Lorne Rangers 2024 (Lorne): Darker and more brooding than the Tondo '95, with a more conventional and certainly more youthful nose that showed mint, cocoa and US oak. Really interesting (and tasty) on the palate, with notes of Stollen and cigar as well as the expected deep fruit - smooth and sensual. A long plummy finish, with a hint of bitterness. This was very good when I first tried it four years ago, and it's even better today - and is likely to keep improving.
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Lorne Rangers 2024 - Rioja (Lorne Restaurant, London): Double decanted before being transported to the restaurant and then decanted on arrival. I guess we started sipping 3 hours after the cork first pulled. Beguiling nose here with dark fruits complemented by some 90% cocoa dark chocolate bitterness, some sour cherries, blood orange and a couple of ppm of peppermint. With time in the glass we could almost be in Bordeaux with some cedar and tobacco emerging. The final glass shows hints of gingerbread and a couple of ppm of strawberry sorbet. Fabulous.
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Wow, what an impressive bottle, dark red fruit, floral, smoke, chocolate, plum, leather, so composed with defining acids, a kiss of American oak, still young on the palate but this is terrific just needs 5-10 more years based on how unbelievably good the 1994 was.
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Mørke frukter på smak, fyldig, velbalansert med tydelige eiketoner. Behagelig i munnen. Lang. Lite merkbare tanniner. En av de bedre Rioja jeg har drukket.
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Last two bottles of case of 6, again in excellent shape, with the oak and fruit really well in balance, nice tertiary development, but still some freshness. Outstanding although I suspect this might start to fade a bit soon. Drink over next few years.
Deep garnet colour. Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed. Dry, med+ acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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Rich red with slight orange edge. Mostly rich, ripe red fruit with earthy cedarwood on the nose, and a little bit of leathery tobacco. Maybe even a touch of pencil, at least something associative to Bordeaux there. Taste is well balanced with spicy fruits and broad maturation notes, succulent throughout the finish. Needs decanting for an hour or two, but not too long; after a couple more, it slightly starts declining. Enjoyable wine quite typical for upper-tier CVNE.
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Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. A little caramel, toast, slightly spiritous notes, dried flowers, red berry and cherry fruits, a little vanilla, cedar, plenty of sweet spice, with time settle into ripe strawberry, raspberry, cream and vanilla. Juicy, fleshy, polished, strawberries, raspberry's, slightly toasted vanilla. cream, tannins are woody, drying but support eh flavours finishes long with a little bitter note that doesn't detract, lovely.
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First taste since my last bottle in 2014. Surprisingly similar to that one. Smokey cherries, lots is sweet pipe tobacco, oak spice, licorice. Decades of life left in this one. It’s not a subtle wine, and needs the right pairing. Perfect with tritip tacos.
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(Mostly) Spanish dinner (Chicago, IL): Comes across a little strong with its acidity. A distinct note of American oak dill, as well as a good amount of earthiness too. The fruit and tannins are still quite primary, and I think this will get better with time in the bottle.
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Even with a couple hours of air in the decanter, this is a youthful and rich young Rioja. Seamless, balanced and approachable but still quite primary and slightly gritty at this stage. Better in 10+ years as it sheds a little more fat and the earthy, leathery complexities emerge. Upside from here.
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Inky rich color, showing youth and power. Nose shows oak initially followed by herbs, citrus peels, tar, beef and rosemary. As in previous bottles very aromatic. On the palate is more oak, hints of refined vanilla, herbal undertones complimented by ripe berry fruits. Toasted oak on the finish. Still quite youthful, could go for another decade at least I would imagine.
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Magnum. Opened 8 hours in advance. Impressive saturation. Light balsam and spice on the nose. Medium weight with a sensuous, round, seamless feel. Outstanding bright red fruit, a twist of citrus peel, light herb, and chocolatey tannins. Much more classic and less weighty and sweet than something like the 2010 Prado Enea. Here the ripeness is just a whisper in comparison, adding to the whole mix rather than stomping down all of the other elements. Fantastic bottle just reaching its apogee in this larger format.
After being recorked overnight, drier, acidity and pine more to the fore, but still that bitter chocolate richness underneath.
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A lovely Rioja. Quite developed, but with lots of vitality. Oak is still evident, but adds complexity rather than dominating. The palate is now very impresive. Lots of power and still structured, but at the same time an almost burgundian elegance where the flavours go towards strawberries and raspberries. 2001 is a great vintage for Rioja, and I believe there is still some positive evolvement to be had here, but at the same time it is at a very nice place now, so I do not regret opening my last bottle tonight.
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4th of 6, better again, with the oak and fruit really well in balance, nice tertiary development, but still some freshness. No hurry to drink, but no need to wait either - about as good as it will get. Outstanding.
Deep garnet colour. Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed. Dry, med+ acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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This is in that lovely spot where it’s starting to show the characteristics of aged traditional Rioja. Quite ‘stemmy’ initially with pronounced acidity but it puts on a little weight with air. Hints of citrus and embers. Red fruited nicely sour fruit on the finish. No rush but certainly approachable for those seeking the joys of traditional Rioja.
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Deep ruby color. Nose of ripe black cherry, earth, spicebox, and a touch of pencil lead. Medium bodied on the palate, silky, and very elegant with fine, ripe tannins on the finish. This has a long way to go yet but is in a great place right now.
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This is really in a good place now with ample cherry fruit, some smoky tertiary notes, and just a hint of the umami to come with further age. I really love the CVNE style- this is an excellent example of traditional tempranillo!
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Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty and savoury initially but with time strawberry, cream, vanilla, sweet spices, slight herbaceous (though not unripe) notes. It also develops some more savoury spices and charcuterie notes. In the mouth it's juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, black tea, fresh red berries, talc textured tannic grip is persistent and long with vanilla and sweet spice joining on the finish. Lovely.
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My first bottle in several years, since 2017. Showing more mature with secondary notes of plum, spice box, hints of orange, sweet tea. Palate still shows some tannin, with more pine, tar, herb and iron notes. Still quite intact and just getting into the mature range for rioja.
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This is a lovely Rioja with none of the over-oaked dill notes that can overpower some traditional renditions. This is all about dark, austere cherry fruit and savory, leathery, smoky undertones. This is high in tannins and acidity and seems very young still...I definitely don’t think this is anywhere close to peak form. It seems like many of the ‘01s are starting to come out of a lengthy closed period and show what they are about- it should be interesting to follow this wine over the next 10-20 years.
From Coravin. Aromas of umami, yeast extract, earth, tea, leather, sweet spice, raisins, savoury, meaty, red berries. Juicy, savoury, meaty, earthy, underpinned by red berries that are slightly sour, grainy tannins are a little tight and leathery, finishes with sweet spice but also with a saline quality. Mmm. Nice but time.
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Coravin from magnum. Really lovely, in delicious spot right now; I see previous notes saying this is oak-dominated, but that seems to be in the past now. Nose attractively tertiary, with leather and rich tobacco. Maybe a touch of volatility on the palate, but this is well-integrated and adds to the freshness and complexity. There is tannin here, and it's still a touch drying, but it doesn't distract. Very tasty.
1/6, vg cork. Decanted 1.5 hrs. Medium/deep garnet. Nose shows dark fruit, tobacco, touch of leather. Medium/full bodied, dark fruited, cedar, tobacco, touch of leather, soft, layered tannins, fresh acidity, quite long., Excellent, drinking but with a long life ahead of it still.
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3rd of 6, the best by far, with the oak finally well integrated and not dominating the wine. Did not decant so was surprised by how well this showed. Tasting note similar to last one. Still has plenty of life ahead of it.
Deep garnet colour. Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed. Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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I had great expectations of this wine but was very disappointed particularly after the 1994 Tondonia GR I had last week. The wine was unidimensional, somewhat overoaked, lacking in the combination of delicacy and substance I was looking for. Those of us who had the Wine Society’s bottling of I believe the same wine would I think be extremely disappointed.
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Här ryms både frukt, (mjuk) kraft, elegans, längd och komplexitet. Färgen är ljust rubinröd med skiftningar i tegel. En inbjudande och utvecklad doft med röd frukt (körsbär), torkad frukt, vanilj, läder, tobak och lite ceder. I munnen är det silkeslent, knappt medelfylligt, elegant med mjuka, runda tanniner, typiskt bra syra, och bra längd med en ren, fin, sakta avklingande avslutning. Smaken är fortfarande fruktigt generös men med balans och nyanser. Jag tror det här håller ihop bra minst fem år till, men det är ett toppvin nu och det är alltid svårt att sia, särskilt om framtiden! 93-94 p. Nu får jag se fram mot 2004:an om ett antal år.
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More integrated than my first bottle five years ago. Deep color. Cherries and red berries. Some oak, but not overpowering as some have indicated. This appears at its prime with a few more years left.
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Great Rioja, earth, vanilla, cherry, fig, leather, black currant, balsamic note, these fine Rioja’s age so gracefully, medium to full body, great long finish
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Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Strawberry, tobacco leaf, sweet spice, vanilla, a little leather, baked mud. More of the same on the palate. I remember this being more interesting…dumb phase?
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Very consistent with previous notes. Sweet strawberry fruit, gentle spice, hint of vanilla oak, right at its peak but plenty of life ahead. Simply delicious - and less than £20 when I bought it!
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Remainder of a bottle after several Coravin samples over the past year. Deep garnet colour. Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed. Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+). Oak a lot less dominant compared to the previous note, wine seemed in a much better place. Still think it needs a lot of time in the decanter, or you can leave it several more years in the bottle - I think it will continue to improve.
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From memory: Drinking beautifully after a good hour in the decanter. Ripe wild strawberries, leather, sweet pipe tobacco, exotic spices and vanilla on the nose and palate. Fantastic depth, balance and length. No signs of drying fruit – has years ahead of it, but further cellaring is absolutely no requirement. I see that the oak treatment divides opinions, but I found it to be spot on. Just lovely!
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Traditional Rioja. Dark fruit. Medium tannins and acidity. Slightly oaked, but not as overpowering as some have suggested?? Drinking nicely now, but has at least another 10 years left.
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Coravin Sample. Deep garnet colour. Pronounced aromas with oak dominating - vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar, with time some dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), dried fruit (fig, date), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed. Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, still quite grippy, med (+) alcohol, full body. Oak dominates the palate, although with a lot of time, other elements emerge. Finish no more than medium (+). Very hard to rate this wine at the moment. The oak is really dominating everything although with time in contact with air it becomes less evident. Will the oak integrate before the fruit fades? Certainly not a wine to try with Coravin. Give it hours in a decanter, double or triple decanted.
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From magnum. Translucent rosewood color. Old world nose of cedar wood cigar box, potpourri, and a rocky note. Strangely, none of the orange peel which is, for me, a Cune hallmark. The palate is skinny and very mineral driven, having lost all its fruit. This finishes fast with a short acidic pop. This is good wine that was aged for too long. Surprising, given that this is a large format bottle from what was meant to be a standout vintage.
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Fantastic wine lurking below the surface, but unfortunately the surface consists of an impenetrable layer of oak that ruins the wine for me. I just question why there must be so much wood. Will this ever integrate and taste like anything except wood? I am not betting my money on it.
Tasted blind. Soft, very woody, and slightly herbal nose. Layered fruit with sprinkles of cracked black pepper throughout. Complex fruit; plummy on the surface with dark cherry at the core. This really blossomed after an hour. Should have a long life ahead of it, and the oak should further integrate.
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Still dark and brooding on the nose. Lots of dark fruit, vanilla, plum and some smokey notes on the nose with plum and vanilla replays on the palate. Still tannic but very approachable. Decent acidity to act as a food wine but enjoyable on its own as well. Loved it. Long finish and can easily improve another 5 or more years. 94
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Still very young, but very smooth and plush. Plenty of vanilla, dark red fruit and a little tobacco toward the finish. Lovely now and any time over the next half century depending on how you like them. ****
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Score only for right now, this will become higher. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. High cocoa chocolate. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can drink it now but so much greater complexity to come. Hold.
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Faithfully left alone for a couple of years (based on my last note) and was rewarded with a even more closed up wine - and what flavours were present were unintegrated! 2.5 hour decant and drunk like a child. Nevertheless, undoubtedly a great wine in the (very) long term. Will leave until 2021 till my next bottle.
My first bottle in almost two years. Dark ruby color, showing some transparency and youth. The nose is concentrated and dynamic as ever, with first impressions of oak and vanilla followed by nuanced cherry fruit, berry compote, fresh spring rain, with hints of pencil/lead and pine brush. Capturing the essence of classic Rioja. Palate is showing leanness and youth. Proto typical orange peel, Coriander, some spice, followed stringent cherry skin, hints of iron and more lead pipe. Tertiary aromas of wet stones and ash. A powerhouse and possibly the perfect representation of Rioja. 93 plus.
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Colorful Tasting with friends (Private Location): Kind of a intense nose with caramel, sweet condensed milk, dried red & dark berries and a bit of leather. Interesting at first but gets tiring after the fifth sniff. Good acidity & power, a bit spicy and definitely armed with a big portion American oak. Still very young, would be nice to see how this boy develops in 10-20 years.
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Some wine with friends (@home): Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah Popped and poured. Tasted blind. Clear, medium ruby color with garnet rims. Clean, medium intense, developing nose with aromas I had nevery smelled before in a wine: Caramel, Dulce de lece, condensed milk. These aromas overlay all fruit. Spices, oak in the back. Very strange but interesting, compact and dense. Dry, medium+, well integrated acidity, silky tannin, medium+ body, a bit broad (13,5% abv). Aromas of cherry, condensed milk, American oak. Creamy mouthfeel, quite some pressure. Never ever guessed that this could be a Rioja. Still young, but you can drink it now. Potential for further ageing of at least 5-10 years. Do I like it? Hmm, honestly I don’t now…
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Great gran reserva from CVNE from an outstanding vintage. Fresh, soft, balanced, cherries, cedar, hints of chocolade, earth, full body, beautiful long aftertaste. Drink now or hold up to ten years
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Score only for right now, this will become higher for sure. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can drink it now but so much greater complexity to come. Hold.
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This is an excellent traditional Rioja although there is still plenty of vanilla oak to resolve. There is plenty of rich, intense red fruit underneath to make me think this will continue to improve with age. 91+
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Verticale CVNE SAQ 2016 Mêmes conditions que 2005 mais rendement limité. Robe qui commence à montrer des signes de vieillissement, belle longueur des jambes. Nez sur le tertiaire débutant, feuilles humides, kirsch, floral. Bouche belle intégrité, fraise, acidité structurante. ***
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Fabulous! This is one of CVNE's great wines. Unmistakably Rioja on the nose, it's a sweet kiss of American oak mixing with dark cherry and raspberry fruit. On the palate, it is silky, smooth, but at the same time somewhat muscular with excellent acidity and vigorous but also silky Tannins. many tertiary flavors turnup in the latter half of the tasting experience -- Underbrush, leather, and tobacco. One would be hard pressed to me again if I this is the one that is 15 years old! I suspect it will prove this a lot but it least 10 to 20 years. Unfortunately I have only one bottle left so I probably will never know!
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Black Lion Wine Club - Rioja (The Black Lion): The wine is clear and medium garnet in colour. The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of dark fruit (blackberry, black cherry, cassis), red fruit (red cherry), oak (vanilla, toast, smoke), dried fruit (fig, date), tertiary development (leather, caramel, earth, animal). The wine is developing. The palate is dry with high acidity, medium (+) soft, ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced intensity flavours of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, smoke, leather, earth. The finish is long. The wine is outstanding quality. It has great fruit concentration and complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary clusters. The acidity and tannins provide structure and balance the fruit. The finish is long and persistent. If I had one criticism, I would say that the oak is still quite evident and not completely integrated. The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing for at least 10 years. It has the structure and fruit concentration to allow further development of tertiary clusters, and also to allow the oak to integrate fully. A fantastic Rioja Gran Reserva with a long life ahead of it. 85% Tempranilla, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuela, 36 months in oak.
Surprisingly bold given its age - doesn't drink like a 15 year old! Classic rioja, with just a hint of raisin. Darker fruits and not quite as silky-smooth yet.
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Very nice for a Rioja Gran Reserva (if you like Rioja). Needs to warm up a little towards room temp to open up (straight out of the wine fridge it was a little dull. Nice notes of vanilla and caramel.
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Like my ratings of the 2001 Vina Real GR, this deserves perhaps more praise. Passing this to your great grandchildren isn't too far of a stretch. Blackberry, Black cherry, vanilla bean, red cherry, and quite a bit of oak right now. Certainly don't mind oak when it comes to Rioja, but this could stand 10+ more years of integration before it hits its groove.
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Only a brief note. Very concentrated with flashes of cherry, wild berry, oak all in a tight frame and firm background acidity. Highly enjoyable now but with sooooooo much more to offer with patience. Leave till 2017 at least to allow the wine time to flesh out - should easily be good for 30+years from vintage. Potential 94 pointer.
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Medium ruby color with excellent clear body. Nose immediately opened to reveal clean cherry fruit, bright and fresh flower, rose, freshly tilled earth, and a touch of raspberry. The palate is where this wine really shines. Good acid and backbone which are well in tune. More tart red fruit with orange peel, hints of clove, beef, iron and earth. Very good salinity and freshness. A really fine wine on all fronts.
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vanilla, ripe, dense red berry fruit, sweet spice, touches of tobacco, cream, fine tannins, slight oxidative note. integrated, long, feels like vinfanticide despite being 14 years old; still quite youthful and fruit forward. Glorious.
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2001 Rioja (Maryland): Takes more time to open up, but by the end of the night this was in stellar shape. Deep aromas of plums, currants, earth, roses and violets, smoky earth. Bright acidity, great structure, compact at first but smooths out and opens up beautifully. Juicy red currants and red apple fruit is laced with tobacco, olive, earth, roasted coffee, vanilla and violets. Really starts rocking after a few hours and some heavy swirling. I’d love to taste this again in eight or ten years.
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This is one of the best 2001 Riojas made. What a wine. Vanilla bean, black cherry, hints of spice, loam, and super young right now. Won't open again (at least one of my bottles!) for another 10 years.
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Coravin fun - Spanish Lunch (My place, parramatta, sydney): From Coravin. On the nose creamy, buttery, vanilla, spice over very slightly oxidised ripe red berry. With agitation a touch of herbaceousness. In the mouth there are flavours of tobacco and red berries and a touch of blackcurrant cordial, fine tannins and almost a slightly medicinal notes. Nice.
From magnum. Nose is full of coconut oak notes - sweet, deep fruit, chocolate. Rich on palate - very very young and oaky. There is a lot of material here, but this needs decades. Hard to evaluate in any meaningful way.
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Upon pouring the wine opens up beautifully with dried cherry, cedar wood, and herbal characters including cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The body is interesting, since a lot is going on but it still goes down very smoothly. There is very high acidity, and medium+ tannin, but still a light to medium body. The finish lingers for a long time with pronounced oak aspects, almost leaving an impression of honey or caramel, though the wine is dry. Lovely and elegant are the best words to describe it.
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Strong nose - warm and ripe dark cherries, old oak vats, leather, earth.....really secondary and savory. The palate is dark fruited with some oak flavors and lots more dusky savoriness. Totally smooth mouth feel and a powerful body.
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5th bottle, paired with coffe-encrusted and seared sous vide cooked tenderloin filets with ancho chili sauce. A challenging dish to pair with, but the CVNE was OUTSTANDING! Same notes as previously, since every bottle has been boringly consistent: Classically styled reserva Rioja. Smoky oak and vanilla mixed with cherry and strawberry nose. Cherries jubilee. Well structured with a focused start of acid and tart cherries that blooms into the flavors of the nose along with cedar leather orange peel spice and mushroom. The oak and vanilla carry through but are well integrated and not overpowering. Long finish of the core cherries jubilee and smooth polished tannins. This is an extremely well made Rioja in the classic style. If you like Classic Rioja you will not be disappointed.
Drank one glass at a time over 5 days and vacuumed in between. Last day was by far the best.......a 10th day would be better still. Day 5 note: Opaque plum-red colour. Nose dominated on entry by heavy but harmonising new American oak, fleshy but firm red and black plum and cherry fruits, black warm tar macadam, star anise, black liquorice root.....lots more lurking in the background but stage-shy at the moment. Palate is wonderfully fresh mouthfeel with lively cola-esque black and red cherry fruit and lovely refined, clean assured tannic structure....coal tar. Hibernating power and resonance on the finish with a wonderfully clean, refined note that promises impressively for the coming 10-15 years and is a stand-out feature of the 2001s. This hasn't budged much since I drank it 2 years ago so patience is required.
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Score only for right now, this will become higher for sure. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can enjoy it now but so much greater complexity to come.
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Ruby clear color, old world in appearance. Bing cherry, tar, anise, and dried lingonberry in the nose. Clean and elegant mouth feel, with good tannin but not overbearing. On the palate more red cherry, red cranberry, some orange peel, wet stone and clove. Well made but lacking some roundness on this bottle.
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A lovely magnum which matched the Pyrennean lamb perfectly. In my view the wine is fully mature on its plateau. It delivers a soft but engagingly fruity mouthful with only a light tannic structure.
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Un Imperial de nuevo cuño, poderoso y nada austero en estos sus primeros años de andadura, a diferencia de lo que solía ser costumbre de la marca, y de la bodega. Se muestra pletórico en intensidad, en detalles, y sobre todo en una fruta fragante, perfumada, que imprime un intenso carácter varietal al vino. Se entrega totalmente sin guardarse nada para más adelante. Se sostiene sobre un piso de madera fina, elegante, suavemente ahumada, que retiene una caricia de vainilla y un amago de térreos, cuero viejo, tabaco rubio. Se airea, se abre, cada vez más perfumado y entero. Jovial, alegre, muy disfrutable.
En boca se agarra con fuerza, vibrante, corpulento y sedoso a la par, aterciopelado, inundando con fruta en sazón matizada por una acidez descarnada. Fresco, jugoso, equilibrado, dotado de taninos de auténtico lujo, pura seda, y una progresiva sensación de equilibrio que va apoderándose del conjunto. Un Imperial elaborado con mimo que muestra sin recato las bondades de la gran añada del 2001. Aún le falta ganar en profundidad y comenzar a reducirse en botella. La espera seguro que le sienta bien. Excesivamente joven y enérgico en este momento. Hay materia prima, y de la buena, para que vaya ganando en matices. Está por ver si alcanza el nivel altísimo de calidad de los Imperial de los 60 y 70. Ya comienza a dar pistas que estamos ante uno de esos pesos pesados de Cvne. Un consejo: comprar ahora que todavía es posible.
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85% tempranillo, 10% graciano, 5% mazuelo - 13.5% vol. Toda la uva procede de viñedos ubicados en la Rioja Alta. Vendimia manual. Permanece en depósito, a temperatura controlada, en los que realiza la fermentación alcohólica y reposa antes de pasar a criarse en madera. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas de roble francés y americano de 225 litros. Según la cosecha se deja descansar hasta 60 meses en botelleros en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Classically styled reserva Rioja. Smoky oak and vanilla mixed with cherry and strawberry nose. Cherries jubilee. Well structured with a focused start of acid and tart cherries that blooms into the flavors of the nose along with cedar leather orange peel spice and mushroom. The oak and vanilla carry through but are well integrated and not overpowering. Long finish of the core cherries jubilee and tannins. Mouthfeel is full with polished slightly grippy tannins. This is an extremely well made Rioja in the classic style. Very consistent across four bottles consumed so far from a case. If you like Classic Rioja you will not be disappointed.
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Consumed bottle over two days. Color is old world in nature, natural garnet and dusty. Nose is justifiably traditional Rioja, stewed fruit, orange peel, spice box and wood. Palate is a bit austere in nature, showing no signs of age. Taste elements of tart cherry, black fruit, dry earth, touch of citrus, stone fruit, and tannic elements of stem. The wine is complex/intriguing, and demonstrates the classic elements of old world red wine. Well done worth buying a case.
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Monday Night Session (Extra Space): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of toasted oak, vanilla, red plums, sweet earth. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, fine smooth velvety medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of sweet earth, toasted oak, vanilla, red plums, dark cherries, and mild spice. Long finish. Very good quality Rioja from a good vintage and producer. Can drink now with proper decant. Will improve with further ageing over the next 5 years.
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Consumed over multiple nights thru Coravin. Nose is lusher and more heavy upon each pour than I remember. Full nose of lush fruit, oak and dusty earth. Palate is still tight, but shows promise. Black fruit, earth, stem,green elements which bring on the tannin. Needs time.
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Decanted for 2-3 hours during which time some funk blew off. Strawberry, tobacco, leather, spice and a touch of dried herbs on the nose with red fruit, spice, and cigar box on the palate. Showed well.
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deep rich and interesting both tart and to a lesser extent sweet fruit but in the background enough acidity to cut through some sun dried tomato soup[and grilled cheese]
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Dark rosewood color. Better integrated than the prior bottle (see my 10/13/2013 note), this had all the elements aligned harmoniously. Nose of berries, orange peel and smoky "campfire" scents. The palate is smooth and juicy, with residual tannic elements and a medium-long finish. This is an elegant "Old World" style wine and made a charming pairing with roast duck breast, though it could certainly be enjoyed on its own. I'll aim to finish the rest of my bottles within the next five years.
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A young'un, but it drank beautifully. After a 3 hour decant it opened up to reveal Rioja savoury notes of leather, soy/Worchestershire, herbs and tobacco along with plenty of fresh, primary fruit. Good tannic grip on the finish. This has such great potential, and should be a real treat in, oh, 15 or 20 years.
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No time like the present. Dark red berry aromas, raspberry. At pop and pour, more fruit than anything else. A little kernel. Actually opens up to some more complexity rather quickly. Herb and spice. Some Worchestershire tucked in there. And beyond that, rather mouthwateringly umami aroma. A little sweaty. Oak doesn't show too overtly, there's some kernel holding it all together, but not to roasty or robust. On the palate, floral notes pop out first. Medium/(+) tannin, that seems to swell up front, but then finish more modest, fine, and polished. Classed and Bordelaise mineral/herb more apparent on the palate than the nose. Lots of texture on the palate. Day 2. Modest fruit aromas, but complex palate. Today, I'd confirm medium tannin.
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Double blind. Medium ruby. Nose has toasty dark cherry and vanilla notes. Palate red cherry fruit that is well integrated with toast. Good juicy acidity provides balance and stretches out the length.
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Chicago Wine Flock..."Dennis Shares Spain" (Casa de la Mata - Chicago IL): Served double blind in mostly 2001 Rioja flight. I found this to be the toughest wine to assess. While lush and powerful, it is also very, very young and seemingly awkward with pronounced new oak and structure jutting out at times in the first hour tasted. Much better a couple of hours later.
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Soft but still a very compelling and pleasing wine - traditional Rioja in style by which I mean a touch of sweet vanilla from the oak balanced with a five spice edge. Now fully mature but should continue to drink well for a good few years yet - I now move on to my magnums!!
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Glad I went long on this vintage. Drinking very well in its youth, with the stuffing to last years. Smokey cherries and orange peel, spice, sweet pipe tobacco and floral notes.
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Tasted at Sandbar. Oh my, this is wonderful! Just getting to really ready to drink. Lovely color and legs. Great nose. Rustic but delightful red. Beautifully paired with short ribs. This is just really entering its best drinking phase. Lovely tonight but the tannins are still a bit dominant. It will drink well for years. I may need to find some! Outstanding!
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Two bottles decanted together for two hours in magnum decanter. As per previous note but found it harder to show all the character when matched with a superb but gamey boneless rolled leg of venison. Seemed lighter than I remembered thus loss of a point. No complaints however.
Layered and complex. Great on it's own, but complimented a full Thanksgiving dinner very well. Nice subtle changes over a couple hours. Cherry, minerals, vanilla oak. Awesome now, but plenty of life left. Long finish.
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At IWM tasting in NYC/AIE event. Consistent with prior notes, this is an excellent wine in a great place right now. Classic Rioja, red and black fruit, oak, spice and leather. Rich mouthfeel, medium finish. Good stuff...
Spanish wine - IMO - has one of the best QPRs in the US right now. Wines like this with 10+ years of bottle age are very good values
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Tasted at the Wine Experience New York 2013 Round and enticing smell; on palate well evolved but still has plenty of complexity left. Should hold for another 20+ years
Accesed with Coravin. Medium carmine color. The nose immediately expresses a mix of smoky, rocky, woody and fruit flavors. With aeartion, additional nuances of rose petals, berries, roasted bell peppers, cedar, and cinnamon emerge. The palate starts out somewhat restrained by stiff tannins and firm acidity. However, some time in the glass allows this to mellow and express fruity notes like the nose. Regrettably, the nose itself fades during this process, leaving the wine unbalanced between one and the other. This is a complex wine made in a restrained old-world style, but I would like to see it achieve better harmony between fragrance and flavor.
I have had great bottle variability in this wine. Maybe it is the retailers storage maybe its a "traditional" Rioja issue. I do not know. Nevertheless all bottles have been great. This bottle in particular would have fooled me had I tasted it blind. I would have guessed a Margaux Bordeaux. Still very young and the tannin's still very present. I think 2001 CVNE veers ever so slightly to a more modern style of Rioja wine. Older CVNE's or LdH remind me more of a Burgundy with their bright red fruit profile and acidity while this wine seemed more Bordeaux like. Still a great wine.
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An amazing wine. Decanted for an hour and drank with a mushroom risotto. Great bouquet of leather with floral notes. A bit of fruit, earth, integrated tannins on the front palette with a hint of spice on the back. This wine will not get better! It is drinking perfectly right now.
A great wine. Relative to my benchmark for Rioja, LdH's silken gran reservas, this was more primary, darker, more masculine and polished. The wine was rocking with a full-bodied palate, smooth dark fruit, a powerful grip, and an intensely aromatic nose of black fruit and oak.
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Oak well integrated into this bottle. Bright acidity with a good backdrop of red fruit. Definately a food wine. Probably more fruit than older CVNE vintages. I need to buy more of is wine. 1 yr ago i got it for 35$ a bottle and i see it higher everytime I restock.
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Not much to add to the helpful notes below. Great wine. Can mature really well over next 5 years. We got magnums and I think that is the best to allow this to mature. I'd guess this is going to end up a two case wine on the Hugh Johnson score
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Ditto other reviews. Opens up with much finesse on nose and palate, with a quick prominent velvety finish. Nose evolves over time, and gives off a dizzying array of aromas - black fruit, herbs, wood floor, black tar, dried fruits and coco nib. Upon additional airtime acid begins to creep up more and tannins become apparent, a great evolution is underway. Palate yields flavors of stewed fruits, dried herbs, cherry, menthol and cherry cola characteristics. Some heat on back palate, which will subside and lead to further integration with time. Finish is very long and lingering, and clearly the structure is there for a long lifetime.
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This was a lovely bottle of wine. Extremely smooth, with wonderfully balanced acidity, delicate, complex wine. The tannins were perfectly settled. The nose was beautiful, quite floral. An elegant wine. I decanted this for 3 hours. Reminded me of a La Lagune actually.
Pure class. Immediately on the first sip this just floors you with its silky delicacy. It also throws off an expressive aroma which quiets down with a little airtime but for just a little bit opens the door wide on all the stuff that went in here: including the wood, admittedly, and you do get some coconutty scents which integrate quickly, but it also has a delightful fragrance of herbs and orchard fruit skins, just classic Rioja in every way. On the palate that silkiness is captivating from the first sip to the last, and those orchard fruit flavors waft across the palate as etherally as any wine I've ever had from anywhere. This is Rioja built like Les Amoureuses.
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From magnum, double decanted 6 hours before serving. Beautiful Rioja, young and fresh but drinking superbly, fruit, oak, tannin in perfect harmony. Also opened a bottle without time for breathing - probably more like a 92, although definitely better when finishing the next day.
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Sweet red cherry, hints of red floral, dried flower petals, touch of cocoa, dusty fine tannins, great swelling intensity on the palate, but very elegant; not big or flashy, but beautiful and elegantly structured with depth.
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Outstanding wine - real complexity of flavours, beyond the plums and berries, there are vegetal notes, mushrooms, meat, marmalade. Still sharp oak and tannins. Nose and palate are full of flavour yet the wine feels so light. Finish really goes on forever. Fantastic. Only qualification is that I am not so confident as some that this wine has decades to go and I would drink over the next 5 years or so to be on the safe side.
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A lovely bottle, showing very little evolution in color. The nose is fragrant, with spice, red fruits, sandalwood and a hint of dill. Silky on entry, yet this still could use some time to soften the structure more. The sweet cinnamon-laced oak seemed a bit prominent at first, but this became better integrated with air. Lovely wine that just needs more time to come together.
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Decanted for two hours. Classic nose of cooked plums and vegetal notes in charred oak envelope. Plums carry forward to palate with fully integrated smoky tannins with hints of cassis and dark chocolate. Good race and length. At a nice drinking plateau, with the structure for further evolution and higher mark. Good for at least 20 years from vintage. The definitive Gran Reserva against which to judge the others. Fine wine and good value.
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Rioja-Pink, White and Red (San Francisco Wine Trading Company): Moderately dark center. Some volatile acidity and green herbs. Medium weight with lovely, subtle red fruit, nice feel, sneaky acidity and spicy wood on the finish that enhances rather than shortens the wine. Pretty classic and great power for its weight. Very classy.
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Dark, bright black cherry colour. Nose of semi-matured and well-rounded oak together with high notes of black cherry, red cherry and black chocolate. Palate has a similar attack to the nose and is semi-mature. To be fair, we popped and poured this from my cellar at the last moment over cheese when the 1982 Ch. Branaire Ducru had run out. The last glass the following day was the best. I would leave this another 5 years or give it a 5-hour decant to enjoy fully today.
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Wine Education Service - Rioja - Gran Reserva (LSE): Quite youthful colour. Very animal initially, then fruity, interesting. Fruity, soft tannins, silky and sweet in the mid palate and finish - very desirable.
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WES - Rioja Gran Reserva (Imperial College London): Clear and Bright. Very intense. Little sign of age. Vegetal nose with some pepper spice and polish. Velvety, silky, rich ripe fruit. Sweet, long with good structure.
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Some earthy maturity tones on the nose but not much. A bit sweet on the attack, some acidity and burned mint on the mid palete, a lot earth and maturity tones on the finish.
Drink now, this is a wellmade typical rioja that will turn into water within a year.
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Dark recd. Very little brickering on the rim. Curtains on the glass. Very oaky nose. Plenty of red fruit. Good red fruit on the palate, very smooth tannins and integrated acidity. earthy notes. Medium bodied with long after taste. 2/3 = good to very good.
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Two bottles drank (both same score) at a family dinner with superb roast free range Blythburgh pork - decanted three hours in advance - very good wine indeed - smoky, deep black fruit with oaky vanilla tones - earthy pleasures on the complex finish = a long life yet ahead for this wine - can I afford to buy more? can I afford not to?
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Very classical Rioja. Tar, violets and loads of vanilla. Full bodied and quite powerful. Still very youthful and somewhat backward but with good promises for the future.
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Seriously oaky mutherf***er, with bourbon cask notes laced with vanilla and cola. There are some nice sweet raspberry fruit things going on along with a lick of licorice and some tar and leather. It is dense and needs plenty of time to even out and drink somewhere near its peak.
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Decanted in a narrow decanter for 12h. This is really a treat. Leather and on the nose. Smooth, creamy and silky on the palate. Acids prominent, but not disturbing. Tannins vell integrated. Very long. Not sure how it will develop (get much better or not), but for sure its not yet near the end of it's life.
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There's a lot of roasted peppers and plum on the palate. Really fine and slender tannins really pack a punch, but they're so tightly wound that it calls for additional cellaring. It's also a great expression of an interesting mix of french and american oak, with warm and tasty notes of vanilla, cinammon toast, and extra spices.
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Imperial Gran Reserva Vertical Tasting / Cata Vertical Imperial Gran Reserva (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Fermented in oak. Young colour, profound violet with cardinal edges. Super perfumed. Fruit everywhere: wild strawberries (Tempranillo) soaked in cinnamon. Totally Graciano for my nose: gunpowder. Long legs. This is going to be a long distance runner but quite delicious at this moment. Palate is closed, sturdy and tannic. High acidity. Clearly needs some time. It is not at store yet. Have to wait until next year.
Fermentado en barril. Color joven, violeta profundo con ribetes cardenalicios. Super perfumado. Fruta por todas partes: fresas salvajes (Tempranillo) ahogadas en canela. Totalmente en Graciano para mi nariz: pólvora. Largas lágrimas. Tiene una larga vida por delante pero está delicioso ahora. El palacar está cerrado, robusto y tánico. Alta acidez. Claramente necesita tiempo. No está a la venta aún. Tenemos que esperar hasta el año que viene.
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85% Tempranillo ; 10% Graciano and 5% Carignan. Alc13.8%
Nice pure fruit and vanilla dominate the nose . There is no obvious oak but the creamy vanilla is there in spades. There is a hint of ‘lift’. It has a lovely pure deep cherry colour. In the mouth it is smooth and persistent. It’s certainly more ‘traditional’ than ‘modern’ Any fears that the style had changed are somewhat allayed by this wine. This is very impressive.
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2/18/2024 - Chemari wrote: 97 Points
Coravin 18.02.24. Ahumado en nariz. Tabaco. Boca redonda muy sabroso, largo, acidez agradable. Está teemendo
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1/31/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lorne Rangers 2024 (Lorne): Darker and more brooding than the Tondo '95, with a more conventional and certainly more youthful nose that showed mint, cocoa and US oak. Really interesting (and tasty) on the palate, with notes of Stollen and cigar as well as the expected deep fruit - smooth and sensual. A long plummy finish, with a hint of bitterness. This was very good when I first tried it four years ago, and it's even better today - and is likely to keep improving.
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1/31/2024 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lorne Rangers 2024 - Rioja (Lorne Restaurant, London): Double decanted before being transported to the restaurant and then decanted on arrival. I guess we started sipping 3 hours after the cork first pulled. Beguiling nose here with dark fruits complemented by some 90% cocoa dark chocolate bitterness, some sour cherries, blood orange and a couple of ppm of peppermint. With time in the glass we could almost be in Bordeaux with some cedar and tobacco emerging. The final glass shows hints of gingerbread and a couple of ppm of strawberry sorbet. Fabulous.
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12/29/2023 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Wow, what an impressive bottle, dark red fruit, floral, smoke, chocolate, plum, leather, so composed with defining acids, a kiss of American oak, still young on the palate but this is terrific just needs 5-10 more years based on how unbelievably good the 1994 was.
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10/30/2023 - havarhar wrote: 92 Points
Mørk rød farge. Ingen lilla toner.
Modne kirsebær på lukt, med tydelige eiketoner.
Mørke frukter på smak, fyldig, velbalansert med tydelige eiketoner. Behagelig i munnen. Lang. Lite merkbare tanniner. En av de bedre Rioja jeg har drukket.
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10/1/2023 - Mleh Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible. Aroma of coffee, flavors of coffee and red fruits, beautifully smooth, lovely tannins, incredible balance.
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3/24/2023 - Andrewbdc wrote: 93 Points
Last two bottles of case of 6, again in excellent shape, with the oak and fruit really well in balance, nice tertiary development, but still some freshness. Outstanding although I suspect this might start to fade a bit soon. Drink over next few years.
Deep garnet colour.
Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed.
Dry, med+ acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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3/4/2023 - Cmellison Likes this wine: 97 Points
One of the most impressive wines I have tasted. Was the top wine or 2nd of the night during Rioja tasting.
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1/28/2023 - dearth wrote: 90 Points
Rich red with slight orange edge. Mostly rich, ripe red fruit with earthy cedarwood on the nose, and a little bit of leathery tobacco. Maybe even a touch of pencil, at least something associative to Bordeaux there. Taste is well balanced with spicy fruits and broad maturation notes, succulent throughout the finish. Needs decanting for an hour or two, but not too long; after a couple more, it slightly starts declining. Enjoyable wine quite typical for upper-tier CVNE.
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1/14/2023 - chatters wrote:
Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. A little caramel, toast, slightly spiritous notes, dried flowers, red berry and cherry fruits, a little vanilla, cedar, plenty of sweet spice, with time settle into ripe strawberry, raspberry, cream and vanilla. Juicy, fleshy, polished, strawberries, raspberry's, slightly toasted vanilla. cream, tannins are woody, drying but support eh flavours finishes long with a little bitter note that doesn't detract, lovely.
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9/17/2022 - WST Likes this wine:
First taste since my last bottle in 2014. Surprisingly similar to that one. Smokey cherries, lots is sweet pipe tobacco, oak spice, licorice. Decades of life left in this one. It’s not a subtle wine, and needs the right pairing. Perfect with tritip tacos.
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9/4/2022 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
(Mostly) Spanish dinner (Chicago, IL): Comes across a little strong with its acidity. A distinct note of American oak dill, as well as a good amount of earthiness too. The fruit and tannins are still quite primary, and I think this will get better with time in the bottle.
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4/9/2022 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Even with a couple hours of air in the decanter, this is a youthful and rich young Rioja. Seamless, balanced and approachable but still quite primary and slightly gritty at this stage. Better in 10+ years as it sheds a little more fat and the earthy, leathery complexities emerge. Upside from here.
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3/19/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Oliver's glorious Steak and Rioja lunch (The London Borough of Waltham Forest): Depth to it. A clarety richness but also the spice from the american oak.
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2/27/2022 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
Inky rich color, showing youth and power. Nose shows oak initially followed by herbs, citrus peels, tar, beef and rosemary. As in previous bottles very aromatic. On the palate is more oak, hints of refined vanilla, herbal undertones complimented by ripe berry fruits. Toasted oak on the finish. Still quite youthful, could go for another decade at least I would imagine.
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12/6/2021 - sharonandroland wrote: 93 Points
Good evolution with a lot of mileage left.
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10/9/2021 - drwine2001 wrote:
Magnum. Opened 8 hours in advance. Impressive saturation. Light balsam and spice on the nose. Medium weight with a sensuous, round, seamless feel. Outstanding bright red fruit, a twist of citrus peel, light herb, and chocolatey tannins. Much more classic and less weighty and sweet than something like the 2010 Prado Enea. Here the ripeness is just a whisper in comparison, adding to the whole mix rather than stomping down all of the other elements. Fantastic bottle just reaching its apogee in this larger format.
After being recorked overnight, drier, acidity and pine more to the fore, but still that bitter chocolate richness underneath.
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7/28/2021 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine: 93 Points
Simply outstanding. An elegant Rioja. Mellowed oak. A complex of berries and dried fruits. Round. Ready. Last bottle, and it was appreciated by all.
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12/29/2020 - abbulf Likes this wine:
A lovely Rioja. Quite developed, but with lots of vitality. Oak is still evident, but adds complexity rather than dominating. The palate is now very impresive. Lots of power and still structured, but at the same time an almost burgundian elegance where the flavours go towards strawberries and raspberries. 2001 is a great vintage for Rioja, and I believe there is still some positive evolvement to be had here, but at the same time it is at a very nice place now, so I do not regret opening my last bottle tonight.
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12/16/2020 - Andrewbdc wrote: 93 Points
4th of 6, better again, with the oak and fruit really well in balance, nice tertiary development, but still some freshness. No hurry to drink, but no need to wait either - about as good as it will get. Outstanding.
Deep garnet colour.
Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed.
Dry, med+ acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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12/13/2020 - rayq wrote: 93 Points
This is in that lovely spot where it’s starting to show the characteristics of aged traditional Rioja. Quite ‘stemmy’ initially with pronounced acidity but it puts on a little weight with air. Hints of citrus and embers. Red fruited nicely sour fruit on the finish. No rush but certainly approachable for those seeking the joys of traditional Rioja.
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12/4/2020 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color. Nose of ripe black cherry, earth, spicebox, and a touch of pencil lead. Medium bodied on the palate, silky, and very elegant with fine, ripe tannins on the finish. This has a long way to go yet but is in a great place right now.
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10/27/2020 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
This is really in a good place now with ample cherry fruit, some smoky tertiary notes, and just a hint of the umami to come with further age. I really love the CVNE style- this is an excellent example of traditional tempranillo!
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10/9/2020 - chatters wrote:
Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty and savoury initially but with time strawberry, cream, vanilla, sweet spices, slight herbaceous (though not unripe) notes. It also develops some more savoury spices and charcuterie notes. In the mouth it's juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, black tea, fresh red berries, talc textured tannic grip is persistent and long with vanilla and sweet spice joining on the finish. Lovely.
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9/19/2020 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
My first bottle in several years, since 2017. Showing more mature with secondary notes of plum, spice box, hints of orange, sweet tea. Palate still shows some tannin, with more pine, tar, herb and iron notes. Still quite intact and just getting into the mature range for rioja.
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5/7/2020 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
This is a lovely Rioja with none of the over-oaked dill notes that can overpower some traditional renditions. This is all about dark, austere cherry fruit and savory, leathery, smoky undertones. This is high in tannins and acidity and seems very young still...I definitely don’t think this is anywhere close to peak form. It seems like many of the ‘01s are starting to come out of a lengthy closed period and show what they are about- it should be interesting to follow this wine over the next 10-20 years.
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2/28/2020 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Aromas of umami, yeast extract, earth, tea, leather, sweet spice, raisins, savoury, meaty, red berries. Juicy, savoury, meaty, earthy, underpinned by red berries that are slightly sour, grainy tannins are a little tight and leathery, finishes with sweet spice but also with a saline quality. Mmm. Nice but time.
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2/4/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin from magnum. Really lovely, in delicious spot right now; I see previous notes saying this is oak-dominated, but that seems to be in the past now. Nose attractively tertiary, with leather and rich tobacco. Maybe a touch of volatility on the palate, but this is well-integrated and adds to the freshness and complexity. There is tannin here, and it's still a touch drying, but it doesn't distract. Very tasty.
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12/25/2019 - Paul D wrote: 92 Points
1/6, vg cork. Decanted 1.5 hrs.
Medium/deep garnet. Nose shows dark fruit, tobacco, touch of leather. Medium/full bodied, dark fruited, cedar, tobacco, touch of leather, soft, layered tannins, fresh acidity, quite long., Excellent, drinking but with a long life ahead of it still.
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12/25/2019 - Andrewbdc wrote: 91 Points
3rd of 6, the best by far, with the oak finally well integrated and not dominating the wine. Did not decant so was surprised by how well this showed. Tasting note similar to last one. Still has plenty of life ahead of it.
Deep garnet colour.
Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed.
Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
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9/2/2019 - debenlodge wrote: 88 Points
I had great expectations of this wine but was very disappointed particularly after the 1994 Tondonia GR I had last week. The wine was unidimensional, somewhat overoaked, lacking in the combination of delicacy and substance I was looking for. Those of us who had the Wine Society’s bottling of I believe the same wine would I think be extremely disappointed.
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8/1/2019 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a great spot, even with a PnP. A long life ahead if stored well, but also enjoyable right now. Classic old school Rioja.
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7/22/2019 - Conde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Utan tvekan ett av de bästa viner jag druckit!
Här ryms både frukt, (mjuk) kraft, elegans, längd och komplexitet.
Färgen är ljust rubinröd med skiftningar i tegel.
En inbjudande och utvecklad doft med röd frukt (körsbär), torkad frukt, vanilj, läder, tobak och lite ceder.
I munnen är det silkeslent, knappt medelfylligt, elegant med mjuka, runda tanniner, typiskt bra syra, och bra längd med en ren, fin, sakta avklingande avslutning. Smaken är fortfarande fruktigt generös men med balans och nyanser.
Jag tror det här håller ihop bra minst fem år till, men det är ett toppvin nu och det är alltid svårt att sia, särskilt om framtiden!
93-94 p. Nu får jag se fram mot 2004:an om ett antal år.
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7/18/2019 - sunnylea57 wrote:
Corked
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6/21/2019 - gew71walsh wrote: 93 Points
More integrated than my first bottle five years ago. Deep color. Cherries and red berries. Some oak, but not overpowering as some have indicated. This appears at its prime with a few more years left.
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5/16/2019 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great Rioja, earth, vanilla, cherry, fig, leather, black currant, balsamic note, these fine Rioja’s age so gracefully, medium to full body, great long finish
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1/31/2019 - chatters wrote:
Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Strawberry, tobacco leaf, sweet spice, vanilla, a little leather, baked mud. More of the same on the palate. I remember this being more interesting…dumb phase?
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1/20/2019 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very consistent with previous notes. Sweet strawberry fruit, gentle spice, hint of vanilla oak, right at its peak but plenty of life ahead.
Simply delicious - and less than £20 when I bought it!
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8/31/2018 - Andrewbdc wrote: 91 Points
Remainder of a bottle after several Coravin samples over the past year.
Deep garnet colour.
Pronounced aromas - dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), some red fruit too, oak (vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar), dried fruit (fig, date, prune), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed.
Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, finer now, med (+) alcohol, full body. Concentrated flavours. Finish is medium (+).
Oak a lot less dominant compared to the previous note, wine seemed in a much better place. Still think it needs a lot of time in the decanter, or you can leave it several more years in the bottle - I think it will continue to improve.
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3/25/2018 - Pebben wrote: 94 Points
From memory: Drinking beautifully after a good hour in the decanter. Ripe wild strawberries, leather, sweet pipe tobacco, exotic spices and vanilla on the nose and palate. Fantastic depth, balance and length. No signs of drying fruit – has years ahead of it, but further cellaring is absolutely no requirement. I see that the oak treatment divides opinions, but I found it to be spot on. Just lovely!
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1/31/2018 - AV2012 wrote: 91 Points
Actually it feels quite modern. Juicy, upfront fruits, quite extracted, no usual typical notes of US oak. Beautiful wine.
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1/20/2018 - djarcara Likes this wine: 91 Points
Traditional Rioja. Dark fruit. Medium tannins and acidity. Slightly oaked, but not as overpowering as some have suggested?? Drinking nicely now, but has at least another 10 years left.
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12/29/2017 - Andrewbdc wrote:
Coravin Sample.
Deep garnet colour.
Pronounced aromas with oak dominating - vanilla, clove, smoke, cedar, with time some dark fruit (cherry, bramble, cassis), dried fruit (fig, date), tertiary (leather, earth, caramel, chocolate, meat). Fully developed.
Dry, high acidity, high chalky tannins, still quite grippy, med (+) alcohol, full body. Oak dominates the palate, although with a lot of time, other elements emerge. Finish no more than medium (+).
Very hard to rate this wine at the moment. The oak is really dominating everything although with time in contact with air it becomes less evident.
Will the oak integrate before the fruit fades?
Certainly not a wine to try with Coravin. Give it hours in a decanter, double or triple decanted.
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12/25/2017 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 86 Points
From magnum. Translucent rosewood color. Old world nose of cedar wood cigar box, potpourri, and a rocky note. Strangely, none of the orange peel which is, for me, a Cune hallmark. The palate is skinny and very mineral driven, having lost all its fruit. This finishes fast with a short acidic pop. This is good wine that was aged for too long. Surprising, given that this is a large format bottle from what was meant to be a standout vintage.
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12/2/2017 - robmatic wrote: 85 Points
Fantastic wine lurking below the surface, but unfortunately the surface consists of an impenetrable layer of oak that ruins the wine for me. I just question why there must be so much wood. Will this ever integrate and taste like anything except wood? I am not betting my money on it.
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12/2/2017 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Soft, very woody, and slightly herbal nose. Layered fruit with sprinkles of cracked black pepper throughout. Complex fruit; plummy on the surface with dark cherry at the core. This really blossomed after an hour. Should have a long life ahead of it, and the oak should further integrate.
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10/31/2017 - mimik wrote: 94 Points
Still dark and brooding on the nose. Lots of dark fruit, vanilla, plum and some smokey notes on the nose with plum and vanilla replays on the palate. Still tannic but very approachable. Decent acidity to act as a food wine but enjoyable on its own as well. Loved it. Long finish and can easily improve another 5 or more years. 94
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8/26/2017 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Still very young, but very smooth and plush. Plenty of vanilla, dark red fruit and a little tobacco toward the finish. Lovely now and any time over the next half century depending on how you like them. ****
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8/22/2017 - cannym Likes this wine: 92 Points
Score only for right now, this will become higher. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. High cocoa chocolate. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can drink it now but so much greater complexity to come. Hold.
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8/20/2017 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than the last bottle. Seems to be just coming into its window now, with velvety tannins and huge mouthfeel. Wish I had more!
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7/24/2017 - MissHighwater wrote: 95 Points
perfect Rioja drinking in its prime
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4/15/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
Faithfully left alone for a couple of years (based on my last note) and was rewarded with a even more closed up wine - and what flavours were present were unintegrated! 2.5 hour decant and drunk like a child. Nevertheless, undoubtedly a great wine in the (very) long term.
Will leave until 2021 till my next bottle.
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3/31/2017 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
My first bottle in almost two years. Dark ruby color, showing some transparency and youth. The nose is concentrated and dynamic as ever, with first impressions of oak and vanilla followed by nuanced cherry fruit, berry compote, fresh spring rain, with hints of pencil/lead and pine brush. Capturing the essence of classic Rioja. Palate is showing leanness and youth. Proto typical orange peel, Coriander, some spice, followed stringent cherry skin, hints of iron and more lead pipe. Tertiary aromas of wet stones and ash.
A powerhouse and possibly the perfect representation of Rioja. 93 plus.
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3/17/2017 - m_arcon wrote: 88 Points
Colorful Tasting with friends (Private Location): Kind of a intense nose with caramel, sweet condensed milk, dried red & dark berries and a bit of leather. Interesting at first but gets tiring after the fifth sniff. Good acidity & power, a bit spicy and definitely armed with a big portion American oak. Still very young, would be nice to see how this boy develops in 10-20 years.
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3/17/2017 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 90 Points
Some wine with friends (@home): Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
Popped and poured. Tasted blind.
Clear, medium ruby color with garnet rims. Clean, medium intense, developing nose with aromas I had nevery smelled before in a wine: Caramel, Dulce de lece, condensed milk. These aromas overlay all fruit. Spices, oak in the back. Very strange but interesting, compact and dense.
Dry, medium+, well integrated acidity, silky tannin, medium+ body, a bit broad (13,5% abv). Aromas of cherry, condensed milk, American oak. Creamy mouthfeel, quite some pressure. Never ever guessed that this could be a Rioja. Still young, but you can drink it now. Potential for further ageing of at least 5-10 years. Do I like it? Hmm, honestly I don’t now…
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2/3/2017 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great gran reserva from CVNE from an outstanding vintage. Fresh, soft, balanced, cherries, cedar, hints of chocolade, earth, full body, beautiful long aftertaste. Drink now or hold up to ten years
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1/20/2017 - cannym Likes this wine: 92 Points
Score only for right now, this will become higher for sure. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can drink it now but so much greater complexity to come. Hold.
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12/22/2016 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect rioja, 15 years old and yet still so fresh and young. Worth giving it a long decant.
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11/6/2016 - nadecesse wrote: 91 Points
Sans note. 91-92+?
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11/6/2016 - FrancoisD Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cerises, vanille, champignons.
Belle longueur et equilibre.
Rioja classique tout en finesse
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9/16/2016 - "Rhône Rider" wrote: flawed
Ukrrant
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7/31/2016 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is an excellent traditional Rioja although there is still plenty of vanilla oak to resolve. There is plenty of rich, intense red fruit underneath to make me think this will continue to improve with age. 91+
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7/3/2016 - Avicenne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Verticale CVNE SAQ 2016
Mêmes conditions que 2005 mais rendement limité.
Robe qui commence à montrer des signes de vieillissement, belle longueur des jambes.
Nez sur le tertiaire débutant, feuilles humides, kirsch, floral.
Bouche belle intégrité, fraise, acidité structurante.
***
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6/3/2016 - niloc36 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous! This is one of CVNE's great wines. Unmistakably Rioja on the nose, it's a sweet kiss of American oak mixing with dark cherry and raspberry fruit. On the palate, it is silky, smooth, but at the same time somewhat muscular with excellent acidity and vigorous but also silky Tannins. many tertiary flavors turnup in the latter half of the tasting experience -- Underbrush, leather, and tobacco. One would be hard pressed to me again if I this is the one that is 15 years old! I suspect it will prove this a lot but it least 10 to 20 years. Unfortunately I have only one bottle left so I probably will never know!
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4/22/2016 - Andrewbdc wrote: 93 Points
Black Lion Wine Club - Rioja (The Black Lion): The wine is clear and medium garnet in colour.
The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of dark fruit (blackberry, black cherry, cassis), red fruit (red cherry), oak (vanilla, toast, smoke), dried fruit (fig, date), tertiary development (leather, caramel, earth, animal). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with high acidity, medium (+) soft, ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced intensity flavours of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, smoke, leather, earth. The finish is long.
The wine is outstanding quality. It has great fruit concentration and complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary clusters. The acidity and tannins provide structure and balance the fruit. The finish is long and persistent. If I had one criticism, I would say that the oak is still quite evident and not completely integrated.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing for at least 10 years. It has the structure and fruit concentration to allow further development of tertiary clusters, and also to allow the oak to integrate fully.
A fantastic Rioja Gran Reserva with a long life ahead of it.
85% Tempranilla, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuela, 36 months in oak.
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4/10/2016 - BadOyster wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly bold given its age - doesn't drink like a 15 year old! Classic rioja, with just a hint of raisin. Darker fruits and not quite as silky-smooth yet.
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1/30/2016 - Fateful Destiny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice for a Rioja Gran Reserva (if you like Rioja). Needs to warm up a little towards room temp to open up (straight out of the wine fridge it was a little dull. Nice notes of vanilla and caramel.
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1/11/2016 - TerroirHunter wrote: 94 Points
Like my ratings of the 2001 Vina Real GR, this deserves perhaps more praise. Passing this to your great grandchildren isn't too far of a stretch. Blackberry, Black cherry, vanilla bean, red cherry, and quite a bit of oak right now. Certainly don't mind oak when it comes to Rioja, but this could stand 10+ more years of integration before it hits its groove.
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12/26/2015 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
Stood up very well to the demands of the Christmas turkey and all the trimmings.
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10/28/2015 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
Only a brief note. Very concentrated with flashes of cherry, wild berry, oak all in a tight frame and firm background acidity. Highly enjoyable now but with sooooooo much more to offer with patience.
Leave till 2017 at least to allow the wine time to flesh out - should easily be good for 30+years from vintage.
Potential 94 pointer.
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10/26/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 94 Points
Medium ruby color with excellent clear body. Nose immediately opened to reveal clean cherry fruit, bright and fresh flower, rose, freshly tilled earth, and a touch of raspberry. The palate is where this wine really shines. Good acid and backbone which are well in tune. More tart red fruit with orange peel, hints of clove, beef, iron and earth. Very good salinity and freshness. A really fine wine on all fronts.
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10/11/2015 - chatters wrote:
vanilla, ripe, dense red berry fruit, sweet spice, touches of tobacco, cream, fine tannins, slight oxidative note. integrated, long, feels like vinfanticide despite being 14 years old; still quite youthful and fruit forward. Glorious.
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10/10/2015 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
2001 Rioja (Maryland): Takes more time to open up, but by the end of the night this was in stellar shape. Deep aromas of plums, currants, earth, roses and violets, smoky earth. Bright acidity, great structure, compact at first but smooths out and opens up beautifully. Juicy red currants and red apple fruit is laced with tobacco, olive, earth, roasted coffee, vanilla and violets. Really starts rocking after a few hours and some heavy swirling. I’d love to taste this again in eight or ten years.
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10/7/2015 - scorrea Likes this wine: 88 Points
This one showed too much oak.
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9/16/2015 - TerroirHunter wrote: 93 Points
This is one of the best 2001 Riojas made. What a wine. Vanilla bean, black cherry, hints of spice, loam, and super young right now. Won't open again (at least one of my bottles!) for another 10 years.
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7/11/2015 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Spanish Lunch (My place, parramatta, sydney): From Coravin. On the nose creamy, buttery, vanilla, spice over very slightly oxidised ripe red berry. With agitation a touch of herbaceousness. In the mouth there are flavours of tobacco and red berries and a touch of blackcurrant cordial, fine tannins and almost a slightly medicinal notes. Nice.
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7/8/2015 - Seth Rosenberg wrote:
From magnum. Nose is full of coconut oak notes - sweet, deep fruit, chocolate. Rich on palate - very very young and oaky. There is a lot of material here, but this needs decades. Hard to evaluate in any meaningful way.
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6/1/2015 - purevar1etals wrote: 91 Points
Upon pouring the wine opens up beautifully with dried cherry, cedar wood, and herbal characters including cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The body is interesting, since a lot is going on but it still goes down very smoothly. There is very high acidity, and medium+ tannin, but still a light to medium body. The finish lingers for a long time with pronounced oak aspects, almost leaving an impression of honey or caramel, though the wine is dry. Lovely and elegant are the best words to describe it.
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4/25/2015 - diggydan wrote: 94 Points
Strong nose - warm and ripe dark cherries, old oak vats, leather, earth.....really secondary and savory. The palate is dark fruited with some oak flavors and lots more dusky savoriness. Totally smooth mouth feel and a powerful body.
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4/15/2015 - lifebreath Likes this wine: 93 Points
5th bottle, paired with coffe-encrusted and seared sous vide cooked tenderloin filets with ancho chili sauce. A challenging dish to pair with, but the CVNE was OUTSTANDING! Same notes as previously, since every bottle has been boringly consistent: Classically styled reserva Rioja. Smoky oak and vanilla mixed with cherry and strawberry nose. Cherries jubilee. Well structured with a focused start of acid and tart cherries that blooms into the flavors of the nose along with cedar leather orange peel spice and mushroom. The oak and vanilla carry through but are well integrated and not overpowering. Long finish of the core cherries jubilee and smooth polished tannins. This is an extremely well made Rioja in the classic style. If you like Classic Rioja you will not be disappointed.
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4/5/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a good drinking spot with some dark fruit to balance off the spanish earth
A treat for all at passover seder
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3/29/2015 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank one glass at a time over 5 days and vacuumed in between. Last day was by far the best.......a 10th day would be better still. Day 5 note: Opaque plum-red colour. Nose dominated on entry by heavy but harmonising new American oak, fleshy but firm red and black plum and cherry fruits, black warm tar macadam, star anise, black liquorice root.....lots more lurking in the background but stage-shy at the moment. Palate is wonderfully fresh mouthfeel with lively cola-esque black and red cherry fruit and lovely refined, clean assured tannic structure....coal tar. Hibernating power and resonance on the finish with a wonderfully clean, refined note that promises impressively for the coming 10-15 years and is a stand-out feature of the 2001s. This hasn't budged much since I drank it 2 years ago so patience is required.
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3/5/2015 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Score only for right now, this will become higher for sure. Deep ruby but going mahogany to edge. On opening loads of vanilla and tart cherry. Big wine, power in reserve. Wall of dark cherry fruit, black plums, touch of cranberry. Wood smoke. Tannins are refined but need far more time to fully resolve, still puckering. Great acidity and length. You can enjoy it now but so much greater complexity to come.
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2/16/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 90 Points
Ruby clear color, old world in appearance. Bing cherry, tar, anise, and dried lingonberry in the nose. Clean and elegant mouth feel, with good tannin but not overbearing. On the palate more red cherry, red cranberry, some orange peel, wet stone and clove. Well made but lacking some roundness on this bottle.
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2/16/2015 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
A lovely magnum which matched the Pyrennean lamb perfectly. In my view the wine is fully mature on its plateau. It delivers a soft but engagingly fruity mouthful with only a light tannic structure.
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1/20/2015 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 93 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/imperial-2001-gran-reserva.html
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De color rubí granatoso de capa media-alta, muy extraído, tapado, brillante, limpio. Reflejos ambarinos y rojizos, vivos, refulgente. Ribete cobrizo, diminuto, con marcada diferencia respecto al menisco.
Un Imperial de nuevo cuño, poderoso y nada austero en estos sus primeros años de andadura, a diferencia de lo que solía ser costumbre de la marca, y de la bodega. Se muestra pletórico en intensidad, en detalles, y sobre todo en una fruta fragante, perfumada, que imprime un intenso carácter varietal al vino. Se entrega totalmente sin guardarse nada para más adelante. Se sostiene sobre un piso de madera fina, elegante, suavemente ahumada, que retiene una caricia de vainilla y un amago de térreos, cuero viejo, tabaco rubio. Se airea, se abre, cada vez más perfumado y entero. Jovial, alegre, muy disfrutable.
En boca se agarra con fuerza, vibrante, corpulento y sedoso a la par, aterciopelado, inundando con fruta en sazón matizada por una acidez descarnada. Fresco, jugoso, equilibrado, dotado de taninos de auténtico lujo, pura seda, y una progresiva sensación de equilibrio que va apoderándose del conjunto. Un Imperial elaborado con mimo que muestra sin recato las bondades de la gran añada del 2001. Aún le falta ganar en profundidad y comenzar a reducirse en botella. La espera seguro que le sienta bien. Excesivamente joven y enérgico en este momento. Hay materia prima, y de la buena, para que vaya ganando en matices. Está por ver si alcanza el nivel altísimo de calidad de los Imperial de los 60 y 70. Ya comienza a dar pistas que estamos ante uno de esos pesos pesados de Cvne. Un consejo: comprar ahora que todavía es posible.
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85% tempranillo, 10% graciano, 5% mazuelo - 13.5% vol.
Toda la uva procede de viñedos ubicados en la Rioja Alta. Vendimia manual. Permanece en depósito, a temperatura controlada, en los que realiza la fermentación alcohólica y reposa antes de pasar a criarse en madera. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas de roble francés y americano de 225 litros. Según la cosecha se deja descansar hasta 60 meses en botelleros en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado.
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12/6/2014 - Levinsb wrote:
Plush. Medium bodied. Soft vanilla behind red berries. Nice. Room to grow.
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10/15/2014 - NickBurwood wrote:
2hr decant.
Has gone into its duck-shell. Clearly 90++ potential but will be leaving for a couple of years (?at least) to show off its swan feathers.
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10/10/2014 - dr_burry wrote: 92 Points
consistent - last bottle!
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8/22/2014 - lifebreath wrote: 93 Points
Classically styled reserva Rioja. Smoky oak and vanilla mixed with cherry and strawberry nose. Cherries jubilee. Well structured with a focused start of acid and tart cherries that blooms into the flavors of the nose along with cedar leather orange peel spice and mushroom. The oak and vanilla carry through but are well integrated and not overpowering. Long finish of the core cherries jubilee and tannins. Mouthfeel is full with polished slightly grippy tannins. This is an extremely well made Rioja in the classic style. Very consistent across four bottles consumed so far from a case. If you like Classic Rioja you will not be disappointed.
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7/23/2014 - T.E.D. wrote: 91 Points
Consumed bottle over two days. Color is old world in nature, natural garnet and dusty. Nose is justifiably traditional Rioja, stewed fruit, orange peel, spice box and wood. Palate is a bit austere in nature, showing no signs of age. Taste elements of tart cherry, black fruit, dry earth, touch of citrus, stone fruit, and tannic elements of stem. The wine is complex/intriguing, and demonstrates the classic elements of old world red wine. Well done worth buying a case.
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6/2/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Monday Night Session (Extra Space): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of toasted oak, vanilla, red plums, sweet earth. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, fine smooth velvety medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of sweet earth, toasted oak, vanilla, red plums, dark cherries, and mild spice. Long finish.
Very good quality Rioja from a good vintage and producer. Can drink now with proper decant. Will improve with further ageing over the next 5 years.
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5/23/2014 - astroman Likes this wine:
Chocolate notes with good finish. Enjoyable can age for another five years. Bordeaux like.
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4/21/2014 - T.E.D. wrote: 89 Points
Consumed over multiple nights thru Coravin. Nose is lusher and more heavy upon each pour than I remember. Full nose of lush fruit, oak and dusty earth. Palate is still tight, but shows promise. Black fruit, earth, stem,green elements which bring on the tannin. Needs time.
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4/21/2014 - wineretriever wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2-3 hours during which time some funk blew off. Strawberry, tobacco, leather, spice and a touch of dried herbs on the nose with red fruit, spice, and cigar box on the palate. Showed well.
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3/24/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
needed to open up a bit but went well with wings and good pizza at tocchi
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3/19/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
deep rich and interesting
both tart and to a lesser extent sweet fruit but in the background
enough acidity to cut through some sun dried tomato soup[and grilled cheese]
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3/9/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark rosewood color. Better integrated than the prior bottle (see my 10/13/2013 note), this had all the elements aligned harmoniously. Nose of berries, orange peel and smoky "campfire" scents. The palate is smooth and juicy, with residual tannic elements and a medium-long finish. This is an elegant "Old World" style wine and made a charming pairing with roast duck breast, though it could certainly be enjoyed on its own. I'll aim to finish the rest of my bottles within the next five years.
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2/18/2014 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A young'un, but it drank beautifully. After a 3 hour decant it opened up to reveal Rioja savoury notes of leather, soy/Worchestershire, herbs and tobacco along with plenty of fresh, primary fruit. Good tannic grip on the finish. This has such great potential, and should be a real treat in, oh, 15 or 20 years.
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2/13/2014 - MattB72 wrote: 93 Points
Surprised how much fruit it still has for a 13-year-old wine. Lots of new American oak, cherries, dark fruits. A great wine.
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1/27/2014 - gew71walsh wrote: 91 Points
Drank after vertical Insignia wine tasting, so did not give it its full due. Wonderful fruit on nose and palate. Can still stand some more time
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1/20/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
No time like the present. Dark red berry aromas, raspberry. At pop and pour, more fruit than anything else. A little kernel. Actually opens up to some more complexity rather quickly. Herb and spice. Some Worchestershire tucked in there. And beyond that, rather mouthwateringly umami aroma. A little sweaty. Oak doesn't show too overtly, there's some kernel holding it all together, but not to roasty or robust.
On the palate, floral notes pop out first. Medium/(+) tannin, that seems to swell up front, but then finish more modest, fine, and polished. Classed and Bordelaise mineral/herb more apparent on the palate than the nose. Lots of texture on the palate.
Day 2. Modest fruit aromas, but complex palate. Today, I'd confirm medium tannin.
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1/17/2014 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Double blind. Medium ruby. Nose has toasty dark cherry and vanilla notes. Palate red cherry fruit that is well integrated with toast. Good juicy acidity provides balance and stretches out the length.
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1/17/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Chicago Wine Flock..."Dennis Shares Spain" (Casa de la Mata - Chicago IL): Served double blind in mostly 2001 Rioja flight. I found this to be the toughest wine to assess. While lush and powerful, it is also very, very young and seemingly awkward with pronounced new oak and structure jutting out at times in the first hour tasted. Much better a couple of hours later.
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1/7/2014 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
Soft but still a very compelling and pleasing wine - traditional Rioja in style by which I mean a touch of sweet vanilla from the oak balanced with a five spice edge. Now fully mature but should continue to drink well for a good few years yet - I now move on to my magnums!!
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1/2/2014 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Punchy. Not in drinking window yet in my opinion. Give it 5+ more years (ideally 10) and this will be singing
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1/1/2014 - WST wrote: 92 Points
Glad I went long on this vintage. Drinking very well in its youth, with the stuffing to last years. Smokey cherries and orange peel, spice, sweet pipe tobacco and floral notes.
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12/31/2013 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Sandbar. Oh my, this is wonderful! Just getting to really ready to drink. Lovely color and legs. Great nose. Rustic but delightful red. Beautifully paired with short ribs. This is just really entering its best drinking phase. Lovely tonight but the tannins are still a bit dominant. It will drink well for years. I may need to find some! Outstanding!
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12/23/2013 - NickBurwood wrote: 90 Points
Two bottles decanted together for two hours in magnum decanter.
As per previous note but found it harder to show all the character when matched with a superb but gamey boneless rolled leg of venison. Seemed lighter than I remembered thus loss of a point.
No complaints however.
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12/22/2013 - jonanator wrote: 93 Points
This was stunning on this night. Tons of life ahead
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12/22/2013 - quickben Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth and seductive - a lovely accompaniment to Jamon Serrano - great fruit with good length
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11/28/2013 - VinoTx wrote: 94 Points
Layered and complex. Great on it's own, but complimented a full Thanksgiving dinner very well. Nice subtle changes over a couple hours. Cherry, minerals, vanilla oak. Awesome now, but plenty of life left. Long finish.
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11/25/2013 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
drinking well now but has room to develop more
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11/12/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
At IWM tasting in NYC/AIE event. Consistent with prior notes, this is an excellent wine in a great place right now. Classic Rioja, red and black fruit, oak, spice and leather. Rich mouthfeel, medium finish. Good stuff...
Spanish wine - IMO - has one of the best QPRs in the US right now. Wines like this with 10+ years of bottle age are very good values
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11/9/2013 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Dark and rich. Cedar, tobacco, and a bit smoky. Big, but well integrated tannins. Lots of,life left.
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11/4/2013 - miadelt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this Rioja. Medium bodied but full of great flavor. Smooth. Long finish. Yummy.
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10/25/2013 - Bandreas wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at the Wine Experience New York 2013
Round and enticing smell; on palate well evolved but still has plenty of complexity left.
Should hold for another 20+ years
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10/13/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Accesed with Coravin. Medium carmine color. The nose immediately expresses a mix of smoky, rocky, woody and fruit flavors. With aeartion, additional nuances of rose petals, berries, roasted bell peppers, cedar, and cinnamon emerge. The palate starts out somewhat restrained by stiff tannins and firm acidity. However, some time in the glass allows this to mellow and express fruity notes like the nose. Regrettably, the nose itself fades during this process, leaving the wine unbalanced between one and the other. This is a complex wine made in a restrained old-world style, but I would like to see it achieve better harmony between fragrance and flavor.
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9/20/2013 - scorrea Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have had great bottle variability in this wine. Maybe it is the retailers storage maybe its a "traditional" Rioja issue. I do not know. Nevertheless all bottles have been great. This bottle in particular would have fooled me had I tasted it blind. I would have guessed a Margaux Bordeaux. Still very young and the tannin's still very present. I think 2001 CVNE veers ever so slightly to a more modern style of Rioja wine. Older CVNE's or LdH remind me more of a Burgundy with their bright red fruit profile and acidity while this wine seemed more Bordeaux like. Still a great wine.
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9/19/2013 - Dabolts wrote: 94 Points
An amazing wine. Decanted for an hour and drank with a mushroom risotto. Great bouquet of leather with floral notes. A bit of fruit, earth, integrated tannins on the front palette with a hint of spice on the back. This wine will not get better! It is drinking perfectly right now.
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9/13/2013 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
A great wine. Relative to my benchmark for Rioja, LdH's silken gran reservas, this was more primary, darker, more masculine and polished. The wine was rocking with a full-bodied palate, smooth dark fruit, a powerful grip, and an intensely aromatic nose of black fruit and oak.
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8/24/2013 - WST wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. Smokey cherries and orange peel, spice and floral notes. Big scaled but elegant. Long finish, a very food friendly.
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8/16/2013 - scorrea Likes this wine: 94 Points
Oak well integrated into this bottle. Bright acidity with a good backdrop of red fruit. Definately a food wine. Probably more fruit than older CVNE vintages. I need to buy more of is wine. 1 yr ago i got it for 35$ a bottle and i see it higher everytime I restock.
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7/14/2013 - Sonoffalstaff wrote: 90 Points
Not much to add to the helpful notes below. Great wine. Can mature really well over next 5 years. We got magnums and I think that is the best to allow this to mature. I'd guess this is going to end up a two case wine on the Hugh Johnson score
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7/10/2013 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
Ditto other reviews. Opens up with much finesse on nose and palate, with a quick prominent velvety finish. Nose evolves over time, and gives off a dizzying array of aromas - black fruit, herbs, wood floor, black tar, dried fruits and coco nib. Upon additional airtime acid begins to creep up more and tannins become apparent, a great evolution is underway. Palate yields flavors of stewed fruits, dried herbs, cherry, menthol and cherry cola characteristics. Some heat on back palate, which will subside and lead to further integration with time. Finish is very long and lingering, and clearly the structure is there for a long lifetime.
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7/7/2013 - Davyd Chong Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a lovely bottle of wine. Extremely smooth, with wonderfully balanced acidity, delicate, complex wine. The tannins were perfectly settled. The nose was beautiful, quite floral. An elegant wine. I decanted this for 3 hours. Reminded me of a La Lagune actually.
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6/25/2013 - walkerjfw Likes this wine: 94 Points
At IWM tasting in San Diego.
Really spectacular Rioja. Would have been happy to stay with this one all night.
Delicate and complex wine. Sweet red fruits, Rioja saddle leather, floral nose and back palate. Tannins are fine and mostly resolved. Great structure.
This one really surprised to the upside, suspect it would score higher with a longer decant and chance to sip it a while.
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6/18/2013 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pure class. Immediately on the first sip this just floors you with its silky delicacy. It also throws off an expressive aroma which quiets down with a little airtime but for just a little bit opens the door wide on all the stuff that went in here: including the wood, admittedly, and you do get some coconutty scents which integrate quickly, but it also has a delightful fragrance of herbs and orchard fruit skins, just classic Rioja in every way. On the palate that silkiness is captivating from the first sip to the last, and those orchard fruit flavors waft across the palate as etherally as any wine I've ever had from anywhere. This is Rioja built like Les Amoureuses.
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6/2/2013 - empire80 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum, double decanted 6 hours before serving. Beautiful Rioja, young and fresh but drinking superbly, fruit, oak, tannin in perfect harmony. Also opened a bottle without time for breathing - probably more like a 92, although definitely better when finishing the next day.
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5/26/2013 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Sweet red cherry, hints of red floral, dried flower petals, touch of cocoa, dusty fine tannins, great swelling intensity on the palate, but very elegant; not big or flashy, but beautiful and elegantly structured with depth.
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5/23/2013 - clairenclarence wrote: 91 Points
drnk side by side with marques de riscal 150 anniversary gran reserva 01 blindly with friend.we pick the CVNE a much more enjoyable bttl
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4/18/2013 - JSOL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding wine - real complexity of flavours, beyond the plums and berries, there are vegetal notes, mushrooms, meat, marmalade. Still sharp oak and tannins. Nose and palate are full of flavour yet the wine feels so light. Finish really goes on forever. Fantastic. Only qualification is that I am not so confident as some that this wine has decades to go and I would drink over the next 5 years or so to be on the safe side.
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3/27/2013 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
A lovely bottle, showing very little evolution in color. The nose is fragrant, with spice, red fruits, sandalwood and a hint of dill. Silky on entry, yet this still could use some time to soften the structure more. The sweet cinnamon-laced oak seemed a bit prominent at first, but this became better integrated with air. Lovely wine that just needs more time to come together.
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3/24/2013 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours.
Classic nose of cooked plums and vegetal notes in charred oak envelope. Plums carry forward to palate with fully integrated smoky tannins with hints of cassis and dark chocolate. Good race and length.
At a nice drinking plateau, with the structure for further evolution and higher mark. Good for at least 20 years from vintage.
The definitive Gran Reserva against which to judge the others.
Fine wine and good value.
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3/23/2013 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great potential for future again. Complex and complete.
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3/21/2013 - clairenclarence wrote: 91 Points
pop n pour.well integrate n soft aprroachable wine.beautiful to sip nw.balance wine
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3/16/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Rioja-Pink, White and Red (San Francisco Wine Trading Company): Moderately dark center. Some volatile acidity and green herbs. Medium weight with lovely, subtle red fruit, nice feel, sneaky acidity and spicy wood on the finish that enhances rather than shortens the wine. Pretty classic and great power for its weight. Very classy.
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2/7/2013 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, bright black cherry colour. Nose of semi-matured and well-rounded oak together with high notes of black cherry, red cherry and black chocolate. Palate has a similar attack to the nose and is semi-mature. To be fair, we popped and poured this from my cellar at the last moment over cheese when the 1982 Ch. Branaire Ducru had run out. The last glass the following day was the best. I would leave this another 5 years or give it a 5-hour decant to enjoy fully today.
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1/13/2013 - ccken wrote: 95 Points
Very aromatic burgundy style, dark cherry, very balanced and sweet cherry long finish
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12/17/2012 - tendring Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine Education Service - Rioja - Gran Reserva (LSE): Quite youthful colour.
Very animal initially, then fruity, interesting.
Fruity, soft tannins, silky and sweet in the mid palate and finish - very desirable.
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12/17/2012 - hadwin Likes this wine: 91 Points
WES - Rioja Gran Reserva (Imperial College London): Clear and Bright. Very intense. Little sign of age. Vegetal nose with some pepper spice and polish. Velvety, silky, rich ripe fruit. Sweet, long with good structure.
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11/27/2012 - willthethrill Likes this wine: 90 Points
Amazing how consistent this wine through years. Light and softly silky...so easy to drink. Gift of JMT for the blind wine tasting.
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11/15/2012 - Sevencircles wrote: 90 Points
Some earthy maturity tones on the nose but not much. A bit sweet on the attack, some acidity and burned mint on the mid palete, a lot earth and maturity tones on the finish.
Drink now, this is a wellmade typical rioja that will turn into water within a year.
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11/10/2012 - Sjontoft Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark recd. Very little brickering on the rim. Curtains on the glass.
Very oaky nose. Plenty of red fruit.
Good red fruit on the palate, very smooth tannins and integrated acidity. earthy notes.
Medium bodied with long after taste.
2/3 = good to very good.
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10/14/2012 - Joe_Montana wrote: 94 Points
Estilo burdeos. Aireado por 2 horas. Espectacular
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7/2/2012 - belfast taxman wrote: 92 Points
Two bottles drank (both same score) at a family dinner with superb roast free range Blythburgh pork - decanted three hours in advance - very good wine indeed - smoky, deep black fruit with oaky vanilla tones - earthy pleasures on the complex finish = a long life yet ahead for this wine - can I afford to buy more? can I afford not to?
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5/17/2012 - KristianT wrote: 89 Points
Very classical Rioja. Tar, violets and loads of vanilla. Full bodied and quite powerful. Still very youthful and somewhat backward but with good promises for the future.
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5/4/2012 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Seriously oaky mutherf***er, with bourbon cask notes laced with vanilla and cola. There are some nice sweet raspberry fruit things going on along with a lick of licorice and some tar and leather. It is dense and needs plenty of time to even out and drink somewhere near its peak.
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4/25/2012 - pipayers wrote: 92 Points
Vivid nose, rich, powerful Rioja, long finish
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3/16/2012 - J.L wrote: 92 Points
Decanted in a narrow decanter for 12h. This is really a treat. Leather and on the nose. Smooth, creamy and silky on the palate. Acids prominent, but not disturbing. Tannins vell integrated. Very long. Not sure how it will develop (get much better or not), but for sure its not yet near the end of it's life.
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3/3/2012 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 91 Points
There's a lot of roasted peppers and plum on the palate. Really fine and slender tannins really pack a punch, but they're so tightly wound that it calls for additional cellaring. It's also a great expression of an interesting mix of french and american oak, with warm and tasty notes of vanilla, cinammon toast, and extra spices.
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5/20/2011 - Harley1199 wrote:
Imperial Gran Reserva Vertical Tasting / Cata Vertical Imperial Gran Reserva (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Fermented in oak. Young colour, profound violet with cardinal edges. Super perfumed. Fruit everywhere: wild strawberries (Tempranillo) soaked in cinnamon. Totally Graciano for my nose: gunpowder. Long legs. This is going to be a long distance runner but quite delicious at this moment. Palate is closed, sturdy and tannic. High acidity. Clearly needs some time. It is not at store yet. Have to wait until next year.
Fermentado en barril. Color joven, violeta profundo con ribetes cardenalicios. Super perfumado. Fruta por todas partes: fresas salvajes (Tempranillo) ahogadas en canela. Totalmente en Graciano para mi nariz: pólvora. Largas lágrimas. Tiene una larga vida por delante pero está delicioso ahora. El palacar está cerrado, robusto y tánico. Alta acidez. Claramente necesita tiempo. No está a la venta aún. Tenemos que esperar hasta el año que viene.
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2/19/2011 - rayq Likes this wine: 92 Points
85% Tempranillo ; 10% Graciano and 5% Carignan. Alc13.8%
Nice pure fruit and vanilla dominate the nose .
There is no obvious oak but the creamy vanilla is there in spades.
There is a hint of ‘lift’.
It has a lovely pure deep cherry colour. In the mouth it is smooth and persistent.
It’s certainly more ‘traditional’ than ‘modern’
Any fears that the style had changed are somewhat allayed by this wine.
This is very impressive.
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