Second bottle of this vintage after rushing the first. Decanted for only 1/2 hr,- there’s a lesson there. 1 hr minimum next time, as I feel there are more layers here. This is very smooth and classy, no astringency but lots of dark berry fruit, balanced with vanillin from the oak, all rather subtle and background. We had it with cold cuts and it worked very well.
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10 years since last bottle - stored at 55F - little evolution - remains dense and youthful - oak which was more upfront in 2012 has largely taken a backseat - raspblueberry pie w cinnamon and sage and earth dust. Dense chewy fruit nicely accented by ample superfine tannins and tart acids that keep the wine focused and lively - in a good place.
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This just isn’t the best vintage of Olivo. It’s ok, but not a match for the better years.
Decanted thru Rabbit. 3 hours. Suggest 1-2 hours next time. Drunk alongside some lesser, younger names. The Olivo had some lovely crushed wild strawberry flavours, but was veering towards extraction. The Cubillo 12 and Cal Pla 18 were preferred by many at this office team drinks evening.
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Soft, elegant, juicy, expression of its terroir, beautiful acids, tobacco and coffee as a subtle tertiary aroma. Very well balanced, a wonderful Rioja.
opnieuw prachtige vertoning, versmolten, zacht, elegant, sappig, expressie terroir, prachtige zuren, tabak en koffie als subtiele tertiaire aroma's
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Direkt nach dem Öffnen und dekantieren: Erdbeeren. Ich war fast ein wenig enttäuscht über die Primärfruchhtigkeit. 5 Stunden später hatte der Wein dann sein ganzes Potential entfaltet. Kraftvoll und mit Druck am Gaumen aber ohne muskulös zu sein. Ein wunderbares Säurespiel, frische Früchte, Nelken und Zimt und perfekt eingebundene, reife Tannine. Obschon wir Pegau, Adeneuer GG Rosenthal und anderes am Start hatten war dieser Rotwein der eindeutige Gewinner des Abends. Wirklich herrlich ausbalanciert und einer der großen Weine aus der Rioja. 94+
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Lillarød. Heftig struktur, biter, herlig, saftig, syrlig. Lite fat, lang. Herlige saker. Faktisk veldig lik 2011, og viser foreløpig lite tegn på modning. Kanskje ørlite tobakk. Trenger mye tid. 93
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I wonder why people do not understand this wine. This is one of the great true riojan wines and it needs: time! Now, at the age of 11 years it is still very young, with a lot of clout, strenght and tannins but it is already great and beside the new wood and the concentration a very fine and subtle wine.
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Sin sorpresas. Olores a frutillos rojos y a tablones en nariz. En boca tánica, corta y no muy bien integrada. Eso es lo que es...mis colegas coincidieron. La única botella con vino al terminar la comida.
Deep purple red. The look and viscosity of Ribena. Very plush. Full bodied but beautifully resolved. Enough acidity to carry it through. Full, soft and long. Gets more floral with air. ****
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My first 2005 Olivo: Opens up after a 2 hour decant and performs well for another 2 hours. Wood (cigar box) and spice notes. Slowly fruit emerges. Wild strawberries, plum and blackberry. Ripe and elegant - one of the loveliest Riojas I've tasted from this vintage. Best with substantial food at this stage. Still young. Has many more years to go. 93-94. Spent 17 months in oak, btw.
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Sadly my last bottle of this...yes it will age easily for longer...but it's just so tempting now. Lovely crunchy fruit, beautifully balanced use of oak, fresh and just very satisfying. Went down well will turkey and all the trimmings on Xmas day. Have bought some 2010 to refresh the cellar.
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dense dark opaque ruby, effusive clean red raspberry , sweet vanillin (deft woodwork; professional makeup job accenting positives not caked on to cover flaws), long, fresh, tart, and nice medium fine tannins. Getting some more of this one which is fun to drink now but should age long and gracefully given its stuffing and bones.
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Rioja through the Decades (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Purple red, very moder in style (not a bad thing at all) . Sharp fresh nose, fruit fwd and with lots of oak notes. Too YOUNG. and 88 for now but with lots of potential. Wait
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Couldn't wait any longer and just had to try a bottle. And - - - what a HUGE wine - not huge in the 17% over the top type of way, but huge in a mouth-filling, tooth loosening, mind-blowing sort of way. Great colour, deep core and pretty pink rim, with great fruit evident on the nose at the outset. On the palate, fresh acidity, ripe tannins with a hint of oak. Slightly drying on the finish, but so satisfying. This is way too young now, another 2 years at least before I get tempted again. I will still be drinking this is 10 year's time.
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2004 vs. 2005 in Spain with Helio San Miguel (New York): Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of blueberries, aromatic herbs like lavender, caramel, and a touch of earthiness. Medium to full bodied on the palate, dry, focused with grippy tannins. An excellent wine but still youthful. Group's #3, my #4.
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Contino Dinner with Jesús Madrazo (The Ledbury): Tempranillo 90% Graciano10% This wine is fermented in large French oak vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new French oak barrels and the wine is subsequently aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks. So yes it sees a fair bit of wood! While the Gran reservas may be made to recall the Rioja of old this is undoubtedly modern. Ripe upfront fruit from a single vineyard around a 1000 year old oak tree that gives the wine its name (and a seperate plot of Graciano) and toasty oak flavours dominate. This is full rich and sexy. In the mouth it has a velvet texture and while there is a touch of heat it is balanced because there is lovely ripe fruit. Traditionalists will not like it but for me this is good modern Spanish wine that has the stuffing to age and it will be very interesting to see what this is like in another decade or more. All the 05’s were excellent it seems to be a very successful year for Contino.
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Un bebé que promete. Gran nariz a fruta roja y poco madura, algo agreste todavía. Un poco de volátil sospechosa. En boca tiene un tanino todavía marcado por la madera pero de gran calidad. Acidez marcada. Vamos a ver como evoluciona, pero por ahora tiene buena pinta.
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5/6/2023 - AudunG wrote: 89 Points
Soft, juicy and delicious, but lacks the greatness that I have tasted in earlier bottles.
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3/25/2023 - El Tino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second bottle of this vintage after rushing the first. Decanted for only 1/2 hr,- there’s a lesson there. 1 hr minimum next time, as I feel there are more layers here. This is very smooth and classy, no astringency but lots of dark berry fruit, balanced with vanillin from the oak, all rather subtle and background. We had it with cold cuts and it worked very well.
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10/4/2022 - Tgood wrote: 94 Points
10 years since last bottle - stored at 55F - little evolution - remains dense and youthful - oak which was more upfront in 2012 has largely taken a backseat - raspblueberry pie w cinnamon and sage and earth dust. Dense chewy fruit nicely accented by ample superfine tannins and tart acids that keep the wine focused and lively - in a good place.
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6/30/2022 - ThompsonandFrench wrote: 88 Points
This just isn’t the best vintage of Olivo. It’s ok, but not a match for the better years.
Decanted thru Rabbit. 3 hours. Suggest 1-2 hours next time. Drunk alongside some lesser, younger names. The Olivo had some lovely crushed wild strawberry flavours, but was veering towards extraction. The Cubillo 12 and Cal Pla 18 were preferred by many at this office team drinks evening.
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4/5/2019 - Kris G Likes this wine: 93 Points
Soft, elegant, juicy, expression of its terroir, beautiful acids, tobacco and coffee as a subtle tertiary aroma. Very well balanced, a wonderful Rioja.
opnieuw prachtige vertoning, versmolten, zacht, elegant, sappig, expressie terroir, prachtige zuren, tabak en koffie als subtiele tertiaire aroma's
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3/5/2019 - Vinogan(s) Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex and nicely fused together, mineral, elegant, soft and juicy, long finish.
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2/24/2019 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 95 Points
It is what it is, a wonderful wine. Fruit, structure, tannins, everything very equilibrated. Is on top now and can go some more years.
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12/17/2017 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 94 Points
Direkt nach dem Öffnen und dekantieren: Erdbeeren. Ich war fast ein wenig enttäuscht über die Primärfruchhtigkeit. 5 Stunden später hatte der Wein dann sein ganzes Potential entfaltet. Kraftvoll und mit Druck am Gaumen aber ohne muskulös zu sein. Ein wunderbares Säurespiel, frische Früchte, Nelken und Zimt und perfekt eingebundene, reife Tannine. Obschon wir Pegau, Adeneuer GG Rosenthal und anderes am Start hatten war dieser Rotwein der eindeutige Gewinner des Abends. Wirklich herrlich ausbalanciert und einer der großen Weine aus der Rioja. 94+
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8/10/2017 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lillarød.
Heftig struktur, biter, herlig, saftig, syrlig. Lite fat, lang. Herlige saker. Faktisk veldig lik 2011, og viser foreløpig lite tegn på modning. Kanskje ørlite tobakk. Trenger mye tid. 93
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12/30/2016 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 94 Points
I wonder why people do not understand this wine. This is one of the great true riojan wines and it needs: time! Now, at the age of 11 years it is still very young, with a lot of clout, strenght and tannins but it is already great and beside the new wood and the concentration a very fine and subtle wine.
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3/12/2016 - Harley1199 wrote:
Riesling Blitzkrieg by FC1910; 3/11/2016-3/12/2016 (Teatro Campos Elíseos - Bilbao): No surprises at all. Red fruit and sticks smells on the nose.
Tannic, short and no very well-integrated on the palate.
That's what it is...my mates agreed.
The only bottle with wine after lunch.
Sin sorpresas. Olores a frutillos rojos y a tablones en nariz.
En boca tánica, corta y no muy bien integrada.
Eso es lo que es...mis colegas coincidieron.
La única botella con vino al terminar la comida.
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11/8/2015 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple red. The look and viscosity of Ribena. Very plush. Full bodied but beautifully resolved. Enough acidity to carry it through. Full, soft and long. Gets more floral with air. ****
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5/2/2015 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first 2005 Olivo: Opens up after a 2 hour decant and performs well for another 2 hours. Wood (cigar box) and spice notes. Slowly fruit emerges. Wild strawberries, plum and blackberry.
Ripe and elegant - one of the loveliest Riojas I've tasted from this vintage.
Best with substantial food at this stage.
Still young. Has many more years to go. 93-94.
Spent 17 months in oak, btw.
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1/1/2015 - wild haggis wrote: 93 Points
Sadly my last bottle of this...yes it will age easily for longer...but it's just so tempting now. Lovely crunchy fruit, beautifully balanced use of oak, fresh and just very satisfying. Went down well will turkey and all the trimmings on Xmas day. Have bought some 2010 to refresh the cellar.
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1/21/2012 - Tgood wrote: 93 Points
dense dark opaque ruby, effusive clean red raspberry , sweet vanillin (deft woodwork; professional makeup job accenting positives not caked on to cover flaws), long, fresh, tart, and nice medium fine tannins. Getting some more of this one which is fun to drink now but should age long and gracefully given its stuffing and bones.
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6/21/2011 - Papies wrote: 88 Points
Rioja through the Decades (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Purple red, very moder in style (not a bad thing at all) . Sharp fresh nose, fruit fwd and with lots of oak notes. Too YOUNG. and 88 for now but with lots of potential. Wait
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2/17/2011 - Stephen_Skelton_MW wrote: 95 Points
Couldn't wait any longer and just had to try a bottle. And - - - what a HUGE wine - not huge in the 17% over the top type of way, but huge in a mouth-filling, tooth loosening, mind-blowing sort of way. Great colour, deep core and pretty pink rim, with great fruit evident on the nose at the outset. On the palate, fresh acidity, ripe tannins with a hint of oak. Slightly drying on the finish, but so satisfying. This is way too young now, another 2 years at least before I get tempted again. I will still be drinking this is 10 year's time.
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10/29/2010 - dougsmith wrote: 92 Points
2004 vs. 2005 in Spain with Helio San Miguel (New York): Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of blueberries, aromatic herbs like lavender, caramel, and a touch of earthiness. Medium to full bodied on the palate, dry, focused with grippy tannins. An excellent wine but still youthful. Group's #3, my #4.
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1/19/2010 - rayq wrote:
Contino Dinner with Jesús Madrazo (The Ledbury): Tempranillo 90% Graciano10%
This wine is fermented in large French oak vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new French oak barrels and the wine is subsequently aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks. So yes it sees a fair bit of wood! While the Gran reservas may be made to recall the Rioja of old this is undoubtedly modern. Ripe upfront fruit from a single vineyard around a 1000 year old oak tree that gives the wine its name (and a seperate plot of Graciano) and toasty oak flavours dominate. This is full rich and sexy.
In the mouth it has a velvet texture and while there is a touch of heat it is balanced because there is lovely ripe fruit. Traditionalists will not like it but for me this is good modern Spanish wine that has the stuffing to age and it will be very interesting to see what this is like in another decade or more.
All the 05’s were excellent it seems to be a very successful year for Contino.
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10/20/2008 - Joe_Montana wrote: 89 Points
Un bebé que promete. Gran nariz a fruta roja y poco madura, algo agreste todavía. Un poco de volátil sospechosa. En boca tiene un tanino todavía marcado por la madera pero de gran calidad. Acidez marcada. Vamos a ver como evoluciona, pero por ahora tiene buena pinta.
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