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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2015 and 2018 (based on 5 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.6 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 27 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Tjlampe@gmail.com on 12/8/2018: Very nice fully bodied (1687 views) | | | Tasted by elvinet on 2/8/2018 & rated 91 points: Color rojo granatoso, ribete cereza picota, capa alta, suave lágrima ligeramente tintada. En nariz muestra un elegante abanico de aromas agradables con abundante fruta roja en compota con frambuesas y fresas en compota, jarabe de grosellas rojas, tostados muy suaves, punzantes especias en granos con pimienta roja y blanca, mentolados frescos con toques de anís estrellado algo seco, toque de mineralidad fresca que aligera un conjunto que parece una crema de ingredientes maduros y de compotas. Buena entrada en boca con cierta carnosidad y una astringencia marcada pero ligeramente dulzona, agradable en su recorrido con una fruta roja acompotada, mentolados frescos, anís y toque de clavo fresco, toque de fruta aún no completamente integrada y un tanino bien vivo que le da fuerza al conjunto, agradable, intenso, buen volumen, suave carnosidad, sabroso, buena persistencia. Final bien largo, postgusto de fruta roja y retronasal especiado.
Buena evolución dando un resultado agradable pero sin llegar a sorprender. Posiblemente algo más de guarda le irá de maravilla.
More information in: http://www.elvi.net/2016/10/28/las-rocas-de-san-alejandro-vinas-viejas-2012/ (2384 views) | | | Tasted by bubbachumps on 8/23/2017 & rated 89 points: Strong notes of earth and some blackberry / cassis on the nose. Well formed in the mouth. Overall, a balanced wine with some character. (3080 views) | | | Tasted by Primordialsoup on 6/24/2017 & rated 90 points: In a much better place than the last bottle I had about a year ago. That one was very disjointed and a mess, making me wonder what happened to this brand. I have enjoyed the label for several vintages now and this bottle was back on par with the quality/style I expect. Decent fruit, texture and finish. Satisfying. (3251 views) | | | Tasted by mattlieber on 3/4/2017 & rated 82 points: Muddled and past its prime (if it ever was), undefined even after decanting and time to breath. Nose was tawny, overripe, like a port. Maybe the bottle was defective but I'm afraid not. It came highly reviewed (WS?) - I paid $17-18 and held it in my cellar a few years for a special occasion. (3534 views) | | | Tasted by michael47 on 2/13/2017 & rated 88 points: Big, jammy Grenache. Touch of heat on the finish. Great QPR @ $13 will not make old bones. (2600 views) | | | Tasted by jigones on 10/27/2016 & rated 92 points: Lots of herbs and spices (nutmeg or cinnamon). Tannins and acidity well integrated. A steal at $14. (2544 views) | | | Tasted by CoachRWK on 10/23/2016 & rated 85 points: Nice. Rich. (1869 views) | | | Tasted by spicy1 on 7/26/2016 & rated 87 points: Decent wine with lots of soft black fruit and some cracked pepper. (1875 views) | | | Tasted by spicy1 on 5/21/2016 & rated 82 points: Disappointing effort. Las Rocas can produce some excellent wines, at least on a QPR basis but this isn't one of them. Fruit is covered by high alcohol and little else. Didn't change much over three days and after decanting. Come right down to it, this is a high volume supermarket wine. (1811 views) | | | Tasted by Tim and Bonnie on 12/30/2015 & rated 88 points: Lite and refined for a high alcohol wine. Reminded me of a whole cluster Cabernet Franc from Paso Robles we had a couple years ago. (2309 views) | | | Tasted by Ral233 on 12/18/2015: Very nice (1113 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 11/22/2015 & rated 88 points: Very Nice Spanish Grenache, ripe a little bit of bay leaf and basil that I associate with Calatayud wines, well priced $14, would buy again. (2001 views) | | | Tasted by ben.beaverson on 6/14/2015 & rated 88 points: Highly enjoyable, first time having a wine from Spain and it didn't disappoint. (2420 views) | | | Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 6/7/2015 & rated 87 points: Plowing through samples (My Place - Washington, DC): Medium ruby. Deeper currants, some black cherries, more soil and charcoal elements than the regular bottling, some tobacco. The tannins seem a bit more structured, still low on the acid, but the black currant, raspberry and black cherry fruit is smooth, not as candied as the regular bottling. The old vine presence is felt in the wine’s velvety, dusty appeal, and the loamy, graphite and iron notes. I get some tobacco and grilled herbs on the finish. Fun stuff, showing some moderate complexity and the potential to develop over the next two years or so. (2511 views) | | | Tasted by SoundinBetween on 6/3/2015: After a few days open this bottle was good. Surprisingly balanced for a wine at 15% ABV, has a hint of spice and has a good amount of acid to it. (2010 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 3/5/2015 & rated 87 points: The big heavy bottle didn't lead to big enjoyment in the glass. PnP'd this opens to a modest nose of black fruits and light toasty oak segueing into a medium palate of raspberry and stewed blackberries with a little spice thrown in to keep it from being totally boring. But over an hour the wine thinned out and the finish faded, unlike the Alto Moncayo's I've enjoyed over the years. (1900 views) | | | Tasted by nietzschephilosopher on 2/17/2015 & rated 91 points: Unmistakably Garnacha. Could easily be an excellent Cotes du Rhone or a good Chateauneuf du pape. Drinking perfectly. (1981 views) | | | Tasted by windinthewillows1 on 8/31/2014: wonderful (1986 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, Central Spain: Tempranillo and Beyond (Dec 2015) (12/1/2015)
(Las Rocas De San Alejandro Garnacha Viñas Viejas) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ferran Centelles
JancisRobinson.com (11/5/2015)
(San Alejandro, Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha Calatayud Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/27/2013)
(Las Rocas de San Alejandro, Pablo Old Vine Garnacha Calatayud Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Bodegas San Alejandro Producer websiteGarnachaWikipedia: In Spain, Grenache is known as Garnacha and given the likely history of the grape this is most likely the grape's original name. There are several clonal varieties of Garnacha with the thin-skinned, dark colored Garnacha Tinta (sometimes spelled Tinto) being the most common. Another variety, known as Garnacha Peluda or "Hairy Grenache" due to the soft softly hairy texture on the underside of the vine's leaves is also found in Spain, mostly in Borja and Cariñena (Aragón). Compared to its more widely planted cousin, it produces wines lower in alcohol and higher in acidity that show spicy and savory notes more readily as they age.[11] Widely planted in northeastern and central Spain, Garnacha was long considered a "workhorse" grape of low quality suitable for blending. In the late 20th century, the success of the Garnacha based wines from Priorat in Catalonia (as well as the emerging international attention given to the New World Rhone Rangers) sparked a re-evaluation of this "workhorse" variety. Today it is the third most widely planted red grape variety in Spain (behind Tempranillo and Bobal) with more than 203,300 acres (82,300 ha) and is seen in both varietal wines and blends.[3]
Garnacha plays a major role in the Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOC/DOQ) wines of Rioja and Priorat and the Denominación de Origen (DO) wines of Navarra and all southern Aragonese and southern Catalonian appellations, plus the mountainous areas just southwest of Madrid: Méntrida and Cebreros. In Rioja the grape is planted mostly in the warmer Rioja Baja region located in the eastern expanse of the wine region. Usually blended with Tempranillo, Garnacha provides juicy fruitiness and added body. In recent years, modern Rioja producers have been increasing the amount of Garnacha used in the blend in order to produce earlier maturing and more approachable Riojas in their youth. Garnacha is also used in the pale colored rosados of Rioja.[3] The vine has a long history in the Navarra region where it has been the dominant red grape variety with nearly 54% of the region's vineyard planted with Garnacha. Compared to neighboring Rioja, the Garnacha-based blends of Navarra are lighter and fruitier, meant for earlier consumption.[5]Spain 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.Aragón Aragon (wikipedia)Calatayud Donominación de Origen Calatayud (Official Site, Spanish) | Calatayud Appellation (espvino) | DO Calatayud (Wines From Spain) |
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