After 2 hours open. Dark ruby color, clear and sound, no sediment. Medium intensity red berries and peaches, very light oak hints. I'm very pleased with how this has come together over the past 2 years. Approaching its prime, I suspect. 5+10+16+8= 89
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Dark garnet. Like, mouse? and tar and some va on the nose. In the mouth, plum fruit on entry with vanilla. And then like tobacco and maybe fennel and something animalic in the finish, maybe more mouse. Or like, dead mouse. Honestly pretty off-putting but I can't objectively place why, the aroma and the finish.
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This bottle was better and some air also helped. Cassis, tart cherry/raspberry, wood, leather, dried grass, subtle hint of cloves on the finish. This is heading in the right direction and might reach 90 pts. Good midweek drinker for not much money.
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After my experience with this back in December, I decided to let a bottle sit passively in a closet, where temps have frequently been in the upper 70's/low 80's. I believe that has accelerated the development and the wine is better for it, particularly in the aspects of balance and harmony. I don't see it really hitting its peak for another year or two. 4+12+15+8= 89
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Red plum, herbs, red licorice. Serviceable, but not as good as the '14 which had more herbal notes. Overall just a little watery, probably needs more air. Might improve a tiny bit with time.
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solid wine.. better as it opened up. harsh at first with heavy cedar and wood overpowering the fruit initially. as it opened up the berry and black fruit became more predominant. becoming jam like as the glass warmed up. i would shorten up the drinking window a bit (only by a year or two) since the fruit took so long to open up, this may already be sliding into the later stages of its life.
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Nice ripe berries throughout, some balsamic, and a fair amount of oak driven spice and vanilla. Others liked it more I believe — I thought it was good, but had a bit of that “could be from anywhere” feel to me.
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Seemed very “old school” Rioja-like to me with lots of structure, but good depth of fruit. Slightly floral and delicately spiced with black and red cherry and meat notes. Very good now. Great value wine.
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Medium to dark ruby garnet. Interesting mix of ripe dark plums and fresh red berries on the nose, with notes of dark chocolate and tobacco. On the palate a dark fruit presence brightened by strong acids, low tannins, light bodied, long finish with nice aromatic back notes, 13.5% alcohol.
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I really liked the 2015 Crianza, but this doesn't do much for me. Followed over two days open and it didn't budge. It showed a lot of acidity and tannins out of balance with the fruit. Rough, clumsy and with distracting alcohol, it needs some red meat to battle those tannins. More time should help, but this isn't a lot of fun for now. 4+11+13+7= 84
Fruity acidic nose. Despite the nose, the wine is not overly acidic. It does have a muskyness that tastes of age, but wine is very full, relatively well balanced and enjoyable. Great ptv but may need to drink soon.
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Lovely every day quaf. Soft red fruits, leather, red licorice, candied fruit and a nice dose of tannins. Nothing profound but very nice with home made cannelloni. Would rebuy.
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One of these wines where the label actually describes it very well - smoky aromas of pipe tobacco and Mediterranean herbs, silky tannins on the palate. Enjoyable.
5/1/2024 - Portland Seth Likes this wine:
Somehow this bottle did not lack for body, it drank like a complete wine. Cassis, dried grass, mocha. Delicious!
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1/2/2024 - fingers Likes this wine: 89 Points
After 2 hours open. Dark ruby color, clear and sound, no sediment. Medium intensity red berries and peaches, very light oak hints. I'm very pleased with how this has come together over the past 2 years. Approaching its prime, I suspect. 5+10+16+8= 89
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12/22/2023 - joraesque wrote: 88 Points
87-88
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9/23/2023 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 90 Points
Best bottle of the case. Similar flavors as before with more cassis and parchment. Not super robust but quite satisfying.
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4/12/2023 - Sashimie Does not like this wine:
Dark garnet. Like, mouse? and tar and some va on the nose.
In the mouth, plum fruit on entry with vanilla. And then like tobacco and maybe fennel and something animalic in the finish, maybe more mouse. Or like, dead mouse. Honestly pretty off-putting but I can't objectively place why, the aroma and the finish.
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4/7/2023 - jsjones Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Does not taste like a reserva. Minima oak. Not we’ll balanced. Not even sure what flavors.
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12/1/2022 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 89 Points
This bottle was better and some air also helped. Cassis, tart cherry/raspberry, wood, leather, dried grass, subtle hint of cloves on the finish. This is heading in the right direction and might reach 90 pts. Good midweek drinker for not much money.
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7/30/2022 - rjm_va Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decant a while
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7/28/2022 - fingers Likes this wine: 89 Points
After my experience with this back in December, I decided to let a bottle sit passively in a closet, where temps have frequently been in the upper 70's/low 80's. I believe that has accelerated the development and the wine is better for it, particularly in the aspects of balance and harmony. I don't see it really hitting its peak for another year or two. 4+12+15+8= 89
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6/26/2022 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pretty full musky nose. Medium bodied relatively well balanced with some chalk and a bit of excess acid and a touch of age. Drink soon.
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5/25/2022 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Léger et gouleyant.
Fruits croquants et belle petite finale acidulée.
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4/10/2022 - Portland Seth wrote: 88 Points
Red plum, herbs, red licorice. Serviceable, but not as good as the '14 which had more herbal notes. Overall just a little watery, probably needs more air. Might improve a tiny bit with time.
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4/1/2022 - Dad300 Likes this wine: 85 Points
solid wine.. better as it opened up. harsh at first with heavy cedar and wood overpowering the fruit initially. as it opened up the berry and black fruit became more predominant. becoming jam like as the glass warmed up. i would shorten up the drinking window a bit (only by a year or two) since the fruit took so long to open up, this may already be sliding into the later stages of its life.
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3/16/2022 - Madrid Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tart, cherry, and pomm, some delightful stone fruit rounds you out with some earthen elements.
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2/24/2022 - JimEaton Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice berries and cedar. Light to medium bodied. Good wine for the price.
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2/15/2022 - Jmac56 wrote: flawed
Nice musky nose but this bottle was vegetal.
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1/27/2022 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice ripe berries throughout, some balsamic, and a fair amount of oak driven spice and vanilla. Others liked it more I believe — I thought it was good, but had a bit of that “could be from anywhere” feel to me.
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1/19/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Seemed very “old school” Rioja-like to me with lots of structure, but good depth of fruit. Slightly floral and delicately spiced with black and red cherry and meat notes. Very good now. Great value wine.
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1/14/2022 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium to dark ruby garnet. Interesting mix of ripe dark plums and fresh red berries on the nose, with notes of dark chocolate and tobacco. On the palate a dark fruit presence brightened by strong acids, low tannins, light bodied, long finish with nice aromatic back notes, 13.5% alcohol.
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1/5/2022 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Initially a bit vegetal but opened up nicely. Medium to full bodied. Nice fruit and acid.
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1/4/2022 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 89 Points
Becoming a stalwart. Similar notes to last August's entry.
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12/3/2021 - fingers wrote: 84 Points
I really liked the 2015 Crianza, but this doesn't do much for me. Followed over two days open and it didn't budge. It showed a lot of acidity and tannins out of balance with the fruit. Rough, clumsy and with distracting alcohol, it needs some red meat to battle those tannins. More time should help, but this isn't a lot of fun for now. 4+11+13+7= 84
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11/15/2021 - Acesnead Likes this wine: 88 Points
Excellent young wine. A bit alcohol forward but really develops over a couple hours. Fruit forward with a dry tannic aftertaste.
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10/29/2021 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fruity acidic nose. Despite the nose, the wine is not overly acidic. It does have a muskyness that tastes of age, but wine is very full, relatively well balanced and enjoyable. Great ptv but may need to drink soon.
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10/26/2021 - repoper wrote: 89 Points
Lovely every day quaf. Soft red fruits, leather, red licorice, candied fruit and a nice dose of tannins. Nothing profound but very nice with home made cannelloni. Would rebuy.
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10/5/2021 - jmcmchi Likes this wine:
Smoke and garrigue; tobacco and cherry on palate. Light bodied, great to accompany a simple midweek meal
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8/18/2021 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 89 Points
I totally agree with the previous review. Smoke, Berry Cherry fruit garigue thing going on, smooth tannins, nice finish. Great QPR.
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7/12/2021 - pgb67 wrote: 89 Points
One of these wines where the label actually describes it very well - smoky aromas of pipe tobacco and Mediterranean herbs, silky tannins on the palate. Enjoyable.
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