After a few disappointing 2004s in recent years, this was more like I remember from Aalto: vibrant dark berries, floral nose, smoke. Lush and long. Not for the oak-adverse, but it is high-class oak and it harmonized well with the fruit, so that the fruit was never smothered. An enjoyable drink.
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Drank with Ginny. Dark purple. Black raspberries, fresh plum and baking spices on the nose. Blueberry cobbler, ripe cherry, vanilla, and still plentiful tannins to match the sweetness. Big, layer upon layer of dark fruits and a finish that persists for minutes. Amazing. Still youthful but drinking well now. My last bottle of this vintage.
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Very modern with sweet blueberry, ash and herbs up front but finishing with a very tannic backbone. I’m not sure about this wine. Good with paella although I either burned the soccarat or something during the sauntering step so my taste buds may be a bit altered. It seemed really big and modern and maybe not better for it. Still it’s an easy wine to like because of that. It’s clear that it fits the mode for huge ratings from Overrater Bob.
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Flawless, but I am afraid I don’t get overly excited. Turns out I have 22 more bottles to go if this vintage. Not a problem as it is a very good wine (clean) but do I get super excited? Not really. Will hold up another few years.
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Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een dunne rand. Aroma / bouquet: Donker. In dit stadium meer donker gedroogd fruit als dadels en donker vers fruit als in bramen en vooral zwarte bessen. Zacht zoetige kruiden. Smaak / Afdronk: Eerste indruk: lactisch, het romige mondgevoel van vruchtenyoghurt. Zachte zuurgraad, droppig zoetige tannines. Een enorme concentratie en dikte. Serieus lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 93/100
Color: Deep dark red with a thin border. Aroma / bouquet: Dark. At this stage more dark dried fruit like dates and dark fresh fruit like in blackberries and especially blackcurrants. Mildly sweet spices. Taste / Aftertaste: First impression: lactic, the creamy mouthfeel of fruit yoghurt. Soft acidity, licorice-sweet tannins. An enormous concentration and thickness. Seriously long finish. General / Potential: 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 12 + Taste / Aftertaste: 17 + General / Potential: 9 = 93/100
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Deep red colour, almost no maturity visible. Needs 2 hrs decant. A lot of cherry, liquorice and oak in the nose. On the palate almost no oak. Very balanced.lots of Fruits
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1 hour decant prior to dinner at Otorno This bested the Unico (94) tonight IMO. Complex concentrated , balanced and integrated . Drinking young but this will only improve
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The wine is exceedingly modern in its profile. In a blind, don't think I could have guessed either Tempranillo or Spain.
That being said, it is a well-made wine, 2 hour decant melted the tannins away and put the fruit on the driving seat. This is not a wine you could sip on its own, it really needed a big piece of ribeye so it was ultimately sound that my pairing for this wine was a big piece of ribeye. With the meat, this wine wins and is a terrific pairing but I am not sure it would work with any other kinds of food or even drinking it on its own. If you have bottles, I will leave this in the cellar for another 10 years to see if it sheds more of its baby fat and some nuanced complexity emerges.
This reminds me of AU shiraz from the same era (the 90s - early 00s) that need around 25-30 years to shed its baby fat.
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93-94pts. 30 months in new barriques, and even now, 16 years after this vintage, the oak is not fully integrated. Besides that, this is a very nice Ribera del Duero red - there is still a wall of red fruit especially on the palate, with primary notes of strawberries, cherries, and raspberries, and tertiary notes of earth, leather, and some wax. Medium-bodied with great balance. Drink or hold.
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Very deep purple, yet clear, lively fruit, albeit still very young; already very well balanced and overall great; it could be phenomenal in 5-10 years.
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Dark red with brick red hue; deep red fruit, lots of vanilla; rich, rounded, deep, smooth, nice long aftertaste; really well made; I have often been disappointed with PS (too powerful and harsh), but this one is singing
did not meet my expectations (given my good experiences with the non-PS version of this wine -- '05 and '07 versions)... frankly remember the '07 non-PS being a better wine, this was fine and easy to drink but really right down the middle with nothing particularly exceptional (ie structure, fruit, spice etc)
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Decanted 2.5 hours. My last bottle 2 years ago was a bit better (96 pts). Ready to drink (with air) but no hurry the 2005 Aalto PS still has many years left. 95 pts.
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Dark blackish red in color. Good fruit which has mellowed just a touch and melded beautifully with earthy notes, moderate acid and tannins. Long finish. No off notes. Complex. Perfect balance. Opened several very good bottles of mixed types of wine over dinner with friends. This was my stand out. Just a lovely wine. Outshown a 2010 high end Barolo. Tasting perfectly in its window right now, but should age well at least another 10 years, maybe much longer. Perfectly paired with braised spare ribs and mashed potatoes, but it's balanced enough that you can drink it as an aperitif without needing protein to cut the tannins. Thank you, Jon Rimmerman (GaragisteWine) -- your sometimes hyperbole was right on for this one.
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Attention! This is not your grandparents Tempranillo...Crazy good 100% Tinto made from one of my favorite Spanish producers in a modern style that checks all the right boxes. Fruit, Acid, Structure, Balance, Aromatics...this has it all!
The 05 AAlto P.S. shows of its sexy Spanish curves and full body effortlessly ( no makeup necessary ). This beauty has really begun to hit its peak at 15 years young. Saturated dark red in appearance the wine explodes with notes of crushed stone, pain grille, black cherries and wild black fruits. It is rich and dense, powerful and well proportioned with the oak held in check. Red and black fruited with complex flavors of scorched earth, leather, tobacco and spice.
There’s a reason why, along with Clio and El Nido, the AAlto P.S. is THE go to date night wine *wink, wink*. You can thank me later.
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Every bottle is too small if an wine tastes like this. This is a real joy to drink. Dark fruits with herbal notes and fresh loooong finish. Lovely. No hurry
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Spanish wines tasting (at my home): deep ruby pronounced aromas intensity of black cherries, red currents, dark cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, forest floor, oak-vanilla; developing; dry, high acidity, high tannins, high abv, full body; pronounced flavours intensity consistent with the aromas; excellent complexity; lingering quality finish; can drink now - suitable for further aging;
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Dark purple, tasted over 4 hours, licorice, cedar, menthol, wet stones and fall forest floor aromas. This did change over time, interesting mix of cherry, dark fruits, and blackberries.
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Dofter av vanilj och krut. Ny ek som dessutom är nyhyvlad
Smaken ger i från sig vanilj och rosor tillsammans med en enorm fruktexplossion - och fina fatkänslor. Bitigt! Tanninrikt! Gott som f-n! Men även mycket kvar att ge! Drick dem nu, eller inom 20 år. Det här kommer bara att befinna sig i olika faser av "underbart".
93++
Jag var ganska snabbt inne på Spanien. Norra Spanien. Troligtvis väldigt hög andel Tempranillo i någon form. Troligtvis inte Rioja.
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Decanted for two hours. Dark fruits on the nose, black berries on the palate. The alcohol heat settled down as the evening went along. Ready to enjoy now.
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Decanted 2,5 hours. Improved a lot in the decanter. Very good bottle. The 2005 is as good as the 2004. Ready to drink (with air) and still has many years left. 95 pts.
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Beautiful. Nice dark fruit with black berry as the most prominent with tobacco and spice on the nose. Sweet powerful but developed dark fruit on the palate with nice layers again with black berry as the most prominent. Integrated tannins. Drink now and for many years ahead.
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A big nose of stewed cherries. Some firm tannins left which will take another 5-10 years to fully resolve. Lots of earthy tobacco flavors and nice complexity. Good underlying acidity too. Very well made.
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Took to a Tapas restaurant with family and friends. No formal note. This was drinking well at PNP. Full bodied, great balance and complexity. Terrific Tempranillo ! Great with a wide variety of different dishes. Probably my favorite new world Spanish wine on a consistent basis !
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À l'aveugle j'ai bien découvert le cépage,la bouteille mais la mauvaise année. 2005 a eu un peu plus de pluie et cela parait. 2004-2001 a été plus boisé et semble a voir une masse plus tannique que ce millésime. Elle se boit très bien sur et elle est sur le fruit. Pas de chaleur et pas de bois dans ce millésime. Sur un long plateau. 17.5/20
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The birthday of a good friend; Mostly beautiful magnums (@ PZ): No formal notes. Drank from magnum. Beautiful and luxurious bouquet with ripe dark forest fruits, toast and tobacco. On the palate still youthful ripe dark berry fruits, coffee and chocolate. A bit new world style with some sweetness but also beautiful acidity and tannin and an enormous length. The wine is a great pleasure now and in its young maturity stage, but this magnum could have probably lasted until 2035 - 2040. Great wine! 96+
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Castilla y Leon tasting (at my home): 60 min in the glass dark translucent red purple black excellent dark roasted fruits nose with delicate sous-bois notes and oak-vanilla hints rich dark fruity-spicy flavours, full bodied, firm round tannins, excellent balance & harmony, excellent structure & complexity, warm alcoholic finish (14% a.b.v.), excellent aftertaste. excellent wind for meaty dishes, or on its own.
24 hours after opening: still lively and excellent, noble elegant character, delicate fruity-earthy flavours, full bodied, excellent, no significant oxidation signs yet.
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Explosive black ripe fruit, nice freshness and iodine... Loads of black fruit, loads of silky tannins, lacking a bit of acidity, tannins are too much present...
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An amazing wine, one of the best wines I have had this year. In a very good drinking window and with proper cellaring still has at least a decade to go. Despite the price point this is a good QPR value - I hardly ever say that with wines in this price point but this one just is. This was enjoyed at the inaugural tasting of our new wine club earlier this week, was the wine of the flite and for most of us - myself included - this was definitely the wine of the tasting. Opened up for about two hours in the wine glass w/out an otherwise formal decant and I definitely recommend a decant of 1-2 hours if time allows - at this point she definitely benefits from air. Amazing, vibrant and youthful and fully alive but so complex, rich and well balanced. Excellent mouth feel, big but soft, a vibrant aromatic nose of mixed fruit, berries and spice that just drove me nuts and a most enjoyable incredibly long finish. Deep teeth staining purple color. Flavor profile clearly old world with well balanced controlled oak, dark fruit, earth, mushroom, leather, blood and tobacco smoke. Highly recommend this wine and if anyone comes across a good offer that they do not plan to use feel free to pass it on to me - definitely want to get more of this.
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Tasted next to 2009 Aalto. Still dark and glossy, hardly any discolouration. Very expressive and rich on the nose even more concentrated than the 2009 Aalto in comparison. But there is also more depth and complexity. On the palate this wine is amazingly well balanced - very ripe and polished, but fresh, spicy, grippy. Very very long. Fantastic. 95-97
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Massive wine. Decanted for 5 hours. The color is deep, very dark and opaque. The nose is powerful with oak, dark cherries, blackberries and cassis. Lovely wine with a good structure built to last. Better wait 10-15 years before opening my last bottle.
Not My preferred style of wine, but it still needs to be respected for what it is. This is a BIG expressive wine with an explosive bouquet in the glass. It is seamless from nose, to mid palate, through the finish. I love it when the nose matches the finish. Blue and black fruit with a creamy texture and smooth, almost sweet finish of vanillin coming through. I believe this wine is aged in French oak, but the finish resembles an American oak influence. If Silver Oak made a wine in Spain, it would taste like this. Drinking great now, but will last for years to come. Decanted for 2 hours.
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Amazing depth and complexity. A truly epic wine! Notes of eucalyptus, cassis, rich red raspberry and dark fruits. In the mouth, fantastic depth of fruit and a absolutely seamless finish. Incredibly balanced and integrated. This is still an infant and has many years ahead of it. Decanted 5 hours and consumed over another 4 hours.
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Decanted and monitored over like 1 hour. Better than 2 years ago (Papies 89) but not impressive as when we first had it in 2009 (Papies 93 albeit our palate and interests have changed since then. Very much a new world style wine, dark, purple, dense, lots of oak and extraction, sweet ripe fruit across and rich. However at 9yrs old has kept the fruit and has a weird friendly nature that even anti oak freaks like us did not fail to appreciate. Somehow felt very pleasant and enjoyable in its overdone character. Not our style but still a good wine. 90-91 and seems to be going on well. We will revisit our last bottle in 5yrs we think
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Big, lush and somewhat primary at this point. Dark fruits with hints of olive and dill in the background. Layered on the palate with a long, lingering finish.
Naturally I reached for this and opened it without checking on CT first. If I had, I would have held onto it a bit longer. If I had another bottle, I'd probably wait 5 years.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Plus with obvious oak. I expected the tannins to be more present as I found it fairly rounded. Big fruit and very modern style. Could have used more acidity. A touch on the sweet side. Hot was a word that seems reasonable. Won't drink another for a while.
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Dark purple. Popped and poured, needed two hours to open up. Minerals , dark fruit, moderate oak, tannins that are just starting to soften and is starting to enter a reasonable drinking window. Drank over two hours with Spanish tapas. Extremely well balanced. New world, but not a fruit bomb.
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It is what it is, just as dense, concentrated, ripe, sweet and oaky as previous tasters have described. For those who like the style, this is probably an excellent wine and a well-made one in that style. On the other hand, somewhat anonymous new world kind of wine. I couldn't finish a glass.
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Young and dense. The significant oak will integrate, but for now it drives the silk-pillow bouquet and the intense, explosively fruit-driven mouth. This is a stunner. Finishes long and with sophistication in flavor and texture. Drink 2018-2028.
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This is a truly great and concentrated wine. Beautifully integrated oak, dark fruits and silky soft tannin with a good bite. This wine is already (or still?) so approachable! A beauty now and probably for many years to come.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours. Tasted with Mas Doix 2005. Clearly the PS has a lot less acidity than the Mas Doix. PS is structured, complex and has given up some of the fruit; there is still plenty notes of dark berries. It is fresh and should age very well. I would give it min. 5 years before tasting again. Dramatically better than the hot PS 2003.
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Well a lot different than last time we tried it. We decanted it ( a must at the moment) and observed it over 2 hours. The first impression was of a warm climate with a lot of oak and feel of that lactic angle of dry oak tannin. Andreas tried it blind and thought it was from South Africa. Gone is the fruit of its youth (rated it 93 2 years ago) and the wine is a bit on the shut side to begin, with a dominant oak feel and a sweet core on the finish. It did relax as time went by but left a harsh extracted over oaked feeling. Overdone new age Spain at the moment and we would suggest one waits another 5 years before approaching. 88-90 at best at the moment from us.
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2012 - ES #2 (Extra Space Boon Keng): Alcohol :: 14.5% Opened for 2.5hrs. Opaque purple red. Nothing much on the nose, but it is powerful and deep, tightly coiled and shy with underlying aroma of butterscotch, vanilla and sweet dark fruits. This full bodied PS possesses extraordinary richness, immense power, mammoth like structure that coated the mouth and stained the palate immediately, but it wasn't as heavy as I thought as it has good focus and well delineated. This is actually quite approachable thanks to the wonderful balance and ripe acid lift. Finished is long and powerful. Patience is needed, 10-15yrs? 92-94
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Still in need of more time, the 2005 AAlto PS is a very powerful, tannic, dark wine. Almost black in the glass, with a very concentrated nose of cassis, black plums, leather, licorice. Intense in the mouth and a little bitter (should shed that as it evolves), and a bit tight for the few hours we had it open. Tannins need time to soften here; the acid and tannic structure promises a very long evolution. 90 today, perhaps 95 at peak (which I suspect won't be for another 5-10 years).
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When I opened this bottle I got my nose filled with a sweet coconut flavor. Deep candy like. After 3 hours in a decanter it started to open up and showed deep dark fruit and some classy strawberry tones. This is still very young but very complex and interesting. Modern spanish wines like this is almost like a New World wine. Very "expensive" structure. No doubt that this is a big wine.
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Decanted for several hours. Superb bouquet. Dollops of vanilla, oak, chocolate. Very complex palate. Vanilla, ginger, smoke. Silky smooth tannins. Perfect balance. Star of a night that included 2005 Pontet Canet and 2006 Sassicaia.
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This is a deep brooding wine, but so, so balanced. The tannins are quite evident at this stage, but the wine is very drinkable. Lush 60 second finish consisting of wild flowers and blueberries. I look forward to seeing this wine develop over the next 10 years.
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Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): See also previous note. Full bodied, a lot of sweetness, wonderful acidity and silky soft tannin. A super elegant blockbuster. Great already and for many years to come.
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Very fragrant on the nose with clear vanilla aromas and delicate notes of violet, mulberry and also chocolate. Really smooth on the palate, presence of tannins but in a nice way and correct acidity. Ripe red fruits (blueberries, mulberries), spicy notes all surrounded by a creamy back. An spectacular wine with an extraordinary long after taste, but if you can wait and keep 4-5 years it will be even better. Note: Perfect match with black pudding pie. Both were born to be together...
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This is a fantastic wine. The best Spanish bottle ever for me - and one of my top 10 of all the wines I have enjoyed. Popped, aerated, decanted and left to breathe for 30 min. before pouring.. over a 1.5 hour meal of rib eye steak on my outdoor deck. Deep, dark, inky color with a nose that became more pronounced with dark fruit and liquorish as the meal progressed. Lots of fruit in this baby, but not overpowering. This wine has a VERY light mouth feel as the well integrated characteristics of this wine dance over your palate. The tannins are like air blown velvet - gently supporting the experience. The finish is long, but not pronounced. This wine is refined elegance to the maximum!
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Dark, beautiful. Rich, fat, violets and black currant. Long aftertaste. Really good and delicious wine but not as great as some other bottles I've had.
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RUSSK WWiz at Valentinos, one of my favs that night. Pablo brought. A great Ribera. Mouth-coating tannins, with lots of fruit. Aromas of coconut, smoke and bacon fat. About $115, might buy at that price.
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Dark purple colour, ruby at the rim. Complex but compound nose with red fruit and beautiful spices coming from the oak. Amazing, elegant structure so layered and complex that you get exotic spices like cumin, garam masala and herbs together with a black fruit main frame. It has very well integrated, powerful tannins. The fruit is overripe yet and oak is still dominating. It will be interesting to see this wine in 10 years time.
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This is truly an amazing wine that I let sit in the decanter for 4 hours before consuming. It was - in tough competition - the WOTN in everyones opinion. And with Iberico pork role stuffed with pata negra and herbs topped with mojo it was fabulous. The fruit is powerful yet the wine is elegant and multidimensional. It cna be enjoyed for hours and still you will fins nuances in it. It has many years of development but is actually very enjoyable already today.
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Aalto / Aalto PS complete vertical (HSH): Nose: Huge and intense filled with black currant and minerality. Minor hint of vanilla. Taste: Lots of black currant. Intense flavors with a very powerful and fitting aciditic aftertaste. Even though it still feels pleasant and almost elegant. Loved this.
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Wow... Dried ketchup, brown sugar & coffee. Nice tannin. Finishes surpisingly fresh for such a dense wine. Needed this. Fun with our neighborhood cow t-bones & potato pavé.
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What a a fruit bomb. Really great wine with big body and a ton of fruit on the nose. A great discovey we have to say and really glad we have some at home. Still young and requires a good deal of decanting (it evolved nicely in the glass) and as it gets age it will be a 95+ wine for sure. Imagine flor de pingus 04 with less punch and more fruit and roundness. Superb
Had at Zortziko in Bilbao.
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Private dinner with friends. (@ MWe): This is super! Elegant sweet bouquet with tobacco and anise. Same in the taste. Very concentrated but also elegant. Ripe black fruits, elegant oak, smoky, mocha. Very complete and complex wine. Truly great!
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I was very suprised at how much I liked this wine. Definitely not a one dimensional fruit bomb. Lots of dark fruit but well balanced with some smoky characteristics. One of the better new spanish wines that I have had recently.
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Opaque purple.... powerful nose shows reduction of cassis, tobacco leaf, vanilla, smoke. Richly flavored, dense to the point of seeming chewy, has a long supple finish. Hides the alcohol, but I'm not fooled. At this stage, very appealing -- right now I prefer the 2005 to the 2004. If you own it, pop a cork!
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2005 Aalto PS (Spanje, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero) Kleur: Geconcentreerd paarsrood Aroma / bouquet: Uitgesproken en expressief, kokos-achtig hout, zoet en zwoel. Jammig rood maar vooral zwart fruit. Sigarenkistjes / gebrand hout. Koffie / mokka. Smaak / Afdronk: Aanzet: klein zoetje. onvoorstelbaar veel kracht en concentratie. Op dit moment wat mij betreft nog wel wat te eenzijdig. Algemeen / potentieel: Mooi, super-krachtig maar - in elk geval op dit moment - nog wel wel iets eenzijdig. Er is hoop: deze wijn staat bol van het rijpingspotentieel. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 92/100
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Icon Wines Of Spain (WSET, London): Black core, purple rim. meaty (I thought mince and tatties!) dark fruit nose; intense full bodied mocha palate; dense dry tannic finish of meaty rich dark fruit.
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Aalto PS 2005. This was possibly even better than the SQN – the best Spanish wine I’ve ever had. We’ve tried the 04 of this before and loved it but the 05 is even better. Big, rich, sweet and powerful but with dark, wild flavors and very good balance. Surprisingly ready to drink now (after 4 hours of double decanting) but will surely last for decades. 99p.
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Visit to Aalto with Javier Zaccagnini: Pago Lahorra for PS -- from barrel. Entirely different nose from the former. Still somewhat closed, but with wonderful, complex aromas of incense, perfume, dark fruits and iron. On the palate it has really exceptional acid balance, backing up an enormous concentration of fruit extract with a mouthwatering finish. 15% abv. is entirely unnoticeable at this point.
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2/29/2024 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
After a few disappointing 2004s in recent years, this was more like I remember from Aalto: vibrant dark berries, floral nose, smoke. Lush and long. Not for the oak-adverse, but it is high-class oak and it harmonized well with the fruit, so that the fruit was never smothered. An enjoyable drink.
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1/16/2024 - rustyRudy wrote:
Drank with Ginny. Dark purple. Black raspberries, fresh plum and baking spices on the nose. Blueberry cobbler, ripe cherry, vanilla, and still plentiful tannins to match the sweetness. Big, layer upon layer of dark fruits and a finish that persists for minutes. Amazing. Still youthful but drinking well now. My last bottle of this vintage.
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9/28/2023 - Romol Likes this wine: 93 Points
1+ hour decant. Unfortunately, this bottle was not quite as good as my previous ones. Still a good bottle of wine though. 93 pts.
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5/7/2023 - levicn Likes this wine: 93 Points
深宝石红紫色,闻香是明显的奶油味,李子,紫罗兰,草本和香草奶油,美桶的特征明显,入口酸度高,酒液咸,收口微甜,单宁紧致,细腻无比,满口奶香,成熟黑果,李子,紫罗兰,口感丝滑,风格优雅,余味满口香草奶油。重桶风格酒里的高阶作品,在明显的橡木桶影响下还能展现出清晰的结构和精巧的细节;单宁强劲还有很长陈年潜力,颗粒质感又无比的成熟细腻,质量非常高。表现堪称完美的一支酒,还没有到适饮巅峰期,但已经足够让人惊艳,未来可能还会更棒。
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5/6/2023 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Very modern with sweet blueberry, ash and herbs up front but finishing with a very tannic backbone. I’m not sure about this wine. Good with paella although I either burned the soccarat or something during the sauntering step so my taste buds may be a bit altered. It seemed really big and modern and maybe not better for it. Still it’s an easy wine to like because of that. It’s clear that it fits the mode for huge ratings from Overrater Bob.
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4/22/2023 - 911henrik wrote: 88 Points
Still tannic and powerful. Lacks complexity.
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1/29/2023 - 911henrik wrote: 91 Points
Flawless, but I am afraid I don’t get overly excited. Turns out I have 22 more bottles to go if this vintage. Not a problem as it is a very good wine (clean) but do I get super excited? Not really. Will hold up another few years.
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12/3/2022 - MB17 wrote: 93 Points
First tasting, maybe two years ago, was a 94, now maybe my cork was not on top form, it felt a little bit its age.
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8/24/2022 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 1+ hour. Again a perfect bottle. Ready to drink but it still has many years left. For me the best Aalto P.S. ever made. 95 pts.
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6/12/2022 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Silk and satin ! Not too much. Just lovely ! Drink
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5/11/2022 - Laurent Rehheiser wrote: 95 Points
Parker's rating.
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5/8/2022 - 911henrik wrote: 91 Points
Starting to fade. Fruit turned into raisins and pack of finesse. Drink asap
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12/29/2021 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een dunne rand. Aroma / bouquet: Donker. In dit stadium meer donker gedroogd fruit als dadels en donker vers fruit als in bramen en vooral zwarte bessen. Zacht zoetige kruiden. Smaak / Afdronk: Eerste indruk: lactisch, het romige mondgevoel van vruchtenyoghurt. Zachte zuurgraad, droppig zoetige tannines. Een enorme concentratie en dikte. Serieus lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 93/100
Color: Deep dark red with a thin border. Aroma / bouquet: Dark. At this stage more dark dried fruit like dates and dark fresh fruit like in blackberries and especially blackcurrants. Mildly sweet spices. Taste / Aftertaste: First impression: lactic, the creamy mouthfeel of fruit yoghurt. Soft acidity, licorice-sweet tannins. An enormous concentration and thickness. Seriously long finish. General / Potential: 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 12 + Taste / Aftertaste: 17 + General / Potential: 9 = 93/100
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12/29/2021 - Subtek Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep red colour, almost no maturity visible.
Needs 2 hrs decant.
A lot of cherry, liquorice and oak in the nose.
On the palate almost no oak. Very balanced.lots of Fruits
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12/22/2021 - Kevnzworld wrote: 96 Points
1 hour decant prior to dinner at Otorno
This bested the Unico (94) tonight IMO.
Complex concentrated , balanced and integrated . Drinking young but this will only improve
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10/21/2021 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. A very good Aalto PS. Really a special wine. Ready to drink but no hurry, the 2005 has a long life ahead. 95 pts.
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9/19/2021 - Dibbs wrote: 92 Points
The wine is exceedingly modern in its profile. In a blind, don't think I could have guessed either Tempranillo or Spain.
That being said, it is a well-made wine, 2 hour decant melted the tannins away and put the fruit on the driving seat. This is not a wine you could sip on its own, it really needed a big piece of ribeye so it was ultimately sound that my pairing for this wine was a big piece of ribeye. With the meat, this wine wins and is a terrific pairing but I am not sure it would work with any other kinds of food or even drinking it on its own. If you have bottles, I will leave this in the cellar for another 10 years to see if it sheds more of its baby fat and some nuanced complexity emerges.
This reminds me of AU shiraz from the same era (the 90s - early 00s) that need around 25-30 years to shed its baby fat.
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9/9/2021 - Westportwhiner wrote: 97 Points
Just about perfect. Needs a little air then opens up wonderfully. Has plenty more life in it.
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8/2/2021 - pvmaanen Likes this wine: 96 Points
Crazy good this wine. Decanted for 3 hours the wine is alive, round and drinks amazingly good.
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7/1/2021 - merlotsmile Likes this wine:
Vinminnen 3 (Fiskaregatan Lund): Vinminnen 3
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6/25/2021 - br_winelover Likes this wine: 93 Points
93-94pts. 30 months in new barriques, and even now, 16 years after this vintage, the oak is not fully integrated. Besides that, this is a very nice Ribera del Duero red - there is still a wall of red fruit especially on the palate, with primary notes of strawberries, cherries, and raspberries, and tertiary notes of earth, leather, and some wax. Medium-bodied with great balance. Drink or hold.
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2/23/2021 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. A very good wine. Ready to drink but no hurry this still has many years left. 95 pts.
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2/23/2021 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very deep purple, yet clear, lively fruit, albeit still very young; already very well balanced and overall great; it could be phenomenal in 5-10 years.
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2/19/2021 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep ruby color. Nose of blackberry essence, black tea, and smoky incense. Silky on the palate with great presence, balance, and a long finish.
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12/30/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep purple, monster wine even after 15 years, blueberries, blackberries, minerals, black tea and enough tannins and acidity to pull it off.
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12/29/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
More modern Spain. Dark dark blackberry, still huge tannins. Chocolate. 15 later and this is still a monster. Good but vastly prefer the 08 Erasmus
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11/20/2020 - Miceri Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark red with brick red hue; deep red fruit, lots of vanilla; rich, rounded, deep, smooth, nice long aftertaste; really well made; I have often been disappointed with PS (too powerful and harsh), but this one is singing
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9/20/2020 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Different nose (in a Spanish wines line-up) (B++/A-). Excellent palate (B++). Tasted blind.
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5/11/2020 - Frank Schneider wrote: 96 Points
Pure silky fun !! Amazing. Drink !!!!
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4/10/2020 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 91 Points
did not meet my expectations (given my good experiences with the non-PS version of this wine -- '05 and '07 versions)... frankly remember the '07 non-PS being a better wine, this was fine and easy to drink but really right down the middle with nothing particularly exceptional (ie structure, fruit, spice etc)
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3/20/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours. My last bottle 2 years ago was a bit better (96 pts). Ready to drink (with air) but no hurry the 2005 Aalto PS still has many years left. 95 pts.
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3/14/2020 - Kavine wrote: 94 Points
Medium to full bodied. Fruit, soft and very rounded. Great wine and went very well with a bone in rib eye. Worth finding more of this.
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3/13/2020 - SWHighlander Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark blackish red in color. Good fruit which has mellowed just a touch and melded beautifully with earthy notes, moderate acid and tannins. Long finish. No off notes. Complex. Perfect balance. Opened several very good bottles of mixed types of wine over dinner with friends. This was my stand out. Just a lovely wine. Outshown a 2010 high end Barolo. Tasting perfectly in its window right now, but should age well at least another 10 years, maybe much longer. Perfectly paired with braised spare ribs and mashed potatoes, but it's balanced enough that you can drink it as an aperitif without needing protein to cut the tannins. Thank you, Jon Rimmerman (GaragisteWine) -- your sometimes hyperbole was right on for this one.
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2/22/2020 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 96 Points
Attention! This is not your grandparents Tempranillo...Crazy good 100% Tinto made from one of my favorite Spanish producers in a modern style that checks all the right boxes. Fruit, Acid, Structure, Balance, Aromatics...this has it all!
The 05 AAlto P.S. shows of its sexy Spanish curves and full body effortlessly ( no makeup necessary ). This beauty has really begun to hit its peak at 15 years young. Saturated dark red in appearance the wine explodes with notes of crushed stone, pain grille, black cherries and wild black fruits. It is rich and dense, powerful and well proportioned with the oak held in check. Red and black fruited with complex flavors of scorched earth, leather, tobacco and spice.
There’s a reason why, along with Clio and El Nido, the AAlto P.S. is THE go to date night wine *wink, wink*. You can thank me later.
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12/27/2019 - Frank Schneider wrote: 96 Points
Every bottle is too small if an wine tastes like this. This is a real joy to drink. Dark fruits with herbal notes and fresh loooong finish. Lovely. No hurry
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9/10/2019 - Yagil wrote: 95 Points
Spanish wines tasting (at my home): deep ruby
pronounced aromas intensity of black cherries, red currents, dark cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, forest floor, oak-vanilla;
developing;
dry, high acidity, high tannins, high abv, full body; pronounced flavours intensity consistent with the aromas; excellent complexity; lingering quality finish;
can drink now - suitable for further aging;
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6/17/2019 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Viva espagna !!!!!!!!! Hedonistic pleasure in a young but great wine.
No hurry
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6/7/2019 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Dark purple, tasted over 4 hours, licorice, cedar, menthol, wet stones and fall forest floor aromas. This did change over time, interesting mix of cherry, dark fruits, and blackberries.
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3/24/2019 - Trydebull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Helblint (BYOB hos mig)
Dofter av vanilj och krut. Ny ek som dessutom är nyhyvlad
Smaken ger i från sig vanilj och rosor tillsammans med en enorm fruktexplossion - och fina fatkänslor. Bitigt! Tanninrikt! Gott som f-n!
Men även mycket kvar att ge! Drick dem nu, eller inom 20 år. Det här kommer bara att befinna sig i olika faser av "underbart".
93++
Jag var ganska snabbt inne på Spanien. Norra Spanien. Troligtvis väldigt hög andel Tempranillo i någon form. Troligtvis inte Rioja.
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2/2/2019 - P257pax wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. Dark fruits on the nose, black berries on the palate. The alcohol heat settled down as the evening went along. Ready to enjoy now.
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8/19/2018 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2,5 hours. Improved a lot in the decanter. Very good bottle. The 2005 is as good as the 2004. Ready to drink (with air) and still has many years left. 95 pts.
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7/27/2018 - Marcus Vin Rouge Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful. Nice dark fruit with black berry as the most prominent with tobacco and spice on the nose.
Sweet powerful but developed dark fruit on the palate with nice layers again with black berry as the most prominent. Integrated tannins.
Drink now and for many years ahead.
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7/7/2018 - nywine68 wrote: 94 Points
A big nose of stewed cherries. Some firm tannins left which will take another 5-10 years to fully resolve. Lots of earthy tobacco flavors and nice complexity. Good underlying acidity too. Very well made.
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6/6/2017 - robertek wrote: 90 Points
Fruit a bit dried out - tannin still there. Disappointed...
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4/5/2017 - rustyRudy wrote: 98 Points
Took to a Tapas restaurant with family and friends. No formal note. This was drinking well at PNP. Full bodied, great balance and complexity. Terrific Tempranillo ! Great with a wide variety of different dishes. Probably my favorite new world Spanish wine on a consistent basis !
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4/5/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
More restrained fruit than the '08 El Nido. More red fruit and cherries than blue fruit. More grilling spices on the nose. Less tannic.
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3/14/2017 - phil the agony wrote: 93 Points
À l'aveugle j'ai bien découvert le cépage,la bouteille mais la mauvaise année.
2005 a eu un peu plus de pluie et cela parait.
2004-2001 a été plus boisé et semble a voir une masse plus tannique que ce millésime.
Elle se boit très bien sur et elle est sur le fruit.
Pas de chaleur et pas de bois dans ce millésime.
Sur un long plateau.
17.5/20
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3/3/2017 - jkoenen wrote: 96 Points
From magnum.
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3/3/2017 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
The birthday of a good friend; Mostly beautiful magnums (@ PZ): No formal notes. Drank from magnum. Beautiful and luxurious bouquet with ripe dark forest fruits, toast and tobacco. On the palate still youthful ripe dark berry fruits, coffee and chocolate. A bit new world style with some sweetness but also beautiful acidity and tannin and an enormous length. The wine is a great pleasure now and in its young maturity stage, but this magnum could have probably lasted until 2035 - 2040. Great wine! 96+
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12/4/2016 - CobraKahn Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Deep dark and delicious
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12/4/2016 - Yagil wrote: 95 Points
Castilla y Leon tasting (at my home): 60 min in the glass
dark translucent red purple black
excellent dark roasted fruits nose with delicate sous-bois notes and oak-vanilla hints
rich dark fruity-spicy flavours, full bodied, firm round tannins, excellent balance & harmony, excellent structure & complexity, warm alcoholic finish (14% a.b.v.), excellent aftertaste. excellent wind for meaty dishes, or on its own.
24 hours after opening:
still lively and excellent, noble elegant character, delicate fruity-earthy flavours, full bodied, excellent, no significant oxidation signs yet.
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8/20/2016 - Philippe_C wrote: 92 Points
Explosive black ripe fruit, nice freshness and iodine... Loads of black fruit, loads of silky tannins, lacking a bit of acidity, tannins are too much present...
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4/30/2016 - weiny Likes this wine: 98 Points
Unheimlich voller und reifer Wein mit Satz schon im ersten Glas
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4/18/2016 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 96 Points
An amazing wine, one of the best wines I have had this year. In a very good drinking window and with proper cellaring still has at least a decade to go. Despite the price point this is a good QPR value - I hardly ever say that with wines in this price point but this one just is. This was enjoyed at the inaugural tasting of our new wine club earlier this week, was the wine of the flite and for most of us - myself included - this was definitely the wine of the tasting. Opened up for about two hours in the wine glass w/out an otherwise formal decant and I definitely recommend a decant of 1-2 hours if time allows - at this point she definitely benefits from air. Amazing, vibrant and youthful and fully alive but so complex, rich and well balanced. Excellent mouth feel, big but soft, a vibrant aromatic nose of mixed fruit, berries and spice that just drove me nuts and a most enjoyable incredibly long finish. Deep teeth staining purple color. Flavor profile clearly old world with well balanced controlled oak, dark fruit, earth, mushroom, leather, blood and tobacco smoke. Highly recommend this wine and if anyone comes across a good offer that they do not plan to use feel free to pass it on to me - definitely want to get more of this.
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2/27/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 96 Points
Tasted next to 2009 Aalto. Still dark and glossy, hardly any discolouration. Very expressive and rich on the nose even more concentrated than the 2009 Aalto in comparison. But there is also more depth and complexity. On the palate this wine is amazingly well balanced - very ripe and polished, but fresh, spicy, grippy. Very very long. Fantastic. 95-97
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12/28/2015 - Vmaster007 wrote: 90 Points
Massive wine. Decanted for 5 hours. The color is deep, very dark and opaque. The nose is powerful with oak, dark cherries, blackberries and cassis. Lovely wine with a good structure built to last. Better wait 10-15 years before opening my last bottle.
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11/4/2015 - rockguit Likes this wine: 95 Points
Refined, complex, integrated, shows its pedigree. A lovely bottle.
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7/11/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not My preferred style of wine, but it still needs to be respected for what it is. This is a BIG expressive wine with an explosive bouquet in the glass. It is seamless from nose, to mid palate, through the finish. I love it when the nose matches the finish. Blue and black fruit with a creamy texture and smooth, almost sweet finish of vanillin coming through. I believe this wine is aged in French oak, but the finish resembles an American oak influence. If Silver Oak made a wine in Spain, it would taste like this. Drinking great now, but will last for years to come. Decanted for 2 hours.
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6/25/2015 - brihprivat wrote: 95 Points
Sampled with Coravin. Extremely likable wine, deep, rich, extracted, yet not too much. Would benefit from some decanting to open up. Drink now-2020
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2/28/2015 - bubbachumps wrote: 95 Points
Amazing depth and complexity. A truly epic wine! Notes of eucalyptus, cassis, rich red raspberry and dark fruits. In the mouth, fantastic depth of fruit and a absolutely seamless finish. Incredibly balanced and integrated. This is still an infant and has many years ahead of it. Decanted 5 hours and consumed over another 4 hours.
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2/27/2015 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 98 Points
One of the best wines of Spain I've ever drank. Near perfection. Very balanced and with many years ahead.
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12/5/2014 - weiny Likes this wine: 96 Points
Kräftig beeriger in der Nase, sehr fein, aber mit Luft nötig, sonst geil
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12/1/2014 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and monitored over like 1 hour.
Better than 2 years ago (Papies 89) but not impressive as when we first had it in 2009 (Papies 93 albeit our palate and interests have changed since then.
Very much a new world style wine, dark, purple, dense, lots of oak and extraction, sweet ripe fruit across and rich. However at 9yrs old has kept the fruit and has a weird friendly nature that even anti oak freaks like us did not fail to appreciate. Somehow felt very pleasant and enjoyable in its overdone character. Not our style but still a good wine. 90-91 and seems to be going on well. We will revisit our last bottle in 5yrs we think
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11/1/2014 - vanpe003 wrote: 95 Points
Big, lush and somewhat primary at this point. Dark fruits with hints of olive and dill in the background. Layered on the palate with a long, lingering finish.
Naturally I reached for this and opened it without checking on CT first. If I had, I would have held onto it a bit longer. If I had another bottle, I'd probably wait 5 years.
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8/22/2014 - Wfjohn wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Plus with obvious oak. I expected the tannins to be more present as I found it fairly rounded. Big fruit and very modern style. Could have used more acidity. A touch on the sweet side. Hot was a word that seems reasonable. Won't drink another for a while.
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5/25/2014 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark purple. Popped and poured, needed two hours to open up. Minerals , dark fruit, moderate oak, tannins that are just starting to soften and is starting to enter a reasonable drinking window. Drank over two hours with Spanish tapas. Extremely well balanced. New world, but not a fruit bomb.
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5/25/2014 - andrewdodd86 wrote: 98 Points
tannic. Dark red fruit. Cherry. Tons of oak. Very young. Vanilla. Spice. Long finish. Mineral. Floral. Love it.
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5/17/2014 - KPB wrote: 90 Points
Delicious, but lacking in refinement.
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4/6/2014 - Turtlerider wrote:
Big bold fruit forward new would wine. Very very good. I have a few more bottles so I hope it continues to improve with time
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3/28/2014 - sphBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
beautiful - if there's still more from this to come it will be stunning
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2/20/2014 - phenricsson wrote: 96 Points
Well structured, great acidity and freshness but still lots of flavor and fruit.
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1/11/2014 - robertek wrote: 96 Points
In balance and really good at this time in its life.
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8/24/2013 - Antti wrote:
It is what it is, just as dense, concentrated, ripe, sweet and oaky as previous tasters have described. For those who like the style, this is probably an excellent wine and a well-made one in that style. On the other hand, somewhat anonymous new world kind of wine. I couldn't finish a glass.
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3/22/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 95 Points
Young and dense. The significant oak will integrate, but for now it drives the silk-pillow bouquet and the intense, explosively fruit-driven mouth. This is a stunner. Finishes long and with sophistication in flavor and texture. Drink 2018-2028.
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2/2/2013 - Wine_lvr wrote: 96 Points
Deep red. Ripe berries, cassis, vanilla. Long finish and very elegant despite the richeness. Great wine. Drink - 2025. Wow
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12/16/2012 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
This is a truly great and concentrated wine. Beautifully integrated oak, dark fruits and silky soft tannin with a good bite. This wine is already (or still?) so approachable! A beauty now and probably for many years to come.
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11/24/2012 - thomas.bagge@me.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Tasted with Mas Doix 2005. Clearly the PS has a lot less acidity than the Mas Doix. PS is structured, complex and has given up some of the fruit; there is still plenty notes of dark berries. It is fresh and should age very well. I would give it min. 5 years before tasting again. Dramatically better than the hot PS 2003.
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9/1/2012 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Well a lot different than last time we tried it. We decanted it ( a must at the moment) and observed it over 2 hours.
The first impression was of a warm climate with a lot of oak and feel of that lactic angle of dry oak tannin. Andreas tried it blind and thought it was from South Africa.
Gone is the fruit of its youth (rated it 93 2 years ago) and the wine is a bit on the shut side to begin, with a dominant oak feel and a sweet core on the finish. It did relax as time went by but left a harsh extracted over oaked feeling. Overdone new age Spain at the moment and we would suggest one waits another 5 years before approaching. 88-90 at best at the moment from us.
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5/26/2012 - DTWOB wrote: 95 Points
Decanted at 8:00 am - poured with friends at 5:00 pm
This really opened up with powerful fruit and supportive tannis. Great complexity.
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3/23/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 92 Points
2012 - ES #2 (Extra Space Boon Keng): Alcohol :: 14.5%
Opened for 2.5hrs. Opaque purple red. Nothing much on the nose, but it is powerful and deep, tightly coiled and shy with underlying aroma of butterscotch, vanilla and sweet dark fruits. This full bodied PS possesses extraordinary richness, immense power, mammoth like structure that coated the mouth and stained the palate immediately, but it wasn't as heavy as I thought as it has good focus and well delineated. This is actually quite approachable thanks to the wonderful balance and ripe acid lift. Finished is long and powerful. Patience is needed, 10-15yrs? 92-94
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3/11/2012 - KPB wrote:
Still in need of more time, the 2005 AAlto PS is a very powerful, tannic, dark wine. Almost black in the glass, with a very concentrated nose of cassis, black plums, leather, licorice. Intense in the mouth and a little bitter (should shed that as it evolves), and a bit tight for the few hours we had it open. Tannins need time to soften here; the acid and tannic structure promises a very long evolution. 90 today, perhaps 95 at peak (which I suspect won't be for another 5-10 years).
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2/11/2012 - dutchwinelover wrote: 95 Points
still very young but delicous bottle of wine. expensive but worth every penny!
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2/11/2012 - St Paul wrote: 96 Points
When I opened this bottle I got my nose filled with a sweet coconut flavor. Deep candy like. After 3 hours in a decanter it started to open up and showed deep dark fruit and some classy strawberry tones. This is still very young but very complex and interesting. Modern spanish wines like this is almost like a New World wine. Very "expensive" structure. No doubt that this is a big wine.
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1/14/2012 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic wine but still young and needs decanting.
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9/2/2011 - DTWOB wrote: 94 Points
Very nice - deep dark color, beautiful nose, full fruit with mild tannins and heat. nice long finish.
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4/30/2011 - RussK wrote: 93 Points
RUSSK Pablo's WW at PrVera. Tied for my WOTN
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3/13/2011 - jorge48 wrote: 99 Points
Decanted for several hours. Superb bouquet. Dollops of vanilla, oak, chocolate. Very complex palate. Vanilla, ginger, smoke. Silky smooth tannins. Perfect balance. Star of a night that included 2005 Pontet Canet and 2006 Sassicaia.
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2/2/2011 - AHSpiritus wrote: 95 Points
too young - but already a very wonderful and powerful wine!
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1/9/2011 - dr mike wrote: 96 Points
This is a deep brooding wine, but so, so balanced. The tannins are quite evident at this stage, but the wine is very drinkable. Lush 60 second finish consisting of wild flowers and blueberries. I look forward to seeing this wine develop over the next 10 years.
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11/27/2010 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): See also previous note. Full bodied, a lot of sweetness, wonderful acidity and silky soft tannin. A super elegant blockbuster. Great already and for many years to come.
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11/9/2010 - Le Vin wrote: 95 Points
Paired very nice with Confit de Canard. Does need a few more years. Some are calling it the new Vega. I would agree. Also agree with the Coconut nose
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10/17/2010 - francois999 wrote: 90 Points
Only if you believe Parker taste.
Nose of coconuts, pineapple ( pina colada without rhum but with wine)
woody, dark, strong ...
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9/18/2010 - garagar wrote: 92 Points
Very fragrant on the nose with clear vanilla aromas and delicate notes of violet, mulberry and also chocolate.
Really smooth on the palate, presence of tannins but in a nice way and correct acidity. Ripe red fruits (blueberries, mulberries), spicy notes all surrounded by a creamy back.
An spectacular wine with an extraordinary long after taste, but if you can wait and keep 4-5 years it will be even better.
Note: Perfect match with black pudding pie. Both were born to be together...
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9/12/2010 - DTWOB wrote: 93 Points
Not the same bottle, or so it seemed.
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8/8/2010 - DTWOB wrote: 97 Points
This is a fantastic wine. The best Spanish bottle ever for me - and one of my top 10 of all the wines I have enjoyed. Popped, aerated, decanted and left to breathe for 30 min. before pouring.. over a 1.5 hour meal of rib eye steak on my outdoor deck. Deep, dark, inky color with a nose that became more pronounced with dark fruit and liquorish as the meal progressed. Lots of fruit in this baby, but not overpowering. This wine has a VERY light mouth feel as the well integrated characteristics of this wine dance over your palate. The tannins are like air blown velvet - gently supporting the experience. The finish is long, but not pronounced. This wine is refined elegance to the maximum!
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8/6/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
Love this wine. Needs some decanting but then it opens up and almost explodes in the mouth. Sweet, peppery and exotic.
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6/5/2010 - phenricsson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark, beautiful. Rich, fat, violets and black currant. Long aftertaste. Really good and delicious wine but not as great as some other bottles I've had.
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3/17/2010 - RussK wrote: 93 Points
RUSSK WWiz at Valentinos, one of my favs that night. Pablo brought. A great Ribera. Mouth-coating tannins, with lots of fruit. Aromas of coconut, smoke and bacon fat. About $115, might buy at that price.
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3/7/2010 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 96 Points
Dark purple colour, ruby at the rim. Complex but compound nose with red fruit and beautiful spices coming from the oak. Amazing, elegant structure so layered and complex that you get exotic spices like cumin, garam masala and herbs together with a black fruit main frame. It has very well integrated, powerful tannins. The fruit is overripe yet and oak is still dominating. It will be interesting to see this wine in 10 years time.
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2/20/2010 - robertek wrote: 96 Points
This is truly an amazing wine that I let sit in the decanter for 4 hours before consuming. It was - in tough competition - the WOTN in everyones opinion. And with Iberico pork role stuffed with pata negra and herbs topped with mojo it was fabulous. The fruit is powerful yet the wine is elegant and multidimensional. It cna be enjoyed for hours and still you will fins nuances in it. It has many years of development but is actually very enjoyable already today.
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2/6/2010 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Aalto / Aalto PS complete vertical (HSH): Nose: Huge and intense filled with black currant and minerality. Minor hint of vanilla.
Taste: Lots of black currant. Intense flavors with a very powerful and fitting aciditic aftertaste. Even though it still feels pleasant and almost elegant. Loved this.
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1/13/2010 - tawd wrote: 96 Points
Wow... Dried ketchup, brown sugar & coffee. Nice tannin. Finishes surpisingly fresh for such a dense wine. Needed this. Fun with our neighborhood cow t-bones & potato pavé.
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10/13/2009 - RussK wrote: 88 Points
RUSSK Step/Ari brought to my Sp/Italian tasting. I guess not my style.
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10/1/2009 - JordiA wrote: 95 Points
Espectacular, potencia, elegancia.
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9/18/2009 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
What a a fruit bomb. Really great wine with big body and a ton of fruit on the nose. A great discovey we have to say and really glad we have some at home. Still young and requires a good deal of decanting (it evolved nicely in the glass) and as it gets age it will be a 95+ wine for sure.
Imagine flor de pingus 04 with less punch and more fruit and roundness. Superb
Had at Zortziko in Bilbao.
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7/4/2009 - Zweder wrote: 97 Points
Private dinner with friends. (@ MWe): This is super! Elegant sweet bouquet with tobacco and anise. Same in the taste. Very concentrated but also elegant. Ripe black fruits, elegant oak, smoky, mocha. Very complete and complex wine. Truly great!
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3/14/2009 - henrychinaski wrote: 95 Points
I was very suprised at how much I liked this wine. Definitely not a one dimensional fruit bomb. Lots of dark fruit but well balanced with some smoky characteristics. One of the better new spanish wines that I have had recently.
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3/5/2009 - KPB wrote: 93 Points
Opaque purple.... powerful nose shows reduction of cassis, tobacco leaf, vanilla, smoke. Richly flavored, dense to the point of seeming chewy, has a long supple finish. Hides the alcohol, but I'm not fooled. At this stage, very appealing -- right now I prefer the 2005 to the 2004. If you own it, pop a cork!
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2/7/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 92 Points
2005 Aalto PS (Spanje, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero) Kleur: Geconcentreerd paarsrood Aroma / bouquet: Uitgesproken en expressief, kokos-achtig hout, zoet en zwoel. Jammig rood maar vooral zwart fruit. Sigarenkistjes / gebrand hout. Koffie / mokka. Smaak / Afdronk: Aanzet: klein zoetje. onvoorstelbaar veel kracht en concentratie. Op dit moment wat mij betreft nog wel wat te eenzijdig. Algemeen / potentieel: Mooi, super-krachtig maar - in elk geval op dit moment - nog wel wel iets eenzijdig. Er is hoop: deze wijn staat bol van het rijpingspotentieel. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 92/100
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1/29/2009 - rob1869 wrote:
Icon Wines Of Spain (WSET, London): Black core, purple rim. meaty (I thought mince and tatties!) dark fruit nose; intense full bodied mocha palate; dense dry tannic finish of meaty rich dark fruit.
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1/14/2009 - jusuf wrote: 90 Points
Much too young. Super concentrated, but not yet enjoyable. Massive nose, but the tannins are still clearly too young. Extremely powerful wine.
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9/10/2008 - phenricsson wrote: 99 Points
Aalto PS 2005. This was possibly even better than the SQN – the best Spanish wine I’ve ever had. We’ve tried the 04 of this before and loved it but the 05 is even better. Big, rich, sweet and powerful but with dark, wild flavors and very good balance. Surprisingly ready to drink now (after 4 hours of double decanting) but will surely last for decades. 99p.
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7/11/2007 - dougsmith wrote:
Visit to Aalto with Javier Zaccagnini: Pago Lahorra for PS -- from barrel. Entirely different nose from the former. Still somewhat closed, but with wonderful, complex aromas of incense, perfume, dark fruits and iron. On the palate it has really exceptional acid balance, backing up an enormous concentration of fruit extract with a mouthwatering finish. 15% abv. is entirely unnoticeable at this point.
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