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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.7 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 37 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Tavastgatan on 10/20/2019 & rated 92 points: Liked this a lot. Still very fresh with fine acidity. Some green bell pepper action on the nose. (2231 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 11/12/2017 & rated 89 points: Chicago Wine Flock...Jim is Playin' Those Wine Games ("Chateau La Grange" - La Grange IL): Double blind in Cabernet flight. Ripe and seemingly youthful with with the Old world acid and elegant tannins I enjoy. Finishes with that structure slightly too pronounced. Upside from here? (4578 views) | | | Tasted by acheng on 10/1/2017 & rated 93 points: Fantastic. LoveLy tertiary flavour with savoury black fruit in the background. Still has some tannin to resolved. (3438 views) | | | Tasted by Sotto325 on 5/27/2015 & rated 91 points: Fascinating how wonderful this Cabernet ages. Totally consistent with the excellent old world Spanish approach, a great contrast to the California over oaked , fruit heavy offerings. Dark dark black red color, nose of oak,clay ,leaves and bramble fruits, and a very Cabernet , with less mint, expressiion of deep earth, black cherry, clay, woodsy notes. The only reservation is that the complexity does not match that of a nice mid to high level Bordeaux. (At Santceloni in Madrid) (5882 views) | | | Tasted by Double-A on 10/8/2014 & rated 85 points: Earthy mineral, char and currant nose. Dark, firm, smoky and chewy palate. Tasted blind.
3/5
*Second time I have sampled this vintage, it almost comes across as corked at first, but cleans up with aeration (4591 views) | | | Tasted by acheng on 3/27/2014 & rated 92 points: Really improves in the decanter. Pure laser beam of aged plum, mineral, chestnut and touch of graphite. In the mouth, not as complex. Lively acidity and still fairly firm tannin. Should wait another 5 years. (5541 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 5/26/2012 & rated 87 points: 4th Saturday Group brown bagger (Mike's & LA's): Aromas of herbs, iron and a nice mix of red & black fruit; perfumed floral qualities as well. Vanilla and red fruit flavors on the palate are simple compared to the bouquet. Softened acidity; clipped finish. (7091 views) | | | Tasted by Rupert on 1/15/2012 & rated 88 points: A lot of oak, charred American oak, and the tannin stuck out a bit. There's some soft fruit on the palate. No sign of age, except in the softness. Very nice without being exciting. (6956 views) | | | Tasted by DK Amateur on 11/8/2011: Dark and mature but not at all old looking. Nose with berries, tar, smoke, lovely. More narrow in taste than the nose suggests and not obviously Spanish, as I remember the 70s and 80s to be. Harmonious, excellent with food. Very good wine. (6624 views) | | | Tasted by dougsmith on 12/10/2010 & rated 89 points: 94, 95, 96 in Spain with Helio San Miguel (New York City): Deep ruby color. Pretty on the nose with complex spice and tobacco, and some rock dust. Full bodied on the palate with aggressive tannins and good nerve, but thins out a touch on the finish. Struck me as the Cabernet in the lineup. Group's #12, my #7. (6720 views) | | | Tasted by d'Artagnan on 12/21/2009 & rated 86 points: Un vin au style bordelais bien sûr, avec des aromes de sous-bois, de cuir et de champignons, dans un ensemble plutôt austère. Bien fait, le vin me déçoit néanmoins un peu par manque de charme et une finale sèche. On a beaucoup parlé de ce millésime 1994 à l’époque de Crus & Saveurs, je suis dans le camp des déçus. 86-87 pts (4775 views) | | | Tasted by Rodenbach99 on 11/17/2009 & rated 79 points: Belle robe grenat avec une touche orangée sur le pourtour. Nez de cuir, fruits rouges, bouche mince, astringent, forte amertume, finale râche, mince en bouche. moins bon que le 1989 dégusté hier. (4493 views) | | | Tasted by mukden on 10/9/2009 & rated 70 points: NO. So, when people get old and depressed they often report a flatness to their lives. If this wine could talk it would report something similar. It is a CB alright, not any appreciable development but a real flatness to the fruit and its other attributes. Over the hill and a waste of money. Avoid. (4177 views) | | | Tasted by acheng on 9/12/2009 & rated 90 points: Similar notes. Vanilla, cherry, plum and spice. Juicy acidity with good structure and resolving tannin. (3518 views) | | | Tasted by Caudalie on 7/14/2009: très bon, comme d'habitude. Le riedel dans la piscine ajoute au charme (4249 views) | | | Tasted by d'Artagnan on 2/11/2009 & rated 85 points: Nez discret mais intéressant avec du cuir, de la fumée, du cèdre et quelques épices
Bouche très souple, les tanins sont fondus, le vin est agréable mais simple, manquant de concentration et de tonus. Facile à boire mais franchement décevant pour ce cru réputé. On dirait un modeste Médoc de moins de 30$. 85 pts (3616 views) | | | Tasted by kaare on 12/9/2008 & rated 82 points: Over the top, with not much smell or taste of fruit. It has a earthy, leathery smell. On the palate it seemed thin, with fading tannins, and short taste. This was my last bottle. (4809 views) | | | Tasted by acheng on 9/20/2008 & rated 90 points: Ripe cherry and well structured. Food friendly acidity, spicy and fine tannin. On second day, deliciious cherry notes predominates with chocolate and oak which carries on to a spicy and tangy finish. An excellent bordeaux look alike. (3940 views) | | | Tasted by Gelco on 9/17/2008 & rated 85 points: Nez surprenant et démontrant des arômes de fruits rouges, de griottes(!!) et une légère touche de cuir. C'est révelé avec la carafe. Bouche fluide et touche d'alcool présente. On peux percevoir une touche de fruits à l'arrière. À boire maintenant! (4705 views) | | | Tasted by Caudalie on 8/23/2008: Amenée à un party, toujours très bien (4463 views) | | | Tasted by lumpyelbow on 8/17/2008 & rated 89 points: Fully mature and not much time left I imagine. Plummy, tawny fruit when first poured but it quickly dissipates in the glass. It still has a great structure and body with that complexity of an aged wine. Didn't decant this one (and don't recommend it) as I was aware there was not much fruit left in the bottle. Ate with Spanish tapas. (4519 views) | | | Tasted by Double-A on 5/29/2008 & rated 80 points: Dark garnet with pale rims. Subtle currant, damp earth, fruit not rounding but fading. Dry firm tannins, astringent finish.
2/5
*Tasted at Torres' Salmos winery in the Priorat - thought the first bottle was corked. Second bottle was an improvement, but it still carried a distinct damp earth note. It was still there 6 years later when I had a chance to taste it again, but it was remarkable how the wine found a balance that I did not think this vintage could achieve. (632 views) | | | Tasted by Partenaire on 5/26/2008 & rated 88 points: Robe aux reflets orangés. À l'ouverture, bouquet de sous-bois, champignon, écurie, cuir et mûre. Avec l'aération, le bouquet perd en complexité et se métamorphose en donnant des notes végétales de cèdre et de sauge. La bouche est équilibrée sur des tanins assez mûrs et fondus et les saveurs sont assez longues (plus de 30 secondes). Je suis déçu. Ce vin était plus complet il y a quelques années. Je l'attendrai 4 ou 5 ans pour lui donner une chance de connaître des jours glorieux à nouveau. À l'heure actuelle, le 2003 l'éclipse. (4597 views) | | | Tasted by poptart_nyc on 1/9/2008 & rated 86 points: drink now, drink now! still good body and tannin. fruit fading fast. touches of dark plummy spice and leather. still some brightness in mid palate, but texture is overtaking flavor. (4727 views) | | | Tasted by vinaigre on 3/10/2007 & rated 90 points: Montreal Offline: Cabernet Sauvignion (Restaurant Chez Christophe): Deep ruby red. Nice nose of fruits, slightly loamy with a nice body. Present acidity with gripping tannins. Medium finish.
Knew this was not new world. (6216 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, September/October 1998, IWC Issue #80
(Torres Penedes Gran Corona Mas La Plana Black Label) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| 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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