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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.5 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 19 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by AudunG on 12/28/2023 & rated 91 points: Gran Coronas Black Label, as they were called in 78: Lovely, developed aromas with dark fruit, tobacco, leather and caramel, with the american oak flavors are still very evident. Fully mature, with some sweetness and almost no tannins left. Impressive for the age. (187 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 11/20/2019 flawed bottle: Stewed plums, VA, and pickles. Not correct. (1378 views) | | | Tasted by tooch on 9/28/2014 & rated 93 points: Sunday Night Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago, IL): Gorgeous nose of currants, sweet cherry, violets, and smokey earth. Palate was in a great spot. Lots of sweet dark fruit, with some secondary spice tones. Really nice. (4944 views) | | | Tasted by gblacave on 9/28/2014 & rated 94 points: This just keeps getting better. Nose is consistent with previous bottles, full of cassis, undergrowth, and leather, but more complete and full in this bottle - lots of dark fruit filling out the nose and the palate. The palate is silk - fully integrated, beautifully balanced. (3510 views) | | | Tasted by Los 12 Glotones on 5/8/2014 & rated 88 points: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/torres-gran-coronas-etiqueta-negra-1978.html
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Rubí marronoso de capa media-alta con ligeros precipitados en forma de escamas en la base de la botella. Reflejos granadinos y cobrizos, oscuro, cerrado. Borde estrecho, atejado, diferenciado del menisco.
En nariz muestra un carácter plenamente varietal, elegante, fino, lleno de fruta negra reducida (ciruelas maceradas, grosellas, moras), ahumados, hoja de habano y un rastro de cuero viejo, granos de café, vainilla, especias dulces. Resultón, tostado, sin apenas reducción en comparación con otras añadas. Hay apuntes balsámicos a pimiento, hinojo, pimienta negra, regaliz Zara y algo de latería de fondo. Evoluciona rápidamente sacando aromas de tierra húmeda, trufa negra y una retahíla de hojarasca y monte umbrío.
En boca algo más austero de lo esperado, sin tanta finura. Tostado, amargoso, equilibrado, con taninos fundidos, grasos, y una acidez justa pero suficiente. No se le ve mucha fuerza para aguantar más tiempo en botella. Hay que beberlo ya. Correcto, con encanto, aunque algo inferior al excepcional 1971 o 1975.
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90% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc - 12.5% vol.
Uvas procedentes exclusivamente de un pequeño y selecto viñedo de cabernet sauvignon plantado en 1966 en el término municipal de Pacs del Penedès. Vendimia efectuada durante la primera semana del mes de octubre. Fermentación en cubas de acero inoxidable. Posterior crianza en barricas nuevas de roble americano y francés durante 6 meses. El vino continuó luego su envejecimiento en barricas de segundo y tercer año hasta el momento de su embotellado en noviembre de 1980. Permaneció descansando en los calados de la bodega hasta la fecha de su comercialización, en mayo de 1985.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (4425 views) | | | Tasted by rbs1 on 5/4/2014 & rated 93 points: Never had any expectations when opening the bottle. Surprise, it kept getting better with air. Very smooth, with hints of tabaco, leather and cherry. (3935 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 3/8/2014 & rated 91 points: Biryani @ Salil's (Vernon, CT): This seemed like a very sound bottle. The fill level was good and the color showed appropriate signs of age, with a healthy ruby middle. When first opened this seemed a bit musty and reduced. This improved remarkably with air, showing saddle leather, walnuts, cedar and sweet dried cherry notes. Perhaps there was a touch of oxidation, but this was still very enjoyable, and it kept getting better with air. The tannins were fully resolved and this was like liquid silk on the palate. This started to resemble an elegant, mature claret. Perhaps the oak was a bit sweet, but it was just a side note to an otherwise complex drinking experience. (1859 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 3/8/2014 & rated 92 points: A strong musty note initially had me wondering if this was corked. Happily, that blew off quickly and it kept getting better over a few hours in a decanter. A dead ringer for a mature left bank Bordeaux, this was fantastic to drink with plenty of mature red fruit, cedar, tobacco and other savoury earthy and leathery notes all coming together very seamlessly on a polished, medium weight frame. (3720 views) | | | Tasted by gblacave on 12/21/2013 & rated 90 points: Consistent with previous note. This bottle was cloudy as I was unable to stand it up ahead of time and it probably suffered for it. (1408 views) | | | Tasted by Le Musigny on 4/15/2013: Nice bottle. Opened up after 30 minutes of air with nice dark fruit. Silky tannins are almost gone. (1639 views) | | | Tasted by gblacave on 11/22/2012 & rated 91 points: A very rewarding bottle of wine . A bouquet of cassis, saddle leather, and undergrowth that is complex and delicate. Fully resolved tannin on the palate, leaving behind a silky texture that is perfectly mature. This is a really wonderful example of elegant and mature Cabernet. (1691 views) | | | Tasted by Le Musigny on 2/1/2012: The surprise of the night. Drinking very well with good fruit. Bought on release. (2230 views) | | | Tasted by jaytoc on 2/7/2011 & rated 90 points: Initially port-like taste and texture, certainly due to maturity of this bottle. Although the fruit is fading and color browning, still plenty of reminders of what made this, in my opinion, a profound bottle of wine. (2317 views) | | | Tasted by psmith on 8/14/2010: Bordeaux-like flavors but a more characteristic sour cherry and rustic woody edge. Well resolved. Cool fruits. Nice. (2117 views) | | | Tasted by costamalfitana on 6/26/2007 & rated 90 points: fine mature color, brick red along the rim and the age is showing through, delicate aromas of leather,fully mature (I presume allready for many years) but still holding up nicely; elegance on the palate with medium body; low in alcohol compared to today's modern wines and (therefore?) a pleasure to drink. (2573 views) | | | Tasted by roel on 4/18/2007 & rated 89 points: Had this wine in my cellar for more than 20 years. Actually one of the first quality wines I bought as a wine-novice. Very pleasing nose of blackberries, underwood and vanilla. Delicate mouthfeel, with the tannins totally dissolved, and enough sap left to make this a very rewarding glass of wine. Old age peeking through in the finish, so drink up. (2884 views) | | | Tasted by Nyindallas on 4/9/1998 & rated 92 points: This was the last bottle of a case of 1977 and 1978 which I picked up way back when for around $20 per bottle. They were elegant. The Cabernet really stood out. On the nose there was sweet vanilla, leather, some earth tones especially as the wines aged. They were velvety smooth, with flavors of cassias, smokey berries, and cooked fruit (when older). While the wines varied over the years, they exhibited both new and old world characteristics. I am adding this review way after the fact, but after having so much pleasure from these 24 bottles, I wanted a record of their existence. (2015 views) |
| Torres Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonSpain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.Catalunya Map on weinlagen-infoPenedès(extracted of web page http://www.dopenedes.es/en by M.Angel Menor).
The D.O. Penedès is noted for its excellent white wines, fresh, fruity and with moderate alcohol content, while its reds are soft, with velvety texture and character. The rosés are fragrant and fruity. There are some outstanding sparkling wines, with intense and persistent aromas. The flagship grape variety of this region, which stands out among the 18 authorized varieties, is Xarel.lo making it the icon of the Denominació d'Origen.
The two most important items in the vilafranca del penedès Wine Museum show the existence of vines in the penedès area before the 4th Century BC, introduced by the Ancient Greeks [phocensis]. These two items. of great archaeological value, are two press plates discovered in excavations of two different Iberian villages located in the Penedès region.
At the end of the 19th Century, specifically in 1872, the "sparkling wine of the Penedès" came to life. After the catastrophe caused by phylloxera, the renewal of the vines allowed for important evolution, as right from the very start cavas of very high quality were made that in a very short period of time were conquering very large markets. During this century cava has kept up this quality tendency supported by the winegrowing sector.
The vine knows no frontiers nor geographical nor political boundaries established by man, for this reason the Appellation of Origin Penedès extends over the whole of the Penedès region.
Between the coastal hills and the narrow plains of the Mediterranean coast, right in the heart of the central depression, the vines of the Penedès region are grown and ripen. We are talking about a surface area of 1557 km2 (600 mi2) divided into three separate areas: the Upper Penedès, the Central Penedès and the Lower Penedès.
The influence of the sea and the sun makes the Penedès region an area with a mild, warm climate, most suitable for growing traditional white grape varieties such as Xarel·lo and Macabeo; and also red varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cariñena and Monastrell.
On the other hand in the Central Penedès or Middle Penedès temperatures are lower. On its hillsides Xarel·lo and Macabeo are also cultivated, the majority of these grapes being for cava production. Recently, and as a result of the constant innovations and experimentation carried out by winegrowers in the area, foreign varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as Cabernet Franc, pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot, have been planted and have acclimatised well.
There is still a more inland and protected area, the Upper Penedès, with altitudes of up to 800 metres (2600 feet) above sea level. It is not in vain that the experts say that these vineyards are possibly the highest in Europe. This is the area where the parellada variety is traditionally grown, a native white variety of the Penedès. In recent years the planting of other white varieties from France and Germany, Muscat d’Alexandrie, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Chenin Blanc, has become widely extended.
The land of the Penedès is quite varied but the majority is under cultivation and is of very similar characteristics.
The soil here is deep, neither particularly sandy nor sufficiently clayey, permeable and with good rain water retention. As often happens with quality winegrowing land, in the Penedès the earth is poor in organic matter, calcareous and not particularly fertile.
The geology of the region is quite varied despite the limited surface area of the Penedès. The soil of the Upper and Lower Penedès, where the majority of cultivation takes place is made up of miocene, continental and maritime sediments of considerable thickness, and at certain points is covered by quaternary sediments. The coastal hills are formed by triassic, cretaceous and oceanic material. And on the coastal hillsides disintegrated calcareous cretaceous material predominates, with small miocene plots that are still cultivated.
The surface area under vine in the Penedès is 26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) with a planting density of 2,300 to 3,000 vines per hectare (930-1200 vines per acre) and some trellised varieties such as Chardonnay or pinot Noir have a planting density of up to 5,000 vines per hectare (2000 vines per acre), requiring less production from the vine in order to grow a higher quality grape. There is a predominance of small and medium sized exploitations, and a further identifying characteristic of the Penedès stands out in that the majority of the wine producers make wine harvested from their own vines, looking after the product from the very start, right to the end of the process. This care and personalised follow-up is clearly noted in the end result of those winegrowers who make their wine from their own vines. We are referring to wines which are cared for, wines with class. In short, wines with their own style.
One of the factors which make it possible for wine of excellent quality to be produced in the Penedès is the climate. The area of the Appellation of Origin Penedès has many different microclimates, a result of its nearness to the coast and high ground, in this latter case extremely varied, since it reaches 700 metres (2,300 ft) where there are vines growing on slopes.
Generally speaking, the climate of the Penedès is typically Mediterranean, Catalan coastal and pre-coastal, that is to say mild and warm. The area of the Lower Penedès is warmer due to the influence of the sea. The Upper Penedès is an area of typical pre-coastal climate, where frosts are far more frequent and the contrast between the maximum and minimum temperatures is greater. In certain areas there is an annual rainfall of some 900 litres per square metre (18.6 gallons per square foot). At El Vendrell (Lower Penedès) the average temperature is 14.4ºC (58ºF) and at Vilafranca (Central Penedès) 12ºC (54ºF): very favourable temperatures for vine cultivation. |
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