Just great wine. Licorice, mocha, vanilla and black fruits. Wine is smooth and balanced with integrated, polished tannins and long long finish. Maybe turning to the end of window
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Robe bourgogne ambrée. Nez charmeur, en bouche, arômes beurre, vanille et boisé. Rond, tannin souple et assez sec. Décanté 30min dans le verre. À mon gout, la barrique est trop présente. Un grand vin, mais peut-être plus dans ma palette.
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A very special Rioja (18 years old). Aeration and decanted and rested for 3 hours. Very dry (but smooth) upfront, but then the fruit came out and it was delicious. Enjoyed with beef and vegetables.
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Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. Savoury, concentrated, a little vanilla and ripe red fruits, initially with a touch of meat and balsam. With time ripe strawberry joins these, plenty of vanilla and a touch of coconut, a little dill. Juicy, red fruits, sweet spice, vanilla, a little savoury underpin, alcohol warmth, a touch of almost hard greenness. Tannins are dying, mouth filling though quite silky, long, very long in fact, palate nicer than the nose.
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Consistent with my notes of 18 Dec 2020. This bottle was utterly compelling and the wine is likely at is apogee now. Rioja just doesn't get much better for me.
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Tasted blind in week four of Blind.Faith’s blind-tasting competition: two reds from the same region. I was nowhere near getting this (nor were many people in the competition with only 2 from 26 going for Rioja). I went for a very impressive Barbaresco with a few years age. So not really close anywhere :-) What I tasted: Ruby red, with a tiny bit of bricking on the rim. The nose is dense with tarry black fruits, maybe a little floral lift. Maybe a touch of wood coming through but not much. The palate is stunningly good; long, velvety and powerful with bright fruit and a hit of expensive tasting oak. A hit of wholemeal toast on the long, long finish. Excellent wine.
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Only needed 45 minutes of decant time. Deep red fruits very ripe but not jammy and some black fruits. Very smooth. A little dried herbs, touch of spice, and sweet Oak.
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Hard to add much to the other comments. Just a lovely wine at this stage. Have a few more bottles. Fruits are soft, dill well in the back, cigar box perhaps predominant. Even better in the second night. Very drinkable and versatile. Almost silky. I need to be buying more from this house. Very happy to have cellared.
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Smooth, full and complex. Soft fruit, spice and umami. Tannins are there but well integrated. Love its versatility. Pairs beautifully with so many dishes. It has been a pleasure to share this wine’s journey.
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Superb again. Note from a year ago still applies. “Soft fruit, umami, spice and touch of oak. Complex and elegant.” An hour in a decanter and it was ready. Cork broke on extraction, Ah-so on next bottle.
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Bright purple-red. Loved the nose with a red-fruited, smoky, spicy, pot pourri elegance. Wonderful tension on the palate with everything in perfect harmony. More red fruit than dark and a long creamy finish. Wow! Kept evolving and changing over the course of several hours until the bottle was finished. Hope the remaining bottles in the case are this good.
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Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty, slightly dusty, savoury, vanilla extract over ripe red and black hued fruits, a little cream cheese note. The fruit and oak gain weight in the glass on the nose with time. Juicy medium plus acidity, ripe fruit, alcohol warmth, balanced, harmonious, still very primary and rather lovely.
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Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Baked strawberry, the vanilla more subdued here, sweet spice, tobacco leaf, vanilla grows with time as does the tobacco leaf note. Juicy, spiced, still a bit young for me, strawberry fruit, tight tannins, yum but time.
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Super delicious. Blackberries, cherry, thyme, meat juice, lavender, licorice, a vibrant acidity, "fleshy tannins" and a small "medicinal note" (I mean that in a positive sense". This one will cruise nicely in the cellar for at least a decade.
This bottle really sings tonight. Cheers!
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a great textbook rioja. plum, savory herbs, some gamey meat, cacao, leather, coconut with husk. tannin structure still very much there still, with some decent acidity but all in balance with the other elements. this is built to go the distance. happy i opened this tonight but probably would have been even more excited in 5-10 years.
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Inky, opaque purple. No browning at all. Roasted meat, cassis, plum, black fruits, resin. The palate has strong black olive, cocoa, sweet spices, crunchy ripe black fruits. Plum, black berries and cherries. All fruit now. Very young and primary but such a joy to drink. Very easy, approachable, and juicy although it is a bit dense. Soft tannins. Surprised to see 14% alcohol but the wine is so beautifully balanced you don't notice it at all. Great length. Long life ahead for this but so enjoyable at this stage. Brilliant, complex, and outstanding.
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A reminder of the great QPR offered by Spanish grand reserves. Mouth coating tannins that support blackberry and saddle flavors. Just a great expression of Rioja.
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Coravin fun - Leoville Barton & new arrivals (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dense smelling, red and black fruits; berries especially, slight vanilla, a little chocolate and caramel, sweet spices. Slightly meaty notes and black tea join the growing fruit on the nose with time. Juicy, savoury, red and black fruits (berries backed by cherries) persist very long with silky tannins that dry the gums, vanilla. Lots going on, all of it good. Really lovely.
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A big nose of high toned cherry kernel, American oak, vanilla and tobacco flavours. Later a complex dark blackcurrant and anise nose. Very long finish. Complex nose you can find more and more in as it opens up, and absolutely what I expect from Rioja style. There are some dry tannins that don't detract as there's plenty of soft fruit and wouldn't stop me enjoying a whole bottle to myself! Excellent.
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Cork was dry and cracked. But like previous reviews (especially like the black panther quote) but this is a delicious and silky/seductive wine. Just enough black berry/currant to satisfy but oh so smooth to drink. Drink now. Cheers.
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Jag drack den här flaskan för ett tag sedan och gjorde inga anteckningar, men en finfin flaska var det! Förvånansvärt pigg, röd frukt, men med typiska mogna riojakännetecken som nyanser av läder och thé. Vinet utmärkte sig med sin sömlöshet, sammmetsstruktur och balans. Håller nog i tio år till. 91-92 p.
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I'm nicknaming this the Black Panther. It's dark, elegant, light footed, but rather powerful.
Heady nose from the 30 months of French oak. But only 14% ABV. Boot polish, black fruits, black liquorice, black tea, cinammon, orange flower and creamy mocha goodness. Just irresistible to smell. A dry, but beautifully smooth palate awaits that crescendos into a classic top end Rioja finish, ouzing black forest gateau, dill, black pepper, aniseed and finely grained oak tones.
Beautiful wine.
This gets a Wozza 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me. Drink 2020-2030. Estate grown fruit. 89% Tempranillo, 11% Mazuelo. Decant at least 1 hour.
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Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A little closed with agitation shows red berries, marzipan, dusty sweet spice and sweet vanilla, more of the same in the mouth. A little disjointed; there is a herbaceousness that was not discernible on the nose. Time required I think. Oh, tannins are flour textured and persistent.
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NY Eve tasting of 6 wines: (decanted, back into bottle) Strong complex aromas of coconut, oak, apple tree, earth, tarte tatin and some vegetal notes. Flavours of dark fruit...cherries, and garrigue. Firm and concentrated...full-bodied...well balanced wine. Medium finish. Could age a bit more... Average score from six tasters: 92
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Interesting nose of vanilla, minerals, cedar and dark red fruits. Quite silky and fine on the palate with a deep core of black cherry fruit and wonderful earth and mineral notes. Full but not overripe with good acidity and freshness which leads to a refined finish with notes of cedar spice and snappy licorice. Still very young but very much a crowd-pleaser and a much different (and better) style than old vintages of this wine which I find over-acidified. Tasted with Dalmau who owns the place. 93+
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Wow! Cork was a bit dry when opening up and had to go slow as it was breaking up. But no faults. Decanted for about an hour and a half. Drank over an hour following that and it never flinched or declined. Tannins were very fine. Ripe fruit, cherry pith, prunes, tobacco, anis. Oak was not perfectly integrated. Endless finish. Plenty of depth and life still ahead for this wonderous wine but for my tastes, pretty much at it's peak. Super enjoyable with a perfect balance of primary fruit and secondary complexity. Wish I had bought lots more of this. Paired nicely with braised beef short rib and fried smoked gouda pierogies. Enjoy!
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This wine gets better and better. It needs at least one hour before drinking. If decanted it will grow faster. Refined with soft tannins and excellent finish.
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A refined old-world lady with wheelbarrows-full of rectitude, to accompany its black cherry, orange peel, black tea, and rosy floral finish (which lingered very long). Delightful, and very aromatic.
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This was served blind next to a 2005 Ridge Estate (Cab/Merlot blend). I preferred the Ygay, as it was styled better for my tastes, more rustic and higher acidity.
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2005 MARQUES de MURRIETA CASTILLO YGAY GRAN RESERVA ESPECIAL RIOJA- made only in the best vintages; it had a very youthful vibrant deep purple colour and gave up a blast of super ripe fruit notes including plum, cranberry, and cherry which was enhanced by a sprinkling of ginger, earth and spice; decanting is a must at this stage; made from 90% Temopranillo, 10% Mazuelo [Carinena].
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I had fairly high expectations to this wine as it's meant to be the best this producer has to offer in addition to it being from a top top vintage (on par with '01 and '04). The wine didn't disappoint and was exquisit. The cork was a wee bit dry but stayed together as it popped. I left it in a caraph for 1,5 hours before drinking which it certainly needed as it was initially rather tight and didn't give off a lot on the nose. Developed nicely in the glass. Primarily red fruit on the nose - strawberry, raspberry, cherry but also underlying plum, some oak (not too much), some leather, spices. Lovely integrated tannins which provide structure but doesn't overwhelm. On the taste more cherry, leather, spcies and some vanilla on the aftertaste. Lovely refreshing acidity. The wine was a dream match with lamb. Very classic Rioja, fairly robust and elegant without being heavy. Still I believe it has lots more to offer so will wait 5-7 years before openin the next bottle.
Excellent wine. 90/10 tempranillo Mazuelo. Mostly American oak. Deep cherry, leather, balsamic, cigars, smoke. Oak is evident but not obtrusive. medium bodied. So inviting and easy to guzzle. You just want more and more. Up there with Prado enea and the 890 as one of the best rioja out there. You can fall in love with this now or in 40 years.
This baby still has miles to go. The nose was dark fruits, earth, dust and brined black olives. Atop super grippy tannins, these earthy notes carried forward on to the palate. Well structured and long finishing on day one, some of the secondary aging notes appeared and dominated after it was open 2 days. Not near as pleasant and a surprise given it's showing upon opening.
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Medium red color. Aromas of black cherries, mocha and wood spices. Ripe, fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length and well-integrated tannins and oak. Though still young at 12 years of age, this graceful yet powerful Rioja could improve with another year or two of bottle age.
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Mencia & Rabbit Stew Dinner (Mukilteo, Washington): This had a fabulous, balanced and elegant bouquet of blackberry, plum, mocha, cocoa, tobacco and spice aromas. The palate was rich, elegant, beautifully structured and dry with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, mocha, toast, and spice. It was the group’s WOTN with an average score of 93.50.
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Sublime. A thick waft of cherry, but the wine is still a little closed. Oozes class and finesse, and 28 people averaged it a 9/10. Needs time, in the glass and no doubt in the cellar
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A big nose of high toned cherry kernel, American oak, vanilla and tobacco flavours, Very long finish. Complex but little unbalanced with loads of medium tannins overtaking the fruit. Could improve in time.
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n the nose, intoxicating like a bag of overripe cherries sitting in a musty, oak paneled basement where your grandpa smoked 50 years worth of cigars. On the palate, luscious and silky, with the cherry component counterbalanced by the resiny quality of the oak, which feels like chewing on an ice cream stick. Tannins are soft and fuzzy. An insane wine.
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WOTN amongst 4 very strong wines...floral and tobacco aromas, with plum and soy flavors when tasted. Feels like it is still evolving - but drinking very well
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If you're in the mood for a big, lush, rich, oaked Rioja, this fits the bill. Easy one to PnP and please many palates. The oak has mostly integrated. Good balance. Will improve for at least several years.
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After 2 hours' slow decanting (I just opened it and let it sit in a cool place) I poured. Somewhat pale, less saturated garnet color made me suspicious. Nose showed little character. On palate, it's medium bodied, just a little note of berries, oak, and boiled egg. Medium length finish. It's not a bad wine but definitely no charm there. Some others rated it highly and I would agree it is true. Mine is not that good maybe because It was too cold when delivered, I am not sure. It arrived on a very cold day (-14˚C) and the bottle was -5˚C. Of course it was not frozen at the temperature but it may have influenced the character at least a little. I will try it again some time later.
Beautiful color and nose. Wonderful balance, flavors of cherries, tannin, caramel, and rosemary. Nice, long finish. Best if decanted, and served at 65 to 67 degrees.
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Dense, opaque garnet. Huge, dark fruit but with significant backing tannins. Has a racy undertone that indicates aging ability. Remarkably powerful and dense for a Rioja, but still has the underlying brightness and length to improve for years. At this point, it needs substantial time to integrate. A lot of baby fat now.
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Dense and unyielding. It may be 11 years old, but it is not expressing its full weight. Thick fruit with serious interwoven wood and hints of herbs and smoked meat. I would try this again in a few years. It drinks fine now, but it isn't expressive.
I drank the 2004 La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva recently, and felt that wine drank overwhelmingly better than this wine.
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This wine is classic Rioja in every sense. The terroir, acid, tannin and the fruit is outstanding, especially if you open early and give it time in the glass to open up. Dark fruit, cherry and something I couldn't quite pinpoint but it's a spice/herbal quality that we really enjoyed. I'm glad I have a handful of these left. This wine is complex.
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Monday night Blinds at Home (Home (Noe st)): Medium minus ruby to a garnet rim. Beautiful and savory nose of dill pickle chips!, dusty leather, dried cranberries. Rich, ripe, and compelling. Estery. In the mouth, vibrant and yet elegant with age and softened by oxidation. There's fruit, but seen through dusty stained-glass. A bit dusty fruit. Medium bodied. Elevated alcohol - 14%(correct) Elevated acid. Medium tannins - softened and tissue-paper like.
It’s produced from a blend of 89% Tempranillo and 11% Mazuelo The Tempranillo ages in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo in French ones, both for a period of 30 months
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Deductive Tasting (Blind) (Rajiv's House, San Francisco): Medium-deep ruby color; aromatic with green, bell pepper, earth; palate is medium-full bodied, medium-plus tannins, medium-plus acidity, alcohol 14.5; finish has moderate persistence, slightly overripe fruit. Initially strikes me as cabernet franc, though that is mostly old world and the alcohol seems a bit high. Could be Cabernet Sauvignon from a ruler climate: Australia, New Zealand, South America? Tempranillo or Sangiovese? 89 After reveal, the bell pepper was probably the dill from American oak. Good wine overall. 89-90
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@home Impression of dried cranberries, some leather and earth, and slight vanilla. Fruit driven with nice tart acidity and a dusting of tannins. Some elegance but a bit exuberant and fruity.
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Tasted in magnum at a dinner, after 3+hrs decant. Bold but still mellow and elegant. Red fruits, cassis and earthy aromas. A fat almost creamy mouth feel, with evolving notes including vanilla, tobacco and dark fruits. Round tannins. Great tension and quite long finish. Very young but definitely approachable now. Have given almost every wine of the night 92p so I will rate this up to 93 to show that it stood out the most and will race to a significantly higher score 6-10 years from now (at least in this format).
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Yummy stuff, very much a masculine wine. This wine has that aged La Rioja funk on nose and palate that we love; giving this wine a bit of gaminess that went great with our charcoal grilled duck breast. Still has youthful fruit of ripe creamy black raspberry that play nicely with raspberry honey glaze on the duck breast. The black pepper, cedar and tool belt leather mid-palate melded with harmonic precision into a light tannic lengthy finish that carries the sweetness of the fruit.
Grapes coming from La Plana vineyard with vines over 80 years old. Blend of 89% Tempranillo with 11% Mazuelo. Aged for 30 months in 225 liter oak barrels and a further 36 months in bottle before its release. Dark ruby colour with purple highlights. Mix of black cherry and black mulberry fruit with lots of black pepper notes as well as leather and wet leaves. Rich, supple, velvety and very classy.
Intoxicating nose of oak, vanilla, and red berries on open, no much on the palate. Then let decant for 5 hrs. Got better, but seemed disjointed, very acidic. Agree with prior comment that this is a more new world Rioja....unfortunately, I like old school
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DHWine. Cherry red wine with pink salmon edges. Nose: leather and red berries. A fantastic and well-rounded wine, smooth spicy notes, with or without food (tasted with blue cheese, sun-dried peppers, Spanish tortilla, ham and cured meat sausage).
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Sickly oaky coconut sticks out tremendously on opening, and only really integrates after extended aeration. Silky entry, medium-bodied ripe tannins, coconut and prune, wonderful length.
Good quality, however get a sense that this is very "new-world" in style...far from what I would perceive as "traditional". Oak has not been judiciously used, remains to be seen how it integrates.
Again, still needs another 5 years before approaching peak.
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Dark plums, graphite on the nose. Moderately effusive nose. Lovely sweet fruit on entry; firm tannins on the midpalate; dark plums, vanillin. Medium+ bodied. Long finish. Leave for another 5 years before retrying.
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Moins fin que sur 2001 dans sa forme actuelle, mais également un peu plus jeune au même âge. Du fruit rouge sombre bien mur qui offre complexité, fraîcheur et bonne mâche sans lourdeur indue. De style traditionnel pour la région, mais semble plus moderne que le 2001 possiblement en raison du millésime. Énorme augmentation de prix sur ce millésime, je passe. 91+?
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Dark ruby but translucent. Big cherry, jam, cigar box aromas initially. Took about an hour to open. Then out came the plums and more cherry, chocolate, cigar paper with a bit of cinnamon and leather. It changed quite beautifully. The texture was rounded creamy and opulent. It struck me as sweet. As the flavours slowly disappeared the tannins became dryer, more like wood chips than bark. Very satisfying.
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In its infancy, of course, still very raw young fruit and chewy American oak present, but it seems like it's all there. Maybe more dense and less bold than the 04? But I think it will be delicious.
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Opened and decanted for an hour. Probably needed more air in hindsight. Very classic Rioja notes. Tobacco. Vanilla. Pretty lean body. Finish is medium to medium plus.
Overall a little disjointed. Some powerful flavors, but just didn't seem like a super integrated wine right now. Of course, was also up against some stiff competition from Napa cabs on this night, so that may have been a disservice to it.
Not sure how crazy I am about this on QPR. If revisiting soon, would decant longer (4 hours?). Or wait to see what the future holds.
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I always liked this bodega - for me one of the top Riojas. Red fruits, forest floor, vanilla - it still is so very young - great balance, will keep 20+ years no doubt.
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Very good Rioja. Even at 11 years of age it still seemed quite young. Needed a good hour being opened before it revealed its full flavors. Was much lighter bodied (medium bodied) than the color would suggest. Very light on fruit flavors with a nice mix of tobacco and leather on the palate. Paired very well with our steak dinner.
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Wines With A View (Capitol Grille Tasting Event) (The Spire): Ahh, I was so glad to see this at the tasting because I have been wanting to try this classic Rioja. Mashed cherries, hints of oak, and saddle leather on the nose. Mouthfeel is lighter bodied and totally old school. Fine, prickly tannins. Tobacco/lit cigar undertones. Great leather and atavistic flavors; I’m hesitant to label them as Brett or barnyard because they are so subtle and classy. Textbook old-school Rioja with plenty of complexity.
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Medium body that punches above its weight, graceful texture, cherry-orange, Asian spice, hint of anise. Beautifully balanced, formal, expansive, gets deeper and more profound as it warms to room temperature in the glass. It's tempranillo, so refreshing acidity isn't a drawback of youth IMO. Drinking well now and in the future.
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I've come to realize I really love this old-school style of Rioja. Nose is full of Spain, vanilla, dill, butter, together with a little burned wood, dried fruit, fennel and a little barnyard. Medium acidity, medium(-) body, round and slender. There's some tannins here, but they are quite fine. Good intensity and length. Not a big wine, but elegant and absolutely brilliant! WOTN for me!
A few others seemed to like it as well, as it was one of few bottles that was emptied.
Not at all as big and fruity as I remembered it from last time I tasted it, about a year ago. But the company this time around were a lot more heavier, with a 15% Priorat on its right side and a Roda I on its left side.
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Drank at a local wine bar. Plum and currant flavours balanced with medium tannins and low acidity. After the taste, Some smoke forrest floors aroma are hinting in the background. a bit tight which Im sure will improve in the next 5-8 years. Will try again in 3-5 years when the tannins have smoothed out and the flavours become more complex.
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Medium/dark-red and clear in the glass. Appealing nose of eucalyptus, cherry, vanilla and smoky oak. Cherry, menthol, and tobacco on the palate. Mouth-puckering tannins and powerful acidity. Long menthol, tobacco finish.
This is a nicely balanced Gran Reserva Rioja. There are some that are oak-driven, and others more fruit-driven. I think this 2005 Castillo Ygay represents a balance between oak and fruit. Good now and should only get better.....
2nd Bottle 2/7/15 : I enjoyed this bottle even more than the first one. This time I found the wine to be concentrated with more red and black fruit. Very fine tannins. Wonderful and extravagant flavor profile, asian spices. 94-95pts.
5/3/2015: 3rd bottle: Very exotic. Coconut, Chocolate, Asian spice, black cherry. Complex, and extremely well-balanced with respect to tannins, acid, and alcohol. Magnificent bottle. This after 2 days open in a corked decanter.
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Dark garnet with medium viscosity in the glass. Nose of candied plum, stewed red fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar, camphor, olive and mushroom. Med-full body with loads of plum, red and black fruit initially. Vanilla, earth and licorice too. At two hours in it was showing SQN-like (candied menthol), but the fruit faded after three hours and it became an earthy mess after four hours. Long finish that thinned-out with time.
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Drank at Rivera Los Angeles with a plate of beautiful Jamon Iberico and homemade toast. Way to young and incredibly tight but drinkable after a few hour decant. A surprisingly modern style with plenty of new oak, vanilla, and black fruit.
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Young fruity aromas ofsour cherries, roses, toasted oak. Seems light on the palate with elegant and ripe tannins. Great balance and rewards a higher scoring than most at this event. My favorite of the wines tonight.
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Big time oak, smoke, leather and dark fruit on the nose. Interesting celery streak on the palate with cedar and mustard seed. Definite oak, but i like it. I worry about how this will age, but it's nice now.
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Wow, this is heady good stuff. That rich smell of old wood comes straight out of the glass, coupled with smoke, meats, campire, wet black earth and roasted black peppercorns. Yes, there is fruit in there too. Is it modern? I guess there is a sense of powerful extraction going on, but I don't feel like there is too much new oak on the front smells or on the back of the palate. Very youthful, I'll try and drink it over the next fifty years as its one of my son's birth years.
Murrieta in Madrid - New vintages (Restaurante La Cabra - Madrid): Perfectly ready nose. Fruitier than ever following the vintage. Little alcoholic yet any disturb. Maybe a bit short in the mouth if we're looking for any defect. Dense and concentrated at this point. In any case over extracted.
Nariz totalmente lista. Más afrutado que nunca continuadora de la añada. Un poco alcohólica aunque sin molestar. Quizás un poco cortita en boca buscando decir algún defecto. Vino denso y concentrado ahora mismo. En ningún caso sobre extractado.
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Dark core, almost purple with thin rim, looking very youthful. Nose is quite reticent, black fruits eventually coming through with some balsamic notes too. The palate is black cherry, medium body, some spice, with drying but integrated tannins. Long, warming finish, perhaps the alcohol showing a little. This wine was part of Rioja tasting and was universally the least liked of the five wines tasted blind. I think this is still much too young and needs a few more years to integrate the constituent parts.
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#BYOB - This wine is as impersonal as a young douche bag with too much complex perfume aromas. However, given the appropriate time and care it will evolve in to a rich, complex and delicious wine. Douche bag metaphors aside, this wine was well balanced high in fruit, tannins and bitterness that will only gain in complexity and excellence over time.
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Deep red, somewhat compact colour. Big but somewhat sweetish nose with blackberries, dark cherries, some raspberries, noticeably flowery, hints of eucalyptus, some animal notes with well integrated oak. Palate with powerful concentration, ripe dark cherries, blackberries, noticeable spice with medium(+) tannins, some animal notes, aftertaste with sweet berries, good acidity and some tannins. Drinkable now, but can definitely be cellared and probably gain from it, 91 p. A classy wine, but in terms of classical Rioja perhaps more in the style of a Reserva with its focus on berry aromas, and it seems to originate from a ripe and sweet vintage.
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Tasted at the 2013 New York Wine Experience Burgundy red color, touch of brown at the edge; fresh nose. Quite tannic on palate, other wise nice and polished. Far from ready. Not quite sure it is absolutely my style..
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4/6/2024 - MikaK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just great wine. Licorice, mocha, vanilla and black fruits. Wine is smooth and balanced with integrated, polished tannins and long long finish. Maybe turning to the end of window
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2/10/2024 - flussier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Robe bourgogne ambrée. Nez charmeur, en bouche, arômes beurre, vanille et boisé. Rond, tannin souple et assez sec. Décanté 30min dans le verre. À mon gout, la barrique est trop présente. Un grand vin, mais peut-être plus dans ma palette.
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10/16/2023 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Decant and tasted soon after. Cedar and spice nose. Quiet tannins. Fruit has mellowed. Silky, smooth palate and a long finish.
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9/9/2023 - Spth115 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very special Rioja (18 years old). Aeration and decanted and rested for 3 hours. Very dry (but smooth) upfront, but then the fruit came out and it was delicious. Enjoyed with beef and vegetables.
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9/9/2023 - Winnje Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 45 min before, cork broke, but tastes amazing, licorice, cherry, vanilla, dille, cigar box, fresh shaven wood, herbs
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1/14/2023 - chatters wrote:
Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. Savoury, concentrated, a little vanilla and ripe red fruits, initially with a touch of meat and balsam. With time ripe strawberry joins these, plenty of vanilla and a touch of coconut, a little dill. Juicy, red fruits, sweet spice, vanilla, a little savoury underpin, alcohol warmth, a touch of almost hard greenness. Tannins are dying, mouth filling though quite silky, long, very long in fact, palate nicer than the nose.
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12/10/2022 - Campelo Filho Likes this wine: 97 Points
A really great wine.
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4/26/2022 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
Another superb bottle. Previous notes still apply. Need to remember to use Ah So on these. Corks have frequently broken.
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4/8/2022 - hkbob Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consistent with my notes of 18 Dec 2020. This bottle was utterly compelling and the wine is likely at is apogee now. Rioja just doesn't get much better for me.
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4/1/2022 - Biggsy wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind in week four of Blind.Faith’s blind-tasting competition: two reds from the same region. I was nowhere near getting this (nor were many people in the competition with only 2 from 26 going for Rioja). I went for a very impressive Barbaresco with a few years age. So not really close anywhere :-) What I tasted: Ruby red, with a tiny bit of bricking on the rim. The nose is dense with tarry black fruits, maybe a little floral lift. Maybe a touch of wood coming through but not much. The palate is stunningly good; long, velvety and powerful with bright fruit and a hit of expensive tasting oak. A hit of wholemeal toast on the long, long finish. Excellent wine.
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1/15/2022 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Only needed 45 minutes of decant time. Deep red fruits very ripe but not jammy and some black fruits. Very smooth. A little dried herbs, touch of spice, and sweet Oak.
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12/22/2021 - jdporter3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hard to add much to the other comments. Just a lovely wine at this stage. Have a few more bottles. Fruits are soft, dill well in the back, cigar box perhaps predominant. Even better in the second night. Very drinkable and versatile. Almost silky. I need to be buying more from this house. Very happy to have cellared.
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11/16/2021 - tantotinto wrote: 95 Points
Best bottle yet which is saying something in this case. Soft mellow fruit, spice and cigar box predominate but there is so much more.
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9/27/2021 - Raizes Likes this wine: 94 Points
黑樱桃、李子和黑莓,甜美的香草奶昔,搭配同样香甜的雪茄和弗吉尼亚烟草气息,充分展现了成熟浓郁状态下的Rioja经典香气。进度适中的层次变化,良好的酸度和正变得柔顺的单宁,让整体饱满圆润的风格呈现出更多的动态美,并在杯中的演化进程中偶尔露出一抹促狭鲜活的坏笑。
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9/9/2021 - putter520 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sublime
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6/1/2021 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
Smooth, full and complex. Soft fruit, spice and umami. Tannins are there but well integrated. Love its versatility. Pairs beautifully with so many dishes. It has been a pleasure to share this wine’s journey.
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3/8/2021 - Julie Lampe Likes this wine:
Deep ruby color.
On the nose: Dark Cherry, clay, vanilla, baking spice, heavy cream, blackberry cobbler
Flavors of Cherry, blackberries, vanilla, tobacco, and a hint of cocoa
Full-bodied, moderate acidity, balanced tannins that provide good structure and produce a well balanced wine.
Very good, one of the best wines I’ve had and definitely the best Rioja.
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2/6/2021 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nez complexe d'arômes balsamiques et floraux : caoutchouc, toasté, fraise, épices, chèvrefeuille, sucre d'orge...merveilleux ! Un vin équilibré, harmonieux, fruité, rond, étagé, onctueux. Longue finale...chaude. Superbe ! 95+
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1/18/2021 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
Superb again. Note from a year ago still applies. “Soft fruit, umami, spice and touch of oak. Complex and elegant.” An hour in a decanter and it was ready. Cork broke on extraction, Ah-so on next bottle.
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12/18/2020 - hkbob Likes this wine: 97 Points
Bright purple-red. Loved the nose with a red-fruited, smoky, spicy, pot pourri elegance. Wonderful tension on the palate with everything in perfect harmony. More red fruit than dark and a long creamy finish. Wow! Kept evolving and changing over the course of several hours until the bottle was finished. Hope the remaining bottles in the case are this good.
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11/30/2020 - cpost Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful right now, can't wait to see what a few more years will do.
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10/9/2020 - chatters wrote:
Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty, slightly dusty, savoury, vanilla extract over ripe red and black hued fruits, a little cream cheese note. The fruit and oak gain weight in the glass on the nose with time. Juicy medium plus acidity, ripe fruit, alcohol warmth, balanced, harmonious, still very primary and rather lovely.
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8/26/2020 - stevenc.rees@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb. Great balance and style. Very highly recommended if you can find some. Drink or hold, but go ahead - open a bottle.
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8/25/2020 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Took a couple of hours to open up but superb once it did.
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7/14/2020 - chatters wrote:
Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Baked strawberry, the vanilla more subdued here, sweet spice, tobacco leaf, vanilla grows with time as does the tobacco leaf note. Juicy, spiced, still a bit young for me, strawberry fruit, tight tannins, yum but time.
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5/23/2020 - DerSchonWieder Likes this wine: 98 Points
Super delicious. Blackberries, cherry, thyme, meat juice, lavender, licorice, a vibrant acidity, "fleshy tannins" and a small "medicinal note" (I mean that in a positive sense". This one will cruise nicely in the cellar for at least a decade.
This bottle really sings tonight. Cheers!
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5/22/2020 - tunaguy Likes this wine: 94 Points
a great textbook rioja. plum, savory herbs, some gamey meat, cacao, leather, coconut with husk. tannin structure still very much there still, with some decent acidity but all in balance with the other elements. this is built to go the distance. happy i opened this tonight but probably would have been even more excited in 5-10 years.
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4/12/2020 - winesteward Likes this wine: 94 Points
Inky, opaque purple. No browning at all. Roasted meat, cassis, plum, black fruits, resin. The palate has strong black olive, cocoa, sweet spices, crunchy ripe black fruits. Plum, black berries and cherries. All fruit now. Very young and primary but such a joy to drink. Very easy, approachable, and juicy although it is a bit dense. Soft tannins. Surprised to see 14% alcohol but the wine is so beautifully balanced you don't notice it at all. Great length. Long life ahead for this but so enjoyable at this stage. Brilliant, complex, and outstanding.
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4/3/2020 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
A reminder of the great QPR offered by Spanish grand reserves. Mouth coating tannins that support blackberry and saddle flavors. Just a great expression of Rioja.
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3/8/2020 - stbraunt Likes this wine: 92 Points
BIG flavor. A lot going on here... jammy, a little tart, a little sweet, dark fruit flavor, long finish. Really good bottle.
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2/29/2020 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Leoville Barton & new arrivals (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dense smelling, red and black fruits; berries especially, slight vanilla, a little chocolate and caramel, sweet spices. Slightly meaty notes and black tea join the growing fruit on the nose with time. Juicy, savoury, red and black fruits (berries backed by cherries) persist very long with silky tannins that dry the gums, vanilla. Lots going on, all of it good. Really lovely.
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12/12/2019 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
This is superb tonight. Soft fruit, umami, spice and touch of oak. Complex and elegant. A beautiful wine.
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9/23/2019 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
A big nose of high toned cherry kernel, American oak, vanilla and tobacco flavours. Later a complex dark blackcurrant and anise nose. Very long finish. Complex nose you can find more and more in as it opens up, and absolutely what I expect from Rioja style. There are some dry tannins that don't detract as there's plenty of soft fruit and wouldn't stop me enjoying a whole bottle to myself! Excellent.
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6/15/2019 - Escher Cellars wrote: 93 Points
Cork was dry and cracked. But like previous reviews (especially like the black panther quote) but this is a delicious and silky/seductive wine. Just enough black berry/currant to satisfy but oh so smooth to drink. Drink now. Cheers.
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6/2/2019 - Conde Likes this wine: 91 Points
Jag drack den här flaskan för ett tag sedan och gjorde inga anteckningar, men en finfin flaska var det! Förvånansvärt pigg, röd frukt, men med typiska mogna riojakännetecken som nyanser av läder och thé. Vinet utmärkte sig med sin sömlöshet, sammmetsstruktur och balans. Håller nog i tio år till. 91-92 p.
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2/23/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour. This is singing now. Medium-bodied palate with dark fruit, black tea, Asian spices. Everyone enjoyed it.
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2/11/2019 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderfully expressive.
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2/1/2019 - Wozza Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm nicknaming this the Black Panther. It's dark, elegant, light footed, but rather powerful.
Heady nose from the 30 months of French oak. But only 14% ABV. Boot polish, black fruits, black liquorice, black tea, cinammon, orange flower and creamy mocha goodness. Just irresistible to smell. A dry, but beautifully smooth palate awaits that crescendos into a classic top end Rioja finish, ouzing black forest gateau, dill, black pepper, aniseed and finely grained oak tones.
Beautiful wine.
This gets a Wozza 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me. Drink 2020-2030. Estate grown fruit. 89% Tempranillo, 11% Mazuelo. Decant at least 1 hour.
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1/31/2019 - chatters wrote:
Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A little closed with agitation shows red berries, marzipan, dusty sweet spice and sweet vanilla, more of the same in the mouth. A little disjointed; there is a herbaceousness that was not discernible on the nose. Time required I think. Oh, tannins are flour textured and persistent.
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12/31/2018 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 92 Points
NY Eve tasting of 6 wines: (decanted, back into bottle) Strong complex aromas of coconut, oak, apple tree, earth, tarte tatin and some vegetal notes. Flavours of dark fruit...cherries, and garrigue. Firm and concentrated...full-bodied...well balanced wine. Medium finish. Could age a bit more... Average score from six tasters: 92
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12/1/2018 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Dark red, served bit too cold, lush & creamy, round & plush, always well made these Ygays!
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10/22/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
Interesting nose of vanilla, minerals, cedar and dark red fruits. Quite silky and fine on the palate with a deep core of black cherry fruit and wonderful earth and mineral notes. Full but not overripe with good acidity and freshness which leads to a refined finish with notes of cedar spice and snappy licorice. Still very young but very much a crowd-pleaser and a much different (and better) style than old vintages of this wine which I find over-acidified. Tasted with Dalmau who owns the place. 93+
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10/7/2018 - filipanadian wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Cork was a bit dry when opening up and had to go slow as it was breaking up. But no faults. Decanted for about an hour and a half. Drank over an hour following that and it never flinched or declined. Tannins were very fine. Ripe fruit, cherry pith, prunes, tobacco, anis. Oak was not perfectly integrated. Endless finish. Plenty of depth and life still ahead for this wonderous wine but for my tastes, pretty much at it's peak. Super enjoyable with a perfect balance of primary fruit and secondary complexity. Wish I had bought lots more of this. Paired nicely with braised beef short rib and fried smoked gouda pierogies. Enjoy!
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9/28/2018 - PeterjW Likes this wine: 93 Points
rich full bodied with nicely balanced tannins and a long finish
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9/20/2018 - LFCHALA wrote: 91 Points
Novo e estilo moderno
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4/20/2018 - Torchy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Onklers Grand Cru Tasting Spring 2018; 4/20/2018-4/22/2018 (Tord): Dark black red. Looks very young. Delicious and full nose with dark fruit. Strong taste, dark fruit with hints of leather and some black currant.
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4/11/2018 - ve23 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blind tasting on April 11, 2018 (Tornano, Moscow): 93/100
Toffee and caramel, it immediately boasts its region’s sweetness and blazing heat. Sweet licorice and berry pie.
In a blind set all I could say - can it be Spain? Well, it can.
Good value for money, though I now prefer wines of higher finesse and less boldness.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
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3/31/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
consistent with notes of 6/25/2016 - all noticed with very spicy profile and enjoyed.
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3/31/2018 - pvmaanen Likes this wine:
This wine gets better and better. It needs at least one hour before drinking. If decanted it will grow faster. Refined with soft tannins and excellent finish.
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3/10/2018 - Swaggering Beaunie Likes this wine:
A refined old-world lady with wheelbarrows-full of rectitude, to accompany its black cherry, orange peel, black tea, and rosy floral finish (which lingered very long). Delightful, and very aromatic.
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1/27/2018 - AndreRibeiroChaves Likes this wine: 95 Points
Medium body, lively pleasant acidity, smooth tannins, mediu finish. Black fruit, vanilla and leather.
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9/10/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This was served blind next to a 2005 Ridge Estate (Cab/Merlot blend). I preferred the Ygay, as it was styled better for my tastes, more rustic and higher acidity.
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9/10/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club (FMIII in the OC): Blind. Guessed a right bank cabernet franc.
Nose was a bit muted. Very good acid foundation. Touch of mocha and interesting oak. Good mouthfeel. Nice.
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7/7/2017 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 93 Points
2005 MARQUES de MURRIETA CASTILLO YGAY GRAN RESERVA ESPECIAL RIOJA- made only in the best vintages; it had a very youthful vibrant deep purple colour and gave up a blast of super ripe fruit notes including plum, cranberry, and cherry which was enhanced by a sprinkling of ginger, earth and spice; decanting is a must at this stage; made from 90% Temopranillo, 10% Mazuelo [Carinena].
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5/25/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
consistent with notes of 6/25/2016 - not as nuanced as the Cos we had before but just as powerful and tasty
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4/23/2017 - kosdogger Likes this wine: 95 Points
Second time having this wine and once again, it was a slam dunk, triple double wine. It has a long life ahead but was incredible on this occasion.
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4/15/2017 - jrh82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had fairly high expectations to this wine as it's meant to be the best this producer has to offer in addition to it being from a top top vintage (on par with '01 and '04). The wine didn't disappoint and was exquisit. The cork was a wee bit dry but stayed together as it popped. I left it in a caraph for 1,5 hours before drinking which it certainly needed as it was initially rather tight and didn't give off a lot on the nose. Developed nicely in the glass. Primarily red fruit on the nose - strawberry, raspberry, cherry but also underlying plum, some oak (not too much), some leather, spices. Lovely integrated tannins which provide structure but doesn't overwhelm. On the taste more cherry, leather, spcies and some vanilla on the aftertaste. Lovely refreshing acidity. The wine was a dream match with lamb. Very classic Rioja, fairly robust and elegant without being heavy. Still I believe it has lots more to offer so will wait 5-7 years before openin the next bottle.
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3/27/2017 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent wine. 90/10 tempranillo Mazuelo. Mostly American oak. Deep cherry, leather, balsamic, cigars, smoke. Oak is evident but not obtrusive. medium bodied. So inviting and easy to guzzle. You just want more and more. Up there with Prado enea and the 890 as one of the best rioja out there. You can fall in love with this now or in 40 years.
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2/11/2017 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine: 91 Points
This baby still has miles to go. The nose was dark fruits, earth, dust and brined black olives. Atop super grippy tannins, these earthy notes carried forward on to the palate. Well structured and long finishing on day one, some of the secondary aging notes appeared and dominated after it was open 2 days. Not near as pleasant and a surprise given it's showing upon opening.
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1/16/2017 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium red color. Aromas of black cherries, mocha and wood spices. Ripe, fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length and well-integrated tannins and oak. Though still young at 12 years of age, this graceful yet powerful Rioja could improve with another year or two of bottle age.
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1/5/2017 - Nedo Geppetto wrote: 90 Points
I don't get it all these great ratings. For the price a total disappointment. It's ok, but no where near 90 bucks worth.
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11/27/2016 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 94 Points
excellent, balanced, smooth, good acidity, minerality, certainly worth buying
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11/5/2016 - FrancoisC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bouchon cassé, mais quel excellent vin!
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10/29/2016 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mencia & Rabbit Stew Dinner (Mukilteo, Washington): This had a fabulous, balanced and elegant bouquet of blackberry, plum, mocha, cocoa, tobacco and spice aromas. The palate was rich, elegant, beautifully structured and dry with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, mocha, toast, and spice. It was the group’s WOTN with an average score of 93.50.
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9/15/2016 - CGM wrote: 94 Points
Decant for two hours, opened nicely. Amazing nose, medium finish. Great Rioja out of top vintage.
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7/21/2016 - Eclipse1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sublime. A thick waft of cherry, but the wine is still a little closed. Oozes class and finesse, and 28 people averaged it a 9/10. Needs time, in the glass and no doubt in the cellar
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7/16/2016 - wineforth Likes this wine: 92 Points
A big nose of high toned cherry kernel, American oak, vanilla and tobacco flavours, Very long finish. Complex but little unbalanced with loads of medium tannins overtaking the fruit. Could improve in time.
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7/10/2016 - CondorKhan wrote: 94 Points
n the nose, intoxicating like a bag of overripe cherries sitting in a musty, oak paneled basement where your grandpa smoked 50 years worth of cigars. On the palate, luscious and silky, with the cherry component counterbalanced by the resiny quality of the oak, which feels like chewing on an ice cream stick. Tannins are soft and fuzzy. An insane wine.
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6/25/2016 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOTN amongst 4 very strong wines...floral and tobacco aromas, with plum and soy flavors when tasted. Feels like it is still evolving - but drinking very well
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6/24/2016 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deliscious, lush, big, balanced. Excellent.
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4/23/2016 - DarinC Likes this wine: 92 Points
If you're in the mood for a big, lush, rich, oaked Rioja, this fits the bill. Easy one to PnP and please many palates. The oak has mostly integrated. Good balance. Will improve for at least several years.
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2/14/2016 - Tocororo wrote: 93 Points
Great complexity, long finish. Excellent food wine
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2/13/2016 - Bsfoakdale wrote: 94 Points
A great Rioja. Just got better as the evening went on.
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2/7/2016 - fotomill Does not like this wine: 87 Points
After 2 hours' slow decanting (I just opened it and let it sit in a cool place) I poured. Somewhat pale, less saturated garnet color made me suspicious. Nose showed little character. On palate, it's medium bodied, just a little note of berries, oak, and boiled egg. Medium length finish. It's not a bad wine but definitely no charm there. Some others rated it highly and I would agree it is true. Mine is not that good maybe because It was too cold when delivered, I am not sure. It arrived on a very cold day (-14˚C) and the bottle was -5˚C. Of course it was not frozen at the temperature but it may have influenced the character at least a little. I will try it again some time later.
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2/7/2016 - jkbrawley wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful color and nose. Wonderful balance, flavors of cherries, tannin, caramel, and rosemary. Nice, long finish. Best if decanted, and served at 65 to 67 degrees.
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1/16/2016 - aChave wrote: 94 Points
Dense, opaque garnet. Huge, dark fruit but with significant backing tannins. Has a racy undertone that indicates aging ability. Remarkably powerful and dense for a Rioja, but still has the underlying brightness and length to improve for years. At this point, it needs substantial time to integrate. A lot of baby fat now.
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1/11/2016 - rmalloy wrote: 90 Points
Dense and unyielding. It may be 11 years old, but it is not expressing its full weight. Thick fruit with serious interwoven wood and hints of herbs and smoked meat. I would try this again in a few years. It drinks fine now, but it isn't expressive.
I drank the 2004 La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva recently, and felt that wine drank overwhelmingly better than this wine.
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12/24/2015 - bkmt Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is classic Rioja in every sense. The terroir, acid, tannin and the fruit is outstanding, especially if you open early and give it time in the glass to open up. Dark fruit, cherry and something I couldn't quite pinpoint but it's a spice/herbal quality that we really enjoyed. I'm glad I have a handful of these left. This wine is complex.
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12/7/2015 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
Very young! Very fragrant! Refine and smooth! Full of flavor! A very skillful wine making! A very classy wine! But it is a little bit heavy to me!
Christmas Wine Tasting (BB&R)
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11/30/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 91 Points
Monday night Blinds at Home (Home (Noe st)): Medium minus ruby to a garnet rim.
Beautiful and savory nose of dill pickle chips!, dusty leather, dried cranberries. Rich, ripe, and compelling. Estery.
In the mouth, vibrant and yet elegant with age and softened by oxidation. There's fruit, but seen through dusty stained-glass. A bit dusty fruit.
Medium bodied.
Elevated alcohol - 14%(correct)
Elevated acid.
Medium tannins - softened and tissue-paper like.
It’s produced from a blend of 89% Tempranillo and 11% Mazuelo
The Tempranillo ages in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo in French ones, both for a period of 30 months
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11/30/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
Deductive Tasting (Blind) (Rajiv's House, San Francisco): Medium-deep ruby color; aromatic with green, bell pepper, earth; palate is medium-full bodied, medium-plus tannins, medium-plus acidity, alcohol 14.5; finish has moderate persistence, slightly overripe fruit. Initially strikes me as cabernet franc, though that is mostly old world and the alcohol seems a bit high. Could be Cabernet Sauvignon from a ruler climate: Australia, New Zealand, South America? Tempranillo or Sangiovese? 89
After reveal, the bell pepper was probably the dill from American oak. Good wine overall. 89-90
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11/22/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
@home
Impression of dried cranberries, some leather and earth, and slight vanilla. Fruit driven with nice tart acidity and a dusting of tannins. Some elegance but a bit exuberant and fruity.
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11/22/2015 - BSA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted in magnum at a dinner, after 3+hrs decant. Bold but still mellow and elegant. Red fruits, cassis and earthy aromas. A fat almost creamy mouth feel, with evolving notes including vanilla, tobacco and dark fruits. Round tannins. Great tension and quite long finish. Very young but definitely approachable now. Have given almost every wine of the night 92p so I will rate this up to 93 to show that it stood out the most and will race to a significantly higher score 6-10 years from now (at least in this format).
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11/19/2015 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the nose: Black currant, acetone, dust
On the palate: eucalyptus, rowan-berry, some alcohol heat, dark berries and some acidity
medium finish
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10/22/2015 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Yummy stuff, very much a masculine wine. This wine has that aged La Rioja funk on nose and palate that we love; giving this wine a bit of gaminess that went great with our charcoal grilled duck breast. Still has youthful fruit of ripe creamy black raspberry that play nicely with raspberry honey glaze on the duck breast. The black pepper, cedar and tool belt leather mid-palate melded with harmonic precision into a light tannic lengthy finish that carries the sweetness of the fruit.
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10/4/2015 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 94 Points
Grapes coming from La Plana vineyard with vines over 80 years old. Blend of 89% Tempranillo with 11% Mazuelo. Aged for 30 months in 225 liter oak barrels and a further 36 months in bottle before its release.
Dark ruby colour with purple highlights. Mix of black cherry and black mulberry fruit with lots of black pepper notes as well as leather and wet leaves. Rich, supple, velvety and very classy.
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10/4/2015 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 89 Points
Intoxicating nose of oak, vanilla, and red berries on open, no much on the palate. Then let decant for 5 hrs. Got better, but seemed disjointed, very acidic. Agree with prior comment that this is a more new world Rioja....unfortunately, I like old school
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9/30/2015 - Alessio Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tanta vaniglia e legno nonostante siano passati 10 anni. Bella speziatura, liquirizia.
Da riprovare fra un paio d'anni.
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9/23/2015 - gmtaylor Likes this wine: 94 Points
DHWine. Cherry red wine with pink salmon edges. Nose: leather and red berries. A fantastic and well-rounded wine, smooth spicy notes, with or without food (tasted with blue cheese, sun-dried peppers, Spanish tortilla, ham and cured meat sausage).
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9/5/2015 - lightning wrote: 90 Points
If drinking in 2015-2016:
PLEASE DECANT THIS FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE DRINKING.
Sickly oaky coconut sticks out tremendously on opening, and only really integrates after extended aeration. Silky entry, medium-bodied ripe tannins, coconut and prune, wonderful length.
Good quality, however get a sense that this is very "new-world" in style...far from what I would perceive as "traditional". Oak has not been judiciously used, remains to be seen how it integrates.
Again, still needs another 5 years before approaching peak.
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8/9/2015 - Frank&Steph Likes this wine: 91 Points
3 heure et demie de carafe et il commencait tout juste a s'harmoniser
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8/7/2015 - lightning wrote: 91 Points
Dark plums, graphite on the nose. Moderately effusive nose. Lovely sweet fruit on entry; firm tannins on the midpalate; dark plums, vanillin. Medium+ bodied. Long finish. Leave for another 5 years before retrying.
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7/30/2015 - MemorialWineFan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not as good as the last bottle, but still wonderful. With a few more years this could be a 91-93. If you drink it now decant it for a few hours first.
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7/29/2015 - nadecesse wrote: 91 Points
Moins fin que sur 2001 dans sa forme actuelle, mais également un peu plus jeune au même âge. Du fruit rouge sombre bien mur qui offre complexité, fraîcheur et bonne mâche sans lourdeur indue. De style traditionnel pour la région, mais semble plus moderne que le 2001 possiblement en raison du millésime. Énorme augmentation de prix sur ce millésime, je passe. 91+?
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6/28/2015 - harrylime Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark ruby but translucent. Big cherry, jam, cigar box aromas initially. Took about an hour to open. Then out came the plums and more cherry, chocolate, cigar paper with a bit of cinnamon and leather. It changed quite beautifully. The texture was rounded creamy and opulent. It struck me as sweet. As the flavours slowly disappeared the tannins became dryer, more like wood chips than bark. Very satisfying.
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6/21/2015 - yofog wrote:
In its infancy, of course, still very raw young fruit and chewy American oak present, but it seems like it's all there. Maybe more dense and less bold than the 04? But I think it will be delicious.
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6/20/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and decanted for an hour. Probably needed more air in hindsight. Very classic Rioja notes. Tobacco. Vanilla. Pretty lean body. Finish is medium to medium plus.
Overall a little disjointed. Some powerful flavors, but just didn't seem like a super integrated wine right now. Of course, was also up against some stiff competition from Napa cabs on this night, so that may have been a disservice to it.
Not sure how crazy I am about this on QPR. If revisiting soon, would decant longer (4 hours?). Or wait to see what the future holds.
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5/8/2015 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 93 Points
I always liked this bodega - for me one of the top Riojas. Red fruits, forest floor, vanilla - it still is so very young - great balance, will keep 20+ years no doubt.
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5/3/2015 - Anthonut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good Rioja. Even at 11 years of age it still seemed quite young. Needed a good hour being opened before it revealed its full flavors. Was much lighter bodied (medium bodied) than the color would suggest. Very light on fruit flavors with a nice mix of tobacco and leather on the palate. Paired very well with our steak dinner.
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4/25/2015 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wines With A View (Capitol Grille Tasting Event) (The Spire): Ahh, I was so glad to see this at the tasting because I have been wanting to try this classic Rioja. Mashed cherries, hints of oak, and saddle leather on the nose. Mouthfeel is lighter bodied and totally old school. Fine, prickly tannins. Tobacco/lit cigar undertones. Great leather and atavistic flavors; I’m hesitant to label them as Brett or barnyard because they are so subtle and classy. Textbook old-school Rioja with plenty of complexity.
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4/19/2015 - Ron Van Holland wrote: 94 Points
Medium body that punches above its weight, graceful texture, cherry-orange, Asian spice, hint of anise. Beautifully balanced, formal, expansive, gets deeper and more profound as it warms to room temperature in the glass. It's tempranillo, so refreshing acidity isn't a drawback of youth IMO. Drinking well now and in the future.
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2/11/2015 - Lilja wrote: 93 Points
I've come to realize I really love this old-school style of Rioja. Nose is full of Spain, vanilla, dill, butter, together with a little burned wood, dried fruit, fennel and a little barnyard.
Medium acidity, medium(-) body, round and slender. There's some tannins here, but they are quite fine. Good intensity and length. Not a big wine, but elegant and absolutely brilliant! WOTN for me!
A few others seemed to like it as well, as it was one of few bottles that was emptied.
Not at all as big and fruity as I remembered it from last time I tasted it, about a year ago. But the company this time around were a lot more heavier, with a 15% Priorat on its right side and a Roda I on its left side.
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2/10/2015 - Aglenardi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at a local wine bar. Plum and currant flavours balanced with medium tannins and low acidity. After the taste, Some smoke forrest floors aroma are hinting in the background. a bit tight which Im sure will improve in the next 5-8 years. Will try again in 3-5 years when the tannins have smoothed out and the flavours become more complex.
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1/19/2015 - jtbrotons wrote: 95 Points
Simply awesome! One of my new favorites:). Enjoyed it with my Spanish and American families. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
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1/8/2015 - Bin3016 wrote: 91 Points
This is a good wine. Still wound a little tight on the finish. This will benefit from a few more years of bottle age.
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12/24/2014 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium/dark-red and clear in the glass. Appealing nose of eucalyptus, cherry, vanilla and smoky oak. Cherry, menthol, and tobacco on the palate. Mouth-puckering tannins and powerful acidity. Long menthol, tobacco finish.
This is a nicely balanced Gran Reserva Rioja. There are some that are oak-driven, and others more fruit-driven. I think this 2005 Castillo Ygay represents a balance between oak and fruit. Good now and should only get better.....
2nd Bottle 2/7/15 : I enjoyed this bottle even more than the first one. This time I found the wine to be concentrated with more red and black fruit. Very fine tannins. Wonderful and extravagant flavor profile, asian spices. 94-95pts.
5/3/2015: 3rd bottle: Very exotic. Coconut, Chocolate, Asian spice, black cherry. Complex, and extremely well-balanced with respect to tannins, acid, and alcohol. Magnificent bottle. This after 2 days open in a corked decanter.
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12/7/2014 - christophee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark garnet with medium viscosity in the glass. Nose of candied plum, stewed red fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar, camphor, olive and mushroom. Med-full body with loads of plum, red and black fruit initially. Vanilla, earth and licorice too. At two hours in it was showing SQN-like (candied menthol), but the fruit faded after three hours and it became an earthy mess after four hours. Long finish that thinned-out with time.
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11/7/2014 - astroman Likes this wine:
Plummy with slight tobacco notes and chinese herbs. Very smooth and balanced. Fresh nose.
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11/7/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Big and bold, modern, but all there.
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11/7/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 92 Points
Cedar, chocolate, dark fruit on the nose and palate. Soft, round and expansive in the mouth. Great balance and texture. More modern but tasty.
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10/26/2014 - Sirmika wrote: 90 Points
Far away from beeing as good as the 2001 Especial
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10/14/2014 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Rivera Los Angeles with a plate of beautiful Jamon Iberico and homemade toast. Way to young and incredibly tight but drinkable after a few hour decant. A surprisingly modern style with plenty of new oak, vanilla, and black fruit.
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9/10/2014 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine:
Young fruity aromas ofsour cherries, roses, toasted oak. Seems light on the palate with elegant and ripe tannins. Great balance and rewards a higher scoring than most at this event. My favorite of the wines tonight.
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8/30/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
Drink during a wine tasting and no formal notes. Still very young, robust, plenty of vanilla oak. Long persistent finish. Goo stuff.
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8/23/2014 - clairenclarence wrote: 90 Points
pop n pour.tis bttl seriously nd decanting.reflects more on elegance.depth,power n complexity cn b better here.
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8/15/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 90 Points
Big time oak, smoke, leather and dark fruit on the nose. Interesting celery streak on the palate with cedar and mustard seed. Definite oak, but i like it. I worry about how this will age, but it's nice now.
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5/4/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Wow, this is heady good stuff. That rich smell of old wood comes straight out of the glass, coupled with smoke, meats, campire, wet black earth and roasted black peppercorns. Yes, there is fruit in there too. Is it modern? I guess there is a sense of powerful extraction going on, but I don't feel like there is too much new oak on the front smells or on the back of the palate. Very youthful, I'll try and drink it over the next fifty years as its one of my son's birth years.
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4/29/2014 - Harley1199 wrote:
Murrieta in Madrid - New vintages (Restaurante La Cabra - Madrid): Perfectly ready nose. Fruitier than ever following the vintage.
Little alcoholic yet any disturb.
Maybe a bit short in the mouth if we're looking for any defect.
Dense and concentrated at this point. In any case over extracted.
Nariz totalmente lista. Más afrutado que nunca continuadora de la añada.
Un poco alcohólica aunque sin molestar.
Quizás un poco cortita en boca buscando decir algún defecto.
Vino denso y concentrado ahora mismo. En ningún caso sobre extractado.
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3/1/2014 - bacchus of knockholt wrote: 88 Points
Dark core, almost purple with thin rim, looking very youthful. Nose is quite reticent, black fruits eventually coming through with some balsamic notes too. The palate is black cherry, medium body, some spice, with drying but integrated tannins. Long, warming finish, perhaps the alcohol showing a little. This wine was part of Rioja tasting and was universally the least liked of the five wines tasted blind. I think this is still much too young and needs a few more years to integrate the constituent parts.
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1/15/2014 - Lilja wrote:
#BYOB - This wine is as impersonal as a young douche bag with too much complex perfume aromas. However, given the appropriate time and care it will evolve in to a rich, complex and delicious wine. Douche bag metaphors aside, this wine was well balanced high in fruit, tannins and bitterness that will only gain in complexity and excellence over time.
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12/2/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 91 Points
Deep red, somewhat compact colour. Big but somewhat sweetish nose with blackberries, dark cherries, some raspberries, noticeably flowery, hints of eucalyptus, some animal notes with well integrated oak. Palate with powerful concentration, ripe dark cherries, blackberries, noticeable spice with medium(+) tannins, some animal notes, aftertaste with sweet berries, good acidity and some tannins. Drinkable now, but can definitely be cellared and probably gain from it, 91 p.
A classy wine, but in terms of classical Rioja perhaps more in the style of a Reserva with its focus on berry aromas, and it seems to originate from a ripe and sweet vintage.
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11/14/2013 - Bandreas wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at the 2013 New York Wine Experience
Burgundy red color, touch of brown at the edge; fresh nose.
Quite tannic on palate, other wise nice and polished.
Far from ready. Not quite sure it is absolutely my style..
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10/24/2013 - lolo66 wrote: 91 Points
NY Wine Experience (Marriot Marquis): sour cherry, oak is showing, very young, biting acidity, some leather. just too young.
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