Oh dear. First sniff - nose is both flat and sharp (yes, I know, but this is not music). I'll just call it discordant. First taste - dusty, acetic, astringent, dried out. 30 minutes later, the same but more so. WS tasting notes say "mature, complex, leather and earth" ... I say too much brett, too little fruit, and just plain over the hill.
Hmm ... I only bought this last autumn ... did it get "cooked", perhaps in the hands of the shipper or retailer?
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I always enjoy this wine and this bottle was no exception. Dark and very dry with a very strong minerality. Almost like being out on the ocean during a storm., You can get lost in this wine. Not hedonistic, but very compelling wine.
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Hadn't opened one of these since 2013 and it is still pretty terrific. Red and purple fruits (plum and raisin) with a nice streak of saline/mineral and a soft mouth feel. Not quite like every other Ribeira del Duero but a very pleasant mouthful of wine.
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Decanted 1 hour . Deep red/purple , little development. Quite raw on nose to start , oak. Resolved with time then came together with black fruits. Deep rich and powerful with good length. This will be better with more time but still enjoyable now.
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Perfect cork. Still purple coloured. Nice maturity, tannins soft and still quite primary. Just entering its drinking window. Should be fine for another 15 years. Drink or hold to 2030. 14% abv
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Even though I liked this a lot, I preferred the Ygay 2005 GR. This has more power and will surely be victorious in the long run, but today the Ygay had more elegance and complexity.
Nose is very classic with lots of wood, vanilla, freeze dried dill, dried fruit and sour cherries. Medium-high acidity, very fresh and dry. Distinctive tannins, high intensity and a light-medium body. Really tasty and long finish. 92-93P
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Reticent, cellar nose, musty. Releasing toasted oak with aeration, red fruit, Tempranillo spice. Heavily concentrated on the palate, a solid stocky core of crisp red fruit, cranberry and wild raspberry, still primary and tight, not very generous. Long, powerful finish with plenty of red fruit and a lipsmacking streak of acidity. There's plenty of potential here but the road ahead is long.
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Weekly tasting group #114; Spain (@ The factory by MN): Beautiful and complex bouquet with sweet spices, luxurious oak and a touch of barnyard. On the palate the wine is not a 100% fresh, but there is good spiciness, vanilla, licorice, sweet licorice, good acidity and soft tannin. Because it was not a 100% fresh I will not score it, but the wine was still good enough to get an impression and without any faults this wine would definitely score 90+
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A friend turned me on to this wine, fairly scarce in the US, because he knew I was a fan of the Lopez de Heredia Gran Reservas. The major difference being that Lopez holds onto their wines much longer before release. Sure enough, I am now a huge fan of this wine (albeit based on just this one bottle). The flavor profile is bright red fruit but with a grounding of spice, leather and licorice. The nose goes on all day and envelops you in the nicest, most beguiling way. The flavors are at once complex yet so in balance that it is quite easy to drink yet with a back end that provides a little bite. Delicious now but I would love to taste one 10 years on to see what happens. The Lopez wines can last 30-40 years but I don't think this will go the same distance. Gets a rare 'like' from me. Could only find one pro review and agree with it completely.
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The nose showed an intense mix of ripe wild berries followed by masses of floral notes. On the palate, it was medium-bodied, ripe yet fresh showing red fruits that turned from juicy to tart. The finish followed suit with juicy tart berries lingering through the close.
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Rich and concentrated, more modern oak here? With tannins and acidity. I don't neccessiarly feel that the step up is worth it. Hmmm... going back though there is definately something here.
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4/28/2021 - Stoic Warrior Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Oh dear. First sniff - nose is both flat and sharp (yes, I know, but this is not music). I'll just call it discordant. First taste - dusty, acetic, astringent, dried out. 30 minutes later, the same but more so. WS tasting notes say "mature, complex, leather and earth" ... I say too much brett, too little fruit, and just plain over the hill.
Hmm ... I only bought this last autumn ... did it get "cooked", perhaps in the hands of the shipper or retailer?
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3/6/2021 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
I always enjoy this wine and this bottle was no exception. Dark and very dry with a very strong minerality. Almost like being out on the ocean during a storm., You can get lost in this wine. Not hedonistic, but very compelling wine.
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6/8/2020 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Hadn't opened one of these since 2013 and it is still pretty terrific. Red and purple fruits (plum and raisin) with a nice streak of saline/mineral and a soft mouth feel. Not quite like every other Ribeira del Duero but a very pleasant mouthful of wine.
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11/2/2018 - redders wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour . Deep red/purple , little development. Quite raw on nose to start , oak. Resolved with time then came together with black fruits. Deep rich and powerful with good length. This will be better with more time but still enjoyable now.
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6/16/2015 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
Perfect cork. Still purple coloured.
Nice maturity, tannins soft and still quite primary. Just entering its drinking window.
Should be fine for another 15 years.
Drink or hold to 2030.
14% abv
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2/11/2015 - Lilja wrote: 92 Points
Even though I liked this a lot, I preferred the Ygay 2005 GR. This has more power and will surely be victorious in the long run, but today the Ygay had more elegance and complexity.
Nose is very classic with lots of wood, vanilla, freeze dried dill, dried fruit and sour cherries. Medium-high acidity, very fresh and dry. Distinctive tannins, high intensity and a light-medium body. Really tasty and long finish. 92-93P
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12/7/2014 - Timbalimba wrote: 92 Points
Reticent, cellar nose, musty. Releasing toasted oak with aeration, red fruit, Tempranillo spice. Heavily concentrated on the palate, a solid stocky core of crisp red fruit, cranberry and wild raspberry, still primary and tight, not very generous. Long, powerful finish with plenty of red fruit and a lipsmacking streak of acidity. There's plenty of potential here but the road ahead is long.
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4/7/2014 - Zweder wrote: flawed
Weekly tasting group #114; Spain (@ The factory by MN): Beautiful and complex bouquet with sweet spices, luxurious oak and a touch of barnyard. On the palate the wine is not a 100% fresh, but there is good spiciness, vanilla, licorice, sweet licorice, good acidity and soft tannin. Because it was not a 100% fresh I will not score it, but the wine was still good enough to get an impression and without any faults this wine would definitely score 90+
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3/21/2014 - yofog wrote: 94 Points
Heady, powerful, masculine stuff, tart cherries packed in a full body, hint of citrus running through it, meaty and iron-y. Long way to go.
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10/20/2013 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
Tasting at Vinos Ribera (Near Aranda del Duero): Dark transparent red brown
Tertiary aroma of ripe cherries
Full bodied, good acidity, good harmony, long finish.
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9/18/2013 - Topper Likes this wine: 94 Points
A friend turned me on to this wine, fairly scarce in the US, because he knew I was a fan of the Lopez de Heredia Gran Reservas. The major difference being that Lopez holds onto their wines much longer before release. Sure enough, I am now a huge fan of this wine (albeit based on just this one bottle). The flavor profile is bright red fruit but with a grounding of spice, leather and licorice. The nose goes on all day and envelops you in the nicest, most beguiling way. The flavors are at once complex yet so in balance that it is quite easy to drink yet with a back end that provides a little bite. Delicious now but I would love to taste one 10 years on to see what happens. The Lopez wines can last 30-40 years but I don't think this will go the same distance. Gets a rare 'like' from me. Could only find one pro review and agree with it completely.
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4/4/2013 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 90 Points
The nose showed an intense mix of ripe wild berries followed by masses of floral notes. On the palate, it was medium-bodied, ripe yet fresh showing red fruits that turned from juicy to tart. The finish followed suit with juicy tart berries lingering through the close.
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5/8/2012 - cpsmith33 wrote: 92 Points
Tasting with Maria Jose of Lopez de Heredia and Jose Manuel of Perez Pascuas; 5/8/2012-5/9/2012 (Union Square Wine): Very nice. 90% tempranillo / 10% cab. 24 months in oal. Meaty, chocolate. Nice red fruit, can taste the 10% cab. Very nice and fun to drink. Would go well with food.
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8/24/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Rich and concentrated, more modern oak here? With tannins and acidity. I don't neccessiarly feel that the step up is worth it. Hmmm... going back though there is definately something here.
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