2000 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Cuvée Especial

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 89 points

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  1/29/2007 - David Wilson wrote: 89 Points

  Quite rich; reminiscent of a Tuscan IGT. Nice sweet cherry/blackberry fruit, tea, and tobacco. Very ripe and perhaps a bit too rich, but spectacular for the price.

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  12/19/2005 - Gwalchgwynn wrote: 89 Points

  Day 1 - Having already tried several bottles of the plain jane ( not the crianza) version of Sierra Cantabria, I knew that this was going to be a dense, well-structured wine built with aging potential; so I would have decanted and aerated it for at least an hour, but I wanted to trace its development over time. Since I'm drinking it by myself, I figured I could afford to do so. Well, it is definitely a big wine, not the traditional style Rioja of the Marques de Caceres or Marquis de Riscal variety. Initially, it was very closed, as expected. It showed nothing on the nose, was thin, and had no tannin to speak of. With thirty minutes in the glass, however, it began to open up and show dense chewy tannins, a medium finish, and aromas of dusty earth, sweet tobacco, and vanilla. I found distinct notes of dark chocolate, dried cherry, and hints of blackberry. I expect it will be even better tomorrow.
  Tannins did not soften over the next two days and wine showed no improvement. Perhaps another year or two of patience would pay off? It is certainly enjoyable now however.

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