Deep dense garnet red. Very complex and multilayered still lots of red fruits but some leather truffle mushroom and as well some roasted motes. Full bodied with soft tannins and excellent length
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I popped a pristine magnum from my cellar not expecting much given the (dated) mediocre reviews. Well, for well stored bottles they are plain wrong - this is a great wine with lots of time left. As a result this is a superb value find in larger formats. Very sweet, rich and dense. Will post detailed notes with next bottle, but this was going strong the next day. 92-93pts easy, actually one of the best mature Alions I can remember. Drink to 2025.
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My last out of 6 bottles. And it turned out to be the best! Caught this at the very top. No brown coloring, just dark-red. Beautifully integrated tannins and fruit. Black berries, strawberries, liquorice, tobacco, oregano - funny how some older and mature wines, seems to look at lot like each other. I could easily have guessed this to be a nice, mature Bordeaux. Long aftertaste.
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Dark red with brick red edges, leather, sous bois, faded, decadent fruit, disjointed acidic mouthfeel ends with fine grained tannins. Drinkable but clearly on the downside. Drink up soon.
Esta garrafa não foi decantada e se mostrou um pouco melhor que a ultima. Vermelho produndo com alo atijolado, couro, sous bois, fruta apagada e decadente, boca com acidez desarticulada, termina com taninos finos. Bebível, mas claramente em declínio.
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Ainda gostoso, com boa acidez, porém bem delicado, provavelmente já na curva descendente. Não recomendo decantação apesar de ter sedimento. Provavelmente o ideal seria deixar a garrafa de pé por alguns dias, abrir e servir direto.
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Very balanced and hugely enjoyable. Still rather dark in colour (I thought that Tempranillo is known for not having so much colour as it is a rather thin skinned grape). A perfect beef companion.
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rode kleur, mooie open neus, klassiek, koffie tabak, amandelspijs, mooie diep rood kersenfruit, smaak is nog levendig en met prettige zuren, mooie zachtheid en prima structuur, weer een goede fles
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colour was deep red with red brick borders ...good indication of the 11 yrs being in a bottle. The nose was very soft and got better as the wine opened up. I was worried at first when I saw the cork but it turned out fine. The tannins were still very strong which indicates it could of kept longer but I did not want to chance it since 1997 does not have a great review in general. Strong Black fruits with dry earthy tannins. Very complex and typical of a good Tinto Fino grape. I was a little disappointed for I had bigger expectations of this wine. I'm hoping the 2003 vintages I have fair better.
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Drank in Massachusetts at my brother's house. Wine had clearly bad, but possibly not because it was too old, as the wine had seeped through the top of the cork.
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Dark purple color. Looks younger than 10 years. Nose of terroir, smoke, leather, cherry and vanilla. Pallet very chewy. Plum, cola, tar, and tobacco. Very balanced and well integrated. Drinking beautifully. May be at peak. Try again in a year.
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Expressive bouquet with spices and ripe red and black fruits. Same in the taste. Good balance between acidity, sweetness, ripe tannin and oak. Now perfectly mature, but with enough power to stay on this level for one or two years.
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diep rood, geur is wat boers met rijp rood fruit, kersen bessen, smaak is perfecte balans met lekkkere zuren en veel sap. mooie rijpe tannines met goede lange afdronk, heerlijk, op z'n top
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Aberto com 3 horas de antecedência e decantado por cerca de 1 hora. Rubi-acastanhado, halo bastante claro, alguns sedimentos, que foram separados com a decantação. Alión em seu auge, evoluído mas inteiro. Aromas muito abertos, notas de couro, esmalte e flores, boa intensidade e profundidade. Ótima acidez, taninos numerosos mas macios, com marcante traço resinoso. Final médio a longo, não se destacando pela concentração, mas pela elegância. Excepcional.
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Garrafa n. 022762. Associated with Bodegas Vega Sicilia - Aroma intensos pero bastante agradable. Bastante sedimiento. Decantar por lo menos una hora antes de servir. Lo recomiendo! This wine is rich in color and well worth decanting. Very soft on the pallet. Smooth in many respects and delicious w/no after linger. This wine is very fruity in my opinion. Goes well w/ a smoked cheese, and not as well w/ steak. The wife is a big fan of this oak flavored, fruity, soft tasting wine. A 91 for the palate. Found a 2001 bottle for $74 w/a store profit of $24, should be noted. Thus be aware of price fluctuation.
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Garrafa n. 097474, 13,5º de álcool. Mesma nota e impressões anteriores. Decantar por pelo menos 1 hora antes de servir, faz muita diferença. Excepcional.
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Confirma minha impressão anterior: bom no nariz mas ainda melhor na boca. Aroma animal (couro), nuance floral delicada e traço resinoso. Taninos muito numerosos e firmes, pegando um pouco, mas sem atrapalhar, ótima acidez e boa fruta, com final muito longo. Excepcional.
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Aberta e cedida por um amigo em comemoração à conquista do mestrado.Rubi escuro ainda não homogêneo e com considerável halo aquoso. Pequenos sedimentos. Aromas animais e de couro marcantes com um fundo de cereja, acetona , resina. Na boca austeridade marcada por taninos abundantes, secos e uma ótima acidez. Novamente revelam-se o couro e o animal, com boa fruta apesar da média safra. Boa persistência e muita presença no meio de boca. Confirma e reafirma a qualidade do Alion, do qual eu só tinha referência pelas safras de 1999 e 2001. Excepcional.
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Produção de cerca de 200 mil garrafas (197 mil de 750ml), colocado no mercado em março de 2001. Rubi fechado, alguns sedimentos finos. No início meio retraído, mas bastaram 30 min no decanter para os aromas surgirem. Poucos vinhos me são tão agradáveis; indescritível sensação quando se deixa o vinho por algum tempo na boca. Alión mais austero, menos intenso, mas nem por isso menos complexo. A elegância característica dos Alión está ali, assim como um toque resinoso muito agradável. O nariz não reflete o vinho, com apenas algumas notas florais, algo de licor de cereja e principalmente um traço animal, lembrando couro. Em boca, porém, muitíssimo agradável. Acentua-se a sensação (boa) do resinoso/acetona. Taninos firmes e numerosos mas finos, boa fruta e excelente acidez. Final prazerosamente longo. Acompanhou muito bem... ele próprio. Vino da meditazione. E tudo isso, quem diria, num ano não muito bom para Ribera del Duero. Excepcional.
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Occasional tasting group: Top Spain (@ AW): Bouquet: rich, sweet, vanilla, eucalyptus, rosehip, cocoa. On the palate soft, a little sweet, forest fruits, a little clove.
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Rood bruine kleur. In de neus, rood fruit met wat pruimen en kersen. Wat tabak en leer. Klassieke tonen. In de smaak concentratie en balans. Aanwezige expressiviteit. Mooie body. Rond en vrij soepel, mooie tannines. Wijn is op zijn top
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Garrafa importada pela extinta Maison du Vin. Bastante sedimento. Equilibradíssimo, elegante, potente, com notas de cereja, mineral e um discreto floral. Levíssimo amargor e balsâmico que lhe dão personalidade e são, nele, agradabilíssimos. Final muitíssimo longo. Excepcional
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12/3/2023 - The_Cat wrote: 94 Points
Deep dense garnet red. Very complex and multilayered still lots of red fruits but some leather truffle mushroom and as well some roasted motes. Full bodied with soft tannins and excellent length
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7/23/2016 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 92 Points
I popped a pristine magnum from my cellar not expecting much given the (dated) mediocre reviews. Well, for well stored bottles they are plain wrong - this is a great wine with lots of time left. As a result this is a superb value find in larger formats. Very sweet, rich and dense. Will post detailed notes with next bottle, but this was going strong the next day. 92-93pts easy, actually one of the best mature Alions I can remember. Drink to 2025.
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6/19/2015 - mgatens Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent, rich and fruit forward on opening. As it opened up, it flattened out.
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11/28/2013 - Tartiflette wrote: 91 Points
My last out of 6 bottles. And it turned out to be the best! Caught this at the very top. No brown coloring, just dark-red. Beautifully integrated tannins and fruit. Black berries, strawberries, liquorice, tobacco, oregano - funny how some older and mature wines, seems to look at lot like each other. I could easily have guessed this to be a nice, mature Bordeaux. Long aftertaste.
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11/15/2012 - Harley1199 wrote:
Historical & Vertical Alión Tasting (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Quite sweet . Disliked. Atypical.
Bastante dulce. No me gustó. Atípica.
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11/2/2012 - Magno wrote: 86 Points
Dark red with brick red edges, leather, sous bois, faded, decadent fruit, disjointed acidic mouthfeel ends with fine grained tannins. Drinkable but clearly on the downside. Drink up soon.
Esta garrafa não foi decantada e se mostrou um pouco melhor que a ultima.
Vermelho produndo com alo atijolado, couro, sous bois, fruta apagada e decadente, boca com acidez desarticulada, termina com taninos finos. Bebível, mas claramente em declínio.
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9/3/2012 - Magno wrote:
Ainda gostoso, com boa acidez, porém bem delicado, provavelmente já na curva descendente.
Não recomendo decantação apesar de ter sedimento. Provavelmente o ideal seria deixar a garrafa de pé por alguns dias, abrir e servir direto.
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4/3/2012 - FAA wrote: 82 Points
Tired!
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2/23/2012 - FAA wrote: 88 Points
Still lots of flavour. Watch for sediment at the end of the bottle.
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10/30/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 88 Points
Quite good. Very fruity but out of tannins. Black Currant, chocolate and some acetone. Medium aftertaste. Drink up
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6/22/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 86 Points
After a nice streak of good ones, I am afraid I got one that was rather dull. Faded. Still drinkable and enjoyable, but definately over the hill.
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5/29/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 90 Points
Still good. Very consistent. Drink soon though.
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5/2/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 91 Points
In great shape, was this bottle. Dark red color. Black berries, leather, pepper... Very fruity in a good way. Long aftertaste
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4/24/2011 - viscalbarsa wrote: 87 Points
Faded
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3/21/2011 - Bromie wrote: 89 Points
Good but not great. Drink up
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2/23/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 90 Points
Beautifull red color. Great nose, and a taste of fresh berries (black berries), leather and pepper. medium aftertaste
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10/9/2010 - mgstull Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fully mature. Garnet color. Mid-weight with notes of currant and five spice.
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8/16/2009 - pawa wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced and hugely enjoyable. Still rather dark in colour (I thought that Tempranillo is known for not having so much colour as it is a rather thin skinned grape). A perfect beef companion.
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3/27/2009 - Biglama wrote: 91 Points
diep rood, diep rood fruit, cacao en koffie in de neus, licht aards, smaak is zacht en licht romig, mooi rond en wat vlezig, prima glas
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12/30/2008 - Biglama wrote: 92 Points
rode kleur, mooie open neus, klassiek, koffie tabak, amandelspijs, mooie diep rood kersenfruit, smaak is nog levendig en met prettige zuren, mooie zachtheid en prima structuur, weer een goede fles
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3/31/2008 - Biglama wrote: 85 Points
rode kleur, fles komt wat vermoeid over en komt niet goed tot zijn recht, wel herkenbare tabak en rijp fruit, smaak is wat stroef, foute fles?
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1/6/2008 - Gohard wrote: 89 Points
colour was deep red with red brick borders ...good indication of the 11 yrs being in a bottle. The nose was very soft and got better as the wine opened up. I was worried at first when I saw the cork but it turned out fine. The tannins were still very strong which indicates it could of kept longer but I did not want to chance it since 1997 does not have a great review in general. Strong Black fruits with dry earthy tannins. Very complex and typical of a good Tinto Fino grape. I was a little disappointed for I had bigger expectations of this wine. I'm hoping the 2003 vintages I have fair better.
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12/7/2007 - greening wrote: flawed
Drank in Massachusetts at my brother's house. Wine had clearly bad, but possibly not because it was too old, as the wine had seeped through the top of the cork.
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12/7/2007 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Dark purple color. Looks younger than 10 years. Nose of terroir, smoke, leather, cherry and vanilla. Pallet very chewy. Plum, cola, tar, and tobacco. Very balanced and well integrated. Drinking beautifully. May be at peak. Try again in a year.
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11/7/2007 - Gary wrote: 90 Points
good balance of spice & fruit notes, wood & vanilla.
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9/29/2007 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Expressive bouquet with spices and ripe red and black fruits. Same in the taste. Good balance between acidity, sweetness, ripe tannin and oak. Now perfectly mature, but with enough power to stay on this level for one or two years.
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8/31/2007 - Biglama wrote: 93 Points
diep rood, geur is wat boers met rijp rood fruit, kersen bessen, smaak is perfecte balans met lekkkere zuren en veel sap. mooie rijpe tannines met goede lange afdronk, heerlijk, op z'n top
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8/19/2007 - Vinho wrote: 91 Points
Aberto com 3 horas de antecedência e decantado por cerca de 1 hora. Rubi-acastanhado, halo bastante claro, alguns sedimentos, que foram separados com a decantação. Alión em seu auge, evoluído mas inteiro. Aromas muito abertos, notas de couro, esmalte e flores, boa intensidade e profundidade. Ótima acidez, taninos numerosos mas macios, com marcante traço resinoso. Final médio a longo, não se destacando pela concentração, mas pela elegância. Excepcional.
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7/14/2007 - fxhaddad wrote: 91 Points
Garrafa n. 022762. Associated with Bodegas Vega Sicilia - Aroma intensos pero bastante agradable. Bastante sedimiento. Decantar por lo menos una hora antes de servir. Lo recomiendo! This wine is rich in color and well worth decanting. Very soft on the pallet. Smooth in many respects and delicious w/no after linger. This wine is very fruity in my opinion. Goes well w/ a smoked cheese, and not as well w/ steak. The wife is a big fan of this oak flavored, fruity, soft tasting wine. A 91 for the palate. Found a 2001 bottle for $74 w/a store profit of $24, should be noted. Thus be aware of price fluctuation.
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12/30/2006 - Vinho wrote: 91 Points
Garrafa n. 097474, 13,5º de álcool. Mesma nota e impressões anteriores. Decantar por pelo menos 1 hora antes de servir, faz muita diferença. Excepcional.
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11/10/2006 - Vinho wrote: 91 Points
Confirma minha impressão anterior: bom no nariz mas ainda melhor na boca. Aroma animal (couro), nuance floral delicada e traço resinoso. Taninos muito numerosos e firmes, pegando um pouco, mas sem atrapalhar, ótima acidez e boa fruta, com final muito longo. Excepcional.
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11/10/2006 - losvinhos wrote: 91 Points
Aberta e cedida por um amigo em comemoração à conquista do mestrado.Rubi escuro ainda não homogêneo e com considerável halo aquoso. Pequenos sedimentos. Aromas animais e de couro marcantes com um fundo de cereja, acetona , resina. Na boca austeridade marcada por taninos abundantes, secos e uma ótima acidez. Novamente revelam-se o couro e o animal, com boa fruta apesar da média safra. Boa persistência e muita presença no meio de boca. Confirma e reafirma a qualidade do Alion, do qual eu só tinha referência pelas safras de 1999 e 2001. Excepcional.
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10/22/2006 - Vinho wrote: 92 Points
Produção de cerca de 200 mil garrafas (197 mil de 750ml), colocado no mercado em março de 2001. Rubi fechado, alguns sedimentos finos. No início meio retraído, mas bastaram 30 min no decanter para os aromas surgirem. Poucos vinhos me são tão agradáveis; indescritível sensação quando se deixa o vinho por algum tempo na boca. Alión mais austero, menos intenso, mas nem por isso menos complexo. A elegância característica dos Alión está ali, assim como um toque resinoso muito agradável. O nariz não reflete o vinho, com apenas algumas notas florais, algo de licor de cereja e principalmente um traço animal, lembrando couro. Em boca, porém, muitíssimo agradável. Acentua-se a sensação (boa) do resinoso/acetona. Taninos firmes e numerosos mas finos, boa fruta e excelente acidez. Final prazerosamente longo. Acompanhou muito bem... ele próprio. Vino da meditazione. E tudo isso, quem diria, num ano não muito bom para Ribera del Duero. Excepcional.
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10/8/2006 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Occasional tasting group: Top Spain (@ AW): Bouquet: rich, sweet, vanilla, eucalyptus, rosehip, cocoa. On the palate soft, a little sweet, forest fruits, a little clove.
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5/13/2006 - Biglama wrote: 89 Points
Rood bruine kleur. In de neus, rood fruit met wat pruimen en kersen. Wat tabak en leer. Klassieke tonen. In de smaak concentratie en balans. Aanwezige expressiviteit. Mooie body. Rond en vrij soepel, mooie tannines. Wijn is op zijn top
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12/14/2005 - Vinho wrote: 90 Points
Garrafa importada pela extinta Maison du Vin. Bastante sedimento. Equilibradíssimo, elegante, potente, com notas de cereja, mineral e um discreto floral. Levíssimo amargor e balsâmico que lhe dão personalidade e são, nele, agradabilíssimos. Final muitíssimo longo. Excepcional
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5/10/2002 - chbeaumont wrote:
Splendid modern style. Lots of fruit but a balance, supple wine. drinking well. 17
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