Decanted for one hour and rebottled, taken to a party to share. Med ruby color, fading to pale ruby at the edge. Nose is developed, showing off med- intensity aromas of violets, road tar, gravels, soil, and black currants. The palate shows a dry wine, med in body and alcohol (14% listed). The flavors come across med intensity, with notes of tobacco and cigar box, licorice, tart cherry, menthol, and iodine. The tannins are still med intensity, but are softening from previous bottles, giving good structure in a more rounded mouthfeel. The acidity appears to be med, giving good freshness and vibrancy to this otherwise darker wine. This is a good quality wine, drinking well now, but will not likely further improve with bottle age. Drink and enjoy through 2018.
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Tasted 2 bottles over 4 days with consistent results. Moderate acidity, sense of stems, leather, and some dark fruit in the mouth. First bottle was much smoother and better integrated the third day.
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Medium purple at the core, fading to light purple at the rim, with slow dropping legs and 14% abv. On the nose, a resin/raisin quality leads into shy black fruits, with charcoal and anise in the background. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, dry, with med+ acidity, and a medium level of rather astringent, firm tannins. The black fruits include black cherry and ripened plum, which leads into a rocks-and-soil-laden finish that is medium in length. Will likely drink well for another 5 or so years, although I don't think this wine will further improve in the bottle.
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Very dark purple at the center, lightening out to a translucent rim. This is a 6 yr old Rioja with 14% abv. Primary aromas of dark fruit, including cherries and cassis, with secondary/tertiary aromas including black olives and tar. A hint of menthol is present. Then on the palate, tart raspberries and cherries are supported by a fresh acid profile, making this Rioja bright and lively. The wine is medium to full bodied, with sour/tart tannins, revealing an exciting finish of leather and slate lasting 30 seconds. This wine is drinking beautifully right now, and likely has 4-5 years of life ahead of it, at least.
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Minneapolis Wine Club - Blind Tasting (Tracy's): This was just not right, tasted like stewed fruit, prunes with a nose that is earthy,herbal, spice, red currant, oak. Almost had a CDP character to it. Pretty sure that's not what they were going for, so I'm gonna say someone dissed this bottle.
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Drank at Peter Shields. A little spice that was attractive. Andrea much preferred it over the Italian Cab though I liked both equally well. Went very well with the rack of lamb.
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Six months later, and this continues to improve... maybe more optimal in another year. Tart-cherry at opening, but with a couple hours and closer to room temperature, the tartness has enough fruit to balance with. I also got a suggestion of something more dark and earthy, leather or tar?
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Nice and finally softening enough to drink. A year ago this was super-tart sour cherry; now it is nice-tart sour cherry with a touch of vanilla and cloves. I keep comparing this to the well-rated 2005 Artadi Vinas del Gain. These two wines are clean, tart early-release tempranillos with moderate or light tannins. Both are improving and becoming ready at about the same time. So, released at 2 years, and completely muted or too tart; at 4 years they are quite ready, with perhaps some up-time. Of course, I have no idea how or whether the Predicador relates to the other high-priced, mega well-rated Romeo wines, Andres or Contador. I was lucky enough to snag some from each year, but they aren't rated to open for at another 10 years.
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Good, but a bit unidimensional this time around. Still tart, but less so; Vanilla seems very integrated; Cherry moderated. A fun wine to compare with the 2005 Artadi de Gain, which is becoming more rich, while this seems to be flattening. The Artadi could use another year or two, while this one now seems to be ready to drink.
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Drank this wine over a 2 day period. Day 1, it was decanted for 3 hours. Definitely a sour cherry nose, raspberry, but not overly sweet. Medium bodied, with a nice spicy finish. Day 2, the wine fell apart. It lost the mid entirely, and became very light and average. Can't really figure out why. For $35.00, there are much better alternatives available.
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Again a nice showing for this wine 9 months later. Tart cherry is the main impression. The fruit is integrating a bit, but the acid and freshness still could use more time. If you don't like the acid-tart in your flavor profile, you probably want a different style. This drinks very nicely a few hours after opening. At $35 this was worth it but not a great deal; on sale at $25 this wine was an awesome QPV. I'm not sure the Predicador is a good indicator of the Contador or Vina de Andres from the same producer, as those are huge, unfiltered wines, and this is lighter and more refreshing.
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Cracked late in the evening as a last bottle. There's no doubting the quality here. Balanced with a piercing precision. There' s no doubting this will flower out with more time. Unique stuff.
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I thought this was a really solid bottle of wine but not strong enough to warrant the $40.00 I paid for it. I got a lot rasberry and a little heat, but the structure was a little short and lacking in each part making the whole just less than I was anticipating. Not a bad bottle but there are better buys out there.
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There's fine, and damn fine. This would be the latter. Just pure pleasure. Flavors of vanilla, cherry, strawberry, cocoa, choke-cherry cordial (cherry/cinnamon/allspice). A touch of acid, and pleasantly fine tannins, but not really integrated; they're just sitting there on their own. Finish sort of drops off, and that makes it really hard to rate. I'm sure there is a little more expression waiting, maybe the body strengthens. But, this is so tasty right now, I'm not sure many will leave it in the cellar. I've had one great Rioja after another from 2004 and 2005 in the $30 range.
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10/19/2018 - skoppel wrote: 84 Points
Past it’s prime, fruit is gone. Faded lady, but you could see she was a stunner in her day.
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10/21/2014 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 84 Points
tannic. almost tart. not bad with food. maybe needs time. maybe a lot of time?
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6/8/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for one hour and rebottled, taken to a party to share.
Med ruby color, fading to pale ruby at the edge.
Nose is developed, showing off med- intensity aromas of violets, road tar, gravels, soil, and black currants.
The palate shows a dry wine, med in body and alcohol (14% listed). The flavors come across med intensity, with notes of tobacco and cigar box, licorice, tart cherry, menthol, and iodine. The tannins are still med intensity, but are softening from previous bottles, giving good structure in a more rounded mouthfeel. The acidity appears to be med, giving good freshness and vibrancy to this otherwise darker wine.
This is a good quality wine, drinking well now, but will not likely further improve with bottle age. Drink and enjoy through 2018.
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4/25/2013 - skifree wrote: 88 Points
Tasted 2 bottles over 4 days with consistent results. Moderate acidity, sense of stems, leather, and some dark fruit in the mouth. First bottle was much smoother and better integrated the third day.
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4/22/2013 - f22nickell Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Seattle Wine Group - April Wine Tasting Event - Theme: Rioja/Tempranillo (Amaroso Room - Wine Storage Bellevue): Color was mid depth purple. Aroma of cigars. Palate was very different. Cherries on the attack, but quickly faded to tannic mid and then to nothing at all. No complexity, fairly insipid. 85 pts. 5th place of 7 wines tasted.
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9/1/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Medium purple at the core, fading to light purple at the rim, with slow dropping legs and 14% abv. On the nose, a resin/raisin quality leads into shy black fruits, with charcoal and anise in the background. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, dry, with med+ acidity, and a medium level of rather astringent, firm tannins. The black fruits include black cherry and ripened plum, which leads into a rocks-and-soil-laden finish that is medium in length. Will likely drink well for another 5 or so years, although I don't think this wine will further improve in the bottle.
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12/12/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 87 Points
Simple and earth dominated. Spice, dirt and oak along with subtle cherry flavor. Not sure this will improve a lot but take a risk and cellar.
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12/11/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 89 Points
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tasting: Clos des Pape, Mon Aieul, La Mord, & Les Cailloux (Minneapolis): Very dark red color. Nose has cassis, raspberry, and lots of earth. The palate is a little rustic, tart raspberry, medium finish, mineral.
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10/14/2011 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Very dark purple at the center, lightening out to a translucent rim. This is a 6 yr old Rioja with 14% abv. Primary aromas of dark fruit, including cherries and cassis, with secondary/tertiary aromas including black olives and tar. A hint of menthol is present. Then on the palate, tart raspberries and cherries are supported by a fresh acid profile, making this Rioja bright and lively. The wine is medium to full bodied, with sour/tart tannins, revealing an exciting finish of leather and slate lasting 30 seconds. This wine is drinking beautifully right now, and likely has 4-5 years of life ahead of it, at least.
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8/7/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: flawed
Minneapolis Does a Blind Tasting Part 2 (Tracy's House): Watered down and damp earth. Not corked just stewed. Probably heat damage.
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8/6/2011 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Minneapolis Wine Club - Blind Tasting (Tracy's): This was just not right, tasted like stewed fruit, prunes with a nose that is earthy,herbal, spice, red currant, oak. Almost had a CDP character to it. Pretty sure that's not what they were going for, so I'm gonna say someone dissed this bottle.
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6/30/2010 - nschmidt wrote: 91 Points
Drank at Peter Shields. A little spice that was attractive. Andrea much preferred it over the Italian Cab though I liked both equally well. Went very well with the rack of lamb.
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5/2/2010 - ParkHill wrote: 90 Points
Six months later, and this continues to improve... maybe more optimal in another year. Tart-cherry at opening, but with a couple hours and closer to room temperature, the tartness has enough fruit to balance with. I also got a suggestion of something more dark and earthy, leather or tar?
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9/27/2009 - ParkHill wrote: 90 Points
Nice and finally softening enough to drink. A year ago this was super-tart sour cherry; now it is nice-tart sour cherry with a touch of vanilla and cloves. I keep comparing this to the well-rated 2005 Artadi Vinas del Gain. These two wines are clean, tart early-release tempranillos with moderate or light tannins. Both are improving and becoming ready at about the same time. So, released at 2 years, and completely muted or too tart; at 4 years they are quite ready, with perhaps some up-time. Of course, I have no idea how or whether the Predicador relates to the other high-priced, mega well-rated Romeo wines, Andres or Contador. I was lucky enough to snag some from each year, but they aren't rated to open for at another 10 years.
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6/21/2009 - ParkHill wrote: 89 Points
Good, but a bit unidimensional this time around. Still tart, but less so; Vanilla seems very integrated; Cherry moderated. A fun wine to compare with the 2005 Artadi de Gain, which is becoming more rich, while this seems to be flattening. The Artadi could use another year or two, while this one now seems to be ready to drink.
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1/20/2009 - RJurman wrote: 88 Points
Drank this wine over a 2 day period. Day 1, it was decanted for 3 hours. Definitely a sour cherry nose, raspberry, but not overly sweet. Medium bodied, with a nice spicy finish. Day 2, the wine fell apart. It lost the mid entirely, and became very light and average. Can't really figure out why. For $35.00, there are much better alternatives available.
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1/18/2009 - ParkHill wrote: 92 Points
Again a nice showing for this wine 9 months later. Tart cherry is the main impression. The fruit is integrating a bit, but the acid and freshness still could use more time. If you don't like the acid-tart in your flavor profile, you probably want a different style. This drinks very nicely a few hours after opening. At $35 this was worth it but not a great deal; on sale at $25 this wine was an awesome QPV. I'm not sure the Predicador is a good indicator of the Contador or Vina de Andres from the same producer, as those are huge, unfiltered wines, and this is lighter and more refreshing.
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5/12/2008 - T Lauren O'Neal wrote: 93 Points
Cracked late in the evening as a last bottle. There's no doubting the quality here. Balanced with a piercing precision. There' s no doubting this will flower out with more time. Unique stuff.
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3/30/2008 - duffer8008 wrote: 90 Points
I thought this was a really solid bottle of wine but not strong enough to warrant the $40.00 I paid for it. I got a lot rasberry and a little heat, but the structure was a little short and lacking in each part making the whole just less than I was anticipating. Not a bad bottle but there are better buys out there.
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3/8/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 87 Points
Clos Mogador / Benjamin Romeo Tasting (Rheingau Gourmet & Wine Festival Hattenheim, Germany): Very international style, very floral, very sweet fruit, speciously attractive.
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3/3/2008 - ParkHill wrote: 92 Points
There's fine, and damn fine. This would be the latter. Just pure pleasure. Flavors of vanilla, cherry, strawberry, cocoa, choke-cherry cordial (cherry/cinnamon/allspice). A touch of acid, and pleasantly fine tannins, but not really integrated; they're just sitting there on their own. Finish sort of drops off, and that makes it really hard to rate. I'm sure there is a little more expression waiting, maybe the body strengthens. But, this is so tasty right now, I'm not sure many will leave it in the cellar. I've had one great Rioja after another from 2004 and 2005 in the $30 range.
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