Reviewed my first bottle of this wine back in June 2021. Wasn’t particularly impressed, but didn’t score it as I suspected bottle was off. Turned out to be true as this bottle showed way better. Very nice wine. Nose has some roses, some dark fruit, inviting. Palate is rich and complex. At first sip there are some dark red fruit together with grippy tannins. What stands out is the finish, long, with a nice mix of licorice and violet, together with hints of black and red currant. As other writes, benefits from a proper decant, while I found an hour to be sufficient.
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Fuska inte med luftningen! Drack när den luftat ca 30 minuter, då smakade den mest surt och aningen tanniner. Efter 2,5h i karaffen blommade den ut, mycket viol och lakrits. Sedan lite skinnsoffa och antydningar till mörka bär. Ska bli kul att testa igen med ca 2h luftning.
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Some aging tones Nose: fruit driven Blue fruit and some fresh ans dry herbs Taste: fruit driven with soft tannins with medium length and ok complexity.
In general a little below zenith but still good
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Awesome wine that takes a good 2 hours to really open up and show itself off. Trust me, pour it. Walk away. Come back right before you almost forget about it. After that slow oxidation the wine is highly expressive with classic Rioja medium body but full complex flavor. A lot going on here and it takes several sips to start to break down the dried cherries from the red currants and the plum pits. Really fun wine that I’ll seek out again for sure. A great value in fine wine.
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Well, time is not so gentle on this one. Very strong mature notes of wet leaves, mushrooms and there is something morbid, that I would not expect in a Reserva from such a renowned producer, in a great year like 2010. Still this is a good wine and I will keep on opening my bottles with a lot of curiosity.
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Quite light touch. Easy sipping red but suffering from a bit of lack of character. Could be described as "unoffensive". Can't imagine many people disliking this wine but at the same time it will not create raving fans.
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Rioja: Really characteristic nose here with dark fruits, spices and especially herbs. Almost slighty reminiscent of herbal tea. Dark, herbal, etheral fruit, but the tannins are a real problem here completely drying out the palate on the finish. 16/20
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Best vintage of this wine I have tried from 2008 to 2012. Good value for money semi-old style Rioja. Drinking well now and should continue to do so the next couple of years...
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Not what I hoped for. Not bad, but a bit simple. Nose is interesting, dark red berries, cherries stands out, also some peppery tones. Palate also comes with dark red berries, prominent tannins and some acidity. Parts could meld better together though, wine doesn’t really take off. Looking at other reviews maybe this bottle was a bit off, hope so. Hence I hold off to score, but on back of this showing, 86 p.
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red cherry pit. dark fruits. blueberry flavors with a hint of white pepper spice on the finish. well balanced and integrated tannins that paired nicely with flank steak. outstanding now and hard to tell how much better it can get but will save the last bottle and find out.
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paired wonderfully with smoked lamb shepards pie. was only able to decant for 30 min and would recommend at least 2 hours to open up the beautiful black fruits, oaky vanilla and leather notes. really good.
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If you drink it now make sure you give it at least one hour in the decanter. Aeration is absolutely essential to this wine. A waste if you just open and drink it. Fist I thought it ia a solid wine, but nothing special, later I realized that is a classy wine. It has a huge aging potential.
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This bottle/vintage was just as good as the 2009 vintage. Remarkable balance, fruit and freshness, still full of life with good length, smooth tannins and with a mediumplus body. Excellent rioja!
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Much more finesse than rioja and bit of new world. Medium body with dark fruit but great acid. The Oak is balanced. Drink now or hold for a couple years
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Die Flasche eröffnete mit einem handfesten Stinker der sehr irritierend ist. Geschmack und Struktur haben nicht darunter gelitten aber naja, geminderter Trinkspass allemal. Am nächsten Tag aber war der unangenehme Geruch (vllt ein Bökser?) verflogen und er hat gezeigt was er wirklich kann. Ziemlich konzentriert, trinkreif ist er auch schon, dunkle Früchte, Teer Noten und ein Bauch griffiges Tannin auch noch - ein guter Wein, der immer wieder Freude macht.
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concentrated black friuts and sweet,smooth taninns,chocolate,earth; good balance with some bitterness in the finish. Not a typical Rioja for lack of nutty aromas from oxidation.
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This was a new wine to me. Tasted with Vietnamese noodles and soup. Pop and pour. Followed over 2 hours. Dark maroon color. Nose shows some spice and dark fruits. Good dark fruited wine with licorice and mushroom, followed by oak notes. Quite restrained but shows depth of flavor. Tannins show up a bit on the finish. A very good wine. Enjoyable.
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A beautiful wine; deep dark fruit core, mineral and slightly herbal, licorice, nicely structured, present but silky tannins, gentle oak treatment (no obvious toasting or vanilla), still very young and restrained, paired well with the lamb. Lovely Rioja. - 91 points
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This is one of my favorite wines. It's great Rioja with a little more fruit than is typical. A friend at a wine store calls it a "crowd pleasing" Rioja.
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Dit is wat ik echt zoek in een fles wijn: warmte, volheid, "ronde" smaken. Beetje rijp en niet erover. Kers, beetje braam. 9 jaar oud en perfect op dronk. Zeer goede P/Q
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Honeymoon of our friends Loek en Saskia (Côte d'Azur): A magnum, perfect deep colour, a Bordeaux like impression, however, with more spicyness; lovely dosed vanilla, showing no age. This wine has a very good balance from start to finish including an impressive backbone with ripe acidity and a very long aftertaste.
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Eðalklúbbur, vínsmakk #1 haust 2019 (Bólstaðarhlíð 29): Dökkt á litinn. Í byrjun bleiulykt og bananatónar. Ekkert sérstaklega spennandi tónar en með þyrlun þá dofnuðu þessi einkenni og í staðinn komu fram tóbak, dökkt súkkulaði og smá fjós. Á tungunni voru dökkir tónar ríkjandi. Súkkulaði, kaffi og lakkrís. Ferskt og í góðu jafnvægi. Gott vín. Umhelling kemur þessu víni til góða. Virkilega góð kaup á 19€.
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Changed over the course of 4 hours in the decanter. Sweet blackberry and blueberry initially. Later showed fig, cedar and tobacco, more savoury. Rich and sweet fruited and quite dense in the mouth. Still substantial tannin. Long satisfying finish, touch of cherry. Excellent wine, polished and modern, will last many more years.
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Apologies just posting an old tasting note for completeness:
"This is apparently a blend of the reds Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and the whites Viura and Malvasía Riojana, fermented with indigenous yeasts in a combination of stainless steel and oak vats then matured in French oak for 17 months. It did pretty well on the circuit- 93pts WA, 17.5 JR, 95pts Suckling. On opening my first thought was "barnyard" ... it wasn't mentioned in the pro reviews but to me there is definitely some brett going on here or something. Underneath is the makings of a classic, mid-bodied Rioja but the rustic overlay is a tad much. The last cellar tracker review echoed this but said it was much better on night 2 so lets see."
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1st night. Organic. Horse shit. Sweaty saddle. Doesn’t seem right. Doesn’t improve nor worsen. Packed away 2nd night. Lovely nose. Smokey bacon, cedar, juniper. Intense black fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry. Liquorice, olive. Touch of minerality. Thoroughly dry palette. Concentrated. Savoury. Fine tannins. St Joseph as much as Rioja but I like it. C is not a fan. Finds it thick and dull.
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Deep red color. Aromas of black fruits, chocolate and wood spices. Ripe, full-bodied but nicely balanced and integrated fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Very fresh and intense on the palate. A delicious "new-style" Rioja that is an excellent value.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #133; Spain, Rioja Reserva (By WW): Beautiful bouquet with coffee, dark berries and chocolate. On the palate red berries, beautifully fresh acidity, round tannin and a pleasant dose of oak. Good wine for the coming 3+ years.
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black fruits and chocolate. subtle hint of fresh strawberry and spice emerge with some time in the glass. very balanced with medium tannin and little trace of acidity. paired nicely with pasta and red sauce with sautéed shrimp. very nice and enjoyable.
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Ruby with purple tint. Complex nose of black berries, cherries, mulberries, flowers, sloe and spices. On the palate concentrated, but not heavy at all, quite smooth with round tannin and good acidity. The 93 points from the WA (Gutiérrez) are well deserved if not quite conversativ. This is still quite young, but easy to drink now. 5/12/17/9 2020-2035
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Fin doft, silkeslent och mycket klunkbart. Satt bra till den rätt snällt kryddade tandoorigrisen. Men var är dillen? Never mind, både vi och vinet klarar oss fint utan den. FÄRG Klar? Ja. Färg: Medel + granat med toner av tegel. Kant: 2 mm mot vattenklar. Intensitet: Medel +. Färgar glaset? Nej. Gardiner: Medel.
DOFT Korrekt? Ja. Doftintensitet: Medel. Doft: Frukt - röda bär - hallon, smultron. Grönsaker - rotfrukter. Fat - mjölkchoklad, en aning vanilj och lite sågat virke. Ålder - svamp och murkna löv. Utveckling: Påbörjad mognad.
SMAK Torrt/sött: Torrt. Syra: medel. Tanniner: Mycket fina men fullt märkbara. Alkohol: Lite halt på slutet (14 procent) Fyllighet: Medel. Smakstyrka: Medel +. Smak: Frukt - röda bär - hallon, smultron. Fat - lite träbeska, vanilj, choklad. Ålder - höstlöv. Textur/balans/bubblighet: Nej. Eftersmak: Medel + med liten stjälkbeska.
SLUTSATSER Kvalitet: Mycket bra. Drickabilitet: Fint nu, håller säkert tio, femton år till.. Geografi: Rioja. Pris: 250 kronor.
More modernly styled Rioja with bright fruit. Quite oaky but not over the top. Will definitely improve in the years to come but it is not a sin to drink it now.
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Very dark opaque purple colour. Pungent sweet black fruit smell, blackcurrant and black cherry. Pronounced cedary oak taste with a rich, powerful presence in the mouth. Extremely concentrated. Powerdery, dusty tannins and a long sweet finish. Very good but not distinctively rioja. I'll leave the others alone for 5 or 10 years.
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE frt fairly QUICKLY met by almost dusty tannins, yet with a swtness that maintains all the way through. This pushes the envelope on structure, but MAY just NEED into '21 in order to reveal its considerable potential. My VG, but potentially EXC! [I'm not at ALL sure why I noticed *far* fewer tannins when I tasted this on 12/16/17. A possible explanation: The previous wine had been sitting in my tasting glass *MUCH* longer than this time??] 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at LEAST $7 < than any of the other U.S. sources currently listed on wine-searcher!]
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P: Med body; Nice oak/frt met by VERY slight tannins/pucker which SLOWLY, fairly seamlessly morphed into a LONG, somewhat spicy finish with notes of bitterswtness dancing back & forth. DESERVES another 1-2 yrs, then drinking for several more. NICE combination of elegance & power! 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at least $4 < than any of the other U.S. sources listed on wine-searcher!]
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Nice wine. Deep garnet. Strawberry, blueberry then tobacco after taking a sip. Some acidity and tannins. Should be nice for at least a few more years. I will buy more.
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P: LM, poss L, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by some very, VERY finely tannic bitterish astringency which only SOMEWHAT resolves by the LONG, very slightly tangy, BITTERswt finish. The pervasive bitterness on this troubles me, though PERHAPS it will resolve? [Note: I later tried this on 12/16/2017 & 1/13/2018 with MUCH more positive, though still inconsistent, results!] 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at LEAST $4 < than any of the other U.S. sources currently listed on wine-searcher!]
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30 min decant (20 min of which was “cold shock” in fridge). Deep ruby color with hint of yellow at the rim. Very leathery, earthy nose (barnyard, cardboard, menthol, cherry cobbler and Crayola crayon). Zesty acidity and mouth drying tannins on smooth palate. Firm tannins on medium finish. The fruit is too hidden for my taste. With that said, this wine has complexity and is a good QPR for those who like this style.
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D2h. Dark red, red beginning yellowish, 5.5. Deep dark fruit nose and also vanilla sweetness. Polished harmonious palate, some tannin, spicy finish. Drink now-2025. Very fine Rioja in the beginning of it’s drinking window but no hurry.
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Oh ja, das macht Freude. 2-3 Stunde vor dem Trinken geöffnet und kurz vorher noch im Dekanter belüftet. Dicht aber nicht muskulös zeigen sich die Tannine und hüllen schöne violette Blütenaromen ein. Die Struktur des Weines ist fast greifbar und zeigt das er noch Zeit verträgt aber er ist jetzt schon ein großer Genuss. Vielleicht sind es eher 92+ aber ich bin erstmal sparsam mit dem Punkten. So oder so bin ich nicht traurig einiges davon im Keller zu haben.
A steal for €16 a bottle! Raspberries, dark cherries, nice acidity, medium body, espresso, dark chocolate, light vanilla, some elegance, great long m! Best QPR bottle I ever had!
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Fine wine, nothing forced, intelligent use of French oak. That said, most of the flavour is confined to the finish. It's not particularly characterful, complex. Perhaps it will gain with time, however I fear that as it loses freshness the flavours will become prune like.
{14%, cork}.
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Small tasting pour , dark red, medium intensity to the nose of red fruit and cigar box. Slightly less tannic now compared to my earlier note. Not a big wine. Light and elegant in style.
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Deep ruby color. Cherry, plum, cloves, and earth on the nose. Medium bodied dark fruit on the palate with good acidity and fine tannins. Blend of red grapes Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano as well as white grapes Viura and Malvasía Riojana from a great vintage in Rioja fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak for 17 months.
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Inky black purple....nose is like the color...dark stewed plum, meat, Leather....flavor is savory as opposed to fruit, but fruit is deep plum earth tobacco .... Interesting is how I describe it... Wouldn't buy a second bottle...
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Poikkeuksellisen kehittyvä tuoksu: aluksi syrahmainen ja muuttuu pikkuhiljaa bdx-maiseksi. Vaikea saada tolkkua tästä. Hieman ohut suutuntuma ja tuntuu ettei kestä happea. Kokonaisuutena ihan kelpo, mutta pettymys hintaansa nähden.
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PnP. Medium ruby. Medium legs. Baked plum, cherry, coffee and sanguine nose. Strawberry, currant, cola, coffee and sanguine palate. Excellent balance. Leather texture. Medium finish.
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Nja, jag är inte lika stormförtjust i den här riojan som många andra verkar vara. Visst, det är ett mycket behagligt vin med fantastiskt avslipade tanniner. Men det händer inte så attans mycket. Som hissmusik i glaset. Bra hissmusik.
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I think this is one of the more understated Rioja reserva's, from a vintage deemed "Excellent" by the DOCa. Had the '09 about a month ago at the bodega. Both are good, but this '10 perhaps has better bones to it. The '09 drank quite nicely (especially drinking it at the bodega, with the view), and was a bit fuller and rounder in flavor. the all estate '10 works solidly now, but I think it will be better with even a few more years in cellar.
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Really enjoyed this wine... Had tried the '09 a few weeks ago when we visited and loved that as well. Darker in colour with medium body. Dark red cherries mixed with a hint of leather on the nose originally. Tasted of dark red fruit, Jamaican allspice and same hint of leather with great balance and tannins that were not overebearing.
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2/25/2024 - andrew.cameron Does not like this wine:
Overwhelming aromas of sweaty saddle and barnyard. Very disappointing
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1/27/2024 - Ajallo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Reviewed my first bottle of this wine back in June 2021. Wasn’t particularly impressed, but didn’t score it as I suspected bottle was off. Turned out to be true as this bottle showed way better. Very nice wine. Nose has some roses, some dark fruit, inviting. Palate is rich and complex. At first sip there are some dark red fruit together with grippy tannins. What stands out is the finish, long, with a nice mix of licorice and violet, together with hints of black and red currant. As other writes, benefits from a proper decant, while I found an hour to be sufficient.
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10/7/2023 - Vinogorgo wrote: 75 Points
Ok but not much more. Better after 1.5 h airing. Leather, medium body, some tannins. Nothing exceptional but still ok.
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9/21/2023 - ccarter5181 wrote: 90 Points
Better than last tasting 3 years ago. Some nice secondary elements now. After 2-3 hours of air it was going downhill so probably time to drink up.
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7/18/2023 - Machta Likes this wine:
Fuska inte med luftningen! Drack när den luftat ca 30 minuter, då smakade den mest surt och aningen tanniner. Efter 2,5h i karaffen blommade den ut, mycket viol och lakrits. Sedan lite skinnsoffa och antydningar till mörka bär. Ska bli kul att testa igen med ca 2h luftning.
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4/20/2023 - Larsrar wrote: 86 Points
Starting getting a bit tired - drink up!
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4/7/2023 - PLLU Likes this wine: 90 Points
Some aging tones
Nose: fruit driven Blue fruit and some fresh ans dry herbs
Taste: fruit driven with soft tannins with medium length and ok complexity.
In general a little below zenith but still good
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12/25/2022 - burgund Likes this wine: 89 Points
This time more dull, temprannillio style more profound
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12/7/2022 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 3/4/19 bottle.
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12/4/2022 - hdn Likes this wine: 90 Points
In de lijn met vorige flessen; Warm vol en mooi in evenwicht. Prima voor 12 jaar op de teller. Iedereen genoot!
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11/1/2022 - Bjweiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Awesome wine that takes a good 2 hours to really open up and show itself off. Trust me, pour it. Walk away. Come back right before you almost forget about it. After that slow oxidation the wine is highly expressive with classic Rioja medium body but full complex flavor. A lot going on here and it takes several sips to start to break down the dried cherries from the red currants and the plum pits. Really fun wine that I’ll seek out again for sure. A great value in fine wine.
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10/14/2022 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 87 Points
Well, time is not so gentle on this one. Very strong mature notes of wet leaves, mushrooms and there is something morbid, that I would not expect in a Reserva from such a renowned producer, in a great year like 2010. Still this is a good wine and I will keep on opening my bottles with a lot of curiosity.
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10/9/2022 - matage wrote: 88 Points
Quite light touch. Easy sipping red but suffering from a bit of lack of character. Could be described as "unoffensive". Can't imagine many people disliking this wine but at the same time it will not create raving fans.
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9/5/2022 - matage Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium intensity and fairly elegant. Mature notes but a tad hollow at midpoint. Nice enough wine with lighter meals, snacks or on its own.
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5/26/2022 - LenaLasse wrote: 89 Points
Dracks tillsammans med entrecôte onsdag den 25 maj 2022, dagen före Kristi himmelsfärd. Trevlig, god och färdig att drickas.
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1/14/2022 - ploher wrote:
Rioja: Really characteristic nose here with dark fruits, spices and especially herbs. Almost slighty reminiscent of herbal tea. Dark, herbal, etheral fruit, but the tannins are a real problem here completely drying out the palate on the finish. 16/20
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1/2/2022 - putter520 wrote: 88 Points
Wine had a hole in the mid palate; not much structure
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10/15/2021 - asgerG wrote: 88 Points
D1h. Still quite youthful and a bit closed. Wait
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8/13/2021 - Larsrar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Best vintage of this wine I have tried from 2008 to 2012. Good value for money semi-old style Rioja. Drinking well now and should continue to do so the next couple of years...
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6/12/2021 - Ajallo wrote:
Not what I hoped for. Not bad, but a bit simple. Nose is interesting, dark red berries, cherries stands out, also some peppery tones. Palate also comes with dark red berries, prominent tannins and some acidity. Parts could meld better together though, wine doesn’t really take off. Looking at other reviews maybe this bottle was a bit off, hope so. Hence I hold off to score, but on back of this showing, 86 p.
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4/11/2021 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
red cherry pit. dark fruits. blueberry flavors with a hint of white pepper spice on the finish. well balanced and integrated tannins that paired nicely with flank steak. outstanding now and hard to tell how much better it can get but will save the last bottle and find out.
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4/5/2021 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
paired wonderfully with smoked lamb shepards pie. was only able to decant for 30 min and would recommend at least 2 hours to open up the beautiful black fruits, oaky vanilla and leather notes. really good.
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2/6/2021 - Bordeaux 2013 Likes this wine: 93 Points
If you drink it now make sure you give it at least one hour in the decanter. Aeration is absolutely essential to this wine. A waste if you just open and drink it. Fist I thought it ia a solid wine, but nothing special, later I realized that is a classy wine. It has a huge aging potential.
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11/6/2020 - ccarter5181 wrote: 89 Points
30 min decant. Nice Rioja but I was expecting more at this price point. Will wait a bit on remaining bottles.
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10/22/2020 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
paired nicely with smoked sausage lentil stew
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10/2/2020 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
dark berry, plum notes with some earthy smoke. hitting its stride and tasting beautiful right now. paired nicely with spicy chicken chili
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7/27/2020 - Conde Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle/vintage was just as good as the 2009 vintage. Remarkable balance, fruit and freshness, still full of life with good length, smooth tannins and with a mediumplus body. Excellent rioja!
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6/13/2020 - TACAMA wrote: 89 Points
Ok wine... Average Rioja reserva... Drink Up (88-90)
(It's Absurd to give this wine 95 or 96 points)
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5/10/2020 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 3/4/19 bottle.
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5/8/2020 - Thad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much more finesse than rioja and bit of new world. Medium body with dark fruit but great acid. The Oak is balanced.
Drink now or hold for a couple years
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2/9/2020 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 90 Points
Die Flasche eröffnete mit einem handfesten Stinker der sehr irritierend ist. Geschmack und Struktur haben nicht darunter gelitten aber naja, geminderter Trinkspass allemal. Am nächsten Tag aber war der unangenehme Geruch (vllt ein Bökser?) verflogen und er hat gezeigt was er wirklich kann. Ziemlich konzentriert, trinkreif ist er auch schon, dunkle Früchte, Teer Noten und ein Bauch griffiges Tannin auch noch - ein guter Wein, der immer wieder Freude macht.
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1/19/2020 - ffubeniw wrote: 90 Points
concentrated black friuts and sweet,smooth taninns,chocolate,earth; good balance with some bitterness in the finish. Not a typical Rioja for lack of nutty aromas from oxidation.
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1/14/2020 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
This was a new wine to me. Tasted with Vietnamese noodles and soup.
Pop and pour. Followed over 2 hours.
Dark maroon color.
Nose shows some spice and dark fruits.
Good dark fruited wine with licorice and mushroom, followed by oak notes. Quite restrained but shows depth of flavor. Tannins show up a bit on the finish.
A very good wine. Enjoyable.
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1/5/2020 - isbjoern Likes this wine: 91 Points
A beautiful wine; deep dark fruit core, mineral and slightly herbal, licorice, nicely structured, present but silky tannins, gentle oak treatment (no obvious toasting or vanilla), still very young and restrained, paired well with the lamb. Lovely Rioja. - 91 points
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12/27/2019 - Riddling wrote: 94 Points
This is one of my favorite wines. It's great Rioja with a little more fruit than is typical. A friend at a wine store calls it a "crowd pleasing" Rioja.
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11/21/2019 - redz wrote: 90 Points
after 2 flawed bottles, this was just fine. But nothing more, muted flavors, wouldn't have guessed rioja.
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11/8/2019 - hdn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dit is wat ik echt zoek in een fles wijn: warmte, volheid, "ronde" smaken. Beetje rijp en niet erover. Kers, beetje braam.
9 jaar oud en perfect op dronk.
Zeer goede P/Q
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9/11/2019 - FransS wrote: 93 Points
Honeymoon of our friends Loek en Saskia (Côte d'Azur): A magnum, perfect deep colour, a Bordeaux like impression, however, with more spicyness; lovely dosed vanilla, showing no age. This wine has a very good balance from start to finish including an impressive backbone with ripe acidity and a very long aftertaste.
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8/16/2019 - bitdrerik wrote: 90 Points
Eðalklúbbur, vínsmakk #1 haust 2019 (Bólstaðarhlíð 29): Dökkt á litinn. Í byrjun bleiulykt og bananatónar. Ekkert sérstaklega spennandi tónar en með þyrlun þá dofnuðu þessi einkenni og í staðinn komu fram tóbak, dökkt súkkulaði og smá fjós. Á tungunni voru dökkir tónar ríkjandi. Súkkulaði, kaffi og lakkrís. Ferskt og í góðu jafnvægi. Gott vín. Umhelling kemur þessu víni til góða. Virkilega góð kaup á 19€.
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5/30/2019 - jonathanknowles Likes this wine: 90 Points
Changed over the course of 4 hours in the decanter. Sweet blackberry and blueberry initially. Later showed fig, cedar and tobacco, more savoury. Rich and sweet fruited and quite dense in the mouth. Still substantial tannin. Long satisfying finish, touch of cherry. Excellent wine, polished and modern, will last many more years.
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4/26/2019 - sjw_11 wrote:
Apologies just posting an old tasting note for completeness:
"This is apparently a blend of the reds Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and the whites Viura and Malvasía Riojana, fermented with indigenous yeasts in a combination of stainless steel and oak vats then matured in French oak for 17 months. It did pretty well on the circuit- 93pts WA, 17.5 JR, 95pts Suckling. On opening my first thought was "barnyard" ... it wasn't mentioned in the pro reviews but to me there is definitely some brett going on here or something. Underneath is the makings of a classic, mid-bodied Rioja but the rustic overlay is a tad much. The last cellar tracker review echoed this but said it was much better on night 2 so lets see."
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3/30/2019 - Cofxc Likes this wine: 90 Points
1st night. Organic. Horse shit. Sweaty saddle. Doesn’t seem right. Doesn’t improve nor worsen. Packed away
2nd night. Lovely nose. Smokey bacon, cedar, juniper. Intense black fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry. Liquorice, olive. Touch of minerality. Thoroughly dry palette. Concentrated. Savoury. Fine tannins. St Joseph as much as Rioja but I like it.
C is not a fan. Finds it thick and dull.
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3/4/2019 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of black fruits, chocolate and wood spices. Ripe, full-bodied but nicely balanced and integrated fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Very fresh and intense on the palate. A delicious "new-style" Rioja that is an excellent value.
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2/27/2019 - Marmaras wrote: 90 Points
Restrained bouquet, pleasant tannins, well-balanced acidity, low volume, had expected more!
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11/14/2018 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #133; Spain, Rioja Reserva (By WW): Beautiful bouquet with coffee, dark berries and chocolate. On the palate red berries, beautifully fresh acidity, round tannin and a pleasant dose of oak. Good wine for the coming 3+ years.
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10/25/2018 - Kingfruit wrote:
Alcohol heavy - surprisingly smooth
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8/24/2018 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
black fruits and chocolate. subtle hint of fresh strawberry and spice emerge with some time in the glass. very balanced with medium tannin and little trace of acidity. paired nicely with pasta and red sauce with sautéed shrimp. very nice and enjoyable.
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8/12/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ruby with purple tint. Complex nose of black berries, cherries, mulberries, flowers, sloe and spices. On the palate concentrated, but not heavy at all, quite smooth with round tannin and good acidity. The 93 points from the WA (Gutiérrez) are well deserved if not quite conversativ. This is still quite young, but easy to drink now. 5/12/17/9 2020-2035
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6/29/2018 - janka Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Rioja, drink now or hold. Not up at the best Rioja but still a quality wine.
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6/25/2018 - Jonne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fin doft, silkeslent och mycket klunkbart. Satt bra till den rätt snällt kryddade tandoorigrisen. Men var är dillen? Never mind, både vi och vinet klarar oss fint utan den.
FÄRG
Klar? Ja.
Färg: Medel + granat med toner av tegel.
Kant: 2 mm mot vattenklar.
Intensitet: Medel +.
Färgar glaset? Nej.
Gardiner: Medel.
DOFT
Korrekt? Ja.
Doftintensitet: Medel.
Doft: Frukt - röda bär - hallon, smultron. Grönsaker - rotfrukter. Fat - mjölkchoklad, en aning vanilj och lite sågat virke. Ålder - svamp och murkna löv.
Utveckling: Påbörjad mognad.
SMAK
Torrt/sött: Torrt.
Syra: medel.
Tanniner: Mycket fina men fullt märkbara.
Alkohol: Lite halt på slutet (14 procent)
Fyllighet: Medel.
Smakstyrka: Medel +.
Smak: Frukt - röda bär - hallon, smultron. Fat - lite träbeska, vanilj, choklad. Ålder - höstlöv.
Textur/balans/bubblighet: Nej.
Eftersmak: Medel + med liten stjälkbeska.
SLUTSATSER
Kvalitet: Mycket bra.
Drickabilitet: Fint nu, håller säkert tio, femton år till..
Geografi: Rioja.
Pris: 250 kronor.
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5/16/2018 - Brnshj22 wrote: 90 Points
More modernly styled Rioja with bright fruit. Quite oaky but not over the top. Will definitely improve in the years to come but it is not a sin to drink it now.
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5/9/2018 - Danhallgren Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ung, höv dyra, sträv. Ingen typisk Rioja, ingen Dill, vanilj!
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5/8/2018 - redz wrote: flawed
2 bad bottles, shipping?
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3/29/2018 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Sampling the December 8, 2017 new releases (små partier) from Systembolaget (Systembolaget, Stockholm): Candied fruit. Sleek profile on the palate. Lots of grip and freshness. Extra everything, fun. must be cellared. (85-87)
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3/8/2018 - jonathanknowles Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very dark opaque purple colour. Pungent sweet black fruit smell, blackcurrant and black cherry. Pronounced cedary oak taste with a rich, powerful presence in the mouth. Extremely concentrated. Powerdery, dusty tannins and a long sweet finish. Very good but not distinctively rioja. I'll leave the others alone for 5 or 10 years.
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1/13/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Spanish Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: CLSD; Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE frt fairly QUICKLY met by almost dusty tannins, yet with a swtness that maintains all the way through. This pushes the envelope on structure, but MAY just NEED into '21 in order to reveal its considerable potential. My VG, but potentially EXC! [I'm not at ALL sure why I noticed *far* fewer tannins when I tasted this on 12/16/17. A possible explanation: The previous wine had been sitting in my tasting glass *MUCH* longer than this time??] 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at LEAST $7 < than any of the other U.S. sources currently listed on wine-searcher!]
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1/9/2018 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 90 Points
open an hour before I tried
soft tannins mild fruit with some vegetal notes
integrated nicely
ready to go
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12/16/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [Various Reds & 4 Whites] for 12/15/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: VANILLA, earth
P: Med body; Nice oak/frt met by VERY slight tannins/pucker which SLOWLY, fairly seamlessly morphed into a LONG, somewhat spicy finish with notes of bitterswtness dancing back & forth. DESERVES another 1-2 yrs, then drinking for several more. NICE combination of elegance & power! 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at least $4 < than any of the other U.S. sources listed on wine-searcher!]
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12/2/2017 - Josephd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine. Deep garnet. Strawberry, blueberry then tobacco after taking a sip. Some acidity and tannins. Should be nice for at least a few more years. I will buy more.
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11/17/2017 - Breaktheory Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had to drink second day - ripe blueberry tobacco cedar long dry finish - very nice rioja
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11/11/2017 - srh wrote:
Spanish Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: Closed; vanilla slightly atop berries?
P: LM, poss L, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by some very, VERY finely tannic bitterish astringency which only SOMEWHAT resolves by the LONG, very slightly tangy, BITTERswt finish. The pervasive bitterness on this troubles me, though PERHAPS it will resolve? [Note: I later tried this on 12/16/2017 & 1/13/2018 with MUCH more positive, though still inconsistent, results!] 96 pts Tim Atkin, 95 Suckling, 94 Guia Penin, 93 WA, 92 ea Vinous & Stephen Tanzer, 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & 14.5/20 El Mundo Vino! [This vendor's $25.95 is at LEAST $4 < than any of the other U.S. sources currently listed on wine-searcher!]
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11/11/2017 - AGELVIS wrote: 86 Points
30 min decant (20 min of which was “cold shock” in fridge). Deep ruby color with hint of yellow at the rim. Very leathery, earthy nose (barnyard, cardboard, menthol, cherry cobbler and Crayola crayon). Zesty acidity and mouth drying tannins on smooth palate. Firm tannins on medium finish. The fruit is too hidden for my taste. With that said, this wine has complexity and is a good QPR for those who like this style.
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11/10/2017 - asgerG wrote: 89 Points
D2h. Dark red, red beginning yellowish, 5.5. Deep dark fruit nose and also vanilla sweetness. Polished harmonious palate, some tannin, spicy finish. Drink now-2025. Very fine Rioja in the beginning of it’s drinking window but no hurry.
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10/29/2017 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Oh ja, das macht Freude. 2-3 Stunde vor dem Trinken geöffnet und kurz vorher noch im Dekanter belüftet. Dicht aber nicht muskulös zeigen sich die Tannine und hüllen schöne violette Blütenaromen ein. Die Struktur des Weines ist fast greifbar und zeigt das er noch Zeit verträgt aber er ist jetzt schon ein großer Genuss. Vielleicht sind es eher 92+ aber ich bin erstmal sparsam mit dem Punkten. So oder so bin ich nicht traurig einiges davon im Keller zu haben.
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10/13/2017 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 91 Points
A steal for €16 a bottle! Raspberries, dark cherries, nice acidity, medium body, espresso, dark chocolate, light vanilla, some elegance, great long m! Best QPR bottle I ever had!
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6/23/2017 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fine wine, nothing forced, intelligent use of French oak. That said, most of the flavour is confined to the finish. It's not particularly characterful, complex. Perhaps it will gain with time, however I fear that as it loses freshness the flavours will become prune like.
{14%, cork}.
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5/29/2017 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #259: Spain (@ The factory by AH): Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and well integrated oak. On the palate ripe and sweet dark berries, vanilla and fresh acidity. Elegant wine.
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5/28/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Small tasting pour , dark red, medium intensity to the nose of red fruit and cigar box. Slightly less tannic now compared to my earlier note. Not a big wine. Light and elegant in style.
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4/15/2017 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby color. Cherry, plum, cloves, and earth on the nose. Medium bodied dark fruit on the palate with good acidity and fine tannins. Blend of red grapes Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano as well as white grapes Viura and Malvasía Riojana from a great vintage in Rioja fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak for 17 months.
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4/14/2017 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 89 Points
Inky black purple....nose is like the color...dark stewed plum, meat,
Leather....flavor is savory as opposed to fruit, but fruit is deep plum earth tobacco .... Interesting is how I describe it... Wouldn't buy a second bottle...
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3/14/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark red, nice nose, restaurant purchase , PNP, good red fruit, medium acidity, clean finish.
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2/10/2017 - AJG91 wrote: 85 Points
Poikkeuksellisen kehittyvä tuoksu: aluksi syrahmainen ja muuttuu pikkuhiljaa bdx-maiseksi. Vaikea saada tolkkua tästä. Hieman ohut suutuntuma ja tuntuu ettei kestä happea. Kokonaisuutena ihan kelpo, mutta pettymys hintaansa nähden.
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1/22/2017 - sabrage Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP. Medium ruby. Medium legs. Baked plum, cherry, coffee and sanguine nose. Strawberry, currant, cola, coffee and sanguine palate. Excellent balance. Leather texture. Medium finish.
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1/22/2017 - spidersva wrote: 91 Points
Delicious. Dirty in the best kind of way.
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10/28/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very fresh and brightly fruited, structured, powerful stuff. Les says its like powerful silk. I say it drinks a little bit lean!
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9/10/2016 - Jonne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nja, jag är inte lika stormförtjust i den här riojan som många andra verkar vara. Visst, det är ett mycket behagligt vin med fantastiskt avslipade tanniner. Men det händer inte så attans mycket. Som hissmusik i glaset. Bra hissmusik.
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8/6/2016 - kennyd Likes this wine: 90 Points
I think this is one of the more understated Rioja reserva's, from a vintage deemed "Excellent" by the DOCa. Had the '09 about a month ago at the bodega. Both are good, but this '10 perhaps has better bones to it. The '09 drank quite nicely (especially drinking it at the bodega, with the view), and was a bit fuller and rounder in flavor. the all estate '10 works solidly now, but I think it will be better with even a few more years in cellar.
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7/30/2016 - PBR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this wine...
Had tried the '09 a few weeks ago when we visited and loved that as well.
Darker in colour with medium body. Dark red cherries mixed with a hint of leather on the nose originally. Tasted of dark red fruit, Jamaican allspice and same hint of leather with great balance and tannins that were not overebearing.
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6/9/2016 - Glifberg wrote: 85 Points
Trevlig och bra balans men lite för tunn både i doft och smak för att riktigt lyfta.
Utvecklades inte nämnvärt på att luftas i 1-1.5h.
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5/28/2016 - Jonne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Helt ok rioja men jag har svårt att förstå den stora hypen.
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