Some wines from a trip

Some, only better wines from trip.

Traditional producers

• 2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Crianza Viña Cubillo 85 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/19/2014)

  Starts with a strong jammy nose and calms with air. Already now it has some bricking in the colour. Light body, not a lot of tannin, leveled acid, easy to drink, slightly bitter finish. Some vegetable notes on the nose. (B)

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• 2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/20/2014)

  Sweet flowers on the nose. Oily citrus, lovely texture, med+ body, superb balance and mouthfeel. Already interesting now but I sense a big potential for development. (A-)

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• 2007 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Good old school classic Rioja. (B+)

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• 2004 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Gran Reserva 150 Aniversario 87 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Beautiful, medium dark colour with a very slight brick nuance. Interesting, quite complex nose of jasmine (?), some flowers, with time it develops into eucalyptus and pine trees. Drying, classic tannin profile. Long grapefruit finish, some bitterness. High quality but bothing particularly interesting. (B/B+)

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• 2006 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Baron de Chirel Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Calm and even nose of berries. There's some transparency. Much more bitterness and roast than GR 150 Aniversario, may be it is too young at this point. There's an unbalanced bitterness on the finish.
  Actually in greatly improves after some 45 min in glass, this must be decanted! (B+)

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• 1981 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Clarete Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/23/2014)

  Bought in a vinoteca in Logrono. Don't know how it was stored but it was past its prime. Given how good was '88 and the price (15 euro), I think it was a risk worth taking.

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• 2007 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda I Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (6/20/2014)

  Quality can be felt already on the nose. Medium body, lots of things happening in the glass, expressive red fruit, dense mouthfill, but somehow the wine doesn't feel heavy despite high extraction, fresh and lovely nose. A superb modern Rioja, ready to drink now. One of the better modern producers. (B+)

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• 2008 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/20/2014)

  Meat, sausage and pate on the nose, it is actually quite classic, even though this is "modern Rioja". Lighter than 2007, elegant, very fruity. (B+)

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• 2013 Bodegas Muga Rioja Blanco 75 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/21/2014)

  Very herbal and unbalanced, could hardly finish a glass. And I love white Rioja! (C)

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• 2009 Bodegas Muga Rioja Selección Especial 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/21/2014)

  Not transparent. Interesting balance and composition of the tastes, has its own character. Medium body and balanced fruit, there's no vanilla or overdona accidity. There's some coffee, dry tannin. Overall - very good effort from Muga. Must keep this for some more years, not in optimal condition yet. (B+)

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• 2005 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva 87 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/21/2014)

  Here to we have a lovely nose of chorizo and salami. Not transparent, light body, but seems quite extracted, somehow remember that 2004 was lighter and more elegant. May be too young? Quite confused about the extraction. (B)

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• 2010 Bodegas Muga Rioja Torre Muga 80 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/21/2014)

  Tasting at the Bodegas Muga.
  Very dense and inky. Ouch! Tooo extracted, this is not Rioja. Too young and wild at this moment, unpleasant. May be revisit in 5+ years. (C)

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• 2008 Bodegas Vivanco Rioja Colección Vivanco Parcelas de Graciano 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Sharp, solid black pepper nose. Ascetic palate, reminds me of lead pencil. Medium light, enjoyable body. Long, mildly tannic finish. Interesting. (B+)

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Whites

• 2008 Bodegas y Viñedos de la Marquesa Rioja Valserrano Gran Reserva Blanco 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Lighter colour than expected. Very strong nose of milk caramel, hazelnuts, orange marmalade, fresh honey and citrus. Some creaminess, not overdone, balanced, but still quite high accidity at his point. Medium long finish with some bitterness. Vanilla and hazelnuts on the palate as well. (B+)

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• 2010 Bodegas y Viñedos del Contino Rioja Blanco 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Very light colour, like sun dried straw. Interesting nose, in the beginning some riesling-like kerosene or barnyard (!?), may be meat pate, machine oil, nutty. Very peculiar. Pleasant mouthfeel, acidity on the lower side, but there's some spiciness (no malolactic here), also some creaminess to it. Also on the palate we found buttery croissant notes. Finish quite short. (B+)

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• 2012 Bodegas Baigorri Rioja Blanco Fermentado en Barrica 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Smoke on the nose, may be also hay, nuance of honeysuckle. Quite lush mouthfeel, may be the effect of battonage. Low-ish accidity, milk toffee that develops into citrus notes on the palate. Very soft. (B+)

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• 2013 Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Txakolina 86 Points

  Spain, País Vasco, Getariako Txakolina

  (6/25/2014)

  Very high accidity, it even felt bitter. Intense flowery, perfume nose. A bit simple/rustic. Very lively and even fizzy on the palate. Peculiar, has a distinct character. (B)

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• 2009 Viñedos de Páganos Rioja El Puntido 80 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (6/22/2014)

  Very extracted and inky at the moment. Why do they even release such wines now? They have to be kept for at least 5-10 more years and judged then. Now it is undrinkable. (C+)

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• 1998 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 87 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/20/2014)

  Colour doesn't show the age of the wine, this looked younger than Tondonia 2002 or Bosconia 2003. At first a quiet nose of oak, tart cherry and hay. High accidity, I would leave this wine for some more 5 years due to that. Palate of tart cherry, some pickle juice. Quality is there, but it is too young and stubborn now. A profile of classic Rioja - some barnyeard, pepper, oak, vanilla, probably will be very good in the future. (B)

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• 2010 Finca Allende Rioja Martires 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (6/23/2014)

  Starts with a very intense nose of pickles and marinade. You can tell that it is quite high in alc., 14%. Very intense, quite complex flowery, perfume-like nose, same coctail in the mouth. Light, typical bitterness, very pure. Fresh honey. I don't understand the high price of this wine even though it is very good. May be it has aging potential that others don't offer, would be curious to try some older bottles. (B+)

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• 2008 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (6/23/2014)

  Surprisingly evolved judging by the colour, there is already a bricking note to the colour. Very deep, evolving nose that consists of: black pepper, new leather, anice, clove, nutmeg. It opens up into not so strong fruity-berry nuances, some small red plums, some acidity on the nose. Light body which resembles to me a Burgundy, outstanding freshness, greenness of watermelon rind, note of black raspberry jam. Long finish of dried fruits. Very interesting and enticing wine, brilliant development over couple of hours. (A)

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  (6/24/2014)

  ID 411038
  Nose more creamy than taste. Round, multilayered, very well made, but a bit boring. (A-)

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• 2012 Emilio Rojo Ribeiro 91 Points

  Spain, Galicia, Ribeiro

  (6/24/2014)

  This was super-soft, very light aromatic profile of hard candy, eucalyptus, menthol, nutmeg, some iodine appears with more air. Interesting, will have to revisit. (B+/A-)

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• 2006 Bodegas Roda Rioja Cirsion 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (6/24/2014)

  Even though it was absolotely non-transparent and with an extracted nose of pronounced dark cherry, dark berries and chocolate - it was superbly balanced, mild and even elegant in the mouth. Ready to drink! Not much accidity, long and beautiful finish. Such a good modern Rioja! (A-/A)

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• 2010 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Amancio

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (6/24/2014)

  Much too young now, keep it for at least 5 more years, this is very very unready now.

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• 1970 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (6/24/2014)

  High soulder.
  A disappointing showing, tired bottle. Drinkable but may be showed only 10% of what is is capable of when good. There are no good wines but only good bottles - true in this case.

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• 2003 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Vignes de Mon Père 90 Points

  France, Jura, Côtes du Jura

  (7/1/2014)

  Very mineral, seems salty even on the nose. Also - milk toffee, some sour and fresh notes that are hard to name. Quite high accidity, superb mouthfeel and texture, soft, like cotton candy in your mouth. Very long finish, nutty. In its own league, in its own style. (B+)

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• 2012 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant

  (7/1/2014)

  Vigorous, fresh, mineral nose. Notes of pickle juice. Sweetness of chenin. Unique mouthfeel - dense, cloying, very balanced, white fruits, may be peach. This wine just possesses your senses and plays with you. I wonder what beast will it grow into with time? (A-)

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• 2004 Château Cos d'Estournel 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  (7/1/2014)

  Quite developped colour, there's some bricking already. Nose of small, dark, dusty plums, restrained, some pepper, which reminds me of Rioja. Very pleasant cherries, aronia on the palate, finish long, dry, quite tannic, but good. (B+)

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• 2012 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  (7/2/2014)

  Very interesting, peculiar nose of salty vegetables, mushrooms, may be some animal notes, rich. Palate mirrors the nose. I loved it, so different from other champagnes. (B+)

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• 2011 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Te Koko 90 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

  (7/2/2014)

  Very very expressive nose, but not that typical of NZ SB. The palate though is quite typical. A fine example of the style. (B+)

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