Most likely an issue with my bottle, but I was extremely disappointed. No cork or any fault I could identify, but despite the enticing leathery nose, everything else was either average or bad. The alcohol didn't feel fully integrated, there was no balance, the fruit was slightly hidden. First tasted with Coravin, then opened and decanted -- nothing helped. Siri, play Sadness by Enigma. No rating as, again, most likely just a local problem.
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A pair of Nebby twins walk into a tapas Bar (Eric&Megan's, Chicago IL): This needed about 15 minutes to wake up. And wake up it did! It was all systems go with about as classic of a Rioja as it gets. The nose is deep and layered with sour cherries, raspberries, licorice, vanilla, dried herbs, violets, cedar, red currants, and spice notes. The Medium/full bodied feel is poised, lengthy, and refined with tart, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins that have really integrated. Whooooo baby! This was all that I could've wanted in that moment. This was an absolute beauty and a wine that I will be thinking about for a while to come.
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Sunday hangout (Chicago, IL): Distinctively LRA with a very intense dill note on the palate. The nose comes off more leathery than anything else, and I would have liked to have a little more fruit and polish there. The palate has an intense green dill note with a slight creaminess that evokes a sour cream dip. Otherwise, this is quite refined and resolved, and drinking very nicely now, though given the track record of aging for LRA, I'm sure this will be plenty fine many decades from now too.
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Upon opening, it seemed it didn’t really need decanting. Not a surprise for a 1998 vintage! A very nice wine with a pronounced nose and taste of oak and dill (classic La Rioja Alta)! I gave it a total of 5 hours and it took on a completely different personality! The oak and dill seemed to have dissipated and was just a plain and simple VERY fine wine with a fabulously long finish. In my honest opinion, I think it still needs more time! Yes, I think this will be at his best in about 5 to 10 years. Amazing for a 24-year-old wine!
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Brought by FC to Lorne. Quite youthful still, primary dark fruit, notes of chocolate, mint, medium/full bodied, quite rich, soft tannins, balanced acidity, some rtobacco notes emerging, drinkable buyt will improve and show more character with time.
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Tasted blind. Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. I had no problem nailing the winery - always so distinctive. Notes of vanilla and wet earth, couple with high acidity and freshness, red fruit compote, delicious.
This is quite dark in the glass and stern, masculine, and brooding. This is less about fruit (though there’s a bit of tart black cherry) and more about secondary and tertiary flavors of smoke, cloves, tobacco, dried fig, and blood sausage. This is definitely a singular experience and must be close to peak as there is still enough fruit here to balance all of the savory elements and the dill notes that can overwhelm this wine have largely faded.
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Deep brick color. Fragrant perfumed nose of roses and cinnamon. Flavors of dark cherry, plum, clove, fig, mushrooms, and cedar. Medium body. Mild silky tannins. Vibrant. Elegant. This is a fine example of traditional Rioja. Fabulous. Has another 10 years left to it.
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Gorgeous wine. This has it all. Freshness and acidity, earthiness and complexity, a phenomenal nose and a looooong lingering finish. Dark mushrooms, cigar smoke, figs and sour cherries.
Beautiful nose...secondary notes of leather, herbs, red fruits. Very structured with moderate tannins that should smooth out with more cellaring. I like the wine, but the palate not quite as balanced as I would like. Hopefully time will be its friend.
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Herlig moden tempranillo-duft. Søtlig, krydret, lakris og malt Harmonisk, glatt og utrolig balansert i munnen. Integrert fat, akkurat passe syrlig, akkurat passe tett frukt. Lang og lett strukturert utgang med ultrafine tanniner. En perfekt moden rioja.
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Monthly Tasting Group: Spain (Tilia, Mpls): Same bottle as Chablis28. I apparently liked this more than he did. I thought this was lovely, balanced, and integrated with a perfume of dried flowers, dill, spices, red fruit, tart and fresh with silky tannins. The wood is noticeable, but I find the dill lending character and interest. 92+ to 93pts.
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I only bought one of these a couple years ago and have been sitting on it trying to figure out the ideal moment to open it and I'm unsure I picked it? I was underwhelmed relative to what I expected from any $100 wine. Opened andl after taking a small test pour decided to slow ox for 3 hours prior to taking to Tilia where we started drinking it about an hour or so in. Semi translucent ruby red. Some cherry, leather, faint tobacco, herbs, and mineral. All said and done, this producer, has never rocked me. I'll invest in Lopez Gran reservas at this price point when seeking a more head turning Rioja experience. I felt the 05s Lopez reservas out performed this tonight.
As a big fan of the GR 904 I always wondered if the 890 was worth the difference in price. A few months ago we had the 890 from 2004 which was nice for sure but not totally convincing. This vintage 98 though was absolutely stunning. So smooth, balanced and with a never ending aftertaste. Gave it an hour in decanter and then drank it with some beautiful lamsrack. Heaven!!
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Colour: clear, medium garnet red with brown notes on the rim, mirroring
Nose: Clear, Pronounced intensity, Primary, secondary and tertiary notes
PRIMARY Floral notes (Violets, a summer meadow of herbs) Red fruit (Sour cherry, raspberry, morellos) Dark fruit (Cassis, dark cherry, blackberry, blueberry, elder) Baked / cooked / dried fruit (baked dark plum, cherry liqueur) Herbs (Cassis leaves, paprika, pepperoni, parsley, rosemary, oregano) Spices (Clove, juniper, anise)
SECONDARY Oak notes (Vanilla, smoke, cacao, coffee, coco nut, toast, chocolate, cedar wood)
TERTIARY Oxidative notes & fruit development & bottle ripeness: Nuts (hazel nut), caramel, marzipan, brown rock candy, dried red currant, dried raspberry, cinnamon, tar, tobacco, meaty notes
Develops from time to time when opening the bottle (we poured the bottle over 3-4 hours and it constantly changed, especially at the beginning)
Taste: Dry, Medium (+) acidity, Medium (+) tannin, very tight and ripe, very very fine on the tongue, Medium alcohol, Medium (+) body, Pronounced intensity, Primary, secondary and tertiary notes (comparable to the notes on the nose) Length: long, fruity and spicy aftertaste
Fruit and acidity are still dominating
Overall: Quality: extraordinary Ripeness: ripe enough to be poured now, but high cellaring potential
97/100 points 2016-2038 (Drinking window)
A Rioja monument! Truly one of the best wines of Spain and an extraordinary expression of the Tempranillo grape! This is one of the best wines that I had. Very special, but if you like Rioja, you will LOVE this wine. This one is as good as Rioja gets. No mistake, no weakness, and the margin between this and a 100 point wine is small.
Probably the most traditional of the La Rioja Alta line-up, very substantial oak influence (and flavour on the finish). This is a savoury, mid-weight wine though, rather fine.
Looks as if it will sail though another decade or two. Rather extraordinary then.
{13.5%, cork}.
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A Civilised, Tolerable Thursday? (Restaurante Cuenllas - Madrid): At first very reserved as corresponds to a very good yet austere vintage. The people who split everything into cold and hot vintages will have no fucking idea what I'm talking about. Aqueous fences for a still very dark colour. Aromas of fresh meat, violets, cherries and pastry at six in the morning. In the mouth seriousness gives way to an explosion of strong and very marked flavors. Male Rioja all the way. Without comparing it with last Vieux Chateau Certan, another great bottle of 1998. I have not found any disappointing.
Al principio muy reservada como corresponde a una muy buena añada austera. La gente que divide todo entré añadas frías y calientes no tendrá ni puta idea de lo que estoy hablando. Cercos acuosos para un color todavía muy oscuro. Aromas a carne fresca, a violetas, a cerezas y pastelería de las seis de la mañana. En boca la seriedad deja paso a una explosión de sabores recios y muy marcados. Rioja masculino de todas todas. Sin querer compararla con la de Vieux Chateau Certan, otra botella 1998 muy grande. No he encontrado ni una sola decepcionante.
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Rioja Night (Chicago, IL): A different animal from almost every other wine in today's lineup. Really dark fruit, with a forward, spicy profile overlaying classic LRA dill. Very young, but the density balances things out and makes it a better choice than some for the near-term.
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Rioja dinner at Phil's (Chicago, IL): The nose on this has a bit of fresh herbs (I actually picked up a touch of rosemary -- the porchetta had been long put away at that point), as well as some floral tones, that balance out the classic sweet black fruit profile here. Definitely a fair bit of American oak here, this is a very broad Rioja that impresses by its stature more than anything at this point. This certainly needs much more time to come into its own, but I have to admit that the scale of this wowed me.
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Attractive dark berries, sour cherries, leather, vanilla flavours, oak but not too much, high acidity still youthful power and in the beginning of drinking window, moderately graded at 93 points.
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A blend of Tempranillo (95%), Graciano (3%) and Mazuelo (2%). Aged for 6 years in American oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, deep and almost completely opaque black cherry color with a little bit of translucent bloody red color towards the rim. The nose is super-expressive and big with rich, intense and almost animal aromas of leather, vanilla, dried figs, prunes, some dusty earth, a little bit of black cherry and a hint of clove. The intensity of the nose is ridiculous - you can smell the wine several feet away. The wine is full-bodied and powerful, yet very focused and savory on the palate with bold, dry and complex flavors of peppery spice, intense vanillin character, dark-toned fruit flavors of ripe plums, black cherries and blackberries, a little bit of leather, an umami hint of meaty character and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The structure relies mainly on acidity, as the tannins feel pretty ample but rather resolved and quite mellow. The finish is very powerful and complex with lengthy flavors of rich vanilla oak, dark plummy fruit, leather, meaty umami character, ripe and sweet dark berries, some tart red fruits, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of bretty funk and barnyard that seems to grow a little towards the end of the aftertaste.
A ridiculously intense, immense and super-powerful Rioja powerhouse that just rolls over you with its kaleidoscopic array of flavors. Although the wine shows quite a bit of ripeness, it still stays safely on the crunchy and savory side and most of the sweetness just comes from the pronounced vanilla oak character. Of course this is such a vanilla bomb that people averse to American oak probably can't finish a glass of this, but unlike so many inexpensive modernist Riojas that are just all about sweet vanillin and rich, almost jammy fruit, this is anything but - the vanilla department is so well supported by those developed, slightly wizened and somewhat leathery notes and high acidity that the wine manages to remain very impressive and remarkably balanced. Overall the wine still feels way too young and I'd love to see some more oak integration underneath the rich yet savory fruit - now the oak is a bit too much to the fore. Overall a remarkable and very promising effort. However, at 102€ I'd say the starts to feel overpriced for its quality.
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Medium garnet. Seductive high toned aromas: assorted ripe red fruits with dried prune and raisin, smoky, sweet vanilla, earthy, animal, leather, pepper. Full body, high acidity, it carries substantial depth of flavours of tar, prune, concentrated red fruits paste, leather, sweet spices. It is quite big, and young. Although only fairly long.
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Ein sehr weicher filigraner Rotwein. Schöne rote Farbe im Glas, welch eine gewisse Reife andeutet. Trotzdem eine Stunde dekantiert. Auf der Zunge sehr fein, samtig, weich mit angenehmen Noten nach Beeren, etwas Röstaromen und zarte Vanille. Wunderbar gross.
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This bottle might have been slightly flawed, slight undertones of cork. Behind all of that was a very elegant wine, beautiful garnet color, aromas of leather and dried fruits. On the palate it lacked a little bit of roundness, fell apart a little on the mid palate. Still disappointed with the cork!!
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Premium Wine Night - Fall 2016: Westchester Wine School (Bar Lees, Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at WWS tasting. Oak on the nose but not particularly noticeable on the palate. Slightly brownish in glass. Black fruit, tar, tobacco, leather and earthiness. A rustic old rioja. I notice molasses too. Good length. Interesting wine but not my style tonite
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Just right to drink now with only a quick decant. A Garnet/blood red vibrant color produces wafts of strong clay, cherry, mint and earthiness on the nose. The palate is so nicely blended, with the smoky tar, cherry clay, and mint fused in a way that quite pleasant. However, unlike the 2001 and other vintages, it is more of a medium- bodied wine and there is a more pronounced taste of sour cherry which accompanies a slightly higher acid balance than in many of the other LRA wines I have had in the past few years.
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Dinner with Ray and Marianne (Pine Close): Too young, but this was absolutely lovely. The nose was a classic Rioja blend of sweet American oak, hints of dill, a touch of earth, and then lovely wafts of dried cherries and wild berries dancing alongside drifts of dried flowers and smoky spice. Really, really pretty. It was every bit as good in the palate. Full, juicy, complete, this was an absolute blast, with lovely gobs of dark cherries and dried berries framed by chewy acidity and lovely silken tannins, and then nice drifts of spice and smoke and earth, all wrapped up into a beautifully integrated package. I loved the elegance and jewel-like clarity of the wine. With time, some earth and meat tones just crept around the edges and the tannins seemed to stiffen up a little. Absolutely delicious even now, but this should be amazing in 10-15 years.
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Medium/deep ruby/garnet core, pale garnet/mahogany rim. Nose a touch reticent at first, opening to reveal youthful, pure blackcurrant fruit, vanilla, tobacco, touch of soil. Medium bodied on the palate with soft, velvety tannins, dark fruit, tobacco, vanilla - quite youthful in profile, lovely vibrant acidity carries an extended, harmonious finish. Drinking well, albeit with a young flavour profile and absolutely no need to hurry.
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Felt more modern than I expected. It is quite massive at first, and it needs loooong decanting, at least 3 hours, before it starts to open up. Will give my next bottle more time Before I start to explore it!
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The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour and offered red fruit, cherry, dill, coffee, cocoa, coconut, spices, vanilla and cinnamon on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red fruit, cherry, fresh herbs, dill, coffee, cocoa, coconut, sweet vanilla, cinnamon and clove, with medium-level acidity, medium-level tannin (fine but present) and superb length. The medium-bodied wine was balanced (despite tons of American oak), with good complexity, but while I acknowledge and value the quality of this wine I still prefer the juicier 2004 and 2005 Gran Reserva 904, which to me provide even more drinking pleasure - at a third of the price.
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LRA 890 Vertical Tasting Event (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): I really enjoy this austere style. At its level reminds me an extra-Brut Champagne. Wet leather tones. Wild strawberries and violets. Great! Sharp on the palate but tasty and very long. Many seconds of pleasure. People want the immediate. I want more bottles of this 98 in my cellar. Potential for, ahem ahem, I'll be 98 score. I've to insist, it has the potential to be a new 70.
Cómo me gusta este estilo austero. En su nivel me recuerda a un Champagne extra-Brut. Tonos de cuero mojado. Fresillas salvajes y violetas. Qué grande! Afilado en boca pero sabroso y muy largo a su vez. Largos segundos de placer. La gente quiere lo inmediato. Yo quiero más botellas de este 98 en mi bodeguita. Potencial para, ejem ejem, ser un 98. Voy a insistir, tiene el potencial para ser un nuevo 70.
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wunderbarer Wein, komplex, tief, elegant, sanfte, seidige Tannine, voll Frucht, duftet nach Leder und Waldboden und Kirschen und Brombeeren. Ausgewogen und deutlich besser als sein kleiner Bruder 904
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Tapas (Viaggio): Strong and singular anise nose for close to an hour suggested a shrouded wine. Later revealed rounder more complex fruit and spice notes. Fine wine in need of more time and development.
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Tasted blind. I had no problem nailing it perfectly from the nose alone. Ripe plums, figs and mud notes. Superbly balanced, dark fruit and hung meat notes. Delicious and what an amazingly consistent wine....
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This sweet sixteen is still a baby compared to the '70 Muga and the '81 Lopez. Still tight but really good amount of extract and well integrated oak. Bright future ahead!
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Day 1: Intensely floral nose with some coffee notes, the kind of nose where you wish you didn't have to stop to drink. Impeccably balanced, the tannins are not quite fully integrated but are very well along their way. Shows quite a bit of American oak, but doesn't overwhelm with the typical coconut/dill notes. Sappy bright cherries, the grip on this is nice. Clearly of the highest pedigree.
Day 2: Nose of bright cherry. Flavors of cedar and pomegranate persist; this is much higher toned than it was yesterday.
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(Tasted at Berry's Spain 2014): This has huge aromas, elegance and balance. It's red & black cherries, raspberry, balsam, leaf. Nothing dominates; everything competes in a complex dance. Needless to say, tanins, acidity are exactly as they should be: sweet, integrated and still very fresh. A real aristocrat.
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Strawberry fruit, Oak seems integrated but the tannins and acidity seems to dominate the fruit and to me there there’s a missing dimension still. Slightly disappointed here but time will tell.
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Rioja evening (Meir Keynan's office, Habarzel St.): Transparent red brown fine ripe cherries earthy aroma Med-full bodied, firm tannins, good acidity level, ripe & soft tannins, savoury flavours, long fine ending. great wine!
En nariz se muestra cerrado, huraño, con falta de expresión. No se puede decir gran cosa salvo que despuntan unas ligeras notas asilvestradas y balsámicas (laurel, retama) con un fondo de humo, ceniza, tostados y echándole imaginación hasta algo de vainilla. No evoluciona, no cambia. Parece estar anclado en una etapa tontuna.
En boca es concentrado, duro, de fuerte acidez y taninos firmes, algo marcados. Picante, fresco, lleno, con una estructura tiránica y muchísimo volumen. Cuesta valorarlo en su justa medida por que estamos ante un vino que actualmente es la sombra de lo que llegará a ser en el futuro. Abruma por las sensaciones que desprende de vigor y de una colosal capacidad de guarda en botella. Primera aproximación al último 890, un vino que despide el siglo XX con inmejorables perspectivas. La sensación general es de estar ante un tinto crudo, muy crudo, que irá creciendo en las próximas décadas. Lo tiene todo para llegar a ser uno de los grandes de Rioja pero para disfrutarlo en plenitud tendremos que esperarlo un mínimo de 25-30 años. Paciencia!!!
-E-L-S - 1-2 - G-O-L-A-F-R-E-S - W-I-N-E - T-A-S-T-I-N-G - G-R-O-U-P - - - - - - - - - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 90% tempranillo, - 10% graciano y mazuelo13.5% vol. La tempranillo proviene de los viñedos propios más viejos ubicados en la subzona de la Rioja Alta, principalmente de los municipios de Briñas, Labastida y Villalba. El resto de la uva es originaria de las fincas Melchorón I y II de Briones y Rodezno.
Realiza la fermentación en depósitos de acero inoxidable a temperatura controlada, no superior a 30 grados. Permanece durante 8 meses en viejas tinas de roble en las que finaliza fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de ser sometido a crianza. Trasegado a barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por la tonelería de la propia bodega. Es sometido a crianza durante 72 meses con un total de 12 trasiegas manuales en la emblemática nave Vigier. Embotellado directamente de barrica, sin filtrar, en septiembre de 2006. Producción limitada a 24.995 botellas de 75 cl. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rioja evening (at Rokah 73 restaurant): Transparent red brown fine ripe cherries earthy aroma Med-full bodied, firm tannins, good acidity level, ripe & soft tannins, savoury flavours, long fine ending.
Color granatoso tonalidad marrón bien vivo, ribete atejado, capa baja y fina lágrima. En nariz muestra una suave intensidad que transmite elegancia y calidad, fruta madura con unas notas avainilladas muy marcadas, notas lácteas que se ven acompañadas por la cremosidad de los tostados de la barrica, suaves especiados (clavo y pimentón dulce), toques de chocolate con leche, toffee, café tostado muy aromático, hoja de tabaco algo verde y un suave e insólito fondo de flores secas y hojarasca. Notable entrada en boca con una muy suave textura en todo su recorrido, buena acidez, fruta bien madura, notas avainilladas bastante marcadas con unos taninos redondos, tostados de la barrica bien integrados que pasan muy desapercibidos, sauve textura y con una buena intensidad, toques de finas especias, elegante y equilibrado, buena persistencia. Final medio, postgusto de fruta bien madura y retronasal avainillado.
More information: www.elvi.net/2014/02/08/la-rioja-alta-gran-reserva-890-1998/
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Translucent ruby, bricking at the edges. Needed a few hours to blow off the American oak (dill and tomato), but after that typical mature Rioja nose. This shows a lot of class on the palate, light-weight yet very classy fruit and cedar and ash with only light acidity. Noble dry tannin on the medium+ finish.
Give this at least five more years to really show the exciting complexity that is promised by the potential now. If you must drink now, decant four hours. 13%
En Premier (Lavinia - Madrid): Dark cherry colour. Still an oaky bottle? Almost ready on the nose with little foie notes!and closed on the palate cause this particular vintage. In my modest opinion, just needing more time to become the new 70.
Color picota profundo. ¿Aún una botella amaderada? En nariz casi lista con pequeñas notas a foie y cerrada en boca por esta añada. En mi opinión, sólo necesita más tiempo para llegar a ser una nueva 70
Like the 904 this wine is only made in the best years. Tempranillo 95% Graciano 3% Mazuelo 2% It spends 6 years in old oak and another 6 in bottle. I have not a lot of experience tasting this wine but I liked the 1995 very much. On todays showing it’s a touch muted, not as expressive as the 904. It’s a more burly and masculine wine. I wonder if the less oaked/aged 904 allows for better fruit preservation. I assume that over time it may strut its stuff.
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La Rioja Alta (La Rioja Alta, Haro, Rioja): A selection of the best plots, the best barrels etc – the crème de la crème at every stage of the process. Fuller, deeper, more savoury. Sweet fruit at the edges. Deep and plush. Mouth filling. Velvet to the 904’s silk. Long. Complex. Red fruit. Spice. Harmonious. ****(1/2)
1/10/2024 - Adrian Chmielarz Does not like this wine:
Most likely an issue with my bottle, but I was extremely disappointed. No cork or any fault I could identify, but despite the enticing leathery nose, everything else was either average or bad. The alcohol didn't feel fully integrated, there was no balance, the fruit was slightly hidden. First tasted with Coravin, then opened and decanted -- nothing helped. Siri, play Sadness by Enigma. No rating as, again, most likely just a local problem.
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4/28/2023 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
A pair of Nebby twins walk into a tapas Bar (Eric&Megan's, Chicago IL): This needed about 15 minutes to wake up. And wake up it did! It was all systems go with about as classic of a Rioja as it gets. The nose is deep and layered with sour cherries, raspberries, licorice, vanilla, dried herbs, violets, cedar, red currants, and spice notes. The Medium/full bodied feel is poised, lengthy, and refined with tart, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins that have really integrated. Whooooo baby! This was all that I could've wanted in that moment. This was an absolute beauty and a wine that I will be thinking about for a while to come.
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10/9/2022 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Sunday hangout (Chicago, IL): Distinctively LRA with a very intense dill note on the palate. The nose comes off more leathery than anything else, and I would have liked to have a little more fruit and polish there. The palate has an intense green dill note with a slight creaminess that evokes a sour cream dip. Otherwise, this is quite refined and resolved, and drinking very nicely now, though given the track record of aging for LRA, I'm sure this will be plenty fine many decades from now too.
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9/24/2022 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Upon opening, it seemed it didn’t really need decanting. Not a surprise for a 1998 vintage! A very nice wine with a pronounced nose and taste of oak and dill (classic La Rioja Alta)! I gave it a total of 5 hours and it took on a completely different personality! The oak and dill seemed to have dissipated and was just a plain and simple VERY fine wine with a fabulously long finish. In my honest opinion, I think it still needs more time! Yes, I think this will be at his best in about 5 to 10 years. Amazing for a 24-year-old wine!
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6/10/2022 - Paul D wrote: 92 Points
Brought by FC to Lorne. Quite youthful still, primary dark fruit, notes of chocolate, mint, medium/full bodied, quite rich, soft tannins, balanced acidity, some rtobacco notes emerging, drinkable buyt will improve and show more character with time.
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5/28/2022 - levicn Likes this wine: 93 Points
醒酒两个半小时，中宝石红色，闻香浓郁奶油，草莓红果，一点点植物味，入口酸度高，酒液咸，收口微甜，单宁紧致，颗粒细腻，美桶的椰奶味，新鲜红果，奶香漂亮，带着一点植物气息收尾，余味是红果奶油。虽然橡木桶影响很明显，但酒体感觉并不笨重，结构漂亮，口感鲜活，同时有着华丽的美桶香气，优雅而有平衡，风格特点确实非常鲜明，1998年的酒远没有达到巅峰，还有非常长的陈年潜力。
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2/15/2022 - Rani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind. Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. I had no problem nailing the winery - always so distinctive. Notes of vanilla and wet earth, couple with high acidity and freshness, red fruit compote, delicious.
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12/5/2020 - rnellans wrote: 93 Points
Lovely wine. Much better than the last bottle a year ago. Some oak on the nose. Dark fruits, Rich, ripe. Good mouthfeel. Tannins definitely softening.
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7/30/2020 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
This is quite dark in the glass and stern, masculine, and brooding. This is less about fruit (though there’s a bit of tart black cherry) and more about secondary and tertiary flavors of smoke, cloves, tobacco, dried fig, and blood sausage. This is definitely a singular experience and must be close to peak as there is still enough fruit here to balance all of the savory elements and the dill notes that can overwhelm this wine have largely faded.
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4/12/2020 - djarcara Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep brick color. Fragrant perfumed nose of roses and cinnamon. Flavors of dark cherry, plum, clove, fig, mushrooms, and cedar. Medium body. Mild silky tannins. Vibrant. Elegant. This is a fine example of traditional Rioja. Fabulous. Has another 10 years left to it.
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2/15/2020 - BLam Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best to be decanted for two hours, with a complex lovely nose and medium body, quite a long after taste. An easy wine for daily drinking.
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10/24/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 95 Points
Gorgeous wine. This has it all. Freshness and acidity, earthiness and complexity, a phenomenal nose and a looooong lingering finish. Dark mushrooms, cigar smoke, figs and sour cherries.
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4/9/2019 - rnellans wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose...secondary notes of leather, herbs, red fruits. Very structured with moderate tannins that should smooth out with more cellaring. I like the wine, but the palate not quite as balanced as I would like. Hopefully time will be its friend.
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3/17/2019 - DrZett wrote: 93 Points
In the perfect drinking spot right now, elegant and smooth, lots of red ripe fruits and some nice wet leather. Beautiful long finish!
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2/24/2019 - martin_e Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fully matured now: veeery smooth, elegant with dry cherry and other ripe fruit notes, but a bit dull to my taste
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9/1/2018 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous red cherries. A great fresh spine of acidity. Lots of nuance and complexity. Delicious
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8/17/2018 - RuneW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Herlig moden tempranillo-duft. Søtlig, krydret, lakris og malt
Harmonisk, glatt og utrolig balansert i munnen. Integrert fat, akkurat passe syrlig, akkurat passe tett frukt. Lang og lett strukturert utgang med ultrafine tanniner.
En perfekt moden rioja.
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6/10/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Spain (Tilia, Mpls): Same bottle as Chablis28. I apparently liked this more than he did. I thought this was lovely, balanced, and integrated with a perfume of dried flowers, dill, spices, red fruit, tart and fresh with silky tannins. The wood is noticeable, but I find the dill lending character and interest. 92+ to 93pts.
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6/10/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
I only bought one of these a couple years ago and have been sitting on it trying to figure out the ideal moment to open it and I'm unsure I picked it? I was underwhelmed relative to what I expected from any $100 wine. Opened andl after taking a small test pour decided to slow ox for 3 hours prior to taking to Tilia where we started drinking it about an hour or so in. Semi translucent ruby red. Some cherry, leather, faint tobacco, herbs, and mineral. All said and done, this producer, has never rocked me. I'll invest in Lopez Gran reservas at this price point when seeking a more head turning Rioja experience. I felt the 05s Lopez reservas out performed this tonight.
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5/18/2018 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Creamy due to the American oak, just impeccably balanced, tannins and fruit in harmony but needs maybe 2-3 years from being fully ready
93
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3/4/2018 - roele Likes this wine: 97 Points
As a big fan of the GR 904 I always wondered if the 890 was worth the difference in price. A few months ago we had the 890 from 2004 which was nice for sure but not totally convincing. This vintage 98 though was absolutely stunning. So smooth, balanced and with a never ending aftertaste. Gave it an hour in decanter and then drank it with some beautiful lamsrack. Heaven!!
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2/1/2018 - pearlsdad wrote: 96 Points
At Oakland with Sheridan. Awesome!
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12/23/2017 - hermesbach32 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Colour:
clear, medium garnet red with brown notes on the rim,
mirroring
Nose:
Clear,
Pronounced intensity,
Primary, secondary and tertiary notes
PRIMARY
Floral notes (Violets, a summer meadow of herbs)
Red fruit (Sour cherry, raspberry, morellos)
Dark fruit (Cassis, dark cherry, blackberry, blueberry, elder)
Baked / cooked / dried fruit (baked dark plum, cherry liqueur)
Herbs (Cassis leaves, paprika, pepperoni, parsley, rosemary, oregano)
Spices (Clove, juniper, anise)
SECONDARY
Oak notes (Vanilla, smoke, cacao, coffee, coco nut, toast, chocolate, cedar wood)
TERTIARY
Oxidative notes & fruit development & bottle ripeness:
Nuts (hazel nut), caramel, marzipan, brown rock candy, dried red currant, dried raspberry, cinnamon, tar, tobacco, meaty notes
Develops from time to time when opening the bottle (we poured the bottle over 3-4 hours and it constantly changed, especially at the beginning)
Taste:
Dry,
Medium (+) acidity,
Medium (+) tannin, very tight and ripe, very very fine on the tongue,
Medium alcohol,
Medium (+) body,
Pronounced intensity,
Primary, secondary and tertiary notes (comparable to the notes on the nose)
Length: long, fruity and spicy aftertaste
Fruit and acidity are still dominating
Overall:
Quality: extraordinary
Ripeness: ripe enough to be poured now, but high cellaring potential
97/100 points
2016-2038 (Drinking window)
A Rioja monument!
Truly one of the best wines of Spain and an extraordinary expression of the Tempranillo grape!
This is one of the best wines that I had. Very special, but if you like Rioja, you will LOVE this wine. This one is as good as Rioja gets. No mistake, no weakness, and the margin between this and a 100 point wine is small.
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11/18/2017 - ProfByron wrote: 92 Points
Probably the most traditional of the La Rioja Alta line-up, very substantial oak influence (and flavour on the finish). This is a savoury, mid-weight wine though, rather fine.
Looks as if it will sail though another decade or two. Rather extraordinary then.
{13.5%, cork}.
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6/1/2017 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
A Civilised, Tolerable Thursday? (Restaurante Cuenllas - Madrid): At first very reserved as corresponds to a very good yet austere vintage. The people who split everything into cold and hot vintages will have no fucking idea what I'm talking about. Aqueous fences for a still very dark colour. Aromas of fresh meat, violets, cherries and pastry at six in the morning. In the mouth seriousness gives way to an explosion of strong and very marked flavors. Male Rioja all the way. Without comparing it with last Vieux Chateau Certan, another great bottle of 1998. I have not found any disappointing.
Al principio muy reservada como corresponde a una muy buena añada austera. La gente que divide todo entré añadas frías y calientes no tendrá ni puta idea de lo que estoy hablando. Cercos acuosos para un color todavía muy oscuro. Aromas a carne fresca, a violetas, a cerezas y pastelería de las seis de la mañana. En boca la seriedad deja paso a una explosión de sabores recios y muy marcados. Rioja masculino de todas todas. Sin querer compararla con la de Vieux Chateau Certan, otra botella 1998 muy grande. No he encontrado ni una sola decepcionante.
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5/11/2017 - psmith wrote:
Rioja Night (Chicago, IL): A different animal from almost every other wine in today's lineup. Really dark fruit, with a forward, spicy profile overlaying classic LRA dill. Very young, but the density balances things out and makes it a better choice than some for the near-term.
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5/11/2017 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Rioja dinner at Phil's (Chicago, IL): The nose on this has a bit of fresh herbs (I actually picked up a touch of rosemary -- the porchetta had been long put away at that point), as well as some floral tones, that balance out the classic sweet black fruit profile here. Definitely a fair bit of American oak here, this is a very broad Rioja that impresses by its stature more than anything at this point. This certainly needs much more time to come into its own, but I have to admit that the scale of this wowed me.
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3/3/2017 - Lype Likes this wine: 93 Points
Attractive dark berries, sour cherries, leather, vanilla flavours, oak but not too much, high acidity still youthful power and in the beginning of drinking window, moderately graded at 93 points.
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3/3/2017 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
A blend of Tempranillo (95%), Graciano (3%) and Mazuelo (2%). Aged for 6 years in American oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, deep and almost completely opaque black cherry color with a little bit of translucent bloody red color towards the rim. The nose is super-expressive and big with rich, intense and almost animal aromas of leather, vanilla, dried figs, prunes, some dusty earth, a little bit of black cherry and a hint of clove. The intensity of the nose is ridiculous - you can smell the wine several feet away. The wine is full-bodied and powerful, yet very focused and savory on the palate with bold, dry and complex flavors of peppery spice, intense vanillin character, dark-toned fruit flavors of ripe plums, black cherries and blackberries, a little bit of leather, an umami hint of meaty character and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The structure relies mainly on acidity, as the tannins feel pretty ample but rather resolved and quite mellow. The finish is very powerful and complex with lengthy flavors of rich vanilla oak, dark plummy fruit, leather, meaty umami character, ripe and sweet dark berries, some tart red fruits, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of bretty funk and barnyard that seems to grow a little towards the end of the aftertaste.
A ridiculously intense, immense and super-powerful Rioja powerhouse that just rolls over you with its kaleidoscopic array of flavors. Although the wine shows quite a bit of ripeness, it still stays safely on the crunchy and savory side and most of the sweetness just comes from the pronounced vanilla oak character. Of course this is such a vanilla bomb that people averse to American oak probably can't finish a glass of this, but unlike so many inexpensive modernist Riojas that are just all about sweet vanillin and rich, almost jammy fruit, this is anything but - the vanilla department is so well supported by those developed, slightly wizened and somewhat leathery notes and high acidity that the wine manages to remain very impressive and remarkably balanced. Overall the wine still feels way too young and I'd love to see some more oak integration underneath the rich yet savory fruit - now the oak is a bit too much to the fore. Overall a remarkable and very promising effort. However, at 102€ I'd say the starts to feel overpriced for its quality.
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2/3/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Never disappoints these 890s, always consistently good, delicious wine!
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1/12/2017 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium garnet. Seductive high toned aromas: assorted ripe red fruits with dried prune and raisin, smoky, sweet vanilla, earthy, animal, leather, pepper. Full body, high acidity, it carries substantial depth of flavours of tar, prune, concentrated red fruits paste, leather, sweet spices. It is quite big, and young. Although only fairly long.
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12/29/2016 - Sir-Harrie wrote: 94 Points
Ein sehr weicher filigraner Rotwein. Schöne rote Farbe im Glas, welch eine gewisse Reife andeutet. Trotzdem eine Stunde dekantiert. Auf der Zunge sehr fein, samtig, weich mit angenehmen Noten nach Beeren, etwas Röstaromen und zarte Vanille. Wunderbar gross.
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12/25/2016 - jcorona1979 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This bottle might have been slightly flawed, slight undertones of cork. Behind all of that was a very elegant wine, beautiful garnet color, aromas of leather and dried fruits. On the palate it lacked a little bit of roundness, fell apart a little on the mid palate. Still disappointed with the cork!!
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12/6/2016 - cephomer wrote: 89 Points
Premium Wine Night - Fall 2016: Westchester Wine School (Bar Lees, Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at WWS tasting. Oak on the nose but not particularly noticeable on the palate. Slightly brownish in glass. Black fruit, tar, tobacco, leather and earthiness. A rustic old rioja. I notice molasses too. Good length. Interesting wine but not my style tonite
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10/31/2016 - Sotto325 wrote: 93 Points
Just right to drink now with only a quick decant. A Garnet/blood red vibrant color produces wafts of strong clay, cherry, mint and earthiness on the nose. The palate is so nicely blended, with the smoky tar, cherry clay, and mint fused in a way that quite pleasant. However, unlike the 2001 and other vintages, it is more of a medium- bodied wine and there is a more pronounced taste of sour cherry which accompanies a slightly higher acid balance than in many of the other LRA wines I have had in the past few years.
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10/22/2016 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Very good
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7/21/2016 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Ray and Marianne (Pine Close): Too young, but this was absolutely lovely. The nose was a classic Rioja blend of sweet American oak, hints of dill, a touch of earth, and then lovely wafts of dried cherries and wild berries dancing alongside drifts of dried flowers and smoky spice. Really, really pretty. It was every bit as good in the palate. Full, juicy, complete, this was an absolute blast, with lovely gobs of dark cherries and dried berries framed by chewy acidity and lovely silken tannins, and then nice drifts of spice and smoke and earth, all wrapped up into a beautifully integrated package. I loved the elegance and jewel-like clarity of the wine. With time, some earth and meat tones just crept around the edges and the tannins seemed to stiffen up a little. Absolutely delicious even now, but this should be amazing in 10-15 years.
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7/1/2016 - fozzibaer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Maybe still too young but already highly enjoyable. Great structure, smooth tannins. I love all Rioja Altas and this is no exception.
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4/24/2016 - Paul D Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium/deep ruby/garnet core, pale garnet/mahogany rim. Nose a touch reticent at first, opening to reveal youthful, pure blackcurrant fruit, vanilla, tobacco, touch of soil. Medium bodied on the palate with soft, velvety tannins, dark fruit, tobacco, vanilla - quite youthful in profile, lovely vibrant acidity carries an extended, harmonious finish. Drinking well, albeit with a young flavour profile and absolutely no need to hurry.
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4/20/2016 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Felt more modern than I expected. It is quite massive at first, and it needs loooong decanting, at least 3 hours, before it starts to open up. Will give my next bottle more time Before I start to explore it!
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3/19/2016 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour and offered red fruit, cherry, dill, coffee, cocoa, coconut, spices, vanilla and cinnamon on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red fruit, cherry, fresh herbs, dill, coffee, cocoa, coconut, sweet vanilla, cinnamon and clove, with medium-level acidity, medium-level tannin (fine but present) and superb length. The medium-bodied wine was balanced (despite tons of American oak), with good complexity, but while I acknowledge and value the quality of this wine I still prefer the juicier 2004 and 2005 Gran Reserva 904, which to me provide even more drinking pleasure - at a third of the price.
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3/17/2016 - Sundbyberg wrote: 85 Points
Tasting: Dill, dill and more dill. This is just not my type of wine.
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3/10/2016 - Harley1199 Likes this wine: 95 Points
LRA 890 Vertical Tasting Event (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): I really enjoy this austere style. At its level reminds me an extra-Brut Champagne.
Wet leather tones. Wild strawberries and violets. Great!
Sharp on the palate but tasty and very long. Many seconds of pleasure. People want the immediate. I want more bottles of this 98 in my cellar. Potential for, ahem ahem, I'll be 98 score. I've to insist, it has the potential to be a new 70.
Cómo me gusta este estilo austero. En su nivel me recuerda a un Champagne extra-Brut.
Tonos de cuero mojado. Fresillas salvajes y violetas. Qué grande!
Afilado en boca pero sabroso y muy largo a su vez. Largos segundos de placer. La gente quiere lo inmediato. Yo quiero más botellas de este 98 en mi bodeguita. Potencial para, ejem ejem, ser un 98. Voy a insistir, tiene el potencial para ser un nuevo 70.
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2/18/2016 - sunnylea57 wrote: 90 Points
The fruit is still there, but the coconut from the oak is still overpowering it. Not sure if that will ever change.
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1/18/2016 - Lou1969 wrote: 96 Points
wunderbarer Wein, komplex, tief, elegant, sanfte, seidige Tannine, voll Frucht, duftet nach Leder und Waldboden und Kirschen und Brombeeren.
Ausgewogen und deutlich besser als sein kleiner Bruder 904
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1/6/2016 - TrueLoker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Jam & skin, complex & elegant
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12/13/2015 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Tapas (Viaggio): Strong and singular anise nose for close to an hour suggested a shrouded wine. Later revealed rounder more complex fruit and spice notes. Fine wine in need of more time and development.
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11/16/2015 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in London
Open and wonderful. Beautiful depth and complexity on the nose and palate. Amazing stuff. Need to get some more bottles.
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9/12/2015 - jpjvino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely exquisite with many years ahead. Bordelaise influence in every aspect. Classical Rioja indeed.
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4/25/2015 - spillwine wrote: 91 Points
Très bon mais encore très tendu, je m'attendais à plus de fondant. Trop jeune à 17 ans... Trop cher.
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3/28/2015 - Rani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind. I had no problem nailing it perfectly from the nose alone. Ripe plums, figs and mud notes. Superbly balanced, dark fruit and hung meat notes. Delicious and what an amazingly consistent wine....
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3/13/2015 - w9oh Likes this wine: 100 Points
A near perfect example of classic Rioja
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11/18/2014 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 92 Points
This sweet sixteen is still a baby compared to the '70 Muga and the '81 Lopez. Still tight but really good amount of extract and well integrated oak. Bright future ahead!
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10/21/2014 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Day 1: Intensely floral nose with some coffee notes, the kind of nose where you wish you didn't have to stop to drink. Impeccably balanced, the tannins are not quite fully integrated but are very well along their way. Shows quite a bit of American oak, but doesn't overwhelm with the typical coconut/dill notes. Sappy bright cherries, the grip on this is nice. Clearly of the highest pedigree.
Day 2: Nose of bright cherry. Flavors of cedar and pomegranate persist; this is much higher toned than it was yesterday.
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10/18/2014 - Phenol73 Likes this wine: 95 Points
(Tasted at Berry's Spain 2014): This has huge aromas, elegance and balance. It's red & black cherries, raspberry, balsam, leaf. Nothing dominates; everything competes in a complex dance. Needless to say, tanins, acidity are exactly as they should be: sweet, integrated and still very fresh. A real aristocrat.
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9/10/2014 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine:
Strawberry fruit, Oak seems integrated but the tannins and acidity seems to dominate the fruit and to me there there’s a missing dimension still. Slightly disappointed here but time will tell.
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8/28/2014 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
Rioja evening (Meir Keynan's office, Habarzel St.): Transparent red brown
fine ripe cherries earthy aroma
Med-full bodied, firm tannins, good acidity level, ripe & soft tannins, savoury flavours, long fine ending.
great wine!
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6/2/2014 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 90 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/la-rioja-alta-890-gran-reserva-1998.html
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De color cereza granatoso de capa media-alta, tapado, brillante. Reflejos rojizos, vivo, luminoso. Borde anaranjado, estrecho, con marcada diferencia con el menisco.
En nariz se muestra cerrado, huraño, con falta de expresión. No se puede decir gran cosa salvo que despuntan unas ligeras notas asilvestradas y balsámicas (laurel, retama) con un fondo de humo, ceniza, tostados y echándole imaginación hasta algo de vainilla. No evoluciona, no cambia. Parece estar anclado en una etapa tontuna.
En boca es concentrado, duro, de fuerte acidez y taninos firmes, algo marcados. Picante, fresco, lleno, con una estructura tiránica y muchísimo volumen. Cuesta valorarlo en su justa medida por que estamos ante un vino que actualmente es la sombra de lo que llegará a ser en el futuro. Abruma por las sensaciones que desprende de vigor y de una colosal capacidad de guarda en botella. Primera aproximación al último 890, un vino que despide el siglo XX con inmejorables perspectivas. La sensación general es de estar ante un tinto crudo, muy crudo, que irá creciendo en las próximas décadas. Lo tiene todo para llegar a ser uno de los grandes de Rioja pero para disfrutarlo en plenitud tendremos que esperarlo un mínimo de 25-30 años. Paciencia!!!
-E-L-S - 1-2 - G-O-L-A-F-R-E-S - W-I-N-E - T-A-S-T-I-N-G - G-R-O-U-P - - - - - - -
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90% tempranillo, - 10% graciano y mazuelo13.5% vol.
La tempranillo proviene de los viñedos propios más viejos ubicados en la subzona de la Rioja Alta, principalmente de los municipios de Briñas, Labastida y Villalba. El resto de la uva es originaria de las fincas Melchorón I y II de Briones y Rodezno.
Realiza la fermentación en depósitos de acero inoxidable a temperatura controlada, no superior a 30 grados. Permanece durante 8 meses en viejas tinas de roble en las que finaliza fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de ser sometido a crianza. Trasegado a barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por la tonelería de la propia bodega. Es sometido a crianza durante 72 meses con un total de 12 trasiegas manuales en la emblemática nave Vigier. Embotellado directamente de barrica, sin filtrar, en septiembre de 2006. Producción limitada a 24.995 botellas de 75 cl.
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5/26/2014 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Rioja evening (at Rokah 73 restaurant): Transparent red brown
fine ripe cherries earthy aroma
Med-full bodied, firm tannins, good acidity level, ripe & soft tannins, savoury flavours, long fine ending.
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4/10/2014 - peterseville Likes this wine:
Somewhat closed - only opened 2 hours before tasting. Would have benefited from decanting, or at least opening several hours earlier.
Menthol notes, some acidity, good red fruits, chewy tannins. A truly beautiful wine, apart from the price point!
[£93 at Loki Wines (Birmingham) La Rioja Alta tasting]
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3/15/2014 - yofog wrote: 94 Points
Light and mature, from all the oak aging, but full and brawny on the palate. Beautiful color, and still really lively. Great wine.
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2/8/2014 - elvinet Likes this wine: 93 Points
Color granatoso tonalidad marrón bien vivo, ribete atejado, capa baja y fina lágrima. En nariz muestra una suave intensidad que transmite elegancia y calidad, fruta madura con unas notas avainilladas muy marcadas, notas lácteas que se ven acompañadas por la cremosidad de los tostados de la barrica, suaves especiados (clavo y pimentón dulce), toques de chocolate con leche, toffee, café tostado muy aromático, hoja de tabaco algo verde y un suave e insólito fondo de flores secas y hojarasca. Notable entrada en boca con una muy suave textura en todo su recorrido, buena acidez, fruta bien madura, notas avainilladas bastante marcadas con unos taninos redondos, tostados de la barrica bien integrados que pasan muy desapercibidos, sauve textura y con una buena intensidad, toques de finas especias, elegante y equilibrado, buena persistencia. Final medio, postgusto de fruta bien madura y retronasal avainillado.
More information: www.elvi.net/2014/02/08/la-rioja-alta-gran-reserva-890-1998/
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1/7/2014 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 92 Points
Thought this was impressive exemplar that will only get better over the next ten years.
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11/23/2013 - alr6767 wrote: 92 Points
Translucent ruby, bricking at the edges. Needed a few hours to blow off the American oak (dill and tomato), but after that typical mature Rioja nose. This shows a lot of class on the palate, light-weight yet very classy fruit and cedar and ash with only light acidity. Noble dry tannin on the medium+ finish.
Give this at least five more years to really show the exciting complexity that is promised by the potential now. If you must drink now, decant four hours. 13%
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10/24/2013 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Transparent Red brown
Ripe cherries earthy aroma
Med full bodied, ripe soft tannins, long fine ending.
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10/12/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Big scaled wine with some intriguing eucalyptus and menthol notes. Firm and robust fruit and structure for today, needs mor time in the cellar.
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9/26/2013 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
En Premier (Lavinia - Madrid): Dark cherry colour.
Still an oaky bottle? Almost ready on the nose with little foie notes!and closed on the palate cause this particular vintage.
In my modest opinion, just needing more time to become the new 70.
Color picota profundo.
¿Aún una botella amaderada? En nariz casi lista con pequeñas notas a foie y cerrada en boca por esta añada.
En mi opinión, sólo necesita más tiempo para llegar a ser una nueva 70
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5/10/2013 - rayq wrote: 93 Points
Like the 904 this wine is only made in the best years.
Tempranillo 95% Graciano 3% Mazuelo 2%
It spends 6 years in old oak and another 6 in bottle.
I have not a lot of experience tasting this wine but I liked the 1995 very much. On todays showing it’s a touch muted, not as expressive as the 904. It’s a more burly and masculine wine. I wonder if the less oaked/aged 904 allows for better fruit preservation. I assume that over time it may strut its stuff.
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5/10/2013 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
La Rioja Alta (La Rioja Alta, Haro, Rioja): A selection of the best plots, the best barrels etc – the crème de la crème at every stage of the process. Fuller, deeper, more savoury. Sweet fruit at the edges. Deep and plush. Mouth filling. Velvet to the 904’s silk. Long. Complex. Red fruit. Spice. Harmonious. ****(1/2)
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4/4/2013 - Monsieur le Comte wrote: 94 Points
what it desearves (points)
really smooth one
(btw price too high)
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