Decanted for 30 minutes. Delicious aromas of black cherries, still with a racey aspect to it, wonderful! The palate shows resolved tannins, excellent acidity, and good fruit, sour cherry with a tiny touch of toffee. Wonderful now, I suggest it won't get better.
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Getting some nice mature and grape specific notes, but it's all overshadowed by the oak and the alcohol. Had higher hopes for it, as it was nice when young, but this was a bit sad.
I think this is past it's prime, onwards the alcohol and oak are just gonna grab more attention.
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Dark purple color with some bricking. Dusty dark fruit on the nose. Dark cherry, tobacco, cassis flavor. A touch of alcoholic heat. Tannins and acidity are mellow. The fruit is beginning to fade. Drink now and over the next two years.
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Cherry and spice on the nose. Smooth and thin mouth feel. Has lost most of it's tannins, but acidity and fruit flavours are still good. I wouldn't wait too much longer to drink your bottles.
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Light Floral Aromas, perhaps red berries. Lots of acidity, light fruit notes of vibrant berries, Maybe pomegranate as well. a hint of cayenne pepper towards end of the palate.
Major drying tannins on finish but not bitter or unpleasant. Quite enjoyable.
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Opened yesterday with some guests over. Put aside when early approach showed alcohol on the nose and very tannic/astringent taste. A day later it had settled back into a much more approachable state, reminding me of grenache dominanted young rhones. Overall it needed food and time. Was good but I did not enjoy it as much as other tasters have.
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Dusty nose of dark fruit, earth, and dried flowers. Velvety smooth tannins in the mouth, leading to an astringent finish. Concentrated red and blue fruits on the palate, with a slightly hot note of alcohol followed by ripe berries that linger on the tongue. A fairly concentrated and intense wine without sacrificing sofness and youth.
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Decanted for more than an hour. An excellent nose of racey red fruits, with a touch of caramel. The palate shows excellent fruit, hard to describe, this doesn't fall into the regular categories I use, but full-bodied, with a touch of toffee and great acidity. This continues to be an excellent wine with a different profile to the common wines out there. Unique and very tastey!
Looking back at my TNs, this certainly needs time in the cellar! What a difference 4 years makes.
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This wine was still a beautiful dark garnet. The legs were long and full, and there was a little sediment at the end. The nose was an enticing mix of dark fruit and clear cedar, but once in my mouth, it was just good - not great. It may be headed beyond its prime or maybe wasn't ever that great, but the taste was a bit flat. Drink it if you have it is my recommendation.
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On the fence here. It's not bad but nothing really sets it apart Rich purple soft nose of dark fruit. Just enough going on to drink two glasses with dinner probably won't come back to the bottle
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Drank this at a restaurant in Oregon, as it was far better value than the over-priced Oregon wines on the list. Palate reminded me of a Rhone blend. Color was deep and inky. Not exceptional but still good value for money.
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Very dark inky purple color. Nose of forest and iron like a Northern Rhone. Initial palate is also reminiscent of Syrah, but has a spicy character instead of the velvety softness. Some black cherry, but not overly fruity or light. Follows with a hint of cocoa. A very long finish. Overall good wine, would be best with food.
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Bummer, I sat on this one to put some age on it and it was corked. All the fruit stripped from the wine leaving nothing but burnt oak. Down the drain it went.
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This wine is ALWAYS good, often placing in the Top 100 of Wine Spectator’s Top Wines of the Year. I bought a couple of bottles of the 2009 vintage from Total Wine & More and that was a fabulous vintage. Once I read that Wine Spectator gave the 2010 vintage a very positive review, I also bought a couple of the 2010 bottles as well. Sure enough, the 2010 vintage was also 90+ points (in Wine Spectator’s and my opinion as well). Like any bottle of wine on the planet, every vintage can be very different from vintage to vintage. The 2009 vintage was light-to-medium-bodied and delicious while the 2010 vintage is very dark, intense, brooding, and more like a Syrah, Zinfandel, or Petite Sirah. Either way, it’s still fabulous and delicious. The bouquet is fairly subtle, unlike the flavor profile. There are suggestions of oak, earth, and the usual dark-fruited red wine aromas, such as herbs and spices and dark fruits. Totally opposite the 2009 vintage, the 2010 vintage is a big, bold, spicy, rich, creamy, powerful red. The wine pour almost black like a Petite Sirah, and also shows similar flavor elements of a Petite Sirah, like dark fruits, such as plums and blackberries, as well as an abundance of black pepper and dried/savory herbs. Also unlike the 2009 vintage, the 2010 is rich and creamy, almost like a typical Paso Robles Zinfandel. This wine is gorgeously well-structured, with steel-like firm and unbending tannins and acidity which should allow this wine to age beautifully for another 5-to-10 years. Despite the structure’s strength and firmness, the wine is drinking beautifully now but should continue to age, mature, and develop gracefully over the next decade or so. The oakiness adds a subtle essence of baking spices as well, along with complexity and depths-of-flavors that are difficult to surpass for a sub-$20 bottle. I paired this beauty with a pork loin spiced with Kosher salt, black pepper, and Herbs de Provence because the 2009 vintage paired PERFECTLY with the pork loin, but because the 2010 vintage is much more muscular and powerful than the 2009 vintage, it would have paired better with a fatty steak, like a ribeye or porterhouse smothered with black pepper, Kosher salt, and Herbs de Provence. As usual, the 2010 vintage is definitely a 90+ point wine, and for less than $20 a bottle (from Total Wine & More), this beauty is difficult to beat. The 2010 vintage is VERY different from the 2009 vintage, but is still a delicious, deeply-flavored and complex wine that has the “legs” to age and mature elegantly for another 5-to-10 years. This is a fabulous wine for the price. But whereas the 2009 vintage paired perfectly with a nicely-spiced pork loin, this beauty should be paired with fatty and well-spiced red proteins.
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Decanted for 3 hours. The wine nose and taste is full of red berries and wood. Hard to place this wine, but it was pleasant, medium-bodied but mouth-filling and some tannin. Drinking quite well now, see no further aging potential.
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Ruby red with a good level of floral & raspberry aromas and flavors....they came fully out as the bottle open up. Light red fruit, chewy tannins; excellent clean finish.
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Decanted for 40 mins. This is very nice, with a sharp nose of red berries, boding for a high acidity wine, citrusy with a background of smoky oak. The palate is indeed loaded with racey acidity, good red berries and good tannins. A lively wine, very nice right now!
Intense dark ruby with garnet hue. Expressive aromas showing some nice complexity with floral, violet interwoven with red cherry, red currant, red plum and some hints of white pepper. Light red fruited palate with good intensity, showing good structure along with plum, raspberry, spice, floral and violet. Restraint and elegant, with nice purity of fruits and support by bright acidity backbone. Chewy tannins, good length. This is a pleasant surprise for tonight, very approachable and 10 months of aging in used French oak gave minimum oak influence and let the fruits shine through and lift the weight of the wine.
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You can tell this is hillside fruit. It's not giving up a lot, keeping things close to the vest, flavor and aroma wise. Some plum, raisins, minerals, bits of chocolate, but all restrained. Needs food, for sure. But decent QPR. Could hang on another couple to three years I'm guessing.
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Spicy with loads of black cherry, licorice, mineral and smoke flavors. Paired well with Pork Carnitas. A good wine but not as good as the 2009 vintage.
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Spicy! Overall a interesting and fun wine to pop open for the public to see different types of wines prevalent in this world. Truly magnificent given the price point.
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The wine looks ruby colored with nice legs and very little sediment. It smells like red currant, raspberry and oak with flavors of blackberry, raspberry, black currant (cassis) and cherry. The body is medium/full. The wine has a smooth texture and medium finish and acidity and a very classy label.
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Hour and a half decant, very dark pour, long slow moving legs denoting a higher sugar content. On the bouquet there is dark fruit, cinnamon and vanilla with a hint of red licorice, very nice. The palate is is both jammy and ripe with edgy acidity in good balance with silky tannins, the slightly fleshy style with its overall finesse makes this enjoyable.
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Refined and subtle. Delicate aromas of earth and dark fruits, with oak imparted elements. Mineral driven palate with pleasant nuance. Pleasant mouthfeel and solid finish. A nice value at $20+; exceptional value at $10.
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Free & Easy Tuesday night session (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, dark purple colour. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of peppery spice, flowers, and a bit of cassis. On the palate, high acidity, medium silky tannins, full body, long finish. Flavours of blueberries, blackberries, black pepper, minty herb, and some cassis. I guessed a Northern Rhone Syrah. Quite nice. My first time trying Mencia.
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pop n pour into zalto glass.a rather intense rhone palate with some air.spice,herb n red fruits dominate here.sructure is decent.gd acidity support.some complexity but cn b better.conclusion:pretty decent for its price.wud like tis bttle to hve better depth,better structure n complexity
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Very good for the price, as always. Similar impressions to other recent tasters. Firm, balanced, floral, masculine, good complexity. It benefitted from a good half hour open in the glass.
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Pas de notes formelles. Belle couleur cerise foncée. Nez qui me rappelait un vin de chez nous, le Cornalin, sur les cerises justement. En bouche, c'est rond mais sans lourdeur, il y a de la fraîcheur. Finale un peu courte. Au début de sa plage de dégustation.
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Very pleasing floral aromas like violets, ample blueberries, blackberries, licorice, bay leaf, rich, silky and voluptuous texture with well integrated acidity and masculine tannins structure.
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Dark violet colour. Redolant cranberry & cassis nose. Smooth entry with kirsch, floral, cranberry, hint of cinnamon. Rich, long lasting mid-weight finish with refreshing acidic lift. Still very much in its infancy.
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ChTR kokous 15.01.2014 (SKO-toimisto): Decanted. A very interesting wine, lots of dark berries, distinct oak, but also a nice streak of red berries coming through. The palate had a wonderful acidity to it, lots of tannins still, good lively red berry action and even some citrus. Very good now and could even take some more years in the cellar.
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Clear and bright, medium ruby colour and presence of inky legs. The nose is clean and developing, showing medium intensity aromas of vanilla, cedar, liquorice, lavender, ripe plums and hints of strawberry. The wine is dry in the mouth, with a medium+ acidity, medium+ fine grained tannins, high alcohol, medium+ body and medium+ intensity flavours of ripe plums, liquorice, strawberry and hints of vanilla. Medium finish. It's a very good quality wine with a good balance between acidity and fruit concentration, a decent complexity provided by oak ageing aromas and a nice structure, however it could be even more complex. Drink now, but it has enough potential to develop more complexity in the next 2-3 years.
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Thought to check back in on a wine that I used to drink often many years ago that I haven't tried for many vintages. The wine is great and it's as I remembered it; most of the aromas are there (bitter geranium, rose petals, milk chocolate and some toffee under the geranium) and it is actually quite pleasant. There's only one big problem; it's really really hot. 14% interferes with the enjoyment of the wine. If only it could be dialed down to 13%.
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Thhis wine grows on me or maybe the second bottle is better than the first I opened several months ago. WS rated this #57 for 2012. At the price I agree.
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So, this seems a good value wine based on refreshingly consistent tasting notes going back some time - all 88-91'ish...I am sure I have tried in past and liked. I will cut and paste a note from a recent comment that simply sums up my experience...hope that is ok! :)
"Great structure, briar patch, underbrush, rose petal, and a bit of that fun grenache grapeyness" - Matches -
Ya, nice wine with decent average entry level price. Others suggest a good decant of 1-2 hours at least and some other comments suggest that this will be 1-2 points better in 2 yrs from now. I will experiment and buy a couple for Fall of 2016.
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pnp Double decanting with decanter and eisch Very fruity and seductive on the nose with ripe dark fruit for the first 45 min of decanting
Tanning is really pleasant and elegant for its price range. Unfold nicely and reaches out to othwr part of ur mouth with good manner. I think between 1h to 2h of decanting and serving is at its peak. Serve quick
Decant! First 1/2 glass very acidic with short finish. Lotsa of swirling and then was a crowd pleaser! Smokey black fruit aroma with dark frit and sticky notes. Wonderful with steak and potatoes!
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A tour of Spain (Berry Bros, London): ripe cherry, spice, cream, tiny chocolate and vanilla. In the mouth the cherry is savoury with spice and slight plain chocolate notes. The wine has medium plus acidity and medium chalky tannin. Slight alcohol warmth intrudes on the finish. Meh
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Short decant. Dominated at first by overwhelming and offputting tar/licorice finish; settled down over time and ended up being very nice. Definitely needs time (at least 30mins) in decanter.
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Garnet color. Medium body. It needs a one hour decant. Very smooth wine, with plenty of finesse and depth, but with intense, almost liqueur-like fruits (plums, black cherries, cranberries) as well as dust and a dash of spice and vanilla. Very nice.
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Quite a QPR. Light-bodied enough to pair well with fish. A slightly floral nose, with vanilla and cherry aspects. Some spice and cola join in on the palate. Nice finish, with blueberry/blackberry notes and a slight hint of chocolate. Very enjoyable.
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N: Aromatically challenged. Very little on the nose. Some cherries, earth, animalistic and a touch of birch sap. P: A bit more lively here. Cherries, strawberries, vanilla. Cocktail cherries. Chocolate on the end. A bit more tannins on this bottle than last time. O: Strangely different from last time. I prefer the depth of this wine, with the smoothness of vanilla, more cherries than just strawberries and with greater structure. But it's still quite "dead" to me. Pass.
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Surprisingly tasty especially with a quick decant. Great mix of ripe fruit, crisp acidity, smooth tannins from start to finish. Wonderful with most dishes. We had this wine a south american dish featuring lots of red and green bell peppers and the wine complimented that quite nicely. Great value for this interesting wine.
Oh, this wine is good. Very, very good! Quite Bordeaux-like. In fact, blind I reckon I'd definitely think this was left-bank. Dark, rich nose. Nice chocolate and blackberrys. Beautiful oak. In the mouth, a lovely sweetness of fruit, spice and flowers up front, balanced by wonderful depth of acidity and perfect integration of vanilla oak. Drying finish which is very fine and long. Tannins are quite strong at the moment, but this wine is an absolute baby. 1.5 hours of airtime and it's only just opening up. Give this a good few years and it'll be spectacular, guaranteed. 92++
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Decanted for one (1) hour. The nose exhibits dark cherry, blackberry, blueberry notes interlaced with wildflower, vanilla and subtle integration of oak. Hugely expressive full-bodied and voluminous on the palate. The wine is fruit forward but not unbalanced with the alcohol present. Beautifully structured with relatively low acidity; the finish is long and broad with some tannin still present. This is drinking beautifully right now and should easily do so for another 3-5 years if not longer. Nice effort.
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This needed about an hour of air to come together. After opening up, the nose was dark - ripe and dusty dark fruits, olive brine, bone marrow. Similar notes on the palate but with some dark chocolate and an interesting sweetness without any discernible RS. Good acidity on contact with firm but well-integrated tannins drying out the tongue on the finish.
Flowers, red cherry, minerals, then cola, vanilla on the nose. Smooth tannins but big with long finish. Nice mouth feel and well balanced. Got buttered croissant for a sip or two. Licorice/super rope/fruit snacks. Little toasty oaky spiciness and minerals crushed. Graham cracker crust. Can't ID the flowers but they're present. Violets? Some nice spices on the nose. Sexy. Lingers in the empty glass. Amazed at this finish. Cherry cola. Gets more integrated with air. After 3 hours decanting, this really starts to show. Still getting some blackberry aftertaste 2 minutes after last sip. One of my favorite every day wines -- at less than $20 the price is right too.
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Nice wine, with rather heady nose of dark fruit and licorice. Palate displays cherry, dark plum, anise, licorice. It is spoiled, slightly, by a stemminess (spelling??) and metallic aftertaste, which were still there, though less intrusive, on day 2.
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Smelled of sweat socks which thankfully did not translate onto the palate. Had a green steak that became less noticeable with air. A Spanish wine that had a lot of Burgundian characteristics.
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Dark coloured. The nose has Burgundian sweetness and some sour cherries but also a greenish dusty peppery element, sort of midway between a young syrah and pinotage. The same opposing elements, smooth sweetness and a rough edge, is found in the taste. I suppose it will grow softer and smoother with a few years' age. Very nice warm aftertaste. - Softened considerably with further air, and the greenish-peppery element receded into the background. Overall excellent, but not better than the wonderful d'Angelo aglianico 2008, different as they are.
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No decant. Fairly intense aromatics, earthy, peppery, plummy, herbal, a bit of black currant, mint, tar. Medium-full bodied with moderately high tannin and moderate acidity. Very dark on first taste but definitely softened as it opened up. Very long finish, spicy. Well balanced, well made wine. d
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This is quite nice. Strong dark ruby-purple color, not quite opaque. Jammy raspberry fruit in the nose wrapped nicely in toasty oak and cigar box notes. Complex, even a bit exotic. Full and rich on the palate, has nice balance of fruit and earth. Excellent dark fruits. Good balance and richness. Wow. What a steal. 4-14-16-8: 92/100.
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Dark jammy fruit, smoke, mineral, a touch of chocolate and green chili. A bit tight, and the tannins need to settle down a notch. Very young at this point, but it should develop nicely with a bit of time.
This wine was ranked as the No. 57 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 91 points by Wine Spectator.
Visual: Color rojo cereza oscuro con destellos rubí en el borde. Capa media-alta. Nariz: A copa parada, sensación de vivacidad y frescura, con aromas florales y fruta potente. Al agitar la copa aparecen aromas de tostados finos de grandísima calidad y notas herbáceas. Gusto: Entrada amabilísima y tanicidad que pasa casi desapercibida, lo que da como resultado un vino con un perfil muy femenino, ligero y fácil de beber. Aparecen nuevamente las flores. Es realmente como estar masticándolas. Final ligeramente picante. Post-gusto medio con notas maderosas.
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This was really outstanding. A good combination of finesse and power. Dark fruits and a bit of oak. Structured, with and almost jammy undertone. Will get some more.
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Yeah, it needs another year or two but still enjoyable. Dark violet color. Nose is fairly muted at this point with just a whiff of dark fruit. Palate is dark tart cranberry, a touch sour. Mid palate the tannins show up in force. They are not abrasive but hint at what the future holds. Nice QPR and a fun wine from Spain.
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N: Red fruit, strawberries, a bit of sweetness and a tiny bit of Christmas spice. Very juicy nose. P: Extremely smooth, lots of fruit. Very juicy, with no tannins. A nice flavour, but lacking in complexity and a bit flabby. O: A nice quaffing wine as it's very fruit forward, but the price is a bit high for that. Went well with spicier food due to lack of tannins, but was a bit flabby for food generally. Strange wine that wasn't completely in balance, although the flavour was absolutely nice enough.
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Medium depth of color. Strong scent of spearmint. Middle weight, glossy feel. Curious character of fruit with both carbonic freshness and chocolatey richness. The greenness reappears on the palate. Ready to drink, adequate acidity, little tannin. I didn't think that this hung together.
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Really amazing, sooo Good. Wonderful fruitiness, class, complexity, and originality. A score for Spain. A bit like Loire Cabernet Franc, but not so angular. A triumph. Definitely curious about the bigger brothers.
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Light red in colour and ever so fresh. Goof, young red fruits on the nose, light floral and quite forward. On the palate it starts with all the hallmarks (good and bad ) of youth but relaxes after like 30mins in the glass and gets better. Medium bodied, youthful tannin but not harsh, rich and made to be enjoyed young. A bit light on the finish, but overall a nice little wine and good value for the price. Some age will help it relax but we doubt it will improve a lot from here. 88ish and decant/let it rest for a bit post open.
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Expressive perfumed nose with exotic florals and spices. Black cherries, spices, minerality and floral notes racing along a backbone of rich tannins and high acidity. Full of character and flavour but still light on its feet. Not a wine for everyone but what wine with this much character is? Another way to describe this wine could be as having the structure of a northern Italian with the profile of a n rhone. I have been following this wine for 6 vintages now and this is the most complete and impressive showing on release yet. Richer and fuller than early vintages but more lively and restrained than the 09 which came off as overworked and flat. I can’t speak to typicity as I am still trying to figure out what typical mencia is exactly…but that’s part of the fun. Petalos is never boring and this vintage it’s showing real potential right out of the gate.
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Deep ruby with purple shades. The nose reflects generous black cherry in a fresh, refreshing style with additional plum, earth and further notes of vanilla. Supple with fresh fruitiness, good focus and velvety tannins. Very pleasing and enjoyable.
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The Wine Gang (London): Plum, damson and black cherry. A little chewy but lighter and fresher than the previous two vintages and should improve in bottle. 16.5+
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A dark colored wine with crimson rim, quite perfumed on the nose exhibiting dark cherries, orange peel, violets, incense, humid soil, and alot of vanilla. Very dense texturally with dark cherries, blackberries, and a bit of blueberries on the attack followed by hints of citric notes and black pepper on the mid-palate. The finish is dominated by creamy vanilla flavors with hints of spices and mouth searing minerality. A mid-bodided wine with succulent flavors, a slightly weak mid-palate, and high alcohol finish. Opened and left in bottle for 24 hours before consuming, much more integrated after a day.
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Way too acidic in combo with tannins. Tasted it out of the bottle. Again after 2 hours of decanting.. And lastly drank it after 4-5 hours. Maybe a nice wine afer having it cellared - Not something I will do though.
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Deep and dark Burgundy red with faint purple overtones. Initially very stuffy nose, probably a bit too much sulphites; after an aeration of an hour the nose has cleared up and shows a charming, perfumed bouquet of sweet violet florals, figs, lingonberries, sun-baked earth, some sweet blueberries, a little lemony fruit and a hint of rustic spice - overall something not unlike a ripe Pinot Noir. Dry and structured in the mouth with only the slightest touch of ripe, figgy sweetness in the tip of the tongue. Fresh and slightly meaty palate with flavors of red berries, leather, peppery spice and a hint of cherry. Chewy, full-bodied mouthfeel but at the same time very lively and fresh, due to quite pronounced acidity. A hint of chocolate oak underneath, keeping away from obfuscating the dark-toned fruit. Mid-length finish with flavors of peppery spice, dried herbs, leather, some minerals and a hint of alcohol warmth.
Impressive and nicely balanced Bierzo Mencía; a little like a steroid-pumped Pinot Noir! Shares some characteristics of a good Burgundy Pinot Noir, including nice, refreshing acidity, but is definitely a lot bigger and riper fruit-wise. Though there is some oak there for sure, it is kept in check and the fruit is in the fore. This is a robust and intense modern Spanish red with some class and elegance. I think the bottle was opened a bit too early at under 2 years of age, meaning that this is definitely a wine meant to be cellared. Not for decades, but certainly for some years. A wonderful buy at 14,98€.
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Decanted for 2 hours. The nose is dominated by oak at the moment, lots of vanilla and citrus, with rich dark fruit in the background. The palate is velvety and very fruity, gritty tannins, alcohol predominates the palate as well. A big bold wine that definitely needs time in the cellar. No surprise there, as the 2009 I tasted recently was also in need of cellaring. This does have the potential to calm down into a great wine, give it 5 years before trying again!
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3/19/2020 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Delicious aromas of black cherries, still with a racey aspect to it, wonderful! The palate shows resolved tannins, excellent acidity, and good fruit, sour cherry with a tiny touch of toffee. Wonderful now, I suggest it won't get better.
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9/17/2019 - guzmana Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice and different.
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8/30/2019 - Jotova Does not like this wine:
Getting some nice mature and grape specific notes, but it's all overshadowed by the oak and the alcohol. Had higher hopes for it, as it was nice when young, but this was a bit sad.
I think this is past it's prime, onwards the alcohol and oak are just gonna grab more attention.
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7/21/2019 - guzmana Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good and different. This particular bottle was nicely mellowed out.
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6/3/2019 - Toolsalesman wrote: 91 Points
Very nice red. Light on the tannins. Great wine.
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12/26/2018 - hdn Likes this wine: 90 Points
past mooi bij gerecht. Mooi wijntje, goed op dronk.
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8/11/2018 - djarcara wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple color with some bricking. Dusty dark fruit on the nose. Dark cherry, tobacco, cassis flavor. A touch of alcoholic heat. Tannins and acidity are mellow. The fruit is beginning to fade. Drink now and over the next two years.
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9/8/2017 - TTiveron Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cherry and spice on the nose. Smooth and thin mouth feel. Has lost most of it's tannins, but acidity and fruit flavours are still good. I wouldn't wait too much longer to drink your bottles.
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8/8/2017 - Murray3950 wrote: 81 Points
Deep rich color. Spicy, fruity but not full bodied and a hard finish that is bitter
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7/9/2017 - Justinneal654 wrote: 88 Points
Light Floral Aromas, perhaps red berries. Lots of acidity, light fruit notes of vibrant berries, Maybe pomegranate as well. a hint of cayenne pepper towards end of the palate.
Major drying tannins on finish but not bitter or unpleasant. Quite enjoyable.
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6/8/2017 - Speeder wrote:
Light but smooth and fantastic. Needs to breathe 30 min
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3/19/2017 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opened yesterday with some guests over. Put aside when early approach showed alcohol on the nose and very tannic/astringent taste. A day later it had settled back into a much more approachable state, reminding me of grenache dominanted young rhones. Overall it needed food and time. Was good but I did not enjoy it as much as other tasters have.
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2/12/2017 - muskie wrote: 90 Points
A great value
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2/11/2017 - Finger Lakes Wine Dude Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dusty nose of dark fruit, earth, and dried flowers. Velvety smooth tannins in the mouth, leading to an astringent finish. Concentrated red and blue fruits on the palate, with a slightly hot note of alcohol followed by ripe berries that linger on the tongue. A fairly concentrated and intense wine without sacrificing sofness and youth.
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10/5/2016 - Rojo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank with family. Lush with ripe red berries and chocolate.
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9/14/2016 - NiklasW wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for more than an hour. An excellent nose of racey red fruits, with a touch of caramel. The palate shows excellent fruit, hard to describe, this doesn't fall into the regular categories I use, but full-bodied, with a touch of toffee and great acidity. This continues to be an excellent wine with a different profile to the common wines out there. Unique and very tastey!
Looking back at my TNs, this certainly needs time in the cellar! What a difference 4 years makes.
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9/13/2016 - Corkaybe wrote: 90 Points
This wine was still a beautiful dark garnet. The legs were long and full, and there was a little sediment at the end.
The nose was an enticing mix of dark fruit and clear cedar, but once in my mouth, it was just good - not great.
It may be headed beyond its prime or maybe wasn't ever that great, but the taste was a bit flat.
Drink it if you have it is my recommendation.
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8/27/2016 - Baronfreya wrote: 84 Points
On the fence here. It's not bad but nothing really sets it apart Rich purple soft nose of dark fruit. Just enough going on to drink two glasses with dinner probably won't come back to the bottle
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8/21/2016 - SeaCellar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank this at a restaurant in Oregon, as it was far better value than the over-priced Oregon wines on the list. Palate reminded me of a Rhone blend. Color was deep and inky. Not exceptional but still good value for money.
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7/19/2016 - ElSol Likes this wine: 86 Points
Just okay to me. I had other bottles open, and ended up drinking more of them and less of this. Its not bad, but didn't excite me at all.
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4/12/2016 - ddisler wrote: 89 Points
Very dark inky purple color. Nose of forest and iron like a Northern Rhone. Initial palate is also reminiscent of Syrah, but has a spicy character instead of the velvety softness. Some black cherry, but not overly fruity or light. Follows with a hint of cocoa. A very long finish. Overall good wine, would be best with food.
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4/7/2016 - joet626 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really thick and chewy. Dark purple color. Sort of like a petite sirah. Loads of flavor that just keeps coming at you
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3/27/2016 - brigcampbell wrote: flawed
Bummer, I sat on this one to put some age on it and it was corked. All the fruit stripped from the wine leaving nothing but burnt oak. Down the drain it went.
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3/10/2016 - dmitchell4 wrote: 90 Points
Needed air
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12/26/2015 - Bobc7had Likes this wine: 89 Points
sorry this was my last bottle
will likely not improve so the time to enjoy is now
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12/5/2015 - DaveZack Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is ALWAYS good, often placing in the Top 100 of Wine Spectator’s Top Wines of the Year. I bought a couple of bottles of the 2009 vintage from Total Wine & More and that was a fabulous vintage. Once I read that Wine Spectator gave the 2010 vintage a very positive review, I also bought a couple of the 2010 bottles as well. Sure enough, the 2010 vintage was also 90+ points (in Wine Spectator’s and my opinion as well).
Like any bottle of wine on the planet, every vintage can be very different from vintage to vintage. The 2009 vintage was light-to-medium-bodied and delicious while the 2010 vintage is very dark, intense, brooding, and more like a Syrah, Zinfandel, or Petite Sirah. Either way, it’s still fabulous and delicious.
The bouquet is fairly subtle, unlike the flavor profile. There are suggestions of oak, earth, and the usual dark-fruited red wine aromas, such as herbs and spices and dark fruits. Totally opposite the 2009 vintage, the 2010 vintage is a big, bold, spicy, rich, creamy, powerful red. The wine pour almost black like a Petite Sirah, and also shows similar flavor elements of a Petite Sirah, like dark fruits, such as plums and blackberries, as well as an abundance of black pepper and dried/savory herbs. Also unlike the 2009 vintage, the 2010 is rich and creamy, almost like a typical Paso Robles Zinfandel. This wine is gorgeously well-structured, with steel-like firm and unbending tannins and acidity which should allow this wine to age beautifully for another 5-to-10 years. Despite the structure’s strength and firmness, the wine is drinking beautifully now but should continue to age, mature, and develop gracefully over the next decade or so. The oakiness adds a subtle essence of baking spices as well, along with complexity and depths-of-flavors that are difficult to surpass for a sub-$20 bottle.
I paired this beauty with a pork loin spiced with Kosher salt, black pepper, and Herbs de Provence because the 2009 vintage paired PERFECTLY with the pork loin, but because the 2010 vintage is much more muscular and powerful than the 2009 vintage, it would have paired better with a fatty steak, like a ribeye or porterhouse smothered with black pepper, Kosher salt, and Herbs de Provence.
As usual, the 2010 vintage is definitely a 90+ point wine, and for less than $20 a bottle (from Total Wine & More), this beauty is difficult to beat. The 2010 vintage is VERY different from the 2009 vintage, but is still a delicious, deeply-flavored and complex wine that has the “legs” to age and mature elegantly for another 5-to-10 years. This is a fabulous wine for the price. But whereas the 2009 vintage paired perfectly with a nicely-spiced pork loin, this beauty should be paired with fatty and well-spiced red proteins.
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10/16/2015 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. The wine nose and taste is full of red berries and wood. Hard to place this wine, but it was pleasant, medium-bodied but mouth-filling and some tannin. Drinking quite well now, see no further aging potential.
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9/23/2015 - hdn Likes this wine: 90 Points
donker, niet erg aromatisch. Mengeling van rode bes, braam en iets wat me doet denken aan rozijnen op alcohol?
Apart maar lekker.
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9/23/2015 - Mountster27 wrote: 89 Points
Strong dark fruit nose but more mellowed palate. Well integrated tannin. Enjoyable.
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7/25/2015 - CieloVista Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ruby red with a good level of floral & raspberry aromas and flavors....they came fully out as the bottle open up. Light red fruit, chewy tannins; excellent clean finish.
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7/21/2015 - NiklasW wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 40 mins. This is very nice, with a sharp nose of red berries, boding for a high acidity wine, citrusy with a background of smoky oak. The palate is indeed loaded with racey acidity, good red berries and good tannins. A lively wine, very nice right now!
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5/16/2015 - hkm520240 wrote: 90 Points
Intense dark ruby with garnet hue.
Expressive aromas showing some nice complexity with floral, violet interwoven with red cherry, red currant, red plum and some hints of white pepper.
Light red fruited palate with good intensity, showing good structure along with plum, raspberry, spice, floral and violet. Restraint and elegant, with nice purity of fruits and support by bright acidity backbone. Chewy tannins, good length.
This is a pleasant surprise for tonight, very approachable and 10 months of aging in used French oak gave minimum oak influence and let the fruits shine through and lift the weight of the wine.
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1/24/2015 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 88 Points
You can tell this is hillside fruit. It's not giving up a lot, keeping things close to the vest, flavor and aroma wise. Some plum, raisins, minerals, bits of chocolate, but all restrained. Needs food, for sure. But decent QPR. Could hang on another couple to three years I'm guessing.
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1/18/2015 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Spicy with loads of black cherry, licorice, mineral and smoke flavors. Paired well with Pork Carnitas. A good wine but not as good as the 2009 vintage.
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12/24/2014 - jinatnrt Likes this wine: 87 Points
Spicy! Overall a interesting and fun wine to pop open for the public to see different types of wines prevalent in this world. Truly magnificent given the price point.
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9/9/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 91 Points
Complex nose of iron, plum dark fruits and minerals. Spicy in the mouth with medium body and a nice finish.
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8/21/2014 - jwilkey Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks ruby colored with nice legs and very little sediment. It smells like red currant, raspberry and oak with flavors of blackberry, raspberry, black currant (cassis) and cherry. The body is medium/full. The wine has a smooth texture and medium finish and acidity and a very classy label.
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8/2/2014 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 89 Points
Hour and a half decant, very dark pour, long slow moving legs denoting a higher sugar content. On the bouquet there is dark fruit, cinnamon and vanilla with a hint of red licorice, very nice. The palate is is both jammy and ripe with edgy acidity in good balance with silky tannins, the slightly fleshy style with its overall finesse makes this enjoyable.
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6/3/2014 - Motz wrote: 91 Points
Refined and subtle. Delicate aromas of earth and dark fruits, with oak imparted elements. Mineral driven palate with pleasant nuance. Pleasant mouthfeel and solid finish. A nice value at $20+; exceptional value at $10.
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5/24/2014 - Winetex wrote: 88 Points
Plum and cherry fruit with an spicy, earthy finish. Good with food and probably best consumed young.
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5/14/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 88 Points
drank over 2 days...rich plum and earthy spice, a little dull, but full bodied and rich.
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4/22/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 90 Points
Free & Easy Tuesday night session (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Pop and poured.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, dark purple colour.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of peppery spice, flowers, and a bit of cassis.
On the palate, high acidity, medium silky tannins, full body, long finish. Flavours of blueberries, blackberries, black pepper, minty herb, and some cassis.
I guessed a Northern Rhone Syrah. Quite nice. My first time trying Mencia.
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4/22/2014 - clairenclarence wrote: 89 Points
pop n pour into zalto glass.a rather intense rhone palate with some air.spice,herb n red fruits dominate here.sructure is decent.gd acidity support.some complexity but cn b better.conclusion:pretty decent for its price.wud like tis bttle to hve better depth,better structure n complexity
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4/11/2014 - Firefly78 wrote: 90 Points
Nice floral aromatics and very true to its natue and purpose. Great QPR!
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4/5/2014 - gnosis wrote:
Very good for the price, as always. Similar impressions to other recent tasters. Firm, balanced, floral, masculine, good complexity. It benefitted from a good half hour open in the glass.
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4/1/2014 - wsellis wrote: 87 Points
Full body and fruit forward, but nice balanced and very enjoyable, would buy again
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3/31/2014 - Rahsaan_Kirk wrote:
Bon vin un brin acide, doit prendre de l'air, peut-être encore un peu jeune.
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3/8/2014 - Ericsson wrote: 91 Points
Pas de notes formelles. Belle couleur cerise foncée. Nez qui me rappelait un vin de chez nous, le Cornalin, sur les cerises justement. En bouche, c'est rond mais sans lourdeur, il y a de la fraîcheur. Finale un peu courte. Au début de sa plage de dégustation.
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3/8/2014 - will.w Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very pleasing floral aromas like violets, ample blueberries, blackberries, licorice, bay leaf, rich, silky and voluptuous texture with well integrated acidity and masculine tannins structure.
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2/23/2014 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark violet colour. Redolant cranberry & cassis nose. Smooth entry with kirsch, floral, cranberry, hint of cinnamon. Rich, long lasting mid-weight finish with refreshing acidic lift. Still very much in its infancy.
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1/15/2014 - NiklasW wrote: 90 Points
ChTR kokous 15.01.2014 (SKO-toimisto): Decanted. A very interesting wine, lots of dark berries, distinct oak, but also a nice streak of red berries coming through. The palate had a wonderful acidity to it, lots of tannins still, good lively red berry action and even some citrus. Very good now and could even take some more years in the cellar.
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1/7/2014 - Man in Black wrote:
Clear and bright, medium ruby colour and presence of inky legs. The nose is clean and developing, showing medium intensity aromas of vanilla, cedar, liquorice, lavender, ripe plums and hints of strawberry. The wine is dry in the mouth, with a medium+ acidity, medium+ fine grained tannins, high alcohol, medium+ body and medium+ intensity flavours of ripe plums, liquorice, strawberry and hints of vanilla. Medium finish. It's a very good quality wine with a good balance between acidity and fruit concentration, a decent complexity provided by oak ageing aromas and a nice structure, however it could be even more complex. Drink now, but it has enough potential to develop more complexity in the next 2-3 years.
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12/21/2013 - Curton Likes this wine: 89 Points
Charming and intense wine. Cherries, green pepper, licorice well balanced with medium dry tannins. Flavorful with long aftertaste.
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12/5/2013 - Gargantua wrote:
Thought to check back in on a wine that I used to drink often many years ago that I haven't tried for many vintages. The wine is great and it's as I remembered it; most of the aromas are there (bitter geranium, rose petals, milk chocolate and some toffee under the geranium) and it is actually quite pleasant. There's only one big problem; it's really really hot. 14% interferes with the enjoyment of the wine. If only it could be dialed down to 13%.
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12/1/2013 - lettykatie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thhis wine grows on me or maybe the second bottle is better than the first I opened several months ago. WS rated this #57 for 2012. At the price I agree.
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10/25/2013 - BMG Wine wrote:
Definitely not a fan of Mencia
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10/23/2013 - YWG Wine Guy Likes this wine: 88 Points
So, this seems a good value wine based on refreshingly consistent tasting notes going back some time - all 88-91'ish...I am sure I have tried in past and liked. I will cut and paste a note from a recent comment that simply sums up my experience...hope that is ok! :)
"Great structure, briar patch, underbrush, rose petal, and a bit of that fun grenache grapeyness" - Matches -
Ya, nice wine with decent average entry level price. Others suggest a good decant of 1-2 hours at least and some other comments suggest that this will be 1-2 points better in 2 yrs from now. I will experiment and buy a couple for Fall of 2016.
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10/13/2013 - Matches Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great structure, briar patch, underbrush, rose petal, and a bit of that fun grenache grapeyness
Will buy again
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10/2/2013 - weipim wrote: 78 Points
pnp
Double decanting with decanter and eisch
Very fruity and seductive on the nose with ripe dark fruit for the first 45 min of decanting
Tanning is really pleasant and elegant for its price range. Unfold nicely and reaches out to othwr part of ur mouth with good manner.
I think between 1h to 2h of decanting and serving is at its peak. Serve quick
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9/29/2013 - www.jasonskitchen.com wrote: 89 Points
Easy drinking, but not sure how memorable
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9/23/2013 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bar à vins, pas de notes formelles, juste des souvenirs...
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9/22/2013 - KendraPM wrote: 90 Points
Decant! First 1/2 glass very acidic with short finish. Lotsa of swirling and then was a crowd pleaser! Smokey black fruit aroma with dark frit and sticky notes. Wonderful with steak and potatoes!
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8/30/2013 - golden-berg wrote: 89 Points
Well constructed tannins could use a couple more years
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7/24/2013 - chatters wrote:
A tour of Spain (Berry Bros, London): ripe cherry, spice, cream, tiny chocolate and vanilla. In the mouth the cherry is savoury with spice and slight plain chocolate notes. The wine has medium plus acidity and medium chalky tannin. Slight alcohol warmth intrudes on the finish. Meh
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7/17/2013 - ManhattanBeach wrote:
Short decant. Dominated at first by overwhelming and offputting tar/licorice finish; settled down over time and ended up being very nice. Definitely needs time (at least 30mins) in decanter.
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7/12/2013 - njgolfer wrote: 88 Points
blueberry, blackberry, burnt chocolate, nice acidity. Need to take better notes on the next bottle as this has some intriguing characteristics.
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6/20/2013 - aruddy wrote: 91 Points
Amy likes this wine.
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6/14/2013 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:
Garnet color. Medium body. It needs a one hour decant. Very smooth wine, with plenty of finesse and depth, but with intense, almost liqueur-like fruits (plums, black cherries, cranberries) as well as dust and a dash of spice and vanilla. Very nice.
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6/14/2013 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quite a QPR. Light-bodied enough to pair well with fish. A slightly floral nose, with vanilla and cherry aspects. Some spice and cola join in on the palate. Nice finish, with blueberry/blackberry notes and a slight hint of chocolate. Very enjoyable.
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6/11/2013 - ejca Likes this wine:
Good value at 22, would buy again, heck have drank 4 in the last 2 weeks.
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6/6/2013 - Bobc7had Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep, dark and beautiful.
Rich dark cherries,
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6/6/2013 - ttuominen wrote: 87 Points
N: Aromatically challenged. Very little on the nose. Some cherries, earth, animalistic and a touch of birch sap.
P: A bit more lively here. Cherries, strawberries, vanilla. Cocktail cherries. Chocolate on the end. A bit more tannins on this bottle than last time.
O: Strangely different from last time. I prefer the depth of this wine, with the smoothness of vanilla, more cherries than just strawberries and with greater structure. But it's still quite "dead" to me. Pass.
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5/9/2013 - drdecanto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed a half of a bottle and recorked the other half for near term consumption. Delicious.
2nd half was equally delicious. Perhaps a 92 or 93 point wine. Yummy!
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4/24/2013 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly tasty especially with a quick decant. Great mix of ripe fruit, crisp acidity, smooth tannins from start to finish. Wonderful with most dishes. We had this wine a south american dish featuring lots of red and green bell peppers and the wine complimented that quite nicely. Great value for this interesting wine.
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4/19/2013 - lator wrote: 88 Points
No formal notes. 88-89 points.
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4/14/2013 - Greenvine wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry and smoke. Nice and well-balanced. Full bodied but not heavy if any criticism, a touch sweet.
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4/9/2013 - 99tollap wrote: 92 Points
Oh, this wine is good. Very, very good! Quite Bordeaux-like. In fact, blind I reckon I'd definitely think this was left-bank. Dark, rich nose. Nice chocolate and blackberrys. Beautiful oak. In the mouth, a lovely sweetness of fruit, spice and flowers up front, balanced by wonderful depth of acidity and perfect integration of vanilla oak. Drying finish which is very fine and long. Tannins are quite strong at the moment, but this wine is an absolute baby. 1.5 hours of airtime and it's only just opening up. Give this a good few years and it'll be spectacular, guaranteed. 92++
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4/1/2013 - SouthernStateofMind Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for one (1) hour. The nose exhibits dark cherry, blackberry, blueberry notes interlaced with wildflower, vanilla and subtle integration of oak. Hugely expressive full-bodied and voluminous on the palate. The wine is fruit forward but not unbalanced with the alcohol present. Beautifully structured with relatively low acidity; the finish is long and broad with some tannin still present. This is drinking beautifully right now and should easily do so for another 3-5 years if not longer. Nice effort.
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3/22/2013 - jshearer Likes this wine: 90 Points
This needed about an hour of air to come together. After opening up, the nose was dark - ripe and dusty dark fruits, olive brine, bone marrow. Similar notes on the palate but with some dark chocolate and an interesting sweetness without any discernible RS. Good acidity on contact with firm but well-integrated tannins drying out the tongue on the finish.
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3/17/2013 - ND05 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Flowers, red cherry, minerals, then cola, vanilla on the nose. Smooth tannins but big with long finish. Nice mouth feel and well balanced. Got buttered croissant for a sip or two. Licorice/super rope/fruit snacks. Little toasty oaky spiciness and minerals crushed. Graham cracker crust. Can't ID the flowers but they're present. Violets? Some nice spices on the nose. Sexy. Lingers in the empty glass. Amazed at this finish. Cherry cola. Gets more integrated with air. After 3 hours decanting, this really starts to show. Still getting some blackberry aftertaste 2 minutes after last sip. One of my favorite every day wines -- at less than $20 the price is right too.
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3/16/2013 - Haggis Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice wine, with rather heady nose of dark fruit and licorice. Palate displays cherry, dark plum, anise, licorice. It is spoiled, slightly, by a stemminess (spelling??) and metallic aftertaste, which were still there, though less intrusive, on day 2.
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3/4/2013 - Wineaux9 wrote: 89 Points
Very lively when first opened, settles as receives air. Complex flavors. Strong chocolate tastes and aroma.
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3/1/2013 - czar33 wrote: 88 Points
Superbe. Belle rondeur, intéressant.
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2/19/2013 - Snelson1154 wrote: 88 Points
Smelled of sweat socks which thankfully did not translate onto the palate. Had a green steak that became less noticeable with air. A Spanish wine that had a lot of Burgundian characteristics.
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2/16/2013 - DK Amateur wrote:
Dark coloured. The nose has Burgundian sweetness and some sour cherries but also a greenish dusty peppery element, sort of midway between a young syrah and pinotage. The same opposing elements, smooth sweetness and a rough edge, is found in the taste. I suppose it will grow softer and smoother with a few years' age. Very nice warm aftertaste. - Softened considerably with further air, and the greenish-peppery element receded into the background. Overall excellent, but not better than the wonderful d'Angelo aglianico 2008, different as they are.
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2/3/2013 - walkers wrote: 90 Points
No decant. Fairly intense aromatics, earthy, peppery, plummy, herbal, a bit of black currant, mint, tar. Medium-full bodied with moderately high tannin and moderate acidity. Very dark on first taste but definitely softened as it opened up. Very long finish, spicy. Well balanced, well made wine. d
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1/22/2013 - Prion911 wrote: 85 Points
Ok
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1/20/2013 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is quite nice. Strong dark ruby-purple color, not quite opaque. Jammy raspberry fruit in the nose wrapped nicely in toasty oak and cigar box notes. Complex, even a bit exotic. Full and rich on the palate, has nice balance of fruit and earth. Excellent dark fruits. Good balance and richness. Wow. What a steal. 4-14-16-8: 92/100.
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1/19/2013 - The13thGryphon Likes this wine: 87 Points
Dark jammy fruit, smoke, mineral, a touch of chocolate and green chili. A bit tight, and the tannins need to settle down a notch. Very young at this point, but it should develop nicely with a bit of time.
This wine was ranked as the No. 57 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 91 points by Wine Spectator.
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1/19/2013 - lozanoflamenco Likes this wine: 88 Points
Visual:
Color rojo cereza oscuro con destellos rubí en el borde. Capa media-alta.
Nariz:
A copa parada, sensación de vivacidad y frescura, con aromas florales y fruta potente. Al agitar la copa aparecen aromas de tostados finos de grandísima calidad y notas herbáceas.
Gusto:
Entrada amabilísima y tanicidad que pasa casi desapercibida, lo que da como resultado un vino con un perfil muy femenino, ligero y fácil de beber. Aparecen nuevamente las flores. Es realmente como estar masticándolas. Final ligeramente picante. Post-gusto medio con notas maderosas.
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1/15/2013 - tombiro wrote: 90 Points
Surprising. Well done, had it after a Washington Syrah. Solid fruit, great flavors throughout.
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1/7/2013 - javi777 wrote: 94 Points
This was really outstanding. A good combination of finesse and power. Dark fruits and a bit of oak. Structured, with and almost jammy undertone. Will get some more.
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12/23/2012 - brigcampbell wrote:
Yeah, it needs another year or two but still enjoyable. Dark violet color. Nose is fairly muted at this point with just a whiff of dark fruit. Palate is dark tart cranberry, a touch sour. Mid palate the tannins show up in force. They are not abrasive but hint at what the future holds. Nice QPR and a fun wine from Spain.
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12/10/2012 - ttuominen wrote: 86 Points
N: Red fruit, strawberries, a bit of sweetness and a tiny bit of Christmas spice. Very juicy nose.
P: Extremely smooth, lots of fruit. Very juicy, with no tannins. A nice flavour, but lacking in complexity and a bit flabby.
O: A nice quaffing wine as it's very fruit forward, but the price is a bit high for that. Went well with spicier food due to lack of tannins, but was a bit flabby for food generally. Strange wine that wasn't completely in balance, although the flavour was absolutely nice enough.
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12/6/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium depth of color. Strong scent of spearmint. Middle weight, glossy feel. Curious character of fruit with both carbonic freshness and chocolatey richness. The greenness reappears on the palate. Ready to drink, adequate acidity, little tannin. I didn't think that this hung together.
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11/29/2012 - gnosis wrote:
Really amazing, sooo Good. Wonderful fruitiness, class, complexity, and originality. A score for Spain. A bit like Loire Cabernet Franc, but not so angular. A triumph. Definitely curious about the bigger brothers.
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11/25/2012 - Papies wrote: 88 Points
Light red in colour and ever so fresh. Goof, young red fruits on the nose, light floral and quite forward. On the palate it starts with all the hallmarks (good and bad ) of youth but relaxes after like 30mins in the glass and gets better. Medium bodied, youthful tannin but not harsh, rich and made to be enjoyed young. A bit light on the finish, but overall a nice little wine and good value for the price. Some age will help it relax but we doubt it will improve a lot from here. 88ish and decant/let it rest for a bit post open.
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11/25/2012 - Greg_O Likes this wine: 91 Points
Expressive perfumed nose with exotic florals and spices. Black cherries, spices, minerality and floral notes racing along a backbone of rich tannins and high acidity. Full of character and flavour but still light on its feet. Not a wine for everyone but what wine with this much character is? Another way to describe this wine could be as having the structure of a northern Italian with the profile of a n rhone. I have been following this wine for 6 vintages now and this is the most complete and impressive showing on release yet. Richer and fuller than early vintages but more lively and restrained than the 09 which came off as overworked and flat. I can’t speak to typicity as I am still trying to figure out what typical mencia is exactly…but that’s part of the fun. Petalos is never boring and this vintage it’s showing real potential right out of the gate.
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11/20/2012 - jfpwine Does not like this wine: 88 Points
A little too tannic and coarse for my taste. Dark red, with leather on the nose and an earthy palate.
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11/16/2012 - eljocco wrote: 89 Points
Platt direkt men smaken öppnar sig i en söt smak av blåbär och röda frukter. Svårt att säga hur detta kommer att utveckla sig.
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11/4/2012 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby with purple shades. The nose reflects generous black cherry in a fresh, refreshing style with additional plum, earth and further notes of vanilla. Supple with fresh fruitiness, good focus and velvety tannins. Very pleasing and enjoyable.
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11/3/2012 - davestenton wrote:
The Wine Gang (London): Plum, damson and black cherry. A little chewy but lighter and fresher than the previous two vintages and should improve in bottle. 16.5+
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10/23/2012 - Clash101ers wrote: 90 Points
Anis,
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9/18/2012 - Gobi wrote: 90 Points
A dark colored wine with crimson rim, quite perfumed on the nose exhibiting dark cherries, orange peel, violets, incense, humid soil, and alot of vanilla. Very dense texturally with dark cherries, blackberries, and a bit of blueberries on the attack followed by hints of citric notes and black pepper on the mid-palate. The finish is dominated by creamy vanilla flavors with hints of spices and mouth searing minerality. A mid-bodided wine with succulent flavors, a slightly weak mid-palate, and high alcohol finish. Opened and left in bottle for 24 hours before consuming, much more integrated after a day.
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8/31/2012 - Mad Dog Mikey wrote: 80 Points
Way too acidic in combo with tannins. Tasted it out of the bottle. Again after 2 hours of decanting.. And lastly drank it after 4-5 hours. Maybe a nice wine afer having it cellared - Not something I will do though.
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7/6/2012 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points
Deep and dark Burgundy red with faint purple overtones. Initially very stuffy nose, probably a bit too much sulphites; after an aeration of an hour the nose has cleared up and shows a charming, perfumed bouquet of sweet violet florals, figs, lingonberries, sun-baked earth, some sweet blueberries, a little lemony fruit and a hint of rustic spice - overall something not unlike a ripe Pinot Noir. Dry and structured in the mouth with only the slightest touch of ripe, figgy sweetness in the tip of the tongue. Fresh and slightly meaty palate with flavors of red berries, leather, peppery spice and a hint of cherry. Chewy, full-bodied mouthfeel but at the same time very lively and fresh, due to quite pronounced acidity. A hint of chocolate oak underneath, keeping away from obfuscating the dark-toned fruit. Mid-length finish with flavors of peppery spice, dried herbs, leather, some minerals and a hint of alcohol warmth.
Impressive and nicely balanced Bierzo Mencía; a little like a steroid-pumped Pinot Noir! Shares some characteristics of a good Burgundy Pinot Noir, including nice, refreshing acidity, but is definitely a lot bigger and riper fruit-wise. Though there is some oak there for sure, it is kept in check and the fruit is in the fore. This is a robust and intense modern Spanish red with some class and elegance. I think the bottle was opened a bit too early at under 2 years of age, meaning that this is definitely a wine meant to be cellared. Not for decades, but certainly for some years. A wonderful buy at 14,98€.
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6/10/2012 - NiklasW wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. The nose is dominated by oak at the moment, lots of vanilla and citrus, with rich dark fruit in the background. The palate is velvety and very fruity, gritty tannins, alcohol predominates the palate as well. A big bold wine that definitely needs time in the cellar. No surprise there, as the 2009 I tasted recently was also in need of cellaring. This does have the potential to calm down into a great wine, give it 5 years before trying again!
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5/28/2012 - chatters wrote:
The Spanish Acquisition Trade Tasting (The Argylle, Argylle Street, The Rocks, Sydney): Nose: Cherry underpinned by sweet spice
Mouth: Medium plus tannin that is burnt and provides a meaty tone, cherry, slight creaminess in the mouth and bitterness on the medium plus finish.
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