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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.3 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 73 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by GS66 on 2/22/2024: Double magnum.
Absolutely perfect right now- better than the last DMG tasted in 2015 and 2019.
Although still powerful this wine has a fine and delicate - and somehow vibrating balance between tertiary aromas and the typical red berry- plum- taste.
Strong enough to go for another 3-8 years (165 views) | | | Tasted by Brian of Mull on 11/12/2023 & rated 95 points: Decanted for 3 hours. Color is very deep garnet/purple. On the nose: Cinnamon, baking spices, plum, dark chocolate and cassis. Nose smells warm if that makes sense. On the palate: Rich plum, cinnamon, espresso, cassis and dark chocolate. Very long, plush and velvety. It’s kind of like Christmas Pudding without the cloying sweetness. This is really good. (364 views) | | | Tasted by Christian von Dresky on 4/4/2022 & rated 95 points: Fantastic, perfect drinking window and every year in tip top shape (2003 was mediocre and very hot). Deep, fine but also big and rich at the same time. Second wine of the evening just Aurus 2005 was better. In his price range a real winner and must have. Love it. (1519 views) | | | Tasted by dougsmith on 4/30/2021 & rated 92 points: Deep ruby color, almost black center. Complex spices on the nose, a touch of incense, blueberry and blackberry. Full bodied on the palate with good presence. Residual fine tannins on the finish. (2062 views) | | | Tasted by KVM on 7/7/2020: Decanted. Very dark. This is a very large scaled wine that maintains balance. Respect. (2669 views) | | | Tasted by Miceri on 1/25/2020 & rated 93 points: Dark red towards black; smoked blueberry nose; rich, soft, sweet power, followed by some lightly plucking tannins; fine and powerful with little finesse (2772 views) | | | Tasted by lexwine on 3/8/2019 & rated 96 points: Tasted in a horizontal of 2003 RdD Classics - this one and Flor de Pingus. The 16yrs have clearly demonstrated that AAlto PS is one of the great European wines today. Full fruit power with many years ahead, velvety tannins and perfectly balanced acidity.Very long. 03 was not a great vintage in RdDuero but this wine is showing what great winemaking is about. (2973 views) | | | Tasted by tbrader on 12/13/2018 & rated 92 points: Impressive longevity in non-optimal (but not bad) cellaring conditions. Ready to drink from the start. Concentrated black fruit, some gritty tannins and strong oak notes remain. (2225 views) | | | Tasted by Frank Schneider on 10/3/2018 & rated 95 points: Again sexy stuff. A ladykiller ! Pure hedonism. Yum yum. A point. Drink (2007 views) | | | Tasted by Frank Schneider on 4/16/2018 & rated 95 points: Sexy stuff ! Rich , round and yummy ! Ready !!! Drink drink drink (2426 views) | | | Tasted by KVM on 12/3/2017: Very dark. Black fruit and vanilla nose. Big fruit and oak palate and quite tannic still. The next day it was opulent with fruit and dark chocolate and the tannin has softened greatly. (2158 views) | | | Tasted by nzinkgraf on 7/29/2017: Holy s**t. This is amazing right from the cork pull. Still lots of tannin remains. Medium tannin, fine grained. Cinnamon, nutmeg, dark cherry to the palate. Still substantial barrel spice to the palate. Lots of time ahead of this. I'd say drink to 2025 at least. Bold, suave, with baking spice. ABV shows, but it carries it well. Has is moved much since I last had it in 2011? Don't seem so. (2320 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 5/5/2017 & rated 78 points: Ribera del Duero Wine Dinner after Yankees Beat Cubs, Plus Cinco de Mayo (Bien Mesabe - Chicago IL): Massively ripe, flabby and one dimensional. (2958 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 5/5/2017 & rated 80 points: Well, what a difference 10 years makes. Between my palate evolving and this wine aging, I've gone from a 97 point score in 2007 to an 80 point score in 2017. The fruit (both aromas and taste) are quite sweet, forward and lush. The palate lacks acidity and the roasted, sweet fruits have nothing to counterbalance. Comes across as heavy. (2316 views) | | | Tasted by Frank Schneider on 12/26/2016 & rated 94 points: Full bodied and charming spanish wine ! I like it very much. Drink or hold (2430 views) | | | Tasted by Mossrose on 11/23/2016 & rated 96 points: Opaque with an inch pour, and even the top bubbles are purple. Effusively aromatic, with violets, plum, boysenberry, blackberry, leather, fig, and black olive. The sip is mouth coating, brightly acidic, lushly textured, richly fruity, and drying. Vigorous swishing in the mouth intensifies the experience even more. The swallow generates a spike of delicious black cherry and European black licorice. Great flavor persistence in the aftertaste, lasting for minutes. Overall, impressively lively, rich, layered, integrated, savory, and complete. (58 views) | | | Tasted by Miceri on 4/2/2016 & rated 90 points: Dark red almost black; spiced caramel nose; sweet powerful, some acidic caramel; fine (2602 views) | | | Tasted by Frank Schneider on 9/1/2015 & rated 93 points: Smooth , silky , fullbodied and yummy liquid ! ready to go without decanting but no hurry. (2936 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 10/26/2014 & rated 91 points: Racion: big, opaque, warm, blackberry and blackcurrant and plum notes. Big dose of oak on this, quite warm, soft, overblown. Made to be the big modern wine it is. Would like to know if it is still made in this style today. (3825 views) | | | Tasted by Kevdog on 8/1/2014 & rated 91 points: Nice structure but fruit has faded. Still a nice pair with tenderloin with family on big sheep cliff, Cashiers. (3782 views) | | | Tasted by carstenf on 12/1/2013 & rated 93 points: Agree with Xavier......he hit right on the spot. (4287 views) | | | Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 5/19/2013 & rated 96 points: A private lunch (Ron Gastrobar, Amsterdam, Netherlands): Immense weight of black and red fruit, hints of ink and tar but also floral topnotes, touch of beefstock; not coarse in any way, satiny, perfectly integrated new oak, supported by a strong frame of ripe tannins, lowish but adequate acidity, impeccable balance, even manages elegance (in spite of 14.8% ABV), velvety extract, amazing length; the slightly portlike finish is my only qualm. (5493 views) | | | Tasted by Kevdog on 4/17/2013 & rated 91 points: Great nose of black fruit and spice upon opening. Let breath in bottle over an hour and drank over 2. Good fruit and ell rounded with earthy old world finish, paired perfectly with lamb chops. (3981 views) | | | Tasted by Miceri on 10/26/2012 & rated 80 points: Dark red; smoked nose, some vanilla, slightly acidic; somewhat tannic and acidic, dull, some power but frankly an unexciting experience (4602 views) | | | Tasted by Kris G on 10/7/2012 & rated 93 points: well balanced, with still a lof of life in it (4039 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Bodegas AAlto Producer websiteTempranillo Varietal character (Appellation America) | TAPAS: Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society
Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero region in Spain. Tempranillo's aromas and flavors often combine elements of berryish fruit, herbaceousness, and an earthy-leathery minerality. Being low in acidity and sugar content, it is commonly blended with Carignan (Mazuela), Grenache (Garnacha), Graciano, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
WineAccess
The varietal is at its best in top Riojas, where oak aging is employed to generate increased complexity and harmony. From the best sites, these wines can be remarkably concentrated with great aging potential. New wines from this region are darker, and more robust, with more dynamic primary fruit flavors than traditionally styled examples. These wines seem to reflect the influence of Spain's other key region for Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero. Regardless of style, Riojas tend to be medium bodied wines, with more acid than tannins. These wines generally feature Tempranillo blended with Garancha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. For these wines, there are three quality levels, which will appear on the label. Everyday drinking wines fall under the category of "Crianza", "Reserva" denotes more complex and concentrated wines, and "Gran Reserva" refers to the most intense wines, made only in the best years.
The same labeling scheme applies to wines from Ribera del Duero, which, like Rioja, is dominated by Tempranillo and shares similar blending grapes. Again, Ribera del Duero wines are generally darker and more powerful than the most traditional Riojas. These wines also generally see less oak treatment than Riojas. From Rioja, we like wines from Allende, Marqués de Cáceres, Montecillo, and Cune. In Ribera del Duero, consider Dominio de Pingus, Emilio Moro, Convento San Francisco, and Pesquera.
Pair older-style Rioja with simple meats like chicken, leg of lamb, and pork loin. However, the newer style of Rioja and Ribera del Duero works especially well with bolder meat dishes or an aged Spanish cheese like Manchego or Idiazabal. 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.Castilla y León Castilla y León Wine (Turismo Castilla y León )Ribera del Duero El Corazón del Duero - The Heart of Duero (Consejo Regulador de la D.O. Ribera del Duero) |
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