Tasted blind. As it often happened I had no problem identifying the unique footprint of La Rioja Alta. Vanilla, warth and plum notes combine with a very chewy texture and high acidity. Good structure and length. Better slightly than its 1994 counterpart.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vibrant ruby with a rim that is starting to brick a bit. The nose starts out with a lovely tight core of sweet dark cherry aromas that unfortunately fade quite quickly. The cherry character sticks around, but it turns towards tart/sour, and less candied as the wine takes on air. Some lovely fresh raspberry aromas round out the fruit-driven profile, which compliments a plethora of leathery, earthy, and herbaceous (sage? mint?) smells.
Age has lightened the body to a medium-minus. Tannins are nearly all gone. Acidity is wonderfully high. Flavors of sour cherries and pomegranates along with an herbal bitterness lead in the mouth. Plenty of that leather and dusty quality that I picked up on the nose. There is a reasonable level of complexity, though nothing that will knock your socks off.
Overall, a very good wine that has done well for nearly 30 years. It has aged nicely, but age did not take it to the high peak that some fine Riojas can reach. It is very good, though probably not going to get any better- the loss of tannin and leathery flavors indicate to me that this is probably going to start on the backslope sooner rather than later. I'd happily drink this any day, though not sure if I'd want to be the one paying- these older Gran Reserva Riojas from good vintages are getting expensive! Personally, I'd pay a bit more and get Lopez de Heredia or Ygay.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decantado y filtrado debido a la enorme cantidad de poso que contiene. Color picota de capa muy alta y el borde es sólo ligeramente atejado. El aroma es de nivel medio-alto, es una auténtica sinfonía compuesta de una multitud de elementos, cueros, en su variante de silla de montar, higos y melocotón confitados, tabaco rubio y de pipa, hojarasca, tierra mojada, especies orientales, balsámicos y muchos otros elementos que cuesta describir. En boca es un vino suave, redondo, aterciopelado, de gusto muy complejo y difícil de describir, casi enigmático, se podía constatar la presencia de uva pasa, una punta de cueros, hojarasca y tierra, todo ello con vainilla y un ligerísimo toque de manera y con un final larguísimo. Ahora está en un perfecto momento de consumo pero este tipo de vinos sorprenden por su enorme longevidad, sin duda ira evolucionando durante al menos dos décadas Se trata de un Rioja clásico de manual, fruto de una gran bodega que guarda y conserva el modo de hacer tradicional de estos vinos y que desgraciadamente hoy en día cada vez son menos.
Quite similar to my previous note, though the fruit has softened a bit and some of the intensity is subdued. There's a languid, louche feeling to this bottle, but it's delightfully moreish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Popped and poured, drunk over two days. Clear, medium+, tawny color with some fine orange rim. Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose with lots of tobacco, menthol, leather, red fruit, fine oak and herbs. Deep and very complex! Dry, only 12,5% abv and a racy acidity, that makes the wine very fresh and lean. Fine, medium+ tannin. On the palate lots of red fruit, tobacco, cedar wood, leather, herbs, some dried rose petals and spices. Great texture, fresh, elegant and lots of tension and depth. Very long, over 70 seconds with fine fruit and lots of tertiary aromas. Seems at its full peak. Beautiful wine with an excellent PQR! 93-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sehr ätherisch, klar Rioja Alta Stil, kein Schimmer von Alterstönen, Kirschfrucht in allen Nuancen mischt sich mit Himbeere und Waldkräutern und Unterholz. Fantastischer Wein der sich Mühlos zu fortgeschittener Stunde zu zweit leeren ließ.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Garnet-ruby hue. Nose of cinnamon, plum pits, licorice, earth, damp cellar. Clear layers of vibrant plum and almost sour red cherry fruit cut with leather, earth, and hints of tobacco. Still-freshening acidity and smoothed tannin accompanied by gentle texture and a bit of oak. Feathery finish of coppery red fruit and dusty stone. Lovely with ribs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red with medium edges. Ripe dill, melted butter, plum, leather and black cherry nose. For me the oak dominates but it is ok in this aged wine. Dry buttery plum and cherry flavours and a long caramel finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
classic old rioja style, very fine, concentrated and still tastful. certainly elegant. with a filet de boeuf, for example ! You could keep this yet longer, but it's ready now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
off the list from Alta. still incredibly young and showing prominent oak. in decanter and some air, it starts to integrate and offers a lot of primary pleasure, but this is still a baby. Check in another 5 years, but more likely 10.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Graciano (10%) from a very acclaimed vintage. Fermented in large oak vats. Aged for 4 years (6/1996-7/2000) in American oak barrels that are on average 4 years old, but includes some new barrels as well. 12,6% alcohol, 5,86 g/l acidity and 0,95 g/l VA. Tasted blind.
Translucent pale garnet color. Hugely expressive, complex and exuberant nose with voluptuous, intoxicating aromas of wizened dark fruits, sweet barnyard aromas, leather, some dill and beef consommé, a little bit of sweet vanilla wood and a hint of cooked red fruits. At this point I'm ready to bet on the life of my firstborn that it's Rioja we're having. The wine is rich, full-bodied and very complex on the palate with high acidity. There are ripe flavors of mature, slightly raisiny fruit flavors, sweet oak spice, some vanilla, a little bit of woody bitterness, a hint of leather and a touch of strawberry jam. Although the age is starting to show taste-wise, the structure is very stern and tightly-knit with bright acidity offsetting the sweeter fruit notes and moderate tannins giving the wine nice, muscular frame and lovely, textural feel. The finish is very long, rich and slightly grippy with complex flavors of rich vanilla oak, dried dates, some sweet dark plums, a little bit of strawberries, a hint of leather and a touch of moist pipe tobacco.
A very impressive and expressive Rioja, which feels remarkably youthful at almost 22 years of age. Although the fruit department is starting to show hints of age, the oak feels so heavy and dominant here I thought the wine was at least 8-10 years younger! There is no way the oak will ever integrate with the fruit completely - at least not before the fruit has died and the wine oxidized completely - but there is so much life and muscle to the wine that it is going to be going up for many years more. The American oak character feels almost excessive here, making it hard to believe that this wine sees (or should see) mainly old oak barrels. Definitely not a wine for ones that are averse to heavy vanilla oak, but for other people this is a textbook example of a traditional, heavily vanilla-driven yet remarkably balanced and harmonious Rioja style. Not really my cup of tea, but still it is impossible for me not to enjoy a wine this complex and impressive. I'd love to return to this wine in 10-15 years, perhaps it has reached its plateau of maturity by then?
Quite youthful on the palate. Good acidity, still a fair amount of fruit and soft, fairly resolved tannins. A hint of oak, red and black fruits. Great with food and should last another 5-10 years easy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brownish tinged cranberry in glass. Gorgeous nose of forest floor, black cherry, vanilla, powerful. Silky, medium body, mature tannins. perfectly balanced Rioja. Certainly mellowed since last bottle I tried in 2009!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Haunting fragrant nose of dried cherry and tobacco with some lashings of vanilla and oud-like perfume. Intoxicating nose, silky plush palate showing fine grained tannin and cranberry-like acidity. Ethereal, eternal, just beautiful mature wine with longevity to spare.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 904 is definitely a wine built to last, complex combination of cherries, leather, vanilla, American oak, dill, dark fruits and barnyard notes. Very much old style Rioja.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Mazuelo aka. Carignan (10%) from a very acclaimed vintage. Fermented in large oak vats. Aged for 4 years in American oak barrels that are on average 4 years old, but includes some new barrels as well. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Translucent pale garnet color with slightly developed dried blood hue and almost clear rim. The nose is smooth, slightly sweet and expressive with complex aromas of leather, sous-bois, some savory plummy fruit, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of dried figs and a reductive touch of fireworks smoke. The wine feels rich, full-bodied and pretty intense on the palate with very complex and rather powerful flavors of dark juicy fruits, robust Asian spices, some stony mineral character, a little bit of aged beef consommé, a hint of sweet vanilla oak and a touch of pruney fruit along with a light touch of sour cherry bitterness. The mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and supple, yet the wine feels more structured than soft with moderately high acidity and somewhat resolved medium tannins. The finish is rich and very complex with very persistent flavors of ripe dark berries, prunes, some leather, a little bit of vanilla and a hint of sour cherry bitterness.
A real stunner of a Rioja that is starting to show some aged character already, but is still remarkably youthful in style. Very harmonious and still going up; probably will take more than a decade to reach the apogee. I think I prefer this kind of savory-fruited style over 890 Gran Reserva 1995's more vanilla-driven style. Stunning value at 50€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Traditional Rioja (RSJ, London): Richer and oakier and plusher on the nose. Everything the Ardanza had, but dialled up to ten. A qualitative difference,Ma stylistic one? Not sure, but currently dialled down a little is better. Excellent wine, louder but just a little flat compared to the Ardanza. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Two bottles of this, same appearance, nose a typical LRA, vanilla, nuts, red sweet fruit, like a perfume, still very lively acidity, red berries, very harmonic texture, elegant but powerful, herbs, almonds, vanilla, round and very balanced, long aftertaste, two delicous bottles, on top now, but the present acidity will help this wine over the next decade++, ***(*+), 91- 94
Though a fan of LRA, this disappointed me. An intriguing nose, as others have described, including some citrus, and a palate that had an unpleasing intensity of an unexpectedly high acidity. A big wine, not tannic but not as well balanced as we have come to expect from this icon of traditional Rioja. Have others been praising it because of its reputation rather than the actuality? Buttle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright red with slight orange/amber hues. Unusually exotic (even by Rioja standards) and beautiful nose with coconut, eucalyptus, milk chocolate, and cherry. To write that this bottle was "aromatic" or "open" would be understating the case. Absolutely beautiful nose, reminiscent of the 01 LRA 890. Same notes on the palate, with long eucalyptus, orange peel finish. Round, silky structure with mouth-watering acidity and no rough edges. Savoury as well.
It really speaks volumes of LRA wines, that the qualities presented by this 95 904, seem "usual" and are exactly what I expect each time I open a Gran Reserva produced by them.
Another great bottle of the 904 !
93pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good. Dark red/brown. Nose has a faint whiff of oak, some stewed fruit, spice and leaf. The palate is soft, red fruit and balanced. Drinking superbly and the finished leaves you wanting more 92 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sadly, our last bottle, but as good as any of them. Beautiful nose of cherry, strawberry, tobacco leaf and spices. After a bit of air, vanilla and a slight smokiness can be detected. Its medium body is silky smooth; it has a mouthfeel that would make a Grand Cru Burgundy blush. A slight leafy character infuses the red fruits and the finish is long and juicy. Extremely classy. www.advinetures.ca
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
At age 20 this is in great shape. Beautiful nose of strawberry, sweet tobacco and saddle leather with a slight floral component developing with air. Medium body, this has the silky mouthfeel of a Grand Cru Burgundy. The finish is long and juicy with a slight citrus note. Very complex with lots of earth, mineral and tobacco notes supporting the red fruit of cranberry, raspberry and cherry. Intensely flavoured, this is absolutely delicious. www.advinetures.ca
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Subtle 904. Really suave and aromatic. Easy drink. Acid and shortie. It hasn't been the best bottle of 904 I have ever had. I would like it a little more complex and savoury.
Una 904 suavecita. Realmente delgada y aromática. De trago fácil. Ácida y cortita. No ha sido la mejor botella de 904 que he tenido. Me gustaría algo más de complejidad y sabor.
Este vino quizás sea uno de los mejores ejemplos de In Gran Reserva Riojano. En todos los sentidos se percibe los mas de 48 meses de bodega. En vista es rojo teja con ciertos tonos naranjas. Sin embargo, el ribete es limpio. En boca tiene un gran y profundo retrogusto con notas a tabaco y café. En olfato predominan los frutos rojos maduros y café tostado el olor a cuero lo dejaría en un tercer lugar. Los vinos de La Rioja Alta son para mi gusto un gran referente de la forma de elaborar vinos. Salud !!!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pedazo de vino, serio, reposado, con una gama aromática intensa y muy expresiva. Se presenta lleno de matices de tabaco inglés, Virginia de pipa, cava de puros, melaza con naranja, y un deje de maderas finas, cedro, cacao tostado, café aromático. Suave, perfumado, muy elegante con una crianza clásica bien resuelta que deja paso a una fuerte expresión varietal. Una tempranillo fragante con destellos florales, pétalos, flores secas y una fruta roja reducida ligeramente licorosa y especiada.
En boca es fino, lleno de fruta roja picante, fresco, vivo, de medio cuerpo. Tiene una marcada acidez cítrica y un punto balsámico de gran calidad (anises estrellados, salvia). En términos generales estamos ante un vino muy similar al de la añada 1994. Dos vinos tallados de la misma piedra, de gran solidez, macizos, estructurados y con mucha energía. Necesitarán bastante botella para ir puliéndose pero lo tienen todo para seguir creciendo. Este 904 es un excelente vino de excelente cosecha. Una apuesta segura para comprar a cajas y guardar.
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 90% tempranillo, 10% graciano - 12.5% vol. La tempranillo proviene de los viñedos propios más viejos ubicados en subzona de la Rioja Alta, principalmente de los municipios de Briñas, Labastida y Villalba. El resto de la uva es originaria de las fincas Melchorón I y II de Briones y Rodezno.
La fermentación alcohólica se desarrolló en 12 días, descubándose cinco días después. La fermentación maloláctica se desarrolló en depósitos de acero inoxidable en 35 días, de forma natural. En junio de 1.996 los vinos pasaron a criarse en barricas seminuevas de roble americano de 225 litros durante 49 meses, siendo trasegados por el método tradicional de barrica a barrica cada 6 meses. Filtrado suave antes de ser embotellado en julio de 2000. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
compote driven nose, spicy, on the palate fine acidity, complex wellstructured midweigth body, spicy, vanilla, earthy, compote fruit, overripe, fine elegance, long+ finish, this bottle needed no decanting, just fine after opening, 90- 92+
overripe fruit in the nose, spices, on the palate acidic, intense fruit of red berries, spices, herbal hints, fine elegance, long+ finish, very good bottle but had some better ones in the past, still a lot more years to go, 88- 93+?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Among the very top producers of traditional Rioja, this wine was the epitome of elegance. Raspberry/blackberry fruit flavours are supported by leather, tobacco and a hint of licorice. Wonderfully complex but the mouth feel was to die for. Reminiscent of a Grand Cru Burgundy. At 18 years old this is fully mature but not fading; another 5-10 years left, I guess.
Color teja obscura. En boca a moras maduras y con un final corto pero muy bien estructurado. Creo que uno de los grandes deleites de este vino es apreciar sus aromas. Necesario dejarlo respirar un par de hora antes de apreciar todo su potencias. Yo lo recomiendo tomar sólo sin ningún alimento y sin prisa uno de los mejores exponentes de Rioja
Burgundy like rich and intense nose of red fruit and spices. Sweet core, not a mighty but an uncomparably balanced, refined, fruit bursting wine with long and consistent finish. Even better on day 2. Outstanding.
My 5th bottle of this but it is singing out and seems to have come on a long way since the last. An absolute marvel of spices and tart, hedgerow fruits. Really good
Saturday Get Together (My Place): Really nice savory aromas on the nose. Meats, dried roses, spices, mushrooms...just a beautiful concoction. The palate had that nice oxidative note, a nuttiness, that appealed to me along with just silky florals and fruits.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
hmmmm.....really love this typical oldschool Rioja- nose, overripe sweet fruit, leather, earthy, then....gentle acidic bite, a lot of power, complex, red fruits, spicery, unbelivably projecting and seems still so young, super finish, will last for another+? decade, all this with only 12,5%! And this Gran Reserva is to buy at a very low price for this quality.....about 26€ at your local Hamburg dealer......... 92- 94?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over two hours. Really pretty Rioja. Took about 30 min to get going. Light on the nose with dried red fruit, leather and toasty oak. More wood spice and dried flowers on the palate with some earth. Delicate and complex. Medium finish with dusty tannin. Plenty of life left though this is in a great place right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking beautifully, this is what I want Rioja to taste like. Still young tasting. From memory much better than the 99 but will have to check. Delicate nose. Leather and straw berries, with as another taster says, maybe cinnamon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Josh Kurek's birthday bash (Corkbuzz, New York, NY): Tasted double blind, from magnum. Lots of plummy dark fruit, dark cassis with loads of new American oak. - Spanish? Creamy and rich. Pretty but young. Reminds me a little of 94 Unico - huge and over the top, but has the structure and balance to age. Spices. Very deep. Unlike the 09 Anthill Farms right before this - this will be good with time. Big, yet balanced. Dark fruit: blackberry and dark cherry. Vanilla and leather. Sweet and stones. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was awesome. Very much a puppy of a wine despite being 17 years old. Lots of fruit still in this wine, but loads of leather, dried underbrush, berries, and tree bark. Almost a cinnamon spice and all spice component that is really interesting. This also has a saline note on the finish, which I adore (especially when drinking this with some nicely seasoned lamb or beef). As far as weight and texture is concerned, this isn't as lithe as Lopez de Heredia or even the Ardanza from the same wine maker. It's closer in style to the CVNE Imperial...power and finesse wrapped into one complete package. This one isn't cheap, but it's 100% worth the price of admission.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I remember tasting this a few years back and loving it, leading me to buy a few bottles. This is my first of them, and unfortunately it was completely dominated by oak. There is a hint of slightly green fruit underneath but really this was like drinking a bad milkshake. I'm no rioja expert so maybe this is in a dumb phase. Remaining bottles will be left for a few years in the hope that the oak resolves. *1/2
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice tawny orange on the edge of the wine and clear cherry juice at the core: by sight, this is middle-aged. Nose was rich oak and a bit of earth. Taste was how a portuguese sommelier described an old-style baga-based wine: "evolved." Nice acidity, gentle tannic bite, and a slight, pleasing sherry vinegar flavor in the mid-palate; not much fruit, however. Good length with a relatively light body. Held up to grilled new york steak and eggplant but would have been fine with lighter food, too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tart cherry and lots of oak on the Nose. Initially, I thought this came across as too oaky and modern, but after letting most of my pour sit in my glass for a good 35 minutes, or so, I returned to it and found a transformed wine; with time in the glass, additional nuance seemed to emerge from the dark-fruited palate, and the juicy acidity became much more apparent than it was at first. Needs time to integrate some oak, although I think I will always find this wine a touch too oaky. Heavy oak aside, I think this is a very nice wine, and needs additional time in the cellar. One of my favorites of the evening, based on its potential. Hold. Drink 2015 – 2035 (or beyond?).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
La Rioja Alta Dinner (Ole Restaurant, 24 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong): Still looks very young - maybe because it wasn't bottled until it was 5 years-old - semi-transparent and lightening at the edges. Nose is lovely fresh strawberries...still very young and elusive.....a heavenly light and "chase after me" nose. Palate is light acidic but real "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" power. Good length and hints of rolling thunder resonance. Still very young but this has a lovely feminine Rioja style. Give it another 5-7 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear garnet with tawny edges. An exceptionally consistent wine from nose to finish. Bright red to black fruit, cedar, tobacco and wet earth. Obviously aged flavors coupled to mature tannins, very fresh texture and modest tartness, this wine is fully but not overwhelmingly flavored, with a pleasing long finish. Paired beautifully with roast beef tenderloin, as it is more elegant than powerful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep crimson, slightly tawny at rim. Sweet oak, strawberries, a little dusty. On the palate, lovely sweet American oak, rich ripe cherry fruit, strawberries. Slight pepper note, some sweet spice. Lovely but faded quite quickly in the glass
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. I liked this, but not as much as other CT tasters. Maybe poor stems at local byob is the issue, or poor storage at PLCB. Mature cherry red in color. Nice nose of berry, vanilla and earth. Leather, cherry, vanilla and mineral on the palate. A tad harsh. Would like to try this again to see what I am missing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
there is hardly anything to add. this is the kind of wine that lets you crave for each new sip. balanced, integrated, full of grace, not too fat. lifts you up, enjoys to be drunk with food (tonight with slow cooked beef tenderloin with orange-flavored peas and crispy bacon). traditionally made Rioja, please let this kind of wine not die out. outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What GG said! My only addition was that this wine was so subtle and elegant that it took me by surprise. When we suggest the idea of 'old world' versus 'new world' this wine is the epitome of 'old world'. Bordeaux drinkers belly up. If you can find it...buy it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Liver Killing with TWG and jar! (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): Popped and poured, translucent brick color in the glass. Nose of orange peel, red fruit, spice dill,,hints of leather,. On the plate, blast of cherry, baking spices, leather, dill, candied plum. Finishes with nice aicidty and completely resolved tannins. Drink over what ever time period you choose. This has a good 20 years left. A nice reminder of a time when finesse was more important than power. WOTN for me.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
(overlooked posting this when actually drank, but memorable enough to post later...)Quite dissapointed to be honest. Its a very good quality wine...if I wanted a good Bordeaux. It has all the characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is not what I'm looking for in a Rioja. I read somewhere that the Spanish authorities turn a blind eye to the amount that is included in this wine. In my opinion, the same producer's Vina Ardanza is a far better bet if you are looking for high-end Rioja with its distinctive Vanilla. And is about ten quid a bottle cheaper. I suppose it provides a cheaper alternative to the ludicrously priced Bordeaux on the market.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Outstanding. Nice color, some bricking around the edges. Nose: vibrant cherry, leather, dill and a wealth of spices. Palate: Beautiful acidity, red fruits, allspice, leather and some black tea. Excellent finish with plenty of grip left. While the oak is certainly present, I do not think that it is overdone by any means. This wine is firing on all cylinders right now and will hold there for awhile before declining. I wish I had more than one left as this wine has some some serious sentimental value for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Current nod for my Wine of The Year. Though I have a preference French oak the American oak is obvious in this wine and it does not suck. Any possible nuances acheived through aging wine in American oak is evident in this wine, dill is quite evident, coconut, cocoa, caramel, spice, saddle, ripe fruit, linear acidiity. This is rocking my face off!! This must have spent a long slumber in oak barrels to taste this young. There is alot is going on in this wine, very fresh and open for business. Get a bottle of this NOW!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Palish crimson, tawny towards the rim, medium intensity, clear. The nose pronounced sweet American Oak, not overpowering just intense. Red fruits, sweet spices and leather. The palate awash with sweet, rich strawberries and ripe plums. Christmas spices and cloves. Moderate and well intergrated tannings with good acidity. This was an excellent bottle of wine, multi layered, multi faceted with a long finish. At its peak but a good year or two, perhaps even longer, ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright red cherry colour, fading to orange at rim. Classic vanilla oak scent, sweet entry very much dominated by American oak treatment. The fruit tastes squidged into a corset of volatile acidity. Middling finish, also with a starring role for the Oak Monster. This will survive for an eternity, like the embalmed corpse of a beautiful youth, perhaps St. Rioja, martyred by being fed oak, oak and more oak. If you like this sort of thing, buy it by the case. If not, avoid. 86P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light but vibrant, a real antidote to those enormous over-extracted cabernets and syrahs the world seems to be so fond of at the moment. Medium of body but packed with ripe fruit flavours and powerful acidity. Masses of oak as you would expect from such a traditional style. When it's done this well you can fully appreciate why Rioja of the old school deserves its place in the firmament of great wines of the world. Delightful now, but has at least 15 years left to go. When you drink it will depend on how many you have and your preference for bright fruit (from now) or mellow dotage. Great example, although I'm sure will not be to everyone's taste.
EDIT : +2 days recorked on counter this is pretty much unchanged. The "embalming" process noted in another TN has done its job immaculately here - should be pretty much immortal. Would be interesting to taste in 20-30 years time...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
RUSSK Had at Mike and Taylor's. Very nice nose of leather and earth. Med-full bodied, nicely balanced Smooth sweet fruit. Easy tannins. Finishing with a pleasant acidity. Decent finish. Very solid Rioja exemplar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and had with pork ribs. Colour is medium red with a light rim. Nose is beautifully complex: cedar, moss, forest floor. Medium body, very silky. Flavours of tobacco, red currant and plum. This is traditionally styled Rioja: very elegant, finess over power. Finsh was a bit short, and this wine did not have quite the same body as my last bottle. Not the sensation that the last one was, but still a delicious, sophisticated and stylish wine, at peak drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cloudy bricking red; on the nose, fairly stinky and intense with bouquet of horse mane, stewed black fruit, vanilla, coconut shell, dust, soy and blood tang. On the palate, balanced alcohol, acids and attenuating tannins; surprised actually by the level of acids and tannin structure. The palate follows the nose with secondary flavors of vanilla, blood, stewed tomato, oyster sauce, salt and dust. Nice wine. Decanted. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On opening the bottle you get the wonderful aromas of vanilla and oak which for me is typical to this wine, decanted for 30 minutes, then started to get hints caramel and berries coming through, on tasting what hit me from the last bottle i had, was the tannins have leveled out nicely, plus the flavours where not so intense, still lots of oak, vanilla, strawberries, cherries and a smooth creamy aftertaste, the acidity is good. this bottle is more structured than the previous bottle, a classic Rioja, one of my favourites, its like having an old friend around every time i pop open a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour. Wonderfully translucent brick-and-teak colour. Clear from the outset this a real old school trad Rioja. Powerful, saturating oak nose with a depth of prune fruit and turned earth. Medium-bodied and very ripe with terrific mouth-watering acidity. This wine dances lightly on the palate leaving bread-crumb trails of pungent oak and ripe red fruit as it goes. The finish is long and balanced, but by this time your mouth is watering so much that it's hard to tell if you've actually got onto the finish yet! A great example of traditional Rioja, there's no midle ground for these wines - you either love them or you hate them. If you love the oaky, balanced finesse of proper classic Rioja then you'll love this one. Ridiculously good value. It's middle aged and will easily cruise along happily for another 15 years or more if well kept.
EDIT : +24 hours recorked on counter. Steady as a rock. No real change but maybe that initial tangy blast of oak is better balanced by some very pure red fruit. Heavenly match for a good home-made ragu bolognese
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Almost impossibly fresh for a 15-year old wine. Had this been tasted blind, the room would have said 4 years, tops. Very little tannic grip, which only makes the freshness and youth even more confounding. But perhaps it's the river of acidity that makes this a fountain of youth. A long life left to burn on this lovely, understated wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of my favorites. Upon opening, the wine had a rich oaky nose and tasted of vanilla notes and dense fruit. After an hour, the wine opened up, the oak became more integrated with dark berry fruit, spice and nice tannins as well as good acidity. lovely. ate with lombardos pasta and meatballs....perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unbelievably good. Sipped with aged Manchego cheese. Magenta with dense fruity nose. Medium bodied, smooth, long finish. A excellent wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Elegant. Gorgeous, expressive aromatics. Balanced and long on the palate. Still showing oak and primary fruit, but in many perfectly interwoven layers.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smell of shoe box, sugar cake and wild strawberries. Taste is long and smooth and ends up in a vanilla oak cream. One can also taste the earth tones. Quite spiritual all together. Enjoyable wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Archetypical old-school Rioja with an intoxicating, sweet nose dominated by the seasoning of American Oak: dill, vanilla, coconut, honeysuckle. On the palate this is all about strawberries, cherries and asian spices. Traditional stuff; sophisticated, charming, soft, ripe and ready to go. But it does have the stuffing to last another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Whilst decanting you can smell the aging barrels of oak, caramel and grape. This wine has a great balance between the oak and tart berries, decanted and drank after twenty minutes by this time In the mouth the wine is light in body, good levels of acidity and medium firm tannins, lots of black fruits and vanilla, with hints of spices carmel and earth, this is a classic example of how a Rioja should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious example of its type....traditional style oozes leather, tobacco and still retains enough acid fruit to balance it. Funky and spicy....Drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In El Almirez Restaurant (Maldonado St. Madrid), having lunch with my old friend Sergio, pairing blood sausage with raisins croquettes and baby squid with onion.Initially decanted because smells like drainpipe. Marron-brick colour with orange edges. Really mature wine. Still acidity enough to balance tar and meaty aromas. Elegant. Truly Rioja here. Not a long aftertaste but a lovely one. This wine seems to be ready right now. The bottle laying down in my own cellar, for the next decade? Outstanding.
En el restaurante El Almirez de Madrid con Sergio, acompañando unas croquetas de morcilla y pasas y unos chipirones con cebolla. Decantada porque, inicialmente, huele a desagüe. Color marrón-teja con ribetes anaranjados. Muy maduro. Todavía conserva la acidez suficiente para equilibrar los aromas cárnicos y a alquitrán. Elegante. Un Rioja de verdad. Su postgusto no era muy largo pero sí agradable. El vino parece totalmente preparado ahora mismo. La botella de mi bodega personal, ¿para beber en la próxima década? Muy buena.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Some wines have distinctness that remind me of a place or time in my life, and this is one that most reminds me of being in a winery. The smells and tastes bring to mind the first sensations when you initially walk into a cool moist cellar and smell the aging barrels of oak and grape. This wine has amazing balance between the oak, tart berries, integrated fine tannins, and acidity. At the same time, the alcohol is hidden. I didn't decant this before drinking, and it mellowed considerably in a good way over the course of 1 hour. Upon first opening it was a bit acidic, and reminded me of tomatoes with a touch of beef. After an hour, it was warm and mellow, with a prominent scent of anise. It is an excellent accompaniment to food, and while it doesn't have the concentration of fruits to stand on it's own as an aperitif or dessert, it is really enjoyable to drink. This bottle was not over-oxidized and the cork was dense with hardly any seepage. The color was slightly caramelized and very clear with hardly any sediment. One final note is that this wine was uniquely and definitively a classic Rioja. And for that I have a lot of respect, despite the fact that it may have scored higher if it were more extracted, had more creaminess etc. But it's a wine of "good breeding" with a more classic style. I think it could continue to age for another 10 years, although it's drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Along the lines of other recent notes...lots of forest floor, earthy, bright tart acidic cherry, tastes very young, will try to resist drinking my other bottle for the next ten years. Delcious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pre-Nuptial Eve Get Together (Wink Wine Bar): I was expecting a Lopez Heredia-like experience, but this is a totally different animal. Very dark, very primal, very brooding, very funky, very focused, but without significant fruit extraction. It's extremely high toned in its acid and raspberry and red currant fruit. There's also an incredible amount of dried herbs and mossy forest floor there. Got better and better with air, but I think it's nowhere near maturity. To get where I would like to drink it, it'll need 10 years more at least, and I'm not sure if 15 years would be even better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
SL staff friday night- non-american reds (casa de aaron, NYC): too aged and oxidized american oak for much of the group. savory, light, bright, not quite pretty, but yummy. was a bonus bottle found on the counter of the kitchen. i think i was it's biggest advocate. late in the night after a lot of palate coaters. 4/10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Education Service - Mature Rioja (LSE): Showing age in its colour. A very special nose, spicy, evoking Christmas. Fruity attack and pleasantly smooth, missing something in the mid palate, OK on length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Det Goda Köket Food and Wine fair: Elegant, lots of berry fruit, great structure and acidity. But... the smell of dill and old crayfish boilwater is just overwhelming. Almost a parody on the typical Rioja notes. If one's into that kind of stuff, this is a magnificent wine. For me - no thanks.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Three Fantastic Dinners in DC; 10/26/2008-10/28/2008 (Washington, DC): Medium light color. Pine driven wood carries the aromatics here. Briefly some faded strawberry flavors, but quickly overtaken by the wood. I know that I sound like a broken record with Spanish wines, but for me, unfortunately typical in having too much wood and too little fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Leathery, smoky strawberry fruit nose, hints of earth, spice and vanilla. Lots of aged oak but reasonably well integrated. Developed and complex. Medium + bodied with soft, evolved tannins and fresh, keen acidity. Very spicy and lively on the palate, with leathery red berry fruits, perhaps lacking a little mid-palate length but reasonably long on the finish. Drinking well but plenty of life in this yet. Very good +.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vega-Sicilia (A Figueira Rubaiyat): Vinho #05. Provado às cegas. Rubi aberto com traços acastanhados. Aromas intensos, exuberantes, sem ser um vinho exagerado. Mais evoluído, fruta não tão aparente, marcantes notas resinosas (esmalte de unha). Evoluído, porém refinado, elegante, com intensidade e enorme persistência. Excepcional. Meu palpite: curinga - GR 904.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very disappointing given the positive reviews. Maybe my bottle was not representative, but this wine was tired and over the hill. No tannic structure left, so the backbone is just based on its good level of acidity. The nose is subtle and weak, with faint aromas of cherries and spicy oak. The palate is medium-bodied and is followed by a medium finish with pepper and red fruit. Enjoyable, but not great. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
EWG does Spanish Vino at Cobras and Matadors (Cobras and Matadors): Dill like American oak notes predominant on the nose. Soft feel and light tannins. I believe this saw some air before we got to it but being a Gran Reserva this probably needs more time to integrate that oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium red, getting the edge brown of an older wine, minerals, earth, oak, visible tammins, medium body with angible acids. An eelgant wine but perhaps the oak will be even more embedded in afew years time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium cherry red in color with high intensity and light bricking at the rim. Gorgeous, floral nose filled red rose, cherry and subtle cranberry aromas. In the mouth, the wine is light in body, with fresh, bright acidity and medium firm tannins. Great juicy mouthfeel with a long dusty cherry finish that lingers on and on. This is a great little wine filled with elegant red berry flavors and red floral notes. 4/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brilliant garnet color with a translucent bricking at the rim. The nose is sour and dusty with a mineral/spice touch. Light fruits, of cranberry and red currant sneak in on the nose too. In the mouth this wine is soft and delicate, with a strong fresh acidity and cherry spice flavors with touches of cobweb mustiness. Fully dry this is an elegant wine that in the midpalate shows hints of raspberry fruit while at the same time showing a nice soft minerality. Suductive, and not obivious, this wine demands a book, a fireplace and a long evening. 4.5/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dusty, almost a touch musty, oxidative nose with sweet earth, blood, baked red fruits. Bracing acidity. For now, this is a relative disappointment given the pedigree (and I drink a lot of traditional Rioja). I am less familiar with La Rioja Alta than with Lopez, CVNE, Muga, Castillo Ygay, etc, so I cannot forcast aging, but I'll wait 5+ years to check in again and hope it's opened up and is more giving... score reserved but for for current drinking, not worth the tarif IMHO.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank this blind with Jean alongside a 2001 Cune. Nose reminds me of the 96' Lopez de Heredia. Black cherry?, hint of wood, hint of licorice. On the palate it is very well-balanced. Med-bodied with a long long finish, probably licorice. Nice wine but the dark cherry/licorice aromas are not exactly my type. Jean thought it was woody, oaky and vanilla.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased at a Costco, of all places, outside San Juan, PR. Very reticent when poured and our initial thought was a flawed or corked bottle. With time, it proved enjoyable with signs of its age. Smooth, fine tanins. A good deal of acidity. Red fruits and an earthy quality. Perhaps a bit of browning in the otherwise ruby colored wine, it was medium weight and a lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ray Q's 'Naked' Offline (DigitalMail's office, London): TCA. Seems to blow off after a bit but then comes back with each re-pour. No. An interesting wine under there somewhere though. Seems to be far better than the 1990s of this I've had over the last couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An exceptional wine. Very bordeaux like in its complex bouquet. The palate is smooth and sophisticated with plum, currant and a little tobacco leaf. This is traditional style Rioja: elegance, finesse and subtlety. Interesting, the wine put on quite a bit of additional weight since last year, giving it more body without losing any of its silkiness. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A good food wine -- drank with chicken. Medium body and ready to drink now. Typical old world earthiness, with some cherry undertones. Bought this bottle in Madrid earlier in the year. Wish I'd have bought it a year or two ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted immediately after opening, decanted, then tasted regularly over 3 hours. At first a lovely, smoky, old-oak-barrels nose but quite thin in the mouth. After 1.5 hours the nose resolved to a griottes (sour cherry), kirsch-liqueur, high-toned, very pretty bouquet -- my wife and I disagree about whether it was red fruit or black fruit, but to me it was clearly red-cherry-compote/liqueur. The body filled out admirably as well. After 2-ish hours, the wine began to began to thin out, finishing with quite distinct acidity. My sense is that this is a wine just past its peak; still drinking beautifully, but with no further development worth waiting for, and I expect the fruit to dissipate over the next 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rubi com traços acastanhados, límpido e brilhante. Aromas muito finos, floral destacado, além de verniz, couro e coco. Extremamente macio e elegante, álcool imperceptível, taninos completamente domados, acidez viva, mostrando enorme equilíbrio. Ótima persistência. Deve se manter inteiro por vários anos, mas suponho que atingiu o auge, não deve evoluir mais. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Garrafa aberta com 4 horas de antecedencia e depois decantado por 1 hora. Ruby medio com traços alaranjados. Diferente de outras vezes, o aroma se revelou bem expressivo e profundo com claras notas minerais, resinoso (esmalte) e couro. Na boca sedoso, macio, com ótima acidez e taninos finíssimos. Recheia a boca com equilibrio e estrutura, sendo fácil de beber e tendo média persistência e um agradável fundo de taça. Acompanhou perfeitamente bem o delicioso cordeiro preparado pela Maria.Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice old school Rioja. Wide, broad, mature. Warm deep fruit with a nice balance of acidity. None of the very sweet vanilla of some of the newer styled Spanish wine. Good solid tobacco, some rubber. A really lovely complex wine and very friendly and ready to drink. B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nota de memória. Rubi com evolução para grená e traços acastanhados, límpido e brilhante. Elegante, com aromas de pouca intensidade mas profundos e complexos. Floral, verniz, couro e, no início, madeira. Taninos finos, ótima acidez, sedoso, médio corpo, não se destacando pelo excesso de concentração de fruta, o que, nos dias de hoje, considero uma virtude. Final longo e delicioso. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was even better than the last bottle I had last year. Same color, but more complex on the nose, an amazing elegance. Perfect balance, great mouthfeel, very well integrated, just a touch thin on the mid palate, but an outstanding finish. The most impressive for me was the pairing, I thought I had mistakenly paired it with a roasted baby lamb but the wine stood it´s ground perfectly and wasn´t by any means overpowered by the lamb. The aromatics of both were in perfect balance and the acidity of the rioja was just perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful nose of sweet oak and cedar. Opened almost two hours before drinking but not decanted. At first a bit too acidic but this became integrated over time. Very long finish, very traditional rioja and very impressive. A beautiful wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pre-Christmas Offline (Market Restaurant, Manchester): 12.5% This has a very weird clarified butter nose and not a lot else. Very smooth palate, velvety, almost buttery again. Very odd. Feels utterly spineless. There’s clearly something wrong with this, but heavens knows what. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jantar (Santo Colomba - SP): Um belo Rioja. Aromas minerais, cereja,flores, esmalte. Na boca bem equilibrado e estruturado, destacando cereja, tabaco e algo de fruta vermelha levemente doce. Taninos finos e um medio-longo final. Um vinho muito elegante.Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rioja de estilo clássico, de uma safra excelente. Corte de tempranillo (90%) e graciano, com estágio de 4 anos em barricas seminovas de carvalho americano. Bela cor rubi com leves traços alaranjados. Vinho sobretudo elegante, a começar pelo nariz, que tem uma delicadeza única. Perfumado, aromas complexos, sutis e ao mesmo tempo com profundidade, onde a fruta não se destaca, mas sim um traço de couro e principalmente algo químico delicioso que lembra verniz, esmalte e, surpreendentemente, botrytis. Taninos muito finos, macios, madeira completamente integrada e acidez fantástica. Equilíbrio, elegância e finesse, remetendo a um Vega. Final muito longo e agradável. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Luminous ruby - quite pale compared to the other (90s) wines tonight, slight browning. Absolutely classic oaky vanilla and plum nose, some farmyardy hints. Smooth ripe fruit on the palate, great balance of acidity and oaky structure. Great length in perfect balance. Just my perfect rioja - but its not outstanding in any way. 4
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sommelier's choice at Country Restaurant in NYC. Smooth, full and earthy, oaky but without the bite. Supported the squid, clams and sea urchin well (esp. the urchin) but a bit too overwhelming for the halibut.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Old Style Rioja x Modern Style Rioja (abs): Granada color, good signs of aging present. Ripe cherries, toasted caramel, very intense, animal and meaty, great body and structure. I have to say this reminds me of Vega.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Education Service - Rioja: Dense, brick. Vegetal with the opulent fragrance of cherries. Oaky sweet attack, blackcurrants, minerality, a stunning wine.
9/5/2023 - Rani Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind. As it often happened I had no problem identifying the unique footprint of La Rioja Alta. Vanilla, warth and plum notes combine with a very chewy texture and high acidity. Good structure and length. Better slightly than its 1994 counterpart.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2023 - NoahCap wrote:
Vibrant ruby with a rim that is starting to brick a bit. The nose starts out with a lovely tight core of sweet dark cherry aromas that unfortunately fade quite quickly. The cherry character sticks around, but it turns towards tart/sour, and less candied as the wine takes on air. Some lovely fresh raspberry aromas round out the fruit-driven profile, which compliments a plethora of leathery, earthy, and herbaceous (sage? mint?) smells.
Age has lightened the body to a medium-minus. Tannins are nearly all gone. Acidity is wonderfully high. Flavors of sour cherries and pomegranates along with an herbal bitterness lead in the mouth. Plenty of that leather and dusty quality that I picked up on the nose. There is a reasonable level of complexity, though nothing that will knock your socks off.
Overall, a very good wine that has done well for nearly 30 years. It has aged nicely, but age did not take it to the high peak that some fine Riojas can reach. It is very good, though probably not going to get any better- the loss of tannin and leathery flavors indicate to me that this is probably going to start on the backslope sooner rather than later. I'd happily drink this any day, though not sure if I'd want to be the one paying- these older Gran Reserva Riojas from good vintages are getting expensive! Personally, I'd pay a bit more and get Lopez de Heredia or Ygay.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2022 - RayOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at 67
So drinkable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2021 - empire80 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Simply beautiful! Everything in harmony, super smooth, so many subtle tertiary flavours in harmony, with a very long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2021 - FEDEVIDAL Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decantado y filtrado debido a la enorme cantidad de poso que contiene. Color picota de capa muy alta y el borde es sólo ligeramente atejado. El aroma es de nivel medio-alto, es una auténtica sinfonía compuesta de una multitud de elementos, cueros, en su variante de silla de montar, higos y melocotón confitados, tabaco rubio y de pipa, hojarasca, tierra mojada, especies orientales, balsámicos y muchos otros elementos que cuesta describir. En boca es un vino suave, redondo, aterciopelado, de gusto muy complejo y difícil de describir, casi enigmático, se podía constatar la presencia de uva pasa, una punta de cueros, hojarasca y tierra, todo ello con vainilla y un ligerísimo toque de manera y con un final larguísimo.
Ahora está en un perfecto momento de consumo pero este tipo de vinos sorprenden por su enorme longevidad, sin duda ira evolucionando durante al menos dos décadas
Se trata de un Rioja clásico de manual, fruto de una gran bodega que guarda y conserva el modo de hacer tradicional de estos vinos y que desgraciadamente hoy en día cada vez son menos.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/8/2021 - Nick oakwood wrote: 94 Points
Brilliant. Fully resolved tannins with good tertiary notes an enough acid to be an interesting food companion. I liked it a lot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2020 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite similar to my previous note, though the fruit has softened a bit and some of the intensity is subdued. There's a languid, louche feeling to this bottle, but it's delightfully moreish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2020 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 94 Points
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux
Popped and poured, drunk over two days. Clear, medium+, tawny color with some fine orange rim. Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose with lots of tobacco, menthol, leather, red fruit, fine oak and herbs. Deep and very complex!
Dry, only 12,5% abv and a racy acidity, that makes the wine very fresh and lean. Fine, medium+ tannin. On the palate lots of red fruit, tobacco, cedar wood, leather, herbs, some dried rose petals and spices. Great texture, fresh, elegant and lots of tension and depth. Very long, over 70 seconds with fine fruit and lots of tertiary aromas. Seems at its full peak. Beautiful wine with an excellent PQR! 93-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2020 - Loekkeboe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfectly mature and rounded classic rioja. Burgundian in style but with some telltale lactic notes and a fine touch of volatility.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2020 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully balanced old school rioja, gently fading sweet cherry, subtle spice and vanilla, a gorgeous nose and a very long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2019 - DK Amateur wrote: flawed
This was unfortunately corked but it was possible to discern a fine and lively wine with dark aromas and quite some acidity underneath.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2019 - ZMAng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sampler. Nose: leather, old books, some green notes. Similar on the palate, some black fruit, plum, tart. 89-92.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2018 - Rajagopalanator wrote: 91 Points
Leather and light cherry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2018 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sehr ätherisch, klar Rioja Alta Stil, kein Schimmer von Alterstönen, Kirschfrucht in allen Nuancen mischt sich mit Himbeere und Waldkräutern und Unterholz. Fantastischer Wein der sich Mühlos zu fortgeschittener Stunde zu zweit leeren ließ.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2018 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Garnet-ruby hue. Nose of cinnamon, plum pits, licorice, earth, damp cellar. Clear layers of vibrant plum and almost sour red cherry fruit cut with leather, earth, and hints of tobacco. Still-freshening acidity and smoothed tannin accompanied by gentle texture and a bit of oak. Feathery finish of coppery red fruit and dusty stone. Lovely with ribs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2018 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Dark red with medium edges. Ripe dill, melted butter, plum, leather and black cherry nose. For me the oak dominates but it is ok in this aged wine. Dry buttery plum and cherry flavours and a long caramel finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2017 - winebargainchaser wrote: 93 Points
classic old rioja style, very fine, concentrated and still tastful. certainly elegant. with a filet de boeuf, for example ! You could keep this yet longer, but it's ready now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2017 - lolo66 wrote:
off the list from Alta. still incredibly young and showing prominent oak. in decanter and some air, it starts to integrate and offers a lot of primary pleasure, but this is still a baby. Check in another 5 years, but more likely 10.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2017 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Graciano (10%) from a very acclaimed vintage. Fermented in large oak vats. Aged for 4 years (6/1996-7/2000) in American oak barrels that are on average 4 years old, but includes some new barrels as well. 12,6% alcohol, 5,86 g/l acidity and 0,95 g/l VA. Tasted blind.
Translucent pale garnet color. Hugely expressive, complex and exuberant nose with voluptuous, intoxicating aromas of wizened dark fruits, sweet barnyard aromas, leather, some dill and beef consommé, a little bit of sweet vanilla wood and a hint of cooked red fruits. At this point I'm ready to bet on the life of my firstborn that it's Rioja we're having. The wine is rich, full-bodied and very complex on the palate with high acidity. There are ripe flavors of mature, slightly raisiny fruit flavors, sweet oak spice, some vanilla, a little bit of woody bitterness, a hint of leather and a touch of strawberry jam. Although the age is starting to show taste-wise, the structure is very stern and tightly-knit with bright acidity offsetting the sweeter fruit notes and moderate tannins giving the wine nice, muscular frame and lovely, textural feel. The finish is very long, rich and slightly grippy with complex flavors of rich vanilla oak, dried dates, some sweet dark plums, a little bit of strawberries, a hint of leather and a touch of moist pipe tobacco.
A very impressive and expressive Rioja, which feels remarkably youthful at almost 22 years of age. Although the fruit department is starting to show hints of age, the oak feels so heavy and dominant here I thought the wine was at least 8-10 years younger! There is no way the oak will ever integrate with the fruit completely - at least not before the fruit has died and the wine oxidized completely - but there is so much life and muscle to the wine that it is going to be going up for many years more. The American oak character feels almost excessive here, making it hard to believe that this wine sees (or should see) mainly old oak barrels. Definitely not a wine for ones that are averse to heavy vanilla oak, but for other people this is a textbook example of a traditional, heavily vanilla-driven yet remarkably balanced and harmonious Rioja style. Not really my cup of tea, but still it is impossible for me not to enjoy a wine this complex and impressive. I'd love to return to this wine in 10-15 years, perhaps it has reached its plateau of maturity by then?
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)
5/17/2017 - kevin h wrote: 92 Points
Good but no wow factor. Classic red fruits, mocha, orange peel and leather mix.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2017 - Mrp2008 wrote: 92 Points
Quite youthful on the palate. Good acidity, still a fair amount of fruit and soft, fairly resolved tannins. A hint of oak, red and black fruits. Great with food and should last another 5-10 years easy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2017 - kenito799 wrote: 93 Points
Brownish tinged cranberry in glass. Gorgeous nose of forest floor, black cherry, vanilla, powerful. Silky, medium body, mature tannins. perfectly balanced Rioja. Certainly mellowed since last bottle I tried in 2009!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2017 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Haunting fragrant nose of dried cherry and tobacco with some lashings of vanilla and oud-like perfume. Intoxicating nose, silky plush palate showing fine grained tannin and cranberry-like acidity. Ethereal, eternal, just beautiful mature wine with longevity to spare.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2017 - Lype wrote: 91 Points
The 904 is definitely a wine built to last, complex combination of cherries, leather, vanilla, American oak, dill, dark fruits and barnyard notes. Very much old style Rioja.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2017 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Mazuelo aka. Carignan (10%) from a very acclaimed vintage. Fermented in large oak vats. Aged for 4 years in American oak barrels that are on average 4 years old, but includes some new barrels as well. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Translucent pale garnet color with slightly developed dried blood hue and almost clear rim. The nose is smooth, slightly sweet and expressive with complex aromas of leather, sous-bois, some savory plummy fruit, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of dried figs and a reductive touch of fireworks smoke. The wine feels rich, full-bodied and pretty intense on the palate with very complex and rather powerful flavors of dark juicy fruits, robust Asian spices, some stony mineral character, a little bit of aged beef consommé, a hint of sweet vanilla oak and a touch of pruney fruit along with a light touch of sour cherry bitterness. The mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and supple, yet the wine feels more structured than soft with moderately high acidity and somewhat resolved medium tannins. The finish is rich and very complex with very persistent flavors of ripe dark berries, prunes, some leather, a little bit of vanilla and a hint of sour cherry bitterness.
A real stunner of a Rioja that is starting to show some aged character already, but is still remarkably youthful in style. Very harmonious and still going up; probably will take more than a decade to reach the apogee. I think I prefer this kind of savory-fruited style over 890 Gran Reserva 1995's more vanilla-driven style. Stunning value at 50€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2017 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Traditional Rioja (RSJ, London): Richer and oakier and plusher on the nose. Everything the Ardanza had, but dialled up to ten. A qualitative difference,Ma stylistic one? Not sure, but currently dialled down a little is better. Excellent wine, louder but just a little flat compared to the Ardanza. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2016 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Two bottles of this, same appearance, nose a typical LRA, vanilla, nuts, red sweet fruit, like a perfume, still very lively acidity, red berries, very harmonic texture, elegant but powerful, herbs, almonds, vanilla, round and very balanced, long aftertaste, two delicous bottles, on top now, but the present acidity will help this wine over the next decade++, ***(*+), 91- 94
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
7/30/2016 - john nielsen wrote: 85 Points
Though a fan of LRA, this disappointed me. An intriguing nose, as others have described, including some citrus, and a palate that had an unpleasing intensity of an unexpectedly high acidity. A big wine, not tannic but not as well balanced as we have come to expect from this icon of traditional Rioja.
Have others been praising it because of its reputation rather than the actuality? Buttle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2016 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright red with slight orange/amber hues. Unusually exotic (even by Rioja standards) and beautiful nose with coconut, eucalyptus, milk chocolate, and cherry. To write that this bottle was "aromatic" or "open" would be understating the case. Absolutely beautiful nose, reminiscent of the 01 LRA 890. Same notes on the palate, with long eucalyptus, orange peel finish. Round, silky structure with mouth-watering acidity and no rough edges. Savoury as well.
It really speaks volumes of LRA wines, that the qualities presented by this 95 904, seem "usual" and are exactly what I expect each time I open a Gran Reserva produced by them.
Another great bottle of the 904 !
93pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2016 - Burgundynick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Dark red/brown. Nose has a faint whiff of oak, some stewed fruit, spice and leaf. The palate is soft, red fruit and balanced. Drinking superbly and the finished leaves you wanting more 92 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2016 - Stirling Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sadly, our last bottle, but as good as any of them. Beautiful nose of cherry, strawberry, tobacco leaf and spices. After a bit of air, vanilla and a slight smokiness can be detected. Its medium body is silky smooth; it has a mouthfeel that would make a Grand Cru Burgundy blush. A slight leafy character infuses the red fruits and the finish is long and juicy. Extremely classy. www.advinetures.ca
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2015 - elledeca wrote:
La Rioja Alta GR 904 (Brussels): Darker profile than 1994, more fruit with blackberries but still a lot of acidity. I like it less.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
8/13/2015 - Stirling Likes this wine: 95 Points
At age 20 this is in great shape. Beautiful nose of strawberry, sweet tobacco and saddle leather with a slight floral component developing with air. Medium body, this has the silky mouthfeel of a Grand Cru Burgundy. The finish is long and juicy with a slight citrus note. Very complex with lots of earth, mineral and tobacco notes supporting the red fruit of cranberry, raspberry and cherry. Intensely flavoured, this is absolutely delicious. www.advinetures.ca
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2015 - Harley1199 wrote:
Subtle 904. Really suave and aromatic. Easy drink. Acid and shortie.
It hasn't been the best bottle of 904 I have ever had. I would like it a little more complex and savoury.
Una 904 suavecita. Realmente delgada y aromática. De trago fácil. Ácida y cortita. No ha sido la mejor botella de 904 que he tenido. Me gustaría algo más de complejidad y sabor.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
2/22/2015 - Mfsb89 wrote:
Este vino quizás sea uno de los mejores ejemplos de In Gran Reserva Riojano. En todos los sentidos se percibe los mas de 48 meses de bodega. En vista es rojo teja con ciertos tonos naranjas. Sin embargo, el ribete es limpio. En boca tiene un gran y profundo retrogusto con notas a tabaco y café. En olfato predominan los frutos rojos maduros y café tostado el olor a cuero lo dejaría en un tercer lugar. Los vinos de La Rioja Alta son para mi gusto un gran referente de la forma de elaborar vinos. Salud !!!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2014 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 92 Points
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/09/la-rioja-alta-904-gran-reserva-1995.html
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
De color rojizo rubí de medio cuerpo, brillante, limpísimo. Reflejos granadinos y anaranjados, borde amplio, cobrizo, con escasa diferencia respecto al menisco.
Pedazo de vino, serio, reposado, con una gama aromática intensa y muy expresiva. Se presenta lleno de matices de tabaco inglés, Virginia de pipa, cava de puros, melaza con naranja, y un deje de maderas finas, cedro, cacao tostado, café aromático. Suave, perfumado, muy elegante con una crianza clásica bien resuelta que deja paso a una fuerte expresión varietal. Una tempranillo fragante con destellos florales, pétalos, flores secas y una fruta roja reducida ligeramente licorosa y especiada.
En boca es fino, lleno de fruta roja picante, fresco, vivo, de medio cuerpo. Tiene una marcada acidez cítrica y un punto balsámico de gran calidad (anises estrellados, salvia). En términos generales estamos ante un vino muy similar al de la añada 1994. Dos vinos tallados de la misma piedra, de gran solidez, macizos, estructurados y con mucha energía. Necesitarán bastante botella para ir puliéndose pero lo tienen todo para seguir creciendo. Este 904 es un excelente vino de excelente cosecha. Una apuesta segura para comprar a cajas y guardar.
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
90% tempranillo, 10% graciano - 12.5% vol.
La tempranillo proviene de los viñedos propios más viejos ubicados en subzona de la Rioja Alta, principalmente de los municipios de Briñas, Labastida y Villalba. El resto de la uva es originaria de las fincas Melchorón I y II de Briones y Rodezno.
La fermentación alcohólica se desarrolló en 12 días, descubándose cinco días después. La fermentación maloláctica se desarrolló en depósitos de acero inoxidable en 35 días, de forma natural. En junio de 1.996 los vinos pasaron a criarse en barricas seminuevas de roble americano de 225 litros durante 49 meses, siendo trasegados por el método tradicional de barrica a barrica cada 6 meses. Filtrado suave antes de ser embotellado en julio de 2000.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/11/2014 - fc1910 wrote: 91 Points
compote driven nose, spicy, on the palate fine acidity, complex wellstructured midweigth body, spicy, vanilla, earthy, compote fruit, overripe, fine elegance, long+ finish, this bottle needed no decanting, just fine after opening, 90- 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)
1/31/2014 - fc1910 wrote: 89 Points
overripe fruit in the nose, spices, on the palate acidic, intense fruit of red berries, spices, herbal hints, fine elegance, long+ finish, very good bottle but had some better ones in the past, still a lot more years to go, 88- 93+?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2013 - Stirling Likes this wine: 94 Points
Among the very top producers of traditional Rioja, this wine was the epitome of elegance. Raspberry/blackberry fruit flavours are supported by leather, tobacco and a hint of licorice. Wonderfully complex but the mouth feel was to die for. Reminiscent of a Grand Cru Burgundy. At 18 years old this is fully mature but not fading; another 5-10 years left, I guess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/21/2013 - Mfsb89 wrote: 90 Points
Color teja obscura. En boca a moras maduras y con un final corto pero muy bien estructurado. Creo que uno de los grandes deleites de este vino es apreciar sus aromas. Necesario dejarlo respirar un par de hora antes de apreciar todo su potencias. Yo lo recomiendo tomar sólo sin ningún alimento y sin prisa uno de los mejores exponentes de Rioja
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/1/2013 - Nubian wrote: 94 Points
Burgundy like rich and intense nose of red fruit and spices. Sweet core, not a mighty but an uncomparably balanced, refined, fruit bursting wine with long and consistent finish. Even better on day 2. Outstanding.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/21/2013 - sharkarama wrote: 95 Points
My 5th bottle of this but it is singing out and seems to have come on a long way since the last. An absolute marvel of spices and tart, hedgerow fruits. Really good
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
7/27/2013 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Saturday Get Together (My Place): Really nice savory aromas on the nose. Meats, dried roses, spices, mushrooms...just a beautiful concoction. The palate had that nice oxidative note, a nuttiness, that appealed to me along with just silky florals and fruits.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2013 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Classic rioja with vanilla, earth, and notes of leather. A palate that is dominated by acidity makes it great with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2012 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 93 Points
hmmmm.....really love this typical oldschool Rioja- nose, overripe sweet fruit, leather, earthy, then....gentle acidic bite, a lot of power, complex, red fruits, spicery, unbelivably projecting and seems still so young, super finish, will last for another+? decade, all this with only 12,5%! And this Gran Reserva is to buy at a very low price for this quality.....about 26€ at your local Hamburg dealer......... 92- 94?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2012 - johnh1001 wrote: 92 Points
Drank over two hours. Really pretty Rioja. Took about 30 min to get going. Light on the nose with dried red fruit, leather and toasty oak. More wood spice and dried flowers on the palate with some earth. Delicate and complex. Medium finish with dusty tannin. Plenty of life left though this is in a great place right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2012 - leboeufsurletoit wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully, this is what I want Rioja to taste like.
Still young tasting. From memory much better than the 99 but will have to check.
Delicate nose.
Leather and straw berries, with as another taster says, maybe cinnamon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2012 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 92 Points
Josh Kurek's birthday bash (Corkbuzz, New York, NY): Tasted double blind, from magnum. Lots of plummy dark fruit, dark cassis with loads of new American oak. - Spanish? Creamy and rich. Pretty but young. Reminds me a little of 94 Unico - huge and over the top, but has the structure and balance to age. Spices. Very deep. Unlike the 09 Anthill Farms right before this - this will be good with time. Big, yet balanced. Dark fruit: blackberry and dark cherry. Vanilla and leather. Sweet and stones. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2012 - Lype Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dried fruit, leather, syrupy mouthfeel, good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2012 - steffenpelz wrote:
This was awesome. Very much a puppy of a wine despite being 17 years old. Lots of fruit still in this wine, but loads of leather, dried underbrush, berries, and tree bark. Almost a cinnamon spice and all spice component that is really interesting. This also has a saline note on the finish, which I adore (especially when drinking this with some nicely seasoned lamb or beef). As far as weight and texture is concerned, this isn't as lithe as Lopez de Heredia or even the Ardanza from the same wine maker. It's closer in style to the CVNE Imperial...power and finesse wrapped into one complete package. This one isn't cheap, but it's 100% worth the price of admission.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2012 - benhalton wrote:
I remember tasting this a few years back and loving it, leading me to buy a few bottles. This is my first of them, and unfortunately it was completely dominated by oak. There is a hint of slightly green fruit underneath but really this was like drinking a bad milkshake. I'm no rioja expert so maybe this is in a dumb phase. Remaining bottles will be left for a few years in the hope that the oak resolves. *1/2
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Brown Bag Wine Dinner @ Le Provence, Goral Gables; 4/17/2012-4/18/2012: - Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Aldo's wine. Typical Classical Rioja vanilla bouquet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2012 - diggydan wrote: 85 Points
Nice tawny orange on the edge of the wine and clear cherry juice at the core: by sight, this is middle-aged. Nose was rich oak and a bit of earth. Taste was how a portuguese sommelier described an old-style baga-based wine: "evolved." Nice acidity, gentle tannic bite, and a slight, pleasing sherry vinegar flavor in the mid-palate; not much fruit, however. Good length with a relatively light body. Held up to grilled new york steak and eggplant but would have been fine with lighter food, too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2012 - Fishboy wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle and unfortunately the last one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2011 - yofog wrote: 92 Points
Very pretty. Red fruits, vanilla, piquillo pepper. A bit closed and will probably be longer lasting than the 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2011 - grafstrb wrote:
Rioja Offline (London Venue Club (Sheffield, UK)): -- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 45 minutes --
Tart cherry and lots of oak on the Nose. Initially, I thought this came across as too oaky and modern, but after letting most of my pour sit in my glass for a good 35 minutes, or so, I returned to it and found a transformed wine; with time in the glass, additional nuance seemed to emerge from the dark-fruited palate, and the juicy acidity became much more apparent than it was at first. Needs time to integrate some oak, although I think I will always find this wine a touch too oaky. Heavy oak aside, I think this is a very nice wine, and needs additional time in the cellar. One of my favorites of the evening, based on its potential. Hold. Drink 2015 – 2035 (or beyond?).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
La Rioja Alta Dinner (Ole Restaurant, 24 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong): Still looks very young - maybe because it wasn't bottled until it was 5 years-old - semi-transparent and lightening at the edges. Nose is lovely fresh strawberries...still very young and elusive.....a heavenly light and "chase after me" nose. Palate is light acidic but real "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" power. Good length and hints of rolling thunder resonance. Still very young but this has a lovely feminine Rioja style. Give it another 5-7 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2011 - SteveG wrote: 92 Points
Clear garnet with tawny edges. An exceptionally consistent wine from nose to finish. Bright red to black fruit, cedar, tobacco and wet earth. Obviously aged flavors coupled to mature tannins, very fresh texture and modest tartness, this wine is fully but not overwhelmingly flavored, with a pleasing long finish. Paired beautifully with roast beef tenderloin, as it is more elegant than powerful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2011 - Leigh Johnson wrote: 88 Points
Deep crimson, slightly tawny at rim. Sweet oak, strawberries, a little dusty. On the palate, lovely sweet American oak, rich ripe cherry fruit, strawberries. Slight pepper note, some sweet spice. Lovely but faded quite quickly in the glass
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2011 - cos82 wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. I liked this, but not as much as other CT tasters. Maybe poor stems at local byob is the issue, or poor storage at PLCB. Mature cherry red in color. Nice nose of berry, vanilla and earth. Leather, cherry, vanilla and mineral on the palate. A tad harsh. Would like to try this again to see what I am missing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2011 - nigelb wrote: 94 Points
this wine held up very well, including against Opus One 1993
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2011 - Ardross wrote: 88 Points
Subtle , delicate and lacy old fashioned Rioja - at its peak or just beginning a decline. I would not keep it all that much longer
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2011 - microbox wrote: 93 Points
there is hardly anything to add. this is the kind of wine that lets you crave for each new sip. balanced, integrated, full of grace, not too fat. lifts you up, enjoys to be drunk with food (tonight with slow cooked beef tenderloin with orange-flavored peas and crispy bacon). traditionally made Rioja, please let this kind of wine not die out. outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2011 - BillyT wrote: 93 Points
What GG said! My only addition was that this wine was so subtle and elegant that it took me by surprise. When we suggest the idea of 'old world' versus 'new world' this wine is the epitome of 'old world'. Bordeaux drinkers belly up. If you can find it...buy it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 93 Points
Liver Killing with TWG and jar! (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): Popped and poured, translucent brick color in the glass. Nose of orange peel, red fruit, spice dill,,hints of leather,. On the plate, blast of cherry, baking spices, leather, dill, candied plum. Finishes with nice aicidty and completely resolved tannins. Drink over what ever time period you choose. This has a good 20 years left. A nice reminder of a time when finesse was more important than power. WOTN for me.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2011 - Tannatastic wrote: 86 Points
(overlooked posting this when actually drank, but memorable enough to post later...)Quite dissapointed to be honest. Its a very good quality wine...if I wanted a good Bordeaux. It has all the characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is not what I'm looking for in a Rioja. I read somewhere that the Spanish authorities turn a blind eye to the amount that is included in this wine. In my opinion, the same producer's Vina Ardanza is a far better bet if you are looking for high-end Rioja with its distinctive Vanilla. And is about ten quid a bottle cheaper. I suppose it provides a cheaper alternative to the ludicrously priced Bordeaux on the market.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2011 - skisdeeppow wrote:
Outstanding. Nice color, some bricking around the edges. Nose: vibrant cherry, leather, dill and a wealth of spices. Palate: Beautiful acidity, red fruits, allspice, leather and some black tea. Excellent finish with plenty of grip left. While the oak is certainly present, I do not think that it is overdone by any means. This wine is firing on all cylinders right now and will hold there for awhile before declining. I wish I had more than one left as this wine has some some serious sentimental value for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 92 Points
Excellent bottle. Wish I had more than one left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2010 - robertgoulet wrote: 96 Points
Current nod for my Wine of The Year. Though I have a preference French oak the American oak is obvious in this wine and it does not suck. Any possible nuances acheived through aging wine in American oak is evident in this wine, dill is quite evident, coconut, cocoa, caramel, spice, saddle, ripe fruit, linear acidiity. This is rocking my face off!! This must have spent a long slumber in oak barrels to taste this young. There is alot is going on in this wine, very fresh and open for business. Get a bottle of this NOW!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2010 - Leigh Johnson wrote: 92 Points
Palish crimson, tawny towards the rim, medium intensity, clear. The nose pronounced sweet American Oak, not overpowering just intense. Red fruits, sweet spices and leather. The palate awash with sweet, rich strawberries and ripe plums. Christmas spices and cloves. Moderate and well intergrated tannings with good acidity. This was an excellent bottle of wine, multi layered, multi faceted with a long finish. At its peak but a good year or two, perhaps even longer, ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2010 - honest bob wrote: 86 Points
Bright red cherry colour, fading to orange at rim. Classic vanilla oak scent, sweet entry very much dominated by American oak treatment. The fruit tastes squidged into a corset of volatile acidity. Middling finish, also with a starring role for the Oak Monster. This will survive for an eternity, like the embalmed corpse of a beautiful youth, perhaps St. Rioja, martyred by being fed oak, oak and more oak. If you like this sort of thing, buy it by the case. If not, avoid. 86P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2010 - Khamen wrote: 93 Points
Light but vibrant, a real antidote to those enormous over-extracted cabernets and syrahs the world seems to be so fond of at the moment. Medium of body but packed with ripe fruit flavours and powerful acidity. Masses of oak as you would expect from such a traditional style. When it's done this well you can fully appreciate why Rioja of the old school deserves its place in the firmament of great wines of the world. Delightful now, but has at least 15 years left to go. When you drink it will depend on how many you have and your preference for bright fruit (from now) or mellow dotage. Great example, although I'm sure will not be to everyone's taste.
EDIT : +2 days recorked on counter this is pretty much unchanged. The "embalming" process noted in another TN has done its job immaculately here - should be pretty much immortal. Would be interesting to taste in 20-30 years time...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 92 Points
Medium red color with leather, earth, cedar, plum and cherry notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2010 - Pimenta wrote: 93 Points
Excelente! Equilibrado, maduro e com acidez interessante.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2010 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
RUSSK Had at Mike and Taylor's. Very nice nose of leather and earth. Med-full bodied, nicely balanced Smooth sweet fruit. Easy tannins. Finishing with a pleasant acidity. Decent finish. Very solid Rioja exemplar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2010 - Stirling wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and had with pork ribs. Colour is medium red with a light rim. Nose is beautifully complex: cedar, moss, forest floor. Medium body, very silky. Flavours of tobacco, red currant and plum. This is traditionally styled Rioja: very elegant, finess over power. Finsh was a bit short, and this wine did not have quite the same body as my last bottle. Not the sensation that the last one was, but still a delicious, sophisticated and stylish wine, at peak drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2010 - sethmorgenlong wrote:
Cloudy bricking red; on the nose, fairly stinky and intense with bouquet of horse mane, stewed black fruit, vanilla, coconut shell, dust, soy and blood tang. On the palate, balanced alcohol, acids and attenuating tannins; surprised actually by the level of acids and tannin structure. The palate follows the nose with secondary flavors of vanilla, blood, stewed tomato, oyster sauce, salt and dust. Nice wine. Decanted. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2010 - meinweinkeller wrote: 90 Points
Great nose with lot of different fruits and chocolate, silk in your mouth, give mim still time to develop, leather, chocolate, long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2010 - winston churchill wrote: 93 Points
On opening the bottle you get the wonderful aromas of vanilla and oak which for me is typical to this wine, decanted for 30 minutes, then started to get hints caramel and berries coming through, on tasting what hit me from the last bottle i had, was the tannins have leveled out nicely, plus the flavours where not so intense, still lots of oak, vanilla, strawberries, cherries and a smooth creamy aftertaste, the acidity is good. this bottle is more structured than the previous bottle, a classic Rioja, one of my favourites, its like having an old friend around every time i pop open a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2010 - Khamen wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Wonderfully translucent brick-and-teak colour. Clear from the outset this a real old school trad Rioja. Powerful, saturating oak nose with a depth of prune fruit and turned earth. Medium-bodied and very ripe with terrific mouth-watering acidity. This wine dances lightly on the palate leaving bread-crumb trails of pungent oak and ripe red fruit as it goes. The finish is long and balanced, but by this time your mouth is watering so much that it's hard to tell if you've actually got onto the finish yet! A great example of traditional Rioja, there's no midle ground for these wines - you either love them or you hate them. If you love the oaky, balanced finesse of proper classic Rioja then you'll love this one. Ridiculously good value. It's middle aged and will easily cruise along happily for another 15 years or more if well kept.
EDIT : +24 hours recorked on counter. Steady as a rock. No real change but maybe that initial tangy blast of oak is better balanced by some very pure red fruit. Heavenly match for a good home-made ragu bolognese
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2010 - Evan Dawson wrote:
Almost impossibly fresh for a 15-year old wine. Had this been tasted blind, the room would have said 4 years, tops. Very little tannic grip, which only makes the freshness and youth even more confounding. But perhaps it's the river of acidity that makes this a fountain of youth. A long life left to burn on this lovely, understated wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2009 - jkline wrote: 94 Points
One of my favorites. Upon opening, the wine had a rich oaky nose and tasted of vanilla notes and dense fruit. After an hour, the wine opened up, the oak became more integrated with dark berry fruit, spice and nice tannins as well as good acidity. lovely. ate with lombardos pasta and meatballs....perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2009 - aslan-m wrote: 94 Points
Unbelievably good. Sipped with aged Manchego cheese. Magenta with dense fruity nose. Medium bodied, smooth, long finish. A excellent wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2009 - W.Simons wrote:
Elegant. Gorgeous, expressive aromatics. Balanced and long on the palate. Still showing oak and primary fruit, but in many perfectly interwoven layers.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2009 - dejanp wrote: 92 Points
Had this wine in Barcelona this summer in Casa Calvet, and it was great. I don't remember the details but the pleasure was great and price very fair.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2009 - leonardo_de_araujo wrote: 91 Points
nice balance and plenty of fruit.
Reminds me of a very elegant Brunello but on serious steroids.
91 pts!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2009 - drunkstar wrote: 92 Points
crowd pleaser of a old style rioja
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2009 - Orjan wrote: 89 Points
Smell of shoe box, sugar cake and wild strawberries. Taste is long and smooth and ends up in a vanilla oak cream. One can also taste the earth tones. Quite spiritual all together. Enjoyable wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2009 - jkoenen wrote:
Archetypical old-school Rioja with an intoxicating, sweet nose dominated by the seasoning of American Oak: dill, vanilla, coconut, honeysuckle. On the palate this is all about strawberries, cherries and asian spices. Traditional stuff; sophisticated, charming, soft, ripe and ready to go. But it does have the stuffing to last another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2009 - winston churchill wrote: 91 Points
Whilst decanting you can smell the aging barrels of oak, caramel and grape. This wine has a great balance between the oak and tart berries, decanted and drank after twenty minutes by this time In the mouth the wine is light in body, good levels of acidity and medium firm tannins, lots of black fruits and vanilla, with hints of spices carmel and earth, this is a classic example of how a Rioja should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2009 - jmprusko wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, huge wine, oaky, long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2009 - drunkstar wrote: 92 Points
Delicious example of its type....traditional style oozes leather, tobacco and still retains enough acid fruit to balance it. Funky and spicy....Drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2009 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
In El Almirez Restaurant (Maldonado St. Madrid), having lunch with my old friend Sergio, pairing blood sausage with raisins croquettes and baby squid with onion.Initially decanted because smells like drainpipe. Marron-brick colour with orange edges. Really mature wine. Still acidity enough to balance tar and meaty aromas. Elegant. Truly Rioja here. Not a long aftertaste but a lovely one. This wine seems to be ready right now. The bottle laying down in my own cellar, for the next decade? Outstanding.
En el restaurante El Almirez de Madrid con Sergio, acompañando unas croquetas de morcilla y pasas y unos chipirones con cebolla. Decantada porque, inicialmente, huele a desagüe. Color marrón-teja con ribetes anaranjados. Muy maduro. Todavía conserva la acidez suficiente para equilibrar los aromas cárnicos y a alquitrán. Elegante. Un Rioja de verdad. Su postgusto no era muy largo pero sí agradable. El vino parece totalmente preparado ahora mismo. La botella de mi bodega personal, ¿para beber en la próxima década? Muy buena.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2009 - djdaqm wrote: 93 Points
Some wines have distinctness that remind me of a place or time in my life, and this is one that most reminds me of being in a winery. The smells and tastes bring to mind the first sensations when you initially walk into a cool moist cellar and smell the aging barrels of oak and grape. This wine has amazing balance between the oak, tart berries, integrated fine tannins, and acidity. At the same time, the alcohol is hidden. I didn't decant this before drinking, and it mellowed considerably in a good way over the course of 1 hour. Upon first opening it was a bit acidic, and reminded me of tomatoes with a touch of beef. After an hour, it was warm and mellow, with a prominent scent of anise. It is an excellent accompaniment to food, and while it doesn't have the concentration of fruits to stand on it's own as an aperitif or dessert, it is really enjoyable to drink. This bottle was not over-oxidized and the cork was dense with hardly any seepage. The color was slightly caramelized and very clear with hardly any sediment. One final note is that this wine was uniquely and definitively a classic Rioja. And for that I have a lot of respect, despite the fact that it may have scored higher if it were more extracted, had more creaminess etc. But it's a wine of "good breeding" with a more classic style. I think it could continue to age for another 10 years, although it's drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2009 - kenito799 wrote: 91 Points
Along the lines of other recent notes...lots of forest floor, earthy, bright tart acidic cherry, tastes very young, will try to resist drinking my other bottle for the next ten years. Delcious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2009 - steffenpelz wrote:
Pre-Nuptial Eve Get Together (Wink Wine Bar): I was expecting a Lopez Heredia-like experience, but this is a totally different animal. Very dark, very primal, very brooding, very funky, very focused, but without significant fruit extraction. It's extremely high toned in its acid and raspberry and red currant fruit. There's also an incredible amount of dried herbs and mossy forest floor there. Got better and better with air, but I think it's nowhere near maturity. To get where I would like to drink it, it'll need 10 years more at least, and I'm not sure if 15 years would be even better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2009 - psmith wrote:
Really high toned sour cherry fruit and roasted notes. More compact on the palate - still very young. Mouth-puckering. Nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2009 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
by Chanoch at La Plancha
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
A Taste of Spain (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Excellent grip on the finish. Beautifully aged. Can rock for another 15 years in my opinion...at least.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2009 - king-bing wrote: 89 Points
Good but not great. Fine tannins and gentle oak reveal it's quality. Nice bright cherry acidity on the palate. Just not very exciting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2009 - rbazinet wrote: 92 Points
This is what a Rioja should aim to be. Drinking well now, but could easily last another 10 years. Lucy's pick of the night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2009 - poptart_nyc wrote: 88 Points
SL staff friday night- non-american reds (casa de aaron, NYC): too aged and oxidized american oak for much of the group. savory, light, bright, not quite pretty, but yummy. was a bonus bottle found on the counter of the kitchen. i think i was it's biggest advocate. late in the night after a lot of palate coaters. 4/10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2009 - Cofxc Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little caramel, more orange peel, high toned, Christmas spices. Round, sleek, elegant on the palette. Tangy acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2008 - tendring wrote: 89 Points
Wine Education Service - Mature Rioja (LSE): Showing age in its colour.
A very special nose, spicy, evoking Christmas.
Fruity attack and pleasantly smooth, missing something in the mid palate, OK on length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2008 - wicke30 wrote: 89 Points
Great smokey nose, not as complex on the pallet as I like but an excellent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2008 - InterroVino wrote: 94 Points
Pretty tasty, classic, lots of American Oak dill notes, showing very nicely for a 13 year old wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2008 - peblin wrote:
Det Goda Köket Food and Wine fair: Elegant, lots of berry fruit, great structure and acidity. But... the smell of dill and old crayfish boilwater is just overwhelming. Almost a parody on the typical Rioja notes. If one's into that kind of stuff, this is a magnificent wine. For me - no thanks.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2008 - drwine2001 wrote:
Three Fantastic Dinners in DC; 10/26/2008-10/28/2008 (Washington, DC): Medium light color. Pine driven wood carries the aromatics here. Briefly some faded strawberry flavors, but quickly overtaken by the wood. I know that I sound like a broken record with Spanish wines, but for me, unfortunately typical in having too much wood and too little fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2008 - Paul D wrote: 88 Points
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Leathery, smoky strawberry fruit nose, hints of earth, spice and vanilla. Lots of aged oak but reasonably well integrated. Developed and complex. Medium + bodied with soft, evolved tannins and fresh, keen acidity. Very spicy and lively on the palate, with leathery red berry fruits, perhaps lacking a little mid-palate length but reasonably long on the finish. Drinking well but plenty of life in this yet. Very good +.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2008 - ccn wrote: 89 Points
Same general experience as last time, but somehow it was missing a layer of complexity this time around. Still a pretty wine but not improving.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2008 - Vinho wrote: 94 Points
Vega-Sicilia (A Figueira Rubaiyat): Vinho #05. Provado às cegas. Rubi aberto com traços acastanhados. Aromas intensos, exuberantes, sem ser um vinho exagerado. Mais evoluído, fruta não tão aparente, marcantes notas resinosas (esmalte de unha). Evoluído, porém refinado, elegante, com intensidade e enorme persistência. Excepcional. Meu palpite: curinga - GR 904.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2008 - Maestro wrote: 84 Points
Very disappointing given the positive reviews. Maybe my bottle was not representative, but this wine was tired and over the hill. No tannic structure left, so the backbone is just based on its good level of acidity. The nose is subtle and weak, with faint aromas of cherries and spicy oak. The palate is medium-bodied and is followed by a medium finish with pepper and red fruit. Enjoyable, but not great. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2008 - jasonh wrote:
Drank with EWG. Nice but clunky. Stinky. Funk plus American oak dill. Still needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2008 - WetRock wrote:
EWG does Spanish Vino at Cobras and Matadors (Cobras and Matadors): Dill like American oak notes predominant on the nose. Soft feel and light tannins. I believe this saw some air before we got to it but being a Gran Reserva this probably needs more time to integrate that oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2008 - gesusser wrote: 90 Points
i thought, as did the table, oaky & spicey..althogther a very good rioja
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2008 - Stickan wrote: 91 Points
Very good Rioja indeed. Integrated tannis, medium dry, with fruits. Sour in taste, fresh, no oak too speak off. I like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2008 - MightyMike wrote: 90 Points
Medium red, getting the edge brown of an older wine, minerals, earth, oak, visible tammins, medium body with angible acids. An eelgant wine but perhaps the oak will be even more embedded in afew years time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2008 - gabriella wrote:
Medium cherry red in color with high intensity and light bricking at the rim. Gorgeous, floral nose filled red rose, cherry and subtle cranberry aromas. In the mouth, the wine is light in body, with fresh, bright acidity and medium firm tannins. Great juicy mouthfeel with a long dusty cherry finish that lingers on and on. This is a great little wine filled with elegant red berry flavors and red floral notes. 4/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2008 - obiscoito wrote:
Brilliant garnet color with a translucent bricking at the rim. The nose is sour and dusty with a mineral/spice touch. Light fruits, of cranberry and red currant sneak in on the nose too. In the mouth this wine is soft and delicate, with a strong fresh acidity and cherry spice flavors with touches of cobweb mustiness. Fully dry this is an elegant wine that in the midpalate shows hints of raspberry fruit while at the same time showing a nice soft minerality. Suductive, and not obivious, this wine demands a book, a fireplace and a long evening. 4.5/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2008 - pbjosh wrote:
Dusty, almost a touch musty, oxidative nose with sweet earth, blood, baked red fruits. Bracing acidity. For now, this is a relative disappointment given the pedigree (and I drink a lot of traditional Rioja). I am less familiar with La Rioja Alta than with Lopez, CVNE, Muga, Castillo Ygay, etc, so I cannot forcast aging, but I'll wait 5+ years to check in again and hope it's opened up and is more giving... score reserved but for for current drinking, not worth the tarif IMHO.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2008 - fdiaz wrote:
Drank this blind with Jean alongside a 2001 Cune. Nose reminds me of the 96' Lopez de Heredia. Black cherry?, hint of wood, hint of licorice. On the palate it is very well-balanced. Med-bodied with a long long finish, probably licorice. Nice wine but the dark cherry/licorice aromas are not exactly my type. Jean thought it was woody, oaky and vanilla.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2008 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points
Fat, rich and (over-)sweet with heavy oak. A bit odd and overpowering. Try again in 2 years+ Today 89
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2008 - GSW wrote: 86 Points
Purchased at a Costco, of all places, outside San Juan, PR. Very reticent when poured and our initial thought was a flawed or corked bottle. With time, it proved enjoyable with signs of its age. Smooth, fine tanins. A good deal of acidity. Red fruits and an earthy quality. Perhaps a bit of browning in the otherwise ruby colored wine, it was medium weight and a lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2008 - SimonG wrote:
Ray Q's 'Naked' Offline (DigitalMail's office, London): TCA. Seems to blow off after a bit but then comes back with each re-pour. No. An interesting wine under there somewhere though. Seems to be far better than the 1990s of this I've had over the last couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2008 - Stirling wrote: 95 Points
An exceptional wine. Very bordeaux like in its complex bouquet. The palate is smooth and sophisticated with plum, currant and a little tobacco leaf. This is traditional style Rioja: elegance, finesse and subtlety. Interesting, the wine put on quite a bit of additional weight since last year, giving it more body without losing any of its silkiness. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2007 - Kalle wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfull bottle, drinking very well now. Red to brown in colour. Very soft tannins. Hints of sherry and som raisins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2007 - jeffal66 wrote: 88 Points
A good food wine -- drank with chicken. Medium body and ready to drink now. Typical old world earthiness, with some cherry undertones. Bought this bottle in Madrid earlier in the year. Wish I'd have bought it a year or two ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2007 - ccn wrote: 91 Points
Tasted immediately after opening, decanted, then tasted regularly over 3 hours. At first a lovely, smoky, old-oak-barrels nose but quite thin in the mouth. After 1.5 hours the nose resolved to a griottes (sour cherry), kirsch-liqueur, high-toned, very pretty bouquet -- my wife and I disagree about whether it was red fruit or black fruit, but to me it was clearly red-cherry-compote/liqueur. The body filled out admirably as well. After 2-ish hours, the wine began to began to thin out, finishing with quite distinct acidity. My sense is that this is a wine just past its peak; still drinking beautifully, but with no further development worth waiting for, and I expect the fruit to dissipate over the next 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2007 - 97mjr wrote:
dominted by oak and earth. Silightly sweet. Tobacco, mild green pepper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2007 - Vinho wrote: 94 Points
Rubi com traços acastanhados, límpido e brilhante. Aromas muito finos, floral destacado, além de verniz, couro e coco. Extremamente macio e elegante, álcool imperceptível, taninos completamente domados, acidez viva, mostrando enorme equilíbrio. Ótima persistência. Deve se manter inteiro por vários anos, mas suponho que atingiu o auge, não deve evoluir mais. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2007 - losvinhos wrote: 94 Points
Decantado por 3 horas. Mesmas impressões anteriores.Que vinho! Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2007 - losvinhos wrote: 94 Points
Garrafa aberta com 4 horas de antecedencia e depois decantado por 1 hora. Ruby medio com traços alaranjados. Diferente de outras vezes, o aroma se revelou bem expressivo e profundo com claras notas minerais, resinoso (esmalte) e couro. Na boca sedoso, macio, com ótima acidez e taninos finíssimos. Recheia a boca com equilibrio e estrutura, sendo fácil de beber e tendo média persistência e um agradável fundo de taça. Acompanhou perfeitamente bem o delicioso cordeiro preparado pela Maria.Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2007 - spts1000 wrote: 89 Points
very smooth and integrated. drinking very well
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2007 - blue wrote:
A great example of what traditional wine making in rioja can get u. great effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Very nice old school Rioja. Wide, broad, mature. Warm deep fruit with a nice balance of acidity. None of the very sweet vanilla of some of the newer styled Spanish wine. Good solid tobacco, some rubber. A really lovely complex wine and very friendly and ready to drink.
B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2007 - Vinho wrote: 94 Points
Nota de memória. Rubi com evolução para grená e traços acastanhados, límpido e brilhante. Elegante, com aromas de pouca intensidade mas profundos e complexos. Floral, verniz, couro e, no início, madeira. Taninos finos, ótima acidez, sedoso, médio corpo, não se destacando pelo excesso de concentração de fruta, o que, nos dias de hoje, considero uma virtude. Final longo e delicioso. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2007 - cousteau wrote: 94 Points
This was even better than the last bottle I had last year. Same color, but more complex on the nose, an amazing elegance. Perfect balance, great mouthfeel, very well integrated, just a touch thin on the mid palate, but an outstanding finish. The most impressive for me was the pairing, I thought I had mistakenly paired it with a roasted baby lamb but the wine stood it´s ground perfectly and wasn´t by any means overpowered by the lamb. The aromatics of both were in perfect balance and the acidity of the rioja was just perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2006 - mburke wrote:
Beautiful nose of sweet oak and cedar. Opened almost two hours before drinking but not decanted. At first a bit too acidic but this became integrated over time. Very long finish, very traditional rioja and very impressive. A beautiful wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2006 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: flawed
Pre-Christmas Offline (Market Restaurant, Manchester): 12.5%
This has a very weird clarified butter nose and not a lot else. Very smooth palate, velvety, almost buttery again. Very odd. Feels utterly spineless. There’s clearly something wrong with this, but heavens knows what. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2006 - Surfer714 wrote:
Drinking well. Another Rioja great with food
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2006 - losvinhos wrote: 94 Points
Jantar (Santo Colomba - SP): Um belo Rioja. Aromas minerais, cereja,flores, esmalte. Na boca bem equilibrado e estruturado, destacando cereja, tabaco e algo de fruta vermelha levemente doce. Taninos finos e um medio-longo final. Um vinho muito elegante.Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2006 - Vinho wrote: 94 Points
Rioja de estilo clássico, de uma safra excelente. Corte de tempranillo (90%) e graciano, com estágio de 4 anos em barricas seminovas de carvalho americano. Bela cor rubi com leves traços alaranjados. Vinho sobretudo elegante, a começar pelo nariz, que tem uma delicadeza única. Perfumado, aromas complexos, sutis e ao mesmo tempo com profundidade, onde a fruta não se destaca, mas sim um traço de couro e principalmente algo químico delicioso que lembra verniz, esmalte e, surpreendentemente, botrytis. Taninos muito finos, macios, madeira completamente integrada e acidez fantástica. Equilíbrio, elegância e finesse, remetendo a um Vega. Final muito longo e agradável. Excepcional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2006 - PSide wrote:
Luminous ruby - quite pale compared to the other (90s) wines tonight, slight browning. Absolutely classic oaky vanilla and plum nose, some farmyardy hints. Smooth ripe fruit on the palate, great balance of acidity and oaky structure. Great length in perfect balance. Just my perfect rioja - but its not outstanding in any way. 4
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2006 - wrh1972 wrote: 88 Points
Sommelier's choice at Country Restaurant in NYC. Smooth, full and earthy, oaky but without the bite. Supported the squid, clams and sea urchin well (esp. the urchin) but a bit too overwhelming for the halibut.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2006 - espia wrote:
Too much oak, coconut, vanilla on the nose. Light palate. If this is traditional Rioja, I'm not a fan
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2006 - cousteau wrote: 92 Points
Old Style Rioja x Modern Style Rioja (abs): Granada color, good signs of aging present. Ripe cherries, toasted caramel, very intense, animal and meaty, great body and structure. I have to say this reminds me of Vega.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2005 - tendring wrote: 96 Points
Wine Education Service - Rioja: Dense, brick.
Vegetal with the opulent fragrance of cherries.
Oaky sweet attack, blackcurrants, minerality, a stunning wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)