Christmas Day 2001 Spanish wines (Pintia, Pago de Carraovejas Crianza & Condado de Haza Crianza)
Culiacan, Mexico
Tasted December 25, 2006 by hcampana with 1,625 views
Introduction
My family on my mom's side always gets together on Christmas day for a late luncheaon that serves a s a good updating tool on the lives of all family members. There were 38 of us, but only a few are interested in wine. I brought 6 Spanish wines from the fabled 2001 vintage to try, but I only had quorum to open 3 of them.
Flight 1 (3 notes)
Wines were served with lunch in order to compare them. We were served exquisite home made fares: one of the greatest true (raw) ceviches in the world, a slow cooked pork ham, spinach souffle, and many more very tasty treats.
Deep dark ruby color. Wonderful nose of oak, horse saddle and black fruits. This is an amzingly elegant wine that flows hrough the palate without any sensation leftover from tannin. Medium to full bodied with low acidity and a wonderfully supple finish for a Ribera del Duero. I really liked this one.
This had a very similar color and nose to the 2001 Pago de Carraovejas. Black fruits and a hint of barn yard. In the mouth it turned out more rustic, with coarser tannin and a clipped finish. defintely a nose wine.
very inky black purple color that stood out when compared to the 2001 Condado de Haza Cranza and the 2001 Pago de Carraovejas Crianza that weren't any wimps colorwise either. This is a bomb. Incredibly intense nose of black and blue fruits, vanilla and also the tell tale barnyard note so typical of Ribera del Dueros. In the palate this monster is massive, attacking the entire mouth with gobs of fruit an tannin. Very full bodied and tannic, this is for bold flavor lovers only. I loves it, but can understand if someone calls it rustic.
Closing
I like family gatherings more and more as I age. When a teenager, I thought these gatherings were a nuisance and a big bore. Now I can really appreciate spending time with my loved ones as I live far away.