'm upping this another point from my last notes. Nothing out of place here from the bouquet to the scrumptious flavors and the long, elegant finish. For $12 bones I'm doing backflips. This is kick-ass stuff!
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We had a dinner party cooked by Jen Behm season 2 Top Chef and it was great. We had this wine with Wild Boar and it stood up to the strong dish. The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, Mushroom, Coffee, Black Pepper, and Hazelnut.
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New/international style of rioja. Blue/dark fruit, plenty of vanilla and sweet oakiness. Simple, rich, crowd pleaser with a little more interest than similarly priced Napa Cabs...
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On the last bottle from my allotment, this time around I noticed a much more prominent barrnyard component, as well as a darker almost prunelike fruit profile. I think that it is almost done peaking, and unless one can keep the temperature setting very frigid, a p&p on this wine would be a wise choice sooner than later. It became quite rustic after a good five hour decant.
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Nice deep purple-red in the glass, unmistakable "old world" aromas of dust with a hint of sulfur that dissipated after a few minutes in the glass. Not much fruit detected on the palate and a relatively short finish - but overall a good wine for the price.
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Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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A dusty somewhat dry Tempranillo ...its exactly what I would expect from a $12 btl of Rioja, no more no less. I don't see much aging potential as for its thinner tannins. Paired with a pumpkin spiced pork roast.
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This is just excellent QPR. Dark purple color with a nose of dark berries, smoke and tobacco. This medium-bodied wine has a texture that is gripping and firm with flavors of black cherry, cigar box, pencil shavings and cedar. It has a masculine character, but very approachable and delightful as it is balanced by a lively acidity and a fresh. gripping finish. Excellent with Paella, Callos, and other rich Spanish food. Quite far from the 2005 vintage, which I scored 87 Pts. Drink from 2010 to 2020.
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Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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Aromas of twigs, forest floor, just a hint of fruit. The palate has tart red cherries but the fruit is tired, with very high acid and moderate tannins. A bit of earth comes through towards the end, but most of what I'm tasting is pure sour. Drink up what you have now.
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Sweet and pleasing berry-cherry nose. Rhubarb and sour cherry on the palate, with some raspberry on the back end; earth and spice, tobacco, cedar secondary. Slightly disjointed on the acid side. Very good at $12.
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Not decanted. Best bottle to date. Lovely nose of berries, cherries and oak, with full mouthfeel, berries and oak in the initial flavors. Good length, excellent wine and a great QPR.
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Very pleasantly surprised by this one. Tasted like a well-made chianti classico. Smooth, mouth coating, and balanced. Nose was a little shy, but decent. I like it and wish I had a lot more.
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What an olfactory pleasure. Incredibly complex showing dried cherry, earth, smoke and a touch of oak and spice, rich and well balanced. Initial taste of dried cherry, graphite and spice. Nice depth and balance on the mid palate evolving to nice soft dry finish. I really like this one. Gone through 12 bottles now over 2 years with each one getting better, don't think they will get any better now.
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It has been a few months since I had a bottle of this. Opened for 3 hours. Very pleasant. Nice fruit. Finish is still a bit short but nice pour for this price point.
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Rioja vs. Ribera Del Deuro (Beebe House): Tasted blind. Decanted 2.0 hours before tasting. I knew this was in the line up (but not which wine in order) but no one at the tasting knew. This wine showed well - while it got no votes for WOTN it did not stand out as a ringer for a "cheap" wine. It did not have the complexity or fruit profile of the Ribera Del Deuros (AAlto, Pintia (Toro technically), and Flor de Pingus) but a nice old school Rioja flavor profile. Cherry, dried cherry, char, cedar, earthy on nose & palate. Full body, good acids, medium finish. Clear meniscus gave away the age. Continue to evolve in the glass. 90+/- I'm glad I have 4 more bottles to enjoy over the next 2-3 years.
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Nice ruby color. Very muted nose with nothing special jumping out. Somewhat dusty on the palate. Pretty disappointing Rioja.
Edit: This improved dramatically the next day (didn't seem too young when I opened but this indicates it is). Nose was much more complex and flavors definitely came out.
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If this was a car, its color would be a subtle, graphite taupe -- complex, understated and not obviously a color. This is no fruit bomb; secondary flavors of graphite and earth elbow out the fruit. Sip the first night, then leave it in the fridge for Day Two (yes, of COURSE let it come back to room temp) and you will find some nice complexity. Kind of like my great Uncle Ray: complex but approachable.
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Very consistent with my previous note, but i felt this was much more approachable right after popping the cork. Oak is integrating very nicely and it felt more balanced.
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Nose of earth, mushroom, tobacco and graphite with some wild berries thrown in for good measure. Lots of sour cherry on the palate and a striking balance of all elements. Enough acidity to make the ripe fruit clean. Love the tannins right now. Either it's peaking or has a couple years left. Mellows out even more on the second day. The finish is long. I don't even want to eat anything with this so I can get the straight juice. Would go great with Chorizo...matter of fact, I'm gonna cook some right now.
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Just got six more. Opened it and gave it an hour in the glass, just as I remembered the last one, nose quite expressive of dark fruit and a touch of graphite. Nicely complex on the initial taste but after three hours, the nose fades and the finish goes way acidic. Carried it over to the next day as I have done before but this time WOW. Incredible complexity, depth and balance. Rich and smoky. Indicitive of the very best of the terrior. A year ago I said drink up but now I am going to hold a while. 88-92
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Same as the last bottle: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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Pnp. Dark cherry, spice, hint of tobacco.Great QPR and wonderful value, even better than the Mayor based on the price difference. Even better on second day as everything seemed to just come together.
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Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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I really enjoyed this wine. Great on the nose and had a complex taste that really paired well in italian restaurant. Definately would by again at this price
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I really liked this wine. Dark in color, the nose upon opening is an intense mushroomy funk that subsides with time, but never goes away. The palate is sour cherry with tongue tingling acidity. Balanced and approachable now, there is an agreeable tannic structure and a long finish. Incredible value.
Allow two hours of airtime for the flavors to evolve.
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I continue to enjoy this wine, especially for the price. Pretty consistent w/ my previous note. Consistent coloring with the slightest bit of orange/browning at the very edges. Earthy, terroir driven nose of roots and dirt, along with tobacco, black cherry and plum. The plum and black cherry carry through to the palate, along with tart black raspberry and pretty good minerality and acidity. Still a bit of chalkiness to the tannins. Good with food (pizza, pasta w/ red sauce, pork chops w/ caramelized onions...). Great value at $11. Oh, I gave this about an hour of air before drinking.
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Un Vino Espectacular! Mi esposa y yo tuvimos el placer de visitar El Porron, horas antes de dirigirnos hacia el concierto de Mana en el MSG. Gracias a Diego, el catador/conocedor del Porron, degustamos este espectacular vino de un color rojo intenso, con una textura espesa pero docil al paladar. Que decir de los encantadores aromas que despedia a lo largo de una hora, perfumados de especias, frutas rojas, y minerales. Tenia un gusto encantador y progresivo, con un balance incomparable. A todo esto lo acompañamos con un solomillo de vaca a la pimienta verde, que estaba para morir. Y a un super precio, que ya casi encargo una caja…recomendable sin duda alguna!
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Didn't take formal notes, but this was the best bottle thus far! Dusty tannins like a Rutherford Cab Sauv! Balanced. Absolutely rockin’! Solid 91, perhaps 92.
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A nose of dark cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied red, with black cherry, plum, licorice and smoky spice, good but a bit past it’s peak.
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I would have rated this higher if the finish had been a bit longer. Even with a quick pour through the venturi it had nice fruit on the nose and mouth. A touch of earthiness. Very nice particularly for the price.
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In the glass this wine possesses a medium deep magenta color transitioning to opaque in the very center of the glass. Poured slightly cool with a brief decant and then swirled vigorously, this wine exhibits a bold, old-world style surrounding a core of fruit. The aroma is bold and spicy, perhaps peppery. The primary elements on the palate is a spicy fullness bringing old world wood along with the fruit. Excellent balance of fruit with bold acids and tannins showcasing flavors of blackberries with hints of brighter raspberries. A good value with a plus for terrior and its potential for longevity.
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Overly tannic at first. After about 3 hours open (poured a little bit in a dish that was being prepared) it was a lot better but still not great on its own. It was better with food. Overall a little thin and bitter for my tastes.
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Very acidic with some fruit at the end. Without the barbeque spareribs this would have been a bottle without much merit. Pair with food or try again in six months.
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PnD. Consistent with previous note and it is filling out in the mid-palate with some bright red fruit notes. Lingering spicy finish. Should have followed my advice to have it with lamb chops as I think grilled red meat will really be a great combo with this wine.
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Deep ruby color, excellent nose beginning to have hints of leather and and tobacco. On the palate the smoky oak is more distinctive and the tannins are slightly gripping, adding to a very nice combination of flavor and mouth feel. The finish was longer than I expected and had earthy minerality, the dark cherry flavor is absolutely wonderful. There is a full ripeness to the wine, I enjoyed it and thought it added to the complexity, but I can see where people get the over-ripe feel, there is a dried red fruit aspect to it. I have three more so my plan is to have one a year for the next 3 years as it does feel this will continue to evolve, becoming even smoother with an even greater flavor profile emerging.
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Definitely disjointed on the pop with nothing showing on the nose, but this wine came around pretty nicely, and continued to evolve in the glass with 1-2 hrs. air time. Pretty deep color with some crimson to ruby towards the edges. Nose of spice drawer and tobacco, along with some red and black fruits, and a bit of chocolate and graphite as well. Dark fruits primarily on the palate up front, but time allowed some red fruits into the mix as well. Medium finish. Pretty solid effort for the price, actually.
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similar to last bottle, overripe fruit, and a bittter aftertaste. Not sure if this is bottle variation or if it is over the top. Could also be that it is in a bad stage of the bootle ageing.
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Definitely time to open up. Perhaps 2-3 hours in the decanter. Nicer on day two. Below some sharp edged spices, there are nice earthy fruit notes, and it feels full in the mouth. Good QVR.
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Quite tart at opening and with a bitter middle. However, after an hour decanted , it smoothed out. The bitterness faded and the tartness was a bit more subdued. Generaly lots of red fruits and sour cherry. Overhyped when it was sold but ok for the money. If it was at the $20 range would have lowered the rating by 2 to 3 points, at $13 it is ok with some age and decanting.
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PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Getting very little on the nose. On the palate, meaty with moderate tannins, healthy (but not overwhelming dose of oak). The finish is very tart though, and throws off the balance. For the price, a decent wine, but nothing to write home about. 87-pts. Aloha!
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This is an overhyped reserva that is simply too acidic to enjoy without food. It was a wine mag TOP 100 90 plus, but there are much better reservas out there for the price range. Drink now as it is going downhill or will soon. CT critics have got it right on this one and the more I use CT the more I realize that our big group puts the wine mags to shame when it comes to ratings.
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Rough and not special. even at $11. Always on the lookout for a tasty everyday Rioja, but I will have to keep looking. I enjoyed the nose and full body, but along with a mouthful of dark fruit, someone also inserted some sour/rotten leftovers. Not good! That said, if you have some especially stinky cheese, this might pair well with it. However, if you are like me and like to drink wine by itself, keep looking (I know I will be).
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Initial boquet a little musty - was afraid it was corked. But aerated through a Vinture into a decanter cleared the odor. Boquet not bad. A bit bitter taste though. Disappointing. but shouldn't be given the price. Not sure if it's just not a very good wine, of is past it's prime. Will try another bottle next week to follow up.
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Deep purple color. Still young, a little acidic and tight at first, opens up to reveal a fruity nose with little rioja funk. palate is medium intensity, with air opens up to black raspberry, a lot of oak, and moderate drying tannins. Pretty simple wine, but not bad. Good for the price.
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Dark and clear color with an aroma of barnyard. Acidic and bitter, with flavors of sour raspberry and plum. Complex and interesting but not necessarily outstanding. Was about the same the following day.
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This is a racy, streamlined Rioja, which shows its age with elegance and aplomb. Fragrant nose with dark plums and leather. Not as full-bodied as one might expect (something we liked about it), subtle handling of oak (which we always appreciate), brooding fruit tinged with licorice with a lingering but subtle tobacco finish. The negative, for Chris was that the sour cherry notes were too sour.
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nose of cedarbox, leather and cherries. On the palate the wine was a bit thinner than I thought it would be but for 12 bucks what can you expect. cherries, leather and a touch of spice. What a value.
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Decent initial flavor but very thin with little to no staying power.
*Update * a few nights later (vacuum sealed and in refrigerator) it was actually better. Also had it with food (pizza) which I think also helped the depth and finish. Raising rating to very good.
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Much more enjoyable than my previous bottle. A rounded out and fulfilling wine, with wonderful spices and deeper secondary characteristics. Black pepper and blackberry jam on the front with a nice push of rounded tannins as a follow-up. Again, it's not sceaming "rioja" but it was more enjoyable, and the best part was the solid and almost plush mouthfeel for the entire bottle. Did not need to decant, but an hour or two in the glass wouldn't hurt if one wants to enjoy some additional flavors.
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Decanted for three hours and consumed over the following two hours. Predominant aroma is of spicy leather with some dark fruit tones. The spicy leather carries through to the palate, with a bit of tannin in the mid-palate. Fruit flavors are very muted. Little heat or acidity.
Overall a decent rioja, especially for the price, but I didn't enjoy this as much as previous bottles. I wonder if this isn't past it's prime. Rated good (83-85).
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Not sure, is this over the to going downhill or if it has to rest a bit more. Fruit taste overly ripe with a bitter taste at the end. Very different from previous bottles.
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Opened last night to enjoy after dinner. Casis, wood, and moderate tanins, with a touch of bitterness in the finish. Not as good as the previous bottle and it is not clear whether it is beginning to lose fruit or simply going through a dumb phase. Have a half bottle remaining to taste tonight and will post the note on the wine after it has been opened for a day or so.
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Have you ever opened a bottle of wine, tasted it, and then you wished you had opened up a different bottle instead? I seriously contemplated saving the rest of this bottle for cooking. It was very disappointing. And I thought I read that this was supposed to be a top 100 wine of the year - the question is, "which year?" as maybe it's time has passed. Very sour to me and uninteresting. Hardly any tannins, and very short finish. It was not horrible. Scoring it an 83 - in the middle of the "Good" range/scale. It is just that I had high hopes for an interesting Tempranillo at a great price point and this bottle was not it for me. Hopefully my others in the cellar are better.
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Has fallen off a bit since my last bottle a year ago- more leather/earth and less fruit, though the fruit is still present; less coherent. The same producer's 04 Mayor is still a significant step up, in my opinion, though this is just fine for $13. I will be drinking my remaining bottles sooner rather than later.
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Good/Very Good. Strong elements of dark cherry and plum on the nose and palate. Some smoke and sage on the palate as well. There's more heat than I would expect from a 7-year-old wine, but it is not overpowering on the finish. Overall, an excellent bottle for the price. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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Nose of sourdough bread, licorice allsorts, epazote and magnolias. Tastes of pureed blueberry, rust, hemp seed, baking soda. Quite aggressive sourness and tannin.
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OK, I revised my earlier scores to indicate a flawed bottle. While not my favorite at least this was perfectly drinkable. Kind fo thin with a ditinct sour cherry flavor. A decent wine
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Light aromas - raspberry, spices, and rocks. Medium body, good fruit. Less earthy than many Riojas, but extremely enjoyable. A smooth and very well balanced wine; it keeps you going back for more.
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Possesses a strong bing cherry component, as well as some decent smoky and sage undertones, but it's not the rioja I was expecting. If the cherry can settle down and the secondary flavor profiles better develop, I think it will have a decent future. For a wine of this age, it's got some good stuffing.
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Much more spice on the initial pour then the last bottle. After 30-60 minutes of air, she develops nicely. Red fruit ripens and hints of many things in there. I really enjoy the finish of this wine.
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I'm finding this bottle a tad tired..not a great experience...still has some tobacco..dried fruit...and an earthy base that is appealing...but..as the 11th bottle of a case that I've scored 89-91....this may be past peak
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Not as good as I remember, may be suffering in comparison with other wine of the evening (Viña Villabuena Rioja Viña Izadi Expresión ) A bit thin, not unpleasant, but I'm no longer getting the QPR excitement on this one. 86 points, Day 1. Half bottle sits for 2 days on the kitchen counter. Seems significantly better on Day 3. Still a bit light, but I'm getting a lot more fruit. Nice length.Still, something alchoholic in the background. May have peaked on Day 2, but I wasn't there to see it. 87 points Day3.
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similar to previous bottles 88-89 pts. great color, nose of dark fruits some earthiness / spice / leather, very nice acidity and tannins (mouthwatering) drawing you to the glass. really enjoy this wine (glad I bought a case).
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Last time I had this wine was in June of 2010 and I rated it only an 85. This time it was a much better experience with nice dried fruit and tobacco and a definite "old-world" feel to the wine (we drank this after a 2009 Ridge Zin so the contrast was stark). Offered a good nose and I was sad to see it was my last bottle of a 4-pack.
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C: opaque garnet N: black cherry, tobacco, smoke P: Nice acid, chewy tannins that dry the mouth, but not bitter, medium-full bodied, tobacco leaf with some dark fruits. F: meduim, smooth
This bottle was a world better than the first. Terrific QPR! Bought a case, wish I bought several.
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A very nice easy drinking Rioja. I get some smoke and tobacco on the nose a bit more on the palate. Followed by red fruit of Fresh raspberries, black cherry & dried cranberries. A touch of chocolate shows up just prior to the long finish. Excellent value and QPR!
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A light plum color around the edges of the glass. A dust smell on the nose initially with cocoa and strawberry hints. Leather and ore on the tongue, but a smooth fruit finish.
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Double decanted about an hour before serving. Rush of casis and wood in the nose with moderate, soft round tanins in the initial flavors, with excellent length on this wine. Excellent value and QPR. Will buy more of this.
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Decant and let breathe for at least an hour, it makes a huge difference. Typical nose of traditional Rioja Reserva, dusty, oaky with just a bit of plum. beautiful deep red bloodlike color. Full bodied coating mouthfeel, chewy tannins still persist with some grip. This is the main difference after decanting, tannins turn supple and rounded and the fresh acidity mellows. Finish is medium-long. Very good QPR but it kind of left me wondering if it will improve with more age. Seems to be in the middle of its life lacking the fruityness of youth and the complexity leather, tobacco of old. Maybe i am asking too much, maybe its Rioja.
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Woody, smoky aroma. Pungent flavors of dried fruit and pepper. Starts hot (even though it's only 13.5% ABV), and has a reasonably long finish. The finish is surprisingly complex for such an inexpensive wine. A quality wine on its own. We paired it with pasta, and the spiciness was a little too strong for the sauce. Better on its own.
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Really had a chance to open up on day two. Floral nose gives way to the leather and spice (especially vanilla) taste that so many others have mentioned. Excellent QPR.
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The wine pours a deep garnet color, fading around the rim. The aroma medium plus intensity of ripe black cherry, black pepper, stewed with tobacco, smoke and touch of vanilla. I almost getting a little bit of green or crispness...some dill. On the palette medium acid, high tannin, medium body, more spice and smoke, fruit is mellow. A medium plus finish. Overall an excellent wine for $10.
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We need to extract some of the Vaynerchuk language from wine critiques here and get original...my opinion. Anyway, a beauty that's perfect with food. Earthy, fruit in full bloom but balanced. Kind of beefy. Pedigreed wine at the apex of its life, and if not, ship shape nonetheless. Great nose as a bonus.
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The nose is pleasant with lots of fruit, but the palate is too extracted for my taste. Very sugarfied fruit and not much else going...still ripping the sugar fruit train on day two. pazzz.
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Popped and poured. Drank over 2 hours w pan seared NY strip. (Very nice pairing). Nose is strongly leather, with an earthy edge. In the mouth, again more leather, pleasant mouthfilling tannins, fruit leads into a finish of mushrooms, wet earth and dry tannins. On the whole a really nice old world wine and a really good QPR
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tried this one as a less expensive alternative to the Ondarre Mayor. I think the preconceived notions I had might have skewed my opinion. I was disappointed at first, since this is not in the same class at the Mayor. Bright fruit on the nose but the mouthfeel and finish just couldn't compare. This wine is very good in its own right and several dollars cheaper. Don't let my judgement dissuade you from buying this wine, but if you don't mind spending about $10 more, go with the Mayor.
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great value...good fruit with some earthiness and depth that makes each glass as tasty and interesting as the one before...we drank two bottles and both were consistent and tasty.
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Seems to be in a very nice drinking window, with luscious spicy dark fruit, sweet leather notes and a long finish. Gentle tannins on the finish. I would think it will be best to drink up over the next 2 years or so.
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Old world complexity. Developed nose of bright cherry, leading with lots of tobacco and leather, some coffee. A little earth. Very old world. Cannot overstate the leather and tobacco. On the palate it is medium bodied, with medium but developed tannins. This wine is at or almost near its maturity. Fully developed. A little austere but still pleasing at this stage, and I can't think of a reason to age it for much longer. For the price point ($10), it is terrific. Excelent wine for the average dinner.
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Down to only 3 bottles from an earlier case buy and still drinking well. Drank tonight with a flat bread pizza made with fresh basil form the garden and the wine really sang. White pizza with no sauce, so Ondarre added the acidity. Nice tart cherry, an earthy, almost tarry note, and oak spice (mostly anise); lower in tannins and medium body, the perfect weight considering the choice of victuals. Staying with my Nov 2010 evaluation- A- for style & quality as a Reserva, A+ on value at $12 / pop, for a solid A overall.
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Young, fruit-driven Rioja that shows real aging potential. Elegant and ripe with a touch of aggressiveness, this wine was great with food. I expect evolution for another 3-5 years.
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I was going to hold on to my remaining bottles for some time, but after reading comments here, decided to give another bottle a try. It had matured significantly in what I consider to be a short time, and I enjoyed it much more. I did the pop and pour as suggested by other reviewers, and while the nose is still somewhat closed, the flavor was bursting with fruit. Mouthfeel was great, as well. I do feel that several more months on my remaining bottles will reward me, but I might be similarly tempted by other positive reviews.
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been through a bunch of these and it delivers - especially for an $11 wine- dark wine that drinks with some deep red fruits, some earthiness - wood treatment is there and tanins are light- still drinks very young- very happy case purchase
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Same notes as before. Delicious. Advice to others: drink this right out of the bottle. It is ready to go. It may improve slightly after 15-20 minutes, but there is no need to decant.
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This wine seems to pop up all over the place, but in my opinion is a real winner as anyones "house wine" in the $11-15.00 bracket. Great with gourmet pizza Friday night.
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Maybe I'm just not getting this wine. Or maybe this bottle is different from those I have had previously. After two hours it is still somewhat closed off and a tad sour. Despite the tannic finish it is somewhat watery and hollow in the middle. Suffers from a lack of balance and integration.
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I just don't get this wine. Maybe I've had two bad bottles. I decanted for about 90 minutes but wine was very closed and almost sour. Did not pair well with what we were having. We covered decanter and tried again the second night. I will say it was much better the second night. Myabe it's just way to young, but for a 2004 I wonder. Perhaps this is how it is supposed to taste, but I've tried other Rioja's and they weren't cringe worthy.
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Old-fashioned, terroir-driven wine. with plenty of tar, cigar box, and barnyard balanced by sufficient fruit. Some bottles can be a little thin and acidic, but case after case, this is an amazing QPR.
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Dark, purple-red, but with just a touch of translucence, the nose on this wine just leaps from the glass. A powerful layer of cement dust lies just atop a layer of sweet, red-plum-infused cherry juice. The richness of oak aging is quite evident, as well. The palate shows nice varietal characteristics of tempranillo, with rich sour plums, English tea, coriander, and bay leaf. It is much less sweet on the palate than on the nose. The flavors are pretty much primary, though, and there is not a lot of tannic structure, although there is a nice core of acidity. The flavors, which are quite potent on the pop and pour, begin to fade fairly quickly and are somewhat muted after just an hour and a half or so. I don't think this will get any better with more bottle time. This is good wine, and I'd say it is still a solid value, but not quite in the range of being a "steal". Still, at $12, it's hard to go wrong.
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really great, especially for the price. lovely balance of berries, spice and earth/hay. i really enjoyed this bottle the first day. let's see if it holds up for the second day
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Relatively consistent with prior notes (didn't take my own advice & decant) - decanted for 15 minutes before dinner. Wine seemed more full bodied than prior bottles - it was balanced but more dark fruit / sour cherry / tobacco - still great QPR.
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Slight aroma of blackberries on the nose, and a healthy taste of them on the palete, as well. The acid in this is still quite strong, it works so very much better with a meal than as a sipper. I'm going to stuff my remaining bottles at the bottom of the cellar, may revisit one again in a couple of years. It's not the usual Rioja that I'm faintly accustomed to.
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Decanted and had a grilled strip It opened up nicely and had a rich opulent nose and was fruit forward This will get better believe me Great value Spanish vino!
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Great QPR, wonderful everyday wine, bought 6 more. Takes an hour or so to open then delightfully complex. Starts to fade after a few hours and holds marginally to the next day. Maintains an expressive nose through the entire time.
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PnVnD let breathe for 1hr. Deep crimson not opaque with a rosy rim. Ripe cherries dried cherries and tobacco/leather aromas. Medium(-) weight smmoth with polished tannins. A bit weak in the mid palate short to medium finish of fruit and then leather. Nice fresh cherry fruit flavors with tobacco leather and cinnamon notes. Opened up nicely over a couple of hours and then weakened a bit. Great QPR very case worthy. Will try the next bottle with grilled lamb chops.
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Great QPR. I love the smoke, licorice, and black fruit on the nose. Blackberries, dusty, earthy notes, and oak on the palate. Smooth tannins, but I see it drinking well for 2-3 years.
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Needs time to open up, but after about 1 hour it drinks wonderfully. Not sure about the aging capability. At this point I am glad to still have more then 2 cases. I am very confident that it will still improve for a few years.
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right off, the only reason that this isn't a 92 is that for such a great vintage, the wine should have much longer aging potential, which it doesn't have. in two hours, it seems to have already opened up and begun to thin out. it nose is standard dried petals and dusty red currants, orange peel, and marzipan, with a fair bit of earthiness and mint. the core is red cherry, unmistakable. Not too loud and modern, and it does have a bit of oak peaking out, if you go searching for it. med+ acidity, med tannin, med- length. med- complexity.great lamb wine.
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obvious black cherry on the palate, a bit of a lightly oxidized character. well balanced and not outstanding in any one area, but the overall consensus was that this is just a very drinkable wine. great value, great drink for a weeknight.
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Consistently one of the best values I've ever experienced. will continue to buy this anytime i see it. Only a little time to let it breathe and this bottle drinks beautifully, for under 12 bucks!!!
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did not make a bad impression...strong plum/dark cherry and peppery qualities with good earthiness...nothing wrong at $15, butI was hoping for a little more.
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Although 75% Tempranillo, this wine smells and tastes more like a light bodied, but well-crafted Cotes du Rhone. It is 15% Carignane and 10% Grenache and those varietals despite being only a quarter of the blend, manage to dominate. Light tannins finish off this fruit forward wine. A truly well made light bodied wine. Excellent replacement for a light, fruity Pinot Noir.
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Some bottle variation, but even on the lower end this wine still poses a great value. Too bad it was published on the Top 100 2010, might be more difficult to get it for cheap now! Drank along side a Ravenswood 2008 Zin, and the Ondarre was far more complex.
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As before, excellent QPR. A really tasty wine. Less singularly cherry this time, I think some change is possible with a little time. Also nice the next day after vino vac. Definitely would buy more to share. Oh yeah, opened this bottle to replace corked one.
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Nose of sage-like cotton candy. Some sugar cane, currant and a little basil perhaps. Pleasantly dry. Finish is a little grain with some slightly thick tannic structure. Very pleasant and enjoyable. Good value.
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Nice aromas of dark fruits, a bit of smoke. Taste was subdued, maybe this is going through a "dumb" phase, but the mouthfeel was quite thin. I'm going to cellar the remaining five bottles of this WTSO 'deal', but at this point, I'm a bit amazed that this wine made #58 of Spectator's Top 100. Edited to add: I saved about half a glass of this in the decanter, and tasted it a couple of days later. The wine had really opened up, with deep fruit flavors. I guess this one needs a fair amount more age, and then some long decanting time. I re-rate it at an 87 after retasting.
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Consistent with prior notes - PNP not all that nice - with aeration and ~ 1/2 and hour plus you have a very nice wine. herbs, plum, black cherry on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with earthy overtones, sour cherry & nice acidity. medium+ finish with nice mouth drying tannins. Very, very hard to beat this wine given its ~ $15.00 or under price point. 89-90 range. Incredible QPR but this rating is not taking that into consideration.
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My wife and I popped open our first bottle and tasted the wine over a period of a few hours. On pop and pour, the wine was not very good at all. Very sharp high alcohol taste, medicinal smell, as my wife put it.. bad church wine. We decanted for one hour and sampled again with better results. Still very sharp and strong initiallly. kind of a sour cherry taste. but the finish was pleasant and around 30 seconds. We finished the bottle after 4 hours of decanting. The wine continued to smooth out and the initial bit became less offensive. All in all, not a terrible wine and may not be to our tastes, but definitely heed the advice and pop this one in advance of drinking. I think I will let the other three bottles age more before trying again.
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A bit of funk on opening, but after a pour through the Vinturi some lovely complexities came through. On the nose, sweet cherries, sour cranberry, cinnamon, leather, and smoke. Very youthful on the palate with more tasty, candied cherry, oak notes, and a bbq-type smokiness. Surprisingly young tannins on the finish indicate that this wine has plenty of life left. Also showed well on Day 2.
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From memory. Enjoyed this wine again. Seemed a bit deeper with more complex elements than the first time around. Good acid and tannins give structure w/o overwhelming the fruit. Nice.
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Nose of rose petals and cherries. Palate of fairly simple wood and cherry flavors. Good on day 1. Day 2 heads towards cardboard. Simplistic and decent with food. Very good.
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The finessed nose brings a core of floral cherry, crushed raspberry and currant fruit that's tied together with a string of leather, cardamom and cinnamon, and earthy mineral. Flavors of wildberry, cigar and cocoa float over fine gripping tannins that build, leading onto a ground coriander and buttery oak finish.
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did not heed my own advice and only gave a short decant, but again by 3 hours it was opening up nicely... very astringent tannins up until then. 2-3 hours in decanter before consuming will make a nice difference.
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Toasty oak on the nose and in the first sip. Some cherries. Full body, 20-30 second finish with a bit of spice at the end. Paired with some Spanish cold cuts. Everyone loved it. When they were told the price ($15 locally), most asked where they could go buy some. Expresses the region well - in a blind tasting, you would know it is a Rioja.
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Liked this bottle a lot more then the last one I opened. Very nicely balanced and acidity makes it great with food (well integrated acidity). Beautiful long finish leaving taste of sour cherries behind. Remaining tannins suggest that it has still room to improve. Open at least 1 hr before consumption. Great value.
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Very likeable. Sweet, juicey, balanced, and highly drinkable. Oak and mesquite with strong underripe berry fruit on the nose--perhaps a touch vegetal as well showing some radishes. Smooth and supple in the mouth, showing sweet red cassis on the attack, which continues through the midpalate and the finish layered with spicey pot pourri, black pepper, and jalapeno. Gorgeous tapas wine, not to mention a bargain at 15USD.
Drink now with food. 91+ -JRS
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Decanted right before serving. Great bottle! Red fruits, spice, earth, and oak vanilla seamlessly integrated on the palate. Nothing seems out of balance. A little lighter in body than I was expecting but still good weight and depth on the palate with good length on the finish. A steal at $12!!. Style & Quality: A- (greater concentration of flavors would give it an A). Value: A+ (a Riserva of this quality for $12? Seriously?). Overall: solid A!
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Decanted for 1 hour. Red cherry & red licorice on the nose, with cherry & leather on the palate, back to a juicy cherry finish. A bit lighter/less tannic than this producer's Mayor Reserva of the same year. Pairs quite well with artisan sausage.
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Pretty much like the other reviews. Decanted about 1.5 hours. Nice red fruit on the nose. Some vanilla and leather. Medium finish. Great bang for your buck. Great value! Glad I still have another bottle!
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popped & poured.... note to self, do not pop and pour this wine, give at least 1 hour decant... improved considerably by the end of the bottle. Sour cherry, leather and earth... a bit tight and austere on the PnP, filled out very well with time.
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Better after a little time in the decanter. Your basic Rioja - cherry/berry, leather, earth, American Oak, slight oxidative note. Great with food, and a bargain at the WTSO price.
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Solid wine-deep cherry with dry medium finish. Oak is prevalent but integrates nicely with the tannins, acid, and fruit after wine is decanted 30-60 minutes.
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Vainilla on the nose. Sour cherries, some chocolate, medium finish. First very disappointing, but opened up nicely after about 1/2 hour. Not bad, but not great either.
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Disappointing given the great marks given on CT; highly acidic in a shrill, sour way that was not too pleasant to experience. Leakage on the capsule suggested that maybe this was flawed.
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A day 2 report: Dark ruby red. Smoke, blueberry and blackberry, and leather on the nose. Medium bodied, rich cherries, pepper, creamy blackberries, sweet smooth tannins, and a medium finish. Much better on day 2, implying decanting is a must for full enjoyment.
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Popped & poured. One-trick pony - cherries. Lots of cherries. But it does it well, balanced nicely with creamy vanilla (oak) and dry. Dark and tasty. Not very complex, not boring, yummy & enjoyable. Great mid-week all by itself. Not sure what you'd pair this with (maybe German chocolate cake, probably a cigar). Super QPR at $12.98. Will buy more.
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Popped and poured the first night and drank the remainder on night 2. After reading reviews I was scared of the 'oak monster' but didnt get it at all. Cherries, cherries, cherris on the mouth but well balanced. I am excited I have 4.
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Decanted 1 hour. Beautiful nose of dark cherry, tobacco, earth, and smoke. Palate was true to what you would expect in a Rioja with dark cherry and tobacco, but was a little hollow on the finish. This is not a "wow" wine, but is certainly a good QPR at $14. Needs air to open up. Started to fade after about 3 hours. Drink now.
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Initially muted with some wood. After being open for 1 hr. Aromas of deep dark cherries, strawberries, cloves, cinnamon, mulled spices, earth and a bit of herbs. Palate showed dark ripe cherries, dark chocolate, earth, spices, lifted by decent acids, tree bark, mulled spices. Fruit and a bit of dill on the finish. Nicely done.
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After breathing an hour or two, this yields a nose and a mouth-filling taste of pure, intense wild cherry, with a hint of cedar and saddle leather. There isn't a lot of complexity, and there's just a hot twinge of alcohol on the finish, but all in all, for the price this is a solid, very well made, well integrated, seriously satisfying wine. 89-90.
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Very expressive of dark fruit and oak when opening the bottle that flashes off in an hour. Initial taste is consistent with nose - dark fruit oak and a bit of smoke. Tannins a bit disjointed yet. Long tart (sour?) mouth drying finish. Two days later, expressive nose is back and complexity emerges, fruit, smoke, spice and oak. Tannins are nicely chewy and there is a long dry finish. 89-91
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Very expressive nose right from the pour. The tannins are still a bit young appearing a slight bit disjointed. This should come together nicely with some more bottle age.
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Shows plenty of crushed blackberry and cherry, with hints of flowers, fresh earth, tobacco and smoke. Medium-Full bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Fans of "Old World" Sangiovese should seek this out, this brings a very similar style. (Drink 2009-2014) - JD90
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Good. Ruby color. Round and lush and smooth. A real deal for not much money. I have had more expensive Riojas that were no better. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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A decent Rioja but it had a sour component that knocked it down a few points. This is the 2nd time in the past 6 months that I have noticed this in a Rioja so don't know if that is typical or coincedence.
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Killer value. Oak & cherry on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with earthy overtones, cherry & nice acidity. Long finish with nice mouth drying tannins. Very balanced & very food friendly. Great entree into Rioja. If you can buy this for under $20.00 you are getting excellent QPR. Would buy again. Edit - left 1 glass in bottle for 2 nights (sealed with Vacu-vin). No real deterioration. As good on night 3 as night 1.
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Loads going on here - on the nose plenty of fruit and with some oak coming through. Taste was excellent - acidity and tannins well balanced - good mouth feel - extremely enjoyable.
Second day - even better - richer and smoother. - excellent value wine
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Oak and barnyard on the nose. Sour cherry and other red fruit flavors, with a vanilla aftertaste from the oak. Mouth-drying tannins. The wine seems a bit disjointed to me but it could be because I popped and poured it this evening after having received the shipment this afternoon - could it be that the cross country trip generated a little bottle shock? I'll try it again in a couple of months, but it may just be one that needs to be consumed with food to bring out it's full potential.
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My host had opened this the night before and went to it at the endof the evening when it turned out we were still thirsty. It needed to warm up from cellar drive temp to get going but it had real charm. Cold, the nose was tempranillo funk -barnyard feculence After warming a gentler nose emerged... I could pull out tobacco, smoke and a high toned floral camphor. Palate had the tart acidity and red fruit noted by others. Medium tannins on finish .
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My host had opened this the night before and went to it at the endof the evening when it turned out we were still thirsty. It needed to warm up from cellar drive temp to get going but it had real charm. Cold the nose was tempranillo funk -barnyard feculence After warming a gentler... I could pull out tobacco, smoke and a high toned floral camphor.palate had the tart acidity and red fruit noted by others. Medium tannins on finish
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Well made, well structrured wine. Oak is initially very well treated, but with a little air becomes slightly strong. Great structure. Acid and tanins in terrific balance. Plummy nose, with oak making its presence known - a loud and attention grabbing, but not obtrusive, dinner guest. Tart red fruit in abundance. Just on the wrong side of simple, but very enjoyable; weighty, strong flavored, and in your face.
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9/24/2023 - edckim wrote: 91 Points
Still fresh, splashes clean cherry fruit, bright, balanced with a pleasant finish
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5/17/2023 - S.Wayne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium garnet with bricking
Aromatics medium. Some dill/American oak. Earth. Dry red plum.
Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained. Alcohol medium. Red cherry and chalk. Dry wood
Finish has medium length. Balanced
Nice, almost 20 year old Rioja. Still has nice fruit and structure, but not too complex and American oak is integrated/fading.
Can drink or hold
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1/29/2023 - S.Wayne Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium garnet with some bricking. Rim clearing, unfiltered.
Aromatics medium +. American oak of coconut, dill, and subtle vanilla. Earth and barn leather. Old dusty cherry.
Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained on upper teeth and gums. Alcohol medium. Red and dark cherry.
Finish has a medium length. Balanced.
Nice almost 2 decade old Rioja. Tannins are well integrated at this stage. Don't think aging potential is fully past, but I'd drink now. Still with nice fruit on the palate but little left on the nose.
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9/11/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
With some wood and savory on the nose.
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7/15/2019 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Same impressions as my last bottles on 7/8/17 and 8/27/18. Very pleasing and good QPR at $14 in 2009.
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8/27/2018 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 90 minutes before blind tasting, re-bottled for event. Was quickly consumed by participants. Impressions matched mine from 7/8/17.
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6/10/2018 - OldwineinVT Likes this wine: 90 Points
13.5% ABV
Color: very dark purple to black
Nose: intense deep complex aromas. Lots of dried dark fruit and berries. Some woody characteristics
Body/flavor: full body; complex lush flavors; very fruit forward, but well-balanced. Touch of smoke. Some tannins
Aftertaste: lingering finish.
In my opinion, the wine still has time to age further. But you can enjoy now!
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9/5/2017 - Reblin Likes this wine: 88 Points
Muted fruit, leather, tannin. Less sediment than the last bottle.
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8/1/2017 - Reblin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Aging well. A fair amount of sediment.
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7/8/2017 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Similar impressions as those from my last bottle on 9/20/15
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3/14/2017 - tomoem wrote: 93 Points
An outstanding aged wine. Better than the last bottle. Totally great right out of the bottle ..... zero decant and this was just a terrific fruit forward expression with such balance that it reminded me of a great young VS Unico. Black cherry notes followed by a forest floor of flavor. I found truffle and some found blackberries which were just perfect in my tasting.
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12/9/2016 - Janstan Likes this wine: 86 Points
Light to medium body. Dark fruits, anise, leather
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10/6/2016 - grumi62 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I totally agree with the last 2 notes, such a surprise. I had 6 bottles and this last one was by far the best I drank over the last 5 years. I should have kept them all but didnt realize this $10 2004 bottle of wine could get better. Keep or drink, you will be very pleasantly surprised.
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9/6/2016 - Louisiana George wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful surprise from a wine i have been holding onto for over 5 years. Complex nose with red and dark fruits; very muted oak. Tasted great on pop and pour and did not change much over time in the glass. Rich red fruits, plum, moderate finish. Very happy and look forward to the remaining bottles. A steal at $11 a bottle.
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9/5/2016 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
I assume almost everyone drank this way to young...including me! I drank one in 2012, not even close to prime time. This one was clearly in a better place.
The cork was perfect which helped this btl hold up.
It has btl age with fruit and tannins in a good place.
It was exactly as expected, a dry dusty Rioja, cheap, to boot.
Drink or hold another 4yrs.
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5/24/2016 - THF49 wrote: 86 Points
this wine appears clearly beyond its peak; bland; will open my last bottle soonest
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2/25/2016 - GaryHOhio wrote: 93 Points
Sadly my last bottle, superb Rioja. Nose of sour cherries and coffee, just enough fruit left to make it delicious, at peak or slightly beyond, drink them up. No decant needed. Enjoy !!
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1/31/2016 - amflinn wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for an hour. Sour cherry and quite astringent. Not as enjoyable as I had remembered.
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11/22/2015 - comlaw Likes this wine: 87 Points
Definitely past its prime. Some nice cherry flavor, but has lost much of its weight. Drink now or forever hold your peace.
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10/15/2015 - Adventr.us wrote: 86 Points
'Twas a nice bottle; afraid I waited too long on this one. Hints of cherry upfront, but then watery thin thru the middle, with some astringency at the end. For about 5 minutes I had some hope it would put on a little weight in the glass, and it did just a little - but it's still dilute and thin. Bummer. Drinkable, but nowhere near the beauty it once was ...
UPDATE: Hmm, much to my surprise, the rest of the bottle, sitting on the counter (under vacu-vin) for the last 3 days, seems to have put on just a touch of weight and some more of the fruit has emerged. It's still a bit light, but no longer tastes dilute and thin. Upping the score a few points.
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10/4/2015 - comlaw wrote: 87 Points
really gone downhill in the last 9 month. Decanted for 30 minutes which was a mistake. Nice cherry flavor, but almost no complexity. Tannins have almost disappeared, leaving it somewhat flat. Pleasant, but nothing special. Drink now.
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9/20/2015 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
2+ years of cellar storage improved this immensely. Opened at blind tasting of Spanish wines and at P&P the nose of red fruit, spice,leather, and a hint of cigar box were present. Within 30 minutes, it was the favorite among 15+ wines. Very well balanced, with soft, well integrated tannins on the palate. Glad to have 5 more cellared.
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4/22/2015 - zakaib Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautifully balanced, with fruit, acid and tannins all progressing together and certainly meeting expectations for a more classic style. Darker, savory secondary flavors and aromas are already adding attractive complexity. Very good at this point, potentially excellent in coming years but I would suggest its just coming into its prime drinking window and will drink well for another decade if stored properly.
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4/12/2015 - hebill Likes this wine: 89 Points
Evolving and developing complexity. Fruit has faded quite a lot...predominant cherry notes with smoke and oak. Still has tannins to go for another 3-4 years.
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3/8/2015 - mcsac67 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark hued. Cherry and cedar on the nose. Flavors of red fruit, tobacco and smoke. Fruit is fading fast and the secondary flavors are ascending. Paired well with a chicken, olive and preserved lemon tagine.
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1/26/2015 - comlaw wrote: 90 Points
Definitely more nuanced than the bottle I had 18 months ago. Red fruit, some leather, acid, moderate tannin. Drinking window is closing. Enjoy it soon.
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1/11/2015 - bg3034 wrote: 87 Points
Pnp through Nuance Wine Finer. Getting more on the nose this time. Dark red fruit, a little heat and a little oak. Notes otherwise fairly similar -- On the palate, meaty with moderate tannins, healthy (but not overwhelming dose of oak). The finish is very tart though, and throws off the balance. For the price, a decent wine, but nothing to write home about. 87-pts. Aloha!
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11/29/2014 - JavaMonkey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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11/20/2014 - Rico100 wrote: 88 Points
Expected more.
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9/29/2014 - tb76 wrote: 88 Points
Clear, deep hue, clean, smoky, tart red fruit, medium weight, bright acid, pronounced structure, medium finish.
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9/24/2014 - awineo Likes this wine: 89 Points
OK this one is really inexpensive $12.35. Definitely a great buy for the price and although not exactly what you would expect in a rioja it was solid with good tannins and nothing off. I would recommend it for the price.
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9/13/2014 - tennis wrote: 81 Points
The rating below is not for the 2004 Era Costana, but for the
Rioja Reserva
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9/3/2014 - clio_wine wrote:
Good. Grainy dry, leather and earthiness. It is past its drink-by date, but still holds on to some of the character that made it special.
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7/30/2014 - Barrygloec Likes this wine: 93 Points
I like all of the vintages of this wine that I've had, but
I like the 2004 best. I bought a case 2 years ago. I have one left. I wish I'd bought more.
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7/26/2014 - Bluecollar wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 1/2hrs and was perfect right away, with an incredible nose and terrific balance of dried plum, cherries, cigar box, and baking spice. Firm tannins that didn't overpower but pushed it through the long finish.
about 2hrs after decanting the nose started to deteriorate and the flavors were more muted, although the finish persisted. Next time will decant less and drink sooner.
Amazing just like the other bottles. I will miss this when it's all gone.
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7/2/2014 - fritza wrote: 88 Points
popped and poured, maybe should have decanted, but let warm to room temp in glass 30+min before tasting. Light and soft a hint of earthiness on the nose along with red fruit. Cherry on the palate. The fruit is just week, not sure how aging will help. Will finish the other bottles I have off soon
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6/26/2014 - gew71walsh wrote: 92 Points
Similar comments to last bottle (7/2013). Celebrated return from Spain. Probably still on a high, but this is one very nice wine (especially for price), with balance and smoothness.
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5/8/2014 - GaryHOhio wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Rioja, drinking well.
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4/11/2014 - Bluecollar wrote: 91 Points
Pure enjoyment. This really must be decanted at least an hour, preferably more as it started out thin and closed. After 1 1/2 hours this presented with a terrific balance with dried plum, cherries, cigar box, and baking spice. Firm tannins that didn't overpower but pushed it through the finish. A little tight on the back end still, but perfect with food...served with paella.
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4/5/2014 - df1962 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened two hours before serving as part of 2004 Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva tasting.
Dense purple with garnet rim. Earthy cassis plum and cherry nose. Medium weight with plush tannins. Blackberry pastille cassis and coffee flavours. Would be great with lamb chops. My second favourite of the night (Tracey's #1).
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3/31/2014 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great balance of tanin and acid. very smooth and comfortable to drink. Have had two different dinner parties with this wine and it was a hit both times. At its peak
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3/22/2014 - COWineLover wrote: flawed
Corked.
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3/12/2014 - degrandcru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherry and vainilla on the nose. Leather, tobacco and strawberries on the palate. Nice long finish. Probably at its peak.
Was very closed after opening and needed about 2 hours to really open up.
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3/3/2014 - tbyrne49 wrote:
Dinner with Mullens. Served with a yummy jambalaya. Really good for first hour or so, then became thin. Maybe held a bit long.
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3/1/2014 - joet626 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Smooth and tasty. Nothing special
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2/19/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 86 Points
Similar to my last tasting note. My bottles are consistently fading, and probably will be finished before summer.
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2/17/2014 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 90 Points
nicely balanced; maybe on its way down as the tanins are less and finish less than I remember. Drink now.
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2/11/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 87 Points
I have enjoyed more than a case of this easy drinking Rioja. Tonight's bottle seems to be showing signs of fatigue. The wine is still enjoyable with a bit of mint, tobacco, cranberry, and spice, but the acidity is fading and the finish is pretty flat. I will look to finish up my remaining bottles before year's end.
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1/23/2014 - Wamrod wrote: 89 Points
Much softer than before, was concerned at first not enough acid, however a late breaking dose of oak tannins crept in to accompany the fruit. Drinking well.
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1/21/2014 - Sijan Likes this wine: 88 Points
A little subdued but decent cherry fruit & oak
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12/25/2013 - cat butt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Took about 30 minutes to open up. Nose of cherry and wisteria Cherry and dark fruit on the palate with a touch of leather. Great nose on this wine.
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12/8/2013 - studleytrey wrote:
Consistent w/ previous notes, but still drinking well. Tannins are smooth and integrated now.
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11/14/2013 - clio_wine Likes this wine:
Good/Very Good. Dark plums and cherries, herbs and earth. Very dry and smooth. A treat to drink. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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10/16/2013 - PourSomeRed wrote: 87 Points
Drank this after drinking a 2005 Allende. Lighter and softer, but still enjoyable to drink. Great QPR.
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10/11/2013 - Bmikkel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really a great Rioja, especially given the price. Great character and complexity, medium finish. If this came up again I would buy more.
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10/1/2013 - GaryHOhio wrote: 91 Points
This is a great Rioja. Wonderful wine for $11.49/bottle on WTSO. Looking to buy a case.
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9/28/2013 - JavaMonkey wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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9/20/2013 - ppearson9 wrote:
This one was ruined. Possibly on me due to heat exposure. 1 out of 15 so far though, so can't get too upset about it.
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8/27/2013 - hesnctrl wrote: 87 Points
PnV. Light burgundy in color with just a hint of bricking. Very translucent with wide legs. Reticent nose of red fruits and mushrooms. Cherries on the palate with a light texture and fairly drying tannins. Med+ finish. Nice wine, but I'm just not seeing this as a 90-pointer. I'm starting to wonder if something happened during shipping.
Tasted in a Riedel Vinum Tempranillo glass at about 68°F.
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8/26/2013 - smarquardt wrote: 88 Points
Very good as usual. Can't believe that I bought these for $10 a bottle.
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8/25/2013 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 89 Points
This one continues to put in a nice showing. Nicely balanced with good fruit.
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8/6/2013 - Adventr.us wrote: 89 Points
A little thin thru the middle, but a very pleasant pre-dinner quaff. Smoky upfront, with a bit of dark berry fruit.
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7/14/2013 - gew71walsh wrote: 92 Points
A wow wine for the price. Drank as preliminary wine to a steak dinner and was superb. Worked well with cheeses and shrimp as appetizers.
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7/2/2013 - David_T wrote: 89 Points
Pleasant aromas of red fruit, red licorice and mushrooms. The palate largely matches, with the fruit taking a larger role and substituting meat for the mushrooms. This wine certainly came full circle- this is my last bottle and every bit as good as my first. Integrated medium tannins/acid. I think this will last through its tenth birthday but drink sooner rather than later.
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6/19/2013 - brujazz wrote: 90 Points
Nicely balanced with lots of Rioja flavors of fruit and herbs. Pretty much at it's peak but like many Riservas, there's lots of life left to it. It is a very pretty wine and great value for the money, plus it goes with just about every food and occasion.
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6/2/2013 - gcarl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Red berries on the nose. Opened 3 hours before tasting event, which helped make it nice on the palate w/o food.
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5/27/2013 - Bluecollar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Once again this proved to be spectacular. Decanted 3 hours and drank following another 2004 Spanish temp. This wine is ready right now and should hold for at least 3-5 more years. big flavors of black fruit, leather, truffles, and tar. Mid pallet has a soft warm spice that balances out the the huge flavors at the start. Has a medium length juicy finish.
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5/19/2013 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistantly a good performer.
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5/12/2013 - robnmo wrote: 88 Points
A little thinner than I remember . Nice bottle typical temparnillo
Characteristics.
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4/15/2013 - ppearson9 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great Value. Hasn't improved much though. drink now
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4/7/2013 - donash.com wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of blackberry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and walnut with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a medium finish.
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4/6/2013 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid Rioja. Goes well with food.
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3/31/2013 - Barrygloec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Matt and Joe both liked it
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3/12/2013 - Drcarl Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fine Spanish Tempranillo with dark purple color, multi-flavor aroma, and smooth complex taste and aftertaste. Pared well with grilled chicken & sweet potatoe.
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2/6/2013 - treidling Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leather with a little dark fruit on the nose. Excellent balance and integration. Complex and evolves in the mouth. Drinking very well now and likely for the next year or two. Probably one the three best QPR wines I've had in the last year. Easily worth double or more the $11.50 I paid.
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2/2/2013 - kuhawk88 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted this for 2 hours which really helped it clear the initial "funk" on the nose that we experienced with the previous bottle. Still a nice deep purple in the glass, but definitely hinted to "old world" on the nose. On the palate the wine displayed nice dark fruit flavors with just a hint of black olive and some earth. Medium-length finish - but very smooth.
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1/27/2013 - John Nezlek wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable bottle -- across two days. Fairly flavorful with some dry tannins, but not too dry. I did not find it quite as smooth as some others did, but it was very enjoyable. Excellent QPR.
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1/25/2013 - Bluecollar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hrs before tasting.
Very aromatic and bursting with cheries, red fuit, and floral notes. Full bodied and soft around the rim. Very well intergrated flavors of red currant, red plumb, pipe tobacco, and cedar. The finish is medium length and a summery of the earlier flavors. This is a hard one to put down. We enjoyed with a traditional paella dish.
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1/22/2013 - Barrygloec Likes this wine: 92 Points
After drinking the couple of ounces left in this bottle I told my wife I didn't want to drink any other wine. It's that good. I do have several bottlesof the 2004, but I opened a bottle of the 2005 to compare. My first impression is that it isn't as good, but I'll write a tasting note when I finish it.
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1/19/2013 - PinotAge-Weetree wrote: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully. I'm upping this another point from my last notes. Nothing out of place here from the bouquet to the scrumptious flavors and the long, elegant finish. For $12 bones I'm doing backflips. This is kick-ass stuff!
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1/18/2013 - Barrygloec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious with a crabmeat cheese dish.
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1/13/2013 - donash.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
We had a dinner party cooked by Jen Behm season 2 Top Chef and it was great. We had this wine with Wild Boar and it stood up to the strong dish.
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, Mushroom, Coffee, Black Pepper, and Hazelnut.
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1/11/2013 - allensounhein wrote: 90 Points
One of my favorites and the 2005 should be as well
Had with steak and really added to the meal
black cherry, blackberry color and aromas
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12/22/2012 - grjas Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rich, velvet feel in the mouth. Smooth without an edge. Short finish though, and lacks the distinctive Rioja flavour.
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12/16/2012 - joesi16 Likes this wine: 87 Points
deep purple, nice stawberry/raspberry flavor , short finish. goes well with a red sauce. def a rebuy @ $12 .
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12/13/2012 - P55cw55 Likes this wine: 88 Points
For what it is, it is a very nice wine. Very much rioja. Light/no tanins. A nice "dinner" wine for chili and spicier fare.
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12/9/2012 - burr wrote: 90 Points
New/international style of rioja. Blue/dark fruit, plenty of vanilla and sweet oakiness. Simple, rich, crowd pleaser with a little more interest than similarly priced Napa Cabs...
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12/8/2012 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 89 Points
On the last bottle from my allotment, this time around I noticed a much more prominent barrnyard component, as well as a darker almost prunelike fruit profile. I think that it is almost done peaking, and unless one can keep the temperature setting very frigid, a p&p on this wine would be a wise choice sooner than later. It became quite rustic after a good five hour decant.
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11/19/2012 - vinodolphin wrote: 90 Points
I really think that this is a bargain. Each one we open is a hit. Nice dark fruit, mild tannins and a long finish.
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11/15/2012 - ME128 wrote: 87 Points
Earthy, deep red/purple and nice dry taste.
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11/12/2012 - kuhawk88 wrote: 86 Points
Nice deep purple-red in the glass, unmistakable "old world" aromas of dust with a hint of sulfur that dissipated after a few minutes in the glass. Not much fruit detected on the palate and a relatively short finish - but overall a good wine for the price.
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11/4/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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10/29/2012 - wino121 wrote: 87 Points
A dusty somewhat dry Tempranillo ...its exactly what I would expect from a $12 btl of Rioja, no more no less. I don't see much aging potential as for its thinner tannins.
Paired with a pumpkin spiced pork roast.
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10/27/2012 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is just excellent QPR. Dark purple color with a nose of dark berries, smoke and tobacco. This medium-bodied wine has a texture that is gripping and firm with flavors of black cherry, cigar box, pencil shavings and cedar. It has a masculine character, but very approachable and delightful as it is balanced by a lively acidity and a fresh. gripping finish. Excellent with Paella, Callos, and other rich Spanish food. Quite far from the 2005 vintage, which I scored 87 Pts. Drink from 2010 to 2020.
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10/19/2012 - DecaturDan wrote: 88 Points
Great Rioja for the price.
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10/18/2012 - shapsplace wrote: 90 Points
Half hour in e glass before I touched it. Subtle! Nice 90-91
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10/18/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with other bottles: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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10/15/2012 - David_T wrote: 84 Points
Aromas of twigs, forest floor, just a hint of fruit. The palate has tart red cherries but the fruit is tired, with very high acid and moderate tannins. A bit of earth comes through towards the end, but most of what I'm tasting is pure sour. Drink up what you have now.
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10/12/2012 - jayw wrote:
Sweet and pleasing berry-cherry nose. Rhubarb and sour cherry on the palate, with some raspberry on the back end; earth and spice, tobacco, cedar secondary. Slightly disjointed on the acid side. Very good at $12.
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10/5/2012 - Siborg wrote: 88 Points
Sour taste. Let it breathe
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9/30/2012 - truckseller wrote:
gave as gift
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9/28/2012 - degrandcru wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was great again, even better on 2nd day. Seems to have a lot of bottle variation, maybe bad storage.
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9/22/2012 - mossreport wrote: 87 Points
Decent QPR. Did not decant and thought it was much more approachable on day 2
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9/21/2012 - Ken332 wrote: 90 Points
Not decanted. Best bottle to date. Lovely nose of berries, cherries and oak, with full mouthfeel, berries and oak in the initial flavors. Good length, excellent wine and a great QPR.
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9/18/2012 - Joegish Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very pleasantly surprised by this one. Tasted like a well-made chianti classico. Smooth, mouth coating, and balanced. Nose was a little shy, but decent. I like it and wish I had a lot more.
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9/18/2012 - LEXKYWINE wrote: 92 Points
What an olfactory pleasure. Incredibly complex showing dried cherry, earth, smoke and a touch of oak and spice, rich and well balanced. Initial taste of dried cherry, graphite and spice. Nice depth and balance on the mid palate evolving to nice soft dry finish. I really like this one. Gone through 12 bottles now over 2 years with each one getting better, don't think they will get any better now.
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9/13/2012 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 88 Points
Much better than my last bottle of this back in December. Good Rioja. Good QPR
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9/11/2012 - Barrygloec Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good with pasta. Pretty dry. Better with food than alone
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8/30/2012 - vinodolphin wrote: 90 Points
It has been a few months since I had a bottle of this. Opened for 3 hours. Very pleasant. Nice fruit. Finish is still a bit short but nice pour for this price point.
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8/22/2012 - comlaw wrote: 90 Points
Still young. Improved dramatically after it was open for an hour.
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8/19/2012 - CWilliam wrote: 90 Points
Rioja vs. Ribera Del Deuro (Beebe House): Tasted blind. Decanted 2.0 hours before tasting. I knew this was in the line up (but not which wine in order) but no one at the tasting knew. This wine showed well - while it got no votes for WOTN it did not stand out as a ringer for a "cheap" wine. It did not have the complexity or fruit profile of the Ribera Del Deuros (AAlto, Pintia (Toro technically), and Flor de Pingus) but a nice old school Rioja flavor profile. Cherry, dried cherry, char, cedar, earthy on nose & palate. Full body, good acids, medium finish. Clear meniscus gave away the age. Continue to evolve in the glass. 90+/- I'm glad I have 4 more bottles to enjoy over the next 2-3 years.
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8/14/2012 - truckseller wrote: 90 Points
Never fails to stun. Even better the second day.
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8/12/2012 - BuffaloLou wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with 4/10 tasting
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8/10/2012 - bsevern wrote: 87 Points
Definitely a food wine. Was kind of meh until having it with a spicy tofu peanut stir fry, which it complimented very well.
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8/7/2012 - BuffaloLou wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with 4/10 tasting
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7/15/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
A softer Rioja. A little lacking for a reserve, but decent. For $11.49 how can I complain?
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7/13/2012 - mwneil wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed the wine. Nice fruit, complexity and balance. My last bottle unfortunately. Great wine for the price.
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7/7/2012 - Belikin Stout wrote: 95 Points
- Ruby color and has flavours of black pepper.
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6/29/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decent Rioja. Good fruit and tannins.
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6/27/2012 - Cresus wrote: 88 Points
Nice ruby color. Very muted nose with nothing special jumping out. Somewhat dusty on the palate. Pretty disappointing Rioja.
Edit: This improved dramatically the next day (didn't seem too young when I opened but this indicates it is). Nose was much more complex and flavors definitely came out.
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6/20/2012 - Mrweir wrote: 89 Points
A little young. Was better the next day. Great wine for the price.
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6/13/2012 - Seweint wrote: 92 Points
My best bottle of this so far. Classic Ripja profile of bright red fruits and some light oak touches. Very enjoyable and easy to drink.
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6/9/2012 - bromion Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is so good for the money. Can't wait to get more!
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6/9/2012 - Siborg wrote: 92 Points
Excellent like last note
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6/6/2012 - Sonoma Style wrote: 89 Points
not so good with fish stew.
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6/1/2012 - tanninbomb wrote: 88 Points
If this was a car, its color would be a subtle, graphite taupe -- complex, understated and not obviously a color. This is no fruit bomb; secondary flavors of graphite and earth elbow out the fruit. Sip the first night, then leave it in the fridge for Day Two (yes, of COURSE let it come back to room temp) and you will find some nice complexity. Kind of like my great Uncle Ray: complex but approachable.
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5/28/2012 - Merengue wrote: 89 Points
Very consistent with my previous note, but i felt this was much more approachable right after popping the cork. Oak is integrating very nicely and it felt more balanced.
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5/26/2012 - APatHB wrote: 90 Points
What a bottle of wine for $12! I should have bought 6 cases instead of 6 bottles.
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5/22/2012 - PinotAge-Weetree wrote: 90 Points
Nose of earth, mushroom, tobacco and graphite with some wild berries thrown in for good measure. Lots of sour cherry on the palate and a striking balance of all elements. Enough acidity to make the ripe fruit clean. Love the tannins right now. Either it's peaking or has a couple years left. Mellows out even more on the second day. The finish is long. I don't even want to eat anything with this so I can get the straight juice. Would go great with Chorizo...matter of fact, I'm gonna cook some right now.
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5/20/2012 - LEXKYWINE wrote: 88 Points
Just got six more. Opened it and gave it an hour in the glass, just as I remembered the last one, nose quite expressive of dark fruit and a touch of graphite. Nicely complex on the initial taste but after three hours, the nose fades and the finish goes way acidic. Carried it over to the next day as I have done before but this time WOW. Incredible complexity, depth and balance. Rich and smoky. Indicitive of the very best of the terrior. A year ago I said drink up but now I am going to hold a while. 88-92
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5/18/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 91 Points
Same as the last bottle: Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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5/14/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decent Rioja. Fruit was balanced with the tannins. Good finish.
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5/9/2012 - WaitinginManassas wrote: 89 Points
Pnp. Dark cherry, spice, hint of tobacco.Great QPR and wonderful value, even better than the Mayor based on the price difference. Even better on second day as everything seemed to just come together.
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5/6/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 91 Points
Aired for 1 hour. Dark ruby red. Mellow nose with leather, tobacco, cassis, a slight meaty component as well. The palate is medium-full, nicely integrated. Great, mellow fruit, nice complexity. Long, interesting finish. Really excellent, probably towards the end of it's drinking window.
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5/6/2012 - BigFatFred wrote:
Had with t-bone steak. Good!
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5/3/2012 - burr wrote: 89 Points
Blue fruit, sweet, but with solid tannin. Heavy, but improved after some air.
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4/30/2012 - Lesha wrote: 91 Points
I really enjoyed this wine. Great on the nose and had a complex taste that really paired well in italian restaurant. Definately would by again at this price
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4/27/2012 - jpakma Likes this wine: 89 Points
Similar to other bottles - outstanding value.
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4/26/2012 - cwafford wrote: 88 Points
Smoke and cherry on the nose. Dry with tobacco on the pallet. Good wine, needs to open up.
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4/19/2012 - KSWinegeek wrote: 90 Points
I really liked this wine. Dark in color, the nose upon opening is an intense mushroomy funk that subsides with time, but never goes away. The palate is sour cherry with tongue tingling acidity. Balanced and approachable now, there is an agreeable tannic structure and a long finish. Incredible value.
Allow two hours of airtime for the flavors to evolve.
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4/16/2012 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very nice Rioja. Lots of fruits and very smooth. Highly recommend if you are not looking for something big in the mouth.
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4/15/2012 - slg wrote: 88 Points
Good value in a cheap Spanish red
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4/13/2012 - studleytrey wrote: 88 Points
I continue to enjoy this wine, especially for the price. Pretty consistent w/ my previous note. Consistent coloring with the slightest bit of orange/browning at the very edges. Earthy, terroir driven nose of roots and dirt, along with tobacco, black cherry and plum. The plum and black cherry carry through to the palate, along with tart black raspberry and pretty good minerality and acidity. Still a bit of chalkiness to the tannins. Good with food (pizza, pasta w/ red sauce, pork chops w/ caramelized onions...). Great value at $11. Oh, I gave this about an hour of air before drinking.
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4/11/2012 - RATER wrote:
Un Vino Espectacular!
Mi esposa y yo tuvimos el placer de visitar El Porron, horas antes de dirigirnos hacia el concierto de Mana en el MSG. Gracias a Diego, el catador/conocedor del Porron, degustamos este espectacular vino de un color rojo intenso, con una textura espesa pero docil al paladar. Que decir de los encantadores aromas que despedia a lo largo de una hora, perfumados de especias, frutas rojas, y minerales. Tenia un gusto encantador y progresivo, con un balance incomparable. A todo esto lo acompañamos con un solomillo de vaca a la pimienta verde, que estaba para morir. Y a un super precio, que ya casi encargo una caja…recomendable sin duda alguna!
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4/10/2012 - BuffaloLou wrote: 91 Points
Didn't take formal notes, but this was the best bottle thus far! Dusty tannins like a Rutherford Cab Sauv! Balanced. Absolutely rockin’! Solid 91, perhaps 92.
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4/9/2012 - pete s. wrote: 88 Points
See previous notes. Terrific QPR
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4/9/2012 - Siborg wrote: 91 Points
Another great bottle.
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4/8/2012 - Siborg wrote: 91 Points
Wow. This wine's flavors and smoothness really grows on you!
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4/8/2012 - Siborg wrote: 91 Points
Another excellent bottle.
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4/7/2012 - vinodolphin wrote: 90 Points
A solid winner. Great QPR with nice dark fruit. Very smooth after sitting for a couple of hours.
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4/7/2012 - corkscrews wrote: 87 Points
A nose of dark cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied red, with black cherry, plum, licorice and smoky spice, good but a bit past it’s peak.
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4/6/2012 - dscollard wrote: 89 Points
Bold - Old world style... surprisingly excellent. Even better with a grilled steak.
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4/6/2012 - vinodolphin wrote: 90 Points
I would have rated this higher if the finish had been a bit longer. Even with a quick pour through the venturi it had nice fruit on the nose and mouth. A touch of earthiness. Very nice particularly for the price.
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4/5/2012 - halprewitt wrote: 86 Points
Drinkable but expected it to be better. Starts of nice then has a strong finish. Had a disagreement in our house. She who rules liked it more.
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4/5/2012 - halprewitt wrote: 85 Points
Drinkable but expected it to be better.
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4/5/2012 - richsd wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Rioja.
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4/3/2012 - Alain Harvey wrote: 91 Points
In the glass this wine possesses a medium deep magenta color transitioning to opaque in the very center of the glass. Poured slightly cool with a brief decant and then swirled vigorously, this wine exhibits a bold, old-world style surrounding a core of fruit. The aroma is bold and spicy, perhaps peppery. The primary elements on the palate is a spicy fullness bringing old world wood along with the fruit. Excellent balance of fruit with bold acids and tannins showcasing flavors of blackberries with hints of brighter raspberries. A good value with a plus for terrior and its potential for longevity.
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4/1/2012 - DanTheRhoneFan wrote: 84 Points
Overly tannic at first. After about 3 hours open (poured a little bit in a dish that was being prepared) it was a lot better but still not great on its own. It was better with food. Overall a little thin and bitter for my tastes.
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3/27/2012 - mrpaper126@gmail.com wrote: 86 Points
Very acidic with some fruit at the end. Without the barbeque spareribs this would have been a bottle without much merit. Pair with food or try again in six months.
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3/25/2012 - PourSomeRed wrote: 84 Points
It's a good wine. Nothing more nothing less.
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3/10/2012 - jfaulk wrote: 88 Points
Nice fruit. Less than medium body. Not bold like I enjoy.
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3/9/2012 - Mouton70 wrote: 89 Points
Wife gives it a 91, I give it an 88. Nice wine, medium-full body, easy to drink.
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3/3/2012 - Obalde wrote:
red fruits over a toasty oak that shows signs of age, nicely structured, bright acid keeps finish in mouth
very good
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2/28/2012 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnD. Consistent with previous note and it is filling out in the mid-palate with some bright red fruit notes. Lingering spicy finish. Should have followed my advice to have it with lamb chops as I think grilled red meat will really be a great combo with this wine.
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2/27/2012 - rallylizard wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby color, excellent nose beginning to have hints of leather and and tobacco. On the palate the smoky oak is more distinctive and the tannins are slightly gripping, adding to a very nice combination of flavor and mouth feel. The finish was longer than I expected and had earthy minerality, the dark cherry flavor is absolutely wonderful. There is a full ripeness to the wine, I enjoyed it and thought it added to the complexity, but I can see where people get the over-ripe feel, there is a dried red fruit aspect to it. I have three more so my plan is to have one a year for the next 3 years as it does feel this will continue to evolve, becoming even smoother with an even greater flavor profile emerging.
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2/26/2012 - studleytrey wrote: 88 Points
Definitely disjointed on the pop with nothing showing on the nose, but this wine came around pretty nicely, and continued to evolve in the glass with 1-2 hrs. air time. Pretty deep color with some crimson to ruby towards the edges. Nose of spice drawer and tobacco, along with some red and black fruits, and a bit of chocolate and graphite as well. Dark fruits primarily on the palate up front, but time allowed some red fruits into the mix as well. Medium finish. Pretty solid effort for the price, actually.
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2/26/2012 - degrandcru wrote: 86 Points
similar to last bottle, overripe fruit, and a bittter aftertaste. Not sure if this is bottle variation or if it is over the top. Could also be that it is in a bad stage of the bootle ageing.
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2/25/2012 - GlassHalfFull wrote: 91 Points
Lots of bottle variation. This one was fabulous.
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2/24/2012 - noahbw Likes this wine: 87 Points
Definitely time to open up. Perhaps 2-3 hours in the decanter. Nicer on day two. Below some sharp edged spices, there are nice earthy fruit notes, and it feels full in the mouth. Good QVR.
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2/23/2012 - Kentw wrote: 86 Points
Quite tart at opening and with a bitter middle. However, after an hour decanted , it smoothed out. The bitterness faded and the tartness was a bit more subdued. Generaly lots of red fruits and sour cherry. Overhyped when it was sold but ok for the money. If it was at the $20 range would have lowered the rating by 2 to 3 points, at $13 it is ok with some age and decanting.
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2/23/2012 - bg3034 wrote: 87 Points
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Getting very little on the nose. On the palate, meaty with moderate tannins, healthy (but not overwhelming dose of oak). The finish is very tart though, and throws off the balance. For the price, a decent wine, but nothing to write home about. 87-pts. Aloha!
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2/21/2012 - bianca15 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Very nice Rioja, especially for the price. Not heavy but lots of flavor and tannins
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2/19/2012 - Mgarfin wrote: 88 Points
This is an overhyped reserva that is simply too acidic to enjoy without food. It was a wine mag TOP 100 90 plus, but there are much better reservas out there for the price range. Drink now as it is going downhill or will soon. CT critics have got it right on this one and the more I use CT the more I realize that our big group puts the wine mags to shame when it comes to ratings.
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2/14/2012 - truckseller wrote: 89 Points
Consistent
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2/3/2012 - laxman wrote: 86 Points
Rough and not special. even at $11. Always on the lookout for a tasty everyday Rioja, but I will have to keep looking. I enjoyed the nose and full body, but along with a mouthful of dark fruit, someone also inserted some sour/rotten leftovers. Not good! That said, if you have some especially stinky cheese, this might pair well with it. However, if you are like me and like to drink wine by itself, keep looking (I know I will be).
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2/1/2012 - pcgraves Likes this wine: 88 Points
drinks great. QPR homerun.
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1/27/2012 - PourSomeRed wrote: 84 Points
Not as good as previous bottles. Tart overall.
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1/27/2012 - winepog wrote: 88 Points
tastes like a rioja...short finish, otherwise somewhat balanced and goo qpr...
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1/27/2012 - gpatramanis wrote: 80 Points
Initial boquet a little musty - was afraid it was corked. But aerated through a Vinture into a decanter cleared the odor. Boquet not bad. A bit bitter taste though. Disappointing. but shouldn't be given the price. Not sure if it's just not a very good wine, of is past it's prime. Will try another bottle next week to follow up.
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1/25/2012 - burr wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple color. Still young, a little acidic and tight at first, opens up to reveal a fruity nose with little rioja funk. palate is medium intensity, with air opens up to black raspberry, a lot of oak, and moderate drying tannins. Pretty simple wine, but not bad. Good for the price.
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1/25/2012 - Siborg wrote: 90 Points
- A Medium finish - Excellent. Smooth very drinkable. Good finish
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1/21/2012 - nd1der wrote: 84 Points
Dark and clear color with an aroma of barnyard. Acidic and bitter, with flavors of sour raspberry and plum. Complex and interesting but not necessarily outstanding. Was about the same the following day.
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1/14/2012 - chrisanderika wrote: 89 Points
This is a racy, streamlined Rioja, which shows its age with elegance and aplomb. Fragrant nose with dark plums and leather. Not as full-bodied as one might expect (something we liked about it), subtle handling of oak (which we always appreciate), brooding fruit tinged with licorice with a lingering but subtle tobacco finish. The negative, for Chris was that the sour cherry notes were too sour.
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1/13/2012 - berko wrote: 86 Points
meh. Good qpr but otherwise uninspiring
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1/11/2012 - patsox wrote: 90 Points
Fragrant,smooth, complex, mature and completely pleasing!
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1/6/2012 - robnmo wrote: 88 Points
nose of cedarbox, leather and cherries. On the palate the wine was a bit thinner than I thought it would be but for 12 bucks what can you expect. cherries, leather and a touch of spice. What a value.
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12/30/2011 - bkrup wrote: 85 Points
Decent initial flavor but very thin with little to no staying power.
*Update * a few nights later (vacuum sealed and in refrigerator) it was actually better. Also had it with food (pizza) which I think also helped the depth and finish. Raising rating to very good.
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12/28/2011 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 91 Points
Much more enjoyable than my previous bottle. A rounded out and fulfilling wine, with wonderful spices and deeper secondary characteristics. Black pepper and blackberry jam on the front with a nice push of rounded tannins as a follow-up. Again, it's not sceaming "rioja" but it was more enjoyable, and the best part was the solid and almost plush mouthfeel for the entire bottle. Did not need to decant, but an hour or two in the glass wouldn't hurt if one wants to enjoy some additional flavors.
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12/27/2011 - Alekos wrote: 84 Points
Boring and average.
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12/20/2011 - Basil Ganglia wrote:
Decanted for three hours and consumed over the following two hours. Predominant aroma is of spicy leather with some dark fruit tones. The spicy leather carries through to the palate, with a bit of tannin in the mid-palate. Fruit flavors are very muted. Little heat or acidity.
Overall a decent rioja, especially for the price, but I didn't enjoy this as much as previous bottles. I wonder if this isn't past it's prime. Rated good (83-85).
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12/18/2011 - degrandcru wrote: 86 Points
Not sure, is this over the to going downhill or if it has to rest a bit more. Fruit taste overly ripe with a bitter taste at the end. Very different from previous bottles.
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12/16/2011 - Sonoma Style Likes this wine: 89 Points
Muted fruit but tasty overall. Nice leather flavor! Looking forward to next bottle.
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12/15/2011 - Ken332 wrote: 87 Points
Opened last night to enjoy after dinner. Casis, wood, and moderate tanins, with a touch of bitterness in the finish. Not as good as the previous bottle and it is not clear whether it is beginning to lose fruit or simply going through a dumb phase. Have a half bottle remaining to taste tonight and will post the note on the wine after it has been opened for a day or so.
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12/13/2011 - crsprout wrote: 85 Points
Lots of leather and tannins, even some sour notes and heat on the palate. Not much to rave about...
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12/13/2011 - Cresus wrote: 88 Points
Cork had deteriorated but wine was ok. Seemed like it was fairly 1 dimensional. Good but not knocking my socks off.
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12/12/2011 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 83 Points
Have you ever opened a bottle of wine, tasted it, and then you wished you had opened up a different bottle instead? I seriously contemplated saving the rest of this bottle for cooking. It was very disappointing. And I thought I read that this was supposed to be a top 100 wine of the year - the question is, "which year?" as maybe it's time has passed. Very sour to me and uninteresting. Hardly any tannins, and very short finish. It was not horrible. Scoring it an 83 - in the middle of the "Good" range/scale. It is just that I had high hopes for an interesting Tempranillo at a great price point and this bottle was not it for me. Hopefully my others in the cellar are better.
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12/3/2011 - Eugene wrote: 89 Points
Well made balanced earthy wine with red fruit, leather and tobacco flavors. Good balance.
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12/2/2011 - RobDevaney wrote: 85 Points
Ran through the vituri, fruit is still good, tannins have softened
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11/29/2011 - nittanyjack wrote: 86 Points
I liked the earthy tone this had when first opened. Faded fast however. Not as good as I remembered the last bottle.
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11/26/2011 - Xfactor wrote: 85 Points
More muted than anticipated. Big red raspberry throughout, some woody spices, but not very complex.
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11/26/2011 - David_T wrote: 87 Points
Has fallen off a bit since my last bottle a year ago- more leather/earth and less fruit, though the fruit is still present; less coherent. The same producer's 04 Mayor is still a significant step up, in my opinion, though this is just fine for $13. I will be drinking my remaining bottles sooner rather than later.
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11/19/2011 - clio_wine wrote:
Good/Very Good. Strong elements of dark cherry and plum on the nose and palate. Some smoke and sage on the palate as well. There's more heat than I would expect from a 7-year-old wine, but it is not overpowering on the finish. Overall, an excellent bottle for the price. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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11/14/2011 - toddmk wrote: 90 Points
Excellent QPR! Very well-made wine for the price.
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11/14/2011 - NEBBIOLODOC wrote: 88 Points
great QPR. Lost a little since last tasting. Very enjoyable.
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11/14/2011 - redman77 wrote: 87 Points
Same as a year ago..a bit more sour..less fruit..drink up folks
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11/13/2011 - crux wrote: 87 Points
Nose of sourdough bread, licorice allsorts, epazote and magnolias. Tastes of pureed blueberry, rust, hemp seed, baking soda. Quite aggressive sourness and tannin.
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11/4/2011 - sfg23 wrote: 87 Points
OK, I revised my earlier scores to indicate a flawed bottle. While not my favorite at least this was perfectly drinkable. Kind fo thin with a ditinct sour cherry flavor. A decent wine
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11/3/2011 - Barrettko wrote: 90 Points
Took some time to open up...really, about 90 minutes. Very, very good.
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11/2/2011 - dirtyharry wrote: 89 Points
chewy tannins, smoke, red fruit, overall a good value
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10/30/2011 - JMRNYC wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding QPR @ $12/ bottle it's a steal. The best $12/ bottle i have ever had, tops some $30 and $40 I've had.
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10/28/2011 - GlassHalfFull wrote: 90 Points
Light aromas - raspberry, spices, and rocks. Medium body, good fruit. Less earthy than many Riojas, but extremely enjoyable. A smooth and very well balanced wine; it keeps you going back for more.
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10/24/2011 - scotty_b wrote: 89 Points
Leather, cherry, smoke. Solid wine. Good value.
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10/24/2011 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 88 Points
Possesses a strong bing cherry component, as well as some decent smoky and sage undertones, but it's not the rioja I was expecting. If the cherry can settle down and the secondary flavor profiles better develop, I think it will have a decent future. For a wine of this age, it's got some good stuffing.
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10/22/2011 - Quarked wrote: 87 Points
Thinner and lighter than I expected. Range of flavors, such as sour cherry, reminded me of a chianti more than a rioja.
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10/22/2011 - hebill wrote: 88 Points
nice Rioja; outstanding value. red fruit, lots of smoky oak, long tannic finish that will benefit from a couple more years in the bottle.
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10/19/2011 - shapsplace wrote: 89 Points
Much more spice on the initial pour then the last bottle. After 30-60 minutes of air, she develops nicely. Red fruit ripens and hints of many things in there. I really enjoy the finish of this wine.
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10/17/2011 - CCestaro wrote: 86 Points
I'm finding this bottle a tad tired..not a great experience...still has some tobacco..dried fruit...and an earthy base that is appealing...but..as the 11th bottle of a case that I've scored 89-91....this may be past peak
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10/15/2011 - BrunelloBob wrote: 87 Points
Not as good as I remember, may be suffering in comparison with other wine of the evening (Viña Villabuena Rioja Viña Izadi Expresión )
A bit thin, not unpleasant, but I'm no longer getting the QPR excitement on this one. 86 points, Day 1.
Half bottle sits for 2 days on the kitchen counter. Seems significantly better on Day 3. Still a bit light, but I'm getting a lot more fruit. Nice length.Still, something alchoholic in the background. May have peaked on Day 2, but I wasn't there to see it. 87 points Day3.
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10/11/2011 - jpakma wrote: 89 Points
similar to previous bottles 88-89 pts. great color, nose of dark fruits some earthiness / spice / leather, very nice acidity and tannins (mouthwatering) drawing you to the glass. really enjoy this wine (glad I bought a case).
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10/10/2011 - gcarl wrote: 89 Points
Dark cherry, smoke/tobacco on nose, dark fruit w/a little chocolate on the palate. All in all, a pretty good QPR @$14/delivered.
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10/8/2011 - Arch57 wrote: 88 Points
Last time I had this wine was in June of 2010 and I rated it only an 85. This time it was a much better experience with nice dried fruit and tobacco and a definite "old-world" feel to the wine (we drank this after a 2009 Ridge Zin so the contrast was stark). Offered a good nose and I was sad to see it was my last bottle of a 4-pack.
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10/7/2011 - BuffaloLou wrote: 89 Points
C: opaque garnet
N: black cherry, tobacco, smoke
P: Nice acid, chewy tannins that dry the mouth, but not bitter, medium-full bodied, tobacco leaf with some dark fruits.
F: meduim, smooth
This bottle was a world better than the first. Terrific QPR! Bought a case, wish I bought several.
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9/29/2011 - shapsplace wrote: 90 Points
A very nice easy drinking Rioja. I get some smoke and tobacco on the nose a bit more on the palate. Followed by red fruit of Fresh raspberries, black cherry & dried cranberries. A touch of chocolate shows up just prior to the long finish. Excellent value and QPR!
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9/27/2011 - PourSomeRed wrote: 86 Points
Easy drinking Rioja. Decent nose, structure, and balance.
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9/23/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 88 Points
consistent with prior notes
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9/19/2011 - Iceman611 wrote: 90 Points
My favorite Rioja to date. It is balanced among fruity and dry notes.
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9/18/2011 - manny651 wrote: 90 Points
That was very tasty. Grapes on the nose. Dark berry and cocoa palate with a coffee-like finish.
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9/15/2011 - east/west lush wrote: 88 Points
Good bottle, got better after being opened for a little while. A good solid Rioja.
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9/7/2011 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 88 Points
A light plum color around the edges of the glass. A dust smell on the nose initially with cocoa and strawberry hints. Leather and ore on the tongue, but a smooth fruit finish.
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9/5/2011 - Ken332 wrote: 89 Points
Double decanted about an hour before serving. Rush of casis and wood in the nose with moderate, soft round tanins in the initial flavors, with excellent length on this wine. Excellent value and QPR. Will buy more of this.
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9/2/2011 - Merengue wrote: 88 Points
Decant and let breathe for at least an hour, it makes a huge difference. Typical nose of traditional Rioja Reserva, dusty, oaky with just a bit of plum. beautiful deep red bloodlike color. Full bodied coating mouthfeel, chewy tannins still persist with some grip. This is the main difference after decanting, tannins turn supple and rounded and the fresh acidity mellows. Finish is medium-long. Very good QPR but it kind of left me wondering if it will improve with more age. Seems to be in the middle of its life lacking the fruityness of youth and the complexity leather, tobacco of old. Maybe i am asking too much, maybe its Rioja.
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8/29/2011 - jpakma wrote: 88 Points
similar to previous bottles very good on a Monday night. This wine is drinking well.
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8/28/2011 - dmaharaj wrote: 89 Points
can't beat the quality for the bottle price. highly recommend this wine. it can easily last another 3 years or more
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8/28/2011 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 90 Points
Woody, smoky aroma. Pungent flavors of dried fruit and pepper. Starts hot (even though it's only 13.5% ABV), and has a reasonably long finish. The finish is surprisingly complex for such an inexpensive wine. A quality wine on its own. We paired it with pasta, and the spiciness was a little too strong for the sauce. Better on its own.
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8/27/2011 - truckseller wrote:
Never disappoints...
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8/21/2011 - PourSomeRed wrote: 86 Points
A decent inexpensive Rioja. Nothing special here. Maybe a couple of years in the bottle will help.
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8/20/2011 - jdhart306 wrote: 90 Points
Really had a chance to open up on day two. Floral nose gives way to the leather and spice (especially vanilla) taste that so many others have mentioned. Excellent QPR.
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8/20/2011 - kahuna75 wrote: 88 Points
a very nice wine this bottle was not as good as the last but still a heck of a wine
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8/20/2011 - manny651 wrote: 86 Points
Nicely balance tempranillo.
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8/18/2011 - jhamari wrote: 89 Points
The wine pours a deep garnet color, fading around the rim. The aroma medium plus intensity of ripe black cherry, black pepper, stewed with tobacco, smoke and touch of vanilla. I almost getting a little bit of green or crispness...some dill. On the palette medium acid, high tannin, medium body, more spice and smoke, fruit is mellow. A medium plus finish. Overall an excellent wine for $10.
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8/16/2011 - jeffal66 wrote: 91 Points
We need to extract some of the Vaynerchuk language from wine critiques here and get original...my opinion. Anyway, a beauty that's perfect with food. Earthy, fruit in full bloom but balanced. Kind of beefy. Pedigreed wine at the apex of its life, and if not, ship shape nonetheless. Great nose as a bonus.
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8/11/2011 - Didman wrote: 88 Points
Delightful fruity Rioja. Great value.
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8/9/2011 - firsttracks wrote: 85 Points
The nose is pleasant with lots of fruit, but the palate is too extracted for my taste. Very sugarfied fruit and not much else going...still ripping the sugar fruit train on day two. pazzz.
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8/4/2011 - prof b wrote: 85 Points
meh. decent wine for the price but nothing special. glad this is my last bottle.
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8/3/2011 - Old Course 72 wrote: 88 Points
Medium ruby color, light nose, mello fruit
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7/19/2011 - lewisad wrote:
Very good
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7/19/2011 - cmaldoon Likes this wine: 86 Points
Popped, poured, notes taken after 30 min of air.
Color - Between brick and cherry red. Certainly showing some age. Medium intensity, not thin but not opaque.
Nose - Sour cherry and spiced crab apple (that's a first but it fit the smell perfectly) some oak and certainly a little ethanol.
Flavor - Bright red fruits temeperd by age. not much acidity up front but some on the back end. Not terribly complex.
Feel - barest hint of drying tannin on the back end
Nothing special, tuesday night wine. more than drinkable
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7/11/2011 - Chrisinroch wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Drank over 2 hours w pan seared NY strip. (Very nice pairing). Nose is strongly leather, with an earthy edge. In the mouth, again more leather, pleasant mouthfilling tannins, fruit leads into a finish of mushrooms, wet earth and dry tannins.
On the whole a really nice old world wine and a really good QPR
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7/9/2011 - dlheath wrote: 89 Points
Very nice tempranillo. Goes well with lots of foods and was very nice with grilled shrimp. Not a game breaker, but a nice smooth drink
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7/3/2011 - mgribble94 wrote: 88 Points
tried this one as a less expensive alternative to the Ondarre Mayor. I think the preconceived notions I had might have skewed my opinion. I was disappointed at first, since this is not in the same class at the Mayor. Bright fruit on the nose but the mouthfeel and finish just couldn't compare. This wine is very good in its own right and several dollars cheaper. Don't let my judgement dissuade you from buying this wine, but if you don't mind spending about $10 more, go with the Mayor.
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6/30/2011 - degrandcru wrote: 90 Points
Ready to drink. Excellent.
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6/26/2011 - alohaboydean wrote: 90 Points
great value...good fruit with some earthiness and depth that makes each glass as tasty and interesting as the one before...we drank two bottles and both were consistent and tasty.
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6/23/2011 - IlonaN wrote: 90 Points
Seems to be in a very nice drinking window, with luscious spicy dark fruit, sweet leather notes and a long finish. Gentle tannins on the finish. I would think it will be best to drink up over the next 2 years or so.
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6/20/2011 - jpakma Likes this wine: 89 Points
great everyday wine. Nose of dark fruits / smoke / earthiness. Big wine with smooth tannins / very fruit forward. Excellent QPR
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6/18/2011 - Sijan wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly good - great value. A little woody, but not bad
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6/15/2011 - truckseller wrote: 90 Points
Best bottle yet. Great QPR.
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6/10/2011 - GuruofAV wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherries covered in chocolatte .....yummy
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6/10/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 89 Points
Old world complexity. Developed nose of bright cherry, leading with lots of tobacco and leather, some coffee. A little earth. Very old world. Cannot overstate the leather and tobacco. On the palate it is medium bodied, with medium but developed tannins. This wine is at or almost near its maturity. Fully developed. A little austere but still pleasing at this stage, and I can't think of a reason to age it for much longer. For the price point ($10), it is terrific. Excelent wine for the average dinner.
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6/8/2011 - BOB P wrote: 84 Points
Very bitter
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6/5/2011 - WineKnurd wrote: 94 Points
Down to only 3 bottles from an earlier case buy and still drinking well. Drank tonight with a flat bread pizza made with fresh basil form the garden and the wine really sang. White pizza with no sauce, so Ondarre added the acidity. Nice tart cherry, an earthy, almost tarry note, and oak spice (mostly anise); lower in tannins and medium body, the perfect weight considering the choice of victuals. Staying with my Nov 2010 evaluation- A- for style & quality as a Reserva, A+ on value at $12 / pop, for a solid A overall.
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6/4/2011 - kahuna75 wrote: 89 Points
This bottle was very similar to the last but a bit more seemless- for $11 a must buy- got another case- think I am up to 3 in total now
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5/30/2011 - BBinSC wrote: 88 Points
Young, fruit-driven Rioja that shows real aging potential. Elegant and ripe with a touch of aggressiveness, this wine was great with food. I expect evolution for another 3-5 years.
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5/27/2011 - rsmoke wrote: 87 Points
Black cherries
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5/26/2011 - hsiehdale wrote: 87 Points
Smooth, with a bit of acidity. Flavours of tar. Will let it sit and taste again in a few days
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5/24/2011 - hunter112 wrote: 89 Points
I was going to hold on to my remaining bottles for some time, but after reading comments here, decided to give another bottle a try. It had matured significantly in what I consider to be a short time, and I enjoyed it much more. I did the pop and pour as suggested by other reviewers, and while the nose is still somewhat closed, the flavor was bursting with fruit. Mouthfeel was great, as well. I do feel that several more months on my remaining bottles will reward me, but I might be similarly tempted by other positive reviews.
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5/22/2011 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
drank on the boat. Full body, very long finish.
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5/22/2011 - kahuna75 wrote: 88 Points
been through a bunch of these and it delivers - especially for an $11 wine- dark wine that drinks with some deep red fruits, some earthiness - wood treatment is there and tanins are light- still drinks very young- very happy case purchase
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5/21/2011 - Decanthor wrote: 90 Points
Same notes as before. Delicious. Advice to others: drink this right out of the bottle. It is ready to go. It may improve slightly after 15-20 minutes, but there is no need to decant.
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5/21/2011 - truckseller wrote: 89 Points
Yet another great bottle.
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5/21/2011 - mtaczak wrote: 88 Points
tasty and balanced, great value
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5/21/2011 - truckseller wrote: 89 Points
Just great wine. Popped and poured on the patio last night, what a deal for less than 13 bucks.
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5/15/2011 - Walkersj wrote: 89 Points
This wine seems to pop up all over the place, but in my opinion is a real winner as anyones "house wine" in the $11-15.00 bracket. Great with gourmet pizza Friday night.
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5/12/2011 - mikeska wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry and Prune. A very nice drink. My kind of wine.
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5/9/2011 - Oakjeff wrote: 84 Points
Maybe I'm just not getting this wine. Or maybe this bottle is different from those I have had previously. After two hours it is still somewhat closed off and a tad sour. Despite the tannic finish it is somewhat watery and hollow in the middle. Suffers from a lack of balance and integration.
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5/1/2011 - Andrewclouse wrote: 90 Points
Good gift wine. We had a 2006
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4/28/2011 - sfg23 wrote: flawed
I just don't get this wine. Maybe I've had two bad bottles. I decanted for about 90 minutes but wine was very closed and almost sour. Did not pair well with what we were having. We covered decanter and tried again the second night. I will say it was much better the second night. Myabe it's just way to young, but for a 2004 I wonder. Perhaps this is how it is supposed to taste, but I've tried other Rioja's and they weren't cringe worthy.
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4/22/2011 - wine&roses wrote: 89 Points
Old-fashioned, terroir-driven wine. with plenty of tar, cigar box, and barnyard balanced by sufficient fruit. Some bottles can be a little thin and acidic, but case after case, this is an amazing QPR.
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4/22/2011 - Phredd wrote: 88 Points
Dark, purple-red, but with just a touch of translucence, the nose on this wine just leaps from the glass. A powerful layer of cement dust lies just atop a layer of sweet, red-plum-infused cherry juice. The richness of oak aging is quite evident, as well. The palate shows nice varietal characteristics of tempranillo, with rich sour plums, English tea, coriander, and bay leaf. It is much less sweet on the palate than on the nose. The flavors are pretty much primary, though, and there is not a lot of tannic structure, although there is a nice core of acidity. The flavors, which are quite potent on the pop and pour, begin to fade fairly quickly and are somewhat muted after just an hour and a half or so. I don't think this will get any better with more bottle time. This is good wine, and I'd say it is still a solid value, but not quite in the range of being a "steal". Still, at $12, it's hard to go wrong.
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4/22/2011 - stufis wrote: 88 Points
Over two weeknites; dry, tart, fine balance, what a $14 wine should do for you.
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4/22/2011 - dmaharaj wrote: 90 Points
really great, especially for the price. lovely balance of berries, spice and earth/hay. i really enjoyed this bottle the first day. let's see if it holds up for the second day
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4/21/2011 - CWilliam wrote:
Relatively consistent with prior notes (didn't take my own advice & decant) - decanted for 15 minutes before dinner. Wine seemed more full bodied than prior bottles - it was balanced but more dark fruit / sour cherry / tobacco - still great QPR.
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4/19/2011 - hunter112 wrote: 87 Points
Slight aroma of blackberries on the nose, and a healthy taste of them on the palete, as well. The acid in this is still quite strong, it works so very much better with a meal than as a sipper. I'm going to stuff my remaining bottles at the bottom of the cellar, may revisit one again in a couple of years. It's not the usual Rioja that I'm faintly accustomed to.
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4/17/2011 - Jmartin wrote:
Very nice Rioja. Smooth.
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4/17/2011 - jadair wrote: 91 Points
Very tasty, almost sweet.
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4/14/2011 - cadams wrote: 89 Points
Another great bottle
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4/12/2011 - rsmoke wrote: 85 Points
Thin and flat on opening. Opened up a little with nice tannins on day 2.
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4/12/2011 - RCBAROLO wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and had a grilled strip
It opened up nicely and had a rich opulent nose and was fruit forward
This will get better believe me
Great value Spanish vino!
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4/11/2011 - ddsolomon2000 wrote: 89 Points
Very nice nose. Dusty on the nose, earthy taste and a little dry on the back end.
Very acceptable.
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4/11/2011 - LEXKYWINE wrote: 87 Points
Great QPR, wonderful everyday wine, bought 6 more. Takes an hour or so to open then delightfully complex. Starts to fade after a few hours and holds marginally to the next day. Maintains an expressive nose through the entire time.
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4/7/2011 - df1962 wrote: 89 Points
PnVnD let breathe for 1hr. Deep crimson not opaque with a rosy rim. Ripe cherries dried cherries and tobacco/leather aromas. Medium(-) weight smmoth with polished tannins. A bit weak in the mid palate short to medium finish of fruit and then leather. Nice fresh cherry fruit flavors with tobacco leather and cinnamon notes. Opened up nicely over a couple of hours and then weakened a bit. Great QPR very case worthy. Will try the next bottle with grilled lamb chops.
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4/7/2011 - mshellow wrote: 93 Points
All I can say that for $11.50 it is eally good!
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4/1/2011 - pete s. wrote: 88 Points
Great QPR. I love the smoke, licorice, and black fruit on the nose. Blackberries, dusty, earthy notes, and oak on the palate. Smooth tannins, but I see it drinking well for 2-3 years.
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3/29/2011 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
Nice mix of earth, red/black fruit, and a touch of barnyard that mosttly burns off. Good QPR
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3/25/2011 - degrandcru wrote: 90 Points
Needs time to open up, but after about 1 hour it drinks wonderfully. Not sure about the aging capability. At this point I am glad to still have more then 2 cases. I am very confident that it will still improve for a few years.
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3/19/2011 - MuseMaven wrote: 89 Points
Better each time. Bought a bunch more. At this price really over delivers.
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3/5/2011 - maxmanx wrote: 88 Points
A little too much oak for me. But a pleasant drinking wine for $12. Not a re-buy.
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3/5/2011 - gcarl wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured a glass and left bottle open 2-3 hours. Very pleasant with food, better after being open.
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3/4/2011 - vintage_whine wrote: 89 Points
right off, the only reason that this isn't a 92 is that for such a great vintage, the wine should have much longer aging potential, which it doesn't have. in two hours, it seems to have already opened up and begun to thin out. it nose is standard dried petals and dusty red currants, orange peel, and marzipan, with a fair bit of earthiness and mint. the core is red cherry, unmistakable. Not too loud and modern, and it does have a bit of oak peaking out, if you go searching for it. med+ acidity, med tannin, med- length. med- complexity.great lamb wine.
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3/3/2011 - mtaczak wrote: 87 Points
obvious black cherry on the palate, a bit of a lightly oxidized character. well balanced and not outstanding in any one area, but the overall consensus was that this is just a very drinkable wine. great value, great drink for a weeknight.
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2/26/2011 - LEXKYWINE wrote: 88 Points
drink up
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2/21/2011 - gesusser wrote: 90 Points
light & spicy; nose was high alcohol, but taste was smooth; not much of a finish
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2/20/2011 - HarlanPSU wrote: 91 Points
Consistently one of the best values I've ever experienced. will continue to buy this anytime i see it. Only a little time to let it breathe and this bottle drinks beautifully, for under 12 bucks!!!
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2/17/2011 - Jmartin wrote:
Nice wine, maybe a little thin. Easy drinking wth or without food. First of six I've got, we'l see how this evolves.
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2/16/2011 - Oakjeff wrote: 90 Points
Delicious and well integrated.
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2/13/2011 - insaneblaine wrote: 90 Points
Moss, damp earth, cherries, black fruit, smooth and well integrated.
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2/8/2011 - jpdel wrote: 90 Points
cherry coke, with some sticks and a dusting of dirt. Soft tannins.
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2/3/2011 - mithomps wrote: 89 Points
Black cherry, tobacco, licorice, smoke. The more time it had to breath, the better it tasted.
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1/31/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 88 Points
did not make a bad impression...strong plum/dark cherry and peppery qualities with good earthiness...nothing wrong at $15, butI was hoping for a little more.
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1/29/2011 - jeffal66 wrote: 88 Points
No notes. Earth, cherry, prune. Very good value at $12.
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1/16/2011 - Oakjeff wrote: 89 Points
Although 75% Tempranillo, this wine smells and tastes more like a light bodied, but well-crafted Cotes du Rhone. It is 15% Carignane and 10% Grenache and those varietals despite being only a quarter of the blend, manage to dominate. Light tannins finish off this fruit forward wine. A truly well made light bodied wine. Excellent replacement for a light, fruity Pinot Noir.
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1/16/2011 - Drink&Trade wrote: 88 Points
Similar to previous.
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1/14/2011 - nlassow wrote:
Some bottle variation, but even on the lower end this wine still poses a great value. Too bad it was published on the Top 100 2010, might be more difficult to get it for cheap now! Drank along side a Ravenswood 2008 Zin, and the Ondarre was far more complex.
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1/13/2011 - MuseMaven wrote: 89 Points
As before, excellent QPR. A really tasty wine. Less singularly cherry this time, I think some change is possible with a little time. Also nice the next day after vino vac. Definitely would buy more to share. Oh yeah, opened this bottle to replace corked one.
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1/11/2011 - degrandcru wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with last note, but found this bottle more complex. Some "Lakritze" on the finish with the sour cherry. Excellent value.
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1/10/2011 - wineward Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nose of sage-like cotton candy. Some sugar cane, currant and a little basil perhaps. Pleasantly dry. Finish is a little grain with some slightly thick tannic structure. Very pleasant and enjoyable. Good value.
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1/10/2011 - cjsadler wrote:
Seems to be a lot of bottle variation. This one was just ok. Last one was phenomenal.
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1/6/2011 - hunter112 wrote: 82 Points
Nice aromas of dark fruits, a bit of smoke. Taste was subdued, maybe this is going through a "dumb" phase, but the mouthfeel was quite thin. I'm going to cellar the remaining five bottles of this WTSO 'deal', but at this point, I'm a bit amazed that this wine made #58 of Spectator's Top 100. Edited to add: I saved about half a glass of this in the decanter, and tasted it a couple of days later. The wine had really opened up, with deep fruit flavors. I guess this one needs a fair amount more age, and then some long decanting time. I re-rate it at an 87 after retasting.
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1/5/2011 - CWilliam wrote:
Consistent with prior notes - PNP not all that nice - with aeration and ~ 1/2 and hour plus you have a very nice wine. herbs, plum, black cherry on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with earthy overtones, sour cherry & nice acidity. medium+ finish with nice mouth drying tannins. Very, very hard to beat this wine given its ~ $15.00 or under price point. 89-90 range. Incredible QPR but this rating is not taking that into consideration.
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1/5/2011 - Bigsamsdad wrote: 89 Points
Nose of cherries, Taste of plum, moderate tannins, moderate finish. Decanted one hour and flavors changed throughout. Solid wine and good value.
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1/4/2011 - viking60 wrote: 90 Points
Again a steal at $12, great fruit, vanilla, probably best wine under $20 in the past 2 years.
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1/3/2011 - kenito799 wrote: 88 Points
Very nice classic rioja with string black cherry and forceful but integrated oakiness. Long finish. Great QPR at $11 for a reserva.
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1/3/2011 - sfg23 wrote: flawed
My wife and I popped open our first bottle and tasted the wine over a period of a few hours. On pop and pour, the wine was not very good at all. Very sharp high alcohol taste, medicinal smell, as my wife put it.. bad church wine. We decanted for one hour and sampled again with better results. Still very sharp and strong initiallly. kind of a sour cherry taste. but the finish was pleasant and around 30 seconds. We finished the bottle after 4 hours of decanting. The wine continued to smooth out and the initial bit became less offensive. All in all, not a terrible wine and may not be to our tastes, but definitely heed the advice and pop this one in advance of drinking. I think I will let the other three bottles age more before trying again.
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1/1/2011 - ppearson9 wrote: 88 Points
Solid Rioja for a good price
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12/31/2010 - pete s. wrote: 89 Points
A bit of funk on opening, but after a pour through the Vinturi some lovely complexities came through. On the nose, sweet cherries, sour cranberry, cinnamon, leather, and smoke. Very youthful on the palate with more tasty, candied cherry, oak notes, and a bbq-type smokiness. Surprisingly young tannins on the finish indicate that this wine has plenty of life left. Also showed well on Day 2.
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12/18/2010 - James Kim wrote: 90 Points
From memory. Enjoyed this wine again. Seemed a bit deeper with more complex elements than the first time around. Good acid and tannins give structure w/o overwhelming the fruit. Nice.
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12/12/2010 - wineward wrote: 85 Points
Nose of rose petals and cherries. Palate of fairly simple wood and cherry flavors. Good on day 1. Day 2 heads towards cardboard. Simplistic and decent with food. Very good.
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12/4/2010 - mkubow wrote: 90 Points
Good balance, nice fruit - easy drinking wine
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12/2/2010 - MyPurpleTeeth.net wrote: 89 Points
The finessed nose brings a core of floral cherry, crushed raspberry and currant fruit that's tied together with a string of leather, cardamom and cinnamon, and earthy mineral. Flavors of wildberry, cigar and cocoa float over fine gripping tannins that build, leading onto a ground coriander and buttery oak finish.
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11/30/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 89 Points
did not heed my own advice and only gave a short decant, but again by 3 hours it was opening up nicely... very astringent tannins up until then. 2-3 hours in decanter before consuming will make a nice difference.
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11/27/2010 - Sharonox wrote:
Good
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11/25/2010 - Decanthor Likes this wine: 91 Points
Toasty oak on the nose and in the first sip. Some cherries. Full body, 20-30 second finish with a bit of spice at the end. Paired with some Spanish cold cuts. Everyone loved it. When they were told the price ($15 locally), most asked where they could go buy some. Expresses the region well - in a blind tasting, you would know it is a Rioja.
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11/9/2010 - Winestache wrote: 86 Points
Didn't meet my expectations with comments from others. Fruit nondescript but pleasant.
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11/7/2010 - degrandcru wrote: 90 Points
Liked this bottle a lot more then the last one I opened. Very nicely balanced and acidity makes it great with food (well integrated acidity). Beautiful long finish leaving taste of sour cherries behind. Remaining tannins suggest that it has still room to improve. Open at least 1 hr before consumption. Great value.
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11/4/2010 - HarlanPSU wrote: 92 Points
Wish I had more of this. It went way too quickly.
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11/3/2010 - jdoakpark wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured...liked it alot more than past bottles.
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11/2/2010 - CdP in NYC wrote: 91 Points
Very likeable. Sweet, juicey, balanced, and highly drinkable. Oak and mesquite with strong underripe berry fruit on the nose--perhaps a touch vegetal as well showing some radishes. Smooth and supple in the mouth, showing sweet red cassis on the attack, which continues through the midpalate and the finish layered with spicey pot pourri, black pepper, and jalapeno. Gorgeous tapas wine, not to mention a bargain at 15USD.
Drink now with food. 91+ -JRS
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11/1/2010 - WineKnurd wrote: 94 Points
Decanted right before serving. Great bottle! Red fruits, spice, earth, and oak vanilla seamlessly integrated on the palate. Nothing seems out of balance. A little lighter in body than I was expecting but still good weight and depth on the palate with good length on the finish. A steal at $12!!. Style & Quality: A- (greater concentration of flavors would give it an A). Value: A+ (a Riserva of this quality for $12? Seriously?). Overall: solid A!
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10/30/2010 - David_T wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Red cherry & red licorice on the nose, with cherry & leather on the palate, back to a juicy cherry finish. A bit lighter/less tannic than this producer's Mayor Reserva of the same year. Pairs quite well with artisan sausage.
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10/29/2010 - pld07 wrote: 89 Points
Pretty much like the other reviews. Decanted about 1.5 hours. Nice red fruit on the nose. Some vanilla and leather. Medium finish. Great bang for your buck. Great value! Glad I still have another bottle!
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10/29/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 89 Points
popped & poured.... note to self, do not pop and pour this wine, give at least 1 hour decant... improved considerably by the end of the bottle. Sour cherry, leather and earth... a bit tight and austere on the PnP, filled out very well with time.
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10/24/2010 - redman77 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 2 hours....a very solid Rioja....missing a little on the back-end but for $11 this is a solid QPR
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10/23/2010 - tanninbomb wrote: 89 Points
Nothing fancy, just great company. Dry cherry, vanilla, spice. Held up well on second night.
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10/22/2010 - mkubow wrote: 87 Points
Good value but lacking great fruit and depth. Need to drink on day 1 - very thin on the second day.
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10/22/2010 - stubbie999 wrote:
Better after a little time in the decanter. Your basic Rioja - cherry/berry, leather, earth, American Oak, slight oxidative note. Great with food, and a bargain at the WTSO price.
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10/18/2010 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice -0 opens very well in about an hour . Nice nose with berries. smooth long finish. Outstanding QPR
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10/17/2010 - Alekos wrote: 84 Points
Ok but would not buy again. Boring and forgettable.
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10/17/2010 - viking60 wrote: 90 Points
First bottle showed every well, fruit on the nose, medium acidity, bit of vanilla nice. Decanted though
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10/10/2010 - Scottlmatthews wrote: 88 Points
Solid wine-deep cherry with dry medium finish. Oak is prevalent but integrates nicely with the tannins, acid, and fruit after wine is decanted 30-60 minutes.
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9/30/2010 - degrandcru wrote: 85 Points
Vainilla on the nose. Sour cherries, some chocolate, medium finish. First very disappointing, but opened up nicely after about 1/2 hour. Not bad, but not great either.
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9/28/2010 - ThirdBottle wrote: 89 Points
Very solid at a great price.
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9/27/2010 - pgb67 wrote:
Disappointing given the great marks given on CT; highly acidic in a shrill, sour way that was not too pleasant to experience. Leakage on the capsule suggested that maybe this was flawed.
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9/24/2010 - merryberry wrote: 89 Points
A day 2 report: Dark ruby red. Smoke, blueberry and blackberry, and leather on the nose. Medium bodied, rich cherries, pepper, creamy blackberries, sweet smooth tannins, and a medium finish. Much better on day 2, implying decanting is a must for full enjoyment.
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9/8/2010 - pedwards wrote: 90 Points
This was really nice especially for the price. Need to buy more.
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9/2/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 89 Points
solid, especially for the cinderella wine price of $12. Lots of sour cherry, little bit of spice and earth.
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9/1/2010 - MuseMaven wrote: 89 Points
Popped & poured. One-trick pony - cherries. Lots of cherries. But it does it well, balanced nicely with creamy vanilla (oak) and dry. Dark and tasty. Not very complex, not boring, yummy & enjoyable. Great mid-week all by itself. Not sure what you'd pair this with (maybe German chocolate cake, probably a cigar). Super QPR at $12.98. Will buy more.
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8/26/2010 - TheMarshall wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured the first night and drank the remainder on night 2. After reading reviews I was scared of the 'oak monster' but didnt get it at all. Cherries, cherries, cherris on the mouth but well balanced. I am excited I have 4.
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8/25/2010 - DSAStar wrote: 87 Points
Plush berry scent opening up to cherries and black raspberries. Very dry on the palate, slightly acidic, and very hot. Good wine for the price.
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8/16/2010 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Beautiful nose of dark cherry, tobacco, earth, and smoke. Palate was true to what you would expect in a Rioja with dark cherry and tobacco, but was a little hollow on the finish. This is not a "wow" wine, but is certainly a good QPR at $14. Needs air to open up. Started to fade after about 3 hours. Drink now.
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8/7/2010 - James Kim wrote: 90 Points
Initially muted with some wood. After being open for 1 hr. Aromas of deep dark cherries, strawberries, cloves, cinnamon, mulled spices, earth and a bit of herbs. Palate showed dark ripe cherries, dark chocolate, earth, spices, lifted by decent acids, tree bark, mulled spices. Fruit and a bit of dill on the finish. Nicely done.
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7/26/2010 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice bottle. Little hot at first but then thick black fruit and oak kicks in. Short to medium finish.
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7/12/2010 - wine&roses wrote: 89 Points
After breathing an hour or two, this yields a nose and a mouth-filling taste of pure, intense wild cherry, with a hint of cedar and saddle leather. There isn't a lot of complexity, and there's just a hot twinge of alcohol on the finish, but all in all, for the price this is a solid, very well made, well integrated, seriously satisfying wine. 89-90.
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6/20/2010 - Arch57 wrote: 85 Points
I was getting a lot of toasty oak on the nose and palate and I tend to get turned off by that. It is almost a burnt taste that hides the fruit.
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6/17/2010 - LEXKYWINE wrote: 89 Points
Very expressive of dark fruit and oak when opening the bottle that flashes off in an hour. Initial taste is consistent with nose - dark fruit oak and a bit of smoke. Tannins a bit disjointed yet. Long tart (sour?) mouth drying finish. Two days later, expressive nose is back and complexity emerges, fruit, smoke, spice and oak. Tannins are nicely chewy and there is a long dry finish. 89-91
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6/14/2010 - jdoakpark wrote: 89 Points
just OK...
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6/12/2010 - ksde wrote: 89 Points
Very expressive nose right from the pour. The tannins are still a bit young appearing a slight bit disjointed. This should come together nicely with some more bottle age.
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6/7/2010 - anonymoose12345 wrote: 88 Points
Really nice, bright fruit and finely integrated tannins. Mouth filling. Gobs and gobs of oak and vanilla though...very old world style.
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5/23/2010 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 90 Points
Shows plenty of crushed blackberry and cherry, with hints of flowers, fresh earth, tobacco and smoke. Medium-Full bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Fans of "Old World" Sangiovese should seek this out, this brings a very similar style. (Drink 2009-2014) - JD90
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4/30/2010 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dusty tannins and spice up front, with lots of red plum and raspberry fruit behind. Nice value for the money.
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4/28/2010 - clio_wine wrote:
Good. Ruby color. Round and lush and smooth. A real deal for not much money. I have had more expensive Riojas that were no better. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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4/28/2010 - Walkersj wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyed with simple pasta/chicken. Light and charming wine in my opinion. A bargain at $14.00
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4/26/2010 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drinking great right now. Thick black fruit, balanced tannins, tons of oak on the long finish.
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4/15/2010 - Arch57 wrote: 85 Points
A decent Rioja but it had a sour component that knocked it down a few points. This is the 2nd time in the past 6 months that I have noticed this in a Rioja so don't know if that is typical or coincedence.
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3/8/2010 - atl10trader wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable wine. Fruit flavors of berries and currants matched with tobacco and plum notes. Aged well in oak.
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3/1/2010 - CWilliam wrote: 90 Points
Killer value. Oak & cherry on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with earthy overtones, cherry & nice acidity. Long finish with nice mouth drying tannins. Very balanced & very food friendly. Great entree into Rioja. If you can buy this for under $20.00 you are getting excellent QPR. Would buy again. Edit - left 1 glass in bottle for 2 nights (sealed with Vacu-vin). No real deterioration. As good on night 3 as night 1.
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1/30/2010 - quickben wrote: 89 Points
Loads going on here - on the nose plenty of fruit and with some oak coming through. Taste was excellent - acidity and tannins well balanced - good mouth feel - extremely enjoyable.
Second day - even better - richer and smoother. - excellent value wine
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1/28/2010 - Senator503 wrote: 88 Points
Oak and barnyard on the nose. Sour cherry and other red fruit flavors, with a vanilla aftertaste from the oak. Mouth-drying tannins. The wine seems a bit disjointed to me but it could be because I popped and poured it this evening after having received the shipment this afternoon - could it be that the cross country trip generated a little bottle shock? I'll try it again in a couple of months, but it may just be one that needs to be consumed with food to bring out it's full potential.
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9/11/2009 - VoteferPedro wrote: 90 Points
My host had opened this the night before and went to it at the endof the evening when it turned out we were still thirsty. It needed to warm up from cellar drive temp to get going but it had real charm. Cold, the nose was tempranillo funk -barnyard feculence After warming a gentler nose emerged... I could pull out tobacco, smoke and a high toned floral camphor. Palate had the tart acidity and red fruit noted by others. Medium tannins on finish .
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9/11/2009 - VoteferPedro wrote: 90 Points
My host had opened this the night before and went to it at the endof the evening when it turned out we were still thirsty. It needed to warm up from cellar drive temp to get going but it had real charm. Cold the nose was tempranillo funk -barnyard feculence After warming a gentler... I could pull out tobacco, smoke and a high toned floral camphor.palate had the tart acidity and red fruit noted by others. Medium tannins on finish
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8/29/2009 - CaliCab wrote: 89 Points
Well made, well structrured wine. Oak is initially very well treated, but with a little air becomes slightly strong. Great structure. Acid and tanins in terrific balance. Plummy nose, with oak making its presence known - a loud and attention grabbing, but not obtrusive, dinner guest. Tart red fruit in abundance. Just on the wrong side of simple, but very enjoyable; weighty, strong flavored, and in your face.
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