Medium to deep ruby in the glass; lots of dark red fruit (red currants, plums), with tobacco and carmelized meats / barbecue notes as well. Nicely balanced despite the solid oak notes and tannin on the palate. A little old school Rioja, but still an elegant wine, with a wonderful finish. Drinking well now. Decanted for an hour, served with carne asada tacos. Great pair.
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Dark ruby-cranberry color in the glass. Pronounced aromas of fig,leather, dark cherries, tobacco and cranberries on the nose. On the palate, the wine has a complex medium weight mouthfeel that imparts the luscious fruit flavors of classic Tempranillo Rioja. Engaging texture with smooth finish. Not a wine to miss.
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This wine pours fairly deep ruby in the glass, somewhere between medium and dark ruby, with no bricking. The nose is immediately tremendously appealing, complex and classically rioja. Aromas of black cherry, maduro cigar wrapper, wet moss, sandalwood, dried ripe strawberry, mushroom, and touches of the requisite vanilla and coconut oak to remind you this is rioja. The palate is medium in acid, medium plus in tannin and is quite lush in dark fruit. On the finish there is an intriguing herbaceous note, vaguely mint/eucalyptus. A touch of the 14% is present on the palate. All in all we have a fairly stern old school rioja, firmly tannic, and poised to age.
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My son selected this bottle, opened and poured for us. I knew it was a Rioja but not the vintage. We had darkened the room for dinner so I was really flying blind -- no sense of the color or condition of the wine.
Not much nose to speak of. A first taste showed age and I figured the wine to be at least 20 years old, having had aged Riojas before. In the mouth, a brown must enveloped whatever fruit there once was. I brought the bottle into the light to discover it was only 9 years old. And in the glass, a dull but still deep garnet smiled back at me.
Within minutes, the musty overhang blew off, and a cleaner presentation of fruit emerged. A beautiful array of cassis wrapped in leather. Balanced and round. Supple with a finish of tart, sour cherry.
This is fragile and on the lighter side. I imagine this is about the time to drink this bottle if you have one or two. I can't speak to what this wine once was, but I would imagine that what this wine will become may not be worth waiting for. Better to drink now and enjoy.
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I had this at the Rare Wine Company -Bodegas Riojanas dinner in November 2019 (only a year ago! Holy cow. Time has no meaning anymore.). I liked it then, but it was overwhelmed by some others that were even better (e.g. 2010). But i still bought over a case of this. Just drank a bottle with Christmas roast and it was a perfect choice. Ripe fruit with cherry, cassis, blackberry along with earth and sweet spices. Still has a long life ahead but it will be hard to wait as it is so forward right now. I think this does have a long time to improve. I don’t understand some of the recent reviews. It is much better than they indicate.
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Hemos tomado unas 6-7 botellas de este vino y añada con sensaciones muy distinta. Ahora mismo dejaré una opinión sobre una de las botellas que considero que han salido "mal" (podré una opinión de las botellas "buenas" porque la diferencia es significativa). Mucho terciario en nariz, poca fruta, como de vino cerrado pero que no logra abrirse ni pasadas las horas. Alcohólico y tal vez demasiado maduro. Paso recto por boca, poca sensación de anchura, no es especialmente largo. Muy fácil de beber, goloso. Muy correcto por el precio pero ojalá la botella que vayáis a beber sea de las buenas, notaréis la diferencia por encontrar (en mí humilde opinión) muchos más primarios y una sensación más agradable.
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Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva tasting (Boqueria Penn Quarter, Washington D.C.): Expressive nose displaying sweet black fruit, blackberry, black plum, a hint of oak, ash, dark spices and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated black fruit, silky, bright acidity, strong mineral presence, fine tannins and a long sweet black fruit driven finish with a hint of ash at the end. Much more primary than the 10. Nice showing.
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11/12/2023 - Dave Dewar wrote:
Decanted 2 hours but not much typicity until later in the night.
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3/19/2023 - Mwc33 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium to deep ruby in the glass; lots of dark red fruit (red currants, plums), with tobacco and carmelized meats / barbecue notes as well. Nicely balanced despite the solid oak notes and tannin on the palate. A little old school Rioja, but still an elegant wine, with a wonderful finish. Drinking well now. Decanted for an hour, served with carne asada tacos. Great pair.
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12/6/2022 - EXPLORER 825 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby-cranberry color in the glass. Pronounced aromas of fig,leather, dark cherries, tobacco and cranberries on the nose.
On the palate, the wine has a complex medium weight mouthfeel that imparts the luscious fruit flavors of classic Tempranillo Rioja. Engaging texture with smooth finish.
Not a wine to miss.
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5/6/2022 - Jessie and Max Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well balanced and complex. Pronounced nose of smoke, vanilla, dried cranberry, dried fig, cherry, dill, tobacco, and a hint of sweetness.
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3/18/2022 - emderoche wrote: 86 Points
Very jammy, didn’t care for; wait until 2035 or later to drink
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11/19/2021 - dwaller Likes this wine: 92 Points
A well balanced Rioja - balanced fruit with mild peppery and tobacco overtones.
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7/1/2021 - Wine Canuck wrote: 92 Points
This wine pours fairly deep ruby in the glass, somewhere between medium and dark ruby, with no bricking. The nose is immediately tremendously appealing, complex and classically rioja. Aromas of black cherry, maduro cigar wrapper, wet moss, sandalwood, dried ripe strawberry, mushroom, and touches of the requisite vanilla and coconut oak to remind you this is rioja. The palate is medium in acid, medium plus in tannin and is quite lush in dark fruit. On the finish there is an intriguing herbaceous note, vaguely mint/eucalyptus. A touch of the 14% is present on the palate. All in all we have a fairly stern old school rioja, firmly tannic, and poised to age.
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12/27/2020 - pepmi wrote: 89 Points
My son selected this bottle, opened and poured for us. I knew it was a Rioja but not the vintage. We had darkened the room for dinner so I was really flying blind -- no sense of the color or condition of the wine.
Not much nose to speak of. A first taste showed age and I figured the wine to be at least 20 years old, having had aged Riojas before. In the mouth, a brown must enveloped whatever fruit there once was. I brought the bottle into the light to discover it was only 9 years old. And in the glass, a dull but still deep garnet smiled back at me.
Within minutes, the musty overhang blew off, and a cleaner presentation of fruit emerged. A beautiful array of cassis wrapped in leather. Balanced and round. Supple with a finish of tart, sour cherry.
This is fragile and on the lighter side. I imagine this is about the time to drink this bottle if you have one or two. I can't speak to what this wine once was, but I would imagine that what this wine will become may not be worth waiting for. Better to drink now and enjoy.
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12/25/2020 - acidqueen wrote: 92 Points
I had this at the Rare Wine Company -Bodegas Riojanas dinner in November 2019 (only a year ago! Holy cow. Time has no meaning anymore.). I liked it then, but it was overwhelmed by some others that were even better (e.g. 2010). But i still bought over a case of this. Just drank a bottle with Christmas roast and it was a perfect choice. Ripe fruit with cherry, cassis, blackberry along with earth and sweet spices. Still has a long life ahead but it will be hard to wait as it is so forward right now. I think this does have a long time to improve. I don’t understand some of the recent reviews. It is much better than they indicate.
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9/1/2020 - Al-r wrote: 88 Points
Too boring for rioja GR
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5/23/2020 - Erikjay Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Hard to score at this point. Feels very ripe, not sure if it’s a phase or this very bottle. Time will tell.
Edit:another bottle a week later. Overripe.
Oxidized; either bad handling by Decantalo, or bad winemaking. Sad either way.
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4/2/2020 - GonzaloManzaneda Likes this wine: 86 Points
Hemos tomado unas 6-7 botellas de este vino y añada con sensaciones muy distinta. Ahora mismo dejaré una opinión sobre una de las botellas que considero que han salido "mal" (podré una opinión de las botellas "buenas" porque la diferencia es significativa).
Mucho terciario en nariz, poca fruta, como de vino cerrado pero que no logra abrirse ni pasadas las horas. Alcohólico y tal vez demasiado maduro.
Paso recto por boca, poca sensación de anchura, no es especialmente largo.
Muy fácil de beber, goloso. Muy correcto por el precio pero ojalá la botella que vayáis a beber sea de las buenas, notaréis la diferencia por encontrar (en mí humilde opinión) muchos más primarios y una sensación más agradable.
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11/11/2019 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva tasting (Boqueria Penn Quarter, Washington D.C.): Expressive nose displaying sweet black fruit, blackberry, black plum, a hint of oak, ash, dark spices and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated black fruit, silky, bright acidity, strong mineral presence, fine tannins and a long sweet black fruit driven finish with a hint of ash at the end. Much more primary than the 10. Nice showing.
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