1995 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 89 points

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  8/31/2018 - ProperClaret Likes this wine:

  More so than any other winery I know, Riscal provides amazing consistency from year to year, and this bottle was well in keeping with the Riscal 'house style' I've come to know and love. Beautiful florals of violets and roses, with perfect tobacco and saddle leather and gorgeous tertiaries -- particularly earthiness -- and tannins of pure lovely dust. No hurry on well-cellared bottles; this has many years of beautiful drinking ahead of it.

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  9/25/2015 - macaujames wrote: 88 Points

  Has understated and slightly unknit aromas of violets, raspberries, light clove hints, plums, leather and spice. Its medium bodied traditional elegant feminine palate has got refined lacy blue fruits interspersed with cloves, lively acidity. This is all neatly cut by a medium long earthy, oaky, flowery aromatic finish. A lovely wine which should be now drunk up. Needs two hour decant before that it tastes a bit over the hill and lightly oxidised.

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  1/24/2013 - lifebreath wrote: 90 Points

  Surprise, surprise! I've been a big Rioja fan for years, but have always considered this wine not suited for significant aging. I have been trying to thin out some questionable wine, and I was surprised at how well this wine showed! I fully expected it to be spoiled, especially since I had stored it under less than optimal conditions for a number of years prior to having proper storage. I anticipated a tawny mess, but what emptied into the decanter was a lovely burgundy shade, displaying only the slightest of bricking. Tannins had receded into obscurity and the initial impression was of sweetness with a balanced acidity and virtually no alcoholic heat. Initially, however, the sweetness was almost too much and some funky flavors predominated along with prunes. It was not unpleasant, but neither was it terribly appealing. However, after about an hour's decant, the prunes disappeared and the wine harmonized nicely. Lovely dark fruit - dark cherries, blackberry and plum - emerged rather strongly with a pleasant underpinning of acidity. Tertiary tobacco and cedar presented with a long, integrated finish. The nose was primarily of dark cherry and plum. The mouthfeel was velvety smooth, rich and moderately dense.
  
  How pleasantly surprising!

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  8/1/2010 - PDavisMarble wrote: 89 Points

  Ruby red. Creamy, cherry nose. Some tobacco, vanilla and cedar. Rich, mellow fruits are the top note, yielding to cedar, stone, toast and tobacco. Surprisingly fruity for its age, but I am unfamiliar with Riojas. Seems like it could have aged much longer. Continued to open throughout the meal.

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  4/8/2007 - Markus Randall wrote:

  Garnet hue. Intense, deveoped nose. Some volatile acidity but lots of spice - parsley, cinnamon, vanilla over a fram of dried blackberries.
  
  Delicious palate. Dry, medium acidity, medium level of soft tannins and medium intensity. Medium bodied with medium alcohol, but not a medium wine. Spicy flavours with blackberry and vanilla, parsley. Long, complex finish.
  
  Outstanding wine, elegantly balanced, long, medium intensity and complex.
  
  Drink now, declining.

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View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

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