12/26/2023 - olemski wrote:

Very close to my previous note in February. More leather on the nose, I'd say, but hard to calibrate with ten months between. Still an outstanding wine for the moderate price.

6/13/2020 - Geoffy Likes this wine:

Obviously lots of oak (which I like) and excellent on night 1 after 30 minutes inn the glass. Seemed a bit thin and gone-over on night 2. Drink up?

10/1/2023 - Brigitte Bordeaux wrote:

Torra, men mjuka tanniner, inte så mycket frukt, mer kött.

7/14/2023 - Doc Malvern wrote:

Technically a very good wine, but to me needs rich food to balance it out and show it at its best. It’s quite rich and fruity with peach, apricot, honey, passion fruit, pineapple, and white pepper flavours. Rounded acidity, textured, a slight fruit sweetness and very long finish.

2/25/2023 - rogeroc@aol.com wrote:

May have been past its prime. Not a favorite

2/23/2023 - Joshvoulters Does not like this wine:

Jeroboams Barolo 2019 tasting: Maybe I just don't get on with the house style, but this is definitely not what I'm looking for in a Barolo. Very red, ripe, open, simple. Not working for me at all

2/21/2023 - Stanrocks Likes this wine:

94/96

WOTN, the big guy of the evening

It was showing so well... what a treat !!

Nose is complex, layered, with floral notes of violets, spice, pepper, and the anchovies that I really love, like in the Grange des Pères when they are stunning. So it has all the best expressions of great Syrah here...

The tannins here as well are getting integrated and balanced with still a fantastic grip of acidity holding the whole thing. M+ tannins, M+ Body, M+ acidity but all is aged and integrated in a balanced an fresh palate. Super long wine, infinite finish, lasting forever on a anchovies, tapenade, sooth ...

So goooood ! I drank it

8/20/2022 - johnrm Likes this wine:

We tasted this (from a half bottle) and quite liked it (apart from a hint of VA). However, after our last experience of this vintage (see note of June 2nd), we kept most of the wine until next day. 24 Hours after opening, it was stunning. Nothing else to add.

8/4/2022 - RichardFlack wrote:

Almost attains “mostly harmless” category in the immortal words of the Galactic Encyclopedia.

Tasted between 1 and four hours after decant. Minimal evolution.

Nose. Plummy, rather muted. Mystery grape.
Palate. Meh. Smooth to point of boredom; easy, zero grip. Tannins way over in the next parish. Low acid. Like a 60% scale model of a Napa. Plummy (more on stewed side than jammy) , slightly peppery finish. Not as apparently alcoholic as might have been expected. Unexciting. Poor match for bbq steak, which is failing its primary job description. Now, what do I do with second bottle ….

6/2/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Darker riper fruit than the East Bench. Right size the bougy comment in a moment.

4/11/2022 - OneForTheStairs Likes this wine:

.

4/7/2022 - fussyeater wrote:

Quite a closed nose at first, nice mouthfeel from velvety tannins, quite a big scaled wine with plenty of power, yet for some reason the fruit has not quite fully swallowed all of the oak and the oak sticks out a bit. Initially the wine felt a bit disjointed and unbalanced but improved in the glass. Not a wine I would make a big effort to find, but if given the chance, would happily enjoy a bottle over a hearty meal.

4/5/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote:

French table wine in the style of a claret. Drinking well....Drink now and over 3 years

11/2/2021 - SophieR Does not like this wine:

Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this beverage a 99. I'm tempted to give it a 79, but I'm too nice a person to skewer a passel of positive scores with one hardhearted one. My bottle was bad, very bad, in a way I haven't previously experienced, certainly not with a 2010 CDP. I popped the cork and out came, well, stink. Professional notes mention aromas of licorice, anise, leather. Imagine all those products rotting away and you've nailed the bouquet. I jammed a cork in the bottle, pulled it about 48 hours later. The horrid bouquet had dissipated, and what was left was drinkable, but barely so: Upon that do I base my score.
An addendum: I have been chastised, perhaps rightly so, for not declaring this bottle defective and being done with it. A reasonable point, but the defect was so unusual, so unlike any other foulness I've experienced in wine, that I thought describing it might be of scientific interest.

3/20/2021 - Neras Likes this wine:

Nice. Smells and taste like a Bordeux. But easy to find just as good at a lower price in Bordeaux.

2/16/2021 - IlonaN wrote:

Classic Penfolds Shiraz. Dark, dense and loaded with flavors of cassis, blackberry preserves, warm spices and grippy underlying acidity. At a great drinking plateau, likely will be good for several more years.

7/23/2020 - Cailles wrote:

Bordeaux 2015 - 5 Years On - Many Top Shots: All 12 reds tasted blind. I thought that many of these 2015s might be in a sleepy phase but that‘s not the case. The large majority of the wines are open and singing. Expressive, ripe but seldom too ripe (probably Palmer & VCC only), very layered, focused, smooth tannin structure and with a good freshness. The complete package and not one wine with noticeable alcohol. These 2015s are more exuberant than the 2016s but still full of elegance and finesse. Group Top 5: 1) Cheval Blanc, 2) Haut Brion, 3) Yquem, 4) Palmer, 5) Margaux with generally very high scores (on average 96.9 for the group, 95.8 for me) for this group of - to be fair - mostly superstar wines.

TN: I still have to find a young Haut Bailly which I truly enjoy. Non of the vintages (09, 10, 14, 16, 17) I‘ve tasted so far was open for business and ready. This 2015 is no exception, however our group was much more bullish than I was (see average score below). Too many hard edges, slightly astringent, just not very harmonious. Ripe dark fruit, lots of herbs, slight green hints on the medium- expressive nose. More open on the palate with additional notes of spices, powdered sugar and more red berries. As mentioned above the wine is not balanced with too much acidity.

Decanting: Quickly double decanted 7 hours before consumption. Would have needed several hours in the decanter.

Group rank: 12 out of 13 wines
Group score: 95.1

7/16/2020 - Villon wrote:

sans note

7/11/2020 - tomjputney Likes this wine:

Medium, black currant, sour cherry and black pepper. Hint of smoke and leather. Well balanced acidity and tannin

5/14/2020 - Geoffy Likes this wine:

This is apple and blackberry crumble on a stick, but with the right level of acidity to make it a proper wine rather than alcoholic fruit juice. Complex brambly fruits and a little spice on the nose and the initial taste, and then a long slightly caramelised finish. Lovely. Shame Ridge wines have become so expensive in the UK.

5/30/2020 - acyso wrote:

Spanish pot luck (Chicago, IL): Tasted alongside the 890, and I always wish that I like this bottling as much as the 890, but it never seems to be the case. Although this is the larger-scaled wine, with more outright expressiveness and power, it's not quite as complex as its more prestigious sibling. The fruit is young and quite potent, and the American oak perfume here is very prominent. There's a hint of earthiness that I find quite enjoyable here as well. Overall, the structure on this wine isn't as chiseled as the 890, but in general, I can't say I'd turn my nose up at this wine.

5/31/2019 - BradA Likes this wine:

Suave, smooth with fine grained tannins. Drinks like a wine that has cellared 5-7 years... not sure how I feel about these early approachable wines... isn’t the fun to buy, cellar and discover later...? Anyhow, I digress. Buy this under $40– you will be glad to have a few. Does it hold to 2030.....? I lack firm conviction that it will.

5/31/2019 - BI81 wrote:

Decanted for 2.5 hours, opaque deep purple, the nose is strikingly powerful and fills the room with dried florals as if there was a bowl of potpourri sitting on the counter. I was overwhelmed by the fruit and heat on my first sip. Definitely not your classic left bank, much riper and more extracted than I was expecting. The heat fades a bit over time and some of the Bordeaux characteristics I was hoping for began to peak through, hints of pencil lead, green pepper, and a touch of cedar. There is something out of balance here, I’m not sure if it’s the oak that still needs time, the ripeness of the fruit, or just my expectation of a more classic example, but I was slightly disappointed. I wouldn’t say the wine was bad by any means, it just reminds me more of a Napa Cab, maybe the next time I’m in the mood for a Cali cab I’ll pop one of these and try again. I’d definitely hold off on drinking this one for a while, it needs some more time to integrate.

5/26/2019 - Kustjagr wrote:

This Bordeaux style blend should silence all those criticizing the New World wines for lack of sophistication. Immensely dark, plummy, medium bodied with a nice balance of fruit, tannins and oak. Notes of leather and licorice are already present. Should age well for decades.

5/19/2019 - bobbylion Likes this wine:

This is, I believe, my 5th Musar vintage - 98,99, 01, 04 and now 11. Clearly this is way too young, but I had to try. I am coming to the conclusion that Musar verticals are nonsense. Every year has a completely different stylistic and can be compared to a completely different wine region. So is this now like a very good barolo with at least 5 years to go before it should be drunk. It is tight, very concentrated, powerful wine, with little of the usual Musar orange peel. Leather, earthy tones and high complexity. It will push 93-95 in 5-10 years. Now it should really be left alone.

5/5/2019 - shallIshantI Likes this wine:

2001 – 92. A real testament to the winemaker’s skill. See previous verticals. It’s now 18 years old and you can still taste that distinct fresh fruit on the palate. Just starting to get a little lighter now.
2002 – 90. That sharp spritz that we previously got on the front of the tongue has now finally gone.
2003 – 89. Odd one out of the evening. More ‘meaty’ and savoury. Went fine with food. We had previously found the 2003 to be much smoother.
2004 – 92. Yes, back to that medicinal cherry lozenges punch
2005 – 93. Drinking very well now. Hint of spiciness.
2007 – 92. A deeper, heavier year. You can still find some 2007’s at the larger retailers and it’s ready. Had the strongest bouquet of the lot
2007 Magnum – 93. We had fun here, putting a magnum and a standard bottle of the same year up against each other. Was there a difference? Yes. Would you know if you did not have them side by side? Unlikely. This was the star of the night. Ripe fruit. Think warm sunshine.
2008 – 91. Youngest one here and it shows immediately just looking at the rims comparing it with the others. It was the ‘reliable friend’ – easy drinking, plenty of fruit (evokes Christmas sweet spices) and went well with the cheese course
A Billecart Salmon 1999 to start. All reds out of the Eurocave the night before, opened in the morning. Smoked duck with asparagus and a walnut dressing to start, beef filet with a shallot and port sauce, potatoes cooked with garlic and thyme, cheeses, rose possett with rhubarb.

4/26/2019 - jwsmith wrote:

Just so good this is a producer who flys under the radar amazing wine of the money

4/22/2019 - Tannatastic Does not like this wine:

Really not enjoying this wine at all.

The 'evolution' the company claims to be following seems to be towards a wine that the rest of the world tried and mostly discarded and that I'd hoped we were seeing the back of.

Very polished and glossy, it has badly integrated alcohol, and much darker (as opposed to red) fruit profile, and at this early stage of it's life doesn't really show off the oak regimen much (it is meant to be Rioja, and high quality stuff, after all).

We assumed the acidity might match food, specifically lamb, because Rioja was made for roast lamb. It didn't.

My earlier criticisms of this wine still stand. For the company to compare it to the 2001 is ludicrous in my opinion. It's been clear since the 2001 vintage that there has been a slow-evolution in style of Ardanza, but the earlier changes were liveable, and still added to the whole. If this represents the end destination of the process, then I can only agree with other fans of LRA such as Harley1199 and MacauJames that it isn't a wine I recognise (it is more reminiscent of full bodied Ribeiro del Duero), and that the Alberdi 2010 is significantly superior.

I lament having bought so many, and will be more circumspect with future Ardanza purchases, as its no longer a wine I recognise.

4/22/2019 - dnnk88 wrote:

Plums, red fruits aroma, with corn tertiary. Dark fruits, gravel, grape skin on the palate with leather tertiaries. Rather strong on alcohol; tannins very much alive. Finish abit lacklustre and flat though. Wasn’t impressed tonight. Shall revisit in a few more years.

3/24/2019 - johnrm Likes this wine:

Opened and double-decanted before it was left for 7h. Light in colour. Wonderful nose with spice and good fruit. A sweet and unusually delicate palate for a Musar with hints of strawberry together with cherries, spice and orange citrus. More complex as it opened. For me, the ovewhelming impression is of great acidity, elegance, subtlety and length. Lovely stuff with years ahead.

2/16/2019 - MWiking wrote:

like this wine more this time then a year ago, a herbal nose mixed with powerful fruit. palate os very bordeaux like

2/16/2019 - seanman Likes this wine:

What DBG wrote below. One of the best wines I’ve tasted. Sure it’s young and I only decanted 90 minutes but this is a rockstar. Feel like a genius getting it at 80 dollars a bottle.

Ripeness, structure, power and a wonderful nose. Fantastic Bordeaux blend with a hint of Napa style. The hype is real. The real question is do I have the discipline to hold for 10-15 years.

2/8/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine:

My prior ratings:
2015: 93 pts
2016: 92 pts
2017: 90 pts
2019: 88 pts

There is a trend here. The vibrancy and freshness of this wine is starting to fade. Now showing a bit tired and somewhat overripe with some prune on the finish. Tannin has resolved and it is silky smooth. Drink up before it is too late. I prefer the 2010 to the 2009.

11/19/2017 - Pacoderable Likes this wine:

Great balance, sweet, fruity. Can be drank now but has potential to last !! To replace

4/5/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:

Medium ruby. All pine resin on the nose, which just gives me a viscerally negative reaction, just like the sickening florality one can sometimes find in Gewurztraminer. Medium weight, cherry and plum, some cocoa dust and spice, but at the end of the day, it is the oak that speaks most loudly and squashes everything else. It is always the same story from La Rioja Alta; beats me as to why I even keep trying them since I hate this style.

8/21/2016 - gupet wrote:

Great best now...

8/11/2016 - Kmok Likes this wine:

Very riped fruit, sweet at first which kind of softens on rose with more finesse. A modern winemaker? The body is there and the tannin is fine-grained. Good acidity with decent after taste. Mixed of North and South Montalcino.

6/24/2016 - bklynwine wrote:

this wine is all about the bing cherry sangiovese fruit (remember this is a straight CC, not a riserva); tannins are soft, acidity is in check; nice dinner wine, to be sure, but are the Fontodi CCs becoming overpriced for what they are?

3/16/2016 - Los 12 Glotones Does not like this wine:

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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/la-rioja-alta-904-gran-reserva-2005.html
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De color rojizo intenso de capa media-alta, muy extraido, oscuro, tapado. Reflejos granadinos, refulgente. Limpio, sin asomo de precipitados. Borde estrecho, marcado respecto al exterior del menisco.

Apagado en nariz, austero, sin la habitual expresión de crianza tradicional que caracteriza a este vino en sus primeros años de vida. Frutos negros macerados, cuero, barrica sin integrar, humo, regaliz negro, especias... Sin orden alguno, sin personalidad.

En boca es brusco y concentrado, tostado, ampuloso, redundante, con mucha estructura. Difícil de beber, cansino, sin apenas frescor y sin un atisbo de alma propia. Esto es lo que le hacen a los elefantes en la India. Se merece los 96 puntos Parker!!! "A great classic... At this quality level this is a bargain". Fina ironía Luis Gutiérrez!!!

Hay un evidente cambio de estilo por parte de la bodega. Un vino "sospechosamente" moderno que naufraga en la centenaria historia de la bodega. No es esto lo que uno busca en un 904, por lo que se está dispuesto a pagar 30 euros. Si la bodega busca cosechar grandes puntuaciones para acercarse a nuevo público y llenar la caja pues nada sería mejor que crear una nueva marca y dotarla de contenido. No se puede vivir de rentas. La palabra que mejor resumen este vino es decepción.

Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
90% tempranillo, 10% graciano. 13.5% vol.
- La tempranillo proviene de los viñedos propios, con una edad superior a 40 años, ubicados en subzona de la Rioja Alta, principalmente de los municipios de Briñas, Labastida y Villalba. El resto de la uva es originaria de las fincas Melchorón I y II de Briones y Rodezno. La fermentación alcohólica se desarrolló en 12 días, descubándose cinco días después. La fermentación maloláctica se desarrolló en depósitos de acero inoxidable a lo largo de 15 días, seguido de una selección de lotes que completo la maloláctica tras 38 días. En marzo de 2.006 los vinos pasaron a criarse en barricas de roble americano de 225 litros de fabricación propia, con una media de edad de 4 años. Sometido a trasiegos manuales de forma periódica cada 6 meses por el método tradicional de barrica a barrica, a la luz de la vela. Transvasado a depósitos para ser embotellado en noviembre de 2.010. Un mínimo de 5 años de guarda en botellero en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado, en noviembre de 2015.
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10/29/2015 - Zweder wrote:

Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2015-07; Syrah/Shiraz world wide (By HV): I just made limited notes on this wine. In the bouquet mint and eucalyptus. On the palate a lot of acidity, butter milk. Special and not really pleasant. Because of my limited notes I will not score the wine (which I didn’t at the moment of tasting this time) but it would be in the low 80’s at best.

12/9/2015 - Tbird13 Likes this wine:

Dark ruby red. Black fruits on the nose. Blueberries with perfect tannins, full body, & long finish. Will age for a few more years in the bottle

12/3/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine during the Bordeaux 2012 Masterclass Tasting at the Tower Club.

Wine comprises of 75% Merlot, 17 Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark purplish-red in colour with an oaky nose and a pleasing, pleasant palate. Touch of sweetness with liquorice and dark berries.

9/23/2015 - Sanfoan Likes this wine:

First impression was that this wine was kind of funky. There was some funkiness both on the nose and on the palate. In particular, there was some forest floor for sure, maybe some leather as well, and some mushrooms (especially on the palate). I decided to decant this wine because there seemed to be a fair amount of sediment (as expected). After about an hour in the decanter, this wine truly was shining! The funkiness had more or less gone away and given way to some typical Bordeaux (or should I say Pessac) characteristics. The nose and palate on this wine were very similar. There was a good amount of graphite (pencil shavings), some leather (a bit faint), and some ripe dark fruits (mostly cassis, blackberry, and maybe a bit of blueberries). The finish was quite long. I think that it is quite a good representation of the 2004 vintage in Bordeaux. It is not as opulent as other riper vintages but for those who prefer a more classic Bordeaux style (or maybe an in-between) this should be in your wheelhouse. There is a good amount of acidity. The tannins are now very soft. This really is a beautiful wine. I can understand why this is such a prized producer. I would definitely buy more if I could find it! If you have some, you could probably hold on to it for another year or two but I am not sure what is to be gained by keeping it in the cellar longer.

7/22/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wrote:

Popped and poured.