Visit to Bodegas Franco-Españolas

Logroño, Rioja, Spain
Tasted Friday, June 29, 2012 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 1,470 views

Introduction

image

image

Flight 1 - Diamante (semi-sweet, non-vintage white) (1 Note)

image

Flight 2 - Bordón (4 Notes)

image

  • 2008 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Crianza Bordón 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Medium dark ruby color; appealing, focused nose of cherry, dried berry, dried cherry; elegant, tart cherry, dried cherry palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 90+ points (80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha; from vines averaging 25 yrs old; 12 mos in American white oak barriques of medium toast with racking every 6 mos for natural clarification; great value at $12 in U.S.)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2007 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Bordón Reserva 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Medium dark ruby color; appealing, spicy, dried cherry, raspberry nose; tasty, tart cherry, dried cherry, tart raspberry, cedar palate with integrated oak and good acidity; drinking well now; medium-plus finish (80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo; fermented in stainless steel tanks for 9 days at 25 degrees centigrade, then macerated in contact with the skins for 5 days; 24 mos. in American white oak barriques of medium and intense toast with racking every 6 mos; 2 yrs in bottle; $15 in the U.S.)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2004 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Dark ruby color; complex, evocative, licorice, chocolate, caramel, dried berry nose; maturing, tart cherry, tart berry, dried berry palate with medium acidity and fully integrated oak; will go 10-12 years; medium-plus finish (80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano; destemming and soft crushing of the grapes before fermentation for 10 days in stainless steel tanks at 26 degrees centigrade, followed by maceration in contact with skins for 7 days; aged 3 yrs in American oak barriques of medium and intense toast plus 2 yrs in bottle before release; only $22 in U.S.)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1969 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Cosecha Especial Bordón 94 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Bricking dark red violet color; rich, intense, tobacco, dill, dried red fruit, dried shitake mushroom, cinnamon nose; delicious, mature, tobacco, dried mushroom, shitake palate with freshness due to medium acidity and good body; long finish

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Royal (3 Notes)

image

  • 2005 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Royal Reserva 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Very dark ruby color; caramel, ripe cherry, black cherry, oak spice, dried cherry nose; tasty, maturing, tart cherry palate with integrated sandalwood oak and wonderful tension and medium acidity; medium-plus finish (80% Tempranillo, with Graciano and Mazuelo; aged in 2 and 3 yr old American white oak barrels)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1995 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Royal Reserva 95 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Bricking medium dark ruby color with light orange meniscus; redolent, sweet cigar box, dried orange peel, dried cherry, red fruit, freshly unearthed mushroom nose; very tasty, fresh, elegant, dried cherry, tobacco, light mushroom palate with tension; should continue to age beautifully for decades; long finish

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1968 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Royal Reserva 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Bricked medium red violet color with orange meniscus; more mature, oxidized, dried red fruit, apple nose with gingerbread note; mature, dried cherry, orange preserves palate, on the austere side; medium-plus finish 92+ points

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 4 - Baron d'Anglade (1 Note)

image

  • 2005 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Tempranillo Rioja Baron d'Anglade Reserva 95 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Dark ruby color; poised, tart cherry, black cherry, incense nose; complex, charming, tart cherry, raspberry, dried tangerine palate with both richness and restraint; long finish (80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Graciano; selected grapes in particularly good vintages are destemmed and softly crushed before fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 26 degrees centigrade, followed by maceration with skin contact for 7 days; 26 mos. in French Allier oak, medium toast barrels; 2 years in bottle)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 5 - Viña Soledad - Tête de Cuvée (1 Note)

image

  • 1959 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Gran Reserva Tête de Cuvée Viña Soledad 98 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Medium golden color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; evocative and transporting, mature, cumin, coriander, curry, preserved lemon nose; exquisite, complex, silky textured palate with tension and flavors of preserved lemon, cumin, coriander and orange marmalade; long finish 98+ points (in a Riesling style bottle)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 6 - Federico Paternina wines (3 Notes)

image

  • 1958 Bodegas Ollauri Rioja Conde de los Andes Gran Reserva 94 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    From 350 ml bottle - mature, bricked medium garnet red color with orange meniscus; appealing, sweet, surprisingly fruity, dried orange, sweet tobacco, cigar box, incense nose; delicious, delicate, sweet tobacco, light dried cherry, tart raspberry palate with a touch of bitterness on the finish; long finish (5 yrs in used barriques; blend included 10% white grapes, probably all Viura)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2010 Federico Paternina Rioja Clisos 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Very dark ruby color; fresh, ripe currant nose with an olive note; tart currant, tart cherry, olive palate with good acidity; medium finish (100% Tempranillo; 2-3 mos in American oak; very good value at about $10)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2009 Federico Paternina Rioja Selección Especial 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Very dark ruby color; fresh, ripe currant, cherry nose; tasty, ripe cherry, spice, black cherry palate; medium-plus finish (100% Tempranillo, from 25-35 yr old vines; 13% alcohol)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

×
×