Fruit Day - Cork sound. Decanted off a tablespoon of sediment and more was stuck to the side of the bottle making decanting a bit more challenging. Fully mature with browning core and edges but still showing dark red as well. Nose is elegant and full with red flowers, damp earth, dried herbs, and even some graphite. On the palate it has a bit of a Bordeaux character overlaid with ripe dark fruit, tobacco and herbs. The finish is long with the fruit, tobacco and some spice intermixed. A stellar bottle.
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Still retaining a youthful color, dark and purplish. Beautiful nose of spring flowers, hot rocks, black and blue fruits, toasty oak and spice. Medium-full bodied, this is in a wonderful place. Still youthful and loaded with sweet black fruits, spice galore, great acidity and a solid backbone of tannin. This is great now and should last several more years with ease. Drink now-2027 92
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siehe Aufzeichnug von 2017. Leider 2018 nicht top gelagert, daher war diese Flasche recht reif und musste ausgetrunken werden. Am zweiten Tag etwas schwach. Die letzten 200 ml am dritten Tag dann wieder sehr gut! Gut gelagert bis 2022+
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Modest aromas of brooding black fruits, spice and oak (mint and vanilla). Medium-bodied, dry, medium-high acidity and quite tannic. Nice texture, but could use a bit more stuffing and sweetness. This should be excellent at the table. Interesting flavors of new wood, black fruits, spice and licorice. Moderately long aftertaste. This has aged reasonably well and doesn't show any evidence of the Brett I was concerned with at release. 91
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Last bottle of 5. Just to stick it in my face, it read quite firm and concentrated and youthful to tell me it should have been allowed to sleep some more years. Nice purity and savor. Quite enjoyable.
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Dunkle Frucht, Würze, hoher Alkohol (14 % Vol.). Wuchtig. Mir etwas zu wuchtig. Die Frucht ist bei diesem Wein dabei zunehmend in den Hintergrund zu treten. Die Terroirwürze zeigt sich langsam. Enorme Länge! Gut eingebundene Säure. Wegen der Länge 90 Punkte. Hätte sonst 1-2 Punkte Abzug bekommen. Ein "Wilder" ungestümer wenig harmonischer Wein. Zu Rind und Wild! Erinnert mich in seiner Art ein wenig an Chateau Montus.
Zweiter Tag: Mit Vakuum die verbliebenen ca. 450 ml in den Keller. Mittags ähnlich wie am Abend zuvor aber die letzten 300 ml Abends waren dann sehr schön, der Wein hatte sich jetzt geöffnet. Tolle dunkle Frucht (Holunder, tolles Parfum, fruchtiger wirkend als am ersten Abend) Schade! Hätte ich das gewusst hätte ich den Wein am ersten Abend 1-1,5 h vorher dekantiert oder weitere zwei Jahre Kellerreife. Für das letzte Glas 92 Punkte! Passte gut zu Rinderrouladen am ersten Weihnachtsfeiertag.
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Cork failed. Decanted, RT. Very nice - earth, cocoa, savory with just hint of fruit left on palate although still there on nose. Smooth medium weight with easy tannins and long finish. Still evolving.
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Vin à la robe sombre à decanter sans faute, tant le dépôt est important. Tellement solide et viril, ses tannins sont encore importants et demandent à le laisser s'aérer. Fruits noirs en masse et longue finale; ce vin tiendra et se bonifiera encore pendant au moins 5 ans.
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Still good freshness to keep aging, and in a very good spot as expected. But the profile is markedly more savory with a bit less fruit than it showed 15 months ago.
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Garnet red hue. Tart cherry/raspberry nose, cinnamon, spice. Drinking very nicely well strutted/balanced, easy to drink with or with out food, mellow, medium bodied, spice. Terrific!
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Dense, ripe fruit. Plenty of American oak vanilla. The sweetness makes it only slightly off balance. Tannins tease with astringency. The color is almost black with very little fading out to the rim. Full bodied. The alcohol was a bit hot for the first 30 minutes but blew off. Nice wine, but nothing special going on here.
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Almost purple. Cigar box, leather and blackberry nose. When first opened it was all cherry juice. After one to two hours it developed more complexity and opened up more with additionsl savory and dark fruit flavors. Does not taste like an eleven year old wine. Went well with Split Pea soup and ham.
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Dark wine that was decanted about 4 hours. Sweetness lessened with air but was still juicy. Some decent minerality and paired well with a stuffed tenderloin (herbs, goat cheese). Nicely balanced but lacking some complexity for me - but the food may have had something to do with that. Soft but smokey on the shortish finish.
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Nose with blackberry, plum, cocoa. Palate with black fruit, pencil lead, spice, complex and intriguing. Silky smooth with background tannins, nice finish. Delicious. At peak I would say, certainly evolved from my 2011 tasting note but similar to bottle from 2014 (although no note). A great bottle of wine (and for $25!) - glad I have seven left! Went fine with grilled rib eye.
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Pop and splash decant - drank over 3 hours. Softened and integrated over this time. Lots of fruit, full body, opaque. Some initial sour cherry that turned darker and smoother with air. Its minerality is good.
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Encore en très grande forme, matière tannique encore charnue, presque asséchante, ample+ en bouche, belle acidité, amertume modérée, belle équilibre d'ensemble. Nez animal, fruité, épicé, végétal. À revoir en 2016-2017. 89-90+
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Medium nose of black fruits and licorice followed by an intense palette of spices, big black juicy fruits and tar. Full bodied, dry, gripping tannins and delicious. A winner.
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drank over three hours. Juicy, plum cherry vanilla. Dark almost purple, with some slight garnet on the edges. very dry and quite tannic. This still has many years ahead to evolve.
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Decanted for sediment and poured immediately. Raspberry and milk chocolate with hints of mineral, violet, grilled bread, and sage. Fruit has a darker profile upon opening, but it reveals its more red-fruited nature with air time. Good acidity and mouthfeel and still grippy tannins, but not as rough and strict as it was three years ago. Entering a good drinking window now and I'm sure will be in the zone for the next 5+ years.
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this has matured and povides a more realistic picture of its long term prospects now. the nose is still wood dominated. on the palate it starts with good structure and weight until the tannins set in which still eat my gums. i should leave this wine alone for a few more years. is was however a good campanion for caramelized chorizo in a porto cidre reduction and potatoes.
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2005 was a great vintage from Ribera del Duero and this is a great bottle of wine from a great producer. Wonderful nose of black fruit and vanilla. Velvet tannins on the palate. Lots of life left in this one.
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This wine is just flat out delicious. Deep burgundy red color, with a nose of blueberry and mint. The wine boasts a fine silkly texture, with gripping tannins followed by a long finish. It is a voluptuous wine which is herbal in nature yet full of dark fruit with a hint of tar. It will easily last another 5 years.
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Opaque purple in the glass with a ruby rim and just a sliver of a translucent edge. Pronounced nose of black cherries, oaky vanilla, and a touch of anise. Initially a silky attack reinforces the cherries, and quickly becomes dusty with medium tannins and enough acid to keep it taut as the cherries turn to anise and segues into something akin to tobacco on the medium length and slightly smoky finish. Excellent maturing wine with a number of years to go.
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Nice fruity and leathery wine although a bit dry on the finish. Needs food to absorb the tannins. Worked with fajita's and would recommend to drink it with spicy food, of course spanish tapas is a great match.
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Opened and drank over 2 hours. Framed well in Black berry/cherry and stout tannins. Notes of cocao and mineral mixed with flowers. A lot of flovour in this wine.
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From 75cl, perfect cork. Best directly out of the bottle, on opening, slightly under room temperature: a delicious juicy blackberry fruit-bomb. If you admire Rubens, this may just be the wine you have been looking for all your life... Decanted, which was a mistake: as it warmed up the over-ripe rhumtopf/decaying dark fruit elements took over, yielding in turn to unexpectedly rough, dry tannins on the finish after 90 minutes. Drink up soon, cellar cool and straight out of the bottle, and you're in for a treat. 88P
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On opening, strong aroma of strawberry and blueberry, followed by musty tangs of farmyard and urine. Decanted for 3 hours. Great balance and complexity with primary notes of strawberry and violet, with less prominent hints of tar, a little vanilla and is that star anise? Long consistent finish. Lovely wine.
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Decanted one hour. Deep dark red. Massive fruit with nice integrated oak. Wine performs still fine and will be drinking fine surely for the next 4 a 5 years.
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El Condado de Haza Crianza del 2005, de la bodega del mismo nombre que posee en la localidad burgalesa de Roa el bodeguero vallisoletano Alejandro Fernández, es considerado como el primero de los caldos españoles por la prestigiosa revista 'Wine Spectator', que otorga al caldo de la Ribera del Duero el puesto 34 y 93 puntos, dentro de su tradicional Top 100.
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nach 1 Stunde im Decanter zeigt sich ein extrem dichter , konzentrierter Wein mit Brombeeren, Wildaroma, (leichte Petrolnote?) und einem satten Tanningeruest, welches aber schon eingebunden ist. Der erste Eindruck ist die Suesse die sich dann mit dem Wildaroma abwechselt -interessant ! Mit zunehmender Erwaermung neigt er dann aber dazu marmeladig zu werden. Klasse Wein fuers Geld !!
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I can't remember drinking a wine which so exactly tasted of a single fruit. Decanted 30 minutes from 75cl, the entry is precisely like biting into a spoonful of big ripe juicy blackberries. Even the tannins on the mid-palate are reminiscent of supremely ripe blackberry seeds. As the bottle went on the wine softened, reaching an apogé after 2 hours. Delicious. 91P
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Based on previous reviews I was expecting this to be average to slightly above average. I was pleasantly surprised. This wine has plenty of structure and tannin and I believe would benefit from a few more years but drinking very well right now. Great combination of fruit and structure with a well rounded almost sweet start and very nice finish. Wish I had more!
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Le nez est sur le chocolat et le boisé, assez unidimensionnel. En bouche, c'est très ample et les tannins sont asséchants. Le boisé et le tabac prennent beaucoup de place et enterre le fruit, finale astringeante et moyenne. Très ordinaire!
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Popped and poured at cellar temperature. We liked it a lot at 14C, and continued to like it as it warmed up. Powerful, rich, sweet blackberry-mulberry fruit on entry immediately followed by a stern, even gritty, tannic mid-palate; a bit unsmiling but warm on the finish. (I can't be quite so precise about the scent. Initially a heady mix of Rote Grütze, Rumtopf and the fruit described above). Delicious now and for another 4-5 years. 90P
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focused dark currant, mineral; good and fine acidity/tannins make this tight and bright at the same time; great food match; one of the better tempranillos that i have tasted.
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Drank to participate in the 1St International Tempranillo Day. This was the clear favorite among the 7 Riojas, Toros, and domestic temps opened. Great full bodiedness, restrained fruit that made us all want to linger and ponder the finish, clearly not a fruit bomb but an old work beauty.
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It is coming together. Still prefers a good long decant, but it si rounding out and loosing some of the austerity. Still plenty of tannins. No ned t odrink up now. I think this will go the distance.
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This is my second bottle I opened and I am impressed by the quality! I drank the wine two years ago and it has matured a lot since. Herbs, cherries, basil, nettle, chocolate...animal tones! nice bitterness, still strong tannins! we ate a cheese pasta with it and survived in a perfect way...!
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No decant: Dark opaque purple with nose of black berries and a bit of jam. The alcohol jumps out a bit. Full mouthfeel with some dust and dry tannins. A bit thin on the mid palate and austere. Comes back with a lingering finish. Probably not to smart to open on a late Tuesday - will see if it improves.
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Consumed over 2 days. Went to pop the cork on the '03 and didnt look at the vint... oops! Anyway, tight and austere at first. Eventually gives way to some red cherry, baking spices, and firm tannins. Still a little closed. Day 2 offers great aromatics. Leather, sweet vanilla, red plum and cherry. The palate is a great texture with medium+ body, firm, dusty tannins, and then finishes long. Acidity is lacking a bit that docks a few. Pleasurable and would appeal to most. Great example of a Ribera that needs a few more years in bottle.
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Black in color; strong flavor, dark berries, tobacco, oak, a hint of brett adds an animal note, strong drying woody tannins, slightly astringent, needs another 2-4 years to soften out, but shows very good potential. - 89+ points
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Robust and earthy with great dark fruit and leather. Some woodiness or corkiness. Not a corked wine, but a dry dusty tannin quality. I don't know where these high scores are coming from. A well made wine, but certainly not is the 90pt range.
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OK, but not wowed by this wine tonight. "Earthy" as noted by another CT member is pretty much the defining word. Stiff dry tannins, decent if austere dark-fruit base, respectable value for 13,50 Euros retail. May improve with another couple of years in bottle. 87P
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Drinking very well now, but still several more years for further improvement. Medium tannins, neither soft nor harsh. Mineral backbone with dark fruit up front.
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excellent tempranillo, very dark purple, refined tannin structure. Even better than the bottle from just a few months ago. Will wait another year or so before opening another bottle, but this one has at least another 5 years in the cellar and will continue to develop. Wow..
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A couple hours in the decanter wasn't enough, and it didn't open up and show itself until the next day. This seemingly medium-bodied red is secretly built like a brick house and needs a lot more time.
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we've had this bottle 600 days and it wasnt terrible. hard to say if it's going to get much better. 1st time we did it was very good. maybe past it's peak?
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Dark, Earthy, deep flavors of black fruits, licorice and a faint Vanilla, strong from start to finish. Drying Tannins, could use another 2-5 years. Update: According to winery website, it is aged 18 months in American oak.
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90 the first day. Mellowed and developed overnight and was quite delicious the second night.Dark berry/cherry. Tannins integrated the second day. Needs more time in the bottle.
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Initially tasted immediately after opening. We sampled this last a couple of years ago. Deep purple. Great nose of cedar, blackberries and cinnamon. Still quite tannic. Medium texture. Rich fruit with notes of earth and spice. Others who have commented earlier were correct in saying that it will benefit with more time. It's enjoyable now but I like the direction it is heading. ... an hour and a half later this has really opened up.
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Again, not very popular at the party. I did not do a good job of selling the special attributes of the Temp grape. This was a dark real dark purple glass of wine, almost inky black. It was very earthy, more sos than other Haza's I have tasted. The nose was loaded. I got berry, meaty, exotic florals. As it opened, it was still a little stiff. There was a lot going on and I could not gove this pour justice. I have 10 left and really took forward to enjoying it on its own.
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this was a pretty easy one. isnt ready. has makings of a beauty. we'll see. unless you can deal with days of decanting....right now it is less fruit. all tannins. alot of oak. it simply doesnt get to the place i expect to with normal time. i would call this a dickie v "diaper dandy".
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It's only alcohol, but I like it, like it, yes I do.
I had had these sitting around waiting for them to hit prime, but figured i might as well give it a whirl now. Opened the bottle, decanted for an hour and had it over the next hour or so. Pretty tight nose, but some dark red berries were present. Not a ton though, and this comes off as a young, tannic oak monster. Not one to shy away from tannins, I like it, but I think it'll be even better in a year or two. I don't much agree with Jay Miller's rating (ever), but his drinking window may be right.
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Deep purple. Big plummy, chocolatey nose. A bit volatile. Dark fruit and dark chocolate on the palate. Teeth-staining. Strangely, tannins were more evident than they were in my first bottle 18 months ago. Will wait awhile to open the next one, plenty of fruit and structure here.
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Medium purple color. Dark black and blue fruits on the nose along with some spice and oak notes. A touch of heat on the nose as well. Big, bold tannins overwhelm the fruit on the palate at the moment but will tone down with some more time in the bottle. This wine has the potential to be quite good down the road.
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Opened and drank over three days during the "Stormageddon of 2010". Initial impression wasn't as accessible as hoped for - tannins more bracing than anything else, tempro characteristics were muddled because of the upfront tannins. Nice ripe nose though, and decent midpalate; mostly dark and plush berries, mix of blackberry, sour cherries and some cocoa. Good news is that the oak is contained by the tannins (for aging that is). On day two the fruit was more accessible, but still a tightly wound wine. Day three not much different from day two. In about 2-3 three years I would like to retry, but this was my last bottle of the '05s, so probably wishful thinking on my part.
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nose: oak, licorice, menthol, weed, 'rote gruetze', palate: dark red fruit, cacao, smoke, dust. loads of tannins, long and stable finish (20 Caudalie), very nice, perfect companion for Oca con Peras Y Morcillas. very youthful, will try another one in 2012.
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Doesn't demand the decanting that it needed 18 months ago (though it would still benefit from it). This is drinking very nicely, if not quite as powerfully as it did upon release. Consistent with previous notes, it's a big and balanced Ribera, with integrated black fruit, meaty minerality, and pepper.
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Dinner at Bon Soiree (Bon Soiree, Chicago, IL): Decanted an hour, re-corked & drank 90 minutes later. Nose is dark; blackberries with some dark red fruits and a touch of smoked spices. In the mouth this remains dark with a core of blackberries & some red fruits adding interest. Finishes pretty long with dense--but unobtrusive--tannins and tart red & black fruits with a smattering of enjoyably spicy oak tones.
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Notes from day 2. Dark red to purple color. Nose of black raspberry, cedar, smoke. On the palate there was blackberry, black cherry, cedar, coffee. Decent amount of acidity and tannins, this wine will last for at least another decade or so. Good qpr. Hold. 50+5+11+17+7
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Nez de champignons et de sous-bois. Bouche ample et volumineus. Équilibré et belle longueur. Pourra vieillir 5-10 ans sans aucuns problèmes. Superbe rouge pour le prix!
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A bit over-rated by WS, this wine shows excellent fruit and some complexity with a long, pleasant finish. I wouldn't oversell this wine, however. It's a great everyday drinker and would hold for awhile longer with ease.
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deep dark black color with a nice border. no hints of brown to speak of. nose of black cherry cedar spice box and smoke with a hint of vanilla and oak. long legs indicating hig etoh content of 14.5 %. medium body with layers of chewy dark fruits and smoke. legnthy finish. enjoyed alot. seemed to have less creaminess and oakiness then i remember from my previous tasting. will cellar other bottle.
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This is loosened up nicely since my first impression a year ago. Blackberry and brambly currant notes, with espresso bean and peppery, meaty spice notes. A great wine for the money.
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Soft, ripe and quite attractive, with a good depth of flavour. It was a bit subdued at first, but opened out to show a thick texture of ripe blackberry/blackcurrant fruit with a hint of aniseed. There is still some tannin; overall, quite youthful but enjoyable now.
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Picked up strong hints of coffee right out of the bottle, but after an hour in the glass, the nose closed down. This is a nice, chewy wine. Hints of cranberries on the attack, then the tannins come on full force on the mid-palate, all the way to the long finish.
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2hr decant in med-base @65F. Not the darkest Temp I've encountered but still showing a clean dark cranberry red color. This bouquet isn't exciting too many receptors; showing dark fruits, plum, road tar, gasoline (heat in the back-sniff that reminds me of a shot of stiff liquor), and a pair of old dusty leather boots recently rained upon. Heavy on the palate but not explosive, this RdD burnt the back of my throat on the first couple sips and really came across like a blowtorch in the mouth. Thankfully, either the top-layer took on more alc or I acclimated to the heat, as subsequent sips were more tolerable. For drinking, this offered many bites of dusty/waxy sour plum picked not quite ripe from the fruit tree; otherwise dusty leather and anise. The finish lingers like tar-smoke from the making of a Macadam road clogged in my throat. I didn't much like what the first glass offered, so I walked back to the decant room and poured a second. I'd say this 2nd glass was much the same at heart, but it charmed me a good deal more with hints at pomegranate red-fruit and light, sweetened baking spice. I'm not sure what that's all about. I was about to score this 86 or 87pts. but the 2nd glass, while having the same finish, is much more an 89-90 point effort (and I actually quite enjoy drinking it as opposed to its predecessor). Just goes to show the fickle nature of wine and the intrinsic absurdity we all play part in when ascribing a static score to the dynamic, mercurial, transitory substance that is wine. On the other hand, I could be the capricious element in this system and the wine the anchor (though I don't believe so in this case). Really liked that 2nd glass; really disliked the first. Humphf...
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Dark purple color, very dense. Rich nose of plum, raspberry, asian spices, cardamom, and hints of horse blanket. Full bodied, with massive tannins and a little heat in the midpalate (it breathed for more than 1 h). This wine still needs to come together, I would hold on to it for another few years. Very long finish.
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Decanted through a a vin-aerator and then filtered twice within a half hour of opening. This softened up the wine and made it very agreeable to consume. Deep dark color, with a nose of dark berries and chocolate covered cherries. A very nice mouth feel with dark fruit forward taste, well balanced and softened tannins with very little heat and acidity. A short finish was puzzling - esp. with all the other positives going for this bottle. Good thing I have two more - but will lay them down for a couple more years.
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CES Lab Wine Tasting #3 (Home): Decanted for several hours before drinking. Lots of oak and spice on the nose and palate. Strong tannins left. Has good potential for aging and seems well balanced with length of 20-25 secs. Drank as the first in a series of 7 Spanish wines ranted 92+. This wasn't a standout, but was still solid.
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deep ruby red with some central black. layers of dark fruit with alot of creaminess and oak. medium body. finishes clean. i will definitely be cellaring the other bottles. this one has alot of potential.
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Started off all American oak, mint, floral, vanilla bean & juicy pure fruit. After bout an hr in the decanter it turned in espresso beans, tobacco leaf, a smokey thang, brown sugar, chocolate covered cherries, huge tannins & its like u smoked a cigar on the finish!!
On day 2 it turned pretty acidic w/a heavy dose of tannins. This confuses me a bit, I was thinking it wud integrate over a day or 2 w/the huge oak, fruit & tannins. Wud really like 2 see what this is like w/about 5 more years of age on it.
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Friends brought over and tried it with them. No score - this should have been decanted for a little while first. Definite complexity here, medium - big body hints of oak over dark berries, maybe a bit of smoke. Big, lengthy finish. Drier than I prefer, but this is a keeper, among the best Spanish wines I've tasted recently.
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More tannic than the previous bottle (big BIG tannins), this is still pretty huge with black fruit. Previous notes will tell a better story: head cold is making it tough to get any of the delicate nuances that were found previously...
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This Spanish Tempranillo is in the wine spectator 's top 30 for 2008. The nose is soft loam and fruit. The taste is cherry, and tobacco. The middle is firm with a very tart finish. This will open up more as it breaths and decanting will help. Rich and delightful now will even be better in a few years. 91, going to get better and better
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Old-world wrapped bacon-tight in a New World frame. For 14 Euro: Great! For 20 Euro, perhaps a pass. Need a few more bottles to really see how this develops.
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I felt this was amazing and drinking well now. Excellent complexity and flavors. The nose has hints of flowers, spice and oak. On the palate is complexity with an smooth and enjoyable long finish. probably the best tempranillo based blend I have had. Had around 15min decanted before drinking.
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Darky ruby red color with dark fruits and some hints of coffee on the nose. Medium body with very good balance and structure. Tannins are there but not overpowering. Finish is decent with the dark fruits lingering nicely. Definitely needs at least an hour decant time. I think this is a wine that doesn't shine in one particular category but is good in all aspects.
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ripe creamy soapy, yet well integrated. outdoor tasting: harlem garden, 22 Degrees f, reveals a persistant watermelon seed/sinew note. explains my initial soapy note. indoor warms to a bright wine but with quite a full grip. not overoaked, not over extracted. watermelon keeps its tone, but adds chocolate- easter bunny chocolate- vanilla and brown sugar. hubby thinks it is reminicient of italian. with the acid+tannin finish. i do not feel the disjointment of most baby italians- more light and together.
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A very young wine with plenty of tannins at the moment. Really nice nose, perhaps huckleberry aromas... but needs time. Semi decent concentration. Outstanding structure. Lacks complexity. If it is to be opened now, I would suggest a long decanting.
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WS was "right on" on this one -- an excellent QPR. Agree with many of the CT reviewers' tasting notes -- excellent bottle of wine and a good example of the quality of wine from Ribera del Duero (used to focus on Rioja almost exclusively). Red fruit, floral component, mineral, and a menthol that blew me away. Going back to muy more.
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Very deep colour. Plenty of extract, fruit of blackcurrants and plums and still very tannic. Probably still needs a few years to be at its best, but impressive now.
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Fight Night Wine IV(full bodied reds) (my place): nose: great perfumed nose with all sorts of red fruits vying for your attention. Rich in style and substance with black cherries, cranberries, and red currants also working their way in there. great balance with well defined and lovely aromatics
taste: really good depth with loads of tart red fruits, black cherries, red currants, cranberries, and a dose of black fruits to darken the tone just a bit. Good full body feel with chewy tannins that provide an excellent spine
overall: great structure and tannins. With two hours in the decanter this was starting to sing and after being open for 4, it was a full chorus. Nice ruby color with evocative flavors on both the nose and palate that sat behind great depth. Is a great wine to lay down for a few years to see what emerges, but is fun already with a full on red fruited attack and nice medium length finish of cranberries
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Beautiful color and a very fruity nose. Black berries. The palate is also full of fruit. Very delicious. Aftertaste is lacking though. Wonder if this will develop. Keep or drink.
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floral aromas dominate, along with some potpourri, attacks soft, but tannic, with intense dark fruit, dried cherry, chocolate covered orange, and more flower, big but complex, very young but showing very nicely
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A: Very dark purple and velvet N: Menthol, big fruits, viney and pleasantly woody. Very ripe red fruits, over ripe plum. T: Lots of tanic structure, refreshing tart and big while retaining a delicate style. F: almost sweet and succulent. Nice undertow that pulls you back for more. Overall: Old wine in young body. Further evidence that Ribera del Duero is keeping paces (if not exceeding) Rioja. That is a really good wine.
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Enjoyed this again, this time with steak. Still alot of tastes, all sublte and smooth. It does seem to open up in the glass, probably will decant the next bottle. And there will be a next!
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(2+) Tannic and a little out of balance, but you can tell the fruit is there. Needs a long decant and probably some age - definitely improved with time in the glass. May be a pretty good QPR - should try again.
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This was a monster. Should have decanted, but didn't. It is near black in color (much darker than I remember this wine ever being). Aromas of black fruit, smoke, espresso, peppery baking spices, and some faint grilled meat and olive notes. On the palate, it is very intense and tightly wound, but there is clearly some generous, sweet-toned fruit in there. 90-91 now, but I doubt this is showing its best yet. I think this is one to hold for three to five years. Exciting return to an old favorite that I haven't really enjoyed much in awhile.
Day two: This is much more open and pure now, with dried roses on the nose, blackberry and black currant in the mouth, orange peel on the finish. Definitely decant or hold.
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Really good. Nice vanilla, cream, blackberries and licorice on the nose, dark fruits and creamy feel on the palate, followed by very strong tannins. This needs 3-5 years to soften but it is already very enjoyable.
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Retailer tasting. This is the best vintage of this wine since the 1996. Purple color. This was a dry old world style. Notes of black fruit, spice box and raw meat. Firm tannins in this medium to full bodied wine. 91 points.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this bottle. Very dark purple color. Complex aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, earth and mild spice. I could almost tell from smelling it that it was going to taste nice. Wonderful mouth feel. Taste is very similar to the aroma. Sweet stewed dark fruit and chocolate with a gentle spice on the finish. I will definately look for this again.
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The color is dark, very dark with some redness around the edges. It smells of dark fruits with a little bit of red fruits underneath. There was some armpit action when first poured in the glass, but blew off. Minerality and chalkiness also preasent. Complex nose. On the palate the chalkiness attacks the palate and the fruit is really a second layer after that and the tannin, but not in unpleasant way, it just needs food. No noticeable oak apart from a hint of spice quality. Spanish Manchego was a good match and helped bring out the fruit in this wine. At $23 dollars this is a steal. A really fine example of Ribera Del Duero wines. Should improve with additional bottle age.
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À l’ouverture, nez très exubérant de confiture de mûres, d’eucalyptus, avec du café et du.. charbon de bois! Il fait Nouveau Monde.
La bouche montre un vin bien concentré, solidement constitué, sur une matière très mûre. Bien fait mais plus moderne et joufflu qu’à l’habitude, à la limite de la surmaturité (over-the-top diraient les Anglais). Il est déjà très goûteux mais possède un potentiel de garde certain. Un bon vin pour le prix, plein et charmeur sans aucun doute. Mais comme fan des vins de la maison, je le trouve un peu trop sirupeux et moderne à mon goût, du moins à ce stade. Après deux heures, il s’est passablement refermé. L’élevage, l’expresso et les tanins prennent le plancher (de chêne!). Il se renfrogne et nous demande de revenir le voir dans trois à cinq ans…88 pts
Les critiques américains ont été beaucoup plus impressionnés que moi alors à vérifier dans 5 ans. Il pourrait leur donner raison car sous cet élevage il y a beaucoup de matière et rien qui accroche vraiment.
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Needs an hour or 2 in the decanter. full bodied, very tasty, rounded, well made... not too fruit forward but polished and solid with heavier food. A nice wine with ample guts.
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Really nice bouquet and mouthfeel full of blue fruits, charcoal, smoke, with black cherry and a dense mouthfeel with fierce tannins. Lots of potential, but needs food or time to tame the tannins.
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Very young and needs some time to shed the tannin structure and allow the earth and plum aromatics to evolve. Opened a bit after an hour but I bet it will be much more showy with a year or two and much more complex after that.
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we enjoyed this on the first day it was open and on the third (didn't have a chance to try it on the second)...it still had it's structure and was quite enjoyable on day 3.
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90+ min. decant; black-purple color. Slightly lighter nose than I expected but nice, giving-off ultra-floral scents, tobacco, and light red cherry. Creamy and full-bodied on the palate, but not driving with too much energy, initially; there’s cherry and later blueberry showing and good touch of oak. The mouth-feel is silky with fairly dry tannins; all likely owing to the oak treatment. The finish is of moderate length, growing slightly more bitter from the sweeter mid-palate – some pepper grains. There is a bit of menthol on entry and then at the beginning of the finish. Really, improved over time to a 90+.
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Very fruity nose. Like grape kool-aid when first opened, but after a few minutes just loads of dark fruit. Medium- to full-bodied with a fruity attack on the palate: raspberries, blackberries and black cherries. Nice tannins on the back end and a long, dark chocolate finish. A big but balanced wine.
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Nose of blackberry and cedar. With lots of blackberry and some dark cherry with a small amount of esspresso hidden in there on the palate. Lots of acid until its been open for 3 to 4 hours and the tannins are well integrated with some mouth drying. Great QPR as always from haza.
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Bon vin encore très jeune et tannique. Un peu trop marqué par le bois, avec un côté espresso et odeusr de coconut. Riche, ample et savoureux. Bon prix.
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Excellent. Magenta red with meaty, plummy and spicy black cherry notes with hints of leather. The palate is smooth, with nice acidity framed by tannins that are a little grainy but don't detract from the seemless medium-long finish. It needs time but is much more approachable than the 2004 I had last year.
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12/31/2023 - biggie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fruit Day - Cork sound. Decanted off a tablespoon of sediment and more was stuck to the side of the bottle making decanting a bit more challenging. Fully mature with browning core and edges but still showing dark red as well. Nose is elegant and full with red flowers, damp earth, dried herbs, and even some graphite. On the palate it has a bit of a Bordeaux character overlaid with ripe dark fruit, tobacco and herbs. The finish is long with the fruit, tobacco and some spice intermixed. A stellar bottle.
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12/1/2022 - wineough Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brief leather blew off, black and blue fruits still fresh, silky tannins aging well
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2/8/2021 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still retaining a youthful color, dark and purplish. Beautiful nose of spring flowers, hot rocks, black and blue fruits, toasty oak and spice. Medium-full bodied, this is in a wonderful place. Still youthful and loaded with sweet black fruits, spice galore, great acidity and a solid backbone of tannin. This is great now and should last several more years with ease. Drink now-2027 92
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12/27/2020 - dke Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was tasty and well integrated, in good drinking window, little leftover of smokey oak but not over-powering 89-90
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4/16/2019 - Vinophil2000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
siehe Aufzeichnug von 2017. Leider 2018 nicht top gelagert, daher war diese Flasche recht reif und musste ausgetrunken werden.
Am zweiten Tag etwas schwach. Die letzten 200 ml am dritten Tag dann wieder sehr gut!
Gut gelagert bis 2022+
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9/9/2018 - prufrocksabogado Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terrific and at its peak. The 2005s from the regio. have all rewarded patience and this is no exception. Still plenty of fruit and power.
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5/13/2018 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 91 Points
Modest aromas of brooding black fruits, spice and oak (mint and vanilla). Medium-bodied, dry, medium-high acidity and quite tannic. Nice texture, but could use a bit more stuffing and sweetness. This should be excellent at the table. Interesting flavors of new wood, black fruits, spice and licorice. Moderately long aftertaste. This has aged reasonably well and doesn't show any evidence of the Brett I was concerned with at release. 91
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3/19/2018 - DollarMenunaire wrote:
Last bottle of 5. Just to stick it in my face, it read quite firm and concentrated and youthful to tell me it should have been allowed to sleep some more years. Nice purity and savor. Quite enjoyable.
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12/24/2017 - Vinophil2000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dunkle Frucht, Würze, hoher Alkohol (14 % Vol.). Wuchtig. Mir etwas zu wuchtig. Die Frucht ist bei diesem Wein dabei zunehmend in den Hintergrund zu treten. Die Terroirwürze zeigt sich langsam. Enorme Länge! Gut eingebundene Säure. Wegen der Länge 90 Punkte. Hätte sonst 1-2 Punkte Abzug bekommen. Ein "Wilder" ungestümer wenig harmonischer Wein. Zu Rind und Wild! Erinnert mich in seiner Art ein wenig an Chateau Montus.
Zweiter Tag: Mit Vakuum die verbliebenen ca. 450 ml in den Keller. Mittags ähnlich wie am Abend zuvor aber die letzten 300 ml Abends waren dann sehr schön, der Wein hatte sich jetzt geöffnet. Tolle dunkle Frucht (Holunder, tolles Parfum, fruchtiger wirkend als am ersten Abend) Schade! Hätte ich das gewusst hätte ich den Wein am ersten Abend 1-1,5 h vorher dekantiert oder weitere zwei Jahre Kellerreife. Für das letzte Glas 92 Punkte! Passte gut zu Rinderrouladen am ersten Weihnachtsfeiertag.
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11/16/2017 - tim m wrote: 91 Points
This was really nice forest night, a bit jammy on night three. Nice qpr on this. Definite buy again.
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10/17/2017 - ABM wrote: 91 Points
Excellent wine. probably at its peak. Velvety smooth, rich body. Will try to find more!
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7/9/2017 - chifred wrote: 91 Points
Cork failed. Decanted, RT. Very nice - earth, cocoa, savory with just hint of fruit left on palate although still there on nose. Smooth medium weight with easy tannins and long finish. Still evolving.
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2/26/2017 - millesime66 wrote: 92 Points
Vin à la robe sombre à decanter sans faute, tant le dépôt est important. Tellement solide et viril, ses tannins sont encore importants et demandent à le laisser s'aérer. Fruits noirs en masse et longue finale; ce vin tiendra et se bonifiera encore pendant au moins 5 ans.
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2/6/2017 - DollarMenunaire wrote:
Still good freshness to keep aging, and in a very good spot as expected. But the profile is markedly more savory with a bit less fruit than it showed 15 months ago.
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11/13/2016 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet red hue. Tart cherry/raspberry nose, cinnamon, spice. Drinking very nicely well strutted/balanced, easy to drink with or with out food, mellow, medium bodied, spice. Terrific!
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10/30/2016 - kosmik Likes this wine: 90 Points
Superbe tenue dans le temps.
En phase secondaire.
Encore quelques années devant.
Excellent RQP.
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7/16/2016 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
Amazing QPR! Delicious RdD!
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6/14/2016 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 92 Points
seriously good. primary fruit gone. secondary flavors in perfect harmony. (this was day 3)
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5/30/2016 - DRK III Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dense, ripe fruit. Plenty of American oak vanilla. The sweetness makes it only slightly off balance. Tannins tease with astringency. The color is almost black with very little fading out to the rim. Full bodied. The alcohol was a bit hot for the first 30 minutes but blew off. Nice wine, but nothing special going on here.
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4/11/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Almost purple. Cigar box, leather and blackberry nose. When first opened it was all cherry juice. After one to two hours it developed more complexity and opened up more with additionsl savory and dark fruit flavors. Does not taste like an eleven year old wine. Went well with Split Pea soup and ham.
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1/7/2016 - Food Daddy wrote: 92 Points
Drinking lovely. Great core of dark fruit. Modern style.
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1/1/2016 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points
Dark wine that was decanted about 4 hours. Sweetness lessened with air but was still juicy. Some decent minerality and paired well with a stuffed tenderloin (herbs, goat cheese). Nicely balanced but lacking some complexity for me - but the food may have had something to do with that. Soft but smokey on the shortish finish.
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11/3/2015 - DollarMenunaire wrote:
Consistent with my note from 2 years ago... In the zone but evolving slowly. Suitable firmness and freshness to go 10 more years.
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10/24/2015 - chifred wrote: 92 Points
Nose with blackberry, plum, cocoa. Palate with black fruit, pencil lead, spice, complex and intriguing. Silky smooth with background tannins, nice finish. Delicious. At peak I would say, certainly evolved from my 2011 tasting note but similar to bottle from 2014 (although no note). A great bottle of wine (and for $25!) - glad I have seven left! Went fine with grilled rib eye.
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8/14/2015 - Schönibert wrote: 90 Points
Großzügig und breit angelegt bei guten Taninen und roten Früchten. Sehr einnehmender Wein.
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2/8/2015 - Graniwinkle wrote: 91 Points
Dark plum with brick. Nose: vanilla oak, sweet spice, peat. Taste: crisp, roasted dark cherry, cinnamon, earth, smokey leather, peat. Finish: long, chewy, caramel cherry, smoke, very complex.
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1/17/2015 - joet626 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very smooth. A hint of dark fruit remains but just a wonderful bottle of wine
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12/3/2014 - Food Daddy wrote: 90 Points
Agree with the other reviewers. Dark slightly smokey. High minerality with a touch of peat. Delicious. Oak really comes thru.
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5/30/2014 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Pop and splash decant - drank over 3 hours. Softened and integrated over this time. Lots of fruit, full body, opaque. Some initial sour cherry that turned darker and smoother with air. Its minerality is good.
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3/22/2014 - kosmik Likes this wine: 89 Points
Encore en très grande forme, matière tannique encore charnue, presque asséchante, ample+ en bouche, belle acidité, amertume modérée, belle équilibre d'ensemble.
Nez animal, fruité, épicé, végétal.
À revoir en 2016-2017.
89-90+
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1/5/2014 - zoom34 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium nose of black fruits and licorice followed by an intense palette of spices, big black juicy fruits and tar. Full bodied, dry, gripping tannins and delicious. A winner.
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11/13/2013 - El_Toro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice tempranillo blend. Nose of pine trees, leather and dark fruits. Flavours of blackberries tabacco and leather. Very nice to drink now.
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11/9/2013 - Ruubious wrote: 90 Points
drank over three hours. Juicy, plum cherry vanilla. Dark almost purple, with some slight garnet on the edges. very dry and quite tannic. This still has many years ahead to evolve.
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10/27/2013 - mydi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wown. Rich, dark, deep berry taste.
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10/25/2013 - DollarMenunaire wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for sediment and poured immediately. Raspberry and milk chocolate with hints of mineral, violet, grilled bread, and sage. Fruit has a darker profile upon opening, but it reveals its more red-fruited nature with air time. Good acidity and mouthfeel and still grippy tannins, but not as rough and strict as it was three years ago. Entering a good drinking window now and I'm sure will be in the zone for the next 5+ years.
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8/1/2013 - Pour Boy wrote: 93 Points
Balance and finesse. In its prime.
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7/11/2013 - jad1964 wrote: 92 Points
for the money, a home run. drinking very well right now after 30 minutes of air.
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6/22/2013 - gromi wrote: 90 Points
Went well with tacos. Enjoyed this wine.
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5/9/2013 - microbox wrote: 88 Points
this has matured and povides a more realistic picture of its long term prospects now. the nose is still wood dominated. on the palate it starts with good structure and weight until the tannins set in which still eat my gums. i should leave this wine alone for a few more years. is was however a good campanion for caramelized chorizo in a porto cidre reduction and potatoes.
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3/31/2013 - Pour Boy wrote: 92 Points
2005 was a great vintage from Ribera del Duero and this is a great bottle of wine from a great producer. Wonderful nose of black fruit and vanilla. Velvet tannins on the palate. Lots of life left in this one.
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2/27/2013 - Wine Nut wrote: 93 Points
This wine is just flat out delicious. Deep burgundy red color, with a nose of blueberry and mint. The wine boasts a fine silkly texture, with gripping tannins followed by a long finish. It is a voluptuous wine which is herbal in nature yet full of dark fruit with a hint of tar. It will easily last another 5 years.
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12/23/2012 - PDX-S wrote:
Opaque purple in the glass with a ruby rim and just a sliver of a translucent edge. Pronounced nose of black cherries, oaky vanilla, and a touch of anise. Initially a silky attack reinforces the cherries, and quickly becomes dusty with medium tannins and enough acid to keep it taut as the cherries turn to anise and segues into something akin to tobacco on the medium length and slightly smoky finish. Excellent maturing wine with a number of years to go.
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12/17/2012 - MGrange wrote: 88 Points
Nice fruity and leathery wine although a bit dry on the finish. Needs food to absorb the tannins. Worked with fajita's and would recommend to drink it with spicy food, of course spanish tapas is a great match.
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11/10/2012 - absolut wrote: 89 Points
Nase mit dunklen Beeren; toller saftiger, kräftiger Körper mit guter Frische (Minze), gute Länge; Fernandez-style erkennbar
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10/31/2012 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Opened and drank over 2 hours. Framed well in Black berry/cherry and stout tannins. Notes of cocao and mineral mixed with flowers. A lot of flovour in this wine.
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10/5/2012 - maxmanx wrote:
Ready to drink and almost cabernet-like. Crowd pleaser.
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9/8/2012 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork. Best directly out of the bottle, on opening, slightly under room temperature: a delicious juicy blackberry fruit-bomb. If you admire Rubens, this may just be the wine you have been looking for all your life... Decanted, which was a mistake: as it warmed up the over-ripe rhumtopf/decaying dark fruit elements took over, yielding in turn to unexpectedly rough, dry tannins on the finish after 90 minutes. Drink up soon, cellar cool and straight out of the bottle, and you're in for a treat. 88P
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8/3/2012 - TheBigD52 wrote:
Smooth with a wonderful finish. Hints of chocolate. Did not decant. The wine was exquisite.
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8/2/2012 - bowmanbc wrote: 89 Points
big change over the last 2 years. more fruit, good finish.
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7/19/2012 - JC78 wrote: 92 Points
On opening, strong aroma of strawberry and blueberry, followed by musty tangs of farmyard and urine. Decanted for 3 hours. Great balance and complexity with primary notes of strawberry and violet, with less prominent hints of tar, a little vanilla and is that star anise? Long consistent finish. Lovely wine.
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6/3/2012 - joet626 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Smooth and balanced. Fruitier than expected.
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5/17/2012 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Decanted one hour. Deep dark red. Massive fruit with nice integrated oak. Wine performs still fine and will be drinking fine surely for the next 4 a 5 years.
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5/14/2012 - Grape_ape wrote: 88 Points
did not live up to previous bottle, but still nice.
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4/9/2012 - nrickman wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely wonderful. Very smooth. Decanted for 4 hours prior to having. Great fruit.
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4/6/2012 - TCepeda wrote: 93 Points
El Condado de Haza Crianza del 2005, de la bodega del mismo nombre que posee en la localidad burgalesa de Roa el bodeguero vallisoletano Alejandro Fernández, es considerado como el primero de los caldos españoles por la prestigiosa revista 'Wine Spectator', que otorga al caldo de la Ribera del Duero el puesto 34 y 93 puntos, dentro de su tradicional Top 100.
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4/5/2012 - scheune wrote: 91 Points
nach 1 Stunde im Decanter zeigt sich ein extrem dichter , konzentrierter Wein mit Brombeeren, Wildaroma, (leichte Petrolnote?) und einem satten Tanningeruest, welches aber schon eingebunden ist. Der erste Eindruck ist die Suesse die sich dann mit dem Wildaroma abwechselt -interessant ! Mit zunehmender Erwaermung neigt er dann aber dazu marmeladig zu werden. Klasse Wein fuers Geld !!
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3/29/2012 - limule wrote: 90 Points
Excellent
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3/26/2012 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
I can't remember drinking a wine which so exactly tasted of a single fruit. Decanted 30 minutes from 75cl, the entry is precisely like biting into a spoonful of big ripe juicy blackberries. Even the tannins on the mid-palate are reminiscent of supremely ripe blackberry seeds. As the bottle went on the wine softened, reaching an apogé after 2 hours. Delicious. 91P
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1/29/2012 - napa23 wrote: 93 Points
Based on previous reviews I was expecting this to be average to slightly above average. I was pleasantly surprised. This wine has plenty of structure and tannin and I believe would benefit from a few more years but drinking very well right now. Great combination of fruit and structure with a well rounded almost sweet start and very nice finish. Wish I had more!
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12/29/2011 - maxima wrote: 85 Points
Le nez est sur le chocolat et le boisé, assez unidimensionnel.
En bouche, c'est très ample et les tannins sont asséchants. Le boisé et le tabac prennent beaucoup de place et enterre le fruit, finale astringeante et moyenne.
Très ordinaire!
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12/15/2011 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured at cellar temperature. We liked it a lot at 14C, and continued to like it as it warmed up. Powerful, rich, sweet blackberry-mulberry fruit on entry immediately followed by a stern, even gritty, tannic mid-palate; a bit unsmiling but warm on the finish. (I can't be quite so precise about the scent. Initially a heady mix of Rote Grütze, Rumtopf and the fruit described above). Delicious now and for another 4-5 years. 90P
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10/8/2011 - Dar3 wrote: 91 Points
Not overly powerful. Balanced nose and drinking great now.
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10/6/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 91 Points
focused dark currant, mineral; good and fine acidity/tannins make this tight and bright at the same time; great food match; one of the better tempranillos that i have tasted.
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9/1/2011 - LynnMJ wrote: 91 Points
Drank to participate in the 1St International Tempranillo Day. This was the clear favorite among the 7 Riojas, Toros, and domestic temps opened. Great full bodiedness, restrained fruit that made us all want to linger and ponder the finish, clearly not a fruit bomb but an old work beauty.
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8/20/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
It is coming together. Still prefers a good long decant, but it si rounding out and loosing some of the austerity. Still plenty of tannins. No ned t odrink up now. I think this will go the distance.
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8/20/2011 - Serralunga wrote: 92 Points
This is my second bottle I opened and I am impressed by the quality! I drank the wine two years ago and it has matured a lot since. Herbs, cherries, basil, nettle, chocolate...animal tones! nice bitterness, still strong tannins! we ate a cheese pasta with it and survived in a perfect way...!
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8/13/2011 - petec-s wrote: 90 Points
Excellent, rich wine lots of habano and liquorice.
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7/16/2011 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
A very solid, very nicely settling wine. Still has power, but isn't the monster it was in its youth. Drink within two years.
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6/2/2011 - chaos wrote: 90 Points
PNP. Very young and fleshy, but lacked complexity. After an hour, the nose really developed, with meaty notes.
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5/3/2011 - chifred wrote:
No decant: Dark opaque purple with nose of black berries and a bit of jam. The alcohol jumps out a bit. Full mouthfeel with some dust and dry tannins. A bit thin on the mid palate and austere. Comes back with a lingering finish. Probably not to smart to open on a late Tuesday - will see if it improves.
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3/29/2011 - jjclips2 wrote: 90 Points
Consumed over 2 days. Went to pop the cork on the '03 and didnt look at the vint... oops! Anyway, tight and austere at first. Eventually gives way to some red cherry, baking spices, and firm tannins. Still a little closed. Day 2 offers great aromatics. Leather, sweet vanilla, red plum and cherry. The palate is a great texture with medium+ body, firm, dusty tannins, and then finishes long. Acidity is lacking a bit that docks a few. Pleasurable and would appeal to most. Great example of a Ribera that needs a few more years in bottle.
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3/26/2011 - petec-s wrote: 91 Points
Rich modern stye, yet very Spanish, dark nose, deep flavours, pure wine with time in hand.
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3/1/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous note and our last bottle. We got a lot of enjoyment out of this wine and should have bought more.
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3/1/2011 - isbjoern wrote: 89 Points
Black in color; strong flavor, dark berries, tobacco, oak, a hint of brett adds an animal note, strong drying woody tannins, slightly astringent, needs another 2-4 years to soften out, but shows very good potential. - 89+ points
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2/9/2011 - Haggis wrote: 89 Points
Robust and earthy with great dark fruit and leather. Some woodiness or corkiness. Not a corked wine, but a dry dusty tannin quality. I don't know where these high scores are coming from. A well made wine, but certainly not is the 90pt range.
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12/31/2010 - sithinfiltrator wrote: 88 Points
Lisa 89, Vic 87.
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12/20/2010 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 91 Points
Very good. Balanced fruit with a small tanic bite.
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11/22/2010 - honest bob wrote: 87 Points
OK, but not wowed by this wine tonight. "Earthy" as noted by another CT member is pretty much the defining word. Stiff dry tannins, decent if austere dark-fruit base, respectable value for 13,50 Euros retail. May improve with another couple of years in bottle. 87P
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11/19/2010 - GGinSF wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very well now, but still several more years for further improvement. Medium tannins, neither soft nor harsh. Mineral backbone with dark fruit up front.
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11/14/2010 - SEP wrote: 91 Points
excellent tempranillo, very dark purple, refined tannin structure. Even better than the bottle from just a few months ago. Will wait another year or so before opening another bottle, but this one has at least another 5 years in the cellar and will continue to develop. Wow..
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11/2/2010 - DollarMenunaire wrote: 91 Points
A couple hours in the decanter wasn't enough, and it didn't open up and show itself until the next day. This seemingly medium-bodied red is secretly built like a brick house and needs a lot more time.
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10/27/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous note except decanted for an hour before initial tasting. Should have done that on the last bottle. Excellent.
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9/16/2010 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
This is shaping up nicely.
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8/11/2010 - bowmanbc wrote: 85 Points
we've had this bottle 600 days and it wasnt terrible. hard to say if it's going to get much better. 1st time we did it was very good. maybe past it's peak?
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8/8/2010 - chaos wrote: 90 Points
Bottle still needs time. Much tighter than the 2004.
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7/12/2010 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 91 Points
Dark, Earthy, deep flavors of black fruits, licorice and a faint Vanilla, strong from start to finish. Drying Tannins, could use another 2-5 years.
Update: According to winery website, it is aged 18 months in American oak.
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7/5/2010 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Niceness.
Needs a good long decant at this point.
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7/2/2010 - DTWOB wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding wine
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6/20/2010 - benny wrote: 92 Points
90 the first day. Mellowed and developed overnight and was quite delicious the second night.Dark berry/cherry. Tannins integrated the second day. Needs more time in the bottle.
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6/1/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Initially tasted immediately after opening. We sampled this last a couple of years ago. Deep purple. Great nose of cedar, blackberries and cinnamon. Still quite tannic. Medium texture. Rich fruit with notes of earth and spice. Others who have commented earlier were correct in saying that it will benefit with more time. It's enjoyable now but I like the direction it is heading. ... an hour and a half later this has really opened up.
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5/9/2010 - hem177 wrote: 88 Points
Needs more time
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5/1/2010 - elbosco wrote: 90 Points
Big, juicy nose after 2 hour decant. Tannins have settled down since last tasting. Rich Tempranillo palate with fruit edging out the oak.
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4/20/2010 - ewineguy wrote: 89 Points
Again, not very popular at the party. I did not do a good job of selling the special attributes of the Temp grape. This was a dark real dark purple glass of wine, almost inky black. It was very earthy, more sos than other Haza's I have tasted. The nose was loaded. I got berry, meaty, exotic florals. As it opened, it was still a little stiff. There was a lot going on and I could not gove this pour justice. I have 10 left and really took forward to enjoying it on its own.
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3/31/2010 - bundydavis wrote: 91 Points
Took a few hours to open up and even still there were heavy tannins. Went well with short ribs. Nice wine. Would buy again.
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3/27/2010 - jad1964 wrote: 92 Points
this was a pretty easy one. isnt ready. has makings of a beauty. we'll see. unless you can deal with days of decanting....right now it is less fruit. all tannins. alot of oak. it simply doesnt get to the place i expect to with normal time. i would call this a dickie v "diaper dandy".
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3/14/2010 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
It's only alcohol, but I like it, like it, yes I do.
I had had these sitting around waiting for them to hit prime, but figured i might as well give it a whirl now. Opened the bottle, decanted for an hour and had it over the next hour or so. Pretty tight nose, but some dark red berries were present. Not a ton though, and this comes off as a young, tannic oak monster. Not one to shy away from tannins, I like it, but I think it'll be even better in a year or two. I don't much agree with Jay Miller's rating (ever), but his drinking window may be right.
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3/10/2010 - zscheiner wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple. Big plummy, chocolatey nose. A bit volatile. Dark fruit and dark chocolate on the palate. Teeth-staining. Strangely, tannins were more evident than they were in my first bottle 18 months ago. Will wait awhile to open the next one, plenty of fruit and structure here.
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2/16/2010 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Medium purple color. Dark black and blue fruits on the nose along with some spice and oak notes. A touch of heat on the nose as well. Big, bold tannins overwhelm the fruit on the palate at the moment but will tone down with some more time in the bottle. This wine has the potential to be quite good down the road.
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2/15/2010 - wirelesswine wrote: 92 Points
Very high quality wine, but I would definitely hold or decant for quite a while...these tannins are big and bold right now....
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2/11/2010 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 89 Points
Opened and drank over three days during the "Stormageddon of 2010". Initial impression wasn't as accessible as hoped for - tannins more bracing than anything else, tempro characteristics were muddled because of the upfront tannins. Nice ripe nose though, and decent midpalate; mostly dark and plush berries, mix of blackberry, sour cherries and some cocoa. Good news is that the oak is contained by the tannins (for aging that is). On day two the fruit was more accessible, but still a tightly wound wine. Day three not much different from day two. In about 2-3 three years I would like to retry, but this was my last bottle of the '05s, so probably wishful thinking on my part.
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1/30/2010 - microbox wrote: 91 Points
nose: oak, licorice, menthol, weed, 'rote gruetze', palate: dark red fruit, cacao, smoke, dust. loads of tannins, long and stable finish (20 Caudalie), very nice, perfect companion for Oca con Peras Y Morcillas. very youthful, will try another one in 2012.
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1/27/2010 - pgm wrote: 90 Points
Doesn't demand the decanting that it needed 18 months ago (though it would still benefit from it). This is drinking very nicely, if not quite as powerfully as it did upon release. Consistent with previous notes, it's a big and balanced Ribera, with integrated black fruit, meaty minerality, and pepper.
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1/21/2010 - cobbpa wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Bon Soiree (Bon Soiree, Chicago, IL): Decanted an hour, re-corked & drank 90 minutes later. Nose is dark; blackberries with some dark red fruits and a touch of smoked spices. In the mouth this remains dark with a core of blackberries & some red fruits adding interest. Finishes pretty long with dense--but unobtrusive--tannins and tart red & black fruits with a smattering of enjoyably spicy oak tones.
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1/20/2010 - cummingstom1 wrote: 92 Points
excellant smooth black berries; tannic on the tongue
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1/20/2010 - 97edwardc wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this is excellent. Ready now.
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12/11/2009 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Notes from day 2. Dark red to purple color. Nose of black raspberry, cedar, smoke. On the palate there was blackberry, black cherry, cedar, coffee. Decent amount of acidity and tannins, this wine will last for at least another decade or so. Good qpr. Hold. 50+5+11+17+7
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12/4/2009 - Esteban wrote: 93 Points
Nez de champignons et de sous-bois. Bouche ample et volumineus. Équilibré et belle longueur. Pourra vieillir 5-10 ans sans aucuns problèmes. Superbe rouge pour le prix!
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11/23/2009 - monkeylug wrote: 92 Points
A bit over-rated by WS, this wine shows excellent fruit and some complexity with a long, pleasant finish. I wouldn't oversell this wine, however. It's a great everyday drinker and would hold for awhile longer with ease.
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11/19/2009 - williamswhine wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle of wine. Dark cranberry color. More spicy than friuty. Expected a little more from this wine since it was rated in WS Top 100.
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10/17/2009 - drbill wrote:
deep dark black color with a nice border. no hints of brown to speak of. nose of black cherry cedar spice box and smoke with a hint of vanilla and oak. long legs indicating hig etoh content of 14.5 %. medium body with layers of chewy dark fruits and smoke. legnthy finish. enjoyed alot. seemed to have less creaminess and oakiness then i remember from my previous tasting. will cellar other bottle.
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10/16/2009 - brianngibson wrote: 91 Points
Plums, cranberries, black cherry. Cedar spice box and smoky notes on the finish.
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10/3/2009 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 91 Points
Awesome wine.
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10/2/2009 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Realy opened up after an hour or so. Begins with earthy meaty core- expanding to dark fruit, licorice and spice. Great value for 25 bucks.
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9/28/2009 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
This is loosened up nicely since my first impression a year ago. Blackberry and brambly currant notes, with espresso bean and peppery, meaty spice notes. A great wine for the money.
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9/27/2009 - DTWOB wrote:
Consumed following a Caymus and then a Reguscci - no comparison to them. Will defer rating
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8/29/2009 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
Soft, ripe and quite attractive, with a good depth of flavour. It was a bit subdued at first, but opened out to show a thick texture of ripe blackberry/blackcurrant fruit with a hint of aniseed. There is still some tannin; overall, quite youthful but enjoyable now.
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8/11/2009 - gunpwdr wrote: 92 Points
Picked up strong hints of coffee right out of the bottle, but after an hour in the glass, the nose closed down. This is a nice, chewy wine. Hints of cranberries on the attack, then the tannins come on full force on the mid-palate, all the way to the long finish.
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8/9/2009 - z_willus_d wrote: 88 Points
2hr decant in med-base @65F. Not the darkest Temp I've encountered but still showing a clean dark cranberry red color. This bouquet isn't exciting too many receptors; showing dark fruits, plum, road tar, gasoline (heat in the back-sniff that reminds me of a shot of stiff liquor), and a pair of old dusty leather boots recently rained upon. Heavy on the palate but not explosive, this RdD burnt the back of my throat on the first couple sips and really came across like a blowtorch in the mouth. Thankfully, either the top-layer took on more alc or I acclimated to the heat, as subsequent sips were more tolerable. For drinking, this offered many bites of dusty/waxy sour plum picked not quite ripe from the fruit tree; otherwise dusty leather and anise. The finish lingers like tar-smoke from the making of a Macadam road clogged in my throat. I didn't much like what the first glass offered, so I walked back to the decant room and poured a second. I'd say this 2nd glass was much the same at heart, but it charmed me a good deal more with hints at pomegranate red-fruit and light, sweetened baking spice. I'm not sure what that's all about. I was about to score this 86 or 87pts. but the 2nd glass, while having the same finish, is much more an 89-90 point effort (and I actually quite enjoy drinking it as opposed to its predecessor). Just goes to show the fickle nature of wine and the intrinsic absurdity we all play part in when ascribing a static score to the dynamic, mercurial, transitory substance that is wine. On the other hand, I could be the capricious element in this system and the wine the anchor (though I don't believe so in this case). Really liked that 2nd glass; really disliked the first. Humphf...
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8/9/2009 - Pinot Evil wrote: 93 Points
Delicious and ready to drink, nice qpr
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7/27/2009 - MJTed wrote: 88 Points
Tight and earthy with a modest tannic grip. Fruit and spice started yielding after a couple hours. Hold for now.
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6/24/2009 - La Grappe wrote: 86 Points
A ripe, reasonably mature Ribera del Duero; good length.
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5/3/2009 - Fontanafredda wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color, very dense. Rich nose of plum, raspberry, asian spices, cardamom, and hints of horse blanket. Full bodied, with massive tannins and a little heat in the midpalate (it breathed for more than 1 h). This wine still needs to come together, I would hold on to it for another few years. Very long finish.
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4/28/2009 - dartboard wrote:
This is still drinking very young, several hours of decanting left it very tight. Shows promise. Will try again in late 2010.
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4/6/2009 - williamswhine wrote: 92 Points
Thought the wine was very nice at the price. Nice nose, fruity. Agree with comments below-- bottle should rest for a while. Glad I have more in stock.
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3/22/2009 - DTWOB wrote: 92 Points
Decanted through a a vin-aerator and then filtered twice within a half hour of opening. This softened up the wine and made it very agreeable to consume. Deep dark color, with a nose of dark berries and chocolate covered cherries. A very nice mouth feel with dark fruit forward taste, well balanced and softened tannins with very little heat and acidity. A short finish was puzzling - esp. with all the other positives going for this bottle. Good thing I have two more - but will lay them down for a couple more years.
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3/21/2009 - djdaqm wrote: 91 Points
CES Lab Wine Tasting #3 (Home): Decanted for several hours before drinking. Lots of oak and spice on the nose and palate. Strong tannins left. Has good potential for aging and seems well balanced with length of 20-25 secs. Drank as the first in a series of 7 Spanish wines ranted 92+. This wasn't a standout, but was still solid.
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2/28/2009 - drbill wrote:
deep ruby red with some central black. layers of dark fruit with alot of creaminess and oak. medium body. finishes clean. i will definitely be cellaring the other bottles. this one has alot of potential.
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2/19/2009 - bajayngo wrote: 91 Points
Started off all American oak, mint, floral, vanilla bean & juicy pure fruit. After bout an hr in the decanter it turned in espresso beans, tobacco leaf, a smokey thang, brown sugar, chocolate covered cherries, huge tannins & its like u smoked a cigar on the finish!!
On day 2 it turned pretty acidic w/a heavy dose of tannins. This confuses me a bit, I was thinking it wud integrate over a day or 2 w/the huge oak, fruit & tannins. Wud really like 2 see what this is like w/about 5 more years of age on it.
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2/16/2009 - Caring_Bear wrote:
Friends brought over and tried it with them. No score - this should have been decanted for a little while first.
Definite complexity here, medium - big body hints of oak over dark berries, maybe a bit of smoke. Big, lengthy finish.
Drier than I prefer, but this is a keeper, among the best Spanish wines I've tasted recently.
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2/12/2009 - pgm wrote:
More tannic than the previous bottle (big BIG tannins), this is still pretty huge with black fruit. Previous notes will tell a better story: head cold is making it tough to get any of the delicate nuances that were found previously...
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2/7/2009 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 91 Points
Saturday, February 07, 2009
8:17 PM
This Spanish Tempranillo is in the wine spectator 's top 30 for 2008. The nose is soft loam and fruit. The taste is cherry, and tobacco. The middle is firm with a very tart finish. This will open up more as it breaths and decanting will help. Rich and delightful now will even be better in a few years.
91, going to get better and better
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1/25/2009 - mnewzs wrote: 90 Points
Nice blackberry and cherry, well integrated and likely to be better with some time.
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1/25/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 90 Points
Creamy with layers of red fruit. Tannic even after a two-hour decant. Very tasty, but will definitely benefit from more cellar time.
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1/16/2009 - jvogel wrote:
Old-world wrapped bacon-tight in a New World frame. For 14 Euro: Great! For 20 Euro, perhaps a pass. Need a few more bottles to really see how this develops.
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1/11/2009 - jonesj22 wrote: 87 Points
Joe G's House - January Offline (Joe G's - Buffalo): Nose: One dimensional extracted strawberries. (In bordeaux glass it had notes of toffee and espresso)
Palate: Alcohol and oak are way out of balance. Some extracted red fruits but hard to pull away from the alcohol
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1/10/2009 - mye wrote: 89 Points
Nose of red fruit. Fruit mixed with oak on the palate. Developed nicely over 2 hours. Medium finish.
Delicious and good QPR.
half bottle left for day 2:
day 2: Lots of fruit flavours, but not much else left. Good for 2-3 hours, but not overnight.
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1/8/2009 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 93 Points
I felt this was amazing and drinking well now. Excellent complexity and flavors. The nose has hints of flowers, spice and oak. On the palate is complexity with an smooth and enjoyable long finish. probably the best tempranillo based blend I have had. Had around 15min decanted before drinking.
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1/2/2009 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 90 Points
Darky ruby red color with dark fruits and some hints of coffee on the nose. Medium body with very good balance and structure. Tannins are there but not overpowering. Finish is decent with the dark fruits lingering nicely. Definitely needs at least an hour decant time. I think this is a wine that doesn't shine in one particular category but is good in all aspects.
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1/1/2009 - poptart_nyc wrote: 87 Points
ripe creamy soapy, yet well integrated. outdoor tasting: harlem garden, 22 Degrees f, reveals a persistant watermelon seed/sinew note. explains my initial soapy note. indoor warms to a bright wine but with quite a full grip. not overoaked, not over extracted. watermelon keeps its tone, but adds chocolate- easter bunny chocolate- vanilla and brown sugar. hubby thinks it is reminicient of italian. with the acid+tannin finish. i do not feel the disjointment of most baby italians- more light and together.
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12/31/2008 - bigdogflow wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with last bottle. Great Wine!!!
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12/29/2008 - djdaqm wrote: 90 Points
A very young wine with plenty of tannins at the moment. Really nice nose, perhaps huckleberry aromas... but needs time. Semi decent concentration. Outstanding structure. Lacks complexity. If it is to be opened now, I would suggest a long decanting.
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12/27/2008 - Bobo N wrote: 93 Points
WS was "right on" on this one -- an excellent QPR.
Agree with many of the CT reviewers' tasting notes -- excellent bottle of wine and a good example of the quality of wine from Ribera del Duero (used to focus on Rioja almost exclusively).
Red fruit, floral component, mineral, and a menthol that blew me away. Going back to muy more.
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12/23/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 88 Points
Very deep colour. Plenty of extract, fruit of blackcurrants and plums and still very tannic. Probably still needs a few years to be at its best, but impressive now.
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12/13/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Fight Night Wine IV(full bodied reds) (my place): nose: great perfumed nose with all sorts of red fruits vying for your attention. Rich in style and substance with black cherries, cranberries, and red currants also working their way in there. great balance with well defined and lovely aromatics
taste: really good depth with loads of tart red fruits, black cherries, red currants, cranberries, and a dose of black fruits to darken the tone just a bit. Good full body feel with chewy tannins that provide an excellent spine
overall: great structure and tannins. With two hours in the decanter this was starting to sing and after being open for 4, it was a full chorus. Nice ruby color with evocative flavors on both the nose and palate that sat behind great depth. Is a great wine to lay down for a few years to see what emerges, but is fun already with a full on red fruited attack and nice medium length finish of cranberries
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12/10/2008 - nwinther wrote: 85 Points
Beautiful color and a very fruity nose. Black berries. The palate is also full of fruit. Very delicious. Aftertaste is lacking though. Wonder if this will develop. Keep or drink.
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12/7/2008 - bigdogflow wrote: 93 Points
An awesome wine!! Big flavors of black cherry and blackberry with a beautiful, long finish.
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12/4/2008 - whits wrote: 91 Points
floral aromas dominate, along with some potpourri, attacks soft, but tannic, with intense dark fruit, dried cherry, chocolate covered orange, and more flower, big but complex, very young but showing very nicely
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12/2/2008 - cormyr wrote: 92 Points
a fine beauty at a bargain price.
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12/1/2008 - btennan1 wrote: 91 Points
A: Very dark purple and velvet
N: Menthol, big fruits, viney and pleasantly woody. Very ripe red fruits, over ripe plum.
T: Lots of tanic structure, refreshing tart and big while retaining a delicate style.
F: almost sweet and succulent. Nice undertow that pulls you back for more.
Overall: Old wine in young body. Further evidence that Ribera del Duero is keeping paces (if not exceeding) Rioja. That is a really good wine.
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11/30/2008 - skidder7 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this again, this time with steak. Still alot of tastes, all sublte and smooth. It does seem to open up in the glass, probably will decant the next bottle. And there will be a next!
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11/26/2008 - AZ Cat wrote:
(2+) Tannic and a little out of balance, but you can tell the fruit is there. Needs a long decant and probably some age - definitely improved with time in the glass. May be a pretty good QPR - should try again.
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11/15/2008 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
This was a monster. Should have decanted, but didn't. It is near black in color (much darker than I remember this wine ever being). Aromas of black fruit, smoke, espresso, peppery baking spices, and some faint grilled meat and olive notes. On the palate, it is very intense and tightly wound, but there is clearly some generous, sweet-toned fruit in there. 90-91 now, but I doubt this is showing its best yet. I think this is one to hold for three to five years. Exciting return to an old favorite that I haven't really enjoyed much in awhile.
Day two: This is much more open and pure now, with dried roses on the nose, blackberry and black currant in the mouth, orange peel on the finish. Definitely decant or hold.
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11/7/2008 - dke wrote: 91 Points
Really good. Nice vanilla, cream, blackberries and licorice on the nose, dark fruits and creamy feel on the palate, followed by very strong tannins. This needs 3-5 years to soften but it is already very enjoyable.
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11/3/2008 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Retailer tasting. This is the best vintage of this wine since the 1996. Purple color. This was a dry old world style. Notes of black fruit, spice box and raw meat. Firm tannins in this medium to full bodied wine. 91 points.
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10/31/2008 - skidder7 wrote: 92 Points
Thoroughly enjoyed this bottle. Very dark purple color. Complex aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, earth and mild spice. I could almost tell from smelling it that it was going to taste nice. Wonderful mouth feel. Taste is very similar to the aroma. Sweet stewed dark fruit and chocolate with a gentle spice on the finish. I will definately look for this again.
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10/24/2008 - Justthewaiter wrote: 93 Points
The color is dark, very dark with some redness around the edges. It smells of dark fruits with a little bit of red fruits underneath. There was some armpit action when first poured in the glass, but blew off. Minerality and chalkiness also preasent. Complex nose. On the palate the chalkiness attacks the palate and the fruit is really a second layer after that and the tannin, but not in unpleasant way, it just needs food. No noticeable oak apart from a hint of spice quality. Spanish Manchego was a good match and helped bring out the fruit in this wine. At $23 dollars this is a steal. A really fine example of Ribera Del Duero wines. Should improve with additional bottle age.
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10/23/2008 - d'Artagnan wrote: 88 Points
À l’ouverture, nez très exubérant de confiture de mûres, d’eucalyptus, avec du café et du.. charbon de bois! Il fait Nouveau Monde.
La bouche montre un vin bien concentré, solidement constitué, sur une matière très mûre. Bien fait mais plus moderne et joufflu qu’à l’habitude, à la limite de la surmaturité (over-the-top diraient les Anglais). Il est déjà très goûteux mais possède un potentiel de garde certain. Un bon vin pour le prix, plein et charmeur sans aucun doute. Mais comme fan des vins de la maison, je le trouve un peu trop sirupeux et moderne à mon goût, du moins à ce stade. Après deux heures, il s’est passablement refermé. L’élevage, l’expresso et les tanins prennent le plancher (de chêne!). Il se renfrogne et nous demande de revenir le voir dans trois à cinq ans…88 pts
Les critiques américains ont été beaucoup plus impressionnés que moi alors à vérifier dans 5 ans. Il pourrait leur donner raison car sous cet élevage il y a beaucoup de matière et rien qui accroche vraiment.
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10/15/2008 - monkeylug wrote: 92 Points
Mocha, Dark Cherries, Tobacco, and Raspberry notes in this full bodied red. Gripping tannin, needs 5 to 7 years.
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10/15/2008 - www.jasonskitchen.com wrote: 90 Points
Needs an hour or 2 in the decanter. full bodied, very tasty, rounded, well made... not too fruit forward but polished and solid with heavier food. A nice wine with ample guts.
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10/14/2008 - rmodak wrote: 91 Points
Really nice bouquet and mouthfeel full of blue fruits, charcoal, smoke, with black cherry and a dense mouthfeel with fierce tannins. Lots of potential, but needs food or time to tame the tannins.
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10/13/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote: 90 Points
Very young and needs some time to shed the tannin structure and allow the earth and plum aromatics to evolve.
Opened a bit after an hour but I bet it will be much more showy with a year or two and much more complex after that.
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10/8/2008 - dzitt wrote: 89 Points
Oeil: Pourpre foncé
Nez: Vanille, anis, on sent un peu le bois, mais pas trop
Bouche: Rond, long en bouche et la présence de mûres qui domine le fruit
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10/8/2008 - antonio luiz wrote:
Muito bom. Macio, aveludado, frutas vermelhas.
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10/4/2008 - TwoDogs wrote: 92 Points
we enjoyed this on the first day it was open and on the third (didn't have a chance to try it on the second)...it still had it's structure and was quite enjoyable on day 3.
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10/2/2008 - z_willus_d wrote: 89 Points
90+ min. decant; black-purple color. Slightly lighter nose than I expected but nice, giving-off ultra-floral scents, tobacco, and light red cherry. Creamy and full-bodied on the palate, but not driving with too much energy, initially; there’s cherry and later blueberry showing and good touch of oak. The mouth-feel is silky with fairly dry tannins; all likely owing to the oak treatment. The finish is of moderate length, growing slightly more bitter from the sweeter mid-palate – some pepper grains. There is a bit of menthol on entry and then at the beginning of the finish. Really, improved over time to a 90+.
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9/22/2008 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very fruity nose. Like grape kool-aid when first opened, but after a few minutes just loads of dark fruit. Medium- to full-bodied with a fruity attack on the palate: raspberries, blackberries and black cherries. Nice tannins on the back end and a long, dark chocolate finish. A big but balanced wine.
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9/2/2008 - Double-A Likes this wine: 90 Points
Florals, blackberry, tar, butterscotch, leather and mineral nose. Rich, warming and spicy palate with good, ripe tannins; med-long finish.
4/5
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9/2/2008 - ifm wrote:
A bit heavy at this point.
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6/15/2008 - manonthemoon wrote: 89 Points
Nose of blackberry and cedar. With lots of blackberry and some dark cherry with a small amount of esspresso hidden in there on the palate. Lots of acid until its been open for 3 to 4 hours and the tannins are well integrated with some mouth drying. Great QPR as always from haza.
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5/20/2008 - ludwigbpm wrote: 89 Points
Bon vin encore très jeune et tannique. Un peu trop marqué par le bois, avec un côté espresso et odeusr de coconut. Riche, ample et savoureux. Bon prix.
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5/11/2008 - Partenaire wrote: 86 Points
Nez d'écurie, de cuir, de fruit noir, d'épice. Bouche tannique, mais peaufinée, aux saveurs de torréfaction, de thym et de "gomme balloune".
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5/5/2008 - MichelBesner wrote: 87 Points
Excellent with steak. With a bit of aging it will be even better...
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3/8/2008 - mimik wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. Magenta red with meaty, plummy and spicy black cherry notes with hints of leather. The palate is smooth, with nice acidity framed by tannins that are a little grainy but don't detract from the seemless medium-long finish. It needs time but is much more approachable than the 2004 I had last year.
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