A really gorgeous wine. As much as people kicked the shit out of Miller and his scores, he was spot on with this one in his score and notes. Incredibly well balanced wine with all the characteristics of a well-aged modern Rioja - sweet vanilla, dark berries and a touch of the aroma of fresh turned loam. We really enjoyed this one with cheese bacon burgers and grilled peppers and onions. Outstanding wine. Try it if you can lay your hands on a bottle. This was our last.
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This is big Rioja as in B I G... Very complex nose/palate of black olive tapanade, blackberries, truffle, wet earth, pencil shavings and grilled bread. This wine will have a very long life ahead of it (20+ years) - assuming you can wait that long. Worth an extra effort to find. Cheers!
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Multi hour decant, the nose is the highlight of this somewhat different version of tempranillo from this region, with dark cherry and herbs,while missing the characteristic oak element I usually expect. The palate is well balanced, with the acidity edging slightly higher than the velvety tannins. The palate is much the same as the nose, with no real oak apparent. Full bodied with a nice mouthfeel and a medium finish.
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hankj's note says quite a bit about this wine; he's spot on. And no, it's certainly not following the ageing curve of a traditional Rioja. From the color, and straight on to the nose and palate, this is modern, all the way. It's dark, the palate is lightly sweet and sappy thick around the core; aniseed extract, if there is such a thing. The nose, however, is very complex, and the flavors, too, offer (some) complexity, but mostly it's in a linear vein. Granted that vein is nice, it's sapid and interesting. Not a wine to overthink, rather one to just enjoy. There is enough acidity here to keep this a solid companion to food. In my case, I tried it with the duck confit, with French lentils and roasted butternut squash and it was very tasty, albeit in a distinctly different way than the other wines that were also on the table - 83 l'Arrosee, 98 Cote-Rotie, etc., etc. Not something (had it been served blind) I'd have guessed from Rioja (nothing here said Tempranillo, nothing) - I would have been in Bierzo, I think. Ultimately, while I enjoyed the wine, I just can't get my heart around this house, it being just too modern for my tastes.
Served non-blind.
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This bottle had thrown a lot of sediment and came across just a little bit softer than I would have liked. A more subtle wine than one might expect given its deep color, this Rioja was nevertheless still quite complex, with a very interesting dusty, exotic tertiary and herbal notes. It is following a different aging curve than classic Rioja so drinking now is not a mistake, and waiting a lot longer not necessarily a good idea.
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volle rode kleur, levendig, geur is fruit, rijp fruit, kirsch, bessenbonbons, smaak is intens, krachtig, sappig, veel wijn, veel structuur, intens, heel smakelijk, moderne Rioja, nog in zijn jeugdige fase
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5/13/2023 - jlgnml wrote: 90 Points
Quick decant with no filter. Perfumed nose. Good fruit but swimming in muck. Has potential.
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8/27/2021 - TMacpherson Likes this wine: 98 Points
A really gorgeous wine. As much as people kicked the shit out of Miller and his scores, he was spot on with this one in his score and notes. Incredibly well balanced wine with all the characteristics of a well-aged modern Rioja - sweet vanilla, dark berries and a touch of the aroma of fresh turned loam. We really enjoyed this one with cheese bacon burgers and grilled peppers and onions. Outstanding wine. Try it if you can lay your hands on a bottle. This was our last.
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5/1/2020 - DerSchonWieder Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is big Rioja as in B I G... Very complex nose/palate of black olive tapanade, blackberries, truffle, wet earth, pencil shavings and grilled bread. This wine will have a very long life ahead of it (20+ years) - assuming you can wait that long. Worth an extra effort to find. Cheers!
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1/17/2017 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 91 Points
Multi hour decant, the nose is the highlight of this somewhat different version of tempranillo from this region, with dark cherry and herbs,while missing the characteristic oak element I usually expect. The palate is well balanced, with the acidity edging slightly higher than the velvety tannins. The palate is much the same as the nose, with no real oak apparent. Full bodied with a nice mouthfeel and a medium finish.
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1/15/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
hankj's note says quite a bit about this wine; he's spot on. And no, it's certainly not following the ageing curve of a traditional Rioja. From the color, and straight on to the nose and palate, this is modern, all the way. It's dark, the palate is lightly sweet and sappy thick around the core; aniseed extract, if there is such a thing. The nose, however, is very complex, and the flavors, too, offer (some) complexity, but mostly it's in a linear vein. Granted that vein is nice, it's sapid and interesting. Not a wine to overthink, rather one to just enjoy. There is enough acidity here to keep this a solid companion to food. In my case, I tried it with the duck confit, with French lentils and roasted butternut squash and it was very tasty, albeit in a distinctly different way than the other wines that were also on the table - 83 l'Arrosee, 98 Cote-Rotie, etc., etc. Not something (had it been served blind) I'd have guessed from Rioja (nothing here said Tempranillo, nothing) - I would have been in Bierzo, I think. Ultimately, while I enjoyed the wine, I just can't get my heart around this house, it being just too modern for my tastes.
Served non-blind.
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4/3/2016 - hankj wrote: 92 Points
This bottle had thrown a lot of sediment and came across just a little bit softer than I would have liked. A more subtle wine than one might expect given its deep color, this Rioja was nevertheless still quite complex, with a very interesting dusty, exotic tertiary and herbal notes. It is following a different aging curve than classic Rioja so drinking now is not a mistake, and waiting a lot longer not necessarily a good idea.
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7/15/2014 - Biglama Likes this wine: 94 Points
fraaie wijn, heel veel inhoud, echt spaans
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11/20/2012 - Biglama wrote: 93 Points
volle rode kleur, levendig, geur is fruit, rijp fruit, kirsch, bessenbonbons, smaak is intens, krachtig, sappig, veel wijn, veel structuur, intens, heel smakelijk, moderne Rioja, nog in zijn jeugdige fase
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3/8/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Clos Mogador / Benjamin Romeo Tasting (Rheingau Gourmet & Wine Festival Hattenheim, Germany): Enormously exotic, cherries, very attractive, good stuffing and extract, intense and concentrated, excellent length.
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