Acheté il y a dix ans. J'avoue que j'étais curieux d'essayer un Moncayo avec 13 ans d'age car j'y ai toujours goûter en jeunesse. WOWWW !!! Je m'attendais pas a un vin aussi complet et gourmand. Une explosion de cerise cuite mais tellement bien équilibré par l'acidité qui en aucun cas rend le vin lourd. Les tannins sont encore bien présents et enrobants, la longueur en bouche est absolument sublime et c'est juteux, chaleureux a souhait ! Vraiment un grand vin, jusqu’à présent, il s'agit possiblement de ma surprise de l'année 2023.
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Just love this Wine! Still in a great place. With a short decant shows layers of boysenberry, mocha, chalk and warm spice flavors with well integrated tannins giving underlying structure for pairing. Not heavy, more medium weighted - very pretty and tasty.
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In honor of wine spectator picking a Spanish 2010 wine for their number one one of the year we opened this bottle. It is in very good shape and ready to go. There is a touch of New World sweetness but the Spanish Earth dominates. Enjoyed by all. Wish I had more
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Medium ruby to garnet in color. Pronounced nose of sweet red plum, and blackcurrant; lots of spice, white pepper, and sweet tobacco. Lot’s of garnache “heat.” On the palette off-dry, no tannins to speak of, and high alcohol as one might expect. But a decent backbone of acidity to keep it in balance. Pronounced flavor intensity, with sweet red and black fruit of red and black plumb. A long but hot (alcohol) finish. Overall quality of good, to very good. If you are a gernache fan this is one of the best big impact yet longer living examples. Drinking well and still very fresh at 10 years old. And in terms of flavor impact per dollar this is up there in value. Another example of how good quality Spanish wine in the $40-$50 range is such a steal. Not subtle, and pretty hedonistic, but well worth indulging in now and then. As before I wish I had bought more of this!
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I was curious how this aged and whether my experience of it was different than the first bottle. It has aged well, but the review I would give is essentially the same. So, only modest changes with some time between the two reviews. This may mean that this will evolve with still more time.
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Brig shared this with me, it's the same bottle in his TN, too. Poured blind. Darker toned, with a bigger-ripe styled wine aromatically, too. Hmm, what is this? Paso red? Kind of seemed like that to me. Dark berry, raisin, charcoal, spicy with maple. For me, you gotta drink this wine cool to tame some of the heft, and at 16% ABV, ain't a lot I can drink of this either before I feel it.
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Decanted for 3 hours based on others TNs and I'd recommend too. Starting so show a little color change but still opaque. The nose is cocoa, vanilla, and dark blackberry. The palate hides most the 16ABV but the legs on the glass give it away. This was served blind to friends and thought it might be a hopped up zinfandel. I probably wouldn't guess grenache, it's clearly in the Espana style. Oak is a big part of the story. Perfect for sausages.
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Coming into its own. Surprisingly quite a lot of depth once you get past that first fruit explosion. Has certainly mellowed from a few years ago and is now is in a very good place. Wish I had bought a few more bottles!
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My experience with some older Aquilon and the 2015 Veraton suggested that this would benefit from a couple hours in a decanter. Decanted at 2:00pm in the cellar, left for a workout around 4:00 and returned to try a glass around 6:30. It looks to be quite young with a deep purple color fading into medium garnet at the rims. Smells of wet earth, rose petals and blood. I smell a bit of vanilla as well, but the wife did not. It has a STRONG (stronger then the nose) taste tastes of blood, iron, white pepper, plums, pith and maybe some pomegranate. I was expecting jammy flavors, but it's more delineated than that. I did not get heat, despite the 16% a.b.v. Tannins seem resolved. I am looking forward to letting this warm up a bit and trying with lamb marinated in a soy dominated preparation.
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Pretty darn tasty even at 8 years old; getting good fruit and complexity without over-the- top oak some reviewers claimed. VG garnacha after you give it a bit of age since it's too one note when young, i.e. <3-4 years.
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Typical. By that, I mean typically great. Popped and poured, and it did not need additional time or aeration. All kinds of very dark fruits, with a little vanilla and a hint of chocolate. Ridiculously rich, with a terrific finish. A lot of red wines get described as "big", but this one is REALLY big. Had it alongside a 2007 Alto, and the 2007 seemed pretty tired. Therefore, although it has adequate tannins, the 2010s should probably be consumed within the next year or so.
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Nez intensement vanillé, boisé, fruits noirs, thé, moka, et du cassis Bouche massive, puissante et jeune. Un style moderne hyper puissant, le vin nous en met plein la geule. Du gros fruit, de la vanille, du bois. L’ensemble est balancé et tout de tient Finale qui suit la bouche, du gros fruit, du bois et de la vanille. Un style too much pour moi, je ne vois pas de défaut, c’est bien fait mais c’est pas mon genre du tout 89 pts
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The wine was fabulous! Loads of strawberries and raspberry in the flavor profile with a hint of white pepper. We opened and starting enjoying the wine--after 20 minutes it had opened significantly. Lovely and lingering mouthfeel.
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Outstanding! This wine just gets better and better. Hearty fruit but not over the top. Just enough tannins to make it stellar with any meat or root vegetable.
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The wine was great from the first pour. The nose was vanilla, sweet mocha, black cherries--it was wonderful to enjoy. On the palate, vanilla, milk chocolate, black cherries and black raspberries. The tannins were soft and well integrated. There was a lush mouth feel! This is a terrific wine.
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Always have thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Even in a "down" year, this wine is stellar. Wonderful vibrant fruit with solid acidity and complexity that leads to a long finish. Masks the 16% alcohol well, glad I have a few more!
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Let's put it this way: a FULL glass of this dark, extracted deliciousness spilled on the carpet in the middle of the family room, and the only thing we were upset about was the lost glass of wine.
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Aroma is perfumes, floral almost. On the palette, beautifully smooth, cassis, sandalwood, with tea spices on the finish. Nice structure, little to no tannins.
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Decanted approx. 30 min. ... A year-in, year-out solid performer for us. Rich and lush, with a plush, berries and cream open, that's backed by smoke and leather, with a hint of game to finish. Enough backbone to keep this from being over-the-top, it's a big, bold wine not for the AFWE crowd. A great value, this is just a terrific wine and a vintage that's in a really good place right now.
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Have had numerous bottles of this over multiple vintages. Always consistent, although I slightly prefer the 11's to the 10's. The 12's are showing promise as well (and of course the 09's are out of this world). If you like em BIG, fruity and smooth, without crossing the line into spoof territory, these are for you. Always a nice touch of acidity too, to keep it lively.
This bottle seemed a bit closed, so gave it a good aerating and some time, and it came to life. As usual, lots of cherry, chocolate and cedar, but the oak wasn't as aggressive this time.
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What can I say about Alto Moncayo? It is a wonderful full bodied wine with a deep ruby color and an outstanding nose. It is velvety on the palate with a long finish. The tannins are there and are so pleasantly balanced with enough acidity to go perfect with a medium rare filet. By the way, we also had a 2007, that Parker gave 100 points and he was right on the money!
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Decanted one hour and drank with bacon-wrapped grilled pheasant. Delicious wine, jammy, smokey and brighter than expected. Soft tannins and significant depth from the alcohol but not the heat you expect at 16%. Very nice wine.
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Big, syrupy garnacha. This wine is extremely rich. When I first popped it open the night before, the wine was very muted on the nose, but has really come together nicely after a day in an opened bottle. Very clean ripe fruit and oak. If anything, acidity is a little underwhelming. I will sit on the next bottle I find of this until the turn of the decade. Tough bottle to rate.
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UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with smoke and some rustic flavors. On the palate a full bodied wine with red berries, chocolate and some toast. A firm amount of sweetness, but also firm acidity. Very soft and ripe tannin. Early maturity now, but this can easily last a few years as well.
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Amazing how such a massive wine can be so well balanced. Big fruit, big oak, big extraction, big alcohol. Ocasionally you'll pop one and it'll be a bit awkward, but more often all the components find a way to get along.
When you consider how many winemakers attempt this style (usually for higher prices) and how often they end up producing clunky clumsy beasts, then you have to salute Mr. Ringland for hitting a winner almost every year.
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Grosse bombe de fruit encore une fois, coconut et sucrosité avec en prime un peu de chauffe en finale...bu en même temps que le 2009 (smilaire) et le Veraton. Pour presque la moitié du prix, j;aime autant le Veraton. Ce genre de vin, quoique le premier verre est charmeur, est lassant à la longue.
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One of my favorite wines in the cellar - perhaps the best QPR. Stunning nose of ripe berries perfumed with violets, lavender, lanolin and spices. Medium weight and color is a deep magenta. The palate shows perfect balance of acidity, fruit ripeness and refined tannins with flavors of raspberry, blackberry, mocha, subtle white pepper and star anise. Drinking fantastic now and will continue to do so for the next 4 or 5 years.
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Been drinking these, in multiple vintages, for awhile now and one thing is certain . . . . They need plenty of air to show their best. We've taken to decanting, then pouring back into bottle and vacuuming until the following night. Besides opening the nose it rounds out the mouth feel from sharp angularity to rich & full.
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I'm deeply ambivalent. This is modern and massive and monolithic. Sweet oak and vanilla somewhat overpower the ripe red cherry and blueberry at this point. Cotton candy and sturdy tannins lead to a long, lingering finish hinting at a bit more. Could age into something a bit more graceful, perhaps, if the oak integrates more. This will be a polarizing wine, but I have to say the combination of concentration and value @ sub $40 is impressive. Complexity isn't the only virtue in wine, but this does tire the palate a bit. Not rating this, but mid 70s to mid 90s are theoretically appropriate, given one's preferences.
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Super muted that was not consistent with previous bottles. Good nose but lacking depth. Seemed like it wanted to break out but never did. May just be in a stale state. Will probably hold other bottles for a bit.
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Wow. Delicious wine. Absolutely beautiful nose with spicy oak. The tannins are smooth and silky. Lots of dark fruit. Decant for about 30-60 minutes, but delicious up front.
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4th Saturday Group (Mike's & LA's): Deep color with aromas of vanilla, chocolate, graham cracker and black fruits. Tannins are quite firm; flavors of vanilla, blackberry and spice. Guessed Petite Sirah.
Set my glass aside and finished it with dinner after the next flight. Aromas of smoky dark fruit with a subtle meaty undertone. Flavors of black raspberry, black cherry and dark fruit; juicy and lush. Really needed a good two hours to open.
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Definitely a big fruit-forward wine which is usually not my preferred style yet I like this. The 16% is well integrated. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, baking spice and a hint of tar. These are largely matched on the palate adding plum and a bit of oak. Medium tannins & acidity provide good structure. I'll let my second bottle rest a few years & re-visit.
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Opaque purple in color. 16% ABV. Heady aromas of raspberry liqueur, smoke, violets and chocolate. Full bodied, rich, lush and powerful. Tremendous extract and viscosity. Raspberry, blueberry, vanilla, anise and chocolate covered cherries on the palate. A palate staining wine that is not for the faint of heart. That being said, this wine is right in my wheelhouse.
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Lots of opinions on this wine. I enjoyed the style, but was a bit surprised at first, expecting something either similar to other Spanish Grenache or over-the-top amazing as some of the reviews were so high. With a bit of reflection, this reminds me (as others have noted) more of a new-world CdP: big, bold, blended and a bit high on the alcohol. Well worth the cost in my view and an excellent wine.
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Across a few bottles I think the 2010 is better than the 2009. Whereas the 2009 can get a bit boozy at times (almost Port-like) the 2010 shows better balance but still that signature Alto Moncayo full throttle fruit-driven flavor profile intermingled with savory notes. A stunning value in the mid-$30s. Drinks like an $80 wine. The real question is whether this is better than Clio? On average I think Clio delivers more consistent value, but man - this 2010 Alto Moncayo is tremendous. Both deserve consideration in your cellar.
PnP. Very consistant with other bottles. Did not get any heat with this one. Still big, bold & primary just how I like it. Bright & thick with mouth coating flavors.
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What can I say that the previous tasters haven't already said? As good as the 09, which is to say excellent. Great value. Should age well for another 10 years. Amazing nose!!!
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muscular and powerfull but still elegant. best garnacha i have ever tried from spain. price is okay too. amazing value. 16 percent alcohol but the wine has a nice freshness and its easy to drink. recommend it
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A very enjoyable Grenache. This is a big muscular and powerful vintage that delivers great aroma and a very eloquent taste and an even more delicious 30 second finish. this wine comes from 60-80 year old vines.
Decanter for 3 hours Color: Ink garnet. Aroma: vanilla, blackberry, plums and cranberry. Tasting notes: black fruit, dark cherries, minerals, plums and spice box
A truly well-made Grenache and a good value.
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1 hour decant. Very consistent with other bottles. Just got a whiff of heat on this bottle, but it was also served a little warm. Still wonderful fruit and nice finish. Glad I have more.
Another good performance from this producer. On the surface a "fruit bomb" as others have said, but just beneath are some deeper more interesting flavors - including chocolate, and cinnamon. As good as the 2009 (which I love) and like that vintage, given some more time this could be very good and even surpass the 2009, despite its lower price. Having just tried it last night I am going to certainly buy half a case and put it down for a year or two.
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90-91pts. Massive deep and rich wine. Chocolate covered cherries, raspberries, currant, and dark plum on the exuberant fruity nose. Tastes of raisinettes, blueberry, chocolate, and a lot of ripe plum/prune flavors. The finish again hits you with sweeten raisins that block a lot of the heat trying to peak through. A very new world Chateauneuf du pape style grenache wine that will please a lot of people and over power others. I happen to like it, but couldn't drink more than a couple glasses of this on its own. This is a steakhouse/or lamb, food pairing wine. Young and might improve a bit, but this baby is fine to drink right now.
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Popped and poured. This wine is inky purple in the glass with a marvelous nose of toasty oak, vanilla and nutmeg, which blows off after an extended decant. On the palate, the same toasty oak, vanilla, nutmeg, other Christmas spices, coffee, blackberry, blueberry and plum with a lengthy finish. The wine is hot, tannic and disjointed now, but if other Alto vintages are a guide, it should improve with a few years in the cellar.
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Fantastic example from this region of Spain. Built to last another 15 + years. Great structure, needs a few years in the bottle to realize its full potential. Great QPR
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Clear, deep ruby colour with dense slightly inky legs. Slightly flawed medium intensity developing nose with aromas of ripe cherries, ripe plums, coffee, vanilla and nail varnish remover. Dry, medium slightly flabby acidity, medium+ fine grained tannins, high warm alcohol, medium+ body and medium intensity flavours of ripe cherries, nail varnish remover, ripe plums, coffee and vanilla. Very good quality wine, however it's flawed by an over the top volatile acidity, it's a heavy wine with a good structure and concentration, but it lacks elegance. Drink now, but has potential for ageing.
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nose of wet coffee grounds and blackberry lots of coffee on the palate with mocha, dark berries this wine is BIG, pleasant enough but flat on the palate. not worth the $$
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Consistent notes from the other bottle. We drank 2 of these while on vacation along with 2 Clio's to compare both are wonderful. Love the full bodied feel of these wines.
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My short description would be big, bold & beautiful as long as you are aware of what this wine is about. I feel all wines have a place and this one performs in it's place very well IMO. Will it age who knows I don't want to find out to damn good now.
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6/10/2023 - AndrewWill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Singing. Pure hedonism at the Pine restaurant in Hanover, NH. Plum, cassis, black cherry, oak, with a healthy amount of acidity to keep things lively.
Roger Goodell sat nearby.
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3/20/2023 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 95 Points
Acheté il y a dix ans. J'avoue que j'étais curieux d'essayer un Moncayo avec 13 ans d'age car j'y ai toujours goûter en jeunesse.
WOWWW !!! Je m'attendais pas a un vin aussi complet et gourmand.
Une explosion de cerise cuite mais tellement bien équilibré par l'acidité qui en aucun cas rend le vin lourd. Les tannins sont encore bien présents et enrobants, la longueur en bouche est absolument sublime et c'est juteux, chaleureux a souhait !
Vraiment un grand vin, jusqu’à présent, il s'agit possiblement de ma surprise de l'année 2023.
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11/21/2021 - sanjuanlewis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice! Full bodied, wonderful mouth feel, long finish, great dark red fruit flavors and aromas.
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5/16/2021 - mtnbarry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just love this Wine! Still in a great place. With a short decant shows layers of boysenberry, mocha, chalk and warm spice flavors with well integrated tannins giving underlying structure for pairing. Not heavy, more medium weighted - very pretty and tasty.
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12/11/2020 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
In honor of wine spectator picking a Spanish 2010 wine for their number one one of the year we opened this bottle. It is in very good shape and ready to go. There is a touch of New World sweetness but the Spanish Earth dominates. Enjoyed by all. Wish I had more
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4/11/2020 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium ruby to garnet in color. Pronounced nose of sweet red plum, and blackcurrant; lots of spice, white pepper, and sweet tobacco. Lot’s of garnache “heat.” On the palette off-dry, no tannins to speak of, and high alcohol as one might expect. But a decent backbone of acidity to keep it in balance. Pronounced flavor intensity, with sweet red and black fruit of red and black plumb. A long but hot (alcohol) finish. Overall quality of good, to very good. If you are a gernache fan this is one of the best big impact yet longer living examples. Drinking well and still very fresh at 10 years old. And in terms of flavor impact per dollar this is up there in value. Another example of how good quality Spanish wine in the $40-$50 range is such a steal. Not subtle, and pretty hedonistic, but well worth indulging in now and then. As before I wish I had bought more of this!
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4/9/2020 - rojoloco wrote: 96 Points
A lovely wine. Deep, voluptuous, rich. If it weren't for the alcohol level, I would rate it even higher. No faults. Just wonderful.
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3/22/2020 - papabluez wrote: 93 Points
Still drinking beautifully with little to no discoloration. Full fruit & spice with nice finish. Still in perfect drinking window.
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1/13/2020 - wicho Likes this wine: 92 Points
Time to drink is now!
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12/24/2019 - johnmfedorko wrote:
Gave one to Shannon for help with Japanese hotels for Olympics
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9/6/2019 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Simply a lovely wine with a great QPR. Drinking beautifully.
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8/30/2019 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was curious how this aged and whether my experience of it was different than the first bottle. It has aged well, but the review I would give is essentially the same. So, only modest changes with some time between the two reviews. This may mean that this will evolve with still more time.
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8/29/2019 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully. Agree with suggestions you drink with a bit of chill, but otherwise delightful.
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8/25/2019 - juneau bob wrote:
Crowd fave with tapas.
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8/20/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Brig shared this with me, it's the same bottle in his TN, too. Poured blind. Darker toned, with a bigger-ripe styled wine aromatically, too. Hmm, what is this? Paso red? Kind of seemed like that to me. Dark berry, raisin, charcoal, spicy with maple. For me, you gotta drink this wine cool to tame some of the heft, and at 16% ABV, ain't a lot I can drink of this either before I feel it.
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8/19/2019 - brigcampbell wrote:
Decanted for 3 hours based on others TNs and I'd recommend too. Starting so show a little color change but still opaque. The nose is cocoa, vanilla, and dark blackberry. The palate hides most the 16ABV but the legs on the glass give it away. This was served blind to friends and thought it might be a hopped up zinfandel. I probably wouldn't guess grenache, it's clearly in the Espana style. Oak is a big part of the story. Perfect for sausages.
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5/9/2019 - cubswinws wrote: 86 Points
Just too oak driven for me...
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4/28/2019 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coming into its own. Surprisingly quite a lot of depth once you get past that first fruit explosion. Has certainly mellowed from a few years ago and is now is in a very good place. Wish I had bought a few more bottles!
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1/12/2019 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding. Loads of richness with amazing nose. Wish I had more.
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12/22/2018 - Gen NY Likes this wine: 90 Points
My experience with some older Aquilon and the 2015 Veraton suggested that this would benefit from a couple hours in a decanter. Decanted at 2:00pm in the cellar, left for a workout around 4:00 and returned to try a glass around 6:30. It looks to be quite young with a deep purple color fading into medium garnet at the rims. Smells of wet earth, rose petals and blood. I smell a bit of vanilla as well, but the wife did not. It has a STRONG (stronger then the nose) taste tastes of blood, iron, white pepper, plums, pith and maybe some pomegranate. I was expecting jammy flavors, but it's more delineated than that. I did not get heat, despite the 16% a.b.v. Tannins seem resolved. I am looking forward to letting this warm up a bit and trying with lamb marinated in a soy dominated preparation.
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11/4/2018 - peeks13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty darn tasty even at 8 years old; getting good fruit and complexity without over-the- top oak some reviewers claimed. VG garnacha after you give it a bit of age since it's too one note when young, i.e. <3-4 years.
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4/16/2018 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical. By that, I mean typically great. Popped and poured, and it did not need additional time or aeration. All kinds of very dark fruits, with a little vanilla and a hint of chocolate. Ridiculously rich, with a terrific finish. A lot of red wines get described as "big", but this one is REALLY big. Had it alongside a 2007 Alto, and the 2007 seemed pretty tired. Therefore, although it has adequate tannins, the 2010s should probably be consumed within the next year or so.
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2/21/2018 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nez intensement vanillé, boisé, fruits noirs, thé, moka, et du cassis
Bouche massive, puissante et jeune. Un style moderne hyper puissant, le vin nous en met plein la geule. Du gros fruit, de la vanille, du bois. L’ensemble est balancé et tout de tient
Finale qui suit la bouche, du gros fruit, du bois et de la vanille.
Un style too much pour moi, je ne vois pas de défaut, c’est bien fait mais c’est pas mon genre du tout
89 pts
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2/2/2018 - Tetherton Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine was fabulous! Loads of strawberries and raspberry in the flavor profile with a hint of white pepper. We opened and starting enjoying the wine--after 20 minutes it had opened significantly. Lovely and lingering mouthfeel.
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1/11/2018 - Michael64 wrote: 95 Points
Awesome!
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8/17/2017 - Fantasio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Texture crémeuse, nez profond et longueure incroyable pour le prix. Boisé un peu trop proéminent. Peut-être que le temps règlera les choses...
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7/24/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crazy good
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1/16/2017 - Swan1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding! This wine just gets better and better. Hearty fruit but not over the top. Just enough tannins to make it stellar with any meat or root vegetable.
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1/8/2017 - Tetherton Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine was great from the first pour. The nose was vanilla, sweet mocha, black cherries--it was wonderful to enjoy. On the palate, vanilla, milk chocolate, black cherries and black raspberries. The tannins were soft and well integrated. There was a lush mouth feel! This is a terrific wine.
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1/2/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 93 Points
so delicious on the 3rd day after everything integrated and smooth
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1/2/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 92 Points
Always have thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Even in a "down" year, this wine is stellar. Wonderful vibrant fruit with solid acidity and complexity that leads to a long finish. Masks the 16% alcohol well, glad I have a few more!
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12/26/2016 - RandomCoil wrote: 94 Points
Let's put it this way: a FULL glass of this dark, extracted deliciousness spilled on the carpet in the middle of the family room, and the only thing we were upset about was the lost glass of wine.
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7/11/2016 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always delicious...
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3/13/2016 - dbay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aroma is perfumes, floral almost. On the palette, beautifully smooth, cassis, sandalwood, with tea spices on the finish. Nice structure, little to no tannins.
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1/21/2016 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted approx. 30 min. ... A year-in, year-out solid performer for us. Rich and lush, with a plush, berries and cream open, that's backed by smoke and leather, with a hint of game to finish. Enough backbone to keep this from being over-the-top, it's a big, bold wine not for the AFWE crowd. A great value, this is just a terrific wine and a vintage that's in a really good place right now.
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1/11/2016 - millerarner wrote: 91 Points
Have had numerous bottles of this over multiple vintages. Always consistent, although I slightly prefer the 11's to the 10's. The 12's are showing promise as well (and of course the 09's are out of this world). If you like em BIG, fruity and smooth, without crossing the line into spoof territory, these are for you. Always a nice touch of acidity too, to keep it lively.
This bottle seemed a bit closed, so gave it a good aerating and some time, and it came to life. As usual, lots of cherry, chocolate and cedar, but the oak wasn't as aggressive this time.
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1/11/2016 - wicho Likes this wine: 94 Points
What can I say about Alto Moncayo? It is a wonderful full bodied wine with a deep ruby color and an outstanding nose. It is velvety on the palate with a long finish. The tannins are there and are so pleasantly balanced with enough acidity to go perfect with a medium rare filet.
By the way, we also had a 2007, that Parker gave 100 points and he was right on the money!
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1/1/2016 - vinorsk Likes this wine:
Decanted one hour and drank with bacon-wrapped grilled pheasant. Delicious wine, jammy, smokey and brighter than expected. Soft tannins and significant depth from the alcohol but not the heat you expect at 16%. Very nice wine.
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11/18/2015 - atleastbepolite Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, syrupy garnacha. This wine is extremely rich. When I first popped it open the night before, the wine was very muted on the nose, but has really come together nicely after a day in an opened bottle. Very clean ripe fruit and oak. If anything, acidity is a little underwhelming. I will sit on the next bottle I find of this until the turn of the decade. Tough bottle to rate.
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11/14/2015 - AV2012 wrote: 92 Points
Garnacha / Grenache: Typical Grenache nose of sweet berries, oak. Young and expressive but classy wine. Excellent already now, but no rush here.
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10/16/2015 - Janstan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tobacco, cedar dark fruits. Had with provencial beef, good pairing but this wine is lovely on its own.
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9/10/2015 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with smoke and some rustic flavors. On the palate a full bodied wine with red berries, chocolate and some toast. A firm amount of sweetness, but also firm acidity. Very soft and ripe tannin. Early maturity now, but this can easily last a few years as well.
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6/24/2015 - millerarner wrote: 92 Points
Amazing how such a massive wine can be so well balanced. Big fruit, big oak, big extraction, big alcohol. Ocasionally you'll pop one and it'll be a bit awkward, but more often all the components find a way to get along.
When you consider how many winemakers attempt this style (usually for higher prices) and how often they end up producing clunky clumsy beasts, then you have to salute Mr. Ringland for hitting a winner almost every year.
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4/26/2015 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love this wine..big fruit, great structure and mouth feel...long on the finish. Great consistent producer. 100% Garnacha. BIG.
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2/13/2015 - maxima wrote: 87 Points
Grosse bombe de fruit encore une fois, coconut et sucrosité avec en prime un peu de chauffe en finale...bu en même temps que le 2009 (smilaire) et le Veraton.
Pour presque la moitié du prix, j;aime autant le Veraton. Ce genre de vin, quoique le premier verre est charmeur, est lassant à la longue.
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1/3/2015 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Loads of fruit- so so yummy. If you like the fruit forward style this could be for you.
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12/28/2014 - mtnbarry Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of my favorite wines in the cellar - perhaps the best QPR. Stunning nose of ripe berries perfumed with violets, lavender, lanolin and spices. Medium weight and color is a deep magenta. The palate shows perfect balance of acidity, fruit ripeness and refined tannins with flavors of raspberry, blackberry, mocha, subtle white pepper and star anise. Drinking fantastic now and will continue to do so for the next 4 or 5 years.
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12/8/2014 - millerarner Likes this wine:
Been drinking these, in multiple vintages, for awhile now and one thing is certain . . . . They need plenty of air to show their best. We've taken to decanting, then pouring back into bottle and vacuuming until the following night. Besides opening the nose it rounds out the mouth feel from sharp angularity to rich & full.
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11/21/2014 - ND05 wrote:
I'm deeply ambivalent. This is modern and massive and monolithic. Sweet oak and vanilla somewhat overpower the ripe red cherry and blueberry at this point. Cotton candy and sturdy tannins lead to a long, lingering finish hinting at a bit more. Could age into something a bit more graceful, perhaps, if the oak integrates more. This will be a polarizing wine, but I have to say the combination of concentration and value @ sub $40 is impressive. Complexity isn't the only virtue in wine, but this does tire the palate a bit. Not rating this, but mid 70s to mid 90s are theoretically appropriate, given one's preferences.
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11/15/2014 - LONGDIVISION wrote:
Super muted that was not consistent with previous bottles. Good nose but lacking depth. Seemed like it wanted to break out but never did. May just be in a stale state. Will probably hold other bottles for a bit.
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11/7/2014 - J2K Likes this wine: 94 Points
a Big dawg, lots of fruit, more new world style, full bodied with lots of flavor. Highly recommend
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11/1/2014 - EdKz@comcast.net Likes this wine: 91 Points
new world fruity; hopefully will be more balanced in time
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10/25/2014 - Strikermax wrote: 94 Points
Zeer sexy jammige fruitbom! Enorme concentratie, maar door fraaie zuren perfect in balans. Lang, met afgeronde tannines. 94+
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9/27/2014 - acschneid Likes this wine:
Love this. Great oak. Drinks like silk.
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9/14/2014 - KAP Likes this wine: 92 Points
Oak, smooth, nice finish. Great QPR.
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9/12/2014 - DougSamuel wrote: 97 Points
Wow. Delicious wine. Absolutely beautiful nose with spicy oak. The tannins are smooth and silky. Lots of dark fruit. Decant for about 30-60 minutes, but delicious up front.
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9/8/2014 - pvmaanen Likes this wine:
Very good. Less vanilla scent than the 2009
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8/30/2014 - AllRed wrote:
4th Saturday Group (Mike's & LA's): Deep color with aromas of vanilla, chocolate, graham cracker and black fruits. Tannins are quite firm; flavors of vanilla, blackberry and spice. Guessed Petite Sirah.
Set my glass aside and finished it with dinner after the next flight. Aromas of smoky dark fruit with a subtle meaty undertone. Flavors of black raspberry, black cherry and dark fruit; juicy and lush. Really needed a good two hours to open.
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8/24/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
It big and huge and sweet and coconutty, all at once.
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7/19/2014 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at the end of a party, but still a highlight!
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5/29/2014 - Normones wrote: 86 Points
good food wine - that is all
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5/3/2014 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine as per usual. SO fruit forward and dense, but really good. Dark blue fruit.
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5/2/2014 - Kropsterapeut wrote: 93 Points
Perfekt oplev. Blød, rund, forførende, lidt sødme uden at blive for meget
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3/28/2014 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Bien dans l'ensemble. Pas au niveau des 2007 et 2008.
Fait un peu bombe de fruits, un verre est suffisant!
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3/16/2014 - David_T Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely a big fruit-forward wine which is usually not my preferred style yet I like this. The 16% is well integrated. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, baking spice and a hint of tar. These are largely matched on the palate adding plum and a bit of oak. Medium tannins & acidity provide good structure. I'll let my second bottle rest a few years & re-visit.
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3/7/2014 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Opaque purple in color. 16% ABV. Heady aromas of raspberry liqueur, smoke, violets and chocolate. Full bodied, rich, lush and powerful. Tremendous extract and viscosity. Raspberry, blueberry, vanilla, anise and chocolate covered cherries on the palate. A palate staining wine that is not for the faint of heart. That being said, this wine is right in my wheelhouse.
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2/23/2014 - neurovino wrote: 92 Points
Became much more round two hours after opening. No decant. Full bodied, powerful, long finish. Good value at this price point.
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2/21/2014 - Genaro wrote: 90 Points
Strong at first but very pleasant afterwards
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2/10/2014 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of opinions on this wine. I enjoyed the style, but was a bit surprised at first, expecting something either similar to other Spanish Grenache or over-the-top amazing as some of the reviews were so high. With a bit of reflection, this reminds me (as others have noted) more of a new-world CdP: big, bold, blended and a bit high on the alcohol. Well worth the cost in my view and an excellent wine.
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2/7/2014 - RobertDwyer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Across a few bottles I think the 2010 is better than the 2009. Whereas the 2009 can get a bit boozy at times (almost Port-like) the 2010 shows better balance but still that signature Alto Moncayo full throttle fruit-driven flavor profile intermingled with savory notes. A stunning value in the mid-$30s. Drinks like an $80 wine. The real question is whether this is better than Clio? On average I think Clio delivers more consistent value, but man - this 2010 Alto Moncayo is tremendous. Both deserve consideration in your cellar.
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1/20/2014 - pkatz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious sweet fruit, but some heat and tannins. Should improve with time.
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1/7/2014 - lsnider wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Very consistant with other bottles. Did not get any heat with this one. Still big, bold & primary just how I like it. Bright & thick with mouth coating flavors.
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1/4/2014 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious, - big fruit with strong tannins. Has years to go...should have decanted longer. 11 Bottles to go!
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1/3/2014 - millerarner Likes this wine: 92 Points
What can I say that the previous tasters haven't already said? As good as the 09, which is to say excellent. Great value. Should age well for another 10 years. Amazing nose!!!
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12/20/2013 - Die Junge Weinwelt wrote: 93 Points
muscular and powerfull but still elegant. best garnacha i have ever tried from spain. price is okay too. amazing value. 16 percent alcohol but the wine has a nice freshness and its easy to drink. recommend it
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12/17/2013 - keio wrote: 94 Points
I bought this wine for the 75 of my father and everyone said it was a great wine. need to buy more and see it ages
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12/14/2013 - dawgdaze Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very enjoyable Grenache. This is a big muscular and powerful vintage that delivers great aroma and a very eloquent taste and an even more delicious 30 second finish. this wine comes from 60-80 year old vines.
Decanter for 3 hours
Color: Ink garnet.
Aroma: vanilla, blackberry, plums and cranberry.
Tasting notes: black fruit, dark cherries, minerals, plums and spice box
A truly well-made Grenache and a good value.
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11/4/2013 - Brett and Megan Likes this wine: 90 Points
aroma - plum, vanilla, medium toast, red fruit, tar; taste - woody, raisin, burnt wood, chewy and smooth - really good
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11/2/2013 - Bandreas wrote: 86 Points
Tasted at the New York Wine Experience 2010
Bright purple color; explosion of Garnacha fruit on the palate.
A bit New World wine style
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10/13/2013 - lsnider wrote: 91 Points
1 hour decant. Very consistent with other bottles. Just got a whiff of heat on this bottle, but it was also served a little warm. Still wonderful fruit and nice finish. Glad I have more.
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9/21/2013 - mjsherwin68 wrote: 91 Points
Great wine. Dark fruit, and earth tones through out.
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9/15/2013 - samueljoubert wrote: 91 Points
Incredible wine! Paired it with braised lamb shank, over the top combination.
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9/14/2013 - Hermosabritdad wrote: 88 Points
Another good performance from this producer. On the surface a "fruit bomb" as others have said, but just beneath are some deeper more interesting flavors - including chocolate, and cinnamon. As good as the 2009 (which I love) and like that vintage, given some more time this could be very good and even surpass the 2009, despite its lower price. Having just tried it last night I am going to certainly buy half a case and put it down for a year or two.
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8/31/2013 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
90-91pts. Massive deep and rich wine. Chocolate covered cherries, raspberries, currant, and dark plum on the exuberant fruity nose. Tastes of raisinettes, blueberry, chocolate, and a lot of ripe plum/prune flavors. The finish again hits you with sweeten raisins that block a lot of the heat trying to peak through. A very new world Chateauneuf du pape style grenache wine that will please a lot of people and over power others. I happen to like it, but couldn't drink more than a couple glasses of this on its own. This is a steakhouse/or lamb, food pairing wine. Young and might improve a bit, but this baby is fine to drink right now.
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8/24/2013 - fanglangzhe wrote: 84 Points
Over the top fruit bomb.
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6/13/2013 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured. This wine is inky purple in the glass with a marvelous nose of toasty oak, vanilla and nutmeg, which blows off after an extended decant. On the palate, the same toasty oak, vanilla, nutmeg, other Christmas spices, coffee, blackberry, blueberry and plum with a lengthy finish. The wine is hot, tannic and disjointed now, but if other Alto vintages are a guide, it should improve with a few years in the cellar.
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6/4/2013 - gtm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic example from this region of Spain. Built to last another 15 + years. Great structure, needs a few years in the bottle to realize its full potential. Great QPR
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6/3/2013 - Man in Black wrote:
Clear, deep ruby colour with dense slightly inky legs. Slightly flawed medium intensity developing nose with aromas of ripe cherries, ripe plums, coffee, vanilla and nail varnish remover. Dry, medium slightly flabby acidity, medium+ fine grained tannins, high warm alcohol, medium+ body and medium intensity flavours of ripe cherries, nail varnish remover, ripe plums, coffee and vanilla. Very good quality wine, however it's flawed by an over the top volatile acidity, it's a heavy wine with a good structure and concentration, but it lacks elegance. Drink now, but has potential for ageing.
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5/26/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice taste profile with lots of fruit and spice. A tad too sweet for my preference, but definitely a great wine, all in all.
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5/17/2013 - ihavezinned wrote: 84 Points
nose of wet coffee grounds and blackberry
lots of coffee on the palate with mocha, dark berries
this wine is BIG, pleasant enough but flat on the palate. not worth the $$
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4/27/2013 - JMLE20 Likes this wine: 90 Points
bien chocolat noir, cerise marasquin mais trop jeune pour moi. J avais prefere le 05-06-07 en jeunesse a revoir
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4/1/2013 - lsnider wrote: 92 Points
Consistent notes from the other bottle. We drank 2 of these while on vacation along with 2 Clio's to compare both are wonderful. Love the full bodied feel of these wines.
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2/17/2013 - lsnider wrote: 92 Points
My short description would be big, bold & beautiful as long as you are aware of what this wine is about. I feel all wines have a place and this one performs in it's place very well IMO. Will it age who knows I don't want to find out to damn good now.
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2/9/2013 - rhpolk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite similar to the 2009. Deep purple, nice mouth feel.
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12/25/2012 - dontime wrote:
Excellent! If scoring 91-93.
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