-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 30 minutes –

Nose was expressive, rich, and smoky. Medium to medium-full bodied on the palate, with an oily mouthfeel; flavors were fruity at the forefront, with some mineral on the backend. This was my favorite of the three whites that led-off this event. Viura and Malvasia blend.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --
-- 90% Viura, 10% Malvasia --

Lighter in color and mouthfeel than the 2009 Marques de Caceres “Antea” that was served immediately prior. Simple and mineral-driven. For early-drinking.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --
-- 100% Viura --

Fun, expressive Nose of light powdery florals. Nice mineral palate, with a bit of spicy fruit and good acidity.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --

Ooooh, I really liked this! Obviously young (and oaky), but there is great acidity and beautiful underlying material here; purple fruits; a hint of funk (but not bretty); not overly tannic; needs a few years before it hits the beginning of its drink window; will be a very pleasurable wine a few years down the road and for maybe a decade beyond that. I preferred this to the 2004 Muriel – Reserva that was served immediately following. Hold. Drink 2015 – 2025.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --

Quite internationally-styled: dark, smoky, and peppery --- really, this reminded me of many CA Syrah I’ve had; very oaky; low acidity. Needs time yet, but I’m not sure it will really *improve* so much as it should soften-out a bit. Hold. Drink 2015 – 2020.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --

Nice primary/tertiary balance between fruit and leather here; expressive; tannins are resolved; low acidity; this is sailing on its fruit, and I don’t see it getting any better. For my palate, this is at its peak right now, and is a very pleasurable wine. If you like your Rioja “old/fully mature” then I’d suggest you continue to hold this for another 3 – 5 years.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --

Young. Dark-fruited. Oaky. Somewhat non-descript. Needs time. Probably suffered from its placement in this stunning lineup.

-- decanted for approx. 5.5 hours before tasting --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 45 minutes --
-- 93% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo --
-- T/A: 5.70; pH: 3.43; r.s.: 2.10 g/L; 14% abv --

Tannic; acidic; oaky. The Nose, at times, was very expressive, showing spicy black cherry and a hint of concentrated plum tomato. The palate was similarly showy at moments, but, for the most part, this wine is all structure right now. Excellent wine in need of serious time before it hits its prime drinking window -- if this has a build similar to the ’78 Ygay that was also included in this lineup (and I believe it does), then this will need a couple decades before it enters its drink window. This wine spent 31 months in 225 liter American oak barrels. Hold. Drink 2025 – 2045 (or beyond?).

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 15 minutes --

Mature, and past peak, but not dead. Did seem to be a bit flat or wanting for drive and energy. Decent acidity. Nose and Palate mirrored each other, featuring aromas and flavors of coffee grounds, leather, and a touch of prune. Drink now.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 75 minutes --
-- 75% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 12% Mazuelo, 3% Graciano --
-- T/A: 6.30; pH: 3.25; r.s.: 2.0 g/L --

Showing very young, especially for a wine 33 years old: if I were served this wine blind, it would probably take me 30 guesses to correctly name the vintage. Furthermore, this wine spent an astonishing 216 months in 225 Liter American oak casks before it was bottled in 1998. Excellent concentration of fruit – plum and tart red berry, but does not come across as thick or gloppy; extremely well-balanced: still tannic, high acidity, 13% alcohol not noticeable, rich fruit. I do wish it had a shade less oak on it, but then again I usually feel that way about red Riojas. Showing even younger than the bottle I had a couple months ago. This bottle is a recent ex-Bodega bottle, and the perfect provenance shows. Honestly, this is not yet in its prime drinking window. As crazy as it may sound, continue to hold. Drink 2015 – 2035 (or beyond?). Laughably good. My WOTN, based on potential.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a few pours non-blind over approx. 90 minutes --

Nose was quite expressive: stinky, leathery, banana peel. Leather and strong pipe tobacco flavors on the palate. This has aged quite nicely and is fully mature: it should be consumed now. One of my favorites of the evening, for how it’s drinking right now.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 45 minutes --

Tart cherry and lots of oak on the Nose. Initially, I thought this came across as too oaky and modern, but after letting most of my pour sit in my glass for a good 35 minutes, or so, I returned to it and found a transformed wine; with time in the glass, additional nuance seemed to emerge from the dark-fruited palate, and the juicy acidity became much more apparent than it was at first. Needs time to integrate some oak, although I think I will always find this wine a touch too oaky. Heavy oak aside, I think this is a very nice wine, and needs additional time in the cellar. One of my favorites of the evening, based on its potential. Hold. Drink 2015 – 2035 (or beyond?).

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 5 – 10 minutes --
-- barrel sample (wine not yet released) --
-- Encruzado, Bical, and Cercial blend --

Nearly colorless. Corn syrup and pineapple on the Nose. Good acidity; not much fruit; minerally; hides its 13% alc. well. Good quaffer.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 5 – 10 minutes –
-- barrel sample (wine not yet released) --
-- Encruzado, Bical, and Cercial blend --

Riper Nose than the “regular” Dona Patricia blanco. 13% alc. but doesn’t hide it nearly as well as the “regular” bottling. Didn’t like this.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 5 minutes --

Spicy and light. Decent typicity; no structure; would make for a decent carafe wine.

-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 5 minutes --

Thin; good acidity; needs more fruit; comes across as a bit green/stalky. Didn’t like this.