Dinner at D Cuisine (Chicago, IL): Only moderate American oak notes here. Black fruit and leather, and only starting to develop secondary characteristics. I quite enjoy the balance here, but knowing how well these wines age this is a wine that will benefit from a few more decades in the cellar.
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Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. Meaty, savoury, a little baked bean, tomato and tomato leaf initially as well as quite an umami underpin. With time and agitation more red red fruits starts to come through; strawberry especially, with a little herbaceous underpin and plenty of vanilla oak, as well as a little red currant. Sourly juicy, meaty, savoury umami, porcini, concentrated though muted red fruits in support, tannins are drying but silky, textured, all travel long. Hmm.
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Ample, corsé avec encore un peu d'élevage. Sur les cerises, les bleuets et le poivre. Les tannins sont charnus et la finale super longue nous laisse sur des relents de tabac. Encore musclé et bien en forme.
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the wine is medium garnett with a medium intensity developed aromas of blackberry , raspberry , wet cedar, mushroom, fig, nutmeg, chocolate, forest floor, and funk. The wine has high alcohol and medium acidity with medium tannins and body. The palate matches the aromas with the addition of tar and tobacco. The complexity of this wine is off the charts and is also quite balanced. This is an outstanding wine that should be drunk now and over the next five years.
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Big ripe dark cherry with cigar box, cedar, dried tobacco leaf. Smooth and silky. Massive structure but comes across very elegant. Long finish. Integrated silky tannin that lingers perfectly on the finish. Super balanced. Vanilla bean, cherries and lots of green tobacco aftertaste. Classic Ygay, still quite young, but hard to resist. To think this will improve. Drink 2025-2035.
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P&P, great experience. Nice traditional old school Rioja flavours, vanilla, blueberries. Great acidity backbone. Dried herbs, very nice old school Rioja.
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Crumbly, fragile cork so use caution when opening- my other bottles have had the same issue. Still rather vibrant in color with no bricking. The nose is a little muted with cherries and a suggestion of cardamom and cinnamon. On the palate, this is showing the early signs of maturity and the fruit tones have mellowed...lots of dried cherry and fig, a tiny bit of dill pickle remaining from the oak treatment, and that sort of savory spicy leathery note that tempranillo gets with age. I love where this is but can’t wait to try it in a few years when the tertiary earthy flavors really kick in. Excellent rioja!
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Clear, vibrant garnet of medium intensity. Clean nose of medium-plus intensity, pronounced secondary characters (dill, dry coconut) and tertiary characters (dried figs and blackberry). Elegant and silky on entry, on the midpalate the wine is meaty and medium-plus bodied with bold raspy tannins, a fine seam of acidity buried deep underground, intense and persistent notes of tar, leather, and red fruits. Long finish. Professionally cellared since release, and quickly double-decanted prior to service, tasted at 16-19 degrees. This one is slightly foresquare and ungiving at the moment and I would wait another 5-10 years for the structure to ease and further tertiary development. Has scope for improvement. Interesting to contrast with Lopez de Heredia, which stylistic is more "Burgundian", the Castillo Ygay is more worked and extracted. Next bottle 2026 or later.
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Spanish Tasting (Bistro Cocotte, Haberfield): Gamey, funky, bit of wet cardboard, stinky, savoury, a little cherry and strawberry and cherry, alcohol and spice on the nose. Juicy, fleshy, strawberry, loads of tannins that are grainy, non-intrusive alcohol warmth, sweet spice. Defo flaw based on the nose but the palate, though a bit out of whack based on tastings from other bottles, is still not entirely flawed. Hmm. Perhaps the vessel it was decanted into was a bit dirty? Atypical at least.
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Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty, savoury and gamey with ripe wild strawberry, vanilla, a little alcohol prickle, biscuit, sweet spice. Baked eath with time and a little candy floss note. In the mouth the acid, fruit, tannin balance is just about perfect, warm lick of vanilla on the finish completes a good showing. Yum.
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Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Vanilla, slightly meaty notes, strawberry fruit, a little blackcurrant underpin, tobacco leaf. In the mouth it's juicy, tannins are tight though the strawberry with that tiny blackcurrant underpin show through. Long, rather lovely, still quite primary.
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Coravin fun - Rioja new arrivals (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Woody, slightly baked earth, sweet spice over a melange of baked red fruits, vanilla, cream, gets meatier with time, saovury spcie joins, a little herbaceous underpin. Juicy, rich, red berry compote is a little more savoury here, vanilla, tannins are silky, harmonious, almost a little milk chocolate. Long; very long with alcohol warmth assisting on the finish. Lovely.
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Enchanting nose; dried fig, cherry, mint tea, a waft of cigar ash with judicious oak and some cured meats.
The mouth delivers cherry fruit with good acid, fresh tannin, dried herbs, black olive and balsamic. There is some prune/fig like fruit on the mid-palate and the finish lasts over 2 minutes.
Having a glass before dinner, but will be pairing with strip steak, mushrooms, turnips & garlic scapes.
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Expressive nose of oak and dark cherry. Same on the palate. Medium high acidity, firm tannins. Notes of leather beginning to emerge. Great with hanger steak. Best with long decant, this is just getting started.
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A little old school although slightly more modern than previous examples I’ve tasted. Sour red fruit and elastoplast. Mid weight. Acid driven structure.
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Extremely fragile cork as noted by a previous taster...this needs a Durand, which is surprising considering the relative youth. Very tasty - fresh, sweet, and ample fruit without too much American oak. I like where this wine is at this stage although a little tertiary funk wouldn't hurt. I didn't note any VA as several others have experienced...this was still very primary. Showed positive evolution over the course of a few hours in the decanter.
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Aromas of dates and other dark dried sweet fruits. Weird association with multivitamin pills and coffee beans. Intriguing with some potential. Hotter vintage wine.
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Robust and concentrated with nice toasty oak accents, rose bush and dark cherry. Rich powerful finish with loads of fresh acidity and near perfect balance. Notes of green tobacco and lingering tannin. Still young but its got the structure for the long haul. Drink 2020-2032.
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Difficulty removing the cork even with an Ah So. Had to be filtered to remove cork fragments. Worth the effort though. It was superb. Cherry and spice. Soft and elegant. Plenty of life left here but excellent now.
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Ripe plum, grilled herbs, smoke and menthol on the nose. Dried cherries, plum tar, moderate tannins, and a candy apple finish. This was deeper and more savory after two hours. Had it with curried chicken salad and it clashed big time. Much better by itself later.
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Old Ygay, the ones that spent decades in barrel, are some of the best wines on the planet. Young Ygay are super variable. This has a slight VA issue. It's rustic, but more roasted and heady than funky. Maybe I would write it off as a bit cooked, except I've had a bunch of these from different vintages and sources with the same profile. It's not wholly unenjoyable: there's some red fruit and herbal notes, but a letdown.
Appending this note based on day 2. I think the considerable majority of red wines are worse the day after opening. This is an exception. It still has the same rustic red fruit and herbal profile, but it's considerably less high pitched and toned, and seems to have settled down quite a bit. There's a more obvious oak influence. Overall it's considerably more enjoyable than the pop-and-pour version last night, and more consistent with my prior (May '17) note when it had a couple of hours of air in advance.
Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-darker garnet color. Fascinating notes of dark plum, cigar tobacco, cedar wood, anise, dill, vanilla, also some red fruit. It's medium+ bodied but dense, with medium+ tannin and medium-high acidity providing structure and freshness. Good length. An old-school, classic and fascinating Rioja that is a lot of fun to drink now and over the next 5-7 years. (93+)
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Needed more than 1h to open up in the decanter. Vibrant nose, the fruit is still there. On the palate it's medium/full body with great complexity. Tannins are still present but not harsh, it's well balanced and specially good with food. Long pleasant finish. Excellent right now with the proper amount of air, but not hurry at all.
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Rioja Night (Chicago, IL): Far more giving than a '01 enjoyed next to this. Almost cabernet-like in it's density. Earthy, red fruit notes. Still very young.
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Rioja dinner at Phil's (Chicago, IL): I preferred this to the 2001 which was served alongside; I found this a much cleaner expression, without too much funk, though there was a dusty element that I liked. While the palate wasn't as open as the 2001, this was much more impressive for its larger stature -- dark and sweet black fruit, with some earthy tones as well, and I'd bet this would be the better wine in the future.
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Tasted 30 minutes after opening. No decant. Rich nose. Cherry, mocha, spice and oak. Velvety smooth texture. Tart, tannic finish with a touch of sweetness. Still tastes young. Very good but more patience would no doubt have been rewarded.
Did not change my score but it is a point or two higher an hour and a half later accompanying a grilled NY Strip.
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Blanco brought this to the WWS wine dinner in Dobbs Ferry tonite. Medium bodied, nose of tobacco and earth. Surprisingly youthful and vibrant, with plenty of sweet fruit and oak aromas. Very international in style and particularly vibrant for a 13 year old wine. Fruit a bit too sweet for me, and I don't know how many years this wine has left given the state of the mostly resolved tannins. Interesting nonetheless.
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Frank and Ben's Birthday (The Devonshire, Devonshire Street, Surry Hills): Red berry, almost strawberry, touches of tobacco, vanilla, sweet spice, volatile acidity and slight biscuit. On the palate it's broad and joyous with flavours of red berry, touches of tobacco leaf, but all married to vanilla and briny coconut. Still very primary and young but very pleasant.
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Outstanding tonight and a great match for my daughter's linguine with lobster in tomato sauce. Oak is prominent but beautifully integrated with cherry fruit and spice.
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Ruby with a brick rim. Fragrant and youthful considering its age. Lovely scents of lavender and jasmine with plum and mulberry as well as leather and wet leaves. Sweet and ripe with an elegant texture, solid structure and a caressing mouthfeel.
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50+5+13+17+8. Red colour with maturity. Very nice bouquet, dried fruit, dark berries, tobacco, and some vanilla, Rich and powerful taste. Good balance, integrated dry tannins. Feels darker and more complex than standard Rioja. Very good length.
Very pleasant and elegant, classical Riojo with more Bordeaux style than modern Rioja, well balanced and good lfinish, some cherries, cedar and decent vanilla, Long life ahead, I like the 04 vintage, starting to reach his Peak, but for many years, 93-94
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Decanted 2 hours. Candied cherry and strawberry fruit. Floral with green tobacco herbs and licorice. Complex and structured yet silky smooth. Big fruit filled finish that lasts and lasts. Beautifully fresh tannin and wonderfully balanced.
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Garnet color fading to tawny brown rim. Strong bouquet of leather, coffee, and vanilla. Dried red fruit and oak on the palate with long, lovely finish.
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A bit disappointing since I drank it along with the Reserva 2007 and I can't say this one was better... it is a good wine, no doubt, but the nose was somehow muted and it lacked complexity on the palate and finish. I think it might be young, so I'll hold the other bottles at least 3 more years.
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Decanted an hour. Walnuts and dried cherry on the nose. Very pretty now. Perhaps a bit of unresolved tannins but I don't think it improves greatly. Great rioja brick color. This house got me started on Riojas many years ago and it is consistently old world in style. For my birthday and what a treat!
soft nose of dark fruit, spice, cedar, chocolate and touch of tobacco. Light and nuanced on the palate with more dark fruit and chocolate. Easy now. Will age.
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В цвете темно-вишневое, очень чистое, яркое, прозрачное; слезки тонкие, красивые, длиннющие; в аромате слива, чуть спитруозности, тепло и пряность. Во вкусе лаконичное и сухое, тоже слива, вишня, ноты орехов, чуть черного перца; довольно терпкое, half-body. Раскрываясь, вино меняется, теплеет, спирт уходит, проявляется черноплодная рябина - сухая и вяжущая, становится многовато перца. Через час появляются хересные ноты и перепонки грецкого ореха. Послевкусие долгое, интересное, рябиново-грецкое, умеренно терпкое. Выпили с удовольствием, но: и в аромате, и во вкусе оно скупое, хоть и не закрытое.
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Blind. Dark fruit, licorice, menthol; big bodied, modest tannin, warm, some rubber and sweetness. Deep black fruit. Nowhere near to peg this as Tempranillo.
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Assez boisé et corpulent en ce moment. Nez sur l'élevage, des cerises, du moka et des herbes. En bouches, cerises au kirsh, boisé et chocolaté avec une légère chauffe en finale. Long et persistant. Moins suave que ma précédente et surtout moins équilibrés que le superbe 2001...à attendre
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Cherry, plum, cocoa, and vanilla on the nose. The usual Rioja American oak treatment in the mouth, but balanced. More balanced and less aggressive than other offerings.
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Like many riojas, very spicy and balanced, with some leathery licorice on the finish. Great color now with a little brick showing at the edges. Held up really well with the grilled ribeye for dinner with friends who are Napa Cab fans. Can't see it getting any better so I'd drink in the next few years. Excellent old world wine.
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This is just not ready. A big, tannic wine with ripe fruit and plenty of oak. I thought I had buried these sufficently deep, but this bottle surfaced when my wife asked for Rioja. I should have left it alone. I do think this will be good though and in a way it already is if you can take a bit of punishment.
Really big, fruit centric Rioja. Intense, in-your-face hedonism. Not sure if this will age well, but a lot of fun for now. Pair it with something bold.
Modern-style of Rioja that does not relinquish its past traditions. There was plenty of oak and freshly dialed acidity but it had finesse and the fruit was riper than usual but not overdone. Had the Rioja Alta 904 '01 by its side and the latter seemed fatigued and overly thin. This just needs more time to settle down.
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Trial balloon. Nose more open than expected. Great precision and depth. Cherry, strawberry, cedar, creamy oak, hint of licorice and fig. Needs 3-4 hours of decanting, though can be consumed with food after 2 hours (very nice with pork roast). It perform well on the second evening. This would last another decade or two. I'm sure it will be lovely in 2020. Needs time, air and food. I would suggest waiting for now. 94-95.
If, however, you got your bottle like me from the shelf in the Duty Free in Madrid, you might wish to consume it earlier. This bottle's cork was fairly dry and crumbled. I had to filter before decanting (a coffee filter does the job and increase aeration rate - a blessing in this case). For bottles that were professionally stored since release, it is best to wait a few more years.
93% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo (Carignan). 29 month in American oak
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Left in an open bottle for about an hour but needed more time. Much better after a day in the fridge. Layers of deep dusty fruit like plum, cherries, subtle oak, spice. Fresh nose for its age yet somewhat restraint. Lovely mouthfeel with excellent balance between tannins and acidity, while oak is well integrated. Long finish. This wine just flows and flows.
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lovely plum, cherry fruit with an old-world 'dustiness' that made this really wonderful with lamb. notes of cedar and subtle tobacco rounded out the fruit with a bit of spice from the oak.
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How times have changed: 29 months on oak rather than 29 years! The wine, although obviously very different, is none the worse. This blend of 93% Tempranillo and 7% Mazuelo is very lively and energetic, deep and spicy, with ripe and plummy black fruit and bright red berry fruits, an incredibly youthful profile for a 10 year old wine, perfectly integrated oak, real drive, hints of tar and minerals, wonderful tannic grip; very good length. If this is the modern face of Murrietta, it looks well. This should be a 30 - 40 year wine. At the Q lounge in the Mélia Hotel in Bilbao.
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Excellent wine! Medium ruby colored with an expressive nose which shows freshness and purity of berry and dark cherry fruit. Oak is present but subtle - charred and american- giving a spicy edge. The wine has medium+ weight on the palate, texture is smooth, tannins are of excellent quality ripe and soft. Acidity balances fruit very nicely. Flavors are of berry and cherry fruit, spices (esp. black pepper) while present are some floral notes as well. Fruit is much riper on the palate than on the nose. Finish is very good. Excellent wine, great with food, great pleasure!
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Unlike many CT reviewers, I found this bottle readily expressive and just entering its drinking plateau. Color is medium to dark ruby. Red cherries, berries, spices (more pronounced on the palate than on the nose), florality and nicely integrated oak. Medium-bodied with firm tannins of great quality, amazingly pure and clean fruit, med+ acidity and a lovely long and spicy aftertaste. Great potential for further aging. Elegant, complex and refined Rioja.
Super beau vin et tout un RQP. En carafe pour un bon 2hrs. Le nez est un peu fermé au début mais s`ouvre sur des herbes, des épices et des cerises macérés. En bouche, élégant et soyeux, de belles notes de cerises et de bleuets avec des épices et une pointe de tabac. Les tannnins sont fins et il y a une belle acidité. Très long! Très bon et encore pour longtemps.
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Decanted an hour and a half. Still closed for the most part. Celery root, figs and fennel on the nose. Complex and long. Seamless with perfect balance that all comes together nicely. This explodes with flavour in the mouth. Silky with integrated tannins. Will age for a long time, and only improve.
A lovely example of a quality Rioja. Nicely developed at this age but not feeling old at all. The American oak is still quite obvious, but balanced by fruit. Would definitely drink again.
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At BBR December tasting Singapore. Dark ruby. Now here is an interesting nose. Jumps from the glass with a staggering plum, cherry and cassis note, modern sexy/ripe but not oxidative. On the palate fruity modern, good tannins and not too heavy. Nothing for the traditionalists but in my view a really well done modern wine.
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Had with dinner in Gijon. Very nice traditional Rioja. Certainly too young right now, but still very drinkable and has a lot going for it. Cinnamon and red berries. Mellow tannins and nice leathery finish.
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CT Texas VI - Return to San Antonio; 10/18/2013-10/19/2013 (San Antonio): Double blind. Powerful nose of dark fruit, leather, cherries, and spice. On the palate rich red and dark fruit, leather spice, vanilla. Obvious oak on a drying tannic finish. Knew it was Tempranillo but would not have placed this in Rioja, obviously a more modern style. Hold for at least five years.
Rather dark and non-transparent. Nose is quite muted and is hiding somewhere. Quite a lot of wild strawberries on the nose, also some dust. Lots of tannins, very dry. Plum, some herbacious notes. Not much fruit, wouldn't say it is modern style at all Bitterness at the finish, long finish! I am quite confused by this wine, was expecting something else and overall was hoping for more. (B)
masses of fruit, eucalyptus, big and round. good fun, but in the international mold. tasted blind with e.g. a tignanello I'm not sure I could tell which is which.
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Strong American oak aromas – vanilla and coconut. But it suits the style of the wine. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, with some leather and spice on the palate. Medium to full bodied. Nice length and gentle tannins. However, it seems a bit stripped of aroma and flavour and I’m guessing this has been heat affected at some stage during its life. Good, but should be better (more vibrant).
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Decant for a couple hours. Once this opens up, it is a great wine. I'm going to try it again in a couple of years and stash some away for ten years. This is a really good wine
Only slightly familiar with olderish rioja, but a very nice wine. Incredible how similar tempranillo is to pinot. More like a spicy heavier pinot. Red fruits, some earthiness, but overall very good.
Rioja Dinosaurs (Enoteca Barolo - Madrid): Very young colour. Completly closed at first on the nose. Strawberries in oak. Cream, lactics too. Astringent on the palate. Dry. Oaky. Its moment will come, hope so
De color muy joven. En naris al principio totalmente cerrada. Fresas en madera. También crema, lácticos. Astringente en boca. Seco. Amaderada. Su hora llegará, eso espero...
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Enjoyed with dinner at Pappa's Brothers Steakhouse Dallas after wine tasting. We were looking for something true to Rioja style but maybe a bit earthy. Well, we didn't really get the earthy part of our wishes, but wow this wine was Rioja style. 93 Tempranillo and 7 Carignane. Smooth, and quite a balanced tempranillo even in its youth. Label and bottle are gorgeous. Not decanted. Nose was dominanted by blackberry and smoke...young...vibrant. The palate was right at medium body, blackberry and leather, with a hint of vanilla. Sometimes I was getting a tobacco note. Very subtle. The mid-palate was rather dense, velvety. I think a little truffle started to develop. The finish was also elegant, not much spice, not really much earth. Tannin was medium at the finish and gave a nice satisfying, not overdone, blackberry note. Rather approachable even now. This really is a perfect steak wine and did not try to dominate. I really think the best years of this wine are far ahead - 2018-2020 probably the most "ripe" drinking, but I see this one lasting another 15-20 years easily with proper cellaring.
Le millésime 2004 a été vieilli 29 mois dans des barriques américaines (très populaires dans cette région) ce qui lui confère une solide charpente. Au premier nez nous retrouvons des arômes de cacao, de cerise, de fruits noirs, d’épices et de boisé. En laissant la chance au vin de respirer, nous pouvons y découvrir un parfum de torréfaction et de réglisse. En bouche, les tanins sont fermes et nous y retrouvons un bel équilibre. C’est un vin possédant une grande longueur en bouche avec une belle amplitude. Il aurait bénéficié d’au moins deux heures en carafes afin qu’il puisse s’exprimer pleinement. Si vous n’êtes pas trop pressé, il pourrait facilement vieillir en cave jusqu’en 2020. www.PresseRaisin.com
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Medium body. Earthy, clove and black fruit. Still fairly tannic. Could use a few more years, but drinking very nicely nevertheless. Very enjoyable wine.
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Superb wine form this great & famous winery! Nose is quite complex, black cherry, leather and tobacco. Palate is also very complex nice structure and superb balance. Black cherries, cedar and oodles of tobaco & herbs with silky smooth tannins. Long finish & persistant. Another superb effort and a very good price point...will be even better with time for sure!
Nice nose of dark fruits, plums. Scents of fruitcake. On the mouth it's the same with tanins quite present without being too dry. Lacks complexity. A good wine but I was expecting more from this usually very good winery. Average to mediocre QPR...
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Classic traditional Rioja - soft berry fruit with sweet vanilla and spices from the oak - tannins very faintly in the background and a lovely long finish. This wine was perhaps a little less powerful than some other Rioja's I have drunk recently such as Muga or CVNE Imperial but for those that prefer an older style then this is sheer class in a glass
Red fruit and oaky forrest floor notes on the nose. Pretty classic rioja. Medium bodied on the palate. Quite fresh and has a good amount of acid. Tannins are quite soft. Fruity and not too oaky. Nice although it lacks some complexity and body to be a reall home run for me. Can be drunk now, but clearly has mileage. I would wait another three years before I open the next bottle. I do not thin it will be super long lived though. Probably tops within the next 5-7 years. 3 = very good
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Classic right from the start, soaring, emotion-inducing nose, this is exactly what I'm looking for in a young rioja and I'm now very glad I got a six-pack. It's a lighter-style, plenty of acid and very lithe, showing well now but it's clearly an infant nonetheless.
Decanted an hour or so. Lots of cinnamon, dark cherry, vanilla bean and earthy notes. Perfect balance and restrained. Cedar, dark fruit and herbs on the finish. This is holding back at this time but wow will this develop. Should be a classic. Drink 2016-2026.
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hier, vu que Stéphanie voulait un peu de vin, ce qui lui manquait depuis un bout, elle a choisi le 2004 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Très bon choix mais les réserves partent vite, que 3 restantes.
Ce fût très bien après une coupelle d'heure d'ouverture. Le vin se présente sous des arômes de bleuets, sucre d'orge, vanille épices.. très bon!! belle longueur et belle complexité.. miam
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EWG @ Ración: This is way young. Tannins and oak are at the front. Seems like a top notch young Rioja with the need for a long sleep. Not the prettiest wine but balanced power, earth and fruit.
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Racion: Very dark color; riper strawberry and baked earth; bright red fruits and cherry, rich body, hot finish. Quite modern and seemed out of place amongst the others at the tasting. Others said it needs lots of years/decades which I'm sure it does. Nonetheless, didn't care for it much. 3 years in American oak. 89-90.
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This reminded me of an Acura. Absolutely well made but very little in the way of things to get excited about. Lacked distinction. Have to say - I was hoping for more for $50.
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Dark, Mahogany colour. Hazelnut, chocolate, Chinese five spice and liquorice nose. Packed fruit, solid and tight - a lot going on but masked by this. Strong vanilla from the oak at present. Had the 01 last year and it was so different from this - 01 was so much more floral. Will be fascinating to follow these over the next 20. Clearly not ready for prime drinking now.
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Drank over 1 hour. Probably should have decanted. Quite tight and tannic at first but this opened up a bit with air. Red fruit on the nose with a little wood spice. Quite primary on the palate with notes of cherries, leather and oak. Medium somewhat tannic finish. Would like to try again in 2-3years.
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Way too young for me to judge this wine well. It got better with time, but was still a quite tannic young wine. No obvious Rioja character, this wine delivers an abundance of licorice and tannin at this point, but little pleasure.
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Rich on the nose with dark cherry and tobacco, spicey with à hint of peppar and mint. Medium bodied cherry,tobacco,licorice and spices, Nice tannins . Good earthy length.
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At Aizian. Young tannic and rather primary, but I love the classic rioja profile. Elegant ruby red fruit with dried cherries, spice and only a hint of wood. Long drying finish which will hopefully become more complex with time.
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après 1h30 de carafe= parfait une belle robe grenat foncée, nez sur les fruits rouges un peu confit, boisé herbacé..très bien en palais c'est soyeux, une belle fraicheur et une belle petite grip tannique agréable. longeur pas pire finissant sur le boisé sucré
très bien
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Decanted for 2 hours. Initially very restrained, but opened gradually with aeration to reveal lovely red cherry fruit, etheral herbal aromas, spice-box and floral scents. Medium-bodied, elegant, with an almost silky texture, soft tannins, vibrant fruit and high acidity. Very long, spicy aftertaste. Very enjoyable already, but will gain in expressiveness with further cellaring. Extremely food-friendly, as a traditional Rioja should be.
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Flagship Rioja, great vintage. Complex nose with horse hair, cherry, wet leather and pipe cleaner notes. Full bodied with massive structure and grippy tannins. Long finish good balance. This is still quite young and should develop complexity in bottle. Notes of cedar, tobacco, cherry fruit and celery stalk finishes this contemplative Rioja. Nice stuff and this delivers in spades at it's price point. Drink 2016-2024.
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First to say: I really love the 2001 Reseva Especial from this bodega! So we tried this one from a decanter after having a 904 from La Rioja Alta. Tja, perhaps this was the cardinal mistake? For me too much of everything...... the heavyweight corpus of this wine.... the really sweet fruit, yes spices, but ....we had some nice food with this, but no chance for the food, for me too hyperconcentrated! Want to be fair and try another bottle in some time, but for me this one was too much and I stopped nipping. But I have to admit, all of my friends liked this wine.... ;-) 86- 92?
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encore jeune, un beau fruit tirant sur la patisserie, un peu d'herbage aussi peut-être. une bonne fraîcheur, je ne connais pas beaucoup les riojas, mais si ça ressemble à cela, j'achète
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A typical Rioja with quite a bit of dill, note that high conc. on the fruit a lot of oak that gives very strong vanilla flavour. good but a bit to oaky for me
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Riojas at WineX (The Wine Exchange, Orange, CA): Very expressive nose in a classic way with baked fruits. Tight right now with bright clean acids and plenty of tannin. Should be a very good wine in time. Not quite to the level of the '01.
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Very much plumbs delightfull the second time around was just as impressive.very milk chocolate flavored Parker calls it a 95 I agree it's excellent.tasted again and it got killed by cay us special select and la conseillante
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The color is a youthful dark red garnet. The nose seems still tight, with apparent oaky flavors, mixed with red fruits, spice and yoghurt. Medium bodied and well structured on the palate, the wine has charming aromas of red fruit, spice and a light touch of earth. The finish is fresh and fruity. The wine doesn’t impress at this stage, but further bottle aging will do the trick. (88/100)
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12/16/2023 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at D Cuisine (Chicago, IL): Only moderate American oak notes here. Black fruit and leather, and only starting to develop secondary characteristics. I quite enjoy the balance here, but knowing how well these wines age this is a wine that will benefit from a few more decades in the cellar.
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11/6/2023 - MrD Likes this wine:
Delicious.
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10/7/2023 - mick978@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
Excellent. Still many many years to drink
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1/14/2023 - chatters wrote:
Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. Meaty, savoury, a little baked bean, tomato and tomato leaf initially as well as quite an umami underpin. With time and agitation more red red fruits starts to come through; strawberry especially, with a little herbaceous underpin and plenty of vanilla oak, as well as a little red currant. Sourly juicy, meaty, savoury umami, porcini, concentrated though muted red fruits in support, tannins are drying but silky, textured, all travel long. Hmm.
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8/22/2022 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Ample, corsé avec encore un peu d'élevage.
Sur les cerises, les bleuets et le poivre.
Les tannins sont charnus et la
finale super longue nous laisse sur des
relents de tabac.
Encore musclé et bien en forme.
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8/21/2022 - MrD Likes this wine:
Delicious!
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5/7/2022 - lewisrise wrote: 96 Points
the wine is medium garnett with a medium intensity developed aromas of blackberry , raspberry , wet cedar, mushroom, fig, nutmeg, chocolate, forest floor, and funk. The wine has high alcohol and medium acidity with medium tannins and body. The palate matches the aromas with the addition of tar and tobacco. The complexity of this wine is off the charts and is also quite balanced. This is an outstanding wine that should be drunk now and over the next five years.
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4/2/2022 - robmatic wrote: 93 Points
Still young, this is going to be a serious long term wine.
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12/25/2021 - Poisey wrote: 96 Points
Big ripe dark cherry with cigar box, cedar, dried tobacco leaf. Smooth and silky. Massive structure but comes across very elegant. Long finish. Integrated silky tannin that lingers perfectly on the finish. Super balanced. Vanilla bean, cherries and lots of green tobacco aftertaste. Classic Ygay, still quite young, but hard to resist. To think this will improve. Drink 2025-2035.
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5/7/2021 - WilD wrote: 94 Points
P&P, great experience. Nice traditional old school Rioja flavours, vanilla, blueberries. Great acidity backbone. Dried herbs, very nice old school Rioja.
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4/2/2021 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 94 Points
Utregs Wijnhuis proeverij Exclusief (Utrecht): Tasted blind - Deep red with a brick rim. On the nose blackberries, cherries, plum, chocolate and oak. Long finish
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1/21/2021 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
Crumbly, fragile cork so use caution when opening- my other bottles have had the same issue. Still rather vibrant in color with no bricking. The nose is a little muted with cherries and a suggestion of cardamom and cinnamon. On the palate, this is showing the early signs of maturity and the fruit tones have mellowed...lots of dried cherry and fig, a tiny bit of dill pickle remaining from the oak treatment, and that sort of savory spicy leathery note that tempranillo gets with age. I love where this is but can’t wait to try it in a few years when the tertiary earthy flavors really kick in. Excellent rioja!
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12/24/2020 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very complex, a great wine. Needs air!
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12/12/2020 - lightning wrote: 91 Points
Clear, vibrant garnet of medium intensity. Clean nose of medium-plus intensity, pronounced secondary characters (dill, dry coconut) and tertiary characters (dried figs and blackberry). Elegant and silky on entry, on the midpalate the wine is meaty and medium-plus bodied with bold raspy tannins, a fine seam of acidity buried deep underground, intense and persistent notes of tar, leather, and red fruits. Long finish. Professionally cellared since release, and quickly double-decanted prior to service, tasted at 16-19 degrees. This one is slightly foresquare and ungiving at the moment and I would wait another 5-10 years for the structure to ease and further tertiary development. Has scope for improvement. Interesting to contrast with Lopez de Heredia, which stylistic is more "Burgundian", the Castillo Ygay is more worked and extracted. Next bottle 2026 or later.
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10/21/2020 - chatters wrote:
Spanish Tasting (Bistro Cocotte, Haberfield): Gamey, funky, bit of wet cardboard, stinky, savoury, a little cherry and strawberry and cherry, alcohol and spice on the nose. Juicy, fleshy, strawberry, loads of tannins that are grainy, non-intrusive alcohol warmth, sweet spice. Defo flaw based on the nose but the palate, though a bit out of whack based on tastings from other bottles, is still not entirely flawed. Hmm. Perhaps the vessel it was decanted into was a bit dirty? Atypical at least.
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10/9/2020 - chatters wrote:
Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty, savoury and gamey with ripe wild strawberry, vanilla, a little alcohol prickle, biscuit, sweet spice. Baked eath with time and a little candy floss note. In the mouth the acid, fruit, tannin balance is just about perfect, warm lick of vanilla on the finish completes a good showing. Yum.
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7/14/2020 - chatters wrote:
Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Vanilla, slightly meaty notes, strawberry fruit, a little blackcurrant underpin, tobacco leaf. In the mouth it's juicy, tannins are tight though the strawberry with that tiny blackcurrant underpin show through. Long, rather lovely, still quite primary.
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7/11/2020 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Rioja new arrivals (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Woody, slightly baked earth, sweet spice over a melange of baked red fruits, vanilla, cream, gets meatier with time, saovury spcie joins, a little herbaceous underpin. Juicy, rich, red berry compote is a little more savoury here, vanilla, tannins are silky, harmonious, almost a little milk chocolate. Long; very long with alcohol warmth assisting on the finish. Lovely.
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7/6/2020 - djchango77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enchanting nose; dried fig, cherry, mint tea, a waft of cigar ash with judicious oak and some cured meats.
The mouth delivers cherry fruit with good acid, fresh tannin, dried herbs, black olive and balsamic. There is some prune/fig like fruit on the mid-palate and the finish lasts over 2 minutes.
Having a glass before dinner, but will be pairing with strip steak, mushrooms, turnips & garlic scapes.
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1/31/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Expressive nose of oak and dark cherry. Same on the palate. Medium high acidity, firm tannins. Notes of leather beginning to emerge. Great with hanger steak. Best with long decant, this is just getting started.
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1/25/2020 - Fat1Wombat wrote: 88 Points
A little old school although slightly more modern than previous examples I’ve tasted.
Sour red fruit and elastoplast.
Mid weight. Acid driven structure.
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1/20/2020 - jwsmith wrote: 94 Points
Silky smooth elegant enjoyable excellent with food.
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12/19/2019 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
Extremely fragile cork as noted by a previous taster...this needs a Durand, which is surprising considering the relative youth. Very tasty - fresh, sweet, and ample fruit without too much American oak. I like where this wine is at this stage although a little tertiary funk wouldn't hurt. I didn't note any VA as several others have experienced...this was still very primary. Showed positive evolution over the course of a few hours in the decanter.
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8/6/2019 - AV2012 wrote:
Some VA and glue, intense and sharp, give it 2h+ in the decanter.
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7/30/2019 - StasMedvedev.lv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Marqués de Murrieta (Riga, Latvia): 🏅Rating 92/100 (4,2⭐)
Aromas of dates and other dark dried sweet fruits. Weird association with multivitamin pills and coffee beans. Intriguing with some potential. Hotter vintage wine.
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4/18/2019 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lot of life left in this wine. Extremely enjoyable!
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4/17/2019 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Plus boisé que le 2001 de souvenir, rudement bon tout
de même!
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11/4/2018 - Poisey wrote: 95 Points
Robust and concentrated with nice toasty oak accents, rose bush and dark cherry. Rich powerful finish with loads of fresh acidity and near perfect balance. Notes of green tobacco and lingering tannin. Still young but its got the structure for the long haul. Drink 2020-2032.
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10/13/2018 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Difficulty removing the cork even with an Ah So. Had to be filtered to remove cork fragments. Worth the effort though. It was superb. Cherry and spice. Soft and elegant. Plenty of life left here but excellent now.
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10/2/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe plum, grilled herbs, smoke and menthol on the nose. Dried cherries, plum tar, moderate tannins, and a candy apple finish. This was deeper and more savory after two hours. Had it with curried chicken salad and it clashed big time. Much better by itself later.
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7/27/2018 - psmith wrote:
Old Ygay, the ones that spent decades in barrel, are some of the best wines on the planet. Young Ygay are super variable. This has a slight VA issue. It's rustic, but more roasted and heady than funky. Maybe I would write it off as a bit cooked, except I've had a bunch of these from different vintages and sources with the same profile. It's not wholly unenjoyable: there's some red fruit and herbal notes, but a letdown.
Appending this note based on day 2. I think the considerable majority of red wines are worse the day after opening. This is an exception. It still has the same rustic red fruit and herbal profile, but it's considerably less high pitched and toned, and seems to have settled down quite a bit. There's a more obvious oak influence. Overall it's considerably more enjoyable than the pop-and-pour version last night, and more consistent with my prior (May '17) note when it had a couple of hours of air in advance.
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4/7/2018 - loloFR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic style rioja with deep fruit and structure. No hurry to drink...
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12/26/2017 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-darker garnet color. Fascinating notes of dark plum, cigar tobacco, cedar wood, anise, dill, vanilla, also some red fruit. It's medium+ bodied but dense, with medium+ tannin and medium-high acidity providing structure and freshness. Good length. An old-school, classic and fascinating Rioja that is a lot of fun to drink now and over the next 5-7 years. (93+)
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12/23/2017 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needed more than 1h to open up in the decanter. Vibrant nose, the fruit is still there. On the palate it's medium/full body with great complexity. Tannins are still present but not harsh, it's well balanced and specially good with food. Long pleasant finish. Excellent right now with the proper amount of air, but not hurry at all.
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10/15/2017 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Dark red. Quite rustique aromas with some liquorice and cellar notes (or maybe a whiff of cork?). Not as pronounced acidity as normal for this wine.
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6/28/2017 - whme Likes this wine: 93 Points
Keeping really well with many years ahead. Very smooth texture and lovely oak fruit balance.
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5/11/2017 - psmith wrote: 91 Points
Rioja Night (Chicago, IL): Far more giving than a '01 enjoyed next to this. Almost cabernet-like in it's density. Earthy, red fruit notes. Still very young.
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5/11/2017 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Rioja dinner at Phil's (Chicago, IL): I preferred this to the 2001 which was served alongside; I found this a much cleaner expression, without too much funk, though there was a dusty element that I liked. While the palate wasn't as open as the 2001, this was much more impressive for its larger stature -- dark and sweet black fruit, with some earthy tones as well, and I'd bet this would be the better wine in the future.
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3/22/2017 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Tasted 30 minutes after opening. No decant. Rich nose. Cherry, mocha, spice and oak. Velvety smooth texture. Tart, tannic finish with a touch of sweetness. Still tastes young. Very good but more patience would no doubt have been rewarded.
Did not change my score but it is a point or two higher an hour and a half later accompanying a grilled NY Strip.
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2/25/2017 - cephomer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blanco brought this to the WWS wine dinner in Dobbs Ferry tonite. Medium bodied, nose of tobacco and earth. Surprisingly youthful and vibrant, with plenty of sweet fruit and oak aromas. Very international in style and particularly vibrant for a 13 year old wine. Fruit a bit too sweet for me, and I don't know how many years this wine has left given the state of the mostly resolved tannins. Interesting nonetheless.
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2/23/2017 - jwsmith wrote: 90 Points
Excellent took 2 hours to open but very good.
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2/20/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 07 drank alongside but on the nose not as expressive, lovely Rioja nevertheless
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2/9/2017 - chatters wrote:
Frank and Ben's Birthday (The Devonshire, Devonshire Street, Surry Hills): Red berry, almost strawberry, touches of tobacco, vanilla, sweet spice, volatile acidity and slight biscuit. On the palate it's broad and joyous with flavours of red berry, touches of tobacco leaf, but all married to vanilla and briny coconut. Still very primary and young but very pleasant.
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7/7/2016 - Tree512 wrote: 88 Points
Lots of big nice fruit but little complexity or length. Needs time to evolve or just too much of a modern style wine for me.
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6/18/2016 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding tonight and a great match for my daughter's linguine with lobster in tomato sauce. Oak is prominent but beautifully integrated with cherry fruit and spice.
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4/30/2016 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 94 Points
Ruby with a brick rim. Fragrant and youthful considering its age. Lovely scents of lavender and jasmine with plum and mulberry as well as leather and wet leaves. Sweet and ripe with an elegant texture, solid structure and a caressing mouthfeel.
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4/12/2016 - Valbonne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice typical Rioja. Still young. Balanced nose and palate with cherry and light oak. A little tannic on the finish.
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4/9/2016 - AURUM Likes this wine: 93 Points
50+5+13+17+8.
Red colour with maturity. Very nice bouquet, dried fruit, dark berries, tobacco, and some vanilla, Rich and powerful taste. Good balance, integrated dry tannins. Feels darker and more complex than standard Rioja. Very good length.
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2/28/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very pleasant and elegant, classical Riojo with more Bordeaux style than modern Rioja, well balanced and good lfinish, some cherries, cedar and decent vanilla, Long life ahead, I like the 04 vintage, starting to reach his Peak, but for many years, 93-94
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2/27/2016 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Refined, elegant red fruit and wood spice. A deep mineral backbone. Excellent balance. Drink now to judgement day.
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2/3/2016 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delivering quality, as always. Classic with modern touches. Drinkable in the next 15 years or more.
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1/29/2016 - Poisey Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Candied cherry and strawberry fruit. Floral with green tobacco herbs and licorice. Complex and structured yet silky smooth. Big fruit filled finish that lasts and lasts. Beautifully fresh tannin and wonderfully balanced.
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1/22/2016 - ashikoh wrote:
Garnet color fading to tawny brown rim. Strong bouquet of leather, coffee, and vanilla. Dried red fruit and oak on the palate with long, lovely finish.
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1/9/2016 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 89 Points
A bit disappointing since I drank it along with the Reserva 2007 and I can't say this one was better... it is a good wine, no doubt, but the nose was somehow muted and it lacked complexity on the palate and finish. I think it might be young, so I'll hold the other bottles at least 3 more years.
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12/8/2015 - jdporter3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted an hour. Walnuts and dried cherry on the nose. Very pretty now. Perhaps a bit of unresolved tannins but I don't think it improves greatly. Great rioja brick color. This house got me started on Riojas many years ago and it is consistently old world in style. For my birthday and what a treat!
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12/2/2015 - brettlaurvick Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thought this was super. Drank for my 42nd birthday with steak dinner
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12/2/2015 - rpontual Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark ruby red. On the palate a well balanced wine, tannins are resolved. The wine is ready to drink.
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10/20/2015 - johnh1001 wrote: 90 Points
soft nose of dark fruit, spice, cedar, chocolate and touch of tobacco. Light and nuanced on the palate with more dark fruit and chocolate. Easy now. Will age.
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3/13/2015 - Mirrina Likes this wine: 90 Points
В цвете темно-вишневое, очень чистое, яркое, прозрачное; слезки тонкие, красивые, длиннющие; в аромате слива, чуть спитруозности, тепло и пряность. Во вкусе лаконичное и сухое, тоже слива, вишня, ноты орехов, чуть черного перца; довольно терпкое, half-body. Раскрываясь, вино меняется, теплеет, спирт уходит, проявляется черноплодная рябина - сухая и вяжущая, становится многовато перца. Через час появляются хересные ноты и перепонки грецкого ореха. Послевкусие долгое, интересное, рябиново-грецкое, умеренно терпкое. Выпили с удовольствием, но: и в аромате, и во вкусе оно скупое, хоть и не закрытое.
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2/1/2015 - LWI wrote: 91 Points
Blind. Dark fruit, licorice, menthol; big bodied, modest tannin, warm, some rubber and sweetness. Deep black fruit. Nowhere near to peg this as Tempranillo.
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1/29/2015 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Assez boisé et corpulent en ce moment.
Nez sur l'élevage, des cerises, du moka et des herbes.
En bouches, cerises au kirsh, boisé et chocolaté avec une légère chauffe en finale. Long et persistant.
Moins suave que ma précédente et surtout moins équilibrés que le superbe 2001...à attendre
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1/28/2015 - rlove wrote: 90 Points
Cherry, plum, cocoa, and vanilla on the nose. The usual Rioja American oak treatment in the mouth, but balanced. More balanced and less aggressive than other offerings.
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12/28/2014 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
Definitely on the young side, will take some time to develop.
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10/25/2014 - ckinv368 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Strawberry ice cream on the nose. rhubarb, blackberry, licorice on the palate. Smooth and delicious!
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10/24/2014 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like many riojas, very spicy and balanced, with some leathery licorice on the finish. Great color now with a little brick showing at the edges. Held up really well with the grilled ribeye for dinner with friends who are Napa Cab fans. Can't see it getting any better so I'd drink in the next few years. Excellent old world wine.
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8/31/2014 - EirikM wrote:
This is just not ready. A big, tannic wine with ripe fruit and plenty of oak. I thought I had buried these sufficently deep, but this bottle surfaced when my wife asked for Rioja. I should have left it alone. I do think this will be good though and in a way it already is if you can take a bit of punishment.
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7/5/2014 - lockestep Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really big, fruit centric Rioja. Intense, in-your-face hedonism. Not sure if this will age well, but a lot of fun for now. Pair it with something bold.
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6/15/2014 - farinas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Modern-style of Rioja that does not relinquish its past traditions. There was plenty of oak and freshly dialed acidity but it had finesse and the fruit was riper than usual but not overdone. Had the Rioja Alta 904 '01 by its side and the latter seemed fatigued and overly thin. This just needs more time to settle down.
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5/21/2014 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Trial balloon. Nose more open than expected. Great precision and depth. Cherry, strawberry, cedar, creamy oak, hint of licorice and fig.
Needs 3-4 hours of decanting, though can be consumed with food after 2 hours (very nice with pork roast). It perform well on the second evening.
This would last another decade or two. I'm sure it will be lovely in 2020. Needs time, air and food. I would suggest waiting for now. 94-95.
If, however, you got your bottle like me from the shelf in the Duty Free in Madrid, you might wish to consume it earlier. This bottle's cork was fairly dry and crumbled. I had to filter before decanting (a coffee filter does the job and increase aeration rate - a blessing in this case). For bottles that were professionally stored since release, it is best to wait a few more years.
93% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo (Carignan).
29 month in American oak
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5/7/2014 - Yorgos Likes this wine: 94 Points
Left in an open bottle for about an hour but needed more time. Much better after a day in the fridge. Layers of deep dusty fruit like plum, cherries, subtle oak, spice. Fresh nose for its age yet somewhat restraint. Lovely mouthfeel with excellent balance between tannins and acidity, while oak is well integrated. Long finish. This wine just flows and flows.
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5/1/2014 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
An enjoyable old world Rioja. Good fruit and secondary flavors. I thought it was drinking well.
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4/22/2014 - kthornton78 wrote:
lovely plum, cherry fruit with an old-world 'dustiness' that made this really wonderful with lamb. notes of cedar and subtle tobacco rounded out the fruit with a bit of spice from the oak.
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4/21/2014 - dhgorilla wrote: 94 Points
This was a revelation. Bright and dark, fruit and minerals, immediate yet complex. Elegantly structured. Amazing drop.
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4/1/2014 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
How times have changed: 29 months on oak rather than 29 years! The wine, although obviously very different, is none the worse. This blend of 93% Tempranillo and 7% Mazuelo is very lively and energetic, deep and spicy, with ripe and plummy black fruit and bright red berry fruits, an incredibly youthful profile for a 10 year old wine, perfectly integrated oak, real drive, hints of tar and minerals, wonderful tannic grip; very good length. If this is the modern face of Murrietta, it looks well. This should be a 30 - 40 year wine. At the Q lounge in the Mélia Hotel in Bilbao.
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3/24/2014 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine!
Medium ruby colored with an expressive nose which shows freshness and purity of berry and dark cherry fruit.
Oak is present but subtle - charred and american- giving a spicy edge. The wine has medium+ weight on the palate, texture
is smooth, tannins are of excellent quality ripe and soft. Acidity balances fruit very nicely. Flavors are of berry and cherry fruit,
spices (esp. black pepper) while present are some floral notes as well. Fruit is much riper on the palate than on the nose. Finish
is very good. Excellent wine, great with food, great pleasure!
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3/23/2014 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Unlike many CT reviewers, I found this bottle readily expressive and just entering its drinking plateau. Color is medium to dark ruby. Red cherries, berries, spices (more pronounced on the palate than on the nose), florality and nicely integrated oak. Medium-bodied with firm tannins of great quality, amazingly pure and clean fruit, med+ acidity and a lovely long and spicy aftertaste. Great potential for further aging. Elegant, complex and refined Rioja.
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3/15/2014 - tantotinto wrote:
Very tight even two hours after decanting. Too early. Should not have opened. NR.
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1/24/2014 - winebuff037 wrote:
Top Spanish Wine Dinner organized by Andy/Madwines (Morton Puxi): Very Bordeaux like, OK.
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1/5/2014 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Super beau vin et tout un RQP.
En carafe pour un bon 2hrs.
Le nez est un peu fermé au début mais s`ouvre sur des herbes, des épices et des cerises macérés.
En bouche, élégant et soyeux, de belles notes de cerises et de bleuets avec des épices et une pointe de tabac.
Les tannnins sont fins et il y a une belle acidité. Très long!
Très bon et encore pour longtemps.
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1/4/2014 - Poisey Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted an hour and a half. Still closed for the most part. Celery root, figs and fennel on the nose. Complex and long. Seamless with perfect balance that all comes together nicely. This explodes with flavour in the mouth. Silky with integrated tannins. Will age for a long time, and only improve.
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12/31/2013 - Ozsnapper Likes this wine: 94 Points
A lovely example of a quality Rioja. Nicely developed at this age but not feeling old at all. The American oak is still quite obvious, but balanced by fruit. Would definitely drink again.
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12/14/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
At BBR December tasting Singapore. Dark ruby. Now here is an interesting nose. Jumps from the glass with a staggering plum, cherry and cassis note, modern sexy/ripe but not oxidative. On the palate fruity modern, good tannins and not too heavy. Nothing for the traditionalists but in my view a really well done modern wine.
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11/4/2013 - pato84 wrote: 93 Points
- Medium forming legs and aromas of dusty, cherry, blackberry and black pepper. It's balanced with a full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish.
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11/3/2013 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 90 Points
Had with dinner in Gijon. Very nice traditional Rioja. Certainly too young right now, but still very drinkable and has a lot going for it. Cinnamon and red berries. Mellow tannins and nice leathery finish.
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11/3/2013 - BJLMD wrote: 92 Points
terrific wine. cedar, cinnamon, red fruit.
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10/19/2013 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
CT Texas VI - Return to San Antonio; 10/18/2013-10/19/2013 (San Antonio): Double blind. Powerful nose of dark fruit, leather, cherries, and spice. On the palate rich red and dark fruit, leather spice, vanilla. Obvious oak on a drying tannic finish. Knew it was Tempranillo but would not have placed this in Rioja, obviously a more modern style. Hold for at least five years.
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10/5/2013 - AV2012 wrote: 87 Points
Rather dark and non-transparent. Nose is quite muted and is hiding somewhere. Quite a lot of wild strawberries on the nose, also some dust. Lots of tannins, very dry. Plum, some herbacious notes. Not much fruit, wouldn't say it is modern style at all Bitterness at the finish, long finish! I am quite confused by this wine, was expecting something else and overall was hoping for more. (B)
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9/20/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: flawed
Corked.
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7/3/2013 - elledeca wrote:
masses of fruit, eucalyptus, big and round. good fun, but in the international mold. tasted blind with e.g. a tignanello I'm not sure I could tell which is which.
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6/26/2013 - xena Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good wine. Drinking well now without decanting.
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6/18/2013 - azzah Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red/purple colour.
Strong American oak aromas – vanilla and coconut. But it suits the style of the wine. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, with some leather and spice on the palate. Medium to full bodied. Nice length and gentle tannins. However, it seems a bit stripped of aroma and flavour and I’m guessing this has been heat affected at some stage during its life. Good, but should be better (more vibrant).
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6/10/2013 - Bin3016 wrote: 92 Points
Decant for a couple hours. Once this opens up, it is a great wine. I'm going to try it again in a couple of years and stash some away for ten years. This is a really good wine
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6/9/2013 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Needs at least 3 hours to come into balance. Full bodied spice box with above average finish. Average value.
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5/31/2013 - ponty48 wrote: 91 Points
Only slightly familiar with olderish rioja, but a very nice wine. Incredible how similar tempranillo is to pinot. More like a spicy heavier pinot. Red fruits, some earthiness, but overall very good.
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5/21/2013 - Mackmoo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark colour. Smooth elegant finesse on the nose. Wonderful balance on the palate. Nice now, but would be even better after some bottle age.
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5/17/2013 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
lovely nose - tobacco, leather
quiet a bit of tannic bite,
lovely acidity and then very long, creamy layers.
Tried at wine show so in hste.
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4/22/2013 - Harley1199 wrote:
Rioja Dinosaurs (Enoteca Barolo - Madrid): Very young colour.
Completly closed at first on the nose.
Strawberries in oak. Cream, lactics too.
Astringent on the palate. Dry. Oaky.
Its moment will come, hope so
De color muy joven.
En naris al principio totalmente cerrada.
Fresas en madera. También crema, lácticos.
Astringente en boca. Seco. Amaderada.
Su hora llegará, eso espero...
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4/12/2013 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed with dinner at Pappa's Brothers Steakhouse Dallas after wine tasting. We were looking for something true to Rioja style but maybe a bit earthy. Well, we didn't really get the earthy part of our wishes, but wow this wine was Rioja style. 93 Tempranillo and 7 Carignane. Smooth, and quite a balanced tempranillo even in its youth. Label and bottle are gorgeous. Not decanted. Nose was dominanted by blackberry and smoke...young...vibrant. The palate was right at medium body, blackberry and leather, with a hint of vanilla. Sometimes I was getting a tobacco note. Very subtle. The mid-palate was rather dense, velvety. I think a little truffle started to develop. The finish was also elegant, not much spice, not really much earth. Tannin was medium at the finish and gave a nice satisfying, not overdone, blackberry note. Rather approachable even now. This really is a perfect steak wine and did not try to dominate. I really think the best years of this wine are far ahead - 2018-2020 probably the most "ripe" drinking, but I see this one lasting another 15-20 years easily with proper cellaring.
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4/9/2013 - AlDum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Le millésime 2004 a été vieilli 29 mois dans des barriques américaines (très populaires dans cette région) ce qui lui confère une solide charpente. Au premier nez nous retrouvons des arômes de cacao, de cerise, de fruits noirs, d’épices et de boisé. En laissant la chance au vin de respirer, nous pouvons y découvrir un parfum de torréfaction et de réglisse. En bouche, les tanins sont fermes et nous y retrouvons un bel équilibre. C’est un vin possédant une grande longueur en bouche avec une belle amplitude. Il aurait bénéficié d’au moins deux heures en carafes afin qu’il puisse s’exprimer pleinement. Si vous n’êtes pas trop pressé, il pourrait facilement vieillir en cave jusqu’en 2020. www.PresseRaisin.com
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3/19/2013 - bharkins wrote: 91 Points
Nice bottle and excellent time to drink it.
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3/18/2013 - dekay wrote: 90 Points
Light cherry, oak; light - medium bodied, cedar, smooth, balanced, light acidity and resolved tannins, easy to drink, but not much of a value.
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3/14/2013 - octopussy wrote: flawed
Corked.
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3/12/2013 - djarcara Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium body. Earthy, clove and black fruit. Still fairly tannic. Could use a few more years, but drinking very nicely nevertheless. Very enjoyable wine.
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3/11/2013 - jcomm wrote: 93 Points
Superb wine form this great & famous winery!
Nose is quite complex, black cherry, leather and tobacco.
Palate is also very complex nice structure and superb balance. Black cherries, cedar and oodles of tobaco & herbs with silky smooth tannins. Long finish & persistant.
Another superb effort and a very good price point...will be even better with time for sure!
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3/11/2013 - mduque wrote: 87 Points
Nice nose of dark fruits, plums. Scents of fruitcake. On the mouth it's the same with tanins quite present without being too dry. Lacks complexity. A good wine but I was expecting more from this usually very good winery. Average to mediocre QPR...
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2/24/2013 - belfast taxman wrote: 93 Points
sorry please see my review posted today on what appears to be a different wine from Murrieta. This wine was wonderful
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2/24/2013 - belfast taxman wrote: 93 Points
Classic traditional Rioja - soft berry fruit with sweet vanilla and spices from the oak - tannins very faintly in the background and a lovely long finish. This wine was perhaps a little less powerful than some other Rioja's I have drunk recently such as Muga or CVNE Imperial but for those that prefer an older style then this is sheer class in a glass
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2/17/2013 - Sjontoft Likes this wine: 91 Points
Red fruit and oaky forrest floor notes on the nose. Pretty classic rioja.
Medium bodied on the palate. Quite fresh and has a good amount of acid. Tannins are quite soft. Fruity and not too oaky.
Nice although it lacks some complexity and body to be a reall home run for me. Can be drunk now, but clearly has mileage. I would wait another three years before I open the next bottle. I do not thin it will be super long lived though. Probably tops within the next 5-7 years.
3 = very good
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2/15/2013 - yofog wrote: 93 Points
Classic right from the start, soaring, emotion-inducing nose, this is exactly what I'm looking for in a young rioja and I'm now very glad I got a six-pack. It's a lighter-style, plenty of acid and very lithe, showing well now but it's clearly an infant nonetheless.
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2/14/2013 - jwsmith wrote: 93 Points
Very young excellent wine needs time, bug shouldered excellent.
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2/3/2013 - Poisey Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted an hour or so. Lots of cinnamon, dark cherry, vanilla bean and earthy notes. Perfect balance and restrained. Cedar, dark fruit and herbs on the finish. This is holding back at this time but wow will this develop. Should be a classic. Drink 2016-2026.
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2/3/2013 - Wine_lvr wrote: 90 Points
Very classical Rioja. Give it another 10 years to fully blossom
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1/18/2013 - Frank&Steph wrote: 91 Points
hier, vu que Stéphanie voulait un peu de vin, ce qui lui manquait depuis un bout, elle a choisi le 2004 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Très bon choix mais les réserves partent vite, que 3 restantes.
Ce fût très bien après une coupelle d'heure d'ouverture. Le vin se présente sous des arômes de bleuets, sucre d'orge, vanille épices.. très bon!! belle longueur et belle complexité..
miam
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1/13/2013 - jasonh wrote:
EWG @ Ración: This is way young. Tannins and oak are at the front. Seems like a top notch young Rioja with the need for a long sleep. Not the prettiest wine but balanced power, earth and fruit.
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1/13/2013 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Racion: Very dark color; riper strawberry and baked earth; bright red fruits and cherry, rich body, hot finish. Quite modern and seemed out of place amongst the others at the tasting. Others said it needs lots of years/decades which I'm sure it does. Nonetheless, didn't care for it much. 3 years in American oak. 89-90.
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1/13/2013 - gregg g wrote:
Dark, brooding, concentrated fruits, polished but with good balance and complexity. This should be a great wine in 10 years.
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11/16/2012 - csillabu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tobacco, chocolate, smoke, smooth from beginning to its nice long finish. Excellent, and shows great promise to age gracefully.
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11/15/2012 - yofog wrote: 92 Points
Too young to say much about it yet, this is paradoxically darker fruit and higher-toned than the 2000 I had a few years ago..
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11/12/2012 - PC73 wrote:
This wine is already really impressive. Bright red in colour. Lovely fruity nose. Already balanced and smoothe. Will only get better.
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9/26/2012 - RobertDwyer wrote: 90 Points
This reminded me of an Acura. Absolutely well made but very little in the way of things to get excited about. Lacked distinction. Have to say - I was hoping for more for $50.
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9/23/2012 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 91 Points
Dark, Mahogany colour. Hazelnut, chocolate, Chinese five spice and liquorice nose. Packed fruit, solid and tight - a lot going on but masked by this. Strong vanilla from the oak at present. Had the 01 last year and it was so different from this - 01 was so much more floral. Will be fascinating to follow these over the next 20. Clearly not ready for prime drinking now.
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9/8/2012 - RussK wrote: 89 Points
RussK. Pablo brought to Eddie's for dinner. Brown stewed chicken: too tight and spicy for me.
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7/22/2012 - johnh1001 wrote: 90 Points
Drank over 1 hour. Probably should have decanted. Quite tight and tannic at first but this opened up a bit with air. Red fruit on the nose with a little wood spice. Quite primary on the palate with notes of cherries, leather and oak. Medium somewhat tannic finish. Would like to try again in 2-3years.
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7/13/2012 - CTuttle wrote:
Way too young for me to judge this wine well. It got better with time, but was still a quite tannic young wine. No obvious Rioja character, this wine delivers an abundance of licorice and tannin at this point, but little pleasure.
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5/5/2012 - wtianseter wrote: 91 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour, Las Vegas NV 2012 (Grand Ballroom Mirage Casino, Las Vegas NV): I liked this tasty wine. Full fruit and lots of dry tannins that went well together (3 years in new oak and 4 years in bottle)
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5/5/2012 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk Vibrant Rioja in Mia at Hotel Intercontinental. 91+
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4/29/2012 - Mingestrom wrote: 90 Points
Rich on the nose with dark cherry and tobacco, spicey with à hint of peppar and mint.
Medium bodied cherry,tobacco,licorice and spices, Nice tannins .
Good earthy length.
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3/17/2012 - Hazeo wrote: 92 Points
At Aizian. Young tannic and rather primary, but I love the classic rioja profile. Elegant ruby red fruit with dried cherries, spice and only a hint of wood. Long drying finish which will hopefully become more complex with time.
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2/26/2012 - Frank&Steph wrote: 92 Points
après 1h30 de carafe= parfait
une belle robe grenat foncée, nez sur les fruits rouges un peu confit, boisé herbacé..très bien en palais c'est soyeux, une belle fraicheur et une belle petite grip tannique agréable. longeur pas pire finissant sur le boisé sucré
très bien
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2/5/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Initially very restrained, but opened gradually with aeration to reveal lovely red cherry fruit, etheral herbal aromas, spice-box and floral scents. Medium-bodied, elegant, with an almost silky texture, soft tannins, vibrant fruit and high acidity. Very long, spicy aftertaste. Very enjoyable already, but will gain in expressiveness with further cellaring. Extremely food-friendly, as a traditional Rioja should be.
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2/3/2012 - Poisey wrote: 93 Points
Flagship Rioja, great vintage. Complex nose with horse hair, cherry, wet leather and pipe cleaner notes. Full bodied with massive structure and grippy tannins. Long finish good balance. This is still quite young and should develop complexity in bottle. Notes of cedar, tobacco, cherry fruit and celery stalk finishes this contemplative Rioja. Nice stuff and this delivers in spades at it's price point. Drink 2016-2024.
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1/15/2012 - fc1910 wrote: 86 Points
First to say: I really love the 2001 Reseva Especial from this bodega! So we tried this one from a decanter after having a 904 from La Rioja Alta. Tja, perhaps this was the cardinal mistake? For me too much of everything...... the heavyweight corpus of this wine.... the really sweet fruit, yes spices, but ....we had some nice food with this, but no chance for the food, for me too hyperconcentrated! Want to be fair and try another bottle in some time, but for me this one was too much and I stopped nipping. But I have to admit, all of my friends liked this wine.... ;-) 86- 92?
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12/17/2011 - Frank&Steph wrote: 89 Points
encore jeune, un beau fruit tirant sur la patisserie, un peu d'herbage aussi peut-être. une bonne fraîcheur, je ne connais pas beaucoup les riojas, mais si ça ressemble à cela, j'achète
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12/5/2011 - hubas wrote: 85 Points
A typical Rioja with quite a bit of dill, note that high conc. on the fruit a lot of oak that gives very strong vanilla flavour. good but a bit to oaky for me
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11/26/2011 - WetRock wrote:
Riojas at WineX (The Wine Exchange, Orange, CA): Very expressive nose in a classic way with baked fruits. Tight right now with bright clean acids and plenty of tannin. Should be a very good wine in time. Not quite to the level of the '01.
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11/13/2011 - toontune wrote: 89 Points
Drinks well but could use some time. Not as refined as the '01....yet.
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10/18/2011 - Porchino wrote: 90 Points
Very much plumbs delightfull the second time around was just as impressive.very milk chocolate flavored Parker calls it a 95 I agree it's excellent.tasted again and it got killed by cay us special select and la conseillante
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10/17/2011 - cosmin_grozea wrote: 88 Points
The color is a youthful dark red garnet. The nose seems still tight, with apparent oaky flavors, mixed with red fruits, spice and yoghurt. Medium bodied and well structured on the palate, the wine has charming aromas of red fruit, spice and a light touch of earth. The finish is fresh and fruity. The wine doesn’t impress at this stage, but further bottle aging will do the trick. (88/100)
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