Smells fresh and tropical, like guava and banana with some flinty, oceanic notes. A creamy texture on the palate (this spends more than a year on the lees), but bright acidity. Flavors of banana, orange and lemon peel, I get a brisk salinity in this wine and flavors of cut flower stems and lingering minerality. Very crisp, long-lasting, has the power to stand up to some spice, though.

Smells brisk and bright with crushed chalk and sea salt on top of lemons and oranges. A smooth texture on the palate but the wine stays subtle and fresh. The barrel-fermentation accentuates rather than dominates the wine, adding layers of creaminess to the orange and yellow apple fruit. Some honeysuckle, green tea and mineral notes add complexity. Lovely richness but this is very fresh. I'd love to age this for four or five years to see what happens.

A lovely spiciness on the nose (herbs, red pepper), along with roses and juicy currants. Great structure on the palate, bold and dry tannins, some moderate acidity. The fruit is rich, a little jammy and sweet, but delicious (black and red currants, blackberries). I get some complex earth, savory spice and charcoal elements. Lots going on here for the price. A blend of 45% Tempranillo, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot aged 12 months in new French oak. This wine received its own DO in 2002.

Deep and sexy aromas, this wine is full of velvety fruit aromas as well as black tea and graphite. Gorgeous structure, with firm tannins but lovely refreshing acidity. Silky/smooth black cherries, rich currant fruit, but the wine maintains such elegance. I love the savory elements of black tea, mushroom, pepper and roasted chestnut. Lingering minerals, graphite and charcoal. Wow, what a beautiful wine with such a long life ahead. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot, and 20% Syrah. This spends two years in French oak.

Smells plummy, spicy, earthy and peppery with some bacon fat, too. Silky/light tannins, low acidity, dark plums and sweet blueberry fruit. Oak and toast (12 months in new French oak barrels) are woven in quite well. Warm, jammy, with elements of bacon and pepper. Fun stuff for early drinking. 100% Syrah.

Smells rich but bright, with loads of cherries and currants, which mix with lifted notes of flowers and earth. Silky but structured on the palate, this shows such balance of elements and purity of flavors. I get chewy blackberries, tart plums, the fruit is rich but smooth. There's an interesting meaty streak in this wine, along with tobacco, smoke, tilled soil and a mix of herbal and spice flavors, too. Basically, this is packed with complexity, and you can taste it and pull out a different nuanced flavor every second. But what really does it for me is the mouthfeel. This wine is so pure and silky and so easy to drink despite its largeness. BEautiful stuff that should do wonders in the cellar. 100% Tempranillo aged 14 months in French oak.

Smells sweet and rich on the nose, lots of dark plums, but there's some elegance to the aromas, as well as soil, leaves, anise and coffee notes. Fleshy but so bright on the palate with a dusty tannic structure. Tart berries, crunchy red fruit, topped in coffee, anise and floral tea and wet leaves. The wood isn't subtle (some definite oak and vanilla) but the wine is balanced and stays fresh. 100% Bobal aged 21 months in French oak. This received its Vino de Pago in 2009.

Smells smooth and sweet with violets, red and black licorice candy, sweet red peppers, black cherries and dark plums. Chewier texture, but this has some moderate acidity and sandy tannins. Full of plum and black cherries, along with roasted nuts, herbs, menthol and red licorice. It’s bold and full of sweet, ripe Garnacha fruit, but the complexity and freshness keep it interesting and accessible. 100% Garnacha from old vines, this wine spends 10 months in French oak.

Deep and saucy aromas of blackberry compote and mocha. This wine had been opened all day but it's still abusive to the palate. Thick, syrupy mouthfeel, dense tannins, low acid, an extreme wine. The blackberry and blueberry jam fruit is packed with mulch, charred barrel, caramel, and raisin. If wine is music, Numanthia is grindcore a la Insect Warfare. Which is to say, I like it, but, whoa, this is insane. I've tasted a bunch of Numanthia's wines before, and, while I appreciate their density of deliciousness, I don't think I'd ever buy a bottle. I know, I know: give it a decade. I'd certainly like to retaste it in a year, but it's definitely an interesting experience for the palate to taste them young. 100% Tinta de Toro aged 18 months in French oak.