Sampled at Oinoscent during service -/- The wine shows a rather hazy ruby color In the nose, the wine shows dusty, earty and a bit spicy character with dried black fruit, prunes, berries, cinnamon and clove, old oak notes, a few heavier floral (pot pouri) notes. There are also a few bitter and roasted almonds notes. In the palate, the wines shows higher intensity than the nose, brown and black notes, dried red cherries, spicy again, rather thin to medium body. The acidity is upfront. The tannins are almost dissolved, earthier, short to medium drying finish. Can't see the purpose for keeping this any further. The wine was kept in the decanter for hours and did not lose its integrity, the fruit element actually grew more Interesting
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You could say forest floor and mushroom but really it was musty, meaty and really kind of like a dirty diaper. Some black pepper, green olive, game, wet dog. Very similar to the last bottle two years ago. Very interesting wine that would probably pair well with a gamey meal. The wine is smooth and body is medium/full.
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Medium-light red color, vivid. Herbal nose, of thyme, steamed green beans, with a bit of plum pudding's caramel and raisins, and cocoa powder a decent bit of oak ?). On arrival, steady fine-grained tannin and lifted acidity. In the mouth, mint-menthol right away, then lean plum and cherry, a burst of cinnamon and black pepper in the finish. An unfamiliar style to me, but went nice with turkey-parm meatballs in basil-tomatoes. Thanks to the Wrights.
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Red fruit, cherry, slught spice. Slight tannin/ oak. Not sure where this is - might need more time/ might be starting to come slightly disjointed. Slight herbal on the finish.
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Nearly identical review to my notes from 2009. If I do actually have another bottle, I need to drink it soon and make sure to drink within the first half hour of opening.
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Still youthful but with some signs of age. Good concentration, herbs, fruit, nice subtle wood, excellent balance, medium finish. Very enjoyable but it probably still has a few more years of life.
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Still complex and earthy. Beautiful nose and great color. The tannins have mellowed considerably and the wine has very nice balance. Still has nice alcohol/fruit balance.
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mooie boerse wijn, aards, in de smaak mooie zuren, geven de wijn een prettige frisheid, blijft een bijzondere ervaring, wijn uit bierzo, wijn toont zich nu prima,
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Moving some bottles around in my wine cellar precipitated an "early" taste of this super savory over-the-top red. I wish I had waited a bit. A new try today.
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Very powerful with tar, chocolate, blackberries all meshing well. Mid to long finish. Still had punch the next day. It still has a few more years to go, but drinking well now. If you have some this would be great to take to a blind tasting to see if anyone could figure out what it is. Great change from bordeux blends and cab.
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Drank this wine two years ago and noticed it as a super wine. Nevertheless this wine has past its peak now. Initial this wine was sharp, acid. After a while i developed more and got complexer but without becoming a great wine. It's drinking ok but not the super wine for me.....
Update: after 2 hours the wine developed much more into a complexed wine with still good tannins. Nice velvet glycerin. Not bad afterall. One extra point (87)
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A delightfully, complex nose where the fruit was secondary to other, more interesting, things. Nicely settled tanins allowed the wine to be smooth on the palate while still having plenty of body. I really enjoyed this old-world styled wine.
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Right from the bottle this was was a little over the top with licorice-y ripeness and a bit of torrified vanilla oak, but to my surprise it rounded into fine form with some air. I really enjoyed the combination of ripe red and black fruit with smoke and cool climate tones of green tobacco and capsicum. Juicy, cracking acidity (and a tremendous amount of tartrate crystals on the bottom of the cork). Very good place for current drinking but I expect this will continue to improve for at least another couple of years. I'd certainly drink more mencia if there were more non-spoofy examples widely available.
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Better than my last bottle of the '04. Fruit was apparent at 1st but gave way after being open for a while. It's herbal qualities - maybe thyme and sage - were present throughout the night. Also maintained a back-end peppery kick. Paired well with different cheeses and dinner. Also drank well on it's own. Deeper and richer than the '03, not as sweet or floral as the '05.
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Blackberry, plum, licorice, and a hint of balsamic/acidity, and earth. "Funky," as others have said. If you like Cab Franc, this is probably for you, as Mencia has many of the same characteristics. The lower alc level, combined with the tannins and acidity, should auger well for further cellaring. If drinking now, I suggest 2hr in the decanter.
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The initial nose was strong of yeast, which was a negative for me. In fact, I was downright distraught about it, but after two hours decanting much of the yeast smell had blown off and what was left was a great pairing with our pizza with a good yeasty crust. I have another bottle so I will be curious to see if it has the same nose.
I can't add much beyond the other reviewers so I'll pick and choose some of the adjectives that I find most appropriate: Spicy, rich, balanced acidity. Grippy tannins and minerality.
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Funky, smokey, mineraly, and delicious. Rich, bright-yet-dark fruit lurks beneath it all; lots of acidity and pretty grippy tannins. Showing well now, but should continue to develop.
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To me, (a lover of the '03 Petalos) this walks the line between the '03 and '05 - as it should i guess, being the '04. Delivers both old world and new world effects. Deep color. Vibrant fruit with an herbal streak. Improved slightly over the course of the bottle. (Notes from memory - about 3 weeks ago - so a bit vague.)
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Very pleased with this wine. Nose on the first day had an interesting savory aspect to it (I said pepperoni and wife said cat food, in a good way I guess) but the taste was very smooth with just a touch of spiciness. Day two was even more agreeable. Highly recommend. Goes great with food but can also be very enjoyable on its own.
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Vineyard Lunch Gang does Spain (Vinyard Music Office): Deep dark primary, notes of earth and smoke, pepper and violets. Light palate feel with some grip, medium concentration and nice minerality. Nice wine for the money and has some years ahead of it.
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Rubi-violáceo claro, halo aquoso. Aromas inicialmente marcados por frutos negros, tostado e cedro. Com o tempo um aroma de mentol, inicialmente sutil, passou a dominar o nariz, acompanhado por um toque de sândalo e álcool. Fresco, altíssima acidez, taninos numerosos e secos, boa condentração de fruta e leve amargor final. Se os taninos arredondarem e melhorar o fim de boca seco, deve subir ao menos um ponto na nota. O/E.
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Tasted May 27, 2007 at home. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, black licorice, plums, floral elements and a bit of cocoa. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, medium body. Drink over the short to medium term.
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Dark red with purple hints. Nose spicy (clove), cedar dark fruit. Taste also spicy, medium bodied medium length. Pleasant minerality. Not very complex. Good value.
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With Britt at Almeria Bull Ring, similar to 2005 vintage, maybe a bit more fresh in this. Anchovies, cocoa and strawberries in mouth; very smooth, silky and full of touch to liquor
Anchoas, cacao y fresas en boca; muy suave, sedoso y lleno de tacto a licor.
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PI. Rubi com reflexos violáceos. Bastante jovem, taninos firmes domados mesmo após meia hora em decanter e mais algum tempo na taça. Aromas de frutos negros, tostados, café, pimenta do reino, com toques de cereja. Não encontrei as flores de que o Parker fala e as notas daqui repetem. Na boca, confirma ameixa, com taninos empoeirados muito marcantes, boa acidez e concentração de fruta e ligeiro amargor. Final longo. Muito jovem, beber a partir de 2008. O/E.
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Rich nose dark fruit, flowers, and hint of cedar. Flowers and perfume carried through on the palate. Very much Cab Franc-like. Good, rich, brooding wine. Drink now-2008.
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Nice bottle of wine - plush dark fruits, notes of fresh black pepper, with a hint of sur maturite. Initially showed a lot of brett upon opening, but it blew off with about 30 minutes of air. Nicely done.
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had with thai food tonight and this was a solid offering...though did not necessarily stand up to the heat on several dishes...kudos tp our downtown thai restaurant for 10 dollar corkage.
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Nose of black pepper, watermelon, and some earth/gravel. Chewy on the tongue, nicely balanced earthy wine with overtones of blackberries and oregano. Would buy again.
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Purple. Nose of dark fruits, spices but also something sweetish I can't put my finger on - some wooden element? Medium bodied, rather concentrated. Reminds me a bit of a syrah. Very nice after 2 hours of air.
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ruby hue, translucent and crimson red around the edge. this is a straight up killer buy for its price (under $15). group this one in with pillar box red and marquis philips sarah's blend. complex but does not mess around, gets straight to the point. this is my second spanish wine to try and this blows the rioja I had out of the water.
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unusual and interesting, my first taste of mencia grape. deep opaque purple color, smells like the woods, ripe plums, and pine tar. well balanced, with medium body and integrated tannins, but the fruit on the palate was a bit fleeting, not focused.
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Medium to full bodied with significant tannins. Nose of cherry, barbecue sauce, oak and flowers. Plum, some spice and minerals. Very good structural backbone - especially for the price - but to me not enough to hang on it to be outstanding.
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Good concentration, deep red color and medium viscosity. In the nose it is very open and expressive with elements of smoke, cherries (griottes), some cassis, cocoa and spice. In the mouth it is medium-full bodied with a mid palate concentrated on aromas of herbs and cocoa, present but unobtrussive tannins, amplitude and a long, mineral finish. Fantastic value at 11 euros.
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($16) Pretty nose something like Pinot Noir. A friend likened it to a combination of Pinot and Syrah, and I see his point. Medium-bodied and somewhat high-toned with Pinot-like flavors of herbs, violets, and metallic ripe tomatoes submerged in berry juice. Tangy red berry fruit. Pretty good.
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What a beauty. It will make you love Spanish wines even more! Interesting. Nuanced. Nicely dry for all the roasted meats on your menus. Has a beginning, middle and end -- which you sometimes forget wines are supposed to have. Highly recommended.
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100% Mencia. Medium ruby colour. Aromas of candied fruit and vanilla. Medium-full bodied, shows dark fruit, berry fruit, and herbs. Moderate finish, 35-40s, with plums, currant.
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Aromas of dark cherry, a touch of licorice, lots of minerality. The palate is full of bright, juicy dark fruit, and has an appealing silky texture, impressive concentration, good acidity, and nice balance. The finish comes with more dusty minerality, as well as very assertive tannins. This needs some time, as is showing quite young and tight right at the moment.
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My first taste of a Mencia-based wine. Right after opening the nose is rather closed, but it opens to reveal Northern Rhone - Syrah like aromas of black pepper and tar. On the palate this wine is very spicy, with noticeable aromas of pepper, tar and exotic spices. Luckily, there's also some fruit, although at the moment this remains hidden underneath the superstructure of the wine. This is a serious wine at this price level and one that can (and probably must) age a few years in bottle. Not for lovers of alcoholic fruit juice though... But if you are into Northern Rhone style of wines this is something to look out for, although it differs enough from a Syrah-based wine to put you on the wrong foot in a blind tasting.
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12/23/2022 - kostaslonis wrote:
Sampled at Oinoscent during service
-/-
The wine shows a rather hazy ruby color
In the nose, the wine shows dusty, earty and a bit spicy character with dried black fruit, prunes, berries, cinnamon and clove, old oak notes, a few heavier floral (pot pouri) notes. There are also a few bitter and roasted almonds notes.
In the palate, the wines shows higher intensity than the nose, brown and black notes, dried red cherries, spicy again, rather thin to medium body. The acidity is upfront. The tannins are almost dissolved, earthier, short to medium drying finish.
Can't see the purpose for keeping this any further. The wine was kept in the decanter for hours and did not lose its integrity, the fruit element actually grew more
Interesting
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4/7/2015 - skoppel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Real solid still. Blackberries with a nice finish. Has a year or two left.
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3/29/2015 - ChickenNoodle wrote: 89 Points
You could say forest floor and mushroom but really it was musty, meaty and really kind of like a dirty diaper. Some black pepper, green olive, game, wet dog. Very similar to the last bottle two years ago. Very interesting wine that would probably pair well with a gamey meal. The wine is smooth and body is medium/full.
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12/11/2014 - Hodby wrote: 87 Points
Medium-light red color, vivid. Herbal nose, of thyme, steamed green beans, with a bit of plum pudding's caramel and raisins, and cocoa powder a decent bit of oak ?). On arrival, steady fine-grained tannin and lifted acidity. In the mouth, mint-menthol right away, then lean plum and cherry, a burst of cinnamon and black pepper in the finish. An unfamiliar style to me, but went nice with turkey-parm meatballs in basil-tomatoes. Thanks to the Wrights.
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2/21/2014 - JJKinch wrote: 88 Points
Red fruit, cherry, slught spice. Slight tannin/ oak. Not sure where
this is - might need more time/ might be starting to come slightly
disjointed. Slight herbal on the finish.
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2/11/2014 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 89 Points
Nearly identical review to my notes from 2009. If I do actually have another bottle, I need to drink it soon and make sure to drink within the first half hour of opening.
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11/13/2013 - LopedeAguirre Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still youthful but with some signs of age. Good concentration, herbs, fruit, nice subtle wood, excellent balance, medium finish. Very enjoyable but it probably still has a few more years of life.
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9/25/2013 - bottlewasher Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still complex and earthy. Beautiful nose and great color. The tannins have mellowed considerably and the wine has very nice balance. Still has nice alcohol/fruit balance.
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11/11/2012 - Biglama wrote: 92 Points
mooie boerse wijn, aards, in de smaak mooie zuren, geven de wijn een prettige frisheid, blijft een bijzondere ervaring, wijn uit bierzo, wijn toont zich nu prima,
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9/22/2011 - NordicJim wrote:
Moving some bottles around in my wine cellar precipitated an "early" taste of this super savory over-the-top red. I wish I had waited a bit. A new try today.
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3/25/2011 - skoppel wrote: 91 Points
Very powerful with tar, chocolate, blackberries all meshing well. Mid to long finish. Still had punch the next day. It still has a few more years to go, but drinking well now. If you have some this would be great to take to a blind tasting to see if anyone could figure out what it is. Great change from bordeux blends and cab.
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6/8/2010 - ckeilah wrote: 84 Points
Huge nose of wood and stuff. Big bold wine. Dark fruit. Good burger wine.
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4/10/2010 - WilD wrote: 87 Points
Drank this wine two years ago and noticed it as a super wine. Nevertheless this wine has past its peak now. Initial this wine was sharp, acid. After a while i developed more and got complexer but without becoming a great wine. It's drinking ok but not the super wine for me.....
Update: after 2 hours the wine developed much more into a complexed wine with still good tannins. Nice velvet glycerin. Not bad afterall. One extra point (87)
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8/24/2009 - JeffC wrote:
A delightfully, complex nose where the fruit was secondary to other, more interesting, things. Nicely settled tanins allowed the wine to be smooth on the palate while still having plenty of body. I really enjoyed this old-world styled wine.
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3/9/2009 - 5laton wrote:
Right from the bottle this was was a little over the top with licorice-y ripeness and a bit of torrified vanilla oak, but to my surprise it rounded into fine form with some air. I really enjoyed the combination of ripe red and black fruit with smoke and cool climate tones of green tobacco and capsicum. Juicy, cracking acidity (and a tremendous amount of tartrate crystals on the bottom of the cork). Very good place for current drinking but I expect this will continue to improve for at least another couple of years. I'd certainly drink more mencia if there were more non-spoofy examples widely available.
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2/14/2009 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 90 Points
Drinking great right now. Lots of tobacco and tar with some great red and black fruit flavors.
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1/20/2009 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 89 Points
Better than my last bottle of the '04. Fruit was apparent at 1st but gave way after being open for a while. It's herbal qualities - maybe thyme and sage - were present throughout the night. Also maintained a back-end peppery kick. Paired well with different cheeses and dinner. Also drank well on it's own. Deeper and richer than the '03, not as sweet or floral as the '05.
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11/8/2008 - Haggis wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry, plum, licorice, and a hint of balsamic/acidity, and earth. "Funky," as others have said. If you like Cab Franc, this is probably for you, as Mencia has many of the same characteristics. The lower alc level, combined with the tannins and acidity, should auger well for further cellaring. If drinking now, I suggest 2hr in the decanter.
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8/15/2008 - scw wrote: 89 Points
this wine is so unusual and has developed nicely, hints of menthol, herbs, and ripe fruit. It really opens up beautifully.
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6/4/2008 - dartboard wrote: 89 Points
Really enjoyed this wine.
The initial nose was strong of yeast, which was a negative for me. In fact, I was downright distraught about it, but after two hours decanting much of the yeast smell had blown off and what was left was a great pairing with our pizza with a good yeasty crust. I have another bottle so I will be curious to see if it has the same nose.
I can't add much beyond the other reviewers so I'll pick and choose some of the adjectives that I find most appropriate:
Spicy, rich, balanced acidity. Grippy tannins and minerality.
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6/3/2008 - jwwinec wrote: 90 Points
Funky, smokey, mineraly, and delicious. Rich, bright-yet-dark fruit lurks beneath it all; lots of acidity and pretty grippy tannins. Showing well now, but should continue to develop.
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5/30/2008 - jayare04 wrote:
Needs a couple hours to really hit its stride. Delicious and complex once it opened.
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5/27/2008 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 88 Points
To me, (a lover of the '03 Petalos) this walks the line between the '03 and '05 - as it should i guess, being the '04. Delivers both old world and new world effects. Deep color. Vibrant fruit with an herbal streak. Improved slightly over the course of the bottle. (Notes from memory - about 3 weeks ago - so a bit vague.)
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3/14/2008 - curtispomeroy wrote: 89 Points
Very pleased with this wine. Nose on the first day had an interesting savory aspect to it (I said pepperoni and wife said cat food, in a good way I guess) but the taste was very smooth with just a touch of spiciness. Day two was even more agreeable. Highly recommend. Goes great with food but can also be very enjoyable on its own.
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3/3/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Vineyard Lunch Gang does Spain (Vinyard Music Office): Deep dark primary, notes of earth and smoke, pepper and violets. Light palate feel with some grip, medium concentration and nice minerality. Nice wine for the money and has some years ahead of it.
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8/26/2007 - Vinho wrote: 90 Points
Rubi-violáceo claro, halo aquoso. Aromas inicialmente marcados por frutos negros, tostado e cedro. Com o tempo um aroma de mentol, inicialmente sutil, passou a dominar o nariz, acompanhado por um toque de sândalo e álcool. Fresco, altíssima acidez, taninos numerosos e secos, boa condentração de fruta e leve amargor final. Se os taninos arredondarem e melhorar o fim de boca seco, deve subir ao menos um ponto na nota. O/E.
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5/27/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 88 Points
WIML88,PURPLE88-89,WA90-93,WS86
Tasted May 27, 2007 at home. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, black licorice, plums, floral elements and a bit of cocoa. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, medium body. Drink over the short to medium term.
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5/3/2007 - 100pp wrote:
Dark red with purple hints. Nose spicy (clove), cedar dark fruit. Taste also spicy, medium bodied medium length. Pleasant minerality. Not very complex. Good value.
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3/20/2007 - Harley1199 wrote:
With Britt at Almeria Bull Ring, similar to 2005 vintage, maybe a bit more fresh in this. Anchovies, cocoa and strawberries in mouth; very smooth, silky and full of touch to liquor
Anchoas, cacao y fresas en boca; muy suave, sedoso y lleno de tacto a licor.
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3/14/2007 - MObiker wrote:
This is an excellent value for a wine with true character. Light to Medium body, spicy dark fruits, and strong mineral on the finish.
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3/1/2007 - E wrote: 88 Points
Solid QPR...excellent value
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1/13/2007 - mburke wrote:
Much better than my first bottle of this four months ago. Lots of fairly complex rich fruit with some tannins and minerality. Nice
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1/10/2007 - Vinho wrote: 90 Points
PI. Rubi com reflexos violáceos. Bastante jovem, taninos firmes domados mesmo após meia hora em decanter e mais algum tempo na taça. Aromas de frutos negros, tostados, café, pimenta do reino, com toques de cereja. Não encontrei as flores de que o Parker fala e as notas daqui repetem. Na boca, confirma ameixa, com taninos empoeirados muito marcantes, boa acidez e concentração de fruta e ligeiro amargor. Final longo. Muito jovem, beber a partir de 2008. O/E.
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12/13/2006 - hcampana wrote: 87 Points
TNs: '97 Forman Cab, '98 Banfi BdM Poggio Alle Mura, '00 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Loreto, '01 Remirez de Ganuza, '01 Mas d'en Gil Clos Fontá, '00 Jaboulet Hermitage Pied de Cote, '99 Lafleur Gazin & '04 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos. (Monterrey, Mexico): At the very end of our meal (around 2 AM), we get to talking about the future of wine and one of my friends said he thought Bierzo and its flagship old vine Mencia vineyards were the future of Spain. To prove it he uncorked this wine. I'd had it the week before and thought it performed very similarly. Very perfumed with fresh flowers (violets?), weird fruits (melon?) and a medicinal touch. Medium bodied and elegant, this has decent concentration and a very distinctive aromatic profile. I still prefer Temprenillo-based Toros and Riberas over this.
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12/4/2006 - Vino Me wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at the end of the evening. Not detailed notes but a nice wine. 87-88 points.
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12/3/2006 - Haggis wrote: 89 Points
Rich nose dark fruit, flowers, and hint of cedar. Flowers and perfume carried through on the palate. Very much Cab Franc-like. Good, rich, brooding wine. Drink now-2008.
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12/2/2006 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Opened at Anwar's. I liked this quite a bit. Nice smoky plum notes, with dark fruit and sweet tannins on the palate.
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11/28/2006 - winotoo wrote: 88 Points
A nice wine and great QPR. Flavors are subtle and the 13.5% alcohol makes it easy to drink with food. Goes well with pizza.
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11/27/2006 - jaimetown wrote: 89 Points
Nice bottle of wine - plush dark fruits, notes of fresh black pepper, with a hint of sur maturite. Initially showed a lot of brett upon opening, but it blew off with about 30 minutes of air. Nicely done.
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11/9/2006 - E wrote:
had with thai food tonight and this was a solid offering...though did not necessarily stand up to the heat on several dishes...kudos tp our downtown thai restaurant for 10 dollar corkage.
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10/4/2006 - mattiasjansson wrote: 91 Points
Backstreet - Spain (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Medium-dark red and medium-bodied. Round, soft tannins.
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9/29/2006 - winenutnyc wrote:
for the price this is very good- dark purple, nice precense on the palate, a bit monolithic and thick.
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9/8/2006 - E wrote: 89 Points
tannins soften quickly after opening...nice for the price
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9/3/2006 - BWalton wrote: 89 Points
Nose of black pepper, watermelon, and some earth/gravel. Chewy on the tongue, nicely balanced earthy wine with overtones of blackberries and oregano. Would buy again.
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9/2/2006 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 90 Points
Great wine, especially for the price.
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8/5/2006 - Northern wrote: 90 Points
Purple. Nose of dark fruits, spices but also something sweetish I can't put my finger on - some wooden element? Medium bodied, rather concentrated. Reminds me a bit of a syrah. Very nice after 2 hours of air.
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8/1/2006 - East Dallas Wino wrote: 90 Points
ruby hue, translucent and crimson red around the edge. this is a straight up killer buy for its price (under $15). group this one in with pillar box red and marquis philips sarah's blend. complex but does not mess around, gets straight to the point. this is my second spanish wine to try and this blows the rioja I had out of the water.
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7/17/2006 - brooklynguy wrote: 87 Points
unusual and interesting, my first taste of mencia grape. deep opaque purple color, smells like the woods, ripe plums, and pine tar. well balanced, with medium body and integrated tannins, but the fruit on the palate was a bit fleeting, not focused.
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6/2/2006 - tairanosaurus wrote: 87 Points
Medium to full bodied with significant tannins. Nose of cherry, barbecue sauce, oak and flowers. Plum, some spice and minerals. Very good structural backbone - especially for the price - but to me not enough to hang on it to be outstanding.
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5/8/2006 - claudio_bxl wrote:
Good concentration, deep red color and medium viscosity. In the nose it is very open and expressive with elements of smoke, cherries (griottes), some cassis, cocoa and spice. In the mouth it is medium-full bodied with a mid palate concentrated on aromas of herbs and cocoa, present but unobtrussive tannins, amplitude and a long, mineral finish. Fantastic value at 11 euros.
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5/1/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($16) Pretty nose something like Pinot Noir. A friend likened it to a combination of Pinot and Syrah, and I see his point. Medium-bodied and somewhat high-toned with Pinot-like flavors of herbs, violets, and metallic ripe tomatoes submerged in berry juice. Tangy red berry fruit. Pretty good.
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4/9/2006 - blue wrote:
perfumed, fruit and mineral. clean grasp.
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3/14/2006 - nubbin wrote: 90 Points
What a beauty. It will make you love Spanish wines even more! Interesting. Nuanced. Nicely dry for all the roasted meats on your menus. Has a beginning, middle and end -- which you sometimes forget wines are supposed to have. Highly recommended.
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2/28/2006 - PhDP wrote:
C'est décidément très bon: riche, tannique et frais
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2/21/2006 - futronic wrote: 89 Points
100% Mencia. Medium ruby colour. Aromas of candied fruit and vanilla. Medium-full bodied, shows dark fruit, berry fruit, and herbs. Moderate finish, 35-40s, with plums, currant.
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2/5/2006 - jwwinec wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of dark cherry, a touch of licorice, lots of minerality. The palate is full of bright, juicy dark fruit, and has an appealing silky texture, impressive concentration, good acidity, and nice balance. The finish comes with more dusty minerality, as well as very assertive tannins. This needs some time, as is showing quite young and tight right at the moment.
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12/20/2005 - Jeef wrote:
wait until at least 6/06 before opening another bottle.
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10/27/2005 - PhDP wrote: 86 Points
Vin construit sur la paire tannins-fraîcheur. C'est sérieux, droit et minéral. Du point de vue aromatique, cela paraît encore fermé.
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10/20/2005 - Jozefs wrote: 90 Points
My first taste of a Mencia-based wine. Right after opening the nose is rather closed, but it opens to reveal Northern Rhone - Syrah like aromas of black pepper and tar. On the palate this wine is very spicy, with noticeable aromas of pepper, tar and exotic spices. Luckily, there's also some fruit, although at the moment this remains hidden underneath the superstructure of the wine. This is a serious wine at this price level and one that can (and probably must) age a few years in bottle. Not for lovers of alcoholic fruit juice though... But if you are into Northern Rhone style of wines this is something to look out for, although it differs enough from a Syrah-based wine to put you on the wrong foot in a blind tasting.
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