1999 Benjamin Romeo Rioja Contador

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 94 points

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  12/11/2014 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points

  NFA Dinner 2014 (Gattopardo Restaurant, Tras Street, Singapore): This was another monster of a Rioja, coincidently made by the guy who was responsible for Artadi's wines until 2000. The resemblances were there to the 2005 Artadi Vina el Pison that was served alongside in its extremely modern styling. Thankfully, this had the benefit of more age on it, so that it actually tasted like a Trempranillo. It had a lovely nose, far less alcoholic and jammy than its younger cousin. Here, cedar and fragrant wood spice aromas framed big notes of ripe black cherries and berries chased by a nice meatiness and some menthol, mint and tiny hint of dill. Quite a lovely nose - I could smell this all day. There was just a little drift of acetone in there, but it barely distracts from the overall attractive of the bouquet. The palate was very good, but very young. This was a big, alcohol-fuelled wine for sure. The attack opened with an absolute mouthful of fragrant spice - pepper and cloves and more - over deep reservoirs of ripe dark fruit. In spite of its weight and power, there was a lovely purity and finesse to the wine and such a graceful structure, with its velvety tannins and perfectly integrated tannins, that it drank really nicely. This is what really separated it from the Artadi for me. While both where not to my usual tastes in Tempranillo (let alone Rioja), the Contador was actually delicious, even compelling, where the Artadi was simply impressive technically but a bit difficult to drink. A matter of age maybe, or perhaps just different winemaking. In any case, this wine ended up nicely too, with a long finish, where the dark fruit was met by a nice counterpoint of earthier, meatier notes and bits of menthol and dill and a little woody kiss of oak spice. There was still a little grip of tannins right at the back. All in all, very good indeed, and it has its best years ahead of it too. This should be a great wine to drink with a hunk of meat in say 6-7 years' time.

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